Category Archives: Life

Thoughts on life, why we are here, and things to come.

Holding to account Part 1

The mantra so beloved of politicians (current and retired), organisations / ‘influencers’ with some focussed agenda, and ex-officers from public service is about holding an incumbent political party, organisation or agency ‘to account’.

There was a time when having oversight was positive for society, but that was in a era where any criticism was aimed at a policy, not individuals i.e. ‘the ball and not the man’; it was most valid and useful where those levelling such criticism were prepared to propose alternative courses of actions or strategies.

However, increasingly political environments have become much more polarised and hence divisive, and where there was valuable oversight, the emphasis now is to impugn the integrity, intellect and even physical characteristics of those with whom the protagonist disagrees, Nowhere has this been more evident that in the court of King Donald.

Politically, opposition has become completely focussed on looking for avenues to tarnish both man and ball as the end purpose in itself. This is no longer productive. The same trait applies through visible public life, whether by union leaders, TV interviewers, pundits, what the Daily Mail calls ‘experts’ and so on. The assumption is now that every decision or action of the opponent is flawed and self-evidently wrong, and those involved in decision making are mentally challenged, downright incompetent and probably corrupt adulterers too.

However, too often this is a shield for either having no credible alternative policies to voice, and more particularly the knowledge that any alternatives will be subject to the same vitriolic attacks from the erstwhile victims; consider, who knows what labour’s policy on Brexit was before the last election ?? Easier to slag off rather than propose.

In politics, religion, management and life there are those that believe (often passionately) A and those that (equally passionately) believe B. As society becomes more polarised, there is, more often that not, little common ground. Dissent and disagreement is baked in. But ultimately, either by war or elections, one or other side’s broad views prevail, albeit often with some compromise of their original position to maintain social stability.

Grumpy yearns for the days when ‘oversight’ had some value, and generally accepted by both targets and observers as valid comment; and, whether or not there was agreement, at least the sides generally showed civility and respect for each other. In the era of Trump, however, belittling, denigrating and the use of personal insults have become the new norms of politics, and it does not augur well for stability – and indeed fairness – in society.

Left / right hands

Two headlines from 08.04.2020

Daily Express : “SHOCKING figures have shown the amount of people shopping rose over the weekend despite the government urging people to stay indoors.”

BBC : (Statement from Tesco) “The supermarket giant said it wasn’t able to meet demand as more shoppers stay at home, despite the fact it has increased its online grocery shopping capacity by more than 20%”

As Grumpy noted in recent post http://grumpy.eastover.org.uk/pure-guardian the government continues to adopt a wholly inconsistent and conflicted stance on ‘staying home’. The message is completely at odd with reality. The fact is that as of today food deliveries are not available at Morrisons, Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado, or Asda. Either the government are not aware of this reality, or they continue to make the ‘stay at home’ proclamations with cynical disregard for it.

A significant proportion the populace go to the shops because it is the only way to get food. What part of this does the government not understand ? If a household can only get one delivery per month, they have to buy a minimum of a month’s worth of groceries at each order, or go out to the shop, or starve. It’s a simple math fact. That”s why there has been a transient increase. If the government wished more people to observe sheltering, they should deploy the army to assist with deliveries, or pressure the supermarket giants to do better. Gove and co are on a different planet – they probably send their security guards out to shop.

Dave Lewis, the CEO of Tesco, stated today that Middle classes in the south of England were to blame for stockpiling. However, he clearly knows the ins and outs of procurement, since the optimisation of this is essential to Tesco profits. It’s thus particularly galling to be lectured to by him for stockpiling when it is an entirely inevitable consequence of Tesco’s inability to rise the the challenges arising from incarcerating the populace at home; he should be ashamed to describe it as ‘stockpiling’ – and this from a Harvard man.

Paperless fallacies

Virtually every organisation that is required to provide a consumer with a statement of events (bank, credit card provider, utilities, etc.) have persuaded / coerced customers into going ‘paperless’. Rather than having to routinely open multiple envelopes and then file the documents somewhere, the beguiling argument is that they can all be left in the cloud, ready for access anywhere and anytime on mobile devices or a desktop.

The consumer is easily seduced by this myth, but there is a flaw in the inherent assumptions. If, for whatever reason, the account is terminated (changing a credit card for example) , then access to such documents is summarily denied.

In some cases, this may not be material, but in others it may well be more serious. For example, if the documents were required for tax returns, the inability to satisfy the authorities without evidence may be problematic (and expensive), even if the data could be replicated. The more stressing case is following a death when access to key data are denied pending probate.

There is only one logical approach to deal with this situation. This is that each month, or whenever, the relevant documents have to be downloaded and then filed (albeit electronically) in some structure locally. This rather defeats the purported ‘paperless’ benefits. Rather than a bill or statement arriving without an action on the part of the recipient, paperless documents require to be proactively managed by some diary mechanism to prompt download. It is an active, rather than passive, process.

Grumpy’s take on this is simple. The alternative is to opt out of paperless documents, and require the organisation to post them. When they arrive, they can be slipped into some tray or box waiting some possible future need to refer to them. This is entirely in accord with Grumpy’s management philosophy, which is “never do today that which can be delayed until a later date, because it may not need to be done at all.”

If this is less hassle than the electronic download process (which it is), why go paperless?

There is also the satisfaction that the duplicity of British Gas (or whoever) selling a cost saving move for them as a benefit for the consumer can be simply negated.

WAP mysteries

Grumpy has a look at the Daily Mail in the morning’s whilst eating his muesli, largely to cheer himself up for the coming day with their amusing reporting.

The news is interleaved with articles on female ‘celebs’ of the E list variety, who ‘flaunt’, ‘put on display’ and ‘showcase’ their ‘ample assets’ (normally which their clothing ‘struggles to contain’), ‘peachy posteriors’, ‘taught abs’, ‘underboobs’ (what?) or ‘baby bumps’. Grumpy finds it faintly amusing that when the pictures include a ‘topless’ shot, it is anything but; every possible trace of a nipple in all the acres of flesh – clearly intended to titillate – is carefully obscured. It made Grumpy wonder why the nipple had made the transition from a Sun Page 3 staple to gross pornogrpahy,

Anyway, Grumpy was surprised to read that a woman named Megan Thee Stallion has just been named by Time Magazine as one the top 100 most influential people in the world. She is a rapper and writer; lyrics range over to taking “some five star dick” to her latest masterpiece which is a celebration the apparently extreme lubrication of her vagina (“get a bucket and mop, that’s some wet ass pussy” she implores the “nigga” indulging in intimacy with her). Why a hint of nipple is considered somehow more offensive than a blow by blow (pun intended) description of the mechanics of this woman’s coital activities is opaque. Grumpy finds it illustrating and indicative of the times that she gets ranked in this way amongst all the astounding influencers on planet Earth.

There is also an interesting comparison between the US and the UK in attitudes to song content here. As described elsewhere in this blog, a memorial stone to the alleged dog of Dam Buster commander Guy Gibson, called (as a matter of historical record) “Nigger” was changed because it was deemed offensive. Yet in the US this word dominates award winning ‘songs’ by females to describe the male protagonists in their sexploits. Note that any 12 year old can buy a CD or download this material.

In comparison,it would appear that the mere glimpse of a bit of areola – or heaven forbid, a nipple – needs to be blacked out if shown in other than back-street magazines. Meanwhile in Europe, bare breasts were de rigueur even in family newspapers a few decades ago and sunbathing topless is today not seen as a pornographic activity.

This curious juxtaposition of attitudes to matters sexual is shown throughout both countries however. In the UK, the aforementioned Daily Mail rejoices in photographing drunken women at horse racing showing their knickers for pure titillation of male observers, whilst MP Stella Creasy’s Upskirting Bill would potentially earn the photographer 2 years in jail for taking the snap.

It’s a mystery.

RIP Nig… , sorry, Fido

Awareness of what is now seen as the stained and inhuman history of individuals, organisations and countries in a position to exploit and despoil nations, beliefs and the environment has led to increasing demands for both recognition of the nature of same, and in some cases reparations for, past deeds.

Whilst there can be some element of empathy for this, the targets are inevitably a bitty, hit and miss, illogical minority of the totality of injustices of the past. The simple fact is that those same actions were inextricably entangled with the current evolved structure of a country; part of its history, for good or ill. For example, the Industrial Revolution in the UK can be mapped back directly to both slavery and the subjugation of India, for example. How can that now be undone?

However, what is potentially more difficult to have empathy with is the the increasing attempts to re-write history, invoking an Orwellian vision of the ‘Ministry of Truth’. This tendency is overt is some cases, but in others it is diffusing with subtlety through governmental and institutional structures.

In 1955, a film called The Dam Busters was made, a belatedly patriotic tale of an otherwise wholly inconsequential attack on German infrastructure. The hero (and all war films need the ‘hero’) was Guy Gibson VC, and the point of this post is that in the story he had a dog called ‘Nigger’. Whether he did actually call it Nigger (or indeed, had a dog) is historically irrelevant, but this was the name used in the film. That’s a matter of record and fact. It is in time past. It cannot be changed.

It’s perfectly acceptable for people to now note that by current social mores the name is retrospectively seen as offensive if uttered by white persons (but oddly not coloured people). However, what Grumpy finds to be a dangerous trend by (in this case) the RAF is an attempt to remove a record of this by changing the name on a memorial dog tombstone at Scampton air base to something else. If history can be air-brushed for this, it is an alarming precedent for governments and others to re-write facts on more or less anything.

To put things in context, one of the currently successful women rappers (singers?) is a lady called Nicki Minaj. She released a song called ‘Looking ass,’ which had critical acclaim, and was presumably heard repeatedly on radio and seen in a video by the teenage consumers of such music. She used the word ‘Nigga’ (and Niggaz) no less than 40 times in two verses. That’s actually quite a feat, but the lyrics are typified by “Look at y’all niggas, niggas, look at y’all niggas” and “Pussy, you tried, pussy ass nigga you lie, pussy ass nigga, you high” {and no, Grumpy has absolutely no idea what that all means.}

Where is the furore ? Was the song banned in the UK ? Did the government leap in to prevent its youth from being exposed to this? Not at all – a 12 year old girl can buy it with explicit lyrics from Amazon today. Inconsistency is the father of disorder, and Grumpy will return to this topic in later posts.

Twisted logic

Another Feminist has entered the battle – one assumes from a self publicity angle rather than ideological purposes – to make a London men’s club – the Garrick – accept women as members. This is Oxford PPE graduate Emily Bendel who has formed a lingerie company, and is being hailed as an example of the thrusting (is that he right word?) confidence of young female entrepreneurs. [Grumpy cannot help but comment that on-line lingerie merchandising is not exactly innovative as a business concept.]

In spite of her Oxford education and presumably lots of upper echelon contacts, Emily had no idea that men only clubs existed, or so she told the Daily Mail. Her attack on the Garrick seems to be driven by a philosophical feminist motive rather than any wish to actually join the Club. Her feminist credentials are underlined by her approach that seductive lingerie is not bought by women to be seductive, but for their own self-actualisation and the pleasure of (presumably) looking in themselves in the mirror. The ‘Social Responsibility’ page on the website states that ‘The Future is Female. ‘

She is seemingly one of the “my peep hole bras and crotchless panties have nothing to do with sex or titillating men” feminists. Oddly, she started off selling vibrators for Anne Summers, although this maybe underlines the ‘self love’ take on her frillies. However, her philosophy (in her own words) for the company is “to redefine sensuality. We design for spirited women that buy lingerie to please themselves and we have pioneered the ‘underwear as outerwear’ trend”. In common with most corporate mission statements this is essentially syntax without semantics, and the juxtaposition of the words doesn’t actually convey any understandable meaning about the company goals.

{Frankly, Grumpy wasn’t aware that the current trend was for him to put his M+S underwear on the outside of his jeans, but he probably moves in the wrong circles.]

However, to the point Grumpy wishes to make. Emily’s ignorance of men only clubs presumably extends to a lack of knowledge of a fast growing sector in London – women only clubs, of which an abundance can be found by a simple Google search. Their existence underlines the conundrum feminists like Emily today have to face; how to harass the gander with needing to having to do the same for the goose.

Normally the answer is to simply take the view that geese and gander don’t have to follow the same rules. Gender equality is a weapon against men but women (delicate flowers that they are) are excused. It’s the Stella Creasy MP school of logic where men will be jailed for misogyny but women are free to practise misandry at will. Similarly, check out Durham University’s student president – presumably elected to represent all students – who publicly declared that she was a ‘misandrist till I die’ as an example of this asymmetric breed.

Nevertheless, Grumpy wishes good luck to Ms Bendell with her lawsuit, but at the same time, for the sake of rationality, equality and one for the boys, he hopes the Judge consigns it to the waste bin of other ‘stunt’ actions.

More information :

The Bluebella website has the normal corporate dung about climate change on its “Social Responsibility” page, and the purely tokenist actions taken to salve their consciences for being in one the the major sectors contributing to warming, ecological damage and third world poverty – see link

See Grumpy’s justification for the ‘tokenist’ comment above here

.. and on Stella Creasy here

On the asymmetry of of female reactions to male ‘voyeurism’ vs the actions of women to deliberately titillate see here and here

Oh no! Cyberflash !

Two women complained to British Airways recently (Huff Post 16.11.2018) because they were ‘cyberflashed’ and received unsolicited ‘D*ck pictures’ on their mobiles via AirDrop.

The obvious (and most devastating response) for the recipient should have been to stand up and say loudly, whilst holding the phone up, “Who sent this ?? Call that a d*ck, mini- cock ??”. Instant deflation.

That aside, they should not have had their phones switched on in an aircraft, so their disregard to follow rules is apparent.

However, the real question is why they had Airdrop security set to receive any messages ? How dumb is that ? If women want to whinge in this way they should at least take the very basic privacy precautions that any rational person – male or female – would with their devices and data. They probably have a sticker on their phones with their bank PIN on.

So sue me, Tweedy

Another ‘personality’ trying to re-write history, Cheryl Tweedy, has resorted to legal action against anyone reporting that she was a convicted criminal, found guilty of assault – just like the drunken violence perpetrated by those folk in hoodies she presumably castigates at dinner parties.

Ok Cheryl, you were a violent drunken thug – so sue me.