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LEFT IN THE DARK Re: T in the Park What’s so great about T in the Park that the BBC have to send at least 25 presenters there? Assuming that for every person we see on screen there will be another two staff members off it, I reckon that at least 75 BBC staff were there. These staff will have stayed in a hotel overnight, tonnes of equipment will have had to be hauled across the country and hundreds of man hours will have gone into planning it. Totting this all up, I’ll wager coverage of the event cost at least £25,000, or around 200 full licence fees.
Why? Is there going to be anything at T in The Park which wasn’t seen on our screens a few weeks back at Glastonbury (another complete waste of money), or that is heard on Radio 1 day in, day out, seven days a week?
Kind regards, Ross Taylor
PS: this email is in response to your Black Grouse competition!
COASTAL PATH Re: Win a bottle of Black Grouse What is a grouse? I’ll tell you what a grouse is! I have been to visit Scotland twice – once to Glasgow and last week to Edinburgh. We travelled by train from
LETTER OF THE FORTNIGHT
A FAIR HEARING Article: Louise Stern – Chattering: Stories (657) I disagree with your review of this book [a collection of stories addressing the subject of deafness]. The stories are magical. I’ve never read anything like it. It’s a hugely exciting debut.
The writing is beautiful and very subtle. Stern’s touch is light,
not heavy handed. Blink and you miss it. The authorial jokes when they come are sly and uplifting.
The reviewer talks a lot of what he expected from the book, and of how he was disappointed, perhaps because his expectations of deafness were confounded. That’s as it should be. Deafness is not like it is presented in hearing movies and on TV, it is like Stern presents it in this book. She has articulated various states of being that are rarely, if ever, articulated. It’s the most exciting book I’ve read this year. Sophie DJB, London
THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE ONE BOTTLE OF THE BLACK GROUSE WHISKY Smoky and Smooth – a marriage of fine peated Scotch malt whiskies and The Famous Grouse
Manchester leaving at 6.45am on Sunday morning. As we were getting closer to Edinburgh, the skies were getting darker, the fog was draped over the countryside, and yes, on arrival it was pouring. We managed the city bus tour
(inside of course), and I had to go to M&S to buy a jumper to keep warm. We toured the Castle – luckily we had umbrellas with us – and walked
a little on the Royal Mile. Does it always rain in
Scotland? That is my grouse. I therefore think that suitable compensation would be a bottle of Black Grouse. Maurice Jacobs, Manchester
Editor’s note: While we certainly appreciate getting a bit of rant into the List mailbox, we fear these last two letter writers have got the wrong
end of the stick. You don’t need to have a grouse to win our Letter of the Fortnight bottle of Black Grouse, you just have to write a thoughtful letter. And we certainly don’t compensate for the Scottish weather with whisky. Better luck next time!
DON’T INK. THINK! Article: Magic Markers (661) I find it ironic that most people nowadays get a tattoo because they want to express their individuality but a lot of these same people are just following the crowd. Even celebs are doing it – Lily Allen and Lindsay Lohan copied Rihanna's ‘shhh’ tattoo on her finger, while Christina Aguilera and both Beckhams have the Hebrew phrase for ‘I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine’. If someone wants to get a tattoo, that’s up to them but they shouldn’t try to pretend they’re being original when they’re just copying the latest trends. There are a lot of really
unusual and quirky tattoos out there too that stand out from the crowd. I don’t know if I would ever get a tattoo but if I did, I would definitely think very carefully about trying to come up with something different that really meant something to me, and not just getting one I have seen on someone else. Emma, Edinburgh
Next issue out Wednesday 4 August
Edinburgh Festival It’s here. The most inventive, diverse and wonderfully strange cultural event on the planet will be kicking off in Edinburgh from the beginning of August, and The List is the best place to get your information on everything that’s going on. From the International Festival to the Fringe, cabaret to comedy, theatre to nightlife, we’ve got it covered. The Great Glasgow Quiz How well do you know Scotland’s biggest city? We invite the real Glasgow fanatics to test their love for their hometown, with specialist questions set by the great and good of the Dear Green Place.
YOU’VE GOT 15 DAYS TO LIVE 96 THE LIST 22 Jul–5 Aug 2010
CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain EDITORIAL Editor Jonny Ensall Assistant Editor Henry Northmore, Allan Radcliffe, Claire Sawers Subeditor Hamish Brown Research Manager Laura Ennor Research Siân Bevan, Tasmin Campbell, Siân Hickson, Henry Northmore, David Pollock, Fiona Shepherd, Kirstyn Smith Editorial Assistant Niki Boyle Editorial Intern Emma Langman
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PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Production Manager Simon Armin Production Assistant Miriam Sturdee
DIGITAL Web Editor Hamish Brown Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Bruce Combe Software Developer Iain McCusker Online Editorial Assistant Alice White ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Renwick Accounts Assistant Tasmin Campbell Office & HR Manager Jo Morgan
SECTION EDITORS Around Town Kirstin Innes Books Brian Donaldson Clubs Henry Northmore Comedy Brian Donaldson Dance Kelly Apter Eat & Drink Donald Reid Film Paul Dale Kids Kelly Apter LGBT Allan Radcliffe Music Claire Sawers News Anna Millar Shopping Claire Sawers Theatre Allan Radcliffe Visual Art Allan Radcliffe