“Humankind cannot bear very much reality” – that was T S Eliot’s judgement on us. Had he been around in the 1980s to witness the huff-and-puff about the BBC NI programme Real Lives, he would have nodded in recognition. Alasdair Milne, who has just died and was director-general of the BBC at the time, pushed […]
January, 2013
Alasdair Milne is dead; Thatcher’s spirit lives on
“Humankind cannot bear very much reality” – that was T S Eliot’s judgement on us. Had he been around in the 1980s to witness the huff-and-puff about the BBC NI programme Real Lives, he would have nodded in recognition. Alasdair Milne, who has just died and was director-general of the BBC at the time, pushed […]
O Happy Day, O Happy Flagpole…
‘O Happy Day!’ Is that the song unionists will have on their lips today? Especially the flag protestor unionists? You might expect so, because today the Union flag will be raised over City Hall once again. It’s to mark the birthday of Katie Middleton, former commoner, now the Duchess of Cambridge. It’ll go up on […]
O Happy Day, O Happy Flagpole…
‘O Happy Day!’ Is that the song unionists will have on their lips today? Especially the flag protestor unionists? You might expect so, because today the Union flag will be raised over City Hall once again. It’s to mark the birthday of Katie Middleton, former commoner, now the Duchess of Cambridge. It’ll go up on […]
Turn your radio on and hear some wisdom. Maybe.
Sometimes your reputation can mean people assume you’re talking rubbish, and even when you talk good sense it’s still seen as rubbish. It works the other way too: develop a reputation for thoughtfulness and you can get away with superficial tripe. There was an instance of it on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 […]
Turn your radio on and hear some wisdom. Maybe.
Sometimes your reputation can mean people assume you’re talking rubbish, and even when you talk good sense it’s still seen as rubbish. It works the other way too: develop a reputation for thoughtfulness and you can get away with superficial tripe. There was an instance of it on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 […]
A brief chat about tit-for-tatters
Q: You actually seen some of these flag demonstrators/rioters in action? A: No, but I’ve read reports about their actions – and the response of politicians. And of course there are the telly reports. Q: So the media are keeping you posted on what’s happening? A: Yep. Q: And what to make of it. A: […]
A brief chat about tit-for-tatters
Q: You actually seen some of these flag demonstrators/rioters in action? A: No, but I’ve read reports about their actions – and the response of politicians. And of course there are the telly reports. Q: So the media are keeping you posted on what’s happening? A: Yep. Q: And what to make of it. A: […]
What’s that glugging sound?
Can you swim? Yeah, me too. On the other hand I’d be useless as a support to someone who was showing signs they might be drowning. All that thrashing about and grabbing the first limb they can locate – you’d find me swimming hard in the opposite direction. Which is why I’d stay well back […]
What’s that glugging sound?
Can you swim? Yeah, me too. On the other hand I’d be useless as a support to someone who was showing signs they might be drowning. All that thrashing about and grabbing the first limb they can locate – you’d find me swimming hard in the opposite direction. Which is why I’d stay well back […]