I was also saddened to hear about Mo Mowlam. A few years back I had tickets to see Parkinson being filmed and she was one of the guests. She talked about surviving illness. She came across as an incredibly strong woman.

She was a senior cabinet minister in the labour party in the UK, once secretary of state for Northern Ireland.

Alison wrote:

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Um...no I'm not away on holiday..yet I've just been really busy at work and not been able to log on for ages....but it's the company BBQ today and as just about everybody else is there (and I'm still stuck in the office), I thought I'd pop by!! So, did ya miss me? Now that Live8 etc has passed and Edinburgh has returned to normal (well as normal as it can be given the Festival has started!!) anybody got any juicy gossip or something worth debating / having an intelligent conversation about? I see Mo Mowlam has died..she was a remarkable woman...didn't suffer fools and all that. Got e-tickets for Disneyland Hong Kong!!! Can't wait

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Alison... Now tell us, was it as bad as you expected? Protesters marching on Edinburgh? Anarchists ruining the place?

To be honest I'm surprised to see you back...

A view from Auchterarder Residents - G8 Protest

For all affected by the anti-G8 march at Auchterarder on the first day of the G8, it was a day of uncertainty and contrasting images.

Protesters heading for the organised demonstration probably woke on Wednesday, satisfied that they had won the right to protest close to the venue for the G8 summit.

However, early morning violence by some anti-G8 protesters elsewhere threw that plan into doubt and the police, at one stage, pulled the plug.

The Auchterarder protesters eventually got their wish but the contrast came when a predominantly peaceful march was affected by some of the disorder seen elsewhere.

Safety and order was paramount for police in Auchterarder and, with serious violent confrontations ongoing in Stirling, perhaps they could not be blamed for feeling twitchy.

Could safety be guaranteed during the planned G8 Alternatives demonstration in a village 10 miles north of where officers were putting their G8 public order training into practice?

Many demonstrators in Auchterarder were at pains to stress that they were not there for trouble but had a message to deliver to world leaders.

Indeed, members of the Clown Army, which had been evident in Edinburgh, kept local children entertained as they waited for a "yes" or "no" answer from organisers who were meeting police to discuss the fate of the march.

Residents we spoke to before Wednesday said they would keep an open mind.

"We are not their enemy," one shop owner told me last week as he stocked up on supplies to sell to the expected 5,000 visitors, plus a strong number of media teams.

By 1000 BST, a small number of demonstrators against the G8 could be seen cycling through the village.

Dressed in colourful costumes and carrying a rainbow flag emblazoned with the word "peace", they danced along the High Street followed by curious stares as their stereo blasted out the cartoon song "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?".

Numbers began to steadily swell, with the arrival of 35 busloads from Edinburgh and Glasgow and a 4,000-strong crowd congregated in the village park.

A final (final) decision from police reversed an earlier "no" to a "yes" and after a short delay - a policewoman had to be treated on the route for leg injuries after a colleague in a police car accidentally knocked her over - the group began to move.

Chants ranged from "people have the power, we're growing stronger by the hour", to "drop the debt" and "can you hear us in Gleneagles?".

All in all, it was good-natured and peaceful as local people lined the streets to wave the marchers off, some even joined in waving to friends taking pictures of them from windows of nearby houses.

The event was far smaller than Saturday's Make Poverty History march in the capital and far quieter too. Samba bands do not travel well, which is good news for those with sensitive hearing.

Perhaps the biggest contrast, though, was the lack of aggression and violence in the main parade. Tension was all too evident in areas around Stirling and in Edinburgh two days before.

Anti-G8 campaigner and MP George Galloway said: "There is no violence here. The only violence is inside the minds of the eight men meeting in the hotel nearby."

Another protester told me: "We wanted to come here and march. We've done that. It's been a great day."

Others, however, were not content with following the planned route, which took them no closer than 500 yards to the Gleneagles complex.

A strong police presence stood behind temporary fencing - officers on foot supported by colleagues in full riot gear and backed up by intimidating lines of others on horseback.

Their message was clear - Thou Shalt Not Pass.

Yet some did. A large number broke off from the main route and managed to breach the outer security cordon before being pushed back by police in riot gear with dogs after rocks and stakes were thrown.

Things, however, settled down.

On the village high street, shops that had opened stayed open and protesters who had followed the official march route filed into chip shops and coffee houses before boarding their buses home.

Local people continued about their daily business, only looking up when the odd clown cycled past.

Perhaps this is premature but, casting my mind back to previous G8s and the levels of violence witnessed in Genoa in 2001 and Seattle in 1999, a question forms - will Gleneagles set an example for how future G8s should be policed?

Yes, there have been clashes and yes police have responded - too harshly in the eyes of some.

But no bullets or baton rounds have been fired. Water cannon are not in sight. Nor has CS gas been sprayed.

Officers on foot, backed up by colleagues on horses and dog handlers have kept the worst of the trouble at bay with minimal injuries on both sides.

Protesters have kept their democratic right to march near to the summit venue and eased the fears of Auchterarder locals with their friendly nature towards villagers.

"We're still standing," one elderly lady told me with a relieved smile as she walked her dog in the park where a small number of protesters remained singing songs and swapping stories.

And with day one of the summit nearing its end, there is growing confidence in Auchterarder that it might just stay that way.

'course I was coming back...something to do when it's quiet in the office (and hey, I like you lot...make me smile! )

As for G8 - most the the protesters were fantastic but there were those minority idiots who were there purely to cause trouble (some of them local yobs that wanted to fight with the police etc). I think the bomb blasts in London prevented any escalation as people were shocked what had happened there and were impressed with Blair's swift response. He may not be the best "el presidente" but I thought he did well that day (as to him not going to Mo's funeral...that's a different issue...OK, he didn't like Robin Cook so would have been a bit hypocritical going to that funeral but I think he should go to Mo's).

And for the record...I don't live in Edinburgh (never have) so it's not my home town...

Do work there though...(well, on the outskirts at least!)

So what's your point caller?

That war is OK (so what if people are killed - you'll forget about them as soon as the next big issue comes along?!). Sorry, but you don't seem to have the faintest idea about the real world out there...

There are never any Winners or Losers in a war...only people affected by the fallout!!

You can't invade a country just because you don't happen to like the person running it (even if you are called Bush).

If that was the case, half the world would invade America coz they didn't like Bush!!!

Now there's an idea...perhaps they could invade Dallas, Texas...they'd be justified as;

1) they don't like Bush

2) Texas is in the middle of nowhere and nobody really cares about the people that live there (some trailer trash / Jesusland freaks)

3) We can steal their oil and send in our companies to reap the benefits

(and before I get a whole host of abusive responses - I'm being ultra sarcastic to try and get over a point).

The war in Iraq was NOT justified. There were NO weapons of mass destruction found. OK Saddam isn't a very nice person but neither is Mugabe (where's the American troups there..um, forgot...nothing worth stealing!!).

America cannot invade another country simply coz it doesn't like the person involved (or assasinate their leader as a call from Pat Robertson Evangelist on Hugo Chavez...http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1555178,00.html) THAT'S Terrorism.....

Oh, and please attempt a spell check before you submit...makes you look like a 10 year old! (LOL!!)

And to be honest, I don't think the rest of thew World would really care if America was invaded..(and Russia? Since when were they the best of friends with America..OK, Putin might shake hands with Bush at dinner meetings but they don't spend a week at Ranch Bush swapping recipes for hamburger relish and discussing family!!).

China would be happy as would mean more oil for them..(they are currently trying to secure as much oil as possible)..

North Korea / Cuba etc (all the other Axis of Evil countries) would be happy as Bush wouldn't want to invade them...

Canada would at last be able to exist without being the next to the "neighbours from hell"...

France could concentrate on keeping their workers from striking instead of tut-tutting at Bush...

Alaska could enjoy the scenery rather than the survey ships drilling for oil....

Yep, there are loads of countries out there that would give their right arm to have a pop at America. Being an ally makes you a target (I don't agree with everything Blair says..I think he's an intelligent man - though X Factor - please?!. He is human though and makes mistakes...Iraq was one of them...).

YES, me being sarcastic again..Scottish humour I guess...

Yes...

(that little girl was scary!!)

You two had better cut it out before I start lobbying my gov't to invade the UK.  I've no clue what sort of choices Blair's made as leader, but I think he's a hottie (except for the awful neckties) and I'd like to have him as a pet.  Actually, I might like to have all of you as pets.  So, if you like your independence, stop your silly "threats" and behave!  After all, those might be WMD buried in your backyard.  I'm told they're really small and easy to hide....

By the way, do you have any oil?  Apparently you don't have any fish left.  Poor Scots!

Oh and there's nuclear material about 10 miles from where I live...

Also been inside Sellafield, Dounreay, Torness, Heysham 1 and 2 and Hartlepool nuclear power stations (the fun job I have so tend to glow in the dark these days LOL!!)