"the spirit of the age"
A selection of 16 short plays
A selection of 16 short plays
in a packed evening of entertainment
Bedford Globe Theatre, Balham
Sunday 28 October at 8pm
Bedford Globe Theatre, Balham
Sunday 28 October at 8pm
Thursday, 4 October 2007
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
Quotation marks
quotation-marks.blogspot.com
For people who are picky about punctuation, a collection of examples of inappropriate use of quotation marks. Some of them are quite funny, such as the ice cream van with the slogan "happy" children. Does this serve as a disclaimer reminding purchasers that the instant gratification of an ice cream doesn't buy lasting happiness?
For people who are picky about punctuation, a collection of examples of inappropriate use of quotation marks. Some of them are quite funny, such as the ice cream van with the slogan "happy" children. Does this serve as a disclaimer reminding purchasers that the instant gratification of an ice cream doesn't buy lasting happiness?
Friday, 21 September 2007
What's on TV
The fallow summer season of watch-paint-dry TV is now at an end and the Autumn schedules are upon us. Steel yourselves for a plethora of programming in the familiar settings of police stations and hospitals. Sometimes one dead body or deadly disease just isn't enough, it has to be nothing short of serial killings or a horrific accident with ambulance-loads of casualties.
So what's worth watching in the hospital wing? Hugh Laurie makes a welcome return as Greg House, nobly managing the double impediment of walking with a limp and affecting an American accent. It's scary what they do to patients who have the misfortune to contract a mysterious illness. Fishing for clues, frequent misdiagnoses and throwing a cocktail of drugs in the mix often results in a near-death experience, shortly followed by a visionary moment in which the correct cure is found at the eleventh hour.
There's a new series of Gray's Anatomy, which continues in the same vein, but the spin-off, Private Practice, featuring Addison (the redhead) hasn't met with favourable reviews.
On the crime scene, Dexter made a grisly debut, but redeems itself with a gripping plotline, interesting characters and a dash of black humour.
The trend towards detective work with a paranormal twist continues - Medium (she sees it coming) the Dresden Files ( a female cop teams up with a wizard) Blood Ties (a female cop teams up with a vampire) and Saving Grace (a female cop meets her guardian angel).
As all these are American it's only fair to mention, Life on Mars - cops in a retro alternate reality - and there is talk of a spin-off.
Moving away from the police station but within the parameters of the paranormal is the much-hyped Heroes, now set for s econd series. The first series saw ex- Dr Who Christopher Eccleston put in appearance as the invisible man (yes that may sound like a contradiction in terms, but he is visible some of the time).
Talking of the Doctor, I hear that David Tennant is to stay on for a while, which I hope will be the case as I've grown accustomed to his face and don't want the dear old doctor to get a new one yet. (I know he has undergone more transformations than a cat has lives, but isn't he getting towards the end of his allowance now?)
Anyway, on the whole, while there is much re-working of tried and trusted themes, it seems there is also a little room for some innovative ideas and fresh new drama.
So what's worth watching in the hospital wing? Hugh Laurie makes a welcome return as Greg House, nobly managing the double impediment of walking with a limp and affecting an American accent. It's scary what they do to patients who have the misfortune to contract a mysterious illness. Fishing for clues, frequent misdiagnoses and throwing a cocktail of drugs in the mix often results in a near-death experience, shortly followed by a visionary moment in which the correct cure is found at the eleventh hour.
There's a new series of Gray's Anatomy, which continues in the same vein, but the spin-off, Private Practice, featuring Addison (the redhead) hasn't met with favourable reviews.
On the crime scene, Dexter made a grisly debut, but redeems itself with a gripping plotline, interesting characters and a dash of black humour.
The trend towards detective work with a paranormal twist continues - Medium (she sees it coming) the Dresden Files ( a female cop teams up with a wizard) Blood Ties (a female cop teams up with a vampire) and Saving Grace (a female cop meets her guardian angel).
As all these are American it's only fair to mention, Life on Mars - cops in a retro alternate reality - and there is talk of a spin-off.
Moving away from the police station but within the parameters of the paranormal is the much-hyped Heroes, now set for s econd series. The first series saw ex- Dr Who Christopher Eccleston put in appearance as the invisible man (yes that may sound like a contradiction in terms, but he is visible some of the time).
Talking of the Doctor, I hear that David Tennant is to stay on for a while, which I hope will be the case as I've grown accustomed to his face and don't want the dear old doctor to get a new one yet. (I know he has undergone more transformations than a cat has lives, but isn't he getting towards the end of his allowance now?)
Anyway, on the whole, while there is much re-working of tried and trusted themes, it seems there is also a little room for some innovative ideas and fresh new drama.
Saturday, 8 September 2007
Treasury of Unusual Words
"Podiacide" : The metaphorical act of shooting oneself in the foot.
B/S - "Bovine scatology": euphemism coined by American general Norman Schwarzkopf
"Kakistocracy" : A system of government in which the rulers are the least competetent, least qualified or most unprincipled citizens.
Definitions from Foyle's Philavery: A Treasury of Unusual Words, by Christopher Foyle.
B/S - "Bovine scatology": euphemism coined by American general Norman Schwarzkopf
"Kakistocracy" : A system of government in which the rulers are the least competetent, least qualified or most unprincipled citizens.
Definitions from Foyle's Philavery: A Treasury of Unusual Words, by Christopher Foyle.
Monday, 20 August 2007
the Mayan calendar
"Creation is speeding up...if you feel a little overwhelmed from time to time - get used to it - or get over it... it will keep on accelerating."
Mayan Calendar Comes North - 2004 - Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8689261981090121097
Mayan Calendar Comes North - 2004 - Part 2 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-567329528148516232
Mayan Calendar Comes North - 2004 - Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8689261981090121097
Mayan Calendar Comes North - 2004 - Part 2 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-567329528148516232
Monday, 13 August 2007
Meteor showers
Meteor watching from around 12.15-1.15am - fairly clear sky, after about half an hour spotted one tiny one followed shortly by another. A bit later, two larger ones with tails, one straight after the other. Another little one towards the end. Blink and you miss them, definitely worth the wait, but gazing up at the night sky gets to be a major pain in the neck after about an hour.
Sunday, 5 August 2007
Rainy days
As the people of Gloucester recover from the aftermath of the floods, it has to be noted that the area has a history of such problems:
Dr Foster went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain
He stepped in a puddle
Right up to his middle
And never went there again.
In olden days before tarmac and traffic, this rhyme served as a warning to children to avoid jumping into puddles which appeared shallow but could be much deeper.
Dr. Foster is said to refer to King Edward I of England. He travelled to Gloucester in the middle of a rainstorm. When he arrived, his horse fell and both he and the horse ended up in the middle of a huge mud puddle. The townsfolk had to use planks of wood to remove the king and his steed from the mud. King Edward was enraged by this misfortune and refused to return to Gloucester.
So far I haven’t been able to Google an adequate explanation of why King Edward should be called Dr Foster - apart from the obvious fact that Foster rhymes with Gloucester while Edward rhymes with nothing. (although rhymes could be found for the abbreviation versions Ed or Ted).
Dr Foster went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain
He stepped in a puddle
Right up to his middle
And never went there again.
In olden days before tarmac and traffic, this rhyme served as a warning to children to avoid jumping into puddles which appeared shallow but could be much deeper.
Dr. Foster is said to refer to King Edward I of England. He travelled to Gloucester in the middle of a rainstorm. When he arrived, his horse fell and both he and the horse ended up in the middle of a huge mud puddle. The townsfolk had to use planks of wood to remove the king and his steed from the mud. King Edward was enraged by this misfortune and refused to return to Gloucester.
So far I haven’t been able to Google an adequate explanation of why King Edward should be called Dr Foster - apart from the obvious fact that Foster rhymes with Gloucester while Edward rhymes with nothing. (although rhymes could be found for the abbreviation versions Ed or Ted).
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