Science and history

At the public lecture "Nuclear Power: The Choice We Have To Make", given by Dr Ziggy Switkowski, an aboriginal bloke used the Q&A session to air a legitimate grievance about communities being moved off their traditional lands by mining. Unfortunately for his cause, he discredited himself by becoming abusive and shouting down the unfailingly diplomatic ZS's attempt at a reasoned response. The protestor's ejection from the building by a security guard was as inevitable as this country adopting nuclear energy. Like it or not.

The four-episode historical series "Terry Jones' Barbarians" (2006) is chockers with revelations disproving enduring Roman falsehoods about the Celts, Germans, Goths, Vandals, etc. being unsophisticated cultures and threats that had to be dealt with militarily. It paints a convincing portrait of the Romans as the truly ignorant empire, fabricating excuses to commit genocide whenever funds grew scarce. My sole quibble is that, in ep. three, the "Claw Of Archimedes" war machine is discussed as fact when its existence is still disputed.


Mark your calendars: December 3, 8.30pm, ABC1 - "Wallace And Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf And Death".