Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-5-2021: Nicholas 2nd

18th May, 2021.

Oy veh!

Would you believer that the Zoom interview I was due to have yesterday?

Has had to be re-scheduled.

The thunderstorm in Romford, where the company is … ?

Caused the signal to collapse … !

Oy veh … !

~≈†≈~

A few days ago, I told you I’d written to my MP: about photo ID.

I got a formal written reply from my local MP, Alex Burghart, on Monday.

If you can’t make that out, here’s what he said.

Dear Mr Downie

Thank you for contacting me about voter ID

A secure electoral system is a vital component of a health democracy, and the public must have confidence that our elections are secure and fit for the 21st Century.   Asking voters to bring ID to their polling station is an important way of achieving this and the electoral Integrity Bill will put such a requirement into law.

Voter ID is not new.   Northern Ireland had required paper ID at polling stations since 1985, and photo ID since 2003 — introduced by the last Labour Government.   It has been proved to be effective at tackling fraud and not curtailed election turnout.

Identification to vote has been backed by the Electoral Commission and international elections watchdogs.   At present, it is harder to take out a library book or collect a parcel at a post office than it is to vote in someone else’s name.

In pilot schemes in 2019 and 2018, the overwhelming majority go people cast their vote without a problem and the success of the pilots proves that this is a reasonable and proportionate measure to take, and that there was no notable effect on turnout.



Under the Government’s proposals, anyone without an ID will be able to apply for a new free one — meaning that no voter, including those, like you, on Universal Credit, will be disenfranchised as you have suggested.

Thank you again, for taking the time to contact me to share your concerns.

Yours sincerely, 

Alex Burghart, MP.

You’ll notice he stresses the ‘free voter ID’?

I certainly did.

As did a friend of mine: who also sent a letter to her MP, Julia Lopez MP … and who got an identically worded reply, courtesy of Ms Lopez’s constituency assistant.

I sent a reply to Alex Burghart.

Dear Mr Burghart.

First things, I’d like to take this chance to thank you for explaining the Electoral Integrity Bill to me: I appreciate this takes up a lot of your valuable time.



I did, however, want to raise a couple of follow up points with you. 



I’d like to quibble the ease of applying for a library ticket or pick up a parcel with you.



The last time I need to apply for a Library card, I only needed a couple of letters with my address on them.


The last parcel I need to pick up from the Post Office?

I only needed my bank card, and the card left by the postman.



Could you explain the current ID needed for proxy voting: I’m unfamiliar with it. 



But if proxy voting is truly easier then collecting a parcel?

Why not insist on photo ID just for those casting a proxy vote?



Secondly?   In the 2019 and 2018 pilot schemes, how did those of us with no ID, identify themselves?



Thirdly, and finally … ?



I have to admit, I knew about the proposed ‘Free Photo ID cards.’   The media coverage does mention it.



That ‘free voter ID’ is where, again, I have concerns about costs.

In order to claim this free voter ID, I’m assuming I would need to provide a passport sized photo: is that correct?



And would need a letter as proof of address, and possibly a birth certificate.



Replacement birth certificates, if needed, will cost money: some thirty-five pounds, going by the relevant site.



Passport ID photos would also cost money.



I have to ask, Mr Burghart, how am I supposed to afford that free voter ID: if I can’t afford the documents needed to apply for it?

As well intentioned as this bill is, it still seems I have to buy my right to vote.



Yours,

I would LOVE to get a reply off the man, I really would.

I suspect I won’t.

Which is a shame: I’d love to hear his reply.

~≈⨷≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 16-5-2018: The Last Tsar

26th May, 2018.

Yep: it’s Saturday.

And it means what it’s meant for the past few months.

Yep!   I’m at work: early.

And, given it’s a bank holiday weekend in the UK?

There’s a rail replacement bus … 

Dratted things … !

~≈§≈~

Does anyone else reading this, use Blogger as their blogging platform?

I have comment moderation turned on: just so I can filter out spam, and other nasties.

And have had the emails sent to me, religiously, for the past few years.

Until Thursday: when the one alerting me to regular comments, Debbi, didn’t turn up.

Oh, her comment got through.   Just not the email Blogger’s supposed to send.

The same happened to Debbi’s and Olga’s, yesterday.

The comments turned up … but not the mail … 

Yes: my dashboard is still set up to send the email.

Yes, the comments are turning up.

But no emails … 

Quite what’s happening, I don’t know.

But I’m betting that the GDPR legislation’s at fault.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 17-7-2016: Death of a Tsar

Bleugh …

Ish …

I’m actually up at stupid o’clock in the morning: after finishing at 10:30, last night.

Frankly?

I start work at 12: which is all well and good.

But I’ve also good a staff meeting at 8:30.

I just hope the shop’s new manager doesn’t mind me yarning.

I After last night, I’m not going to be the only one …

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 17-7-2014: The Last Days Of The Tsars

Hmmm … 

I think I can safely say I’m not enjoying being in receipt of hardship fund payments?

I’m not.

I’m up and showered early, again: because I’ve got to do something, today, that means being out early.

Yes.

I’m off to a food bank.

I’ve used one before: so I know what to expect from them.

And personally?

I’m glad the places exist.

I really don’t fancy starving … 

~≈◊≈~

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 17-7-2013: The Fall Of The Romanovs

You know, it HAS to be said, I’ve been … ah … loaned copies of season three of Game Of Thrones.

I have to admit, I’m impressed.

OK, granted, there’s a hell of a lot of going on in the series: and it’s a shame it’s not on any of the free-to-air TV services.

But it’s good old eye-opening fun.

And they haven’t even dug up any elves, yet … !

Ahem … !

~≈†≈~

At any rate … 

At ANY rate, today’s Wednesday: which means it’s time for the Weekly Gazette Teaser, covered, here, by the Creative Commons License*.

Here’s this week’s questions …

Q1) 17th July saw the death of Tsar Nicholas 2nd, and his family.   In which year … ?

Q2) During the Revolution in which country … ?

Q3) In which town: Engels, Yekaterinburg or Ostrov … ?

Q4) Name any of the Tsar’s family, killed that day.

Q5) What was the name of Tsar Nicholas’ dynasty … ?

Q6) The family were executed by Communist revolutionaries known as what: Mensheviks, Bolsheviks or Hetsheviks … ?

Q7) What was the name of the ‘Mad Monk’ famously associated with the Tsar’s family … ?

Q8) Notorious fakir, Anna Anderson, claimed to be which member of the family … ?

Q9) What was the name of the 1971 film about Tsar Nicholas and his family … ?

Q10) And finally … In which year was the body of Tsar Nicholas’ son discovered: 2005, 2007 or 2009 … ?

And here’s last week’s questions and answers: the links are on the Gazette’s two sites.

Questions.

Q1) 10 July, 1903, saw the birth of writer, John Wyndham.   Which of his novels features giant walking plants … ?

Q2) In which year was it originally published: 1951, 1953 or 1955 … ?

Q3) That novel was also made into a TV series starring Dougray Scott, Eddie Izzard and which member of the Redgrave family … ? 

Q4) One of Wyndham’s novel’s is about an anti-aging treatment that works.   Its title is ‘The Trouble With’ what: algae, lichen or fungi … ?

Q5) ‘Chocky’ — televised on ITV, back in the 1980s — was all about a little boy whose imaginary friend turns out to be real.   What’s the imaginary friend’s name?

Q6) His novel, ‘The Midwich Cuckoos’ has been turned into two films: both film versions are called ‘The Village of the’ … what?

Q7) More to the point, the book — and films — are about a small village whose female residents all simultaneously become … what?

Q8) Which of Wyndham’s novel’s is set on the Northeastern coast of Canada: ‘Chocky’, ‘The Kraken Wakes’ or ‘The Chrysalids’

Q9) Which of Wyndham’s novels tells of an invasion of Earth by unseen water dwelling aliens?

Q10) And finally … John Wyndham wrote some of his early works under what name: John Benyon, John Bunyon or Jean Beeny … ?

Answers.

A1) ‘Day of The Triffids’.

A2) 1951.

A3) Joely Richardson.

A4) ‘The Trouble With Lichen’.   (Is it just me, or is a genuine way of halting aging, a mildly disturbing idea … ?)

A5) ‘Chocky’.

A6) Damned.

A7) Pregnant.

A8) ‘The Chrysalids’.   (Labrador, to be precise.)

A9) ‘The Kraken Wakes’.

A10) John Benyon.

Enjoy the week.

*        Regulars will know already: but for newcomers … all it means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.   A link back to the site would be appreciated.