II think Daniel's got quite an old fashioned looking face. He would probably be great in period dramas. Maybe it's the sideburns in WiB that make me think that.

So true. I bloody love that film.

And he was the only person I could see playing Jack Ryan. No one else has been anywhere near convincing in that role.

I dunno. I've only read it once, but many of the sets would be indoors or retro. The costume dept would have a lot to do, but the different...er...states? Times? could be differentiated by lighting etc. I gotta read it again now.

That's a disqualifyer. Real butter all the way.

There is competition between the BBC and other *major* channels, it's just that there are only about 6 major channels at the very most. The only ones that consistently produce quality programming are the BBC. Sky [Fox] occasionally produce quality shows, but their "pay us monthly so we can bombard you with adverts" business model makes me want to commit murder, so I don't have any Sky channels, and just watch their shows when [if] they appear on terrestrial TV or find another way to watch...

The main competition for the BBC is ITV [which is about 34% owned by NI] and the majority of their programming is lowest common denominator crap-reality/talent/cop shows, but they still pull in the ratings. Murdoch has been trying to get the BBC's funding removed for years now claiming that they're anti-competitve [while at the same time buying up as much of the competition as possible] because they're publicly funded, but the fact that they don't show any adverts or have any product placement in their shows makes it the best channel for me [and means that they're not competing with Murdoch cos they're not chasing revenue in the same way].

So to summarise my rant, the BBC's funding model means that shows generally have shorter seasons than US shows [13 eps rather than 22] which means that if they're not successful, less money is lost producing them. But also, I think that fewer new shows get made overall. Once they hit a successful formula they run with it. Which is why UK TV is now overrun with topical comedy panel shows, but also why we got Torchwood and more and more Dr Who. I'm not complaining about that, I love comedy, but it does mean that other stuff may not get a look in.

Jesus, I am so glad I don't live in the US. If I'm ill, I'm calling in sick and staying in bed, and while employers don't like it, they can't penalise me for it. How is it that you don't have employment rights laws that cover this?I rarely just take a sickie tho cos I know it's a pain for the rest of the people in my team. However, the best sickie I took was years ago when Friends was filming in London and I won tickets to be in the audience. No way was I missing that to sit doing filing!

Firstly, thanks to everyone who has posted such insightful and clearly stated comments on atheism and why we're not necessarily all miserable nihilists. Inspiring to read! Secondly, I actually find immense comfort and wonder in the thought that a series of coincidental occurrences led, through millennia and multiple changes, to humanity -a species able to question their existence, create great works, comprehend the workings of the universe, and reach toward the stars. And in the fact that, on a universal scale we barely even exist and yet we continue to strive to do all these things, and that in doing so we do, in fact, improve ourselves. I think of us floating out here on our little planet and the vast universe and I kinda feel like I do when I'm warm and cosy on a rainy night. We have created our own reasons for being, and the more we have understood our planet and ourselves the lesser need we have had to ascribe natural and unexplained events to a higher power. In the same way that Penn & Teller revealing how a trick is done doesn't reduce how impressive the trick is, understanding more about our universe and our place in it doesn't diminish the majesty of it all. If anything it makes me more appreciative. One tiny change, millennia ago, and we might not be here to discuss it at all. Seriously makes me feel amazed.

I just lost an hour to Epic Meal Time. Thanks for introducing me to it, but goddamn those guys are gonna die soon - unless they eat nothing but salad between shows.

Also, I have GOT to try candied bacon - it better be nice!

I'd go with politicians. They're permanently on a crush, kill, destroy mission against anyone who makes less than £200k and the republicans/tea partiers seem intent on appearing irretrievably rabid, so apart from the fact that they'd steal everything they were sent to deliver, they'd be the delivery animal of choice for me.