The problem with the BBC being the nation’s finest engine for soft power, is that people have realised that they can easily exert hard, nasty, cruel power on it, and bend it out of shape. Empathy, curiosity and compassion shouldn’t be problematic qualities that need silencing. Seems they are now.

At least Andrew's keeping busy

SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten. "I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA

I'm sure Alan is dressed as this train #traitors

Painfully Good

Side note, if anyone in the Chilterns wants a few hundred cooking apples, I'm running out of freezer space....

Politicians used to do this all the time, it was called "talking to voters" or "making the arguement", now it appears refreshing and innovative. Only people I've seen doing it in recent years are Polanski and @eddavey.libdems.org.uk

The BBC keep referring to Kier Starmer backing and then sacking Peter Mandleson. They'll be talking about the government cracking next.

Well that was anticlimactic

This is a masterclass in using a platform to stand up for what you believe in.

Minister LOVES flags!

@alexhorne.bsky.social great day out at Kennilworth Castle doing one of the English heritage taskmaster activities with my brother and our kids. Really upped the game for summer activities with the little ones!

RIP Jim Lovell ‘When I circled the moon and looked back at Earth, my outlook on life and my viewpoint of Earth changed... Earth is a spaceship, just like Apollo & just like Apollo, the crew must learn to live & work together. We must learn to manage the resources of this world with new imagination.’

The post office is sponsoring drama on ITV. That's quite a ballsy move if you think about it....

Walked past a woman presumably in a call on airpods drinking a coffee, looking like she was chatting away into the coffee cup like it was a hairbrush kareoke mic. My threshold for amusement has dropped in my late 30s...

Motherfucking wind farms…

One of his best, I've listened to this a lot in the last 5 years

Proper Satirical genius…and an all round brilliant chap too. We need more Tom Lehrer in the moron Age of King Tango. RIP

Janey Godley would be pleased.

Something for the weekend.... Gregg Wallace diagnosed with "awfulism" From our cooking correspondent AR Fryer in the latest Eye, in shops now! Or subscribe here: www.subsonline.co.uk

Has anyone shown Elon Musk the 1990s kids TV show 'Brum'? It must annoy him that an old man in a shed in the cotswolds managed to make a self driving car that long ago, and it didn't once set on fire.

There are pros and cons to having a child. Teaching him to say "Tennis is Boring" whenever your wife insists on watching it is definitely a pro.

Friend asked if I thought the Oasis comeback was overhyped. I said maybe...

Recreating the glastonbury atmosphere by playing Old Macdonald to my son on ukulele while he spins around madly like a little drunk man and I remind him to drink plenty of water. I assume that's a reasonable equivalence....

What happened behind-the-scenes when Bauer moved its UK national radio studios from One Golden Square to The Lantern? Watch this to find out: www.radiotechcon.com/catch-up-vid... #radtechcon videos supported by @broadcastbionics.bsky.social Speaker: @markfarrington.co.uk

Watching who wants to be a millionaire. This guy seems to be todays contestant.

AI is fast replacing "that friend that has to say something in every conversation to remind you they're there, even if it's bullshit". This reminds me of a guy I knew who once insisted Peter Kay and Vernon Kaye were brothers, when challenged saying "well they're both from Bolton"

That tongue thing at least explains what "what the hell just happened?" Is written about, but really doesn't answer the question #eurovision

Going to start referring to vanilla as "The Coldplay of Ice cream".

Having just done today's connections, I'm wondering if the SNL gag about a trump order forcing them to make it easier wasn't a joke

I think their log burner got fitted by the same bloke as ours, sure we have the same chimney.

If you can nationalise steel, surely you could nationalise water, no? @teamlabouruk.bsky.social

old Soviet joke for our times: Guy stops by the newsstand every day, scans the front page, doesn’t buy the paper. One day the vendor asks what he’s up to. Guy says: “looking for an obituary.” Vendor says “those are towards the back of the paper, comrade.” Guy says: “not the one I’m looking for.”

The week in news

Days like this I feel an urgent need to watch this piece of televisual beauty www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTjM...

Bullies really do show their nasty side fast when someone stands up to them don't they.

Clive Myrie really is a class act isn't he.

Planning an FOI to see what evidence there is that most of HMRCs 'customers' can find the information they need online...

Weirdly better at these than wordle.... Hardle 23/01/2025 | 5/10 ⬛🟨⬛⬛🟩 1️⃣1️⃣ 🟨⬛⬛🟨🟩 2️⃣1️⃣ ⬛🟨⬛🟩🟩 1️⃣2️⃣ ⬛⬛🟩🟩🟩 0️⃣3️⃣ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 0️⃣5️⃣ Play #hardle on hardle.org

If ever you find yourself questioning the power, merit or value of 'the arts', spend a couple of minutes with the final speech of 'the great dictator'. Over 80 years old and powerful and relevant every minute since, becoming more so by the day.

Computer (doing updates): You're 100% There Me: I'm really not, can't shift this cold and feel really tired. Appreciate the pep talk though.

I don’t ever want to watch a video please don’t make me watch a video

Today in toddler tantrums: when I've bitten into my apple slice it isn't round anymore. Cue 10 min of screaming...

Useful after a week where the news felt like it had gone insane.

"I'm a priest, so I would never lie"... 2 words for you Lisa. Paula. Vennells.

The Most Noble Order of the Garter (Maoist Tendency)

Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations cancelled, "including a concert by the rock band Texas", sad as it would literally have been a 'once in a lifetime' event! www.bbc.com/news/article...

Son has a new train set for christmas - the scale is somewhat irratic....

Ah a festive tradition, my wife watches some horsey stuff on the television and I at great length explain my thesis that Robot Wars is the only proper sport...