Liverpool.
Its year as Capital of Culture is drawing to a close. Stephanie Power's reports concluded tonight and a slideshow that goes with it.
Archives for December 2008
The New Year's Eve Glass Box.
Above is the Glass Box 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. The editor of the day reads your comments and may well add her/his own.
Some random highlights from the Blog, 2008.
JANUARY:
"Included on the breakfast menu on Broadcasting House on Sunday at 0900, a report from Balakot - the Pakistan town almost entirely destroyed in the October 2005 south-Asia earthquake which killed at least 75,000 people.
Destroyed, but still inhabited. Balakot people tell Hugh Sykes they are not happy with government plans to create an earthquake-proof 'New Balakot' fifteen miles away. They want the town rebuilt where it is. Hear about it on BH on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Hugh sent these photos and words from Balakot:
"Prefab: Hundreds of metal, prefab houses have been put up in Balakot, thanks to the Saudi government.
Tents: The tent near the centre of the photo is a primary school.
Survivors: Between fifteen and twenty thousand children were killed by the earthquake, when school buildings collapsed on top of them.
Lucky: Zarkham (8 years old now) was thrown across his classroom and hit on theforehead by a falling brick. It's a startling scar, but Zarkham is cheerful and seems fine.
Shack: Five-year-old Qinza with her mother in the shack her family has built next to the one remaining wall of their old home. Qinza says she wants to live in a 'good house', not a prefab - and her family say they don't want to move to 'New Balakot'.
Revival: Fruit stall in the rebuilt Balakot bazaar, which mostly collapsed in the earthquake.
Memories: By the light of a storm lantern - because of a power cut - a Balakot pharmacist and his assistant look at a book of photographs of the town before and after the earthquake.""
FEBRUARY:
"Mark Mardell reports for us tonight - you can read more on Mark's Blog and enjoy these snaps that accompany his report.
Jack and Vera yesterday"
MARCH
"Our reporter Michael Buchanan will have a piece for you tonight. He sends these words and pictures:
"They don't do anything by half in Dubai. This is the world's tallest hotel, the Burj Al Arab, which bills itself as seven star accommodation. You may remember seeing pictures of Roger Federer and Andre Agassi playing tennis on its helipad a few years ago. This is as close as I got to it - ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ budgets don't accommodate staying at such places."
Such construction projects, and the stress they put on landfill sites, coupled with a lifestyle that's high on energy use - unbelievably they have an indoor ski slope IN THE DESERT - has given the UAE a terrible environmental reputation. People here were found to have the largest carbon footprint in the world a while back, but a project to be built here in the Abu Dhabi desert could put the UAE at the forefront of renewable energy.
Its called the Masdar initiative and by 2016 the plan is to have 90,000 living and working in the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste city. There's an of how it will look.
Fifteen billion dollars has been set aside for the development, so they're clearly serious about it, with Lord Foster leading the construction.""
APRIL
Our editor, Roger, is doing one of his stalwart "I'll struggle on at work despite being close to death" things. He's had a serious cold since early March and is in today with the reddest nose in the world.
I have taken a photo of it.
Please complete the following phrase:
"I'M NOT SAYING ROGER HAS A RED NOSE BUT...."
MAY
From Humph:
Here is my offering for the Petrol Price non-competition. I have to say that I really do not understand what all the fuss is about. 12.9 pence for a litre of unleaded? That sounds quite reasonable to me. It is a shame that diesel is twice as much but 24.9 pence a litre is still not going to break the bank. The people I feel sorry for are those who rely on Autogas. Or am I missing something?
JUNE
Stewart Mitchell says: "I know its a week late but I was on my holidays. Note how Diesel is cheaper than unleaded on the other side of the channel. Oh this is Belgium by the way."
JULY: SHATNER WEEK.
"That cut down on the dialogue between us. There are a limited number of things an actor can do when playing opposite a clown who honks."
AUGUST: OLYMPICS
He is our star of the Games. Here are some photos of Andy, the team, and the scenes. And of course the Desk of Sport....
"The Team Day 1
The desk of Sport
SEPTEMBER: Paralympics.
....Paralympic Desk of Sport....?
OCTOBER: 
"Salcombe Estuary, Saturday September 13th 2008 - by Diane Millman"
From Sid Bowerman, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear.
Fred Leefarr sends "Kew gardens last weekend!"
This comes to us from the Gonellas.
"Hubbard's Hills, Louth, in Lincolnshire, this autumn. By Kate Levey, for The Louth Heritage Group."
"Autumn colours at Sheffield Park Gardens" - from John Barnes.
"This is an ancient beech, deep in Fineshade Woods in Northants. We call it the Cathedral Tree because walking underneath is like entering a cathedral - dark, peaceful, soaring arches, hundreds of years old." Barrie Galpin
From George Norris: "Taken at 7.00 this morning" (sent on Monday, if you're worried about which morning it is.
"These were taken on 19th October, at Westonbirt Arboretum. It was stunning!
Heather"
From Janet Young.
"This picture looks out from the front of our home in northern France. Somewhere in the mist are five lovely cows and two very cute miniature ponies. When the doom and gloom is on the radio, I find cow watching to be a blood-pressure-reducing activity. Melanie Hancox"
NOVEMBER: Shaun Ley at the US Elections:
Had my first proper cup of tea since Monday morning (the interviewee's other half is from the UK and always brings tea bags back from visits home).
It does feel a bit odd being at what's usually the centre of US politics when most of the politicians have gone away. All the colour of the campaign is elsewhere. Indeed the only excitement was the street theatre of Halloween; the one night of the year when stuffy, staid Washington let's its hair down (and judging by last night, paints it a different colour).
DC stands for District of Columbia, and because Washington it's not a State, the people who live here have limited political rights. Until about 40 years ago, they couldn't even vote for the President. Now they can, and they have a delegate in Congress, but she isn't allowed to vote.
The citizens of DC pay their taxes; so whatever happened to 'no taxation without representation' ?
Some gossip before I go : a Democratic congressman claims Republican politicians have been whispering in his ear that they're voting Democrat for President; one of the country's leading election experts that one Senator will face a run-off in December, which could be a nail biter for determining whether or not the Democrats end up in full control of Congress; and apparently Obama bought four new pairs of shoes from a local shop the other day; all those rallies have worn out his soles."
DECEMBER: Hugh in Afghanistan:
....where, he writes: "there are rumours today of more attempts to talk to the Taleban. But the main event in Afghanistan today is Eid - three day holiday at the beginning of winter. If you don't like bloody sacrifice, don't scroll down.
Heavy cloud over freshly snow-capped mountains near Kabul.
A cordial welcome to Afghanistan from a soldier who asked to be photographed.
Waiting for a cab on a dusty Sunday evening at dusk in Kabul airport car park.
Part of the Eid celebration is sacrifice - cows or sheep. Here, a hole's been dug so that the blood from the cow's slit neck can nourish the roses.
Swift, expert butchery - the boys watch and learn.
Farewell to a sheep."
Happy New Year from Australia..
from some time ago...although the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News coverage of THIS year (or is it next year?) is .
Happy New Year from New Zealand...
...in 2008.
PS - we're talking about the New Year's Honours over on the iPM blog
Teacher in trainers.
Whose side are you on? More .
The Glass Box.
Above is the Glass Box 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. The editor of the day reads your comments and may well add her/his own.
The sort of behind the scenes thing you don't really need to know.
We had an interview planned for 15.00 with the Czech foreign minister. Three o'clock came and went. Another (iPM) interview planned for the same time, which we'd postponed a little, was done around 15.10.
15.20 came and went. Calls were made...still no foreign minister.
15.30.
15.40.
At 15.50, I could stand it no longer and went to the loo.
While I was in trap 5, the Czech foreign minister called in. Just as a search party was being despatched, I arrived back in the office.
The moral - and broadcasters the world over will confirm this - if you want a delayed guest to show up, just go to the loo.
A black and white issue.
Michael Buchanan reports on this on Friday, and writes for the Blog:
"Forget your plasmas, interactivity, even your remote controls. Instead revel in the pleasure of watching television in black and white. Matthew Stevens is one of only 30,000 people in the UK who have a black and white tv licence.
He doesn't watch TV at this angle though he lives in a small flat which is one of the reasons he has this set, which he dug out of his mother's loft. (Doesn't Anne Robinson look even more scary in black and white?) He says the TV makes everything look more classy - even the rubbish. Clearly he's never watched I'm a Celebrity...
Even smaller than Matthew's screen is this one,
which belongs to Kirsten Hearn:
Its almost invisible in her London flat. And though she says it can be a total pain to have to tune it, Kirsten's perfectly happy with it as she's blind and merely listens to the TV. And being blind she pays only half the £47 licence fee."
The Glass Box.
Above is the Glass Box 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. The editor of the day reads your comments and may well add her/his own.
It's not easy being a judge.
All the entries are now in for the iPM New Year's Honour.
We've decided we will all independently read the emails that have been sent and then draw up individual short-lists of around three each...then discuss them.
Goodness me there are a lot of good people out there. This is not going to be easy.
Diversions.
Including the one above...in this end of year piece. iPM's end of year review is on at 17.30 after tonight's PM. More here.
The Boxing Day Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Sailor girl
Just done an interview with Sam Davies - she's in the Southern Ocean on a solo round the world yacht race. She got involved last week when one of the other competitors in the race broke his leg and needed rescuing. Now she's back on track and has been telling PM what it's like to spend Christmas alone on the ocean wave.
You can hear the interview at 5.45pm tonight. Otherwise you can read her and chart her progress on an
Splash!
While out for a Christmas stroll yesterday I saw a group of people jumping into the freezing Thames near Kew Bridge. They shouted. A lot. Not surprising really.
Have you ever been tempted to join the winter dipping brigade?
rockin' and rollin' robin and fans at Stourhead
Ahem.....
Here they are...... sorry for the delay but I think it's worth the wait!!
Rockin' and rollin' robin.....
Plus the invisible wife and grandchild of Terry Anderson!!
Rockin' Robin
MERRY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS
Hope you're enjoying yourselves and having a happy time. A small, but select team is bringing you PM today ...... more details later. But for now, here's a little something from Terry Anderson. It's his wife and grandchild at Stourhead - following our interview with the Head Gardener there on Christmas Eve....
Now back to the sherry....
The Christmas Beach.
Everyone should have a Beach to go to, chill out, meet their friends and relax.
In other words it's the off-topic area of the Blog, renewed every week on a Friday, to keep it to a manageable length. Bad attitudes not welcome. No bridges for Trolls to hide under. Just warm sun, sand and virtual sangria. Plus the odd (make that very odd) camel wandering around.
The Christmas Day TV and Radio Glass Box!
Hope your Christmas Day is going swimmingly. We thought that tonight, since there's no PM, we would take the spirit of the Glass Box and apply it to Christmas TV and Radio.
What did you like/dislike...or are you avoiding it altogether? Feel free to add a comment here.
Christmas Day.
Happy Christmas from all of us here at PM. We're not on tonight but will be back tomorrow. Here are our final advent photos for 2008:
"Here's Santa on Saturday (the 13th). He had made sure the Christmas lists were in order before giving my two a small taster gift each. Regards, Stewart M"
"This is my daughter Emily's Angel which she made 14 years ago when she was 4 years old. Every year I think it's going to be last time we use it on top of the Christmas tree, but I haven't the heart to replace it! Best wishes, Gillian"
"My son got into the Christmas spirit early this year, July to be exact...from Rebecca Harris Cowley"
Stone Circles, Dartmoor. "Dear All - For your Advent Calendar. Happy Crimble - Chris Donovan"
And Fearless Fred says: "I'm not sure if it counts as a tradition, but the last two years you've been kind enough to post photos of the "festive" scenes in my office (2007: and 2006 )
Well, I've now moved jobs, and where I am now actually has a proper sized tree! So, here's my contribution to the Advent photos :-)"
From Jonnie: "This year's Cransley Tree. A real Norwegian spruce decorated with 420 warm white LED's and some tasteful Liberty decorations."
"Eddie. Took these pics (on the 16th...sorry Susi only room for one) in the local town this evening approx. 20.30 hrs Spanish time. Cold for here, 4 C! Eddie, may I wish you, the PM & iPM team members and fellow "Froggers" , a Very, Very, Happy Holiday Season and a Magical New Year (I have a feeling we'll All need a little magic in 2009).
Thank you all, for the quality programmes, insight and, comment! Susi Willis"
"Hi there, I took my two children on, what I hoped, would be the trip of a lifetime on Saturday - we went to Lapland for the day in search of the real Father Christmas (of course he is real!!). Was it a wonderful, magical, memorable experience? Well it was certainly memorable.........first of all our flight was an hour late leaving, then my son who was really bouncy and excited at the airport decided he wanted to sleep, after which he woke up incredibly crabby and whiney. While all the other kids were clapping and cheering, all he did was complain! This continued on while we got suited and booted (by this time I was ready to give up!). He cheered up a little on the sleigh ride to the activity place and played when we got there. But then, after waiting for about 30 mins to see Santa, he burst into tears saying he didn't want to see him and had to be practically dragged in by an elf while he clung desperately on to the bench outside the log cabin.......then he threw up all over me in front of the great man himself! We then spent the next hour in the sick bay..... Oh and the flight home was delayed by 2 hours.......an hour of which we were on the plane waiting to be de-iced when the cabin crew thought it would be a great idea if the children could "entertain" us by telling jokes and singing..... imagine a plane full of hyper (and let's just say, rather spoilt!) kids screeching and screaming down the tannoy......hmmm what fun!!!
Oh and my photos were pretty rubbish because I am not used to this new digital SLR camera, and it was dark and snowy. However, I hope you like these two..... Apart from all the traumas, it was magical and very very beautiful.
So what could be more Christmassy than Santa's elves (the one on the left is Noisy Nod and the one with his back to the camera is Tricky Dicky.....he's the naughty one!), and of course Reindeer.
Merry Christmas to you all
Fiona (aka LittleFluffyFi)
xx"
"Eddie, Father Christmas climbing up the front of our house. David McNickle St Albans"
"Eddie, Helping decorate trees at St Albans Cathedral. David McNickle"
On the 17th we were sent this: "I'm probably too late, but attached (I Hope!) is a picture of the robin that kept me company, on my allotment, this morning. I found some stale biscuits in my shed (which he wasn't too bothered about), and shared my piece of fruit cake with him. He had a pleasant morning, in the winters sunshine, foraging for caterpillars, slugs and worms, but demolished the fruit cake! AllotmentJo"
Happy Christmas from all of us at PM. The programme's back on Friday...the Blog will have new content on Christmas Day...and in the meantime...
....we're following ....
The Christmas Eve Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
This just in...
the 16.30 trail is dropped because the Carol thing is over-running. And we may not get on the air at exactly five o'clock. Stand by...
Excited about tonight's show?
We are.
Five years ago...
...in the chaotic aftermath of the Iraq war, we reported on a boy band who'd once had to sing a special birthday tribute to Saddam Hussein. They were relieved that he'd been ousted, a little worried by the rise of religious militants, but determined that -- with Saddam gone - nothing would stand in their way ... that they wouldn't be silenced. They have been -- at least in their own country. But, like so many other Iraqis, they're now living in exile .... and are singing on. Our correspondent Caroline Hawley met up with band again to see how they're faring. You can hear her report in tonight's PM, and in more detail in Crossing Continents tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock.
You can see them in action .
Absolutely shocking news for Christmas Eve.
It's so shocking I cannot put it on the main page. You'll have to click on the continue reading link. Suffice to say it involves the trip I've just returned from, across the road to the new shopping centre, to a well known store with M and S in the title. I wasn't actually looking for the items in question but judging by the HUGE controversy that was raging, lots of people are disappointed.
Christmas Eve.
"Roaring fire in our front room in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. Love the show!.. Rhiannon Lewis, Trowbridge, Wiltshire"
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
My editor has just said to me:
"If a priest bursts into the studio at 5.15, DON'T interview him"
Strictly shocker. This copy just filed:
"In last night's recording of the Christmas Day edition of Strictly Come Dancing there was a problem with the voting system. Four couples tied at the top - and the audience was asked to recast their vote after Len Goodman re-ranked the relevant couples.
THERE WAS NO PHONE VOTE AND THE SHOW WAS HALTED FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR WHILE A CONTINGENCY PLAN WAS PUT IN PLACE.
This is the statement from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ:
During the course of filming the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special there was a four way tie at the top of the leader board after the judges had voted. In these circumstances Len Goodman, as head judge, ranks the tying couples and that is what happened on this occasion. In order to allow for this contingency the show was stopped to give Len an opportunity to reach an considered decision and for producers to brief the presenters and dancers on the changed running order""
With my
thanks to DiY for my lovely card, I also bring you the answer to the question posed by this card yesterday:
December 23rd
"Snow scene - lay by off A96, 2nd December 2008....Hope you all have a great Christmas....From a cold, but not snowy, SW France....Vous souhaitant bonne réception,
Cordialement, Yours, Ann Landels"
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Cat gets stuck up tree.
"Since everyone seems to be into animals - this is a snap taken today of a French cat up a French tree at noon. Stupid bugger didn't realise that it was easier to get up than to get down. The top is 18 feet above the garden.
Bill Thomas
aka lbeagle"
Tomorrow on the blog....the answer to this question...
...sent on a card from Miss A Barlow.
Letsby Avenue.
We're thinking of doing story tonight, about a suggestion that "residents should be allowed to name their streets and parks after their heroes". The New Local Government Network says councils should hold X Factor-style contests to find public place names. What do you think?
And that's the weather
for .
December 22nd.
"Eddie. Here's the view from my window on the 2nd December, and the 3rd, and the 4th ...
Happyhomeworker"
December the twenty-first.
"He's a year older, a year naughtier, and a whole lot bigger, but this was Monty last year (and no, Gossipmistress, I didn't allow him to eat the tinsel!)"
Davies Week update:
I mentioned this on the programme last night. is how C³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Newsround is reporting it. Sky News have more on what 1925 UPDATE: More ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport coverage .
Sam's PM Davies Week Archive is here.
Remember him?
On PM tonight, Mike Thomson reports from the Central African Republic and talks to Jean Serge Bokassa about his father Bokassa I of Central Africa who was the military ruler of the country in the 1970s. Jean Serge is now an MP and one of more than 50 children who Bokassa acknowledged as being his. Listen to Mike's report on PM, with Carolyn, tonight.
All these photos are from Bokassa's coronation in 1977 in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic.
December the twentieth.
"I'll come clean - her brother made it in on December 4th, so in the interests of family harmony I had to try this one on you as well. A couple of Christmas stars. Aaaaaah....David Smith"
Nominate someone for a New Year's Honour!
(The Queen, photographed at the moment she was told she wouldn't have to attend this year's Royal Variety Performance. The iPM New Year's Honour is not in any way associated with the Honour Her Majesty is involved in)
We've already had lots of nominations for an iPM New Year's Honour! In tomorrow's programme at 5.30 we'll mention some of the names. But you STILL HAVE TIME to nominate someone.
iPM is the programme that starts with its listeners. Their ideas and suggestions are what make our programme. This Christmas we're taking that one stage further.
We want to know who YOU would nominate for an iPM New Year's Honour. Ideally, someone who's not well known...they're covered in the official New Year's list. We want to hear about someone YOU know who deserves wider recognition.
Just email us their details and yours, and tell us why you want to nominate them. Our email address is iPM@bbc.co.uk. Please put HONOUR in the subject line. You'll need to make your nomination by midnight on Sunday 28th December.
There's no prize: just the honour of iPM making a fuss over the winning nominee. The iPM production team will choose from the names put forward and its decision will be final. No arguing!
That email address again: ipm@bbc.co.uk
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Some advice on Opal please.
(The MI6 building in Vauxhall in London. I miss the Vauxhall Opel)
Amanda the editor and Marilyn her deputy, are discussing opal. Marilyn has opal in her ring, and Amanda said - oh, you'll have to make sure that doesn't get wet. And Marilyn said that a relative of hers (from Australia) said opal needed to be watered.
Who is right please?
Not a word but Corrie Corfield has...
(Corrie, pictured 153 years ago)
...challenged me to get two special words into the PM Trail on Radio 4 at 16.30. I have challenged HER to get two different special words into her introduction to me.
See if you can spot them.
Credit crunchie?
The Times says Cadbury has changed its chocolate selection because of the credit crunch. Out go "pricey" Crunchies and others...in come "cheaper" Bournville. You can read the article .
It's caused quite a stir in our office as people argue over which varieties are essential and which should never be included. I'll be recording an interview with the company at 14.00. If you have a thought or question, let me know.
The Icelandic Credit Crunch. Ray Furlong reports tonight.
In his piece, Ray meets Sturla Jonsson (above)..."an extremely friendly man, he's lost his business and is about to lose his home."
The photos below were "all taken at around mid-morning, which shows how late the sun comes up in Reykjavik at this time of year (around 11, if you're lucky, going down about 3). They're not saving on Christmas lights (they get all their energy free, from geo-thermal sources; the xmas tree is donated every year by Norway) but neither are they expecting a bumper xmas shopping season. Sturla told me he'd holiday'd last year in Florida, but this year's outgoings would be 100 times smaller."
What's your news?
Not too late to tell us - in a sentence please - what's been happening with YOU this week. We'll cobble the best together for tomorrow's iPM...which, I can exclusively reveal, will feature VALERIE SINGLETON.
Anyhoo - drop an email with your sentence to: ipm@bbc.co.uk. I might send one myself.
December the nineteenth.
On the 6th, Sid sent a host of lovely photos - the above was my favourite: "We're just back from seeing friends in Germany ... some pictures of the Christmas market in Cologne ..."
The week-before-Christmas Beach
The PM Blog Beach is whatever you want it to be - a place to hang out with other bloggers, and be completely off topic. Over time it has developed its own identity, complete with camels, sand dunes, and a permanently stocked bar, but fundamentally it is a place to relax and have fun.
Wondering what on earth Nils was on about? He's written this for you:
"Quantitative easing is what central banks do when they have run out of run out of road in cutting interest rates to try to stimulate the economy.
The aim is to increase the amount of money circulating in the economy.
So the central bank buys assets from the private sector - usually Treasury or corporate bonds - in order to pump more money into the economy.
If you artificially increase the amount of money circulating in the economy the danger is that you create inflation because you have more money chasing the same amount of goods and services.
So this kind of quantitative easing is only used if the central bank is trying to create a bit of inflation to offset the danger of deflation - in which prices keep falling.
But it's a risky technique. If it's overdone it could stoke up a huge inflationary problem for the future. And central banks have little experience of how to use the technique.
The US Federal Reserve is reckoned to have started quantative easing some time ago - having roughly doubled the size of its balance sheet in the last year.
The Bank of England is thinking about it as a theoretically possibility but points out that it has Bank rate at 2%, so it still has further scope for conventional interest rate cuts if necessary.
It is sometimes referred to as "printing money" but that is more a figure of speech. Neither the Fed nor the Bank of England is about to start printing a lot of extra bank notes. "
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Several things.
First: apologies for the quiet feeling to the Blog today. This time of year there's a lot of recording of material to run over the festive season and that's occupied me quite a bit.
Second, apologies (there's a theme here) for the fact we still haven't posted the audio of our lovely card from yesterday. There is a fault which we're not sure how to fix. If it's any comfort I am opening the card regularly and we are all enjoying the music. But that is cold comfort. We're going to keep trying.
Third: well there is no third. Oh, except to remind you that if you have an item of personal news from your week that you'd like to share in iPM's Your News bit - send it, one sentence only, to iPM@bbc.co.uk.
Over and out. Popping into the studio for the trail soon.
1621 UPDATE: while I was typing that, Nils rang. He's writing something for the blog. Stand by...
Coughs and sneezes...
...provoked lots of emails last night. Full round up tomorrow.
In the meantime, we were sent a link to by Russell Attwood.
December the eighteenth.
"This is Thelma Newton the Frogger's Guardian Angel on our ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Made Health Promotion Advent Calendar Christmas Tree. We are hoping it is going to win the department a case of cheap fizz in the Annual Christmas Tree Competition. We're not optimistic.
We haven't seen sight of Louise Ridley (her less attractive twin) since we lent her to Pathology.
Karen"
Davies Week: Day Three: David Davies. No, not that one. Or that one. Actually it's
this one: 
There's more about David .
Upshares Downshares: the graph
The oil price since 2006. It's a Bloomberg graphic.
Nominate someone for an award!
(The Queen. Not in any way involved with this project.)
Nominate someone for an iPM New Year's Honour!
As you know, iPM is the programme that starts with its listeners. Their ideas and suggestions are what make our programme. This Christmas we're taking that one stage further.
We want to know who YOU would nominate for an iPM New Year's Honour. Ideally, someone who's not well known...they're covered in the official New Year's list. We want to hear about someone YOU know who deserves wider recognition.
Just email us their details and yours, and tell us why you want to nominate them. Our email address is iPM@bbc.co.uk. Please put HONOUR in the subject line. You'll need to make your nomination by midnight on Sunday 28th December.
There's no prize: just the honour of iPM making a fuss over the winning nominee. The iPM production team will choose from the names put forward and its decision will be final. No arguing!
That email address again: ipm@bbc.co.uk
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
A card has arrived.
And it's quite a card.
Thank you.
Audio to follow!
1605 UPDATE: Sorry about the lack of audio. It's not through lack of (Ryan) trying. The system we use to post audio is b** at the moment. Will post it when it's fixed. Although by then we may have exhausted the sound on the card....
December the seventeenth.
Sent to us late in the evening on the 3rd: "Greetings from snowy Scotland
Here's a photo of The Morning After the Night Before's First Christmas Party of the Season. A great time was had by all at an Awards Ceremony in Glasgow, and autographs were obtained from some famous guests in the hotel who were just trying to have a quiet night......
Merry Christmas to all
from
ValP"
Davies Week Day Two: Huw Davies.
Huw is from and was nominated for Davies Week by Regina Enayati: "I think you should interview someone called Huw Davis. He sent me an email the other day telling me why it is so good for me to do more walking even though I walk 6 dogs 3 times a day already. But all is forgiven, he is one of our senior managers for Natural England in the Newcastle office"
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
An annoyingly
busy afternoon. The News Gods have smiled upon us...in a way they're unlikely to over the festive season. We're doing our best to make it all fit into an hour...plans changing by the moment. Liz has gone to get tea. George is doing his first shift as deputy editor (and is doing rather well) and Amanda is keeping us all in shape with her rod of iron. How she got it past security I have no idea.
Hugh sends these photos
and words after his report on last night's programme:
"Starting with the lorry drivers who drive containers across the Khyber Pass from Peshawar - containers for the self-styled 'Operation Enduring Freedom' at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan, and yet they get no military escort to protect them from the Taleban, and from corrupt police:
The drivers didn't want to be photographed at first, but then they asked to be. That's my empty glass mug of sweet green tea on the plastic rug. And this is the driver who says he had his cab window smashed by the police when he refused to pay a bribe. It's the cab under the tarpaulin. He didn't want to be identified:
That's Raz Mohammed, firewood seller, western Kabul.
And here are some of his customers:
These are two men who told me they are so desperate for work that they have got visas to go to Iran and look for jobs there. The Iranian embassy is in the background:
That's a kebab restaurant in Kabul. I had a print made of this photograph, and went back to give it to them. I do that when I can. The reward is the biggest smiles you can imagine - from Kabul to Kashmir, Bombay to Baghdad.
When I did that in Basra once, the British army major who was escorting me said, "Oh good PR, Hugh!" Perhaps, but it's not the motive.
These boys got a copy of their picture too:
The courtyard of a childeren's charity in Kabul. The framed poster on the right shows potentially unexploded munitions to be aware of.
A poster at the Ministry of Women's Affairs. It condemns 'domestic violence' against women. The writing on each finger of the fist says 'violence' in the Afghan languages, and in Arabic."
December the sixteenth.
On December the third we received this lovely shot from Ruth Seddon:" Here is a photo I took from my window this morning as the sun peeked above the roof, creating shadows of the chimneys on the houses opposite."
Davies Week Day One: Sam Davies.
Our first Davies of the week is Sam. You can see her blog .
Why are we talking to Sam? We got this email from Roger Ackroyd:
"Hi. May I put in a plea for Sam Davies. She is a british sailor currently taking part in the race.
Why Sam?
Cardigan Art.
We're debating tonight.
Who deserves the iPM New Year's Honour?
(The Queen. Not in any way involved with this project.)
Nominate someone for an iPM New Year's Honour!
As you know, iPM is the programme that starts with its listeners. Their ideas and suggestions are what make our programme. This Christmas we're taking that one stage further.
We want to know who YOU would nominate for an iPM New Year's Honour. Ideally, someone who's not well known...they're covered in the official New Year's list. We want to hear about someone YOU know who deserves wider recognition.
Just email us their details and yours, and tell us why you want to nominate them. Our email address is iPM@bbc.co.uk. Please put HONOUR in the subject line. You'll need to make your nomination by midnight on Sunday 28th December.
There's no prize: just the honour of iPM making a fuss over the winning nominee. The iPM production team will choose from the names put forward and its decision will be final. No arguing!
That email address again: ipm@bbc.co.uk
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Stand by for the start of Davies Week.
Full details on the programme and here on the blog soon.
It's Davies Week!
All this week on PM, we'll talk to people with the surname Davies, who've been nominated for inclusion by our listeners.
Tonight's nomination was made by Roger Ackroyd. More details to follow....
Hugh was on Broadcasting House
yesterday, visiting a village which is part of Kabul city, a short drive from the centre. Hugh will also be on PM tonight. Here are some of Hugh's words and pictures to go with his BH report:
"The view on the way into the village. It feels like rural Afghanistan, but it's part of Kabul. Here are some of the people I met in the main street:
Good morning.
Just going through the newspapers to see if I've been fired.
December the fifteenth.
From the Cransley. Now Christmas is officially here....
December the fourteenth.
"Here's a pair of photos from Leamington Spa. At the bottom of The Parade, marking the start of the illuminations, is a traditional "Merry Christmas".
But, perhaps more unusually, at the top of The Parade, marking the end of the illuminations, is "Happy Diwali". Which was turned on at least a week before the rest...
--mittfh"
December the thirteenth.
"Hi Eddie & Team, Please could you accept this pic i took a few years back one xmas at St. Mary's Priory Church, Old Malton, North York's. Merry Xmas, Best wishes, Nick Fletcher"
Madoff's indictment...as described by Nils...is
. Bernard Madoff, founder and president of a New York firm that invested funds for wealthy individuals, hedge funds and other institutions, was charged with operating what he told employees was a long-running $50 billion Ponzi scheme in what may be one of the largest frauds in history.
SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: is how the New York Times is reporting the story.
The Christmas Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Jean Charles de Menezes: Open verdict.
PA Reports at 1300: "The family of Mr de Menezes accused coroner Sir Michael Wright of "presidingover a complete whitewash" as the verdict was returned.The jury rejected a firearms officer's claim that he shouted "armed police" before opening fire at Mr de Menezes. But the accepted police claims that Mr de Menezes stood up in the carriage before he was grabbed in a bear-hug before the shooting. Contrary to police evidence Mr de Menezes did not move towards one of the firearms officers before he was pinned to his seat, the jury ruled. The jury rejected a firearms officer's claim that he shouted "armed police" before opening fire at Mr de Menezes."
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ NEWS coverage .
1430 UPDATE: is a link to today's transcript from the inquest website.
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ drops Crufts. Or maybe its the other way round.
What do you think? This is how PA is reporting it: "³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ SCRAPS CRUFTS COVERAGE IN PEDIGREE BREEDS ROW
By Emily Beament, Press Association Environment Correspondent
The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ will not televise Crufts next year following a dispute over the inclusion of certain breeds of pedigree dog in the competition, the Kennel Club said today.
The organiser said it would not be able to work with the broadcaster because of
"insupportable conditions" insisted on by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ to exclude certain breeds of
dog from the show. The dispute comes in the wake of a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ documentary which claimed the breeding process used to produce pedigree dogs had resulted in a high incidence of inherited genetic disease."
Manchester votes No.
PA reports: "MANCHESTER C-CHARGE PLAN HITS BUFFERS"
1240: .
From last night's Listeners' Log.
"Re. People named 'Davis' competition: "This should have been done in a jovial
manner. Instead, it sounded like another attempt to undermine the Conservative
Party. When will the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ remember that it is supposed to be impartial?""
December the twelfth.
"Eddie, I don't think I sent this before. St Albans Mummers several years ago on Boxing Day. That is me, the Turkish Knight, on the ground. David McNickle".
The Beach.
The beach is a state of mind, where we escape from the must to the maybe and what if, where thoughts may be lightly etched on the shore or sculpted in the sand, admired and commented on by others, then swept away by the waves or jumped on by small children of all ages...
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Hugh in Kabul.
Hugh's evocative report last night (which you can hear again by clicking Start) attracted this email from Mick Penning:
"I always enjoy Hugh Sykes' reports from the various corners of the middle and far east -which his remit seems to cover. His 'get down and mix-it with the locals' -way of going about his job is fascinating, and tonight's report from Kabul had an additional slant. 'Astronomical awareness'.
His mentioning of the 'full moon directly overhead at 10pm Local Time', caught my imagination as I stood by my kitchen window in the Potteries preparing vegetables and gazing up at that same clear moon.
It sat about one third of the way between the horizon and 'directly overhead' -making me feel that he was just around the corner, just over the hills -across the Peak District.......
He's good. Very good. And so were the Afghan people he interviewed. What great reporting. He captures the moment evocatively on a shared planet with the satellites up there in that same sky doing what they do best... helping us all to communicate and to better see each-other's problems."
I agree. And Hugh has sent these snaps and words to go with his report - including the barber who cut his hair and the boys playing table football in the park:
Mozart in 1978.
Nigel Wrench writes: "The Royal Shakespeare Company is a bit grand for pantomime.
So instead this Christmas they've turned to Mozart. A radical re-imagining of his opera about the philandering nobleman Don Giovanni, set in the winter of discontent, and on PM this evening.
The show is called Don John, staged by Kneehigh Theatre in association with the RSC, and headed on a national tour after a run in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
The first performance is tomorrow. I met the cast in rehearsals at the RSC's temporary rehearsal facility, formerly a car showroom. Here they are singing one of the bespoke songs from the show.
All the lights have gone off here.
1142 UPDATE: they're back on. Please relax.
1245 UPDATE: The same scene just now, with the lights on:
Davies.
We've had a LOT of good Davies suggestions. We are having a think about what to do with them. 
December the eleventh.
"Hello Eddie and all on the PM team. Whilst many will be sending you pictures of snow-scape scenes for use in this year's PM advent calender, I have sought a different approach. This picture, taken during the FrogFest at nikki noodle's home during October this year, is of the warmth that comes from sharing time with friends and as such is part of what we should celebrate at this time of the year. Season's greetings to all of the Frog. Humph."
Davies.
If you'd like someone with the surname Davies to appear on PM tomorrow, please email pm@bbc.co.uk...putting DAVIES in the subject line.
By the way - that graph that keeps appearing WILL return!
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Living abroad? Know someone who is?
Just recorded an interview with Denis MacShane MP, about how Brits abroad are treated...and whether the British government should do more, especially during a recession. You can hear a bit of it by clicking on Start.
The cute thing is that the although the interview is for this Saturday's iPM, it will be broadcast on tomorrow. The station will ask its listeners whether Mr MacShane is right to be worried that in a downturn, anti-foreigner feeling against Brits on the continent could rise.
iPM has done a fair bit on this already - you can read more here - if you have a view, please click on Comments.
Fate? Coincidence? Kismet? Kermit?
Only some of those words apply to those moments in life when paths collide in the face of apparently insurmountable odds.
One listener has a PM-related coincidence story here.
Closing newspapers.
We carried a report last night on the pressures facing newspapers, especially local ones. The Guardian had report in the afternoon.
December the tenth.
Sent to us on Nov.28: "Christmas lights switched on last night in Rayleigh High Street. By Steve Tilson, manager of Southend United. Regards, Sid (the poet)"
Election now?
You heard from David Cameron and Yvette Cooper. Do you want a vote now?
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
The Boat Race. Do you care?
after next year. We'll talk on the programme tonight to the great Barry Davies. I was wondering how you rate the race. Never miss or never bother?
Jack and Vera yesterday.
Remembering Oliver Postgate.
Sad to hear of the - creator of so many happy childhood moments for so many people. I was a Clangers boy myself. What about you?
December the ninth.
"Dear PM, Here is a picture of this year's (tiny) Christmas Stocking - you can see I'm not expecting to receive many presents! Ruth Seddon"
The airport protestors.
Where do YOUR sympathies lie?
I ask because we just got this email from Helen Bluemel:
I have no doubt that if these protesters had been Muslims complaining about innocent civilians dying every day in Palastine, Afghanistan or Iraq they would have been arrested under terror charges without delay.
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Hugh Sykes is in Afghanistan...
....where, he writes: "there are rumours today of more attempts to talk to the Taleban. But the main event in Afghanistan today is Eid - three day holiday at the beginning of winter. If you don't like bloody sacrifice, don't scroll down.
Heavy cloud over freshly snow-capped mountains near Kabul.
Jeremy Clarkson cleared.
The Guardian a story we featured here.
Yoko Ono is on PM tonight...on the 28th anniversary of John Lennon's death.
(Wish Tree,1996 / 2008, Courtesy of the artist. Yoko Ono writing a wish on paper with strings to hang on a living tree.)
Nigel Wrench writes: "Ms Ono travels to Gateshead later in the week for the opening of an exhibition of her conceptual artwork at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. The show, Between The Sky And My Head, is something of a retrospective. There's work, say the organisers, from the 1950s to the the present day."
(Morning Beams, 1998, 100 nylon ropes, metal support structure. Picture by Christiane Heuwinkel. Courtesy the artist and Kunsthalle Bielefeld.)
Are you offal? We like you.
On Saturday's iPM we heard from a pensioner abroad, having a bit of trouble making ends meet.
Chris Beardshaw (who signed himself "...pensioner!!!!!") wrote: " I was amused to hear the pensioner in France talking about 'having to eat Offal' as their pension is so diminished!! Having eaten Offal dishes all our lives, and made soup on a regular basis, I can assure her that she's in for a treat! Dishes such as 1) Kidneys with Juniper Berries 2) Lambs Liver Italian style 3) Braised Lambs Hearts 4) Tomato Tripe Casserole have had a regular place on the menu in our house for 42 years, perhaps we need to bring back the relationship with the local Butcher who was a fund of knowledge and suggestions and, of course, cookery lessons in School (and I don't mean the theory without the practise!!!)."
We love a challenge - if you have a good offal recipe, or a tip on using offal...please post it by clicking on Comments.
Over at iPM
we have the first of our listener photos of bad Christmas decorations. More to come during the week. If you'd like to add yours, it's iPM@bbc.co.uk.
In the meantime: "This doesn't fall into the Pointless Postcards nor the Advent Calendar category. But on a recent weekend break to Barcelona I was pleased to see how diverse and accommodating the retail centre of the city was. RJD"
December the eighth.
"For my Friends and Family at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ PM...Advent Season in Miami Florida. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ PM from Miami Florida. Roberto C. Alvarez-Galloso"
If you'd like to send us your advent photo, please email pm@bbc.co.uk, putting ADVENT in the subject line.
December the seventh.
"Taken last year at Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire, dressed for Christmas!
Best wishes, GMx"
If you'd like to send us your advent photo, please email pm@bbc.co.uk, putting ADVENT in the subject line.
December the sixth.
St Paul's tree - "Season's Greetings to you all from Gillian".
If you'd like to send us your advent photo, please email pm@bbc.co.uk, putting ADVENT in the subject line.
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Get your camera!
Have you seen a tree or Christmas decoration that looks like this? SEND US A PHOTO!
This tree in Peterlee has been quite a talking point in PM. Now it's been replaced. But listener Anya Spackman loves it.
"In today's straitened economic times, what the heck does the LOOK of a Christmas tree matter, especially when it's provided free? Whatever it looks like now, it'll still be firewood or wood chip mulch by the end of January. I'd much prefer a real *growing* tree any time, whatever it looks like."
She's right. And iPM is on the hunt for Britain's least loved Christmas decoration or tree.
If near you there is a spindly, badly decorated tree, or if the council has attached three coloured bulbs to a lampost and is calling it Christmas, please take a photo and send it to us: ipm@bbc.co.uk.
We've got to love ALL our decorations. Even the bad ones. It's Christmas.
Eurovision.
"A sad day. For evermore, The fifth of December will be The Day The (Silly) Music Died.
Wogan has confirmed he won't be doing Eurovision again.
In the last few years, I discovered the joy of meeting up on-line with like-minded friends to enjoy the Contest and share Terry's affectionate jibes. It wouldn't be the same with any other presenter, so that joy is lost to me."...writes The Stainless Steel Cat on another thread.
What do you think?
December the fifth.
"Eddie, Father Christmas cat. David McNickle, St Albans"
If you'd like to send us your advent photo, please email pm@bbc.co.uk, putting ADVENT in the subject line.
The Beach.
"Welcome to The Beach, a very special place on the PM Blog.
The sun shines, the drinks are free, there are more than enough sun loungers and hammocks to go round, and the camels are friendly. So, take a break from your day to day stresses and strains and relax.
There are only two rules; 1) be nice to everyone, and 2) don't eat the petunias."
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
What's YOUR news?
Every week on iPM we take time to hear what our listeners are up to. Here's Jennifer and me doing the headlines last week.
If you can sum up YOUR week in a sentence, why not send it to iPM@bbc.co.uk. Please don't post anything here - we want to keep the news fresh for Saturday!
Snow!
All from Julie Taylor: "These pictures were taken in Grassington, North Yorkshire." Thanks Julie.
1255 UPDATE: and there's more:
"Hi Eddie - here's pics as promised - weather still pretty bad - roads blocked with snow and electricity is off and on. John Boakes in North Yorkshire."
1455 UPDATE:
This from our old friend Verna Enebo: "Hi Eddie, This picture was taken yesterday from the dining room window. The snow stopped falling for a bit but more fell later.
Overnight the roads have turned very icy, making exercising the hound more of a slide-about than a walkabout. Living in SE Norway can be quite an adventure..."
Trumpet blowing.
Some time ago, two terrific people I'd worked with previously on a Radio 4 documentary suggested I might be interested in making a documentary about Lionel Bart.
Frankly, Jo Coombs and Stewart Henderson (perhaps you know him from Radio 4's Questions, Questions) could suggest a show about paint drying and I would jump at it because they are just brilliant to work with.
Anyhoo, the show - the fruit of their labours more than mine - airs this Saturday on Radio 4. You can get a flavour of it .
Got snow?
Although the blog appears to be...ahem....resting at the moment...if you've woken to snow please email your photos and we'll post them asap. pm@bbc.co.uk...putting SNOW in the subject line.
December the fourth.
"Three years old and already weary of the yuletide grind...David Smith"
If you'd like to send us your advent photo, please email pm@bbc.co.uk, putting ADVENT in the subject line.
The Speaker, Damian Green and warrants.
What do you think?
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
They're going to replace this tree...
PA reports: "Forest chiefs today stepped in to replace an eyesore Christmas tree dubbed the worst in Britain. Since the threadbare tree was erected at a County Durham shopping centre it has attracted barbed comments and even made international news headlines for its less than shapely form. Now the Forestry Commission has intervened to replace the tatty tree, which is on display at the Castle Dene Shopping Centre in Peterlee, with a handsome 20ft Norway spruce."
1420 UPDATE: I've just recorded an interview with a very concerned local councillor.
A murder mystery. From Iran.
Nigel Wrench writes:
"The play is Quartet: A Journey North and it's already proved a hit in theatres in Teheran.
Four actors (all these pictures are by Tahmineh Monzavi) play four witnesses to murder. Each faces a different part of the audience and is relayed to the rest by video screens. The stories are from life.
Does it meet the artistic requirements of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
"The art of theatre should represent the best and most beautiful definitions of human truth-seeking and worthiness," the Iranian President wrote in an introduction to a theatre festival programme in Teheran last year.
On PM this evening, some of the play (in Farsi), a little music and the director/writer Amir Reza Koohestani, one of Iran's young theatre stars. Quartet: A Journey North is on at the Barbican in London, if you're in the capital at all in the next few days."
I spent some time yesterday
at a cash machine, waiting for the partially sighted person in front of me to complete her transaction. She had someone to help her but it still seemed a terrible faff for her.
As it happens, iPM is looking at this very thing. If you're partially sighted or you know someone who is - there's an item that may be of interest to you. If so, please follow this link and add your comment on the iPM page.
Monday's Celestial Delights.
Sorry no-one thought to post these yesterday...we got lots of emails and photos after our item...
Gerallt Pennant sent the two photos above: "Hello Eddie, took the pictures near Cricieth, just after hearing your piece on PM, Regards, GP."
The sound we've added to Gerallt's photo came from Davy: "Hi Eddie and all the team; I'd just been outside taking photos of those heavenly bodies when your little piece came on air, and I thought I'd send you this bit of music (enclosed). I'm a totally obscure and unsuccessful singer/songwriter who started out several decades too late, and this is the final track on my first solo album 'Brittle' - it's very short, at least the music bit is, but in case you're not permitted to open enclosures, the words are "We've only got this little earth spinning round and round, dwarfed by its own insignificance. We fill our lives with petty squabbles, staking out our ground, where the greedy feed upon the innocent."
It just seemed to fit. (As I can't afford Max Clifford, nor indeed any agent or manager, I have to do this stuff myself.....) Best wishes to you all, "
"Once again Eddie I am in my studio in New Mexico listening to you... just wanted to share the fact that the moon, venus and jupiter all look sensational in our clear high desert skies! Lynne"
From Ruth: "thankyou PM - my seven year old son and I were admiring the moon and the 2 bright stars from our garden here on the west coast of ireland a while ago - and lo and behold, you inform us exactly what we had been looking at! And I always said Radio 4 was in touch with its listeners!"
"My 5 year-old daughter and I were walking home through the park at about 5.30 and saw the bright dot next to the moon and the other bright star. I said I thought one of them was Venus, but wasn't sure, so I was delighted to get home and hear you explain what we'd seen. Thanks! Elizabeth Matka, Birmingham"
Want to read more? Click - a link sent to us by
John Vetterlein from the Auroral & Magnetic Observatory, Rousay, Orkney. Thank you John.
Simon Banton sent these:
"Clouds cleared here (Figheldean, Wilts) just in time to see Venus re-emerge from behind the Moon, with Jupiter in the upper right of the picture."
Around the world our listeners looked skywards:
"Hello - I'm in the South of France and it's beautifully clear and very easy to see the 'occultation'. Shame about the lack of silence Eddie....Robert Spensley"
"Clear sky in cyprus, the moon and Venus and Jupiter clearly visible."
"I am listening to you in West Cork, Ireland with a completely clear sky. I was looking at this wonderful sight about 5 minutes before you mentioned it in your broadcast. Many thanks for explaining it. Peter Cummings"
From Ruth Bennett, not so far from Peter: "From here in west Cork, in the southwest of Ireland,the cojunction of moon and venus are brittle bright sparkling. Gorgeous"
From Irene Tohme: "Hello from Beirut on Lebanon. Earlier this evening while walking my dog I was lucky enough to see Venus the moon and Jupiter so close to each other. The sky was so clear and the moon so low in the sky, it was quite a magical sight!"
And from closer to home:
"Many thanks for the tip off about the moon and its antics with Venus and Jupiter on 1st December. A dark frosty night, on the Towy estuary, Carmarthen. An owl hooted and redshank cried as we stood on the Green, Llansteffan and gazed at the silvery slither of the moon resting on its hip with Venus and Jupiter dancing in attendance. Eerie, simple and stunningly beautiful. A fine start to Advent. Thanks again, Mel and Gwyn Stacey"
"I was travelling back from work in Chester when I heard your bit about the Moon and Venus, when I came to a certain spot by the River Dee there it was in all its glory, about 6pm. I have tried to photograph it, but gave up and enjoyed the sight of the moon (partial) with Venus twinkling and Jupiter further away but very visible. Last night there was a very bright star visible, twinkling very brightly a distance away at l2 45am, would that be Venus, it was quite a sight?
So glad to have heard your broadcast, would probably have noticed but not know what I was seeing. The same happened a few years ago when Mars was near. Yours,
Margaret Lister"
"Dear PM - We live on the Restronguet creek in Devoran, Cornwall and viewing the three objects i.e. Moon, Venus and Jupiter is absolutely stunning. Luckily we have a clear sky and the moonlight on the creek mud is glorious. Extremely fortunate to see such a phenomenon. Best. Ali Rowe"
"The Royal Observatory outpost in Sidmouth is under a pure clear sky. Could it have been an event like this that inspired a native of East Devon, Samuel Taylor Coleridge? Maybe the Ancient Mariner was listening to PM on Radio 4 210 years ago.:
We listened and looked sideways up!
Fear at my heart, as at a cup,
My life-blood seemed to sip.
...
Till clomb above the eastern bar
The horned Moon, with one bright star
Within the nether tip!
--
Robert and Vivien Crick"
Big Sis sent this:
And finally (for now): "For those listeners with cloudy skies! Giles Frampton, Dorset":
December the third.
"Dear Eddie, Please can you accept this picture of some holly in my garden for consideration in your Advent blog Xmas photo. Nick Fletcher, North Yorkshire"
0920 UPDATE: iPM is on the lookout for stories of how crappy Christmas can be. More here.
Shattastic.
If anyone gets a sniff of a copy of this. Or gets any whiff of it. I want it.
.
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
What's this space-saving idea?
Find out HERE.
Hot seat
I'm in it just for today while Ed is away.
Just wanted to say hello while I check out the cocktail cabinet and make sure everything is in order.
Wondered whether you've had any more thoughts about John Humphrys' declaration that he is not going to send any Christmas cards? Now that the moment is approaching are you with him - particularly all of you who are blogtastically proficient at electronic communication?
It is nice getting a card dropping through the letter box though isn't it?......
December the second.
"My son was at university in Galway and we had to stop the car on the way there* the first time when we passed this in the corner of a public playing field. The local community are clearly very religious but, as we came around the bend in the road to find the words "Holy Mother of God" blazened across the sky, the message seemed to pertain rather more to my driving than to Mother Mary. I'm making Christmas cards out of it this year. Lady Sue.
*In truth, I screeched to a halt and had a serious laughing fit."
If you'd like to send us YOUR advent photo, email it to PM@bbc.co.uk and please put ADVENT in the subject line.
Stars!
Click - thanks to Paul who emailed this.
The Glass Box.
Be your own radio critic! Tell us here, frankly, what you thought of tonight's programme. In the PM office we meet every night at 1800 in the Glass Box you see above. Add your comment here.
Harp update...
1505 update update: Annasee in sound and vision...
December the First.
Joan Adamson sends "Frozen lake south of Stockholm ..."
If you'd like to send us YOUR advent photo, our email address is pm@bbc.co.uk. Please put ADVENT in the subject line.
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PM The evening news and current affairs programme presented by Eddie Mair.
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Read the final report of the PM Privacy Commission.
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- Hugh Tomlinson QC
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Meet the commissioners, view the terms of reference and hear the Commission Chair Sir Michael Lyons explain his approach.
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