Bah Humbug

[john ashby]

Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.

The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

john

[Nick Odell]

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

(KF noted) Are you sure you haven't accidentally tuned in to Radio 3
Unhinged?

But yes, I agree. Radio in Argentina is somewhat in chaos at the
moment thanks to the Milei chainsaw and his thin skin. One of
Liliana's favourite presenters is no longer on air because his
journalism doesn't take a strong enough pro-government line and it is
increasingly difficult to find good classical music stations still on
air.

Never mind, I said. There's always Radio 3 over here. But the output
we've been experiencing has been bordering on the puerile - your
daughters excepted, of course.

Nick

[BrritSki]

Post by Nick Odell
Never mind, I said. There's always Radio 3 over here. But the output
we've been experiencing has been bordering on the puerile - your
daughters excepted, of course.

Well they'd be puellile iyswim.

[Chris]

Post by Nick Odell

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

(KF noted) Are you sure you haven't accidentally tuned in to Radio 3
Unhinged?
But yes, I agree. Radio in Argentina is somewhat in chaos at the
moment thanks to the Milei chainsaw and his thin skin. One of
Liliana's favourite presenters is no longer on air because his
journalism doesn't take a strong enough pro-government line and it is
increasingly difficult to find good classical music stations still on
air.
Never mind, I said. There's always Radio 3 over here. But the output
we've been experiencing has been bordering on the puerile - your
daughters excepted, of course.
Nick

R3 Unwind - but they’ve upped the vocals.

Mrs McT

[Kate B]

Post by Nick Odell

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

(KF noted) Are you sure you haven't accidentally tuned in to Radio 3
Unhinged?
But yes, I agree. Radio in Argentina is somewhat in chaos at the
moment thanks to the Milei chainsaw and his thin skin. One of
Liliana's favourite presenters is no longer on air because his
journalism doesn't take a strong enough pro-government line and it is
increasingly difficult to find good classical music stations still on
air.
Never mind, I said. There's always Radio 3 over here. But the output
we've been experiencing has been bordering on the puerile - your
daughters excepted, of course.

If whatever is actually on is no good, I generally just find Through the
Night on Sounds and let it run, it's often really nice programming and
very little chat. Last week's Composer was Bach in Leipzig, well-worn
territory but none the worse for that.

[Clive Arthur]

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.

<snip>

Sainsbury's yesterday. Lucky we're not routinely armed.

[Chris]

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.
john

Listening to R3 feels as if only Christmas vocal music is available.

Mrs McM

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

Multiple airings and multiple daughters I assume?

Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

[nick]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

Multiple airings and multiple daughters I assume?
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Ooh! I can just hear Alan Bennett saying that! Pass me another macaroon,
please.

Nick

[Jim Easterbrook]

Post by nick

Post by Sam Plusnet
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Ooh! I can just hear Alan Bennett saying that! Pass me another macaroon,
please.

Other half is currently reading a large volume of collected Alan Bennett
writings. He complains so much about Classic FM she does wonder why he
ever listened to it.

[john ashby]

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by nick

Post by Sam Plusnet
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Ooh! I can just hear Alan Bennett saying that! Pass me another macaroon,
please.

Other half is currently reading a large volume of collected Alan Bennett
writings. He complains so much about Classic FM she does wonder why he
ever listened to it.

So he had something to conplain about, of course.

john

[BrritSki]

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by nick

Post by Sam Plusnet
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Ooh! I can just hear Alan Bennett saying that! Pass me another macaroon,
please.

Other half is currently reading a large volume of collected Alan Bennett
writings. He complains so much about Classic FM
she does wonder why he ever listened to it.

:)

[john ashby]

Post by Jim Easterbrook

Post by nick

Post by Sam Plusnet
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Ooh! I can just hear Alan Bennett saying that! Pass me another macaroon,
please.

Other half is currently reading a large volume of collected Alan Bennett
writings. He complains so much about Classic FM
she does wonder why he ever listened to it.

:)

YANAOU

john

[John Armstrong]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

Multiple airings and multiple daughters I assume?
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Oh yes it was - in the days of Tom Crowe and Patricia Hughes.

They wouldn't be allowed near a BBC microphone these days. Here's the
text of an email I sent to "Feedback" yesterday evening. I don't expect
a reply, but I feel the BBC should be reminded that not (quite) all of
its audience are philistines.

"Why are people who can't correctly pronounce "mischievous" allowed to
speak on Radio 4? (8.11 this evening) The bbc used to be a bastion of
correct English. No longer, it seems. You should be ashamed."

[Kate B]

Post by John Armstrong

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

Multiple airings and multiple daughters I assume?
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Oh yes it was - in the days of Tom Crowe and Patricia Hughes.
They wouldn't be allowed near a BBC microphone these days.  Here's the
text of an email I sent to "Feedback" yesterday evening. I don't expect
a reply, but I feel the BBC should be reminded that not (quite) all of
its audience are philistines.
"Why are people who can't correctly pronounce "mischievous" allowed to
speak on Radio 4? (8.11 this evening) The bbc used to be a bastion of
correct English. No longer, it seems. You should be ashamed."

I'd settle for a properly pronounced Giovanni.

[Joe Kerr]

Post by John Armstrong

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

Multiple airings and multiple daughters I assume?
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Oh yes it was - in the days of Tom Crowe and Patricia Hughes.
They wouldn't be allowed near a BBC microphone these days.  Here's the
text of an email I sent to "Feedback" yesterday evening. I don't expect
a reply, but I feel the BBC should be reminded that not (quite) all of
its audience are philistines.
"Why are people who can't correctly pronounce "mischievous" allowed to
speak on Radio 4? (8.11 this evening) The bbc used to be a bastion of
correct English. No longer, it seems. You should be ashamed."

1) Mime doesn't work well on the radio.
B) They probably can't find enough people who can talk proper and have
the other necessary skills and knowledge to do the job. You should
probably blame the teachers, and the parents.

[Mike McMillan]

Post by John Armstrong

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by john ashby
Listening to Radio 3 at the moment is starting to feel like working
through December in a (slightly up-market) department store.
The only saving grace is the multiple airings of daughters singing
Byrd's Rorate Coeli and Vigilate.

Multiple airings and multiple daughters I assume?
Radio 3 isn't what it used to be - but then I suspect it never was.

Oh yes it was - in the days of Tom Crowe and Patricia Hughes.
They wouldn't be allowed near a BBC microphone these days. Here's the
text of an email I sent to "Feedback" yesterday evening. I don't expect
a reply, but I feel the BBC should be reminded that not (quite) all of
its audience are philistines.
"Why are people who can't correctly pronounce "mischievous" allowed to
speak on Radio 4? (8.11 this evening) The bbc used to be a bastion of
correct English. No longer, it seems. You should be ashamed."

The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

[Clive Arthur]

On 23/12/2024 17:51, Mike McMillan wrote:

<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

[John Armstrong]

Post by Clive Arthur
<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

Indeed!

[Jenny M Benson]

Post by Clive Arthur
<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

I blame the Guvvermunt!

[Kosmo]

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Clive Arthur
<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

I blame the Guvvermunt!

Which one? After all the direction in schools has been one way for a
long time (with the obvious honourable exception of the school where the
d teaches).

[BrritSki]

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Clive Arthur
<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

I blame the Guvvermunt!

Which one?  After all the direction in schools has been one way for a
long time (with the obvious honourable exception of the school where the
d teaches).

One of the very few achievements of the last Tory Gov'ts was the
improvement in our rankings in the international tables for English and
Maths, thanks to the Grove (and Cummings) reforms.

All to be undone, along with general immiseration everywhere else.

[Mike McMillan]

Post by BrritSki

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Clive Arthur
<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

I blame the Guvvermunt!

Which one?  After all the direction in schools has been one way for a
long time (with the obvious honourable exception of the school where the
d teaches).

One of the very few achievements of the last Tory Gov'ts was the
improvement in our rankings in the international tables for English and
Maths, thanks to the Grove (and Cummings) reforms.
All to be undone, along with general immiseration everywhere else.

ITYMT the Cummings are Goings.

[Kate B]

Post by BrritSki

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Clive Arthur
<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

I blame the Guvvermunt!

Which one?  After all the direction in schools has been one way for a
long time (with the obvious honourable exception of the school where
the d teaches).

One of the very few achievements of the last Tory Gov'ts was the
improvement in our rankings in the international tables for English and
Maths, thanks to the Grove (and Cummings) reforms.

Any improvement there was sadly counterbalanced (and more) by the almost
complete disappearance of arts teaching in state schools. How are you
going to innovate if you have no techniques for expressing your novel
ideas? And don't get too excited by the English results, which are based
on rote learning of a very restricted and largely simple selection of
texts. If this government was serious about STEAM as well as STEM I'd be
more hopeful, but there doesn't seem much drive there.

[Nick Odell]

Post by Kate B

Post by BrritSki

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Clive Arthur
<snip>

Post by Mike McMillan
The problem began to manifest when they sent all the Secetaries to the
Libary in Febuary.

To a Liebri in Febri on a Wensdi, Shirli?

I blame the Guvvermunt!

Which one?  After all the direction in schools has been one way for a
long time (with the obvious honourable exception of the school where
the d teaches).

One of the very few achievements of the last Tory Gov'ts was the
improvement in our rankings in the international tables for English and
Maths, thanks to the Grove (and Cummings) reforms.

Any improvement there was sadly counterbalanced (and more) by the almost
complete disappearance of arts teaching in state schools. How are you
going to innovate if you have no techniques for expressing your novel
ideas? And don't get too excited by the English results, which are based
on rote learning of a very restricted and largely simple selection of
texts. If this government was serious about STEAM as well as STEM I'd be
more hopeful, but there doesn't seem much drive there.

Did anybody else hear last night's Archive on 4 Upon Education of the
People about the Butler Act of 1944?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026mx2

I thought it was very interesting but somewhat revisionist and looked
at a lot of the shortcomings that resulted from the act without being
entirely fair - in my opinion - about the successes. It's easy to look
back wistfully and say how sad one was to have been separated from
ones primary school friends (Michael Rosen I'm looking at you) and
overlook that it had been a huge leap forward from the last big
revision of education which had been way back in 1870 and had left
mostly nothing for the majority of youngsters over 12.

I did like the quote from Lord Butler along the lines of it being time
to stop thinking of education as being a cost to the public purse and
to start thinking of it as an investment in the future of the nation.

I feel we've been heading back into the cost to the public purse mind
set for rather too long.

Nick

[Kosmo]

Post by Nick Odell
I did like the quote from Lord Butler along the lines of it being time
to stop thinking of education as being a cost to the public purse and
to start thinking of it as an investment in the future of the nation.

Which is something I tend to believe has been completely forgotten and
in which I still believe.

I had no great friends at my primary schools and the limited number of
those went onto the same Grammar school did not matter to me - but then
I lived on a farm in the countryside (at the time) and had never had
other children around.