4 ms·

As mentioned on Reddit (http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/bo623/i_wrote_to_my_mp_2_weeks_ago_regarding_the_de/c0nq3a8 http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews

As mentioned on Reddit (http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/bo623/i_wrote_to_my_mp_2_weeks_ago_regarding_the_de/c0nq3a8 http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/bo623/i_wrote_to_...), this may likely be a screw-up by a secretary, as the letter does make sense aside from this problem.

farnsworth 16y ago
Right, besides the acronym fail, he seems to be using the term correctly, so why give him so much crap for it?
- Silhouette 16y ago
  Because it was an official response to another MP. Getting it right is the most basic thing any public official has to do. If we can't trust them to proofread things that go out with their name underneath on even the most cursory level, how can we trust that the consideration they have given to the wording in Acts of Parliament is careful and reasoned?
  - farnsworth 16y ago
    No, it's because we're a bunch of self-righteous nerds. Come on, this is on the level of a simple misspelling. But of course we love correcting people for those too.
    - chbarts 16y ago
      Do you think policy-makers should have knowledge about the things they make policy regarding?
chris11 16y ago
Yeah, I think that is what happened. From wikipedia: Timms read Mathematics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he gained an MA in Mathematics in 1977 and an MPhil in Operational Research in 1978. Before entering politics, Timms worked in the telecommunications industry for 15 years. It sounds like he would have enough technical background and experience to know what he was talking about in this case.
- chbarts 16y ago
  Fifteen years does not guarantee competence, just like being CEO or CTO does not. Besides, if he were successful in business, why would he be in government? Warren Buffet has never held a cabinet position, to my knowledge.
  - wlievens 16y ago
    > Besides, if he were successful in business, why would he be in government? I don't know anything about this particular case or politician, but I sure hope some people go into government/politics in the hopes of being able to change something for the good, rather than merely because they couldn't make it big in industry.

farnsworth 16y ago

Right, besides the acronym fail, he seems to be using the term correctly, so why give him so much crap for it?

Silhouette 16y ago
Because it was an official response to another MP. Getting it right is the most basic thing any public official has to do. If we can't trust them to proofread things that go out with their name underneath on even the most cursory level, how can we trust that the consideration they have given to the wording in Acts of Parliament is careful and reasoned?
- farnsworth 16y ago
  No, it's because we're a bunch of self-righteous nerds. Come on, this is on the level of a simple misspelling. But of course we love correcting people for those too.
  - chbarts 16y ago
    Do you think policy-makers should have knowledge about the things they make policy regarding?

chris11 16y ago

Yeah, I think that is what happened. From wikipedia: Timms read Mathematics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he gained an MA in Mathematics in 1977 and an MPhil in Operational Research in 1978. Before entering politics, Timms worked in the telecommunications industry for 15 years. It sounds like he would have enough technical background and experience to know what he was talking about in this case.

chbarts 16y ago
Fifteen years does not guarantee competence, just like being CEO or CTO does not. Besides, if he were successful in business, why would he be in government? Warren Buffet has never held a cabinet position, to my knowledge.
- wlievens 16y ago
  > Besides, if he were successful in business, why would he be in government? I don't know anything about this particular case or politician, but I sure hope some people go into government/politics in the hopes of being able to change something for the good, rather than merely because they couldn't make it big in industry.