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| Emmeline Pankhurst addresses a crowd in 1911. She was one of the founding members of the British suffragette movement, fighting for women to have the right to vote. |
June 4th … Oversleep. Bike has a puncture. Really late for work now. Boss is grizzly all day. Finally home. Reheat last night’s leftovers. Call mates. Head for the local. Have a few pints. Get into heated chat about multi-million-pound arts buildings versus support for independent venues. Head home. Fall into bed. Shit… forgot to vote.
Universal suffrage is a relatively recent thing. But it’s not taken long for the novelty to wear off. About 90 years in all. Voter turnout is waning, with just 60 per cent of people eligible to vote making it to the polling station – and that’s in a good year.
Non voters range from people who don’t believe there’s anyone worth voting for to people who don’t know what they are voting for. And then there’s those of us who just don’t get round to it.
What would the Zimbabwean voters make of our excuses? They queued for several hours in 2005 to vote in elections they knew were rigged.
Don’t think the candidates are up to much? At least Mr or Mrs Middle England would have to listen to your idea for replacing Cloughie with a 12-foot-tall homage to Benjamin Zephaniah in Nottingham’s speakers’ corner. Mugabe would torture you for it.
So where have all the voters gone? Perhaps generation Google are too busy surfing to find the polling stations, generation Commodore 64 are too busy obsessing about themselves and generation X are feeling a little bit let down by politics?
Call it being in a place too long. Call it not having enough to do. Call it retirement. Call it a sense of civic duty. Call it being old enough to have read the headlines about Emmeline Pankhurst throwing herself under the King’s horse. The stats show that if you have a bus pass in your clutch bag, you are much more likely to vote than someone who has to raid the penny jar for exact change to get their ticket to ride.
Little wonder, then, that our councillors spend much of their time listening to and acting for people who believe that overgrown grass verges and malfunctioning streetlights make their wakening hours a living nightmare.
It’s not that these issues aren’t important, it’s that these issues aren’t important to everyone. And that’s where the real heart of democracy lies. Your representative is just that – someone to represent your interests.
Voting is only ever the entrance exam. It’s not who you vote for or the results of the vote that earn you the right to lobby your ‘elected representative’. It’s the fact that you voted at all. So whether recycling facilities, cycle paths or major investment in Nottingham’s arts, culture & music are your thing – earn your right to let them know.
Nottinghamshire County Council and European Parliament elections take place in the city and county on June 4th. Visit nottsbothered.com to find out more. Become a Notts bothered fan on Facebook. Make a video fit for You Tube about voting and stand to win £400 of camera equipment.
European Parlimentary elections
More information from your local district council:
Ashfield District Council
Bassetlaw District Council
Broxtowe Borough Council
Gedling Borough Council
Mansfield District Council
Newark and Sherwood District Council
Rushcliffe Borough Council
Nottsbothered about voting?
Write Commentby Adrian May 04, 2009, 11:10:29 pm
That's because nominations haven't closed yet. They close on Thursday so I expect there will be a candidate list soon afterwards.
by timmy May 05, 2009, 07:36:07 pmthanks.
by Adrian May 22, 2009, 09:15:15 pmThe list of candidates is here:
http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=9015&p=0
(It's a PDF).
Lots of nutjobs!
by LeftLion May 23, 2009, 01:21:54 amClick here to read this article: Nottsbothered about voting?
What would the Zimbabwean voters make of our excuses? They queued for several hours in 2005 to vote in elections they knew were rigged.
Please use this thread to comment on the above LeftLion article.
by M_B May 23, 2009, 11:35:39 amI think the Zimbabwean's would be pretty appalled but then their situation is so very different from ours in such fundamental areas. The Zimbabwean Government is still able to use traditional methods of instilling subservience (such as the Machete or the AK47), to coerce and marginalize the population. You just can't do that here anymore, people won't tolerate it so the population has to be controlled in more sophisticated ways and as many people are aware, it is, very effectively. Our subservience comes, not from state violence but rather, from the inherited and institutional learning of certain, 'important' values, values that are implicit and ubiquitous in our institutions and in our daily lives.
We, like the Zimbabwean's are extremely politically marginalized. Here, it's led to incredible apathy and cynicism. This quote from 'The New Internationalist' sums it up for me...
'When the democratic process is reduced to `trivial debate over minor issues' ...voter apathy and alienation become the weary norm.'
(http://www.articlearchives.com/company-activities-management/public-sector/1058776-1.html)
Most people here want pretty much the same things; reasonable levels of taxation, free public health care, good, free education, access to employment with reasonable wages and reasonable working hours and so on. Most people know however, that none of these things are going receive anything like the attention that they should from politicians. In fact, as we move more and more toward the US electoral system of 'personalities over policies', they rarely even get mentioned.
I think that, with the possible exception of those 'people who believe that overgrown grass verges and malfunctioning streetlights make their wakening hours a living nightmare' (i.e. the dwindling electorate), it's led to a kind of national, personal de-politicization that is very clearly favoured by those in positions of power.
I, and I suspect many other people see no reason for councillors and politicians to start paying more attention to the public when the current system rewards them so well for doing the precisely the opposite. Voting seems only to encourage this system. Some solidarity on the other hand, combined with voting, now that's another matter! The Pankhurst's, Goldman's and the Luther-King's of history didn't act alone. They had the active backing of the thousands of people who shared their grievances.
by mickeyc May 24, 2009, 02:51:16 pmIf 60% of people who are eligible to vote, turn out, then you've got a hell of a lot of uninformed voting going on. I'd much prefer 5% of the population to turn out and vote for good reasons, than 100% of the population to turn out and vote for the most popular personality, which is far closer to the current reality.
Everyone should have the right to vote, but I wish people wouldn't feel that they have to, even if they don't understand any of the policies. It just waters down the informed vote.
by telecaster May 26, 2009, 12:14:46 pmIf you do actually want to get involved, they've got a Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=99737180824), and a website: www.nottsbothered.com
by Tapper50 May 26, 2009, 05:39:52 pmI'd much prefer 5% of the population to turn out and vote for good reasons, than 100% of the population to turn out and vote for the most popular personality, which is far closer to the current reality.
Surely there's a pretty big reason we all should use our votes... How many of us would be happy to write a nice blank cheque every month, no questions asked ? But we do it with council tax!
www.nottsbothered.com is worth looking at - it highlights the kinds of services we're talking about - education, decent transport, care for the vulnerable, who, when and how is the rubbish sorted out. I think most people have got "good reasons" to voice their opinions on these kinds of issues.
by Jared May 26, 2009, 07:00:12 pmIf 60% of people who are eligible to vote, turn out, then you've got a hell of a lot of uninformed voting going on. I'd much prefer 5% of the population to turn out and vote for good reasons, than 100% of the population to turn out and vote for the most popular personality, which is far closer to the current reality.
I think some good points have been made in this thread. And I too hate the 'pick a colour' voting system we seem to have in this country.
But as Tapper50 points out, you wouldn't write a blank cheque to anyone else. It's really people's duties to vote and voice an opinion - especially at the ballot box. No-ones vote has to be uninformed if you try and find out about the options.
The biggest crime, however, is a distinct lack of information being given to us about the individual policies of the candidates. If we were given more of that more easily then more people would be inspired to vote.
Personally i'm not party-political at all (and I think the country might be in a better state if there was less emphasis on political parties). But I certainly wouldn't want the BNP to get into power and that might happen if only 5% of voters bother to turn up. So i'll be there on June 4th voting for one of the lesser evils.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. May 27, 2009, 01:57:18 pmPoll above includes the full list of parties putting up candidates for the East Midlands in the Euro elections.
As Adrian says, it looks a little nutty. Quite a lot of 'Great Britain - Fuck Yeah!' of one stripe or another going on. Wonder if they'll split each other's vote much?
by NS May 27, 2009, 02:26:39 pmWho of these is oppsoing the lisbon treaty, or where can I find out.? I know libertas are.
by Nutty Sis May 27, 2009, 04:03:27 pmNick Griffin reckons that 20% of the East Midlands votes will go his way
Probably all of the 'Great Britain - Fuck Yeah' parties will be opposing the Lisbon Treaty, NS. BNP and UKIP certainly oppose it. Basically all the nationalist ones.
by Jared May 27, 2009, 04:43:05 pm
One of the Nottsbothered voting video entries...
by Mr BRJ May 29, 2009, 10:06:38 amHa ha, only 1 vote for vabour in our poll. And we are a bunch of lefties.
by Tapper50 May 30, 2009, 02:54:16 pmThat's a great video - and it sums up neatly why we should all be getting off our backsides on Thursday. I read somewhere that we should all be able to get to a polling station in five minutes - I for one walk further than that for a pint of milk so not a bad investment of anyone's time really!
by NS Jun 03, 2009, 09:57:55 amList of polling stations anyone ?
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 03, 2009, 10:40:21 amIn the heart of the city:
http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=8776&p=0
As for our rural cousins, I think the lists of polling stations are held by the individual borough councils - a quick look at the nottingshire.gov.uk site didn't bring anything up, but this search will probably be useful.
---------
So. Tomorrow then. Just as the gubmint starts to really implode in earnest. Bye Jacqui Smith! Bye! It looks like the most interesting thing about the European and local elections will be whether it's the cabinet or the prime minister who gets reshuffled next week. Exciting! And also terrifying! Like all the best horrorshows.
Though the other big story could be the Greens coming up on the rails and wiping the floor with people's expectations. Some polls have put them ahead of the Lib Dems, apparently. [petersnow]And of course, it's just a bit of fun, but if the results of the LeftLion poll were repeated nationally, the swing would be hilarious. And genuinely wonderful.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 03, 2009, 11:05:22 amChrist. Now Blears has walked.
So prediction time:
Minor news will be that the Greens and the BNP will both do rather well, picking up a Euro seat or two and a couple of council seats, but UKIP will do much better, despite their record on expenses being dirtier than any of the main parties, pound for pound.
Big news: Labour vote will totally collapse, they'll lose every county council including Derbyshire. The Tories will do very well by comparision, but their actual numbers won't be massively better than in the last couple of years (their proportion of the vote will only look like it's significantly increased cos of the Labour meltdown, their own turnout might even be slightly down). No one will care about the Lib Dems. Thesharksmeeja, scenting blood, will get their knickers in an almighty twist (unfortunate mixing of mataphors, sorry) and start baying for Brown's head. A resignation or a leadership contest will be triggered by Tuesday at the latest. Whoever wins (?? Alan Johnson? Maybe?) will obviously be forced into a general election and Kitten Fister Kameron will be PM by September, though possibly not with quite the turgid throbbing majority he's expecting.
by Mr BRJ Jun 03, 2009, 11:21:31 amChrist. Now Blears has walked.
So prediction time:
Minor news will be that the Greens and the BNP will both do rather well, picking up a Euro seat or two and a couple of council seats, but UKIP will do much better, despite their record on expenses being dirtier than any of the main parties, pound for pound.
Big news: Labour vote will totally collapse, they'll lose every county council including Derbyshire. The Tories will do very well by comparision, but their actual numbers won't be massively better than in the last couple of years (their proportion of the vote will only look like it's significantly increased cos of the Labour meltdown, their own turnout might even be slightly down). No one will care about the Lib Dems. Thesharksmeeja, scenting blood, will get their knickers in an almighty twist (unfortunate mixing of mataphors, sorry) and start baying for Brown's head. A resignation or a leadership contest will be triggered by Tuesday at the latest. Whoever wins (?? Alan Johnson? Maybe?) will obviously be forced into a general election and Kitten Fister Kameron will be PM by September, though possibly not with quite the turgid throbbing majority he's expecting.
NJM, that prediction is pretty much what i was thinking, and likley to come true.
I'm gonna vote for Libertas i think. I like the idea of an international political party. I don't think the world is ready for it yet, but it feeds my fantasy of a global system of government.
by NS Jun 03, 2009, 12:30:50 pmConsidering Bilderberg are the current model of world governance (Western hemisphere) and leaked reports say they are considering a smear campaign against Libertas becuase of their anti-lisbon treaty stance, which will ratify the EU constitution = next major step in world governance. World government is a nice idea, provided it's done by nice people.
Bilderberg
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13808
Bilderberg v libertas
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/10854
Leaked docs from 1955 meeting map out the desire for a european superstate. That's right, 1955.
Read Charlie Skeltons reports from this year's meeting (Gaurdian - "Our man at bilderberg") The reports start out tongue in cheek, jovial and descend into sheer panic.
Just thought I'd mention it. I know ya'll are dubious about all this. Sorry if this is considered off topic too.
by Ronald Searly Jun 03, 2009, 02:45:43 pmso, are these lot http://www.europarl.org.uk/section/list-region/east-midlands the ones who are already MEPs, or is this out list of choices for tomorrow?
really hoping it's the former - they've all got bad eyes apart from helmer, who looks likes yr friendly neighbourhood beat bobby (though he looks like he'd struggle to deal with any kind of incident heavier than a child having his bag of sweeties stolen).
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 03, 2009, 03:17:42 pmso, are these lot http://www.europarl.org.uk/section/list-region/east-midlands the ones who are already MEPs, or is this out list of choices for tomorrow?
That's the current lot. Lib Dem guy looks... er, 'refreshed'. By which I mean 'stoned'.
by Tapper50 Jun 03, 2009, 07:24:03 pmwww.nottsbothered.com gives the run down on the process and relevant authorities
by Miss Caulton Jun 04, 2009, 11:29:09 amHi all,
I want to vote, but I just dont like anything I have read or seen so far.
I would hate to not vote and then regret it.
I am looking for a party that will be dedicated to changing laws of sentencing and also a party that is massively into solving our terrible Child protection service.
So who do I vote for?
Dont make me waste my vote on the green party....
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 04, 2009, 11:44:01 amHi all,
I want to vote, but I just dont like anything I have read or seen so far.
I would hate to not vote and then regret it.
I am looking for a party that will be dedicated to changing laws of sentencing and also a party that is massively into solving our terrible Child protection service.
So who do I vote for?
Dont make me waste my vote on the green party....
A vote for the greens won't be wasted, especially in European and/or local elections.
Anyway -
In what way would you like sentencing laws changed?
What do you think is wrong with the child protection service, and how would you like it to be solved?
EDIT: Is it particularly Nottinghamshire Child Protection Service that you think is terrible and want solving, or are you looking for a party that would like to change how child protection services are run in general?
(I don't know much about this, but someone might)
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 04, 2009, 01:54:49 pmMore predictions:
East Midlands Euro Parliament seats:
Tory - 3
UKIP - 2
Lib Dem - 1
I'm not particularly confident about these but it's just a bit of fun. Whaddya reckon?
by Albert Herring Jun 04, 2009, 02:29:18 pmI'm absolutely 100% sure you'll be wrong there, Jersey. We only get 5 MEPs this time round.
Anecdotal evidence from obviously self-selecting places on the web (like here) suggests that the Greens are doing pretty well all over out of the collapse of anything else vaguely on the left. Wait and see pie, though.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 04, 2009, 02:51:47 pmHa ha ha! Oops. Counting FAIL. I was going on 2004 figures.
Make that 2 Tories, 2 UKippers and a Lib Dem then.
I think the Greens will do well, and will pick up a Euro seat or two and hopefully keep the two they already have. I'd be delighted if they got an East Midlands seat (I'll be voting for them, unless the Lib Dems promise to Legaize It) but I doubt it'll happen.
by NS Jun 04, 2009, 02:58:23 pmWhy does voting green feel like the equivelent of begging for a cardon credit card. (Rhetorical question)
The road to hell is paved with yahdahdyahda !
"We can take on issues of economy as well as issues with environment"
Yeah, I bet you can.
by theonelikethe Jun 04, 2009, 03:10:08 pmi only voted in the above poll so i could see what everyone else had voted for. the christian party? seriously? so like, god gets to be prime minister? what kind of mental shit is that?
by it's alan Jun 04, 2009, 03:14:32 pmi only voted in the above poll so i could see what everyone else had voted for. the christian party? seriously? so like, god gets to be prime minister? what kind of mental shit is that?
Most people have the same kind of issues with Green Party.... having some hippy run the country? Not worth the risk.
by theonelikethe Jun 04, 2009, 03:40:05 pmi only voted in the above poll so i could see what everyone else had voted for. the christian party? seriously? so like, god gets to be prime minister? what kind of mental shit is that?
Most people have the same kind of issues with Green Party.... having some hippy run the country? Not worth the risk.
yeah
but hippies exist
i know, i've smelt one
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 04, 2009, 04:07:07 pmi only voted in the above poll so i could see what everyone else had voted for. the christian party? seriously? so like, god gets to be prime minister? what kind of mental shit is that?
Most people have the same kind of issues with Green Party.... having some hippy run the country? Not worth the risk.
yeah
but hippies exist
Damnit. I was going to say that.
The Christian Party/Christian Alliance is anti-abortionists and Islamaphobes, basically. So yeah: mental shits.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 05, 2009, 10:21:02 amAll over then. Now we wait for the analysis. Or for news of any more resignations.
MissCaulton - did you manage to find someone to vote for in the end? If so, who was it?
by Al (G) Jun 05, 2009, 11:32:14 amA similar poll now to see who actually voted would be interesting, I did.
by Mr BRJ Jun 05, 2009, 11:44:07 amme too. i did go for Libertas in the end.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 05, 2009, 12:09:58 pmA similar poll now to see who actually voted would be interesting, I did.
Done!
(For the sake of posterity, the previous, 'who do you intend to vote for?' poll was a massive landslide for the Greens. Of the also-rans, Labour whupped the Tories and Lib Dems - this tiny, self-selecting, demographically unrepresentative poll is not expected not to results around the country particularly closely)
by Jared Jun 05, 2009, 12:12:12 pmNathan - summats wrong with the poll. It's giving me the results before I voted (and not offering em the option to vote). And I don't really want to have to clean my cookies out to do it. Fixable?
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 05, 2009, 12:13:36 pmYeah - should be working now? I think I ticked a wrong box, or forgot to untick a right one. Or summat.
by Jared Jun 05, 2009, 12:19:27 pmNice work fella. Voted now...
by Al (G) Jun 05, 2009, 01:21:26 pmvoted! i'm getting used to this voting lark.
When are the results in?
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 05, 2009, 02:00:34 pmEuro results will be counted on Sunday night (there are other elections going on across Europe until then, so they can't be counted earlier).
County council elections are starting to come in now.
Leicestershire's live results service kicks Notts' arse, by the way. Even Derbyshire's virtual council chamber gives you some useful information.
Tories are doing well so far, as expected. From the Leicestershire results it does look like there's been no great increase in their support - more a collapse of the Labour vote. Hard to tell what the situation is in Nottinghamshire, as their website is made of FAIL and OBTUSE.
BNP showing strong in Leics, no actual seats, but plenty of second and third places. Nothing much to speak of in Notts, but results from Mansfield are yet to come in...
by ash_d Jun 05, 2009, 02:54:37 pmDefinatey should have been more information available at the Polling Station about each party/candidate. I [perhaps naively] thought there would be so didn't really research anything or anyone prior to voting.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 05, 2009, 03:59:41 pmTories have taken Derbyshire by a whisker, this was seen as being the one county council Labour might have held on to. If their national share of the vote is under 20%, Brown could be gone before the Euro votes are even counted. (still fairly unlikely though - he seems to have done relatively well with today's reshuffle, and the BBC are predicting a 23% national share for Labour).
Incidentally, Sky have apparently projected today's results onto a theoretical general election, and reckon that the Tories would come out with a majority of just four, with Labour holding on to 225 MPs - which suggests that Cameron is not doing particularly well despite the Labour party seemingly stuck in maxim crisis mode. It'd be nowhere near as drastic as the merking John Major received in 1997, for example.
Anyone know what odds I can get on a hung parliament at the next general election?
by Al (G) Jun 05, 2009, 04:16:25 pm
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 05, 2009, 04:31:05 pm
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Which, I agree, is not great. Have I broken the Matrix? Can I dodge bullets? Do I know Kung-Fu?
by Al (G) Jun 05, 2009, 04:41:05 pmi'm not sure what you did but i see:
Hung Parliament ? - Outright 5 Jun 10 - 18:00 0 Related Markets Selection Price
No 2/5
Yes 7/4
by ash_d Jun 05, 2009, 04:44:03 pm(�~��sώ������F��EK�D�ͳ�J�+S9��ӡ�N�;7�� ��"lk���M�U�Q���� �28?w;�j��t�W�i��@��Ag4�!����7�!�"DS�Υx=�bW>Zx��k��"a@-H@�% 4^{�� ��*���\� � 1�= `����by�������Q��Տ{/w��4��J�:QF�?5��,��i@���%Y�-Z��� ɯԒ����bg�iI��@�,ӡypT�� �׳�?i��{��ew7���|>��>~D�ϲ@1�n4���Q�;�� ���B�xca�1�s�ءʅ �V<����V@�='~���j�l�(?]$Қ�#�ʔU $�0Y����� �1ZĈ�1G��C< �����,1@�� .�~����|�lL��T4��Rl8��nw�� ;�E��DGģ��,YZO���1�a2��s�BD{�� a%0����7rh�e��V��̮3�4W�h�8�� pO`��� �Ͻ{t���r8@�5Kh�1�Q�,��o'kp��5r�f6u�e�Oo�u����)�zW7pJ���?��,���h�W7��EU j�ET��6K�~����%��)��T�D� w_���h��K~���������LZ|o�6�b��@�6�-V�Z鮇����s+[��v�'�v �8�0�{��v���ѡ��G�5�dkt�����/|��[Б}�2����)����=����e�` QE�efe7vĩc����jj�vJۯѻPҁy�얶w�X�([|�R�+T��v��O|p�~Ȃ���QQ�jК�q �Q'�Bykh@6���w(�@���CH`U���8Aʶt>Ft����c�&���U�N��/� 8Ł܉�5� �%�pe���5F�GH��!�s4���������иO�UT�LCI���Q)��l&�C�X�\�E�[(;��M$j ��ճ6��K ~*Z�Sт�% ��ӥ9������'��0��%���m����n���)b����=��<��9>?���yh����l7��I:�}L��03ɿ���� ��?�����������{�k�^��^v_���W���������������<�п�5�ۗ�5����������k�39�L% 2�$����]����&�o�sz�Hi�h�gJۇAO���.��U����`8.蛯! �}_��|�� �����s+m�R| ,u�{ְ?�0:b ��t[6*��w�>^4kK�'��6j���� �֬�WWW���)������~�OL�5.%i���W>��Lۉ���@��Aυ���~�qD�]*7�;"�Lf^�K��G������;�{ ��˛���s�)4���r��(VR�����\j �jk�vK���f�V_^��V�6��<���F�4���;M��8���� �Y�\zr�bP�[u�P��)��k����IN[��QfΤ�I�W��� i@�����0Ḧ́Ő� =F\@!#!ٯ�I�;� A��K���M��;� ��9�Q�ћ]��uj�)H�T�Y2�Ƥg��5�~��?}�Z�`�]�\���P���p?fR1�g7] :���g�}�%u�~�� `'���ICvc__���e�A������&mL�`}�ЋMkK}��j\v� ��xU)���Z�t��t2j���F�*?��Q�q���e�{������ubcmYDTӍgޥ �_4�lɭ�D�3&��Af��ڊ�)�x��<���j2 �s� ņ��;�*��g�P����e�W2"� ��+ ��%��b�ڟ� _y�lo����t�q�Y���P�9n��sgm ����+*@�D�� C�p>[�}j���˰7�����Z^ @x�P�� H�7%<��������Vtr1��I%zi{��Omn| A�dk�8��1���V"�(�?η��JOm����m��|[?R��m��E�!?��qI�p*�X|W�1����扦`���䀭ȱ02�Z�� �����9���}<�N�x�yH���ԶR � S^��X�k"*f�ѡn �]r��MЌ-�[4�wrBڛ���W���zJ�1C��;6t2�f��$���U��$Hg��$F!��lZm3
That's one hell of an accumulator!
by Stillman Jun 05, 2009, 09:08:19 pmCongratulations people of nottinghamshire. You have got what you wanted now eh? A four star rated council apparently was not good enough, and now you have the tram cutting tories in. Well done indeed.
by theonelikethe Jun 06, 2009, 11:55:16 amyour sig is well emo
by seamus flannery Jun 06, 2009, 12:33:28 pmCongratulations people of nottinghamshire. You have got what you wanted now eh? A four star rated council apparently was not good enough, and now you have the tram cutting tories in. Well done indeed.
Cheers Stillman! That's democracy for you - y'know, people getting what they want. It's a fucked up system.
Anyway, Kay Cutts (which is the sickest DJ name ever) explained the Tories aren't against the tram expansion, it's just that anyone with half an economic brain would realise that to go ahead with a 200m project in this current climate would be like spunking in the faces of Nottingham folk then not even cleaning up afterwards and having a cuddle. You can walk to ng2 business park and there's at least five buses to Clifton I know of! Not exactly an emergency.
And what the fuck does a 'four star' council actually mean? I've stayed in some four star hotels and there's still scum around the plug hole.
Still, you should see the scenes down here in 'Bridgford. It's like the Queen's jubilee or something. Street parties round every corner. I've never seen so much prosciuttio and melon! Someone nearly spilled their glass of chablis down my Barbour in the excitement!
by Stillman Jun 06, 2009, 01:30:02 pmCongratulations people of nottinghamshire. You have got what you wanted now eh? A four star rated council apparently was not good enough, and now you have the tram cutting tories in. Well done indeed.
Cheers Stillman! That's democracy for you - y'know, people getting what they want. It's a fucked up system.
Anyway, Kay Cutts (which is the sickest DJ name ever) explained the Tories aren't against the tram expansion, it's just that anyone with half an economic brain would realise that to go ahead with a 200m project in this current climate would be like spunking in the faces of Nottingham folk then not even cleaning up afterwards and having a cuddle. You can walk to ng2 business park and there's at least five buses to Clifton I know of! Not exactly an emergency.
And what the fuck does a 'four star' council actually mean? I've stayed in some four star hotels and there's still scum around the plug hole.
Still, you should see the scenes down here in 'Bridgford. It's like the Queen's jubilee or something. Street parties round every corner. I've never seen so much prosciuttio and melon! Someone nearly spilled their glass of chablis down my Barbour in the excitement!
fair enough seamus, i suppose i am fairly pro-tram and as you point out the costs are very high. I'm concerned this will be the tip of the iceberg with the tories though so far as their handling of public transportation goesyour sig is well emo
Hmmm, Richard Nixon was an emo?
by Mr BRJ Jun 06, 2009, 03:51:11 pmI think we should erect a wall around the city to keep all the baby eating voters out.
by Stillman Jun 06, 2009, 09:40:23 pmI think we should erect a wall around the city to keep all the baby eating voters out.ha ha!
i think we have our fair quota of BNP types within the city limits!
by M_B Jun 07, 2009, 09:23:34 amLooking at the election results, lots of stats have been published along with fancy graphics and all the usual drivel but as yet, i still haven't seen anything on the most important statistic of all; how many people voted? I think that, considering that Democracy is purportedly 'government by the people', it's important to know what percentage of the people were actually eligible, motivated enough...etc to vote.
Does anyone know where that information might be available?
by Adrian Jun 07, 2009, 02:27:51 pmAnyway, Kay Cutts (which is the sickest DJ name ever) explained the Tories aren't against the tram expansion, it's just that anyone with half an economic brain would realise that to go ahead with a 200m project in this current climate would be like spunking in the faces of Nottingham folk then not even cleaning up afterwards and having a cuddle. You can walk to ng2 business park and there's at least five buses to Clifton I know of! Not exactly an emergency.
Yeah, because obviously the best thing to do in a recession is to cut spending
Remember the tram isn't just being paid for by us: building it would mean millions and millions of pounds of central government money being spent in Notts rather than elsewhere, providing hundreds of construction jobs and creating the infrastructure that will help the local economy grow. The Tories are opposing the tram because (a) Labour are in favour; (b) they hate the concept of public transport and (c) they don't give a toss about ordinary working people who have to work for a living.
Obviously this money would be better spent on duck islands, moats and servants quarters' for Tory MPs' houses. Not building the tram would be a massive blow to the local economy at a time when it needs help. Voters in Notts should have been giving the Tories a kicking for this idiotic policy.
by seamus flannery Jun 07, 2009, 03:24:22 pmAnyway, Kay Cutts (which is the sickest DJ name ever) explained the Tories aren't against the tram expansion, it's just that anyone with half an economic brain would realise that to go ahead with a 200m project in this current climate would be like spunking in the faces of Nottingham folk then not even cleaning up afterwards and having a cuddle. You can walk to ng2 business park and there's at least five buses to Clifton I know of! Not exactly an emergency.
Yeah, because obviously the best thing to do in a recession is to cut spending
Fuck me, you're clever. I deserve an eye rolling for that.
by Adrian Jun 07, 2009, 03:30:10 pmYes I am. Yes you do.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 07, 2009, 10:54:48 pmWatching the Euro election results now. Jeremy Vine, in the Peter Snow role, is encased in a landscape of impenetrable 3-dimensional touchscreens. His general election coverage is going to look like a remake of Tron.
by timmy Jun 07, 2009, 11:25:56 pmalot of bnp coverage and focus...
not good
by timmy Jun 07, 2009, 11:29:00 pmand they got a seat.
by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Jun 08, 2009, 12:11:43 amThe fuckers. Ouch.
Looks like N*ck Gr*ffin night win a seat in the North West too.
by Lord of the Nish Jun 08, 2009, 01:00:18 amAt last. We can finally look down on Yorkshire.
by Monkey Tennis Jun 08, 2009, 02:11:24 pmAnyway, Kay Cutts (which is the sickest DJ name ever) explained the Tories aren't against the tram expansion, it's just that anyone with half an economic brain would realise that to go ahead with a 200m project in this current climate would be like spunking in the faces of Nottingham folk then not even cleaning up afterwards and having a cuddle. You can walk to ng2 business park and there's at least five buses to Clifton I know of! Not exactly an emergency.
Yeah, because obviously the best thing to do in a recession is to cut spending
Remember the tram isn't just being paid for by us: building it would mean millions and millions of pounds of central government money being spent in Notts rather than elsewhere, providing hundreds of construction jobs and creating the infrastructure that will help the local economy grow. The Tories are opposing the tram because (a) Labour are in favour; (b) they hate the concept of public transport and (c) they don't give a toss about ordinary working people who have to work for a living.
Obviously this money would be better spent on duck islands, moats and servants quarters' for Tory MPs' houses. Not building the tram would be a massive blow to the local economy at a time when it needs help. Voters in Notts should have been giving the Tories a kicking for this idiotic policy.
Spot on Adrian.
The Tory alternative is to put more buses on the roads. The bus companies are all privately run so I've no idea as to how they'll achieve this one. Also, the roads are already jam packed so surely adding more buses isn't going to help - they seem to miss the point that we need to take traffic off the roads. Maybe they're planning on increasing road capacity although they don't seem to have said anything about this.
We'll never have decent public transport in this country unless someone has the balls to invest the money!!
by Cookpassbabtridge Jun 09, 2009, 01:03:14 amSo, we're being represented in Europe by the Tories, UKIP and the BNP?
Christ on a bike, sometimes it's embarrassing to be British.
I'm getting close to relinquishing my national identity and taking the Italian citizenship test. At least then i'll be represented by Silvio Berlusconi, who is an absolute maverick of the highest order. Plus sleazing, groping and raping women is far more accepted in Italy too. It's the country that keeps on giving.
Oh yeah, and Jose Mourinho plies his trade there these days too! I'm packing my bags...
by Lord of the Nish Jun 11, 2009, 01:11:15 amNever mind the BNP for a minute; this is what happens when people can't be arsed to vote. This is what happens when people think that Richard Littlejohn is the Voice of Reason. This is what's happening in Doncaster.
http://andys.org.uk/media/peter_davies_toby_foster_bbc_radio_sheffield_08_06_2009.mp3
by GayHayIcyHaz Jun 11, 2009, 09:33:58 amNever mind the BNP for a minute; this is what happens when people can't be arsed to vote. This is what happens when people think that Richard Littlejohn is the Voice of Reason. This is what's happening in Doncaster.
http://andys.org.uk/media/peter_davies_toby_foster_bbc_radio_sheffield_08_06_2009.mp3
Scary, scary stuff that duckeh-chuck
