Imposed internet outage for these last couple of weeks as I have moved home. Same area, but to a lovely Victorian garden flat. Bunny is pleased.
Whilst trying to fill nearly two weeks worth of gloomy winter nights I found myself rummaging through old wallets of DVDs and CDRs of music and films. It seems with an absence of goofy, American comedy downloads I have time and patience to watch something mildly educational.
2004’s A Brief History of Disbelief by Jonathan Miller is an insightful three part documentary. He’s a less noxious spokesperson for athesism than irritant Richard Dawkins, who incidentally makes a token appearance as ‘Biologist’, looking younger and peculiarly ruddy cheeked and windblown.
Inspired, I found myself jotting down names and ideas on post-it notes, although the likelihood of my continuing education is already paling. One memorable take-away is the story of a dashing early seventeeth century aristocrat Lord Herbert of Cherbury who handed out minature portarits of himself to some of the greatest beauties of the time to wear close to their breasts. 
Oh and he wrote about finding universality in religion which was verging on radical during Christianity’s stronghold.
Overall, it’s quite richly informative although repetitive, and looks occasionally dated; it was a less than genius creative decision to use an ugly grey laptop with Windows Media Player as a transitional device. Also, why does Jonathan Miller so often adopt that sofa slouch with his hands behind his head? I keep thinking he ought to be in pants in his front room, somewhere I am uninvited, and I feel slightly embarrassed.
Finally, I was embarking on a documentary marathon with a compilation of Adam Curtis‘ films (all apparently themed ‘How xxx has been used to control the masses‘) but the internet is back and look at these spaceships!