GOOD TV

[PanBiker]

I think we can consider Grimsby up North Moh, his accent confirms his roots.

[Stanley]

Wolf Hall tonight.... I've finished re-reading the book. I wonder whether they'll spill over into Bring up the Bodies?

[LizG]

Did anyone see Outlander series 1? It was on pay TV over here but a very kind friend lent me a copy. It's from the Cross Stitch series of books by Diana Gabaldon, set in Scotland in about 1750 and the 1950's. I loved it; can't wait for the next series.

[Stanley]

Never come across it Liz....

[Stanley]

Wolf Hall was excellent again. They answered my question, at the end of the episode they spilled over into Bring up the Bodies.

[Tripps]

Sorry - I've had to give up on it.
Too slow, too dark, no emotion from Mr Rylance, and I do wish they would wear name badges. I don't know enough history to say who's who.

Why did his dad nearly kill him in the opening scene? - I thought we'd have found out by now.

PS - I watched Hobson's Choice this afternoon. Enjoyed it. I didn't know it was directed by David Lean. Classic.

[Stanley]

Watched it last night, accurate as usual. They are evidently going to stop with the death of Ann Boleyn in the last episode next week. We will have to wait for the third book in the trilogy to learn the fate of Cromwell....

[Stanley]

The first of two programmes on the Royals and their relationship with the media on BBC2 last night was fascinating and depressing. Power struggles, manipulation and the worst kind of spin management. A bit like taking nasty medicine, not enjoyable but definitely a must view.....

[Moh]

Watched Death in Paradise last night - we now know where Declan from Emmerdale has gone!!

[Stanley]

Never watched it Moh but the trailers look good.

[Moh]

We enjoy it -- it is something light to watch.

[Tizer]

Stanley, have you been watching `Italy Unpacked' on the BBC with Andrew Graham-Dixon and Giorgio Locatelli? I imagine you would enjoy it - wonderful Mediterranean cooking interspersed with fabulous scenery and magnificent art and architecture. And driving around in a Maserati too!

[Stanley]

Tiz, I've seen a couple of them and liked it.

[Tripps]

Just watched Rick Stein in Australia. Now I know why Maz's salmon is always 'Tasmanian'. They do a lot of farming there. Looked good.
The roasted / fried wallaby looked interesting.

[Stanley]

I watched it as well, enjoyed it. They are re-running World at WaR ON bbc2 IN THE AFTERNOONS SO i AM RECORDING IT AND WATCHING IT EACH NIGHT. sTILL THE BEST! bUGGER CAPS LOCK....

[Tizer]

Tiz, I've seen a couple of them and liked it.

`Italy unpacked' - I was especially impressed by the man and his son who travel from town to town with their stand, cooking fried stuffed olives and selling them in a paper cup. For those who didn't see it, he takes large olives, cuts a spiral in the flesh, removes the stone, adds minced meat stuffing, curls the spiral back into a ball, dips it in egg, rolls it in breadcrumb and then deep fries it quickly. In this country or the US he'd be hailed as a genius and running a chain of outlets in the big cities on a loan from a venture capital company. In Italy he and his son just love providing the great service and product that they've always done, to the same local folk. And we have to put up with kebab stands!

[Stanley]

Enjoyed the programme about owls on BBC2 last night but was bored to death by Horizon and wandering planets....

[Tizer]

I never watch Horizon programmes, I'm allergic to them!

[Stanley]

I watched the one on climate change last night. Informative but not up to standard....

[Tizer]

I've made an exception - I recorded and watched both programmes on climate change. The one with Helen Czerski and Iain Stewart was essentially a history of the study of climate change, good as an archive but not very interesting to the likes of us folk who have followed it in real time and don't need any more convincing. The other (`Climate Change by Numbers') was better, presented not by scientists but by mathematicians who explained the basis of the scientists' claims. Of course, the simple act of explaining the evidence has brought the deniers out of the woodwork again...

[Stanley]

The world is full of deniers Tiz.... Usually with a hidden agenda. In the end they may have to bow to reality!

[Tripps]

Robert Peston's one off on France was interesting. I was surprised to see that French employer/employee relations were ruled by a book call 'Code de Travail', which has 3,600 pages, and weighs 2 kg.

For example women can have as much maternity leave as they wish, and do not have to tell their employer how long it will last. Two and three years was mentioned.The job has to remain open for them to return throughout.

They can resign at any time within the leave period. Then if they don't like their new job - any time within a year, they can return to the original job.

Peston asked 'how can businesses make plans if that is the case. The French lady replied - 'c'est impossible'

[Stanley]

I watched that as well David. Like you I was surprised by many of the advantages they have. The question arises though, if it is such an impossible situation for French industry how come so many of them do well and are headquartered there? I don't count the demise of the old heavy industry in the NE because that is unfortunately a fact of the global economy.

[Tripps]

One chap did say that 3 million French had left the country, and that there were 300,000 in London alone. I think economies are like super tankers. Sheer momentum carries them forward for a while but eventually reality applies, and they slow down.
Meanwhile the euro is now 1.40 to the pound, having been 1.08 not so long ago.

[Moh]

Looking forward to second episode of Poldark tonight, also the canal trip of Prunella Scales & Timothy West.