HA - I've Been MORI-ed

Do you find yourself shouting at the telly or radio when the results of the latest opinion poll are revealed? NAH and I do - it's usually something along the lines of who on earth do they use in these polls? or that's nothing like me!

Well, on Friday evening the phone rang. As usual, I answered it suspiciously and steeled myself to hear some sort of salesman on the line, probably phoning from India. Instead I got a rather polite American woman.

Polite woman: Good evening ma'am, I'm from Ipsos MORI and I'm working on the latest opinion poll, would you mind sparing about 10 minutes of your time to give me the benefit of your thoughts?

Me (still suspicious - it could be one of those telephone scams you hear about, but taken by surprise as well): Errrrr yes, that's fine.

MORI: Firstly I need to ask you some preliminary questions, so I don't ask you irrelevant ones later. Tell me, are you pregnant?

Me (wishing for once I had a video phone): No

MORI: Would you say you're in good health, with no ongoing medical problems?

Me (aha she is trying to sell me something!): Yes

MORI: OK, The first part of the survey's about swine 'flu. Have you heard anything about swine 'flu in the last week?

Me: Well, someone I know has got it, I read it on their blog

MORI (obviously wondering what on earth a blog is): Their blog?

Me: Yes their web diary. They've been ill for quite a while. Oh, and my husband had a 'flu jab this week and we were wondering if it was a swine 'flu one

MORI (trying to place me in the correct pigeonholes): ...so that's the... Internet and... Word of Mouth as your sources. Now, how well do you think the goverment are prepared for a swine 'flu pandemic?

Me (laughing): I've absolutely no idea - I don't know anyone involved with the preparations.

MORI: That's a Don't Know then. Can you tell me if you agree or disagree with the following statements. The swine 'flu pandemic has been hyped up by the media...

And so it went on, me answering the questions and she putting them into some sort of category. Because I could only answer yes or no, or strongly/tend to agree/disagree, the conversation felt a little unreal. Even when I was invited to expand on something, she was still putting my answers into whichever tick box seemed the most appropriate. Square pegs into round holes sprang to mind.

I also had lots of questions on the financial crisis - 2 absolutely massive topics covered in just one phonecall. So sometime soon when you're shouting at the newsreader telling you x percentage believe the financial crisis was partly caused by people borrowing too much, do remember it's me who said that.

Comments

  1. CanadianGardenJoy11 October 2009 at 18:48

    VP ... OMG !! I am still laughing as I type this ! .. We are always suspicious of phone calls .. usually let the machine pick up and screen .. and yes too many times it is some idiot salesman or a language that is so not English .. husband is part of those opinion polls too .. so I guess we are part of that "all knowing" crowd ? haha
    And she had no idea what a "blog" was ?? how ironic is that ?? LOL
    Joy : )

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown11 October 2009 at 19:48

    Last time I did once of those there were about a hundred (or it felt like it) questions, and I was supposed to choose from the same answer set each time (something along the lines of no, a bit, some, occasionally, often and always, but not phrased like that) and after the first two I couldn't remember what the answer set was. Very tedious!

    ReplyDelete
  3. VP11 October 2009 at 20:24

    Joy - it was her not knowing what a blog is which inspired me to write this post! I was also knocked off guard because a number came up rather it showing it as Witheld which is what usually happens with sales calls. Mind you, we shouldn't get sales calls (which this wasn't) as we've signed up to the telephone preference scheme...

    Fluffymuppet - it felt like hundreds to me too. It didn't hepl that I'd just got back from the NEC after a long drive. That probably helped the sense of unreality too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gerald (SK14)11 October 2009 at 23:06

    I get these from time to time - ten minutes they - usually at least 20 minutes and usually right in the middle of Emmerdale

    ReplyDelete
  5. Scattered Gardener11 October 2009 at 23:41

    We've had about three this year - one on transport use recently. Seem to also have researchers knocking on doors round here. We recently contributed to a survey on carers and something about media use (as I recall) - these can be quite time consumingm they have wanted seperate interviews with individual members of the family. Most recently answered the door to a promotions man for the Daily Mail, encouraging us to subscribe! I'm afraid I crossed myself (old Catholic habit) as a confirmed Guardian reader...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Frances12 October 2009 at 01:14

    Well, thanks for 'fessing up, VP. I was wondering who these people were that the media and pols put so much import on their opinions! How funny that the term blog threw her for a loop too. We have caller ID, and don't answer any calls from toll free numbers so might be missing out on giving our two cents worth. HA
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  7. VP12 October 2009 at 08:23

    Gerald - Yes, it was more like 20 minutes and right in the middle of a headache!

    Scattered Gardener - at least we've not had them at the door yet, but we've had several 'chuggers' (charity muggers) recently. Must come over and see how your Sing for Water went...

    Frances - sometimes I think we're living in a bubble. Lots of people I talk to look at me blankly when I say I blog. Though having said that, e.g. our radio news programmes are always going on about what's been happening on their blogs, so you'd think they'd be in our collective consciousness by now.

    ReplyDelete
  8. emmat12 October 2009 at 09:20

    you have got the wrong interviewers - I do one for the Guardian online every few days and we get paid in Amazon vouchers... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Helen/patientgardener12 October 2009 at 12:20

    There are a whole load of surveys you can do on line where you get paid in vouchers. You accrue points depending on how long the survey is. I did them for about 6 months but it took me away from my blogging and the some of the surveys were very boring. My eldest does them and is forever getting HMV or Halford vouchers.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Joanne12 October 2009 at 16:02

    Hi VP
    I was amused by your cagey response so like many of us.

    The last researcher I spoke with who was researching on behalf of Surrey County Council and the Police got about halfway through before she found Mike worked part time for SCC and so didn't want me. I felt so rejected. I don't normally even bother to agree to do them.
    Must be all this blogging makes me want to speak out more.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Elizabeth Musgrave12 October 2009 at 21:37

    I am another who yells at the TV so really deserve to be moried. I am not sure if I could cope with the survey though. The only telephone one I have ever done led to a very bemused man trying to work out how to fit my reason for not shopping at Tescos (attitude to HFW's free range chicken campaign) in to an assortment of boxes which obviously didn't include anything to do with ethics anywhere.

    ReplyDelete
  12. VP13 October 2009 at 21:30

    Emmat - where? Show me!

    PG - I think I've seen the paper versions of those, they're quite long and tedious aren't they?

    Joanne - I think you have a point there, I do seem more ready to talk about my opinions these days...

    Elixabethm - you're comment's reminded me of the time I went to one of those pyramid selling presentations. It was only because my friend needed people to make up numbers. At the time I'd just resigned from my job in IT to go back to Uni to do a Masters Degree at my own expense with the object of finding an envorinmentally based job at a fraction of my previous salary. The whole sales pitch was based on the assumption that everyone there was only motivated by money and the guy doing the presentation clearly couldn't cope with my complete disinterest!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mr. McGregor's Daughter13 October 2009 at 23:17

    Whenever anyone calls & wants VIS or I do to a poll, we tell them that we're very reasonable, and charge only $50/hour for our opinions. They hang up very quickly.
    BTW - only the media calls it "swine flu." Health care professionals (and myself, even though I'm not) call it H1N1. Not catchy, but at least it doesn't defame pigs. ;^)

    ReplyDelete
  14. VP17 October 2009 at 11:43

    MMD - that's a very good idea, but being paid in Amazon vouchers sounds attractive to me too!

    I never knew that about swine 'flu - thanks for the info!

    ReplyDelete

New comments are not allowed.

Your essential reads

That blue flower: A spring spotter's guide

Image
Spring is a prime time for blue flowers and my daily walks currently have several from the same plant family* lining the local footpaths. As I walked past the Donkey Field the other day, I overheard some children ask their parents** what the pictured blue flower was. It reminded me it's often mistaken for those other familial blues and this time was no different, as they said it was forget-me-not, instead of the green alkanet it actually is. As well as similar flowers, most of these plants are hairy in their nature, flower around the same time, and favour damp, shady places. Many of them are great for pollinators too, especially bees and this week's warm weather has certainly drawn them to these flowers. This makes it even more likely for these plants to be mistaken for each other and it's a great opportunity for me to put together a spotter's guide in case you find the same flowers on your outings. Staying with green alkanet, the key features which set it
Read more

Jack Go To Bed At Noon

Image
Last year this rather exotic looking flower appeared on mine and several other allotments for the first time. Having been stumped (again) by Mr Allotment Warden as to its identity, I rushed home to find out what it was. It's salsify, aka the marvellous Jack Go To Bed At Noon - named as such because its flowers always close by midday. Here you can see both open and closed flowers - making it seem even more exotic and alien than in the first picture. I think this must be the cultivated version because the flower in my Francis Rose Wild Flower Key looks exactly the same in form, but is bright yellow in colour and called meadow salsify . Its other common name is Goatsbeard, which must be a nod to the fantastic dandelion-like clock which forms the seed head. With 'parachutes' like those shown above, who knows how far our plotted plants came from. I rather like the photographic dissection of the seedhead found in this link . Salsify is edible: its lateral shoots and fl
Read more

Red Nose Day - Gardening Jokes Anyone?

Image
The nation goes ever so slightly bonkers on Red Nose Day - hurrah! Previously, it's been very easy to join in - usually via a dress down day at work plus lots of people up to mad things at the station and in the office. Everyone smiling for once - it's a real feel good day and all in a good cause. This year's different - every day's a dress down day for me now - my friend L suggested yesterday that perhaps I could have a dress up day instead and whilst that's a good idea, I confess that ballgowns and tiaras don't really feature in my wardrobe: scruffy student's always been my favourite look. So my Red Nose Day contribution for this year is to compile a list of gardening related jokes. For each one (clean ones only please) you leave in the comments below, I'll make a donation of 50p to the cause. Here's a few for starters just to get you warmed up: Q Why do potatoes make good detectives? A Because they keep their eyes peeled. Q What did the grape
Read more

Salad Days: Mastering Lettuce

Image
I've decided one of my salad challenges for this year is to grow as many lettuce varieties as I can, ready for the publication of my planned Factsheet* later on. The idea is to grow as many of the Tried and Trusted lettuce varieties last year's Salad Challengers helped compile, then provide a visual guide and as many lettuce facts as I can muster. So far I've found around half of those listed**. Then naturally whilst I was out searching - because such is the way with seeds - a number of other varieties found their way home too ;) A couple of weeks ago I sowed 22 varieties***. Just the simple act of sowing them has me intrigued. Why are some lettuce seeds black and others white****? They split into about half white to half black in my sample and as far as I can tell it's nothing to do with whether they're a type of cos, iceberg, or whatever. I sowed them indoors and popped them into a propagator on the windowsill. The soil's too cold outside for sowing
Read more

VPs VIPs: Derry Watkins of Special Plants

Image
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Derry Watkins at her home, garden and nursery - the acclaimed Special Plants - just a few miles along the road from me. I first met Derry at one of her open garden days last year and was keen to find out more about her wonderful garden and running an independent nursery. She specialises in tender perennials and regularly goes on plant hunting trips to find new treasures, particularly in South Africa. As well as running Special Plants and opening her garden under the NGS scheme , Derry holds day courses at her nursery, hosts Special Tuesdays from April until September, lectures and has written a couple of books. How did you find your way from Connecticut to the UK? I'd started a biodynamic vegetable garden in Connecticut and we used to have people come along at weekends to help out. A particular young man turned up: he returned many times and at the end of the summer I married him. So it was all down to love? Isn't that the
Read more

#mygardenrightnow: heading into summer with the Chelsea Fringe

Image
Ahhhhhh, that's better! I love walking through dewy grass in bare feet, not that there's much in the way of grass on my back lawn this weekend. My wild and woolly lawn has morphed into meadow of sorts this month, which even NAH admits looks attractive*. It's also proved a great source for my Flowers for mum project so far, yielding self-sown perennial cornflowers, lamb's ears, and lemon balm in addition to the blooms you can see. These originated from elsewhere in the garden, the ox-eye daisies must have blown in from the A350 nearby. * = he got very stroppy about the weeds aka self-sown foxgloves in the lawn one year, so he's come along a bit since then. Skimble's demanding to say hello to you too. He does enjoy the patio when it warms up. If the embedded video doesn't work try this link instead. The Nectaroscordum are a revelation. I planted the bulbs around 2 years ago, but it's only this year they've bloomed properly. The bee
Read more

The Resilient Garden

Image
  Part of Tom Massey's Resilient Garden at RHS Hampton Court I've been pondering VP Gardens a lot lately. Last year's drought conditions set me off initially, then our harsher than usual winter combined with this summer's flip and flop weather means the thinking continues. It's a huge topic which I freely admit I'm struggling to get my head around. Tom Massey's Resilient Garden  at Hampton Court recently  tackled this topic brilliantly and was a timely interlude which gave me much food for thought. There he encapsulated the detailed research he'd found which informed both his show garden and book of the same name. I think it's one of the most important show gardens I've ever seen. It's clear the way I garden needs to change so that I have my own resilient garden. I haven't worked out the exact details yet, but Tom's book plus a couple of others (see below), alongside the rainwater management handout from the show garden's  sponso
Read more

Testing Times: Tomatoes

Image
  I've run a couple of tomato trials this year. The first is a revisit of the biochar trial with Oxford University I attempted some years ago (with a different organisation this time), and the second is a trial of a water gadget called Plantsurge which I was given to try at Malvern Spring Show earlier this year. Most of you have probably heard of biochar already and the claim that this inert, carbon-rich material can help soil fertility and plant health. The RHS information in the above link says results can be mixed, with reduced effects found in alkaline soils. This may help to explain the lack of difference I found in my previous trial as VP Gardens is on a lime-rich soil. Plantsurge is a different beast altogether. It's a strong magnet which is attached to a hosepipe as shown in the photo above. It's claimed that it softens water, with the result more like watering with rainwater. The higher nitrogen found in rainwater is thought to be beneficial to plants. Gardener
Read more

Chelsea Fringe 2014: Shows of Hands - Episode I

Image
The gloves NAH used to build the raised bed . The effects are L to R, top to bottom:  Original photo, Warhol, HDR, Green tint, B&W, Posterize, Boost, Cross process and Sepia Welcome to Shows of Hands - my Chelsea Fringe project for 2014! As you can see I've been having a bit of a play around in Pic Monkey for my first contribution. You're welcome to join in between now and 8th June 2014. The idea behind this year's project is to highlight the tool most precious to a gardener: their hands. How do I take part? It's simple. All you need to do is take a photo of hand(s) in a gardening context and then share it via your blog or other social media (such as Twitter or Facebook), then make sure I know you've done so. I've set up Mr Linky below for your blog contributions. The Chelsea Fringe photo on the right sidebar links to this post, so you can easily find it again when you're ready to add your contribution. If you share your photo on Twitter,
Read more

Make Use of Mildew

Image
On my garden patrol this morning I spotted some powdery mildew on a couple of my new Verbena bonariensis plants. I suppose it was almost inevitable as I prefer to grow my plants hard - this means no water for them unless they look absolutely desperate. This approach means plants root themselves more deeply and have a better chance of survival during spells of dry weather like we've had lately. However, it also means I run the risk of problems like today's, especially with any garden newbies planted late in the season. We've had a good drop of rain overnight, so this should help my plants survive. I'll mulch them later today to help lock in the moisture as it's water stress which encourages the mildew to take hold. I've also removed the infected leaves and sprayed the rest with a milky drink.* I'm also pleased to find there's a use for my infected leaves. Oliver Ellingham at Reading University has started a PhD - sponsored by the RHS - researchi
Read more