Big bother

I am not watching Big Brother - I mean, there are times when it is on, but I am not really interested (in contrast to BBLB, which I enjoy because of Dermot O'Leary).

I have watched BB in previous years, so why am I not bothered any more? Off the top of my head:

• I am another year older, and maybe another year wiser (other people might be able to judge this better)
• I have been working pretty bloody hard this year (hence sporadic posting), so the TV tends to be background noise, rather than something I actively watch, just because I don't have the energy
• I saw a few minutes of the first "episode", and my comment at the time was that there was not one person in the house who seemed to exhibit an ounce of dignity or self-respect

I think that the format has got a bit tired. There is no point having housemates who are reasonable people, who can get on with each other, as it does not make "good telly". So, in the race for ratings, they deliberately choose people who are selfish, lazy, and prone to histrionics at the drop of a hat; if there is a chance that some of them might sh*g each other (or at least walk around naked), so much the better.

This, I believe, is symptomatic of some of the problems that we are faced with in society. It seems to be OK for people to display the above traits, justified by saying, "But that's just what I'm like". I am guessing that these are the same kind of people who try to get their own way by proclaiming, "I know my rights!"; actually, many of the people who say this don't actually know their rights - for example, human rights include things such as air and water, which are vital for life, and consumer goods and civil rights don't even enter the equation.

What is my point? Well, as you can tell, I am a bit tired and therefore my fuse is a bit shorter. But these are things that have quietly bothered me for some time; the people that shout loudest tend to be able to get what they want, "good" people tend to be kept waiting, and we now live in a culture where people treat the symptoms, not the cause. Maybe blogging is part of the answer, as people with similar views can quietly mobilise themselves in a civil way - I would have much more faith in this idea if there were more than about three people reading this..!

Baby Polar Bear

Knut shows how cutesy little bears grow up into larger animals with big teeth.

Pyramid Song

OK I am supposed to be writing a training session on coding text-based data. But it is Friday afternoon and my concentration is wavering. So I put on my MP3 player and put on "Amnesiac", the "inebetweeny" album by Radiohead which arose from the same sessions as "Kid A". Probably the most memorable song on this album is "Pyramid Song". It is not one to listen to if you are feeling depressed!

Probably the most remarkable aspect of the song is it time signature. An earlier entry on Wikipedia claimed that the song has no time signature. Other sources claim it to be 16/8. Wikipedia currently lists another theory. All I know is it is impossible to follow. But when I tried I found much of the song followed the pattern of 8+4+8+12 - using simple arithmetic I am guessing that it is 16/8, although putting my musical head on, I am completely baffled!

Life imitating art

There is a bit of me that has no desire to go on and on about The Apprentice - there is enough coverage elsewhere. But this makes interesting reading; surprisingly, Katie Hopkins believes that she has been made a scapegoat in the wake of her dismissal from her job at the Met Office.

Firstly, some people never feel it is their fault; secondly, she accuses the Met Office of not realising that her appearing on a reality show would bring publicity, both good and bad (hello, Mr Pot, have you met Miss Kettle?); thirdly, The Sun reported yesterday that part of the adverse publicity that may have prompted her employer's decision was to do with her lurid revelations over her private life, including the publication of photographs of her in flagrante in a field somewhere.

I have to ask, if that is not misconduct, then what is? How can she argue that her actions on the show, and in the tabloids afterwards, have not created a bad impression that may reflect on her employers?

That is quite apart from the moral issue of her thinking that it is OK to sleep with other people's husbands, which Simon commented on in this article.

Finally, remember that she has not been "fired" from her job at the Met Office - she has failed to pass her probationary period. Frankly, I think that she was lucky to be allowed to participate in The Apprentice when she had only been in post for a number of weeks, and if I was her boss, I would not be keen to keep her on after what she got up to on the show, and her revelations about her stance on life's issues.

Glad that wasn't me

Went to Alton Towers a few weeks ago. Was fun, but I avoided anything that I thought might make me sick. Which was quite a few of the rides, to be honest!

Looking at stories such as this remind me why I am not much of a thrill-seeker.

Mitchell and Webb

I have never watched "Peep Show", or "That Mitchell and Webb Look" (I think that it what it is called), but I have seen the Apple Mac ads at the cinema, which I think are great (although maybe that is because I am a Mac user and feel quite smug in being so).

But at work yesterday, I was fed up of silence and not in the mood for music. So I looked on the BBC Radio Player, and clicked on "That Mitchell and Webb Sound". And it was the funniest thing I have heard in ages. My line manager and I were doubled up with laughter, and we were both very grateful that no-one walked in.

I have no idea how much longer it will be available for (they tend to be online for seven days after broadcast), but if you can, check out the "Hot oil" sketch. Click here to link to the show (please note that this links to a sound file - I think you can choose between listening on RealPlayer or Windows Media Player).

The Apprentice and reality TV

Due to my intrusive working patterns, combined with a commute of at least an hour each way, I had never seen The Apprentice before. However, I have loved this series. Full of characters, and memorable dialogue, and I really like Alan Sugar.

I was not surprised at last night's evictees, and overjoyed at Sir Alan's psychology in persuading the other to stand down. I think that there is only one winner, and we only have a week to go to find out if my prediction will come true.

Favourite Tre moments:

1) Obviously, the one in the opening titles: "I am your boss." "You're not my boss." "I am your boss." "You're the project manager." "I am your boss." "You're nothing to me."

2) Talking about Simon's contribution to the advertising task: "You have to remember that there is a fine line between really good breakdancing and totally sh*te-b*llocks dancing".

Here is an article about the show- by now you will all realise that Simon and Kristina are in the final. I have been semi-reliably informed who wins the show as well, but don't want to spoil it for anyone.

In other reality TV news, a young middle-class white girl has been chucked off Big Brother for using a word beginning with "n" which has racist connotations. Cynics would say it is great positive publicity for Endemol and Channel 4. Others argue that she didn't mean it in a racist way. I don't think that she is necessarily racist, but if you say something offensive, you shouldn't be surprised if people take offence. For what it's worth, I don't think Channel 4 and Endemol had much choice if they wanted to avoid further sanction from Ofcom.

In the arms of your beloved

Frankly, I am surprised it took this long to invent, but not at all surprised it has come from Japan: the "boyfriend pillow".