Chastening lesson about Dada

I thought I had at least a passing acquaintance with all the leading figures in the Dadaist and Surrealist movements until Jennie Rigg posted a link to a link to a catalogue of ten female dadaists who were even more outrageous than the boys. (It seems that Marcel Duchamp's notorious urinal was pinched from one of them.) And Lee Miller is not on the list.

But I have long known about Pauline Boty.

Carbon-neutral housing: England and Wales race to the bottom

Following the Welsh government's 2014 relaxation of building regulations, HM Treasury has decided to abandon the commitment to make all new homes in England carbon-neutral. No doubt the First Minister will point to the 20% rise in new housing construction in 2014-15, but one wonders who will benefit long-term apart from gas and electricity providers.

It will certainly not be go-ahead builders if a letter in the latest Private Eye is to be believed. Andrew Warren writes:

for the past 15 years the entire building industry has been working on a trajectory agreed with government, of gradually tightening energy standards. This has allowed components manufacturer to introduce altered product lines for windows, doors, boilers and insulation; and training on new on-site technologies and techniques to occur; on a systematic, phased basis.

All these arrangements have now been overturned, without any prior notice and without even a whisper in public; it is only a few months that Conservative (not Liberal Democrat) ministers were providing reassurances  that, of course, there was absolutely no intention of letting the 2016 target slip, let alone be postponed indefinitely.

The result is that whilst some new homes may theoretically be a lot cheaper to buy - always assuming the volume builders pass on any tiny savings made - occupants' fuel bills will forever more be far higher than they should have been. [this U-turn is designed to help meet housing targets] It doesn't explain why the Chancellor has also torn up a similar trajectory towards zero-carbon for non-residential buildings. Precisely who is that bit of spite supposed to help? First time office-buyers?

It should be remembered that from the time of the 2010 election manifesto Liberal Democrats had a target of a carbon-neutral Britain by 2050.

B***** incidental music

I am just enjoying Jim al Khalili's programme on Sellafield/Windscale - or I would be enjoying it if it were not for the gratuitous overlay of orchestral music and sound effects. Bettany Hughes' otherwise excellent programme on Buddha was similarly marred.

May I suggest to BBC an extra use for the Red Button? Just as one can use it for a choice of Welsh- or English-language commentary on sporting events on S4C, could one not select documentaries with or without extraneous music?

Sadly, not even this would be available for Radio 4.

Swansea cricket week

The scene this afternoon during Glamorgan v Gloucestershire.

Apologies to C Ingram who I assumed was a regulation medium-pacer but does bowl the leg-breaks I have been calling for - and on today's evidence keeps a good length.

Fond memories of George Cole

Most people will relish George Cole's performance as Arthur Daley, which can still be enjoyed via the repeats of "Minder" on ITV4. Others, slightly older, will remember Flash (a younger version of Arfur?) in the St Trinians films. BBC's "Don't Forget to Write" had a cult following. But for the radio generation, there was "A Life of Bliss", which was the programme which introduced - and endeared - me to the actor, with an affection which never lessened.

In memoriam Challenger and Columbia

I suppose the wreckage had to go on show some time but one hoped it could have waited a few years longer. The memory is still raw for many of us of that generation.

For me, the most poignant loss was that of Christa McAuliffe. As a teacher, the symbol of her presence transcended nationalism. She carried the aspirations of children from all over the world with her and nothing was quite the same after innocent hopes were dashed in the Challenger disaster.

Eviction without court order

The latest anti-immigrant move is something else which surely Liberal Democrats in government would have prevented. There is now pressure on landlords, which the worst will no doubt gleefully bow to, to evict tenants they do not want unless their proof of citizenship is impeccable. The penalties for letting to failed immigrants are draconian and there is no legal aid in such cases, so the power of landlords and the authorities would be much increased.

No doubt Mr Cameron and Mrs May hope to garner favourable headlines in the conservative press. However, they may get the reverse when the first baby is put out on the street.

Thankfully for civil rights and good order in Wales the amendment will apply only to England. I trust that Labour in Cardiff will not be coerced into incorporating it into our housing law.

Make known your views about the BBC

The BBC Trust has opened a consultation at https://consultations.external.bbc.co.uk/bbc/tomorrows-bbc and https://consultations.external.bbc.co.uk/bbc/tomorrows-bbc-cy .

There is an online survey form at radiotimes.com/bbcviews.

Or you can fill out the survey on page 151 of the current Radio Times and put it in the post to Feedback Survey, Radio Times, 44 Brook Green, LONDON W6 7BT.

The official press release from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport about the charter review is at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-begins-debate-on-the-future-of-bbc