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Becky's T-Blog

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Is it just me...

... or does that woman who does the Shipping Forecast on Radio 4 sound really smug and spiteful? There's a definite hint of malice mixed in with the clipped RP.

Take for example this sample from tonight's forecast...

VIKING NORTH UTSIRE. NORTHERLY 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9 AT FIRST. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH. WINTRY SHOWERS. GOOD.

It's that "good" on the end. The self-satisfied way she says it makes it sounds like she's happy that there's going to be gales in the North Sea.

FISHER GERMAN BIGHT. NASTY CHILLY WIND THAT GOES RIGHT THROUGH YOU. GOOD.

TRAFALGAR. WE WON. BEAT THE FRENCHIES. GOOD.

BAILEY ROCKALL SHANNON. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS, 50 FOOT WAVES, SCORES OF DEAD FISHERMEN FLOATING IN SEA. GOOD. I'M GLAD. SERVES 'EM RIGHT.

Anonymous  nope... I think it's just you.... :) 
Isobel  Er, I'd check to see if your radio is actually plugged in. Have you noticed anything else strange, like furniture rearranging itself while your back is turned, a lingering smell of burnt toast, or cloven hoofprints across your carpets? 
Vic  The good refers to...

No. It's not worth the effort. 
Charlee  Vic, tell us, I'd like to know! I spent much of my childhood fearing this woman for the same reasons as Becky! 
NH  If you have a copy of the Eurythmics "Soundtrack" to 1984 (no music from their album appeared in the movie although it's a movie tie-in), then there's a track called "Doubleplusgood" and I swear it's the Shipping Forecast woman who does the narration on it.

However, I've yet to track down Spandau Ballet's version of "Sailing By". 
Becky  Vic will probably claim it's something to do with "visibility levels", Charlee. ;-) 
Vic  I'm just surprised that anyone who lives in Kings Lynn actually needs to listen to this forecast. It's not as if you're somewhere on an island nearer to the Arctic Circle than the UK. Get yer pipe and slippers ready, 20 questions is about to start.

I love being provocative. Kinda fires debate. 
Siobhan Curran  *pfft*

Everyone needs the Shipping Forecast - it's the National Lullaby™.

Manys the night I would drift off listening to the calming voices of the announcers who could even make the prospect of gale-force winds in Dogger sound soothing.

Until I discovered passing out on wine, that is 
Helen G  Whatever *did* happen to Tranny & TV?
;-) 
Chrissy  Prefer the Shopping Forecast myself...

Tesco, Asda: Halfprice pizzas, good.
Aldi, Lidl, Netto: Shopping trolleys, veering westerly.
Morrisons: Tinned veg with occluded front, 35 miles.

Forgotten the rest... 

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