Comments on PaulCornell.com: The Word Magazine Interview

But laughing is something they're usually prep...

2009-06-16T08:25:38.474+01:00

But laughing is something they're usually prepared for now, and I think is often nervous laughter on our part, and is relatively easy for us to do. And thanks.

We had our own brand of Homophobic racist bullies ...

2009-06-11T11:10:54.478+01:00

We had our own brand of Homophobic racist bullies here in Oz - One Nation they were called.
The irony of their name was lost of none bar themselves.

We treated them exactly how you'd expect. We took the piss until they went away.

If the Goodies taught me anything, then laughing in the face of bullying is a great way to taking the wind out of their sails.

JOHN - You've just stick your finger on a wonder of politics, what Americans call "Conservative" is rather at a different angle to what everyone else calls a "Conservative".

FWIW as a PS... I managed to snag a copy of the Annual off a mate.
Cracking stuff, love Blade being totally in the dark about the second most baffling thing in the cosmos (Cricket).
And Meggan in hell and her hero name? Brilliant.

Bat poop, how many times have I heard that one?

2009-06-11T06:18:41.975+01:00

Bat poop, how many times have I heard that one?

Sadly my VHS copies (off WTTW) got pooped on by a ...

2009-06-10T09:15:00.435+01:00

Sadly my VHS copies (off WTTW) got pooped on by a colony of bats. I think wonky tracking and copies of copies only add to the aesthetic. :)

I don't know, I rather like First Past The Pos...

2009-06-10T07:29:30.154+01:00

I don't know, I rather like First Past The Post. Big majorities with a mandate for change, and not having to make endless deals with the smaller parties all the time. Worst case scenario: Italy. Garpu: you really should add something about ninth generation VHS copies.

Hurrah! Finally, something political we can agree ...

2009-06-09T23:54:36.782+01:00

Hurrah! Finally, something political we can agree on. (Beside the obvious "fascism is bad".) :)

"Doctor Who fans, while being conservative of...

2009-06-09T23:48:55.341+01:00

"Doctor Who fans, while being conservative of nature, having been taught from the cradle to recognise a Dalek when they see one."

I'm stealing that, but giving you credit. What a great line. You should be a writer. ;)

-Erik

John: I meant conservative by nature. That is, ...

2009-06-09T22:54:57.895+01:00
John: I meant conservative by nature. That is, we're suspicious of the new, and relate new stuff back to the old.

Back in the day our aliens were made of bubble wrap! And we LIKED it! Why, we'd walk uphill in the snow BOTH WAYS, just to get to the nearest house that could get PBS in to watch Doctor Who...

I agree with Niall, preference voting would be muc...

2009-06-09T19:46:34.672+01:00
I agree with Niall, preference voting would be much better.

In both the regions the BNP won seats, the Greens were close behind, and because the BNP wouldn't get any second preference votes, but the Greens would get loads, the Greens would likely beat them if STV was the voting system.

Ah, okay. I was going to say, I would think the Do...

2009-06-09T19:22:39.683+01:00
Ah, okay. I was going to say, I would think the Doctor's peculiar anarchism would turn off your average politically-conservative person.

Tom/Paul, there's nothing wrong with PR. In Ir...

2009-06-09T17:35:00.157+01:00
Tom/Paul, there's nothing wrong with PR. In Ireland, we've used it for years without having to deal with BNP style scumbags.

The major advantage is that it allows smaller parties a say in government. The major disadvantage is it allows smaller parties a say in government. Israeli style PR is horrible, but FPTP schemes tend to lead to two party systems which they to find new-thinking aversive. The major advantage of PRSTV system is that leads to less negative campaigning. If a candidate needs transfers from an enemy, he's far less likely to get dirty if he knows he might antagonise his enemies' supporters because they are people whose vote he might require later. I can't understand why PRSTV systems aren't used in more countries.

Thanks all. Indeed, Tom, I'm very much against...

2009-06-09T08:35:48.995+01:00
Thanks all. Indeed, Tom, I'm very much against proportional representation: I think it flies in the face of representative democracy. John: I meant conservative by nature. That is, we're suspicious of the new, and relate new stuff back to the old. Politically, they tend towards liberal, but with some spectacular exceptions.

UK Doctor Who fans tend to be conservative? No kid...

2009-06-08T23:09:37.392+01:00
UK Doctor Who fans tend to be conservative? No kidding? Watching it here in the US I never would have guessed that.

Of course Britain never elected fascists before th...

2009-06-08T18:28:38.809+01:00
Of course Britain never elected fascists before the Parliament Act 1999 brought in proportional representation - if this had been fought on a FPTP basis the BNP wouldn't have won anything. But they always seem to get a foothold with a certain minority towards the end of Labour governments (see also the rise of the National Front in 1979) so, sickening though it is, it's not particularly surprising...

Who knows maybe the BNP winning is part of Mad Jim...

2009-06-08T16:11:05.165+01:00
Who knows maybe the BNP winning is part of Mad Jim Jasper's plot to overthrow Britain and turn it into a facist state ... oh, hang on, this is reality isn't it?

Damn, damn scary day!

Good for you on the interview in The Word. Though...

2009-06-08T13:23:23.469+01:00
Good for you on the interview in The Word. Though I would prefer for the geek contingent to find some other place to work other than the bowels. Eeeew...

As for the rise of the BNP, it's the ghost of Roderick Spode! Quick, someone yell out "Eulalie!" to drive it away.*

*P.G. Wodehouse reference alert!!

After eight years of Bush, I feel your pain. (Dif...

2009-06-08T08:52:52.951+01:00
After eight years of Bush, I feel your pain. (Different types of extremist, though.)