Quote of the Week ...

As I've blogged before about the silly things that are said in rail announcements, I enjoyed reading an article recently by David Marsh, on "why Railspeak should be terminated".

Having given some examples, he says,
The result of all this is not effective communication but the creation of a gulf between the language used by its speakers and those on the receiving end... Hyper-correct, hyper-polite language may be well intended but comes across as patronising and insincere.

I must admit to thinking on a number of occasions, when listening to an announcement, "Why doesn't he forget the script and just talk in normal language?" Of course, the answer probably is, if he did so, it would be a disciplinary offence and he'd receive a verbal warning - if he could understand it.

Read the full article at

www.guardian.co.uk/media/mind-your-language/2011/jun/26/railspeak-terminated-train-station-language?INTCMP=SRCH

Newspapers

I read an article in the paper today about the threatened demise of the newspaper, as people are using the web and so on for news. I mean, all you need to know is on Twitter! It doesn't matter if it's true or not, the gossip's the thing!

But on second thoughts, can you believe what you read in the newspaper? Apparently most people think not. In a recent Ipsos Mori survey asking people whom they trusted to tell the truth, journalists obtained only 19%. But they weren't bottom! Politicians scored 14%. Most trusted were doctors with 88% of people generally believing they told the truth.

It was a bit of a shock, though, that clergy only got 68%. Maybe I need to stop telling funny stories in my sermons. Perhaps people take them seriously.

I saw an advert in a local Southend paper for a 'mobility' shop. It said it was also "continence specialists". I know that we have to be politically correct and positive about things. For instance someone isn't deaf, he or she is hearing impaired. But I think the shop meant they were "incontinence specialists". After all someone who is continent doesn't need specialist help.

But the thing that really caught my eye was an "all terrain mobility scooter". What?? Do they want to go down the Olympic bike track (near Hadleigh castle)? Or do some people in Southend have such really dodgy pavements between their houses and Tesco's?

Sorry to go on ...

I'm sorry to go on about this, but the latest in our abuse of the vulnerable is that many elderly people who are "cared for" at home are having their human rights ignored. Problems include visits far too short, with the client having to decide whether to be washed OR have a meal prepared for them; being left in bed for 17 hours; being left in filthy nightwear and bedding after a visit; and so on.

Unfortunately, this is not news for people in my profession. We see it far too often. It's another case of the "private sector" not doing the work it's paid to do. It follows on the Panorama expose of Winterbourne View where vulnerable people were being shockingly abused by staff. and that place cost the taxpayer £4 million a year!

So, are we learning from all this? Of course not! The NHS must have more private sector involvement, we are told by the Government. It will save money. Yes, it might, but at what human cost? Winterbourne View and home care for the elderly give us a clue as to that cost.

New Life!

In the garden at our church an acorn has managed to germinate in the stump of an old tree. New life growing out of dead wood!

That must be a sermon illustration for something. Except that I'm not convinced it will survive, and that wouldn't bode well for the sermon!

So just enjoy the picture.

More batteries required!

A week ago I blogged about how so many things that used to just work, now need power. For instance, watches and clocks that we quite happily used to wind up, now require batteries.

And so it continues. I heard on the radio a brief mention of electronic gear changing on a bicycle. Mind you it costs over £1,000!

And one of the best yet - an electric salt and pepper mill! Yes, you don't have to do the grinding, just press a button and it's done for you. Wow! I'd heard of this some time back, but on the front of a catalogue for a well-known office stationers, I see they are giving away one free when you place your next order. And alongside the advert it tells you not to forget the batteries! You can get two packs (you need six batteries) from them from only £9.16 (plus VAT, of course).

So that's it - £10 to get a free gift to actually work. I'll stick to the old manual grind, I think!

Quote of the Week ...

My quote of the week goes to Simon Hoggart from his 'week', in The Guardian on Saturday.

More and more this is a country run by the rich and well-placed on behalf of the rich and well-placed. Which is how they organised things in Soviet Russia, until the people realised they were being conned.