The PM Glass Box. Happy 80th birthday to Katie Boyle.
The Glass Box is where the PM team meets in at 18.00 every weeknight to discuss the content of the programme.
We try to be honest with each other, but not hurtful, as we talk about what worked and what didn't...what met our expectations and what fell short.
This virtual glass box is where you're encouraged to take part in the same spirit. Tonight's PM editor Briony Harris will read your comments and may well add her own.
Listen to PM
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~12~RS~)
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Bappy Hirthday Katie!
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Looks like water to me. Or gin. Or vodka.
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Eddie, Have you broken the blog?
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Has someone been messing with the space-time continuumuum again?
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fJd 3, It is spreading everywhere. I blame it on swine flu.
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It's an incorrect sort statement in a SQL query but it's been sorted I think.
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Shame, I was just starting to feel sorry for them until she said "going forward"...
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to the MPs wife on Bournemouth Pier. If you voted against, abstained, were absent when the vote to reform MPs expenses were debated on various occasion, the yes YOU ARE A PART OF A WIDER CONSPIRICY DOH!.
Right it is time to start talking about deep deep reform of everything, house of Commons, Lords, Terms and conditions, the whole sha-bang, the whole nine yards. I don't want to hear anymore about how hard they work for pretty miss wifey. I just want to see the start of massive change...Arrrg.
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Rita Wright
...was so patronising! One of the problems with our democracy is that the aptly named 'political elite' and their Establishment supporters including 'experts' like ms Wright genuinely believe that they 'look after' and 'know better' than the rabble (most of us) beneath them. This is not democracy.
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Joseph (9)
Can you believe, there still not getting it!?
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Is Scotland always home to a Scotsman?
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Only if they're form Scotland and they're a man.
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Sorry make that "from Scotland", sorry.
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Perhaps not getting it, is due to a chosen political position where one of the consequences is not being able to get it.
I suspect with all this talk of reform from the 'political elite' is going to meet much more opposition than we might think - especially over representational reform.
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David (5)
when I preview my post to check before I post the number in the right top corner of the post is always number three. Yet when I post it doesn't go to that number. but, its always a three? When the blog cracked up earlier, all my posts went to number three (it seems back to normal now) no matter where I should have been slotted. Understand? It is still number three (and has been always as far as I know) in my preview post even this post will be after 14?
PS, liked the box yesterday.
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Can Katie Boyle really be 80? Already??? But she's still only 40ish, according to the highly accurate picture in my head....
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fjd(10)
It's like some kind of nightmare! The only thing that needs discussing just won't get discussed! I just heard the trailer for tonight's Any Questions only to be reminded that South Devon's now facing the prospect of being represented by Esther Rantzen. Really, what sort of democracy is this?
The only parties prepared to discuss anything like real Parliamentary reform face absolutely no prospect of gaining power, when power of course, under our hopeless excuse for a democracy, is everything.
Why won't PM give a decent amount of time to discussing the state of British democracy and stop patronising everyone by constantly going on about the Electorate's 'anger' and putting it exclusively down to childish tantrums aimed at greedy MP's?
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Happy Birthday, Katie! I'll bet you never thought you'd be replaced by Graham Norton ....
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Brilliant piece about squirrel eating. Well done that lad, that's the kind of initiative that'll get us out of this recession.
I'd eat squirrel sausages if I had the chance.
(Not red ones of course, I never did resign from the Tufty Club!)
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Did I wander into 'Deliverance'? The squirrel murderer should be held to account.
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Red V Grey.
The man is talking nonsense to justify his perversion for killing wild animals. He will never rid the UK of greys and they will breed to fill in the gaps.
But the main point is that it has been scientifically proved that the greys don't drive out or kill reds, the reds are dying out because of what we have done to the environment, they are less hardy than greys and can't cope. They also succumb to diseases spread [innocently] by greys.
When reds were in large numbers before the grey was introduced, they too were described as a pest and were slaughtered in vast numbers by people like him - hundreds of thousands each year.
This guy likes killing, it's not unknown.
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Urm - I dearly love red squirrels, and I would be very happy if we could revert to a population of them - but unfortunately population dynamics make it almost impossible to achieve a complete wipe out. It's the same reason as any 'pest' is hard to get rid of once it has been introduced.
Think of rabbits and Myxi - Possums in NZ :s It just is very very hard to achieve.
Saw the most beautiful reds near Aviemore - I particularly love the little tufts behind their ears :-)
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22 Dr_Bee, agree, and still foreign species are being introduced, particularly plants even though rhododendron is now choking Snowdonia.
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yup invisibleatheist - that's exactly where our attention should be focused - making sure that we try not to introduce any others!
Border controls in countries like NZ are incredibly strict on this - scanning / searching baggage - disinfecting planes and walking through disinfectant baths... and it is very hard to bring in any organic items.
I'm not usually a pessimist - but I think the guy is onto a losing wicket :s
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For anyone who can't make BH on Sunday morning( we are whizzing around north Devon in a 7 with like-minded saddoes) the best beach to escape it all is a little-known place called Weston Mouth which is in East Devon near Sidmouth. It's a pebble beach at high tide and a voluntary nudist beach with no loos,kiosks and a mile hike from the tiny car park down a steep valley to reach.This means they are no tourists or noisy locals playing football and playing loud radios. Instead you'll be sharing it with birds and local fauna and it's heaven.
Failing that you get a mean ice-cream at Budleigh Salterton.
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Red rubber; squirrel murdering; The Lone Ranger (if you're a chav); William Tell otherwise and psycho dynamic counsellors.
I shall be having nightpigs. (They're worse than nightmares.)
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"Happy 80th birthday to Katie Boyle."
Yes indeed!
But, hang-on, can Katie really be ..?
Well, not according to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2000/aug/06/features.magazine47
Having said that, the Guardian's Weekend Publication, The Observer, pronounced a few weeks ago that Ms Diana Rigg was 60.
Alas, a 10 year error - on the "wrong side"...
Anyway, I hope that the picture of balloons on the blog are not a reference to Ms Boyle's er...
Because, she had a "reduction" some years ago:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-when-less-is-much-more-as-youd-wish-1141175.html
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Well, Charlie, that was the Guardian - so they probably just mistyped the numbers ;o)
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D_M 2
Water, Gin, Vodka..?
Not according to this...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009276897_apeuaustriaredbull.html?syndication=rss
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Ah Katie Boyle; floor length chiffon, smiles of lip gloss, coiffured hair.
Seems like only yesterday.
Sing little birdie, sing your song...' is it tea time yet?
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So you tried to get a grey squirrel to comment on the interview, but none were available? Ha ha.
You probably should have offered higher expenses. Squirrels listen to the news, you know. They know their worth. Nearly as much as an MP.
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Joking aside, is anyone (RSPCA?) going to try to put a stop to the squirrel murderer? Is there someone willing to "speak up" for the grey squirrel? Is there anyway of lodging a complaint against him? [Where do you get these stories from?]
I find it very upsetting that he has this vendetta against greys and has taken it on himself to play God and slaughter them. Sounded a bit self righteous too. Agree with invisibleatheist@21: this man just likes killing.
We used to have grey squirrels here but now the pine martin (roughly the same size and can catch them when the try to get away by climbing up trees) have driven them out and the reds (much smaller and lighter so can climb higher and escape) have returned. Nature will sort itself out and should be left alone.
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Will someone please tell me who Katie Boyle is?
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LS
Isn't she is tipped to win Britains got talent?
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I used to think, in the Eurovision years, that Katie Boyle was frightfully posh and live on a different planet from me (well, I could never maintain that hairstyle, let alone the makeup). Then I heard about her work for animals, and in particular dogs, and I saw her in a very different light.
A friend of mine, who lost a child to cancer, was befriended by Katie Boyle, who had heard of her case. She was so supportive of my friend that she holds her in the highest esteem.
So, whatever her age, I wish her a very happy birthday!
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From what Big Sis says, she seems like a good person and I'd like to join in wishing her a Happy Birthday too - though I'd feel a tad more sincere if I knew who she was.
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Dr Bee 6, Are you really a female?
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Mr Squirrel Shooter had better not show up in our garden. Remember the pitchfork discussion?
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L_S 20, I agree. Why doesn't he stick to killing rats? Because people won't eat them? Rat on a stick? Yummy!
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Gosh David: a red letter day. We agree on something.
Whenever we get takeaway satay we call the skewered meat 'rat on a stick'. Not only did we agree, you made me laugh!
I'm wondering whether PM will put up some link for contacting this chap to object, or a petition for the RSPCA for the squirrel-lovers amongst us. I hope so.
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LOL! David @37! Yes! Believe it or not there are some of us who are known as geekettes ;-) Actually I do my utmost not to conform to that stereotype - but I did used to run an IT business - and now this makes me very strange indeed - for either female or male - I love SQL! Guess that's just perverse *grins*
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L_S 40, Unfortunately, I think it is legal to kill grey squirrels. They are listed as vermin. We feed them peanuts and they provide hours of fun. Hey, we're getting old!
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Dr_Bee 41, We were beekeepers, but didn't need a doctor.
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L_S, Rat on a stick.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2172/2469734120_274acbc6da.jpg
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David @43 - interesting! I won't give too much away 'cos I've been amazed in previous internet 'locations' how fast people can track you down with a very small amount of info (I once had an internet stalker who threatened to turn up on my doorstep ;-)
I'm fascinated that you kept bees! All the social insects are totally amazing imo.. another of my past interests was ants... yes - what a funny old mix - but I am no expert on bees alas ;-) You did well never to need a Doctor - were you beekepers for a long time?
Re squirrels - I did once know a man at the Forestry Commission who made the mistake of suggesting on the Today program that the best place for a squirrel was in a pie. This is a few years back now, but his office was burnt down shortly after by what was apparently an arson attack. He lost an awful lot of valuable data that he'd spent a long time collecting. Of course I would never ever condone anything like that - but when I heard the piece on Friday it did occur to me that the red squirrel man was, urm, let's say bold :s
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Did anyone hear Esther Ranzen on AQs? I missed most of it but, in general, think she's a pretty good egg who's achieved a lot of good things. However, my impression was that every time she made any kind of statement at all, she paused, waiting for the applause. Sometimes it came and sometimes there was ... dead air.
I have absolutely no objection to 'celebrities' or anyone else standing for election but I'm a little concerned about those who might be standing because they want to hear the applause. They should be standing because they want to serve their constituents.
There was another chap (ex-MP, name escapes me) on tonights' PM who said that being an MP had given a lot of experience and he learned a lot of skills, including communication.
Apologies but again my opinion is they should be there to serve, work hard to improve the life of their constituents and not to make the most of expenses or 'learn helpful career skills'.
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Lady Sue,
Yes, I know what you mean about Ms Ranzen. I only noticed a particularly embarrassing 'dead air' moment towards the end of the prog as she made a statement with gusto particularly designed to receive an applause I thought and....nothing.
Do you think this kind of misreading of situations like this can be put down to how she might expect an audience to react in her celebrity role.
I remember 'Thats life' and how she often ended a report/expose with a witty one liner designed to make her look more inteligent than I think she really is. Sorry bit judgmental, but I don't know what kind of an MP she would really be. She hasn't said anything about the wider political issues either. I don't don't really know about token celebs in parliament...certainly not Esther.
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D McN - we feed our squirrels nuts as well, and they eat out of our hands. Like having a pet, only we don't care so much when they get run over. (We give ours roasted nuts - easier to digest, I'm told.)
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Lady Sue,
Can you imagine Ms Lumley as an MP. She'd end every statement with that battle cry she does.
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Joe, you made me laugh out loud!
Mind you, I'd prefer her to Esther, on balance.
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Grey Squirrels eat birds eggs and nestlings, and have been identified by RSPB, as one of the causes of drastic decline in native bird populations.
Yer man can pot as many of the buggers
as he likes as far as I'm concerned, good luck to him.
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nexto: what and reds do not? Nor pine martin, Mr. Fox and the list continues... of course they all do. It's nature and should be left alone.
It's not for some Deliverance-like Git to take the law of nature unto himself.
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LS: Absolutely right, the reds do not, and the balance of nature should not be disturbed by man!
Grey squirrels are only here because of interference with nature.
The grey squirrel has been introduced to this country and IS a pest.
Also Pine Martens tend not to live in deciduous woods and foxes can't climb trees (much) but at least they are native species.
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Re: the Labour MP Frank Cook who made a (rejected) claim for £5 church donation.
As a cancer survivor (for now) I give lectures by invitation for the benefit of Macmillan Cancer Support to whom I owe an enormous debt of gratitude.
Last summer I was invited to give a talk and a workshop at our diocesan Youth Camp. A week later, the vicar knocked on my door and gave me a cheque for £50 so that I can present it to Macmillan. He told me that, after I left, the children voted to nominate my charity as their choice for the collection after the last Eucharist. THOSE CHILDREN DONATED THEIR POCKET MONEY TO HELP OTHERS.
I am ashamed to think that this morning they and their parents are waking up to the sordid news of an attempt to claw back a fiver given in church!
The British people are better than some of those who seek to represent them. This MP has no moral right to speak on their behalf.
The people must be given the mechanism by which to recall and sack without compensation those who fail them.
Next Wednesday I shall be addressing a Mothers' Union meeting. Several times I have seen a plate put out at the end to fill with £1 and 50p coins, and then - it's £40 or more. "Well", they say, "It's such a good cause". I bet my next talk will bear similar fruit. The British people are overwhelmingly decent and generous. And there lies my hope.
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51. nextoanidiot:
'Grey Squirrels eat birds eggs and nestlings, and have been identified by RSPB, as one of the causes of drastic decline in native bird populations.'
Actually the major cause of decline of reds is habitat destruction by man. Ditto decline of some bird species. Perhaps a cull of humans is in order. RSPB tend to come up with numbers in a 'off the top of me 'ead' manner, and are always looking for scapegoats. Greys squirrels may eat eggs and nestlings when pushed, food scarce, but it's not their preferred food. Push any species into a corner and they will behave differently.
The grey was introduced a long time ago and is now part of the ecosystem which will always in time balance out.
Pest = unwanted animal or plant. One man's pest is another's pet.
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The Songbird Society blames magpies for the decline of songbirds in much the same way as the RSPB blames grey squirrels. Real reason is farmers and modern agro-culture poisoning their environment.
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sid 48, I wish I could get our squirrels to eat out of my hand. They come close to my feet, but no further. We have names for a couple of them, but try not to get too attached. I have found two decapitated squirrels in the 'alley' next to our house. I felt bad, but put them in the wheelie bin.
Yesterday, I was asked to deliver yet one more leaflet before the election. I was told that it was a targeted leaflet (I hate them!!) for all of the 500 houses I deliver to. Why 'target' everybody? Why not just give me the leaflets and do away with the expense of envelopes and the kerfuffle of my having to check to see if they are in the right order? Are people nuts?! I said NO! How to lose volunteers.
Also, why can't the Lib Dems (maybe yours do) have the back of one leaflet be printed so that it can be used as a window poster? I keep asking, and get no answer other than, "Good idea." Other parties do it.
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Dr Bee 45, One poster traced my address and put the street name here, but I got it deleted. A man on another forum I used threatened to come to my house and harm me. Probably not much chance as he lived in China, but that threat was deleted. There are some strange people on the internet.
We kept bees for six years or so, mostly two hives, but occasionally three if we collected a swarm. They were kept in our back garden to the annoyance of some fussy neighbors. One said they pooed on her drying laundry. How did she know they were our bees? We quit because we both became allergic to stings. Verroa and other diseases were becoming a costly problem and we were only doing it as a hobby, so we didn't mind quitting. Now there is the problem of bees disappearing. I still have some honey and occasionally make mead out of some.
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Hi,
Last week on PM a senior member of the BBC claimed "The BBC is committed to freedom of information"
Perhaps you could contact this guy and see if he agrees with the assertion you left unchallenged during the interview.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbpointsofview/F1951574?thread=5976819&skip=0&show=20
Regards
Alec
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AlecMac 59
A very interesting post and the tenacity displayed on the "points of view" thread is to be admired. Greatly.
"...Due to all that, I wrote to the BBC and asked them under Freedom of Information to let me have any information which would reveal whether or not they had been got at by the government. They refused my request citing their 'Schedule 1 Derogation' which enables them to conceal information relating to Art, Literature and Journalism..."
"...You may remember that the Balen report into the BBC's coverage of the Middle East was hidden from public view using the Schedule 1 Derogation. In fact there was an argument that it was commissioned for the purposes of journalism, and was covered; in any event the BBC spent £200,000 of the TV Taxpayers money in the courts and were successful at maintaining the secrecy over it."
It all sounds as if a national newspaper might wish to get involved.
I would also have suggested an MP, however...
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I challenge anyone to find a recent photo of this beauty of the 1950s, 60s.
Can you hear me, Stockholm? Could I have your votes please.
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Alecmac(59)
I would like to echo everything Charlie has said. Please continue to pursue.
I have noticed lately that so often on radio and TV when a spokesperson for from the BBC has been asked for to answer what might be considered as awkward questions (on its own dealings), They seem to have no qualms at regularly not having someone available to answer said questions. I feel this evasion has become evidently worse in recent times. I see this kind of behaviour as an act of despising the license payer - no different to politicians in my opinion who feel they have the right to say "what right have the public got to get involved with my private life"
If we pay for it - we have the right to know what goes off!
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Cossackgirl 54
You make an excellent point.
I'm sad to have to say that such immorality exists in industry and commerce as well.
A friend and ex-colleague of mine went on to become a Board member of a World-Class Corporation. About 5 years ago, he attended a Cancer Charity fund raising function - he does every year - his Corporation gave and still gives very generous (non-publicised at their request) donations each year. And to complete the picture, my friend lost his wife seven years ago, to breast cancer.
Anyway, the Charity gave the Corporation (my friend) 10 pairs of "free" tickets for the function which was held at a very swish hotel. Hundreds attend.
Five pairs were "taken" by the Corporation for staff, five given to "Corporate" friends. Every person, offered a pair of tickets accepted the invitation.
Nine (my friend was one) of the ten who received tickets accepted but paid the full ticket price to to the Charity. The person who didn't was a Board member of my friend's own "Corporation" - no problem because the tickets were after all "free".
There was a raffle. "Everyone" bought at least one ticket. The first prize was a very expensive TV donated by a world-famous company. A french lady guest, unknown to my friend won. She graciously told the auctioneer that she would like the item re-auctioned for the charity. Great and generous gesture and, hundreds more tickets sold.
On re-auction, my friend's Board member (he who took the pair of "free tickets without payment) won the TV and kept it. No problem, he'd won it, fair and square.
Three or four days later, my friend asked the accounts department for his colleague's expenses claim. Apart from much else, related to the Charity "Fund Raiser" (hair-cuts, dry-cleaning, taxis...) was a claim for two raffle tickets.
My friend asked that the TV be delivered to the company immediately. As the company had paid for the ticket, it owned the TV. The alternative was that my friend's colleague donated, via the company, the retail value of the TV, which he with some reluctance, did.
So, some MP's aren't the only ones who employ these tactics. Unfortunately...
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DMcN @ 57, for some reason I was put off the idea of voting LibDem last week when two envelopes arrived from them addressed to two out of the four people registered to vote at this address. Each contained an application form for a postal ballot. (I noted that these did not require an applicant to demonstrate any proof of identity, but that is a different gripe.)
What are they playing at? And what is the point, this close to the election? And why not the other two voters registered here?
General, on the red/grey squirrels matter: I would like please to know something. I know that of the animal species people have been mentioning, foxes and grey squirrels may carry rabies. Is the same true of pine martens and red squirrels?
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Alec mac 59:
I would echo the other chaps who have commented. What commendable tenacity on the part of the persistent seeker after truth and how very disappointing that what perhaps we suspect is the truth ( a cover up) can exert such a strangle hold over the BBC.
Given the current climate who can act as a champion in such a situation? Not an MP, MEP or Lord. We think we are a democracy and a free, civilised society but there are so many things that seem to point to the opposite.
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D McN @ 58
You must admit you've been fairly profligate with personal information.
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63. Charlie
Thank you for an excellent example; I fear there is all too much of this kind of thing out there.
The story of the MP and the fiver seems to be changing, he seems to say, yes, a bad mistake to claim for the fiver, but it was a stand-in for him who asked for the money, he just passed on the claim.
I can see a spurious argument possible here along the lines of: "They don't want me as a person; they want an MP (or his stand-in). As a private individual I am (let's say) an atheist, I wouldn't be seen dead in that church and wouldn't give them a brass button. But as an MP it is my duty to attend the ceremony and be seen to contribute generously as a good example. Therefore, I am only carrying out my duty, I work while I am there, and every penny of the costs can go on expenses".
I am worried about the hypocrisy angle here. I am not a church-goer myself, except by invitation, but I always put something into the collection plate, and it's my own money.
When people in churches see VIPs at ceremonies brandishing fivers or tenners as the plate comes around, I bet people assume it's their money and such a generous gesture. How many realise that this donation may be made in the hope of getting it back from the taxpayers? Wouldn't it be more honest, if they gave a quid of their own, or even nothing if they wanted to be brutally honest?
Or is it that the show must go on?
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Chris @ 64
No idea why your local Lib Dems are encouraging postal vote applications at this point. (Personally I would steer clear of having anything to do with such applications.)
But I can tell you that the software we use normally identifies the first named person in a household, and the second - so you will get leaflets sent to Mr Ghoti (for example), then a different leaflet to Ms Ghoti a week later - but usually not more than that. I could give you more details - but it's not all that interesting.
*I'm sure the same applies to other parties
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64. Chris!! Your comment wasn't there when I replied to Charlie!
I left you a long thank-you and best wishes for tomorrow's op this morning on the PM Glass Box for 28 May, if you can find it. There is a bit of word-play there too, as it's your forte and you wanted cheering up.
Anyway, once again all the very best, it will soon be only a memory...
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Is this the AM Glass Box for Monday?
Am I expected to be up in the morning to post in the AM Glass Box?
A serving suggestion for Monday please:
He told the Andrew Marr show the abuses uncovered by the Daily Telegraph had offended his "Presbyterian conscience".
From the BBC news website.
What's one of those then?
'conscience'? So he's the conscience to get offended by that, but he has no issues about the illegal invasion of Iraq or signing us up to the European Constitution?
Why has it taken so long?
I hope the 3 weeks it's taken to come up with that has nothing to do with Damian McBride and Derek Draper no longer being on the taxpayer funded payroll?
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Cossackgirl 63
"The story of the MP and the fiver seems to be changing, he seems to say, yes, a bad mistake to claim for the fiver, but it was a stand-in for him who asked for the money, he just passed on the claim."
Many, many, many, years ago, when I was a very young Pup, I had the great pleasure of meeting a then beautiful, young and, in my opinion truthfull Lady, who has become (I think) immortalised by the words...
"Well, he would, wouldn't he?"
And that, for me, says it all...
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71. Charlie
Yes, dear Mandi (I think) did us all a great favour by supplying that line in her defence. It has since morphed into a universal debunker of hypocrisy "Well, he would say that" as you prove in your post.
P.S. Oh, Charlie, not in the pool??! You lucky, lucky...
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David @58 - yes there are some very strange interneters (?!) about :s The person who found me wasn't a huge threat thank goodness, but did show an unhealthy interest and it rather frightened me.
I thought you were kidding about your neighbours complaining about the bee's soiling their washing! I couldn't resist looking it up to see what exactly it would bee like (sorry :D). Well, apparently it is very difficult to remove (according to car salespeople in California at least) Even though you don't keep any bees yourselves anymore, I hope you don't let any too close to the glass box ;-) (Am I right in thinking that you take the pics?)
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MPs hands in the till.
Surely the general conclusion that we should draw is that we, the people, resent the MP's gravy train.
Indeed, everyone else's too.
Our demand surely should be for absolute equality.
When I think of the rich in this country I am reminded of Churchill's phrasing. Never has so much been owed to so many by so few.
So, since the media salami slice, may I suggest:
1. Does THIS Parliament have any right to govern at all?
2. How can we have any faith at all in their temporary remedies or their plans for reform, whether on expenses or on the Constitution?
3. How can incomes above the average ever be justified? Could we look at bankers and financiers, MPs, and BBC employees (seriously)?
4. How can incomes below the average ever be justified? Could we hear from families where the breadwinners have recently been made redundant and are now on state benefit? What have they done to deserve less than anyone else?
Mandy, by the way.
Are you sure you met her? It sounds more like Christine Keeler to me.
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Cossackgirl 72
Re your P.S.
I believe it was Mark Twain who once said something like:
"Unlike George Washington, I can tell a lie, but I won't. Which gives me the higher moral ground."
I shall say no more...
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C_G 64, I assume the postal ballot thing is like one I delivered to about thirty of the 500 houses I deliver leaflets to. I think they were known postal ballot voters. I think the point is that a lot of Lib Dem workers don't know their ars* from their elbow about what they are doing.
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Sid 66, As have you, Mr Beardy. The difference is that it's not against the rules for me to say things about myself, but others can't.
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Dr Bee 73, Yes, I take the pics. Ain't diggie photography great? Just plug the camera into the computer and voila! Somewhere, I have photos of me in my beekeeper's clothes playing with our hives. We bought bee poo colored sheets and towels to hide the stains.
Talking about mead made me get out four pounds of old honey to get a gallon started yesterday.
I put my glass box in our pond yesterday. Stay tuned to see if the photo appears. Unfortunately, the camera is downstairs and I am in the loft.
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Invis A.
Dont accept your argument about squirrels. Here are a couple of FACTS. Not off the "top of me ead"
In areas where Grey squirrels have been erradicated, native red squirrels ussually recolonise within months
Eggs and nestlings are not eaten as a last resort when they cannot find anything else, they "love em" Yum Yum!
Grey squirrels damage oak and beech woods by stripping the bark,red squirrels do not.
Here is a useful link which you might want to look at. You never know you might learn something!
http://www.rspp.org.uk/
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79. nextoanidiot an extremist website has nothing to teach me. My argument isn't that they are lovely cuddly creatures which do no harm, it is that they are here, end of argument, because there's no way they can be removed. They are not very different to reds who have only becomes the creatures to love since the greys took over, yet in the last two centuries were hunted energetically as a pest. Times change, humans change, animals don't. You've been listening to that idiot you're next to again.
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80.
You are not often right, but you are wrong again!
They've killed 22,000 of them in the last three years in Northumberland alone, which has halted their steady march Northwards.
Where the greys have been eradicated, the reds rapidly recolonised.
You really shoud have a look at the website.
Yours, Eitherside of an idiot!
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This is very confusing.
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What are all these balloons doing here?
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They're not here - you're looking at a time shift from June.
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