The Middle East is on the brink of all-out war and the Ukraine conflict goes on. Yet on the BBC news headline pages neither is mentioned! Instead, they concentrate on the thugs rioting in the UK.
I am used to the news in the USA seemingly worrying about what happens in their own state at the expense of the next state and the world, but I am appalled by this from the BBC.
There is a very interesting piece on John EI7GL's blog about the demise of BBC Radio 4 on 198kHz long wave.
Gradually, long wave AM broadcast stations are going. There are now very few radios covering LW broadcast bands. The present date for switch-off could be June 2025.
With so much LW spectrum becoming free, I wonder if amateur radio could get any?
The BBC reports that New Zealand is to reverse moves which (hopefully) would have phased out smoking. They have supposedly done this to fund tax cuts. This would appear to be a step backwards. I do not know all the facts.
BBC weather rant time.
Today the BBC was saying the clouds would burn back and we would have sunshine and light cloud as they are saying right now!!! 😉 It has been full cloud all day. I know BBC weather is a joke, but I object to my money being wasted on super-computers when looking out the window is free and just as good!!
Rant over. I feel better 😁😉
I cannot find the BBC email to whom I should send my complaint. If you know it, please would you share it?
My complaint is that nearly every documentary seems to have loud and intrusive music that drowns out the speaker. Why? It is almost as if we have to have this music, but why is it so loud?
It would be good if this music was much quieter or even not there at all! The music is added, I suppose, to give dramatic effect.
The latest culprit is David Attenborough's "Wild Isles" on BBC1.
Please, do not treat us as stupid.
In the past, a couple of my photos have been used on the local TV weather forecasts, but this was a total surprise.
This saddens me. The BBC reports that some opposition people in Myanmar (was Burma) have been executed. Now, I do not know the facts admittedly, but this seems brutal in the 21st century.
The BBC reports that Russia has fined Google for spreading "fake news" about the "special operation" in Ukraine. Outside Russia it is called war, although by tight control of the media, most Russians are unaware.
I am puzzled why Russia is carrying out such aggression against people who (were) so close. It is clear that most in Ukraine hate Russia now and Mr Putin has even more countries now wanting to join NATO. Such aggression has no place in the 21st century.
Why?
The BBC has an interesting piece about the use of free space optical communications to bridge the River Congo in Africa where optical fibre is impractical. This gives very high (not perfect) reliability and, in this case, is destined to carry internet traffic. Of course, this would not be suitable for places where fog is common, such as the bay area of San Francisco.
From the outset may I say that we all are less than perfect and we all have things about ourselves we are not proud of and that we would rather not tell people about. We are human.
What really annoys me though are people who publicly pretend to be honest and upright folk, who clearly are not.
In the UK we have had the BBC and the BBC person who lied and covered up the devious means to get an interview with Princess Diana in 1995.
We also had the case of the sub-postmasters accused of fraud when the fault was with the software. Some even went to prison or lost homes - basically lives ruined. All the while those in charge were in denial. One is even an ordained minister!! Gross hypocrisy!
In my view those involved in both these scandals should face custodial sentences and be made to pay for their gross misdemeanours. This includes those who did the deeds and those who covered them up knowingly.
Both the BBC and the UK Post Office must uphold the law at all times and be above reproach. We deserve nothing less.
In the last few days the BBC has come under a lot of criticism for the underhand methods used to get the 1995 interview with Princess Diana. My understanding is they forged bank statements to show that people in whom she trusted were spying on her. I may have my facts slightly wrong, so please check the sources yourselves. What is not at doubt is that Diana was deceived to get the interview and some at the BBC apparently knew about this.
In my view the UK royalty will be history within 50 years unless great changes are made. I think the UK queen has done a pretty good job in difficult circumstances. The whole royal family could have done an even better job if it "came of age".
Many royal couples have divorced and some of the royal traditions are plain wrong. I am not a great royalist, but fear the person we could choose as a president if we ever became a republic. Can you think of anyone?
My vote is for a continued royal family, but with great changes. Hangers on would have to earn a living, and many of the privileges would go. Many look up to the royal family as pillars of society. It is a delicate balance between "otherness" and us.
The BBC reports that a large container ship has run aground in strong winds and blocked the Suez Canal. This is vital artery for world trade. It is already caused major tailbacks. Imagine being in charge of steering this ship!
2020 will go down as the year of Zoom. Until earlier this year many of us had not heard of this. Now most of us are familiar with it. Many of us have used it for virtual family meetings. Some have used it for work and some for school lessons.
Whatever, 2020 will go down as the year of virtual meetings, not all of which went to plan as this BBC video shows!
Overall, I have been impressed by Zoom meetings. When the pandemic is over I quite expect Zoom meetings to still be popular.
Many in the UK will recognise the voice of Peter Alliss, aged 89, who commentated on many golf games over many years. In the UK he was the voice of golf. He has died and will be greatly missed.
This has appeared on the BBC news site:
"Police are dealing with an "ongoing incident" on board an oil tanker situated off the Isle of Wight.
The tanker, named in reports as the Liberian-registered Nave Andromeda, was due to dock in Southampton earlier.
Hampshire Constabulary said: "We are aware and dealing with an ongoing incident on board a vessel which is situated south of the Isle of Wight."
The Maritime Coastguard Agency said it was assisting police and search and rescue helicopters were at the scene."
I hope this not a potential terrorist threat.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-54684440
Every few weeks I take a peek at the narrowband activity on Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite. My own view is activity is patheticall...
