The AM Glass Box. Starting today!
Welcome to the AM Glass Box - your chance to help shape tonight's PM.
You may have read your morning paper and listened to the radio, and have some ideas you want to hear on PM tonight.
Perhaps a question about something in the news you would like answered - or better still, direct experience of something topical. Or maybe there's an aspect to a big story you haven't heard explored that you would like to hear.
Just as the PM Glass Box emulates the meeting we have AFTER the show, the AM Glass Box will be like the real meeting we have every day at 11.00, in that all ideas are welcome.
Just like the real meeting, most ideas that are suggested will not make it on air. But we would like to try this to see how it works. It's best that you make your suggestion before 10am.
This AM Glass Box is an experiment for a couple of weeks. It may not work for you, or for us - but we thought we'd give it a try!
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© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~34~RS~)
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Good morning everyone.
I heard a snippet on the news that three people involved with the 'Baby P' case had either resigned, been sacked or were being questioned.
Is there any more news on this?
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(Oh and my apologies for the lack of Glass Box for last night. I seem to have created and deleted it yesterday afternoon. It will return tonight!)
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Alarmist, sensationalist journalism;
I would like to draw PM editors to glass box post of the editor (Jo) for the 28th April.
" I would be really concerned if I thought we were scaremongering"
The post also went on to say how it did not believe that PM was being alarmist.
Now, Could you just listen back to the opening headline to yesterday's PM. It was about 'the first death outside of Mexico due to this flu'. The headline gave the distinct impression and effect that we should all be more concerned as a new level of swine flue had been breached. PM backed up it's initial sensational headline with another immediate misleading statement from a spokesperson.
However, it took me until half way through channel four news to begin to understand that the infant who died was Mexican, Lived in Mexico, picked up the virus and became ill in Mexico. It was only because this infant was moved across the border into the USA FOR TREATMENT FOR THE ILLNESS that this death occured in another country.
Why give the distinct impression that this was not the case due to sensationalist reporting? I think PM needs to stop Dumbing down and following the crowed.
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Morning Peeps. With all the recent doom and gloom being reported is there any chance of a little light heartedness?
How about the 'Battle of the Pasties'?
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Like Lady Sue, I'd like more on the baby P sackings. The BBC says:
"Haringey Council said Cecilia Hitchen, the deputy director of children and families, had been dismissed for "loss of trust and confidence" following the damning Ofsted report in December last year.
"A council spokesman said social worker Maria Ward, team manager Gillie Christou and head of safeguarding services Clive Preece were sacked for gross misconduct."
What I'd like to know is: what constitutes 'gross misconduct'? What did these people actually do (or not do)? And will they work in social services again?
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I'd like an item on suggestions for how the PM can put himself into a better light. I'm thinking of the story I heard somewhere about Tony Blair rescuing somebody from drowning (does anyone else remember that?) and am wondering whether others have suggestions for how GB could get himself positive publicity.
For example, perhaps he could rescue a dog from being run over? Find a cure for cancer? Walk out of the Chamber during the vote on MP's expenses, shouting: "I'll not be coming back until you've mended your ways!"?*
*I appreciate that this is a manoeuvre that could backfire on him. ;o)
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I'm afraid I enjoyed hearing Gary Richardson lose part of his script on this morning's Today programme. Funniest thing I heard all morning.
What kind of a sicko does that make me?
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Another question: I saw the story about a genetic basis for autism all over the front of the Daily Mail yesterday. Does that mean they've changed their mind about the MMR link (i.e. non-link), after their shameful campaign which threatened our herd immunity and could have led to a measles epidemic? (Not forgetting that measles really is deadly.)
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Ding Ding Round 1.
In the blue corner the cornish
Aaaand in the red corner
The undefeated champion
Cheeeeese and onion!
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Sid - Never mind the possible causes of autism and the dangers of a measles epidemic. It's an accepted fact that reading the Daily Mail will cause your brain to rot. Even glancing at the front page is dangerous. Stop it!
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I'd quite like a brief follow up on 'Sarah's' new job. Is she still in it? Did it work out happily?
What's happening with Jacqui Smith and the expenses claims?
What's happening with Sir Fred and the big pension payoff?
It seems if politicians/bankers keep their heads down and stay quiet for a while, the scandal surrounding them simply goes away - very brief "follow ups" on some older news stories would be interesting.
Eddie: I assumed Wednesday's Glass Box had "gone fishing"... Or is today's picture representative of PM fishing for stories?
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P.S. What happened to the Red Rubber band collection?
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re the flu: Deborah Orr is v good today:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/deborah-orr/deborah-orr-we-need-to-be-inoculated-against-outbreaks-of-panic-1676345.html
I particularly liked this: "The absurdity of such an approach was summed up on Tuesday night, on Newsnight. If swine flu "cannot be contained", an authoritative-sounding voice asked, "how can we stop it spreading?" By re-phrasing the question, let's hope."
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TIH - I know. But I'm addicted in a fascinated kind of way. Every time I go in the supermarket I have a quick whizz round the papers - just to check which country all these other people think we live in. It makes me dizzy.
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Big Sister (6):
He'd have to quote Oliver Cromwell (and mean it): "You have sat here too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us be done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Sid (8):
Yes, as an Asperger's not-sufferer, I'd like to hear more on the new autism findings. Particularly views on what's going to be done with any potential treatment. For people with severe autism, a "cure" would be helpful, but I'm not sure I'd want my brain messed with to adjust me to some value of "normal".
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Good morning,
First suggestion - the AM Glass Box page should appear at 18.00hrs for ideas for the following days prog.
Not everyone has the time to make a suggestion between 05.00 and 10.00. They're busy - often doing they're own 'Glass Boxing.'
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Richard_SM (16) - There is nothing to stop anyone suggesting, via the PM Glass Box, stories for PM to follow up. It happens all the time.
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Second suggestion - I'd like to see some reporting of 'slow news.' The things that don't appear to change - and don't attract a headline through a sudden jerk, yet when you look at them again, a few notice they've moved - but most don't. We're often distracted, perhaps deliberately, by the changes/developments/announcements news stories - but the 'creeping change' goes unnoticed.
There are many areas where this occurs under the umbrella topics of environment, globalisation, civil liberties. Bloggers may wish to suggest particular areas. One obvious area is the daily reporting of the financial markets - daily changes are reported, but what's the overall trend for the month?
Third suggestion - with all the gloomy, repetitive, confusing stream of economic coverage we've had, the occasional 'free of economic news' PM edition would be welcomed.
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fJd @ 3, I too want a bit less of the flu-scare-panic-now treatment of this story.
It may be going to kill millions, but last night it wasn't and hadn't, and the reporting of a Mexican infant's death in a country adjacent to Mexico as if it were the first non-Mexican adult's death and in a far country was clearly alarmist.
Unless everything changes during the day and several hundred people die all over the world, please can we be told how serious this particular strain of flu is proving for untreated people? I know that if it is confirmed, the sufferers are being given special treatment, but surely before it began to be a crisis-story, *some* people must have had it and not been treated -- and presumably not died.
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SSC (15) @ Sid
Autism cure;
I think it would be a really good idea to investigate this one.
I'm not sure what the intention is when they say 'cure'? I would like to know if 'genetic research' into a cure actually might mean future eradication by genetic engineering. Or by developing an 'in the womb' test with a view to termination?
If any of these scenarios are the case, this would have enormous social consequences.
Conditions like autism exist on a sliding scale of intensity. Some people are also very gifted due to their conditions. It is thought that some creative, free thinking and insightful people are or have had a condition such as Autism, Schizophrenia, Asperger's, etc. will we just have an undiscerning genetic cull or what??
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Fourth suggestion - I'd like to see the absurdities of our behaviour pointed out more often. Perhaps a 'human absurdities spot.'
For example, how come people have accepted huge, towering, ugly pylons to be erected in lines across the countryside - but when proposals for a wind farm are put forward, a local action committee immediately appears? Absurd behaviour?
Another example - lobby groups have been campaigning against extra Heathrow runway or Stansted expansion. But shouldn't they be campaigning against airline travel? Shouldn't they be campaigning for rationing, taxation or regulation of airlines that would prevent their expansion? Absurd behaviour?
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This will be of interest and importance to many who play Golf:
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/golf/montgomerie-wants-more-ryder-cup-wild-cards-1676150.html
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Fourth suggestion - continued. We are all over-confident in our beliefs. Every single one of us, "I'm right, its everybody else." This is what causes many of the human absurdities, from politcians to warehouse workers. On another page, I posted, largely for amusement, the absurdities which occur within relationships.
The micro issues are often a good place to start to challenge our individual status quo. More absurd behaviour - see my post #48 added at the end of Listeners' Opinion Poll
Jennifer Tracey 11 Apr 09, 05:25 PM.
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And this is a significant change:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/5249081/Primary-schoolchildren-will-learn-to-read-on-Google-in-slimmer-curriculum.html
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(21) Richard: "absurdities of behaviour" might bite us all in the proverbial. PM might make a special thread for us to copy and paste Frogger comments that we feel fall into that category.
If it's not too late - what happened to the nurse who was dismissed for leaking information/secret filming for the BBC? Has anything been done to help find her a new position or compensate her?
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Is there going to be a General Election in June with elections to Westminster and the European Parliament on the same day?
After all party sources have said he does not want to delay polling until the last possible moment in the spring of 2010.
The Prime Minister is anxious to avoid another wave of speculation about when he might seek his own mandate after his political honeymoon came to a sudden halt as he scrapped plans for an election last autumn that had been talked up by key allies.
Labour headquarters have been told to be ready for one at any time in 2009. Although May would normally be the most likely month, Euro elections are due in June and Labour officials are arguing that it would be difficult to ask people to vote twice in consecutive months.
LOL......Some City analysts have cast doubt on Labour's hopes that the economy will bounce back early in 2009. But party officials say absence of a recovery would not necessarily deter Mr Brown from calling an election. They say voters may prefer his strong track record on the economy in difficult times to taking a risk by voting for a change of government. Ministers say confidence is growing that Mr Brown will be in a good position to seek re-election in spring 2009.
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Lady Sue (25) - The BBC's/Panorama's 'duty of care' to the nurse was covered in 'The Media Show' on R4 at 13.30 yesterday. I only heard a short segment of it. It's still available on the internet - I'm going to try to listen to it this evening.
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L_S 25
"If it's not too late - what happened to the nurse who was dismissed for leaking information/secret filming for the BBC? Has anything been done to help find her a new position or compensate her? "
I came in part-wat through a R4 prog yesterday morning ( I think, Woman's Hour) which interviewed the BBC's head-honcho for Panorama and a fellow - whose name title I didn't hear but who was clearly very knowledgeable about NHS Trusts, 'Whistleblowing Procedures" etc. A very good discussion and well worth listening to.
Anyway, the up-shot appears to be that Panorama/BBC are - and I quote from memory - "...supporting the nurse concerned and will continue to do so..."
What that actually means e.g. financially, legally, etc. was not clarified.
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L_S
TIH I'd be inclined to go with "Horse" @ 27 on the prog name.
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Can you phone Ben Goldacre and ask him to give a balancing opinion on something other than 'flu?
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It would be better to direct funds into finding the 'cause' of cancer or the 'cause' of asthma rather than a 'cure' for these illnesses.
A cure for cancer might be a disaster. It would allow society to continue living recklessly, reassured by the knowledge those 'unlucky' to develope cancer can be cured.
It's rather like the point made in the film 'The 11th Hour' (broadcast last night by another channel). The bees, who we are gradually eradicating, are doing a great job pollinating the orchards and crops to produce our food. And they're doing it for free! Without the bees, we'd have to develope 'pollinating machines.' Purchase and operation of pollinating machines by farmers would be a massive task, tripling current costs. More machinery, more oil, more land use. Bees already do it for free, and don't require an electric or combustion engine.
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Charlie (28)
Thanks for the info on Margaret Heywood. I think it was I who first flagged up on this blog the concerns over a duty of care from Panorama towards Margaret.
I've just listened to the interview and was very pleased to hear that Panorama are supporting Margaret and "we will be looking after her". They also expressed their concern that she is unable to practice while her appeal is pending.
There were no complaints from patients or their relatives over the covert filming. the complaint came from the hospital itself.
The unbelievable things is, the chairman, chief executive and director of nursing are still (proud as life) in post! Justice, what justice. The NMC sided with the failing hospital to protect dreadful conditions. Conditions that has now been admitted, would not have changed to the degree they have without the Panorama film! Go figure!
Therein lies the public interest!
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TIH and Charlie: thanks both. Will also try to listen to it.
It still might be worth PM covering what exactly is meant by "supporting" her, "financially" and "legally". My idea for a section on 'follow up' stories is for it to be very brief, just a sentence or two, on what the current situation is. Not sure if that fits in with the 'modus operandi' of PM.
Richard: God forbid we should "continue to live recklessly". It's the only way I know!
Whatever happened to Madonna and the adoption case. Has she given up or is she still pursuing it?
Eddie: are you wishing you had thought this suggestion box idea through?
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As a Dutchman, I am deeply shocked at an apparent attack on the Dutch royal family this morning in which a car drove at full speed through road blocks into a crowd of waiting children during celebrations for the Queen's birthday.
All festivities throughout the country have been cancelled. There are reports that four people have been killed and many more injured.
The incident happened as the royal family drove through the town of Apeldoorn on an open top double decker bus. It was live on Dutch national television. Press conference at 2.45pm UK time today.
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Heard today about BAe closing 3 factories and coincidentally reading "The Transition Timeline" by Shaun Chamberlin and on page 26 in an imaginary future of 2015 he reports "BAe launches wind-turbine manufactuing plant in Bristol". Mmmmm
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1. How are all the local authorities getting on with the ContactPoint database? Did they meet their deadlines? Were there mass non-cooperations by independent schools and appeals by parents, as were threatened?
2. How are the supermarkets doing, now that it's less socially acceptable to accept lots of free carrier bags, and you're no longer regarded as a crank if you bring your own bag for shopping? Are they saving costs, and are they passing any savings back to customers? (pause for hollow laughter)
3. Why are there so many dandelions this year?
4. How does the environmental cost of buying a plastic binliner and using it once to send your rubbish to landfill, stack up against re-using a supermarket carrier bag in your bin for the same purpose?
5. Because of the economic downturn, many middle-sized and larger charities are merging or closing. How is this affecting the provision of services, which at one time had been the job of local authorities or government, but which are now contracted out to the so-called Third Sector?
What with these and the other excellent ideas from other froggers, that's most of next week sorted - and maybe just a wee bit of space left for some News!
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Can I throw my weight against follow up stories on things like Damian McBride, Jacqui Smith's expenses and so on since I heard mor ethan eneough about them at the time and have no interest in any more.
The Gurka vote was reasonably interesting but the salacious way it has been jumped on by those wishing to make comment about the undermining of the PM's leadership rather than thorugh a concern for the veterans themselves is pretty transparent. Not intereste din any more editorial about leadership as a result thank you.
Finally, I suspect we're not going to be able to avoid discussion on a topic which has been widely discussed and is up for a full review which will report in a few months (expenses, in case you hadn't guessed) becaus ethere is further oportunity to lead to the phrase 'lame duck' which I'm expecting to start hearing any day now.
I know I sound like a moaning kill-joy but there's so much going on with flu, AfPak, 100 days of Obama, the ongoing financial crisis etc. that I think we could dispense with the Westminster soap opera for a bit. I'd also like updates on Zimbabwe, the Middle East and Iran and North Korea from time to time since they are pretty crucial issues and I agree with what someone said earlier about incremental change not making the news so updates and summaries would be appreciated.
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Ref # 33 Reckless Lady Sue
"God forbid....." Well he/she may well do at some point! But I'm sure you know what I meant by society living recklessly. If someone wants to go and burn rubber round a race track, as I've done myself - not a problem. Or sky dive - as I've also done - not a problem. If everyone did it occasionally - more of a problem. If the majority do it everyday, year after year, by commuting vast distances to work - big problem.
I was also going to suggest 'follow-ups' but I noticed you had already. But for Eddie and Co I will second Lady Sue's suggestion. So many stories are left unfinished. Specifically, arguments used by politicians/organisations to deflect criticism. Situations where the politician/organisation gives an answer that can't be verified or challenged at the time. They hope the awkward question they've managed to fob off has gone away. Bring it back up a month later. In fairness, some MP's do bring these Q's up in the house, during the quieter times, but it doesn't get reported widely.
Which brings me to my FIFTH SUGGESTION. Some MP's do raise and make very good points, often through their refusal to let go of an issue. So perhaps we could have "BEST BACKBENCH QUESTION of the DAY" (or week). Some attention brought the important follow up question. Not party point scoring - genuine questions. Might encourage more MP's to do so.
This leads into my to SIXTH SUGGESTION (block caps in case you don't read long posts!) With over 600 MP's, mostly anonymous, how about inviting giving/alloting every MP a one minute slot to highlight any point he or she wishes - a local issue with national implications perhaps. Or their particular hobby horse. Preferably not a party point scoring job. It would take 2 1/2 years to complete the cycle. So for example, every MP is allotted his date in advance. They might need to do a pre-recorded job sometimes - but they should be questioned on it by Eddie if need be. To summarise: every MP invited/obliged to speak/be questioned on non party issue of their choice on PM once every 2.5 years.
Apologies - I'm suggesting regular features rather than specific news stories.
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Richard_SM @ 21
Pylons are silent and linearly placed. Windfarms are not. Same does not equal same in this case.
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Ref 17 The Intermittent Horse
I thought the idea of the AM Glass Box page was to channel potential news stories for the next prog - and the PM Glass Box was the post mortem of that day's prog. No?
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What about the meningitis epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa? This was on the WHO website a few days before flu story started but never seemed to get any coverage.
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Ref #39 RJMolesworth
So you're saying if wind farms do not create any noise - by say, being a mile away from residential properties - and are linearly placed - there's no objection to them.
Well I'm sure that can be arranged in future. Thanks.
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RSM (40) - Yes and yes.
But it's all a bit inventive, ad hoc and make-do here. e.g. The editors and producers let Eddie Mair think that he is in charge. In turn, he lets them think that he knows what he is doing. And all the froggers think . . . well, mostly they don't actually. But it has worked pretty well so far.
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Who writes the news? The 3.00 pm newsreader has just announced:
"The sixth case of swine flu has been reported bringing the total number of cases in Britain to six."
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Ref #43 The Intermittent Horse
Ok thanks. I was just concerned about putting the (intermittent) cart before the (intermittent) horse!
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Richard_SM @ 44, so that would be one in ten million of the population.
Panic Now!
How many people was it who died last year because of accidents involving broken glass, I wonder...
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C_G 46
I thought R_SM @ 44, was making a different point...
Incidentally, talking of comic strips I'm putting a link on the "Michael Caine" thread which deals with material, I had no idea existed.
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Horse;
At least you're in the clear. This (supposed) pandemic which is about to strike is a weirdo amalgam of swine, avain and human viruses.
Nothing about Horses catching it in there.
Nor rodents.
WR.
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White Rat - Equine Flu can be quite nasty.
Since 2006, I have been vaccinated every six months. It is a very effective vaccine - no horse in the stables has been affected in that time!
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Eddie
Interesting dilemma looming for those at the top of the BBC - not those below the top floor, I know. Seems the DEC are on the brink of declaring the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka meets the criteria for a TV Appeal. Many parallels. How will they handle this I wonder?
And I see David Milliband has gone out there, not only to meet his Sri Lankan counterparts, but also to meet some of Tamil civilians detained in Sri Lanka in order to "assess the situation for myself."
Compare and contrast to Gaza. Many will.
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Indeed, Richard, indeed.
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But Richard Gazza is starting to get his drinking under control..
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42. Richard_SM
"Well I'm sure that can be arranged in future."
Good luck with that.
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