Saturday, November 24, 2007
No QT Extra
1:22 PM It's now the day after the day after and the Beebie Seers haven't uploaded QT Extra to the website yet. So I can't do my post-match analysis.
Friday, November 23, 2007
The Peruvian Earthworm Goes Global
4:04 PM I can't remember why I first txted about the Peruvian Earthworm on QT. It's clearly a subconscious Pythonesque irrelevant reference which I found particularly funny at one point. It's now found a fond and regular spot among QT txters and their watchers.
sasha13 on the answerbank blog asks "On the texts that were being sent into Question Time last night, peruvian earthworms kept being mentioned. What was that all about??"
Daz in Herts on the QT blog also notes that "At least Gordon never put VAT on Peruvian earthworms." And an anonymous txter calls themselves "Peruvian Earthworm"
Disgusted Dorothy in Glasgow made a reference in The Herald who said about the QT debate: "The most interesting thing to emerge was the peruvian earthworm, the lady who had written her Christmas cards (which spurred me into action!) and the lady who had done all her ironing"
Someone calling themselves "The writer is a TV producer" notes on The First Post "Now, whenever the debate lags, Peruvian earthworm questions appear on Ceefax"
cosmo s on the Conservatives notice board on Yahoo's politics section notes "I have come to realise that the Peruvian earthworm would probably form a more credible government......at least there would be no need for the press to dig the dirt..... "
sasha13 on the answerbank blog asks "On the texts that were being sent into Question Time last night, peruvian earthworms kept being mentioned. What was that all about??"
Daz in Herts on the QT blog also notes that "At least Gordon never put VAT on Peruvian earthworms." And an anonymous txter calls themselves "Peruvian Earthworm"
Disgusted Dorothy in Glasgow made a reference in The Herald who said about the QT debate: "The most interesting thing to emerge was the peruvian earthworm, the lady who had written her Christmas cards (which spurred me into action!) and the lady who had done all her ironing"
Someone calling themselves "The writer is a TV producer" notes on The First Post "Now, whenever the debate lags, Peruvian earthworm questions appear on Ceefax"
cosmo s on the Conservatives notice board on Yahoo's politics section notes "I have come to realise that the Peruvian earthworm would probably form a more credible government......at least there would be no need for the press to dig the dirt..... "
Thursday, November 22, 2007
All Done For Another Week
11:38 PM David Bimblebody says goodnight and we go home. Time to reflect and come back to the issues tomorrow. Not a good night. No flair. All a bit flat. A few good friends - Ron in Devon, AJ in Essex, Andy in Liverpool and others. But no great flair.
Sometimes an evening down the pub can be like that. Doesn't have to be fireworks every night. Goodnight.
Sometimes an evening down the pub can be like that. Doesn't have to be fireworks every night. Goodnight.
Ron in Devon Unites Us
11:32 PM At last I get published again - I txt to say something like "Ron in Devon is mad to ask for an English assembly because his neighbours, the Cornish, will kill him". I get published as "Mark in Reading" - one of a few people who wrote in about Ron in Devon.
My manic efforts (about 5 txts) to raise the plight of Earthworms on the public agenda simply delivers no results at all. I'm gutted.
My manic efforts (about 5 txts) to raise the plight of Earthworms on the public agenda simply delivers no results at all. I'm gutted.
Question 4 - Terrorist Detention Period
11:28 PM Ciara McCurrie asks "In light of the comments from the Director of Public Prosecutions and Lord Goldsmith can Gordon Brown maintain his stance on extending the 28-day detention period for terrorist suspects?"
Pause For Brain Defuzz
11:20 PM My brain goes into meltdown. This is simply not doing anything for me. Maybe because I'm trying to txt, blog, watch and listen all at the same time and it's fuzzing my brain. I'm pausing.
Question 3 - Scots Voting On English Issues
11:17 PM Alastair Bailey asks "How can you justify Scottish MPs voting on English issues?"
Even The Txts Don't Do It For Me
11:15 PM CT in Croydon says we should bring back Paddy Ashdown. Keith in Shropshire says we had enough of LibDems last week. S Crees in Pontefract says Huhne comitted suicide in last week's debate. Jack in Eastbourne says it should have been pistols at dawn but I don't pretend to understand that one.
Andy in Reading says to Davy (that must be 'Davy in Fife' from the previous post) that he thought all Scots had died with laughter. I like these conversations - Andy in Reading wasn't txting to "us" the viewers, he was txting to Davy and we kind of "overheard" the conversation. Love it.
A new question from the TV floor...How do you justify Scottish MPs voting on English issues? (Have we not heard this before Ad Nauseam? Zzzzzz)
Andy in Reading says to Davy (that must be 'Davy in Fife' from the previous post) that he thought all Scots had died with laughter. I like these conversations - Andy in Reading wasn't txting to "us" the viewers, he was txting to Davy and we kind of "overheard" the conversation. Love it.
A new question from the TV floor...How do you justify Scottish MPs voting on English issues? (Have we not heard this before Ad Nauseam? Zzzzzz)
Leave My Darling Alone
11:11 PM Ian in Somerset asks if he gets interest on his loan to Northern Rock. Davy in Fife asks the football score from last night (hoho - another witty Scot trying to wind up the English). Phil in Stoke says the football plyaers last night should have had ID cards becuse they obviously didn't know each other. Another hoho on that one.
Dimblebottom says something which makes people laugh - I love those moments, but again, I miss it. Doesn't matter - the laughter was shared, the tone lifted, I briefly smelled excitement and thought "There IS a God!".
But no. Pedestrianism is but a txt away as John in Carshalton says Labour is in meltdown. Tendai in Brentwood tells another txter off, but I miss the point. I like these cross-screen references.
David in Surbiton asks what is the point of the LibDems - we had that question last week. Yaaaawn. Come on Beebie editors - buck up.
A "Mrs Darling" asks us to leave her "Darling" alone. Another hoho.
Dimblebottom says something which makes people laugh - I love those moments, but again, I miss it. Doesn't matter - the laughter was shared, the tone lifted, I briefly smelled excitement and thought "There IS a God!".
But no. Pedestrianism is but a txt away as John in Carshalton says Labour is in meltdown. Tendai in Brentwood tells another txter off, but I miss the point. I like these cross-screen references.
David in Surbiton asks what is the point of the LibDems - we had that question last week. Yaaaawn. Come on Beebie editors - buck up.
A "Mrs Darling" asks us to leave her "Darling" alone. Another hoho.
Question 2 - Are LibDems Backstabbers
11:08 PM Jenny Longmuir asks the second formal question of the evening (actually since Question 1, Dimbledore has weaved a merry dance around a number of questions including Trident and the armed forces, so I'm a little confused) "Has the public spat between Chris Huhne and Nick Clegg reinforced the public impression of the Liberal Democrats as a party of backstabbers?
The Death Knell - LibDems Again
11:06 PM Al in Buxton (hang on - we were there last week. Go away Al in buxton!) says online forms have got many boxes to fill in. Er...yes, wonderful. Julie in Kelso says she'd rather have a bovine tag in her ear than an ID card. Ian in Lancs says Greg Dyke was honourable.
Mark in Camelford asks why the Government is hell bent on pushing ID cards. Andy in Liverpool (my ol' mate) says he'd like to buy someone drink.
David in Leeds would like the missing disks to be those of the Spice Girls.
Then......a question on the future of Trident and something about the LIBERAL DEMOCRATS!!!!!! Arrrrgggggghhhh. We had all that last week. Boooo.
Mark in Camelford asks why the Government is hell bent on pushing ID cards. Andy in Liverpool (my ol' mate) says he'd like to buy someone drink.
David in Leeds would like the missing disks to be those of the Spice Girls.
Then......a question on the future of Trident and something about the LIBERAL DEMOCRATS!!!!!! Arrrrgggggghhhh. We had all that last week. Boooo.
ID Card Banality Overcomes Me
11:00 PM We now get blessed with stunning insight from the txters. Phil in Hants says he will not have an ID card. Becky in Lincs says there wouldn't be enough room to send us all to jail if we all refused to get ID cards.
Ian in Birmingham asks if one of us has Gordon Brown's details. Wayne in Glos says the driving licence is an ID card. John in Bexhill says the two CDs are going out with the Mail on Sunday. Good on you John.
Tess in Dartford asks for fixed term parliaments.
ID Card banality? General banality. I can't believe how angry I am about the stupid twats who *post* 25 million items of personal data and *forget* encryption. It is such monumental pants that I'd be expecting a riot on the floor of the BBC QT TV studio - but what we get is "I'd like a fixed term parliament".
Steve in Essex says it seems fashionable to criticise the Government of the day - er yes Steve, we've just lost 25m personal records????
Mike in East Yorks says he has a passport for his ID. Ken in Lincs (again) asks Scotland to take brown back. Gaary in Lanark asks how we can vote Labour. Trev in Birmingham threatens to sue the Government.
Scottish lady (the Tory one) is frowning earnestly. MG in cambs says they hope terrorists don't get hold of the disks.
Why is this so flat? It's not going anywhere!
Ian in Birmingham asks if one of us has Gordon Brown's details. Wayne in Glos says the driving licence is an ID card. John in Bexhill says the two CDs are going out with the Mail on Sunday. Good on you John.
Tess in Dartford asks for fixed term parliaments.
ID Card banality? General banality. I can't believe how angry I am about the stupid twats who *post* 25 million items of personal data and *forget* encryption. It is such monumental pants that I'd be expecting a riot on the floor of the BBC QT TV studio - but what we get is "I'd like a fixed term parliament".
Steve in Essex says it seems fashionable to criticise the Government of the day - er yes Steve, we've just lost 25m personal records????
Mike in East Yorks says he has a passport for his ID. Ken in Lincs (again) asks Scotland to take brown back. Gaary in Lanark asks how we can vote Labour. Trev in Birmingham threatens to sue the Government.
Scottish lady (the Tory one) is frowning earnestly. MG in cambs says they hope terrorists don't get hold of the disks.
Why is this so flat? It's not going anywhere!
Our First Giggle - The Pertinent Fishie
10:52 PM Jan in Devon says that Moira in Glasgow missed some cracking txts last week. Mike in Cheshire (from last week surely) asks what happens with the used CDs. Ron in Devon says there is too much information in one place and he wouldn't have an ID card. SD in Cambs says they'd rather go to jail than pay for their own ID card. I can't see the point of that comment, personally. Joe in Alloa says ID cards should go to "people coming in to our country". I think that means immigrants? Why does the BBC always push comments on immigrants to the fore? Or is it my imagination.
Geo in Hartlepool asks why the Scots are so unhappy given that England lost in football yesterday. Tony in Somerset says we have proof that this Government is not fit for purpose. Jim in Glasgow says he's had three fishies from banks this week - beware. Now, I think I know what a fishie is - it's a jokey-Scottish term for a "phish" email asking for personal details. That's a Hohoho.
John in Birmingham reckons the disks may still be in the sorting office at the Post Office. Del in Nottingham says the Government is fit for nothing.
This is all far too tame. Here we are on the BIGGEST BLODDY SCREW UP FOR PERSONAL ONLINE DATA IMAGINABLE OF ALL TIME and people are wittering away, blaming each other and making apologies - this is truly apalling. The txts are far too benign. The thing has lost its bite. This is all too flat. I'm a revolutionary and I want to get cross but it feels to me like I'm watching another LibDem leadership shootout with spudguns.
Geo in Hartlepool asks why the Scots are so unhappy given that England lost in football yesterday. Tony in Somerset says we have proof that this Government is not fit for purpose. Jim in Glasgow says he's had three fishies from banks this week - beware. Now, I think I know what a fishie is - it's a jokey-Scottish term for a "phish" email asking for personal details. That's a Hohoho.
John in Birmingham reckons the disks may still be in the sorting office at the Post Office. Del in Nottingham says the Government is fit for nothing.
This is all far too tame. Here we are on the BIGGEST BLODDY SCREW UP FOR PERSONAL ONLINE DATA IMAGINABLE OF ALL TIME and people are wittering away, blaming each other and making apologies - this is truly apalling. The txts are far too benign. The thing has lost its bite. This is all too flat. I'm a revolutionary and I want to get cross but it feels to me like I'm watching another LibDem leadership shootout with spudguns.
Three Women
10:47 PM CB in Yorks celebrates three women on the panel. Jimmy Mac in Glasgow says its a cracking panel and QT at its best. Aaronovich is too earnest again and my eyelids are falling. Steele interrupts and is earnest. Moira from Glasgow says she's glad QT is back because she went to bed early last week.
A "G Brown" in London asks if anyone wants to buy two disks. That's a hoho. Probably not the real "G Brown" hey? Derek from Epsom wisely notes that privatisation is the root cause of all evils. Shelly in the Midlands asks if anyone has looked down the back of the sofa (for teh two disks). Mal in Hull asks how we can trust the security of the nation to this Government.
A "G Brown" in London asks if anyone wants to buy two disks. That's a hoho. Probably not the real "G Brown" hey? Derek from Epsom wisely notes that privatisation is the root cause of all evils. Shelly in the Midlands asks if anyone has looked down the back of the sofa (for teh two disks). Mal in Hull asks how we can trust the security of the nation to this Government.
ID Cards Hit On The Head?
10:42 Bill in Eaglesham says he's glad that QT is coming from the real centre of the Earth and thinks English viewers will be impressed. Julie and Rick in Bristol have checked their bank statements and found that that have just enough to txt QT. Baz in Notts asks how we sack Brown. Someone says "It's not me txting in but someone who has stolen my details". Hoho
Steeley panelist man waffles about how great he used to be and puts me to sleep. Kenny in Loch Lomond thinks that QT in Scotland will show us what debating really is. So I'll watch the txts to see how many Scots txt in.
Bob in Orkney (the Scots are well busy tonight) say that Blair's details should have been stolen. John in Birmingham asks why things are sent by post.
I'm looking for the common theme...but it's not hitting me yet.
One of the politician woman says it's a gloomy mess. Yaaawn.
Steeley panelist man waffles about how great he used to be and puts me to sleep. Kenny in Loch Lomond thinks that QT in Scotland will show us what debating really is. So I'll watch the txts to see how many Scots txt in.
Bob in Orkney (the Scots are well busy tonight) say that Blair's details should have been stolen. John in Birmingham asks why things are sent by post.
I'm looking for the common theme...but it's not hitting me yet.
One of the politician woman says it's a gloomy mess. Yaaawn.
Question 1 - Death of ID Cards
10:41 PM Kevin Kelly asks the first question of the evening: "Is the HMRC IT blunder the final nail in the coffin of ID cards?"
We Start At Last
10:40 PM Dimblebottom says we're in Glasgow with a full panel - a schoolgirl called Sturgeon (in red), a firey-looking Alexander (in red), David Steele from Spitting Image (in grey), Annabel Torysomeone (in grey and red), Aaronovitch Journosomething (in grey) and Dimblepersona himself (grey with funnytie ensemble). Oh my God - it's the same old faces!!! The same old we're-in-Scotland-wheelout-our-famous-Scots a same-old token journo to wind us all up again and increase ratings. Cut the politicos and stick with the Aaronoviches, I say. Give us unfettered spice. Give us gobshites not semi-humans struggling in the cavern between partyline and genuine strong opinion. I'm pent up and raring...
Graham Norton's Got It Right
10:21 Watching Graham Norton before QT and thinking - hey, he's picked a specialist topic ("The Dukes of Hazard") which is a bit off the wall, attracts a mad hard-core nutter audience which loves the subject too and we all enjoy the eccentricity.
Maybe the QT broadcast team will choose the same approach tonight - eccentric, interesting, challenging, unusual, clever?
Maybe the QT broadcast team will choose the same approach tonight - eccentric, interesting, challenging, unusual, clever?
All Me Mates - See You Tonight
8:21 PM So I'm thinking now who will join in tonight. Loads more names to look forward to, with some already mentioned, all gleaned from last week's QT Extra broadcast on the web:
Ed inKent, SJ in Herts, David in Leek, Ian in Stoke on Trent, SL in Herts, Sarah in Bath, Simon in Oldham, Debbie in Buxton, Ajit in Manchester, Neville in Southampton, LR in Sheffield, Seamus in Leicestershire, Robert in Halesowen, G Mason in Derby, Chris Bovey in Totnes, R Dickinson in Sheffield, Frank Greaney in Formby, Gordon in Aberdeen, Andy in Derby, Mary Clarke in Seaford, Chris Jones in Bristol, Joe Deri in St Helens, John Minard in Sheffield, L Reynolds, Andy in Derby, Steve in Birmingham, Tony from Ramsgate, Mark from Kent, Ray in Fleetwood, Ian from Yarm, Steve in Dorset, Jo in Bristol, Paul in Belvedere, DJP in London, AGJ in Essex, John Purdy in London, ben in London, Pat in South Yorks, Dee in London, Ron in London, Mel from Hull, Jake in Plymouth, Steve Ellis in Welling, Dom in Northahnts, Tony in Norwich, Dave in the West Midlands, Mick in Reading, Tom in Norwich and Dominic in Northampton. And more. See you tonight lads.
Ed inKent, SJ in Herts, David in Leek, Ian in Stoke on Trent, SL in Herts, Sarah in Bath, Simon in Oldham, Debbie in Buxton, Ajit in Manchester, Neville in Southampton, LR in Sheffield, Seamus in Leicestershire, Robert in Halesowen, G Mason in Derby, Chris Bovey in Totnes, R Dickinson in Sheffield, Frank Greaney in Formby, Gordon in Aberdeen, Andy in Derby, Mary Clarke in Seaford, Chris Jones in Bristol, Joe Deri in St Helens, John Minard in Sheffield, L Reynolds, Andy in Derby, Steve in Birmingham, Tony from Ramsgate, Mark from Kent, Ray in Fleetwood, Ian from Yarm, Steve in Dorset, Jo in Bristol, Paul in Belvedere, DJP in London, AGJ in Essex, John Purdy in London, ben in London, Pat in South Yorks, Dee in London, Ron in London, Mel from Hull, Jake in Plymouth, Steve Ellis in Welling, Dom in Northahnts, Tony in Norwich, Dave in the West Midlands, Mick in Reading, Tom in Norwich and Dominic in Northampton. And more. See you tonight lads.
Metashows
8:11 PM If I tell you that in England's football game against Croatia last night we had 56% posession, I'm giving you data about the game. This is often referred to as "metadata", or "data about something".
Our world of txt is a "metashow". It's a show about a show. It can't exist without the TV show, but it is something distinct in its own right. The QT Extra show is a metashow too. By the time we have active blogging, the website, the txts and the-TV-show-after-the-TV-show we're going to have more metashow than show.
One day QT will broadcast for about 3 minutes and we'll be blogging and txting for a couple of days on it. Like the monks in that joke who sit silently but every now and then call out a number which makes everyone laugh: the numbers, it transpires, refer to a list of jokes and when someone shouts "10", everyone recalls joke number 10 and has a good titter.
Eventually, we won't even need the show.
Our world of txt is a "metashow". It's a show about a show. It can't exist without the TV show, but it is something distinct in its own right. The QT Extra show is a metashow too. By the time we have active blogging, the website, the txts and the-TV-show-after-the-TV-show we're going to have more metashow than show.
One day QT will broadcast for about 3 minutes and we'll be blogging and txting for a couple of days on it. Like the monks in that joke who sit silently but every now and then call out a number which makes everyone laugh: the numbers, it transpires, refer to a list of jokes and when someone shouts "10", everyone recalls joke number 10 and has a good titter.
Eventually, we won't even need the show.
Txts and Emails - 2,458 Of The Buggers
8:03 PM It's getting time to settle down and watch QT as a blogger for the second week. Over the weekend, I sat through the web version of the TV show QT Extra - the "show after the show" which analyses the show. It replayed a few txts and gave some key facts. In all, it helped clarify and shape the txt community in which I now live on a Thursday night.
It looks like the BBC want to get a large number of txts and emails from people like us. In a wonderful moment of dataconfusion, Chris Eaking, the QT Extra presenter, said they had "around 2,500" txts and emails last week which was "a little bit low". That's the good bit - "a little bit low". He said "3,200 is good" and "2,800 is generally not so good" and "3,000 is about average". So yes, Chris, 2,500 is not "a littl bit low" at all. It's pants if you're trying to boost the numbers. It's a failure. It's official - the LibDems put us to sleep. But I suppose they'd better cover them on QT once a year (I think that's the current frequency of leadership elections) as part of their public service duty.
In fact, the figure was 2,458 according to Eakin at the end of the show.
So were we txters right? Answer - patently yes. The show WAS dull and we knew it would be - the interaction from the audience on emails and txts confirmed it.
It looks like the BBC want to get a large number of txts and emails from people like us. In a wonderful moment of dataconfusion, Chris Eaking, the QT Extra presenter, said they had "around 2,500" txts and emails last week which was "a little bit low". That's the good bit - "a little bit low". He said "3,200 is good" and "2,800 is generally not so good" and "3,000 is about average". So yes, Chris, 2,500 is not "a littl bit low" at all. It's pants if you're trying to boost the numbers. It's a failure. It's official - the LibDems put us to sleep. But I suppose they'd better cover them on QT once a year (I think that's the current frequency of leadership elections) as part of their public service duty.
In fact, the figure was 2,458 according to Eakin at the end of the show.
So were we txters right? Answer - patently yes. The show WAS dull and we knew it would be - the interaction from the audience on emails and txts confirmed it.
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