http://www.opendemocracy.net/blog/dliberation/first_impressions Comments for "Utterly unscientific first impressions, " en http://www.opendemocracy.net/blog/dliberation/first_impressions <p> (Hastily scribbled from the bowels of the European Parliament building...) </p> <p> <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2259/1552983841_10c9b828df_o.jpg" alt="The launch of the poll, European Parliament, 12th October 2007" title="The launch of the poll, European Parliament, 12th October 2007" width="600" height="200" /> </p> <p> The main parliament chamber is surprisingly bright - especially for anyone used to the ancient gloom of the House of Commons. Also unsurprisingly rather larger than the Commons, with 780-odd seats for MEPs. </p> <p> I also have a lot more respect for MEPs now - the headphones necessary for the simultaneous interpreting (most of this event = conducted in French). Incredibly uncomfortable... No padding and far too tight, even after adjustment... To sit through lengthy political debates in any parliament can be mind-numbingly tedious - to have to do it while your head&#39;s being squashed would be a nightmare. A form of torture by multilingualism. </p>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.opendemocracy.net/blog/dliberation/first_impressions" class="read-more" title="Read the rest of this posting.">Read the rest of this post...</a><p><a href="http://www.opendemocracy.net/blog/dliberation/first_impressions">read more</a></p> http://www.opendemocracy.net/blog/dliberation/first_impressions#comment dLiberation J Clive Matthews The Poll Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:33:09 +0100 J Clive Matthews 34788 at http://www.opendemocracy.net