Why I love the BBC's World News.

Besides actually covering the news, I mean. That's rare enough in the States.

But no, it the fact that they treat their viewers as intelligent people who might be interested in learning something. Tonight was a great example. Today, Queen Elizabeth opened Parliament, a completely ceremonial moment that in the hands of a US news service would rate a 15 second film clip. The BBC gave us a complete walk through, with fun details like the Yeoman Warders searching the cellars (Guy Fawkes, hello!), a MP being held hostage at Buckingham Palace to insure the safe return of the monarch, the fact that no monarch has entered Commons since Charles I in 1642, the fun position of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, and just seeing where all this stuff happens. Oh, and Her Majesty gets to wear this.

I'm the son of an Englishman, raised on British culture and a big history geek, and I didn't know this stuff!

They search the freaking cellars.. I love it!

Yes, I was this stupid once.

With thanks to redc1c4

"BAND AID - ♥ ✩ Do They Know It's Christmas? ♥ ✩ (1984) ♥ ✩" (Watch on YouTube)

Yeah. My stupidity involved sinking a M-113A1 in a pond and deciding it would be cool to see what would happen if we blew off over 3,000 rounds of 7.62mm in a single M-60 burst. (We melted the gun. Seriously. Miracle the thing didn't explode.)