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Thai RoboCop walking tall at Songkran
Roger Crutchley, Published on 27/04/2025
» The most important news emerging from the recent Songkran activities is that Thailand finally has its own "RoboCop". The kingdom's first AI police robot was spotted on active duty in Nakhon Pathom province keeping an eagle eye on water-throwing activities. It has been given the name Pol Col Nakhon Pathom Plod Phai, which is admittedly bit of a mouthful but roughly translates as "Nakhon Pathom is safe".
Celluloid sleuths more fun in the old days
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/03/2023
» I was watching a US cops and robbers film the other day in which the police were using those large portable phones that were around just at the start of the cellphone revolution. Nothing dates a film more than the type of phones they are using. Those unwieldy early portable phones look quite comical these days and seem more cumbersome than convenient.
Theme tune that lasts the test of time
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 17/05/2020
» Watching the BBC World Service's Panorama documentary on the coronavirus situation, it struck me that it is one of the few TV offerings in which the theme music is just right. You wouldn't want to hear it too often, but its distinctive authoritative tones with a hint of foreboding, suggests the show is of some substance, which it usually is. It was surprising to discover that this serious music was adapted by Francis Lai from the soundtrack of the 1966 hit film, Un Homme et Une Femme (A Man and a Woman), basically a love story. The music, which has introduced Panorama for nearly 50 years, is called Aujordhi C'est Toi (Today it's You). Well, that's enough French for one day.
When the president said 'sock it to me'
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 04/08/2019
» My apologies for unwittingly being the purveyor of fake news in last week's column, mistakenly crediting Goldie Hawn with the "sock it to me" catchphrase from the Laugh-In show. It was actually the English actress Judy Carne who was the regular "sock it to me" girl, although Hawn did also come out with the expression on occasions.