don't worry about the licence fee
it is quite possible that Saturday Live is going to be the first 大象传媒 programme to get a kite mark for money saving initiatives by the end of this series.
i know that many of you will be concerned about the recent licence fee announcement, and many of you will immediately have thought 'but what about the quality of Saturday Live - surely the lack of a full rise, as asked for, will affect the high aims of this innovative new show.'
well, don't worry. both our studio guests are staying with friends in London tonight - ahead of their appearances on the show tomorrow. we didn't ask them to do this - they offered.
but it makes us think that there must be other ways of saving a bit of cash and helping everyone out in these troubled times. your thoughts and tips would be happily accepted.
and please don't be rude. it costs nothing to be polite.
love and hugs as ever
fi
RE
Complain about this postDog Poo discussion:
A couple of comments and a vaguely connected joke ,( which was told to me recently and I particularly liked):
Plastic bags full of dog poo festooned on a hedge don't sound particularly festive, but using biodegradable bags in a wastebin sounds pretty "green".
"Why not let dog poo biodegrade in the soil ?" is a "green-sounding " suggestion. However one good reason is the Toxocara Canis parasite.This can infect both dogs and people and pass from dog faeces into the soil .People handling the soil ,( such as children playing on the grass,) can pick up eggs and suffer a variety of nasty effects including blindness.
On a much lighter note, here's the joke:
I went to a zoo recently.
There was only one dog in it.
It was a Shih Tzu.
I've really tried to like this show but it is an aboslute mess, lessened in part by Fi, but this morning was too much for me. Please don't try and replicate the John Peel show of yesteryear and put on something different - too much of a jump? God, be creative.
Muriel Gray was offended as being referred to as a journalist - what is she apart from a nasty 'look at me' Scottish media nobody? Poet, multimillionaire, climber, irritant - thought only people living in Scotland were vulnerable to this menace. 5 live in mornings from now on.
Complain about this postDog poo
I have a 'green cone' - I think that's what its called -in the garden. It's a small compost maker thingy that goes down into the ground as far as it stands above it and is supposed to be dog, fox and even rat proof. I guess that would make a good last resting place or cairn for toxocara. There was one at C.A.T.
Cat poo
Complain about this postFree newspapers make an excellent source of free cat litter.
My son Ben Has been suffering with this throat thing as Muriel described for years and recently threw back a small brandy and for the first time ever it went. I had a rottwieller that suffered the same thing and he died. Poor thing..
Complain about this postPlease tell Muriel that she has CARDIAC ACHALASIA. I'm a fellow sufferer and have often been through the 'silent' period at the dinner table, followed by the sudden exit to the loo to deal with the non-stop saliva! Always take carbs in really wee bites, especially bread and pasta, and you'll be fine.
Best
Complain about this postJulie (from Aberdeen)
Oesophageal spasm is common, painful and harmless. Take some effervenscent tablets to distend the muscles.A cold fizzy drink wotks well in a restaurant. I have used thid remedy with many patients in the past
Complain about this postI have been wanting to write this email all week and it is in relation to the debate about dog poo being disposed of in plastic bags. You can now buy small DEGRADABLE disposal bags from most supermarkets for a minimal cost which are perfect for collection and disposal even my boyfriend prefers them as they don't have the small holes in the bottom that most normal supermarket bags have.
Complain about this postA message to Muriel Gray - the song 'Cool Water' was by Frankie Laine.
Complain about this postHello Fi, Your guest today asked if anyone could identify the old cowboy song from which she sang a snatch...she said she had sat on the old 78 and broken it...it is Cool Water by the Sons of the Pioneers - still available here and there, but if she cannot find it then email me and I'll be happy to reunite her with the old tune.
for lyrics and guitar chords!!
Kiss kiss
Colin
Complain about this posthi fi why not go the whole hog and drop all punctuation after all if capitalisation can go out the window so can full stops commas semi-colons and grammer regards nick (tongue a little in cheek but trying to make a point) ps what was that music you were playing on the show this morning
Complain about this postI have the same problem as Muriel Gray. It is very frightening as well as painful. I was interested to learn her solution of holding her breath. I find meat is definitely a trugger.
Complain about this postOne of the principal reasons for listening to Saturday Live is to hope for or better still to hear Matt Harvey's contribution. What brilliance. We heard him live with pianist Peter Foggitt in Churchill in December 06 - together they made a stunning duo - two geneii at work!
Complain about this postHi Fi,
Really enjoy the show. The song that Muriel was asking about is "COOL WATER" recorded by FRANKIE LANE in the 50s. Some of the words are, "KEEP AMOVIN DAN DON'T YUH LISTEN TO HIM DAN, HE'S A DEVIL NOT A MAN AND FILLS THE BURNIN SANDS WITH WATER" and so on. I much enjoyed Muriel Grey's contribution. She is a better broadcaster than she is a snowboarder as I witnessed once from a chairlift in the Alps.
CONTINUED SUCCESS WITH THE SHOW,
MIKE WOODALL
Complain about this postI have the same problem as Muriel Gray, I have been suffering for 10 years and was diagnosed with a spasmodic gullet in 2000. After various forms of medication I was referred to a specialist in The London Bridge Hospital called Mr. Owen and a surgeon called Professor Adams at St. Thomas Hospital. I had what they called a "Balloon Dilation" where they stretch your gullet under anesthetic, this may sound drastic but after surgery the gullet works normally again when swallowing, the only problem is the solution only lasts about 5-7 years before it needs to be done again.
Complain about this postI suffer the same throat problem (apparently oesophageal spasm) as Muriel Grey. In my case it started in 1990, when I was eating beef stew and chips in rather a hurry as I was late for an appointment. Both beef and chips were rather chunky, but very tasty. I was forced to skip the appointment. The second time it struck (Steak and chips), I was forced to spend a night in hopital.
It seems to be tension (or stress) related and associated with mammalian meat (Beef, Lamb and Pork) and fried potatoe. But also with anticipation of a good meal, which probably increases saliva production.
It is prevented by pausing to drink a few sips of water (wine is not so effective) immediately before eating, by cutting up larger chunks of meat, taking small mouthfulls, chewing food thoroughly before swallowing, and by eating quantities of (non fried) vegtables with the meat.
Once it starts one can not, of course, swallow any remedy. Not even water, until the offending piece of food is removed from your throat, typically by sustained retching, leaving the troat very sore.
Complain about this postWhat a joy it was to listen to Muriel Gray. She was cheerful and enthusiastic and brightened up the day. By contrast Fi seems to be more world weary and cynical with every passing week.
Complain about this postI was delighted to hear how your inteviewee regained her sight, I too had to wear stronger and stronger glasses from childhood and eventually lost the sight of my left eye in 1970, Twenty four years later ( during which I had been told no operation on my right eye was possible) I was offered lens relacement with 70/30 chance of success. I eagerly accepted. My vision afterwards was clearer than it had ever been. But in 2001 I went to the optician expecting to have splinter removed from my eye. I was sent to hospital and discovered it was a broken stitch. Two weeks later the same thing occurred. I saw the consultant who had performed the operation who informed me there were more stitches to come out and that they must be gently removed, not pulled. About 4 weeks later I saw another doctor who introduced a sharp instrument into my eye without anaesthetic. When I protested he said "Do you want them out or not?" I said I did but had to leave before he had finished - I could not stand the pain. At the final check-up at the optician's I was told I would not see to read or write agai. The thrill of my regained sight was dashed by incompetence.
Complain about this postRe swallowing disorder
I suspect Muriel may be suffering from a 'Schatzki Ring' - a piece of tissue in the oesophagus that closes up while eating. It is congential and there's nothing you can do about it. I suffer from it and used to experience food sticking two to three times a week (and have been hospitalised twice). It can be diagnosed with an endoscopy and treated with dilatations, and possibly drugs (I have been prescribed a proton pump inhibitor that works well).
Complain about this postI have suffered from the same spasm effect as Muriel for over 50 years now. Mostly meat, but also toast or rice, all very well chewed, would block the throat and nothing could pass up or down. When this first started it was decided to remove my tonsils and adenoids but to no avail. Originally I would resolve the blockage by swallowing air as a pressure hammer until relieved but nowadays I use cold water which appears to work much better (although I still leave the table). I was hospitalised when a piece of ham stuck for 4 days, it only released when a camera was passed down my throat. The biggest aggravation was all the questions from medical staff - as Muriel found talking is not easy with mouthfuls of saliva. In the ward a gentleman was watching nothing but food programmes on TV and all the other patients seemed to eat and drink continuously. A pointless sign hung over me - Nil by mouth.
Complain about this postBlockages could happen or not whenever consuming food - big business event or picnic lunch. The medical profession seemed to offer no solution - you just live with it but, hey, could be worse.
Congradulations.
Complain about this postRe: Rob the Rubbish.
Complain about this postAs I was listening to the piece on Rob the Rubbish, I was walking the dog through the dunes on the Sefton Coast. I came across the aftermath of a teenage party - cans, bottles, cardboard boxes - and as I always have plastic bags when dog-walking, I decided to clean up. Not only did I feel very virtuous, but I found a soggy five-pound note! Teenagers are so careless ...
Cheers,
Dave Garner
On a windswept Scottish mountain there is a wee pile of rocks with a marker stone bearing the names of our two sons who tragically died young. From time to time myself, my husband and our family make the climb and marvel at the beauty of the location. Each time we visit we notice that the stones are different from when we left them, the wind and weather most likely dislodging them. We also notice that the cairn has been re-built with the fallen marker stone re-placed amongst the rocks. This can only be the work of passing dedicated walkers, it is fairly remote, choosing to give of their time and consideration to some un-known souls.
Complain about this postWhen in grief, we placed the cairn there in memory of our sons, we did not feel vain nor did we think that that mountain belonged to our Sons, or to us, or indeed to anyone - it was just a beautiful place. Time and the weather will eventually return the stones to the ground, the names of our Sons are already fading from the marker stone and nature will reclaim the spot for its own quite soon.
I write not to defend our actions, perhaps there is now a time to debate if we should indeed leave a memorial in this way, but I do ask those who speak so zealously against it to think on using some of the more beautiful words in our language, compassion, sympathy, understanding, respect and to remember that from each cairn there are invisible threads of pain, loss and suffering for their families and friends.
To trivialise and to make jokes about this subject as your contributor did was crass and hurtful. Debate if we must but let us bring the level of debate to a higher plain.
Sincerely, Sandie Parry.
Please pass this on to Muriel. There IS something you can do about this quite crippling afflication. Muriel could have been describing me! Excruciating torture! However, since I discovered the Ring Muscle exercises, I don't get it at all - about six years now. You don't need medication or surgery, and it's free once learned from book or video.
There is a system of muscles in the human body that is the source of life's fundamental processes. These are the Ring Muscles, also known as sphincters.
There are ring muscles in every part of our body, both internally and externally and it is their coordinated and harmonious contraction and relaxation that initiates breathing, digestion, circulation, elimination, and all muscular motion.
Complain about this post