This cartoon struck a chord. BBC News is really getting on my nerves these days. Channel 4 News covers issues much more in-depth without resorting to the descent into ‘That’s Life’ (remember that?) style street interviews. Look East is a big culprit in that respect – go into a local town and ask random passers by what they think, ideally showing their complete ignorance of the subject. We KNOW what we think. Hearing what selected other people think or don’t know isn’t going to change our views. We just want to see a report about the issue and know something’s being done about it (or not, as the case may be).

Another thing… Why do we have to vote on TV programs and phone into everything? I know they make money out of our calls, but I thought we paid these guys to make our entertainment for us – they’re supposed to be good at it and shouldn’t be getting ignoramuses (ignorami ?)  like me to contribute to their output.

Oh yeh… Breakfast on the BBC. Why has it become a vehicle for overrated pop stars, actors and authors to peddle their latest outpourings? Why, also, does it insist on promoting other TV programs all the time?

More and more lazy journalism. I dislike it intensely. Bring back news and abolish ‘infotainment’. It’s making people dumber (with apologies to all people who dislike the increasing use of the antithetical Americanism ‘smarter’, meaning more intelligent).

Rant over… for now

The Advertising Standards Agency have upheld complaints about the BT ad that says it’s, “rolling out up to 20 meg speeds” to give “consistently faster broadband“. The ASA stated that “it had not seen sufficient evidence to support the claim and concluded that the advert was likely to mislead“.

The problem I had with that advert – the one where Adam and Jane are talking over the phone about viewing houses and the estate agent’s connection is slower than Jane’s –  is slightly more obvious…

The estate agent showing Adam the houses online is using his laptop inside a property being viewed. Surely it wouldn’t be using the property owner’s broadband connection, would it? So it’s not comparing like-for-like, is it?

Schoolboy error!

..

A couple of signs I’ve spotted over the last few days. Who makes this stuff?

That’s the first phantom comma I’ve ever seen, plus a probable record for the number of phantom apostrophes on one sign. Impressive!

OK, you didn’t get the last one (you’re a right useless bunch!) so where was this photo taken? You want a clue? Oh alright… it’s near the other one!

There’s a tendency these days for organized groups to try to get things banned which they don’t like or agree with - Britain’s enviable past reputation for tolerance has taking a severe battering. Often, the reasons given for the need for a ban are spurious and illogical.  Bonnets have their bees duly installed, with the result being an over-the-top call for the outlawing of certain practices, items or ideas.

Example: Today’s BBC News story about smoking in cars. “Ban smoking in all vehicles, doctors demand“.  It’s The Royal College of Physicians who are promoting this one and they cite the risks to young people travelling in cars with smokers. Trouble is, they want to ban it in cars without youngsters too. It’s an illogical argument and an attack on individual liberty (I don’t smoke, by the way).

Also, how the Sam Hill do they expect a law like this to be policed? People already flout seatbelt laws and use mobile phones whilst driving. Totally dumb. There are some people you’d expect better from.

Sarah Palin has just got a job with Fox TV. “I am thrilled to be joining the great talent and management team at Fox News,” Mrs Palin said in a statement on the network’s website.  “It’s wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news.”

What planet is she on? What planet does she think we’re on? Do Fox actually believe we’re on a planet?

Fox is owned by Rupert Murdoch. He hopes one day to actually own the planet.

This news makes the BBC look good, like Will Smith wearing those shades and that cool MIB suit. Long live the Beeb.

In the UK, we love to criticize our own country. During this cold weather, we’ve seen endless stories about our councils running out of grit, UK drivers not being able to cope on the roads, trains and planes being cancelled, people dying because of the cold etc. “This doesn’t happen in other countries“, we hear people say. Actually, it does…

140 people have  frozen to death during the last weeks in Poland. 226 flights were cancelled at Frankfurt Airport.  Switzerland closed its alpine tunnels to lorries. Local power cuts and public transport disruption is forecast this weekend for Germany, where one area in the southwest has seen 300 car accidents – they also have a shortage of grit. Hundreds of trucks were stranded when French authorities closed the road near the German border due to snow.

See – it isn’t just us! Let’s stop spreading this misinformation. It happens all over.

The full article can be found on BBC News

Several people may have asked about the origins of stout and porter…

Back in the 13th century, it was a Belgian ale called Stout Porter, being named after an old stout porter who worked at Waterloo. This beer, being the original, was 100% true to style – which is strange, as it was a completely clear liquid (this was due to the Belgian Purity laws which dictated that all brewing had to be totally transparent).

In the 14th century it was brought over to Britain, but the style immediately became less than 100% true due to small mammals being added to the mash to provide extra fizz and fermentation (English brewers had misheard the Belgians’ accent as “stoat porter”). No matter, because the Danish brewers of Northampton quickly went to court and stopped this ale being sold due to it being too like their own lager – almost colourless, fizzy and with a slight whiff of polecat wee.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that the beer took on the dark colouring we associate with it today. Brewers had started adding clinker to the mash, which gave it a smokey flavour. Coal Porter, as it was known, became a success. Inspired by this, more variants were invented: Nyree Dawn Porter, which came to the UK from New Zealand. Gail Porter, which had a great body and a smooth head. Stout Yeoman, made with freeze-dried mashed potato, and finally Alec Guinness – which looked quite weak, but had a force which was strong.

As you can see from the photo, I found my favourite Fuller’s London Porter at Waitrose, Swaffham. They have a nice choice of beers on sale, especially from the Fullers stable. All I need now to quaff over the Xmas holiday is a bottle or two of Schlenkerla Rauschbier (yes, smoked beer really does exist, although it isn’t called ‘Coal Porter’).