I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
Why depressing Jonathan? Serious question. I had always considered you an 'IN' person so would have thought that the uphill struggle being faced by 'OUT' would have perhaps lightened your mood a little :-)
Hi Richard!
To be clear I think it's a really good piece and I am behind anyone 100% who has the balls to put their thoughts up here to be shot down. Well done!
I simply find it depressing because this EU debate, which will dominate for the next two years, is a long way from the politics that gets me excited. It is inherently backward looking.
The idea that Westminster is some paragon of democratic virtue is absurd. The current parliament is the worst and arguably the least representative I can remember.
In a rough and ready way it is fairly representative. Right and left wing MPs are represented in rough proportion to vote shares.
ESPN had wall to wall coverage of the FIFA leadership election, which was incredible. Except for the events of last Wednesday the event would have gotten a line on the crawler at best.
How baffled are Americans (generally) about the election result?
Interesting article on page 3 of today's Times about the way in which the British Library is being taken over by students wanting somewhere nice to revise for their exams which has comfortable seats and fast WiFi. So many of them are going there that there's not much room left for the sort of researchers the library is supposed to be for.
I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
There you go see. My first article and I have broken PB :-(
We're just awestruck, Richard
Also struck by the dawning realisation that EU referendum coverage will make the Indyref look like a story of page 12 of the Barnsley Gazette.
I think that you are likely to be disappointed! CyberNats are small fry compared to cyberKippers.
I think you're wrong on this. You only have to look at the treatment Carswell received this week to know which side will try to intimidate their opponents.
I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
There you go see. My first article and I have broken PB :-(
We're just awestruck, Richard
Also struck by the dawning realisation that EU referendum coverage will make the Indyref look like a story of page 12 of the Barnsley Gazette.
I think that you are likely to be disappointed! CyberNats are small fry compared to cyberKippers.
Oi!
You need to come up with a kipper equivalent of "turnip". Turnips are (a bit) yellow, like the SNP, so I guess you need something purple (fnar). "Don't be a beetroot" doesn't really cut it though. Ah-ha! "Red cabbage", but without the "red". Additional benefit of winding up the PC brigage. That's one thing sorted then.
Why depressing Jonathan? Serious question. I had always considered you an 'IN' person so would have thought that the uphill struggle being faced by 'OUT' would have perhaps lightened your mood a little :-)
Hi Richard!
To be clear I think it's a really good piece and I am behind anyone 100% who has the balls to put their thoughts up here to be shot down. Well done!
I simply find it depressing because this EU debate, which will dominate for the next two years, is a long way from the politics that gets me excited. It is inherently backward looking.
The idea that Westminster is some paragon of democratic virtue is absurd. The current parliament is the worst and arguably the least representative I can remember.
In a rough and ready way it is fairly representative. Right and left wing MPs are represented in rough proportion to vote shares.
Nah, don't buy that argument at all. 3.8M votes to 1 MP. It's broken.
THE BBC needs its entire library or pretty much anything worth watching on I player. For years they stiffed us with 7 days so we missed stuff, now the world has moved on and the BBC is offering 12 months.
There needs to be a dual service, one for LCD and one with the good stuff.
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
THE BBC needs its entire library or pretty much anything worth watching on I player. For years they stiffed us with 7 days so we missed stuff, now the world has moved on and the BBC is offering 12 months.
There needs to be a dual service, one for LCD and one with the good stuff.
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
BBC’s online television service has enjoyed years of successful growth But viewing figures plummeted by 72million a month from high last year Many stopped using service as much after BBC axed Jeremy Clarkson Experts said that iPlayer’s popularity is waning thanks to stiff competition from Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video and other streaming services
This is the real risk for the BBC. Unless they commercialise quickly and make a success of this business model then they will become irrelevant to the future media landscape. We will lose an opportunity to create a UK based major player if we renew the charter along 'business as usual' lines.
Interesting article on page 3 of today's Times about the way in which the British Library is being taken over by students wanting somewhere nice to revise for their exams which has comfortable seats and fast WiFi. So many of them are going there that there's not much room left for the sort of researchers the library is supposed to be for.
British Library being used by students shocker.
It didn't used to be colonised by enormous number of students. It's a new development in the last five years or so.
I noticed it myself recently when I went for a drink in the cafe and struggled to find anywhere to sit. People were obviously sitting there all day on their laptops.
AndyJS I know a few librarians and archivists at the British Library, personally I think if you are not using any of the Library's books or records for your research, but just use it to revise in, you should have to pay a small fee, maybe 50p an hour, it is not a university or school library
BBC’s online television service has enjoyed years of successful growth But viewing figures plummeted by 72million a month from high last year Many stopped using service as much after BBC axed Jeremy Clarkson Experts said that iPlayer’s popularity is waning thanks to stiff competition from Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video and other streaming services
This is the real risk for the BBC. Unless they commercialise quickly and make a success of this business model then they will become irrelevant to the future media landscape. We will lose an opportunity to create a UK based major player if we renew the charter along 'business as usual' lines.
iplayer should be a subscription service, so foreigners cough up, while Brits just need to put in their tv licence number.
BBC’s online television service has enjoyed years of successful growth But viewing figures plummeted by 72million a month from high last year Many stopped using service as much after BBC axed Jeremy Clarkson Experts said that iPlayer’s popularity is waning thanks to stiff competition from Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video and other streaming services
This is the real risk for the BBC. Unless they commercialise quickly and make a success of this business model then they will become irrelevant to the future media landscape. We will lose an opportunity to create a UK based major player if we renew the charter along 'business as usual' lines.
iplayer should be a subscription service, so foreigners cough up, while Brits just need to put in their tv licence number.
Steps that might head the BBC into a subscription direction, probably scare the cr@p out of BBC executives.
THE BBC needs its entire library or pretty much anything worth watching on I player. For years they stiffed us with 7 days so we missed stuff, now the world has moved on and the BBC is offering 12 months.
There needs to be a dual service, one for LCD and one with the good stuff.
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay!), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
There you go see. My first article and I have broken PB :-(
We're just awestruck, Richard
Also struck by the dawning realisation that EU referendum coverage will make the Indyref look like a story of page 12 of the Barnsley Gazette.
I think that you are likely to be disappointed! CyberNats are small fry compared to cyberKippers.
Oi!
You need to come up with a kipper equivalent of "turnip". Turnips are (a bit) yellow, like the SNP, so I guess you need something purple (fnar). "Don't be a beetroot" doesn't really cut it though. Ah-ha! "Red cabbage", but without the "red". Additional benefit of winding up the PC brigage. That's one thing sorted then.
Now, about the panda thing...
Don't be an aubergine! Doubly insulting, as it's a foreign word.
BBC’s online television service has enjoyed years of successful growth But viewing figures plummeted by 72million a month from high last year Many stopped using service as much after BBC axed Jeremy Clarkson Experts said that iPlayer’s popularity is waning thanks to stiff competition from Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video and other streaming services
This is the real risk for the BBC. Unless they commercialise quickly and make a success of this business model then they will become irrelevant to the future media landscape. We will lose an opportunity to create a UK based major player if we renew the charter along 'business as usual' lines.
iplayer should be a subscription service, so foreigners cough up, while Brits just need to put in their tv licence number.
Steps that might head the BBC into a subscription direction, probably scare the cr@p out of BBC executives.Nah, they'll ignore that bit and use it to justify a hike in the licence fee.
Joking aside, William's made one the strongest arguments for deep BBC reform I've heard in a while.
I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
There you go see. My first article and I have broken PB :-(
We're just awestruck, Richard
Also struck by the dawning realisation that EU referendum coverage will make the Indyref look like a story of page 12 of the Barnsley Gazette.
I think that you are likely to be disappointed! CyberNats are small fry compared to cyberKippers.
Oi!
You need to come up with a kipper equivalent of "turnip". Turnips are (a bit) yellow, like the SNP, so I guess you need something purple (fnar). "Don't be a beetroot" doesn't really cut it though. Ah-ha! "Red cabbage", but without the "red". Additional benefit of winding up the PC brigage. That's one thing sorted then.
Now, about the panda thing...
Don't be an aubergine! Doubly insulting, as it's a foreign word.
Nice, but I think "you dozy eggplant" is more subtly abusive.
Ditto - if I could pay for just BBC4 - I probably would.
AA Gill in the Times was very funny the other day - he said that BBC3 needed to work out what it was for bar the parents and probation officers of those who appeared on it. Epic!
THE BBC needs its entire library or pretty much anything worth watching on I player. For years they stiffed us with 7 days so we missed stuff, now the world has moved on and the BBC is offering 12 months.
There needs to be a dual service, one for LCD and one with the good stuff.
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
There you go see. My first article and I have broken PB :-(
We're just awestruck, Richard
Also struck by the dawning realisation that EU referendum coverage will make the Indyref look like a story of page 12 of the Barnsley Gazette.
I think that you are likely to be disappointed! CyberNats are small fry compared to cyberKippers.
Oi!
You need to come up with a kipper equivalent of "turnip". Turnips are (a bit) yellow, like the SNP, so I guess you need something purple (fnar). "Don't be a beetroot" doesn't really cut it though. Ah-ha! "Red cabbage", but without the "red". Additional benefit of winding up the PC brigage. That's one thing sorted then.
Now, about the panda thing...
Don't be an aubergine! Doubly insulting, as it's a foreign word.
Nice, but I think "you dozy eggplant" is more subtly abusive.
I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
There you go see. My first article and I have broken PB :-(
We're just awestruck, Richard
Also struck by the dawning realisation that EU referendum coverage will make the Indyref look like a story of page 12 of the Barnsley Gazette.
I think that you are likely to be disappointed! CyberNats are small fry compared to cyberKippers.
Oi!
You need to come up with a kipper equivalent of "turnip". Turnips are (a bit) yellow, like the SNP, so I guess you need something purple (fnar). "Don't be a beetroot" doesn't really cut it though. Ah-ha! "Red cabbage", but without the "red". Additional benefit of winding up the PC brigage. That's one thing sorted then.
Now, about the panda thing...
Don't be an aubergine! Doubly insulting, as it's a foreign word.
Nice, but I think "you dozy eggplant" is more subtly abusive.
I'm looking forward to a pretty sensible if passionate debate about the pros and cons - and not the ridiculous SIndy discussions on here with cybernats claiming everything was up to them and everything they wanted, they'd get.
@Richard_Tyndall article was a fine example of posing the issues without treating it like a cult.
There you go see. My first article and I have broken PB :-(
We're just awestruck, Richard
Also struck by the dawning realisation that EU referendum coverage will make the Indyref look like a story of page 12 of the Barnsley Gazette.
I think that you are likely to be disappointed! CyberNats are small fry compared to cyberKippers.
Oi!
You need to come up with a kipper equivalent of "turnip". Turnips are (a bit) yellow, like the SNP, so I guess you need something purple (fnar). "Don't be a beetroot" doesn't really cut it though. Ah-ha! "Red cabbage", but without the "red". Additional benefit of winding up the PC brigage. That's one thing sorted then.
Now, about the panda thing...
Don't be an aubergine! Doubly insulting, as it's a foreign word.
Nice, but I think "you dozy eggplant" is more subtly abusive.
Interesting article on page 3 of today's Times about the way in which the British Library is being taken over by students wanting somewhere nice to revise for their exams which has comfortable seats and fast WiFi. So many of them are going there that there's not much room left for the sort of researchers the library is supposed to be for.
British Library being used by students shocker.
It didn't used to be colonised by enormous number of students. It's a new development in the last five years or so.
I noticed it myself recently when I went for a drink in the cafe and struggled to find anywhere to sit. People were obviously sitting there all day on their laptops.
It was a bit anti-social IMO.
In the old coffee houses the tradition was I believe to put a couple of pennies on the bar to read the newspapers.
Ditto - if I could pay for just BBC4 - I probably would.
AA Gill in the Times was very funny the other day - he said that BBC3 needed to work out what it was for bar the parents and probation officers of those who appeared on it. Epic!
THE BBC needs its entire library or pretty much anything worth watching on I player. For years they stiffed us with 7 days so we missed stuff, now the world has moved on and the BBC is offering 12 months.
There needs to be a dual service, one for LCD and one with the good stuff.
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Ditto - if I could pay for just BBC4 - I probably would.
AA Gill in the Times was very funny the other day - he said that BBC3 needed to work out what it was for bar the parents and probation officers of those who appeared on it. Epic!
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Ditto - if I could pay for just BBC4 - I probably would.
AA Gill in the Times was very funny the other day - he said that BBC3 needed to work out what it was for bar the parents and probation officers of those who appeared on it. Epic!
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
"This is what political hegemony looks like. Having defeated his opponents, Mr Cameron is bending them to his view of the world. Short of actually paying reparations to Conservative HQ, it is hard to see how Labour could be any more under his boot."
"If personality is destiny, Mr Cameron will stay the sensible side of bug-eyed ideology. But he will still leave the British centre-ground some way to the right of where he found it in 2010, and without ever really intending to. Labour will splutter at this comparison but he evokes Attlee in one sense: he is not a radical so much as a shrewd manager of radicals. It was not Attlee himself but Aneurin Bevan, Hugh Dalton and other cabinet colleagues who did dramatic things with healthcare and welfare in the postwar years. Their prime minister supported, nudged and presided elegantly, but he tended not to initiate.
Something similar is true now. Mr Cameron is not an obvious man of destiny. It is Michael Gove who threw his soul into schools reform as education secretary. It is George Osborne, the chancellor, who is restless for a trimmer state and a more liberal economy. It is Steve Hilton, once the prime minister’s closest counsel and now a public voice in his own right, who instilled this government’s impatience to shake things up."
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Ditto - if I could pay for just BBC4 - I probably would.
AA Gill in the Times was very funny the other day - he said that BBC3 needed to work out what it was for bar the parents and probation officers of those who appeared on it. Epic!
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Ok, so you're back on my list of wise people. 'The Wire' is worth persevering with. I rate it above such classics as 'Lonesome Dove', and 'The Pallisers'.
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Anyone watching The Game?
I quite liked Peaky Blinders. The war hero as arch villain creates some interesting tensions.
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Anyone watching The Game?
It's a spy drama set in the 70's, started off cliched and slow but enjoying it now, last one next week.
It seems the BBC realized how popular Spooks was, wanted to bring it back in some fashion so thought they'd go for a Life on Mars type 70's scenario.
Ditto - if I could pay for just BBC4 - I probably would.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
If you gave up that early on The Wire, you would have missed out on Omar, a guy so cool he makes Usain Bolt seem like some gangling awkward pre-pubescent teen....
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Anyone watching The Game?
It's a spy drama set in the 70's, started off cliched and slow but enjoying it now, last one next week.
It seems the BBC realized how popular Spooks was, wanted to bring it back in some fashion so thought they'd go for a Life on Mars type 70's scenario.
If UEFA have any balls, they'll tell FIFA to do one.
I would presume the rhetoric from them will die down pretty quickly. They can spin that Blatter not winning in the first round was hugely encouraging and shows that Fifa and Blatter will have no choice but to take reform seriously from now on and so on and so forth, and so they they will stick around to see that things improve etc etc.
Interesting that Prince Ali talked about people being 'brave enough' to support him.
I wonder. I suspect that the European football associations will be coming under behind-the-scenes pressure from their national governments. Michel Platini looked to me like a man who was running ahead of the whip.
Well exactly. Qatar 2022 is the obvious joke, but the real prize would be denying Putin Russia 2018.
Russia is credible, I don't really mind that even disliking Putin. But Qatar, a step too far it has been suggested.
Of course Russia is a credible (even overdue) host - but if the Swiss investigation finds that the tournament was awarded illegally then I think the opportunity to humiliate Putin will be very attractive to the USA in particular.
Oh come on, you cannot expect Putin to have his eye on everyone, er can you? Prince Ali had a rotten ground game.
I think I'm just not big on *gritty* that's short on humour. The Wire just felt like a slog to watch and I couldn't see what was happening half the time either.
I loved The Shield which was simply super and had me from the first show.
Ditto - if I could pay for just BBC4 - I probably would.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Slow going! I'd have gone for 'elegantly paced and measured'. I've bought two books after watching the first episode.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
If you gave up that early on The Wire, you would have missed out on Omar, a guy so cool he makes Usain Bolt seem like some gangling awkward pre-pubescent teen....
"This is what political hegemony looks like. Having defeated his opponents, Mr Cameron is bending them to his view of the world. Short of actually paying reparations to Conservative HQ, it is hard to see how Labour could be any more under his boot."
"If personality is destiny, Mr Cameron will stay the sensible side of bug-eyed ideology. But he will still leave the British centre-ground some way to the right of where he found it in 2010, and without ever really intending to. Labour will splutter at this comparison but he evokes Attlee in one sense: he is not a radical so much as a shrewd manager of radicals. It was not Attlee himself but Aneurin Bevan, Hugh Dalton and other cabinet colleagues who did dramatic things with healthcare and welfare in the postwar years. Their prime minister supported, nudged and presided elegantly, but he tended not to initiate.
Something similar is true now. Mr Cameron is not an obvious man of destiny. It is Michael Gove who threw his soul into schools reform as education secretary. It is George Osborne, the chancellor, who is restless for a trimmer state and a more liberal economy. It is Steve Hilton, once the prime minister’s closest counsel and now a public voice in his own right, who instilled this government’s impatience to shake things up."
If I was a labour supporter i would find that article more depressing than the actual election results.
How do Labour match the Conservatives on the Right when they have so much active competition on the left? The SNPgasm might subside somewhat, but support wont trickle back to Labour pitching a shade to the left of the Conservatives.
This is far bigger than 2010. Speaking to a con MP today, the atmosphere is very different to 2010. A genuine buzz.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard work getting your ear in for the first few episodes. But it was well worth the mass of awards. The first 3 series are as fine as TV gets.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard work getting your ear in for the first few episodes. But it was well worth the mass of awards. The first 3 series are as fine as TV gets.
D'Angelo was the best character in the show...
Funniest line in show from the: James 'Jimmy' McNulty: No name, huh? Well, for now, we'll just call you Boris. Sergei 'Serge' Malatov: Boris. Why always Boris?
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
TV is a funny thing - I watched Breaking Bad the first time and loathed Jessie Pinkman. The second time I rather liked him and didn't find him so childish. I came to really dislike Skyler when the first time I'd largely ignored her.
I didn't think much of The Sopranos overall - some great bits - but far too much padding and going nowhere too often. I certainly wouldn't watch it again which is my yardstick for a great show.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard work getting your ear in for the first few episodes. But it was well worth the mass of awards. The first 3 series are as fine as TV gets.
D'Angelo was the best character in the show...
Funniest line in show from the: James 'Jimmy' McNulty: No name, huh? Well, for now, we'll just call you Boris. Sergei 'Serge' Malatov: Boris. Why always Boris?
If UEFA have any balls, they'll tell FIFA to do one.
I would presume the rhetoric from them will die down pretty quickly. They can spin that Blatter not winning in the first round was hugely encouraging and shows that Fifa and Blatter will have no choice but to take reform seriously from now on and so on and so forth, and so they they will stick around to see that things improve etc etc.
Interesting that Prince Ali talked about people being 'brave enough' to support him.
I wonder. I suspect that the European football associations will be coming under behind-the-scenes pressure from their national governments. Michel Platini looked to me like a man who was running ahead of the whip.
Well exactly. Qatar 2022 is the obvious joke, but the real prize would be denying Putin Russia 2018.
Russia is credible, I don't really mind that even disliking Putin. But Qatar, a step too far it has been suggested.
Of course Russia is a credible (even overdue) host - but if the Swiss investigation finds that the tournament was awarded illegally then I think the opportunity to humiliate Putin will be very attractive to the USA in particular.
Oh come on, you cannot expect Putin to have his eye on everyone, er can you? Prince Ali had a rotten ground game.
Russia 2018 will be great. Russian fans are serious ultras.
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
If I were in charge of the OUT campaign, I would campaign under the slogan "Not Good Enough", arguing that the terms that David Cameron had negotiated were inadequate and advocate a No vote on the basis that Britain would then have a mandate to trigger its exit clause in order to get the opportunity to negotiate better terms over the following two year period. That way you scoop up not just the headbanging BOOers but also quite a lot of the persuadables who might otherwise not take a leap of faith.
I am afraid I am not persuaded by your logic. Voting to leave in the hope of being able to do better trying to get back in?
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard work getting your ear in for the first few episodes. But it was well worth the mass of awards. The first 3 series are as fine as TV gets.
I find I've been reassessing my view of The Wire as the years go by. Some truly great, dramatic, compelling, exquisitely put together television...that I have not rewatched in many many years. Re-watch value is certainly not the most crucial factor in the worth or quality of a show, and of course individual tastes will differ, but I just wonder why as much as I remember enjoying it I rarely feel the urge to watch it again, compared to other great or merely entertaining shows (not all entertaining shows being of objectively great quality) which grip me much more.
@Andy_JS and @Omnium = you may enjoy Portillo's State Secrets = think it's on BBC2 and iPlayer right now. Lots of fun stuff from the National Archives that's not been widely reported until now.
Portillo's delivery style Is A BIT Thespian for MY Taste.
So why do we need formal legislative or judicial ties with the EU at all beyond those which we have with other friendly countries like Canada? That is my starting point for a discussion of these matters.
We would continue trade links of some type with the countries of the EU whatever happened. I'm simply not convinced that avoiding possible discrimination on the 10-15% of our GDP that is exports to the EU is enough of a reason to do remain in the alphabet soup, especially when that discrimination would be counter-productive to them economically, and could infringe various WTO rules.
As far as tariffs go, leaving the EU (whether or not we joined the EEA) would have essentially no impact on our terms of trade. We would have a free trade agreement with the EU, and we would almost certainly piggyback on agreements such as TTIP.
@rcs1000 But ... but ... I thought 3 million jobs depended on us being in the EU and doing everything they say? You don't mean that Nick Clegg, Tony Blair and Paddy Pantsdown lied to us do you?
Fwiw I have trudged through a good part of the academic literature on this, in part for my job and in part out of interest, and I must say that most of it agrees with you. Even the EU's own study only showed a net benefit of the Single Market of something like 0.5% of GDP.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard work getting your ear in for the first few episodes. But it was well worth the mass of awards. The first 3 series are as fine as TV gets.
I find I've been reassessing my view of The Wire as the years go by. Some truly great, dramatic, compelling, exquisitely put together television...that I have not rewatched in many many years. Re-watch value is certainly not the most crucial factor in the worth or quality of a show, and of course individual tastes will differ, but I just wonder why as much as I remember enjoying it I rarely feel the urge to watch it again, compared to other great or merely entertaining shows (not all entertaining shows being of objectively great quality) which grip me much more.
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
lefties going into meltdown mode on CIF over Owen Jones latest article. I particularly liked this one....
"It's especially 'not the end of the matter' in a rotten electoral system that hands absolute victory to a party that a) garnered only 37% of the vote and on many day-to-day issues does not represent the majority view and b) used despicable lies and distortions, aided and abetted by their disgusting media friends and wealthy backers, to swing some of its votes."
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
Curious, because his position on the contemporary political spectrum was easily as left as Foot was in his day. Just because you are left wing though, doesnt mean you have to consider the Deficit as some abstract concept. The numbers need to add up wherever you are on the spectrum. That isnt Toryism, thats good governance.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard work getting your ear in for the first few episodes. But it was well worth the mass of awards. The first 3 series are as fine as TV gets.
I find I've been reassessing my view of The Wire as the years go by. Some truly great, dramatic, compelling, exquisitely put together television...that I have not rewatched in many many years. Re-watch value is certainly not the most crucial factor in the worth or quality of a show, and of course individual tastes will differ, but I just wonder why as much as I remember enjoying it I rarely feel the urge to watch it again, compared to other great or merely entertaining shows (not all entertaining shows being of objectively great quality) which grip me much more.
Not my favourite season that. In all honesty put on the spot I find it hard to quantify why I liked it quite as much as I did. I liked the seemingly random powers plot generator, the 'heroes' being part of a government machine that was not exactly on the level at times vs the cultish elements of the 4400 centre, some other plot twists coming up in S3 which I thought gave an interesting spin on some of the shadier characters in the context of the mytharc of the future society trying to fix things.
Acting, besides the Jordan Collier bloke, was not a strong suit of the series though.
Really though the biggest reason may simply be I thought much of S4 was excellent (bar a couple of plot threads) and it ended on a massive, excellent and game changing cliff hanger for characters and the setting, was set for a final season...then the writer's strike happened. So it wrapped up at the moment of my maximum enjoyment.
Fear not, usually my recommendations are as focused on criticial or more wide cult appeal as anyone else.
I missed this Netflix stat earlier - golly, what a huge increase in subscribers
More than one in ten households are thought to have signed up to the American streaming service, helping it to amass 4.5million customers by summer last year, according to researcher by Digital TV service.
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
I shamelessly copied it from a random website - I doubt it's anything in particular. But these sort of stock images crop up, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it somewhere now!
I missed this Netflix stat earlier - golly, what a huge increase in subscribers
More than one in ten households are thought to have signed up to the American streaming service, helping it to amass 4.5million customers by summer last year, according to researcher by Digital TV service.
@Andy_JS and @Omnium = you may enjoy Portillo's State Secrets = think it's on BBC2 and iPlayer right now. Lots of fun stuff from the National Archives that's not been widely reported until now.
Portillo's delivery style Is A BIT Thespian for MY Taste.
The random superpowers are the only bit I like. It's rather fun.
Generally I hate witches in plots as they can make it up as they go along - deus ex machina style. Here the 4400 didn't resort to that too often which I give it props for.
Did you ever try that show set in the Antarctic research lab? I've forgotten its title but I think it's still running now? Has some evil Oriental looking bloke in charge and a twin brother? That had great potential but totally lost its own plot.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard work getting your ear in for the first few episodes. But it was well worth the mass of awards. The first 3 series are as fine as TV gets.
I find I've been reassessing my view of The Wire as the years go by. Some truly great, dramatic, compelling, exquisitely put together television...that I have not rewatched in many many years. Re-watch value is certainly not the most crucial factor in the worth or quality of a show, and of course individual tastes will differ, but I just wonder why as much as I remember enjoying it I rarely feel the urge to watch it again, compared to other great or merely entertaining shows (not all entertaining shows being of objectively great quality) which grip me much more.
Not my favourite season that. In all honesty put on the spot I find it hard to quantify why I liked it quite as much as I did. I liked the seemingly random powers plot generator, the 'heroes' being part of a government machine that was not exactly on the level at times vs the cultish elements of the 4400 centre, some other plot twists coming up in S3 which I thought gave an interesting spin on some of the shadier characters in the context of the mytharc of the future society trying to fix things.
Acting, besides the Jordan Collier bloke, was not a strong suit of the series though.
Fear not, usually my recommendations are as focused on criticial or more wide cult appeal as anyone else.
"This is what political hegemony looks like. Having defeated his opponents, Mr Cameron is bending them to his view of the world. Short of actually paying reparations to Conservative HQ, it is hard to see how Labour could be any more under his boot."
"If personality is destiny, Mr Cameron will stay the sensible side of bug-eyed ideology. But he will still leave the British centre-ground some way to the right of where he found it in 2010, and without ever really intending to. Labour will splutter at this comparison but he evokes Attlee in one sense: he is not a radical so much as a shrewd manager of radicals. It was not Attlee himself but Aneurin Bevan, Hugh Dalton and other cabinet colleagues who did dramatic things with healthcare and welfare in the postwar years. Their prime minister supported, nudged and presided elegantly, but he tended not to initiate.
Something similar is true now. Mr Cameron is not an obvious man of destiny. It is Michael Gove who threw his soul into schools reform as education secretary. It is George Osborne, the chancellor, who is restless for a trimmer state and a more liberal economy. It is Steve Hilton, once the prime minister’s closest counsel and now a public voice in his own right, who instilled this government’s impatience to shake things up."
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
Curious, because his position on the contemporary political spectrum was easily as left as Foot was in his day. Just because you are left wing though, doesnt mean you have to consider the Deficit as some abstract concept. The numbers need to add up wherever you are on the spectrum. That isnt Toryism, thats good governance.
So, if you want my opinion:
Miliband adopted Tory language.
He talked of the need to cut the deficit, not make public services more effective.
He talked of being "as tough as the Tories on welfare" (copyright Reeves), not about protecting legitimate claimants and the system from abuse.
He talked too much of a recovery that wasn't benefitting the poorest, and too little of a recession that was continuing as far as people were concerned.
Those are the same policy positions, articulated differently.
This is what gave the impression to those supporters that he as too right-wing.
THE BBC needs its entire library or pretty much anything worth watching on I player. For years they stiffed us with 7 days so we missed stuff, now the world has moved on and the BBC is offering 12 months.
There needs to be a dual service, one for LCD and one with the good stuff.
Couldn't agree more. Most of the vintage BBC shows I'd like to see are never repeated because they're too obscure or quirky.
For example when I was about 6 years old my favourite programme was a show on BBC called Bodymatters presented by three doctors including Graeme Garden of Goodies fame. As far as I know this has never been shown again, probably because it was very 80s and also because the medical advice probably became out-of-date fairly quickly. I'd love to be able to watch a few of the episodes again to see what it's like:
If UEFA have any balls, they'll tell FIFA to do one.
I would presume the rhetoric from them will die down pretty quickly. They can spin that Blatter not winning in the first round was hugely encouraging and shows that Fifa and Blatter will have no choice but to take reform seriously from now on and so on and so forth, and so they they will stick around to see that things improve etc etc.
Interesting that Prince Ali talked about people being 'brave enough' to support him.
I wonder. I suspect that the European football associations will be coming under behind-the-scenes pressure from their national governments. Michel Platini looked to me like a man who was running ahead of the whip.
Well exactly. Qatar 2022 is the obvious joke, but the real prize would be denying Putin Russia 2018.
Russia is credible, I don't really mind that even disliking Putin. But Qatar, a step too far it has been suggested.
Of course Russia is a credible (even overdue) host - but if the Swiss investigation finds that the tournament was awarded illegally then I think the opportunity to humiliate Putin will be very attractive to the USA in particular.
Oh come on, you cannot expect Putin to have his eye on everyone, er can you? Prince Ali had a rotten ground game.
Russia 2018 will be great. Russian fans are serious ultras.
I am planning a road trip.
Try to watch the footage of the recent Belgrade derby, only a few weeks ago and on You Tube.
Completely mad, if Russia 2018 is anything remotely like that then football will be finished.
If you want to understand Labour's problems, you could do worse than searching "Labour" on twitter.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
Curious, because his position on the contemporary political spectrum was easily as left as Foot was in his day. Just because you are left wing though, doesnt mean you have to consider the Deficit as some abstract concept. The numbers need to add up wherever you are on the spectrum. That isnt Toryism, thats good governance.
In what way? What policies (as opposed to rhetoric) did Miliband have which were even as left-wing as Blair's policies?
lefties going into meltdown mode on CIF over Owen Jones latest article. I particularly liked this one....
"It's especially 'not the end of the matter' in a rotten electoral system that hands absolute victory to a party that a) garnered only 37% of the vote and on many day-to-day issues does not represent the majority view and b) used despicable lies and distortions, aided and abetted by their disgusting media friends and wealthy backers, to swing some of its votes."
Conservatives had the same problem in 2000+. William Hague recalled about the conversations he had which started "if we only did XYX, we would be back in power for sure"
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I agree; and in the ruins of a defeat it is always difficult to find the makings of a victory. But it would be difficult to overestimate the mess the Labour Party will be at least until their new leader takes charge. Cameron should really press home his advantage: there is no official opposition at all.
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
Curious, because his position on the contemporary political spectrum was easily as left as Foot was in his day. Just because you are left wing though, doesnt mean you have to consider the Deficit as some abstract concept. The numbers need to add up wherever you are on the spectrum. That isnt Toryism, thats good governance.
So, if you want my opinion:
Miliband adopted Tory language.
He talked of the need to cut the deficit, not make public services more effective.
He talked of being "as tough as the Tories on welfare" (copyright Reeves), not about protecting legitimate claimants and the system from abuse.
He talked too much of a recovery that wasn't benefitting the poorest, and too little of a recession that was continuing as far as people were concerned.
Those are the same policy positions, articulated differently.
This is what gave the impression to those supporters that he as too right-wing.
And an exit poll last week found people said Miliband wasn't tough enough on big businesses, and should tax the rich more.
What did them in was people saying they would spend too much and couldn't be trusted with the economy. It's competence that's their problem, not "ideology".
"It's especially 'not the end of the matter' in a rotten electoral system that hands absolute victory to a party that a) garnered only 37% of the vote and on many day-to-day issues does not represent the majority view and b) used despicable lies and distortions, aided and abetted by their disgusting media friends and wealthy backers, to swing some of its votes."
which part, other than the florid adjective selection, which i admit is a matter of personal taste, is untrue? any political system that hands over absolute power on a little over a third of the popular vote (and under a quarter of the electorate) is indefensible and unsustainable. And yes, this was just as true in 2005. It wont last but the Tories will drag this zombie voting system as far as they can take it.
I missed this Netflix stat earlier - golly, what a huge increase in subscribers
More than one in ten households are thought to have signed up to the American streaming service, helping it to amass 4.5million customers by summer last year, according to researcher by Digital TV service.
"It's especially 'not the end of the matter' in a rotten electoral system that hands absolute victory to a party that a) garnered only 37% of the vote and on many day-to-day issues does not represent the majority view and b) used despicable lies and distortions, aided and abetted by their disgusting media friends and wealthy backers, to swing some of its votes."
which part, other than the florid adjective selection, which i admit is a matter of personal taste, is untrue? any political system that hands over absolute power on a little over a third of the popular vote (and under a quarter of the electorate) is indefensible and unsustainable. And yes, this was just as true in 2005. It wont last but the Tories will drag this zombie voting system as far as they can take it.
A thin majority in the lower chamber and a minority in the upper chamber is a long way from 'absolute power'.
THE BBC needs its entire library or pretty much anything worth watching on I player. For years they stiffed us with 7 days so we missed stuff, now the world has moved on and the BBC is offering 12 months.
There needs to be a dual service, one for LCD and one with the good stuff.
Couldn't agree more. Most of the vintage BBC shows I'd like to see are never repeated because they're too obscure or quirky.
For example when I was about 6 years old my favourite programme was a show on BBC called Bodymatters presented by three doctors including Graeme Garden of Goodies fame. As far as I know this has never been shown again, probably because it was very 80s and also because the medical advice probably became out-of-date fairly quickly. I'd love to be able to watch a few of the episodes again to see what it's like:
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate. He expressed his admiration for Hollande's France. He attacked big business and media ownership without any kind of concern for their retaliation. He relentlessly opposed austerity. In fact his opposition to austerity, and his refusal to admit the government he was a part of spent too much was his downfall.
He was vague on a lot of things because, quite honestly, there aint going to be much milk and honey about any time soon.
I missed this Netflix stat earlier - golly, what a huge increase in subscribers
More than one in ten households are thought to have signed up to the American streaming service, helping it to amass 4.5million customers by summer last year, according to researcher by Digital TV service.
"It's especially 'not the end of the matter' in a rotten electoral system that hands absolute victory to a party that a) garnered only 37% of the vote and on many day-to-day issues does not represent the majority view and b) used despicable lies and distortions, aided and abetted by their disgusting media friends and wealthy backers, to swing some of its votes."
which part, other than the florid adjective selection, which i admit is a matter of personal taste, is untrue? any political system that hands over absolute power on a little over a third of the popular vote (and under a quarter of the electorate) is indefensible and unsustainable. And yes, this was just as true in 2005. It wont last but the Tories will drag this zombie voting system as far as they can take it.
A thin majority in the lower chamber and a minority in the upper chamber is a long way from 'absolute power'.
And the alternative is for backroom deals. Or what? Some tiny minority holding the rest to ransom? Yawn. In contest after contest the electorate voted against being held to ransom.
Did you ever try that show set in the Antarctic research lab? I've forgotten its title but I think it's still running now? Has some evil Oriental looking bloke in charge and a twin brother? That had great potential but totally lost its own plot.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard worts.
I find I've been reassessing my view of The Wire as the years go by. Some truly great, drare.
N.
Helix perhaps? Think it might be over now, it's on my 'to watch' list after I saw the first episode - a bit grim (without being colourful in other ways, which I usually like), but seemed well produced and tense.
I recently watched Under the Dome on Amazon Prime - golly, there's a show that really feels like it wasn't expecting to get more than one season. Also the 'american tv year' type character developments - friends, enemies and loves made and lost and made again - become incredibly amusing when you realise scant weeks have passed in-universe.
It wont last but the Tories will drag this zombie voting system as far as they can take it.
The worrying thought would be that when Labour win power back under the same system, will they be committed to changing it? They didn't the last time they had the power, and albeit when only one particular option was offered to change it slightly they were not united on it.
Zombies can drag on for a long long time after all.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate.
Blair also "intervened" in the energy market (windfall taxes), had higher taxation for the super-rich, and in opposition promised to end zero-hour contracts. And even the US (that hotbed of socialism that it is) has rent controls.
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
If UEFA have any balls, they'll tell FIFA to do one.
I would presume the rhetoric from them will die down pretty quickly. They can spin that Blatter not winning in the first round was hugely encouraging and shows that Fifa and Blatter will have no choice but to take reform seriously from now on and so on and so forth, and so they they will stick around to see that things improve etc etc.
Interesting that Prince Ali talked about people being 'brave enough' to support him.
I wonder. I suspect that the European football associations will be coming under behind-the-scenes pressure from their national governments. Michel Platini looked to me like a man who was running ahead of the whip.
Well exactly. Qatar 2022 is the obvious joke, but the real prize would be denying Putin Russia 2018.
Russia is credible, I don't really mind that even disliking Putin. But Qatar, a step too far it has been suggested.
Of course Russia is a credible (even overdue) host - but if the Swiss investigation finds that the tournament was awarded illegally then I think the opportunity to humiliate Putin will be very attractive to the USA in particular.
Oh come on, you cannot expect Putin to have his eye on everyone, er can you? Prince Ali had a rotten ground game.
Russia 2018 will be great. Russian fans are serious ultras.
I am planning a road trip.
Try to watch the footage of the recent Belgrade derby, only a few weeks ago and on You Tube.
Completely mad, if Russia 2018 is anything remotely like that then football will be finished.
I suspect the Russian plod will be rather heavy handed. They don't do softly-softly.
@Andy_JS and @Omnium = you may enjoy Portillo's State Secrets = think it's on BBC2 and iPlayer right now. Lots of fun stuff from the National Archives that's not been widely reported until now.
Portillo's delivery style Is A BIT Thespian for MY Taste.
lefties going into meltdown mode on CIF over Owen Jones latest article. I particularly liked this one....
"It's especially 'not the end of the matter' in a rotten electoral system that hands absolute victory to a party that a) garnered only 37% of the vote and on many day-to-day issues does not represent the majority view and b) used despicable lies and distortions, aided and abetted by their disgusting media friends and wealthy backers, to swing some of its votes."
I missed this Netflix stat earlier - golly, what a huge increase in subscribers
More than one in ten households are thought to have signed up to the American streaming service, helping it to amass 4.5million customers by summer last year, according to researcher by Digital TV service.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate.
Blair also "intervened" in the energy market (windfall taxes), had higher taxation for the super-rich, and in opposition promised to end zero-hour contracts. And even the US (that hotbed of socialism that it is) has rent controls.
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
But those were different times. The centre of gravity had changed. It's like saying Thatcher had higher rates of tax for most of her time in office, than Brown ever had. She had 60% higher rate and 30% basic rate for over eight years.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate. He expressed his admiration for Hollande's France. He attacked big business and media ownership without any kind of concern for their retaliation. He relentlessly opposed austerity. In fact his opposition to austerity, and his refusal to admit the government he was a part of spent too much was his downfall.
He was vague on a lot of things because, quite honestly, there aint going to be much milk and honey about any time soon.
If that was a reply to me: I agree with some.
The only part I disagree with is austerity. He didn't really fight austerity - he accepted the need for a cut in public spending. Until polling day he challenged the Tories to say what they'd cut, not the fact they'd cut.
As to the others, he had left-wing policies, but he was fighting on right-wing ground. He talked of Tory unfunded promises, not that they were spending money on the wrong things.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate.
Blair also "intervened" in the energy market (windfall taxes), had higher taxation for the super-rich, and in opposition promised to end zero-hour contracts. And even the US (that hotbed of socialism that it is) has rent controls.
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
But those were different times. The centre of gravity had changed. It's like saying Thatcher had higher rates of tax for most of her time in office, than Brown ever had. She had 60% higher rate and 30% basic rate for over eight years.
Fine, but it's clearly nonsense to say Miliband was "as left-wing as Foot".
Did you ever try that show set in the Antarctic research lab? I've forgotten its title but I think it's still running now? Has some evil Oriental looking bloke in charge and a twin brother? That had great potential but totally lost its own plot.
The Wire made no compromises on its authentic Baltimore dialect and dialogue. It was hard worts.
I find I've been reassessing my view of The Wire as the years go by. Some truly great, drare.
N.
Helix perhaps? Think it might be over now, it's on my 'to watch' list after I saw the first episode - a bit grim (without being colourful in other ways, which I usually like), but seemed well produced and tense.
I recently watched Under the Dome on Amazon Prime - golly, there's a show that really feels like it wasn't expecting to get more than one season. Also the 'american tv year' type character developments - friends, enemies and loves made and lost and made again - become incredibly amusing when you realise scant weeks have passed in-universe.
It wont last but the Tories will drag this zombie voting system as far as they can take it.
The worrying thought would be that when Labour win power back under the same system, will they be committed to changing it? They didn't the last time they had the power, and albeit when only one particular option was offered to change it slightly they were not united on it.
Zombies can drag on for a long long time after all.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate.
Blair also "intervened" in the energy market (windfall taxes), had higher taxation for the super-rich, and in opposition promised to end zero-hour contracts. And even the US (that hotbed of socialism that it is) has rent controls.
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
Blair liberalised the domestic energy market, removing price controls (that had existed for over fifteen years since privatisation of British Gas) and allowing the market to set the price. That is the very opposite of what Miliband proposed.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate.
Blair also "intervened" in the energy market (windfall taxes), had higher taxation for the super-rich, and in opposition promised to end zero-hour contracts. And even the US (that hotbed of socialism that it is) has rent controls.
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
But those were different times. The centre of gravity had changed. It's like saying Thatcher had higher rates of tax for most of her time in office, than Brown ever had. She had 60% higher rate and 30% basic rate for over eight years.
Fine, but it's clearly nonsense to say Miliband was "as left-wing as Foot".
I think you might have missed my point. I maybe didnt articulate it very well.
Miliband is not as left as Foot was on an absolute scale, but he is in the same area of the spectrum in today's politics that Foot was in his day.
He is as far to the left of todays centre, as Foot was of his centre in 1983.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate.
Blair also "intervened" in the energy market (windfall taxes), had higher taxation for the super-rich, and in opposition promised to end zero-hour contracts. And even the US (that hotbed of socialism that it is) has rent controls.
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
But those were different times. The centre of gravity had changed. It's like saying Thatcher had higher rates of tax for most of her time in office, than Brown ever had. She had 60% higher rate and 30% basic rate for over eight years.
Fine, but it's clearly nonsense to say Miliband was "as left-wing as Foot".
I think you might have missed my point. I maybe didnt articulate it very well.
Miliband is not as left as Foot was on an absolute scale, but he is in the same area of the spectrum in today's politics that Foot was in his day.
He is as far to the left of todays centre, as Foot was of his centre in 1983.
The public placed Miliband closer to the centre than Cameron the last time YouGov asked.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate. He expressed his admiration for Hollande's France. He attacked big business and media ownership without any kind of concern for their retaliation. He relentlessly opposed austerity. In fact his opposition to austerity, and his refusal to admit the government he was a part of spent too much was his downfall.
He was vague on a lot of things because, quite honestly, there aint going to be much milk and honey about any time soon.
If that was a reply to me: I agree with some.
The only part I disagree with is austerity. He didn't really fight austerity - he accepted the need for a cut in public spending. Until polling day he challenged the Tories to say what they'd cut, not the fact they'd cut.
As to the others, he had left-wing policies, but he was fighting on right-wing ground. He talked of Tory unfunded promises, not that they were spending money on the wrong things.
Yes it was, i find the quoting system messes up after a half dozen responses. Very irritating.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate.
Blair also "intervened" in the energy market (windfall taxes), had higher taxation for the super-rich, and in opposition promised to end zero-hour contracts. And even the US (that hotbed of socialism that it is) has rent controls.
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
But those were different times. The centre of gravity had changed. It's like saying Thatcher had higher rates of tax for most of her time in office, than Brown ever had. She had 60% higher rate and 30% basic rate for over eight years.
Fine, but it's clearly nonsense to say Miliband was "as left-wing as Foot".
The AV campaign tried to do politics without politicians and that didn't go well for them. Maybe there's ambitious Tory minister who could take a run at it?
If you are an ambitious Tory minister and a committed Eurosceptic, resigning from the government to lead the OUT campaign would be a gutsy move. If you win the referendum you pretty much become PM, don't you?
It's not quite a sure thing but you'd certainly be very well positioned. And you might even end up advancing your career if you lost; A lot (a majority?) of Tory supporters will have backed "out", and the next PM will want to show they're welcome in the tent.
The only problem is that, in order not to show disloyalty and bad faith, you probably can't resign from the government until the renegotiation is complete. And that might be a bit too late.
I see the problem - I wonder what the timescale looks like.
It's a rather depressing thought, but the biggest factor in Liz Kendall's favour may be the fact that she's the only candidate with a southern accent. (She's originally from Watford).
Comments
Looking forward to Jon Stewart's take...
Personally, I'd say 4-1 in favour of In.
Now, about the panda thing...
I'd happily pay to have access to the BBC archives. I've found myself seeking out Youtube versions of BBC programmes from time to time. I'd much prefer to buy a dvd, or whatever. For example they are re-running a series called "Inside the Medieval Mind". I saw the first episode, and it justified my annual license fee on its own . I'd really like to be able buy the four episode series, so that I can watch it when I like - however I can't.
Maybe something like iTunes would be good. TV license payers perhaps having an annual credit that they can use.
Loads of shared investment shows appear on PBS - all you need is the right looking IP address to watch them.
I noticed it myself recently when I went for a drink in the cafe and struggled to find anywhere to sit. People were obviously sitting there all day on their laptops.
It was a bit anti-social IMO.
iplayer should be a subscription service, so foreigners cough up, while Brits just need to put in their tv licence number.
Steps that might head the BBC into a subscription direction, probably scare the cr@p out of BBC executives.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay!), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
Joking aside, William's made one the strongest arguments for deep BBC reform I've heard in a while.
AA Gill in the Times was very funny the other day - he said that BBC3 needed to work out what it was for bar the parents and probation officers of those who appeared on it. Epic!
This is great. An American young-earth creationist who is also a fossil hunter.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/05/29/fish_fossils_unearthed_by_creationist
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
I'm a heretic, I don't like The Wire - far too much swearing and shot in Black-O-Vision. I gave in within a few shows. I really should try it again,
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f70e739c-048b-11e5-95ad-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3bYmqzBJB
"This is what political hegemony looks like. Having defeated his opponents, Mr Cameron is bending them to his view of the world. Short of actually paying reparations to Conservative HQ, it is hard to see how Labour could be any more under his boot."
"If personality is destiny, Mr Cameron will stay the sensible side of bug-eyed ideology. But he will still leave the British centre-ground some way to the right of where he found it in 2010, and without ever really intending to. Labour will splutter at this comparison but he evokes Attlee in one sense: he is not a radical so much as a shrewd manager of radicals. It was not Attlee himself but Aneurin Bevan, Hugh Dalton and other cabinet colleagues who did dramatic things with healthcare and welfare in the postwar years. Their prime minister supported, nudged and presided elegantly, but he tended not to initiate.
Something similar is true now. Mr Cameron is not an obvious man of destiny. It is Michael Gove who threw his soul into schools reform as education secretary. It is George Osborne, the chancellor, who is restless for a trimmer state and a more liberal economy. It is Steve Hilton, once the prime minister’s closest counsel and now a public voice in his own right, who instilled this government’s impatience to shake things up."
I'm just starting on Peaky Blinders about English organised crime on Netflix.
I know there are routes to get more TV, and PBS has good stuff. What I want though, and I'm sure you're in this camp too, is the best TV. I've hunted down all sorts of oddities, and some of those have become more widely available - Ripping Yarns (took me ages to get a couple of episodes), 'The Secret War' (Brilliant, and I want to pay - think it may be !), 'The Joy of Stats', and a couple of other things Hans Rosling has done.
You get the idea.
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Anyone watching The Game?
It's a spy drama set in the 70's, started off cliched and slow but enjoying it now, last one next week.
It seems the BBC realized how popular Spooks was, wanted to bring it back in some fashion so thought they'd go for a Life on Mars type 70's scenario.
It's OK though, enjoyable.
If you gave up that early on The Wire, you would have missed out on Omar, a guy so cool he makes Usain Bolt seem like some gangling awkward pre-pubescent teen....
I'm still befuddled by your "Slow going" comment! I've always thought you were a reasonable and wise person
If I happen upon BBC3, or ITV then I get the impression that great big letters are slowly appearing on my screen - those being 'WTF' (what the.. , for those unfamiliar with the term)
From time to time in the office we discuss the merits of TV. On the whole 'The Wire' wins, but I always maintain that the best ever series is 'I Claudius' - when someone comes over and shakes my hand for the recommendation then I'll know that person is headed for high things.
Anyone watching The Game?
It's a spy drama set in the 70's, started off cliched and slow but enjoying it now, last one next week.
It seems the BBC realized how popular Spooks was, wanted to bring it back in some fashion so thought they'd go for a Life on Mars type 70's scenario.
It's OK though, enjoyable.
Im going to quietly mention the one single most important applicationthat would change your life, for TV related things. Sickbeard.
I shall say no more....
Prince Ali had a rotten ground game.
I loved The Shield which was simply super and had me from the first show.
How do Labour match the Conservatives on the Right when they have so much active competition on the left? The SNPgasm might subside somewhat, but support wont trickle back to Labour pitching a shade to the left of the Conservatives.
This is far bigger than 2010. Speaking to a con MP today, the atmosphere is very different to 2010. A genuine buzz.
"Finding it hard to believe that @andyburnhammp has sold out too. There is no hope for #Labour. And my dad is spinning in his grave :-("
"We didn't leave labour, they left us" A repetitive consensus amongst Labour voters, & I fear until #Labour understand THIS they are doomed.
etc. etc. just so many
Plus those who point out they need to win Tory votes...
Funniest line in show from the:
James 'Jimmy' McNulty: No name, huh? Well, for now, we'll just call you Boris.
Sergei 'Serge' Malatov: Boris. Why always Boris?
XYZ usually involved some very hard line right wing position that was desperately important to them, but not much to the general voter.
I didn't think much of The Sopranos overall - some great bits - but far too much padding and going nowhere too often. I certainly wouldn't watch it again which is my yardstick for a great show.
I loved Sons of Anarchy and bought it.
I am planning a road trip.
Portillo's delivery style Is A BIT Thespian for MY Taste.
Eltham: Jowell/Khan
I seem to have more declarations that other sources - but it's only plus or minus one:
Jowell 33
Khan 25
Lammy 8
Abbott 4
Wolmar 2
Thomas 1
No preference 1
Undecided or unknown 72
Fwiw I have trudged through a good part of the academic literature on this, in part for my job and in part out of interest, and I must say that most of it agrees with you. Even the EU's own study only showed a net benefit of the Single Market of something like 0.5% of GDP.
What did you like about it so much? What am I missing here?
It's not just the SNP. Whilst many in party will say that Miliband was the left-wing candidate who lost (Burnham, Kendall), supporters draw the opposite conclusion: Miliband talked the Tory talk and lost.
OT I must ask is that a Disney bunny avatar? Or Watership Down? It looks really familiar, but I can't place where it comes from.
"It's especially 'not the end of the matter' in a rotten electoral system that hands absolute victory to a party that a) garnered only 37% of the vote and on many day-to-day issues does not represent the majority view and b) used despicable lies and distortions, aided and abetted by their disgusting media friends and wealthy backers, to swing some of its votes."
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/29/attack-douglas-carswell-ukip-austerity
Acting, besides the Jordan Collier bloke, was not a strong suit of the series though.
Really though the biggest reason may simply be I thought much of S4 was excellent (bar a couple of plot threads) and it ended on a massive, excellent and game changing cliff hanger for characters and the setting, was set for a final season...then the writer's strike happened. So it wrapped up at the moment of my maximum enjoyment.
Fear not, usually my recommendations are as focused on criticial or more wide cult appeal as anyone else.
Generally I hate witches in plots as they can make it up as they go along - deus ex machina style. Here the 4400 didn't resort to that too often which I give it props for.
Did you ever try that show set in the Antarctic research lab? I've forgotten its title but I think it's still running now? Has some evil Oriental looking bloke in charge and a twin brother? That had great potential but totally lost its own plot.
Miliband adopted Tory language.
He talked of the need to cut the deficit, not make public services more effective.
He talked of being "as tough as the Tories on welfare" (copyright Reeves), not about protecting legitimate claimants and the system from abuse.
He talked too much of a recovery that wasn't benefitting the poorest, and too little of a recession that was continuing as far as people were concerned.
Those are the same policy positions, articulated differently.
This is what gave the impression to those supporters that he as too right-wing.
For example when I was about 6 years old my favourite programme was a show on BBC called Bodymatters presented by three doctors including Graeme Garden of Goodies fame. As far as I know this has never been shown again, probably because it was very 80s and also because the medical advice probably became out-of-date fairly quickly. I'd love to be able to watch a few of the episodes again to see what it's like:
http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/mivana/mediaplayer.php?id=86d296985034dedc01f911eda10a0eb3&media=bodymatters1986&type=mp4
Completely mad, if Russia 2018 is anything remotely like that then football will be finished.
The first Labour leadership contender to brand him a "shallow twat who has nothing to say, but says it anyway" would be one worth watching carefully.
http://www.gqrr.com/uk-post-election-2
What did them in was people saying they would spend too much and couldn't be trusted with the economy. It's competence that's their problem, not "ideology".
which part, other than the florid adjective selection, which i admit is a matter of personal taste, is untrue? any political system that hands over absolute power on a little over a third of the popular vote (and under a quarter of the electorate) is indefensible and unsustainable. And yes, this was just as true in 2005. It wont last but the Tories will drag this zombie voting system as far as they can take it.
But he talked about fixing prices in the rental market, fixing prices in the energy market, fixing prices in the railways and through a process of taking in rail franchises as they came up, effectively renationalising the railways. He talked of banning zero hours contracts, increasing minimum wage, abolishing the 'bedroom tax' reintroducing 50p top income tax rate. He expressed his admiration for Hollande's France. He attacked big business and media ownership without any kind of concern for their retaliation. He relentlessly opposed austerity. In fact his opposition to austerity, and his refusal to admit the government he was a part of spent too much was his downfall.
He was vague on a lot of things because, quite honestly, there aint going to be much milk and honey about any time soon.
I seem to be a rare beast - the person who was distinctly "meh" about the remade House of Cards!
SICIFIFAP?
I recently watched Under the Dome on Amazon Prime - golly, there's a show that really feels like it wasn't expecting to get more than one season. Also the 'american tv year' type character developments - friends, enemies and loves made and lost and made again - become incredibly amusing when you realise scant weeks have passed in-universe. The worrying thought would be that when Labour win power back under the same system, will they be committed to changing it? They didn't the last time they had the power, and albeit when only one particular option was offered to change it slightly they were not united on it.
Zombies can drag on for a long long time after all.
An early good night to all
On top of that, Blair proposed higher spending levels than Miliband did.
Qatar will just be crap though.
All packed with lovely little anecdotes about various historical events, inventions or personalities.
I think most are on Travel Channel or Pick
The only part I disagree with is austerity. He didn't really fight austerity - he accepted the need for a cut in public spending. Until polling day he challenged the Tories to say what they'd cut, not the fact they'd cut.
As to the others, he had left-wing policies, but he was fighting on right-wing ground. He talked of Tory unfunded promises, not that they were spending money on the wrong things.
Miliband is not as left as Foot was on an absolute scale, but he is in the same area of the spectrum in today's politics that Foot was in his day.
He is as far to the left of todays centre, as Foot was of his centre in 1983.
http://labourlist.org/2014/12/red-ed-poll-shows-miliband-closer-to-the-centre-than-cameron/
Miliband 232 seats
"The poverty and unemployment which we came into existence to fight have been largely conquered."