Comments on: instead of a personal vote for michael portillo, I could vote:

By: jax

jax — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 16:52:54 +0000

and pointy for the other ones…

By: Alison

Alison — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:49:14 +0000

I always thought the technical term was *curly* brackets

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 08:23:53 +0000

Helen here
well, that was livelier than I expected while we were away.
maybe voting for a likely independent is the way to go??

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 23:20:42 +0000

Well, you’ve all been busy while we’ve been away

By: Merry

Merry — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 23:19:34 +0000

squiggly… obviously… why make it difficult?

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 22:21:43 +0000

Cheers Merry, must try to remember that one for use at work

Programmers use them a lot in coding, but I’ve not heard them called “pointy brackets” before and I like it.

So how would you refer to the “squiggly brackets” (on the keys with the “square brackets” on UK keyboards)?

By: Tech

Tech — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 21:15:31 +0000

Apology accepted Heather It’s pretty obvious why it’s considered bad social etiquette to discuss politics

I haven’t *heard* any arguments that persuade me that ballot spoiling would be any more effective than not voting at all. Frankly I’m not terribly hopeful that anything we do is going to make any difference, but we shall see soon enough.

I also haven’t *heard* anything that convinces me compulsory voting is a good idea.

Chris we have clearly reached an impasse; you think you’re right, I know I am. I can do arrogant quite well too

I, like others, shall add nothing more to this thread.

By: Chris (the portico)

Chris (the portico) — Sat, 16 Apr 2005 22:32:17 +0000

Blimey that last comment seems to suggest I should go to bed.

By: Chris (the portico)

Chris (the portico) — Sat, 16 Apr 2005 22:31:22 +0000

The parties are not concerned about low voter turnout. They are concerned that *their* voters not turning out. That is very very different. What exactly have any of them done over the last 5 years about turnout, nothing as far as I can tell. The turnout is 01 was less than 60%, in some seats it was in the 30s. Was there a big campaign about turn improving turnout falling the shock at the low turnouts? If there was it passed me by.

And this government – with the lowest turnout since 1918 – didn’t seem to have their authority too damaged by it.

By: Heather

Heather — Sat, 16 Apr 2005 21:10:16 +0000

And apologies to you too, Tech, for the ‘toddler strops’ comment.

I assure you I have never told my children to eat up because of the starving millions!

Before I cause further offence, (although I think I intended it this morning and rather regret it now) my contribution to this discussion ends.

Still think we should all *have* to vote though