h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I got the best birthday present I have ever had. I listen to loads of radio, spending more time listening than I do surfing or viewing put together. So I got given a Pure Bug Too this morning. It
* Sounds fantastic
* Look great
* Records radio programs on a memory card
* Plugs into the stereo

The best thing about it is the electronic program guide, which allows you to see what's coming up and select it for later listening.

It also starts up with two friendly big blinking eyes staring at you!

First off, Happy Birthday, FM! And many happy returns, etc.

Your birthday present does sound like a wonderful device; somebody there must know and care about you a great deal to come up with such a thoughtful gift. And that, perhaps more than anything, makes you a very fortunate person indeed.

I've never even heard of such a thing, but it certainly bears looking into. Don't know if we have such things here in the states, but should be able to find out easily enough.

Incidentally, I top your age by 20 years and change! And still seeming to manage quite well thanks.

It's my wish that your day today, as well as those to follow, will turn out as well as you could reasonably hope for, and then some.

Best,
js

Well, many happy returns sir!

I share the same birthday as Sir John Betjeman (if you listen to R4, which I have done a lot today, hardly surprisingly). And a certain Dr King made a VERY famous speech on the day I was born

http://www.pure.com/Products/Product.asp?Product=VL-60715&PageType=Review

Do you have DAB in the US? I thought it was only recently you got cellphones!

Happy Birthday!

"Do you have DAB in the US?" You're asking the wrong person! I'd still be writing with a quill pen if a few tech-savvy friends didn't prod me along from time to time, with me complaining and grumbling loudly all the while, I might add. Thanks for the link. Your new device appears to be the radio counterpart of TIVO, the digital video recording device. My only TV has a three-inch screen and a single rabbit ear; the best of my FM receivers is a dinosaur, but it still pulls in Prairie Home Companion on Saturday evening. Doubt if you're fortunate enough to get that over on your side of the pond, but I hope I'm mistaken. Good show, that.

Happy Birthday FM!

Happy Birthday FM.

"And a certain Dr King made a VERY famous speech on the day I was born" - Would that be his famous "Good grief nurse, you're not supposed to slap the baby's face !" speech ?

No, it was the 'Nurse, I said "prick his boil"' speech.

Hope you had a really good day!

It was good, thanks. Lots of lazing about interspersed with cooking, eating and drinking. My health has been holding up as well, so I was quite pleased about that, but I think they day when I have to go for the op is getting closer .

I have to hang around the house today as my daughter has decided she wants saxophone lessons at school so I bought one on eBay and it's being delivered. Unfortunately, eBay didn't have much in the way of earplugs.

"day when I have to go for the op is getting closer" Since you brought it up, while not wanting to pry I can't help being interested and curious to know more; I've seen references to your health in earlier posts as well.

Regarding the sax, be sure she listens to some Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, John Coletrane, Paul Desmond, etc., for a bit of inspiration! That way you soon may be able to dispense with the need for ear plugs. One can hope, anyway.

You really don't want to know, believe me.

"the best of my FM receivers is a dinosaur, but it still pulls in Prairie Home Companion on Saturday evening. Doubt if you're fortunate enough to get that over on your side of the pond, but I hope I'm mistaken. Good show, that."

Certainly is: we get it on BBC 7, but it's billed as 'Garrison Keillor's Radio Show'. BBC 7 is the sister channel of BBC Radio 4: both concentrate on intelligent speech, but 7 does mostly comedy, drama, serials etc.

DAB gives all 11 of the BBC nationwide radio channels which is enough for anyone, believe me, with the possible exception of Classic FM which has a rather more middlebrow approach to classical music than Radio 3. Then there's the local BBC radio channels as well, and you have a hell of a lot.

Happy birthday!

Do you have to pay extra to the BBC for digital service, or is it part of one's regular license?

"Certainly is: we get it on BBC 7, but it's billed as 'Garrison Keillor's Radio Show'." I'm pleased and a tiny bit surprised to hear it! His brand of humor is more than a wee bit "regional," for lack of a better term. Even here in the states, some people who did not grow up in the specific cultural environment which he re-creates and pokes fun at simply find it all a bit odd and not much to their liking, so I'd be curious to know how that humor "translates" for listeners in the UK. Apparently reasonably well or it wouldn't stay on the air. Some humor, especially that which pokes fun a human nature, does tend to be somewhat universal. I've been a huge fan of the Monty Python crew. Enjoyed the recent h2g2 entry on 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.'

Answering the first question:
No: it all comes as part of the package

The second question:
The humour travels very well, actually. It's very self-mocking and deprecatory of pompous behaviour, this being an approach that goes down well in the UK

Oh, I do like a little of the Woebegone Tales (not sure on my spelling there)...

"(not sure on my spelling there)" Close enough, and probably better than I could do. Glad to know that one of my favorite shows is well received there, too.