Working hard late into the night on my Phd thesis in medieval English history while living near the Forth, I would rely on the Shipping Forecast to help me shift gears and relax into a peaceful and restful sleep. It is one of those rare points of constancy in an ever changing and tumultuous world. I miss it much.

BBC Radio 4 is a godsend to thinking people, and where everybody should go to get a good solid taste of British culture. This is where the Shipping Forecast can be found.

Reports to nap to.

i hope "stentorian voices from the ether" tag takes off.

This is not the kind of shipping I was expecting.