Want to (virtually) meet columnist Caitlin Moran or parenting expert Tanya Byron on Saturday (Nov 10)? Sign up for your chance to chat to them live...

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello. It's the Mumsnet BlogFest this Saturday .

Tickets to the Blogfest are all sold out BUT we've devised a tip-top techy way to bring Caitlin Moran and Prof Tanya Byron, two of Blogfest's headline speakers, directly to all of you on Saturday - broadcasting live on Mumsnet through Google Hangouts.

If you've never seen a Google Hangout before, it's essentially a group video chat that anyone can watch. You can see an example .

What we need now are volunteers to ask either Caitlin or Prof Tanya live questions on their Hangouts.

To be able to take part, you do need...

• To be available on Saturday: at 12.15pm for Tanya, or 5.15pm for Caitlin
  
  
• To have a webcam either in, or attached to, your computer
  
  
• To have a good internet connection (wired, ideally, but wifi is OK if it's a top-notch signal)
  
  You don't need to have a Google+ account set up right now - although you all should have, obvs . We can talk you through how to set it all up nearer the time.
  
  If you'd like to take part, please post the question you'd like to ask below, indicating whether it is for Caitlin or Prof T.
  
  We'll select three or four of you from this thread for each live Hangout.
  
  And we'll let everyone know more details on when and where you can watch the Hangouts in a few days' time.
  
  Thanks - and good luck!

[Trills]

So the hangouts will be broadcast so that people who are not actively taking part can still watch? Is that right?

[HelenMumsnet]

Yes indeedy.

[JackThePumpkinKing]

Ooh nice one MN

[mignonette]

I would say to Caitlin that she has written some very good Op-eds about mental health issues that are supportive and raise questions about how mental illness is depicted and treated.

So.....Why has she not condemned India Knight's ugly and ignorant comments about people with mental health problems? Is she going to turn a blind eye (and deaf ear) simply because India Knight is her meeja-twitter buddy?

Until she does, then no, I wish to read nothing of hers nor listen to anything she has to say.

[mcmooncup]

I have a girl crush on Tanya so I may not be much use, become star struck and then totally mute.

However, I would like to ask her about internet porn - not actually, you know, tips on good sites etc. but to discuss what we may do about ISPs taking responsibility, education of children etc. following on from her report. It all seems to have gone very quiet recently, and I would like it not to go quiet

[loopylou6]

Who are they?

[loopylou6]

Can you not have Masood from Eastenders instead, then I'll book a front row seat

[JackThePumpkinKing]

I can't believe how quiet this thread is!

[serin]

No Thanks.

[bakedbeanqueen]

I don't know who they are

[OliviaMumsnet]

@JackThePumpkinKing

I can't believe how quiet this thread is!

Me either, Jack

I would be trying not be starstruck at BlogFest on Saturday but it's DS2's
birthday. [grr] at diary conflict.
For those who don't know,
Professor Tanya Byron is a clinical psychologist, author of lots of books, parenting guru and all round good egg.
If you're a telly watcher you may have seen her TV show House of Tiny Tearaways which helped families with specific behavioural issues.
MN web chat with Tanya

Caitlin Moran is a journalist, writer of books, prolific tweeter and all round good egg. If you're a telly watcher, you may have seen her appear as a talking head/commentator on things about pop music IIRC and on Richard and Judy.

MN web chat with Caitlin

[Stitchthis]

Fab idea.

[JackThePumpkinKing]

[mignonette]

Oh for Gods sake MNHQ! Have I been whisked away to Russia whilst sleeping?

(Awaits a knock on the door in the dark of night)

[HelenMumsnet]

@mignonette

Oh for Gods sake MNHQ! Have I been whisked away to Russia whilst sleeping?

(Awaits a knock on the door in the dark of night)

We have no problem with you criticising Caitlin's work/opinions (or Tanya's, for that matter) as much as you like, mignonette, but we'd rather you didn't post unnecessarily offensive personal comments.

[mignonette]

What, saying I wouldn't join her grovelling acolytes until she clarifies her position? And calling her Caitlin Moron? Pretty mild..... She does say some moronic things and likely could not care less about my opinion of them.

[HelenMumsnet]

@mignonette

What, saying I wouldn't join her grovelling acolytes until she clarifies her position? And calling her Caitlin Moron? Pretty mild..... She does say some moronic things and likely could not care less about my opinion of them.

Yes. You're quite free to say she says moronic things (although we'd rather people didn't use this particular term, as it's seen by many as disablist) but not to call her a Moron.

In other words, attack the opinion, not the person.

[mignonette]

But I'm never deleted for calling Tories names. And as another poster pointed out, Peter Andre is always fair game on here with no deletions. Isn't it all a bit selective although do take on board your points about where to direct criticism?

[Trills]

I think most MNers probably just don't want their real face broadcast on the internet in association with their MN name, in case people they know in RL are watching.

If you go to en event then at least it's reciprocal - if you see someone you know then you see each other.

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

I know who they are and admire Tanya and Caitlin. Does that help?

I can tick all the tech requirements boxes. I can be available for Caitlin Moran (just reread her book v recently), I was aware of her work in the v early nineties and was v excited when we travelled on the SAME BUS once to a Festival.

I suppose I would ask about the ending of 'How to be a Woman' as it seemed to undermine the positive message of the rest of the book. The whole men can carry on as they are and a women can be one of the guys and do whatever she wants as well - did not ring true. Men and women both need to change, some things won't happen if we rely on the 'Hey we are all just guys, you know?' Philosophy, attractive though that is.

Also how does she keep her hair looking so great?

[KateMumsnet]

Hello Trills - very good point, so just jumping in to confirm that there's no need for participants to identify themselves by their MN nickname, or their RL name - it's completely up to you. In theory, you could even wear a balaclava .

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

No idea what the India Knight thing is about that has passed me by. Unless Caitlin Moran has posted ignorant comments herself then I fail to see why she needs to be held accountable for another woman's words? Is she India Knight's mother? No? Well get annoyed with the relevant person, seems straightforward enough to me. I will have to read up on the issue of course.