I'm sure Geoffrey would jump at the chance to bowl someone like Erin a few googlies and give her a tickle down her fine leg.

Erin, if you're reading this. . Be afraid.

Spider who ?????

accepts tea meekly

It's not as if this is an isolated incident. For example the debate has been going on for years over proper journalists reading the news vs young and pretty autocue monkeys.

I think it's harsh on Arlene but, as she knows, it's a superficial and shallow medium and I can see where the BBC is coming from. Nonetheless Dixon is far from the ideal replacement on paper....but I won't pre-judge her 'judging'.

Definitive answer to the phone vote question (which is currently cropping up every two days). Feel free to copy and paste...

Originally the cost of the vote had two elements; the operating costs and the donation to charity. However, when the whole phone vote scandals blew up at ITV (who were making a profit out of the votes), the BBC were forced to drop the charity part of the phone cost as it could been seen as a "forced donation". ie people who wanted to vote for Strictly but didn't want to make a donation to charity had no options.

Since then (series 5 I think) the cost of the call is just operating charges (and mobile network charges). The vote is administered externally.

The BBC has never made a profit from any phone vote. It is against their charter.

Please feel free to quote the above next time people accuse the Beeb of profiteering.

Thanks, Mike. I thought that the Beeb didn't profit from the phone vote.

Move along please, everyone, make room for one more.

Cuppa for me please, but I've brought pear cider in case the stocks run low.

Chocolate finger, anyone?

...Can you see me??? Thats what i'm eating right now!!!!!

Of course I can see you, Dilly.

The chocolate fingers I'm being so generous with are yours

Hahaha.......should I BE laughing here???

Don't mention chocolate- I have banned myself from it- don't put temptation in my way - please

It's ok, I've got several more packs. It's going to be a long wait.

I've got Jelly Babies too, but someone's bitten all their heads off

Im in charge of the pear cider cos Im tee-total and will be able to divide it properly.

I also have curly wurlys and midget gems. and thorntons toffee.

best have a cuppa for know though.

now then were had we got to to.

I think that we are in a sit in with spider9, BuddyB, Saz, and Dilly1 NOT boycotting SCD this year

hope Spider's got a big sofa!

I'm tee-total too, so I shall be the Assistant Senior Pear Cider Divider Upper.

I can't be expected to remember where we were up to though. You'll need a different assistant for that sort of thing.

she will have, if not I will lol about on the bean bag.

Re boycotting the voting process on SCD

I THINK ,and I may be wrong, that votes cost 50p when 'Children in Need' were involved and half of that money went to the BBC. Since then calls cost 35p and nothing goes to Children in Need. If we watch the program but refuse to vote I think we will be penalising the BBC as they will lose financially, and we won't so much be doing this because Alesha is on the panel but because the panel now contains someone who is not qualified to judge all aspects of the dance.

See this: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...6&postcount=29

Apparently, the BBC is not allowed to make money from phone votes.

Will this also be place to wait for the Musings when Strictly starts, or will we be moving on?

The phone vote is contracted out, isn't it? don't know if they make anything indirectly out of it but I doubt it.

Look! Look here everyone. This should stop people from asking the question in the next ten minutes...

BBC Code of Conduct for Phone Votes...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/edit...activity/code/

And the bit about not charging (as mentioned earlier on this page)

BBC competitions and votes will not be run in order to make a profit. The only time BBC competitions or votes will be aimed at raising funds will be for a BBC charitable initiative.

Does everyone see now?

Oh and Heidi the calls were 15p last year so yes you are very wrong

Musings waiting is outside on the naughty step

Of course it is, I forgot.

We'll spend the summer sitting in here on a sofa, then go outside and sit on a cold doorstep in the autumn.

Makes perfect sense

PMSL.

If you've done that, then you are going get very cold sitting there on the stepwaiting for musings. Git yerself reet back indoors, and cleaned oop, lass

It wouldn't be the naughty step if it was comfy.

This isn't a Monty Python sketch you know. Soft cushions indeed....pfft.



BTW footygirl, all treats consumed on the naughty step/comfy spider sofa are caloire free as they are virtual. Help yourself.