Radio 4 this evening

[gillo]

I love Radio 4 with a passion; it's just as well, as I had to drive to Warwick, sit next to R as she drove to Dorridge, then drive home again - about an hour and a half in total. For the bits when I was alone the radio kept me company.

Comments

[lilachigh]

Oh poor Phil! My mother and hence me used to listen every evening without fail. I just about remember - if i squint hard - the night Grace died in the fire which was the night ITV started on TV!

Phil Archer was such a know it all kid, always arguing with his father and rather condescening to his big brother, Jack, who was an alcoholic, although it was never said in so many words. I never understood the nuances, being very young, but later on of course i did.

The torture issue is so difficult and so complicated. One of my teenage friends wanted to know if I could have stopped 9/11 by torturing someone, would i have done it? How do you answer that?

[chickenfeet2003]

One of my teenage friends wanted to know if I could have stopped 9/11 by torturing someone, would i have done it? How do you answer

Ask them whether it would be OK to torture a three year old girl because you believed the girl's father could give you the relevant information.

[steepholm]

Or, suggest they read Le Guins The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.

[gillo]

They would probably accept the collateral damage. Grrr.

[gillo]

I was too young when Grace died (not yet a year old) but Mum used to talk about it at times.

The torture thing is nasty. I just honestly don't believe it even works - and if you had enough suspicion before 9/11 to torture someone, you'd be able to alert the authorities that something was going down anyway.