Comments for Smoke-Filled Room http://smokefilledroom.co.uk Politics, Culture and Coughing A Lot Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Why there isn't a British West Wing by Lucy Atkinson http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/08/why-there-isnt-a-british-west-wing/#comment-28 Lucy Atkinson Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=162#comment-28 Firstly, I think that comparing the House of Lords to Congress is definitely an overstatement. The House of Lords is not the powerful entity that Congress is; the 2005 Constitutional Reform Act essentially made it into a redundant institution. The introduction of the Supreme Court was pointless as the body could never work because the UK does not have a clear separation of powers. The only real foil for the Prime Minister, as mentioned in this article, is Parliament and the party itself. Firstly, I think that comparing the House of Lords to Congress is definitely an overstatement. The House of Lords is not the powerful entity that Congress is; the 2005 Constitutional Reform Act essentially made it into a redundant institution. The introduction of the Supreme Court was pointless as the body could never work because the UK does not have a clear separation of powers.

The only real foil for the Prime Minister, as mentioned in this article, is Parliament and the party itself.

]]> Comment on Why there isn't a British West Wing by Alex Parsons http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/08/why-there-isnt-a-british-west-wing/#comment-27 Alex Parsons Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:27:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=162#comment-27 I'm not denying it can done (see last paragraph) just that there are overlaps between structures of government and structures of story-telling that make telling certain kinds of stories easier when you're talking about certain kinds of governments. I haven't been keeping up with Borgen but I'd say coalition government would be another good example of the kind of institutionalised conflict that are ready made to build drama around - so possibly that's in favour of my basic argument not against. Not sure, it's on my 'to watch' list. I'm not denying it can done (see last paragraph) just that there are overlaps between structures of government and structures of story-telling that make telling certain kinds of stories easier when you're talking about certain kinds of governments.

I haven't been keeping up with Borgen but I'd say coalition government would be another good example of the kind of institutionalised conflict that are ready made to build drama around – so possibly that's in favour of my basic argument not against. Not sure, it's on my 'to watch' list.

]]> Comment on Why there isn't a British West Wing by liversedge http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/08/why-there-isnt-a-british-west-wing/#comment-26 liversedge Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:48:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=162#comment-26 Um. Borgen has no 'US style monarchy' and has coalition poltiics to contend with. The Lords are also a healthy foil for the government aka congress. It could be done. Um. Borgen has no 'US style monarchy' and has coalition poltiics to contend with. The Lords are also a healthy foil for the government aka congress.

It could be done.

]]> Comment on Black Mirror: The Media and The Mob by Rio http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/12/black-mirror-the-media-and-the-mob/#comment-22 Rio Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:36:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=493#comment-22 Nice back history with the Screen Burn find. That definitely seals the context. I really liked this episode, but to be honest I'm not sure I could watch it again and again and again, which is what bewilders me about the people that will buy the <a href="http://www.tuppencemagazine.co.uk/black-mirror-dvd.html" rel="nofollow">Black Mirror DVD</a> that's coming out soon. Although I guess the commentary and cut scenes will be interesting, if slightly off-putting too. Nice back history with the Screen Burn find. That definitely seals the context. I really liked this episode, but to be honest I'm not sure I could watch it again and again and again, which is what bewilders me about the people that will buy the Black Mirror DVD that's coming out soon. Although I guess the commentary and cut scenes will be interesting, if slightly off-putting too.

]]> Comment on Doctor Who 6.5: "Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out." by Alex Parsons http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/08/overhead-without-any-fuss/#comment-15 Alex Parsons Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:16:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=374#comment-15 Cheers, I can't really remember where I first came across it - I suspect a forum somewhere (where the thread was promptly recategorized and moved).  Cheers, I can't really remember where I first came across it – I suspect a forum somewhere (where the thread was promptly recategorized and moved). 

]]> Comment on Doctor Who 6.5: "Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out." by Arlo Barnes http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/08/overhead-without-any-fuss/#comment-14 Arlo Barnes Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:33:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=374#comment-14 Huh, somehow you managed to mention a lot of things I like a lot that I have read/seen/thought about, yet somehow combined them in a wholly unexpected way. How did you first find out about the WikiHistory one, by the by? (I think I found it Googling something completely different) Huh, somehow you managed to mention a lot of things I like a lot that I have read/seen/thought about, yet somehow combined them in a wholly unexpected way. How did you first find out about the WikiHistory one, by the by? (I think I found it Googling something completely different)

]]> Comment on Tuition Fees (Part One): Moneymoneymoney by Tuition Fees (Part 2): Public/Private and Market Failures | Smoke-Filled Room http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/07/tuition-fees-part-one-moneymoneymoney/#comment-11 Tuition Fees (Part 2): Public/Private and Market Failures | Smoke-Filled Room Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:31:47 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=211#comment-11 [...] Tuition Fees (Part One): Moneymoneymoney by Alex Parsons [...] [...] Tuition Fees (Part One): Moneymoneymoney by Alex Parsons [...]

]]> Comment on Link Round Up: Phone Hacking Edition by Smoke-Filled Room » Piers Morgan has a lot of sympathy for the victims… http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/07/phone-hacking-edition/#comment-5 Smoke-Filled Room » Piers Morgan has a lot of sympathy for the victims… Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:35:25 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=92#comment-5 [...] Link Round Up: Phone Hacking Edition by Alex Parsons [...] [...] Link Round Up: Phone Hacking Edition by Alex Parsons [...]

]]> Comment on Dowler Revelations Show Tabloid Press is Out of Control by Danny CC http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/07/dowler-revelations-show-tabloid-press-is-out-of-control/#comment-4 Danny CC Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:41:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=16#comment-4 Thanks for your comments John- I agree that Hugh Grant has been superb throughout the whole thing. It's all developed somewhat in the past few days, might blog again today. Thanks for your comments John- I agree that Hugh Grant has been superb throughout the whole thing. It's all developed somewhat in the past few days, might blog again today.

]]> Comment on Dowler Revelations Show Tabloid Press is Out of Control by John Hall http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/2011/07/dowler-revelations-show-tabloid-press-is-out-of-control/#comment-3 John Hall Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:38:00 +0000 http://smokefilledroom.co.uk/?p=16#comment-3 Great read DCC! I'm 99% sure you'll have seen this already, but Hugh Grant's expose piece on Paul McMullan published in the 'New Statesman' is well worth a read - reveals more about the murky depths journos will sink to.  He also throws a bit of humour in there and is in no way precious about the incident when he was exposed as visiting a prostitute.  He actually uses it as a way to encourage McMullan to go into more detail about the lack of ethics in the tabloid press, as well as the supposed "duty" of celebrities to be legitimate targets for hackery and under-handed methods of exposure.  Not bad for someone who agreed to 'Music and Lyrics'... Keep up the good work! Great read DCC! I'm 99% sure you'll have seen this already, but Hugh Grant's expose piece on Paul McMullan published in the 'New Statesman' is well worth a read – reveals more about the murky depths journos will sink to.  He also throws a bit of humour in there and is in no way precious about the incident when he was exposed as visiting a prostitute.  He actually uses it as a way to encourage McMullan to go into more detail about the lack of ethics in the tabloid press, as well as the supposed "duty" of celebrities to be legitimate targets for hackery and under-handed methods of exposure.  Not bad for someone who agreed to 'Music and Lyrics'… Keep up the good work!

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