The joy of ... Radio 4

For various reasons I've spent more than usual time on my own in the car recently and I've been tuning in to Radio 4. Each time I do I think I must listen to the radio more often as it's always interesting. Subjects that I wouldn't consider watching on television are made more fascinating.

Two items particularly intrigued me.

One was about the way ours has become more and more of a self service society. From DIY online banking to supermarket shopping we do far more for ourselves these days than we ever did in the past. Years ago if you wanted to pay a bill you went to a bank and asked the cashier; if you wanted butter and tea you went to the corner shop and an assistant would serve you. (Not so much choice but probably simpler for that.)

Someone (no doubt funded by a worthy institution) had worked out that on average the work we now do that would have been done for us in the past is worth £3,600 per person. On a national scale that translates to £5.4 billion. (Husband wishes to point out that there are all sorts of flaws in this argument but I think it's interesting nevertheless.) The moral of this story being: never undervalue yourself; you are worth £3,600 at least!

The other topic was a short report that was part of the Battle of Britain commemorations about women who flew planes during the war. Not into action but from factory to base and so on. There was an interview with a 92-year-old who reminisced about her experiences and the difference between flying a spitfire and a hurricane. 'It was so light. You only had to touch the controls and it would go where you wanted it.'

She remembered them as good days but did get in a quick dig at the way women, after the war, were expected to return meekly to the kitchen sink.

As well as these snippets there was a really good play on one afternoon when I was baking. It told the story of the radicalisation of a young Scottish Muslim girl. When I've listened to news reports about young women fleeing to Syria with their children so they can fight for ISIS I've been aghast and slightly unbelieving: how on earth could that be possible? What could have happened to make women living in the freedom that this country gives be willing to relinquish it for a cause that would probably mean death for their children? The play explained it very well, made it seem plausible, reasonable even. (Unfortunately I don't remember the name or any more details and I can't find it on iplayer.)

George and Radio 4

Right, I've made a list of the blog posts I've been meaning to do for the last week so I'll try and catch up now before The Honourable Woman/Lady (can't remember exact title) (obviously) (and if I go to check I'll be distracted and never get these posts done) (which would, of course, be a desperate tragedy).

Not one of the aforementioned posts but I must mention George. Sometimes I throw a stick in the river for him and he looks at me and I can sense every fibre of his being is saying, 'Do I really have to?'
'Yes, you lazy lump. Go and fetch it.'
He sighs and and enters the water dramatically making sure I know this is against his better judgement.
Then he comes out and shakes all over me before tossing his head and marching off.

On a different note I tuned in to radio 4 lunchtime news when I was in the car yesterday. I used to be a regular listener to The World at One or the later show at 5.00 pm but haven't heard either for some time. And I don't watch the news but pick up what's happening in the world by osmosis - and Facebook. A few things about yesterday's broadcast struck me.

Quoting Usain Bolt the news announcer said the word 's**t'. At 1.10 in the afternoon. Even Facebook had bleeped/starred it out. Standards are dropping. Much like the 'explosive projectiles' being used in Gaza. Explosive projectile? You mean a rocket?

And, incidentally Mr Israeli spokesman, there is no such thing as a humanitarian 4 hour ceasefire. The moment you put a deadline on a ceasefire it stops being humanitarian.

What the Russian said on Radio 4

... could have been a secret code.

I can just see a man in a trench-coat, turned-up collar, trilby pulled down over his eyes, sidling up to another man in a smoky bar and saying, 'Ze only free cheese is in ze mousetrap.'
The man at the bar replies, 'Zanzibar is 'ot at siss time of year.'
They both glance quickly around before a brown envelope exchanges hands and trench-coat man leaves.

I'm surprised Eddy Wotsit didn't pick up on it.
xx

Remember 1968?

On Radio 4, 1968 is being remembered in daily 5 minute chunks (this day in 1968 stuff). You can hear the podcasts or listen again for up to 7 days after the date.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/1968/week2/?march

Today, for example:
Martin Luther King led a protest in Memphis that ended in disaster, the first American F111 plane to be deployed in Vietnam went missing, and there were student uprisings in Poland, Spain and Japan.

It's all accompanied by groovy music too.
xx

They said it on Radio 4

Yesterday it was reported on the news on Radio 4 that mice cells had been cloned and used in the successful treatment of Parkinson's (in mice). The scientists used skin cells from the tail of the animal to generate customised neurons or as the report on Radio 4 said, 'Cells can be tailor made.'

* * * * * * * * *

Today on Radio 4 news the reporter talking about protests against the Chinese Olympics said, 'The woman protestor was roughed up by Greek police.'
Roughed up? Purlease. This is Radio 4. We don't have people roughed up on Radio 4: they are man-handled or forcibly moved on. But definitely not roughed up. I suppose all the proper reporters were on Bank Holiday leave.

Standards, BBC, standards.

Well, it amused me

"During World War II German aeroplanes flew over London dropping language pamphlets containing common German phrases; it was the start of the Berlitz."

From 1966 and All That on Radio 4 this evening.

I keep chuckling to myself.