Back to OP, didn't see it before, I think they were using our old Sqn HQ, lasted well, New paint, but the trees ain't half grown.

Viewing figures:

Inside the Bubble: 1.3 million

TG Season 22 avg.: 6.3 million

Admittedly repeats seldom garner viewing figures as impressive as new materiel, but still...

(Next Sunday, rugby repeats. Oh joy.)

I was quite impressed by their visit - they sat in the EFI till quite late until everyone who wanted an autograph had got one, and had a free question and answer knockabout in one of the hangars. James May did politely decline a charity haircut, but I believe made a handsome donation in lieu. Jeremy did get quite excited over the Minigun on the MERT cab though. One of our nurses had looked after Richard Hammond after his crash, so it was nice to engineer a meeting between them. All this with no cameras following them around, so it wasn't just a photo opportunity, unlike some of the other visitors - I think we could all name a few!

Met May in Ridgecrest....2 things struck me.

Never meet your heroes, and two, on his wedge surely he could afford his own smokes rather than mine and everyone elses...:confused:

Also worth pointing out Clarkson has a significant input to the script for the studio sections - another possible reason it wasn't recorded.

If you want advice on buying a car there's always Fifth Gear, although the fact this program has been demoted from Channel 4, to Channel 5 and now to History (possibly what the show will shortly become) suggests it really isn't what most people want.

Good job the RAF don't sack people who use violence in the workplace. Lost count of the number of times I've seen people decked (generally justified though).

Watched it last night...total quality. Made you proud of them.

The poor Beeb has a dilemma. Exhibit A:

Not all of the music here is pleasant to listen to; much of it is distinctively challenging, both aesthetically and intellectually. Even for those who are normally at home in classical music or at least have a grasp of its basic tenets – harmony, counterpoint, key and time signatures – the experience of hearing Schoenberg, Messiaen, Cage, Stockhausen et al can seem as disorientating as waking up one morning and discovering that you must suddenly learn an entirely new language – a mad, jangling vocabulary composed of letters and words you thought you’d understood since childhood but now find mystifyingly incomprehensible.

Translated: Most of you oiks are far too stupid to understand this :mad:.

Much as the artsy-fratsies and luvvies may hate Clarkson, the dosh from Top Gear funds hundreds of hours of this horrible noise, not to mention performance poetry and paeans to Tate Modern daubery.

Serious question. What are the implications for the Cyprus work-up if this agreement between Cyprus and Russia goes ahead - such as a couple of Bears arriving unannounced mid-PDA?

Mmmm. With respect, LO, there are various code words in there which say 'I loathe this music with a passion that consumes my whole being, and it is nonsense of the first order' - it's review language akin to those code words/phrases in obituaries ('He was a bon viveur' = he was a raging alcoholic; 'he was very much a ladies man' = he was a nasty groper who was extremely lucky not to be prosecuted for sexual assault; 'he was a noted raconteur' = he was a crushing bore. And so on).

Based on my recollection of the code as explained to me by a musician, the above loosely translates as:

'Not all of the music here is pleasant to listen to' = The composer sometimes inadvertently uses a conventional harmony and creates a briefly melodic moment.

'...much of it is distinctively challenging, both aesthetically and intellectually' = It is hard to understand how anyone with half a brain can consider this to be music.

'Even for those who are normally at home in classical music or at least have a grasp of its basic tenets – harmony, counterpoint, key and time signatures – the experience of hearing Schoenberg, Messiaen, Cage, Stockhausen et al can seem as disorientating as waking up one morning and discovering that you must suddenly learn an entirely new language' = If you like classical music, your ears will hurt and you will be utterly confused as to how anyone can think this is music.

'a mad, jangling vocabulary composed of letters and words you thought you’d understood since childhood but now find mystifyingly incomprehensible' = 'there are no recognisable melodies, the harmony is all out, and you are left wondering if the composer has gone mad, or deaf or both, and cannot understand how anyone can listen to this tosh'.

And all of that is necessary because someone in the organisation who commissioned the review/commentary isthe sort of person who pretentiously believes that 'oiks' don't get it and who won't publish a review that questions the brilliance of what is pretentious tosh - but they're also not bright enough to recognise the damning criticism which says to any switched - on music lover: 'This is utterly, utterly dire. Avoid it at all costs'...

(I accept that I may be wrong about Ms Burton-Hill's intent, but the phrasing is alarmingly close to the alternative interpretation explained to me some 20 years ago...)

[with apologies for the wild thread diversion]

4mastacker

They are off this week for Springhawk. Presumably because of the operational tempo at Akrotiri they are not going to Cyprus this year, but to Greece instead. Not sure where but probably Andravida.

I still think "in the bubble" sounds like something you would shoot your ....... into..


As to Top Gear, one of the main attractions in the show is the three main characters and how they play against and bounce off each other, they and the show are a refreshing change in this PC world of television sycophants.

What annoys me is the BBC's attitude, I still cannot fathom why they are punishing the viewer by cancelling the show, when the viewer as in the licence fee payer are paying their wages from the DG down, not only that, but they will lose revenue from the show in not honouring contracts the world over in producing a full series. I realise they need to take some action, but I feel this was not it.
I do wonder if Clarkson is sacked, will May and Hammond would not renew their contracts and move on, I would imagine Murdock and his Sky empire would be rubbing their hands gleefully at the prospect of poaching the main cast from under the BBC's nose and producing their own show.

NutLoose +1 ... agree with your summary, saved me writing!

Clearly the show can't go on, at least at the moment due to the production points raised previously. But, as much as I have enjoyed 'New Top Gear' over the last 10 years or so, the show is running out of puff. Perhaps it's demise is not hastened, but its evolution certainly is. Perhaps in musical terms its time for an unexpected key change.

I'd drifted away from Top Gear over the past few years, but I found myself watching this series and thought it was a definite return to form.

Indeed!

I'm enjoying this Top Gear thread. What a shame people keep spoiling it by mentioning aviation related stuff.

The cockpit flying footage from Inside the bubble was pretty amazing I thought.

Re: Hammond, was he actually right? I don't see any others signs to override priorité a droite?

downsizer,

To slightly miss-quote Mitch Benn on BBC Radio 4 - Did Douglas Get It Right? about Douglas Adams last Saturday:

Those people who say "never meet your heroes", have the wrong heroes!