Tuesday's Glass Box
Welcome to the Glass Box - 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. We hope this will be a useful tool for you and for us.
Just click on the "comment" link. If you've never commented on the Blog before - don't worry. There's a simple registration process you only have to go through once.
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.
And so it should be here. The people who make PM will read the comments posted, and will sometimes respond. 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.
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Is it 5pm already - must be home time.
Will listen on way home, and comment if necessary
Have a good one!
When did it become the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s job of putting forward the Labour Governments spin and propaganda as youR reporter has done on the NHS? Or has it always been so?
Surely the Carbon REduction Plan should be CREP, not CRED? Those people are no fun.
Once again, I've heard the bin-weighing scheme mentioned without reference to the fundamental flaw: that unscrupulous people will just dump their rubbish in other people's bins. That's definitely a point that should have questions asked next time it comes up.
When I got my new laptop I accidentally logged onto my neighbours wi fi. Does that make me a criminal?
Surely the Carbon Reduction Action Plan ?
Sorry..
Ems - yep! They're tracing you via your IP address even as we, er, speak. Run! Run! Run for you life!!!!
I regularly find myself wanting to find internet content on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ news site related to a new item I hear on R4. This to send the link to a friend or to use on my blog as reference. And quite often, there is no reference of the item on the website. Today, it's the item about wifi I can't fing on the site.
Wouldn't there be a way to harmonise the news output throughout your services?
Never mind the weighing of bins - when is someone going to pin the Govt/Councils down about the stealthy move to fortnightly colections?
Done with a "green" excuse, this is really about nothing more than saving money.
It is surely not a coincidence that this gradually spreading policy is happening at a time of population explosion for rats in this country!
Today/Watoand PM's schedules are based mainly on anti-New Labour reports. There is a whole wide world of news out there. Is it true that as Johann Hari, in a recent article in the Indy states, these programmes have been hijacked by the Right?
We shall see - if this message sees the light of day.
I'm usually one who mentally tunes out when what's a thinly disguised trail piece for a later programme is included in, say PM or Breakfast. This time, however, I fully applaud the inclusion of Susan Watts' piece regarding HIV. As I listen to PM on the way home, I don't usually listen to the news afterwards. Some evenings, I won't listen to or watch a news broadcast until the following morning. This would've meant I would have missed this piece all together. Thank you for airing it, and going into depth about the details of the situation.
As for the rest of the programme, I wasn't sure about the NHS piece (I missed the beginning as I was filling up with petrol at the time). It came across a bit as filler, to be honest.
As for the bit with the OAP sentenced for breaking the ASBO conditions, I think it was good to have a local resident who wasn't directly involved in the particular situation in question. That helped to get a better view on what the local people thought of it all.
All in all, I'd say about 7.5 out of 10, dragged down by the NHS piece, and what felt like a lacklustre piece regarding the No Confidence vote in the Commons...
FFred
Good question, Ems(4)! When I was in Slovenia a few weeks ago (see the flickering place for photos) I logged on to the Blog, to Flickr, as well as our company network from the hotel I was in by accessing an unsecured network. For me, it was nice to be ablle to do this in the middle of a small village in Slovenia, so that I could keep up to date on all that was happeing. That said, I made sure that my network at home is secure and hidden, so that anyone who has wireless here can't even see the router, let alone try to log on to it. I guess I'm a bit of a hypocrite. I like to be able to access the internet when I'm travelling, so if someone has an unsecured network, and I want to check email, or log onto ´óÏó´«Ã½ News, then it's more than likely that I'd use the network. But, I don't want people to use my network (even with unlimited downloads) to access the 'net. It's a tough one...
Sorry, but you keep making reference to there being links on the right to the Categories 'The Beach' or 'The Froggers' or The Glass Box or whatever,
This simply isn't the case !!! There are some haphazard links to individual posts on some or none of the above, but there is not a clear category of other links..
An area for improvement wrt the report from the Harrogate Nurses conference. Your reporter announced that PM had been unable to secure any representative or representation from the Government which would have been fine if she'd stopped there.
What possessed her to assume such a role and to make matters worse, to effectively rubbish the valuable contributions of the interviewees? The topic raised some very important points around the disparity of policies and provisioning of services within what should be a national Health Service, all of which was lost through your interviewer's casual dismissal.
This is not an urban myth; a local primary school here in Maidstone (I won't name it) found that all the internet traffic on its new wireless system was going through the connection at a house just by the school gate. As this had better reception, the system latched onto it, and it was some weeks before this fact was discovered.
Despite my admonishment yesterday, Radio 4 performers are still saying 'sekker tree'. The word is:
'SECRETARY'
Even the Yanks get this one right!
Bedd Gelert, I agree (5), even more than with SSC.
Good dog.
pc (11) yes it really stuck out - but I put it down to an inexperienced interviewer who felt she had to ensure ´óÏó´«Ã½ balance was observed.
I agree that she should have stopped after saying that a government rep was not available rather than trying to second guess what they might have said - always dangerous.
The piece about the Gallup survey of British Muslim attitudes was excellent to hear and confirms my own estimation. Thanks for giving it the airtime.
Yours Aye,
ed
Bedd Gelert (12) On the top right of your screen, you'll see ''Window on your World'' Under that there is a link to the Froogers' Refuge, where we tend to leave messages for each other when this Blog isn't working (like today when we've slipped back to September)
Under that is ''Archive'' and then ''Categories''
At the moment, ''Categories'' gives you 23 entire Beaches to choose from, 14 Furrowed Brows and 5 Glass Boxes, amongst other links, so you have a complete collection of every comment that has been made.
I hope this helps. ;o)
Would agree re Nurses piece. Is was a good concept that the final report didn't quiet deliver. I do think they needed the comment about the Government official but would have been better to do that first then have the nurses discussion.
Overall a reasonable programme - still would say more on the local/regional/national elections currently going on though!
Regards
John
Bedd (12) Above the things to which you refer, directly underneath the calendar, a heading says "Categories". Under that are links to threads in all of the... categories.
very moving piece from brother of student killed in virginia tech. temptation to be maudling and sentimental must have been immense yet he spoke with dignity and composure. i hope his compassion brings him peace
Bedd Gelert (12) You should be able to see a section headed 'Categories' just beneath the Calendar which is headed 'Archive' and above the 'Recent Entries'. It lists a number of 'Entries with...audio/links/photos etc, links to Hugh's pieces on China, various other stuff and the regular Beach, Furrowed Brow and Glass Box connections.
If you can't see it, are you using a browser other than IE or Firefox?
It might help to email a screen dump to the pm email address for the attention of Marc who may be able to explain.
Good programme I thought.
The Reverend Green will have logged the 7" gap!
Re: the last item - and protecting your wireless network. I for one didn't realise that logging in to an unsecured network was breaking the law. Up till 3 Months ago our Network was unsecured as I thought it was a nice gesture to help out the students in the vicinity, however the parked cars outside - and people sitting on the nearby bench making Internet phone calls from their laptops were becoming a nuicance.
Nearly all routers will store a list of 'clients' that are logged on - or have recently logged on. Certainly the case for Netgear, Belkin, D-Link, Fritz-Box
If you are unsure how to set up security and have lost your manual for your wireless router this link (pdf file) has most of the models.
Find yours on the list and type in the ip adress in your browser bar. Then enter the default user and passwords (as originally shipped) and you should be able to configure the security settings, however as there are so many brands it's probably best to visit your manufacturers website.
If you notice a tab called DHCP or (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), that will open a list of computers that are currently logged on to your network (or have been)
Apart from setting up wireless security, you should also set up a user password within the router.
Alas there are several downloadable programs available to hack in to secure wireless routers. Though it does take time and most mobile hackers would not bother.
Re: The Reverend Green and the gap.
It's not the only one Rev.
Another problem, possibly due to sporting fixtures in Radio 5, --(and the ´óÏó´«Ã½ compromising the pathetic allowed bit rates on DAB) -- is that exactly at Five PM - after the last Pip! Eddie's first words are muted as the DAB encoders are switched from 128 kbps stereo to 80 kbps mono! You'd think that Amanda Lewis had made a mistake or whoever is driving the mixing desk at the Beeb.
So that's what they think of PM Eddie! 80 kbps (mono)
Alas the car radio automatically switches from FM to DAB so I've learnt to live with the (not so nice) feature.
As one who takes an interest in the technical aspects of broadcasting - seek advice when purchasing a new DAB radio. Most of the current models on sale will probably be confined to the recycling skip in less than ten years, basically because we rushed in too soon. Some new models will have the new and proposed DAB+ format already installed.
This site will tell you all you need to know :-
Well I'm not sure about anyone else - but I think we should all toast Marc Settle (the New blog Prince) for finally restoring the blog to April 17th!
He's monitored the situation (time -warp) on his mobile phone from the pub and kept us updated on the refuge site - on one of those links that some can't see.
He's currently enjoying a Whisky - after the pub that is - on getting us all back on track.
Now in celebration of this groundbreaking achievement I think we should come up with a new name for him? He's not really new anymore, and certainly an achiever- perhaps it should be based on time warps? Doctors? -- who knows?
Come on Froggers, as Fifi would say!
I'd suggest "Marc the Bright Spark" but it's a bit lengthy!
Love it Appy ! Could be shortened to Marc the Spark - but then that may imply he's a bit of a labourer - ite. Which may not be ideal? - as in (Sparky)
Marc the Spark? :-)
Aunt Dahlia - I heard the piece about wi-fi pick-ups and thought, now there's an idea to speed up your connection? Hope it's resolving?
Off to bed :-( as I've clearly broken all the initial rules about how a glass box should be sealed against non - glass box comments.
Whisht - we all miss you!
Like you, I tend to stay with the latest threads - I did try and kick off the 'Furrowed Brow' after a two day lapse - and ED I and Chris Ghoti have both visited. I'm not sure as to why Chris Ghoti didn't post his comment here though?
Eddie Mairs links- above and on the right- will take any newcomers to all the destinations. The beach
/blogs/pm/2007/04/the_beach_11.shtml
is always the best place to find *us* regulars and where we can help - when problems arise.
Re: Val P
Marc the Spark? :-)
And with the big smiley face you added ;-) but Val --- No creativity :-(
Va, l Now! Thinking cap's on!
Sony awards looming at the end of the Month.
Marc, *Must* be there (Sony awards ceremony) and just in case he's referred to,
We can't really go with Marc - the new blog prince! can we :-)( ??
More ideas Val et al !
Well certainly worth a dip -
Very interesting reading all the comments
Ems (4)
Its entirely possible !
My advice to friends who find themselves "blessed" with a "free" wifi connection - is use it - no one has ever been busted for it in the UK.
i suppose i need to refine that advice !
here is the link
the PM item was spot on - the need to protect your WiFi connection is solely yours - glad that point was made.
a fully secure Wi Fi sytem as used by financial organsations can cost thousands of pounds.
frankly I'd rather be a dial up dinosaur !
FFred (11);
Unlimited downloads? Did you check the small-print for a so-called 'fair use' clause?
Iain (2) and pc (13);
re: the reporter positing a probable Govt response. My immediate understanding was that she was playing Devil's Advocate to stimulate response from the nurses she was interviewing. It's a fair thing to do. Otherwise you end up with a one-sided argument. I suppose she could have adopted a line occasionally heard on PM "We asked for a Govt minister to talk to. You know the rest".
Si.
Eddie & Co;
Re: last nights programme.
I appreciated the package with Susan Watts, which Eddie had aluded to earlier on the Blog. It's gaining a wider audience as the morning lead on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Breakfast news and elsewhere, so well done for picking and leading with it.
Glass-Box type question;
Since Susan is a Newsnight editor and is rarely seen outside that programme, how was the decision arrived at to place that piece onto PM in the first place? What was the rationale behind that decision? It's in the nature of Newsnight that the three packages it presents are in-depth and highly researched. Did Susan approach the PM editorial team directly with a suggestion to carry the piece? Or was first contact between the programme editors?
I'm not mischief-making, just trying to understand the process underlying how Susan and her story appeared first on PM and not initially/solely on Newsnight. After all, the story has such enormous implications for the NHS, healthcare and government that you'd have thought that Newsnight would have wanted first call on it?
Si.
This was on the furrowed brow:
"At 06:20 PM on 17 Apr 2007, Chris Ghoti wrote:
Very disconcerting to find that JJ at 1 seems to have been removed, so every person commenting on his(?) remarks is refering to something I can't read any more (it was there a couple of hours ago).
Is that 'cos it was controversial"
I realise that there have been problems with posts disappearing recently and that Marc is working very hard to rectify the problems. However, may I humbly make a suggestion about posts that are taken down through complaints? (I'm going to anyway!)
That the number of the post remains (with no identifying details) and a comment that it has been removed as a result of complaints. This might help to alieviate some of the confusion that seems to be rife at present.
Obviously, I understand there maybe technical difficulties and that it may not be possible. But I'm sure I've seen it happen elsewhere on my travels.
Apologies for posting this here, but I couldn't think where else to put it.
Izz
Thanks Eddie - thanks to the wireless broadband thing, I spent all night looking outside my window to see if anyone was sitting in cars with a lap-top, and then turning off my machine whenever I wasn't near the computer. Is this a wide-spread practice? Or was this something which only the Daily Mail would be concerned with? Only offering one or two examples of nefarious broadband stealing didn't make it a particularly strong piece...but it did make me paranoid.
The British-Muslim piece was good although I was slightly perturbed by the reporter's "them" and "us" tone which can only help to enforce the kind of segregation that this type of survey hopes to conquer.
The GreenNorwich piece made me smile as at that exact point, I was sitting in a bus in the University of East Anglia. The interviewee didn't actually highlight all of the 'green' aspects of the campus but I was pleased to see their climate change school featured.
The NHS piece was slightly weak as it seemed to be filled more with fluff than substance.
Eddie has a very fine line to tread with his quips, but I for one, find this an endearing thing about PM and would encourage his witticisms where he feels appropriate. The end of a tough business day is exactly the right time of the day for a lighthearted presenter comment or two.
It was a very informative unbiased programme as per usual. I thought Peter Allen was particularly outstanding.
Hello jonnie (24)
Re: The bongs.
YES, Jonnie you're right. I have recorded it, but I have it down as 6.9 'empty' seconds. It's all in my red Analysis book you know.
Mind the Gap!
Does anyone know if there is anywhere/one who can fit a wood burner and chimney to a 1965 VW camper van?
Yes, Marc the Spark! Or even "Sparky Marc" -- it is not only descriptive, it has connotations of "Marky Mark" which was the rather silly name of perfect-bodied Mark Wahlberg when he was in some boy band or other.
Can he be Sparky Marc please?! :-) Marc, what do you think?
Billy: Are you SURE you want to do this? Petrol (or diesel) plus woodburner = mighty big fireball .....
From Tuesday's Output Editor
Many thanks to all of you for listening and for contributing to the Glass Box discussion about Tuesday's programme and for the many constructive comments... including the critical ones.
Before I deal with some specific programme related points, I'd just like to highlight Comments 2 (Iain) and 9 (P C Mitchell): PM as Government mouthpiece - or hijacked by the Right? Which is it? Well, neither. There will always be those who believe otherwise, but - Cub's Honour - we really try very hard indeed to be absolutely balanced and scrupulously fair in our coverage. It is inevitable that sometimes, something might slip through... but that is the nature of live radio and human error and it has nothing to do with a political agenda of any sort.
Some of your comments were about the discussion at 5.30pm on the NHS: Comments 2 (Iain), 13 (PC), 17 (Anne P) and 20 (John Cooper).
I think John Cooper's assessment "a good concept that... didn't quite deliver" is spot on.
Normally we restrict discussion to a presenter/reporter and two guests. As this was about devolution and the NHS, we had four guests, which made it a tad unwieldy. I think the contributors made some good points.
The reason Jane paraphrased the Government's position was that it was fair to do so in response to the discussion, because this was not a situation when the Government had refused an invitation to come on, it was a case of our not asking them to come on because we wanted to keep the discussion focused on the nurses.
However, I concede that we probably did not need to repeat the point. Maybe we should have asked the Government on.
On the wifi story, some interesting contributions out there. zefrog (7) was frustrated about not being able to find more about the story on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ website and asks whether there is a way of harmonising output.
I am sorry you were unable to find more through the ´óÏó´«Ã½, but the whole point about the sheer range of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s output is that is is NOT harmonised, so we can try to serve as many people as possible. It was a very good story which raised some serious issues, but before we had run it, very few wire services and agencies had picked it up.
Apologies for the waffle - I hope I'll get better at this (or at least more concise) as time goes by.
All the best
Rog
Appy (and others): Marc is a Prince. The Frog Prince. Possibly the Sparky Frog Prince.
And speaking of Sparky, RJD's grandfather will remember another Sparky, from Gerry Anderson's early adventures with Torchy the Battery Boy. Or there was Sparky the Robot, Sparky's Magic Piano, Sparky and Friends, Sparky the Sparrow .................
Billy Binks (41),
I've not done it to a 65, but to a '72, and with a butane assist in case of wood shortages. A good chimney and 'fixed' ventilation are essential. If near Edinburgh, check wit Forest Fire, who may have a pointer or two.
Alternatively, improve the pitiful insulation levels.
Happy motoring
ed
Roger:
Thanks for the feedback. It was v. useful.
Now, what quizzes have you found to do today?
Classless! Priceless! but, I hope, not humourless ;o)
BigSis;
I bet he's a SuDoku wizard!
Si.
Billy Binks @ (41)?
Wouldn't you be better off buying a post-67 VW camper? I'm told it has many improvements including...
Larger and higher bay window
12 volt electrics
Improved suspension and handling
From 1972 the type 4 1700-2000cc engines provide more power
Some models had servo brakes.
Good luck.
My two pee worth - Sparkly Marc etc. :o)
Si: Super Fiendish, no doubt ;o)
Billy (41) There is a guy who makes multi-fuel stoves out of recycled gas cylinders and I've a feeling that his first attempts may have been in order to heat a VW van, though I could have totally mis-remembered. He now produces highly individual stoves, not cheap, but might be a place to start asking.
other stoves/suppliers are of course available.
Big Sis (45) - "Sparky's Magic Piano" - that hits the nostalgia spot!
And I'm sure I can't be as old as RJD's Grandpappy.
Jonnie - my post was in reply to Appy's 27, and at that point your 28 wasn't there. So I wasn't being terribly uncreative.
Ed I - Forest Fire - yay - small world, our Best Friends! Did a spell there meself when pregnant with TD.
Anne P - Gosh. I hope not - Both grandfathers gone many decades ago! (But don't tell Big Sis - she thinks I'm 23)
Anne P:
Just for you!
Prince Sparky Marc?
Sparky Prince Marky?
They used to call the doctor on Radio 1's 'Sunday Surgery' Sparky Mark and possibly still do....could it be one and the same?! :)
Frog Prince Marc le Spark
Val (54)
Scotland's the worruld's smallest village, eh?
Yours Aye,
ed
Thanks to you all.
Big Sis (56) Thanks - you've also brought back other memories of three happy years spent in Brighton in the sixties with flower children tinkling their Indian bell jewellery through The Lanes, and an amazing partial Christ figure painted on a seaward facing wall on the promenade. And of course the sun always shone!
Not. Actually I think in many ways I preferred it in the winter when the trippers had all gone home and the windows of our flat were caked with windblown salt.
Gillian,
thanks - you were doing very well until "At the moment, ''Categories'' gives you 23 entire Beaches to choose from, 14 Furrowed Brows and 5 Glass Boxes," - my one starts at letter 'E' for Entries with no 'B' for Beaches.
And I have no idea what a 'Frogger' is - it all does seem rather more complicated than is necessary - couldn't big 'icons' [of a 'frog' or a 'glass box'? ] make things easier, or is that a bit too obvious ?
I work in a large vehicle refubishment company & the influx of Polish workers, (who are the salt of the earth and I wouldn't wish them any harm) has led to wages being cut to £5.50 for any new workers. There are plenty of people who will work for this wage but they are unhappy when they find out that the old hands are paid a £1 an hour more, and apparently it is perfectly legal for this to occur in modern, forward looking Britain.
Bedd (63), Further down the list " Signpost to the Beach" -- or are you teasing us?
Jim Robson (64)
Yes, a forward looking Britain indeed !
It is amazing that after ten years of a Labour government the "invisible issue" of unemployment remains so far down the agenda.
Migrant workers are an excellent way to keep wages down and keep capitalism looking healthy !
As an unemployed graduate living in Wythenshawe (yes, that awful place where a yob was rude to an old etonian) I have taken minimum wage jobs simply to have a income.
The fact remains that people in Wythenshawe are not at all happy about thier already poorly paid jobs being handed to migrant workers who will work for min. wage, it would be fair to say that these migrant workers are disliked in the extreme.
Realistic Unemployment figures suggest that almost two million UK citizens are out of work and on benefits - surely a workfare system would be a solution. Rather than importing unskilled poorly educated workers why not concentrate on our own unskilled and poorly educated ?
And please, could we have an end to anyone who questions the morality of immigration (while two million rot on the dole) being called racist or accused of "hating foreigners" , todays PM piece was excellent in that it reveled the tendency to resort to the politics of the playground on this most significant issue !
By all means bring more unskilled workers to the UK but please do not but suprised or "appalled" when the BNP begin to make serious inroads to the political map, I dont want that, I'm sure you dont either - it will happen if we continue to sleepwalk into the "business friendly" world of cheap labour.
Jim Robson (64)
Yes, a forward looking Britain indeed !
It is amazing that after ten years of a Labour government the "invisible issue" of unemployment remains so far down the agenda.
Migrant workers are an excellent way to keep wages down and keep capitalism looking healthy !
As an unemployed graduate living in Wythenshawe (yes, that awful place where a yob was rude to an old etonian) I have taken minimum wage jobs simply to have a income.
The fact remains that people in Wythenshawe are not at all happy about thier already poorly paid jobs being handed to migrant workers who will work for min. wage, it would be fair to say that these migrant workers are disliked in the extreme.
Realistic Unemployment figures suggest that almost two million UK citizens are out of work and on benefits - surely a workfare system would be a solution. Rather than importing unskilled poorly educated workers why not concentrate on our own unskilled and poorly educated ?
And please, could we have an end to anyone who questions the morality of immigration (while two million rot on the dole) being called racist or accused of "hating foreigners" , todays PM piece was excellent in that it reveled the tendency to resort to the politics of the playground on this most significant issue !
By all means bring more unskilled workers to the UK but please do not but suprised or "appalled" when the BNP begin to make serious inroads to the political map, I dont want that, I'm sure you dont either - it will happen if we continue to sleepwalk into the "business friendly" world of cheap labour.
Ed i - yes indeedy :o)
Sorry to interupt the idle chit chat - but why has my post been been uploaded twice ?
By the way Eddie, congrats on your award !
It is very well deserved.
Isnt it possible to get you or Paxman to present Question Time ? Or is there something in Lord Reith's will that says a Dumblebore for EVER !