For reasons
we at PM don't understand, the Blog regularly returns to September. Listeners have been very good natured about this but sometimes, and this is one of those times, I get a bit fed up that your contributions, and our efforts to engage with you, end up being sent in a time machine. So I'm going to pause the blog in time here, and will return when someone - anyone - can assure me that we won't waste your time in future.
As a treat, I've gone back to the PM of 18 Sept 2006 so you can enjoy some of the stories that were making news then.
OPENING:
One of the men accused of plotting a bombing campaign in Britain refuses to give more evidence. The jury was sent home. We'll hear from the court.
Also tonight: Sir Menzies Campbell's first conference as leader of the Liberal Democrats
[
NAME: CAMPBELL opener
NUMBER: 12274
IN WORDS: I am what I am
OUT WORDS: ...British people
DURATION: 0'14''
An historic agreement on Gibraltar - we'll ask the Europe minister Geoff Hoon what it means for sovereignty.
Later: the neighbours at war over whether to accept a windfall from developers who want to knock down their street.
And, anyone fancy an English? Claims that the new Immigration Act could endanger our Indian restaurants.
[
NAME: OPENING Indian
NUMBER: 12238
IN WORDS: He is one person
OUT WORDS: the bread
DURATION: 0'13''
With the PM news, Charles Carroll.
LEAD STORY:
Let's go to the Old Bailey to hear more details of how the jury at the trial of seven men accused of plotting a bombing campaign in Britain was sent home today.
Jane Peel was in the court:
[GOTO AUDIO
NAME: Jane Peel]
GEOFF HOON INT:
The elephant in the room, sovereignty, is still there, and politicians from Spain, Britain and Gibraltar have not been talking about it.
What they have been discussing, for several months, are the practicalities of life on the Rock: the use of the airport, border traffic, the rights of Spanish pensioners and telecommunications. It's the first time all three parties have reached agreement about Gibraltar.
Britain's Europe Minister Geoff Hoon was involved in the discussions. I asked hime what was the significance of today's agreement:
[
NAME: GIBRALTAR Hoon
NUMBER: 12223
IN WORDS: I think what is
OUT WORDS: when they get there
DURATION: 3'12''
CLOSING:
This weekend 成人论坛 Radio 4 continues it's series of plays based on "BETRAYAL"鈥 Here's Neil Nunes with more鈥
[GOTO AUDIO
NAME: RADIO 4 TRAIL
NUMBER: EX CON
IN WORDS: It's the story of two rebellious students ...
OUT WORDS: ... by Julian Mitchell - the feature length Saturday Play at 2.30.
DURATION:0'35"] approx
(voicer: fictional version of Guy Burgess)
Later tonight as part of Radio 4's Iran Season, the world tonight will have a special report on being young in Iran. Join Clare Balderson at 10 O'Clock.
There's more on our website: bbc.co.uk/pm
Our editor tonight was Mark Frankel. Studio production was by Fiona Leach
This is PM. I'm Eddie Mair. Back tomorrow night at 5. Have a good evening.
[Notes:BIG BEN 59' 33"]
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That's your idea of a treat, Eddie?
This is the PM Blog. I'm Big Sister. Back some time soon. Have a good morning.
NAME: CAMPBELL opener
NUMBER: 12274
IN WORDS: I am what I am
Was he singing this? Can't believe I missed that...
Thanks. I've made a note of the bong gap for the 18th of September. They're now in my red Analysis book.
For some strange reason, this brings back memories of my Dad editing his programmes for a local radio station - in the front room on a reel-to-reel, with a chinagraph pencil - and noting down all the INs and OUTs.
Isn't it refreshing to have a PM programme without all those irritating interviews!! ;-)
Eddie,
What does this mean below. It's in yer script thing.
[VCS.MOSGW4.TVC.成人论坛.MOSVCS audio insert
Can you explain it please? We're not all in show business.
So Reverend, and Eddie.
On average a 6" (second) gap every day. - with an out time, set in stone of 59' 33".
On the basis of there being 5 programmes a week that equates to 26 minutes of dead air per year.
With all those thousands of Kilowatts of transmitter power broadcasting nothing - should we not adjust the out time a little and make PM a little greener :-)
Rev Green: Can I have an autographed copy when you finally publish?
Also, I think Big Ben's a bit taller than that.
Wow! So that is what you do!
Half a century ago Michael Flanders wrote A Song of Patriotic Prejudice, consisting of vigorous鈥攁nd, by and large, well-deserved鈥攊nsults aimed at foreigners, including the Welsh, Scots and Irish.
He introduced it with a complaint about our lack of a really good national song, noting that, for example, the Americans have My Country T鈥檌s of Thee (which, cheekily, they sing to the tune of God Save the Queen), the Scots have Scotland for I (which should properly be Scotland for Me), and so on.....
鈥淎nd what do we have for an English national song? Jerusalem! Oh, and There鈥檒l Always Be an England. Well, that鈥檚 not saying very much, is it? I mean, if it comes to that, there鈥檒l always be a North Pole, so long as some dangerous lunatic doesn鈥檛 go and melt it.鈥
Oh, how we laughed!
Back from the gym, sweaty and shakey, to find a restorative newsletter. Far better than anything isotonic (whatever that is!)
Is this all down to Marc being on a jolly in Brighton, Eddie?
Jonnie @ (6)
Hear hear!
Big Sister @ (7)
I'll get back to you on that one :-)
I have just received the newsletter. Thank you for "Prime Minister's Questions has just finished without it bothering our running order." Hehehehehehe :-)
Is this the PM blog?
Martha is such a brilliant presenter, I'd rate her on a par with Eddie, and she has no gaps.
Jonnie (16):
You little stirrer .....
Eddie & team,
Thanks for the newsletter in another record time.
Remember, when you discuss immigration it's about numbers, NOT about race, creed, gender, preference, or national origin. England is the fourth most densely populated country in the worruld, after Bengladesh, South Korea and The Netherlands. If you allow Scotland and Wales, & Norn Iron, UK is seventeenth.
Naturally I prefer Scotland and want to stay, even if I am an immigrant!
Yours Aye,
ed
Another premature exclamation!
and again! and again!
Eddie, I do hope I'm mis-reading your post when you say you're pausing the blog here. Are you seriously saying that you're not going to start any new threads? Please say it ain't so!
Eddie,
Have you ever heard of the Sidewalk Astronomers? They set up telescopes on street corners and try and get passers-by to look through them at the stars or sunspots.
A lot of people just think they're loonies or up to something shifty. It's really sad that society is like that today, that we can't just stop and look around us once in a while. Maybe you could track one of these guys down and have them on the programme.
Jonnie;
Eddie has GAPS? Is that related to SARS? Is it contagious over the airwaves?
I think we should be told.
Si.
Mr. Cartwright Clegg - amazingly, this is indeed the PM Blog. The Eagle has landed!
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I hope Eddie realises that Marc is monitoring the Blog from Brighton Beach.
Uncannily, we've discovered we went to the same department in the same Uni. Small world, the PM Blog.
To Eddie PM
I was listening to the news with rather less than half an ear, in the way that we used to listen to announcements about new peace initiatives in Northern Ireland, when suddenly one item seized my complete attention: An advance party of British troops from 16 Aerosol Brigade will fly to Afghanistan this week鈥.
The last weapons I handled were Stens, Brens and Short Lee-Enfields, but for some years after I took early retirement (at 52) from the army my name featured on the reserve list, so in case I should one day be summoned to defend democracy, or something, I always tried to keep abreast of developments, noting the introduction of the M1 and the AK47, and being aware that the Hechler & Koch is a submachine gun and not a firm of investment bankers. But I had somehow missed the addition of deodorant sprays to the arsenal of British military hardware.
I suppose, when you come to think about it, such weapons were bound to be deployed sooner or later in the kind of warfare with primitive people that takes place in remote spots. Clearly, mountain fighters must sometimes go without a hot shower for several days at a time, and it is better not to think about the state of their socks.
It is good to know that we now have specialist units to deal with this sort of thing. 16 Aerosol Brigade presumably forms part of the Queen鈥檚 Own Fragrancer Regiment (motto: Semper Redolens), known affectionately as The Squirts, and back at Pinefresh Barracks in Hampshire some grizzled old Perfumier-Sergeant is training recruits in the skills they will need鈥攖he volleys of short puffs in hand-to-hand fighting, the long co-ordinated bursts in a disciplined advance, and so on.
It is re-assuring to know that our Ministry of Defence will, in accordance with its tradition, have supplied these troops before they go into battle with the finest of modern equipment, ranging from lightweight fast-draw cans worn on the hip for dealing with individual bearded fanatics as they advance with wild yells wearing socks which have not been washed for weeks, up to the huge StenchMaster carrier-mounted cylinders which can take out a whole latrine from half a mile away.
And their ammunition will have been brought right up to date, too. Feeble domestic Lavenders and Citrons would be no good for tackling the personal hygiene of fundamentalist tribesmen, but no doubt there are refills of combat-strength Cinnamon, Musk Ox or Old Stogie already waiting to be loaded onto the transport aircraft.
Disappointingly, I discovered when I read the newspaper that I had misheard the announcement: It was Air Assault Brigade.
Mr. Cartwright Clegg - amazingly, this is indeed the PM Blog. The Eagle has landed! However, as Eddie advises in his newsletter "The product colour may change. This is normal and should not affect your enjoyment." Remember these words as the Blog is capable of turning blue.
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I hope Eddie realises that Marc is monitoring the Blog from Brighton Beach.
Uncannily, we've discovered we went to the same department in the same Uni. Small world, the PM Blog.
Delores (10)
The English, the English, the English are best.
I wouldn't give tuppence for all of the rest.
Eddie & team,
Thanks for the newsletter in another record time.
Remember, when you discuss immigration it's about numbers, NOT about race, creed, gender, preference, or national origin. England is the fourth most densely populated country in the worruld, after Bengladesh, South Korea and The Netherlands. If you allow Scotland and Wales, & Norn Iron, UK is seventeenth.
Naturally I prefer Scotland and want to stay, even if I am an immigrant!
Yours Aye,
ed
Originally posted Wednesday April 18, 2007 at 13:46:48 GMT (with four warnings)
With a completely unearned malicious warning at
Wednesday April 18, 2007 at 14:32:21 GMT
"Martha Kearney -- The Gapless Wonder" could be a WatO strapline, no?
Push! Push! Get off your pediments, Bloggods!
O Captain Square, you are a joy.
This would also give a new meaning to 'Present Arms', as the inspecting officer would have to have a sniffer dog (for Guards regiments only)...... I await RJD's addendum with some anticipation.
Whoops -- when I read Aperitif's comment (22)
It suddenly took on a different meaning. Or perhaps it's just me.
I really hope so :-(
Talking of Neil Nunes (in eddies post above) - I haven't heard him for ages.
Did the wicked middle -Englanders, a majority of the Radio 4 listeners, who complained about him frighten him off in the end.
This was fascinating reading and I empathise with Mark Philip's comment. (four comments down)
I thought I was the only person to have complained about/pointed out the September time warp.
Oh, Perky! (4) Did he use that white sticky tape and a metal block with diagonal cut marks? Cut-cut-splice.
Crikey, I feel old.
Oh dear Jonnie (24), I know misinterpretation is no less than I deserve, considering how often I see the absurd/naughty in other people's posts but, I promise I didn't mean anything naughty/insulting @ 22. In fact, I'm not entirely sure what you're driving at, but I like Martha Kearney and I wouldn't deliberately insult her or anyone else -- honest!!
If in doubt blame RJD-Stopit!, that's my motto ;-)
Um for "no less" read "no more" obviously.
Dear oh dear.
Jonnie (24) - I think you can safely assume that you should smile :o)
Captain Square (19) Hahahahaha :-)
Where's the Glass Box for today?
xx
ed
Just a thought ......
... is Pinkle (8) the alta ego of Perky (4) ..... ?
POOSH!
Help! The Glass Box is locked!
Pot noodle? Coal mining? Diawl!
Captain Square - 19 - best thing I've read all day, and I've read a LOT! "I Wanna Have Your Babies" - but only if you're that entertaining all the time :o)
PS Following my SB30, hmmmm, obviously only if you are of the masculine variety of course ;-}
Captain Square (23) hahaha!
Captain Square - excellent stuff, more please!
Frances O - yes, he did!!! Eventually, of course, I ended up doing it, which, I've discovered as a parent, is an excellent way of getting out of monotonous tasks.
Izzy - I've barely got time to be myself, let alone someone else . . . .
perky are you really perky? it sounds quite exciting to me - all pert & perky, ah :D