No Country for Old BBC Programmes

Ξ December 11th, 2009 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Mumble |

I love the way the web allows you to arrive at a page, and then [sans the 'Back Button'] find yourself wondering how on Earth you got here!

I had a moment like that just now, and arrived at a YouTube video of Derek Jacobi playing Alan Turing in a BBC drama called ‘Breaking the Code’ – here’s the link.

I well remember seeing this when it first came out in 1996. It was great, won prizes, and was nominated for two BAFTAs – according to Wikipedia that is, and I found myself wondering why I hadn’t got this on DVD?

Now here’s the ‘what!’ – it’s not available!  How can the BBC not have something this good available!  How?

Actually, this is the second time in a few days that has seen me asking that same question; the first was when I went searching for another great programme, that Nigel Calder made for the BBC in 1979, it was called ‘Einstein’s Universe’.  Featuring the Wonderful Peter Ustinov, and near light-speed motor-cycles – it was just wonderful!  Alas, it’s also not available.  Actually, I did find it on Amazon.com, but why oh why isn’t it available *here*; from the BBC?

I’m now suffering from deja, vu as I’m sure I’ve travelled this road many a time now – great programmes, probably all or most coming from the BBC [paid for by me in other words] and yet gone and seemingly forgotten (care to jog my memory?)  What a drag.

 

Real Mother

Ξ December 2nd, 2009 | → 3 Comments | ∇ Mumble |

Lately Radio 4 has been pissing me off – in the last week there’s been ‘articles’ where they’ve been talking about adopted children, and in which they persist in using the term ‘Birth Mother’.

What’s incorrect/wrong about using the term ‘Real mother’?

Actually, it’s even more interesting, that they’ve always [in everything I've heard] referred to the father as ‘the Father’, why not the ‘biological father’, ‘father by association’, ‘father by marriage’ and still they do seem preoccupied about all this ‘Birth Mother’ tree-hugging crap!

Call me an old fuddy-duddy, but I can’t see why the woman who actually gave birth to a child cannot be the ‘real’ mother, and why the woman who now has care of the child can’t be a ‘Foster Mother’?

Surely ‘Mother’ should be the woman who gave birth – whether she deserves to have custody of the child or not – and likewise, the ‘Father’ – deserving or not – IS the the man whose DNA is inextricably linked to the child?!

I reckon this is the ‘pc’-state going madder than a box of frogs [no, not the French].  THEY feel they’re the ‘carers’, so therefore, THEY ARE the Mother/Father now [check the OED!]  Um, sorry, you’re wrong; laudable as it certainly is, you’re the Foster Parents!

 

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