What do you think about polls?

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I think maybe 20 years or so ago I was sent a poll on TV watching. I had to list the shows I watched, when the TV was on/off, etc. I sent in the results, but the shows I liked were always canceled anyway.

With caller-ID and other phone screening devices, it's hard to measure who exactly responds to polls these days, but let's say that 1,000 or so folks were caught at home and chose to respond. Should these results be used to determine policy?

Looking at the polls

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), October 21, 2001

Answers

Polls hold no sway with me. Zero.

To achieve elected office one must win a popularity contest, otherwise known as an election. This entails voters perceive a candidate as being right for them, willing to represent the interests of the voter. Polls are one way of attempting to control perceptions by structuring questions and responses, and thus results. Old hat. Another way to state it - garbage in garbage out.

As to TV, I never bought into the Neilson Ratings (do they still exist?), but networks apparently do. They do need some form of viewer feedback. I'm not a viewer (I have people taping the new Star Trek: Enterprise series for me), but if I were I'd provide feedback via email.

Flint's written effectively on polling in the past. Perhaps he'll chime in with a terse paragraph or two on the subject.

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), October 21, 2001.


I have no problem with pols, no mater what their religion!

-- Bill (baqlrog@aol.com), October 21, 2001.

Anita:

I had to list the shows I watched, when the TV was on/off, etc.

Tell us which shows you watched when the TV was off. ;<)))

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), October 21, 2001.


Read once again that portion of the sentence you excerpted, Z. This time pause when you see the comma. You may, if you are particularly sharp, notice that "I had to list the shows I watched," (notice the comma) and "when the TV was on/off" are separate items contained in the list which Anita compiled for the pollster.

It's ok, Z. We each make mistakes every once in a great while. That's why it's good to hold the words I'm sorry in reserve. For just such occasions. :^)

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), October 21, 2001.


Flint's written effectively on polling in the past. Perhaps he'll chime in with a terse paragraph or two on the subject.

You're talking about our Flint right? Terse? Paragraph or two?

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeeD@yahoo.com), October 21, 2001.



Unk, I believe this was meant as a subtle understatement.

-- Jack Booted Thug (governmentconspiracy@NWO.com), October 22, 2001.

What do I think about polls? Not sure. I need to go ask some people.

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), October 22, 2001.

When you read terse paragraph or two, think of the phrase as serving a similar function as a dog whistle.

And no, I do not liken Flint to a canine by offering this analogy.

I like dogs. :^)

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), October 22, 2001.


Bet you do!

-- Bark (butt@ranger.bark), October 22, 2001.

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