Christmas lists - "take 1"

Over the next couple of months I shall endeavour to fill your Christmas list with some useful items which you will hopefully receive or generously give others, like a kiss under the mistletoe.

Yesterday I watched the first series of Absolute Power, I was quite surprised that the video (or should that be DVD rental) store, had the series because it's been rather hard to track down other than via good old internet shopping. Obviously the thinking is that it won't be a big seller because it's definitely not everybody's cup of tea and similar to the Smoking Room, it deals with slightly more risqué subject matter in the field of "business 'slash' reality."

Absolute Power, like Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, should be essential course work for all MBA students, instead of all of the ramblings on about how to be effective leaders which they have to endure and which I always wonder about because for goodness sake you must know that there is every chance that you'll probably only end up leading a team of two, one who will live on the telephone and the other will make many, many mistakes which you will need to fix.

Absolute Power is cleverly scripted and deals with the many issues of PR (Public Relations) but with Stephen Fry doing the interpretation it makes for a very humorous outtake on today's world of spin. And similar to Yes Minister where Sir Humphrey led the way, you will learn about the subtleties of the correct use of diction and how you can charmingly turn almost any murderous situation to your advantage.

All of these BBC series, if you don't already own them should be on your Christmas list.