Adebayor's started so well for Man City
Archives for April 2008
Our house, in the middle of our street
Are falling house prices good news for you?
Why not limit the number of foreigners in foobtall?
The head of world football wants a limit on the number of overseas players in your team. He wants no more than five in each starting line-up. Sepp Blatter says it would level the domestic leagues and improve the national sides. Do you agree?
Listener sees 5 live in action
Karl from Yorkshire came in today to see the editorial meeting "in action" and to watch the programme go out, as well as to take part live.
He has written a blog posting telling you what it was like (see below). I hope the whole experience wasn't too much of an anti climax...
Karl's blog post
I must say that I have just spent the most amazing morning getting a first hand view of Victoria's show and the hard (and skillful) work that goes on behind the scenes! I am equally impressed with the genuine care and attention given to me leading up to and during my visit.
What a day to be invited! I sat with the Honourable MPs - Nick Clegg and Jack Straw (who I spoke with) in the waiting area, and can honestly say that I felt I received more VIP treatment from the team than they did!
I was involved in preparations from 8am - well briefed and catered for by Carly, we had an editorial planning meeting where team members fed key topic issues to head producer - Robin. Victoria was busy prepping for the interviews with the politicians but, when realising who I was, immediately came over to greet me. (It may sound all too yucky), but It was an eye opener to witness the team smoothly interplaying between face to face interviews, calls, texts, emails, and the news, weather, travel and sports journalists flying in and out of the studio.
As you know, I am from the North England where the community conflicts were quite evident a few years ago. I strongly believe that this show has a key role in setting the barometer for the health of our society in terms of community and race relations.
It's the Justice Secretary Jack Straw
** UPDATE **
Watch part of the interview. Here the justice secretary defends the government's handling of the 10p tax row...
Nick Clegg on 5 live
I'm only a couple of years younger than Nick Clegg but when I met him at the 5 live studios this week I was surprised how youthful he looked - a fresh-faced graduate kind of look I thought. A woman in Romsey thought he was Steve, a bloke she used to work with.
Here's a short sample of Nick Clegg's interview, on YouTube.
A government minister will be on the programme on Friday
It's all quite exciting - we're not sure at time of writing who it will be. We know it definitely won't be Gordon Brown (see earlier post on him) - so please do post your questions here for the Chancellor/Deputy Leader/Schools Secretary et al. Whoever it is will be delighted to answer your questions...
= UPDATE (16:05 Thursday 24th April) =
Sorry - scratch that. It won't be tomorrow. They assure us it'll be next week sometime. Still don't know who, but keep on sending those questions.
Should teachers go on strike?
Some members of the because they want more pay.
Bad news about Gordon Brown
Not the growing rebellion about the abolition of the 10p tax rate, but his people have finally come back to our people to say he's too busy to come on the programme and talk to you.
Obviously they didn't quite put it like that - they said he didn't have the time to spend on an audience-led programme. However, he will have the time before next week's local elections to do a quick interview on 5 Live Breakfast.
Don't fear though - you will get the chance talk to another Labour Cabinet Minister. We've asked for the Chancellor - we'll let you know.
The Widow of Gary Newlove
..is on the programme this morning. Her husband Gary was kicked to death outside his home in Warrington last August. Three teenagers were convicted of his murder this year, and after that verdict Helen Newlove called for government action to stop youth violence.
Eating disorders
John Prescott, the former deputy prime minister, says he's had bulimia for 20 years. Over 1m people in the UK suffer from eating disorders and they're normally associated with young women. One expert believes Prescott's revelation could pave the way for more men to seek help for similar problems.
If you have been affected by this issue you can contact the National Centre for Eating Disorders for help and information:
Your Questions to the Liberal Democrat leader
For some reason the post below on this isn't accepting comments - so try here for any questions you have for Nick Clegg. He's on the programme on Thursday morning.
The new controller of 5 Live..
is on the programme on Monday - it's Adrian Van Klaveren's first day in the job and he would very much like to talk to you. You can call him and ask him whatever you want - 0500 909693 or post a question right here.
The IPL gets under way
A momentous day for cricket as the - so do you think the Indian Premier league is going to be good for cricket?
Some of the world's top players are being paid hundreds of thousands of pounds for 6 weeks' work. The teams are city-based - today's opening game is between the Bangalore Challengers and Kolcatta Knightriders, and it's the 20-over format of the game - and for some - not exactly champagne cricket.
But others are passionate about the Twenty20 format and can't wait for the creation of the English Premier league - can you imagine supporting the Manchester Marvels, the Birmingham Bulls? And if we don't begin our own Twenty20 league - then are cricket fans going to lose out because Englaish talent will inevitably be drawn to the cash they could earn in the IPL? So we'd see less of Flintoff and Pietersen either in their county games or playing for England...
How happy can you be without children?
We've had some amazing stories from you today about some life-changing moments: when you made the decision not to have children; when you changed your mind about having children; and when you decided to give up on the desire to have children.
There were some very moving and intimate stories about your lives today - do download the first hour of the programme or click on the listen again facility to hear them. Today was a perfect example (in my humble opinion) of how this programme should work - you allowing us to shine a light on your lives.
We're upgrading our blog...
From 1800 this evening (UK time), we'll be doing some essential maintenance to all of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s blogs. As a result of this, you won't be able to leave any comments on our blog posts from that time until early Thursday morning.
There'll be a new way of leaving comments coming in - we'll let you know about the process as soon as possible.
Apologies for any inconvenience!
Yr Questions to Nick Clegg
Hi he's due on the programme a week tomorrow..so plse do post your concise questions below..the pithier they are the more likely they are to be put to him, but if you want to explain why that particular question is important to you please do.
You might also want to have a look below at an excerpt from my interview with David Cameron which we filmed for the website and News24. Here a listener asks him: "Why do we have so called terrorists in this country, who are known to police, who cannot be deported?"
I'll be interviewing Ieun Wyn Jones and Nick Clegg next week. Gordon Brown is yet to confirm.
Vitamin Pills - the latest research
Millions of us pop vitamin supplements - it's a market worth over 300 million pounds every year. Today researchers from Copenhagen University say antioxidant supplements, including vitamins A and E do not extend life and could lead to a premature death.. It's an alarming conclusion. But one that's already been rejected by the Health Food Manufactuers Association. It called the analysis flawed; it said that less than nine per cent of the available evidence had been considered. It insisted that antioxidant supplements could play an important role in promoting overall health.
Will this research make a difference to your pill-popping habits?
David Cameron is on the programme this morning
...do ask him whatever you want to - we expect it it to be quite busy so plse don't be disappointed if you can't get through.
How have you coped with the loss of a loved one?
This morning the parents of four young British women and their tour guide are trying to take in the news that their daughters have been killed in a bus crash in Ecuador.
Also the family of the children's TV presenter Mark Speight are devastated after reports that his body was found at Paddington train station. He'd been missing for a week and was known to be overcome at the loss of his girlfriend.
Trying to cope with grief can send people to rock bottom. How have you mananged after the loss of a loved one?
Has it been the support of friends and family that's got you through? Have you gone on to set up a charity in a loved ones name? Did you run the marathon yesterday in memory of someone you lost?
If you've been affected by bereavement you can call the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Action Line for sources of information and support. The number is 0800 055 055.
You can also visit the
Thanks to you
...we're nominated for a Sony Award, which is radio's equivalent of a Bafta/Oscar/Brit/Grammy. It's in the Listener Participation Category - so as you can imagine our entry featured lots of you. My (then) Editor who chose which bits of you to to include says because of the calibre of nominees we're up against, this category should be known as the
Thankyou, anyway.
Should the PM reopen the inquiry into BAE and Saudi Arabia?
Tony Blair stopped a Serious Fraud Office inquiry into BAE's £43billion contract to sell warplanes and weapons systems to the Saudis. The SFO investigation was into allegations that BAE illegally paid as much as £1billion in kickbacks to a senior Saudi prince as part of the deal. Mr Blair blocked the inquiry after the Saudi government threatened to stop sharing intelligence on Islamic terrorist groups. Yesterday the High Court said the government's interference was unlawful and they condemned the "abject surrender" to SA.
So what should Gordon Brown do? Bow to what some call blackmail from the Saudis? Put national security ahead of alleged corruption? Or allow the SFO to reopen the investigation because courruption must be investigated?
My 12 Minute Mile
What's wrong with that? I thought it was okay until 73 year old John emailed me to say he hasn't run for 9 years, he's asthmatic and he could probably still do a mile in 8 minutes.
Are you worried about money?
Do you want to cut your weekly spending in half? (yes) Is it possible? (yes). Come on the show tomorrow and our experts will show you how. Please contact us NOW if you're interested.
I'm looking for a family who can talk on the radio about roughly how much your weekly budget is .... for food, bills, going out, transport, booze, entertainment, whatever. Our experts will tell you how to slash it in half.
Yr Questions to Cameron, Clegg and Brown
The three men who want to be Prime Minister after the next election are due to be on the programme in the next few weeks in the run upto the May 1st local elections. David Cameron is on the show for half an hour next week, Nick Clegg the week after and Gordon Brown has yet to confirm.
So here's the deal: you can talk live to them by ringing our freephone number 0500 909693 on the day; or you can post a question here and I can put some of those to them, plus you can email your question too - victoria@bbc.co.uk.
So for now, plse post your questions to CAMERON below (I'll start a thread for the other two nearer the time)..
Thankyou
Are you an ex-pat living in China?
Let me know what it's like for you living there: daily life, income, the Chinese people, the Chinese government, how children and the elderly are treated - and so on...
Do we need the Olympic Torch Relay?
A PR embarrassment, sinister and slapstick, a triumph for democracy - there are various descriptions of the olympic torch relay across London. You could barely see the face of those carrying the torch - obscured by a dozen chinese security guards in blue and white, then met police officers in yellow then teams of officers on bikes.
So what did you make of it? Two thousand Met Police were on duty costing one million pounds - despite that, they did seem stretched at times. Some complained the police were heavy handed - ordering protestors to remove their Free Tibet T-shirts. But at least the protests were allowed to take place. Imagine the scenes when the torch journeys through Tibet in June. So why do we need this torch relay? It was something started by Hitler in 1936. Would it be the end of the world if it was scrapped?
China in Your Hand
I'm looking forward to talking to the British representative on the International Olympic Committee tomorrow morning. He's called Sir Craig Reedie and he believes there is no point using the Beijing Games as a political football.
Cannabis - a B or not a B?
Many of you have told me that you smoke cannabis as you go about your daily lives - you have jobs, children, mortgages - you are fully functioning responsible adults and you break the law regularly because you don't believe cannabis is particularly harmful. The debate today is about whether cannabis should be upgraded to a Class B drug again (it was on David Blunkett's watch as Home Secretary the drug was downgraded to a "C").
Does it make any difference to you if the drug is Class B or class C? What about the message it sends out to younger people who might consider trying it? And why do you smoke something that many studies show can be harmful?
I smoked it once at university. It made me fall asleep and apparently I missed a really good night. So I never bothered again.
Recovered anorexic gives birth
It's hard to believe these pictures are of the same person. The image on the left shows Hayley Wilde when she was 16. She became so thin through anorexia that doctors told her she was just over a week away from death. The picture on the right shows has as she is now, at the age of 20. She's just given birth to a healthy baby son.
Hayley and her mum Jane released the pictures to show how devastating the effects of anorexia can be - and also to prove that however bleak things seem, there is always hope. I'm hoping to talk to them both on this morning's programme.
UPDATE - 14:47 Wednesday
You can have a listen back to my interview with Hayley online. (You'll need RealPlayer, as per...)
Also - I said I'd link to Hayley's web site, .
Who's having trouble finding an affordable mortgage?
My current lovely 4 and a bit per cent deal runs out at the end of this year - so I've started looking around and it's a bit frightening to be honest. No deals lower than about 5.79% and one arrangement fee of 3 grand..
The course to stop kerb crawlers
Should kerb crawlers be punished in court - or sent on a course so they kick the habit?
Greater Manchester Police have a new approach to men who pick up prostitutes on the streets: instead of fining them, they go into a classroom and have to face up to what they're doing - and how it affects the lives of people living in the area.
We've been given exclusive access to such a scheme in Bolton - have a listen to this clip, which shows how they try to make clear to offenders the consequences of their actions. (You'll need RealPlayer to listen)
Don't forget to listen from 9am on Wednesday where we're covering the story in full.
Immigration - who are the winners and losers?
Whenever a government minister is asked about high levels of immigration, this is the answer: migrants boost the economy, fill the jobs British people don't want to do, and pay taxes that benefit the exchequer; but today a report by a house of lords committee demolishes those claims - saying they found no evidence that net immigration generates significant economic benefits for the existing UK population
In fact it says when it comes to winners and losers - immigrants themsevles and some employers are winners but there are plenty of losers - young british people trying to get jobs, people in low-income jobs, those who use schools, hospitals etc.
How's immigration affected you?
