I was listening this morning, as you do, to In Our Time which was on Tristram Shandy by Lawrence Sterne. Now, I have had no great urge to read this book, which I know by reputation only. Not my scene, really ( Read more... )

Head on train crash in Poland ( Read more... )

Today, In Our Time (which for non-Radio 4 listeners is a programme in which three experts discuss an important scientific/cultural/philosophic/artistic/you-get-the-picture idea, moderated by Melwyn Bragg, acting as 'intelligent and educated layman') was, for their 500th edition, discussing the concept of 'free will' (and, of necessity, Determinism ( Read more... )

Someone on Eggheads has just announced that their job was a "virtual assistant". She looks solid enough to me. Computer graphics and AI had plainly improved.

Mind you, some idiot - Edward Stourton??? - presenting Sunday yesterday, quoted the "who never said a foolish thing and never did a wise one" verse as applying to James the First. Excuse, ( Read more... )

I have complained before (most recently on desperance's LJ) about BBC announcers using "refute" when they mean "deny ( Read more... )

Mitch Benn's Proud of the BBC has gone pretty much viral on my flist. If you managed to miss it, it is here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3q2iZuU5WM&feature=player_embedded

communicator has typed out the full list of programmes and people mentioned in the ( Read more... )

This morning while listening to the radio, I heard two people on the subject of Terry Jones and his maybe/maybe not proposed Koran-burning session ( Read more... )

Would someone please tell certain BBC newsreaders/reporters that 'refute' does not mean 'deny' but 'disprove'.

Actually, I note that an hour or so later, the phrasing has been changed from "Number 10 has refuted this" to "Number 10 has denied this." Quite.

There were some good things over Christmas. The first was seeing Kauto Star, a horse I have loved from afar since I first saw him, win his fourth King George VI Chase, the second most important race in England, after the Cheltenham Gold Cup (which he has won twice) in consecutive years. The great Desert Orchid won four, but he didn't win them in ( Read more... )

After watching tonight's BBC4 broadcast of the film of the very last episode where Humph chaired I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue two things are certain ( Read more... )