That's why Britain has an independent (-ish) broadcaster paid for by a
trifling public levy. The BBC isn't a money-making organisation, it's
a break-even organisation. And, yes, we *do* expect to be educated by
radio and TV: even commercial TV makes a few token gestures to the
brain cells, especially when their licences are nearly due for renewal
(there's a quality requirement in the British licensing process).


didn't know that about the BBC, interesting.


[...]
Attractiveness sells. So What? IF they honestly know their stuff,
should
they be automatically tossed aside BECAUSE they are attractive? That
sounds
like it's "exclusive" to me.

But young gardeners just *don't* know their stuff, except perhaps in
some narrow specialist field: it takes years to be knowledgeable
enough to give useful advice to average gardeners. Look at the
embarrassingly vulgar un-gardens turned out by Charlie Dimwit and good
ol' brickie Tommy Walsh: they're out of their depth.

Well, interestingly enough, Charlie and Tommy don't design the gardens, teh
home owners do. At least here anyway. And I'm not so sure you have right
answer. The truth is it depends on who you are, what you have done, how you
grew up and what your influences were. I don't know much about farming in
the UK, but I grew up on and off of farms. My grandfather sold produce off
the back of a wagon. I'm only 30. Not all gardening is done for Country
Home Gardens.

I've sold quite a few garden designs in my husbands company. I have no
degree. I have no specialised field (although I AM learning pond
installation with boulders and foundation laying). I do NOT disagree that
it takes experience and time to learn these things, but what if they are
something you grew up with?

Just a debateable point...... )

[...]I think what Janet is querying is the
stereotype given by our TV programmes that the only people worth
listening to are those who are attractive. I don't know if it is still
true, but about 10 years ago, every US presidential campaign since about
the beginning of the 20th century had been won by the taller candidate.
Do you really think taller people have more of the characteristics
needed to make a good president?

And it's getting that way here, too. When there's a party leadership
contest, the pundits often now mention the candidates' looks -- Robin
Cook looks like a gnome, Haig and Duncan-Smith are bald, etc: I
personally find this deeply insulting (to me).


Yea, thats really irritating. I liked Clinton, but truth be told, most of
my friends voted for him because he was on MTV, was cool, and was cute. We
all wondered about his wife though...

Then his girlfriend.

Then his other girlfriend (who beat them in looks hands down....)

Sigh.

Trai