tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post5474995429656189260..comments2024-01-01T16:01:35.711+00:00Comments on Dick Puddlecote: "Not The Reputable Ones, But There Aren't Many Of Those"Dick Puddlecotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481866882188932892noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-18190783321074310862012-04-18T15:23:45.952+01:002012-04-18T15:23:45.952+01:00Wrote to my MP couple of weeks ago, but not yet ha...Wrote to my MP couple of weeks ago, but not yet had a response!Lynladdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-22055686375505362962012-04-18T08:57:58.544+01:002012-04-18T08:57:58.544+01:00Yea Gads! That's terrifying... truely it is.
...Yea Gads! That's terrifying... truely it is.<br /><br />Had a chat this morning with my painter/decorator. He smokes roll-up's out of a Golden Virginia pouch. That's not what's inside it he tells me, he gets it from a mate at £3 a refill. Cheered me up because it's one of those 50g jobbies!<br /><br />He does have a computer but it's for his children. He doesn't much care to use it for browsing, just e-mails; leaves it to the wife or kids for things like cheap flights and such.<br /><br />Never heard of the blogs and sort of goes blank at the idea of fighting it.<br /><br />The guy - he's late 40's - adapts and I suspect that's what the anti's rely on.<br /><br />(I note the SNP use YouGov to show how the Scots are slowly begining to favour independence. Now I know why.)<br /><br />ThanksSmoking Scotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-46382326632941107142012-04-18T01:49:58.056+01:002012-04-18T01:49:58.056+01:00 Smoking Scot, you are absolutely right about thes... Smoking Scot, you are absolutely right about these YouGov surveys.<br /><br />In particular, this 'portmanteau' method they use: loads of questions about vastly different subjects, and firms buy into one or two questions.<br /><br />It is deeply flawed, not only because of the bias you rightly note towards people with access to a computer (apparently they take the class bias into account and are supposed to weight their findings); but it is also biased towards only those people who have signed up for a fee each time they respond to one of the long YouGov portmanteau surveys. Many good and normal people haven't come across the fact they can register with YouGov, or they have but have more interesting or pressing things to do with their lives, and I haven't seen any evidence that they weight their findings taking that into account.<br /><br />And I haven't even got started on the design faults in the questions themselves and background information...hell, even free basic level SurveyMonkey's free tutorial downloads could teach YouGov a lot about question design.<br /><br />But of course, the 'opinion research' isn't designed to find the truth, is it? It's designed to give the results that the client has already paid for. And YouGov will advise them professionally on just how to ask questions and analyse the answers to produce the results the client wants. Every time.<br /><br />Flawed research? You bet. And it's not just smoking that YouGov runs commissioned surveys on and that our governments make decisions on. Which is scary.Lysistrata Eleftherianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-88195358517729666182012-04-17T20:44:42.464+01:002012-04-17T20:44:42.464+01:00I think my MP has put me into a slot as a loveable...I think my MP has put me into a slot as a loveable eccentric who can be indulged but ignored - probably true in our constituency. He knows that if he would support an amendment of the ban as it affects pubs he would have my vote. He can't contemplate doing that and I therefore will vote UKIP, which, again, I think he finds a rather eccentric idea. I still get his and the Tory party mailings and I occasionally reply with my call for an amendment of the smoking ban in pubs. The national set-up never replies. Sad, because I think my MP is a decent sort. The trouble is that the Ashite propaganda has created a dense and thorny stockade to repel all reasonable argument. It's also sad that I did have a guarded hope the Conservatives might remedy some of the restrictions but I wonder now whether we have an amorphous ruling class which operates within the apparent ruling class which is comprised of all the main parties. I fear that officialdom, in all its manifestations, is always governed by an instinct for its own preservation. I hope that in time it become clear to our rulers that it is in their own interest to listen to us.llewetonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-76397492738366046662012-04-17T19:46:39.827+01:002012-04-17T19:46:39.827+01:00It's very frustrating, knowing that those most...It's very frustrating, knowing that those most likely to object are also the least likely to even have access to a computer.<br /><br />25% of UK households. And that does not include those living in DHSS accommodation.<br /><br />They stress frequently that smoking rates are highest amongst the unskilled and the least well off.<br /><br />How on earth can they claim to use data gathered by You Gov if they know perfectly well that it's not even remotely representative of the target group they seek to assist (rhetorical - sorry).<br /><br />It's all so very middle class and that's one reason why I detest the people behind this scam.Smoking Scotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-77564000261490173372012-04-17T15:40:50.262+01:002012-04-17T15:40:50.262+01:00That's that one filled out in a suitably scath...That's that one filled out in a suitably scathing manner then :-)The Man With Many Chinshttp://themanwithmanychins.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-22669447121203581752012-04-17T13:32:58.135+01:002012-04-17T13:32:58.135+01:00Jeez, get with the program. Junkies get their meth...Jeez, get with the program. Junkies get their methodone for free. One fags are prescription only you guys are quids in.Carpe Zythahttp://twitter.com/CarpeZythanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-59638210358864962512012-04-16T23:52:42.747+01:002012-04-16T23:52:42.747+01:00Or do both as the online one gives you a record. W...Or do both as the online one gives you a record. Writing to your MP, however stupid he/she is, is also encouraged. If nothing else, their near mandatory response is something to wave around for the future where we hold them to account for their crass gullibility. Dick_Puddlecotenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3141759542968821728.post-41793004735406051802012-04-16T22:58:13.902+01:002012-04-16T22:58:13.902+01:00Would recommend avoiding the online web-form consu...Would recommend avoiding the online web-form consulation and e-mailing your own version, because the online one is borked with limited choice. If anyone needs help, get in touch.Jayhttp://nannyingtyrants.blogspot.co.uk/noreply@blogger.com