Er...
When we said that Eddie was back today, what we meant was that he wanted to be back today and fully intended to be back today but unfortunately he is feeling a bit under the weather so he's not actually back .... yet. He says sorry but is hoping to be back soon....
Anyway, we must all surely be feeling a sense of deja vu - financial crisis, government rescue package, press conferences by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor.
Shall we just re-broadcast one of last week's programmes ?!
Listen to PM
© MMX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~43~RS~)
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Under the weather!
He's just been on chuffing holiday hasn't he?
Oh well - I hope you get well soon Eddie.
Carolyn has been doing a splendid job and now the chancellor has put the country to rights you can have an easy ride.
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I trust he wasn't drinking cider and champagne cocktails all weekend - I've heard it's a fatal combination ;)
Get well soon, Eric - and welcome back Sequin!
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So Big Sis and I were right then ;o)
Get well soon, Eddie.
As for today's programme - would it be possible to splice together a pick of last week's GOOD news? Was there any?
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Now more directly related to Carolyn 's point.
Why do we always seem to have the presenters of TV and Radio programmes out on location.
Did anyone catch the News channel last week with the likes of Matthew Amwolly wolly whatever, standing near the Bank of England. What a din - ambulances and police cars zooming by.
Then this morning Evan Davis from some location in the City down a dodgy line. At one point Evan lost the feed and couldn't hear the chancellor.
Hello ... Hello!
I really think the presenters are better off where they belong in the studio. Leave the reporters in the field.
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Perky...drinking cider and champagne cocktails all weekend - I've heard it's a fatal combination ....no it ishn't...hic
Sequin Er.....think of the money....buy gold and stuff it under yer bed!
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Too true DI-Wy at (5)....all doom and gloom here, the FTSE is only up by 4 and bit %, lagging way behind the DAX.
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Sorry to hear that the Lord Mair is poorly (though - as I've often observed on the Blog - he keeps getting funny throats, so I'm wondering if his immune system isn't a little low?)
Should we club together and send him a year's supply of echinacea, guys?
But every cloud has a sequinned lining, I've heard, and it's lovely to have you back again, Sequin! Not sure you'd agree - I'm sure that lie in was much needed!
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Big Sis (7)...re Lord Mair whip round, 'ere you go....'ave a pony....and buy Sequin a big bar of chocolate with the change!
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Jonnie (4)
I agree with you, though it may be that the presenters want to use any opportunity to get out of the "Office." Why does Nick Robinson stand outside No. 10 late at night? He might just as well stand in front of a large picture of said premises in the comfort of TV Centre. Oh, maybe that's what he's doing anyway. Why send the naughty man thousands of miles re. US Presidential elections when Auntie already has staff there?
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Now that I am a part-shareholder in 2 banks, does that mean I get shareholder's perks?
Think I'll just wander down to the Stamford branch of Lloyds and ask for my free sample...
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Here's a novel idea for a much cheaper way of doing things:
1) Buy a few dozen small HDTV cameras with all-weather cases.
2) Attach them to the building opposite.
3) Set up a radio link to TVC.
4) Stand the presenter in a virtual studio.
5) Press a few buttons on the computer, and the presenter can be standing in front of No. 10, the Stock Exchange, Westminster, or any one of the other locations without needing to leave the studio, get their hair wet, or even get abuse from a passing idiot.
Possibly even use cameras with a wider FOV than will be shown on TV, so if something happens to disrupt the picture, you can seamlessly switch to archive footage...
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mittfh: I thought they already did that .......
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But wouldn't that contravene the BBC's solemn undertaking to be honest and above board with its viewers at all times in all circumstances?
My other grudge about news programmes is the modern requirement for having 2 anchorpersons who take turns reading out the links to the next story ... whose actual reporter then repeats what they've said in their introduction.
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Re: Banks and the recent small changes-my bank NatWest, or (RBS if you prefer) has just increased my charges for overdraft etc by 70%, in one jump!!! To add insult to injury, I have just heard that today as a taxpayer, I am also bailing them out-(Well not only me!). As a small one -man self- employed business, I think a hike in prices of 70% when inflation is a little lower, is a little steep, if I had to impose a similar increase on my custmes, they would take appropriate action. The sound of retreating footsteps would echo. What do others think of this?
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Am I the only person on the Blog to be cheering the news that some of those who helped create this mess are now being penalised?
And just what was that professor, talking to Martha in her slot, about, trying to defend the banking industry?
While I'm quite prepared to believe that the major high street banks did not intend to indulge in dodgy deals, it was their responsibility to check and double check what was going on, and if they weren't sure that increasing 'liberalisation' was right for them (or their customers), they should have stood their ground and resisted such temptations.
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Sick presenters? Bring back the likes of the heavy breathing William Hardcastle and my series of taped (UHER Report Stereo Recorder and known by older BBC types as midget recorders...) reports for PM, some marked MCBNU but many got through and added to the nations Enjoyment...hard news with all the rough edges...brilliant...
Classics included Edward Heath in the back of a radio car outside Number 10...poor old heathco had chronic halitosis, engineer gagging as we ploughed on with the windows closed - you can hear the engineer coughing in the background
An interview with the pregnant man ...no I am now exciting you
...so more at a leter date but all broadcast on PM ..bless.
*MCBNU? Material Commissioned But not Used....paid for though!
This is Julian Bray handing you back to the studio..
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I would be happier if the ceo's had been sacked or better still taken to court by the SFO, not simply paid a bundle to go on a cruise.
Forgive my old fashioned view of things but isn't it fraud if you mis represent something in the financial sphere and others lose huge sums of money?
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Oh no silly me it's a banking error...
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Following on from today's PM email, I have an snswer for defining the difference between recession and depression: A 'Recession' is when your neihbour/friend is out of work whilst a 'Depression' is when you are out of work.
Leigh from Hants
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Big Sis (15)
I heard that professor too. Could hardly believe my ears.
GWR (14) This is obviously a matter for the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Cttee. Outrageous.
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Vyle (20) - for a minute there, I thought you were referring to the BoE's Monetary Policy Settee. That would explain a lot . . .
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The prof in question was, I think, Professor Lord Robert Skidelsky.
Which brings me to another matter, Peter Mandelson's baroncy. Instead of giving him two names (Hartlepool and Foy), we could just call him Baron Hardup*, couldn't we? It is ironic that he is to be 'elevated' to the same status as Mrs. Thatcher, without even having had to undergo the stress of being PM.
Oh, sorry, of course he is PM. :o)
*(Sorry, just couldn't resist that joke, remembering how he needed help with his mortgage .....)
Mr. Mandelson, in the remote chance that you are reading this, it is intended in the spirit of harmless fun.
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Re; Big Sis #15
Yes, that professor and Martha. His point sounded quite convincing as to how the shareholders may suffer but I think that Martha managed to cut through and get to the real facts. ie:- that the banks have clearly made a mess of things.
Fifi - the two anchors, I totally agree with you, especially when the one who isn't reading often looks uneasy and not sure whether to look directly to camera or avert the gaze to the colleague.
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Tell you what, Sequin, I would be hugely obliged if you took a leaf out of Joan Bakewell's book and made PM a 'crisis free zone' for this week, and talked about fun and frivolous things for a week, as there appears to be very little we can do about the 'Global Financial Crisis' [TM] in any case.
Certainly any illusion of 'democratic control and accountability' over what is done with our tax money has disappeared over the hill and far away...
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Jonnie: It did make me wonder how many bank shares he happened to have. Also, I was shouting at the radio "But the banks didn't have to take the money, did they?" (Well, I guess they did, since it sounds as though the alternative might have been that they would go under .....)
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mgl No it's not a banking error it's customer error for not realising that the banks do no wrong they simole adapt the rules to suit themselves.
I too think the senior main board directors and senior managers should be investigated by the SFO. They should not given the chance to smirk as they run off into the sunset of their expensive homes and luxury cars. What's the betting that in a couple of years they'll all be back in their old jobs taking the rest of us for a ride as usual.
I also expect there to be a clause in all of this that says that the banks who are getting OUR money WILL NOT repossess any home owner or close down any small business that is in trouble because of their mess. COME ON GORDON make them promise that.
By the way now we have a new chancellor do we have a PM? I new Gordie was after Darling's job.
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Big Sister (7):
"Should we club together and send him a year's supply of echinacea, guys?"
Isn't that some specie of anteater?
MGL (17):
What do you feel has been misrepresented here?
Whether it's the value of the banks' shares or assets, or of the debt packages including sub-prime mortgage debt, the value of them has been set by the market process, not by individuals (unless you have specific allegations to make). Feel free to criticise the market model of asset valuation, but if the market turns out to have misvalued an asset, it's not fraud.
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The Prof did seem unreasonably angry. Since the alternative for shareholders appears to be letting their investment become absolutely worthless, then it seems to me (and I'm not a prof, admittedly) they aren't doing too badly. I take his point that it isn't all the banks' fault - that they have become victims of global credit problems caused by the irresponsible lending of other financial institutions. But if there was an alternative source of investment, then they should have found it. And if there isn't, then I don't see why the taxpayer should underwrite them without any prospect of a return nor any say in what happens next.
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An alternative to Leighpm (19):
Recession - what happens to some people's hair-line.
Depression - how some of those some people feel about it.
H.
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gullwingracer (14) you have my sympathy. Substitute 'woman' for 'man' and I'm in a similar situation. It's not funny.
jonnie (23) I always preferred the Blue Peter method, where presenters not speaking all looked politely at the one who was. Why can't they do that on the news, if they really must take turn-about reading lines off the autocue?
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RachelG: My own feelings entirely.
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On the question of what is wrong with Mairster Mair, I do hope that he is not suffering from quadlattiosis. The symptoms can be quite servere in some cases.
H.
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28 - RachelG - Vince Cable refers to the whole mess as a pyramid-selling scam, and I believe he's right. I know I'm biased, but I don't see what else you could call it.
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@22
"Baron Hardup
(Sorry, just couldn't resist that joke, remembering how he needed help with his mortgage .....)"
Big Sister, I'm just delighted you clarified the title by reference to a mortgage!
A few Pantomimes ago, a "Cinderella" I think, had a character called Baron Hardup parodying, the now Lord Foy. Very entertaining too; unlike the real thing.
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Hump, I'm sure there is something in my Staff's contract of employment regarding sick leave before and after annual leave and bank holidays.
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I think Eddie would be in the pick if he'd been drinking cider and champagne cocktails all weekend (conniseurs refer to them as Asp Nibbles). Couldn't we have the spokesperson from the Green Party again, she always sounds so calm andreassuring somehow.
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Do your best to cheer us up tonight Sequinn. If there's no good news, just make some up as you go along.
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Thenicecatlady (26): there appear to be a lot of special interest groups here. People who put more than 35K in Iceland, charities who put £11million in Iceland, people who wanted to join the fas-buck brigade and bought buy-to-let on 125% mortgages. The rules were clear at the time: the 35K figure was openly talked about after Northern Rock, it is not rocket science to know that house prices go down as well as up.
Why should the prudent taxpayer have to bail out the imprudent investor?
This is having repercussions of the endowment mortgage fisaco when a simply plea of "I didn't know" absolved individuals of all risk in their investments.
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But it's ALL good news today. The banks are part nationalised meaning that we're all shareholders in a socialist utopia. Darling Gordon have saved the cheerleader and saved the banks and the world is now following in their footsteps. Hoo rah!
Has anyone else realised that nationalisation of the banks was one of the main tenants of Labour's 1983 manifesto (the longest suicide note blah blah blah). So old Worzel Gummidge (the Sun's words, not mine) was right all along. Will I live to see us leave Nato and get rid of all our nuclear weapons? You never know, you just never know.
Get well soon Eduardo and Sequin, you're doing a sterling job.
Declan
Brixton
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Stop Press! ITV, ever desperate for any ratings-grabbing money-earning idea, listen to the public and create a new reality show:
I'm a Banker - Get Me Out Of Here!
The show will follow the same format as I'm a Celebrity..., but will feature top City bankers instead of celebrities.
Rumours are circulating that the producers have hired a Japanese game show designer to help design even more controversial Bush Tucker trials.
-oOo-
Well, we can but wish...
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Holiday tummy. Don't worry, Eric, it's happened to a lot of us - well, me, anyway - don't be embarrassed.
Sequin, how could we have a global financial crash without you and that rather busy Mr Peston to explain it all to us?
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Re: 17
Thank you, Julian.
And now over to Robert Peston, who -
[STUDIO PRODUCER ON TALKBACK: What, him again?
EDITOR: Who else?
SM: Get on with it...]
- outside the Bank of England.
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Oh, blimey, only me around and I haven't even got a relevant background for TV purposes.
This is Frances reporting from the (ahem) utility (aka junk) room, Carolyn, and I think the HopeEddieGetsBetter index is up by 10 percentage points, and the GoodToSeeYouAgainCarolyn is, gosh, up exactly the same.
Um. If LloydsTSB takes over another bank because that bank isn't up to looking after itself and LloydsTSB can sort it, why, then, does LloydsTSB need to be rescued?
And what happens about the people who have been charged ridiculous amounts for slipping over their overdrafts?
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I have a loan with RBS but I, as a Tax payer, now own a small portion of RBS. I'm happy to call it quits. :-)
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psst,over 'ere......now, look ere, see, I got this loverly jubberly pyramid, see, one careful owner, 'ad it from new, well, nearly new, she were an old lady from thread needle street, see, and she drove it every day to the bank.... Of the Thames, of course, whatdidya think I meant???
no, Hov Corse this Haint no Hpyramid Hselling Hscam.....whadddya take me for???? I am a very Respectible High Street Lender......
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Eric, get fell in and better soon. people do care, y'know.
(I am worrying in case you took time off to have an operation or something, and now they've gorn and given you an orrible bug, so the sooner you're back, the quicker my finger-nails can start to grow again.)
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My absence before holiday clause only counts when its public holidays.
9.2 Absence without permission on your normal working day immediately prior to, or the day immediately after any Public Holiday (or group of such days), or day or days taken in lieu as appropriate, will entail forfeiture of the right to payment for that Public Holiday or group of such days, or day or days in lieu.
So eric, you are okay so long as none of the holiday is in lieu of public hols :-)
Get well soon.
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