Another comment I'd like to put up is a complaint about the BBC's latest idea to raise money by forcing people over the age of 75 who aren't on some benefit or other to pay a licence fee. I've been paying from the age of 25 and am now over 75 and paid mine bill but then asked for a refund and surprisingly got most of it back. I am hoping to not have to pay it again so here's hoping for a change of mind (they don't have hearts at the BBC, I think). Or maybe the next Prime Minister will interefer in the hope that it will win him votes.

We have been having problems with the blog comment section because our master typepad has been having a problem with its system so this is to alert readers that they need to sign in to open the comment box if they wish to leave a message or complaint etc. Hopefully this will help.

I don't have a copy and I'd be surprised if it was mentioned there.

A man called Colin McClatchie (an employee in the Belfast Telegraph's circulation department in the Seventies) is writing a book about his newspaper experiences - he went on to become a leading media director with Thomsson and Rupert Murdoch. He made contact with Ed Curran, former BT editor, to get information about journalists who worked with Roy Lilley at the time he was editor. He was keen to know names and titles and a list was prepared for him which reads like an all our yesterdays now. Here's the list of editorial management back then: Roy Lilley, Editor Edmund Curran, Deputy Editor Jim Gray, Assistant Editor Desmond McMullen, Assistant/Production Editor Norman Jenkinson, News Editor Martin Lindsay, Deputy News Editor Tom Carson Features Editor Malcolm Brodie Sports Editor. Edward Sterling snr, Photographic Editor Samuel McMurray, Chief Sub-Editor We remember them all and happily three are still with us enjoying life.

The answer is in the final par in the article in the link I put up sent by John Kelly.

With this rush of attention I am moved to put up in our copyboys photo album, Journos at Large - 2 a new photo I see of the Belfast Telegraph Teletubbies - ex sports members - out for a pint and lunch at Cutter's Wharf recently. They all look wel.

It was a sad, solemn occasion but Ronnie Harper's funeral today at Bangor's Lisnabreen Presbyterian Church was also filled with laughter because all the speakers from Ronnie's son to his best and long-time friend to the minister all remembered vividly his sense of humor and smiling personality. And remember they did - with funny stories he told and the Rev Sam Castles even recalled applying to become the church's minister and having to face the rather serious expression of the elder listening to him: that was Ronnie. Mr Castles and Ronnie soon became friends. He got the job. A large number of friends and acquaintances were present from the church itself and various sports bodies and sporting clubs that Ronnie knew from his reporting days and participating in like Pickie Bowls club. The list of old colleagues and friends from the Belfast Telegraph included Robert Fenton, John Campbell, Denis Baxter, Sammy Hammill, Graham Hamilton, Water Macauley, Lyle Jackson, Roy Shephard, David Kelly, Colin McMullan, Trevor Martin, Roy Smyth, Martin Lindsay, Bobby Ingram, Fred Hoare, Stewart McKinlay, Eddie Sterling jnr. and Terry Smith. Again we extend condolences to Ronnie's widow, Helen who was a tower of strength over the ten years that Ronnie suffered from his illness.

Well remembered Alistair. I haven't seen what's been written but expected Jim Gracey to write an appreciation which may appear yet. Ronnie was a great character and the skill he had is missed nowadays.

Sad news. Ronnie has been ill a long time and looked after by his wife and family. Our condolences to them.

Always glad to help when I can....Cheers.

It can't have helped sales, but there was no Belfast Telegraph to purchase today where I live and my newsagent informed me that he wasn't going to ring Cork to find out why because they wouldn't know either and would make him hang on till they found out if the van has crashed (again) into another ditch. Strange way to run a newspaper and running that part of the operation in Cork.

That might well apply to Mr. Putin's victory.

Thanks Michael. Meant to put this up but delayed by landline being dead and no internet at home. Hope the law still applies after Brexit.

Could I remind contributors that the Preview button has a habit of deleting messages rather than allowing you to see and review what you've written.... I have asked Typepad to investigate but every time they do they seem to find it to be working fine. My suggestion again is when you write something, scroll over it and hit Control C. At least, then if you Preview your message and it disappears you can then go back into the message box and hit Control V to have yuour lost message returned. Thanks...

Yes. Chichester was indeed the old name when it was just a daily column. I'm still searching memory banks for a forgotten name of a fella who also contributed. I only noticed the reverse block announcing the Ulster Log would return in the New Year. Maybe it will be governed by a female journalist now there's one in charge o the shop.

It's almost too good to let it pass unnoticed . . . But this New Year's we have passing over us Storm Dylan. Winds of 80mph are predicted. It's blowin' in the wind, all right!!

In my search for information about Tom Burns I fired off a number of emails with pix of the man and even telehoned the home of Roy Lilly - a man with a good memory of people at the Belfast Telegraph. I discovered that Roy has been in hosital for a while now and unwell and I got to speak to him and to wish him well and to wish him personally a speedy recovery to better health. Happily, he was in a cheerful mood and asked that I send out from him his best wishes to all fellow copyboy contributors who might see and read this....job done.

Emails from Alastair came be amusing and worrying and sometimes quite dynamic like this mornings which contained a bunch of photographs of various lorry containers carring our human waste to disposal points throught the British Isles ....we thought it funny and thought others not in receipt of the email might be amused to with this, to quote Alastair,'crappy sense of humour...' You will find in the the albums with the title, Poo Puns...