And this just in
from Mr Jarvis, via his mobile phone and Jonnie...
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I had planned to participate in the Window on your World thingy next week but not sure if I should now, how can I possibly compete with this! Chris Jarvis leads a much more interesting life than I (as do you Mr Mair), with all this frollicking with reindeer.
BTW can you ask Chris when Mr Mopple will be back? My 4 year old wants to know.......
Ah...transcend dental medication!
Our Jonnie?
Love 'em all
Fabulous teeth. I hate kid's TV presenters.
I get it, the announcement of smoking and reindeer = smoked reindeer; indeed a delicacy in some parts.
Silver-fox. Any sharper and you'll do yourself damage!
Somebody has got a very, very good mobile. I'm envious.
COMPLAINTS?
I love the reindeer. I've have to get a new mobile phone if Chris's photos are of such good quality.
Glad you like the signposts to the Beach. I have no idea what we'll do about other categories and haven't even contemplated the idea of an index. That sounds complicated.
I was thinking it might be useful if we have a post where you can put your complaints & glitches so I know where to look and can pick them up when I'm on shift. Less a beach and more an oil rig.
Let me know what you think.
Well done Lissa!
Pixels or Pixies?
Eddie, now that you've met this photography expert, we'll be expecting great things from you next week ....
'We don't care which .....'
Mm. Says it all?
Oil rig sounds fabulous, or a remote island, I don't have any complaints though; it's all good as far as I am concerned.
Silver Fox (2) absolutely brilliant, but what's it all about? Did I miss a reference somewhere, or are you just being randomly sharp.
The reindeer are much cuter than that bloke in the picture and it is a bit scary to find children's TV infiltrating the very grown up PM Frog.
I was going to write something serious about the NOTW but find I really don't care, even though they have acted illegally, maybe because I never expected them to behave with integrity.
I'm listening live to PM - but still having trouble understanding the blog - am I in the right place ? as I cann't see other people's current blog comments which I thought were mentioned on the programme
Lissa,
You are doing a fab job for us. And I think your suggestion re complaints and glitches would work well.
When I said 'index', I was really only thinking of an index for the threads, i.e. somewhere we could easily look up Eddie's topics without having to trawl endlessly back trying to remember when it might have been posted .... D'you get what I mean?
The difficulty would be that it would need updating - but I guess that applies for all the Blog stuff.
Are you beginning to regret Auntie's experiments? We hope not. We love 'em. And, you know, Mr. DG Thompson seems to think it very fine, too.
On the Smoking Thread, Eddie has posted:
At 05:51 PM on 29 Nov 2006, Eddie Mair wrote: Come on folks - I need a consensus on the new new beach...and do we want one every Monday
I was dallying around there and replied:
Eddie:
We're an unruly lot, aren't we?
Can I suggest you post us up a Beachy Head (as in summit) tomorrow and we can run a proper discussion there? Only we're running on several thread at the moment, and I think folk may be losing it ........?
Just a thought!
-----------------------------------------------
Can we help him out, froggers? He's trying to help us ...........
Very good idea Lissa.
What about the "Recent Comments" thing - can you get that to be a genuine note of the five most recent comments to appear?
Other than that I am happy today (slightly squiffy already actually). If I can have your cat please life will be complete...
geoff aston
geoff - you're in the right place. There is always a delay in screening of comments and they may be on a diferent theme - see "previous" at the top of the screen.
Geoff - you are in the right place but we are not on very on message on this thread, other comment threads might reveal more if you go to the other posts Eddie has put up today, but some silliness seems to have crept in here!
Big Sister - Great idea, Beachy Head it is tomorrow methinks. I miss us all being in the same place anyway!
I should point out that I was NOT the Reindeer, nor the person standing behind.
As Eddies been chatting about pixels and pictures, the mobile phone was a Sony Erissson W700i which has 2 Mega Pixels.
However the photo had been compressed into a small file to send via the mobile network and when I recieved it I bluetoothed it to the laptop and e-mailed to PM.
Amazing how good it looks though.
Jonnie,
Your expertise stuns me! And it was you Eddie spoke of .... That's a relief. I was starting to wonder ...
Geoff Aston (12) : The blog has some limitations. One is that comments can take a while to make it on-screen.
Another is that Eddie is in the habit of starting several threads a day. Keeping on top of them all is very time consuming, especially if like me you can't resist joining in!
If you would like some Fifi-friendly advice, I suggest you start by commenting on one thread a day, and just checking that one later to see if anyone else has commented on your comment.
Oh, and if you fancy a real break, you should check out whatever thread we're using as the PM 'beach'. It's a virtual beach, where we just socialise and chat over a glass of something cold and delicious.
Eddie has helpfully signposted it n the main blog page. We have to move to another thread every time the number of postings gets too high ... it can become slow to load ... but we're working on that.
Oh, and if when you get there you would like me to send you a history of the Beach, cast of characters, etc ... just email me via the website by clicking on my name at the top of this comment.
I'm sure you will soon feel at home, and give up expecting this place to make sense!
* * *
Lissa (8) : The oil rig is an excellent idea, and should simplify matters for both us and you. You are good!
* * *
Big Sister : Beachy Head is another excellent one. My, we are all firing on all cylinders this evening...
* * *
Fifi xxx
Good grief, I pop out to the dentist and for a bit of Tai Chi and when I get back it takes me almost as long again to catch up with you all. So many threads - I understand how Geoff Aston (12) feels.
Do stick with us, Geoff, it's not always quite this manic! nor so full of livestock.
Lissa,
The idea of an index does not need to involve huge amounts of work. I think there are two ways to do it - manually using the thread titles which would involve some work for someone, or automatically.
Indexing is the stuff of geeks and I'm too out of date to suggest a specific product, but I'm sure that Richard the Blog Wizard must know if there is a suitable tool out there. If there is it might be possible to set up a G**g** type search interface to search the text of blog postings for specific words.
Reindeer on the PM blog - looks as though the silly season has already begun
Any chance of a nice picture of some elves?
Help - Jonnie I don't understand, did you take the photo or what? btw, thanks for the apology I found the other night somewhere about name-spelling, I knew you didn't do it on a porpoise and it genuinely didn't bother me, I think the last time I was feeling grumpy (oo-er).
Hello Valery, Where have you been all day???
Re (valERY (24) Thnks for being so understanding about consistently mis-spelling your name on the Blog.
To clarify things, and I agree jonnie and the Reindeer still needs some explanation.
Chris Jarvis (he above in the picture with the Reindeer) is a very good friend I've known for nearly 25 years. He also now lives very nearby.
I sent a text off to him to say that he was finally famous as he'd had yet another mention on Eric's Blog, to which he sent back the picture of himself and the Reindeer.
Now, like you the regular froggers would know that, not to miss the oppurtunity of more fame for Chris, I forwarded the pic Chris had taken of himself and the Reindeer via e-mail to the PM office, and it was published, with Eric implying that I was a Reindeer ;-(
I should add that Chris reads the blog avidly and listen's to Eric's programme whenever time permits. I know he'd be happy to do an experimental website chat with any interested Froggers - so that's something we could investigate on the pmblog site if anyone is interested. We could also try it out with Brian Cant who arrives next week, he's a real sweetie, or Anne Charleston (Madge in Neighbours) or possibly Bobby Crush, but haven't met him yet. ? Let me know anyway.
Night all
Re: 11 (HelenSparkles)
Sorry about Eric and his silly thread and that you don't think much off the bloke in the picture -- hey that's R4 for you.
I've notified the head of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Childrens television so hopefully the animals can take over in the New Year.
Re: James (22)
Yes! but not a word to HelenSparkles
Re: James (23)
No -- but LeeVitout
Good morning. The birds are singing like mad outside.
The only problem with having a separate 'complaints' section is that it will be all moans, and that could get depressing for you Lissa. The lovely thing about the general blog is that it is such a mixture.
And while i am on moans, it is taking so long to read everything that I don't get round to commenting. I am sure that won't be missed by anyone except me, but I do like to have my say sometimes. It is partly because it is necessary to catch up on so many threads. How do other people manage? And have a life?
James (23)
Well there's a guy down the chipshop. I swear he looks a little Elvish...
(sorry, I'll get my coat)
Did anyone else just hear the old PM theme on the Today prog?
It's awesome! Why did they get rid of it?!
Morning Eric et al -
This an extract from my message on 'Smoking' (others are available):
++++++++++++
I think whoeveritwas's idea for a renewable This Week's Beach was brill. Do it, Eric. Then each week's beach could be PDFed or HTMLed and archived on pmblog.co.uk with its date by one of our resident technogeekwizards and accessible to all. Sorted.
++++++++++++
LadyPen
xx
Rosalind:
I think that the separate section would probably help Lissa et al, however, and that - for this reason alone - it might be a good idea.
And now Lissa has signposted the Beach, she'll be able to join us there to de-stress after she's check out what might be the problems.
Just a thought.
We can chat to Chris Jarvis and Madge?
Jonnie, you're a magician!
I don't believe in reindeer.
Rosalind 28,
I know hat you mean. I'm just basking in the gap between projects, but am aware that an awesome amount of time can be cheerfully frittered here.
How's puppy?
Jonnie (26) count me in! I am a big fan of Chris (as well as Justin Fletcher), and we LOVE Mr Mopple!! cbeebies is an absolute Godsend, particularly during early mornings and wintry days and the quality of presenting, I think, is just brilliant. (Chris's impression of a mouse this morning for example - or was it a cat? I'm a bit bleary eyed until about 10am! - was wonderful, bravo!), and when they do the night-night song, as we call it, at closedown my children immediately stop what they are doing and stand to attention as if the National Anthem is being played! Thinking about it if we are having Chris appear on the PM blog then I really feel Eddie should contribute something to cbeebies - how about Eddie reading the bedstime story one night please???
Oh dear - I am probably going to be asked to kindly leave the blog now aren't I? What with confessing to liking Ant and Dec a few days ago, and now my addiction to cbeebies.....I can be a serious grown up sometimes! honestly folks!
Pinklefish (30)
I missed the PM theme, must see if I can find the listen again. I'm sorry that 'theme music' for programmes seems to have be so reduced as I still recognise introductory music from years ago, indelibly linked in memory with particular programmes or Children's Hour serials.
We were in the middle of a power cut here but in any case I've taken to turning Today off more lately - getting tired of its hectoring tone.
Seems to have been quite a widespread cut affecting a large suburb or Derby and surrounding villages. Only off for about an hour, but I do wonder if we should be reconciling ourselves to more of the same in future.
We are quite well off for diversified alternatives, gas for cooking and log stoves for heat and cooking at a pinch. What I missed immediately however, was the connectivity with no power to the router.
Connectivity and the washing machine are the two things I really would not want to do without. How about you?
Morning, Froggers. I too have been trying to catch up with all that's going on here like Rosalind (28) - it's all a bit time consuming but very enjoyable. Much nicer than work!
I think a weekly beach would be an ideal solution as Lady Pen suggests.
I couldn't see what Lady Pen was writing about smoking - the extract didn't seem to be there. So shall I say once and for all that I am absolutely fed up with self-righteous remarks about the anti-social nature of smoking. Actually, I have recently stopped smoking in view of the future (e.g. hoped for grandchildren!), but I have enjoyed smoking for many years and when I first started it was perfectly acceptable, even socially desirable. I liked it. It was NICE. So please please drop the "you must have been a disgusting moron and worse than a leper"-type comments. They make me very very CROSS - because I don't suppose those who make the comments are so bloody perfect themselves.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!!
Coffee, I couldn't do without coffee.
Re childrens programmes. I got so fraught at having to listen to the Today programme's versions of Daily Mail stories that I bought a digital radio. Not quite what I intended, I now wake up to Little Toes... I have very agile toes and I am really up to date on the faraway tree. O dear.
Jonnie (26) : yes I'd be up for a web chat with your pals. We could also invite Brian and Bobby down to the beach for a singalong with AperitiFifi.
Mrs Trellis could bring her guitar! And wasn't there talk of a ukulele...?
* * *
Anne P (37) : I agree. 'Today' has become a bunch of ill-mannered interviewers doing nothing more than pick holes in their guests' wording. I prefer Wogan these days.
Very well said Sara (38)!
Sara (38) I'm with you on this one. Here's the rest of the available extracts, just in case my frog's disappeared again (tho it was there when I looked just now):
If invited, I shall join MaryMary and EdIgle behind the appropriately designated rock so's not to contaminate anyone else's finer feelings. We can there Hatch Plots.
I'll be the tall gorgeous unsmelly blonde with the posh-tottie voice.
(I know it's a disgusting habit and wouldn't force it on anyone and my children moan at me a lot. But I try to be considerate and, if you find me smelly, you can always move further away and talk louder . . .)
Off now to trawl through all the other threads I've got behind on. I shall be sure to maintain a discreet distance.
xx
LadyPen
Yesterday was not a good day, I didn't get the wasps and bees joke, and I thought Chris was a on C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳... Oh I just have an aversion to childrens' TV, too many years spent in its company methinks. My apologies johnnie (27) to your friend, although the reindeer remains cuter, and a chat would be lovely!
Johnnie, Is the James who would like se to see Elves (and LOL Fearless!) your James? I like to think so. Exciting news about you famous friends!
Sara, I was one of the more outspoken on the 'Smoking' thread, so I read everyone's entries - and worded mine - very carefully. I didn't see anyone post any ' "you must have been a disgusting moron and worse than a leper"-type comments', and so think you can rest easy.
By the way, this Chris Jarvis bloke looks quite cute to me in a cheeky-chappie sort of way. But I shan't be following this up - I don't have access to C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ or CBeebies or anything like that. And, anyway, I am distracted from handsome boys by one in partucliar at the moment - Lissa's cat, Mr Knibbs. Sigh...
Anne P (37)
If you go here:
/radio4/today/listenagain/
And search the page for "radiophonic workshop" you'll find the item with the PM theme in. Brilliant stuff.
I'm sorry to hear about your power cut. We don't get many round here, but I would be thoroughly lost without a computer. If I lose my net connection for any reason I get quite despondent. No Listen Again service for a start - I mostly end up listening to PM on that because of my work schedule.
Will you be taking part in the photo event? I think it's on the same day as one of my work Christmas parties. So I may well be looking at a large glass of red wine at 5pm on the day...
:)
Nice to talk to you, lovely folk on here.
Appy, how does one get to see Lissa's cat? or have you catnapped it?
and Appy (25), working and beating myself up!
Jonnie, thanks so much for the explanation, I was feeling more than usually behind the times last night. Tbh, in an even smaller voice than the one I was using when I made the pro-Ant & Dec comment - I didn't know who Chris Jarvis was/is. I'll check him out though.
Well Valery! I can understand the having to work thing but why would you beat yourself up? I can't imagine you deserve it. In fact, I would go so far as to get Quite Cross with anyone who was so beastly to the lovely Valery P. Does this mean I have to be cross with you for mistreating yourself? (I can't imagine how that would help, but I presume you get my point...)
Lissa's cat (who used to belong to Richard, I think she said) is called Mr Enos Knibbs and there is a photo of him on page one of the PM Flickr photos. He looks a little like my very own constant companion between the ages of 3 and 23 and he has a determined, pretty little face. I am in love...
My dear young pinklefish,
Did anyone else just hear the old PM theme on the Today prog?
It's awesome! Why did they get rid of it?!
Are you sitting comfortably?
Then I'll begin.
PM had several theme tunes over the years. I think that the first one was intended to suggest the rumble of rotating newspaper printing machinery or ticker - tape. Suffice it to say that "Dissatisfied of Saffron Walden" wrote to protest. There was the predictable squabble between the supporters and detractors. To resolve this, the beeb commissioned a new "ident". This produced a three way split:
"It's better!"
"It's worse!"
"Let's have none at all!"
Eventually when we achieved none at all, people harked back to the good old "musical" days. Over the years the furore has abated, the postman's burden has diminished and the world is a better place.
Then you try to start it all off again. Are you an agent provocateur from "Today"? Writing to destabilise the blog?
Tread carefully, young person, and don't leave your back unprotected.
Appy, thank you. Just been in an "odd" place all week, but thanks for your moral support!
Hope Friday brings cheer Valery, along with a reduction in 'oddness'.
Methuselah, Pinklefish, no, no, no - sshh! Don't even talk about it - it will give 'them' ideas and that which I remember from the 80s was really depressing. Eric's voice is surely music enough?...
Hello everyone...
Thanks for the kind comments!
Mr Mopple will be back on CBeebies soon. I'm back on later as me with the reindeer and, on Christmas Day, as a variety of panto characters including an ugly sister. My real panto is in Tunbridge Wells - if you come, shout "PM" or "Eddie!" ...just so I know.
I work on CBeebies but have you seen the new Jackanory on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳1 or the older kids' ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ channel C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳? It's amazing & will inspire our nation's PSP-playing kids to read again.
What does the informed R4 audience think about the state of storytelling in the UK?
Chris J
Hello Chris,
I dunno - tell me a quick story and I'll let you know!
hmmm..... tried looking for a link to a particular episode of (or spin off from) Jackanory, that would've illustrated my point (I have one.... just wait will'ya?)
Does anyone remember a short series of very RSC thespians reading horror stories? Probably ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳2 around 5-6pm. It was a kind of Jackanory for mid teens(?). Definitely one reader was Freddie Jones and another was John Woodvine. Very earthy growly vowels from great actors sitting close to a fireside and telling of an impending doooooommm......
It was fantastic!!!
and why???
because it relied on a voice and words and my imagination!
I could watch 'drama' anytime (there was plenty of rubbish I could watch when i was a kid and probably even more now) but the chance to use my imagination, spurred on simply by words and voice??
When Alan Bennet writes this kind of stuff and we get "Talking Heads" its given plaudits. When kids get it it gets "updated". A shame, a real real shame. Really missing the point.
and I haven't even mentioned the Jackanories when we had other great voices (Richard Briars, Kenneth Williams etc) and illustrations by Quentin Blake)
I'm going to have a moment.
I'm now going to say something in a slightly surprisingly high Scottish accent with a beard....
"Little nose..."
Good teeth; nice antlers. :-)
As an 'avid' watcher of Cbeebies, I've yet to see the raindeer...
We need the PM team to do a follow up on this one and find out what happened.