(Click on image to enlarge)Friday 13 February 2009
Today's Thought
Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance but to do what lies clearly at hand. Thomas Carlyle (1795 - 1881)
Organ Grinders And Monkey's Come To Mind
Remember the old saying "I want to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey." It was generally used to convey the fact that you wanted to make your complaint known to the head of an organisation not one of his minions. I was reading an article the other day that brought this phrase to mind.
The story evolved around Dorothy Jean Green, a 79 year old grandmother, and retired primary school teacher. Mrs Green took out a life insurance policy with Norwich Union in 1994, which guaranteed a pay out of £56,400 in the event of her death. But over the last six years Norwich Union have been reducing the sum insured, now down to £26,000. This figure was advised to Mrs Green in a letter she received last month, stating the new sum assured would be introduced unless she was prepared to face soaring premiums. Mrs Green tried to contact Norwich Union by telephone, but dozens of calls later and after three hours on the telephone, she was getting nowhere. A frustrated Mrs Green boarded a train at Peterborough and travelled 130 miles to the Norwich Union offices in York. She asked to see Mark Hodges, chief executive of the company, in person. Staff at the York office refused to let her see Mr Hodges, but she returned three days later with the same request. Office staff called the police, and Mrs Green was arrested and spent a few hours in the cells. After spending the night at a hotel, Mrs Green returned to the offices the following day. Again, the staff refused her access to the chief executive, saying Mr Hodges would not see her. In what can only be described as a stroke of genius, Mrs Green then contacted the police and reported Mr Hodges - as a missing person. During this final visit, Mrs Green, in an attempt to attract attention, stood outside the offices with a placard around her neck, on which was written Dorothy Jean Green. To avoid any further bad publicity and embarrassment, bosses at the insurance company finally agreed to reinstate the original amount of the policy. I take my hat off to this determined lady, she flushed out the organ grinders who were hiding behind the monkey's.
The story evolved around Dorothy Jean Green, a 79 year old grandmother, and retired primary school teacher. Mrs Green took out a life insurance policy with Norwich Union in 1994, which guaranteed a pay out of £56,400 in the event of her death. But over the last six years Norwich Union have been reducing the sum insured, now down to £26,000. This figure was advised to Mrs Green in a letter she received last month, stating the new sum assured would be introduced unless she was prepared to face soaring premiums. Mrs Green tried to contact Norwich Union by telephone, but dozens of calls later and after three hours on the telephone, she was getting nowhere. A frustrated Mrs Green boarded a train at Peterborough and travelled 130 miles to the Norwich Union offices in York. She asked to see Mark Hodges, chief executive of the company, in person. Staff at the York office refused to let her see Mr Hodges, but she returned three days later with the same request. Office staff called the police, and Mrs Green was arrested and spent a few hours in the cells. After spending the night at a hotel, Mrs Green returned to the offices the following day. Again, the staff refused her access to the chief executive, saying Mr Hodges would not see her. In what can only be described as a stroke of genius, Mrs Green then contacted the police and reported Mr Hodges - as a missing person. During this final visit, Mrs Green, in an attempt to attract attention, stood outside the offices with a placard around her neck, on which was written Dorothy Jean Green. To avoid any further bad publicity and embarrassment, bosses at the insurance company finally agreed to reinstate the original amount of the policy. I take my hat off to this determined lady, she flushed out the organ grinders who were hiding behind the monkey's.
Poem - Blankney Estate Office
Another poem written in 1995. This is a potted version of my working life. It seemed a lot longer when I was doing it, than it looks written down!
Blankney Estate Office
In August nineteen fifty seven
Nearly forty years ago
I left the local grammar school
One single GCE to show
Undeterred, I set about
Building my career
In the Estate Office at Blankney
Alas, I am still here
A lowly clerk, I started out
On very little pay
Despite my great ambitions
A lowly clerk, I am today
From tea boy, to telephonist
From wages through accounts
I've performed my calculations
On varying amounts
And when I've gone, upon my grave
They'll put a yellow sticker
Let him rest, he did his best
But the computer does it quicker
Rodney Garlant
Blankney Estate Office
In August nineteen fifty seven
Nearly forty years ago
I left the local grammar school
One single GCE to show
Undeterred, I set about
Building my career
In the Estate Office at Blankney
Alas, I am still here
A lowly clerk, I started out
On very little pay
Despite my great ambitions
A lowly clerk, I am today
From tea boy, to telephonist
From wages through accounts
I've performed my calculations
On varying amounts
And when I've gone, upon my grave
They'll put a yellow sticker
Let him rest, he did his best
But the computer does it quicker
Rodney Garlant
George Bush - The Legacy
During his time in office as President of the United States of America, George Bush made many statements. Not all of which he will look back upon with pride. Here are some of those statements he will probably want to forget.
"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country"
"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure"
"I have made good judgements in the past, I have made good judgements in the future"
"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world"
"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls"
"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur"
Which just goes to prove, if you are not academically bright you can still get to the top!
"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country"
"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure"
"I have made good judgements in the past, I have made good judgements in the future"
"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world"
"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls"
"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur"
Which just goes to prove, if you are not academically bright you can still get to the top!
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