I've just spent a couple of hours printing out letters and questionnaires for councillors who never replied to my original email. Hopefully, this will generate a few more replies. It's the kind of boring spade work that takes ages but it's got to be done if you want primary data. I'm determined to get at least 15 councillors involved so I'll just haveto keep plugging away.
Meanwhile, I am also having a very nervous afternoon following the football. It looks like we're going to win although Bolton's goal and Fulham's against Liverpool is causing a few jitters. Common you Irons!! Just twenty minutes to go and we could be out of the bottom three.
Saturday, 5 May 2007
Friday, 4 May 2007
Elections 2
One of the interesting things that came out in my last interview in Hackney was the fact that a few votes, and by a few I mean dozens, can have a dramatic effect on the results. This is becuse turnout is generally so low. So all these 'dramatic' figures about the results can not be analysed until we know what the turn out was.
Overall, the percentage of votes seems to have stayed pretty much as it was at the last council elections so not much has changed. Where does that leave Labour and the Conservatives? In an interesting battle over the next general election I reckon. Hopefully a close contest (we'll have to see if it will be a good one) will help concentrate minds on the issues this countty faces and help to drive turn out up.
Overall, the percentage of votes seems to have stayed pretty much as it was at the last council elections so not much has changed. Where does that leave Labour and the Conservatives? In an interesting battle over the next general election I reckon. Hopefully a close contest (we'll have to see if it will be a good one) will help concentrate minds on the issues this countty faces and help to drive turn out up.
Wednesday, 2 May 2007
Interview # 3
A bit of a mixed bag kind of day today. It started off with the printer running out of ink and me breaking my glasses. Lots of squinting ensued! I also had to do the laundry which is very dull but at least gave me the opportunity to make good progres through the Christopher Meyers book. It seems George W is quite smart after all. It's just he's not very good at public speaking. Well I never!
Small local difficulties aside, I’ve now finished my third interview, with Angus Mulready Jones. At 23 he’s very young for a councillor, wouldn’t you say? Well, if ever there was an example of a young person interested in politics …
In actual fact I would say that of those interviewed so far he seemed to be the most sceptical about the potential for new media in helping tackle political engagement. But I’ll have to go over the recordings of the interviews again once I’m finished to make sure my perceptions aren’t wrong.
While I was over at the Town Hall, I also left a few questionnaires in the pigeon holes of councillors who had previously expressed an interest in this project. I think I might just leave a copy for everyone next time I go over there. It won’t do any harm. Besides, I think I need 25 per cent of the council to respond which means 14 or 15 councillors so there’s still a bit of work to be done on the recruitment front.
Small local difficulties aside, I’ve now finished my third interview, with Angus Mulready Jones. At 23 he’s very young for a councillor, wouldn’t you say? Well, if ever there was an example of a young person interested in politics …
In actual fact I would say that of those interviewed so far he seemed to be the most sceptical about the potential for new media in helping tackle political engagement. But I’ll have to go over the recordings of the interviews again once I’m finished to make sure my perceptions aren’t wrong.
While I was over at the Town Hall, I also left a few questionnaires in the pigeon holes of councillors who had previously expressed an interest in this project. I think I might just leave a copy for everyone next time I go over there. It won’t do any harm. Besides, I think I need 25 per cent of the council to respond which means 14 or 15 councillors so there’s still a bit of work to be done on the recruitment front.
Monday, 30 April 2007
New Appointment
I’ve got myself another interview for this coming Wednesday with Labour Councillor Angus Mulready Jones. I’ll be able to kill two birds with one stone as I had already planned to head over to Hackney Town Hall on Wednesday to deliver some questionnaires. This guy sounds very keen on the concept of my dissertation so hopefully I will also have a new ally in trying to get as much participation as possible. You never know, within a few weeks some clear patterns on what politicians in Hackney think about the potential of new media in tackling apathy among young voters might emerge.
On to completely different matters, I noticed today that one of my favourite teenage haunts has closed down. 15 years ago I used to practically live at Steve’s Sounds on Newport Court near Leicester Square. I was amazed when we cam back in September to see it was still open. No longer it seems. I suppose everyone’s downloading stuff now and there’s no need to go to a shop to buy music. The joys of progress!!
On to completely different matters, I noticed today that one of my favourite teenage haunts has closed down. 15 years ago I used to practically live at Steve’s Sounds on Newport Court near Leicester Square. I was amazed when we cam back in September to see it was still open. No longer it seems. I suppose everyone’s downloading stuff now and there’s no need to go to a shop to buy music. The joys of progress!!
Sunday, 29 April 2007
Post Number 50!!
All things considered it’s been a fairly relaxed couple of days. Work has been fairly busy but when I think of my previous life in Malta, it’s a doddle. I noticed on the Times of Malta website that HSBC had their AGM recently. That brought back loads of happy memories. I wonder how this year’s corporate video turned out. Really, I do wonder … honest!!
I also got round to conducting my second interview, with Luke Akehurst, who is the Labour whip on the Hackney Council. There were some striking differences between his thoughts and those I heard on Tuesday. There were also some surprising similarities considering the completely different nature and background of the two men. Hopefully, there will be more opinions added to the mix over the next week. I might then be bale to start making some general observations about the perception of politicians on the potential of new media.
Clare’s still got a few projects to finish off before she starts her dissertation work. While she does that, I’m being left with quite a bit of time to kill. I’ve used it to finally finish reading Andrew Marr’s My Trade. I should have read it all before I wrote my last essay but there just aren’t enough hours in the day. I’ve also started reading Christopher Meyer’s book on his time as UK Ambassador in Washington between 1997 and 2003. It should be interesting!
I also got round to watching Chariots Of Fire. It’s a film that’s been on my to watch list for about 20 years. Why? Well, it’s because of the Eltham College connection, which is where Eric Liddell studied. The building I spent my teenage years in was called Eric Liddell House so I’ve kind of always felt morally obliged to watch the film. Now, at last I have although, of course, it didn’t really tell me anything I didn’t know already. Still, it’s always fascinating to see, and think about, characters of such principled convictions.
Last thought … West Ham might actually really survive! Great win yesterday and considering Arsenal’s win today and the news from Bolton, it’s actually starting to look genuinely possible. That said, we’ll probably concede four next week.
I also got round to conducting my second interview, with Luke Akehurst, who is the Labour whip on the Hackney Council. There were some striking differences between his thoughts and those I heard on Tuesday. There were also some surprising similarities considering the completely different nature and background of the two men. Hopefully, there will be more opinions added to the mix over the next week. I might then be bale to start making some general observations about the perception of politicians on the potential of new media.
Clare’s still got a few projects to finish off before she starts her dissertation work. While she does that, I’m being left with quite a bit of time to kill. I’ve used it to finally finish reading Andrew Marr’s My Trade. I should have read it all before I wrote my last essay but there just aren’t enough hours in the day. I’ve also started reading Christopher Meyer’s book on his time as UK Ambassador in Washington between 1997 and 2003. It should be interesting!
I also got round to watching Chariots Of Fire. It’s a film that’s been on my to watch list for about 20 years. Why? Well, it’s because of the Eltham College connection, which is where Eric Liddell studied. The building I spent my teenage years in was called Eric Liddell House so I’ve kind of always felt morally obliged to watch the film. Now, at last I have although, of course, it didn’t really tell me anything I didn’t know already. Still, it’s always fascinating to see, and think about, characters of such principled convictions.
Last thought … West Ham might actually really survive! Great win yesterday and considering Arsenal’s win today and the news from Bolton, it’s actually starting to look genuinely possible. That said, we’ll probably concede four next week.
Tuesday, 24 April 2007
An End & A Beginning
I’ve been a bit quiet for a few days. That’s because I had to finish off my last essay, on how new technology influences the relationship between media and politics. Rather than go on about it here, I will wait for some feedback on it from the University and if it’s any good post it. Hopefully, that will happen in a couple of weeks or so. Working on that essay, and working at the office, have left me without a day off for some time. That will change tomorrow!
Meanwhile, with the last of my module work done, I’ve actually made a start on collecting information for my dissertation. This morning I went over to Hackney and spoke to the Conservative councillor Shuja Shaikh for a good two hours on the issues of young people and politics and the role new media could play to increase communication between the two sides as well as greater participation in elections and politics more generally. Again, I won’t go in to much detail as I would rather get a reasonable amount of information together first and then make some analytical comments rather than just reporting one offs. Still it’s fair to say the conversation provides some interesting points to think about.
What else is there to say? The West Ham rollercoaster ride continues. Disaster at Sheffield followed by victory against Everton. I think I should place a bet on losing to Wigan and then going on to beat Bolton and Man Utd. Also, I must give a brief mention to the results of the first round of voting in the French Presidential election. That put a spanner in the works for all the doom merchants who claim elective democracies are in decline. I suppose we all get a bit complacent at times but when there’s a real contest, a real desire for change or a clear realisation of the dangers of not voting (Le Pen’s success last time round surely played a part) then how much people care about the things we gain from living in democracies shines through.
Meanwhile, with the last of my module work done, I’ve actually made a start on collecting information for my dissertation. This morning I went over to Hackney and spoke to the Conservative councillor Shuja Shaikh for a good two hours on the issues of young people and politics and the role new media could play to increase communication between the two sides as well as greater participation in elections and politics more generally. Again, I won’t go in to much detail as I would rather get a reasonable amount of information together first and then make some analytical comments rather than just reporting one offs. Still it’s fair to say the conversation provides some interesting points to think about.
What else is there to say? The West Ham rollercoaster ride continues. Disaster at Sheffield followed by victory against Everton. I think I should place a bet on losing to Wigan and then going on to beat Bolton and Man Utd. Also, I must give a brief mention to the results of the first round of voting in the French Presidential election. That put a spanner in the works for all the doom merchants who claim elective democracies are in decline. I suppose we all get a bit complacent at times but when there’s a real contest, a real desire for change or a clear realisation of the dangers of not voting (Le Pen’s success last time round surely played a part) then how much people care about the things we gain from living in democracies shines through.
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