5 May 2011

I'm not Lestrade.

This is Mycroft updating, because we're waiting for our food in the Thai restaurant and Lestrade is drinking half a pint of beer, so he said I could update on his blog.

He said I didn't have to advertise the fact he's drinking beer.

We've just been to his local polling station. I can't believe there isn't any sort of security surrounding voting. I thought that Lestrade would need some proof of identification. Instead, he walked up to the desk, told them the name of the building his flat is in, and the road, then his surname - and they gave him a ballot paper! He says that's how it is even for General Elections. It seems to me that it's a system open to abuse.

Then he let me see the ballot paper - it all seems a waste of valuable resources to me. A big piece of paper - A5 sized, and you just put one cross on it, with a pencil tied to a string, in a 'booth' which is just a tiny shelf. Then fold it in half and put it into the box.

It wouldn't be very hard to write a computer code which was very secure, and save all that paper.


The other thing that just happened was a telephone call from Mummy.

John, she says can you pack a bag for Sherlock, and a bag for yourself. She's going to pick you and I up from home tomorrow afternoon, then we're to fetch Sherlock directly from his school, and she's taking us away for the weekend. Somewhere I can see the stars. So tonight when I get home I need to pack my own bag, and put my telescope in its box. And pack some things for the dogs. She says they can come too.

She says we'll come back on Sunday, but to pack Sherlock extra clothes and underwear because he's liable to get in the mud and dirt a lot. She also said she'd discuss my school visits with you at the weekend.

53 comments:

annoyedwabbit said...

I think in the US you now have to show ID to vote - but that might also vary by polling place. It's a bit of a tricky issue here because some people worry that requiring ID to vote will make it so some people can't vote - people who don't have photo ID, for whatever reason, but who have a legal right to cast a vote.

Our attempts at voting machines have met with mixed success. It's hard to trust a voting machine made by a company with strong financial ties to one of the candidates, and the software is frequently laughably easy to compromise. I'm quite sure you could do a better job, Mycroft.

Have fun looking at the stars!

Cee said...

I feel a little bit like an ogre, picking on a twelve-year-old's grammar, but, Mycroft, I'm trusting that you'd rather accept a bit of constructive criticism now so that you can get this right in the future.

"She's going to pick you and I up from home tomorrow afternoon" ought to be "She's going to pick you and me up." ("She" is the subject of the sentence; "you and me" is the object.) It often helps to mentally rephrase sentences so that the speaker is the only object, if this gives you any trouble. "She's going to pick I up" sounds immediately and obviously wrong, while having two object pronouns in the sentence can confuse the ear.

I hope you (and Sherlock and John and the dogs, as well!) have a lovely weekend, and that the skies are clear for stargazing.

Mycroft said...

Thank you, Cee.

Usually I'm quite good at written English, but I was a little bit distracted talking to Lestrade about the voting system. I did know that rule, I just wasn't being very careful. Thank you for explaining it so nicely, though.

We will have a nice weekend, I'm sure. It's still a secret where exactly we're going, which is quite exciting.

Lupe said...

Hi, Mycroft! I'm excited on your behalf for the weekend getaway. :) I'm glad you're going to see the stars for your birthday. Astronomy is such a fascinating science.

Becca said...

In the US, voting procedure and laws differ by state, as only having the elections is mandated by federal law (for Congress and the president). This is why the method of voting - paper ballet, computer, lever machine - different between states, and sometimes within states.

I live in New York, and when I vote there was no checking of id. I just told them what zone I lived in and then my name, then signed the form. This past fall was the first time I voted with a paper ballot that is scanned by a computer. Before we used the lever machines, which were old and prone to breaking but less easy to compromise.

Enjoy the stars! I would love to see them away from city lights.

John H. D. Watson said...

Mysterious. Sherlock potentially getting muddy doesn't help narrow it down either - that could happen pretty much anywhere.

Lestrade's not coming?

Mazarin221b said...

As Becca and annoyedwabbit said above, rules vary so widely across the US - I live in Indiana, and we *must* show photo ID that has been verified by the state, then we sign our names in a book that has a copy of the signature from the last time we voted printed in it, next to our address.

You'd think we were beset by voter fraud here, but the last actual case of someone convicted of voter fraud in an effort to sabatoge an election was in something like 1937. It's depressing, and keeps poor people and those who don't drive from voting, but it has been upheld by the courts so far. I hope that changes.

Enjoy your weekend away, and your birthday, Mycroft! I hope you see everything you hope to see with your telescope, and you get whatever cake your heart desires.

Mycroft said...

Mummy spoke to Lestrade on the telephone. I think he's busy. But he said he might be able to join us later.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, sorry Danger, but there is no way I can take the whole weekend off work, not after being away so long.

I spoke to Mrs Holmes, and she told me where you're going (haha!) and I can get there after work on Saturday, I think. Then at least I can spend most of Sunday with you all.

Greg Lestrade said...

(I'm bloody jealous, by the way.) Still, means I get to do exciting things like...stay at work all night, or wash some of my stuff at home...

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, I'm not surprised I suppose. Don't get too buried (literally - I'm picturing an avalanche of paper) while we're gone. Where are we going! Just a hint?

Greg Lestrade said...

I can guarantee that if I were to give you a hint Mrs Holmes would engineer an avalanche of paper so large you would literally never ever see me again.

All I can say, is there will be stars above (I'm fairly sure Mrs H can control the weather) and plenty of room for everyone, plus dogs.

Anon Without A Name said...

Hello Mycroft, glad you found your trip to the polling station instructive. I think there's very little evidence of widespread voting fraud here; because of the need to turn up in person, you would need hundreds, maybe thousands of people colluding to make a difference to the outcome. Postal voting is more problematic, and there have been investigations and prosecutions regarding fraudulent postal voting in recent years.

As the other commenters have mentioned, the US system is different, but the have been some well-documented issues with electronics voting in the past. O'sure you could design a better system, although I admit I'm quite attached to our current low-tech paper and pencil on a string method.

I hope you have a wonderful time star-gazing at the weekend.

Lestrade - a shame you won't be able to make the whole weekend, but it's good you might be be able to join them for some of it (I had assumed that's what the mysterious bag was about?).

John H. D. Watson said...

L - It's not in another country, is it?

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger - I can't tell you ANYTHING. She would kill me!

Nameless - Yeah, I'm pretty gutted, to be honest. But Mrs Holmes is very kindly sorting me tickets so I can join them.

You've lost me on the mysterious bag front. If there's a mysterious bag, it's a mystery to me...

John H. D. Watson said...

You'll only miss about a day of it at least, if we're not leaving till after school Friday.

How am I meant to know what to pack if I don't know where we're going! She wouldn't really kill you.

...Probably.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, I know. Still, a night with you, and a day with you all...work is no substitute.

Low twenties, possible rain showers. You're not camping. But if you're out stargazing all night, it might get a bit chilly.

She would. After getting me busted down to constable. She'd probably feed me to the dogs. give them a taste for human flesh.

John H. D. Watson said...

I know. We'll miss you. Sherlock says your job is stupid, by the way, by which he means it's currently inconveniencing him and he'll miss you too.

give them a taste for human flesh.

Again.

Greg Lestrade said...

I agree with him at the moment. Did you see in the news that a whole load of officers who were forced to retire have been asked to come back to work - for free? I think the powers that be are insane. Moral is through the floor already, without shit like that.

And I was trying not to think that when I wrote about the dogs...

John H. D. Watson said...

What the hell? That's incredibly disrespectful, and toward people who do one of the hardest jobs there is, and it's not as if they normally pay you a fortune either! Christ. What is wrong with the people making these decisions?

Lawless said...

Adding my voice to the chorus here, but Mycroft might as well get information from as wide a variety of people as possible. I live in NJ, which now mandates electronic voting machines. Personally, I prefer the lever machines we used to use, as they're harder to compromise and make a very satisfying noice when you open the curtain, which is what registers your vote. But there are few to no parts for the machines anymore, so once they break down, they're hard to fix.

Voters have to sign a book before voting but don't have to present ID. I don't remember what, if any, kind of ID I had to present when I registered; I don't think I had to. But few enough people vote here that I suppose they don't expect fraudulent registrations.

Enjoy your weekend, and happy birthday! Lestrade, I'm sorry you'll miss some of it, but glad Mrs. Holmes is making it possible for you to join them when you can.

Mycroft said...

Thank you to everyone who has described their voting systems to me. You've all been very informative.

John, Sherlock told me earlier that you had said his giant rabbit could have my bedroom when I went to school. I didn't believe him. I think he's jealous that it's my birthday soon.

Lestrade, I wish you could come with us for the entire weekend too.

Anonymous said...

Mycroft, here in Oregon we vote entirely by mail. Ballots are mailed to registered voters a few weeks before the elections and then we can fill them out and drop them in a number of designated drop boxes around town. I just so happen to have a drop box where I work, but I also pass a few on my way into work. We don't have to show ID or anything (obviously), just sign them and drop them off.

We are having a special vote on May 17th here and I received my ballot late last week, but I haven't voted yet since I still need to read up a bit on the issues first (taxes for our schools and local school and utility board elections).

John H. D. Watson said...

Mycroft - I assure you I did not say the giant rabbit could have your room. He probably is a bit jealous, and I think also upset because the inevitable conclusion his giant rabbit research led him to is that we really don't have enough space here.

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger - I know. And in just under ten years they could do the same to me. Good to know, huh? Makes me feel what I do is really appreciated.

Mycroft, I'm sure John agrees with me that your room is yours, for you to return to on some weekends and holidays. It's not going to become Sherlock's menagerie.

If it makes you feel any better he decided to try to test the effectiveness of my steel toe caps earlier by attempting to break my foot. I think he is a bit jealous indeed.

innie said...

Hello Mycroft! Early happy birthday!

I've voted in both Philadelphia and New York City (Brooklyn, specifically) and in both cases I had to show my driver's license and then sign the book - what's interesting is that the book had a copy of my signature already pasted in, but upside down, so that I couldn't simply copy the existing one.

Sherlock - try not to be too upset that Mycroft is leaving for school soon. If I were you, I'd concentrate on the fact that I had implicit permission from my mother to get very muddy indeed over the weekend.

sherlock said...

His school is STUPID and I don't want to go on this STUPID TRIP ANYWAY.

innie said...

Oh, really? Even though a trip out of London could bring you joys you can't have at home? Like, possibly, playing your violin under the stars, or new wildlife to discover, or perhaps some imperfect practice cakes that need to be disposed of discreetly in the stomachs of five-year-olds?

Or, more importantly, the fact that everyone you love will be together, happy to be with each other and that includes you.

Amy said...

I am so jealous of the stargazing trip! Have fun, everyone.

Sherlock, there might be some interesting insects or animals about at night, wherever you will be. And you'll get to see your Mum, which is a treat.

anonything said...

I did not vote for the Scottish Pirate Party: in part because I am a responsible adult and have not heard any of their policies; mostly because my initial reaction of, "cool!" was based on the fact that pirates are vastly romanticised, which is annoying when logic and historical knowledge kick in.

(The party was on the regional ballot, which accounts for about two-fifths of MSPs and is worked out by a system I don't entirely understand, involving the number of constituency seats won.)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock, firstly I have no idea what you were doing up at half eleven, when you should have been asleep, and secondly, just because you don't like things doesn't make them stupid.

People will listen to your opinion far more if it contains some reasoning, not just insults.

What would you rather do, than go on holiday with your family? And why do you think Mycroft's school is stupid? Because you'll miss him?

Sherlock said...

I WON'T MISS HIM AT ALL OR YOU OR ANYBODY.

Greg Lestrade said...

Calm down.

Well, we'd all miss you if you don't come on the weekend away. And Mycroft will miss us all when he's at school.

Why don't you want to go away for the weekend?

Sherlock said...

Why should he get a trip for being old enough to leave us? It's not fair.

Greg Lestrade said...

He's getting the trip for his birthday. You'll get something for yours too. And he's not leaving us, he'll be back for all the holidays, and some weekends, and we can go and visit him, too.

It's important that he goes to the best school for hid education, just like it's important you do.

Sherlock said...

He is so leaving, everyone leaves. You will too.

John H. D. Watson said...

Sorry, L. I'll talk to him.

Greg Lestrade said...

He's not, Sherlock. He'll be gone for a few weeks at a time, that's all.

And I won't be going anywhere for as long as John will have me.

I know it seems to you like everyone leaves, but it's not true. And even if people go to new places, it doesn't mean they're leaving. Look at Nicky and me. We haven't lived together for 30 years, but we still see each other, and talk to each other.

I'm sure that once your Mum picks all of you up today you'll go and have a lovely time. Please be good for her and for John. And be nice to Mycroft, because he is a little nervous about going to school, and next year he might not see us on his birthday, so we want this year to be extra special, okay?

Greg Lestrade said...

Don't worry, Danger. I sort of understand where he's coming from. There was a time when I was little when I thought everyone left, too.

Anonymous said...

That conversation just broke my heart a little bit.

Greg Lestrade said...

Anon - it's sort of easy to forget, when they're busy being geniuses, what hard lives the boys have had. And Mycroft is just about the only constant in Sherlock's life. I'm just glad that the school is close by, so we can easily take Sherlock for visits.

There is already a massive difference between the boys I first met, and these two now. John is working miracles.

Anonymous said...

Mycroft: In France, you're put on the vote list when you're 18 years old and when you've done your "Journée défense et citoyenneté" (a full day to learn about defence, army, politics and geopolitics and follow a first-aid course. This day has been obligatory since 1998).
To vote you should get by mail "une carte d'électeur", a voting pass which indicate where you can vote. Then you go to the poll office (usually a primary school) and present you voting pass and a proof of identification if you live and vote in a city with more than 3500 inhabitants, else your votin pass is good enough.
Depending on the city you vote with a paper ballot or on a machine. But you never ever have to write on your paper ballot. It becomes void if there is any mark on it. If you must answer to a referendum, you won't check yes or no, you will choose between a yes or a now paper.

Well, I hope it wasn't too boring and clear enough as English isn't my first language.

Have a nice week end.

Sherlock : Take care and enjoy the week end. I'm pretty sure you will get a nice surprise for your next birthday. You should start thinking about what you might want to do...

Anon Without A Name said...

Lestrade - when you asked John to take your bag to his yestetday, you said "I'm sure I don't have to explain just how terrible it would be if you lost it...", which sort of made it sound like it wasn't just an overnight bag with your jimjams and shaving kit...

Sherlock - It feels so unfair, doesn't it, when older people go off and do stuff. It feels like they're leaving you, but they aren't, not really. I'm sure he'll miss you (and the dogs) at least as much as you'll miss him, maybe more. I hope you have a lovely muddy weekend; maybe if you ask nicely, Lestrade will teach you a bit more about how to see what's going on in people's lives just by looking?

Greg Lestrade said...

Nameless - Ah, I see! No, nothing terribly exciting, or mysterious! just my work bag - laptop and files. The reason I mentioned how terrible it would be to lose it is because, as a civilian, John shouldn't have it at all, I should keep it with me. But Danger is nothing if not trustworthy, and I didn't want to lug it all the way over the city to mine, just to take it back to John anyway. The press would have an absolute field day if police files got into the public domain via a senior police officer's boyfriend, believe me.

John - i hope Sherlock had calmed down a bit by the time he was at school? I just wish I'd been there for that conversation, not on the other end of the internet. I just want to hug him when he's like that.

You all have a brilliant time, won't you?

Anon Without A Name said...

The press would have an absolute field day if police files got into the public domain via a senior police officer's boyfriend, believe me.

Heh, as opposed to the press having a field day because a senior police officer blogged all over the Internet about leaving his laptop & files in the care of his boyfriend :-p But yeah, our press is particularly vicious and unforgiving, isn't it?

I think we all wanted to hug Sherlock this morning :-(

Greg Lestrade said...

Ah, he didn't take it in the end. i wasn't finished at work. Mycroft waited very patiently (he'd brought a book with him - he knows me too well).

The press do have their uses. Sometimes.

Sometimes the only way to get Sherlock to calm down is hug him and not let him go. Wait until the fight's out of him. Show him whatever he does, he won't scare you away. It's not always very pleasant, but it seems to work. I nearly turned around and headed back home this morning. Partly for him, partly for me.

Anonymous said...

It all feels very imminent, but Mycroft isn't leaving until the fall, right? This is all just him picking a school and filling out the paperwork? (I almost said applying, but I imagine the schools are competing for him not the other way around.)

Elizabeth said...

I imagine there's a queue of headmasters down Baker Street vying for Mycroft's attention even though he's already settled on Harrow.

And I bet the Harrow admissions staff threw a party when they first heard his choice.

Greg Lestrade said...

Kholly - yes, he'll go in the Autumn. September I assume, when most schools go back.

I don't know how far his reputation precedes him. He is only 12, and these schools do take a lot of clever kids. All I care about is him being happy. If he wanted he could go to a comprehensive for all I cared. Although his mother probably wouldn't agree.

I think he's actually going to look around a few schools, before settling his final choice. Just to be certain. But he is favouring Harrow strongly.

Mycroft said...

I'm going to Harrow. We're only visiting Eton because Mummy says I have to.

Greg Lestrade said...

You should go just to see the place. You'll no doubt encounter people who went there your entire working life. You'll be a better judge of them if you know the school they are a product of.

Bronwyn said...

I totally understand, Mycroft. I'd decided where I was going to university by the time I was 14. My parents still made me visit two others. I was unimpressed, but it made them happy.

Later gator,
Bronwyn

Kholly said...

I made a really poor decision on what school to go to when I was your age, though it was the school my parents favored and I just sort of went with it. I don't think it did me any harm in the long run; I'm happy with my life now. But some of my science friends wonder if I'd be more geeky now if my high school actually owned a microscope and didn't let me skip chemistry in favor of creative writing and advanced french.

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