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Radiowonk

Listed below are comments made by Radiowonk between Tuesday, 13th October 2009 and Saturday, 14th November 2009.

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Cat out of the bag on vouchers for boarding school 9:20pm on 14 Nov 2009 Now let me see if I have got this right. You (yes Mr Crick *you*) are doubtless on several times the national average wage / salary, and yet you are picking up a benefit which I as a taxpayer (on a pension which is considerably less than the same national average wage / salary) am paying for.
Perhaps you could confirm that in writing "And that, of course, would end up costing the government money in the medium term..." you do accept that it is not government money but *my* money.
No wonder you are smiling in the photograph at the top of your blog. You can't see me but let me assure you that I am not smiling.
New name for a new economy? 9:04pm on 14 Nov 2009 To go back to the question in our sponsor's headline: have we actually got a new economy to assign a new name to yet? Personally I think not; we are still stuck with what I would describe as *parasitism*, and until we replace that with something seriously different (and better!) the old name will have to stay. Most parasites tend not to try and kill of their host organism, but clearly the parasites with which our economy was infested came close to forgetting that, and as a result very nearly finished us off.
Until our economic model is revised the same problems will remain with it; the symptoms may go into remission but the disease will still be there.
As a self - confessed non - economist I cannot profess to have a ready answer to this. Needless to say this is not a source of comfort; all I want is for the parasites to get their hands out of my wallet.
Endemic EU backroom dealing could scupper Blair 8:25pm on 29 Oct 2009 In submitting what he did barriesingleton (@ 1) has arguably rendered further postings unnecessary; I cannot readily think of a better summary. Could also explain why we were denied a vote; a "no" really would have spoilt their little games. At least it's nice to know that we are needed if only to pay for it all...
A week with Windows 7:32pm on 22 Oct 2009 Reading through contributions to this blog left me shaking my head; whether it was disbelief or despair (or possibly something else entirely) is till unclear. My gloom lifted at # 112 - londonrascal who (for me at any rate) introduced a bit of sanity. For most users the OS they use is of no consequence. As long as it works; fine. How many, I asked myself, worry about whether Mr Dyson's latest vacuum cleaner uses a shunt or series wound motor? How many worry about the number of times their new washing machine drum changes direction during a wash cycle?
For myself (with XP) I ask more basic questions; while I can export email contacts to an external file and thence upload them on to a new or repaired PC, WHY can I not export my toolbar settings for precisely the same purpose?
From an "average" user's viewpoint all the rest is froth.
Clearly there is a place for a detailed comparison between operating systems, but I would have thought from the majority (user) perspective such a discussion has little relevance.
'Positive action', not 'positive discrimination' 10:03pm on 20 Oct 2009 Sagamix@ 125: "Q1 - do you believe that the quality of our politics would be vastly improved by a more equal gender mix? ... YES/NO
Not many people say NO to this although there are some ... reactionary die hards like ... ooo let me think ... "

Dear Saga: please explain - to me if to nobody else - how and why "the quality of our politics would be vastly improved by a more equal gender mix". If you are going to describe anyone who answers "NO" as a reactionary diehard then you must prove that a more equal gender mix is *by definition* going to lead to a vast improvement in the quality of our politics.
Personally I see the imposition of one particular gender as abhorrent. A "male only" short list would be howled down; so should a "female only" one. How about a "no lawyers" shortlist? Or no bankers? Now *those* might get some support...
Surely we need candidates (irrespective of party) who have a better understanding of life at the coalface; it would certainly take away the excuse of needing second jobs "to have a better understanding..." and all that guff.
Was 2,000 a myth? 7:09pm on 15 Oct 2009 While I could hardly pretend that this story was *not* political, I find myself prompted to ask why "Defence" does not seem to be a category recognised as a worthy topic for a blog. Looking at the "Blogs" Home Page some headings have a multiplicity of contributors ("Arts" being a prime example) and yet Defence has no appearance in its own right.
I would welcome a section for Defence; has Caroline Wyatt upset someone or does she just not want to participate?
The subject is too important just to be slotted in to other topics.
Steve Jobs: Teenage hero? 9:06pm on 14 Oct 2009 "Still, it is interesting to see a tech titan like Mr Jobs leap ahead of Oprah - which might mean that a lot of youngsters are truly interested in science and technology as a career and not TV fame."

No; it means their horizons extend no further than shiny toys that they "must have" to play with. Because playing is all it is.
The Sidekick Cloud Disaster 4:15pm on 14 Oct 2009 Substitute the word "fog" for "cloud" and the whole concept starts to sound less appealing. It is also advisable to remember that the only person who has your best interests at heart is, er, you. Excessive reliance on others is seldom a good idea.
Count it, don't follow it (redux) 10:05pm on 13 Oct 2009 Post 47 (Reaper_of_Souls) commented:
"The HMRC test, "wholly, necessarily and exclusively" should be the abiding rule.
If its required for the job and is therefore an expense incurred in the process of carrying out a job, all well and good; if its there to improve the MPs quality of life, why should the public pay for it?

Perhaps a clear assessment of what is "necessary" should be carried out, and a basic level of accommodation / comfort defined, only this being financed from public funds."

The point to which this refers (I assume) also bothers me. It does seem rather odd that some MPs second homes (which by definition will not or should not be used all *that* much) seem astonishingly lavish; far more so than is just reasonably necessary for an MP to live when on constituency work. Perhaps the reimbursement of Mortgage Interest should be limited to a constituency - wide average house price. (I'm sure the Land Registry could supply the figure pretty quickly!)

I am by instinct a "Conservative" but there are times when the party hierarchy strain my loyalties close to breaking point. DC's living arrangements do appear to be more reliant on taxpayer support (i.e. tax paid on my pension) than his own personal circumstances would seem to warrant.

Perhaps if Sir Peter Viggers' Duck House had been bought on a mortgage nobody would have noticed. Or cared...
The Big Broadband match: A poor result? 9:48pm on 13 Oct 2009 Post 20 (pnelnik) seems to be suggesting that anyone who has IP rights should, er, *not* have IP rights and should be prepared to let everyone have free access to material that they have worked to produce, and probably spent money on in the process.

Perhaps you could demonstrate your commitment to this principle by posting your Sort Code, Account Number and PIN for us all to access. Oh and your credit card number while you're at it.

No; thought not.

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