ITV

I see from BBC News (who, incidentally, must have loved writing this article), that ITV Play went off the air last night following a string of problems with the broadcaster's "interactive TV" services (i.e. where you phone in to vote for the outcome of a tv show, or participate in a quiz, etc).

Indeed, ITV has suspended all premium-rate phone-ins, interactive competitions and votes while independent auditors conduct a review of its programmes. Apparantly the problems have lead to X-Factor viewers who phoned to vote being overcharged £200,000 (although I personally see this as a perfectly acceptable "fuckwit tax" for watching that drivel in the first place).

ITV said its interactive services would return on a programme-by-programme basis, with each production facing scrutiny in the investigation. However, the ongoing investigation means that this weekend's semi-final of skating show "Dancing Om Ice" may not be shown if the phone-in procedures have not shown to be sound (mind you, this can only be a good thing and can only help to raise the IQ of the viewers who would otherwise sit comatose and dribbling in front of this televisiual excrement).

I want to know why they only pulled ITV play off the television? Apart from the occasional Champion's League match, ITV has to be the most intellectually devoid broadcaster who make programmes for the lowest common demoninator of viewer. Even viewers of five now look down on it (especially after they broadcast the excellent drama "Kitchen" starring Eddie Izzard last week).

So please (after tonight's Barca match) let's pull the plug on ITV. They waste several channels on my EPG that would be more interesting if they broadcast a test card 24/7.

Sense of Achievement

Yeah, check it..
395, baby.

I think I might just be beginning to get in to this whole XBox thingy. It's taken a while, I'll admit but when you have a wife and two kids, there's neither the time (nor the inclination.. well, okay, maybe a wee bit of inclination) to spend hours and hours gaming.

It's been helped by the fact that the missus is so busy doing her work in the evenings (Xmas is coming and we could use a little extra cash) and also due to the fact that telly is utter shite at the moment. There really is so little in the Sky+ planner in the moment.. Now I know that 2007 is just around the corner, and that will mean the completion of series three of "Lost", along with new series of "Battlestar Galactica", "Life On Mars", "Hotel Babylon" and (most importantly) "Doctor Who", but at the moment there is FACK ALL!!

And, apart from a couple of Christmas specials, Xmas telly looks a bit pants too..
Looks like I'll have to stay reasonably pissed all through the Yuletide season after all..

The Great British Swizz??

According to BBC News (who else? They are my Oracle on everything in the big, wide world), those late night Quiz Shows on channels ITV, five, et al (you know, "The Great British Quiz" and suchlike) are being "looked into" as it is suspected they are a bit of a lottery.

If you've never seen these shows, you really should - as they are completely hypnotic.. They all have the same format: a lateral thinking question is posed (and constantly shown on the left hand side of the screen), they have a bubbly presenter to tell you, over and over, that "all the clues you need are in the question" so we may as well all "call in now, and win thousands of pounds". Although I've never called I will admit to staring transfixed at these things some times for up to an hour, I have argued with Mrs R about what the answer might be, and have scoffed at the ridiculous answers that the half-pissed sounding people who do call in offer up..

Apparently though, only 0.5% of callers actually get through to speak to the on-air presenter (only to be told they're wrong, although not in the context they really should be told that they're wrong) with the rest being kept on hold indefinitely on a premium rate number. It really is a genius scam and is compelling viewing if you have insomnia.

Just goes to show that there is one born every minute..

Just like buses..

Three.
It's the Magic Number.
Yes it is.
It's the Magic Number.

Well, allegedly..

You know the saying "Bad things happen in threes"?
Well, about six weeks ago, the oven packed in -it just wouldn't get hot, which is sort of a fundamental flaw in an oven, really.  Then, just before the wedding, the tumble dryer packed in - the drum just wouldn't spin, which is sort of a fundamental flaw in a tumble dryer really.  And then we get to this weekend..

..and I should have seen it coming..

"bad things happen in threes"

..this Saturday morning, the television blew up.
It just packed in - it completely stopped working, refused to show any pictures or generate any sound, which is sort of a fundamental flaw in a television, really.  Initially I thought it was the fuse, something simple like that, but it wasn't.  It was fubar'd.  Now after a wedding, and paying for a honeymoon this really was the last thing I needed. 

I could literally feel the credit card cringing in my wallet. 

You see the oven was repairable.. admittedly at a hugely inflated call out and labour charge, but it could be fixed.  And the tumble dryer, well that could be quite cheaply replaced mainly due to the fact that we had some John Lewis vouchers left over.

But a telly?  Oh lord.

We eventually decided we'd have to bite the bullet and replace the tv (when you have two kids, and not a massive amount of access to babysitters you begin to realise how fundamental the television can be).  Now buying a new telly should be a joyful experience, there should have been tears of happiness.. Well I can tell there was almost tears, but they were bittersweet at best.

I just hope that everything else electrical and mechanical can keep going now for about eighteen months as I really cannot afford anything else right now..