The last of the current series of 'secret genius...', was on lifts. Now how can they improve on lifts? Easy, design them to go horizontal as well as vertical, a la Willy Wonka! Simply an amazing program.

Now, if the Beeb fired looney man Linekar, and commissioned another series of this, the license fee would almost be worth it!

Having both vertigo & claustrophobia, that episode wasn't ideal for me.  

I'm still tempted to buy a modern Dyson after an earlier episode though.

Secret genius of modern life, bbc2 - can get it on iplayer!

13 minutes ago, RMurphy195 said:

Secret genius of modern life, bbc2 - can get it on iplayer!

mmm... did anyone say you can't? 😀

I think it's telling that there hasn't been a single post here over the Christmas period. I'm of an age where Christmas TV was magical, The Two Ronnies special, the Morcombe & Wise special, heck even Top Gear had a memorable Christmas special. Now, there is nothing, just loads of re runs, splattered by 'reality' shows. I even ended up binging on old TopGear specials of which every one of them I watched on their original Christmas transmission date.

Just me?

No, barely watched Tv nothing to get exited over. Full of a cold didnt go anywhere or do anything so was just background noise.

Was a good week for Lee Mack & Sally Bretton.  Both had two programs on prime time!

Both in 'Not Going Out' of course - although I thought they'd replaced the kids in it.  Can't believe how much they've grown!

Then 1% club Xmas special. And Beyond Paradise on Xmas Eve I liked.

There was also a new Death in Paradise.  And a 'Factory' with Gregg Wallace making Yorkshire puddings.

Xmas Day I watched Spiderman: Into the Spider verse.  From 2018 I know but first time I'd seen it.

Also found 'Nolly' really interesting this week.

And the Royal Institute Xmas lectures were on AI which I didn't know much about.

So I found plenty to watch and all Freeview, don't use any other services.

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

So I found plenty to watch and all Freeview, don't use any other services.

Interesting. I watched Nolly ages ago when it was on TVX (Itv's streaming). I use to love, 'Not Going Out', but I think in recent times, it's lost it's wit & sparkle, though still better than most current 'comedy'. I did catch the 'factory' by accident, was mesmorised the way the puds were blown off the conveyor belt LOL

I also caught one of the Xmas lectures by accident, as a kid, for me it was unmissable, but I think I'm too old now.

Never realised the Death in Paradise was new, mostly repeats now.

Guess there was something to watch after all, though the most recent Bond movie is about to air on ITV, shame I watched it a few days ago on ITV2!

Mr Bates Vs The Post Office this week on ITV. 

Really interesting series based on a fairly recent news story.  Many on here are probably aware I'm not a fan of feeling powerless against large organisations and being constantly fobbed off by bullsh*t from customer services in recent years.  So I was surprised to see that's exactly what was happening in this situation 20 years ago!

11 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Mr Bates Vs The Post Office this week on ITV.

I was hoping someone would comment on this, what an amazing drama. I've been aware of this since it started 2 decades ago. All stems from Tony Blair initiating a £1 Billion computer 'upgrade' for the Post Office. He also initiated a £14 Billion IT upgrade for the NHS which was so bad, it wasn't even commissioned!

I've been in retail all my life, and the stress you are under when your 'till' doesn't balance' is horrendous. I've also been involved in the investigation of internal theft. The PO was simply not only negligent, but also was involved in criminal activity in covering this sham up. To think that 3500 postmasters were simultaneously 'stealing' was an absolute farce, & nonsense.

60 Post Masters have subsequently died having their lives ruined before PO started admitting they were wrong. This case has made me so angry for 20 odd years, and I would urge anyone to watch it, and learn what happens when government starts picking on 'little' people and then get involved covering up their tracks.

To this day not one senior PO director has been prosecuted and brought to justice, simply shameful...

Recording this to watch later, but pretty familiar with the story.

Having had involvement in the introduction of several new computer systems, with all the associated "glitches", amazed that the PO blamed the people rather than the system. 

I worked mainly in the field of procurement and logistics and if, say, a new system suddenly showed large stock discrepancies, our first reaction would not have been to assume that our warehouse staff had suddenly transformed into criminals! 

19 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

To this day not one senior PO director has been prosecuted and brought to justice, simply shameful...

Couldn't agree more!

On 12/31/2023 at 8:29 PM, StephenFord said:

I also caught one of the Xmas lectures by accident, as a kid, for me it was unmissable, but I think I'm too old now

I totally agree. To me it's lost it's gravitas and become too showbizzy.

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

To this day not one senior PO director has been prosecuted and brought to justice, simply shameful...

Agreed, perhaps the making of this program will kick a few people in to action

1 hour ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Recording this to watch later, but pretty familiar with the story.

Having had involvement in the introduction of several new computer systems, with all the associated "glitches", amazed that the PO blamed the people rather than the system. 

I worked mainly in the field of procurement and logistics and if, say, a new system suddenly showed large stock discrepancies, our first reaction would not have been to assume that our warehouse staff had suddenly transformed into criminals! 

Couldn't agree more!

As a former IT manager, mainframe systems designer and developer at various stages in my previous life, when the story first broke my immediate comment to my wife was "Why the h*** wasn't this picked up in testing, and didn't ANYONE notice the sudden leap in supposed fraud by postmasters and ask questions internally?". Other than that I was speechless apart from a few unprintable phrases. And definitely it was obvious that someone, somewhere in IT at the very least was covering up an error of ghastly proportions, and someone above them must have realised that proceeding with the court cases MUST have resulted in problems longer term.

I'm afraid I decided not to watch this because I knew it would make me so angry at the appalling and shameful way these people were, and still are being, treated that my blood pressure wouldn't stand it.

Well, just watched Episode 1. Even though I pretty much knew most of the story, I still found it very upsetting which is testament to the excellence of the cast involved. 

I'll have to watch the rest now, but I'll make sure I take my medication first as it's certain to make me even angrier.

Hopefully this dramatisation (and the documentary later this week) might stir up some action against those responsible.

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Well, just watched Episode 1.

I now have just episode 4 left to watch, only discovered today that you can stream it (free) on ITVX. The viewing doesn't get easier, the PO senior hierarchy really are a bunch of crooks...

From knowledge a major supply company to the double glazing industry i was a factory manager at the time, introduced a new stock control system.  Wink Haus pronounced Vink nearly went out of business as they relied on the new system without manual checking before dispatch, what a nightmare.

Did anyone catch 'Inside the Factory' this week? They did the making of the simple jelly bean from the factory in Dublin. For such a basic confectionery, it was an amazingly complex and involved process! The mold used to create the bean shape (made out of a powdered corn starch) was sheer genius.

Taking well over 10 days to produce a jelly bean. Sadly for me, they are virtually entirely made of sugar, which is why they taste so good! (not great for a diabetic LOL)

Yes, I too wondered how they could fill an entire hour making a jelly bean...and was then glued to the screen for the whole hour!

Slightly embarrassed to admit I never knew glucose syrup came from corn or wheat!  For some reason I thought it came from fruit.

Also found the section on sugar levels & exercise interesting.

I never really did like sweets.  Even as a kid I preferred the less sweet treats like biscuits or pastries.  But that didn't reduce the interest in the program at all.

After the drama of Mr Bates v Post Office, there was a one hour documentary aired called 'The Real Story', where you saw the actual people involved in this scandal, absolutely traumatic, & excellent.

I've been following this story for many years but I did learn something I hadn't known before. The witch in charge of the Post Office, Paula Vennels, was awarded a CBE in 2020 for, 'her services to the Post Office'.

The primary hero of this sad saga in bringing it to the public domain, Alan Bates was awarded the OBE, however, he declined the award. "It's not about me, it's about the group". A man of true honour, ironically more deserving of an award than the 1000s of frivolous actors/singers who get them...

34 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I've been following this story for many years but I did learn something I hadn't known before. The witch in charge of the Post Office, Paula Vennels, was awarded a CBE in 2020 for, 'her services to the Post Office'.

The primary hero of this sad saga in bringing it to the public domain, Alan Bates was awarded the OBE, however, he declined the award. "It's not about me, it's about the group". A man of true honour, ironically more deserving of an award than the 1000s of frivolous actors/singers who get them...

I've yet to watch the finale or the documentary as I'm recording them and am thus a day behind, but the CBE/OBE story has been mentioned in the press. A man of principle, indeed.

Don't know if the finale/documentary makes it any clearer, but my big question is why so many people lied, to the extent of perjury before a High Court judge?

 

6 hours ago, StephenFord said:

After the drama of Mr Bates v Post Office, there was a one hour documentary aired called 'The Real Story', where you saw the actual people involved in this scandal, absolutely traumatic, & excellent.

I've been following this story for many years but I did learn something I hadn't known before. The witch in charge of the Post Office, Paula Vennels, was awarded a CBE in 2020 for, 'her services to the Post Office'.

The primary hero of this sad saga in bringing it to the public domain, Alan Bates was awarded the OBE, however, he declined the award. "It's not about me, it's about the group". A man of true honour, ironically more deserving of an award than the 1000s of frivolous actors/singers who get them...

Stephen, I have also been following this over the years, however, i am disgusted, shocked, fuming and appalled at the Post Office, for the disgusting  way the post masters have been treated. 

1 hour ago, IrishFocus-ST-Line said:

Stephen, I have also been following this over the years...

Disturbingly, because of the drama it has been reported that some are now so angry over it, they are boycotting the Post Office!

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfast-postmaster-urges-public-not-to-boycott-local-offices-amid-scandal-backlash/a1689806671.html

41 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Disturbingly, because of the drama it has been reported that some are now so angry over it, they are boycotting the Post Office!

This is so NOT the way to react, these Post Masters are like franchise owners, the only people it will harm are the post masters themselves.

Quite so. I took a particular interest in this story over the years as my older cousin and her late hubby ran a Sub-Post Office for many years - luckily they retired just prior to Horizon. Just like the people in the drama, they went out of their way to help customers and were very highly regarded, so I'm really glad they didn't get caught up in this cr*p!

Just finished watching the last episode now. Brilliant acting all round and brought a tear to my eye. Really made you wonder how you would feel in that situation, when you knew you had done nothing wrong. You remember how you felt unfairly treated at school when some kid did something and didn't fess up so you all got detention? Then try and imagine something several million times worse!