Jack Barrow

Did we just have Darth Vader on BBC Radio 4 World at One (#BBCWatO)? He was arguing for retaining Brexit & apparently has some other fairly extreme politics so he may not be far from the Emperor. (I just looked him up in case he has a breathing problem and apparently no.)

I've been working on the plot of my second novel and one idea that keeps appearing is the concept of the useful idiot.

Hey #Tesco, as a carer I visit your cafe while my partner with dementia goes on the local mental health walk. It's good cappuccino while I do my carer admin. But for £4 I would think you could give me a good amount of chocolate. Stop being so exploitative. Every little helps? You behave like misers.

What did happen last harvest? #TheArchers

They're talking on BBC Radio 4 right now about young people who are not in employment, education or training, One of the suggestions is that social isolation, encouraged by social media, is affecting young people's social skills. Here's a blog I wrote eight years ago. jack-barrow.com/telephones-a...

Establish a single, powerful, independent statutory regulator for all news media. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/76...

Watching the Boat Race. Something we've not done for some years.

That was an episode of #TheArchers at it's best. That subtle comedy of people in power being undercut by those they usually dominate is something The Archers does so well and is extremely satisfying.

This very straight news piece buried deep within the FT never uses words like corruption or insider dealing but every detail is quietly devastating. Why is the FT virtually alone in the UK media in covering this important story?

Today I pressed go on this, the new paperback of #UnspeakableEvil projected publication date March 14th.

Hey, @BBCNews @BBCWorldatOne can you please challenge Zia Yusif. He's not the Shadow Home Secretary. He should not be allowed to claim that title. #BBCWato

Today is mostly about being here for the electrician who is putting in the new fuse box and the feed to the shower. Between keeping him supplied with cups of tea and any interruptions in the power supply I'll be trying to fix the pixelation on the artwork for the new paperback of #UnspeakableEvil.

Rory is such a creep. #TheArchers

Ooh! #TheArchers

We had a party at the weekend. By the end of the day I'm hoping all the chairs will be back in their correct locations around the house.

This all seems out of character for Brad, the person who is sensitive and intelligent enough to understand the consequences of his actions, and would sacrifice his feelings for the greater good. #TheArchers

We are decorating the kitchen and we are literally watching paint dry.

We have no central heating and the hot water has now packed up. The engineer is coming today sometime. In other news, last summer we installed a log burner.

www.facebook.com/share/v/1C5z...

The snow is causing complete chaos in Colchester this morning.

Company failures with unpaid tax and Covid loans dog Durham Doge designer bit.ly/4jpI1QY

Yesterday I finished the painting on the first wall. Now I need to remove the masking tape and discover what horrors lie beneath.

Still painting the kitchen. The first wall should be finished today. I think New Year's Day got in the way.

What if George has the exact opposite of the experience of Phineas Gage? He had a massive brain injury only to make a recovery, but he lost all his sense of compassion and empathy. #TheArchers

Over the holiday I haven't eaten nearly enough cheese. Tonight I've endeavoured to make up for it.

Jazza knows how to dish it out. #TheArchers

Amid the George Grundy storyline I'd forgotten #TheArchers families had their joint holiday in the Scottish castle. I imagined a big reveal about Peggy's inheritance on the holiday. Instead it was just a week of farce. Did we find out what happened to Peggy's money or did it all go to the cat home?

I know it's late in the day but we are about to start decorating.

in other news we are going for a boxing day drive. if we are feeling brave we might even get out of the car for a walk.

In other news I've just had a banana sandwich, possibly the first I've had in 40 years. To make it more interesting it was toasted, which was a first.

Sitting down to watch the #Strictly final.

Don't do this to George. Please don't. I really don't want the angst. I'd have to stop listening after 30 years. #TheArchers

I am rehanging a door. After two days it's not going well.

"Since 2007, the first version of official economic history — the version that gets reported as news every few months — showed that the average annual growth rate was 0.76%. By contrast, the current version of the same history says average annual growth was 1.34%, 76% better."

Hey, #TheArchers scriptwriters can we have more of Jazzer and Jim and less of this George Grundy storyline?

So basically the scriptwriters have run out of ideas and decided to cut and paste the Ed and Will Grundy storyline from 20 years ago. I don't think I can go through all that hatred again. #thearchers

What I'm saying, George, is that I don't want to have this conversation on the doorstep, and it's because of immature behaviour like this that we are in this situation. #TheArchers

When a politician says: we’ll deregulate health insurance and send you a “freedom account” check, ask: freedom to buy what? If insurers don’t offer real policies or can cherry-pick only healthy people, that money is a coupon for a store that’s not open.

When is this storyline with George going to end and him get a job at Mulligan's farm? It'll be the reflection of Ed's experience with Oliver. Ambridge is so much better without all the angst. I'm happy with drama based on whether the grain dryer is working or not. #TheArchers

Brilliant. ...and tenement halls. From a different platform. Credit to the account holder.

Once you've seen one beaver! #TheArchers

I've been a fan of the BBC #ReithLectures all my life. 2025’s title is Moral Revolution, how small, committed groups can spark big moral change, from abolishing slavery to tackling today’s crises of inequality, tech power & AI risk, & what our responsibility is now. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Are people in Ambridge not supposed to have platonic relationships with people of the opposite sex? #TheArchers

Today as part of my carer responsibilities I'll be phoning the garage to find out why my partner's hazard lights keep going off. (That's on her car, she doesn't have hazard lights.) I suspect the switch but it could be a sensor. I think we've ruled out the alarm. #carers

Today I will mostly be decorating, specifically sanding skirting boards and door frames. Not so much caring responsibilities as part of the whole domestic bliss thing. (Hopefully we'll be doing it together.) #Carers

#TheArchers Splosh!