Which classic movies should never be remade?

The movie industry likes a remake and can take a foreign classic like the Seven Samurai and turn it into a classic western like The Magnificent Seven. Sometimes they are just content on updating films like The Thomas Crown Affair and Ocean's Eleven.

Are there any classic movies that are too sacred to touch or is everything up for grabs?

We list some classic movies that have to date not been remade and ask you if they should be left alone or are ideal remake material?

Participate in this weeks open survey Which classic movies should never be remade?

Should the US Presidency Meet with Enemy States?

In a recent debate that included the two front runners for the Democratic nomination, New York senator Hillary Clinton and the Illinois senator Barack Obam, the candidates were asked if they would meet in the first year of their presidency with the leaders of such enemy nations as Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Iran, and Syria.

Hillary Clinton said that she would not promise to meet with the leaders of enemy nations stating that a new president had to be careful not to be exploited by hostile leaders for propaganda purposes and not to do anything "that would make the situation worse." Before any meeting, she'd have to know "what the way forward would be."

Barack Obam on the other hand said that he thought it a disgrace that "we haven't talked to leaders of the five anti-American countries" and pointed out that despite President Reagan calling the Soviet Union an "evil empire" he still talked to Soviet leaders. "

Do you think that dialogue between hostile nations is the way forward and is an opportunity that is too easily overlooked?

In politics, is last years enemy, this years friend as in the case of Libya's Colonel Gadafy; or last years friend this years pariah as in the case of Saddam Hussein?

Can an end to conflicts like Northern Ireland only be achieved once the politicians have opened up a discussion?

Is the willingness to meet face to face with your enemy a sign of weakness?

Participate in this weeks open survey Should the US Presidency Meet with Enemy States?

Should people drink water from the tap or the bottle?

For many years there have been many studies that have concluded that for countries that have well developed water treatment, bottled water is often no healthier or safer to drink than tap water.

Organisations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature have for many years argued that bottled water is not only environmentally unfriendly but also a waste of money.

However, despite high quality and availability of tap water, the research findings and the high cost of bottled water the developed world continues to consume bottled water at an alarming rate.

The city of New York recently launched an advertising campaign to try and persuade people to give up bottled drinks and consume tap water instead to help protect the environment. New York's city officials have said that they hope that their campaign will save people money and reduce waste.

Environmental groups claim that four out of five plastic water bottles end up on landfill sites and the production process and distribution process, sometimes involving shipping water halfway around the world, causes global warming.

The Bottled Water Association have been reported to say that they think it unfair to single out an industry that is promoting recycling and introducing biodegradable packaging.

According to the Washington, D.C.-based environmental group, Food and Water Watch, Americans drank 37 billion bottles' worth in 2005. Nearly 40 percent of bottled water is in fact bottled treated tap water and the federal government requires far more vigorous testing of municipal water than bottled water.

Is New York city correct to try and promote tap water? Do you currently prefer to drink tap or bottled water and which do you think is better for you?

Participate in this weeks open survey Should people drink water from the tap or the bottle?

For more information on New York City's campaign please visit The Tap Project.

Was Bush right to prevent Lewis Libby from going to jail?

US President Bush created a political storm by intervening to stop the disgraced White House aide, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, from going to jail.

In March 2004 Libby testified to a grand jury and denied deliberately leaking that Valerie Plame's worked for the CIA.

In October 2005 Libby was indicted by the FBI on five counts: obstruction of justice and two counts each of false statement and two counts of perjury.

In September 2006 the former US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage confesses to leaking Plame's name and in March 2007 Libby was found guilty on four out of five charges and given a 30-month prison sentence.

Bush said "I respect the jury's verdict. But I have concluded that the prison sentence is excessive.".

President Bush did not grant Mr Libby a pardon and Libby will still face a $250,00 fine and remain on probation, Bush did however commute Libby's jail sentence.

The announcement from President Bush was prompted by a federal court decision earlier yesterday not to allow Mr Libby to remain at home pending the outcome of an appeal that would have meant that he would have been heading to jail within the next few weeks where he was expected to have served out his time in a minimum security jail.

Critics had suggested that Libby's strategy had until then appeared to be to string out the appeal until January 2009 in expectation of a pardon when Mr Bush left office.

The Democratic leader in the Senate, Harry Reid described Mr Bush's action as "disgraceful" and Charles Schumer, a Democratic senator was to reported to have said "As independence day nears, we're reminded that one of the principles our forefathers fought for was equal justice under the law. This commutation completely tramples on that principle.".

Fred Thompson, a Republican welcomed the decision from Bush, noting Mr Libby's long service to the US.

Has President Bush acted as a democratic leader or a dictator in this matter? Should those that hold positions of high office be held more, and not less accountable, than those that they represent?

Participate in this weeks open survey Was Bush right to prevent Lewis Libby from going to jail?

What are the world's favourite buildings?

There are stunning buildings throughout the world, some built in ancient times, some modern day wonders.

Which buildings are your favourite and which of those we have short listed have you visited, or would like to visit?

Participate in this weeks open survey What are the world's favourite buildings?

Was Salman Rushdie's knighthood deserved?

In 1988 the publication of The Satanic Verses sparked worldwide protests when it was condemned by the Islamic world because of its perceived blasphemous depiction of the Prophet Muhammad.

It was described by one book critic as a cosmic battle between good and evil that combined fantasy, philosophy and farce.

The book was banned in many countries with large Muslim communities and in 1989 Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran's spiritual leader, issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's execution.

Although in 1998, the Iranian government said it would no longer support the fatwa some groups said that the fatwa was irrevocable.

After many years in hiding Salman returned to public life in 1999.

Fast forward to 2007 and Salman Rushdie was one of over 900 people to appear on the Queen's Birthday Honours list, which is aimed at recognising outstanding achievement.

Iran were quick to criticised the knighthood, saying praising the "apostate" showed Islamophobia among British officials.

Also a Pakistani minister was reported to have said that 'Salman Rushdie contributes to insulting Islam and may lead to terrorism' and the Religious Affairs Minister Ejaz-ul-Haq told his parliment that such 'actions are the root cause of terrorism.

Were the British right to honour Salman Rushdie, did he deserve such an honour and were Pakistan and Iran correct in their criticism?

Participate in this weeks open survey Was Salman Rushdie's knighthood deserved?

Should the EU's Galileo satellite-navigation be scrapped?

Europe's eight-company, five-nation satellite-navigation consortium, Galileo was concocted as a public-private partnership by the European Union in 2002. The aim was to construct a rival to the American built Global Positioning System (GPS) that was originally developed for the US armed forces but is now available for free use worldwide.

GPS is now in everyday use from aviation to private vehicles with sales of GPS equipment exceeding twenty billion dollars a year with about 5 of that being non-civilian use.

As an alternative to America's GPS Galileo was supposed to be accurate to within one metre rather than three. Funding for the project was to be recouped by offering a free GPS-like service, but charge for higher accuracy and other special features.

European fears that America could at a whim turn off their GPS system have diminished since Russia and China have launched their own systems, offering increasingly capable alternatives to GPS and modifications made by the US to their GPS system now allows then to offer similar accuracy to that planned by Galileo.

Original scheduled to be operational by 2010 only one of the planned 30 satellites has so far been launched, the official estimated completion date is now 2012 with most analysts saying it will not be ready until 2014. The project was originally costed at $3.4 and is already some $2 billion over budget.

Transport ministers from the EU's 27 member countries are now due to meet to consider Galileo's fate.They have three options: to set new deadlines for the consortium and pour in more money; to make it a fully public-sector initiative and foot the bill; or to shut it down.Which would you vote for?

Participate in this weeks open survey Should the EU's Galileo satellite-navigation be scrapped?

London's 2012 Olympic Logo Revealed - Good or Bad?

The design agency Wolff Olins won the competitive tender "to refine the brand positioning for the London 2012 Games and develop a Games emblem and associated corporate identity".

After 14 months of brainstorming, consulting, "brand positioning" and costing some £400,000 , they have produced a design and have announced:-

The new emblem is dynamic, modern and flexible. It will work with new technology and across traditional and new media networks.

It will become London 2012's visual icon, instantly recognisable amongst all age groups, all around the world. It will establish the character and identity of the London 2012 Games and what the Games will symbolise nationally and internationally."

Some people have greeted the new design as bold, daring and breaking the mould of previous, and what some have said were more conservative, Olympic logo designs.

Not everyone has been kind, Stephen Bayley wrote in the Telegraph "Mesmerised as if confronting a nasty incident in traffic, we gaze at the Olympic logo. It is a puerile mess, an artistic flop and a commercial scandal."

As shown above there are versions of the logo using different colours and some animated examples have also been on show.

Is the logo a dynamic colouration and daring asymmetry reflecting the rich texture of the world's cosmopolis; or does it represent an outrageously expensive logo that, like the Games themselves, is a dated concept of more interest to politicians than to people?

Participate in this weeks open survey London's 2012 Olympic Logo Revealed - Good or Bad?

What are Paul Newman's best movies?

On May 25 2007 Paul Newman announced that he was retiring from acting entirely.

Born in 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio he started acting in grade school and high school plays. He spent a year at the Yale Drama School and attended the famed New York Actors Studio. His first film, The Silver Chalice (1954) was nearly his last as he considered his performance in this costume epic to be so bad that he took out a full-page ad in a trade paper apologising to anyone who might have seen it.

However he followed it up with Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) where he portrayed the boxer Rocky Graziano and received rave reviews from the critics for his brilliant performance and went on to become one of the top box office draws of the 1960s, starring in such films as The Hustler (1961), The Prize (1963), Hud (1963), Cool Hand Luke (1967) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).

He also produced and directed many quality films and was nominated nine times for a best actor Oscar, winning once for his performance as an ageing pool shark in The Color of Money (1986).

He also founded the "Newman's Own" brand, a successful line of food products that has earned in excess of $100 million, every penny of which he has donated to charity.

Now in his eighties he stated that he doesn't feel he can continue acting on the level that he would want to. "You start to lose your memory, you start to lose your confidence, you start to lose your invention. So I think that's pretty much a closed book for me."

How do you rate Paul Newman as an actor and what from our shortlist of movies do you think were his top three?

Participate in this weeks open survey What are Paul Newman's best movies?

What will British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Legacy be?

After 10 years as prime minister and 13 as Labour leader Tony Blair has announced that he will tender his resignation to the Queen on June 27.

In a 17-minute speech in front of a handpicked group of supporters he said the judgement on his 10-year administration was "for you, the people, to make".

He apologised for "the times I have fallen short" but stated that "Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right. I may have been wrong - that's your call. But I did what I thought was right for our country.

Many critics have suggested that Mr Blair's exit was forced upon him and that his party were keen to see him go.

How do you rate Mr Blair's performance, what do you think will be his legacy and what do you think he will do in future?

Participate in this weeks open survey What will British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Legacy be?

Does Paris Hilton Deserve Jail?

A Los Angeles judge's sentenced hotel heiress Paris Hilton to 45 days behind bars in a California jail cell after she was found guilty for violating a probation order and driving with a suspended license.

She has insisted that she doesn't deserve the sentence that she has claimed is both cruel and unwanted.

She has called on her fans to help her stay out of jail by endorsing an online petition her fans can sign and she has reportedly also asked California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon her.

The petition to Schwarzenegger claims that "the American public who support Paris are shocked, dismayed and appalled by how Paris has been the person to be used as an example that drunk driving is wrong. She provides hope for young people all over the US and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives. If the late former President Gerald Ford could find it in his heart to pardon the late former President Richard Nixon after his mistake(s), we undeniably support Paris Hilton being pardoned for her honest mistake as well."

Should Paris Hilton serve time?

Participate in this weeks open survey Does Paris Hilton Deserve Jail?

Hillary Clinton 2008 Democratic presidential nomination?

With less than a year to go until the US primaries the race is on for the 2008 democratic nomination. With candidates jockeying for position and the possibility of some late entries who do you think will win the nomination? Will Hillary Clinton be able to emulate her husbands success and succeed in first winning the Democratic nomination and then the US Presidency? Is the US Presidency more about policies or charisma?

Participate in this weeks open survey Hillary Clinton 2008 Democratic presidential nomination?

Should Prince Harry be sent to Iraq?

Prince Henry of Wales, more commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and his first wife, the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Prince Harry is third in the line of succession to the British Throne, behind his father, and his older brother Prince William.

Following the royal families tradition Prince Harry joined the British Army and after training is now an officer in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry.

The British Ministry of Defence recently confirmed that Prince Harry would be deployed with his regiment in Iraq where he will serve as part of the 1st Mechanised Brigade of the 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division.

It is believed that the Blues and Royals are expected to form part of the force patrolling the Iran-Iraq border with the prince leading a small force tasked with reconnaissance duties using Scimitar tanks.

The last member of the British Royal Family to serve in a war zone was the Prince's uncle, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, who flew helicopters during the Falklands War in 1982 who at the time would have been second in line to the British Throne.

In interviews Prince Harry had made it clear that he would leave the army if he was left in safety while his regiment was sent to a war zone.

However, some sources have sought to prevent Prince Harry from serving, often claiming that his presence there would put at risk those that severed with him.

Should Prince Harry serve in Iraq, and if he does, should he be given more protection than would normally be expected for any other serving officer of similar rank?

Participate in this weeks open survey Should Prince Harry be sent to Iraq?

Should Service Personnel be Allowed to Sell Their Stories?

In March 2007 15 British navy personnel were detained in Iran for 13 days after being seized by the Iran Revolutionary Guard in the Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq for allegedly trespassing into Iranian territorial waters. The British government said they were in Iraqi waters.

While in Iranian custody some of the personnel where seen on Iranian television apologising for their action and in interviews stated that they were being treated well by their Iranian hosts. Some of those in custody wrote published statements that criticised the British involvement in Iraq.

On the navy personnel's release six members of the group attended a press conference arranged by the Navy and said they were kept in solitary confinement for much of the time and that they were at times fearful that they would be executed.

With media interest growing the navy was authorised by the Government to allow the naval personnel to sell their individual stories to the press. There was severe criticism from within and outside the armed forces for allowing the service personnel to benefit financially. Some argued that it would undermine the reputation of the British Armed Forces at home and Britain's standing abroad and that it would also set a dangerous precedent for whenever military actions are the subject of intensive media coverage in the future. Many argued that it was unfair to other service personnel who were serving in in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Defence Secretary, Des Browne, first denied involvement but eventually admitted that it was he who first authorised the service personnel to sell their stories and then later reversed his decision when he announced that Service personnel will not 'be allowed to talk to the media about their experiences in return for payment' until the review is complete.

Relationships between the government and the British armed services have been strained as the government have been slow to admit their involvement.

Should a country's military personnel be allowed to discuss their experiences with the press and if so should they be entitled to some financial reward?

Do you believe that the British personnel had wandered into Iranian territorial waters?

Participate in this weeks open survey Should Service Personnel be Allowed to Sell Their Stories?

President Bush the Joker or a Joke?

President Bush attended the US Radio and Television Correspondents' Association 2007 dinner where not for the first time and in keeping with the events traditions he made a speech that poked fun at himself and a few others and his remarks drew laughter and applause from the Washington Hilton Hotel audience.

He made light of the poor ratings he is experiencing due to his handling of Iraq and he tongue in cheek suggested that the Vice President was on vacation in Afghanistan where people liked him. He also touched on the controversy over the Justice Department's firing of eight federal prosecutors, by saying: "I have to admit we really blew the way we let those attorneys go. You know you've botched it when people sympathise with lawyers."

The full speech can be seen at Bush Address at Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner.

Even the most ardent of Bush supporters have now accepted that there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq and there was no link between Saddam Hussein and global terrorists. The Bush action that was launched based on that misinformation has cost over 3,500 American, UK and other military lives and over 20,00 wounded (January 2003 to April 2007), with an untold number of civilian deaths which even the most conservative estimate puts at over 24,000 and is more likely to be much higher.

Considering the serious consequences of his action should the US president be making light of any part of his administration?

Is his ability to make jokes at his own expense an attempt to reverse his unpopularity?

Should George Bush resign or see out the rest of his presidential term?

Participate in this weeks open survey President Bush the Joker or a Joke?

What's your View of the Modern Man?

For many societies around the world the man is still seen as the main bread winner while the female role is to raise the family and concentrate on the home.

For the developed nations that traditional role has slowly been challenged and house-husbands are not uncommon and finding females who have the more financial rewarding career in a partnership is now not that unusual.

Do you believe that in any relationship tradition should prevail and it should be the male who provides for the family and the female who makes the home?

Do you believe that the roles should be reversed or that responsibilities should be shared without any pre-conditioned view as to who should do what in a relationship?

Participate in this weeks open survey Do you Support the Modern Man?

Should Britain Apologise for the Slave Trade?

2007 sees the United Kingdom mark 200 years since the British parliament abolished the transatlantic trade in slaves.

To publicise the anniversary a number of movies, television dramas and documentaries have been made that have in themselves brought controversy as many factions argue who in history should be credited with being the driving force behind the action that led to the abolishment of the abhorrent trade.

A further debate has emerged with some people requesting that Britain apologise.

Should governments, on behalf of their citizens, apologise for things their forefathers have done wrong or does the passing of generations make such apologies meaningless?

If an apology was to be made, who should make it and to whom and should any apology be accompanied with financial compensation?

Participate in this weeks open survey Should Britain Apologise for the Slave Trade?

Controversial Glass Balcony Built Over Grand Canyon

In Phoenix at the Grand Canyon the Indian Hualapai tribe have constructed a large glass-bottomed walkway.

The $30 million Skywalk is perched at the canyon's edge and uses an elaborate system of pulleys connected to four tractor-trailers to allow the platform to extend some 70 feet over the rim and about 4,000 feet over the canyon floor.

The tribe hope that the attraction will encourage tourism to the remote western edge of the canyon where the tribe that number about 2,200 people live.

Construction of the platform started in April 2005 and was the idea of a Las Vegas developer David Jin.

David Jin approached the Hualapai in 1996 with a plan to build it using his own money and the tribe agreed but on the condition that the tribe would own the walkway and Jin would get a cut of any profits.

However some of the Hualapai elders have now started to question the wisdom of the project as to them the canyon is sacred ground and the construction cut into land scattered with Hualapai burial sites.

Environmentalists also have criticised the project for diminishing the canyon's majesty with some critics describing the structure as a tacky tourist attraction.

It is predicted that the Skywalk will become a major and popular attraction, bringing much needed income to the tribe.

Do you think the Hualapai tribe were right to agree to the construction?

Do you think the design of the Skywalk is environmentally in keeping with the Grand Canyon?

Participate in this weeks open survey Controversial Glass Balcony Built Over Grand Canyon?

Are Diamonds Rare?

In the 1870s at the Kimberley mine in South Africa a 128-carat, canary-yellow diamond called simply The Tiffany, was discovered. The diamond-encrusted mines at Kimberly became known as kimberlites and their discovery began a huge mining operation that continues to this day.

What the kimberlites offered was once-rare gems to millions upon millions of ordinary consumers and soon thousands of prospectors were thrown into fierce competition causing diamond prices to plummet from 500 dollars to ten cents a carat.

With diamonds increasingly in abundance, Cecil Rhodes founded the De Beers Mining Company as a group of diamond producers.

His first aim was to control production to prevent too many diamonds hitting the market and therefore keep prices high.

By controlling the supply and demand since that time De Beers has perhaps become the most successful cartel of the 20th century.

In the 1920s De Beers ran a successful marketing campaign that transformed the public's imagination about the diamond and has to this day, managed to associate diamonds to a symbol of human love and devotion.

In 1994, the Department of Justice charged De Beers in a price fixing scheme. Although the company denies the allegations the company failed to turn up in court and so the matter remains unresolved.

To the question that is sometimes asked "Are diamonds rare or are their prices hideously inflated?" De Beers officials are usually unresponsive on these points and instead they claim that the company has "democratised" diamonds by offering them to millions of ordinary consumers.

Critics argue that diamonds are at best semi-precious stones and were it not for De Beers, and considering the amount of diamonds in current circulation and the amount that are stock piled by De Beers, consumer quality gems commonly used for engagement rings would be cheap and in abundance.

Do you think that diamonds are rare and would you consider them as an investment?

Participate in this weeks open survey Are Diamonds Rare?

Britney Spears - A very public breakdown

Aged 25 Britney Spears recently suffered what appeared to be a very public breakdown when she was reported to have driven to a hairdressing salon and shaved her own head.

A child star who first found fame in 1993 as a member of the American TV show The Mickey Mouse Club, she went on to have phenomenal success with her first single "Baby....one more time" and a debut album which became the highest selling album of a teenager of all time.

With her media stock riding high she won MTV awards and publicly announced her relationship with fellow Mickey Mouse Club child star Justin Timberlake who had himself carved out a successful solo singing career.

When she broke up with Justin Timberlake though things started to go wrong and the media were there to not only see her burst into tears during a TV interview, but were at hand to report her Las Vegas marriage to her childhood friend Jason Alexander and it's annulment two days later.

Britney did get married for real to one of her backing dancers, Kevin Federline, in April 2004. The media were quick to report that the marriage would prove to be less than happy and while her new husband tried to carve out a singing career for himself, Britney became pregnant. The new baby did nothing to save the marriage and Britney and Kevin filed for divorce in December 2006 after just two years of marriage.

Rarely out of the media spotlight, Britney then alarms friends and family as she appears to mentally self-destruct resulting in the shaving of her head and visits in and out of rehab centres.

Reports have suggested that Britney is being treated for postnatal depression and that doctors believe that any substance abuse was a reaction to post-baby blues and an intense feeling on Britney’s part that she had lost control of her life.

Do you think this is the price people like Britney pay for having achieved stardom; or is it the fault of the media that continually fuels the paparazzi; or is it the general public that buys the newspapers and magazines that take delight in reporting when celebrities have bad hair days?

Participate in this weeks open survey Britney Spears - a very public breakdown

Flawed Customer Services (Part 3) - Single Point of Failure

In the previous two parts of this article the suppliers were shown to be wanting but their main problem was that they did not have sufficient and effective feedback in place to identify and resolve problems.
In this third and final example the supplier is relying on a procedure that has a serious and unnecessary 'single point of failure' risk.

Example 3 – Single Point of Failure

This final supplier offers customers a very clever application that converts between different media formats and offers a free trial that will allow the software to be fully tested before purchasing.

They market their product as a full suite and also in a number of 'lite' versions for customers who do not require all the bells and whistles. The product is sold in the region of $800 for the full version and $250 for the 'lite'.

For this supplier I purchased the 'lite' product on Christmas Eve as I required the software to complete a project that I needed to be finished by the New Year.

The order was confirmed online and a message displayed to inform me that an email would be sent to confirm the order and that it would contain download instructions, I was able to confirm that the email address that it would be sent to was correct.

No email was received confirming the order and containing download instructions so I logged onto the suppliers website and using the order detail menu options I was able to locate the order.

Mistake 1 – No backup

Although in this particular case the email entered was correct I noticed that within the ordering process there was no facility that would have allowed me to correct the email if it were wrong.

There was also no procedure to confirm that the email entered was typed correctly, this would normally done by requesting that the typed email be repeated.

There was no procedure to allow the customer to resend the confirmation and if the email were entered incorrectly, but by chance was a valid email address, it would be possible for an unauthorised third-party to receive the download instructions and validation key.

Even though there was a facility provided that allowed the customer to track the order through the website there was no procedure to allow the download to be initiated through logging onto the website.

Although there was the facility to download the full suite and then activate it using a software license key, this facility was not available for the 'lite' version.


Mistake 2 – Reliant on customer services

In this particular case the problem was made worse because the order was place on Christmas Eve and so contacting customer services meant waiting until their personnel returned from the Christmas holidays.

For problems such as being unable to download a product a backup procedure online would reduce the number of support queries requiring human attention.

Mistake 3 – No feedback

Ordering procedures that do not allow customers to give feedback are missing the opportunity to gain from the customer's experience and this supplier was another who did not have any official feedback channel.

Summary

The reliance of email notification without having any backup procedures fails to take into account that mail systems are becoming less reliable as a first contact often due to over zealous and multi-layered spam filters.

Not validating an address before sending sensitive information such as download instructions and access keys is very cavalier.

Having made the effort to allow an order to be tracked, it makes little sense not to include a download option along with the order details.


In Conclusion

This series of articles has showcased three companies that each had automated procurement procedures and had established a customer service methodology that on paper would appear to be effective.

In each case the manufacturers would have benefited from employing a simple 'catch all' customer satisfaction survey to allow them to check that their ordering procedures were quick and effective that in turn would have allowed them to improve their sales and/or reputations.

Experiencing problems is a fact of life, but for good customer services it is important to be able to catch problems and then learn from them in a manner that continually validates and challenges a businesses ordering and fulfilment systems.

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To view a number of other articles relating to customer services and customer satisfaction surveys please visit Survey Galaxy Knowledge Base.

Flawed Customer Services (Part 2) - Alienating the Customer

In part one of this three part article it was shown that a particular supplier failed to make a sale because they had made it unnecessarily complicated for a certain category of customers to locate the required information to purchase the product. Because they also failed to gather any feedback the flaws in their procurement procedures are likely to remain undetected and unresolved.
This second example does receive feedback but as you will see it is feedback that is going to the wrong person, if the 'problem' is also the customer services channel then problems can exist that are not apparent to the company.


Example 2 – Alienating the Customer

While in travelling in South Africa I found myself wanting to watch a DVD on my notebook computer but when I tried to access the DVD through Microsoft's Windows Media Player it displayed an error which advised me that I needed to purchase an add-on before I was able to access DVDs.

Windows Media player directed me to a list of suppliers and I chose one who greeted me with the marketing line, 'You are five minutes away from watching a DVD on your computer'.



Mistake 1 – No trial

Not providing any free trial for commodity applications is unusual as it benefits the manufacturer and the customer if the software can first be tested to ensure it works and meets the customer's expectations.

With a trial offer if there is any problem with the application potential customers do not generally mind if they have had the chance to try before they buy.

Mistake 2 – Un-documented and Unnecessary Restrictions

Because of the relatively low price of the product I completed the online order form and received an email order confirmation giving me a link for the download. I clicked on the link and my download accelerator kicked in that allows me to download files quicker by splitting the download file into smaller files and using simultaneous downloads.

After a few seconds the download failed and I found that I was unable to restart the download. I looked at the email confirmation and found instructions on how to log onto the suppliers website and check the progress of an order and in doing so I found a download button. Unfortunately when I clicked on the download button I received a message informing me that I had exceeded by download limit which was set at five and therefore was left with no option but to email the suppler for assistance.

I received an automated response to my email to notify me that my email query had been received and that they would deal with my enquiry using their first come first served support policy.

After several hours I received a response to my email informing me that they had reset the download count and then, as an aside, also notified me that their download procedure did not support download applications that allowed the download to be restarted and/or accelerated.

Turning off the download accelerator I was able to download the file without too many problems.

Download accelerators are common and allowing restarts only sensible as it reduces the download traffic where some unreliable connections are concerned. However, if there are restrictions that do apply, then not displaying what they are prior to the customer clicking on the download link is inviting support problems.

Mistake 3– Falling between Sales and Support

Once the download was complete I installed the software and when loading the DVD that I wanted to watch a DVD I was asked to register the product online which I did.

Once I had completed the online registration and created an account to allow me to receive technical support the application started and the application read the title and gave me the options to 'play', 'reset' or 'eject'.

I selected 'play', the screen went blank and then it returned to the same menu, no error message. No matter how many times I tried, even after restarting the computer I could not get past the 'play' option.

I visited the supplier's website and navigated to the support page and entered my account details but the password I entered was reported as being incorrect. After a few attempts I took the option to have my password sent to me again. A message came up to say that an email had been sent to verify the password and I was able to see from the displayed message that the verification email was being sent to the correct email address.

After several hours and multiple attempts at having the password re-sent no password confirmation email was received therefore preventing me from being able to register my problem using the proper technical support procedures.

Mistake 4 – Not understanding the Customers query

I sent an email explaining the initial problem with the download that I confirmed resolved and reported that I now had a problem with the software and was also unable to access the technical support page to report the technical problem.

After several hours I received an email reply that simply gave me instructions on how to download the software.

I replied pointing out that the problem was no longer with the download but with the software and also not being able to access the online technical support.

I then received an email confirming that I needed to register the product to get technical support.

I replied to say that I had registered the product, that the registration was confirmed because when I tried to log on to the support I was receiving a message to say that although it recognized my login ID the password was incorrect. I was able to request a password confirmation, that appeared to be being sending it to the correct address but I was not receiving the email. I confirmed to them that I was therefore unable to log on to technical support and register the problem.

Mistake 5 – Annoying the customer

I was naturally annoyed to receive a reply to say that they were unable to deal with technical support calls and that I needed to contact the technical support by telephone. A basic rule for good customer services is that you do not get the customer to do a company's internal communication.

In my reply to them I pointed out that the cost of the software was not worth the cost of the international phone call in trying to call a technical support line in the USA. I requested that they notify their own technical support team on my behalf or perhaps they might find it easier to offer me a refund.

Mistake 6 – Making the customer really annoyed

I received confirmation that they were unable to deal with technical queries and again listed the procedures for me to register the product to obtain technical support.

I took my time to reply and spell out clearly that they really needed to read what I had previously written and that we were now beyond the technical support stage and that we were now in the commercial decision stage where I would like then to agree, or advice otherwise, to a refund.

Mistake 7 – Loosing the customer

I finally received an email offering me a full refund and a partial apology for the problems. The refund was received once I had agreed to delete the downloaded software which I was more than happy to do.


Summary

By offering a full refund the supplier resolved the problem to my full satisfaction but made no attempt to fix any of the reported problems, either as to why I was unable to access the support area, why I was not receiving the password confirmation and why the software did not function properly.

Whatever personal criticism I might have with the people who were responding to my emails, there was no alternative channels open to me to contact the company's management so that I could alert them to my growing frustration.

When one customer experiences a problem it is often important and useful to understand the cause of the problem even if the final solution is to offer that customer a full refund. In this particular case there seemed an unnecessary demarcation, and no internal communication, between sales and support preventing customer's problems, that fall between both camps, to be addressed.

Requesting customer feedback that is then channelled through to management is not a new idea. Hotel and restaurants chains have for years often had feedback cards that are not handed in to the staff but posted directly to head office, ensuring that negative comments are not lost and positive comments genuine.

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To view a number of other articles relating to customer services and customer satisfaction surveys please visit Survey Galaxy Knowledge Base.

Flawed Customer Services (Part 1) - Not closing the sale

Ask most businesses to rate how important it is to them to have satisfied customers and few would say anything other than 'essential'.
From a company's own perspective their customer services procedures might appear to tick all the right boxes but what appears to be a good procedure can sometimes fall short when viewed from a customer, or perhaps more importantly a potential customer's perspective.

Some would argue that customer service has been in decline as the growth of automation and the need to minimise overheads has eroded the human side of customer service. There is no doubt that the type of personal one-on-one customer service that was so common throughout the USA and Europe in the 1950's is a relic of the past with technology steadily replacing people.

Some automated technologies have proved more successful than others, call centres, especially when they are situated in far flung countries, can come in for criticism that may or may not be fair. Although the economics make sense it is easy to see how customers can get frustrated when the technology and savings drivers are put above customer experience.

What can often be missing from many a customer service procedure is the canvassing of regular and effective customer feedback, not for the sake of ticking another box, but because a customer's real-life experience is possibly the most important metric available to any business, large or small.

This three part article was inspired after I recently experienced first-hand problems with three separate suppliers that resulted in them either loosing a sale and/or frustrating me, a potential customer.

What struck me was that all three had what appeared at first to be well established customer services procedures that would be able to handle my query and resolve any difficulties in an efficient and professional manner, yet all three failed and for different reasons.

Automation is not the enemy, but automation must be carefully thought through as being frustrated by a machine is universally despised.


Example One – Not closing the sale

This first supplier offers one of the most popular FTP applications and a thirty day fully functional risk free trial. Emails are sent to 'remind' the customer at about the halfway stage and then towards the end of the trial period to that has the effect of encouraging those that have not yet purchased the product to both fully test the application and hopefully make a decision to purchase the product.

However, for this US supplier I was working outside the USA and when after a successful trial I went to click on the link to purchase the product the price I was quoted was in US dollars.

The US dollar is a global currency, no, it IS the global currency and I, like many others, are not often put off, certainly when it comes to low value commodity items, if the currency is not our local currency but on this occasion there was a notice that stated, 'for international customers please click here'.


Mistake 1 – Planting doubt and causing hesitation

For anyone seeing the message from outside the USA it would naturally cause them to hesitate, which I did, thinking perhaps that I should just check that there might be benefits in purchasing the application locally.

On clicking on the option I was requested to select my country, which I did, and then I was provided with a list of perhaps a dozen or so local, but unfamiliar, suppliers.

Since none of the names were familiar and other than their address to go on I chose one, a choice based on nothing more than arbitrary reasoning.

Mistake 2 – Going backwards

When clicking on my chosen link I was taken not to the product page but the local supplier's website's home page and greeted not with information about the application I was interested in, but general information about the supplier who it turned out provided a number of software applications and IT services.

Because of the extensive range of services and products they provided it took me some time to first locate a general list of available applications, then to navigate to the correct section where I found a number of the FTP supplier's applications. From the list of five products I was finally able to select the FTP application that I was interested in.

Mistake 3 – No 'buy now' option

Having spent time locating the product I was to be disappointed further because there was no price, nor 'buy now' button, just another offer to download a 30 day free trial.

Because I had already trialled the software I was ready to purchase and I wanted to know the price.

Mistake 4 – Not making it simple

I decided to go back to the list of local suppliers and choose another name from the list but my experience was the same, I was faced with the problem of locating the application and this time I was not advised of the price but instead given an offer to request a quotation for what I knew to be a $40 commodity item.


Mistake 5 – Loosing the sale

It was at this point that I thought I would just go back to the original screen and purchase the product direct from US manufacturer as had been my first intention, but because I was feeling that I had been sent on a wild goose chase I then decided that I could actually do without the product and so cancelled my order.

Mistake 6 – Not learning

The final mistake that the manufacture makes is that where at the end of the trial period when I do not take up the option to purchase the product they make no effort to find out why.


Summary

This supplier has a good and popular product. They offer a 30 day free trial of the software that can be purchased online direct from the manufacture. By offering local suppliers they would be able to provide local support that some customers might prefer, or find essential.

In failing to get feedback, they are missing an opportunity to not only validate their procedures but maintain contact with potential customers who are perhaps undecided as to purchasing the product.

Simple and clear pricing is important, especially for a commodity item and although a free trial is commendable it still requires a commitment from the customer who will often want to know the cost of a product before they invest the time needed to test the product.

Their biggest mistake is that they do not integrate their own products tightly enough with their distributor's websites. If the manufacturer has potential customers that are being referred to a local supplier they are in a position to link directly to their products on the local supplier's website and should insist that the local supplier ensures that the pricing is clear and the order process is simple.

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To view a number of other articles relating to customer services and customer satisfaction surveys please visit Survey Galaxy Knowledge Base.

The Net Neutrality Debate

In August 2005 a decision was made by the US Federal Communications Commision to put the high-speed Internet Services Providers(ISPs) under the same regulation umbrella as phone companies. The ISPs interpreted the decision as permission to charge websites a premium for faster networks and also suggested that the more successful companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo and Google should contribute financially in improving the internet infrastucture.

However, opponents argue that a multi-tiered Internet would be against the fundamental principles of the Internet and stress the importance of maintaining a level playing field and are wary that with the wrong legislation the telecom companies could hold companies hostage, or have an unfair advantage over rival companies.

Some argue that there is already a tiered systems in place where people have access to the Internet via dial-up modem (slow) and high speed broadband connections that range in speed from 2MB to 16MB and beyond.

Although the telecom companies point at the more successful websites not paying their fair share, net neutrality supporters say it is the masses that are making use of the successful websites so penalising the larger successful companies would effectively penalise the masses.

For a short promotional video that explains in simple terms the essence of the pro Net Neutrality argument visit Save The Internet.

To see the views of those people that argue that Net Neutrality is a myth and that the proposed legislation rather than degrade will only improve the Internet please visit Debunking Net Neutrality Myths.

Who will get your vote?

Participate in this weeks open survey The Net Neutrality Debate

Gerald Ford, 38th US President - How will he be remembered?

Gerald Rudolph Ford the 38th President who served between 1974 and 1977 died on December 26, 2006.

Gerald Ford has been the only person to have been appointed to the US Vice Presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment when Nixon's Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned.

When Richard Nixon resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal on August 9, 1974 Ford became the only person to hold the Presidency without having been elected either President or Vice President.

Gerald Ford was to occupy the White House for just 896 days where although he sought re-election where he narrowly lost out to Jimmy Carter.

One of Ford's first act as President was to controversially pardon Richard Nixon, an act that some say lost him the next election.

With the resignation of their President, Ford assumed the role of President at a time when the US economy was in disarray, a worsening energy shortage and where there was great division throughout the country.

How do you view Ford's Presidency? Was he right to pardon Richard Nixon and do you think he pardoned Nixon after striking a deal with him prior to Nixon's resignation?

Participate in this weeks open survey Gerald Ford, 38th US President - How will he be remembered?

Survey Galaxy's - Tutorial Video Centre Updated

We are pleased to announce that all the Survey Galaxy tutorial videos have now been updated to reflect the websites latest look and feel.

All the training videos require Flash player which is often included as standard in most browsers but if necessary can also be downloaded free from Adobe.

A number of new tutorials have also been added that cover the online Results Analyzer facility.

For more information or to view the videos please visit the Video Centre.

How Much Do You Know About Santa Claus?

With Santa about to start his annual rounds soon we ask how much you think you know about Santa Claus?

Take our festive survey and tell us how old you think he is and where you think he gets his all money from?

Participate in this weeks open survey How Much Do You Know About Santa Claus?

The Best Ever Similes Written by High School Students?

From a short list of similes that have been compiled by American high school English teachers and taken from actual essays assignments we ask you to pick your favourite top three.

Participate in this weeks open survey The Best Ever Similes Written by High School Students?

Is Fiji's Military Coup a Bad Thing?

The South Pacific island of Fiji is now in the process of its fourth coup in twenty years.

Historically this tourist paradise has always experienced tension between the ethnic Fijian population who make up the majority and the minority Indian Fijians.

The man responsible for the latest coup, Fijian Military chief Frank Bainimarama, was himself responsible for putting down the last coup in 2000.

Since July 2005 he had publicly threatened that he would topple the government if it were to implement legislation that would pardon the jailed 2000 plotters.

The coup has been widely condemned around the world but there appears to be mixed views among the Fijians population. The Ethnic Indians who now make up roughly 40% show strong support for the commander who has insisted that his goal was to establish a government that stood for all citizens of Fiji.

Do you think that the coup should be Internationally condemned?

Do you think the world is interested in what happens in Fiji?

Should the UN intervene?

Participate in this weeks open survey Is Fiji's Military Coup a Bad Thing?

'One Laptop per Child' project debate

In November 2005 MIT's Nicholas Negroponte first showcased a prototype of a $100 robust laptop for the developing world’s children which was welcomed at the time by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan as an "expression of global solidarity".

The 'One Laptop per Child' project has had its critics, some asking how anyone could build such a computer when the screens alone cost about $100, others questioning the value of computers to both learning and economic development.

A year later and about to launch, the cost of the finished product when the machines go into full-scale production by Taiwan-based Quanta Computer is likely to be nearer $150 than $100 but it is hoped that the $100 target will be achieved with volume if they prove successful.

Kofi Annan has said that with the laptops "Children will be able to learn by doing, not just through instruction - they will be able to open up new fronts for their education, particularly peer-to-peer learning," and that the initiative was "inspiring", and held the promise of special and economic development for children in developing countries.

Do you think that a low cost laptop for the developing world’s children represents worthwhile aid?

Do you think that the money spent on equipment would be better spent towards more teachers?

Do you agree with Bill Gates, Microsoft’s chairman and a leading philanthropist for the third world, when he has questioned whether the concept is right to “just taking what we do in the rich world” and assuming that that is something good for the developing world, too?

Where do you stand on the 'One Laptop per Child' debate?

Participate in this weeks open survey 'One Laptop per Child' project debate

(For more detailed information on the project please visit the One Laptop per Child website.)

Was Saddam Hussein's trial fair?

Iraq's Special Tribunal has found Saddam Hussein guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced him and two of his co-defendants to death by hanging for their part in the killing of 148 Shia Muslims in Dujail in 1982 after a failed assassination attempt against him.

Do you think Saddam Hussein received a fair trial?

Do you think the death sentence is appropriate?

Participate in this weeks open survey Was Saddam Hussein's trial fair?

All change on Capitol Hill - Time for a New Foreign Policy?

With the American mid-term elections now done and dusted and the democrats handed power of Capitol Hill there could be a change of US foreign policy from the Bush neoconservative approach that relies on the US military strength to one that is about building ties with other nations.

Is it time for a change in US foreign policy and do you think that the US security depends less on military might and more about finding agreement with other nations?

Participate in this weeks open survey All change on Capitol Hill - Time for a New Foreign Policy?

Madonna's child - Should the Ritchies be allowed to adopt?

Madonna's life has always provoked controversy and her reported planned, and Malawi Government approved, adoption of the now infamous 13 month old David Bandahas has created a new furore.

Has Madonna, and husband Guy Ritchie, used her celebrity to flout Malawi's adoption laws?

Has the boy's father been exploited?

Has a child from the developing world been turned into a commodity?

How cynical are you of the increasing number of celebrities that show their willingness to support and help Africa?

Participate in this weeks open survey Madonna's child - Should the Ritchies be allowed to adopt?

Does North Korea Pose a Threat to the World?

North Korea has made no secret that it is actively pursuing a programme of nuclear development.

On October 9th it announced that it had conducted its first test of nuclear explosion, a statement that no country to date disputes.

North Korea claims that its weapons are just for defence, but no-one outside the country can be certain how many it has, or if it really has any at all. Some view North Korea's claim to have nuclear weapons as an attempt to force the US into concessions.

The US are worried that North Korea might try to generate much-needed cash by selling nuclear secrets and weapons to terrorists or other nations hostile to the US.

Does North Korea represent a threat to the region, or the US?

Do the UN sanctions that have been placed on North Korea since October 14 represent an act of war?

Is North Korea just taking the opportunity to demand attention while the US are bogged down in Iraq?

Participate in this weeks open survey Does North Korea Pose a Threat to the World?

New Look and Feel to Survey Galaxy website

It has just been over a month now since we launched Survey Galaxy's new look and feel.

The majority of changes were to the Survey Galaxy Home page where we hope that new visitors will find all the information they require and navigation even easier.

In changing the rest of the site we have been careful to retain the Survey Galaxy simplicity and limited the changes to more relaxing colours and clearer navigation.

We hope new and old members will find the new layout to their liking but please feel free to give us your feedback as we always welcome constructive comments.

What are the Most Romantic Movies of all Time?

What romantic movie stands head and shoulders above the rest?

Were you moved by Titanic or do you hanker back to era of the black and white movie and all time classics such as Casablanca?

Which movie pairing had the most on screen chemistry, can Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet match the 40's pairing of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gable and Joan Crawford from the 30's?

Participate in this weeks open survey What are the Most Romantic Movies of all Time?

Should Muslim Women Living in Western Societies Unveil?

The British Cabinet Minister Jack Straw, whose constituency has a large Muslim population, has provoked anger and indignation among broad sections of the Muslim community in calling for Islamic women to stop wearing the veil(niqab) covering their face.

Mr Straw says that the practise hindered community relations and was a visible statement of separation and of difference.

Mr Straw said that he had chosen his words carefully. "We are able to relate to people we don't know by reading their faces and if you can't see their faces, that provides some separation," and went on to say "Those people who do wear the veil should think about the implications for community relations."

Some of Mr Straw's supporters have added that this was an important issue that needed to be debated.

British Muslim leaders and fellow Labour MPs, have however pointed to a series of statements from ministers which they say have challenged attitudes towards multiculturalism.

Was Mr Straw right to bring the subject up for debate?

Should Muslim Women be encouraged to unveil themselves when they live in Western societies or do these comments only serve to demonstrate the lack of understanding and tolerance towards people with different faiths?

Participate in this weeks open survey Should Muslim Women Living in Western Societies Unveil?

How Superstitious Are You?

Are you in any way superstitious?

Do you believe old wives tales, omens and signs to indicate lucky or unlucky things ahead?

Would you wish on a shooting star or knock on wood after mentioning good fortune?

Participate in this weeks free survey How Superstitious Are You?

Did the Pope make a good point or a faux-paux?

In a controversial speech the head of the Catholic church Pope Benedict XVI was widely condemned for quoting a 700-year-old exchange between a medieval Byzantine emperor and a learned Islamic scholar "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached".

Did the Pope agree with this view or was the point he was trying to make valid but lost in 'headline' sound bites?

Can the head of a faith that has through the ages had hideous crimes carried out in its own name be in a position to judge other faiths? Can the Islam faith be self critical?

Participate in this weeks free survey Did the Pope make a good point or a faux-paux?

What are the most important things in life?

What are the most and least important things in life?

Select from our short list the five that you think the most and least important.

Participate in this weeks free survey What are the most and least important things in life?

How will history view the Bush/Blair legacy?

The Bush/Blair era of interventionist policy is coming to a close as both play out their remaining days in office.

Together they have passionately argued that state sponsored terrorism posed a serious threat to the 'freedom' and 'way of life' that was enjoyed by the world's democracies.

However, many have argued that far from eliminating terrorism their foreign policies have failed at every level and are directly responsible for creating a new threat from home grown extremists, or at the very least, discourse between communities that previously lived in harmony.

As both governments continue with their fight against an unseen enemy, many have argued that the 'freedom' and 'way of life' that needs protecting is being destroyed by the very 'need' to fight terrorism.

Critics of Bush and Blair say that the previous administrations policy of containment proved far more effective and that home-grown threats are the direct results of their pre-emptive doctrine.

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger recently stated that "The diplomacy appropriate to denuclearisation is comparable to the containment policy that helped win the Cold War: no pre-emptive challenge to the external security of the adversary, but firm resistance to attempts to project its power abroad and reliance on domestic forces to bring about internal change."

Do you think that the 'interventionist' approach was and still remains correct, or do you think it was always seriously flawed?

Participate in this weeks free survey How will history view the Bush/Blair legacy?

Tom Cruise True Superstar or Mission Impossible?

In August Tom Cruise and Paramount, so long a partnership that seemed to have been made in heaven, announced that they were to part company.

A bitter and public divorce is now likely as Viacom Inc's Chairman Sumner Redstone belittled Tom Cruise by publicly evicting Cruise's production company from his company's Paramount Pictures studio.

In a war of words, Cruise's team have claimed that it was they that left while Paramount executives have given 'unreasonable behaviour', 'excessive demands' and unfordable salaries as the reasons for 'their' decision.

In recent months Tom has been seen bouncing on Oprah Winfrey's sofa to declare his love for a girlfriend who then it is rumoured gave birth in Scientology-demanded silence, where gossip would have it that he went on to eat the baby's placenta. Are these the actions of a 'weirdo', untrue gossip or just Tom Cruise being Tom Cruise?

Will the Tom Cruise cash cow be snapped up by a rival company, will he fade away or will he threaten the major players by finding funding for new films through new channels?

Were Paramount right to take a stand or will Tom Cruise go on to serve them humble pie?


Participate in this weeks free survey Tom Cruise True Superstar or Mission Impossible?

Are Honorary Degrees a Slap in the Face to Real Students?

It takes the majority of people time and sacrifice to study and successfully achieve an academic degree.

For those that succeed there is the public acknowledgement of receiving their degree dressed in the traditional gown and hat and the personal satisfaction of having achieved a qualification respected throughout the world.

However, for a fortunate few there is the Honorary degree handed out on a plate by the world's academic institutions.

Honorary degrees are not a modern day phenomenon, the first being awarded to the brother-in-law of Edward IV by England's Oxford University in 1478.

Are honorary degrees that are awarded to the famous and infamous valid recognition for people who took a different path through life or are they a slap in the face to real students?

Participate in this weeks free survey Are Honorary Degrees a Slap in the Face to Real Students?

Is Community Service Suitable Punishment For Famous People?

Boy George, the androgynous eighties pop icon, was ordered by an American court to complete five days of community service that required him to sweep the streets of Lower Manhattan.

He was joined by a gaggle of news photographers, reporters and fans that together prevented him from carrying out his assigned duties forcing the sanitation department to instead find a gated parking lot for him to clean.

Other stars who like Boy George have been given community service instead of custodian sentences have been George Michael, Winona Ryder and Halle Berry.

Is community service a suitable punishment for people in the public eye or is it a punishment that is just not appropriate to the rich and famous?

Participate in this weeks free survey Is Community Service Suitable Punishment For Famous People?

Is Hizbullah a Terroist Organisation?

As the Israeli military action against Lebanon continues unabated and with no end in sight, UN proposal put forward to cease hostilities are viewed by the Lebanese government as one sided and have described one proposal 'agreed' by the UN council as simply "a recipe for more confrontation".

Despite the past rhetoric from Hizbullah calling for the destruction of the Israeli state few will be prepared to argue that Israel faces a real threat of destruction or occupation from Hizbullah, Hammas or Iran.

Israel is however actively engaged in the destruction of a nation, bombing Lebanon back "by 20 years", as the Israeli military put it, and is in occupation of Palestinian land.

Much has been said and reported to label Hizbullah as a terrorist organisation and the root cause of Israel's military escalation but how true is that accusation?

This weeks survey tests your knowledge of Hizbullah and asks if you view Hizbullah as a terrorist organisation or a legitimate resistance movement?

Participate in this weeks free survey Is Hizbullah a Terroist Organisation?

How should recreational drugs be classified?

A number of countries have recently looked at the systems used for classifying drugs.

A recent UK report stated that they found "The system for classifying drugs is inconsistent, irrational and "not fit for purpose".

The same report was highly critical of the police, the Government and its advisers and called for the classification system to be put on a scientific basis, according to the harm a substance causes.

The committee that compiled the report took advice from a panel of drug experts and concluded that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than ecstasy, LSD and cannabis, based on a "rational" classification system that the committee strongly supported.

The committee took into account research conducted by the University of Bristol who assessed a list of 20 drugs, legal and illegal, in nine categories and weighed up the physical harm, tendency to induce dependence and the impact on families, communities and society.

Using a "rational" ranking method showed that some legal substances were much riskier than those deemed most dangerous, the current Class A drugs.

Others that have been demonised, notably ecstasy, are near the bottom of the table of risk. Even though it is legal alcohol was high up the new scale because it is involved in more than half of all visits to accident and emergency departments and orthopaedic admissions. Alcohol often leads to violence and is a frequent cause of car accidents.

Another legal drug tobacco is estimated to cause up to 40 per cent of all hospital illness and 60 per cent of drug-related fatalities.

By the experts' method, alcohol and tobacco would both be Class B drugs which in the UK currently includes Amphetamines, Methylphenidate (Ritalin), Pholcodine and carries a punishment for possession of up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine; Or both.

The committee want to see the classification of drugs routinely reassessed using a rational and court sentences for drug abuse stratified according to how far up the new scale a drug lies.

Do you think that the classification of drugs should be based on risk factors and not the present systems that tend to be inconsistent and the results of ad hoc judgments and historical accidents?

Participate in this weeks free survey How should recreational drugs be classified?

Are you a Holiday Junkie?

Are you a holiday junkie or do you find it hard to take a break?

This weeks survey asks how many days holidays you are entitled to and on average how many do you take.

Would you like more holidays and how much importance do you place on holidays?

With many wonders of the world to see, or world events to witness, which are the ones you have seen, or would you like, to see?

Participate in this weeks free survey Are you a Holiday Junkie?

Is Israel's Military Action Against Lebanon Justified?

After a Hizbullah attack where two Israeli military personnel were captured Israel retaliated by launching a major military attack on Lebanon and imposed a navy blockade.

Critics have argued that in their attempt to destroy Hizbullah Israel have set out to collectively punish the people of Lebanon.

This weeks survey asks if you think that the bombing of bridges, ports, power plants and Beirut airport are justified and if the Israelis are right to demand the return of two soldiers when they have themselves imprisoned many hundreds of Palestinians?

Participate in this weeks free survey Is Israel's Military Action Against Lebanon Justified?

Have you Joined the Podcast Revolution?

A Podcast is audio or audio visual content that is created and then saved in a format so that it can be downloaded from the web onto people's personal PC's, IPod or other audio players that support the MP3 format.

The term Podcasting is meant to rhyme with broadcasting and is a derivative of Apple's popular iPod platform. Individual websites and websites such as iTunes make it easy for you to subscribe to podcasts that are broadcasted on a irregular or regular basis such as daily, weekly, monthly.

There are Podcast that cover nearly every available subject both by amateurs and professionals. An audio Podcast can be likened to a radio show that can be downloaded to a portable device and played at anytime, for example when people are travelling.

This survey asks how familiar you are with Podcasting and which podcasts do, or may, interest you.

Participate in this weeks free survey Have you Joined the Podcast Revolution?

Stars with Glasses, Looking Cool or Just Ridiculous?

Jake and Elwood wore their Ray-Ban Wayfarer II sunglasses day and night, today designer sunglasses are de rigeur for anyone in the public eye.

But are some 'A' list celebs committing fashion hari-kari unaware that the public are laughing at them or are we rushing to the designer stores to emulate their style?

We have put forward a short-list of stars wearing their shades and ask you to rate them for being cool or ridiculous?

Participate in this weeks free survey Stars with Glasses, Looking Cool or Just Ridiculous?