Monday, December 15, 2008
Are you a film addict?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Yes, He Did!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Presidential Debates 1.0
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Crisis? What Crisis?

Thursday, September 11, 2008
My emotional track record

Kirk Broadfoot: Scotland Hero

Saturday, September 6, 2008
Reality Check
Hypocrites
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
For Sale
Friday, August 1, 2008
The glamour of life on the ocean waves

Friday, June 27, 2008
The falling standards of Scottish journalism.....

Thursday, May 22, 2008
Resolutions Update
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
I hate it when I think I'm missing out on an underground subculture
A list of all available Bluetooth devices in the front carriage of the 8.30 train this morning from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street: 8 Nokia 6300 Unknown Device JOHNLAPTOP Whore Unknown device Nick Barley’s Computer
Monday, May 19, 2008
Infinite Monkey Theorem So far Unproved
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Kaizen in practice

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Vader Strikes Back
Monday, May 12, 2008
It has come to this
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Amazing Photos
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Coming to terms with my inner middle-class self
1. It’s been impossible to live my middle class lifestyle while keeping my green guilt in check, so one of them has to give. I’m therefore going to buy a new car at the first available opportunity. The Car Club isn’t working for me: the cars either don’t work or aren’t available when I want them. What’s the point of walking 20 minutes there and 20 minutes back to hire a car for 2 hours?
2. And I’m going to buy the biggest car I can afford so I can keep my golf clubs in the boot.
3. The Edinburgh Golf Club is not great, as the greens on the public courses are crap and I’m blaming them for the spate of 3-putting. I will work out how to blame the quality of the course maintenance on my hook later. I want to join a private golf club and am willing to pay for the privilege.
4. I’m looking forward to living in a big house with a garden and dining kitchen. Probably in Perth. We won’t be out partying in the big city at the weekend, but will be able to host fabulous dinner parties. I can invite people from the golf club.
5. I’m not adversely affected by the abolition of the 10p Income tax band.
6. We’re going on holiday to a villa in Tuscany.
7. My biggest pleasure in life is going for dinner with friends. A nice dinner, in a good restaurant, with a carefully chosen bottle of wine. And then leaving in good time to get home at a reasonable time as we’ve got to get up early and clean/de-clutter/decorate the house because we want to get it on the market in June as then we can use the capital to put down a decent deposit on a new place because we reckon that being able to put in quick, low offers is the best way forward in a slowing market and anyway we can use the opportunity to try out the commute from Linlithgow/Perth to see if it’s manageable, Debbie’s already raised it with her boss and so she’ll probably be able to work more flexible hours and it won’t be much of a difference to me as I commute from Edinburgh to Glasgow every day anyway.
This is not a complaint. I’m just guilty and thankful at the same time.
Friday, May 2, 2008
From an election spectator

- I went to the bookies to put money on Boris and couldn’t do it. Partly because of the economics of the short odds, partly because of the moral implications of betting on someone you wouldn’t vote for. Will those who thought they’d vote for Boris when they woke up today face a similar dilemma? Is his vote weak?
- I put £20 on Ken to win. YouGov got the gap between SNP and Labour wrong by about 6% in last year’s Scottish election, and today predicted a similar gap between Boris and Ken. Given this, and the Ken lead shown in the other polls in the past week I think it will be within about 2% on first votes, so well worth a punt on Ken.
- Likely Labour voters – folk my age who have probably always voted for Ken – talked of their motivation today in terms of what a disaster Boris would be rather than how good Ken was/is/will be. Will the lack of positive motivation for Ken and Labour voters harm him and make a difference to voting?
Monday, April 28, 2008
Goodbye to an friend I’ve never met
No-one does filth like an old Etonian talking to a middle class audience. And many of his radio monologues were just that – hilarious and filthy. It’s a sad state of affairs that at thirty-two years of age the very thought of discussing sex with my parents makes me feel nervous and wary, but we have always been free to share a laugh at a particularly dirty double entendre.
When I listen to the shows I bought last year on CD I can give or take many of the middle rounds, and can easily skip by some games of Mornington Crescent played under some of the more obscure rule books, I never skip Humph’s parts. Genius’ are often respected and admired, but this one was loved my many, including me.
Monday, April 14, 2008
It's the power of the hat

Friday, March 21, 2008
(Not) my new car

At long last the Car Club have delivered their car to my parking space outside the flat. All the convenience of my own car without the attendant hassle – and if one other person in the street gives up their car too we’ll start to see some progress in dealing with the chronic parking problems in the area. Result!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Five years ago the war in Iraq began.
Today’s newspapers carry countless facts about the war and this country in turmoil. The financial cost of the war. The number of Iraqi civilians, soldiers and journalists who have died in the five years of conflict. Iraqi inflation.
There also are stories today about defiant statements made by those politicians who took us to war, declaring their continued belief that victory, one day, will be theirs and how those who criticise the actions of the UK and US Governments in taking us to war implicitly support the return of a dictatorial regime in Iraq and the return of Saddam Hussein from the dead.
The important fact remains that this is a war based on a lie. There were no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. Saddam Hussein had no links to Islamic terrorist organisations.
Iraq is a tragedy. It is a tragedy because thousands have died, and millions displaced, while many more continue to live in fear. It is a tragedy because the world is not now a safer place because of these actions. It is a tragedy that because of the actions of the US and UK five years ago it is now impossible to see a peaceful solution for the population there in either the near or distant future, with or without the continued presence of foreign troops. It is a tragedy because of the crisis in the international community caused by this bilateral action without the support of the United Nations without a basis in international law.
But when our leaders lie to us to justify war, it is beyond a tragedy. It is a fundamental challenge to the social contract, the underlying principles of our civilisation. And that’s why it’s important to remember, to challenge, and to change.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Another nail in the coffin of youth

Today I repaid my final instalment of my Student Loans.
I now look forward to spending the monthly savings on slippers and cardigans as my wife and I contemplate our move away from the bright lights of the big city..........
PS - My new geeky web toy
Not the time to worry
Although I’ve been a fairly regular air passenger in the past, I’ve always been a nervous flyer. On my way West across the Atlantic last year I got a decent case of the jitters mid-flight (not related to my wedding two days before!), but landings have always made me a bit nervous.
Monday, March 17, 2008
“I want to gaze at sunsets”

I believe in a work ethic, and that my work is not only important to me but is an integral part of who I am. But after five years of knocking my pan in for the job, my boss and (hopefully) the greater good I now have a different perspective on my work, my life and politics.
When I was drunk enough at my stag night last year to seek answers from my father on the most important emotionally driven issues men always have trouble asking each other, I asked him for one piece of advice to help me as a married man. He told me to always put my family first. Not his family, or my mother’s family. My new family.
That simple advice helped me complete the journey I’d been on since I left my previous job.
I’d learned to appreciate my life, and understood that it wasn’t only OK to do things that I enjoyed, like playing golf and getting home in time to eat a meal with Debbie, it was essential.
£77.50 - the benefit of a clear green conscience

My trusty Renault Laguna went for its MOT last month and didn’t return. If I’d have known the Scrapyard was going to give me £77.50 for it based on its weight I definitely wouldn’t have spent an hour clearing out 3 years of accumulated crap from the boot ;)
So I joined the Car Club. It cost £75 upfront, and £5 a month to bring the insurance excess down from £500 to a more manageable £100, and costs me £4.50 an hour to drive, which includes tax, insurance and petrol. It’s currently working out slightly cheaper than running my old car, but I’d expect it to save me in the medium term as I don’t have repairs to pay. I’ve booked on the phone and online so far with no problems.
The best thing about it is the fact that after a couple of quick emails to the Car Club, they are due to put one of their cars in my private parking space outside my flat. The car will be available to all members, so anyone can hire it, but it’s going to be pretty handy to have immediate access to a car at my doorstep. I’ve already found that I’ve been able to book the car I want in the location I want every time of asking, so although I don’t expect a 100% record forever, I know that it’s likely that I’ll be able to book it when I need it. If having the car on my street acts as an incentive for more members, they’ll look at putting new cars in the area to cope with demand.
So I’m driving a smaller car, reducing my own emissions. I’m also driving less, as having a direct hypothecated cost for stepping into a car stops unnecessary journeys, and I’ll hopefully also help to reduce the parking chaos in the streets around me as more people nearby get rid of their own car to take advantage of the new Car Club vehicle on their doorstep.
So this is a win-win-win: for my pocket, for my neighbours, and for our environment.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The challenges of power
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
What's the best mobile broadband? Not 3.
The Guardian ran a short piece yesterday morning of the relative merits of the various 3G broadband services which have become available in recent months. It’s a decent overview, but fails to mention the service that I use , 3 Mobile’s Pay As You Go service.
I signed up a couple of months ago in order to use the service on my daily commute from Edinburgh to Glasgow. I thought that it would be useful to be able to catch up on the papers and a bit of work on my travels, but wanted to dip into the service, rather than committing myself to a 12 month contract.
The ‘dongle’ cost £95 and I can but top ups from £10. The software works fine, no problems there, but it’s in the service levels and cost that the problems begin.
Despite the reassurance of the shop assistant, the 3G service is not universally available on the journey to and from Glasgow Queen Street, so you be often ‘dropped’ from the service on route, which is both irritating and time consuming. But my main gripe is with the cost of the service.
I used it the other day to do some work on my way back from a meeting. I stopped for about an hour and went through my emails, firing off a few short replies. I downloaded three or four short Word documents and a small Excel file. I ran up £10 worth of charges, making this service far more expensive than even a regular hotel’s broadband service, which usually provides unlimited downloads in a set time period.
My dongle is now consigned to the bottom of my briefcase – for emergencies only. I’m posting this from the train – on a far more reliable, free service.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
10 good reasons not to blog in a week:
Monday, February 18, 2008
If in doubt, write a list.....
From Love and Garbage, a meme:
A) Four jobs I have had in my life (other than current job): Door-to-door Book Salesman, Golf Ball Collector at a Driving Range, Rodie for Celine Dion, DJ B.) Four movies I would watch over and over: Goodfellas, Star Wars, Zulu, Fight Club C.) Four places I have lived Edinburgh, Brixton, North Dakota, Wishaw & Bellshill D.) Four TV shows that I watch The Wire, The Sopranos, Prison Break & Entorage E.) Four places I have been: Florence, Nashville, Skye & Cornwall F.) People who e-mail me (regularly): My wife, my mother, my media monitoring service & the automated press release service at my old work (despite repeated requests to unsubscribe!) G.) Four of my favourite foods: Ribeye Steak (medium rare), a nice juicy burger, quail, proper chorizo sausages H. ) Four places I would rather be right now: In bed (in the arms of my wife), in bed (fast asleep), on a golf course, playing high stakes poker J.) Four Things I am looking forward to this year: Continued married bliss, our holiday in Tuscany, playing more golf, watch politics from the outside K.) Four favourite authors: Irvine Welsh, Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Hemmingway
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Today was a good day
- The weather was good. Who doesn’t feel better on a sunny day?
- I had a good meeting at work. Imagine, a meeting that actually served its purpose and was attended by people you respect, with some clearly defined outcomes that will help me in my job
- I got to the final 2 players in a big poker game online
- Debbie and I are still definitely in the honeymoon period....
- BT’s customer service improved significantly, with the reconnection of my home phone
- I got a letter from BT (how 20th century!) confirming that I was to receive the £5 off my bill Debbie was promised on the phone last week.
So thank you to Ben and Janet at BT for resolving my situation, and sorry to the BT Customer Services person Debbie spoke to last week who I thought was just useless. She clearly did what she said she’d do. All BT need now is the systems to match the people and everyone will be a satisfied customer.
So, did I mention that it took me 25 minutes on the phone to book my car in for a service this week.............
This is not good. BT's Customer Service is still crap.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
BT’s Customer Service is crap

· National Express Trains from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central (£5 cheaper and less crowded than FirstScotrail, with Free WiFi)
· Compass, North Charlotte Street, Leith (the food and service are great, and there’s a always a good atmosphere inside)
· Sky+ (this is one of the best things ever invented. Never miss an episode of any of your favourite programmes and always have the option of watching something good you’ve recorded, rather than whatever’s on at the time)
What I can’t recommend to my friends is BT.
It’s not that their product is poor, their wireless broadband service has always been reliable and has never caused me any problems. It’s their customer service. It’s shocking. We’ve not had the use of our phone for outgoing calls a couple of weeks.
I’m not entirely sure of the source of our problem. I recently moved to paperless billing to pay online, as we were a few weeks late with a payment that was due when we were away on honeymoon. So we have no outstanding balance with BT. But our phone still does not work.
That’s my girl, I thought. No-one messes with Debbie.
Next morning – still no phone. Debbie calls again. BT Customer services were “very very sorry”. They would “sort it out in a few hours”, he said. I called again tonight to find no customer service staff at home, but a kindly computer who confirmed one again that I had a zero balance and could have my line reconnected ASAP.
BUT STILL NO PHONE SERVICE. NUMEROUS CALLS, SEVERAL APOLOGIES AND A COUPLE OF PROMISES, BUT STILL NO SODDING PHONE. I'VE BEEN PAYING LINE RENTAL THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, BUT STILL NO SERVICE.
So, I am doing what a good friend would do, and pointing out BT’s shocking service to you all. I hope that the muppets who have been dealing with my request to date receive the service that they’ve been given to me in every bar and restaurant that they frequent. And I hope that the poor customer service that BT have been displaying is sorted out more quickly now I’ve posted it on Facebook and onto my blog for all the world to see.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
What I've read today (Wednesday)
Monday, February 4, 2008
Suffering Addicts
Friday, February 1, 2008
I was wrong
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
What to do with a former England captain and football legend?
Terry Butcher and David Beckham require need to be dealt with in a similar way if George Burley and Fabio Capello are to build respect and achieve success in their new posts.
Capello needs to use his head and put aside the public clamour for a token place in the England team for Beckham in their next match against Switzerland. It is, no doubt, a temptation for the new England manager to use the LA Galaxy player as a human shield from the often rabid English redtops, a measure to avert attention from the inevitable challenges he’ll face on the field as he builds and shapes his own team from the smouldering wreckage Steve McLaren has left behind. But as the first act of significance of a new managerial post it would send out unhelpful messages which will prevent future progress for the England team. Capello cannot afford to send the message that he will be swayed by media hype or player pressure. He must be guided by a belief in his own abilities and the desire to win and to realise the huge, and as yet unfulfilled, potential of English football to regularly compete at the World Cups and European Championships.
David Beckham, for all his undoubted skills on the pitch, is the past and not the future for England. Beckham didn’t move to LA to maintain his position at the peak of on-field prowess, he know himself that the game’s up. His inclusion will be an impediment for England and cannot contribute to the development of the team or the confidence of any of his likely replacements in Lennon or Wright-Phillips. Capello, who dropped Beckham at Real Madrid, must do so again if he’s to succeed with England in the long-term.
The imminent appointment of Terry Butcher as an assistant to George Burley at Scotland has raised the hackles of a few of the Tartan Army, and several of Scottish football’s many bigots. Butcher has through his past success managed to put out both the anti-Rangers and anti-English elements of the Scotland support, and so will inevitably face a mixed reaction in his early period in charge. But the fact remains that the vast majority of Scotland fans yearn for success on the pitch to match the spectacular achievements in the bars and city squares of Europe that our fans have achieved over the past twenty years. I’m not a fan of Berti Voghts, but that was because he was rubbish, not because he was German.
I don’t want Butcher to wear a kilt for a double page Daily Record spread the day of our game against Croatia. I don’t want some faux patriotism from him, or to see him belt out ‘Flower of Scotland’ because it will make the bigots hate him less. I don’t want him not to be an English football legend.
I want him to provide inspiration and sound advice to Scotland’s up and coming talent. I want him to help make Stephen McManus and Andy Webster half the player at an international level he was, because it that’s the case we’ll have a great chance to qualify for the next World Cup. I want him to do the job he’s been asked to do by the new manager, because George Burley, like Fabio Capello, deserves a fair chance to make his own mark at international level, and if that means Terry Butcher then so be it. His appointment has to be a footballing decision, not an emotional one.
The same Scotland fans who cheered Nigel Quashie’s goal against Trinidad and Tobago and laughed with him as he kissed the badge for the fans as we sang ‘You’re Not English Any More’ will also accept Butcher if he demonstrates professionalism off the pitch and shows real commitment to the team. I hope Terry Butcher is the most popular Assistant Manager in Scottish football history, because if he is I’ll be watching the team in the World Cup finals in 2010.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Debbie's campaign against my cowboy hat is getting out of control........

Friday, January 25, 2008
The brightest jewel in my crown.....
With a mother from Ayr,and being well within school-trip range of Burns' Cottage, I'd have been hard pressed not to have an interest in Scotland's national poet. When Debbie and I thought about what sort of wedding we'd like to have last year we wanted the poetry and songs of Burns to be part of it. My sister Rachel's reading of 'O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast' was one of the day's highlights for me, and Debbie and I were so happy to have her mother's friend Sheena sing "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose" in the church. She was wonderful too, as you can see from the picture of me (above) listening from the side after we signed the register. I don't recall ever seeing this Burns poem before I saw it in Lizzie MacGregor and Liz Lochhead's wonderful book of Scottish readings for weddings, so today seems like an appropriate day to share. Enjoy!
Robert Burns: O, Wert Thou In The Cauld Blast O, wert thou in the cauld blast On yonder lea, on yonder lea, My plaidie to the angry airt, I'd shelter thee, I'd shelter thee, Or did Misfortune's bitter storms Around thee blaw, around thee blaw, Thy bield should be my bosom, To share it a', to share it a'.
Or were I in the wildest waste, Sae black and bare, sae black and bare, The desert were a Paradise, If thou wert there, if thou wert there. Or were I monarch of the globe, Wi' thee to reign, wi' thee to reign, The brightest jewel in my crown Wad be my queen, wad be my queen.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Gordon Strachan Quotes
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Congatulations George Burley!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Don’t Write off Rudy

While some UK commentators have already started writing off Rudy Giuliani’s campaign for the Republican nomination, it’s far from over for the former Mayor of New York. Giuliani’s strategy was clear from the start; he would let the other candidates fight it out early on in the campaign while he concentrated on the big ticket states which go to the polls later in the campaign.
Given the focus on the state by state races, it would be expected that Giuliani’s relative lack of profile would have a short-term effect on his national polling numbers, but those who write him off do so at their own peril. ‘Super Tuesday’ brings Florida, California and New Jersey to the polls, and so can still be a launchpad for this candidate. McCain’s stated lead in Florida is within the margin of error making the race neck and neck, while Giuliani’s local credentials must put him in the driving seat in New Jersey. Although McCain looks ahead in a close race in California, if Giuliani can win two out of these three significant states he’ll be up and running and may be able to put real pressure on the Huckabee and Romney campaigns.
There are four strong candidates still in the Republican contest with the vast majority of states still to choose their candidate. It’s not over yet for Giuliani.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
A backward step for Cheeky Boy?

I’m not so easily convinced, however, that this is the right move for him right now. While he has acknowledged the inconsistency in his form, Everton fans also seem to be of a mind that although he will be missed by fans getting £6m for a ‘luxury player’ who scored 18 goals in 136 games for the club has been good business.
Although they haven’t set the heather on fire, Everton have been a consistent force in the Premiership in the last few seasons with decent finishing positions in the league. Birmingham, on the other hand, are hovering above the bottom three on goal difference. The main question must be whether, given his inconsistency at club level, are McFadden’s talents better employed in a team going forward or one who have to grind out another 20 points before the end of the season to avoid the drop? I’ve not seen a great deal of Kenny Miller’s games for Derby, but although it’s clear that he’s doing the best he can, it’s impossible to fulfil your full potential as an attacking player when playing for a team who are constantly forced onto the back foot.
So fingers crossed for Cheeky Boy, and here’s hoping he can produce the same kind of match-winning performances for McLeish in the Premiership as he has delivered for Scotland. At 24 he needs to be playing top-class football, not in the English Championship.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Scotland Shortlist: My Verdict
So what's the verdict so far on the shortlist?
Graeme Souness:
First class pedigree as a player as captain of Liverpool and Scotland, mixed fortunes as a manager. Even Rangers supporters who flocked back to Ibrox during his reign recognise his reliance on the chequebook as a management tool, sometimes with mixed results – e.g. Terry Butcher and Colin West were 2 of his first signings. Since leaving Glasgow, Souness has failed to reproduce anywhere near the impressive results seen at Rangers at a string of clubs across Europe. His recent track record as a manager seems to be to confined to leaving the club before too much long-term damage has been done.
Special powers – the moustache. Tackling Steaua Bucharest players.
Tommy Burns:
2 words – Berti Voghts. He was there and is complicit in the failure. While he redeemed himself slightly under Walter Smith, this proves that he's better as a No. 2 rather than his own man. As a manager in his own right, winning a single Scottish Cup in three years at Celtic is not a successful record.
Special powers – Ginger, speaks some German.
George Burley:
A solid player with European success, Burly performed managerial miracles at Ipswich in 1999-2001 taking them from the English Championship to Europe. In the space of 10 unbeaten games made Hearts favourites for the Premier League, before leaving in the face of Vladimir Romanov's interference in the team. His fair performance since at Southampton has not been up to his previous standard.
Special powers – hates Vladimir Romanov.
Mark McGhee:
Played under Ferguson at Aberdeen, successful spells at Celtic and in Germany . Solid record in management, but has not managed a team at the highest level. Even as a Motherwell fan I can't argue that that this has changes this season. What he has a track record in is building up teams with limited resources to achieve relative success. Good with the media, his teams play exciting attacking football.
Special powers – Likeable, plays 3 up front.
I think it's a straight choice between Burley and McGhee, much as it hurts to nominate a manager who may take Motherwell to Europe next year. Both have all the required experience and a good record in management, and would have the support of fans (or at least, neither are hated by one side of teh Old Firm).
We'll know soon enough.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Free Wifi on the train
Ah well, happy days! All I have to do now is work out why Google now thinks that I'm in Sweden, when I'm actually travelling through Wishaw at 70 miles an hour......
Why all the polls are wrong
But the problem with opinion polls is that no individual poll is reliably accurate.
The 1992 General Election was seen as a watershed in political opinion polling in the UK, when the professionals got it (very) wrong and predicted a victory for Neil Kinnock's Labour Party even up to the exit polls carried out for that night's TV coverage. More recently, polls in New Hampshire which showed a clear advantage for Barack Obama left many commentators on both sides of the Atlantic with egg on their faces. In Scotland, there have been wildly different results for political opinion polls carried out in roughly the same time.
Significantly, the manner in which the UK polling organisations subsequently tightened up their act and tried to introduce a greater degree of 'science' into the way that they interpreted the raw data they collect is the reason that we can't infer any great significance in a single opinion poll. Because different organisations have different systems for presenting, for example, an individual's likelihood to vote, (some only count respondents who rate their likelihood to vote as greater than 7 or 8 out of 10, while some don't ask this question as a matter of course) or a slightly tweaked demographic model (or none) which they use to plug the statistical gaps in their data collection, it's a fact that different organisations would present different headline 'results' using the exact same questions and answers. Polls carried out by the YouGov for the SNP the Telegraph, in November 2006 in the run up to last year's election which were carried out at the same time had different results, mainly because the questions asked were slightly different.
When you then factor in the relative merits of phone polling (generally less accurate) versus internet polling (YouGov produced the most accurate polls for the last General Election, but was out in last year's Scottish Election), and the often different questions posed to try to examine the same issue it's even more apparent that polls can't all be 'right'. That's why they're all wrong.
So, as an aide memoir, here's a short checklist on what to look for if you want a poll that's less inaccurate than others:
1. Any poll by an organisation which isn't in the British Polling Council should be immediately discounted. Member organisations are required to publish their full data of any questions released to the media if asked, so it can be held up to independent scrutiny. Scottish Opinion is one company which does not do this in Scotland and so it's not possible to compare their methods against other operators. Scottish Opinion polls of voting intention in Scotland in the last year have been the most volatile of all the polling organisations over this period and appeared to show wild swings in opinion when other polls showed steady trends.
2. A poll with a small sample is not reliable. You need a big sample (<900>
3. Don't look at the snapshot, look at the trends over time. Even a poll with a dodgy methodology will, if applied consistently, show trends over time. You may not be able to say with 100% confidence that polling levels for Political Party A are at X percent, but you will be able to say whether support is rising or falling over time if the questions are the same.
4. Beware of shy voters and the 'spiral of silence' Research has shown that there is a tendency for some voters not to want to reveal a party preference they perceive to be unpopular or unfashionable. So in the UK voters have been less inclined to declare their support for the Conservative Party, while there has been some discussion of whether in New Hampshire, Barack Obama 'suffered' from an inflated support rating as voters did not want to be perceived as having a racial bias against him when asked to choose between the candidates for the Democratic Presidential nominee.
So, polling is not an exact science, governed by arithmetical certainty. It's a social science, shaped by opinions and affected by direct interaction with fallible human beings. And that's why all opinion polls are wrong.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
McGhee or not McGhee.....
As a Motherwell fan, I’m delighted at the performance of Mark McGhee since his appointment last summer, and know he’s our best bet to secure success in the coming years as he builds his team. But as a Scotland fan, I know that he’s the best in a mediocre bunch who have been shortlisted. None of the other candidates, Craig Levein, Joe Jordan, Billy Davies, and Jim Jefferies, have the track record of success that McGhee has at club level, who has achieved tangible success with every team he has managed.
So today’s interview with Graham Spiers in The Times gave a reassuring message. While it looks though he would want the Scotland job if offered, he’s not going to leave Motherwell in the lurch if it comes about. While some football managers seem to be more concerned with financial gain than delivering results on the pitch, this is a football man with principles.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Stuff I like today
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Clinton and Giuliani: down but not out

Long time no see.
Long time no see.
Since my last post I managed to get married, go on an amazing honeymoon and survive Christmas and New Year. I thought blogging while on honeymoon would be a little beyond the pale.....
So better late than never, here's my review of my goals for 2007 and my thoughts and plans for 2008.
2007 was a good year. My main goals for the year were to (in no particular order):
- Get married
- Have a better work/life balance
- Play my part in helping the SNP win the election
- Improve my range of professional skills
Married – check. New job means weekend working is a thing of the past and I can for the first time in 5 years make plans to go out midweek without worrying about work. The SNP are now in Government in Scotland, and the expanded range of responsibilities I have with my new job means that I'm still learning new things at work while keeping my hand in with writing and media/PR work.
So this year, I've a lot to live up to. Given the life-changing 2007 I had it would be difficult to set new goals which are as challenging, but I reckon that while my work goals will be set at a high level I want to spend the next year enjoying my new life with Debbie and my friends and family. So, for posterity's sake, here are my personal goals for 2008:
Set up a new home with Debbie
Get a golf handicap below 20
Get fit
Blog regularly
So – here's to a successful 2008 for us all!