Tag: bbc

art, culture, films, Life, Politics1 Comment

The Opposite of Truth

Mark Cathcart

If there is a betrayal of that trust [in public organizations], there is a crime. The opposite of truth is not just a lie, the opposite of truth is chaos. The chaos that is in danger of bringing down the institutions we depend on, to deliver justice. The final words of fictional character, Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox), in the finale of Season 22 of the BBC Series Silent Witness. Writers Virginia Gilbert and Michael Crompton have come up with one of those most memorable of TV moments. This is right up there with ACN ‘News Night’ anchor Will McAvoys speech of … Continue reading The Opposite of Truth

art, musicLeave a comment

Remembering Terry Callier

Mark Cathcart

Today is the 6th anniversary of the passing of Terry Callier. I’ve been meaning to write this in time for the anniversary of his death for at least the past 3-years. After really enjoying his Hidden Conversations album , I put it on my to-do list and here it is. I’ve tried not to just repeat all the other obituaries and rather make this more of a retrospective. I don’t recall precisely when I became aware of Terry, sometime in the late 1990’s. Probably in some activity or performance around the 1998 release of his Timepeace album. My favorite … Continue reading Remembering Terry Callier

Politics, politicsLeave a comment

Time for a new deal?

Mark Cathcart

Involuntary under-employment, the bitter price of austerity; Involuntary migration, the bitter fruit of concetrating decent jobs in small areas. Neither globalization nor electricfied fences can fix this. It is delusional to believe that Britain or America can prosper sustainably when neighbouring nations are in a crisis. Subtlety and leadership we cant expect from Trump and May. This is a great series of short video op-eds from BBC Newsnight. Continue reading Time for a new deal?

Life, politics, religionLeave a comment

What’s the deal with guns?

Mark Cathcart

Again, skirting around the election, whenever the topic of guns in America comes up, usually after yet-another-mass-shooting, I simply don’t understand. I have no context. I recently had the chance to hear Guardian journalist Gary Younge discuss his new book “Another Day in the Death of America: A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives” (via @amazon), with BBC Radio London, broadcaster and journalist, Robert Elms. So much rang true. It was great hearing two people discuss guns and the bizarre attitudes towards them in the USA. Among the qoutes, and the serious discussions about 10 kids being killed by guns, the … Continue reading What’s the deal with guns?

art, films, Life, musicLeave a comment

British Youth Culture Films featuring Music

Mark Cathcart

Thursdays Robert Elms show on BBC Radio London discussed and took submissions from the listeners on their top-3 British Youth Culture films featuring music. I’d not heard of many of them, so I hit the BBC iPlayer pause button and made a list of all those mentioned. The films are listed as they came up on the show. The most popular films mentioned, including by Robert were Quadraphenia, Take it or Leave It, and Babylon. Quadraphenia (1979) features one Gordon Sumner aka Sting, as we as Phil Daniels and is set in London in 1965. The music is predominantly American acts, … Continue reading British Youth Culture Films featuring Music

healthcare, politics, taxLeave a comment

FIFA vs The Government

Mark Cathcart

I heard the BBC reporting the Governor of the Bank of Englands remarks that the “age of irresponsibility” in the City of London is over as the Bank of England promised a crackdown on rogue traders. In a speech on Wednesday evening, the Bank of England Governor said that banks, regulators and individuals had collectively failed to prevent the market rigging that has led to bank fines worth billions of pounds and he recommended tougher rules for the City and longer jail sentences for those who attempt to manipulate markets. This is a very British approach to a problem, introduce … Continue reading FIFA vs The Government

Life, politics, religionLeave a comment

A Change Is Gonna Come

Mark Cathcart

Notwithstanding Sam Cookes heavily racially motivated “A Change is gonna come“, that is exactly what is happening in Texas. Change is coming. The freedoms that have been held here as a right, are being diluted, and by that, I don’t mean the ridiculous moves by the far right, mostly white Christians.. Sure, they may win in the short term, but in the long term, they’ll have to change. Why? They very growth former Governor Rick Perry espoused and celebrated as often as he could, proclaiming the Texas miracle, the traditional freedoms can’t hold at the growth rates we see in … Continue reading A Change Is Gonna Come

Life, technologyLeave a comment

East End Match Girls and Apple/FoxCon

Mark Cathcart

I was struck by the similarity of the plight and treatment of the BRYANT & MAY MATCHWOMEN in the East End of London, in the 1880’s, and the hi-tech assembly workers at the FoxConn factories in China. I heard an interview with Louise Raw, Historian and Author, on this mornings Robert Elms, BBC Radio London show, talking about her new book, Striking a Light. The comparison was really only around the plight of the workers than anything else. Thinking about it afterwards the scale of the hi-tech workers is staggering, Wired estimates 1-million workers working on the iPhone alone, which … Continue reading East End Match Girls and Apple/FoxCon