Recommended Television Programmes

[Stanfordian]

Seconded in spades. I was going to post to urge others to watch this, it covers so many important and topical issues in a straightforward unfussy manner, and the final few minutes, although very emotional are ultimately incredibly positive.
I do wish the philistines in Westminster could be forced to watch it to see how essential music and the performing arts in general are in helping people get through difficult times and celebrate the good ones.
It is a tribute to the (often sadly lacking) skill of the documentary producers that this episode can stand alone, although the first episode did a good job of making a background for this one One thing that will stick with me for some time(partly because I came across similar cases during my time as a school governor) is that the lad in foster care had been removed from a long-term placement where he was happy and placed in temporary care which involved a 4 hour daily commute to get to school. His current placement(as at the time of the documentary) appeared to be working and he still had contact with the long-term foster carer, who came to see the show. That he hasn't gone completely off the rails is down to him, not the system, although the importance of school as a fixed point in his ever changing life - 11 placements in 11 years... - is evident.
The workshop with cast members from 'Hamilton' was a joy to watch and will stay with the youngsters long after they have left school - and I suspect the cast members also got a great deal out of it.

Yes, I saw this. This underlined what I learned from my experience in Prisons, that the expressive arts can be a most powerful subject. Too powerful for some to cope with.

I have to say that I didn't hear the section about the 4 hour commute to school.

[Padraig]

Something a bit happier from Northern Ireland

Much happier, Richard, thank you.

A tremendous idea occurred to me - those men building that Wall?... no, on second thoughts I don't want to go there!

[Richard Tarleton]

Much happier, Richard, thank you.

A tremendous idea occurred to me - those men building that Wall?... no, on second thoughts I don't want to go there!

There used to be an annual thing called the Mourne Wall Walk (some maniacs ran it) which reached its apogee in the 1980s when it took place after some heavy rain and 2000 people left a 22 mile muddy quagmire right round the 15 peaks. Such was the outcry from conservationists and others that I don't think it happened again, at least not in that form.

[Bryn]

There used to be an annual thing called the Mourne Wall Walk (some maniacs ran it) which reached its apogee in the 1980s when it took place after some heavy rain and 2000 people left a 22 mile muddy quagmire right round the 15 peaks. Such was the outcry from conservationists and others that I don't think it happened again, at least not in that form.

Much like the rugby pitch formerly known as Kinder Scout.

[oddoneout]

Yes, I saw this. This underlined what I learned from my experience in Prisons, that the expressive arts can be a most powerful subject. Too powerful for some to cope with.

I have to say that I didn't hear the section about the 4 hour commute to school.

It was in the first programme, and mentioned almost in passing.

[Dave2002]

Somehow I left the TV on last night and saw an episode of Jerk with Tim Renkow. I wasn't at all sure what to make of it - didn't seem very PC to me, but if he's happy with it, who am I to comment? I think this followed Fleabag, which was a bit off the wall.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/disability-47586434/this-disabled-comedian-is-a-jerk

[Nick Armstrong]

Line of Duty 5th season

Starting 9pm on Sunday 31 March

[jayne lee wilson]

Starting 9pm on Sunday 31 March

One of the few BBC shows I consistently enjoy...

And....Winter is Coming....

[jayne lee wilson]

Drama Serial on the 6 o'clock news!

So where does this get us? Various possibilities....

i) A new even more ferocious effort from ERG and other hardliners for a no-deal crash-out - Mark Francois has just been on to say how "exciting" it is to think we could be "free in just 9 days"...
ii) Paradoxically, if as seems likely the May deal either isn't voted upon or gets defeated again, a request for a longer extension - the EU will need a reason so it could only really be: 2nd Referendum or General Election. But are enough MPs brave enough, or intelligent enough, to ally and push for that?
iii) Cabinet resignations and/or even a Prime Ministerial resignation in the near future.

In the immediate future an fairly unpleasant (!) row between hardliners and everyone else, drawing in the nastiest far right supporters of the crash-out, emboldened by the Rees-Moggian claim that they have "the moral support of 17.4 Million people"....(I'm very tired of hearing that figure, why do so few people in newsrooms or studios point out the numbers who voted against or abstained....?

As for the next few days, well....
But of all the problems and challenges to come my way in life, and despite campaigning regularly with 38 Degrees, I never thought I could be this upset by a general political situation in the UK...

[jayne lee wilson]

What a weak statement...
No wonder the Commons were so angry. It is everybody's fault except the Prime Minister's isn't it?
So we're supposed to be "tired of it" are we? What an insult to "our" intelligence..

Dominic Grieve is on now... supporting - a 2nd Referendum. Phew....

[Bryn]

I think the way she turned her back on us at the end spoke volumes.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, body and facial language were a giveaway - under serious duress...

Dominic Grieve - one of those who could - just - make the difference and persuade others - appeared genuinely distressed too. Remarkable times.

[Conchis]

What a weak statement...
No wonder the Commons were so angry. It is everybody's fault except the Prime Minister's isn't it?
So we're supposed to be "tired of it" are we? What an insult to "our" intelligence..

Dominic Grieve is on now... supporting - a 2nd Referendum. Phew....

The old trick of appealing to the great unwashed over the heads of 'elitist' MPs of all parties.

But in order to pull it off, you have to be an assured populist (or 'popularist' as DJT prefers it) and May is no kind of populist at all. If she wanted to get MPs to come over to her side, it would appear she has failed; but how successful it will be with the 'just get on with it' crowd (who are mostly clueless as to what they want getting on with) remains to be seen....

I seriously think the PM needs to be sectioned. Brexit has literally driven her mad.....

[Bryn]

Yes, body and facial language were a giveaway - under serious duress...

Dominic Grieve - one of those who could - just - make the difference and persuade others - appeared genuinely distressed too. Remarkable times.

My MP, for whom I did not vote but hold in growing respect, is on the Peston show on ITV1 tonight (10.45).

[edashtav]

I think the way she turned her back on us at the end spoke volumes.

Indeed!