Austen Day

 So, 250 years ago today, Jane Austen was born.

We remember reading Northanger Abbey for O Level. We spent more time in the exam writing about her than the other two writers combined (Shakespeare and Tennyson, since you ask).

For A level, Mansfield Park and Emma.

For our degree Everybloodything. And 'Regulated Hatred' and Locke, Barbara Hardy and Marilyn Butler.  And everything else relevant...

BBC Radio 4 was in full celebration mode today, from Woman's Hour to Front Row and all points in between. Radio 4 presenters in crinolines and strange voices.  Versions of the books, and some brilliant discussions.

I think this was my favourite.

Lizzie, Again

Quite a good BBC Radio 4 version of Pride and Prejudice is on at the present.
Severely edited, but still fun.

Tamsin Greig as Jane Austen.

Budget Day

 Political commentary has been full of budget speculation for the last few weeks.  Many people seem to have pointed out that Brexit has made everything worse. 

Today is budget day, and doubtless there will be a reaction, whatever is announced.  That will take a while.

But what will people talk about then?

On Amol On UC

 University Challenge has only had three question masters.  

Bamber Gascoigne (1962-1987), who always gave the impression that he knew more than anyone else in the room, and that he probably wrote the questions, while at the same time giving out a real sense of enthusiasm.  We did meet him once, back in the 1970s, when Durham were in the final. (I wasn't on the team, but the much-missed Ken Brown was).

Jeremy Paxman (1994-2023) was the second person to take the role. He came over as the arch-inquisitor, not suffering fools gladly.  Replaying his persona as questioner on Newsnight and other current affairs programmes into the UC role.  But he lacked Bamber's warmth.

And so to Amol Rajan. To be honest, we haven't had that much time for him as a journalist, either at the Independent or on the BBC Today programme.  He seemed to us to come across as both shallow and a know-it-all.  An amazing trick.  However, he has done very well, we think, in the UC job.  To our surprise.  He shows Bamberish enthusiasm, and glints of knowledge, while still being firm.  

A success, we believe.

Thwarting Evil Wiles

Suella Braverman on BBC R4 just now, defending Home Office policies. Repeatedly discussing the courts "thwarting" Government plans (eg deportation to Rwanda). Later on, the same phrases cited in the Guardian.

She seems tone deaf to the words she uses. Mostly, for us at the Trees, things that are "thwarted" are the plans of evil masterminds or the wiles of the Devil.

As in:

"Crowley looked up slyly.

“'Then you can't be certain, correct me if I'm wrong, you can't be certain that thwarting it isn't part of the divine plan too. I mean, you're supposed to thwart the wiles of the Evil One at every turn, aren't you?'

"Aziraphale hesitated.

“'There is that, yes.'

“'You see a wile, you thwart. Am I right?'

“'Broadly, broadly. Actually I encourage humans to do the actual thwarting. Because of ineffability, you understand.'

“'Right. Right. So all you've got to do is thwart."

(Pratchett & Gaiman, Good Omens).

What I'm unclear about is whether the Home Secretary is genuinely and profoundly tone deaf to the language she uses, or is simply revelling in the way it characterises her as the Evil One. 

Earth

 My favourite museum in London is actually a very, very small institution, while my favourite museum object sits in a case in one of the largest and busiest.  But my favourite single museum gallery is perhaps a quirky choice.  It’s in the Natural History Museum.  Not the dinosaurs, nor indeed any other of the Life galleries.  Instead, at the other end of the site, in the old Geological museum, now rebadged as the Earth galleries, there is a space that always captures my imagination.

It presents a multi-million year timeline that charts the story of the evolution of life with plate tectonics and the story of the changing earth.  It covers the various mass extinction events, and the changing atmosphere alongside the geological shifts.  A few years ago, it had a refresh, which to my mind dumbed it down a little, but it’s still pretty good.

Perhaps partly because of this, for the last few weeks I’ve been particularly enjoying the new Chris Packham documentary, “Earth” on the BBC.  The episodes don’t flow in chronical order, but mostly work back in time from the Permian mass extinction, covering snowball earth and the early development of the atmosphere along the way, before ending with the arrival and impact of humans.

It’s pretty good, and includes a lot of the newest science and archaeology.  Chris Packham, I think, does well as the presenter (I recognise he may be a little marmite for some). He is passionate, and cares about the stories he’s telling. 

Like all TV documentaries, it has its longueurs; as with most, there is a lot of standing around in beautiful places overseas and pointing.  But there feels, to me, to be more meat in it than in some of the recent Brian Cox shows, or even, dare I say, Attenboroughland.

The visual language of these documentaries was established, I guess, by Kenneth Clark’s “Civilisation” in the late 60s, and Bronowski’s “The Ascent of Man” a few years later.  The latter is being rebroadcast on BBC4, and is available on iPlayer, so I have had a look.  The visual language is indeed very similar, but it is much, much slower than the films we have today.  And of course some of the arguments are very dated now.

Anyway, I recommend the Packham series.  I think it’s worth the watch,

 

Gary and George, outside the BBC.

 

This Was Also Fun, Tonight...

 

The CPI versus the Vimes Boot Index

 

In today's news, the UK's unofficial arbiter of all things statistical, 'More or Less' on BBCR4, has had a look at Jack Monroe's strong criticism of the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). For those who've missed this, they argue that it massively underestimates the inflation felt by the poorest consumers, because the cheapest essentials rise in price by a greater percentage.

Short answer: They're right, and the Office of National Statistics admit it.

The programme also mentions their proposed new measure, the Vimes Boot Index.

The whole programme is worth a listen. It includes the usual calling out of pernicious Covid myths, as well as a debunking of the 'five second rule' for dropped food.

Continuity, Permanence

I gather

they give us continuity

I gather that

if we didn't have them

we wouldn't feel continuous.

If I want continuity

I read an old book

I gather

they give us permanence.

I gather that

if we didn't have them

we wouldn't feel permanent.

If I want permanence

I look at a rock.

Michael Rosen 

Covid Mythbusting

Patrick Vallance and Chris Witty delivered an exemplary piece of mythbusting today.

- No, the virus isn't becoming less dangerous, however much we might wish it were. 

- No, the recent increases aren't due to increased testing.

- No, we are nowhere near developing herd immunity in the UK.

- No, we can't learn to just 'live with Covid'.

And yes, although treatment has improved, we all have to work as community to prevent a huge increase in cases, hospitalisations and deaths over the winter.  

With luck, there will be a vaccine in early 2021. 

Is There Life On Venus?

 Well, we just don't know!  (To quote).  However, The Sky at Night has just beautifully explained the science, the hope and the doubt.  Such Joy!!!

Watch it here.

Doctors

As now seems well known, ongoing series and soaps take a while to pick up and reflect the pandemic.  And they don't always do it very well.  The Archers, for example,  is now a rather sub-par talking heads show.

In which context, the last episode of Doctors, a usually rather bland BBC1 lunchtime soapy series was quite remarkable.  I sometimes see a little of the show, before I turn over, as it comes on after the lunchtime news. 

The last episode, on 11th June, was their only chance to reflect the pandemic.  They did it through a whole series of video chats.

And it was quietly wonderful.  There was tension, pathos and the whole thing worked.  As a medical soap they could cover many aspects of the crisis.  And it was well acted. 

Wales v Belgium 2016

So the BBC is sharing old games from the Euros.  Just starting is Wales v Belgium from 2016. Quarter Finals. England already out.  How could I not watch this?

42 Years

42 years ago yesterday, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was broadcast for the first time.  On Radio 4.  I was at University, and listened to it, I think, with Ken Brown and Andy Crook in Andy's room. 

Pretty damn good.

So, anyway, last night Radio 4 Extra played the first series, with some bonus programmes.  I couldn't listen to it.  But, of course, it is still there on Sounds.

Listening now...

Spacey...

Well, yesterday was a bit spacey.

First on the terrible R4 programme, the inheritance tracks of Chris Hadfield.  Including 'Where Have all the Flowers Gone?'.  Mind you, although he wanted to hand on a song we certainly hadn't heard of, we all know what it s he's really passed on...

Then yesterday afternoon through the driving rain to the Odeon Greenwich - which looks a little space agey, to see Gravity.  Which was enjoyed, I must say.  Lots of references to other space movies, and only the odd faux pas.

And so to home, and as it was a clear night we set up the telescope and looked at Jupiter.
A clear orangey disk, and all four Galilean satellites clearly visible.

Marvellous.

Finnamore Crescent

We weren't going to listen to this (things to do). But the great John Finnamore was on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.  Wonderful.  Especially his first go at Mornington Cresecent...

Reserve

We won't be commenting upon the Dr Who 50th until we've seen it at least twice more..

Dates

This weekend appears to be the time of anniversaries.
CS Lewis, Huxley, Britten, JFK and Doctor Who.
Chener bookshop window is full of Lewis and the Doctor.
JFK specials on the BBC and in the Guardian.
Britten on R3.
Play about Lewis & Tolkien on R4 (not actually that good).
And wall-to-wall Who.  Documentaries (lovely to see Troughton again - our Doctor), minisode, clips, essays, articles, teasers, even a Dr Who Celebrity Pointless.

The main event starts in under half an hour...

Sky Saved!

News from a day or two ago, but the BBC have reprieved The Sky At Night.  As we've noted before, it means a lot to us.  And we recognised the seven hundredth episode in these pages.

So Hurrah!