R.i.p Joan "Biddy" Baxter

This week we go back to the past with the reported death Monday that Joan "Biddy" Baxter (pictured centre) the producer for some twenty-six years until the end of 1988 of Blue Peter had died aged 92 years.

Blue Peter is a U.K. institution, a magazine style show of around a half hour length on the BBC that began as a breath experiment and to which it is fair to say Biddy coming in secured its feature and set the standards that are still there.

Often criticized by left-liberal types as too middle class, stuffy and more compared to shows that tried to compete such as Magpie nonetheless it proved popular not least for that the ideas were drawn mainly from what its audience wanted, writing in, competitions you could join in winning a prize and that a badge system that a reward for interests and new activities that some evidence was needed was set up by her and expanded to cover Green topics and music.

No question of write in, maybe hand over a payment and get anything, you jolly well had to work for it but then it was about inspiring children and rewarding so that makes sense.

Another thing was Animals. Aware some could never have access to a pet, the show had pets you could follow, taking an interest in and wildlife was shown too and visits to places too.

Presenters had to be on top of their scripts because she believed children deserved the best show they could have and perhaps her biggest fault was she was strict over that that could be overbearing.

A show that remains the longest running children's tv show in the World, a shining example of what she achieved and was as a child I loved the show.

R.I.P. Biddy. 

Tidy up ends

 

Well it does happen to be Friday  which means I'm busy helping the one of kind (thankfully) Grump out with the shopping after posting my Postal Vote renewal application blank of the Electoral Services of this inept council first class as the Royal Meow delays things if you don't.

 

And yes Old Me has returned from the mid 2010's probably aided by reading a new book that took me back to things with my first love musically which having nearly finished I'd say was well written and puts you very much in this band members shoes. Definitely worth it.

 I'm also finishing something off that got stalled from the same era as the old Avatar, as in 2014 I started getting in dribs and drabs the Official Remastered Edition of the conductor Herbert von Karajan's recordings for Emi Records from the late 1940's to 1984 which came out in themed box of differing sizes.

This one has his recordings from the late 1940's and late 1950's of Choral Works, some from the era of the 78 rpm shellac disc sounding better than ever  which was the big plus point of this very comprehensive set of issues.

Time for an ice cream now! 

Into August

So, it is Friday and a New Month during the summer vacations here so while it is cooler if a bit wet what's going on this week?

Well a Big Baby came to Scotland and played golf between various political meetings with the Prime Minister, the First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the European Union who kind of invited herself that went fairly well by Trump standards - no tantrums and swearing.

Perhaps he was on Cow-pol? 

The Lionesses roared winning the penalty shoot outs so a 1-1 draw was converted to 3-1 win over Spain at the final of the Women's Euro's defending their previous win, bagged a reception at 10 Downing Street, London and after an open top bus parade, held a party for all including the youngest girl fans.

Football has been refreshed with lots of new girls teams being established, more women watching games and a different feel to the game.

Thank you women for making it all happen and delivering the bestest posthumous spanking to the Football Association that said women and girls can't play football. They beeping can! And how!!!! 

This week saw the Beano comic mark its 87th birthday, still going strong.

The world has changed from when casual racial tropes and stereotypes might of been seen as appropriate, gender roles have changes for boys and girls as well those pesky grown ups and modern technology has altered lives including children.

All the evidence shows children do love a humour based comic but production cost and issues with getting magazines out to them in stores plus online marketing make it difficult.
 

Broken wings part two

 

Today's post is a quickish one as domestic arrangements here more days of have been switched but getting back to the topic we've spoken of having things arriving broken or otherwise not of merchandise quality in any hobby that involves collectables things can happen before then.

It may be that something isn't what is described as being which you may detect - the number of times I see cds or records give issue dates that clearly are not first issues are numerous - before you get that far but in the main you do trust in descriptions not least those that talk about the quality of used discs.

Sometimes I get a record that on the surface to be free of scratches but as with one that arrived on Wednesday it sounds between the tracks like it's been played with a nail with random noises that are intrusive.

Yesterday though I get a message to say a classic 80's disc described as being near mint was indeed more like well worn having paid for it but had been spotted by the person packing the order who then messaged  me.

I appreciate the fact they cared enough to message and give me option to decline and get a refund, the question arises how come it listed as being near mint and why their buyer accepted a disc that no serious collector would want.  

At times it takes the fun out hunting and getting recordings to enjoy. 

They say they want a revolution...

 

While schools and politics really shouldn't get tangled up not least in schools between staff and pupils sometimes they do such as over campaigns to convert high schools to Comprehensives (and sometimes back again), what *should* be in the National Curriculum, teaching around LGBTA+ topics, "de-colonializing" and so do cause the fur to fly.

Many schools do put out education about the British Constitution,  civil rights, how elections are run and the political system to equip pupils with knowledge about how it all works ready for when the become adults, ready to stand for Elections and to take part by Voting in them at the age of 18 for UK wide elections.

This is quite sensible but the incoming labour Government had in its Manifesto (a set of promises to do things if they win)  the idea of reducing the age of voting to 16 saying as they old enough to in certain circumstances pay taxes they should be able to influence decisions around how it is spent.

My main concern is most sixteen year olds are insufficient aware and experienced about how things work, are able to see fully the consequences of how they would vote and how politicians regardless of party don't always tell the whole truth at least.

Many schools run "Mock Elections" where pupils stand for election within school, have to campaign, debate topics and vote which teaches basic skills needed in a democracy and you mature sometimes quite radically by 18.

This will need to be debated in both Houses of Parliament before making its way before assent is given so let's hope this idea is fully considered. 

The summer escape plan

Things won't be as originally intended, I wouldn't say planned as we didn't get that far so it's a matter of reworking things a bit over the mid summer period to fill the gaps although I suspect it would of been a matter of taking the thinnest nightwear and cotton dresses with me as the weekend is going to be very hot apparently.

 

I was in Llandudno on Tuesday on a coach with less than comfortable seats enjoying the sea air and visiting a few shops as I never was away with the usual crew in North Wales although I believe they did in the early years of this century and actually it would of been very easy for me to had made my own way there by train.

Unlike the days when I did spend a good four days or so there, North Wales today has a dirth of record shops so any record shopping is restricted to markets and record fairs and photo shops equally left from the days of Jessops having a branch but I suppose when people are not likely to need to get consumables such as film, filters and photo processing  there probably is insufficient turnover to justify it.

Heck many don't print out or even back up the many pictures they take on smartphones or digital cameras while we'd sort our slides and make up photo albums by topics.

Anyway, that's this weeks recollections! 

End of summer term reflections

 

June, traditionally the time of an all day school trip if not a residential usually involving some broadly speaking educational objectives so they will be a field trip with things to find and worksheets to work though either individually in in twos.

I did surprisingly given my autism manage a conversation face to face for the best part of three quarters of an hour with a woman I'd never met before while out shopping whose youngest child goes the local Primary School and others are at a nearby girls school and University  where the topic of Residentials came up in the context of the digitalization of school communication as in a school specific app post the was a rolling list about the week long residential that wasn't structured with requirements such as clothing clearly separated and annoying no paper check list was made available  which is often the most efficient way of ensuring cases are properly packed ticking off as you go along.

Even getting the school to print *anything* off  given many people don't have printers not least those who tend to use smartphones proved a battle of wills.

Then there was the matter of being late in sending any notification of their leaving and an update given the motorway issues that plague this area.

Not everybody uses the internet well - many grandparents who look after school age children when parents are at work  do struggle - and yet everything goes through this with no use of importance to highlight urgent stuff in a deluge across the day

That means things like Internet only Teacher/Parent introductions to that years work can get missed and in any event isn't better for parents to meet others and all to meet face to face the class teacher, Head and Deputy so everybody knows each other and if anyone has skills then offers to assist are more likely to be forthcoming than leaving many feeling marginalized.

It seems to me this digital only approach is rubbing schools of an actual real sense of community between it, parents and the wider community.