I got home from work a little (well, more than a little...) frustrated today, not as much from work as from people at work (and nothing to do with having turned up at 10 a.m. by mistake when I wasn't supposed to start until 1 p.m....).
There is nevertheless nothing like a real mean-spirited kill-joy to help me thicken my skin and fight excess displays of emotion (all very un-English and unsightly, and traits I had over the years worked hard on perfecting but which have almost lapsed since I began working alongside "foreigners" like me - which, for the record, and for those who insist on getting all worked up about the opinions Brits express of those who move here - tend to be a lot more impolite, insensitive, uninformed and proud than the natives; naturally this is a crude generalization, but I hope I can get away with it because I'm not generalizing about "a" people and I have my experience with English people to compare with and corroborate what I just said).
Anyway, this rant came about because where I work (and this is where things begin to make less sense in Britain - although I guess it's part of the policy of solving problems by shifting them on to someone else's desk or to keep them out of sight long enough until they disappear by some divine intervention) should someone become a problem, they are either sent on an attachment scheme to another department (to lighten up things at the source) or offer them a good enough pay package to entice them to leave "voluntarily" - even though they are blatantly the cause of serious problems and in almost any other country in Europe at least there would have been enough evidence to justify sacking them (the irony of capitalism in addition to the power of some unions, who in most cases I know have always jumped to the defence of the most unashamed and unafraid prevaricators).
And then I read in the news that "Stephen Nelson, chief executive of BAA, which operates the much-criticised Heathrow airport, is to step down".
My first thought: how much is he being paid "to leave"?
Before I got the answer I found out the name of the man who is replacing him - former Severn Trent and Hays chief executive Colin Matthews - and that "the new chief executive will be forced to consider drastic measures to reduce its £10 billion debt".
Shocking figures?
Well, a little while ago I got the answer for how much BAA will be writing on Mr Nelson's payoff cheque (look away now if you're of a nervous disposition): £1 million, at least, that is...
Still trying to recover from the shock, I decided to open today's post and among the bills I found a leaflet from SAS, the Scandinavian Airlines advertising their latest joint-venture.
Under this new promotion anyone who is a member of their frequent traveller scheme an who makes four journeys in one month on Economy Plus (posher economy) or Business class will be entitled to £10 vouchers to shop in John Lewis. However, to be entitled to these vouchers card holders are asked to create an account and follow 3 or 4 "easy" steps. My question is this: four trips on Economy Plus and Business will cost a minimum of £1,000; these card holders who travel Economy Plus and Business may well shop at John Lewis, but why on Earth would anyone with their spending power bother to redeem a £10 voucher from John Lewis? and asking them to follow a few "easy" steps and asking them to follow a few "easy" steps too many! and I wonder how much SAS spent on the glossy advertising? Anyway, my point is: whoever came up with this advertising campaign was undoubtedly very well rewarded...
Like the sleek advertising professionals who came up with this really expensively boring ad or the Scottish police force that wasted £120,000 on a new logo.
Logos... well, there's a lot to be said about that...!
Anyhow, for those needing a little encouragement for the next day's work (or just the next day) here is something funny, the even funnier response, something that shouldn't be funny but is, and something trying to be funny.
Good night (and hopefully no tremors tonight - the irony being I called mother to tell her what had happened and she laughed. The reason: she lives here!)
There is nevertheless nothing like a real mean-spirited kill-joy to help me thicken my skin and fight excess displays of emotion (all very un-English and unsightly, and traits I had over the years worked hard on perfecting but which have almost lapsed since I began working alongside "foreigners" like me - which, for the record, and for those who insist on getting all worked up about the opinions Brits express of those who move here - tend to be a lot more impolite, insensitive, uninformed and proud than the natives; naturally this is a crude generalization, but I hope I can get away with it because I'm not generalizing about "a" people and I have my experience with English people to compare with and corroborate what I just said).
Anyway, this rant came about because where I work (and this is where things begin to make less sense in Britain - although I guess it's part of the policy of solving problems by shifting them on to someone else's desk or to keep them out of sight long enough until they disappear by some divine intervention) should someone become a problem, they are either sent on an attachment scheme to another department (to lighten up things at the source) or offer them a good enough pay package to entice them to leave "voluntarily" - even though they are blatantly the cause of serious problems and in almost any other country in Europe at least there would have been enough evidence to justify sacking them (the irony of capitalism in addition to the power of some unions, who in most cases I know have always jumped to the defence of the most unashamed and unafraid prevaricators).
And then I read in the news that "Stephen Nelson, chief executive of BAA, which operates the much-criticised Heathrow airport, is to step down".
My first thought: how much is he being paid "to leave"?
Before I got the answer I found out the name of the man who is replacing him - former Severn Trent and Hays chief executive Colin Matthews - and that "the new chief executive will be forced to consider drastic measures to reduce its £10 billion debt".
Shocking figures?Well, a little while ago I got the answer for how much BAA will be writing on Mr Nelson's payoff cheque (look away now if you're of a nervous disposition): £1 million, at least, that is...
Still trying to recover from the shock, I decided to open today's post and among the bills I found a leaflet from SAS, the Scandinavian Airlines advertising their latest joint-venture.
Under this new promotion anyone who is a member of their frequent traveller scheme an who makes four journeys in one month on Economy Plus (posher economy) or Business class will be entitled to £10 vouchers to shop in John Lewis. However, to be entitled to these vouchers card holders are asked to create an account and follow 3 or 4 "easy" steps. My question is this: four trips on Economy Plus and Business will cost a minimum of £1,000; these card holders who travel Economy Plus and Business may well shop at John Lewis, but why on Earth would anyone with their spending power bother to redeem a £10 voucher from John Lewis? and asking them to follow a few "easy" steps and asking them to follow a few "easy" steps too many! and I wonder how much SAS spent on the glossy advertising? Anyway, my point is: whoever came up with this advertising campaign was undoubtedly very well rewarded...
Like the sleek advertising professionals who came up with this really expensively boring ad or the Scottish police force that wasted £120,000 on a new logo.
Logos... well, there's a lot to be said about that...!
Anyhow, for those needing a little encouragement for the next day's work (or just the next day) here is something funny, the even funnier response, something that shouldn't be funny but is, and something trying to be funny.
Good night (and hopefully no tremors tonight - the irony being I called mother to tell her what had happened and she laughed. The reason: she lives here!)
3 comments:
Your mum is right. The earthquake only generated a huge tsunami of clichets, such as the "earth did move for me", and such like. As for Smart Prizes for Stupid People, remember Camões: Os maus vi sempre vencer...BON COURAGE and keep on writing!
Camoes, a wise man indeed.
:-)
Post a Comment