Counting with Unionists
We already know that the No camp has, shall we say, a bit of difficulty when it comes to basic arithmetic. But rarely do they demonstrate it so eagerly as they did last night.
We very much appreciate their helping to make our job easier.
If you can’t be bothered clicking the pic to enlarge it, the text on the bottom of that tweet from the official “Better Together” Twitter page, about their Aberdeen launch meeting, says “Room is filling up, looks as if we have over 150 people”.
We counted so you didn’t have to. There are a total of 65 people visible in the picture, which includes almost the entire room. There are two half-rows to the left which you can’t see, of five seats each, which we’ll assume were filled for a total of 75.
(We of course had our own spy at the event, who took pictures from the other end of the room to show its depth.)
Assuming a gap here and there being filled by the start, we estimate a maximum of 80 attendees. Or, in “Better Together” maths, “over 150”. Bless ’em. But, y’know, keep it in mind the next time they’re giving you a load of “facts” about something else.
I Hope the 2014 Truth Team are on the case
So having ‘spies’ there means that not all are Unionists.
I assume it was A Darling who did the counting.
I’m guessing the true figure could be a great deal higher once the “postal” attendance is taken into account.
Hmmm.
Some of them do look like perfectly normal people who could probably realise the error of their ways if they didn’t get stuffed with junkcrap from the bitter propaganda.
These are the sort of folk that you have to confront on the street – boots on the ground techniques.
So that’s what a room three-quarters full of blue-rinse Tories looks like.
Surely you’re making a silly error there by assuming “150” is written in base-10. Everyone knows numerically literate political activists with any self respect work in at least base-6 (66 in your old-money terms) if not base-7 when feeling adventurous (84).
Tsk. [shakes head dismissively]
This is what a Yes city launch looks like, btw:
link to wingsoverscotland.com
The two highlights of last night’s Q&A session (after a very long and dull mumbled speech by Hugh Pennington on how great the BBC and Met Office are, and how crap the Irish versions are) were:
1. The guy who was concerned about “Alex Salmond and His SNP” printing “propaganda – and I will use that word” (so did Lewis MacDonald, incidentally) in Polish and Lithuanian to get immigrants to think “oh, this is great!” and how once all the Bulgarians and Romanians come flooding in, we’ll be publishing it in their languages too. Bloody immigrants, eh?
2. The guy who was concerned about the lack of leadership and asked why Alistair Darling wasn’t there for the inaugural Aberdeen meeting, who was then shouted down by a woman at the front who thought the team that were there (including Richard Baker and Alex Johnstone) were doing a marvellous job. She was given a massive round of applause for quelling this dissent in the ranks.
Oh, and here’s a quick hint for BetterTogether – when you’re trying to kid on that you’re fielding questions from ordinary, concerned citizens, it’s probably best you don’t pick them out by name, as they did with Tory councillor Ross Thomson!
Shame I was driving though, because they were dishing out free wine. Good to know Ian Taylor’s money is being spent wisely!
Is it wrong to discount the figure by the number of old codgers who will have popped their clogs by the time of the referendum?
(I assume there’s an Internet Law along the lines of “If you have to ask whether something is wrong, it is”. I scoff at the law.)
Have you had a good look at the age demographics of the folk there. Most appear to be 50 +, a few in their 30 and 40s, and maybe one under 30 and one under 20 (possible). Looks to me more like the core profile of the Tory party, if you ask me.
My question is if they have that kind of demographic profile, what does that hold for their campaign
Midgehunter – if you discount the politicians (far more than were at the Yes Aberdeen launch event several months ago) and their children, the Tory Boy activists, the men in sharp suits and the “over my dead body” type blue rinse brigade, you’re left with about ten people, three of whom were independence supporters checking out the opposition!
Second row right hand side “when does the bingo start”
Tories….supporting a UNION…..shurely shome mishtake!
‘you’re left with about ten people, three of whom were independence supporters checking out the opposition!’
So what you are saying the remaining seven were there for the wine! Dons fans probably
It does look like a Daniel O’Donnell concert though, maybe that was what the flyer said.
Anyone smell something ammoniacal in the room?
You didn’t count the photographer which raises the question of “How many Unionists does it take to take a picture?”.
BtP
That reminds me of the old joke, ‘What a 1000 legs but no teeth?’ – A Daniel O’Donnell concert queue.
Doug Dniel
Was the wine served Sanatogen, by any chance?
Just out of interest, where was the Better Together Aberdeen event held?
@uilleambeag,
Careful, you’ll be giving them ideas. They’ll be issuing their turnouts in binary numbers next. On that basis, there were 0110100 (to the base 2) in attendance last night.
@Jiggsboro,
“Is it wrong to discount the figure by the number of old codgers who will have popped their clogs by the time of the referendum”.
Now that’s just mean. True and funny, but mean.
Robyn – it was at the Park Inn on Justice Mill Lane. Although a fellow Yes campaigner accidentally went to Inn at the Park instead
Altogether now, “we’re doomed aye doomed”, please repeat 1000 times and you then be a fully trained member of the “NO campaign”.
Vote for Scotlands future, Vote YES.
Alba Gu snooker loopy!
The venue was held at the Park Inn on Justice Mill Lane
It would not be wine it would be the nightly dose of senokot, this is required to allow them to talk keech the following day
Bugger (the Panda) says: Anyone smell something ammoniacal in the room?
Embalming fluid?
It reminded me of RGU classrooms that is all but couldn’t quite place it and now I know why, I have never been to the Park Inn. Inn at the Park, however, I know quite well!
I bet most were just there for the free wine. It also looks like how I would imagine a Better Together Aberdeen event would look. Where are the young folk? I can only see a handful of young faces. I’m always struck by the broad mix of people that turn up to Yes events.
As this is a public meeting room I would assume that there is a maximum capacity under fire / safety regulations. The room doesn’t look large enough for 150 anyone know the max capacity?
I suspect attendance at the local coven’s regular Thursday night bash was grievously affected.
Major Bloodknok
Mmm
Methanol and Formaldehyde; I thought that was the base of Sanatogen?
Even better with coal gas bubbled through; quite an electric soup.
I make it 57 heads in that picture, including the cameraman. Unless some have two heads, oh wait …
I just clicked the link to “65 people” reminds me of an episode of Dr. Who.
I need it confirmed but, estimated 200+ at YESClacks meeting in Alva last night.
Man in a Jar – the max capacity is 200, but no way were there 20 rows of seats. I expect the 150 figure means there were 15 rows of seats, although I’m not even convinced by that because it doesn’t look like there were 12 rows in front of me in that picture.
link to parkinn.co.uk
BT are evidently depending on the support of those further along the road to mortality than most, perhaps they’re also counting the already deceased?
‘I see dead people.’
Thursday is late night shopping night in Aberdeen. Hate to be cruel but some of those faces look like the folk who sit about the Bon Accord Centre during the day. A wee pit stop with free wine included before heading home? Highlight of their week.
Anti-trident rally attendance; Police figure 2000; BBC Scotland figure 300.
Independent Scotland, credit rating 0. Scotland in union, credit rating AAA, or A in the real world, but still AAA in the Unionist fantasy world.
I think it must be one of the big four accountancy firms who do their figures for them.
Maybe they need Father Ted to explain slowly,”That looks a lot of people, because they are very close to the camera”.
Total numbers included counting the dead!, (they have form from the past)
Goodness, missed out last night, where was this publicised? Can someone post up on here the next BT event in Aberdeen as I’d like to go along to it and ask some questions they might not like…..
That was their Aberdeen City launch? Around 75? Is that really the best they could manage? In Bridge of Earn, a wee village four miles south of Perth, we had between 35 and 40 people at our Yes meeting.
National Collective are gathering signatures for petition demanding that BT return Ian Taylor’s dodgy dosh –
link to nationalcollective.com
Yep.Thats them.They were at the jubilee party as well.I wouldnt let their age lead you into a false sense of security.Quite a lot of them probably do yoga and shit.And they’ll have plenty time on their hands.
Sorry for O/T., but this is really serious.
Rev Stu is in deep, deeeeep shit now! What’s he done? Go over to http://www.bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk to find out.
@dmw42
Photographic proof of the 200+ attendees at Yes Scotland event in Alva on 25/04/2013 to be found at
link to twitter.com
Courtesy of the highly active SNP Dunblane websites twitter feed: see
link to snpdunblane.com
Without sounding swivel -eyed ,what if it is all just a big deception? The constant promotion of we’re bigger,we’ve got more supporters, we’ve got more money etc by BT, kind of like when they pull the curtain back and realise the Wizard of Oz is …just one man (with a loud megaphone).
What I’m finding is, people who I would least expect, are starting to send or share FB comments with me about Independence and although those numbers are small , I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the senders but can understand their reticence.
Unfortunately two people ,who will definitly vote No ,appear to think I am deaf and require to tell me their views very close up to my face.
The low level (I’ll shout you down attitude ) lives on, but in my small world, it does’nt seem to be working …
On the subject of meetings – does anyone know when the next YES meeting in Dundee is?
There seems to be some disagreementamong readers over how the numbers in attendance at the meeting were counted. I think the problem can easily be explained by Tom Lehrer – it’s all down to New Math. This should help.
.link to youtube.com
@Horacesaysyes
From the YesScotland events locater you can identify all events co-ordinated by YesScotland; see
link to yesscotland.net
Simply enter the location of interest and the distance you are willing to travel. I pulled up the following for you regarding Dundee.
”
Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 11:00 AM · 12 rsvps
Murraygate outside Ladbrokes in Dundee, Scotland
Yes Scotland campaign weekend – 27th/28th April. The theme is prosperity and we will be making the case that Scotland has got what it takes to be a more prosperous and therefore fairer society.”
Hope that helps. Boots on the ground, as someone else noted, is crucial!
” they were dishing out free wine.”
When’s the Glasgow one?
Perhaps:-
1. Better Togther are determined to have their cake and eat it – so we not only have 75 people actually in the room but we have another 75 (avatars, imaginary friends???) to make up the total.
2. As masters of double think it’s natural to identify 75 as 150.
“Better Togther are determined to have their cake and eat it”
There was wine AND cake?
@AmadeusMinkowski –
Cheers for that. I’d seen about the stall, but there didn’t seem to be any info about any other events or meetings. When I tried searching for ‘Dundee’, it brought up that one, and about a dozen in Kirkcaldy!
I guess I’ll just pop along to the stall tomorrow and see if I can get some more info there.
Thanks again.
Just a thought. As DD mentioned that wine was available I was wondering how many attendees last night were actually there for the BT “meeting” and how many were there because they heard about the free wine and thought it was a cheese and wine evening!
If there are 75 two faced people would that make teh 150?
There’s 75 dead Unionists buried under the floorboards. Hence, 150 loyal Unionists.
The missing lot must be the ‘silent majority’ Darling et al. are always on about.
Bought and sold for wine and cake, what a parcel o’ rouges…
I bet all were there for a whine.
Scottish_Skier – ha! One of the folk who stood up to ask a question was on about the “silent majority”, and how Alex Salmond doesn’t speak for them.
It’s the way they tell them!
Are you sure this BT picture was in Aberdeen? noticed a guy there in the picture with a short sleeve shirt on!
point of trivea: ‘the silent majority’ was a turn of phrase that the ancient greeks used for the dead, so its present use by the no campaign is entirely appropriate
Maybe Better Together Aberdeen followed the lead of Aberdeen FC and closed off half the room to make it look like there were more folk there and generate a better atmosphere
Tasmania
The dead Unionsts have been there since 1979 devolution referendum when they were counted as NO voters .
All the more proof that Better Together do not have a grassroots campaign in Scotland. The turn outs are low and populated by mostly over 60s (core Tory vote wanting to be reassured) with BT fundraising mostly coming from outside Scotland. More people are going to YES Scotland meetings because they are genuinely interested in what a future Scotland under independence would look like. But at BT meetings it’s about slaughtering Alex Salmond and drumming fear into pensioners.
Apologies for the O/T but EBC Scotland is allowing comments online regarding the real important matter of reintroducing drinking booze at Scottish’s fitba games. Got their priorities right that responsible broadcaster!
Amadeus, thanks for the update re Alva. A stall tomorrow in Stirling, if you’re about.
Lyneside says:
26 April, 2013 at 10:17 am
“I’m guessing the true figure could be a great deal higher once the “postal” attendance is taken into account.”
Did you mean?:
“I’m guessing the true figure could be a great deal higher once the “post-Al” attendance is taken into account.”
Are you sure 150 wasn’t the average age being reported?
You can practically hear the sound of mint imperials pokes being hurriedly stuffed into handbags. The air must have been electric in there.
Jiggsbro says:
26 April, 2013 at 10:28 am
Is it wrong to discount the figure by the number of old codgers who will have popped their clogs by the time of the referendum?
Jeezeus Jingsbro, That’ll be Irn bru all over the laptop then… Thanks!
Hey, Less of the ageist stuff you teenage ruffians!
This pensioner is one who will DEFINITELY make it to 18 September 2014. What happens on the 20th once I know we’ve won just doesn’t matter a damn.
@Boorach
Im with you on that! Even if I have a while to go to get my state pension.
YES Cowal campaign launch in Dunoon tonight. I’ll be going to The Braes for 19.00 to hear Dennis Canavan, Patrick Harvie, Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh and Mike Russell as they kickstart the move to unblock the eyes and ears of the local fearties (of which there are far too many).
@raineach
Point of trivia. Trivia is spelled trivia. NO No, don’t thank me, no, really, I require no thanks. Just had an attack of the Morags (big smiley thing)
ok – so i can’t spell. Big brumox!
There’s a BT meeting tomorrow in AK Bell Library in Perth at 10am for anyone who happens to live in the vicinity
If I was nearer I’d be there! 
Better Together wish to thank the following for their support:
Main Event Sponsor:
Arkan the Tiger Memorial Fund
Wine and cake courtesy of:
The late Saddam Hussein
Pads and pens brought to you by:
Tax Avoiders Alliance
@ Macart
OT – If you are still here, were you being ironic yesterday about the Guardian welcoming links? That has certainly not been my experience. Anyway, it appears to be working. That is if you are attempting to shame them into submission.
@ SS
Asked you on a previous thread but doubt you saw it or I missed your reply.
Do you have any idea how much oil has been taken out of N Sea and UK/Norway ratio?
@CameronB
Macart’s links are still there so maybe they are. I gave you a recommend btw (despite you mis-spelling “losing”).
How do you do the smiley thing?
Cheers, the spelling is what it is, I’m afraid. : or ; for eyes and ) ( for mouth. I’m sure there are lots of other combinations, but I’m over forty
( o for mouth).
The figures could be correct. You’re forgetting some tories don’t appear in photographs or cast reflections in mirrors.
@Training Day
Maybe Better Together Aberdeen followed the lead of Aberdeen FC and closed off half the room to make it look like there were more folk there and generate a better atmosphere
Speaking of Aberdeen FC, I think we should have got rid of Ian Donald and Stewart Milne. The damage our last two chairmen have done is scary.
@Boorach,
I understand some 24 billion barrels of oil (that excludes gas) was produced by 2010 from the UKCS. Conservative estimates of that remaining are 25-30 billion barrels; i.e. at least half or more of ‘proven’ reserves remain.
The remaining is underplayed due to oil companies under-reporting reserves (to avoid tax hikes) and because technological advancement and price makes what is considered uneconomical, economical.
I understand about the same has been pumped out of Norwegian waters over the same period, but they have more proven reserves remaining; up to twice the UKCS.
@Breeks
at4:12pm.
I won’t claim to spraying my laptop with coffee or any other fluid. But that was funny!
Maybe they’re counting people who PLEDGED a week ago they would turn up.
I do worry that many of the attendees at these BT events are actually undercover Yessers, and we’re giving them more in the audience than would otherwise be worth the bother.
BTW, did the woman who objects to the Saltire turn up?
Thanks SS just what I needed to settle some unionist guff. Much appreciated
I’m reliably informed that Richard Baker arranged a supply of Buckfast for the occasion .
Graeme McCormick says:
I’m reliably informed that Richard Baker arranged a supply of Buckfast for the occasion .
De-caffeinated one presumes
Breeks says:
26 April, 2013 at 4:12 pm
The figures could be correct. You’re forgetting some tories don’t appear in photographs or cast reflections in mirrors.
An oldie of mine:
link to docs.google.com
Bluerinse Together