Follow by Email

Saturday, 12 September 2009

The View from the Hill on Saturday 12th September

I sat last night in a house that contained no human being save for myself, Jake and Danny were sleeping and so I was forced to ignore my own advice and switch on the tv
(I couldn't find anything on the radio that interested me either).

So what to watch, the last few minutes of the Police in Humberside dragging dead drunks out of a river, then Derren Brown explaining how he did it, how he predicted the lottery numbers.

Oh dear, how many gullible people are there in the world that they need an hour of telly filling with this rubbish?

It's a trick, it's not science or maths or anything illegal, it was a trick...and he did not tell you how he did it. He actually spent an hour showing you some other neat little mind games which he also didn't explain before talking about the wisdom of crowds and automatic writing...surprisingly this blog has automatically written itself just by use of my fingers.

He even included the reason why you won't really be able to do this at home, because if you want to win it affects your ability to win so you can't win. Brilliant.

If you watched the programme you will have noticed that the only time all six numbers were picked was the only time the people picking the numbers didn't see them added up. Derren did the maths and claimed to write down the correct answers, we don't know he actually did this.

Anyway, it was a good trick but a trick it remains but he has hooked me and I bet he can't make me stick to my chair next time!

After the news and Newsnight, Newsnight Review and a discussion about Darwin.

Dawkins was on the panel along with the most reasonable Vicar in the world, Richard Coles, you know, he used to be in The Communards. At one point Margaret Atwood said to Dawkins that religion was an evolutionary step in humans, a part of the process, wired into our system...Dawkins agreed. Well, he didn't like the idea of religion being wired in our system but he did acknowledge the fact that we probably created religion as part of the human evolutionary process.

I know why I'm an atheist and I know some stupid people believe in creationism, but even beyond Darwin there still remains one unanswered question, how did life start?

Could it have been the unseen hand of god who rubbed two particles together and started a small chain reaction that became us and everything else, was that the greatest trick of all? Could god be on a huge scale a sort of Derren Brown of the universe and perhaps we are like that little mouse under cup thirteen waiting for the show to end or for a giant foot to stamp down on us.Perhaps god the magician created us for a tv special millions of years ago and then forget about us and we sort of just got on with it. As with Derren Brown, no answers only questions.

Anyway, a delayed start to the day, a quieter start now Jake's tummy has been filled and I hear the granola calling...now that's magic!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The View on what to View:

Saturday Last Night of the Proms of course!
BBC2 and BBC1 from 7.30pm


.

Friday, 11 September 2009

The View from the Hill on Friday 11th September

In it's drive to make sure that no child is ever exposed to danger the rules about who transports children to and from sporting and social events are being tightened up.

Now if you pick up a neighbours child and take them with your own to a local event, you have to be Police checked, so to have a birthday party and a trip to McDonalds will now require a Police check, to take a group of friends to the pictures, to Brownies? Where will it end? Somebody wants a good kicking for this one!

The best thing to do is not let kids mix, just keep them in doors away from the rest of the world then they will be safe.

I suggest the impact will be that there will be a decline in neighbourliness; people who don't want to fork out the cash for the checks will simply take their own kids and let the neighbours kids fend for themselves. There will be an increase in road trips as all parents transport their own children, this is bad for the environment and all our children will die of the effects of global warming. At least we will have kept them away from the plague of perverts who are obviously having children of their own so as to lure everyone elses kids into going to scouts or brownies.

The awful truth is that most abuse takes place within the home, in the bosom of a loving family, but we don't want to think about that do we, we want to see evil as lurking on the outside, waiting to pounce upon our innocent little lambs like hungry slavering wolves (it's the woluf, it's the woluf!)

I know that child abuse is not a laughing matter but making potential assailants out of any man or woman who happens to have a modicum of concern for young people seems daft. (It's my word of the week).

It's getting so you can't even smile at a child or speak to them now without being looked on with suspicion. A friend who was eating by himself in a restaurant even got asked to leave because he questioned why the man at the next table kept staring at him...that man had his children with him and because my friend was alone he was obviously there stalking his kids! The world has gone mad!

Now I know the argument, if you have got nothing to hide why not be checked? The answer is only people who have nothing to hide will be checked,you are having to pay the government to show you are innocent.

If you get charged with assaulting a child you are presumed innocent until proven guilty, if you want to give a child a lift, guilty until proven innocent!

Those who have something to hide will be finding other ways to entrap children which is why this is silly and dangerous and a smoke screen to make us feel like something is being done, when it is not!

Ian Huntley would not have got a job as a school caretaker if this had been enforced, I agree, but he would still have been a paedophile and he would have found victims.

Bit of a rant today...sorry.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The View on what to View:

Friday....sod all! Looks like Friday night is Music night

Thursday, 10 September 2009

The View from the Hill on Thursday 10th September

Having spent yesterday morning discussing moral dilemmas on the BBC local radio, and after showing on more than one occasion that I am not always very good at political correctness, let me put my foot in it today by saying that Flintshire County Council canteen staff are Richardheads for changing the name of Spotted Dick to Spotted Richard and that the McCanns are just daft for banning the sale of a book which suggests their daughter is dead.

I know these two things seem at opposite ends of the spectrum but they both seem daft to me, but that's just my opinion.

Most people, if asked to give an honest opinion, will do so and that opinion will be based upon the facts or lack of facts they have as well as the prejudices they hold. Some people have opinions we dislike and so in my opinion you should be allowed to say so.

If people snigger when they say spotted dick, so what? Who is it upsetting really?

If people want to believe that Madeleine McCann is dead, you can't stop them and I bet there are lots of people who do believe she is dead and that her parents are somehow involved, doesn't make it right, but it is an opinion that can be expressed.

Yesterday one of the moral dilemmas we were posed was should the BNP be allowed to appear on Question Time, I said yes and I believe that we should let these people openly explain themselves rather than let them sit in the dark corners spitting their poison into the ears of any gullible idiot willing to listen.

Another panel member suggested they were racists and of course the BBC immediately and quite correctly had to say these were the views of the contributor and not the BBC, thereby allowing the valid expression of an opinion without recourse to the overly litigious Griffin and his cronies.

I have always believed that having an opinion is important, that young people should read newspapers and watch the news and form opinions about the world they live in, they are to inherit the mess we have made for them so at least learn about the possible routes that lay ahead.

I know this is a little serious again,but it needs saying...freedom of speech works both ways, if we want to say what we want people to hear we sometimes have to listen to stuff we don't want to hear.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The View on what to View:

Thursday BBC2 10pm - Mock the Week



.

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

The View from the Hill on Wednesday 9th September

I awake this morning to the shocking news that Andy Murray lost...against Venus Williams!?

I have never been sporty in the traditional sense, at school I was no good at football, rugby or cricket which meant I was always last to be picked for any team (I'm filling up now just thinking about it) but at secondary school I discovered that I had a modicum of talent for badminton and I was in the school team.

I was always able to swim fairly well and was part of a life saving competition team for a couple of years, and I must one day tell you about my time as a life guard.

The only sport I play these days, apart from Wii Sports, is golf but when I first moved to Lincoln, the place I was lodged at had a snooker table and I discovered that here was a game I could play and do well at.

I played a lot in those early days, well enough to join a league team and this meant Wednesday nights was snooker night. Even after I married Mrs B she had to be a snooker widow on a Wednesday.

I was the young pretender in the team, the other members were older but we all got on really well, it was fun night out and we got to go round all the clubs in Lincoln and I still meet people now who I haven't seen for years but who recognise me from snooker.

I don't remember winning any trophies except during a week on holiday at Pontins in Yarmouth, I did win the snooker competition, the prize for which was a holiday at Pontins in Wales for the family. During that holiday I got to play Graham Miles who some of you might recall from Pot Black and he played Ray Reardon in the World Finals in 1974.

I met Mr Reardon once, he was an immensely likable man with a charm and wit that many modern sports stars could do well to emulate.

He was playing an exhibition match at our club and the local snooker super stars lined up to take him on. Our club champion was a man called Gerry Wells and he was a man who took his snooker very seriously.

The match started, Gerry broke and the white travelled safely to baulk, Reardon played a very good safety shot, Wells back at the table a loose shot and then Reardon cleared the table with a break of 125.

It was a brilliant frame for Reardon and a bitter pill for Gerry Wells who turned to Reardon and said, "I'll play you again for £50". "You must be joking" said Reardon
"I haven't seen you play!".


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The View on what to View:

BBC1 8pm Trawlermen.

.

Tuesday, 8 September 2009

The View from the Hill on Tuesday 8th September

Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the star ship Enterprise. Its 5-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

You should probably already be aware of the fact that I am a big fan of Star Trek so on what is it's 43rd birthday, I want to talk a little about some Star Trek memories.

In 1993, I went to my one and only Star Trek event, it was being held in Blackpool at a rundown holiday camp. I persuaded Mrs B to let me go and I travelled up and settled into my grotty little chalet. I had paid to be there a couple of nights and the highlight was to be the showing, the premiere showing, of the first episode of Deep Space Nine.

Now although I was a big fan, I was never one to dress up in costume or affix pointed ears to myself, I liked the story, the morality of the piece, the characters and so on,and I knew there might be a few people there in costume, but there were more than a few, I was one of the few NOT in costume!

Men and women of all sizes were stretching the stress levels of Lycra to the extreme and when I saw a lady of about 40 stone dressed as Lt Uhura, in thigh length boots and short skirt, well I just knew the time had come to escape at Warp Factor 9. I rang Mrs B and begged to come home and she said yes.

So I failed the Trekkie or Trekker test that day but it has not stopped me enjoying the shows and the movies, Mrs B hates it when I speak the lines along with all the cast during The Wrath of Khan (he tasks me and I shall have him!)

I got very attached to the characters and have to admit a tear fell from my eye when Bones and Scotty died and if you listen to our pod casts you will know I am constantly trying to reference Star Trek at every opportunity.

It has been a companion in my own journey through time and space and with the arrival of the new film franchise I see good things ahead for Star Trek.

So well done to the Great Bird of the Galaxy for his original idea, well done to all the cast and crew who have bought pleasure to millions over the last 43 years and the only thing I can possibly say is:

Happy Birthday Star Trek, live long and prosper.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The View on what to View:

You should watch Star Trek all day but I will allow you to also watch
BBC1 9pm Lost Land of the Volcano.

Monday, 7 September 2009

The View from the Hill on Monday 7th September

The head of Barnados has put his head above the parapet and has explained why we should take children away from bad parents, and I think he is totally right.

Over the course of many years we have seen that the policy of trying to keep families together has failed and of course when it does fail it is the children who take the full force of the failure.

I know there are inherent dangers for children when they are taken into care, especially if they are placed in a children's home run by paedophiles as in recent highlighted cases in Jersey for example, but I recall two children's homes on my patch where the staff were highly motivated and the young people were being looked after far better than by their parents.

Those that were still misbehaving on a regular basis were those who were shuttling back and forth between care and home, those who were stabilised within the system were much happier. Some would go on to find foster placements although that was difficult,and I recall to this day several youngsters that both Mrs B and myself became very attached to.

This is a difficult area for me because being childless puts a whole new slant on your perceptions of the care of children. Your opinions seem to be dismissed very quickly with comments like 'what do you know' or you find that people over compensate in an effort to protect you in some way, as if seeing or holding a baby might upset you.

Both Mrs B and myself have been hurt very deeply over the years by the comments and actions of family and friends, none of these comments are made with any intent to wound (I hope) but nonetheless, we have been and continue to be devastated when we see parents treat children as inconveniences.We would have loved to have had the chance to be so inconvenienced.

The question was posed the other day, if you knew then what you know now...it's hard to answer but thinking about it I suppose I might have suggested to Mrs B that we should have taken a chance all those years ago and applied to foster or adopt those young people we grew so attached to in that children's home,but we didn't and here we are.

We have wonderful nieces and nephews and god children, Mrs B works with young people and we carry on making the best effort we can to smile every time a new hurt comes our way.

This has been a surprise, writing about this is not easy and I'm sure it makes uncomfortable reading but the honest truth is I still believe children should be given every chance to grow up happy and surrounded by love, if that comes from parents that's brilliant, if comes from someone else, that's equally good, and better than growing up with no love.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The View on what to View:

Monday 9.00pm BBC2 - The Restaurant:The Winners Story

Sunday, 6 September 2009

The View from the Hill on Sunday 6th September

You shall not steal (Commandment number 8 I think) seems to be a very easy rule to follow and yet every day people steal and some of those who steal do it for greed, not for need.

Let me tell you a little story, this week the staff at Bramcote Crematorium completed the refurbishment of the chapel by placing out 70 or so new hymn books. Spiral bound in a blue leatherette binding, not only containing hymns ancient and modern but part of the common prayer book too. A very nice finishing touch to the chapel.

Now I have very little use for the hymn book, once in a blue moon we might sing The Lord is my Sheepdog or All Things Bright and Edible, but usually I just move the hymn book out of the way.

Anyhoo, the same day the books were placed out a funeral took place (as they do in crematoria) the vicar did his bit and the congregation did theirs, singing and praying their little socks off. After the crowd dispersed the chapel attendant made his usual effort to straighten all the books before the next ceremony, but to his horror, disgust and disbelief he found that some of the mourners were dishonest beggars and had stolen the new hymn books!

Now my first response as he told me this story was, well who needs a hymn book? Where do you use them apart from places like crematoria? You don't even need them to sing along with Songs of Praise because they put the words on screen, like religious karaoke.

So why steal a hymn book? Especially one engraved Bramcote Crematorium! Was it to be a present, was it a keepsake?

The Vicar promised the chapel attendant he would ask the family if they knew anything about it but fancy going to the family and saying, sorry for your loss, by the way some of your friends or family members are thieving bastards and couldn't even curb their greed whilst we said goodbye to Great Aunt Mabel!

It's ok though, the culprits were probably religious and have prayed for forgiveness.

Twats.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The View on what to View:

Sunday - Difficult choice tonight with the return of Waking The Dead, Marple and Dragons' Den on Tour but I think my choice is
ITV1 10.15pm United 93

But watch any of the above and you'll be fine.

.