The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades

I'll start today's epistle with a verse of a song that may not be that familiar to you (more about this later)

I've got a job waiting for my graduation
Fifty thou a year -- buys a lot of beer
Things are going great, and they're only getting better
I'm doing all right, getting good grades
The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades

Much has already been written about the latest fashion trend so a few more words will hardly go amiss. What could be the reason behind this ?. A few possibilities

1. Some models have finally realised that their time on our television screens finally means they are celebrities and we all know that a celebrity must wear shades what ever the time of day it is.

2. The channel found a new sponsor who insisted that for every slot atleast one model would be seen modelling their wares.

And now for the conspiracy theory (written with a little recent experience). My recent health problems included an eye infection for which I still require medication. But in the early days (and when we actually had some) I had great problems with bright sun-light. So what if these girls, hard to accept that all of them, have some sort of eye infection and a problem with bright lights i.e the studio ones. And when did all these problems start ? When they moved into to shoebox aka the super-compact new studio. So I just wonder if there is something present in that set which could infect only certain girls - a form of allergy. I will leave you to draw your own conclusion but for me the answer is a little green.

And so to paraphrase my most trustworthy source 'the big one was finally ready' and by a flick of a switch we were back from where we came from a few weeks ago. We witness a few cosmetic changes - a whopping big plasma behind the bed to limit any creativity behind it. Some more green stuff draped around it like a laurel wreath (maybe they try to tell us something) - hey, it's green so better keep our good eyes open for any increase in the shade wearers. And they removed the bar but kept the empty bottles. Must be some freudian message there. I feel both happy(drunk) at the sight of an empty whisky bottle so maybe they expect the viewer to feel happy at the sight of these, and sad(drunk) at the concern where the next drink will come from so maybe they indeed worry where the next call is coming from.

But the re-use of a set is nothing new. In fact the 'blue room' under-went several re-incarnations.

One thing I had expected them to sort out was the obvious fact that the mic sound has been out of sync for several weeks. Surely it cannot be that hard to put it right.

And while talking about sound, there was a mystery in the minutes after the change of studio as to what Hans said. For everyone listening on Astra the answer was quite simple - he said nothing. Not only did they change the studio but managed in the process to switch the sound so HB heard what Astra was meant to hear and Astra just got the the musak that is normally played on HB. In fact this went on and on and on - no moderation on Astra for several hours IIRC. Shame they sorted it out later.

Critical comment part deux. Certain directors are now starting their slots by focusing their camera on whatever inanimate object they can find beit that troublesome light, the laurel or another light. Invariably these same directirs get it all wrong and waste several precious minutes of call time (I have seen it to be atleast 5 minutes on several occasions) while they get their act together even when there are some models in the studio whose presence span the two slots and could easily man the phones like they do for the other directors.

So back to the song that you may not have heard of before. "The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades" was an 80's hit for a band named timbuk3. The song was covered in 1996 by Status Quo with a guest vocal by Tessa(drool time) Niles. There are times when the channel should forget their status quo and really ring in the changes else to quote some more Quo songs it may not be a case of 'The Party Ain't Over Yet' but more a case of 'Down Down'

But there is one person who is never wearing glasses...the one chosin these girls tonight...I wish I could use those ugly words, because this is insane what we see on our screens.

@outside

Before the cover was released (on the Don't Stop album) I also had not heard of it.

@gw

You sound just like Ebeneezer today as he viewed 'times present'. But I have no axe to grind with you as we are both entitled to our opinion. But maybe you do not understand the term 'constructive criticism'. But, yes, I do view this like the local shop. If they fail to change things whether it is the stock or the fittings then the customers do get tired and look for some alternative. The only thing that works at present in ETV's favour is that despite some promising starts there is no credible competition.

Never heard this song, and I am a 80's enthusiast. :))))

@gw2008

Maybe you think I am not independant. I beg to differ. I have absolutely no connection with the tv other than being a viewer, an occassional caller and both a supporter and critic in equal proportions.

I have no desire to see the channel go 'down' and for me a large part of these posts is to hopefully guide those that make the decisions where I think they go wrong, to improve on what they do and that benefits everyone - the viewer, the caller and all that work there.

I learnt a long time ago that there was no point in simply complaining. Complaints are not read whereas constructive criticism is. And if I can entertain at the same time then I have suceeded in my quest.

You talk about my 'man on the inside'. You seem to think that it is he who provides the informations that reach these pages. That could not be ferther from the truth. Most of what you read comes from my own eyes and ears. And my 'most trusted source' is someone who you certainly would not believe if I was to disclose it.

Sympathy. Of course I have it. I have personally met some of the people who have worked there both in front and behind the camera. But for them, at the end of the day, it is no more than a job - a device like the rest of us to earn money. They come there simply for that and most will leave when they have better prospects. Very few have seen it as a long term career and even those have become dis-illusioned for one reason or another. But it is just a job like your favourite shop where you have over some time got to know your favourite server. But you only know what they want you to know and that business could fail - over here just before Christmas a well known retail chain failed, somewhere where probably most of the population of the UK shopped at one time or another. And you do feel sorry for the loss. But you tend to feel more for the loss of the shop than the people who worked there. It would only be different if you had a very close, personal relationship with the worker.

<<< @Rockabye

You mean that you missed this ?

[hidden link - please register]... >>>

lol... I think my brain has some malfunctions today.

anyway thanks for your as always interesting and entertaining words.

@Rockabye

You mean that you missed this ?

[hidden link - please register]

nice to read something from ya again, missed u last sunday.

Because he is trying to tell you something you so far don't know.

Reading this and the previous posts carefully will tell you a lot of things you don't know. But maybe it's better that you don't notice ...