Poll stars

Who has been the UK's greatest post-war prime minister?

Maybe because I'm an ad man and copywriter, and know about ambiguity and the value of well-structured polls...

Just went to this one.

Couldn't fill it in meaningfully, so didn't. So despite caring (a bit) and trying, I don't count I guess.

A useful metaphor for our 'all or nothing, black or white, for or against us, box-ticker's wet dream' society.

I think I am fairly well informed, partly though interest in history; partly through experience.

I could have managed 3 'worst' and 3 'best', though without context (other than 'post-war' as a defining factor, I would still have preferred 'for what?'... economy, social justice, security, etc, as opposed to what I guess you mean, namely 'for the country').

But, without knowing about how polls work, I would have though you would still have derived meaningful data on this basis. Possibly better by the current requirement excluding such as me and including those who, I suspect, might make up a large central chunk of it all, the results of which I am sure will be anyway be chewed over with much furrowing of brows by the chatterati without meaning very much at all.

Oh, another metaphor!

Do two w..ell, whatver they are, make a right on story?

I am a tad intrigued by stories in the Guardian that seem to have comments closed before they start.

Sort of 'we're listening...la..la.la...'

Tory PR machine targets local paper's online poll

Other than noting how most news media would take any poll they are offered to prove or disprove anything if it suited, I can't help but recall a certain paper that took it upon itself to try and rig an election in another country by getting its readers to write to the voters and tell 'em how to vote the right way.

Worked a treat.

Consequences

Sometimes it's hard to see who can win... or how.

I was watching a slot on an attempt to ban by law a city centre morning cattle market, primarily on nice grounds as it is near a residential area.

At first I thought this was another one, like some Heathrow protests, where a bunch of folk seemed to have only just realised what they live next to having moved in.

However, it transpires the complaints may well be fair as the noise has got worse, because of the all the lorries' reversing beepers. These of course are now mandated to exist... by law.

Go figure.