Early Risers.

[Neil]

23 minutes ago, Hroth said:

The depressing thing about yesterday is that 40% or so of the eligible "citizens" couldn't be bothered to get off their arses and vote.  Its not difficult to do, and even if you've other things to do on the day, alternatives to attending a polling station are available.

 

 

 

Some of the 40% may well be down to indifference but some may have thought it a forgone conclusion (the polls suggesting a Labour landslide) and some deterred by the need for photo i.d. 

[zarniwhoop]

4 minutes ago, Hroth said:

The depressing thing about yesterday is that 40% or so of the eligible "citizens" couldn't be bothered to get off their arses and vote.  Its not difficult to do, and even if you've other things to do on the day, alternatives to attending a polling station are available.

Actually, in my case it was difficult - I'd hoped to park some distance from the school used as the polling station (parking is supposedly not permitted) and walk down and back. I mistook which entrance was the polling station (a different school, with an open day!) and beyond that one there was no safe walking route - oh, and before I got back to my car from that first attempt my bad leg was shaking  when I tried to step down the curb to get back to my car and I was feared I would fall (and would not be able to get up - I can only get up from the floor indoors if I move to somewhere I can use furniture to lever myself up ). Took me a couple of minutes to be able to step down the curb, the gusts of wind blowing on my sticks were a major problem. But after that I managed to park, perhaps illegally, and eventually voted - got in the queue, had to ask to sit down on a chair. The people handling the voting were very supportive (I was OK after I'd sat for a few minutes and waited for the next people who came in to complete their voting). But it seems the green-led processes are  only fine for those with good mobility.

 

So, I guess I'll have to register for one of these infernal postal votes (the ones where it's in the lap of the gods whether  it gets in in time - for the last council elections many were only delivered back to the count after it had long-since finished). And I'm ignoring at least one person here who thinks that postal votes may be suspect.

 

Years ago I had a postal vote, my memory suggests that I had to get a neghbour to sign to verify that it was indeed me who filled it in. Is that still true ?

 

My point after all this is that in this constituency 70% voted and the incumbent was returned with 52% of the vote. Many of you may not like the result, I'm not enthused, but at least the country got the last lot out - despite that posh ex-broker finally getting elected to the big house.

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

 

Not only do they harvest coffee beans from animal turds in Indonesia,  they then charge a fortune for the privilege, shocking. 

 

BiL, who is very widely travelled (senior Amex Travel bod until retirement - no degree required) brought some home. 
 

My sister very soon had it banished to the shed and wouldn’t have it in the house. 
 

Apparently once opened it smells like s**t. I was offered a taste once but declined. 

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Neil said:

 

Some of the 40% may well be down to indifference but some may have thought it a forgone conclusion (the polls suggesting a Labour landslide) and some deterred by the need for photo i.d. 

69% turnout here which was still down by over 8%. 
 

The landscape has returned to the colour of marigolds. Our once and future MP (who was the incumbent until unseated by the motorway-sign coloured mob) gained 52% of all votes cast. No doubt about that result then. 
 

In other news it is raining which, along with the need to perform domestic engineering tasks, will not favour leaving the cottage at all. 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The boiler service engineer has been and gone, the boiler is in fine fettle, but he did notice that the ball cock on the hot water tank was stuck open and needed replacing. As luck would have it, he had one in his van, so has fitted that before he left. Now comes the BIG clean up. Sheila likes to do a spring clean like job after the boiler service has been done, so it out with the buckets and cloths. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian 

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

I suspect the vast majority of those fall into the "they're all as bad as each other - so what's the point??" camp.

I've got a lot of sympathy with that - I wasn't that far off myself.

 

During an A-level Politics lesson we once discussed the distinction between [choosing] not to vote and deliberately spoiling your ballot paper. (As well as the advantages/not of compulsory voting systems). All sorts of possible reasons and I don't want to open that can of worms by listing or discussing them but we all agreed that depending on people's motivation and [political] beliefs, there can be a distinction. Particularly as the UK does not currently have provision for write in candidates or a none of the above option. I've often wondered how many voters wishing to chose the latter who don't vote, do so deliberately as a [further] act of protest or through disinterest or apathy. Probably a question which can never be answered with certainty and probably one which changes over time anyway. 

[DaveF]

I looked at the exit poll plus some of the secenes from the count in my constituency as it was forecast to declare quite early.  I went to bed at the usual time and slept quite well until 05.30.  Then I went back to sleep until just after 08.00.

 

The results seem to be as expected, I make no comment having experiencd, as all of us have who live in the UK, both good and bad things from both major parties over the years.  At least in a few days time we might get back to real news on the local TV programmes.

 

I don't have much planned for today, it is a bit windy with strong gusts to go out to walk round woodlands, gardens and along cliffs so I may just go and look at the beach.  Then couplings may be put on an item, a model roof detailed and so on.  Plants are moving around too much to do gardening.

 

David

[BoD]

29 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

In other news it is raining

Bloody Labour government.

[The White Rabbit]

Morning all,

 

It's all excitement here, the washing has been put on, a couple of windowsill salad trays are waiting to be planted and a parcel is due. The builders are in, doing some repairs so there's an audio soundtrack of banging, thumping, power tools going and scraping. With a background of Radio One... 

 

A 'changeable' weather forecast was given by the oracle, especially for the pm, so we'll try and get as much as possible done early. Maybe some cleaning inside after lunch if it does start raining.

[jjb1970]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

BiL, who is very widely travelled (senior Amex Travel bod until retirement - no degree required) brought some home. 
 

My sister very soon had it banished to the shed and wouldn’t have it in the house. 
 

Apparently once opened it smells like s**t. I was offered a taste once but declined. 

 

He either had a bad batch or something was off with it. I am no connoisseur of coffee but luwak coffee is indistinguishable from regular good coffee to me. It tends to be pretty good as it sells in the high end artisanal segment where there is a certain expectation but no difference from normal high quality coffee.

[PupCam]

Morning

 

23 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

 

During an A-level Politics lesson we once discussed the distinction between [choosing] not to vote and deliberately spoiling your ballot paper. (As well as the advantages/not of compulsory voting systems). All sorts of possible reasons and I don't want to open that can of worms by listing or discussing them but we all agreed that depending on people's motivation and [political] beliefs, there can be a distinction. Particularly as the UK does not currently have provision for write in candidates or a none of the above option. I've often wondered how many voters wishing to chose the latter who don't vote, do so deliberately as a [further] act of protest or through disinterest or apathy. Probably a question which can never be answered with certainty and probably one which changes over time anyway. 

 

Perhaps providing that option or similar would provide a clear statement and avoid the ambiguity?     Clearly choosing that option wouldn't contribute to the final result but it could possibly send a very clear signal that all was far from well and it wasn't just that the great unwashed JCBA.

 

56 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

In other news it is raining which, along with the need to perform domestic engineering tasks, will not favour leaving the cottage at all. 

 

25 minutes ago, BoD said:

Bloody Labour government.

 

Irrespective of ones leanings I fancy it might be just a little too soon to blame the red team on this occasion! 🤣

 

20 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

The builders are in, doing some repairs so there's an audio soundtrack of banging, thumping, power tools going and scraping. With a background of Radio One...

 

Oh bad luck.    I was just trying to think when I last made a conscious effort to listen to Radio 1,  I think it might have been in 1986.        Radio 2 has been off of my dial for a good number of years now too.    

 

Funny how tastes change aka I just can't put up with that racket anymore!

 

ION

 

As predicted the anesthetic wore off about  midnight (but it was great to feel "normal" while it lasted).      I'm currently required to sleep with a vertical orientation.   Whilst I can and do easily nod off while sitting upright on the sofa trying to do the same for a full night's proper sleep just doesn't work.  Still, it did have the advantage (?) that when particularly bored in the night I could flick the TV on and watch the emerging news.   That helped return Puppers to the land of nod on more than one occasion.

 

Hurah!     I've successfully managed to book an appointment at a suitable point  next week with the nurse at the GP's surgery.     The process worked and relatively speedily although I still don't really understand how it is more efficient than a simple 2 minute phone call to a human.....

 

And as for today?    Apart from a run out this afternoon to collect some medication it will definitely be a rather inactive, MIUAYGA sort of day.

 

TTFN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[polybear]

6 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Oh bad luck.    I was just trying to think when I last made a conscious effort to listen to Radio 1,  I think it might have been in 1986.        Radio 2 has been off of my dial for a good number of years now too.    

 

Funny how tastes change aka I just can't put up with that racket anymore!

 

Radio 2 is Bear's "go-to" noise; very occasionally when it's gettin' ROMT** I swap to Smooth Radio instead....

 

**A certain female presenter on a Sunday afternoon with a most annoying laugh can very easily invoke this situation....

 

6 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Hurah!     I've successfully managed to book an appointment at a suitable point  next week with the nurse at the GP's surgery.     The process worked and relatively speedily although I still don't really understand how it is more efficient than a simple 2 minute phone call to a human.....

 

 

In this instance Bear very much suspects that "more efficient" actually means the Surgery not having to pay anyone to talk to Puppers....

Or am I being a tad cynical here?

[polybear]

12 minutes ago, PupCam said:

And as for today?    Apart from a run out this afternoon to collect some medication it will definitely be a rather inactive, MIUAYGA sort of day.

 

Bear is available for a mutual "put the world to rights" should you wish to....

 

(via two Bean Tins** and a long bit of string, naturally - I very much suspect that Puppers Kennel would be somewhat miffed with a Bear spreadin' WooFlu......)

 

(**Note to iD:  See, it wasn't some bloke called Alex who invented the Telephone.....it was Heinz......)

[PupCam]

8 minutes ago, polybear said:

**A certain female presenter on a Sunday afternoon with a most annoying laugh can very easily invoke this situation....

 

I do wish you hadn't mentioned her as I particularly cannot stand that woman.    My sister occasionally mentions her (they went to the same school at one point) just to wind me up.  It works very well indeed ......

 

6 minutes ago, polybear said:

In this instance Bear very much suspects that "more efficient" actually means the Surgery not having to pay anyone to talk to Puppers....

Or am I being a tad cynical here?

 

No but they do have to pay someone to sit and process the online triage statements and look through the diary, make the appointment so that the system can send me a text to tell me when it is ........   I'm sure they haven't yet moved into AI territory.   Have they?        Of course, if the specified time was not convenient we'd have to go round the loop again,   Now a cynical Puppers might think that every recorded (ie internet/computer) transaction comes with the ability to automatically add a chargeable item to an account "justifying" claims.   And of course the poor souls* on the telephone don't have to deal with Mr Grumpy from Grumpy Land. Probably got the wrong end of the wrong stick but hey ho!

 

* You know them; the ones with the excellent, patient centred bedside manner 🙄

 

TTFN

 

 

 

 

[Barry O]

Stop talking about appointments. I havecto make 2 at the Marie Celeste..its quicker to walk there ( about half an hour ) than listening to their carp taste in music.

 

Gave up on Radio 2 a while ago.. listen to ex BBC presenters on Greatest hits as they fit my music/blethering demands...

 

Time to... set off.. coffee and a toasties may be consumed on the way..

 

Baz

 

Ps whe Dr Eldest Herbert arouses from his sleep after his over night vigil I will suggest that the idea of independents doing better in both local and national voting needs to be undertaken.. 

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

 

During an A-level Politics lesson we once discussed the distinction between [choosing] not to vote and deliberately spoiling your ballot paper. (As well as the advantages/not of compulsory voting systems). All sorts of possible reasons and I don't want to open that can of worms by listing or discussing them but we all agreed that depending on people's motivation and [political] beliefs, there can be a distinction. Particularly as the UK does not currently have provision for write in candidates or a none of the above option. I've often wondered how many voters wishing to chose the latter who don't vote, do so deliberately as a [further] act of protest or through disinterest or apathy. Probably a question which can never be answered with certainty and probably one which changes over time anyway. 

I always vote, that was drummed into me by my Suffragists great aunts.  However I did spoil my paper once and that was the first election for Police and Crime Commissioners.  I strongly object to politics being involved in my former profession.  I am rather eased with the result in the constituency that I used to live him as I had absolutely no time for the previous incumbent who got kicked out. 

 

Jamie

[Hroth]

Getting back to the bunfight for a moment.

For those who didn't vote Labour yesterday, it may be a good idea to download their manifesto and find out what we may actually be in for...

 

I'll be doing that.

 

[polybear]

I see the Orange Team got 71 places to park their bums - with 12.2% support (3.5M) 

Yet the Light Blue(?) team only got 4 bum parks - yet they had 14.3% (4.1M)

 

Is this cos' of that "proportional representation thingy" that gets mentioned?  If so it seems a pretty sh1tty deal to this Bear......

 

(I reckon with Statistical Analysis skills of this calibre a Certain Bear deserves a degree - how's about it @Coombe Barton? )

[polybear]

4 minutes ago, Hroth said:

Getting back to the bunfight for a moment.

For those who didn't vote Labour yesterday, it may be a good idea to download their manifesto and find out what we may actually be in for...

 

I'll be doing that.

 

 

Whaaaaat?  Surely you don't actually BELIEVE they'll live up to any of that cr@p, do you??

[PupCam]

1 minute ago, polybear said:

(I reckon with Statistical Analysis skills of this calibre a Certain Bear deserves a degree - how's about it @Coombe Barton? )

 

Well, I'm sure it must almost be your Right to have one!

 

 

[The White Rabbit]

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

... Perhaps providing that option or similar would provide a clear statement and avoid the ambiguity?     Clearly choosing that option wouldn't contribute to the final result but it could possibly send a very clear signal that all was far from well and it wasn't just that the great unwashed JCBA. ...

 

Personally, a none of the above or a write in option is something I'd like to see. If voting was ever compulsory then for me having that option would be very important. 

 

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

... Oh bad luck.    I was just trying to think when I last made a conscious effort to listen to Radio 1,  I think it might have been in 1986.        Radio 2 has been off of my dial for a good number of years now too.    

 

Funny how tastes change aka I just can't put up with that racket anymore! .... 

 

Yes, it's not a station normally heard round this burrow. We're currently in the lunchtime lull. Or the eye of the storm? I think R1 lost a lot of audience a few years ago - ironically after the BBC made a particular effort to change content/style to widen it's appeal! (BTB, fingers crossed for early/painless resolution of your health issues). 

 

27 minutes ago, polybear said:

Whaaaaat?  Surely you don't actually BELIEVE they'll live up to any of that cr@p, do you??

 

There's a fair few cartoons on that - but too political for me to post on here! I'll email you later. 😉

 

[jjb1970]

My 'none of the above' alternative to spoiling my ballot or not voting is to vote for a local dreamer running as an independent. I'd rather help someone doing it off their own back get their deposit back than support any of the clown shows masquerading as political parties, but that's just me. That said, this time I did break the habit of several decades because of a single issue associated with one of the choices which really rubbed me the wrong way.

Edited July 5 by jjb1970

[PupCam]

3 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

My 'none of the above' alternative to spoiling my ballot or not voting is to vote for a local dreamer running as an independent. I'd rather help someone doing it off their own back get their deposit back than support any of the clown shows masquerading as political parties, but that's just me.

Funny you should say that ……

 

 

[polybear]

22 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

There's a fair few cartoons on that - but too political for me to post on here! I'll email you later. 😉

 

 

Thanks - sounds good......then I can post 'em.....🤣

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

I see the Orange Team got 71 places to park their bums - with 12.2% support (3.5M) 

Yet the Light Blue(?) team only got 4 bum parks - yet they had 14.3% (4.1M)

 

Is this cos' of that "proportional representation thingy" that gets mentioned?  If so it seems a pretty sh1tty deal to this Bear......

 

(I reckon with Statistical Analysis skills of this calibre a Certain Bear deserves a degree - how's about it @Coombe Barton? )

 

As I understand it, possibly because light blue mainly fought seats that had previously supported brexit, and had disgruntled blues who voted for the light blues as a protest.  In a few cases that translated into a seat, in most other cases they fell short.  Team Orange fought mainly in places where they were a consistent second and grabbed the protest vote, light blues in that case started from too far behind and failed to make an impression. 

 

You have to pick your battlegrounds, Bear, and Light Blue need to learn. The Oranges have been doing it for decades.

 

PR is always brought up by the over-entitled who think they should have a bigger reward.

 

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Whaaaaat?  Surely you don't actually BELIEVE they'll live up to any of that cr@p, do you??

 

Not so much a case of belief, as understanding where they are coming from, now they have a huge majority. And keeping an eye open for the dodgy "commitments"...