Need your votes!! Maltese poll - Urgent

[zeebow]

HI all,

Please vote on an online maltese poll in one of the websites of the nationalist maltese government in Malta

http://www.maltarightnow.com/adc.asp

Question is in Maltese, but I will translate:

Il-Gvern għamel sew li għalaq l-istaġun tal-kaċċa?
The government did well to close the spring hunting season?

Iva - Yes
Le - No

Of course we all vote Iva/Yes.

Thanks to all, please help shift this to our aims, and it only takes a few minutes

Chris

[A CHAPLIN]

Thanks Chris,

Done.

Just to clarify for people click on Ghwadex in left hand column, page changes, poll is on right side of page.

Ann :t:

[zeebow]

Great Ann..

Yes thats right, thanks for clarifying, its on the right column in a section called "Opinjoni", meaning opinion!!

[delia todd]

Done

Poll result is currently running at:

55% Yes
44% No

D

[alan_rymer]

Done

Poll result is currently running at:

55% Yes
44% No

D
Ditto. Still 55% v 44% though.


The poll is at the bottom right of the page!.

[zeebow]

I actually found out about this poll from the hunters forum (www.huntinginmalta.org.mt) and it seems that it has been running for the past two days.

They are pushing their members to vote "No", of course, so we have to take on the challenge

[Hippywench]

I've just voted. The results are currently:
Yes: 53%
No: 46%

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi,

Why do the votes seem to be going backwards or is it just me, I was never any good at sums (shows how old I am).

I have written to everybody I can think of in my address book, excluding Stavros Dimas and the Maltese Government of course, should I try them?

Ann :h?:

[Pam_m]

Just voted!

Poll is now:

Yes 53%

No 46%

Thanks for the link Chris:t:

[zeebow]

True...if you look at the hunting forum, they have quite a good number of members there. I hope that the poll is not discriminating (via IP), overseas votes. The timesofmalta.com poll is 87.3 /12.7 in our favour, but it is contended that most of these votes are coming from overseas.

Now this is in Maltese, so its more difficult for non-Maltese to understand, meaning that the party could look into it much more as a show of local sentiments probably.

[Eranou]

Just done.

Votes are now 51% to 48% in favour.

[luke]

now 54 to 46 in favour.

[Mabel]

Just voted...

[Steve G]

Voted.
Currently sitting at 54% yes
46% no

[bartooon]

Added my vote too. Now 54% Yes, 45% No and 1% Ma Nafx (? not sure /don't know)

[xFritzx]

just voted, stats unchanged

[Stewart J.]

Done, 54% Yes, 45% No

Stewart

[PandionMlt]

Yes, Ma nafx = I don't know

there is also another poll on www.timesofmalta.com

[ColD]

Done .
vote 53% ....46%.... 1%

Keep at it

[ColD]

Times of Malta vote
86.7% YES 13.3% NO

[teamsaint]

VOTED!

Iva 53%
Le 46%
Ma Nafx 1%

[GarethW]

Ive voted . Gareth

[GarethW]

Voted, thanks for bringing this to our attention. Gareth

[claire78]

Voted.
Currently
Il-Gvern għamel sew li għalaq l-istaġun tal-kaċċa?

Iva
55%
Le
45%
Ma Nafx
1%
:t:
Just voted in the times one too whihc currently stands at:-

Was the government justified in ending spring hunting so abruptly?

Yes 86.7%
No 13.3%

Total votes: 3162

[Mickymouse]

Also voted in both.

Mick

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi,

Thanks to everyone who has voted, they are our birds they are killing and every one is precious, they have enough hazards to face every day they do not deserve to be blasted out of the sky.

Ann :flyaway: :egghead:

[Dimitris]

56% saying no atm
43% saying yes....

We should make it something like 99% yes. 1% no...:)

[Mark Bruce]

Done !

[Hanno]

Done!

[TJC]

Just voted on hearing this great news, will pass it on to birding friends of course

[John N]

It's 57% yes in the Maltese poll now

[PandionMlt]

THANK YOU ALL!!!! keep voting, keep voting. THe hunters are rallying to swing it in their favour.

Current results:

maltarightnow.com - yes 57%, no 43%, dnt know 1%
timesofmalta.com - Yes 86.6%, No 13.4%

[naturistbird]

Yes....57%
No.....42%

[abagguley]

Just voted - still 57% Yes, 42% No.

Adrian

[Jos Stratford]

Healthy votes in favour of yes in both now, 57% and 83%

[zeebow]

Thanks to all so much for contributing

Voting stands at 57% to 42%, which is an improvement.!!!

[Ilya Maclean]

Voted on both. Now 57% and 86.8%

[Fred Fearn]

Now at 58% & 86.8%.

Keep voting, let's send a clear message to these barbarians.

[KarenWoolley]

Done

Still 58% yes

Could be more; please vote!

[bitterntwisted]

Iva 58%
Le 41%
Ma Nafx 1%
Tweġibiet: 2963

What's Maltese for "Bump"?

[bitterntwisted]

Times of Malta poll for the googly-challenged or idle is at http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/index.php

Latest

Was the government justified in ending spring hunting so abruptly?
Yes 87.0%
No 13.0%

Total votes: 3774

[keithyed]

done both
58-41 now

keith

[Mary Evelyn]

Just spotted this thread.Please vote on both.......... Zeebow and PandionMit.


On Zeebows 58% YES 41% NO

On PandionMits 87% YES 13% NO 3,787 votes altogether and i also sent a comment.

Thankyou guys for bring this to our attention .

[deborah4]

DONE!

Iva = 74%
le = 21%
Nafx = 5%

Times Malta: Yes = 87%
No = 13%
(38,000)

[ColD]

Latest Times of Malta news poll still 87% ....whilst other one is still at 58% .....keep voting folks :D

from todays edition, see link below

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=261397

[Keith Reeder]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6653773.stm

[bitterntwisted]

No-one knows the Maltese for bump?

[Keith Dickinson]

voted and the poll stands at 59% yes

[Sue Wright]

Iva 58%
Le 41%
Ma Nafx 1%
Tweġibiet: 2963

What's Maltese for "Bump"?

Done 59% still

Gundalla or Habta Graham, though it depends whether you want a femine bump or a male one!;)

Sue.

[ayasuda]

Done! Iva - 59%
Le - 40%

[PandionMlt]

No-one knows the Maltese for bump?

In what sense, bump?

I am maltese so i should be able to tell you if you give me the context....

[Mary Evelyn]

In what sense, bump?

I am maltese so i should be able to tell you if you give me the context....

Hi PandionMit,

When we try to keep a thread like this in the lime light we use the word Bump to keep it high on the new post list.

Bump Bump (Like that):flowers:

[deborah4]

Bump Bump (Like that):flowers:

do you mean like this, Mary

bump, bump? :-O

(pandionMlt: 'bump' meaning to 'knock', 'shove', 'push' other posts out of the way, so this stays on top)

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Mary and Deborah,

Keep it up you are doing a good job. As you will have read even the BBC have carried the story on the web let's pray we can put a stop to the slaughter for once and all.

I am not sure if overseas votes are being counted as the totals don't seem to be going up very much, or is that me just being greedy? If only they were real votes in a parliamentary referendum in Malta it would be stopped.

By the way many hunters did not take advantage of the 2 days hunting in Cyprus, they have realised how important it is to let the birds get to their breeding grounds.

Thanks again.

Ann :flowers: :t:

[magpiemick]

voted......

60% to 39%.................1%

[magpiemick]

The other Times of Malta..

86.9%...to...13.1% total voters 4202

[stronzo]

I have voted and it was 60/40. But the thing that scares me is who is voting 'NO'? One would assume that the only people interested in that would be the Maltese hunters. Then if they can keep the voting at more or less 50/50, just how many of the freaks are there?

Mark

[Ruby]

I've just voted, and the Maltese one (which I would imagine they might be more inclined to take note of...) is currently running at 60/39 - so we're winning!

[Andy Bright]

Hi PandionMit,

When we try to keep a thread like this in the lime light we use the word Bump to keep it high on the new post list.

Bump Bump (Like that):flowers:

'Bumping' is not generally encouraged by those who run forums, but we can see special cases and make exceptions. We would ask for some restraint in their use, i.e. a 'bump' only after 24hrs since the last post on a thread.

cheers,
Andy

[Feathered one]

Just voted too.
Went to Malta many years ago, never been back, it was a job to see any birds, not even seagulls !

Malc

[Jodd]

Done!

Also see following link to news item on BBC webpage today (Tuesday 15th May 2007)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6653773.stm

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Jod,

Thanks for the link. It looks like they will be hunting again next year. It was the ideal opportunity for the Minister to say as they could not control illegal hunting spring hunting would not be allowed again. If he had wanted to end it and save face why didn't he do it. Sorry can't find the right words again but I think sadly they will still be slaughtering the birds next Spring.

Ann :-C :egghead:

[John P]

Poll is now at

61% Iva
38% Le
1% Ma Nafx.

[Swissboy]

Done my votes too; and I try to spread it into the German speaking crowd. So far, Switzerland and recipients of Lake of Constance bird info. Maybe, some others could spread it in their countries? Let's hope for the best.

[jocateme]

The link isn't opening in my screen, but I'd certainly send an Iva.

[John P]

Maybe, some others could spread it in their countries?

I've put it on another forum I use, (10,000 members).

= Jocateme The link isn't opening in my screen, but I'd certainly send an Iva.I think you need to have javascript enabled on the pc.

[Collster]

Done!

Also see following link to news item on BBC webpage today (Tuesday 15th May 2007)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6653773.stm

Looks like someones going to be short on Honeys this season, what absolute ********s

[dubs1967]

done!:t:

[ayasuda]

Sorry can't find the right words again but I think sadly they will still be slaughtering the birds next Spring.

Ann

Your right, people don't change overnight, it will take a long time to curb a practice that is socially been accepted. But the dialogue has begun, and it's important to continue to nurture the idea that wildlife is worth protecting, and to let the Maltese govt. know that you all care. But it is equally important that the people of Maltese find it in themselves to care about wildlife. How long that takes is the key. Sometimes people need a bump to get it sooner than later.

[A CHAPLIN]

Thanks Ayasuda,

I knew they wouldn't change overnight as it were but they have now been in the EU 4 years and a lot of meetings, correspondence etc. with the EU Commissioner. We can all be blind or deaf when we don't want to change things there is usually a key somewhere but we just can't find it, if that makes sense.

As the government has decided against a golf course in favour of another reserve that could mean more birds using the islands which could be slaughtered but we will keep trying. I hope I can rely on this level of support if we need it again next year.

At least the appeal to replace the damaged trees has been started by Foresta 2000 and I have heard from BirdLife Malta today that they are hoping to put it on their website this weekend so anyone can donate using credit cards or whatever.

Thanks again to everybody. As I was reading the email from Birdlife Malta a male Greenfinch appeared on a feeder, the first I have seen in a long time and I think he approved.

Ann :egghead:

[Terry W]

Done

Iva 63%
Le 36%

Terry.

[ayasuda]

I'm leaving a little inspiration for those who are willing to go to bat for hawks.

http://www.hawkmountain.org/index.php?pr=History

It's amazing what people can do when they put there minds to it. I was told that Irma Broun was about 5 ft tall, and she stood watch at the entrance to Hawk Mt., while her husband counted the hawks. Irma's job was to greet all the hunters and let them know that the mountain top is accessible for those who left their guns with her. Apparently Irma meant business, because she kept her post for 20 years. The rest is history.

[Swissboy]

Looks like the Times of Malta poll is closed now. What was the final result?

The other poll is at 63/36/1 in favour of iva with a total of 3897 votes (if I guessed the word Twegibiet correctly). Thus still the same. We need more iva voters!

[Jodd]

I'm leaving a little inspiration for those who are willing to go to bat for hawks.

http://www.hawkmountain.org/index.php?pr=History

It's amazing what people can do when they put there minds to it. I was told that Irma Broun was about 5 ft tall, and she stood watch at the entrance to Hawk Mt., while her husband counted the hawks. Irma's job was to greet all the hunters and let them know that the mountain top is accessible for those who left their guns with her. Apparently Irma meant business, because she kept her post for 20 years. The rest is history.


Very inspirational indeed! Thanks for the link.

Jo

[Terry O'Nolley]

I just voted Iva. Poll was still open.

Just wanted to say that unless the developers of the poll are incredibly STUPID, they will group the votes by http referrer and throw out any blocks of votes that are being funnelled from specific websites.

In other words, if you don't want to invalidate a great cause like this then DON'T POST A CLICKABLE LINK!!!!!!

When the pollsters analyze the data, they will see hundreds of YES votes all being directed from birdforum.net and throw away all of the votes.

It is a real shame to have wasted this opportunity by making the link clickable.

if you used hxxp://blahblahblah.com then the people here would have to copy and paste the link into their browser and that would hide the fact that the ballot box was being stuffed.

Hopefully the hunting site is also ignorant about this (I thought) obvious point.

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Folks,

Today's news from the The Times Malta. Thanks for your support I think that poll has now closed as I couldn't find it. The poll on the Malta Now site, the total of people voted stands at 3924.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=261700&hilite=polls

Ann

[zeebow]

The response from all has been great, and I am sure each of the vote has counted. Without this forum we couldn't have done it.

Terry, they can still log the IP and then statistically know from where the votes originate. There are a number of technical ways in which one can identify what the votes actually are. I think the most important thing is to create an awareness that many people care about the hunting situation in Malta, Maltese or not.

Thanks

[Terry O'Nolley]

The response from all has been great, and I am sure each of the vote has counted. Without this forum we couldn't have done it.

Terry, they can still log the IP and then statistically know from where the votes originate. There are a number of technical ways in which one can identify what the votes actually are. I think the most important thing is to create an awareness that many people care about the hunting situation in Malta, Maltese or not.

Thanks

I am very glad you posted this link (which I copied and pasted :)).

Discarding votes by IP address is hard to do because Maltese citizens could be vacationing or expatriots.

They would not expect non-Maltese people to "find" the poll. But noticing hundreds of votes being referred to their news site by a birding forum would make anyone suspicious.

This was a great pointer and I am glad I got the chance to vote but in the future, please present such links in a non-clickable format.

[zeebow]

Point taken , my friend :)

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Folks,

Wasn't sure where to put this but BirdLife Malta have issued a long report on the impact of spring hunting in Malta giving details of ringed birds shot and of course which countries they breed in, given the chance.

http://birdlifemalta.org/

Some birds flying over Malta breed in only one country so the hunters are virtually killing them all, another man-made extinction may be about to happen to certain populations. Sorry I don't know how else to put that. Birds that use other routes are hopefully safe from man anyway.

Lengthy reading but I have saved it to show what I and others are fighting to stop.

Ann :-C :egghead:

[Rose Fletcher]

Apologies people, but I've come along much too late to help with this - I cut and pasted the link, and tried it, but they've already put up a new question. However, point taken about the clickable link Terry, thank you for that. For those of us who are not very advanced with IT, it isn't obvious, sadly.

Ann, thank you for the link above. I live a long way from all this, and would never have found it at all except for Birdforum. All threats to birds, anywhere in the world, are worth knowing about and if possible, acting upon. I don't believe humans have learned what they ought to have learned from the Passenger Pigeons, and with climates rapidly changing, many birds are just so vulnerable.