we’ve never had to live under Madame Thatcher’s regime.

True, you never had that Evil Bitch.  However at least she made her own mind up.  Her Boyfriend in charge of you lot asked his wife’s astrologer.

A friend of mine states that the US hasn’t trusted anyone clever since Nixon screwed you.  An observation given by a BBC journo in 04 brought the idea up to date. Clinton was clever (at 180+ his IQ is twice that of GW, who has a slightly below average 90 something), but came over folksey.  US voters want someone who they can have a beer with.  Unfortunately modern politics is so complicated these are the last people you want in charge.  (I’d like to make clear present company excepted).

This was a problem with union forces in the Civil war.  Because they were fighting for ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom’ troops demanded a say in CO’s. This meant that diciplinarians were often thrown out (along with those of the ‘wrong’ ethnic background, such as Jews) and someone the troops liked put in charge.  Ask a Marine Sergeant whether he wants to be liked or respected.

The UK is no better. A couple of years ago a sunday tabloid had a high profile campaign naming paedophiles who had been release after their sentance.  It led to gangs of vigilantes beating up the wrong people, including a paedotrician

It’s just the way of the world.

The sci-fi writer Ted Sturgeon has an oft-quoted saying, “90 per cent of everything is crap.“

That applies to people as much as it does to anything else. You have to live for that remaining ten per cent.

On a lighter note, lest anyone accuse me of being anti-Brit, I’d like to point out that most of my favorite writers, characters, tv shows and music all come from the UK.

And we all know that what really matters in life is entertainment. Give us our bread and circuses!

Right?

lest anyone accuse me of being anti-Brit

Do you know what, that actually never crossed my mind.  I would like to make a public apology for Simon Cowell, a man grown fat on exploiting others- he gets far mor eof the take than his manufactured acts.  On the up side he spends most of his time on your side of the pond.

most of my favorite writers, characters, tv shows and music all come from the UK.

Only two things I actually go out of my way to see/record ‘House’ and Dr Who. CSI is good(ish) but the abuse of tech annoys me- there is no way you can clean up the reflection caught in CCTV to see anything.

Does anyone else watch Hugh Lauri/House and go- But that’s Lt George/Bertie Wooster- he can’t be a bastard.  Just out of interest- how’s his accent?  US actors suffer from ‘Dick Van Dyke Sydrome’ (Mary Poppins) a lot of the time- nothing like a Brit.  For the record, we don’t all sound like Prince Charles or an Cockney rogue.

And yes, I know this is all off topic- but really, would rather talk about Pat Boone?

I would like to make a public apology for Simon Cowell, a man grown fat on exploiting others- he gets far mor eof the take than his manufactured acts.  On the up side he spends most of his time on your side of the pond.

I hate to admit it, but I’m actually pretty fond of Simon Cowell. Anyone who can make a living by just making snarky comments is basically living my dream.

Only two things I actually go out of my way to see/record ‘House’ and Dr Who. CSI is good(ish) but the abuse of tech annoys me- there is no way you can clean up the reflection caught in CCTV to see anything.

I’m a bit of a TV junkie. I love Dr Who, probably my favorite show of all time. Most of my other British favorites are off the air, we don’t get too much current UK programming over here. However I’m a fan of Red Dwarf, The Prisoner, Cracker, Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes, Gormeghast, Ultraviolet and too many others too go into.

Over here I enjoy House, Lost, all of the CSI shows (accuracy be damned), the new Battlestar Gallactica and a lot of HBO programming like The Sopranos & Deadwood.

Does anyone else watch Hugh Lauri/House and go- But that’s Lt George/Bertie Wooster- he can’t be a bastard.  Just out of interest- how’s his accent?

Damn near flawless.

I’d love to see Hugh tackle Sherlock Holmes. Perhaps in a modern setting. They keep updating Shakespeare, why not Doyle? Can’t you imagine Hugh in a modern morgue maniacally whacking corpses with a stick to examine the bruising?

Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes,

They are doing nothing but on one of the digital channels.  I dunno if I could watch 2 days of 18 hours straight, but I caught a couple when my kids/wife let me.  I read most of the stories about 10-15 years ago, and I think Brett is the best on screen.  I like the fact that Watson and the police aren’t made out to be complete duffers- after all he is a doctor.

Cracker- compulsive- when it was first shown nothing like it before.  pity US sensibilities screwed up ‘Fitz’.  I can imagine the TV execs.  “He’s a overweight womanising drunk with a gambling addiction, and he’s the HERO?!“.

HBO seem to do good stuff, as no advertisers to keep happy.  The problem you seem to have over there is every one is too worried about offending anyone.  It has started over here, but for once the small minded gits are useful- ‘It’s just Political Correctness Gone MAD’ they will holler, and that seems to stem the real carey feely crazies from going too far.  Unfortunately with a right wing press still have too much of a hold- but that’s a different rant…

Can’t you imagine Hugh in a modern morgue maniacally whacking corpses with a stick to examine the bruising?

No- because he is Prince George (Blackadder 3), Lt George (BA4), Bertie Wooster, amiable upper class chump! (Though he is intelligent under all those characters).  Have you ever come across his comedy partner Stephen Fry? Plays a wonderful Jeeves off him. (Now hosts QI, where he just shows off how clever he is- brilliant).

I suspect what you actually wanted was CSI:House! Now that I would watch.

If you want to try something different go to the BBC radio 4 website and listen to the radio show ‘I’m sorry I haven’t a clue’- new series starts next Monday 6.30 BST (GMT+1). Probably available for one week after broadcast.  Also try the Satircal ‘NOW Show’ Pod cast of last Friday’s available until Friday coming (last in series though).  The 6.30 comedy slot on Radio 4 is usually good- avoid the piss awful ‘Quote Unquote’.

re Holmes: They are doing nothing but on one of the digital channels.

I’d be jealous if I didn’t have all of them on DVD.

No- because he is Prince George (Blackadder 3), Lt George (BA4), Bertie Wooster, amiable upper class chump! (Though he is intelligent under all those characters).  Have you ever come across his comedy partner Stephen Fry? Plays a wonderful Jeeves off him. (Now hosts QI, where he just shows off how clever he is- brilliant).

I’ve seen all the Black Adder stuff, haven’t got around to the Jeeves and Wooster series.

(side note - Have you seen Rowan Atkinson in his Doctor Who sketch? The Curse of The Fatal Death, I think it originally ran as part of the UK Comic Relief special a few years back. One of the funniest TV spoofs I’ve ever seen…)

I suspect what you actually wanted was CSI:House!

Pretty much. House is esentially the Holmes archetype modernized and reimagined as a doctor.

I’ll try some of the radio stuff you suggested when I get the opportunity, right now the work schedule is pretty hectic. I live in a tourist town and the summer season just hit.

I’m a bit of an Anglophile as well. Two of my favorite TV shows (“The Prisoner” and “The Avengers”) were made in Britain, and many of my favorite bands (Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and others) were British.

Plus, there’s something about a Liverpudlian accent that just fills me with sweet joy.

Sadie: Have you heard that the BBC is doing a mini-series remake of The Prisoner with Christopher Eccleston as Number Six? If it’s even half as good as his Who, it’ll be incredible.

Plus, there’s something about a Liverpudlian accent that just fills me with sweet joy.

That will make ‘em happy, coz while you’re listening to them in rapture, you won’t notice them nicking the wheels off your car.

You must definately try ‘I’m sorry I haven’t a clue’- guy’s in their seventies who could make Robin Williams go ‘Wow, that’s off the wall’.

Sadie: Elvis had his moments in the 1950s, but by the time the ‘60s rolled around he was a professional asshole. I mean, look at the way he treated the Beatles—bad form

I remember thinking when the Ghetto song came out: He’s gone. The rocker won’t be back.
I couldn’t recall how he treated the beatles so, googled elvis beatles. One of elvis’ minders, Pricilla, John and Paul made comments about the meeting. It sounded okay under the circumstances.
Elvis was on the skids and shat himself; the lads from Liverpool had taken His spot.
Mum didn’t like Elvis’ mouth and reckoned the Beatles ripped off tunes from classical composers.
She even made me listen to a couple of examples from the pile of classical LPs we had.
Wish I could remember One.
Now I realise she musta listened closely to the Beatles. She’s had me fooled all these years.

I don’t see anyone grabbing Bush by the face mask and telling him to get his “fucking head in the game…“ 

I’d like to. 

Maybe I watch too many movies.

Justice: Maybe I watch too many movies.

I’m outa so many loops coz I watch so few.
Haven’t even seen Judy Garland in The Wiz let alone a dog called Toto till I heard a reference to him in Billy the Mountain too many years ago.
For a ‘good’ version of The Wiz: http://youtube.com/watch?v=71aJlRZARjQ accompanied by Dark Side of the Moon, the hi-lite for me being Clare Torry belting out The Great Gig in the Sky.
Wow. What a voice.

Sadie: Have you heard that the BBC is doing a mini-series remake of The Prisoner with Christopher Eccleston as Number Six?

Interesting…I might have to check it out. Thanks for the info.

Last Hussar: That will make ‘em happy, coz while you’re listening to them in rapture, you won’t notice them nicking the wheels off your car.

Maybe, but at least according to Gerry and the Pacemakers, they’ll never “tairn” you away.

never “tairn� you away

Sorry I don’t do farmyard.

If ever you’re in the Smoke, then I could leave the trouble and strife at me gates of Rome, put on my best whistle, and peckham rye, and meet you for a pigs ear.  If you don’t get elephants and uncle Dick, we could go for a ball of chalk.  Make sure you wear proper ones and twos like Clair Rayners, or your plates will hurt. Then we could go for a Ruby up west

LH: Then we could go for a Ruby

Unlike Poms we aren’t much into Indian, so that had me stumped till I googled.

You understand my bunny then?

LH: You understand my bunny then?

Rabbiting on comes to mind.

Those members of the intelligentia understand that I am not a troll, but rather, the pioneer of a new art form I refer to as “blog n roll.“  It involves posting blog entries and comments that are enhanced by one-song “soundtracks” that echo the sentiments reflected in the blog comments or entries.  Besides, if I’m a troll, then at least I lay claim to being the first troll to have a cameo on an MTV-Video-Awards-nominated top hit music video.  That’s right.  Check it out for yourselves on youtube under Cake: Short Skirt/Long Jacket.

But I’m not here to foolishly and arrogantly brag about my Cake music video cameo, or to go on trial as a suspected troll.  I’m here to defend my comments about Pat Boone.  In the 80s when all of the critics were complaining about nobody being willing to take artistics risks, Pat Boone took a creative risk, and released “In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy,“ He fused hard rock melodies with big band jazz and it was definately cutting edge—-even a chart-topper on the college album charts. If you haven’t heard that album, you don’t understand what Pat Boone is capable of.  As far as being the only competitive challeng for Elvis in the late 50s goes, just do a little research on the Billboard charts.