Feathers.

Nick Griffin referred to “militant homosexuals” on Question Time. Could you advise me what to wear to act on my “militant homosexual” tendencies?

Vincent Finney, Edinburgh

Excellent question, Mr Finney, excellent question indeed. In fact, as the whole universe was watching Q******* T*** (sorry, after seeing the name of that show in precisely 2,789,647 newspaper articles recently, my computer refuses to type the words in full) the other week, and I sat gazing at dear, sweet Nick Griffin, his eyes gently crossing, his brow wetly sweating, his suit distinctly shining, I – along with everyone else at home, I’d wager – thought, Why hasn’t anyone given that man a job as a fashion adviser? Can you imagine? “Ask Nick.” Just brilliant. He’d be so maverick, too. And so knowledgable about where to find those suits that bunch just so around the shoulders. But let’s move swiftly on before any jokes about what Nick would think is “the new black” become impossible to suppress.

The next Doctor Who special, The Waters of Mars, will be broadcast on BBC America on Saturday December 19th at 9 P.M. For those like myself whose cable company doesn’t carry BBC America, we’re S.O.L.

Of course, the BBC British broadcast date is November 15th. In that gap, I’m sure even the less technically adept fan in the United States can snag a copy of the show, and fans of the show tend to be more capable when it comes to technology. Not that I’m encouraging such behavior. I’m simply saying that a gap of a month is a LONG time in the digital world. The companies involved would have been better off with a gap of 24 hours. At that point, it’s less likely that piracy will occur.

people drink. Specifically young people who want to socialize. As an extremely shy person who is far less shy after drinking, I get the reasons for this. And the fact is that if alcohol coincides with rape, this DOES NOT MAGICALLY REMOVE THE FACT THAT RAPE IS BAD from the equation!

AMANDA: exactly. and i think a lot of it comes down to ladies drinking, because drinking is a dude thing, and when ladies drink it means they’re, horror of horrors, ACTING LIKE MEN, or taking away dude-time, or revealing that drinking does not actually make you more masculine and / or awesome. but sorry, dudes, i’m not going to stop drinking!

SADY: yeah! i mean: i think the Horror of Drinking is the Horror of Unladylikeness, presented in vaguely medical terms. fact is: yep, when ladies drink a bit, they let down their various guards and DO NOT always behave in the manner in which society has accustomed us to expect from ladies. they get loud. they get a bit rude or wacky, at times. they EVEN make out with people that they would otherwise be constrained from making out with! (and oh, how I know that feeling.) BUT, with all the loud and wacky and unladylike behavior they are engaging in, GUESS WHAT? you still don’t get to assault them!

Only 11% of the public have a favourable impression of the BNP. Positive feeling towards the BNP has in fact fallen over the last 10 months.
And the poll also vindicates the BBC for the way it handled Question Time, with a significant increase in the number of people (over 11%) saying the BBC was right to invite him.

So according to the very poll which initially led to stories claiming the BNP had a worrying level of support, support for the BNP has actually fallen. It’s not surprising to note how that bit didn’t get as many enormous headlines as the “22% of people might vote BNP” (although 15% say it’s only a possibility) figures.

So how popular are the BNP really? It’s hard to tell at the moment. The next time we know will be at election time. But in the meantime, it’s important not to overstate the threat, while at the same time recognising it is there.