Apparent idiocy from the Royal Mail: and how journalism works.

A friend pointed a story out to me on the BBC news website that I had missed. It appears Royal Mail wish to change the rules to allow them to leave a lot of mail at your neighbours if they are unable to deliver it.
This story has gone into the wider media now, and seems to be based on a press release from Consumer Focus in response to a press release by Royal Mail. Well hidden the Royal Mail one, being on the Royal Mail Group web site, and not the Royal Mail one itself.

The Royal Mail statement doesn't make it clear if there is would be an opt in service, but Consumer Focus assert it wouldn't even be opt-out.

That idea if true is daft: whilst for many people this isn't a problem for some it obviously will be.  I have wonderful next door neighbours, I'd be happy for the postal service to leave any signed for mail or packages with them.  Indeed despite the fact that Royal Mail apparently aren't allowed to do so (whispers) they have. However it doesn't need much knowledge of the outside world to see that some neighbours don't get on!

It looks from the quotes on the BBC page that the journo has spoken to someone at the Royal Mail to confirm this plan. But...

A challenge: find any quote that isn't just in the original two press releases.

Give up? Yup that is because there aren't any.

The Journo has combined two press releases quite nicely to make a story.  The Scotsman and Guardian have done the same as the BBC.  The Telegraph just condenses the Royal Mail release.  The Daily Mail article rehashes the same quotes as the BBC, but adds a bit about privatisation too, presumably a third press release.

Now if this story is true, and it could be that there is no opt out, it is daft and time to get the campaigning hat on.  If on the other hand it means Royal Mail are asking for permission to follow a note left in a window to "if out, deliver to number 72", it just seems like successful publicity seeking for a pressure group.

I've emailed the contact address at the Royal Mail to see which it is. We'll see what response I get.

Football: writing history

I saw a post on another blog about the sale of Sheffield FC's manuscript rules of the game and comparing it with the price raised by the Jane Austen manuscript.
The BBC report of the auction of an old set of rules by Sheffield FC appears to be contradicted by other sources of information.
It is not disputed that modern association football is descended from rules drawn up by Cambridge University Football club. The 1848 original is lost, but a copy from 1856 is, it appears, in the library at Shrewsbury School. 
The 1848 Cambridge rules evolved into the 1863 edition, that were pretty close to the first official Football Association rules. The Sheffield Rules were another contributing stream, but not the only one.

The version auctioned is from 1857. So it is not, as claimed, the oldest surviving rules.

(This is to ignore that the rules have changed significantly since then anyway.)

The fact that FIFA and the FA still insist that Sheffield is older than Cambridge University Football Club has more to do with wanting a narrative for the sport than any historical accuracy: it is better for an industrial northern town to be the oldest team than an elite educational establishment.

(I will admit as Cambridge resident to a certain bias.)

Everyone likes a penguin

From the BBC:

A penguin has been found wandering the streets of Dublin after she was
stolen from the zoo in a suspected prank.

The big story in the news today just leaves one question: did the penguin enjoy it's trip?

Actually two questions: if it was wandering the streets, was it wearing a hoody? OK Three questions: has the local council done nothing to keep penguins off the street? Where is the Penguin outreach worker? (OK four.)

I'm done. Honest. Penguin pic taken from Wikimedia Commons.

Alan Plater (1935-2010)

Sad news is being reported on the BBC of the death of Alan Plater.

A prolific writer of TV screenplays I will remember him for the wonderful Beiderbecke Trilogy (starring James Bolam and and Barbara Flynn). The scripts are wonderful, and the beautiful slow pace allows a unworldly feel to envelop you. Despite the rather challenging subject matter, and sometimes scary possibilities being explored it keeps a sense of humour and doesn't preach. (The DVD box set is available from Amazon, and probably many other retailers too).

Whilst gentle they are clearly political: they do look at the role of the state, and what an individual could and should do if the government was misbehaving or failing (whether at a local or national level).

I did look for a clip on the web, but the only one I found didn't do the series justice. It did remind me of Beryl Reid's cameo as Sylvia, the oldest suffragette in town (in The Beiderbecke Tapes). I also love Robert Longdon as the town planner (in The Beiderbecke Affair).

It also had a wonderful soundtrack that I may be listening to this weekend.

He also adapted Chris Mullin's A Very British Coup for the 1988 TV series.

Why report this press release...

Compare this press release from the Unite website with the BBC article on the subject.

This is a major victory for Unite's spin doctors, as they are dictating words being spoken on BBC Radio news this morning by the journos themselves.

Where is any attempt at balance like

1. pointing out that the man in question is effectively one of Labour's biggest donor giving about £3m a year since 2007 (itself an example of the Telegraph swallowing a press release whole, this time from the Tories), or
2. that Unite actively campaigned for Labour in the election, or
3. that this is the union which is behind the BA dispute (or others), or
4. that Unite is the largest public sector union and may have vested interests here, perfectly legitimate ones but one that should be stated nonetheless, or
5. any attempt to get a LibDem reaction, or
6. any critical engagement with the claims?

Lazy journalism strikes again. You have to be impressed that Unite got the release swallowed "hook, line and sinker" by the BBC.

I'm off to rant and rave.