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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Clinton is being urged to challenge the results in three key s

SystemSystem Posts: 11,683
edited November 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Clinton is being urged to challenge the results in three key states

NYMag.Com

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    old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    Second
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    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    I think I was first but it disappeared!
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    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    I cannot begin to imagine what would happen if Hillary successfully overturned the current results.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    Bloody lurkers!
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    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    RobD said:

    Bloody lurkers!

    Get a job! ;)
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    edited November 2016
    "The group, which includes voting-rights attorney John Bonifaz and J. Alex Halderman, the director of the University of Michigan Center for Computer Security and Society, believes they’ve found persuasive evidence that results in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania may have been manipulated or hacked."

    " The academics so far have only a circumstantial case that would require not just a recount but a forensic audit of voting machines"

    Well, which is it, persuasive, or circumstantial? For instance, couldn't that 7% difference be explained by different voting behavior in the precincts with these machines?
  • Options
    old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    MTimT said:

    I cannot begin to imagine what would happen if Hillary successfully overturned the current results.

    I can guess what would happen if she tried and was unsuccessful.
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    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    To point of the header, twitter from Philip Bump at WaPo

    "Default position on multi-state, election-swinging vote-rigging claims should be deep skepticism even if the result wasn't what you wanted."
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    Public disclosure or stfu
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    MTimT said:

    RobD said:

    Bloody lurkers!

    Get a job! ;)
    Then I'd have even less luck!!
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    Public disclosure or stfu

    Yes, I was looking for a link to their findings.
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    Time is running out and the evidence as presented above (of course there is more that has not been disclosed) is not compelling. If I were Trump, I'd phone Hillary and make a deal based on an official inquiry next year.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    And "Experts"? Please, we've had enough of those this year! ;)
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    Time is running out and the evidence as presented above (of course there is more that has not been disclosed) is not compelling. If I were Trump, I'd phone Hillary and make a deal based on an official inquiry next year.

    No point, he'd renege.
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    this is a load of rubbish obviously, and won't go anywhere, it's just another piece of 'we were right' for Democrats to whine about for the next four years alongside 'we won the popular vote'. They are all talk, no action. President Trump.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    dogbasket said:

    this is a load of rubbish obviously, and won't go anywhere, it's just another piece of 'we were right' for Democrats to whine about for the next four years alongside 'we won the popular vote'. They are all talk, no action. President Trump.

    Four years? ;)
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    JohnLoonyJohnLoony Posts: 1,790
    At the Three Crowns pub in Stoke Newington High Street last night there was a collection jar on the counter labelled "Farage Assassination Fund". It had 1p in it.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897
    edited November 2016
    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the side, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.
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    Not a hope in hell. But the electoral process in the US is a farce.
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    Sandpit said:


    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    I'd drop the "even". Basically no technically competent person thinks these systems are secure. Support for them comes exclusively from non-technical people.
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    RobD said:

    Public disclosure or stfu

    Yes, I was looking for a link to their findings.
    TBF it doesn't sound like they intended to go public in the first place, but somebody leaked.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the said, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is pretty obvious (and something that the alt.right seem surprisingly unbothered by) that Russia attempted to manipulate the presidential election via hacking the DNC, Podesta and also via Wikileaks and Fancy Bears etc. It would not be a great stretch to interfere directly with voting machines. Admiral Rogers of the NSA has openly described the interference as unprecedented:

    http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/will-congress-investigate-russian-interference-2016-campaign

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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897

    Sandpit said:


    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    I'd drop the "even". Basically no technically competent person thinks these systems are secure. Support for them comes exclusively from non-technical people.
    LOL, true.
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    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the said, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is pretty obvious (and something that the alt.right seem surprisingly unbothered by) that Russia attempted to manipulate the presidential election via hacking the DNC, Podesta and also via Wikileaks and Fancy Bears etc. It would not be a great stretch to interfere directly with voting machines. Admiral Rogers of the NSA has openly described the interference as unprecedented:

    http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/will-congress-investigate-russian-interference-2016-campaign

    It's the right generally that seems to be unbothered by it all. Their man won and that is what matters - I can understand that. What's more amazing is the relative silence of the centre and the left. It is impossible to imagine it would have been the same if the shoe had been on the other foot. Generally, all those who see Russia as a rational player with whom it would be possible to do constructive, long-term business need to look closely at Moscow's cyber-activity in various countries - from hacking through to strategically timed leaks, not to mention assassinations and assassination attempts. If you are not going to stand up to Russia militarily, the only alternative is appeasement.
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    RobD said:

    Public disclosure or stfu

    Yes, I was looking for a link to their findings.
    TBF it doesn't sound like they intended to go public in the first place, but somebody leaked.

    I wonder who! :-)

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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited November 2016

    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the said, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is pretty obvious (and something that the alt.right seem surprisingly unbothered by) that Russia attempted to manipulate the presidential election via hacking the DNC, Podesta and also via Wikileaks and Fancy Bears etc. It would not be a great stretch to interfere directly with voting machines. Admiral Rogers of the NSA has openly described the interference as unprecedented:

    http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/will-congress-investigate-russian-interference-2016-campaign

    It's the right generally that seems to be unbothered by it all. Their man won and that is what matters - I can understand that. What's more amazing is the relative silence of the centre and the left. It is impossible to imagine it would have been the same if the shoe had been on the other foot. Generally, all those who see Russia as a rational player with whom it would be possible to do constructive, long-term business need to look closely at Moscow's cyber-activity in various countries - from hacking through to strategically timed leaks, not to mention assassinations and assassination attempts. If you are not going to stand up to Russia militarily, the only alternative is appeasement.
    That seems very much Trump's plan, to appease Putin by allowing him control of the Sudetenland/Baltics/Ukraine.

    If Russia really did hack the voting they have Trump on a short leash. If he starts to no longer to do as Moscow desires, I can see further selective leaking. Russia has played a blinder in getting their man elected.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897
    edited November 2016

    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the said, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is pretty obvious (and something that the alt.right seem surprisingly unbothered by) that Russia attempted to manipulate the presidential election via hacking the DNC, Podesta and also via Wikileaks and Fancy Bears etc. It would not be a great stretch to interfere directly with voting machines. Admiral Rogers of the NSA has openly described the interference as unprecedented:

    http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/will-congress-investigate-russian-interference-2016-campaign

    One thing that I hope all political parties have learned from the goings on across the Atlantic, is that they really need to have decent IT security in place and need to monitor their systems constantly for intruders.

    With all the cash floating around in the DNC accounts, they really should have dropped a couple of $150k salaries on some infosec experts. It would have saved them a whole load of trouble!
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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,190

    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the said, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is pretty obvious (and something that the alt.right seem surprisingly unbothered by) that Russia attempted to manipulate the presidential election via hacking the DNC, Podesta and also via Wikileaks and Fancy Bears etc. It would not be a great stretch to interfere directly with voting machines. Admiral Rogers of the NSA has openly described the interference as unprecedented:

    http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/will-congress-investigate-russian-interference-2016-campaign

    I'm not particularly tech savvy, but are these voting machines connected to the internet? If they are standalone devices then remote hacking would be rather difficult! I do, however, think the US could do with some international observers to verify their elections.

    Whilst I'm uncomfortable with Russia/Wikileaks only targeting the DNC, I don't have much sympathy for the DNC. If they hadn't been undermining the Sanders campaign the leak would not have been nearly so damaging. Oh, and they should sort out their cyber security.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    twitter.com/Nate_Cohn/status/801211851954683904

    Like I said.. " For instance, couldn't that 7% difference be explained by different voting behavior in the precincts with these machines?".

    https://twitter.com/Nate_Cohn/status/801226924156719104
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    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the said, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is pretty obvious (and something that the alt.right seem surprisingly unbothered by) that Russia attempted to manipulate the presidential election via hacking the DNC, Podesta and also via Wikileaks and Fancy Bears etc. It would not be a great stretch to interfere directly with voting machines. Admiral Rogers of the NSA has openly described the interference as unprecedented:

    http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/will-congress-investigate-russian-interference-2016-campaign

    It's the right generally that seems to be unbothered by it all. Their man won and that is what matters - I can understand that. What's more amazing is the relative silence of the centre and the left. It is impossible to imagine it would have been the same if the shoe had been on the other foot. Generally, all those who see Russia as a rational player with whom it would be possible to do constructive, long-term business need to look closely at Moscow's cyber-activity in various countries - from hacking through to strategically timed leaks, not to mention assassinations and assassination attempts. If you are not going to stand up to Russia militarily, the only alternative is appeasement.
    That seems very much Trump's plan, to appease Putin by allowing him control of the Sudetenland/Baltics/Ukraine.

    If Russia really did hack the voting they have Trump on a short leash. If he starts to no longer to do as Moscow desires, I can see further selective leaking. Russia has played a blinder in getting their man elected.
    Only if Trump was a co-conspirator. Without Trump's knowledge, then, well there is nothing to stop the Russians claiming to have hacked the election anyway, whether they did or not, but they'd not be able to blackmail Trump.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,282
    MikeK said:
    'Standing in for Katie Hopkins' says it all.
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    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    Not a hope in hell. But the electoral process in the US is a farce.

    As pointed out above, paper ballots, stubby pencils on strings and little plywood voting shacks are definitely the way forward :-)

    The only problem with the British system is the recent mass trend towards postal voting, which is much more vulnerable to rigging and effectively means that a lot of advance voters are making a decision based on different information to that available by polling day. It should be returned to being a special exception for people such as those who are housebound or bedridden, on holiday on the date of polling, or living in some remote communities where a sea or air journey is needed to reach the nearest polling place.

    Maintaining the security of, and confidence in, the system is far more important that adding an extra couple of percentage points to turnout by making life a little easier for voters who are just too lazy to traipse to a polling station.
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    GasmanGasman Posts: 132
    Well it would be quite something for Clinton to complain about poor information security!

    As others have said, this looks very weak. She's already disliked - trying to overturn the result wouldn't help.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,929
    Nate Cohn, David Wasserman and others have already pointed out this is a piss weak case.

    Utter tosh.
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    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,929
    The US should however move back to all pencil & paper.

    And count the results overnight properly like we do here. Yes, that includes you California...
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003

    Not a hope in hell. But the electoral process in the US is a farce.

    As pointed out above, paper ballots, stubby pencils on strings and little plywood voting shacks are definitely the way forward :-)

    The only problem with the British system is the recent mass trend towards postal voting, which is much more vulnerable to rigging and effectively means that a lot of advance voters are making a decision based on different information to that available by polling day. It should be returned to being a special exception for people such as those who are housebound or bedridden, on holiday on the date of polling, or living in some remote communities where a sea or air journey is needed to reach the nearest polling place.

    Maintaining the security of, and confidence in, the system is far more important that adding an extra couple of percentage points to turnout by making life a little easier for voters who are just too lazy to traipse to a polling station.
    Voting fraud is possible under our current scheme, and in fact cases have gone in front of the courts. The aim of any system is not only to make fraud difficult, but also to make mass fraud extremely difficult and the rewards for doing it slight.

    So yes, PV can be fraudulent. But it'd be hard to scale that fraud without being detected. You might fraudulently change one vote; ten votes; perhaps even a hundred votes. To change an election you might well need more than that, and by the very nature of PV you have records that allow frauds to be traced if an audit takes place. Mass PV fraud might also require many different actors on the ground, and the more people that are involved, the more likely it is for the fraud to be uncovered.

    With electronic voting, that goes out of the window. Not only is fraud possible; mass fraud is just as easy to accomplish. If you can change one vote, you can change thousands. And many of the systems are so dumbly designed that it might be impossible to trace. The flaws are not just in one area of some systems, but everywhere.

    This is known. You don't need to be technically inclined to understand the flaws. Yet these stupid, insecure and expensive systems are still chosen.

    This, combined with the money involved in US politics, makes me think that not only is voting fraud possible, it is happening. The rewards are too great.

    And this does not just apply to the recent election, but past ones as well.
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    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,754
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    The Democrats would do better stressing the popular vote margin if they want to undermine Donald Trump's legitimacy. Though electronic voting gives me the creeps.
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    GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071
    Pulpstar said:

    Nate Cohn, David Wasserman and others have already pointed out this is a piss weak case.

    Utter tosh.

    ...and the thread derailed and debunked within a dozen posts.

    Oh well. Back to talking about Brexit or something.
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    They've not actually come up with any, you know, *evidence*

    All they've said is that there is a difference in voting patterns - which could have been caused by all sorts of things (e.g. electronic voting being used in counties with a higher proportion of younger voters who don't vote). And that, at the extreme, this difference - if it all went Clinton's way - could change the result.

    Move on people, move on.
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    MTimT said:

    I think I was first but it disappeared!

    You woz hacked
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    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:


    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    I'd drop the "even". Basically no technically competent person thinks these systems are secure. Support for them comes exclusively from non-technical people.
    LOL, true.
    The way he puts it makes "non technical people" sound like a swear word...
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    edited November 2016
    dogbasket said:

    this is a load of rubbish obviously, and won't go anywhere, it's just another piece of 'we were right' for Democrats to whine about for the next four years alongside 'we won the popular vote'. They are all talk, no action. President Trump.

    Don't know if this was commented on yesterday - but Trump's tweet about not going after Hillary himself has caused much hubbub insta-reaction, presumably as he intended.

    My take on it is this:

    1. Given the politicisation of the FBI/DOJ/IRS under Obama - Trump obviously can't do what he knocked his predecessor for. That's a key plank of his swamp draining.

    2. Post Watergate - POTUS doesn't have the authority to personally direct legal moves - it's up to the AG. So essentially Donald has given up a weapon he didn't actually have - but many voters don't know this.

    3. By using the language of 'time to heal' regarding Hillary - he's showing empathy with HRC fans and not kicking her when she's down. Aww, he's not such a bad guy after all...

    4. He's pre-empting Obama pardoning her - why would Obama do that if Trump has said he's not interested in going after her re emails?

    5. The FBI and State police investigations into the Clinton Foundation will rumble onwards regardless.

    It's all most impressive stuff for a single tweet.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,242
    Pulpstar said:

    The US should however move back to all pencil & paper.

    And count the results overnight properly like we do here. Yes, that includes you California...

    Why bother to count the votes when it's so much quicker to weigh them? :wink:
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    PlatoSaid said:

    dogbasket said:

    this is a load of rubbish obviously, and won't go anywhere, it's just another piece of 'we were right' for Democrats to whine about for the next four years alongside 'we won the popular vote'. They are all talk, no action. President Trump.

    Don't know if this was commented on yesterday - but Trump's tweet about not going after Hillary himself has caused much hubbub insta-reaction, presumably as he intended.

    My take on it is this:

    1. Given the politicisation of the FBI/DOJ/IRS under Obama - Trump obviously can't do what he knocked his predecessor for. That's a key plank of his swamp draining.

    2. Post Watergate - POTUS doesn't have the authority to personally direct legal moves - it's up to the AG. So essentially Donald has given up a weapon he didn't actually have - but many voters don't know this.

    3. By using the language of 'time to heal' regarding Hillary - he's showing empathy with HRC fans and not kicking her when she's down. Aww, he's not such a bad guy after all...

    4. He's pre-empting Obama pardoning her - why would Obama do that if Trump has said he's not interested in going after her re emails?

    5. The FBI and State police investigations into the Clinton Foundation will rumble onwards regardless.

    It's all most impressive stuff for a single tweet.

    Or he was lying during the campaign.

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    RobD said:

    Public disclosure or stfu

    Yes, I was looking for a link to their findings.
    TBF it doesn't sound like they intended to go public in the first place, but somebody leaked.

    I wonder who! :-)

    The key point in the NY article is the political issues, rather than whether the evidence is there. Clinton's team only have until Friday to make a call on this and they are under pressure from White House not to bugger with the transition (I assume for the overall good of the nation rather than because Obama has suddenly fallen in love with the Donald).
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,306

    Not a hope in hell. But the electoral process in the US is a farce.


    Maintaining the security of, and confidence in, the system is far more important that adding an extra couple of percentage points to turnout by making life a little easier for voters who are just too lazy to traipse to a polling station.
    Hear, hear.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,125
    edited November 2016
    I love these conspiracy theories. That this thread was sponsored by the bookies, so they don't have to pay out yet... ;-)
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    PlatoSaid said:

    dogbasket said:

    this is a load of rubbish obviously, and won't go anywhere, it's just another piece of 'we were right' for Democrats to whine about for the next four years alongside 'we won the popular vote'. They are all talk, no action. President Trump.

    Don't know if this was commented on yesterday - but Trump's tweet about not going after Hillary himself has caused much hubbub insta-reaction, presumably as he intended.

    ...

    It's all most impressive stuff for a single tweet.
    Get a room.
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    MonksfieldMonksfield Posts: 2,203
    PlatoSaid said:

    dogbasket said:

    this is a load of rubbish obviously, and won't go anywhere, it's just another piece of 'we were right' for Democrats to whine about for the next four years alongside 'we won the popular vote'. They are all talk, no action. President Trump.

    Don't know if this was commented on yesterday - but Trump's tweet about not going after Hillary himself has caused much hubbub insta-reaction, presumably as he intended.

    My take on it is this:

    1. Given the politicisation of the FBI/DOJ/IRS under Obama - Trump obviously can't do what he knocked his predecessor for. That's a key plank of his swamp draining.

    2. Post Watergate - POTUS doesn't have the authority to personally direct legal moves - it's up to the AG. So essentially Donald has given up a weapon he didn't actually have - but many voters don't know this.

    3. By using the language of 'time to heal' regarding Hillary - he's showing empathy with HRC fans and not kicking her when she's down. Aww, he's not such a bad guy after all...

    4. He's pre-empting Obama pardoning her - why would Obama do that if Trump has said he's not interested in going after her re emails?

    5. The FBI and State police investigations into the Clinton Foundation will rumble onwards regardless.

    It's all most impressive stuff for a single tweet.
    Or alternatively he just pushed their buttons like the pinball wizard when it suited him to do so despite having no intention of delivering what he frothed them up to want. Now he's trying to get the situation back from fubar to snafu as quickly as possible.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,306

    Voting fraud is possible under our current scheme, and in fact cases have gone in front of the courts. The aim of any system is not only to make fraud difficult, but also to make mass fraud extremely difficult and the rewards for doing it slight.

    So yes, PV can be fraudulent. But it'd be hard to scale that fraud without being detected. You might fraudulently change one vote; ten votes; perhaps even a hundred votes. To change an election you might well need more than that, and by the very nature of PV you have records that allow frauds to be traced if an audit takes place. Mass PV fraud might also require many different actors on the ground, and the more people that are involved, the more likely it is for the fraud to be uncovered.

    With electronic voting, that goes out of the window. Not only is fraud possible; mass fraud is just as easy to accomplish. If you can change one vote, you can change thousands. And many of the systems are so dumbly designed that it might be impossible to trace. The flaws are not just in one area of some systems, but everywhere.

    This is known. You don't need to be technically inclined to understand the flaws. Yet these stupid, insecure and expensive systems are still chosen.

    This, combined with the money involved in US politics, makes me think that not only is voting fraud possible, it is happening. The rewards are too great.

    And this does not just apply to the recent election, but past ones as well.
    I think this is almost inevitably right. When you look at the blatant voter suppression in many American States, even States where such suppression does not make a difference to the result, there are thousands of people in charge of parts of the electoral process who have a mindset that would contemplate such a thing.

    This is very different, however, to saying that Hillary has any chance in challenging this result. It simply says that true electoral reform in terms of registration, data security, equality of opportunity to vote, efficiency and accuracy should be a US priority. Their system is terminally sick and it is hardly surprising half of their eligible voters don't even bother.
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,995
    Although presumably that's the 40 year old ones, rather than the nice, shiny, unfinished EPR at Flameville.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003
    DavidL said:

    I think this is almost inevitably right. When you look at the blatant voter suppression in many American States, even States where such suppression does not make a difference to the result, there are thousands of people in charge of parts of the electoral process who have a mindset that would contemplate such a thing.

    This is very different, however, to saying that Hillary has any chance in challenging this result. It simply says that true electoral reform in terms of registration, data security, equality of opportunity to vote, efficiency and accuracy should be a US priority. Their system is terminally sick and it is hardly surprising half of their eligible voters don't even bother.

    That's a good point about voter suppression.

    I also think Clinton would be silly to challenge the result, as her own side is as likely to have been doing it as any others; she might not like where the evidence leads. Better to campaign for better electoral systems for the future - although the way the US's system is set up would make that difficult.

    However, I would be worried about entities outside the US interfering. Given Putin's ability to rig his own elections, it would suit him to interfere with the US ones as well. There are very few downsides to it.

    (takes off tinfoil hat).
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003
    If Frank Field gets his way, this seems like a really bad precedent:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38073017
  • Options
    Good morning, everyone.

    Aye, electronic voting is bloody stupid.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,306
    rcs1000 said:

    Although presumably that's the 40 year old ones, rather than the nice, shiny, unfinished EPR at Flameville.
    Yeah, it will be 30 years before we know that there are really serious problems with them.
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    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Trevor Timm
    Several Facebook employees have left the company in response to the creation of censorship software made for China https://t.co/4y0Z9TcuRY https://t.co/CEMdIaaVef
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    SquareRootSquareRoot Posts: 7,095

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003

    Good morning, everyone.

    Aye, electronic voting is bloody stupid.

    Short, succinct and accurate. ;)

    However: non-electronic systems can be nearly as bad; that is why we have so many rules about the way they are conducted. I've read reports in the past from other countries of ballot boxes with broken seals being counted; ballot stuffing; of boxes being 'lost'; and the really common one of voter intimidation within the polling station.

    And that leaves out all the other ways authoritarian regimes get their way; for instance the Syrian / Egyptian / elsewhere method of 'banning' popular opposition parties. Whilst it may be necessary to occasionally ban parties, it's something that needs doing with care.

    BTW, what's the title of your book, when's it due out, and where can I get it from? ;)
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    rcs1000 said:

    Although presumably that's the 40 year old ones, rather than the nice, shiny, unfinished EPR at Flameville.
    The EPR reactor vessel also has issues.
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    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,306
    Sorry to go off topic but there is too much of a consensus on this one.

    Today Hammond delivers his Autumn Statement which should be the first real indication of what a May government is going to do. Will it be continuity Osborne with (Osborne like) lots of noise about relatively trivial differences paid for by a few quid found down the back of the sofa or will there be a genuine change of direction?

    What will it tell us about our direction of travel in Brexit? Are things getting materially worse or does the unexpectedly high growth so far suggest not much has changed? Will there still be a shadow of Osborne's "emergency budget" nonsense?

    So far this government has been pretty much rudderless. That should really change today but I expect things to remain very much the same. With fewer jokes.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750
    edited November 2016
    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the side, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is scary how bad electronic voting machines can be. And if they're wrong it's harder to check and easier to have huge impact.

    Let's go back to roman voting, no problems with that!
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    Mr. Jessop, those are important questions.

    Title: Kingdom Asunder
    Due out: tomorrow, huzzah!
    Places from whence it can be bought (or pre-ordered today):
    Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N8UF799/
    Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N8UF799/
    Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/kingdom-asunder-the-bloody-crown-trilogy-volume-one
    Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1125052815?ean=2940153811246

    [There are more retailers but those are the biggest].

    Mr. Root, my concern is that there's no issue, as yet, of illegality. If a man runs a business and draws a decent salary and it later goes bankrupt, should he be liable to have his assets seized?
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).

    The way Green was treated by one of the committees was disgraceful, regardless of whether he had sinned or not. It was not justice. Now there are calls for money to be taken off him from the findings.

    If he had been convicted in a court of law; fair enough. Invoke the proceeds of crime act. But he has not.
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the side, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is scary how bad electronic voting machines can be.
    They don't solve the problems they set out to solve, but add a whole heap of new ones instead. The only thing they do is move some costs of running elections to the capital budget.
  • Options
    SquareRootSquareRoot Posts: 7,095

    Mr. Jessop, those are important questions.

    Title: Kingdom Asunder
    Due out: tomorrow, huzzah!
    Places from whence it can be bought (or pre-ordered today):
    Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N8UF799/
    Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N8UF799/
    Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/kingdom-asunder-the-bloody-crown-trilogy-volume-one
    Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1125052815?ean=2940153811246

    [There are more retailers but those are the biggest].

    Mr. Root, my concern is that there's no issue, as yet, of illegality. If a man runs a business and draws a decent salary and it later goes bankrupt, should he be liable to have his assets seized?

    Hang on a sec.. Why is Green supposedly offering 250 or 300 MILLION.. He sold the business for a quid.. He must have known the state of affairs.
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    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    edited November 2016
    The 5 stages of US leftie electoral grief and loss are: **

    1. Denial and isolation; (HRC for a number of days bawling her eyes out, luvies weeping on TV
    2. Anger - stupid voters, lefties unable to accept a democratic outcome, riots to prove point)
    3. Bargaining; (Ah ...but we won the PV, it's a fix , machines were tampered with, experts reckon this)
    4. Depression; (Realisation they really lost on a system they were quite happy to support when winning )

    5. Acceptance - January 2017 - * band strikes up and gun salute* Hail to the chief

    ** can be applied to any leftie election anywhere really
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    MaxPB said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Although presumably that's the 40 year old ones, rather than the nice, shiny, unfinished EPR at Flameville.
    The EPR reactor vessel also has issues.
    We'll never know if they never finish it.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897

    If Frank Field gets his way, this seems like a really bad precedent:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38073017

    This sort of playing to the gallery really isn't a good look. Especially not to entrepreneurs we are trying to attract to the UK - a major part of which is confidence of the rule of law. Arbitrary confiscation of the assets of the politically unpopular is what happens in Russia, China and Africa, not in the UK.
  • Options
    MonksfieldMonksfield Posts: 2,203

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).

    The way Green was treated by one of the committees was disgraceful, regardless of whether he had sinned or not. It was not justice. Now there are calls for money to be taken off him from the findings.

    If he had been convicted in a court of law; fair enough. Invoke the proceeds of crime act. But he has not.
    Isn't the point that UK regulations around corporate governance and responsibilities are too lax?
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,850

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).

    The way Green was treated by one of the committees was disgraceful, regardless of whether he had sinned or not. It was not justice. Now there are calls for money to be taken off him from the findings.

    If he had been convicted in a court of law; fair enough. Invoke the proceeds of crime act. But he has not.
    Green is undoubtedly a louse, but retrospective legislation is never a good idea.

    But, if the liquidator has a civil claim against Green, he should pursue it.
  • Options
    Completely off topic, but over the last few months there's been the occasional debate on PB over whether the 1000s of new members joining labour are just a load of armchair lefties who never attend a meeting and would rather cut their own arm off than go canvassing.

    LSE has some research:

    http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/explaining-the-pro-corbyn-surge-in-labours-membership/


    A key point is:

    "When it comes to offline participation, however, there is a striking difference: new members are plainly not as keen to get stuck in. While a third (31%) of the old members attended a public meeting during the GE campaign, less than a sixth of new members did so during the campaign for the 2016 local/regional/mayoral elections (15%). Although less was presumably at stake in 2016 than 2015, an even wider gap is registered when looking at activities such as leafletting (42.5% vs. 16%), displaying election posters (51% vs 26%) or – most notably of all – canvassing voters (35.7% vs 9.3%). "
  • Options
    Mr. Root, I'm not against financial penalties (indeed, I think it'd make sense to have more of them and fewer custodial sentences), but seizing assets should follow someone being found guilty of serious misconduct or criminal offence(s). Having a sentence before a verdict sets a bad precedent.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750
    Jonathan said:

    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the side, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is scary how bad electronic voting machines can be.
    They don't solve the problems they set out to solve, but add a whole heap of new ones instead. The only thing they do is move some costs of running elections to the capital budget.
    Ah, well worth it in that case, that's important stuff. :)
    Moses_ said:

    The 5 stages of US leftie electoral grief and loss are: **

    1. Denial and isolation; (HRC for a number of days bawling her eyes out, luvies weeping on TV
    2. Anger - stupid voters, lefties unable to accept a democratic outcome, riots to prove point)
    3. Bargaining; (Ah ...but we won the PV, it's a fix , machines were tampered with, experts reckon this)
    4. Depression; (Realisation they really lost on a system they were quite happy to support when winning )

    5. Acceptance - January 2017 - * band strikes up and gun salute* Hail to the chief

    ** can be applied to any leftie election anywhere really

    I feel like the anger came as the first step thus time.
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    Oh dearie me. This thread scrapes the barrel very low. It's a non story.

    Autumn statement anyone?
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    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the side, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    "Legal loophole" = Law of the land.
    "Clear will of the people" = Very close result, less than 4% in it.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897
    Stupid headline of the day award to the Telegraph:
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/23/philip-hammond-invest-1billion-welfare-ease-impact-george-osbornes/
    Would they like to explain how increasing the welfare budget can ever possibly be described as 'investment'?
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    The Democrats would do better stressing the popular vote margin if they want to undermine Donald Trump's legitimacy. Though electronic voting gives me the creeps.

    On that theme, in case you hadn't yet noticed, Trump's deficit in the popular vote is now over 2 million and 1.5% in terms of vote share. It's expected to reach 2.5 million.

    Over the next few years, I would also expect a big push by more states to join the compact that binds their delegates to vote for the winner of the popular vote if states with a total of more than 270 votes join in. Note that Pennysylvania and Michigan are in the process of considering such legislation.

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    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,433
    Sandpit said:

    If Frank Field gets his way, this seems like a really bad precedent:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38073017

    This sort of playing to the gallery really isn't a good look. Especially not to entrepreneurs we are trying to attract to the UK - a major part of which is confidence of the rule of law. Arbitrary confiscation of the assets of the politically unpopular is what happens in Russia, China and Africa, not in the UK.
    Why exactly would we want to attract that type of 'entrepreneur'?
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003
    Sean_F said:

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).

    The way Green was treated by one of the committees was disgraceful, regardless of whether he had sinned or not. It was not justice. Now there are calls for money to be taken off him from the findings.

    If he had been convicted in a court of law; fair enough. Invoke the proceeds of crime act. But he has not.
    Green is undoubtedly a louse, but retrospective legislation is never a good idea.

    But, if the liquidator has a civil claim against Green, he should pursue it.
    Agreed; that route had not occurred to me.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).

    The way Green was treated by one of the committees was disgraceful, regardless of whether he had sinned or not. It was not justice. Now there are calls for money to be taken off him from the findings.

    If he had been convicted in a court of law; fair enough. Invoke the proceeds of crime act. But he has not.
    Isn't the point that UK regulations around corporate governance and responsibilities are too lax?
    In which case, change them. Retrospective laws are terrible.
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    kle4 said:

    Jonathan said:

    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Morning. Voting machines have a long history of problems, going back to at least 2000 and the debacle in Florida:

    https://www.wired.com/2016/08/americas-voting-machines-arent-ready-election/

    The newer computer based machines are unreliable, run on old and unpatched platforms, their software isn't open-source, they have open ports on the side, there's no paper audit trail and we have to take the machine's word for the result. That's before we start on the miscalibrated touch screens, badly trained Election Day staff etc.

    Even as someone who makes his living from technology, I can see that sometimes a paper-based system is the way to go.

    That said, the people in this case need to either present their evidence or shut up. They sound like Remain supporters now desperate to find any legal loophole to avoid the clear will of the people being implemented.

    It is scary how bad electronic voting machines can be.
    They don't solve the problems they set out to solve, but add a whole heap of new ones instead. The only thing they do is move some costs of running elections to the capital budget.
    Ah, well worth it in that case, that's important stuff. :)
    Moses_ said:

    The 5 stages of US leftie electoral grief and loss are: **

    1. Denial and isolation; (HRC for a number of days bawling her eyes out, luvies weeping on TV
    2. Anger - stupid voters, lefties unable to accept a democratic outcome, riots to prove point)
    3. Bargaining; (Ah ...but we won the PV, it's a fix , machines were tampered with, experts reckon this)
    4. Depression; (Realisation they really lost on a system they were quite happy to support when winning )

    5. Acceptance - January 2017 - * band strikes up and gun salute* Hail to the chief

    ** can be applied to any leftie election anywhere really

    I feel like the anger came as the first step thus time.
    The last time I read anything about the protest riots, the majority of those arrested hadn't bothered to vote.
  • Options
    Sandpit said:

    Stupid headline of the day award to the Telegraph:
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/23/philip-hammond-invest-1billion-welfare-ease-impact-george-osbornes/
    Would they like to explain how increasing the welfare budget can ever possibly be described as 'investment'?

    Hammond is investing in May's soundbite about just about managing (jams).
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).

    The way Green was treated by one of the committees was disgraceful, regardless of whether he had sinned or not. It was not justice. Now there are calls for money to be taken off him from the findings.

    If he had been convicted in a court of law; fair enough. Invoke the proceeds of crime act. But he has not.
    He's a sleazy git, getting bawled out by a committee in public seems not unreasonable to me. But actually punishing him without any criminal conviction would be too much.

    Losing a knighthood would not count as punishment BTW.
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    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).
    Whilst your idea is obviously a bit silly, would politicians profit from the upside? If they ran a budget surplus after 5 years would they get to keep it?

  • Options
    MonksfieldMonksfield Posts: 2,203

    Completely off topic, but over the last few months there's been the occasional debate on PB over whether the 1000s of new members joining labour are just a load of armchair lefties who never attend a meeting and would rather cut their own arm off than go canvassing.

    LSE has some research:

    http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/explaining-the-pro-corbyn-surge-in-labours-membership/


    A key point is:

    "When it comes to offline participation, however, there is a striking difference: new members are plainly not as keen to get stuck in. While a third (31%) of the old members attended a public meeting during the GE campaign, less than a sixth of new members did so during the campaign for the 2016 local/regional/mayoral elections (15%). Although less was presumably at stake in 2016 than 2015, an even wider gap is registered when looking at activities such as leafletting (42.5% vs. 16%), displaying election posters (51% vs 26%) or – most notably of all – canvassing voters (35.7% vs 9.3%). "

    I think it's a generational thing. Younger people are happy to sign up to things but unwilling to give up time. Based on my experience as a parish councillor I anticipate a huge crisis looming in lower tier government. Partly because the scale of responsibilities now being devolved from the UA makes it such a commitment and partly because as far as I can see nobody under the age of 60 wants to do it.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897

    Sandpit said:

    If Frank Field gets his way, this seems like a really bad precedent:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38073017

    This sort of playing to the gallery really isn't a good look. Especially not to entrepreneurs we are trying to attract to the UK - a major part of which is confidence of the rule of law. Arbitrary confiscation of the assets of the politically unpopular is what happens in Russia, China and Africa, not in the UK.
    Why exactly would we want to attract that type of 'entrepreneur'?
    What 'type' of entrepreneur?
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,306

    ?

    Hang on a sec.. Why is Green supposedly offering 250 or 300 MILLION.. He sold the business for a quid.. He must have known the state of affairs.
    The problem, from my own experience as a trustee, is the timescales of the problem. Pension fund deficits have soared in recent years on the back of falling bond rates. This has, however, been a very slow moving car crash. Every year for the last 4 my closed fund has had additional funds put into it, the funds invested have done well and...the deficit has gone up.

    The recent uptick in bond rates promises some relief from that and the fact remains that even the BHS pension deficit might well disappear completely if bond rates returned to something like "normal". The prospects of pre-2007 normality returning, however, are still disappearing over the horizon.

    The problem is accentuated for a pension scheme like BHS. In the latter years insufficient money was being put into the scheme but that is because the business was strapped for cash. Did they really want to sack people and close stores to generate some cash to put into the Scheme? How would the current employees, not in the scheme feel about that? Green was not taking cash out in those years but he had done earlier when the pension liability probably did not exist.

    I think this is much messier than it looks and evidence of wrongdoing is going to be hard to find. Part of the problem was undoubtedly the model of running businesses lean with lots of debt that became so popular in the 1980s onwards. Basically such aggressive balance sheet tactics meant that the risk of something going wrong was not on the owners of the business but on someone else, in this case the pensioners.
  • Options
    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901

    Completely off topic, but over the last few months there's been the occasional debate on PB over whether the 1000s of new members joining labour are just a load of armchair lefties who never attend a meeting and would rather cut their own arm off than go canvassing.

    LSE has some research:

    http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/explaining-the-pro-corbyn-surge-in-labours-membership/


    A key point is:

    "When it comes to offline participation, however, there is a striking difference: new members are plainly not as keen to get stuck in. While a third (31%) of the old members attended a public meeting during the GE campaign, less than a sixth of new members did so during the campaign for the 2016 local/regional/mayoral elections (15%). Although less was presumably at stake in 2016 than 2015, an even wider gap is registered when looking at activities such as leafletting (42.5% vs. 16%), displaying election posters (51% vs 26%) or – most notably of all – canvassing voters (35.7% vs 9.3%). "


    Long term members more likely to be engaged? Who'd have thunk it.
  • Options
    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    Sandpit said:

    Stupid headline of the day award to the Telegraph:
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/23/philip-hammond-invest-1billion-welfare-ease-impact-george-osbornes/
    Would they like to explain how increasing the welfare budget can ever possibly be described as 'investment'?

    Gordon Brown did it all the time.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited November 2016
    PlatoSaid said:

    Trevor Timm
    Several Facebook employees have left the company in response to the creation of censorship software made for China https://t.co/4y0Z9TcuRY https://t.co/CEMdIaaVef

    Coming to the rest of the world to ensure nobody gets all those "fake news" posts showing up in their feeds, to ensure the weebles don't vote the wrong way again.
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    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    I can't think of a picture that demonstrates the yawning gulf between Hillary and Trump supporters. Apparently Tom Hanks and another celebrity got this highest civilian honour.

    Shteve
    A war hero has to stand there and hold a medal for Ellen DeGeneres. https://t.co/RShhzQJNfj
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,003
    Jonathan said:

    Mr. Jessop, I think you're right, but it would have massive public support.

    Its the right thing to do. Why should the state pick up the bill when the previous owner can and should.
    In that case, why should the state pick up the bill for mistakes knowingly made by the Blair government that have cost us billions? Let's bill Blair, Brown and all the Labour party's MPs for it. Take their shirts, their homes; sell their first-born into slavery ... (ed: you're pushing it).
    Whilst your idea is obviously a bit silly, would politicians profit from the upside? If they ran a budget surplus after 5 years would they get to keep it?
    Brown and Blair have both personally done very well out of their time running (some might say ruining) the country.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750

    Completely off topic, but over the last few months there's been the occasional debate on PB over whether the 1000s of new members joining labour are just a load of armchair lefties who never attend a meeting and would rather cut their own arm off than go canvassing.

    LSE has some research:

    http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/explaining-the-pro-corbyn-surge-in-labours-membership/


    A key point is:

    "When it comes to offline participation, however, there is a striking difference: new members are plainly not as keen to get stuck in. While a third (31%) of the old members attended a public meeting during the GE campaign, less than a sixth of new members did so during the campaign for the 2016 local/regional/mayoral elections (15%). Although less was presumably at stake in 2016 than 2015, an even wider gap is registered when looking at activities such as leafletting (42.5% vs. 16%), displaying election posters (51% vs 26%) or – most notably of all – canvassing voters (35.7% vs 9.3%). "

    I think it's a generational thing. Younger people are happy to sign up to things but unwilling to give up time. Based on my experience as a parish councillor I anticipate a huge crisis looming in lower tier government. Partly because the scale of responsibilities now being devolved from the UA makes it such a commitment and partly because as far as I can see nobody under the age of 60 wants to do it.
    At my regional council in the last 5 by elections the winners have been 3 in late 30s to early 40, young for councils, and 2 in their 20s. It will be interesting to see who lasts - from what I can tell, If you make it past a first term and restand, you tend to be the sort who will do it for decades. Parish level has it worse, but then it's harder to even get contested elections there.
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    Jonathan said:

    Completely off topic, but over the last few months there's been the occasional debate on PB over whether the 1000s of new members joining labour are just a load of armchair lefties who never attend a meeting and would rather cut their own arm off than go canvassing.

    LSE has some research:

    http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/explaining-the-pro-corbyn-surge-in-labours-membership/


    A key point is:

    "When it comes to offline participation, however, there is a striking difference: new members are plainly not as keen to get stuck in. While a third (31%) of the old members attended a public meeting during the GE campaign, less than a sixth of new members did so during the campaign for the 2016 local/regional/mayoral elections (15%). Although less was presumably at stake in 2016 than 2015, an even wider gap is registered when looking at activities such as leafletting (42.5% vs. 16%), displaying election posters (51% vs 26%) or – most notably of all – canvassing voters (35.7% vs 9.3%). "


    Long term members more likely to be engaged? Who'd have thunk it.
    They need to do the survey again after next year's local elections and see if there has been an uptick.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited November 2016
    PlatoSaid said:

    I can't think of a picture that demonstrates the yawning gulf between Hillary and Trump supporters. Apparently Tom Hanks and another celebrity got this highest civilian honour.

    Shteve
    A war hero has to stand there and hold a medal for Ellen DeGeneres. https://t.co/RShhzQJNfj

    I have to say I find the reports on this rather depressing...

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38073567

    The headline is all about the massive sacrifice Ellen made coming out as gay, but you have to get way down the report to realise the likes of Bill Gates for his massive work for charity plus people like Richard Garwin and Frank Gehry were also honoured.

    Richard f##king Garwin gets an "also mention"...go look him up kids!

    As well as his famed work on the H-Bomb, he advised every president in his lifetime, and a few other bits and pieces...

    "Over the course of more than four decades at IBM Research, he invented pioneering techniques in nuclear magnetic resonance, used in today’s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. He carried out groundbreaking work in superconducting computers and silicon integrated circuit technology. He was integral to the development of laser printers and displays, gesture and gaze-controlled input to computers and devices, touchscreen monitors and more."
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