! Just Another Rant

There are things which we all know but pretend we don’t as we watch them with amusement wriggling publicly out of their public bonds.. 1) You can always buy your way to ‘honours’ – but not, ha, to ‘honour’: not with a cheque by return of post, of course; just by more subtle ‘charity’ of the sort which inevitably involves large sums of money gratefully received by the genuinely honourable. But of course you'll be the only one who confuses honours with honour. 2) The buck – with honourable exceptions – never ‘stops here’ – it stops at the guy one below ‘here’: you’re in charge – so, you don ‘t say ‘Go kill Thomas á Becket’ etc.. you say ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest? ’ into the air, kinda rhetorical question.. and, surprise, there’s a scrum of posse at the gun cabinet.. 3) There are certain countries and no I won’t where bribes – often to those who don’t need them – are like thank-you letters – you don’t have to, but everyone expects it… and don’t be surprised if you’re off their seasonal greetings card list next year.. just one suggestion: that if blackmailed trade-wise by a foreign country to break your own code of honour and you stand up and say ‘It would not be in Britain’s interest in terms of commercial and diplomatic good relations and employment in skilled industry to pursue this matter through the courts’ you should have your British passport and nationality taken away; after all, you’ve already forfeited it in the court of honour.. OK that feels better. How was it for you?