I asked the service provider to protect this site from an excessive number of commercial and automated responses. They have come up with the picture question system which some of you dislike. I also have to go through it each time I moderate and find it works OK. I do not have available another system to keep out so many unwanted responses.
I moderate this site when I have the time. I will repeat again. Long posts, posts with allegations about people and institutions that need checking, and posts referring to electronic sources I do not know may take longer. I leave those until I have more time, which may not be the same day depending on my other duties. Sometimes I just delete them if they look too difficult to understand and check.
I do now sometimes just delete a post from someone who has written multiple posts the same day to cut down my reading time. People who write several shorter posts without material that needs checking may secure more postings as my aim to speed moderate as many as possible may favour them over someone who writes one or two long posts. I am trying to put up a range of views and interesting material from as many as possible, but will tend to err on the side of caution over allegations.
August 14, 2017
Once again, a big thank you to our host for providing such an interesting source of information and dialogue.
I will try my best to keep posts short ( under my self-imposed 200 word maximum )
August 14, 2017
Surely if someone is contributing with the same email and name each time they do not need to show they are not a robot every single time do they?
£37 million of public money wasted on the moronic (& now aborted) Garden Bridge. Still just a drop in the ocean compared to what is wasted on absurd “renewables” lunacy, the dire NHS (just on paracetamol alone), incompetent defence procurement, NHS litigation – and the rest of the endless government waste that the government seem to so like.
Not their money so what do they care how much it is or what value it gives? The only protection against waste are MP’s and they clearly are not even trying to economise or control it.
August 15, 2017
And apparently more to cancel the project.
How can you spend that sort of money and get nothing???
August 14, 2017
£44,000 just for Jeremy Hunt’s new bathroom it seems. The last large house I build had three very nice bathrooms all for about £12,000 in total (including the 20% VAT). How big is this bathroom exactly?
August 14, 2017
It is just fine as it is. We are lucky with time and effort you put in, the interesting topics and our ability to contribute.
Please do not change anything. If people are dissatisfied I am sure there are plenty of other sites delighted to receive their words of wisdom.
August 15, 2017
Well said Nig l: I wholeheartedly agree.
August 14, 2017
As others have noted in the ‘population growth’ post below, an open debate about immigration seems to be ‘taboo’.
Political correctness still holds sway.
August 15, 2017
Dear Peter–Worse than PC, would be illegal–Law doesn’t differentiate between a tsunami of immigrants and relatively few individuals
August 14, 2017
Good.
You, Mr Redwood, are one of the very few MPs who is easy to get in touch with.
You should be veery proud of that.
August 15, 2017
One of rather few (perhaps just one hundred or so) who actually says anything sensible or realistic.
August 14, 2017
Appreciate the work you put into this. Thank you.
August 14, 2017
You do a great job with this site and to me Captcha has never been a problem. The moaners are typical of the selfishness that pervades these days.
August 15, 2017
This is a rather silly comment. How is a system which is not as clear as it can be a “selfish” comment? Please elucidate.
August 14, 2017
In the interest of speed, and the support or disagreement of any given posting, why not have a simple like or dislike which you can tick, alongside all comments made, without going through CAPCHA.
Will give a good idea of support or not for any view expressed, and it does not require JR to spend time moderating.
August 14, 2017
Will probably need some boffin to automatically allow only one tick to stop multiple ticks from the same e mail address/name for each comment.
August 15, 2017
I have a site that does exactly that. It’s WordPress, don’t know if this site is.
The plug in highlights in yellow popular posts and in red unpopular posts. The thresholds can be set. Makes it easy to spot the ones in red and delete if appropriate. I also use a proxy blocker to filter out people using proxy servers and an IP blocker to block automated spam sites.
I used to live near John and would have been happy to set all this up for him but I’ve moved away from Wokingham since. I could do it from here but I wouldn’t expect him to allow that as I could be anyone looking to trash the site!
Come on guys! Surely somebody local could help out?
August 14, 2017
Would you trust someone else helping, if only temporary?
As you know; I don’t have any thing to do, right now.
I don’ t mind donating my time?
It would work, if I only did the moderating.
Regards,
RDM.
August 15, 2017
RDM
I would too. Though it would be impossible for me to know which particular MPs welcome all comment, funny, bad, sarcastic even nasty and take it in their stride.
In my opinion, “all publicity is good publicity” in politics.
I wish the media would delve into my own past and take me apart! Lots of goodies for them there. So much I could reveal which especially, in particular the media would not wish me to reveal without even opening up my mucky raincoat.I would be MP the next election purely on the by-products of their quite understandable negativity 😉
August 15, 2017
Oh I have put myself forward a couple of times so they really must have looked thought wow!, bingo! and then come up with something, I know, to make them shiver and tremble and back-off double-quick.
August 15, 2017
You can’t get cheaper then that?
August 14, 2017
I remain astonished by your industry and thank you afresh for providng this site and for your tolerant and inclusive approach to Comments.
The Captcha system seems to be set to be undemanding and obviously is needed.
As for “I do now sometimes just delete a post from someone who has written multiple posts the same day to cut down my reading time” – similar here! I just don’t read them when they are posted.
August 14, 2017
Just heard about the position paper to be released tomorrow..it’s a fudge but under the circumstances its probably the best we can do. We are now dependant on the generousity of europeans to see just what will be acceptable to them. Its obvious that the government and liam fox etc havn’t a clue how we are going to proceed. Thinking about getting some bespoke deal with various eu countries but not others is plainly not going to work..its cherry picking that has already been ruled out. Despite what you say the EU are not going to bend over that much for what they see as a disloyal and disagreeable UK.
And here we are not even addressing the movement of EU and UK people through uk and europe..and then theres the irish border? Well we’ll see things more clearly in a week or so following the next barnier davis meeting..we dont even know if the europeans will agree to a transitional period..as someone else said before..in this brexit thing politics will trump economics and even common sense..this is the cliff edge..a nightmare brought on by ourselves through runaway jingoism and crass ignorance..totally disgusted thats what i am
August 14, 2017
If tonight’s reports of the UK proposal for a 2-year freeze post brexit of the existing EU customs union is true then the government is committing one negotiating howler after another. The UK’s first mistake was in agreeing to the EU’s preferred sequencing meaning they are aiming to secure their key negotiating demands before March 2019. Now it appears the the Uk is seeking absolutely nothing in return. In exchange for a vast brexit fee we will ask that the existing customs union continue until 2021. So going into the next election. Which the Conservatives are likely to lose, the Remonets will be wailing again about cliff-edges should there be any further changes under discussion thus guaranteeing maximum leverage to the EU side who will already have secured what they want 2 years earlier in 2019. What precisely does David Davis think his negotiating capital is going to be in 2021 when he has caved in on everything prior to 2019? You could not make up how incompetent this government is as negotiators. They are pure surrender monkeys with the toxic Hammond undermine the UK from within government. EU-sceptics have to nkr plain this week this this proposal to stay in the customs union for 2 years after brexit is not acceptable. Hammond has to go and if May won’t fire him them she has to go immediately.
August 14, 2017
JR, Thank you for this site and your time. Like Formula57, I too am astonished by your industry. Captcha is not a serious problem as long as everyone is aware of its quirks.
August 14, 2017
The only problem with the photo check system is that some of the photos are so blurred
August 15, 2017
Some commenters provide very useful links , however many of these links are also allegations . Simply because they are published in an official capacity does not remove any falseness of reporting.
I become annoyed when some complain over your moderation and the obvious time you spend reading these comments .I become furious when they attack you personally , as I do with others who tend to exceed banter to insult.
Captcha is a technology which is not all together satisfactory , however you pay and this is not a reflection on your abilities . It is a system which is available to many sites . Perhaps the technology can see a way to improving.
As far as allegations are concerned . I myself have stated truths which you have not published. This is your choice. It is your blog site. You do well not to’ get rid’ of some commenters . A way however, of not implicating yourself if to either underwrite a clause ( or indeed Overwrite ) which says that you are not responsible for the views or content of others. This can be clearly put at the beginning of your page.
There are too few sites which allow democratic discussion and consideration of all views. Keep up the good work please . I don’t know how you find the time!
August 15, 2017
Your site is appreciated by me. The occasional deletion or length of moderation is small beer when measured against the opportunity to express an opinion to a sitting MP.
I do think the site and its users would benefit from a recent post search function.
I am regularly amazed at the complaints from bumptious posters who think the world is missing out if their posts are not immediately available. It is not that type of dialogue or site.
Capture has not asked me to look at photos for a couple of weeks. I just need to confirm I am not a robot. Mostly I use an out of date mobile browser in case it assists others.
August 15, 2017
I also applaud JR for providing and maintaining this site and the quotidian blogs, which I have enjoyed reading almost from its inception.
However, there is a prospect, not too distant one hopes, of the PM at last showing some good sense by appointing JR as Chancellor or to another Ministerial position. I wonder what happens to the blog then!
August 15, 2017
1. I am only ever required to tick the ‘I’m not a robot’ box, and have never had a problem with it.
2. Multiple postings from one permanently irate contributor should be deleted – I have stopped reading anything from him.
3. Thank you for all your hard work on this site, and in the media, John.
August 15, 2017
I would also like to add my thanks to you for the time and effort you put into this site. Where do you find the time?!
I always learn something from your ‘articles’ and also from the comments underneath from people who may have a particular interest, experience or even, an opposing viewpoint.
The shorter comments are easier to read, I must admit.
Again, many thanks!
August 15, 2017
I am pleased that some “light” has been given on “moderation”. I have often found it difficult to comprehend why some responses are shown quickly and some are not . The many replies from LL I find irritating , he makes several off topic comments and seems to think he can use the site however he wishes .
August 15, 2017
Seconded.
August 15, 2017
A belated thanks. Amongst other attributes your blog can be very educational.
August 15, 2017
Thanks for running this blog – we do appreciate it. Captcha works fine and rarely requires any additional input.
August 15, 2017
In short, a very balanced approach. We have to remember that the citizens of Wokingham will occupy John’s time, not to mention attending Parliament, radio interviews etc. How does John do it all in 24 hours?
August 15, 2017
Looked at other MPs’ blogs, where in existence. They did not seem up to much. Could not find anywhere to Comment even when rarely the blog had recent articles. Some MPs prefer Twitter and allow replies. But with one leading Labour MP, no not a Corbynista, some of her tweets really did not merit any reply from anyone. Factually incorrect. Plain silly.
Captcha may be good for arthritis
August 16, 2017
Re: F35.
John,
Is it not time you looked over the figure’s, if nothing else?
It is now over £150m per aircraft ! Without all the necessary, but costly extra’s!
Don’t forget; this is a “super fighter” that will take on the T50!
The T50 has two engines running at 80000 pounds of Thrust.
The F35 has one engine, a dry rating of 24000 PoT, and wet rating of 43000? That’s a strange jump? I take it that Dry means Test bed, Wet means in the field.
It is over 4000+ kg heavier then the US Air Force version, and the US Air Force F35 was out flown by a F16!
With a barn door for VTOL (Air Intake) that opens against the air flow, can it ever take off vertically?
There are strategic problems, as well as the well published problems of RF links giving off energy, who would have thought it! For example “Interoperability” works well, in theory. But, it depends on links to Ground bridges or Navel Vessels, and then, the satellites become a bottleneck, attack them, and it all disappears.
Just think, theoretically speaking; a T50 at Super Cruise hight, with a hyper-sonic missile, could stop the whole show?
From the start; trying to solve multiple problems ( types of aircraft; ground support, Air force, Air superiority fighter) with one solution, was always going to lead to problems!
Solving none in the process!
For our use, I would have no doubt a revamped Harrier and Tornado would service far better.
The Tornado would make a really good test bed for new near earth technologies, sealed cabins, rebreathers, our own Near Earth Missile system, etc,…
Regards,
RDM.