When The Buzzcocks released the single by this name 30 years ago today theirs was an oblique strategy. As far as they were concerned, everybody was far from happy at all. But they were damned if they were going to have it like that. Admittedly, back then, I just wanted a lover like any other (but what did I get?). Today, 30 years on, I’m a strong critic of doom mongers, particularly the gleeful BBC News tendency to see the cup not only as three quarters empty, but cracked and full of bacteria probably picked up in a NHS hospital stuffed full with suicidal bankers and the terminally obese. I’m glad that Mandelson had a go at the Starbucks CEO for talking down the UK marketplace last week. We don’t need Americans to do that for us. We’re pretty good at it ourselves. Well, Pete Shelley refused to be part of it 30 years ago and I refuse to be part of it now. Certainly not on the second day of March. A day when I saw my first ever gig at Trentham Gardens in Stoke. Status Quo. A day when D H Lawrence died, but Lou Reed was born and is 67 years strong. Life’s an illusion, love’s a dream? Everybody’s saying things to me, but I know it’s OK, OK.
Mark Griffiths www.idealconsulting.co.uk
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I had to laugh on Friday. I saw 2 BBC Breakfast TV interviewers try and round on a the CEO of a major business. They introduced their piece with a 2 minute film explaining how the company had withdrawn some services - and they were prepared to assail the CEO. Yet another chance to spread some gloom, and damage a business - Not for information but for entertainment.
ReplyDeleteBut ... they had chosen the wrong company and the wrong man. Love him or loathe him and his company, Michael O'Leary of Ryanair is not a man to mess with - particularly on air.
He was, as ever, breezily self confident. 'Yes' he had taken the decisions, and 'yes' he thought they were right and 'no' he wasn't going back on them why should he. Further more 'here's my next idea you won't like' and this is why we are doing it.
The BBC reporters were left spluttering, embarrassed and totally out played. Hilarious.
It is genuinely refreshing to see the CEO who makes the decisions speak up personally and in public like. It inspires confidence. And confidence is the single most precious commodity this year.
In fact I am left thinking that instead of propping up failing banks we could have rebuilt confidence at much lower cost by controlling the flow of bad news. I guess that's a whole different subject, but is it right to stir our natural emotions and make us feel we're dirt.
Mmm…I love to watch things on TV, but things like that drive me out of my mind. Then again, sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad. Some evil mothers, they’ll tell you that life is just made out of dirt. Well, I’m beginning to see the light. Linger on…
ReplyDeleteLets hope we are all beginning to see the light. This is a new age and its no time to cool it down.
ReplyDeleteIts a time to at least try and have our head held high and to love the sun, the european sun, and its shiny shiny bright white light. To be a hero in our world. To love like Venus.
In 'furst' the German's have a great word. Not prince but noble. The gift we all have is that we can choose to be furst among equals. And that means you too Waldo Jeffers!
Sounds like our kid got back from Munich. As Mark E Smith said, 'Haf found Bormann!' Interestingly, just before your last comment arrived, a large package arrived at the front door, about the size of a man cut in half. Then, ten minutes later, the other half arrived. I think this was the very late delivery of the package I sent from 254A Whetley Hill, Bradford, in November 1978 - a package containing myself. After all this time, it's good to be reunited with myself, whole, fit and working again.
ReplyDeleteIn fact our kid's just got back from Mumbai; he didn't like to much.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the package its an interesting thought to be able Waldo yourself into the future. I have often considered this, but having been terrified by Morlocks on TV (that negative effect again) I always considered the trip to the past to be a better journey.
Also, I'm not sure you were fit for work in 1978, you were perhaps weighed down by too many ideas and frustrated to have no outlet for them. Anyway I'm sure your boxes contain nothing more than a burnt pan, a punctured football, an empty typhoo box containing 2p, and Enim style art object of what looks like a German essay dirty protest - all wrapped up in an acrid Tyneside odour.
Speaking of a dirty protest, I think we can now come full circle - your very interesting comment about Michael O’Leary and his journalist-defying approach to business. Nobody in business likes ignorant critics pishing on their parade. When it comes to Ryanair, however, I’ve always voted with my feet rather than my winky. I am the only person I know never to have flown with a brand I’ve often mentioned in the same sentence as the waste products it now proposes to charge us for producing. Topically, it now seems that many people will be voting with their bladders. Put simply, they don’t like paying for a Uryanal. The only freebie will be the captain’s log. It lends a new meaning to the brace position. In the event of a crash, please follow the perfumed streams down the aisle. When you’ve got to go…Thankfully, my feet will be remaining dry and my conscience clear.
ReplyDeleteRyanair. As a regular user I speak with my feet too.
ReplyDeleteLife's a journey, but unless you are club class or above air travel is about getting there. I value timeliness very highly and Ryanair are always on time. Reliability and safety of course. Availability too. They score high on them all for me.
And they are cheap which means I can afford a £1 to spend a 1p.
Now we're getting into the area of brand performance versus personal values. Michael O'Leary is a fellow traveller with Alan Sugar and Jeremy Clarkson, all bankers in disguise and very nice human beings all. Where will a man stop in pursuit of his business interests? If it came down to concreting over Ireland or losing an opportunity to get one up on easyJet, there's no doubt what he'd do. With people like that, you just have to hope you're never in their way. Alternatively, there's always resistance - the path I follow.
ReplyDelete