Fly By New Scientist

[m31andy]

Busy, busy, busy, so here's some New Scientist content to keep you happy. (Must get back to finding their dodgier headlines. These are almost sensible!)

Terry Pratchett: Fighting to keep the fantasy alive

The prolific author discusses tinkering with science, his battle with Alzheimer's, and the odds of escaping from a crab bucket

Ten inventions that changed the world

To mark its centenary, in June the Science Museum in London had its curators select the 10 objects in its collection that had made the biggest mark on history. These then went to a public vote to find the most important invention of past centuries. Results in pictures, just follow the link.

In (very slightly) related news (in other words if you get why they're related, you're doing well!), I've been listening to Flanders and Swann a lot at the moment. They are very good. I know a lot of my friendslist hold a soft spot for them as well, so I ask you all - can anyone recommend me artists in the same vein as F&S (and Tom Lehrer, of course). Weird Al, unfortunately, doesn't qualify.

(Fic is only about 100 words from being finished. Need to get this month's finance report mocked up and the cash management numbers finished before I can finally look at it. *phew*)

Comments

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

can anyone recommend me artists in the same vein as F&S (and Tom Lehrer, of course)

Hardly anyone comes close these days; I can only think of Kit and the Widow offhand. There was always Noel Coward, of course.

On slightly different ground, you could try Ivor Cutler, or even Vivian Stanshall's Rawlinson End sessions he did for Peel.

[m31andy.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Kit and Widow. Did they ever record? I did so like their TV appearances.

Ta for the recs!

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

There's the Mrs Ackroyd Band, who have the advantage of strong folk roots as well.

[m31andy.livejournal.com]

Ah! Yes! I was trying to remember them, earlier.

[friend-of-tofu.livejournal.com]

Have you seen Armstrong & Miller do their Flanders & Swann tribute/pisstake, Brabbins & Fyfe? Well worth YouTubing :-)

[irishkate.livejournal.com]

Tom Paxton if you can get hold of his stories to go with each song too..

[david-devereux.livejournal.com]

I don't know if Kit & The Widow recorded but you might like to try Richard Stilgoe, who certainly did. I'll also register another vote for Coward, of course, but suggest looking for his later cabaret work from the fifties (the Vegas years, I kid you not) as being more in the sort of direction you're indicating.