DR WHO LATEST
Dr Who has today been criticised for announcing that he won't be seeking another term as the Time Lord, but not giving an exact timetable for his departure.
"This ongoing uncertainty is destabilising the galaxy at a very inopportune time, with a fresh attack from the Cybermen imminent" said one well-placed Dr Who Source. "We all know that The Master has been waiting for several millennia brooding for the job to be his."

Malcolm Wicks, who was appointed in November following the resignation of Lord Sainsbury, believes that too many pupils are put off science during school.

He claims that popular television shows such as the hit BBC science fiction series and the Star Wars films provide children with an insight into real science that teachers can use to kick-start lessons. Science education campaign groups have warned, however, that shows such as Doctor Who often involve ideas that have little basis in science.

Mr Wicks said: "If you start a lesson with the chemical formulae you will lose 90 per cent of the class. If you start with something interesting or important, like something they read in the paper or saw on television, they will remain interested.

"It can be part of an entrée to some of the more technical, important but slightly more boring parts of the subject. If I was a teacher I would start with a chunk from Doctor Who and Billie Piper and say, 'Actually, what was that all about and how is our textbook relevant to that?'

"Take R2D2 from the Star Wars films, for example. We are already doing that kind of stuff in robotics. I would show that, talk about how you would build a thing like that and its uses in the future in the home, in caring for people and for space exploration."

Mr Wicks believes that it is essential to produce a generation of children who are science-literate so that they can go on to help in making the decisions Britain is likely to face on issues such as climate change and medical research.

However, Derek Bell, the chief executive of the Association of Science Education, said: "We all enjoy programmes such as Doctor Who, but teachers would need to be careful to make it clear which bits are science and which fantasy."

Big Finish are very pleased to announce that they have been able to agree terms on a new US subscription service. From 1st January 2007, Alien Entertainment will be offering subscribers the same, exclusive incentives currently enjoyed by customers who subscribe direct with Big Finish. Alien Entertainment subscribers will receive the Big Finish Magazine CD and the free subscriber special adventure scheduled for December 2007. Unfortunately, we are unable to backdate this service, and all free subscriber discs prior to January 2007 will not be available, except direct from Big Finish at www.bigfinish.com. In addition there will be a new magazine disc - Big Finish Update #1 - which will be available to all dealers due to be released in the Spring.

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