The Glass Box is coming soon
and appearing here later will be a little piece we've put together about it.
But in the blogging spirit, we are also looking for other feature ideas to put on the radio. Is there a famous glass box/cube in art/sculpture? Where is Britain's biggest greenhouse? Should people in glass houses throw stones? The more lateral the better. We can send along a reporter or get someone on the end of a phone.
And once you've done that, could you fill tonight's programme for us?
In the country you're more likely to find plastic tunnels than glass houses today, perhaps you could do a piece on why glass is much better than plastic. Or if it is. I can't say I'd be interested, but.....
Taken a long trip via September to get here (what IS that all about??).
If we fill the prog for you Eddie, does that mean that you wont need to phone in sick any more?
"Window Glass on your square world"?
Should we all send in photos of various glass boxes that we know about?
As for news stories: Can you interview this man?
Certainly we could fill the programme for you, Sir. And would you like us to rustle up some coffee & cakes while you're on the air as well? Anything else? A manicure - why not? Just put your feet up & relax, you've had a stressful time, obviously, what with your serious illness & all.
Probably shouldn't mention the fact that Carolyn managed to do the show for you over Easter, and turn up sounding fresh as a daisy this morning on Today as well. Probably cycled to work too. Oh, and she's given up coffee. Is that a halo glinting over her picture??
Story suggestions for PM:
1. Jonathan Aitken was innocent 'but a bit arrogant maybe' - Humphrys fails to pounce in On The Ropes
2. MoD recruits Daily Mail to put its side of Iranian hostage story because 'nobody believes us any more'
3. Interactive radio takes another leap forward when listeners fill an entire programme and nobody upstairs notices
Fifi
Looking across the Channel to France two sites spring to mind.
For a hollow glass rectangle/box-type thing; try the Grande Arche at La Defense on the outskirts of Paris, situated on the Grande Axe, the line through the Tuileries gardens, Place de la Concorde, Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe;
or why not the Glass Pyramid designed by I.M Pei which now forms the entrance to the Louvre.
Britain's biggest greenhouse? Surely the Eden Project near St. Austell in Cornwall?
There was the glass box in which David Copperfield (the US magician) attempted to live for a while on the banks of the Thames.
Most modern skyscrapers are glass fronted boxes of differing shapes and sizes, viz; the Erotic Gherkin (Swiss Re building) at St. Mary Axe, the 'glass testicle' which houses the London Assembly or the Hong Kong Island waterfront, as seen across Victoria Harbour from Kowloon.
RE; glass houses and stones. I see that Colonel Bob Stewart has been playing up about the 'Iran 15' being allowed to sell their stories (or not, as the case may be). He thinks it's a disgrace that military people should be allowed to make money from their service. He might wish to speak to the author of a book called 'Broken Lives', written by a former officer in the Army cashing in on his service and media profile.
The author was, ummm, Col Bob Stewart DSO, etc. The hypocrite. In his case the answer is he should keep the stones in his pocket. Please question him about this the next time you get to speak to him.
Why is it O.K. for him and Sir Peter de la Billiere, et al, to publish, speak their minds (including on PM) and be paid whilst these people may not?
Si.
Good link Belinda (3)! All I can say is wow - what a real star. I can't even ski more than 5 mph with two good eyes - amzing what people can do when the odds are stacked up against them.
Si,
David Copperfield (the US magician)??? I think you mean G铆t wizard, don't you?
Does anyone else like the juxtaposition of the current top two most emailed stories on the 成人快手 website?
1. Many dieters 'finish up heavier'
2. Scientists' 'perfect' bacon butty
Eddie:
Perhaps the ultimate glass box, the entrance to Apple's 5th Avenue store in New York: a 128-foot glass cube.
This page has some nice pictures...
FFred;
Umm. Yeah. Probably. If I only had a clue what language you're speaking?
Si.
Simon Worrall @ 6
It wasn't "David Copperfield (the US magician) - It was me!
Fearless Fred @ 8
Are you dissing me?
DB(12) I think my views are well known!
Si (11) Surely you know that this is DB's generally accepted moniker round these parts....
yes Ffred, git wizard about sums it up for me too.
Belinda I too saw the perfect bacon butty story and was sorry, if not ashamed, to see that the thousands of hours of research involved had been done at my alma mater. Couold they not have found somethign more useful to do?
Despite the latest nonsense with the 15 sailors taken captive and now released, which has made it look so absurd, the Royal Navy has built up a formidable reputation over the years and after other low points, has been rigorous in restoring it. I firmly believe it can do so again if it is allowed to.
It must be encouraged to undertake a most rigorous inquiry by itself without political interference so as to regain its self-respect - which I believe it absolutely must seek to do. Whatever the arguments we will always need a Navy and we need it to be strong. We should remember how the Royal Navy practically defined the meaning of tradition many times over. One notable instance centred on Admiral Sir A.B. Cunningham (鈥楢BC鈥), in 1941.
Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, later Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope, was Britain鈥檚 best Admiral since Nelson, and was Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet from 1939-1943.
He gave a model view on the meaning of tradition during the evacuation of Crete where warships of the Royal Navy were being sunk in a mass slaughter as they sought to bring off the Army and take them back to Egypt.
By 26 May 1941, the Navy had lost half its operational ships, and General Wavell together with the New Zealand Prime Minister and the General commanding the Australian forces in the Middle East, met that morning on board H.M.S. Warspite in Alexandria. They recommended that the Army in Crete surrender before the whole fleet was destroyed. There seemed no alternative. Wavell himself said it would take three years to build a new fleet.
But Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham chose to speak last, and said,
鈥淚t has always been the duty of the Navy to take the Army overseas to battle and, if the Army fail, to bring them back again. If we now break with that tradition, ever afterwards when soldiers go overseas they will tend to look over their shoulders instead of relying on the Navy. You have said, General, that it will take three years to build a new fleet. I will tell you it will take three hundred years to build a new tradition. If, gentlemen, you now order the Army in Crete to surrender, the Fleet will still go there to bring off the Marines.鈥
(Courtesy John Winton鈥檚 excellent biography 鈥楥unningham鈥.)
We now need an old-school, hard-as-nails Admiral to head up an inquiry and restore the Navy's much weakened - but repairable - reputation. In the meantime the First Sea Lord and Captain of H.M.S. Cornwell need to remind themselves and every other Naval commander of Cunningham鈥檚 first principle, 鈥榠ntelligent anticipation鈥.
Simon (6) I'm pretty sure the bubbles at the Eden project aren't glass. I think they're incredibly strong polytunnel stuff!
The Palmhouse in Sefton park Liverpool isn't the biggest, but is a very elegant old victorian glasshouse which has been lovingly restored over the last 10years or so.
GM (16);
Ah, but the Edd-meister asked for 'greenhouse', not 'glasshouse' and Eden surely qualifies as a greenhouse? Mr. Pedantic strikes again!
And the only glasshouse left in Britain is the tri-Service 'Military Corrective Training Centre' at Colchester, successor to the notorious 'Glasshouse' of Aldershot fame, the military jail so-named for its large glass lantern roof.
Si.
D B (12);
Of course, I withdraw my incorrect remark.
FFred;
I've never heard of it and don't claim to understand the full import of the term. But if I have you correctly then I probably agree with your assessment of his character. And that would go for Copperfield or Blaine.
AA;
What could be a better use of University resources than defining forever the contents of the perfect bacon butty? Surely a great service to mankind. Not having read the research or findings; do they recommend English or Dijon mustard?
Si.
I'm pretty sure the bubbles at the Eden project aren't glass. I think they're incredibly strong polytunnel stuff!
Well I sincerely hope that they have planning permission for them then.
Thanks, Member of the Public (15).
Yes: 'intelligent anticipation'. What action will our Navy take the next time one or more Iranian vessels sail into Iraqi waters?
Not the the same as last time, I hope.
Ah but Simon (17) he did ask under the heading 'The GLASS box'
Love from Mrs Equally PedanticX
GM;
How true, how true.
These mixed messages; glass boxes and greenhouses, how shall we interpret them?
Do you think that our Ed hankers for a spell in a military jail in South Essex then? Is he sending out some strange code to that effect?
If it's the Essex connection;
Does he feel a mysterious attraction to women in stilettoes and leopard-print leggings? Or does he see himself as Mondeo man, with open-necked shirt and masses of cheap bling medallions?
The plot thickens....
Si.
Ooh, how I love a challenge! And to put the debate to rest, and quoting from the Eden Project website, the following is the case:
"The Biomes are made up of hexagons of various sizes, the largest of which are approximately 9m across. The frame is galvanised tubular steel glazed with a triple layer of ETFE (Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene Co-Polymer) foil.
ETFE is a transparent, recyclable foil and should last for at least 30 years. It is anti-static and therefore self-cleaning. It is very strong, transparent to UV light and is not degraded by sunlight. The whole structure is guaranteed maintenance-free for at least 25 years"
I'll bet you all really wanted to know that .....
Ooh, how I love a challenge! And to put the debate to rest, and quoting from the Eden Project website, the following is the case:
"The Biomes are made up of hexagons of various sizes, the largest of which are approximately 9m across. The frame is galvanised tubular steel glazed with a triple layer of ETFE (Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene Co-Polymer) foil.
ETFE is a transparent, recyclable foil and should last for at least 30 years. It is anti-static and therefore self-cleaning. It is very strong, transparent to UV light and is not degraded by sunlight. The whole structure is guaranteed maintenance-free for at least 25 years"
I'll bet you all really wanted to know that .....
Oh Si (18), we differ again -- for a bacon sarnie it absolutely must be ketchup! Mustard? Pah! :-)
I'm sorry to disagree with both Si and Appy (a feat of no mean effort!) A true bacon butty has to have both ketchup AND mustard, and the mustard should be wholegrain. For sheer indulgence, it should be done on toasted brown bread with butter as well:-)
Toast?! Oh Fearless -- that is just sick!
And I disagree with you all. Forget ketchup, forget mustard (wholegrain or not), the only addition should be sliced tomato, possibly with lettuce (in which case a little mayo may be allowed)
Funny how different people's tastes can be on this, isn't it?
And I disagree with you all. Forget ketchup, forget mustard (wholegrain or not), the only addition should be sliced tomato, possibly with lettuce (in which case a little mayo may be allowed)
Funny how different people's tastes can be on this, isn't it?
Big Sis - If you will allow me to add freshly ground black pepper, I'll have your sarnie!
Appy please look away now, or preferably before reading Simon Worrall's post (22)
Simon, I cannot believe that you wrote about Mr. Mayor:
Does he feel a mysterious attraction to women in stilettoes and leopard-print leggings?
What ON EARTH do you think such questions are going to do to the dress-code among certain female members of the Frog?!? What on earth were you thinking of? Even if the answer to your question turns out to be in the negative, there are some here who will try it on the off-chance.
H.
Appy, eeermmm, please continue to look away for the next couple of hours, or so. Just until we get things sorted out, you understand. Otherwise, it is possible that many more froggers will be forced to look away and for a much longer period. Pleaaaassssssse!
c'mon - I disagree with everyone.
even those who didn't comment.
Its gotta be brown sauce. HP or Daddies.
mustard is just too... harsh for bacon, and ketchup too 'synthetic'.
Along with fluffy fresh white bread with a crumbly crust.
about 5 sarnies should do with a soft fried egg in any of them.... and all washed down with two mugs of strong sweet tea. Strong enough to rest your spoon on.
I'm hungry again.
Humph (31), I saw it earlier, but relax: I couldn't bring myself to do leopard-print anything, not even for Eric. (I mean, maybe if you beg and we've the whole beach to ourselves... but no....) ;-)
Humph (31), I saw it earlier, but relax: I couldn't bring myself to do leopard-print anything, not even for Eric. (I mean, maybe if you beg and we've the whole beach to ourselves... but no....) ;-)
Whisht - abso-lutely! Brown sauce, no contest! Good grief, I'll have to go and make one now :o(
Now, there's a thing, I've just been 502'd, that hasn't happened for a while, does that explain a couple of doublers that I've come across tonight then? I can't remember how we deal with one of those - to post, or not to post?
See, now, Whisht, I was with you there until the hot sweet tea - yuck, yuck, yuck. No sugar please.
And actually, I'm not sure about 5 - I think I'd have to share that many.
Simon - well I can think of loads of things the money would have been better spent on, from smokeless stoves for people in the third world to medical research by way of some conservation efforts in the natural world.
If we can't work out how to make our own bacon butties we probably don't deserve to have them.
!Mine is in a floury white bap with butter and usually ketchup but brown sauce - or indeed BBQ - have their days)
David Blaine, David Copperfield, Paul Daniel(s) - to me they're all tedious and timewasting, I can't stand 'magicians'.
Anyone else see the last of Life on Mars - brillilant stuff. What wonderful twists and turns we were taken round.
Anyway I'm off to bed now, great strapline Carl.
Glassboxes!! I'm not interested in how my plumber fits my toilet, only that it gives reliable service.
I'm with Whisht except sorry it has to be ketchup. I don't do brown sauce. And no sugar in the tea!
That was interesting. Tried to post above comment and got 'This page cannot be displayed'!
Jimmy (38) That reminds me of a Mark Watson LOL moment from a couple of weeks ago:
Salesperson: Are you interested in being able to to watch television on your mobile phone Sir?
MW: No I'm not -- in the same way that I'm not interested in being able to have a p*ss in my tumble dryer -- I have separate facilties for those things!
Marvellous. Although, clearly, my Welsh accent isn't very good.
Ap (40) Hahaha. You just created another LOL moment
But I'm to embarassed to admit that I don't know who Mark Watson is - I'll just have a g**gle.
RJD: You can nibble my sarnie any day! (I'd always have black pepper on there, of course!)
Brown sauce? Ketchup? Blasphemy!
Turns out I do know who Mark Watson is - I just didn't know that I knew. What? What???
Actually, it was only after typing that that I realised Mark Watson used to live next door to me. But he looked different and wasn't Welsh. Do you think it was a different Mark Watson,. perhaps?
Soft white bread, butter, bacon, ketchup. I won't hear of any other way. It's the only time I eat white bread too. If anyone disagrees with me it is because they are metal dissidents. My Big Sister says so. :-) (Or something like that).
RJD (43) !! May I have some, please ?! Whatever it is you've got - it's working, obviously!!
nikki
nikki noodle (45) - Of course you can. But you have to ask Big Sister. After all it is her sarnie I have.
Misread it the first time but
Whisht (32) -
"c'mon - I disagree with everyone.
even those who didn't comment."
Now that's 5 star good!
Big Sis and Aperitif - Big Sis, yours is actually a BLT and perfect as that. Ap -"Soft white bread, butter, bacon, ketchup" Lose the ketchup and add black pepper and you have the perfect bacon sarnie.
Does this mean that everyone thinks I'm sick for preferring toast to ordinary bread for a bacon sarnie?!? :((
Ah Mark Watson - now that was the best use of the 6.30 slot, I laughed and laughed.
No, Fearless, I like with toast occasionally too. And, RJD, in Big Sister-land, a BLT requires toasted bread. It's a linguistic thing, though, and I'm quite prepared to accept that, for you, a BLT takes untoasted bread. I also know that what for me is a bacon sarnie is a BLT for others. Like you, I prefer my bacon 'nude', so the only other kind I'd eat would be nude bacon, with a light sprinkling of black pepper, with buttered bread. Good bacon doesn't need clothes!
LEAVE ME ALONE WITH MY SARNIE! I WILL HAVE KETCHUP! STOP TRYING TO TAKE MY KETCHUP AWAY! WAAGGGHHH!
OK, I suppose I'm now due a spanking in a supermaket for that tantrum, but at least you all know never to diss Appy's bacon sarnie again. You can all eat inferior versions if you like, but mine is the perfect version -- this much I know.
wanders away feeling calm but clutching sandwich extra tight just in case
I propose a Sunday morning bacon buttie session at the Nick Clarke Memorial Bar, with Eddie and Lady Cammelia as impartial judges.
We each make two examples of our own favourite recipe (in my case, brown bread, real butter, crispy drycure bacon, fresh sliced plum tomatoes, black cracked pepper, touch of English mustard on one side, smidge of ketchup on the other... this is not just a bacon buttie, it's Fifi's bacon buttie!) and the judges take a bite from each.
Blind-tasting of course. So, no favouritism.
Winner has to eat everyone else's bacon butties!
Fifi
Oh no - now I'll have to go and make another one Fifi! What is it about them, just thinking about it makes you want to eat one?