Magazine of science

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 20

Magazine of science

An important facet of this year’s conference of the British Association for the Advancement of Sci», ence was the increasingly important place of com-< puters in every-day life. ‘ Not just pocket calculators and digital watches, but things like controllers of washing machines and sewing machines. In “8.8. C. Science Magazine” on the Concert programme at 7.30 p.m. Bob Berry can be heard talking to Profes- , sor M. Healey, professor of microcomputer systems at University College, Cardiff, about the cost involved in the spread of computers. Also in tonight’s programme there are segments about a new antibacterial agent and about detecting the source of a gamma Tray transient. Passing time “Tiktok,” the ,play. that can be heard oh the National programme at 8.44 p.m., was written by David Hughes. It tells the story of Arnold Stutt, a busy watch repairer with two great passions in life,. — antique clocks and his female customers. He; tends the clocks with loving care and is always willing to oblige the ladies as long as they are willing, to oblige him. His customers are well satisfied with the service provided, and over the , years Arnold’s business flourishes. But time can run out — even for a watchmaker, and the vis’t of a justifiably irate husband brings more than the clocks to a dead stop. This play, which was first broadcast on the Concert programme, was produced by Roy. Hope dn Radio New Zealand’s Auckland studios. Divorce history

“Till Laws Do Us Part”is made up of two programmes prepared by Dr Roderick Phillips, senior lecturer in history at

Auckland University, which trace the history of divorce legislation in New Zealand from the mid* nineteenth century to the 19705. The first programme, which can be heard on the Concert programme at 9 p.m.. is entitled “Divorce In The Nineteenth Century.”

Jubilee music .-Fifty years. ago today, Sir Adrian Boult lifted his baton to conduct the first public performance, of the newly-formed 8.8. C. Symphony Orchestra;-“A.Gold-en Jubilee” on the Concert programme at 9.23; p.m. commemorates this occasion with a performance by the . 8.8. C. Symphony Orchestra of the Hymn for Jesus Opus 37 by Holst. Catching slips

“Many A Slip” on the National programme tomorrow at 9.23 p.m. feat tures as usual women in contest with men. The women are Eleanor Summerfield, theatre, film, and television actress, and Gillian Reynolds, a radio critic. The gentlemen are. David Nixon, the magician and entertainer, and Tinf Rice, a lyricist best known for his work on “Jesus Christ, Superstar” an<i "Evita.” Both teams . musq spot any mistakes the chairman, Roy Plomley, might make. This programme was produced by the 8.8. C. l Local jazz ‘ ...

On the Concert pro? gramme at 8.25 pjn. tox morrow the third in a series of eight pro-' grammes which local jazz groups cari be heard. Tonight the Kevin Clark Quartet — a group; of locals who are mostly non-professional — play their own original music produced by. conventional instruments, Indian ; instruments, and an electronic synthesiser on tomorrow’sprogramme.';

•KISS OF DEATH’ Sir,— Felicity Price’s review of the play, “The Kiss of Death,” drew attention to her own limitations, rather than those of t‘..e play. With typical New Zealand insularity she complained that she could not under, ‘and the dialogue and so switched channels. End of rev'ew. Presumably, he .-ever, a television review involves objective criticism, rather than, an admission of one’s lack of ---perience and understanding of life. "Kiss of Death” was, in fact, a humorous, fascinating, and accurate picture of much of life in the North of England. Similarly, Ms Price found herself unable to watch a recent “Fair Go” programme as the “wild” hairdo of Gillian Macgregor distracted her. Really, the nerve of one of our television front people not to appear in the usual guise of “Dajs of Our Lives” clones. I accept that somehow Ms Price is trying to be satirical, but I suggest that she either balance her criticisms or else, signs them “Mother of Four.” — Yours, etc, M. MOODIE WICKER MAN Sir, —May I comment on John Collins’s review of “The Wicker Man?” I read his piquant column avidly. “The Wicker Man,” although mythologically inaccurate, provides an uncanny glimpse of our roots. The apotropaic charms of Cromagnon Man and probably Neanderthal Man were the medici.-.e bag, amulet, and sacrifice. These responses still saturate the deep earth of humanity. T' -ay show existence as an awesome mystery; the ancient recognition of those dynamic ir.".uences, totally beyond our control, that well from the depths of our being and conceive as “powers.” These; powers are projected, Whet} projected as' living entities they produced nature worship within which- all great religious grew. When the awesome regenerative mystery is rejected, life can flip from a miracle to an ignominious riddle. Thus, inevitably, we project our lonely aridity, deprecating the environment. and .. people, which, become, a resource we are compelled to exploit in a fugnawing for pro-..-gress.—Yours, etc., BRAEMAR ANDERSON , BIGOTRY Sir, —John Collins has gone too far in his television. : review this time. He may think the subject fit for jest, but some of my best friends are necr-* ophliacs with liquorice berets. Their faith in human ; kindness and. compassion has been shattered by his glib and heartless comments. One hopes that he will stop his attacks on one of society’s lesserknown 'mi.no r i t y groups,—Yours, etc., P.'J. LAWSON. . .NEWS SLANT Sir, —Ever since the. two television channels’ news services were merged into one there have been

indications that the news is being stage-managed to reflect more favourably on the Government. Network One’s 6.30 news recently reached new depths, however. Reporting on the rate of inflation for the last quarter, a reporter used a graph which started unbelievably at 15 per cent instead of zero, so a couple of percentage points fall from an 18 per cent inflation rate showed on the graph as a very dramatic improvement. Anyone who knows anything about statistical analysis knows that it is possible to produce a misleading impression by cramping either the vertical or the horizontal axis. I hope that in future a more honest style of reporting will allow viewers to make their own avaluation.—Yours, etc.. KEVIN O’CONNOR. I. WRIGHT. CENTREPOINT Sir, —After viewing the documentary on Jim Jones, I was consoled a little by the thought “Thank goodness, it couldn’t happen in New Zealand.” I have just watched an incredible programme on a commune in the North Island which was even worse. At least Jim Jones knew his lust was wrong, and tried to keep it under wraps, placate the menfolk. and present an untarnished image to the world. At Centrepoint, Auckland, the subject of the documentary I have just watched, the organiser revels in activities which the average person would consider far from a norm, and not, as the organiser claims, therapeutic. I watched the reactions of the crowd as they watched a woman, giving birth, how the men rocked with laughter, how unnaturally brilliant and glazed their eyes appeared. This suggested lust to me, rather than a caring for the performer on the table. Thank goodness. the animals of the world still go about living - with dignity and respect for their family units and don’t put one'another on display for public entertainment. Who is getting what out of Centrepoint? Well, one man is getting $30,000 at least, on top of the pleasure : he showed in the documentary watching these spectacles. He was reported to have said to one of his followers, a doctor: “What’s a nice person like you doing in a place like this?” This speaks for itself.. A final question:' are the brothels we insist on stamping out a greater threat to humanity than this Auckland commune? Yours, etc., HETTY TURNER.

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