The Glass Box for Thursday
The Glass Box is the place where you can comment on what you heard on PM, interact with other listeners and get responses from the people who make the programme. This is proving to be a useful tool for us, and we hope, for you.
Just click on the "comment" link.
Don't worry either if you didn't catch the whole programme, or were busy doing other things and not giving us your full attention. If there was something that "caught your ear" we want to hear about it.
The Glass Box is named after the booth outside the PM studio where we all discuss the programme at 18.00 every weeknight. We try to be honest and constructive. Sometimes there is criticism, and the criticised get a chance to explain themselves.
The people who make PM will read the comments posted, and will sometimes respond. Unless it's Roger Sawyer editing. He's completely hopeless. Jasper and Jeremy are in charge tonight. Please feel free to post your thoughts. There is a link to previous Glass Boxes on the right.
Also on the right, you'll find lots of other links you might like. The Furrowed Brow for example is the venue where you can start talking about anything serious: The Beach is a fun place, and there are links to Blog entries with photos, audio and links. And if you want to see us drone on about awards, you can do that too.
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I am a recycler but I am very concerned about the proposals for charging/rewarding people based on the amount of rubbish in their bin. We rarely have more than one kitchen bin liner full per week in our wheelie bin as we recycle everything we can. The bin lives in a corner of our front garden and goes out to the gate for collection, at the moment, once per week. What is to stop unscrupulous non-recyclers dumping their rubbish in our bin and then we get charged for it? What would we do with other people's rubbish dumped in our bin? The proposed system is full of problems and open to abuse. Not only do we need a chip for weighing, but another to lock it that can only be unlocked by the householder or the collector.
Don't bother with any recycleing, there is clearly no money in it, just burn the lot in the garden.
Does that mean the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is also guilty of serious editorial misjudgement by repeatedly broadcasting the BB clip?
Too much BB! But even a single sentence would be too much. Thanks for clarifying the disingenuous nature of the interviewee, but you should have just cut the interview short.
xx
ed
re High Street homogeneity. The reason local shops disappear is because they are rubbish. A poor choice of second rate goods at inflated prices and staff who give you the impression that they are doing you a favour by taking your money off you.
Far too much of BB. I don't watch it and never have but even I was aware of all the furore first time around. Rebroadcasting with bits beeped out (irritating of itself) was self-indulgent and while the pursuit of the interviewee was persistent and to some extent revealing it all went on far too long.
Whereas the piece about the woman sacked for saving a potential suicide was not only interesting, but also highlighted yet again the way in which people are no longer expected to take individual initiative, but to do everything by the book. Well worth including.
It might have been useful when highlighting concerns about possible charges/rewards for rubbish collection, to have had more detail on just how many councils actually have all the technology in place, not only to chip the bins, but also to implement charging/rewarding. I suspect that if we did not have government obsessed with applying the stick, this whole issue could have been presented offering plenty of carrots from the offset and without stirring up resentment. Interesting to hear David Milliband standing up to Eddie though.
Listened with disbelief to Milliband on two counts. Firstly, does the Government understand the people so little that they do not know that excess rubbish will be discarded freely by some in back streets and open areas if we are made to pay for it?
But, secondly, and more importantly, (has this been mentioned by bloggers before?) I hear tha_ Milliband has developed the New Labour glottlestop. I_ must be so difficul_ to concentrate on talking sense at the same time as omitting the final T a_ every opportunity!
Do you have any samples of a Milliband speech of five years ago, tha_ could be usefully compared to his curren_ outpu_?
I direct the House to my various rants on other threads about what is and isn't News.
Big Brother, especially old-hat Big Brother, is NOT.
We all know Silly Season is just around the corner, but can PM please refrain from following every other news medium's example at this time of year and spouting non-stories just to fill up airtime?
I can provide lots of microcosm-type stories based on life my own little patch of England, if you really are that strapped for stories. For example:
- standards in local government: making life unnecessarily hard for parish councils, whilst turning a blind eye to what goes on at the top of the greasy pole
- accountability of Planning system: one rule for big developers, another for Joe Soap who wants to build in his huge garden
- how govt targets are wrecking the Planning system, not slowmoving committees
- County Councils disguising 'saving ££ on cutting grass verges' as 'encouraging wildlife' despite you never seeing a bug or a bird in a grass verge!
- local authorities charging for collecting big items of waste has led to more fly-tipping, and what's that done to their budgets?
... and so on ... and so on..
Fifi
My daughter recently opened The Harrogate Arms pub near to Harlow Carr Gardens, the RHS site. Keen to impliment recycling, as the pub produces lots of recyclables, she contacted Harrogate Council but was given NO assistace.
If David Milliband wants to provide financial rewards for recycling, should he not consider financially penalties for councils which fail to assist recycling?
RE: Last nights suggestion was only a hypoyhesis and nothing else - but I do believe that Brenda & Keith (sic) are from another Galaxy...just like the new market that is being invented in Rubbish.....if you don't think it is true I have just bought a million bags of the stuff from Bristol for 1 million and sold it the Russian State for 1000 million and I am just about to buy Bristol Rovers for 100 million....well I don't want to go to hell like 95% of the British population...do I?
Brian V Peck
Brian V Peck
I've just arrived home and I wanted to sit down and post a comment about the disproportionate amount of time given to BB. But I see I'm too late, the frogging community has risen en masse and beaten me to it. What makes it worse is that you dropped the control orders story for it. Not so much the three blokes that are on the run - not much new to report perhaps, but the wider implications. For example the issue of whether we should opt out of European Human Rights legislation, is the sort of story that you guys excel at finding a different slant to. Opportunity missed chaps.
What is definitely NOT news is to read that someone has NOT watched BB and is insistent on acquainting us with the fact. Who the hell cares?
Terry (2) try burning it in Birmingham and you get a letter from the council threatening prosecution and fines of £5000 - most upsetting for aged father-in-law who had been having bonfires for 60 years and couldn't understand why he was not allowed to continue.
Could I just say that the reason I listen to the radio is because I do NOT want to watch rubbish on TV like BB.
I only caught a bit of the interview in the car, but I really didn't find the topic terribly interesting anyway. I imagine TV people show stuff like that because the scandal makes the show infamous, & therefore increases their ratings. Which I suppose means more money from the advertisers. But I can't raise any enthusiasm for knowing anything about it, nor the people who were in it. Sorry, guess I'm turning into a grumpy old woman. I'd sooner listen to my cat snoring (which he does) than hear that collection of vain would-be celebs wittering on.
Now what WAS funny, was Mitchell & Webb tonight, at 6 30, doing their "Please email us" sketch. I loved the "Certainly, ignorance shouldn't be a bar" line. Anyone who missed it - can I recommend you listen again? They could have written it just for us froggers!
Went to the Gym early with my radio and headphones.
Started on the stepper with Quentin Cooper and Material world - all about plastics - marvellous programme.
Did you know that Bakelite isn't plastic?
There was this woman who is trying to preserve old plastic and we are all trying to get rid of the stuff -
Anyhoo
Moved on to the ab-cradle at 5:00 PM where reception is a bit crappy :-(
Heard Eddie through the hiss saying something along the lines of the 'goverment and Rubbish policies?' - so I burst out laughing --especially after the debarcle the other day over Eddie's intro --
- unfortunately my eyes were staring at a rather too large lady who seemed to be having great problems with the controls on the running machine. Her eyes were also transfixed on my amusement.
I looked away - but she was clearly mortified - and it didn't help that she looked like Jo Brand crossed with Dawn French on steroids -
Why oh why do you larger ladies squeeze yourselves into such tight costumes?
What a let down after our dear Carrie on telly this morning :-(
I kid you not - if I'd have had a video camera - Oh just if !
As for PM - well I enjoyed the way you broached the Big Brother subject. Wicked editing - well done - all those bleeps eh!
rest was Rubbish.
I should add something -after re-reading the comments on this thread about all the anti Big Brother remarks -
A lot of the younger generation love it.
I'm not a fan but can see the attraction, and will admit to sometimes watching an hour or so - a little like I'll trade in Melvyn Bragg for a dose of Tricia, or Carrie Gracie in the morning.
It *Will* be news for a lot of interested slightly younger people (and a few older)
It still attracts healthy viewing figures and by that very reason it deserved the coverage.
If the house guests consisted of Eddie, Jonathan Dimbleby - and the Froggers may fill in the ______ ____ (missing gaps) you'd all be full of praise and support!
Why?
Because it would all be intellectual? and yes, we would love it, however, as said, there are lots of fans and it is News.
Night xx
After a long delay, I'm reposting.
I do hope this doesn't mean the mods are 'sizist'?
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Jonnie: Tsk! Not worthy of you to make fun of somebody who was at least trying to do something about her extra girth.
No wonder larger people feel so defensive. They really can't win, can they?
I was editing the programme last night. Too much on BB? Well I can understand why some of you thought we did do too much, however, the Ofcom report didn't mince its words in its criticism of Channel 4. Also, at the time of the show it was a big story which raised lots of wider issues about responsibility of broadcasters when it comes to reality TV shows, so on balance I don't regret giving it plenty of time and I thought Eddie's interview with Andy Duncan was revealing.
Re Big Sister -- haha - so now we know why you don't refer to yourself as just 'Sister' then --
Only joking!
Here is Lee vitout entertaining the Froggers -- Can you spot Big Sister - Annasee and Frances O?
Oh and I love Gillians mauve top.
Jonnie: You are just TOO awful!
However, as you insist, this is much more 'me'!
I'll refrain (on this occasion) from posting up the picture I have of you (!)
An aside on BB. Didn't they do us all a favour by demonstrating what some 'celebrities' are like, ( crass & ignorant) & showing such people via the ensuing furore that such opinions & behaviour are abhored by a lot of us.
Wanted to say: The American trying to 'home' Guantanamo Bay inmates referred to his difficulty finding somewhere safe for those who were threatened with execution if they were returned to their country of origin. This, international law forbade him to do. No Texan suspects amongst the inmates, then?! That'd give him a dilemma!
Big Sis (20) Please do not refrain - if not for your sake, then for mine. I can't do the techie ''thing'' ;o(
As you can see from Jonnie's pic, I suffer from more than just fat finger syndrome, and once I've squeezed into my lilac lycra, I can hardly breathe, let alone sit down at the computer ;o(
Go on, Big Sis, be a pal............
Okay, Gill, as you insist!
Mind you, I'm not sure he deserves this after what he dragged(!) out for us!
Big Sis (23) That was so naughty, it's been censored!! It's probably a true likeness of Jonnie though, after all those visits to the gym ;o)
If I were clever, I could direct you to the one called ''Black Leather''.........it /he is well worth a look!