[Yudster]

My next door neighbour - who has always struck me as a nasty little bitter and twisted old woman - has just confirmed my opinion by putting a BNP poster in her window. I know the BNP offends me, but I am surprised how offended I feel by seeing it there. It really feels like something that shouldn't be allowed, but it is - and thats a fact.

[TIAL]

My job at the moment is issuing and then counting all the postal votes. The count starts next week. Apparently candidates exercise their right to overlook the procedures. I'm not sure how I'd react if I met the BNP candidate.

[Munki Bhoy]

I'm sorely tempted to turn up and spoil my ballot paper. They're all corrupt and I don't want any of them running anything, but at least I've exercised my right to vote.

[TIAL]

But that protest won't get through to the intended target though - just us lot who have to count them.

[Munki Bhoy]

Well if you can suggest a better way of protesting that all our politicians suck, I'm open to them.

[TIAL]

I've no idea. Feel free to do it if you want, I just personally don't see what it'll accomplish.

[foot-loose]

I'm with Munki - if you don't vote, you cant complain when it goes wrong, but there is noone to vote for - they are all as shit as each other.

I vote Obama.

[Johnny 1989]

Yesterday was a rather sad & tough day, my good friend from work left for the last time yesterday & we all had a good jolly up after work, but although I'm a manly man, I did cry a few times yesterday. It didn't help that she didn't stop crying for the majority of the day either.

Either way shes best off out of our place, I'd like to follow in the not too distant future.

Our boss pissed us all off though when all he said to her on Thursday was "see ya" and gave her a kiss on the cheek, no thanks for your hard work or anything, tosser

[MK Chris]

There are a few decent politicians out there still. If the expenses row is the sole factor when judging a good or bad politician (and it clearly isn't, though there are some serious underlying trust issues as a result of it) then Ed Miliband is a good politician (though David Miliband is a bad one) and Glenda Jackson is just about the best politician around; but then she is not a career politician like the majority of today's Parliament, she got into it because she wanted to make a difference. Vince Cable is still my favourite politician and I wish he had run for leader of the Lib Dems.

[Munki Bhoy]

But that's the problem - they are few and far between. The majority of them are in it for their own personal gains rather than the good of their constituents or the good of the country as a whole. One political party is as bad as the other.

Where I grew up we had Dennis Canavan as an MP. He was Labour when I was at school and he was well respected by the constituency. One of the few that would listen to what the people wanted and actually represent them. When the Scottish Parliament came into being he wanted to become an MSP instead, but despite jumping through Labour's hoops with their picking process he was turned down. He told Labour to stick it and went independent. The constituency voted him into the Scottish Parliament with one of the biggest majorities of any of the MSPs.

Sadly he's since packed in politics, but he was proof that the good ones don't need a party - and indeed are probably better off without them.

[foot-loose]

While there may well be decent politicians out there, they have been tainted with the shambles everyone else has caused. The whole thing is rediculous, god knows how its being portrayed outside the UK but we must be a laughing stock.

[MK Chris]

While there may well be decent politicians out there, they have been tainted with the shambles everyone else has caused.

Yes. And undeservedly so.

[foot-loose]

I work for a bank. They lumped us all together. Tough shit its happened to them now.

[Yudster]

Problem is, spoiling your ballot paper, or not voting at all simply leaves the field clear for the BNP. How do you think they've accrued the amount of influence they have in the last ten years? Through low turnouts at the polls. I know it seems as if there is no-one to vote for, but not using your vote constructively is playing into their sticky, bony hands.

[TIAL]

I'm not against the idea of protest in light of recent events, all I'm saying is that spoiling ballot papers is not the right way to do it.

All that will happen is your protest will be read by someone like me, who is just doing a bit of summer work. It will then get put in a black bin bag, which then gets destroyed. No matter what you do to the ballot paper, the message won't get to anyone that matters.

I'm all for protest about the state of the government, but spoiling a ballot paper does nothing other than give parties such as the BNP more ground.

Does anyone know anything about UKIP? Is it simply a party that wants independence from the EU or is there something more sinister than that going on?

[MK Chris]

My (limited) understanding of UKIP is that they're a watered down BNP, but I could be totally wrong with that.

[TIAL]

While there may well be decent politicians out there, they have been tainted with the shambles everyone else has caused. The whole thing is rediculous, god knows how its being portrayed outside the UK but we must be a laughing stock.

The Daily Show have had a field day. Stereotypes galore!
http://tvnewsroom.co.uk/blog/jon-stewar ... -expenses/

[Munki Bhoy]

Hang on, vote for one of the corrupt self-important because they're not racists and bigots?!

* this, where's my gun? Military Coup required.

(Eh... in case anyone important reads this, I'm joking.)

[Johnny 1989]

Hang on, vote for one of the corrupt self-important because they're not racists and bigots?!

* this, where's my gun? Military Coup required.

(Eh... in case anyone important reads this, I'm joking.)

To be honest, I'd rather have the corrupt self important politician than a racist bigoted one. You can, at least, possibly educate the corrupt self important one, the racist bigoted one your less likely to.

[Andy B]

What's annoying me today....

Being stuck at work so much that I barely have any time to be on here any more.

In the long term though just to add my thoughts to the many points raised in this thread:

Star Trek Film - complete toss.

Nicola's F cup boobs - damn, makes me wish I'd not turned that photo down now! And missing yet another chat about breasts in general.

Boboff - insightful and thought provoking.

Never got to go to Thorpe Park in the end it was cancelled due to forcast bad weather that never materialised.

That's about it for now......

[MK Chris]

Because it's slightly related to the 'racist, bigoted politicians' discussion, I thought I would link to this article that I read a while back; it's a wonderful argument against the 'big brother' society we seem to be moving towards and pretty much eliminates the 'nothing to hide, nothing to fear' argument.

[dannimaria]

The sunshine, I am Irish and blue of skin.

'Nuff said.

[dannimaria]

As above <sigh>

[Yudster]

Rain, and lots and lots to do.

[Andy B]

Having an argument with the missus (quel suprise) about the radio coming on at half six. I spend more time listening to Chris than I do her so he takes precidence...pres...he's the most important.