Clare's Lair

Saturday, June 08, 2002

Smile review: Fairy Tales by Oscar Wilde

These fairy tales are far from light reading and those who know Wilde only from his comedies will be left surprised and moved.
Anyone who has seen the film Wilde will have heard the Happy Prince, threaded through the film and following his downfall. As with much of his writing there is a religious allusion in this tale, but many more are simply based not on the tragedy of Christ but of life itself.
The Nightingale and the Rose - a story of light-heated undergraduate love for which a nightingale sacrifices himself in good, futile faith - is one of the most beautiful and tragic stories I have ever read. It may not be eclipsed by the Infanta's Birthday, but you will again be left staggered by the careless neglect that ruins the life of the Infanta's 'entertainment'.
These stories left me with a sense of sadness, but just as the saddest things are often the most beautiful, so Wilde's prose in these stories is perfect.
If you lack the time to read The Picture of Dorian Gray but you want to see Wilde's genius transcend 'triviality', then this is the place to start. His stories are beautiful.


Posted by Clare at 11:14 PM [+]
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Smile: not only a lovely, lovely bank but now they give you Snile miles for writing reviews of things. Much more rewarding than Amazon.

So, I'm submitting this review of Peter Akroyd's London to collect a mile. Here's the review - you can read the comments.

Akroyd's book is definitely one of the most lively accounts of London to have
been written in modern times.

Without making assumptions without evidence, the book creates a fantastic sense of London throughout the ages. It is excellently researched and has a useful chapter on sources. You can focus on the eras you are most interested in and I found myself rereading much of, though haven't finished exploring its full extent.

Akroyd's other recent hit has been the biography of Dickens, and in some ways you can see his interest with the author through this work. Dickens enlightened unknown corners of London to his Victorian readers in his essays and in the same way Akroyd illuminates past and present London.

London is not the best book for looking up a quick fact, but for that there are plenty of reference books on the city. This book will give you the personal touch in a form that hasn't been done so successfully since Dorothy George's 1925 classic London Life in the Eighteenth Century. Fascinating, whether or not you live in the capital.

Posted by Clare at 9:31 PM [+]
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One nil one nil one nil one nil, one nil, one nil, one nil, one niiiiiiilllllllllllllllllll


Posted by Clare at 2:12 PM [+]
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Huh huh heh

Oh!! Couldn't post a juvenile comment on Ian's site, whose Word of the Day amused me, and probably all other Father Ted fans out there...

The Word of the Day for June 6 is:

feckless • FEK-luss • (adjective)
1 : weak, ineffective
*2 : worthless, irresponsible

Example sentence:
"Jill's fiancé is charming but rather feckless, I'm afraid," said Nicole with a disapproving shake of her head.

Did you know?
Here is a fascinating word fact for you: someone "feckless" is lacking in "feck." Now then, you may ask, what the heck is "feck"? In fact, "feck" means "value" ("No feck would come from it") or "quantity" ("A whole feck of them came"). This alteration of the Middle English "effect" originated (and most often occurs) in Scots, and its original meaning was essentially "a majority." So something without "feck" is without value or effect—that is, "useless," or, alternatively, "irresponsible." In the past, "feckful" (meaning "efficient," "sturdy," or "powerful") made an occasional appearance. But in this case, the weak has outlived the strong: "feckless" is a commonly used English word, but "feckful" has fallen out of use.

Feck!


Posted by Clare at 9:55 PM [+]
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The HTML master!

Gosh. So I changed the HTML on my blogtags - how clever is that? Yes, I know, some people can just do that but it took a while..

So do we like the italic post-tags, or is that too much italic? Tell me:)
Posted by Clare at 9:46 PM [+]
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New Admirable Blog



As ever, this clinches it really because it has a cat on, but it's a nice site nevertheless, with lots of pictures. And the poor girl got cut off from the web by a nasty provider so I feel for her.


Posted by Clare at 9:12 PM [+]
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bring out the bunting! it's…
crime watching week 50
june 8th - 14th
Written for Payback by Clare-Marie White.
NB Schedules may be subject to change so it's worth checking a daily paper or www.radiotimes.com for up-to-date listings.
television programmes
classics, "Must See TV"
None this week

programmes worth watching out for, which don't make it to MSTV status
None this week

criminal justice programmes
Sunday June 9th, 23.05, C5 Hard Bastards
When will it end? Kate Kray continues her tour of the coolest people in the world.
Director: Suzanne Foster Producer: Toni Williamson

Tuesday June 11th, 23.05, C5 Serial Killers

Tuesday June 11th, 21.30, BBC1 Kenyon Confronts
A look at horserace-fixing.
Producer: Gary Hone

Wednesday June 12th, 01.35, C4 Blue Murder

Thursday June 13th, 21.00, BBC2 The Hunt for Britain’s Paedophiles
Examining the trial of members of a major paedophile ring.
Producer: Ben Rumney

social issues documentaries
Tuesday June 11th, 21.00, C4 Cutting Edge
Inside a Hull comprehensive where the children run riot for the benefit of the cameras.
Producer: Monica Garney

real life documentaries/'docusoaps'.
None this week.

crime dramas/serials
Saturday June 8th and Sunday 8th, 21.05, BBC1 Fields of Gold
We don't usually include tales of international conspiracy but this drama, starring
Anna Friel, does involve some 'mysterious deaths'. It is co-written by Guardian
editor Alan Rusbridger and should be an exciting look into the fevered
imagination of someone whose job it is to untangle government and corporate
scandals.
Director: Bill Anderson Producer: Liza Marshall

Saturday June 8th, 21.00, C5 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
[Repeated Monday 10th, 23.40]
Related website: www.cbs.com/primetime/csi

Saturday June 8th, 21.55, C5 Law and Order
Parole issues with a serial rapist.
[Repeated Sunday 9th, 23.35]
Related website: www.studiosusa.com/laworder

Sunday June 9th, 19.05, C5 Martial Law

Weekdays, 11.00, C5 TJ Hooker

Monday June 10th and Wednesday 12th, 14.20, Tuesday 11th, 14.15, and Wednesday June 12th, 23.05, C4 Ally McBeal

Tuesday June 11th, 23.05, C4 Oz

Tuesday June 11th, 20.30, C4 A Touch of Frost

Wednesday June 12th, 21.00, BBC2 Murder
From the point of view of the case detective.
Director: Beeban Kidron Producer: Rebecca de Souza

Wednesday June 12th, 21.00, ITV The Law
Bit confusing this. If England win today against Nigeria, ITV will rerun the whole match and you won't see this new detective drama. If they lose, you'll feel sad but at least you'll get to see the lovely Joe McFadden starring as a detective.
Director: Juliet May Producer: May Gibson

Thursday June 13th, 20.00, ITV The Bill
Director: Michael Ferguson Producer: Tom Cotter
Related website: www.thebill.com

Thursday June 13th, 21.00, ITV Bad Girls
Look out for Marion's star appearance in this final episode of the series: clad in leopard-skin and heels she will surely be regarded by her fellow prisoners as a mini-god as she chats on the payphone about alternative sentencing policies. But are the followers of her new cult (let's call it Payback) involved in a disastrous and explosive escape plan?
Director: Jim O' Hanlon Producer: Claire Phillips
Related website: www.badgirls.co.uk - with factsheets from the CCJS.

Friday June 14th, 14.40, BBC1 Diagnosis Murder

Friday June 14th, 20.30, BBC1 My Hero
Ardal O' Hanlon joins the neighbourhood watch.
Director: John Stroud

Other programmes of interest
Saturday June 8th, 19.15, BBC2 Omnibus: Who Killed Caravaggio?
Andrew Graham-Dixon investigates the mysterious death of one of Italy's most
famous painters in 1610.
Director: Roger Parsons

Saturday June 8th, 22.55, C5 Tyson: The Baddest Man on the Planet
The baddest? As in badder than Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein? In which case
surely we should be waging a War Against Tyson, instead of celebrating his life
with a documentary titled by a schoolgirl.

clare's personal choice of the week
Friday June 14th, 23.10, C4 Jackass
In the absence of any programmes celebrating 50 Crimewatchings, there can only be a recommendation to everyone to relax in front of this very silly programme, which is sometimes, but not always, hilarious, featuring as it does stunts by a feckless American called Johnny Knoxville and his friends. Quickly becoming a cult hit, it's worth watching if only so you can snigger with others over it round the 'water cooler'.


criminal justice story lines in the main soaps during june
Little Mo is suffering in jail in Eastenders, and Kat has a desperate plan to set up Trevor - will it lead to tragedy? The community try to have Janine thrown out, which only leads to her attempting suicide and landing everyone in it. In Coronation Street Richard does a Brookie and buries his ex-spouse under the patio. In Brookside the police return to do a reconstruction of Imelda's last movements, to the horror of little Anthony.

Related websites:
www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders
www.corrie.net
www.brookside.com
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archers

radio programmes
must hear radio
None this week.

criminal justice programmes
Tuesday June 11th, 09.00 and 21.30, Radio 4 Unreliable Evidence
Producer: Bruce Hyman

Sunday June 9th, 20.30, and Friday 14th, 16.00, Radio 4
Law in Action

social issues documentaries
Tuesday June 11th, 09.30, Radio 4 Gappers
Tracking a volunteer at a Swansea hostel.
Producers: Rachael Pink and Sara Parker

crime dramas/serials
Friday June 14th, 14.15, Radio 4 Afternoon Play: McLevy
Director: Patrick Raynor

other programmes of interest
Friday June 14th, 16.30, Radio 4 The Message
Jenni Murray and guests engage in conversation about current media trends.
Producer: Cecile Wright
Related website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/themessage.

crime writing in the TV guides
None this week, so go to the BBC's new Crime website: www.bbc.co.uk/crime, which is the new home of Crimewatch as well as having forums, news and links.
daily listings
NB As schedules may be subject to change, it's worth checking a daily paper or www.radiotimes.com for up-to-date listings.

saturday june 8th
19.15 BBC2 Omnibus: Who Killed Caravaggio?
21.00 C5 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
21.05 BBC1 Fields of Gold
21.55 C5 Law and Order
22.55 C5 Tyson: the Baddest Man on the
Planet

sunday june 9th
19.05 C5 Martial Law
20.30 BBCR4 Law in Action
21.05 BBC1 Fields of Gold
23.05 C5 Hard Bastards
23.35 C5 Law and Order

monday june 10th
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.20 ITV Ally McBeal
23.40 C5 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

tuesday june 11th
09.00 BBCR4 Unreliable Evidence
09.30 BBCR4 Gappers
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.15 C4 Ally McBeal
20.30 ITV A Touch of Frost
21.30 BBC1 Kenyon Confronts
21.30 BBCR4 Unreliable Evidence
23.05 C4 Oz
23.05 C5 Serial killers

wednesday june 12th
01.35 C4 Blue Murder
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.20 C4 Ally McBeal
21.00 BBC2 Murder
21.00 ITV The Law (subject to football)
23.05 C4 Ally McBeal


thursday june 13th
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
21.00 BBC2 The Hunt for Britain’s
Paedophiles
20.00 ITV The Bill
21.00 ITV Bad Girls

friday june 14th
11.00 C5 TJ Hooker
14.15 BBCR4 Afternoon Play McLevy
14.40 BBC1 Diagnosis Murder
16.00 BBCR4 Law in Action
16.30 BBCR4 The Message
20.30 BBC1 My Hero
23.10 C4 Jackass



Posted by Clare at 8:53 PM [+]
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Goddamit!

According to Sitepoint, AOL are to adopt Netscape as their browser-runner of choice.

Why? Oh Why?

So this website will look rubbish to 20% of Americans. Unlike many Britons, this does bother me.



Posted by Clare at 8:48 PM [+]
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Bless

Check out the world's smallest website

Bet you could get smaller than that...
Posted by Clare at 8:46 PM [+]
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What's Your Style? Find out @ She's Crafty

Oh yeah...


Posted by Clare at 8:51 PM [+]
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