One Problem With Televising Courts
This is a true story and some would think it would be good television. I don’t! But it illustrates the fact that a lot of cases contain things that really shouldn’t be broadcast. After all, our court system is open and anybody can go and look if they are interested.
My late wife was a barrister and once she was prosecuting a man for a sexual assault. She could hear a rustling behind her in the public gallery and quick look confirmed that a teacher was bringing in a class of school children to see how the court worked. She carried on, but her next question to a witness was not very appropriate. “When did you first notice that the defendant had an erection?” She then heard shrieks of laughter from behind her and then a lot of whispering as the children were quickly escorted out.
I bet those kids never forgot their first day in court!
She would repeat this story every time, televising courts was mentioned, to show how you can never be sure what will happen and how do you ensure that justice is fair and correct to all parties.
Who Would Want To Watch Court TV?
Having seen the odd case in a Court of Law, I can’t understand why anybody would want to watch it on television. It must only be for the same freak show reasons, that people watch crap like Big Brother, Britain’s Got Talent, basketball and American football. I’m thinking of setting up a channel where you can watch kettles boil or paint dry. It would be a lot more exciting!
I suppose if it was funded by advertising, Court TV might get them out of programs worth seeing.
But I won’t be watching!
Channels I Don’t Want or Need
As I’m moving to BT Broadband, I looked at BT Vision. I was surprised to see that the basic package doesn’t include two channels; CNN and filth. After my experiences in Hong Kong, I can live without the first and earlier this year I saw enough filth to last a lifetime.
But I need the broadband first and for that I need a working phone line.
I Don’t Listen to Music Anymore
I suppose a lot of this is to do, that I don’t drive anymore, as that was where I used to listen most.
Do I miss it?
No! In a word!
I don’t record programs either, as if I want to catch up, I use iPlayer. Sport I always watch live, either there, in the pub or on my television.
Is This A Coincidence?
Something called X-Factor starts next week. Is this why so many televisions were nicked last week?
Is a Sattelite Dish a Human Right?
According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission it is. Read about it here.
In my view satellite dishes are ugly and should be banned. Especially, as there are so many other ways to get the service through broadband.
I have a feeling that in ten years time, we will rarely see a satellite dish. Especially in towns, where so many new methods to deliver signals will be developed. I also think, that hidden aerials that are flat and flush with walls will be developed, if for no other reason than they can be quickly and easily involved.
Foolish Virgin
I got two letters today addressed to the occupier from Virgin Media today in addition to a prioperly addressed piece of junk mail.
As they still haven’t transferred my old number from my previous house to this one, I suppose I’m now 60% of the way to changing to someone else.
How To Look Younger
I was walking down towards the old Middlesex hospital today, when I heard a familiar and distinctive voice behind me. I turned slightly and saw the lady in question getting into the taxi, she had just hailed. I then recognised her, as she was wearing the same dress as she had on BBC Breakfast this morning.
But she certainly looks younger on the television!
Government to Sponsor Engineering Prize
This has been announced in The Times today and is also reported in The Engineer.
They ask if it should be called the Brunel, Boulton, Babbage or Bazalgette Prize.
I have my view and it should be called the Blumlein Prize after Alan Dower Blumlein.
I wrote to The Times and they published my letter on the 12th. Here’s an extract.
Sir, I think we should choose the engineer who has probably had the greatest effect on everyone’s lives in the past 100 years. And that is the pioneer of electronics, Alan Dower Blumlein, who, after he perfected stereo recording and electronic television, went on to develop the electronics for radar. He was a true genius who was granted 128 patents before he died at the age of just 38, in a plane crash while testing an airborne radar in 1942.
I am an electrical engineer myself and I was horrified to see that at the new Olympic site there is no mention that it is alongside Bazalgette’s massive Northern Outfall Sewer and that this superb piece of Victorian engineering is being used as a public viewing platform for the works at the site. In due course the waste water from the site will be pumped into the sewer to continue its journey via the beautiful Moorish pumping station at Abbey Mills to the treatment works at Beckton. The Olympic site really is standing on the shoulders of a giant.
The Anonymous Widower 