Times Online - Comment
The Times newspaper is not what it was - now part of the Murdock empire it retains most of it's distinct editorial flavour but at the end of the day will tend to reflect its owner's wishes on major issues. An institution in itself, the bias is subtle and possibly the worst for that. Nonetheless, Times Newspapers were responsible for a lot of the innovation that brought Fleet Street to the web and today they have expanded the online version to include comment - a move which can hardly be faulted. One wonders whether Murdock himself will read whatever comment there is, let alone take note of it - but that's not the point. This is the link.
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A blog a day helps me work rest and play - even if it sometimes ends up as trivia. Only if you live in Britain and have an interest in current affairs will last night's comment have made sense. To encapsulate, two of Britain's most respected TV news reporters on different channels ended their programmes last night by stripping off! Stripping off their "ties" to be precise!
This follows the announcement yesterday that male employees of Britain's civil services will no longer be obliged to wear ties at work - as usual an extremely belated reflection of trends within society at large. Ironically, both presenters seem to prefer wearing ties. Jon Snow likes a lot of variety and views them as a statement of individuality to the extent that he even wears matching socks. Jeremey Paxman's preference is simply for the tie itself and the respect it conveys. Snow seemed to thoroughly enjoy exposing his adams apple to all and sundry whilst Paxman appeared distinctly uncomfortable doing so. Trivia, but fun to watch.
As an old hippie I never thought I'd be seen dead in a tie. Forced to endure them back in my schooldays, as an adult I doubt I even possessed one for many years. Even floating around the world of corporate professionals until a few years ago, it was a form of decoration I refused to adopt - preferring, in my arrogance I guess, a media director's style of baseball cap to express myself. I doubt if this stubborness will ever change - and why the hell should it?
Yet I have to confess that I do actually own a few ties these days - most of them bought simply because I liked the pattern or fabric. I've even been known to wear them now and again - in courtrooms, at funerals and for odd functions. To me these days, the act is almost a little thrill - dressing up flamoyantly for that special occaision. The strangeness of such a habit itself becoming its attraction. If I'm still around a decade or so from now, maybe I'll be adopting the decoration as a mark of eccentricity in opposition to the norm. Who knows? Turn-on, tie-up, drop-out!
Later.
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