Adebayor's started so well for Man City
Archives for January 2008
"Black is the new Sex"
..Not my words but the words of Karl in Bradford who told me today that the fact that we discussed stop and search encouraged hatred against black people. Raj has posted below along similar lines...
When was the last time you used a public phone box?
If you ring me today from a public phone box you get an extra ten points.. I'd like you to describe the inside of it for me and the view... usual number 0500 909693!
Also this morning: stop and search powers - both the government and the Conservatives want the police to have more powers to stop and search people on the street. So would you back the idea?
Six months ago on our programme John Regis, former Great Britain sprinter called for exactly this - after his nephew Adam who was 15, was stabbed to death on his way back from the cinema in london. Now politicians seem to be weighing in behind him. What do you think?
The Conway Brothers
You make me smile - the first hour of the programme many of you wanted a police investigation into the financial affairs of Tory MP Derek Conway. The second hour of the programme - you got one, and we interviewed the Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate who made the complaint to the police. Then you texted to say "no one likes a tell tale"....
Looking after the grandchildren full time..
I really hope you heard Alex (not his real name) from Bolton today. He and his partner have adopted his partner's grandchildren because her daughter is on drugs and can't look after the kids. What a kind, open, loving man he is... an inspiration to me and judging by some of your comments, an inspiration to you too.
If you missed it - have a listen back online here. It's about four and a half minutes.
Not Quite old Enough to be Their Mother
I really enjoyed talking to 15 year old Katrina, 18 year old Cheryl and 17 year Eddie today about why so many young people seem to be getting involved in a life of crime, and how politicians, parents and the police should approach it. At times I did feel a bit like their Mum, but I was trying to get across to them that it really wasn't so different when I was 18 twenty years ago.
Three men recreate Omaha beach D-Day
The video below is a recreation of the Omaha beach D-Day landings. It was filmed by 3 men for Timewatch on ´óÏó´«Ã½2 on Sunday.
Three men. No one else. They had no extras, no budget and no time, just them and some very clever computer wizardry, it's a fantastic watch.
The three of them will be on the programme tomorrow so post your questions below.
Does John Hogan Deserve Any Sympathy
John Hogan is innocent of the murder of his son; a Greek court ruled that Mr Hogan was suffering from clinicial depression when he threw his child from a 4th floor balcony and killed him.
Hogan said in court "I did not do it. I have no guilt whatsoever...the person you see before you is not the person who jumped from the balcony...the sane John Hogan would not have done what I did that night." Yet a 6 yr old boy is dead. His own child. And Hogan has been sent to a psychiatric hospital not jail.
What's it like being a disabled football fan?
UPDATE: 28.01.08
Here's a picture of Jamie Polk, who's the press officer for the . We went along with Jamie to Wigan Athletic's JJB Stadium on 26th January to test out the disabled facilities - and the verdict was they're doing pretty well.
(this link will take you to an external web site).
Have a listen back to the report on Victoria's show (25mins).
=======
We're sending a reporter to a game this weekend with a fan who uses a wheelchair, to see what it's like (I'm not saying which ground it is - you'll find out on Monday).
But I also want your help...
If you're a disabled footie fan going to a game this weekend (26/27th January), whichever team you're seeing and wherever it is in the UK (and we know there are thousands of you who go), do get in touch.
Maybe you go every weekend and it's always rubbish, or perhaps the club you support really makes sure their disabled supporters are sorted.
So email me - victoria@bbc.co.uk, send me a text to 85058, or post on the blog here.
You can also call me on V-Mail, our 24-hour line. Leave a voicemail message telling me what was good or bad about your matchday experience. Just call 08700 100 500 and select option 5. (Your call will charged at the national network rate.) I'll play the best V-Mail messages on the programme on Monday morning.
Response to your experiences of miscarriages
Thanks to all of you who took part in today's discussion. You had some extremely moving stories, and I hope you'll continue to post on the relevant thread.
You can listen back to the discussion in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer.
Most people who contacted the programme thought it was absolutely right to air such issues. We had a couple of emails and a couple of text messages (no more than that), complaining that we had turned into Woman's Hour on Radio 4...
Ageist?
Here's an email complaining about me ...
"Dear Madam
On Friday you made a "joke" about not usually allowing anyone over 60 on the show. This comment is offensive and definitely ageist. It is not funny. You would not have made such a comment about women and definitely not about anyone of colour so why do you think that it is ok to make such a comment about over 60s. You should be ashamed at your attitude.
SPA Kennay"
Why is it so hard to talk about losing a baby?
UPDATE (11:26 am 22/01/08)
===================
Help and support on baby loss
If you've been affected by any of the issues we've talked about you can ring the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Action Line for sources of information and support. The number is 0800 055 055.
We wanted to provide you with some links to support organisations. The usual disclaimers apply - we can't take responsibility for content on external sites.
===================
One in four women have miscarriages yet it's rarely discussed, you can't get a proper investigation on the NHS until you've had three miscarriages and many of you report not just poor treatment at the hands of the professionals but from insensitive friends and relatives too.
Jo emailed the programme:
The comments I heard regarding miscarriage was a mirror image of the ridiculous comments we endured when I lost my first baby. The best response, which was directed to my husband was, "well at least she didn't have to give birth to a dead baby, like our friend did". I have lost two babies, the second loss we just kept quiet about, because it was obvious that our loss meant nothing to anybody.
and Richard texted this:
Myself and my wife lost our unborn baby at 12 weeks whats worse was she was a twin our daughter was born 28 weeks later with very mixed up emotions. The other baby was still attached to the placenta. None of our friends or family understand what we feel. And the mid wife's were no better they were going to throw her in the bin. We took her home and buried in the garden. Still hard to talk about 3 years on.
We'll be talking about this from 9 am tomorrow.
As a woman, do you feel safe at night?
Jacqui Smith says she would feel unsafe walking the streets of London at night. The Tories and Lib Dems say it's "an astonishing admission". Haven't there always been areas of the UK that you as a woman would avoid late at night though?
The nation seems to be angry
Judging from the phone-in yesterday on gangs on the streets, a lot of you really have had enough. Many stories from you about being attacked in similar circumstances to Gary Newlove outside his home in Warrington while he was trying to protect his property. We're going to send a CD of the first hour of the programme to the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith - and try very hard to get her onto the programme to talk to you. I'll let you know how we get on.
Your can listen again to the phone-in online. Either download the mp3 for free or listen again in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer.
A complaint about the chavs discussion
I came in this morning to 9 emails from a listener complaining about the chavs chat we had yesterday. Here's one of them...
Should you ever go back?
I was astonished when I heard on Drive at 4.20pm that the new manager of Newcastle was Mr Keegan. What a fabulous turn of events. Then immediately I thought - you should never go back. Not to an old job or an ex-lover - never. It can't possibly ever be as good can it?
It's not just humans that love listening to the show
Christy in Liverpool has just sent us an email of their pet bird COCO in his latest adventure.
Here is a video of COCO taking a bath in the sink, as he listens to the Victoria Derbyshire programme.
If you have any videos of your pets listening to the show email them to victoria@bbc.co.uk
Richey: for poorer?
I confess I found interviewing Kenny Richey today difficult. Lorraine has posted on the thread below saying she thought some of my questions were insensitive. She could well be right. In fact when the listener from Aberdeenshire Joanne rang up, she seemed to have much more of an affinity with him. When you can reach that understanding with a guest it's often possible to draw them out of themselves - I certainly wasn't able to do that with Mr Richey today.
Listen to the full interview with Kenny Richey online here (18mins).
The man who's been on death row for 21 years...
UPDATE
=======
Listen to the full interview with Kenny Richey online here (18mins).
=======
The man who's been on death row for 21 years has agreed to come on the programme tomorrow (Tues). Kenny Richey was born in the Netherlands but grew up in Edinburgh. He was found guilty of murdering a young girl in an arson attack in the States when he was 22 years of age. He has been close to execution a number of times.
His conviction was overturned last year - and he finally arrived back home a few days ago. Whatever it is that you would like to ask Mr Richey, please post it here...
The Beckham Chatter
The sports columnists couldn't be more opposed on this. Michael Henderson writing in the Telegraph today says this: "If Capello gives the part-timer his 100th cap, the Italian will have flunked his first test. At the highest level, Beckham's record betrays him. He played in three World Cups and failed each time." Whereas Lawrence Donegan in the Guardian says this: "has football become so desensitised as a sport, and have we become so debased as a society that it/we can't find it within ourselves to honour someone who, by and large, has been a model citizen and a positive influence in his chosen profession?"
Polls Apart
As the polls got it so wrong on the Democrat vote in New Hampshire, does that mean voters lie to pollsters?
My life flashed before me yesterday
It did. I was in the car on the way home in the fast lane of the motorway and suddenly realised it was gliding over a pool of water and I seemed to be getting nearer the car in front. I believed I was going to crash and automatically thought about the 3 men in the my life. Suddenly the water was behind me and it was okay to put the brakes on. I also said slowly "Oh my god".
Anyway luckily for you lot I'm still here.
Two things: do you think Fabio Capello should give Beckham his 100th cap when England play Switzerland in Feb? And are we all partly to blame for Britney Spears' decline? Photos and stories about her are up there in the top ten list of stories clicked on online, and in almost all British papers you can read the latest on her downward spiral...
The Housekeeping
31 year old Nick from Manchester surprised me today. He admitted he gave his wife a weekly housekeeping allowance. (Not sure why I used the word admitted - it's not as though he was shoving cocaine up his nose or stealing the knickers off his saucy next door neighbour's washing line - both of which you would only ever "admit"). Giving an allowance to your wife reminded me of my own parents and grandparents, and it struck me as old-fashioned which is why I smiled when Nick told me cos he's so young. I suppose it has to be that way if one works and the other doesn't or has a part-time job. There was always tension in my house if my mum and dad had had a row - would he or wouldn't he hand over the 80 quid to her on a friday so she could do the weekly shop?
It's the day everyone gets divorced and looks....
...for a new job - according to the papers anyway. Morning by the way. Matt texted us from Cardiff to say this: "It's the first Monday of the year - its cold, dark and very depressing. I think 5live should do their bit to remind us what we have to be happy about with a snippet of good news on each january morning. Do you accept?"
Mmm you can help me too if you like. What should Matt feel happy about? Post here quickly before he ends up getting divorced or breaking one of his new year resolutions.
But how about ? (Linking to The Sun's website - anyone offended by beach nudity should probably not look!)
The History of Mr Polyp
I need to confess right now I thought Richard B was being a teensy bit delicate about his sore throat and I was wondering how many days he could milk your sympathy for. Then I tuned in today and discovered he has polyps on his delightful vocal cords and felt rather guilty. In fact I expected to be struck down by lightning for being so heartless.
