If I just want something from which I can stream content and whack through some speakers, is a netbook the cheap and easy answer? Or am I a month behind again?

It's all in the title really, any recommendations for Friday nights in October and November?

I missed Danny Baker stirring up the MOTD panel - anyone know where I might find it?

Not usually my thing, but I've just kicked off on a bout of interviewing and am doing it by phone. First effort - via mike plugged into PC and using (the generally excellent) Audacity software not shrouded in glory as spent interview bent double while trying to share phone earpiece with desk mike while maintaining concentration and making notes. Result: I sound like Zeppelin at Earl's Court, while interviewee resembles the sermon on the mount guy from Life of Brian. Just about serviceable, but took an age to transcribe.
Any pointers as to voice recorders which might plug into phones or suchlike gratefully recieved.

Or just a National Treasure?

Tom Baker in conversation...

http://tv.sky.com/tom-baker-in-confidence

...here's criticism in its purest form...

I've just bought a Samsung 19" LCD HD TV, and while the picture is fine, the sound is remarkably similar to that made by Yoko Ono, particularly on her early recordings.

Tweaking it this way and that has brought a little reward, but I think what I need is something to punch up the audio quality.

It's for a fairly small space, so the full home cinema set-up is a non-runner. Any suggestions gratefully received.

...and Lazy Cliche of The Week in a two-for-one deal.

This from the BBC website:

"Watch: Walking on Sunshine
Katrina (of the Waves fame) sang on Wogan Weekend, performing the catchiest pop song of the eighties - 'Walking on Sunshine'. How fitting was that for the first day of spring?"

Reading Nick Kent's Apathy For The Devil and he makes 2 mentions of "Ronnie Wood's Richmond Guest House".
Maybe Stella Street was nearer the mark than we thought, anyway, it's nice to know he's got the hotel business to fall back on.

To expand on the following, there are times when Mrs Bryer might put on her choice of power ballad and I might announce Celine's big finish with comments like 'cabin doors to manual' or something about pre-flight checks being completed...Any road, sometimes it's like this...

The other night, Simon Mayo played 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down', Joan Baez version. Mrs Bryer had picked me up from the station and she sang along all the way through, word perfect, and asked me to download it for her. Love that song, she said.

So I fannied about with the iTunes 30-snippetty-second previews for quite a while until I found a likely one and I bunged it on the purple iPod. As soon as we played the thing back we both cringed in an instant at the sound of applause at the start, and when it came to our Joan calling for the assembly to 'clap your hands now', well it was all over. And off.

Mrs Bryer, Sandra, said, 'I never like "live" versions'.
"I'll play you The Band," I said.

Studio version. Brown album, I think, but it's not important, because she hated it. And to be fair, Levon did sound a little pinched. And then I realise that here's a case where the live version has a real sniff of a chance of blowing off someone's popsox.

So I cued up Sky+ for The Last Waltz (currently on MGM HD - or it was until recently) and she sat in silence and watched 'Dixie', and I watched it for the nth time, as I was watching her, but she gave nothing away, and then it finished and she said,

"Brilliant," she said, "THAT'S the one. Can you download it for me?"

I've been absent for a while, so not sure if this has made a previous appearance...

There's a big birthday coming up and the FPO and I are off to Venice for a few days.
Hints and tips from The Massive received with thanks...

http://new.uk.music.yahoo.com/blogs/snapcrackleandpop/44378/leona-lewis-...

Can anyone recommend a proper pub around London NW1/W2 which serves a decent ale and will be showing the Third Ashes Test on Sky?

I forget what it was called, but a year or two back there was something on the TV which I thought would be right up the FPO's street. So I was surprised when she curled a lip at my suggestion. However, I twigged soon enough that her problem was with a member of the cast.
"You mean you still haven't forgiven her for going out with Paul McCartney?"
For it was Jane Asher, you see.
"No I haven't," confirmed my lovely missus, about a near half-century-old crush.

So, here we go, who's your favourite Beatle wife, girlfriend, or alleged sexual partner?