There’s Always Someone Worse Off….
Don’t worry, be happy….
Despite a particularly harrowing week culminating in a financial savaging at the hands of the local government, gas and electricity provider, car insurer and dentist, not to mention the loss of an hour’s much needed sleep with the arrival of British Summertime I’m still standing and smiling. Why? because I draw comfort from the misfortune of others more deserving of misfortune than myself. Now that might not sound very Christian but what is considered bad news stories for some are considered good ones for cynics such as myself.
First off, I’ve been saying for years that Gordon Ramsay never played football (soccer) for Glasgow Rangers FC, the joint biggest team in Scotland and one of the biggest in Britain as he has always claimed. Now he’s had to admit that he made it all up. Nice one Gordon, you deserve it. Doubtless he’ll get away with it in the way his alleged extra marital ’shifts’ have been swept under the kitchen mat where all the ghost writers of his books are kept.
Second, the British Home Secretary has had to apologise for using her political expenses paid for by the tax payer to fund the alleged purchases of ‘adult’ entertainment videos by her husband. Ms Smith is said to be ‘furious’ with her husband. Bonus. Sod off and take the PM and Chancellor with you.
Less cynically because I bear them no ill, Marco Pierre White has been dropped by American television for his latest reality restaurant programme. Network sources in the States (not mine, I haven’t got any-I don’t lie!) said after three weeks of poor ratings it’s been ‘canned’. Stick with what you know Marco!
What’s going on at the Fat Duck restaurant? Here’s the most technically advanced kitchen in the country and along with the environment agency cannot ascertain wether the recent bout of guests complaining about being ill after eating there is down to food poisoning or the staff giving the customers the winter vomiting bug after returning to work whilst still carrying the virus. Either way it’s cost him a packet and I hope he recovers from it.
Any bad news for some stories from your part of the world? Share them here. Have a nice Sunday-I’m off for lunch. Okay it’s with my brother but that’s my bad news story for the week!
Miles,
I’ve just read the Jacqui Smith story. Superb! I think she should be made to apologise to The House for claiming grot-movies in her parliamentary expenses just to give us all a bit of entertainment.
Nothing of great note in our local news to match this. In wider news I’d like to congratulate Philip M Parker for picking up the Diagram Prize this week. The prize is awarded annually for the oddest book title of the year and wholly deserved for Parker’s masterpiece, ‘The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60mg Containers of Fromage Frais.’
GDave
March 29, 2009 @ 11:09 am
Good post, Miles. Interesting subjects lately!
It’s early Sunday morning and I hate to start my day ranting about our political representatives and what’s going on in our Congress (although I will admit to being a political junkie). How some of these people end up with the power they have is beyond me. There are grassroots “tea parties” going on all over the country (no offense to my British mates). People are fed up with how our hard earned tax money is being wasted by the spendaholics in Washington.
In a brilliant move, American taxpayer funds are being used to buy billions of condoms from a Chinese company. The condoms are shipped to poor countries for AIDS prevention — all part of US humanitarian programs (nothing wrong with that). However, in the past, the contract was with a US firm, but news reports say the government has decided to go offshore with a cheaper supplier.
The Chinese? Aren’t these the same people who have problems making safe pet food and infant formula? Not to mention 300 Americans will lose their jobs in the midst of spending tax payer money to create jobs. Huh? Spending bazillions for offshore condom purchases during a “stimulus” package to create jobs here? Which ends up putting Americans out of work? That makes no sense to me.
I’ve been following the Fat Duck situation as my inbox is flooded each day with all kinds of food politics updates. The current thing is the supposedly “most deadly spider in the world” which was found wandering the banana section at a high-end natural grocery store in Oklahoma. Apparently it came from the South American banana supplier. Or, all the people sickened in California from salmonella spices (Union International Food Company in case you have paprika, curry, or onion powder in your spice cabinet).
Okay, I’m going to stop and get ready for my early morning yoga class. Breathe in, breathe out and forget about all the “financial savaging at the hands of the local government.” Guess it doesn’t matter where we are, we can still rant about politics. Or food safety. Or unscrupulous government officials. Or …. the list goes on.
Melissa
March 29, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
I have to say I can’t get enough of Ramsay coming a cropper !
I don’t know how he’s got away with so many things over the years.
March 29, 2009 @ 6:20 pm
Miles,
I take Melissa’s point about sourcing products abroad and creating redundancies at home… I’d like to know if these companies are making what I would call a reasonable profit. If so then it’s only greed that drives them abroad and meantime thousands of people end up on income support. The cost of redundancy in terms of morale for those affected is off the scale in many cases, never mind the financial strain.
We are living in a tower of cards, when the top crumbles everyone gets hit…. or almost everyone, I hear that sales of caravans are going extraordinarily well in the UK because people think they can’t afford any other type of holiday. There’s a thought. I’m in the wrong business
Cid
March 29, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
Gordon Ramsay is the Hell’s Kitchen guy?! I didn’t know the name, so I looked it up. We have TV ads with him screaming, carrying on, and throwing pots and pans.
Wow, he’s that lunatic?
Melissa
March 29, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
Melissa,
He used to get his butt kicked by Marco every day when he was a young chef, think he could do with some again!
Great first point, it’s quite incredible isn’t it.
Miles
March 29, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
GDave,
Fantastic, if you manage to get hold of a copy-keep it to yourself
Miles
March 29, 2009 @ 8:10 pm
Rod,
I don’t either, should be another book any time soon!!
Miles
March 29, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
These are the posts I try not to comment on - the anger and betrayal I feel by our elected officials literally sends me to the gym to pound the heavy bags. A checkered past makes sure I keep my mouth shut at times, but were I able to, I would be on a soap box in Washington calling for heads to be rolling. Ramsay is a loud-mouthed fraud, Marco came across as a semi-guru / semi-nutcase on his show. It was boring and predictable - and I don’t even watch TV. I taped the first 3 episodes of his show because you seemed to hold him in high regard. I hate to say it, but he looked and sounded like a pompous ass. I’m sure he can cook - but the 2 best cooks in NY (my opinion) are very rarely seen on TV - they can be found in the kitchen.
March 30, 2009 @ 1:51 am
Dave,
Marco’s days are sadly behind him-mid 80’s to early 90’s he was a genius in the kitchen. It’s a shame.
What gets me about the political issue is that they think they have an absolute right to lecture us on family morals and standards in society when they are usually worse than anyone. Hang ‘em out to dry!
Miles
March 30, 2009 @ 6:38 am
GMT test
March 30, 2009 @ 8:05 am
Rod,
Testing, testing
Miles
March 30, 2009 @ 8:07 am
I’ve changed your website clock so the post ad comment times are correct due to the extra hour
March 30, 2009 @ 9:16 am