The Jazz band is in fact so reserved that they appear too shy to show their faces..
Not that they missed anything at Aylesburys pitiful excuse for a Christmas market.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Things I have seen around Aylesbury (Part Nine)
The Jazz band is in fact so reserved that they appear too shy to show their faces..
Not that they missed anything at Aylesburys pitiful excuse for a Christmas market.
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Favourite Podcasts - 17 - Utter Shambles
There is nothing more satisfying in life than meeting up with friends, chatting randomly about the big issues in the world, the small detail of our lives and the food, music, books, TV and films we have recently consumed. This is a good night out, and gives us a fantastic feeling of being connected with others, our community and the world.
This is what Utter Shambles gives you in podcast form.
I may have overstated that a little, but Robin Ince and Josie Long in this podcast create that feeling, it is spontaneous, random, but endlessly interesting. It may be the only podcast I have reviewed that has no format, none at all. It is just them and guests chatting about whatever comes to mind.
The quality of guests helps, Billy Bragg, Jon Ronson, Mark Gatiss and Terry Jones to name a few. Just being in a room with these people is going to be an amazing experience, and after you listen to Utter Shambles you feel you will have been in the room with these people, and that you know them, as if you had just met them down the pub.
Robin and Josie have a huge part to play in creating this feeling, they are both natural to the extreme, no acting or egos get in the way, and the guest must feel very at ease which means they will talk about things that they might otherwise not.
Robin was kind enough to come onto my podcast (you can hear it here), but it is nothing compared to Utter Shambles, which is like a shining jewel in the podcasting world, and a new episode (released whenever one is ready, 1 week apart or 6 months...) always excites me!
Download at Comedy Central Here.
This is what Utter Shambles gives you in podcast form.
I may have overstated that a little, but Robin Ince and Josie Long in this podcast create that feeling, it is spontaneous, random, but endlessly interesting. It may be the only podcast I have reviewed that has no format, none at all. It is just them and guests chatting about whatever comes to mind.
The quality of guests helps, Billy Bragg, Jon Ronson, Mark Gatiss and Terry Jones to name a few. Just being in a room with these people is going to be an amazing experience, and after you listen to Utter Shambles you feel you will have been in the room with these people, and that you know them, as if you had just met them down the pub.
Robin and Josie have a huge part to play in creating this feeling, they are both natural to the extreme, no acting or egos get in the way, and the guest must feel very at ease which means they will talk about things that they might otherwise not.
Robin was kind enough to come onto my podcast (you can hear it here), but it is nothing compared to Utter Shambles, which is like a shining jewel in the podcasting world, and a new episode (released whenever one is ready, 1 week apart or 6 months...) always excites me!
Download at Comedy Central Here.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Things I have seen around Aylesbury (Part Eight)
A destroyed bus shelter on Walton Street. In fact the bus shelter I use each morning. The bus driver didn't know what had happened, but guessed it had been hit by a lorry or car.
It certainly brings to mind this photo I took a few year ago...
http://exeterblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/bus-shelter-demolition-in-south-street.html
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Favourite Podcasts - 16 - Guardian Science Podcast
More Science! On the back of the Naked Scientists podcast here is another science based podcast I listen to.
This is pretty much a big trailer for the Guardian Newspapers science coverage, and it's not as great as it was a few years ago, but still a good round up of science news from the week, with occasional longer features.
Being the Guardian they do have access to great guests to interview, and the production is very slick. Alok Jha is a great host. It gets you interested in a topic and leads you to want to find out a bit more, it also jumps on any scientific controversy almost with the relish of a tabloid paper... which can be fun!
Download at the Guardian website here.
This is pretty much a big trailer for the Guardian Newspapers science coverage, and it's not as great as it was a few years ago, but still a good round up of science news from the week, with occasional longer features.
Being the Guardian they do have access to great guests to interview, and the production is very slick. Alok Jha is a great host. It gets you interested in a topic and leads you to want to find out a bit more, it also jumps on any scientific controversy almost with the relish of a tabloid paper... which can be fun!
Download at the Guardian website here.
Favourite Podcasts - 15 - The Naked Scientists
Science is so trendy at the moment, comedians seems to be into it, Professor Brian Cox is a TV superstar, atheists seem to treat is as their religion sometimes, and people like Ben Goldacre are all over the newspapers exposing when science is done badly.
But science is not a flash in the pan fad, it has been critical for human development for years, and will continue to be so long into the future.
Despite this many people are still terrified of science, and think that it may bring down the downfall of the world, and other scary things!
The Naked Scientists is a podcast that provides an uplifting, positive view of science. It does not focus only on the bits of science that are currently fashionable (physics, astrophysics etc) but covers the whole range of topics.
The last few weeks podcasts have already covered cancer, stem cells, plant pests, seaweed, bio fuels and cheese.
Chris Smith heads up the team, who are based at Cambridge University and exist to communicate science clearly to the public. Thankfully they don't do this in a patronising way (like the embarrassing outside visitors coming into school that I remember), they credit their audience with intelligence and are not scared to go in depth with topics, even at the risk of losing some of the listeners (and I have not always understood everything they discuss)
The team are brilliant, Dr Chris Smith is already up there in my 'five people I would invite to a dinner party' list, Then there is Dave Ansell who is a physics expert (and also enjoys setting fire to things and blowing stuff up). Kat Arney who specialises in cancer related topics, and is all round nice person. Helen Scales, expert in all things in the ocean, Dominic Ford, who has his eyes firmly to the night skies, Ben Valsler who seems to know everything about everything and is a great host, and there are many others I have forgotten!
As well as the main podcast there are spin off podcasts about Astronomy, the Oceans, Archaeology and other occasional special podcasts.
If this podcast had been around when I was at school (which is of course impossible, podcasts did not exist!) then perhaps my science lessons would not have been so painful, and I might have got better then a grade D!
Download the main Naked Scientists Podcast here.
Wikipedia page about the podcast here.
But science is not a flash in the pan fad, it has been critical for human development for years, and will continue to be so long into the future.
Despite this many people are still terrified of science, and think that it may bring down the downfall of the world, and other scary things!
The Naked Scientists is a podcast that provides an uplifting, positive view of science. It does not focus only on the bits of science that are currently fashionable (physics, astrophysics etc) but covers the whole range of topics.
The last few weeks podcasts have already covered cancer, stem cells, plant pests, seaweed, bio fuels and cheese.
Chris Smith heads up the team, who are based at Cambridge University and exist to communicate science clearly to the public. Thankfully they don't do this in a patronising way (like the embarrassing outside visitors coming into school that I remember), they credit their audience with intelligence and are not scared to go in depth with topics, even at the risk of losing some of the listeners (and I have not always understood everything they discuss)
The team are brilliant, Dr Chris Smith is already up there in my 'five people I would invite to a dinner party' list, Then there is Dave Ansell who is a physics expert (and also enjoys setting fire to things and blowing stuff up). Kat Arney who specialises in cancer related topics, and is all round nice person. Helen Scales, expert in all things in the ocean, Dominic Ford, who has his eyes firmly to the night skies, Ben Valsler who seems to know everything about everything and is a great host, and there are many others I have forgotten!
As well as the main podcast there are spin off podcasts about Astronomy, the Oceans, Archaeology and other occasional special podcasts.
If this podcast had been around when I was at school (which is of course impossible, podcasts did not exist!) then perhaps my science lessons would not have been so painful, and I might have got better then a grade D!
Download the main Naked Scientists Podcast here.
Wikipedia page about the podcast here.
Favourite Podcasts - 14 - Radio 4 Friday Night Comedy
Radio 4 has a reputation of being a little dry and stuffy, or that is certainly the way that people who have never listened to it think of it, but us Radio 4 listeners (I assume you are one? If not then go and take a good long look at your life) know that it is the home of great creative comedy in the UK.
6.30pm is one of the slots that Radio 4 usually puts comedy shows into, and the Friday night slot is exclusively reserved for topical comedy, alternating series between The News Quiz and The Now Show.
The News Quiz is possibly the funniest news based thing on either radio or TV, it inspired Have I Got News for You, but is very different in tone. Sandi Toksvig is host, and regulars such as Jeremy Hardy, Andy Hamilton, Phill Jupitus and many others discuss the news of the week in a very offbeat and funny way. Between rounds are stories and headlines read from newspapers and websites in the classic "Man Found Dead in Graveyard" tradition.
The Now Show is not quite so good these days, but still funny enough. Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt host a satirical look at the weeks news, and contributors help out. It is scripted in its form and can sometimes be great. Highlights include Jon Holmes letters from listeners, Mitch Benns songs, and when he is on the show Marcus Brigstocke ranting about something and anything!
Download at the BBC Podcasts site here.
6.30pm is one of the slots that Radio 4 usually puts comedy shows into, and the Friday night slot is exclusively reserved for topical comedy, alternating series between The News Quiz and The Now Show.
The News Quiz is possibly the funniest news based thing on either radio or TV, it inspired Have I Got News for You, but is very different in tone. Sandi Toksvig is host, and regulars such as Jeremy Hardy, Andy Hamilton, Phill Jupitus and many others discuss the news of the week in a very offbeat and funny way. Between rounds are stories and headlines read from newspapers and websites in the classic "Man Found Dead in Graveyard" tradition.
The Now Show is not quite so good these days, but still funny enough. Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt host a satirical look at the weeks news, and contributors help out. It is scripted in its form and can sometimes be great. Highlights include Jon Holmes letters from listeners, Mitch Benns songs, and when he is on the show Marcus Brigstocke ranting about something and anything!
Download at the BBC Podcasts site here.
Things I have seen around Aylesbury (Part Seven)
To explain what is happening in this picture the couple on the left hand side are rubbing their hands all over an elderly man, and the huddle on the right are laying a hand each on a lady in a wheelchair. The couple in the middle have just been shopping, as it's getting near christmas.
The banner proclaims 'Healing' and it would seem that a group from the Aylesbury Vineyard Church are preying on (pun intended) people in Aylesbury who they think might want some healing.
I wanted to go up to one of the church members and say something, but what would I say? "How dare you take advantage of the elderly and vulnerable and give them false hope with your superstition, why don't you go and put your energy into being some practical help to people instead?"
But of course I did not do anything of the sort, I just walked on by and went to the Kings Head for a pint.
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