Remember: Gisèle Pelicot

Sometimes it is good to remember that "little" people(s) of the world often achieve or survive many things, only to slip down the cracks of history, back into obscurity. Here is a French-born woman, Gisèle Pelicot, who bravely gave up anonymity in order to facilitate her unswerving determination to have her horrific abuse, by her husband and the men of a whole village, made known to the public (now world-wide). She has dignity and determination for justice that many should admire.

To start to understand her and her story start here.

Gisèle's is an extraordinary female abuse case, with the twist being that for decades her husband had regularly drugged her in order to film village residents raping and defiling her unconscious self, luckily without recollection by her. It was only the chance discovery of over 22,000 videos on her husband's computer that initiated the trial of a whole village.

Gisèle Pelicot (An dignified and inspirational survivor)

Gisèle has stated that she wants to move on from this very public ordeal; she has divorced her abuser, reverted to her maiden name and relocated within France, to hopefully enjoy the simple pleasure of life amongst her family and remaining friends. Having shared her moment in history I believe she now wants to find a route back into obscurity, but with her current fame will she and her immediate family be able to do so? 

With the end of her court case she made a final dignified statement. Best wishes Giséle.

N.B.

Her husband got 20 years prison and half the village (-named here-)got from 10-15 years each; her daughter Caroline Darian said their father should die in prison. 

Her trauma is opening the eyes and ears of many, asking difficult questions about modern society  

Who got the videos and will Netflix make yet another "human interest docudrama" film?

Meaningful songs #31 - TIR NA NOG

This is the thirty-first in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Our Love Will No Decay", released in 1971, is by a group called Tir Na Nog.

Tir Na Nog are an Irish singing duo whose name is from Irish mythology

From their eponymous first album, hear the song here

Our Love Will Not Decay is a folk song reflecting upon the resilience of love to adversity. It is a gentle but uplifting song that has served me well.

OUR LOVE WILL NOT DECAY
    
Were the calf to die in the womb

And the ewe to bear her lamb too soon

Should the field of barley fail

And the baby at your breast grow pale

Our love will not mildewed grow, no

 

Were the snow to last into Spring

And your fingers blue up to the ring

Should you curse the icy blast

All your beauty, it destroys at last

Our love will not mildewed grow, no

 

But with every new-born day

The same thought through our lives will always stay

And the sun will shine through the dew

The baby will have rosy cheeks like you

And our love will not mildewed grow, no

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in this series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here

Word of the day - INDEX OF WORDS

These are the songs in the "Word of the day" series.

 Click on each to read about it.

#1 ENNUI

#2 MELANCHOLY

#3 ONOMATOPOEIA

#4 PUSILLANIMOUS

#5 SANCTIMONY

#6 SAPPHIC

#7 DUPLICITUS

#8 SUPERCILIOUS

#9 PEDANTIC

#10 MALLEABLE

#11 FEBRILE

#12 LICKSPITTLE

#13 FENDERSMITH

#14 FRIPPERY

#15 CURMUDGEON

#16 NIGGARD

#17 FLUMMOX

#18 CORNUCOPIA

#19 DISPASSIONATELY

#20 DISCOMBOBULATION

#21 SCHADENFREUDE

#22 INCONTROVERTIBLE

#23 FECUNDITY

#24 DISSOLUTION

#25 GALLIMAUFRY

#26 OBFUSCATION

#27 POLYSEMY

#28 FACETIOUS

#30 OBSEQUIOUS

#31 CIRCUMSPECTION

#32 GAWPING

#33 FULMINATING

#34 ENCOMIUM

#35 MALEFICENCE

#36 CORUSCATE

#37 TEMERITY

#38 HUBRIS

#39 TRUCULENCE

#40 RIGMAROLE

#41 PERNICIOUS

#42 ACCRETION

#43 NITHERED

#44 NARCISSISM

#45 FESTOON

#46 GOBSMACKED

#47 FUGUE

#48 ERUDITE

#49 ELOCUTION

#50 MACHINATIONS

#51 ABROGATE

#52 SOUPÇON

#53 ACERBIC

#54 BLIMEY

#55 CRIKEY

#56 MISANTHROPIC

#57 AVUNCULAR

#58 SHENANIGANS

#59 SARDONIC

#60 GINORMOUS

#61 INSIDIOUS

#62 LASCIVIOUS

#63 FRISSON

#64 MESSIANIC

#65 COTERIE

Meaningful songs - INDEX OF SONGS

Ostensibly a list of songs that remain meaningful to me, because of memories or emotions that were expected to fade with age (when in fact they do not); this is my personal time machine, for I play these songs and I'm off to another time. I don't know why music does this, but I'm glad it does for me and perhaps you also. 

For those born into the golden age of vinyl (you know if you were), "vinyl" was readily available, relatively cheap and almost defined who you and friends where, providing sanctuary from the real world, emotional support and true happiness; who does not remember girlfriend/boyfriend tapes of selected vinyl tracks recorded and swapped to express all sorts of feelings way beyond our own expression?

Anyway, getting to my point, "vinyl" was destined for the bin of history but oldies, zealots, fashionistas, musicologists, old-tech geeks and newbies (to the joy of this music delivery format) have made its resurgence economically viable and thus readily available for collection and permanent ownership, as opposed to renting your download until it is no longer yours. 

In my formative years I would get back to my freezing bedroom, put on my latest vinyl and avidly pore over its sleeve art and notes as it played, so in a similar vein you may like to read through these articles as you listen.

These are the songs in the "Meaningful songs" series.

 Click on each to hear it.

#1 BLUE MINK - Melting Pot                                                     Read article

#2 NORMAN GREENBAUM - Spirit In The Sky                    Read article

#3 MUNGO JERRY - In The Summertime                              Read article

#4 THE KINKS - Lola                                                                   Read article

#5 LOU REED - Walk On The Wild Side                                  Read article

#6 RALPH McTELL - Streets Of London                                 Read article

#7 ELVIS COSTELLO - Alison                                                    Read article

#8 DORY PREVIN - Lemon Haired Ladies                              Read article

# 9 BILLY PAUL - Me And Mrs Jones                                       Read article

#10 CHARLES AZNAVOUR - She                                              Read article

#11 THE ROLLING STONES - Angie                                         Read article

#12 HELEN REDDY - Angie Baby                                              Read article

#13 INSTANT AUTOMATONS - Harriot's Nurse                    Read article

#14 SINEAD O'CONNOR - Nothing Compares To You          Read article

#15 CARLY SIMON - You're So Vain                                          Read article

#16 PETULA CLARK - Downtown                                              Read article

#17 CHARLES AZNAVOUR - Yesterday when I was young  Read article

#18 THE BEATLES - She's Leaving Home                                Read article

#19 DAVID BOWIE - Letter To Hermione                                Read article

#20 THE SPECIALS - Ghost Town                                             Read article

#21 THE STRANGLERS - Golden Brown                                 Read article

#22 GARBAGE - Stupid Girl                                                        Read article

       With Peter Sarstedt - Where Do You Go To My Lovely

        And The Monkeys - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

#23 STAN RIDGEWAY - Camouflage                                        Read article

#24 BLACK SABBATH - War Pigs                                              Read article

#25 ARGENT - Hold Your Head Up                                           Read article

#26 TRACEY THORN - Too Happy.                                         Read article

#27 GEORGE MICHAEL - A Different Corner                        Read Article

#28 THE CHI-LITES - Have You Seen Her?                            Read Article

#29 THE ROLLING STONES - Sympathy For The Devil      Read article

#30 BADFINGER - Baby Blue                          Read Article and backstory

#31 TIR NA NOG - Our Love Will Not Decay                          Read Article

# GLEN CAMPBELL - Wichita Lineman

# THE ARCHIES - Sugar Sugar

# GLEN CAMPBELL - By The Time I Get To Phoenix

# THE CARPENTERS - Rainy Days And Mondays

# GARRY PUCKETT & THE UNION GAP

# FUN BOY THREE - Our Lips Sealed

# TOM TOM CLUB - Wordy Rappinghood

# GORDEN LIGHTFOOT - If You Could Read My Mind

Four-on-the-floor American rarities - Northern Soul hits

FRANK WILSON - Do I Love you (Indeed I Do)

THE TAMS - Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy

CURTIS MAYFIELD's - Move On Up (cover by The Northers Souls)

AL WILSON - The Snake

FRANKIE VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS -The Night-

GLORIA JONES - Tainted Love 1964 and 80s smash hit by SOFT CELL

CHARLIE RICH - Don't Tear Me Down

DUKE BROWNER - Crying Over You

OTIS CLAY - The Only Way Is Up  Joyous steps and later YAZZ version

JUDY STREET - What

THE VIBRATIONS - 'Cause You're Mine

THE 5 ROYALES - Catch That Teardrop

KELLY GARRETT - Love's The Only Answer

JASON KNIGHT - Our Love Is Getting Stronger

TURLEY RICHARDS - I Feel Alright

DEAN PARRISH - Tell Her and 1974 pop hit by Hello

GENE CHANDLER - There Was A Time

BRENDA HOLLOWAY - Look What You've Done What You

SANDI SHELDON - Your Gonna Make Me Love You

YOUNGHEARTS - A Little Togetherness

LAURA MICHELE - You Always Hurt The One You Love

SAM DEES - Lonely For You Baby

HERB JOHNSON AND THE IMPACTS - I'm So Glad

TERRIBLE TOM - We Were Made For Each Other

THE SHIRELLES - Last Minute Mira

THE VEL-VETS - I Got To Find Me Somebody

DON GARDNER - Cheatin' Kind

JAMES CARR - That's What I Want To Know

JIMMY RUFFIN - What Becomes Of The Broken-hearted

Dancing in the spirit if Norther Soul -  ROLY PLATT AND JUSTIN FORESLY - Shuffle The Deck (great video) and these girls also deserve a mention.

SKA from Jamaica, was multi-ethnic in the UK

PRINCE BUSTER - They Call It Madness

THE SPECIALS - Gangsters (cover of Al Capone?)

DANDY LIVINGSTONE - Rudy A Message To You (orig)

THE SPECIALS - Rudy A Message To You (copy)

BAD MANNERS - Wooly Bully

THE SELECTER - On My Radio

THE SPECIALS - Too Much Too Young

DESMOND DEKKER AND THE ACES - The Isrealites

THE SPECIALS - Nelson Mandela

PRINCE BUSTER - Enjoy Yourself

BAD MANNERS - My Girl Lollipop

THE SPECIALS - Ghost Town

THE BEAT - Hands Off She's Mine

BAD MANNERS -Lip Up Fatty

SYMARIP - Skinhead Moonstomp

SYMARIP -Teenage Girl

DAVE AND ANSELL COLLINS - Double Barrel

THE BEAT - Mirror In The Bathroom

THE SPECIALS - Do Nothing

BAD MANNERS - Inner London

DENNIS BROWN - Money In My Pocket

THE HARRY JAY ALL STARS - Liquidator (no vocal)

THE UPSETTERS - Return Of Django (no vocal)

UPTOWN TOP RANKING - Althea And Donna

THE BEAT - Rough Rider

DESMOND DEKKER - Baby Come Back

LORD CREATOR - Hurry Up

MUSICAL YOUTH - Pass The Dutchie

MADNESS - One Step Beyond

PRINCE BUSTER - Al Capone

THE PIONEERS - Long Shot Kick De Bucket

JUNIOR REID - Banana Boat Man

THE BEAT - Rankin Full Stop

Copy Cats (song covers)

Other music on this site

Post Office scandal

Heads must roll here!

Here in the UK (United Kingdom) there started, in 1999, a scandal that continues to this day (2024). It has been called the largest miscarriage of justice and corporate mismanagement in UK history as more and more incredible facts fall from this ongoing story. My personal feeling is that heads must role, "honours" be revoked and prison time (corporate maleficence and perverting the course of justice) set for some, followed by disbarment from managerial role(s). Alan Bates, a former sub-postmaster who fought back and coalesced his fellow Post Office victims into a credible and effective lobby group said  the Post Office was run by "thugs in suits" and, for a second time, refused a Post Office compensation offer, though did accept a Knighthood bestowed by King Charles III for exemplary public service; and from Sir Richard Branson an offer to host Sir Alan's wedding on his Caribbean island of Necker. As things stand now, after a public enquiry and establishment of rules for compensation settlements, Sir Alan is scathing about progress and said the scheme has become "a gravy train" for its administrative lawyers - no change there then!

Born in the defective bowels of a system from Japan's Fujitsu company, it's errors and software bugs were blamed on the Post Office workers using it; all were blamed, some were jailed, some died and all are still to see a resolution to a political, corporate and legal conspiracy of hostility, denial, corporate maleficence and lying. (Dec 2024 - as a postscript to this saga a postmaster I met said not all postmasters had problems with the Horizon system; many more didn't have problems then did! As a software person I know that doing steps 1, 2 and 3 to do 4 may give correct results but doing step 1, 3, 2, 4 may not and that such anomalies are easy to fix. So where were the experts at Fujitsu UK?)      

At the core of this saga is Fujitsu software errors, compounded by senior management at the Post Office who opted to blame and then prosecute the users of the system, despite the head of the Post Office (Paula Vennells) being told directly as far back as 2013 of these problems; thereby setting in train years of trouble for all concerned and death for some.

£100,000,000.00 has been wasted fighting sub-postmasters, who for years protested their (actual) innocence, even though the Post Office knew of flaws and backdoors into the Horizon system for Fujitsu software engineers (and bad actors). They put their head in the sand, instructed other legal entities to put sub-postmasters through hell to push the problem(s) away,  thereby hanging on to their bloated salaries. Absolutely disgusting behaviour!

This will rumble on "forever", with each corporate and political component blaming each other (into the long grass of retirement), but if you wish to gain a better overview of the scandal here are a few good places to start. This story is truly jaw-dropping.

The scandal explained

Critical praise for Mr Bates Vs The Post Office

Background details relating to the dramatized story

BBC Podcasts

Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (Only available to watch in the UK) rocked the perception of the Post Office management "organised crime group", affecting not only employees but actors portraying them.

Update 17th Feb 2024: The case against the Post Office has been proved, the victims idetified, yet very little, if anything, has improved for many of them, for the "pass the problem" phase of this fiasco has commenced. Whilst many victims wait to have their degrees of sufferance and loss evaluated, in order to decide upon their "compensation", government and those involved, with a view to minimising their degree of exposure to blame are arguing amongst themselves. So far the only people who have benefited from this disgrace are "the lawyers".

Update 20th Feb 2024: It is now publicly apparent that David Cameron's government knew David Cameron's government knew more than they have ever revealed. They knew of a 2016 internal investigation into the scandal and of Fujitsu's backdoor into their flawed Horizon system, then the investigation was aborted. This revelation is being seen by some as lying at the highest level of government (in order to underline a belief that Cameron still cannot be trusted and by association, neither can Prime Minister Rishi?)

Update 29th Mar 2024: The UK business and trade committee says the Post Office is not fit to run its own Horizon compensation scheme as they are in disarray, whilst some politicians are calling for a police enquiry, with prosecution and prison terms to follow for people complicit in this national scandal. 

Update 9th Apr 2024: Post Office run by thugs in suits.

Update 16th Apr 2024: Post mortem continues.

Update 29th Jun 2024: Fujitsu software engineer has his day but what did we learn from that?

Update 29th Jul 2024: Finally, those that haven't died or settled, there is some closure.

Update 16th Nov 2024: As the Post Office scandal enquiry draws to a close investigation continues, the lying and wringing of hands continues, as it will do so for years, such is the self serving machinations of British law practitioners, whilst rightful recipients of agreed compensation await their payment. One person said, "I think the Post Office is waiting for us to die", whilst another (Oct 2024) is demanding they "Just pay up".

Final entry 17th Dec 2024: As the Post Office enquiry finally draws to a close we know all of what we may ever know. I'd like to end with the closing statement of the "saviour" of Post Office workers ruined by this national fiasco, Sir Alan Bates; then the final session of ex-Post Office chief Paula Vennells, still blaming everyone but herself,  though this time rightfully humiliated when everyone just started laughing at her. I hope she never works again, as "little" people continue to suffer the fall-out of this (ongoing) national disgrace. 

There will be no satisfactory resolution for the hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters whose lives and careers where wrecked, so that those responsible for the grievously flawed Horizon system could avoid corrective and expensive action(s). Fujitsu are no-where to be seen, which seems odd as they built the system and literally for years and years collected their cash but did not fix it.

In my common parlance, this was a cluster-fuck of the highest order. Shame on you all.

Anglian Water (et al) - Bloody cheek

Why is Thames Water in trouble?

 

Windermere Is The Colour Of Their Logo

Accounting Geniuses?

It really ticks me off when I read articles about large organisations, in this case Anglian Water, but also Thames Water (the worst), United Utilities (Lake District world heritage region) and Severn Trent Water, who all tell captive customers, who must buy from them because they serve that area, that charges are to rise appreciably to pay for "this, that, or the other".

Leaving aside the thought that strategic services such as water should be state-run, not for political ideology but to prevent my grievance that in years past, when they should have planned for future works by putting money aside, they dispersed too much cash into shareholder's pocket and are really now asking the public (customers) to stump up money they have given away? 

Some us exotic accounting (guilty auditors?) that makes the acquisition of debt look like an ever-growing profit stream and the controlling influence of OfWat is laughable, for the attitude of these water companies seems to be, "we don't address really serious issues within our industry; we take your money and do as little as possible to give as much as possible to our directors and shareholders (to fend off take-over attempts), whilst ecological considerations regarding our dumping of waste we can ignore, no-matter-what the rules". (i.e Farmers cannot put shit in rivers but we can!)

Professionally run (for profit) companies should not need to run to their customers for money, they should borrow from the financial markets or their shareholders (current yield 6.8%), or the Government if it is at their behest work has to be done.

Anglia Water - bloody cheek!

Thames Water chief trying to defend bonus payments once again.

They are all at it now, but Northern Ireland water authorities have the most to answer for and Lough Neagh, the largest body of fresh water in Northern Ireland has been declared toxic because poisonous blue-green algae blooms have become the new norm. NI Water blames "historic underfunding of sewage networks" (BY THEM!) for the pollution, as Belfast Lough is also deemed beyond legal limits.

N.B.

My personal belief is that industries that are vital for the upkeep of living standards of any populace, such as water and sewage, electricity, security, education, prison, police and health, should be publicly owned (by the State for the sole benefit of its contributors). Privatisation of such functions merely strips-out money to profit-takers or parasitic shareholders when it should be retained for the betterment of the service; it also fosters a management mentality focused on short-termism and the next annual dividend war with predatory rivals, equity funds, asset-strippers, etc. etc. 

State owned in my world means government can steer an enterprise, but not withdraw its profits into any other government holding or "slush fund"; and under no circumstances should any politician hold an executive role. The Labour Party in the UK seem to be touting a similar mantra, but who can believe anything any political party looking for election will say, as for years and years many successive governments have failed water services and water ecologies, preferring to abrogate it's original responsibility into the hands of Ofwat, who more and more frequently seem not fit for their stated purpose of policing the activities of UK water companies, though I think they know their reputation is on the line because they have just set about scrutinising all water companies.

I know I live in my own "simple world", but whilst I'm kicking the water industry (for it isn't a service), have a read of this; oh and this.

UPDATE Sep 5th 2023: It just keeps happening again and again and again and AGAIN and AGAIN.

UPDATE Dec 4th 2023: Whistle blowers say Environment Agency collude with polluters.

UPDATE Dec 12th 2023: Thames Water (actually Kemble) are at it

UPDATE Mar 28th 2024: Thames Water (actually Kemble) dump 72 billion litres and demand investment - bloody cheeck!

UPDATE Apr 22nd 2024: Thames Water's mismanagement is breath-taking

UPDATE Apr 30th 2024: Thames Water and Salmon - nolonger.

UPDATE May 15th 2024: United Utilities failed to protect their world heritage region.

UPDATE May 20th 2024: Water utility investors (shareholders) have been loading the companies with loans (debt), then withdrawing billions to themselves over the last 30 years. What does OfWat do for a living? Sit on its hands? The more I read of water companies in the UK the more I realise each should become non-profit organisations. They are a fucking disgrace.

UPDATE May 21st 2024: They should all be privatised, without any payment to shareholders of directors.

UPDATE Nov 21st 2024: Government legislation banning the payment of bonuses or dividends from "customer money" for many water companies was introduced, though nothing to prevent the "old" practice of taking on new debt to pay such bonuses. (A complete waste of legislation then!).

UPDATE Dec 11th 2024: The BBC investigated Severn Trent Water, for several years a flagship of the water industry, thought to be profit making and yet honouring all of its commitments to consumers and the environment alike, but as they say, "if it seems too good to be true ...", this is the case. They are no better than the rest and compound their guilt by utilising exotic accounting of the worst kind, that makes acquisition of debt look like an ever-growing profit stream; whereas more and more money from customers is "wasted" paying off debt - their auditors must be complicit surely?

The UK's environmental watchdog(s) condemn both Ofwat and past governments for allowing the cavalier ways of the whole water industry and water quality grievances will rumble on for years, as everything in the UK that requires public financial intervention does, but if you are still with me I am closing this topic with a recommendation to watch this YouTube programme by the New Statesman, titled "Who's to blame for England's sewage crisis?"

-------------------- = --------------------

When the Brits knew what to do ......

I admit I copied this from an original Reader's Digest article and that I am impressed. Britain had balls then and a shedload of chutzpah.

The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes

When the sultan of British-protected Zanzibar died and a new one took over without British approval in 1896, the Brits were not happy. Tension escalated when Sultan Khalid bin Barghash refused to step down, but the British warships spent less than 40 minutes bombarding the palace before Khalid fled, marking the (very quick) end of the Anglo-Zanzibar War.

July 04 2024 - Police let her down but here's a Brit who knew what to do!

July 19 2024 - A Brit rightly exercising his duty of care to smart-arses on his bus, in an article reflecting the pathetic "concerns" of others, including on-board teachers. An Aussie would say, "Good on ya mate" .

July 30 2024 - Two slime-balls tried to take this Brit's Rolex watch (probably stealing to order) and he was having none of it. Police crap about letting them have it obviously got through to him - good man!

Word of the day - MESSIANIC

The word today is Messianic

Messianic is an adjective and from my research means the following:

- To be characterised (by followers) as being a Messiah

- To expresses thoughts, actions, words or beliefs as if a messiah

- To project a persona of a messiah or saviour to followers/believers

- To exert influence or control (benevolent or otherwise) over believers

70's cult leader Charles Manson - a messiah to followers.

A word open to misappropriation, positive or negative, skewed by belief

If someone says you are messianic they believe you be be influential

If someone says you're messianic you may be saintly or a devil for them

A person, group or nation may be deemed messianic

In a non-religious world being messianic usually is "bad" behaviour

In a religious world being messianic could is "good" or "bad"

If you need more start here or here.

There is an index of words of the day.