POTM November - Discussions

**sligoman** · 01/11/2009, 1:53 AM

Discussions only. Any nominations to go here.

**stann** · 20/11/2009, 9:29 PM

Bumping my hard earned nomination because the proposer got the link wrong not a bit harsh, Sligoman, no?

It's here anyway.

**sligoman** · 20/11/2009, 9:45 PM

Originally Posted by stann

Bumping my hard earned nomination because the proposer got the link wrong not a bit harsh, Sligoman, no?

It's here anyway.

Why didn't ya fix the link before now?

I've restored it now with the link you've given, cheers.

**stann** · 22/11/2009, 7:18 PM

Ah couldn't do that, post up my own post in the nominations thread? Radically uncool. The ignominy!

Ta muchly though!

**stann** · 30/12/2009, 1:18 PM

Don't want to be the grouch Sligoman but November's result is more than a bit on the poor side, and cost two funny posts the win.
I like the POTM, there's some great ones on here every month, but that kind of carry on will take the good out of it.

**Bluebeard** · 30/12/2009, 3:35 PM

I would agree. Unfortunately, any kind of "democratic vote" is potentially going to end out this way as we have seen since "deomcratic voting" started. The internet is a great example of this, as we noted when "A Nation Once Again" (a bit of a dirge with a catchy chorus) won the "Best Song of All Time" poll the BBC did.

Then we have the horrible reality that is the text in on "reality shows". Jedward? Jade Goody?

But it would be foolish to believe that this is new. Dustin allegedly polled better than Austin Curry in Tallaght in 1990 - had there been a write in option (which I strongly support, along with the "re-open nominations" idea) it would have been a humiliation. Lowry has only managed to top the poll in Tipp SINCE being outted as corrupt. Fianna Fail are regularly returned to office. All are great proofs of the example.

But let's go back to the birth of "democratic voting". We still see the same manipulation. In early "democratic" America, the vote was offered in very particular circumstances based on ownership, not dissimilar to ancient Greece and Rome. Even in rigorously contemptuously balanced British Elections as late as the 19th Century, there were numerous rotten Boroughs, like Old Sarum in Wiltshire with an electorate of 7 (Bannow in Wexford was another example, though I don't have details). And throughout the 19th century, there were plenty of examples of Landlords imposing a choice on their tennants.

No "democratic voting" is not a great way to decide these things. Certainly, I would agree with you Stann, but it is clearly the current system. I think it is fair to say that Sligoman has no blame in this - I note he has stried to quash this at times, and I feel that this is an attempt to spite him by certain Sligo fans. What might need to happen is for someone to be given the task of deciding every month the best of the nominees, someone ideally who has little or no connection with the forum, but is held in high esteem by many members of it. Someone in whom we could place our trust. With that in mind, I think we should nominate Jim.

**thischarmingman** · 30/12/2009, 3:50 PM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Even in rigorously contemptuously balanced British Elections as late as the 19th Century, there were numerous rotten Boroughs, like Old Sarum in Wiltshire with an electorate of 7 (Bannow in Wexford was another example, though I don't have details). And throughout the 19th century, there were plenty of examples of Landlords imposing a choice on their tennants.

Blackadder: Sir Talbot represented the constituency of Dunny-on-the-World, and, by an extraordinary stroke of luck, it is a rotten borough.

Prince George: Really! Is it! Well, lucky-lucky us. Lucky-lucky-luck (as a chicken) Luck-luck-LAKK-LAKK-LAKK-LAKK-cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck- cluck-LAKK-LAKK-LAKK.

Blackadder: ...You don't know what a rotten borough is, do you, sir?

Prince George: No.

Blackadder: So what was the chicken impression in aid of?

Prince George: Well, I just didn't want to hurt your feelings. Erm, so, what is a rubber button?

Blackadder: *Rotten borough*.

Prince George: Oh, yes, you're right.

Blackadder: A rotten borough, sir, is a constituency where the owner of the land corruptly controls the both the voters and the MP.

Prince George: Good, yes...and a rubber button is...?

**stann** · 30/12/2009, 7:09 PM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

I would agree. Unfortunately, any kind of "democratic vote" is potentially going to end out this way as we have seen since "deomcratic voting" started. The internet is a great example of this, as we noted when "A Nation Once Again" (a bit of a dirge with a catchy chorus) won the "Best Song of All Time" poll the BBC did.

Not complaining about the post that won as such - God knows there's plenty of examples past and present of what happens when you let the public vote on anything

- rather the hijacking of the poll, facebook campaign and so on, something could easily have been done about excising the entry, but anyway.
End of a very good feature of the forum, pity really.

By the by, TCM, it was robber button!

**Magicme** · 30/12/2009, 7:28 PM

but its just the northern accent stann.

**thischarmingman** · 31/12/2009, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by stann

By the by, TCM, it was robber button!

I just copied and pasted from another site when I remembered the scene

I was sure it was rubber button though, I must go watch it again.

**John83** · 01/01/2010, 2:10 PM

Luckily, I have the scripts to hand and can confirm that it's robber button.

**thischarmingman** · 01/01/2010, 3:47 PM

I bow to your wisdom, or rather the book's wisdom, John.

Hadn't watched Blackie for ages and then saw the last episode of series 3 a couple fo nights ago- one of my favourite episodes.

-I have here the most recent briefs from my general in the field.
-Yes, well if you could just pop them in the laundry basket on the way out. Tea?