Off Topic The Review Thread

I like him. He said 'criterion'.

 

Anyone been to Vietnam?

Strongly considering spending an eye watering amount to go there in the autumn, possibly Cambodia and Laos too. Been to all the other countries around there and like them a lot, but some time ago. Advice and stories welcome.

 

my condolences.

Absolute anyone who kills someone when over the limit or illegal drugs should deffo get a large sentence.

 

He got 8 years, served just over 2 and then got moved to an open prison. Contemptible sentence for the crime.

 

The Secret Barrister - a shocking book telling the UK public what the profession have known for years. Namely, that the England and Wales criminal justice system is failing miserably. It is frightening to see that it has deteriorated so much in the past 15 years. Well worth a read.

 

a serious question (I think most people have an ideal until it affects them personally and then its up to the persons character how they react).

Do you think prison should be on a basis of rehabilitation/danger to society system or one based on punishment? or a mixture of both.

The first causes anger if its too lenient.

The second is probably going to be worse for rehabilitation so you have life criminals (which i think still happens now)

 

Wrong thread. Please take it to the political thread, I’m sure WLW will follow up with you there.

 

soz my bad.

Anyway seen the Han Solo. I heard its dreadful

 

I'm currently watching a spectacular thunderstorm.

 

Ive currently paused an old episode of QI because the noise of the rain is stopping me hear the telly...

 

come to nz first googlestan
Vietnam is very cheap from here

 

Resulted in little sleep as the dog had a panic attack. Spectacular stuff though.

Did you catch the Meades programme? Oddly low budget but the usual contrarian polemic with a touch of the surreal. Not quite up to his stuff on architecture or food, but high class telly.

 

Yes, I did. At times gratifying, and at other times maddening, but enjoyable overall. I disagreed with him about dialects but was punching the air when he punctured the pretentiousness of modern art.

 

I suppose this could go on the Politics thread, but you get a better class of poster on this one, so....

The Today programme on R4 could have been specially created for the sneering liberal elite, i.e. me allegedly, with anyone of other persuasions hating it. So how come I hate it too?

I thinks it’s because the departure of Sarah Montague has highlighted how horrible most of the rest of them are. At least she was obviously bright and listened to whoever she was interviewing. Justin Webb is bearable, Nick Robinson ok in short doses, Martha Carney is pathetic, John Humphrys has his two modes of hectoring aggression for ‘serious’ stories and patronising amusement for ‘light’ stories, and as we all know it’s all about him. But the worst is Mishal Hussein who just aggressively repeats the same question endlessly in some obvious attempt to show that she can be as ‘tough’ as any bloke. They have also started developing large chunks of the programme to interviews on the arts, most of which is obscure even by radio 4 standards, or advertising other BBC programmes. This morning they were plugging alumni James ‘bloody useless’ Naughtie’s Book Club because of its 20th anniversary. It’s become unlistenable, and I find myself turning it off quite a lot. Which is a shame as I really don’t regard Nicky ****ing Campbell as a viable alternative.

I wish they just did an hour of straight news reporting, like an extended 6pm bulletin.

 

I rarely listen to R4 and mostly listen to R5, which can be annoyingly lightweight at times, but has two of the most entertaining shows of the week in the Kermode & Mayo film review show on Friday afternoons and Danny Baker on Saturday mornings.

I don't mind Nicky ****ing Campbell.

 

Kermode and Mayo are great. I always forget Danny Baker is on, used to love his breakfast show on GLR about 25 years ago, and then his show with Danny Kelly. But I have heard a few things about him (Beth posted something recently) that put me off, great radio broadcaster (consistently awful on telly) perhaps not such a nice person.

 

Yeah, I noted Beth's comment about Baker too. I was hoping she just caught him on a bad day, because I've always liked him. He had a short series on BBC4 recently about classic albums - definitely worth watching.

 

Outstanding.

Wilko Johnson playing the Leamington Spa Assembly Rooms on 25 August, tickets bought. Then on 2 December it’s the mighty Alabama 3 at the same venue. Reviews will be provided, they are likely to be glowing whatever the standard of performance, as I just love what these artists stand for.

The Assembly Rooms are just about my perfect music venue - about 1,000 capacity, all standing. I struggle with stadium gigs (or even big theatres with seats) and can’t stand festivals. Loud music is for smallish enclosed spaces.

 

Got a busy couple of weeks coming up. Off to Wembley tomorrow for my first ever England game, followed by a week of gig rehearsals and socialising with former workmates. Next weekend we're playing at Oakley Court Hotel in Windsor, where they filmed a lot of the Rocky Horror Picture show. Then more rehearsals for another gig at the end of the week, plus a trip to Leicester to spend the day with Paul Garisto, one of my favorite musicians from one of my favorite bands before watching their gig and catching up with the rest of the Psychedelic furs at the after-show. Never been to a gig at De Montford Hall, but it's supposed to be a great venue.