Peter Rhodes on safe missiles, scary cattle grids and why you shouldn't call old people sweet
A charity called the Centre for Ageing Better has launched a campaign against “belittling” language which stereotypes old people. The banned list includes “having a senior moment,” “you look good for your age” and “I'm too old for this.” Describing an old person as “sweet” or “kind” is also a no-no.
Now, this may strike you as worthwhile, or it may strike you as a patronising waste of time and energy. But what astonished me was the money behind it. The Centre for Ageing Better is funded from the National Lottery Community Fund to the tune of £50 million. I can't help thinking that if there's £50 million sloshing around in the Lotto pot to support old crocks like me, there are many better ways to spend it than unleashing the thought police against those who consider me sweet.
Strange choice of words as the Ministry of Defence tried to make us feel more positive about a Trident missile plopping into the sea a few yards from the Royal Navy submarine that test-fired it. Attributing this cock-up to “an anomaly,” an MoD spokesperson insisted that Trident “remains safe, secure and effective.”
Well, there's some truth in that. When it comes to multi-warheaded thermonuclear missiles, there is none safer than one that doesn't work. But if we're serious about nuclear deterrence, we need a system that is deeply, inherently and comprehensively unsafe. One for the boffins.
If you think last week's chaotic Commons debate on Gaza dealt a body blow to our democracy, you ain't seen nothing yet. I suspect this Thursday's by-election in Rochdale will prove that anti-semitism, universally denounced by mainstream politicians as a political liability, an election loser and just plain wicked, may be an election-winner. I hope to be proved wrong.
The divides between town and country and young and old grow ever wider. According to research by Direct Line, young urban motorists will accept a lengthy detour rather than drive across cattle grids which they regard as “confusing” and possibly car-damaging. While this sort of townie timidness may amuse country folk, it's a fact that many drivers living in rural areas are frit to death of venturing into cities. One man's cattle grid is another man's bus lane.
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