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The Beach.

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Eddie Mair | 05:25 UK time, Friday, 5 December 2008

"Welcome to The Beach, a very special place on the PM Blog.
The sun shines, the drinks are free, there are more than enough sun loungers and hammocks to go round, and the camels are friendly. So, take a break from your day to day stresses and strains and relax.
There are only two rules; 1) be nice to everyone, and 2) don't eat the petunias."

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  • 1. At 05:47am on 05 Dec 2008, Little Red wrote:

    stomp stomp stomp. having a heavy week in RL. thankfully it's friday. plans for a RL visit to the beach this weekend. and Monday is a public holiday... things are starting to look up!

    hope all who are feeling under the weather survive - I like DIY's idea of cement in the fizzy rehydrating drinks. would cornstarch work? might be more palatable! no such woes here. one good thing about distance!!

    usual goodies on the bar. fresh from boulanger - an effort at 6 in the morning. now for a lie down in the purple hammock until this week goes away.

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  • 2. At 06:57am on 05 Dec 2008, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

    Ugh. Little sleep. Long day ahead. I'm going to curl up on this hammock. All scratches-behind-the-ears gratefully accepted.

    Looking forward to Eddie's programme about Bart Simpson tomorrow morning BTW...

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  • 3. At 07:57am on 05 Dec 2008, philtblog wrote:

    Scratch, scratch.

    Looking for another hammock myself - bad night, deadline and full day today.

    What's this about Bart Simpson?

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  • 4. At 08:14am on 05 Dec 2008, gossipmistress wrote:

    Morning all! How's everyone today?
    Tea, coffee and some Danish on the bar for all ... (bacon, pastries, ?????)

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  • 5. At 08:37am on 05 Dec 2008, Frances O wrote:

    Ugh, bad night here, too. Coffee and a big bacon butty, please, Gossy.

    Anyone hear the first trunk call on the 'Today' programme? (50 years ago today, apparently):

    "Ew, hellew, is thet the Lord Provost?"

    Um... when did froggers' families start making trunk calls, then?*










    *NB: this is not an excuse for elephant jokes. Unless you feel you have to, of course...

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  • 6. At 09:07am on 05 Dec 2008, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

    Philtblog (3):

    Sorry, I think I heard it wrong. I think it's a programme about Lionel Blair... (famous dancer and youngest son of ex-Celebrity Prime Minister, Tony.)

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  • 7. At 09:13am on 05 Dec 2008, Big Sister wrote:

    Little Red: Are you in Spain then?

    Cat: I thought it was a programme about Mr. Richie. I was looking forward to some smoochy music ...

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  • 8. At 09:29am on 05 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    An almond croissant for me - thanks, folks ;o)
    Big Sis - I believe my pastry came directly from France.
    Frances O (5) We didn't have a phone til about 1970. Up til then we had to use the public call box at the corner of the street. And yes - I am old enough to remember pushing Button A - though thankfully that had been done away with by the time I had to make a phone call from the same box as part of some Guide badge or other.

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  • 9. At 09:42am on 05 Dec 2008, Big Sister wrote:

    It depends on whether you're celebrating St. Nick or the Spanish Constitution, Gill. That's why the 6th is a national holiday in Spain. As somebody who lived there for a while under Franco, I can understand how it is a very significant day for the Spanish.

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  • 10. At 10:32am on 05 Dec 2008, Anne P. wrote:

    Gillianian (8) and before that carrying four old pennies in your guide uniform pocket was a requirement, just in case you needed to use a phonebox. As far as I remember one also had to have a piece of string, a pencil and piece of paper, and possibly also a square of greaseproof paper to fold into an emergency water carrier (wonder if I still remember how?).

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  • 11. At 10:38am on 05 Dec 2008, David_McNickle wrote:

    AP 10, If you are talking about an origami water bomb, I know how to make one.

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  • 12. At 10:55am on 05 Dec 2008, Stewart_M wrote:

    So if you were not in your Guide Uniform (i.e most of the time) you could not make a phone call, write notes about the burglar running off down the road with his bag marked SWAG. Or make a water carrier. (Was the greasproof paper actually Izel (other medicated toilet paper was not avaiable))

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  • 13. At 11:15am on 05 Dec 2008, Anne P. wrote:

    Au contraire, Stewart (12) I still travel with full what-if-the-world-is-about-to-come-to-an-end survival kit (well cash and a torch anyway - I do wonder if I'll be arrested for carrying my gardening knife though).

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  • 14. At 11:17am on 05 Dec 2008, Anne P. wrote:

    Oh, and not Izal, though I saw someone with an ancient roll of same on the Antiques Road Show recently.

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  • 15. At 11:23am on 05 Dec 2008, David_McNickle wrote:

    AP 10, Let's see now:
    Start with a square piece of paper.
    1 crease along marked lines, then turn over
    2 crease along marked line, then turn over
    3 fold in the creases, so
    4 fold the two corners to the bottom
    5 fold the two corners behind
    6 fold the two flaps to the center
    7 fold the two flaps behind
    8 fold these small flaps up, do the same behind
    9 tuck these flaps into pockets, do the same behind
    10 like this
    11 hold the model like this, blow in here
    12 the water bomb completed

    Illustrations available for a price.

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  • 16. At 11:40am on 05 Dec 2008, Little Red wrote:

    Big Sis - Gilianian is closer to the origins of the pastries, but in reality I am further south that either of your guesses.

    Power cut in the office this morning, but now I have discovered I have an emergency supply in my office there's no excuse for not working - while others stand around I have a working computer and no internet distractions. :(

    still, we're even closer to the weekend!

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  • 17. At 11:42am on 05 Dec 2008, RxKaren wrote:

    I'm back! I have a picture of Newton (the Cross Eyed Angel) on my phone!

    At some point I will work out how to get it off my phone and onto an email and then send it in...

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  • 18. At 11:45am on 05 Dec 2008, Wonko wrote:

    A slightly feeble What Ho! this morning from me. Glad I'm not the only one feeling rather under the weather, though I do express my sympathies to those also afflicted.

    A perfect excuse for hot toddies I feel. I'll just nip back to the old Beach and bring the Scotch over.

    I too know how to make an origami water holder, though I haven't made one in years.

    ;o) []

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  • 19. At 11:50am on 05 Dec 2008, David_McNickle wrote:

    W 18, Instructions at post 15. Get making.

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  • 20. At 11:53am on 05 Dec 2008, Stewart_M wrote:

    Html errors. Will this post

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  • 21. At 12:17pm on 05 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    Some people have all the luck...
    On helpdesk duty this morning, during a quiet moment popped downstairs to grab a tea, and spotted someone hovering over 2 plates of bite-sized mince pies and two bottles of Bucks Fizz (the drink, not the band!). And judging by the smell surrounding the microwaves, the pies had been heated as well...

    Apparently they were to be served to attendees at a meeting in the conference rooms. It wouldn't surprise me if they were a bunch of managers...

    We might not be eligible for them in real life, so I'll provide the same at the bar... :)

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  • 22. At 12:51pm on 05 Dec 2008, DI_Wyman wrote:

    mittfh, can you point me towards a win NT / 2000 password cracker?

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  • 23. At 1:55pm on 05 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Mmmmm....a hot toddy and a warm mince pie....thanks, guys ;o)
    I've brought along some rolls of Izal and a few combs for anyone who'll join me in a comb kazoo version of ''It's starting to look a lot like Christmas''

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  • 24. At 2:54pm on 05 Dec 2008, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

    DIY (22):

    Don't bother the novelties and jokes are always rubbish in those.

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  • 25. At 3:04pm on 05 Dec 2008, Big Sister wrote:

    RXKaren: We will set up a petition for Eddie to put her onto the Advent Calendar forthwith.

    I am disappointed, however, that you chose Newton over Thelma. I like to think of her as a very feisty angel.

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  • 26. At 3:07pm on 05 Dec 2008, RxKaren wrote:

    Bis Sis - Thelma Newton. That's her new name!

    Whilst I've been off the staff have worked wonders with sticky tape to do a face-lift of sorts.

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  • 27. At 3:11pm on 05 Dec 2008, Big Sister wrote:

    Thelma Newton. True grit!
    (but - a facelift? Was that a good idea?)

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  • 28. At 3:39pm on 05 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    DIY@22: Why bother with a software tool? Chances are whoever's forgotten their password has already chosen a very insecure one...

    Try various permutations of their name, DOB, car reg number, favourite football team or even "password"...

    Even better, inform them that their computer has a serious security flaw and needs something better installed on it - like Linux.

    Besides which, reformatting the drive will get rid of all the crud they've downloaded over the past 10 years...

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  • 29. At 4:18pm on 05 Dec 2008, David_McNickle wrote:

    mittfh 21, You always have to be careful about how you say Buck's Fizz....

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  • 30. At 5:01pm on 05 Dec 2008, RxKaren wrote:

    Big Sis - Re Thelma Newton - Have emailed her to Eddie. She looks worse on my laptop than she did in real life!

    Should we have called her Wilhemina Shatner or would that just encourage him?

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  • 31. At 5:23pm on 05 Dec 2008, Stewart_M wrote:

    Anne P (Ages ago)
    My Pen knife goes with me now on most trips as well as the torch in my pocket.
    GPS means I dont need the cork and magnetised pin. I know exactly where I am even when hopelessly lost.

    We have a market in town. Bread from Borough Market London, Game pies Polish Beer "&" Sausages. Dry cured Bacon Sandwiches (Not Tom Archer Brand). AND the biggest travelling big wheel in the UK. Camera at home

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  • 32. At 5:25pm on 05 Dec 2008, Stewart_M wrote:

    Mittfh, Have started dabbling in Linux. I find installing stuff a nightmare. But thats probably cos I'm used to windoze. Going to try and put SUSE11 on a new toy(spare pc) tonight

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  • 33. At 7:05pm on 05 Dec 2008, Fifi wrote:

    It's no good you lot sneaking off like that every week. Gillian please note: FIFI HAS FOUND THE NEW BEACH!!!!!

    Now, I have a quickie late run to Tesburysons in the next 20 mins or so... any requests?

    SO has already requested chocolate.

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  • 34. At 10:35pm on 05 Dec 2008, Big Sister wrote:

    RxKaren: :o)

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  • 35. At 10:47pm on 05 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    *sings angelically*
    I haaaaaaaAAAaaave juuUUUUuuuust beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen tooOOOOoo a Taaaalis SchooooOOOOOOooooOOOOOlars cooooncert. BliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiIIis ;o)

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  • 36. At 11:30pm on 05 Dec 2008, Stewart_M wrote:

    Its taken all night but I have the new machine playing. Whp needs a beer?

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  • 37. At 00:21am on 06 Dec 2008, jonnie wrote:

    How beautiful Gillianian - and from Froggers Facebook threads I know you had a sublime evening.

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  • 38. At 08:57am on 06 Dec 2008, DI_Wyman wrote:

    Morning Froggers, tea is brewing and the porridge will be ready in a moment.

    (Other equally nourishing breakfasts are available)

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  • 39. At 09:38am on 06 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Thanks DI - is there any hot lemon and honey? Those high notes have played havoc with my vocal chords ;o)

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  • 40. At 10:59am on 06 Dec 2008, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

    Just listened to the Lionel Bart programme. Nice job Eddie, Jo and Stewart. I could have listened to an hour's worth of that.

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  • 41. At 2:59pm on 06 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Oops - thanks for the reminder, SSC. I'll just nip off to Listen Again.

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  • 42. At 3:07pm on 06 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Well! I never knew Lionel Bart composed those songs, too!

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  • 43. At 3:18pm on 06 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Crikey - SHE was in THAT!! Brilliant!

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  • 44. At 3:39pm on 06 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    SSC - my thoughts exactly ;o)

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  • 45. At 01:09am on 07 Dec 2008, jonnie wrote:

    Can I be Gillian for a sec:-

    Ok thanks ;-)

    After watching first wives on Telly - what a fab song! - just sooo (cool)

    the stereo version :-

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bxC8GhZ4j-s&fmt=18

    ahem! - cough, -- --

    And we'll see the sun that rises up for more
    Over and over and over
    And we'll feel the wave that wears away the shore
    Over and over and over again
    And if there's any justice in this world
    Gotta keep moving on
    Over and over
    You gotta keep fighting on
    Over and over
    (All that we dream)
    All that we dream can come to be
    All that we lost we'll find if we
    Just strike the match
    And fan the flame
    We'll build a blaze
    That lights the way

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  • 46. At 01:29am on 07 Dec 2008, jonnie wrote:

    and yes - after reading through the thread properly - I liked Eddies Lionel prog - very good.

    sorry - probably enjoyed my own company too much tonight, a relaxing time -but a very happy bunny for once.

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  • 47. At 09:55am on 07 Dec 2008, Big Sister wrote:

    Karen: Hope you're feeling better today. I'm all agog to see the brave Thelma, but reading your iPM posting, hope she isn't destined for the tip after this Christmas. Perhaps you could send her to Eddie to become the PM mascot?

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  • 48. At 11:58am on 07 Dec 2008, RxKaren wrote:

    BigSis - fighting fit now, thanks!

    Re: Thelma - She is now an icon so she CANNOT go into a bin. The iPM post was not just my staff comments but also my stepfather who has bought a new set of Christmas tree lights (he gets a couple of new sets each year). He made the point yesterday that he now has a loft full of old lights but the local charity shops won't take them (PAT testing rules) and he cannot donate them for use at work (similar health and safety rules). I did make the comment, "Well why buy new ones each year then?" but got accused of being a misery.

    As I promised I have sent the photo of her in to Eddie - it is now all down to him whether she makes it to the blog Advent calendar ;o)

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  • 49. At 4:19pm on 07 Dec 2008, Sid wrote:

    Well, here you are, fellow froglets - stacks of Stollen, gallons of Gluhwein, chocolatey drinks, wurst, brotchen, marzipan fruits, glazed nuts and the rest ... all the way from Heidelberg/Cologne. I do hope you've been behaving while I've been away. I see that someone's been eating the petunias. Again.

    I've sent photos to PM - they should be up by New Year.

    Herr Sid, der UberSproutMeister.


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  • 50. At 4:25pm on 07 Dec 2008, Sid wrote:

    How strange ... when I refreshed this page I got this:

    "To view this page, you need to log in to area “Glow” on www.bbc.co.uk."

    What have you lot been up to??



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  • 51. At 4:58pm on 07 Dec 2008, RxKaren wrote:

    I'd been getting the same message Sid. I thought my PC had a virus or something. Glad it's not just me.

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  • 52. At 6:47pm on 07 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Oh thanks, Sid - you're too good to us ;o)
    I hope you had a lovely time.

    In return, here's a joke that's fit for your Christmas cracker -

    What is green, round and wears shorts?
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    A Brussels Scout!

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  • 53. At 10:03pm on 07 Dec 2008, ValeryP wrote:

    Oh, thank goodness, I thought it was just me - I got that message everytime I pressed previous. It's so long since I've been here I thought I'd start from the most recent and work my way back. So what on earth is that strange message all about?

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  • 54. At 00:27am on 08 Dec 2008, gossipmistress wrote:

    Gill (35) how lovely, they're a fantastic choir, wish I could sing like that. And perfect for just before christmas. Was it in the cathedral?

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  • 55. At 00:29am on 08 Dec 2008, gossipmistress wrote:

    I too really enjoyed the Lionel Bart prog, I never knew he wrote all that. Sadly I missed the end as I had to go and sing in yet another freezing church! Will have to iPlayer it in the week.

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  • 56. At 01:15am on 08 Dec 2008, jonnie wrote:

    Welcome back Sid,

    Hi Valerie, I've not been here much of late either - but luckily unlike our economy the beach stays the same as ever.

    as for the 'glow' bit - I've had it all today!

    the normal login seems to take us to bbc.co.uk/glow

    which then asks for a password?

    Probably a Siemens error? - the German company that run the whole thing?

    Perhaps Marc or Eddie can shed light if it persists.

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  • 57. At 01:24am on 08 Dec 2008, jonnie wrote:

    If anyone need some Carly Simon and a New York Skyline with the Twin Towers in a boom period - look no further than the intro to Working Girl

    http://tinyurl.com/6g7qkc

    One of my all time feel good factor films.

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  • 58. At 3:02pm on 08 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    Where is everyone? It's a little unusual for there to be no posts here up to and including lunchtime on a weekday...

    Anyway, for the benefit of those who aren't members of a popular social networking site, I've compiled a Christmas Song Acronym Quiz.

    The concept is fairly simple (I hope!) - a mixture of 105 carols and Christmas tunes to work out from acronyms of their first lyric or chorus lyric.

    E.g. AIAM, NCFAB, TLLJ, LDHSH = Away In A Manger (title in bold, nearby lyrics in 'normal').

    Just in case the mods get tetchy over the inclusion of a link: http colon slash slash bnorwood dot fastmail dot fm slash quiz

    Which should show a simple directory listing with copies of the quiz provided in a choice of three formats: PDF (for printing), XLS (for Excel) or ODS (for OpenOffice). So far it's been less than 24 hours since release, and I've had a confirmed result of 21 answers (during the breaks in a pub quiz!) and an unconfirmed result of 47 answers.

    You're unlikely to know them all off the top of your head, so you will probably find the index cards of any Christmas CDs you have prove to be a useful resource...

    Having said that, the tunes are all quite well known, so even if you don't initially recognise the song a clue alludes to, upon hearing it a spark of recognition will (hopefully) be generated...

    And they are all Christmas related, so you won't find any X Factor, Spice Girls or Mr. Blobby nonsense in the list (non-Christmassy songs which only get included on compilation CDs by virtue of being released in December)

    I do have an answer sheet, although as there's only likely to be one possible solution for each clue, every answer is quite likely to be the correct one...

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  • 59. At 3:03pm on 08 Dec 2008, Wonko wrote:

    A very bedraggled What ho! I'm not well. Mrs Wonko is taking good care of me and the dog is being supportive.

    I'm just going to rest in the purple hammock with a hot toddy. I'm a firm believer in the medicinal qualities of alcohol, primarily on the principle that even if it doesn't cure you, you don't so much.

    ;o( []

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  • 60. At 4:07pm on 08 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    49

    Get it all at L*dls. They speak English there, and its a great deal nearer.

    Froglets and scouts? They do say all primary school teachers wind up thinking there's no such thing as a grown up.

    'In olden days a glimpse of stocking
    Was..............................shocking'

    'David Copperfield', too.

    And such a brilliant dancer.

    Lionel Blair has no equal

    He was Tony Blair's father, too, wasn't he? There was some Blair - show-biz - PM connexion, I know.

    And if they aint it's and not their apostrophe's, who's are they?

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  • 61. At 4:38pm on 08 Dec 2008, jonnie wrote:

    Oh Mittfh - I could spend all day doing the quiz -

    I've got some of the obvious ones by thinking of a carol - and then looking for it - like Good King Wenslas etc...

    The link is here for the pdf version of Mittfhs quiz:-

    [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]

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  • 62. At 4:41pm on 08 Dec 2008, Sid wrote:

    Oh dear, pmL. I see you didn't look after yourself while I was away.


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  • 63. At 6:12pm on 08 Dec 2008, Frances O wrote:

    Mittfh! Hey, mitt! Can we have a linkette or two, please? jonnie's was modded.

    Is it different from the one I think that was on the Frog in a previous - maybe even last - year?

    Thank you, though - what fun (I anticipate)

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  • 64. At 6:35pm on 08 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    My post #58 has now appeared, and there's a description of the link hiding in there.

    The quiz is largely the same as the one I did last year (didn't know I'd mentioned it here!), although everything has been re-ordered, there are a few extra ones, and one or two that I didn't immediately recognise when tweaking it have been removed.

    To reprise: bnorwood dot fastmail dot fm (no wwws) slash quiz. Feel free to share and adapt it.

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  • 65. At 7:53pm on 08 Dec 2008, ValeryP wrote:

    Silly mods.

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  • 66. At 09:52am on 09 Dec 2008, Anne P. wrote:

    Really need a holiday, so opting for next best thing, a snooze in the purple hammock. Fresh tea and toasted teacakes on the bar. Please don't wake me unless the world is about to end....second thoughts, if it is I really don't want to know.

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  • 67. At 09:57am on 09 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Anne, here's a little bell - please give it a little tinkle whenever you need something, and someone will come running to fetch and carry for you xx

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  • 68. At 1:48pm on 09 Dec 2008, Fifi wrote:

    I'll have a listen again too. We were out folking it up last night. Low attendance but a truly super evening. Strangely, everyone seemed in the mood for melancholy songs ... however I did sneak in a few verses of the Hedgehog Song just to keep the tone comfortably low!

    You can 'cuddle' the bear
    If you do it with care...

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  • 69. At 2:22pm on 09 Dec 2008, Izzy_Tme wrote:

    Hello everyone. Hope you're well.

    *waves madly from the assignment dune*

    Glad there's an escape here, it's much better being tied to a computer here than in RL, where it's very cold, rainy and windy.

    Just loaded the bar with assorted cold meats, cheeses, pickles and some rather nice stonebaked bread. Dig in, do...

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  • 70. At 2:30pm on 09 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    Got a prob.

    Thought I'd eaten 100 g of chocs last night.

    Had weighed up the damage this morning, when I discovered an uneaten one in the box.

    Does one you missed count? I don't think so.




    Did Sid really go to Germany or did he, as I suggested, get all that stuff from L*dls or N*tt* like the rest of us?



    Thought I'd found the answer to Xmas pressies to people too snobby to shop in such places and who'd assume I'd had 100 g boxes of praelines etc imported specially.

    Until I saw 'Made in SW 19 for...' ...the Germans on the mustard.

    Hence last nights chocs scoff.

    Only to find the empty boxes locate the Stiftung in Neckarsulm.


    Breaking News: Goodness, I've just read W*k*p*d** on L*dls. I swear I'll never go there again!

    And to think, I was going to tease Big Sister about her liking the Boat Race. Which I don't suppose for one minute she ever did.

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  • 71. At 3:10pm on 09 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    Is this the right thread to talk about hte beach on?

    If so, may I quote this from....The Beach....of Oct 10th:


    # 6. At 09:12am on 10 Oct 2008, pmLeader

    This comment has been referred to the moderators. Explain.



    Explain? Yes please, 'cos its still with them!!!

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  • 72. At 3:41pm on 09 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    aka-pmLeader - I suggest you use the ''contact us'' form on the main BBC message boards page to ask for an explanation.

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  • 73. At 4:48pm on 09 Dec 2008, David_McNickle wrote:

    pml 71, Don't worry, it's in safe hands.

    Gill 72, Oh no, now you have him/her posting somewhere else!

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  • 74. At 6:41pm on 09 Dec 2008, Sid wrote:

    Yes, I did really go to Germany - a few days in Heidelberg, a few in Cologne. Seeing friends and new nephew. I brought back some goodies for everyone to enjoy. Dig in and fill your boots!


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  • 75. At 7:40pm on 09 Dec 2008, UptheTrossachs wrote:

    akaPML 70 N*tt* is Danish as any f......
    Although, I recall an easy way to irritate a Dane is to refer to Denmark as Northern Germany

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  • 76. At 7:53pm on 09 Dec 2008, Gillianian wrote:

    Dave (73) Yes....that was the idea ;o)

    I'm making a pig of myself with Sid's crunchy nuts - who wants to share?

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  • 77. At 9:47pm on 09 Dec 2008, Fifi wrote:

    I think I'll pass on Sid's nuts thanks Gillianian. But hey... knock yourself out!

    Me, I'm enjoying a nice sliver of good farmhouse Cheddar and listening to the purring of Daisy T Cat asleep on Dave's lap.

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  • 78. At 9:58pm on 09 Dec 2008, nikki noodle wrote:

    my cat is not settling tonght....could be a chilly one!!
    n-n

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  • 79. At 08:44am on 10 Dec 2008, Anne P. wrote:

    Utt (75) in the 1950s my English mother's godfather used to wind up my father by addressing all letters to us in Scotland as 'North Britain'.

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  • 80. At 12:02pm on 10 Dec 2008, Fearless Fred wrote:

    Anyone mind if I use the purple hammock for a short while? Have just spent a morning clearing a number of projects up, so I could do with a brief zzzzzz

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  • 81. At 12:34pm on 10 Dec 2008, Anne P. wrote:

    Here, FFred, have this gold brocade cushion to rest your head on - goes with the purple don't you think?

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  • 82. At 1:39pm on 10 Dec 2008, Wonko wrote:

    Afternoon all. I'm still unwell, so I'm filling in the time digitising much of my music collection. It's turning out to be a pleasingly tedious task.

    I'm just going to lie on that sunlounger over there and cough and sneeze and splutter. If anyone feels like making a hot toddy...

    ;o( []

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  • 83. At 2:01pm on 10 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    82

    Never mind. Get well, soon.


    After an afternoon of trivial pursuits and Edgie has broadcast his take on things****, he'll give you a thread to comment on today's news.

    ****Not till then, though, no matter how ill you feel. What do you think this is, some interactive set up, like iPM?

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  • 84. At 2:33pm on 10 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    82

    After I digitalised my music, Humph's intro to 'Bad Penny Blues' went 'Nought, one, Nought, Nought One'!

    (I had it on 1001110rpm before)

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  • 85. At 2:36pm on 10 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    I did have some stuff on 10010000rpm but my horn gramophone didn't play it.

    And some stiff at 10000rpm on ENORMOUS platters, that I COULD play.

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  • 86. At 2:49pm on 10 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    I used to hide the gramophone in my kitchen toy cupboard and mime to John Mc Cormach singing Gradh Geal Mo Chridh and pretend it was me singing.


    Well, I WAS only five.

    And I'd seen Jesus cut a circular hole in the blue sky with a wood saw that very week. He popped his head through and said 'Hello'.

    No one believed that, either.

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  • 87. At 2:50pm on 10 Dec 2008, Fearless Fred wrote:

    Oooh, that nap was good. Who put this gold brocade cushion here? Oh, thanks Anne :-)

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  • 88. At 3:18pm on 10 Dec 2008, Wonko wrote:

    There is an old android saying:

    10100100111010010011100100100001001100110011100101001010001011010100111

    Makes you think, doesn't it?

    ;o( []

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  • 89. At 4:19pm on 10 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    So PML has some records that rotate at 1001110 rpm and 10000 rpm (unfortunately binary can't cope with the extra two thirds of a rpm)...

    What about 11000100 rp3m or 101101 rpm?

    Of course, if he'd entered the digital age the equivalent would vary between 11001000 and 111110100 rpm depending on the track...

    But nowadays I'm sure most people's music collections rotate at about 1010100011000 rpm or even 1110000100000 rpm...

    (I converted the analogue record and CD rpms between dec and bin using pen and paper, but unsurprisingly migrated to calc.exe for the HDD spin speeds...)

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  • 90. At 4:20pm on 10 Dec 2008, David_McNickle wrote:

    pmL 85, I have some records by the Platters.

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  • 91. At 4:24pm on 10 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    Oops!

    "What about 11000100 rp3m or 101101 rpm?"

    Err...I think the first one should have read 1100100 revs per 3 min...

    (Dec)196 revs per 3 min would be a little on the fast side...

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  • 92. At 6:37pm on 10 Dec 2008, U13717586 wrote:

    mittfh

    You've lost me, mate. (Nothing new, there, I guess)

    The records ran at 80 rpm quite often in those days (and didn't sound like the Chipmonks) (Truly. I'm not mis-remembering 78).

    Records also ran at 16.

    Since standard LPs, when they came in, ran at 331/3, I, in my youthful ignorance, thought that the '16's must have really been running at sixteen and two thirds.

    I'm still a fully paid up member of the invincibly ignorant, as any who post here know but I THINK it was, TRULY, 16, as such.


    As for you. DMcN. The Great Pretender. I say nuffin'.

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  • 93. At 7:57pm on 10 Dec 2008, Fifi wrote:

    Dearie me it's all ones and zeros around here. Can't be having that!

    77777777777777777
    777777777777777
    . . . . . . . . . . .777
    . . . . . . . . . 777
    . . . . . . . 777
    . . . . . . 777
    . . . . .777
    . . . .777
    . . .777
    . .777
    .777

    (I'm such a rebel, me!)

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  • 94. At 10:15am on 11 Dec 2008, David_McNickle wrote:

    pmL 92, I had a turntable that would play 16rpms, but no records.

    But you're only pretending that you're still around.

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  • 95. At 11:32am on 11 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    Actually, according to Wikipedia, the 16rpm records were pressed at 16 2/3 rpm, but it was probably more convenient for player manufacturers to ignore the 2/3 when labelling the speeds.

    We used to have a player at home labelled 33 45 78 - so ignoring the extra 1/3 rpm for the sake of convenience.

    As for the other binary figures given, a CD apparently rotates between 200 and 500 rpm so it can maintain constant linear velocity (i.e. 1 second of music covers the same linear distance in the spiral, regardless of whether it's on the inside or outside of the disc).

    Then the very large figures were 5,400 rpm and 7,200 rpm - hard drive rotational speeds (since it's probably a fair guess many people have more songs in mp3 / wma / aac format than on CDs / tapes / LPs).

    Meanwhile, to continue the general evilness:

    ....6666........6666........6666
    ..66............66............66
    .66666.......66666.......66666
    66.....66....66.....66....66.....66
    .66...66......66...66......66...66
    ...6666.........6666........6666

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  • 96. At 11:33am on 11 Dec 2008, mittfh wrote:

    ...except of course the blog sticks a carriage return half way through the 'stick' of the 6's in 666...

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  • 97. At 2:54pm on 11 Dec 2008, Perky wrote:

    Ahhhh. Long time, no beach. Hello everyone - looks like you've been making lots of digital footprints - very clever!

    I'm so behind on the food and drink front as far as the beach is concerned, so I'll hope you'll all accept my offering of a large tin of Roses to supplement Advent Calendar Chocs, a couple of bottles of Froglet, some Timothy Taylor's Landlord and a bottle of Ardbeg (sneaked that one out, so don't slurp too loudly!).

    Get stuck in ;)

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  • 98. At 2:54pm on 11 Dec 2008, Perky wrote:

    tooloudly? D'ya suspect I might have been slurping already???

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  • 99. At 2:14pm on 18 May 2009, Selkius_Piscinus wrote:

    Please may I have a large something-potent? And please could everyone be funny and silly and nice to each other -- not that you don't always, but right now I need a bit of cheering up.

    My dearest friend had a chest x-ray last week and went in to see a specialist today because the x-ray showed two small patches at the bottom of one lung that they were unsure about.

    The operation for cancer is happening next week.

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