All I have to worry about
is crashing the bongs. Damn things started at 17.59.32 last night. I mean - I ask you.
Hugh on the other hand is hard at work in China working on tomorrow's piece.
As an exclusive offer for froggers - Hugh will happily entertain any China related questions you have. The comment link is the way to ask them.
In the meantime, Hugh follows up his brief RANT about Chinese SMOG yesterday with this:
"The smog here is scary. The visibility in Shanghai today is just as you see it (or not) in these two photos taken from the Huangpu riverbank on Tuesday morning. The forecast for today is: warm and sunny. Lovely. The air quality forecast is: Rising from 65 on Monday to 121 on Tuesday, moving from Grade 2 to Grade 3A. Not so lovely.
It says here: 'a Grade A reading calls for people with respiratory problems to reduce outdoor activities'. On the plane over here, I watched the Al Gore movie An Inconvenient Truth. An inconvenient truth for Shanghai - he says - is that, if the ice shelves on Antarctica and Greenland melt, this entire Chinese coastal region will end up several meters under water. And - he says - so will Beijing. And London, of course. Oh well - at least there'll be less smog. "
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That's a very fine offer from Hugh, and following on from these depressing photos and comments from him, could he find out what the incidence of asthma and other chest conditions are in these heavily polluted areas? What precautions do people take as the week progresses and the smog worsens?
Incidentally, and this is related to the above, what is the pattern of their working week? Is there an established day, or couple of days, when economic activity is less than others (as, in theory, there is in European countries)? Not that this necessarily makes a great difference if there are more cars out and about during the 'leisure' days.
And, again related to the above, I've heard said that car ownership is rapidly rising in China. I expect he'll cover this (and probably the above) during his reports, but I'd certainly welcome knowing more.
What are the primary forms of heating used during the colder months? (again related).
Oh well, I think you get the drift of where I'm going .....
Crashing the Bongs: Yes, I heard that last night. very smooth there, Eddie.
Question for Simon to entertain: Is there any indication that the recent climate change panic from the western world has penetrated into China/Chinese government at all? Given that they are the largest industrial nation on earth, have any measures been taken to curb their emissions in any significant way? Should we get on the case of the new Chinese Tescos and tell them to reduce their packaging? ;-)
And another question: Unthinkable years ago, but how Americanised has China become in your view?
Belinda (2);
"Question for Simon to entertain". Ummm, I don't know the answers I'm afraid. Not my field of expertise (but then neither is any other field). Or is it jonnie's Simon you're asking?
Sorry.
Si.
Have they made the bongs earlier so they go out at the "right time" on satellite and DAB?
One solution to 'bong crashing' could be to try and end the program about a minute beforehand, and fill the gap by reintroducing the birdsong from when the bell was being serviced (the bong was wrong?!) and was replaced with the pips.
Thinking of which, birds could also be introduced at the other end of the program - since many birds have a pip-like voice, replace the 4:59 set of pips with an edited bird recording... although, given the amount of complaints generated by the edited wood pigeon, maybe not...
(Take 2: first time, read timeout)
Thanks to Hugh & colleagues for braving the Smog to bring us their reports from China.
It would be interesting to know if China's growth and the flexing of it's increasing international might, is causing increased political/military tensions with India?
Best Regards
Otter
One solution to 'bong crashing' could be to try and end the program about a minute beforehand, and fill the gap by reintroducing the birdsong from when the bell was being serviced (the bong was wrong?!) and was replaced with the pips.
Thinking of which, birds could also be introduced at the other end of the program - since many birds have a pip-like voice, replace the 4:59 set of pips with an edited bird recording... although, given the amount of complaints generated by the edited wood pigeon, maybe not...
(SB3, Take 6: read timeout x2, 502 x3)
And there I was thinking the blogserver had been fixed and no longer needed a dose of CPR...
Perhaps traffic is higher during lunchtimes, and it can't cope with the demand, but later on when traffic declines, things settle down a bit...
Off piste message to Froggers:
I've sent to Jonnie the lovely doggie musings from last month, collated but not really edited. There may be some I've missed, in which case I apologise, and it may be that other dogfroggers may want to say a bit more. Do feel free.
Jonnie will try to find a place to post on the 'alternative' website set up by the froggers, as a storeroom and playground off the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ blog.
I've suggested to him, and I hope you agree, that any froggers who'd like to send in their dog photos should feel free to do so for inclusion on the doggie testaments, which I suggest we name Fido's Corner (in honour of Fido's Run on the Beach).
Anyone fancy a game of Ludo instead? This blog is broken.
Dear PM,
Recently I got my hair cut short and I wasn't satisfied with it. I want my hair to be long again. In two weeks I'm supposed to be a bridesmaid at my sister's wedding. Any suggestions on how to make my hair long in a fortnight?
Given how long it is currently taking to get posts up on this blog, and by way of an experiment, I have just posted on Chris Evans Blog at 3.10 p.m. to see how long it takes to get put up. I note there have been postings there as recently as 2.52 p.m.
Joe Palooka. Well, we all know who THAT is!
Results of Chris Evans Blog Experiment:
Posted 3.08, had appeared by 3.28 (cannot be sure of exact time - but 20 minutes max is pretty good).
So, is there a case of blog discrimination going on here? Can we order a reconditioned engine yet?
after the panto season
"I'm the only one saved from the wreck!"
Except I don't really think I am, I believe there may be a hiatus in the service.
This is by way of a test:
"Testing, 1 - 2, 1 - 2"
Meanwhile, back on the PM Blog, I've rechecked the threads and nothing later than 11.58 a.m. at the time of writing this (3.32 p.m.)
Just an experiment, you understand ....
Great Programme. How about If America can learn from China?
I'd worry about someone writing a strapline that pushes your picture off the edge of your own blog, Eric.
What is going on today then ??
Eddie and the PM Team; I think you should know that the froggers have found a place where comments are posted immediately. This could mean the demise of the Blog.
Oh well, it's what you wanted anyway.
One solution to 'bong crashing' could be to try and end the program about a minute beforehand, and fill the gap by reintroducing the birdsong from when the bell was being serviced (the bong was wrong?!) and was replaced with the pips.
Thinking of which, birds could also be introduced at the other end of the program - since many birds have a pip-like voice, replace the 4:59 set of pips with an edited bird recording... although, given the amount of complaints generated by the edited wood pigeon, maybe not...
(SB3 - tried 6x during lunch, but Read Error or 502 each time - let's see if this gets through...)
And there I was thinking the blogserver had been fixed and no longer needed a dose of CPR...
Perhaps traffic is higher during lunchtimes, and it can't cope with the demand, but later on when traffic declines, things settle down a bit...
Re Bloggered Up
Could it be that Eddie has been sold a pig in a poke? Could it be that Chris Evans was sold the 8 cylinder sportscare while poor Eddie was only allowed to buy the 1960 2 CV?
I oscillate between sympathy and frustration. If you hadn't noticed.
Was Eddie sold a 1960 2 CV while Chris Evans was offered the brand new 8 cylinder sportsmodel?
Don't let yourself be sold short, Lord Mair.
And, btw., you're sounding fed up tonight. I'll peek at the webcam to see why ...... Hm, a white shirt I see. Was that a job interview this morning then?
Smog.
Blog.
Death.
I think you should be worried about crashing the blog!!
Looks like all the post noon comments from yesterday have hit the dust ....
Chairman Mair, all I have to worry about is increased mortgage payments, Council Tax increases, university fees, utility bills, my aged mother, my teenage children, tomorrow's weather, tonight's meal.....and you want me to worry about smog?!
Yvonne (10) you could try sticking your feet in a Fison's growbag.....
Yvonne (10) : Speak to it wistfully of favourite hairstyles past. That should make it long lots.
Fifi ;o)
Aaarrrggghhh!!!!!!
Posts 5, 7 and 19 are classic examples of the bloggered blogserver - on each one of those I got an error.
Apologies if you thought I was getting a bit repetitive there :)
Wow! A posting succeeded first time - and in only 36 seconds [41 if you include waiting for the "Your comment has been received" page to fully load]. Looks as though the frog is out of intensive care and back on the general surgery ward...
[searches under laminate benching to find a supporting block of real wood to tap]
...touch wood!
on venezuela, re-6/2/07
I agree with what the marxist academic Alan? Woods of handsoffvenezuela.org said yesterday in the interview c. 1725h. I'm unsure whether he made the following point. Chaves' recent taking of decree powers, was done by him before and used to enact some 49 bills, largely to do with state control over coastal, some lands, which led to the coup attempt against him. Previous Venezuelan Presidents have also used these powers, of the 1999 and pre-Chaves constitutions, to do so. These were not met with the hysterical cries of "communism," anti-"democracy" etc, as the world's mass media are currently doing? Why? I suppose they don't like the re-elected Chaves or his policies.
What do others think?
Mittfh (5, 7 and 19), No no no no no! Please not the bl**dy twittering again! If people really want to hear it surely they can go outside and listen live? Please don't make them put it back on the radio -- it drove me demented last time!
Fifi (27) Marvellous hahahaha!
Yvonne (10) Extensions?
I am the author of this comment and I hereby approve it.
Aperitif - LOL :o)