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What’s on your mind?

DaveFromCampbelltown said:
And on another note.
Federal election on today. Leaving to vote soon.
Unfortunately, we have a very limited range to choose from.
They will only let us vote for politicians...
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Replying to my own post...

As predicted by many pundits and pollsters, a political party won.
Interestingly, polling booths closed at 6 pm, counting started, and a result was in by 8:30 pm, about 2~3 hours earlier than usual. The people were a bit more decisive than usual.

These are the colours used by the Australian ABC Election people to label the various parties and groups.

We have a Red party (left leaning), a Blue party (right leaning), a Green party (actually called the Greens), a Teal party which is not really a party but a bunch of independents that don't really lean anywhere, a Brown party (with only one representative), an Orange party which leant so far right they fell over, and a Grey party which is made up of a bunch of independents who don't want to be coloured Teal. I think we used to have a Rainbow party but they seem to have disappeared.

And... I had my first democracy sausage. My local polling booth eschewed cakes and lamingtons for a change and actually had barbecue sausages. The Guardian had an article about democracy sausages, what they should be made from (meat), how much onion (lots) and what sauce (Tomato) should be applied.

And we have gone back to having our ballot boxes made of cardboard. They were locked-down, see-through perspex for a couple of elections, but we have returned to how things used to be. Also they have gone back to tying the voting pencil to the voting booth (also made of cardboard), rather than giving each of us our own little stub of a pencil.

And, as usual, dress for voting was formal --

2953.jpg
 
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DaveFromCampbelltown said:
Replying to my own post...

As predicted by many pundits and pollsters, a political party won.
Interestingly, polling booths closed at 6 pm, counting started, and a result was in by 8:30 pm, about 2~3 hours earlier than usual. The people were a bit more decisive than usual.

These are the colours used by the Australian ABC Election people to label the various parties and groups.

We have a Red party (left leaning), a Blue party (right leaning), a Green party (actually called the Greens), a Teal party which is not really a party but a bunch of independents that don't really lean anywhere, a Brown party (with only one representative), an Orange party which leant so far right they fell over, and a Grey party which is made up of a bunch of independents who don't want to be coloured Teal. I think we used to have a Rainbow party but they seem to have disappeared.

And... I had my first democracy sausage. My local polling booth eschewed cakes and lamingtons for a change and actually had barbecue sausages. The Guardian had an article about democracy sausages, what they should be made from (meat), how much onion (lots) and what sauce (Tomato) should be applied.

And we have gone back to having our ballot boxes made of cardboard. They were locked-down, see-through perspex for a couple of elections, but we have returned to how things used to be. Also they have gone back to tying the voting pencil to the voting booth (also made of cardboard), rather than giving each of us our own little stub of a pencil.

And, as usual, dress for voting was formal --

View attachment 2507589
Click to expand...
Close quarters. Here in Finland you go into a three sided booth for some privacy. Is that Bondivoting attire replicated in other parts of the country. I don't want to know where that fellow in the blue bathing suit carries his ID card.
 
DaveFromCampbelltown said:
Replying to my own post...

As predicted by many pundits and pollsters, a political party won.
Interestingly, polling booths closed at 6 pm, counting started, and a result was in by 8:30 pm, about 2~3 hours earlier than usual. The people were a bit more decisive than usual.

These are the colours used by the Australian ABC Election people to label the various parties and groups.

We have a Red party (left leaning), a Blue party (right leaning), a Green party (actually called the Greens), a Teal party which is not really a party but a bunch of independents that don't really lean anywhere, a Brown party (with only one representative), an Orange party which leant so far right they fell over, and a Grey party which is made up of a bunch of independents who don't want to be coloured Teal. I think we used to have a Rainbow party but they seem to have disappeared.

And... I had my first democracy sausage. My local polling booth eschewed cakes and lamingtons for a change and actually had barbecue sausages. The Guardian had an article about democracy sausages, what they should be made from (meat), how much onion (lots) and what sauce (Tomato) should be applied.

And we have gone back to having our ballot boxes made of cardboard. They were locked-down, see-through perspex for a couple of elections, but we have returned to how things used to be. Also they have gone back to tying the voting pencil to the voting booth (also made of cardboard), rather than giving each of us our own little stub of a pencil.

And, as usual, dress for voting was formal --

View attachment 2507589
Click to expand...
Not much privacy there is there! I hope you enjoyed your sausage.

We didn’t get any snacks at our election on Thursday. It’s almost a 3 minute walk from our house though, so I made it back okay.

I went with jeans and a t-shirt as my bathing suit was in the wash.
 
Expos of 1969 said:
Close quarters. Here in Finland you go into a three sided booth for some privacy. Is that Bondivoting attire replicated in other parts of the country. I don't want to know where that fellow in the blue bathing suit carries his ID card.
Click to expand...

ID cards are not necessary, all we need to do is state our name and address. However, many of us proffer our drivers licence, as it has all the information (name and address) needed for the booth workers to tick us off their list.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Not much privacy there is there! I hope you enjoyed your sausage.

We didn’t get any snacks at our election on Thursday. It’s almost a 3 minute walk from our house though, so I made it back okay.

I went with jeans and a t-shirt as my bathing suit was in the wash.
Click to expand...

Actually, it was a crap sausage. The Bunnings ones are much better.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
My father is (very much) on my mind.

As it happens, he died twenty years ago, today.

My two brothers and I have been chatting by email, and will probably chat (by phone) over the week-end.
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On the 14th of September this year it will be 20 years since my wife died. Not looking for ward to that, although, will be fine. Probably put some flowers on her grave, tell her about "the kids" then move on. Funny how dates can affect you. Also, 20 years? Surely it was no more than a couple of years? (Time is the King of all Men) WS...
 
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AVBeatMan said:
On the 14th of September this year it will be 20 years since my wife died.
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Ouch.

That was a huge loss, and must have been devastating.

Be kind to yourself.
AVBeatMan said:
Not looking for ward to that, although, will be fine. Probably put some flowers on her grave, tell her about "the kids" then move on.
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Yes, I do "get", or understand, that.

AVBeatMan said:
Funny how dates can affect you.
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Isn't it?

In recent years, we have just noted the date, mentioned it to each other, but this year, given that 20 years have elapsed, - and, moreover, that we have the time to do so over the Bank Holiday week-end, for, obviously, when the anniversary falls on a work day, things are different - it seemed right to sit back, think of him, salute his memory, take stock, and just treasure the good things that were.
AVBeatMan said:
Also, 20 years?
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My brothers and I - we were all with him when he went, as we were with my mum - were marvelling that twenty years have passed.

Still, I spent some time today thinking of him, listening to the sort of music he would have liked, and toasting him - his memory - with a glass (or two) of wine.

He loved music, (we used to go to concerts together, classical music, Michael Nyman, jazz, Ennio Morricone, etc), good rich red Italian wine, good whiskey - preferably from Ireland or Scotland, - sport, (Manchester United occupied some strange spot in his heart), his family (it took me years to realise just how good a father and husband he was - you take that sort of thing for granted when you grow up with it as it is your normal), his friends, travelling, sunshine, the sea.

He was open-minded, funny, generous and kind, supportive (personally and professionally) and proud of my mother, (and me), he was a man who liked women - he actually liked women as people (and these are all qualities my brother, referred to as Decent Brother on these threads, who resembles my father quite a lot in character, also possesses) - and - to my mind - these are also qualities that are insufficiently applauded - or celebrated, or cherished - in men.
AVBeatMan said:
Surely it was no more than a couple of years? (Time is the King of all Men) WS...
Click to expand...
Twenty years for my dad, - 3rd May 2005 - which was before I had even discovered Apple, iPods, Apple Computers, and this site, which I joined when I bought my first Apple in 2008, having become converted ever since I bought an iPod in 2006, as a consequence of the so-called "halo" effect.

My dad would have found all of that fascinating - he had worked in telecommunications.

However, my mum died on 21st December 2018, a lot more recently, and that is what you probably recall reading.
 
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DaveFromCampbelltown said:
ID cards are not necessary, all we need to do is state our name and address. However, many of us proffer our drivers licence, as it has all the information (name and address) needed for the booth workers to tick us off their list.
Click to expand...
So if someone goes to the voting place before you, states your name and address and votes, then you go later and are told that you have already voted what happens? Does not seem to be a very secure system.
 
Do y’all vote by mail in AUS though?

In the states voting by mail Became popular since 2020 elections during Covid. Now post Covid it’s there for convenience and avoiding lines at polls.
 
Expos of 1969 said:
So if someone goes to the voting place before you, states your name and address and votes, then you go later and are told that you have already voted what happens? Does not seem to be a very secure system.
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If they have already voted they would have ketchup or mustard from the sausage at the last booth.
 
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goldmac2006 said:
Another word for primary elections?
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No.

Not at all.

In general, a referendum is a plebiscite on a proposed piece of public policy legislation put to "the people", the electorate, by the government.

In essence, this is a vote - a public vote, an election, - on a major issue of public policy (in the UK, these have included, (belatedly) joining the EU, leaving the EU, Scottish Independence, changing the electoral system, etc), rather than on choosing between political parties, or voting to select (elect, choose) people to take seats in a parliament, or on possible preferences for government formation.

Sometimes, it can take the form of a constitutional referendum, sometimes it is merely advisory - which means that while the government sought the opinions, (or views) of the population on something, they are not obliged to abide by the result of the referendum (although it would be a foolish government who would choose to ignore it completely) put by the government to ascertain the (collective) opinion of the population (electorate) of a country, an opinion which will over-ride (in constitutional, and political terms, and often, in legal terms, as well) that of either the executive, or the judiciary.
 
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Doctor Q said:
I went to an event sponsored by an educational group. Apparently spelling isn't high on their educational priority list.

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I know several teachers of English (teachers of both language and literature) who would grind their teeth in mute rage at such an affront to the language.

More to the point, I have never been able to reconcile the vast public relations (advertising) budgets that some companies enjoy with the results of some of these campaigns, which all too often comprise an astonishing array of offences to grammar and spelling and language that are an insult to intelligence and basic literacy.

In other words, if you can afford advertising, you can afford to pay someone to ensure that it is free from basic (and egregious) errors of grammar and spelling.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
I know several teachers of English (teachers of both language and literature) who would grind their teeth in mute rage at such an affront to the language.

More to the point, I have never been able to reconcile the vast public relations (advertising) budgets that some companies enjoy with the results of some of these campaigns, which all too often comprise an astonishing array of offences to grammar and spelling and language that are an insult to intelligence and basic literacy.

In other words, if you can afford advertising, you can afford to pay someone to ensure that it is free from basic (and egregious) errors of grammar and spelling.
Click to expand...

I remember getting an email from an English teacher in which I spotted a mistake (I think it was you're instead of your). I wasn't sure whether to be concerned for the teacher's students or whether to be forgiving because, after all, it was just email.

While I was contemplating that, I received a follow-up email from the teacher pointing out the mistake and saying oops and sorry! My confidence was restored.
 
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AVBeatMan said:
On the 14th of September this year it will be 20 years since my wife died. Not looking for ward to that, although, will be fine. Probably put some flowers on her grave, tell her about "the kids" then move on. Funny how dates can affect you. Also, 20 years? Surely it was no more than a couple of years? (Time is the King of all Men) WS...
Click to expand...
I'm sorry for your loss.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
No.

Not at all.

In general, a referendum is a plebiscite on a proposed piece of public policy legislation put to "the people", the electorate, by the government.

In essence, this is a vote - a public vote, an election, - on a major issue of public policy (in the UK, these have included, (belatedly) joining the EU, leaving the EU, Scottish Independence, changing the electoral system, etc), rather than on choosing between political parties, or voting to select (elect, choose) people to take seats in a parliament, or on possible preferences for government formation.

Sometimes, it can take the form of a constitutional referendum, sometimes it is merely advisory - which means that while the government sought the opinions, (or views) of the population on something, they are not obliged to abide by the result of the referendum (although it would be a foolish government who would choose to ignore it completely) put by the government to ascertain the (collective) opinion of the population (electorate) of a country, an opinion which will over-ride (in constitutional, and political terms, and often, in legal terms, as well) that of either the executive, or the judiciary.
Click to expand...
I just wish to add that in Switzerland there is a system of direct democracy where citizens vote on many issues including laws on any level. Any citizen or group of citizens can propose an item on the condition of a minimum amount of signatures are received before the deadline when the item has been registered.

Voting information
 
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