A dangerous place
PETER RHODES on the changing nature of the internet, the Talk Talk fiasco and the days when the RAF bombed Britain.
THE Talk Talk fiasco must be focusing millions of minds on the sad fact that the internet, once a centre of happiness, co-operation and enlightenment, is becoming a nasty, grubby, dangerous place where everyone seems out to mug you. Every day I find webpages infested with unwanted pop-up ads, bogus security warnings and phishing scams. Even the simplest contact with what ought to be a trusted website becomes a game of spot-the-villain. At BT's home page I click the email box. There was a time when this took me straight to my email account. It now sends me to adverts for Wowcher!, Duracell batteries, Scary Halloween Bazaar and the application page for a Canadian visa. Worrying.
BUT at least our hi-tech weapons of war have not been hybersnacked and seem to be glitch-free. Another bomb, another bulls-eye in Syria or Iraq. What a far cry this precision bombing is from the early days of the Second World War when the RAF often could not find the German city they were seeking, and sometimes even got the wrong country. In his excellent book Bomber Command, Max Hastings tells how a bomber crew based in Yorkshire mistook the Thames for the Rhine, followed it and dropped a stick of bombs on an RAF base near Cambridge. The pilot, named Warren, was promptly demoted and became known as Baron Von Warren. A few days later two Spitfires flew over his base and dropped Iron Crosses.
MAD-apostrophe disease. In its continuing campaign to improve literacy, my local bookshop emails its calendar of "Upcoming Event's."
"JUST another example of a cultural celebration co-opted by the patriarchy to imprison young girls in a sexualised identity prison that silences and demeans them." Guardian reader complaining about "sexy"Halloween costumes. Priceless.
AT some stage in the past few years I suspect a very senior government lawyer has explained to some very senior Whitehall figures how a massive, looming and unavoidable financial black hole is coming. For the past few decades, Whitehall has urged us to drink within recommended levels. The latest research suggests there is no safe limit for alcohol. I bet this month's warning from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence that middle-aged boozers should pack it in to reduce the risk of developing dementia and other conditions is a late attempt to limit the compensation. For if somebody thought he could safely drink a couple of pints a night, in accordance with the official guidelines, and then developed Alzheimer's, diabetes or cancer which may be alcohol-related, how much compensation should Whitehall pay for leading him into a false sense of security? And the millions like him? Alcohol could become the lawyers' friend of the 21st century.
IT'S a man's life in motoring journalism and Jeremy Clarkson is not the only politically-incorrect practitioner. On the Car magazine website, which claims to be followed by 100,000 petrol-heads, I found one German car described by a reviewer as "dumpier than a farmer's wife after plopping out 10 kids." What sort of person writes that sort of stuff?
AN acquaintance with an oddly-spelt surname always has to spell it out to strangers. A few days ago she received a letter addressed to: "Mrs Rodgers Withadee."
