Private Passions

[Zucchini]

I would have thought a night in the company of ... Feynman ... would be one well worth having .

My goodness yes! Especially if he gave tips on safe-cracking, conjuring, did some juggling and left his bongo drums at home.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Not my perceptions Frances, although I struggled with the subject at school, largely because of difficulties with maths. However for many people physics is not the most welcoming or easily accessible subject, and the thought of physicists being entertaining speakers might seem strange.

I would have thought a night in the company of Einstein, Newton, Feynman or Hawking would be one well worth having . Not that I would be able to contribute much! Talking of challenging perceptions the recent Brian Moore edition as well as being quite unbelievably moving showed that one should never prejudge any one - what a life story.

[oddoneout]

May I, as one half educated as a physicist, ask what perceptions of yours were knocked?

Not my perceptions Frances, although I struggled with the subject at school, largely because of difficulties with maths. However for many people physics is not the most welcoming or easily accessible subject, and the thought of physicists being entertaining speakers might seem strange.

[Frances_iom]

... Certainly knocks a few perceptions about physics and physicists.

May I, as one half educated as a physicist, ask what perceptions of yours were knocked?

[oddoneout]

Two very engaging programmes recently

Last week, Carole Boyd (who apparently plays a lead role in The Archers):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xzmv

And today, the very communicative theoretical physicist Michio Kaku:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000y5vg

Neither individual previously known to me, but each in their different ways thoughtful and entertaining.

A darker but no less interesting edition the previous week too - psychiatrist Veronica O’Keane who specialises in memory and speaks movingly about the relationship between memory and music, trauma etc:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xkd1

The phrase “ICU delirium” will stay with me….

Unfortunately I was only able to hear the first and last 10 mins or so this week but yes very communicative as you say, and entertaining with it. Certainly knocks a few perceptions about physics and physicists.

[Nick Armstrong]

Two very engaging programmes recently

Last week, Carole Boyd (who apparently plays a lead role in The Archers):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xzmv

And today, the very communicative theoretical physicist Michio Kaku:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000y5vg

Neither individual previously known to me, but each in their different ways thoughtful and entertaining.

A darker but no less interesting edition the previous week too - psychiatrist Veronica O’Keane who specialises in memory and speaks movingly about the relationship between memory and music, trauma etc:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xkd1

The phrase “ICU delirium” will stay with me….

[Belgrove]

... But he sounded a sincere and civilised chap...

Why on earth shouldn’t he be?

[ardcarp]

I enjoyed Michael's programme with Tim Harford today, he who introduces More or Less and is generally a 'numbers' fanatic. He chose a lot of minimalist stuff (for which he apologised!) which probably says something about the way his brain works. But he sounded a sincere and civilised chap.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000s8qg

[jayne lee wilson]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/24/the-air-reeks-of-invisible-danger-an-extract-from-rachel-clarke-breathtaking-inside-the-nhs-in-a-time-of-pandemic

[Bella Kemp]

Yes, I agree. Today's programme was uplifting. A reminder - if any were needed - of the profound joy that music and musicians gives to people's lives.

[Wychwood]

You sum it up very well. I could not hold back tears as she described taking her dying father to a Prom to hear Elgar conducted by Barenboim. A profoundly moving programme, but also uplifting.

[kernelbogey]

An extraordinarily moving and heart-warming edition of this programme.

Rachel Clarke is a doctor who specialises in palliative care. She’s now on the Covid frontline; in March 2020 she moved to Horton General Hospital outside Banbury to care for the most gravely unwell patients on the Covid Wards.

[oddoneout]

Today's edition with Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason was interesting, and a good antidote to all the gloom and despondency around at present.

[cloughie]

No ts when I say a few, few it was ...... I was an opening bat with hardly any scoring shots .........

Never met any of the three you mention but did meet Freddie Titmus who was a real gent and had some good stories ......

Always rated FJ - good all rounder! Didn’t he have a pub in the Yorkshire Dales - no just checked it was another former Middx cricketer - Peter Parfitt.