Purple (TM)

WE WERE SENT THIS AMAZING PICTURE OF SOME PACKAGING.

The packaging is coloured purple, and there is a small statement:

“The Color PURPLE is a trademark of 3M”

Can this be true? Do they own that film by Speilberg that had Whoopie in it? Do they own rights to Price’s Purple Rain?

Things are getting worse when a company can trademark a colour!

Is using Purple piracy? A copyright infringement? Downright theft?

NCP Tackle Homelessness

I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT A CITY CENTRE CAR PARK HAS PROVIDED THE HOMELESS WITH A PLACE TO STAY.

I took a picture with my cameraphone. Click on the image to enlarge.

It shows a wheelie bin outside the car park.  The bin is filled and overflowing. On the side is written

NCP
REFUGE
ONLY

It is so nice to know that there is a refuge at the NCP. I had always thought of those wheely bins as being for Refuse or Rubbish, and it would certainly seem to be the case that some silly person has mixed up Refuse with refuge and filled the wheely bin with refuse! I do hope this doesn’t inconvenience the homeless people using the bin as refuge at this time of year.

D+ Stress

I WAS STRUCK BY THIS NOTICE IN A HIGH SCHOOL & TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH USING MY CAMERAPHONE.

Click to enlarge image. It reads:

“Youth Stress Centre

Aromatheraphy Massage
Reiki
Self-Esteem
Relaxation
Reflexology
Stress Management
Anger Management

Appointments available at
Castlemilk Stress Centre
109 Stravanan Road
(above the shops)
Call us on 630 0111

MONDAY’S 6.00-8.30
WEDNESDAY’S 6.30-8.30

Funded by The National Lottery
NHS Greater Glasgow”

Where do I start? I have a problem with children going above shops for a massage.  This did not happen in my day, and I am not convinced it ought to happen today.

If  we overlook the terrible use of the apostrophe, the hours appear to indicate very early morning, before school starts.  On the other hand, perhaps it is meant to be PM  rather than AM or 24 hour clock, it is difficult to know for sure.  As Castlemilk is a very deprived and rough council estate, getting the times correct would be important, especially if one wanted to have less stress.

I do not understand how this can be part of the NHS, and yet receive funding from the National Lottery. I also do not understand how things like Reiki can be available under the auspices of either body when it is not recognised.  The Roman Catholic Church, for example, has outlawed Reiki practices as heretical and blasphemous!

• According to William T. Jarvis, Ph.D., of The National Council Against Health Fraud, there “is no evidence that clinical Reiki’s effects are due to anything other than suggestion” or the placebo effect.

Things are getting worse when school children are receiving early morning or late night hocus pocus to cope with “stress” all paid for by the Lottery and NHS. What will they do when they go to university or college — or later when they get a job? What will they do when they have real stress to deal with?

Would they not be better teaching children how to cope with their own stress, how to manage themselves without visiting a massage parlour in one of the biggest council estate black-spots in western Europe?

Holy Street!

AMAZINGLY, NO ONE WAS HARMED WHEN THE STREET CAVED IN TODAY.

I was walking along Renfield Street, and right at the corner where the old ABC cinema used to be, the road simply collapsed!

It was big enough to drop a full-length family car waiting to turn left onto Renfield Street!  Things are getting worse when roads can suddenly cave in.

In 2007, the road outside the Citizens’ Theatre collapsed as a result of a burst water main, ironically while “The Tempest” was being performed (see Clipped News Article).  Glasgow’s infrastructure was shown to be crumbling and in dire need of investment.  The pot holes cannot be making things any better. Thing sare definitely getting worse when pavements and roads can simply and suddenly cave in without warning!

Vended Viagra

I WAS SENT A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN A LOCAL SUPERMARKET’S GENTS’ TOILET.

It shows the fascia panel of a vending machine that sells a variety of condoms.  Double click on the picture to enlarge.  This shows “vended Viagra”, or an “herbal” equivalent, “Menhancer”. Two capsules of 500mg for four pounds.

Things are definitely getting worse when chaps feel the need to enhance their sexual performance using drugs obtained from a “Johnny Box” in a local supermarket!

Holy Roads!

THE POTHOLE SITUATION HERE IN GLASGOW CITY IS TERRIBLE, APPARENTLY DUE TO THE RAVAGES OF THE SEVERE WINTER ON OUR BELOVED TARMACADAM.

Imagine my surprise, however, to spot a sign at Blythswood Square that simply warned me to expect more potholes!

[Please click on the photograph to enlarge image]

Things are getting worse when the council will spend money on signs instead of repairing the roads.

Grouching

KIDS TODAY! WHAT DO THEY KNOW?

It seems that they don’t know who Groucho Marx was, going on what I saw in a pound shop recently.  Please click on the picture to enlarge.

Things are getting worse indeed.  Time was when a child could put on a Groucho Marx disguise for a fancy dress party, and everyone would say, “There’s Groucho”.  Today, however, this same kit is now a “Nerdy Glasses Disguise”!

Groucho was never a nerd.  Do Nerds have moustaches like that?  Gimme a break!  It is a Groucho Marx kit minus the cigar (of course). Come on; credit where credit is due.

Wheelchair Stairs?

I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A DISABLED ACCESS THAT INVOLVED A FLIGHT OF STAIRS.

Naturally, I took a photograph to show you all. Please double click on the image to see an enlarged version.

Not only is this disabled access a narrow passage which could prove restrictive to anyone coming the other way, but the entire building is atop one of the steepest hills in the city centre.

Things are certainly getting worse when signs are simply put up to comply with some obscure bit of legislation.

Brand New – Old Story

IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME, BUT FINALLY THE NEW SAINSBURY’S SUPERMARKET OPENED FOR BUSINESS.

I was surprised to discover, by virtue of the posted notice at the entrance (click image to enlarge photograph), that the brand new store had a very poor energy rating.

Things are indeed getting worse when buildings can be created that cost the earth.  One wonders if the sum total of the legislation in this regard results merely in the posting of a notice at the entrance.

Tough Baby Change

WE ALL KNOW GLASGOW IS TOUGH.

The city used to have a reputation for gang violence, and in recent times has been known as the “Murder Capital of Europe” due to knife crime.

Nevertheless, I was somewhat surprised to see notices in the baby changing area of a local supermarket’s toilet. Please click on the image to enlarge.

The first one that caught my eye was the notice headed, “Knife and Stab Wounds”.  I thought: how inappropriate above a baby change table in an accessible toilet! Things are getting worse indeed when such notices are so clearly remind us of where we are and how we live.

They seem to be expecting trouble at this store.  Good grief! This, by the way, is the same supermarket that employs “Antisocial Lighting” in the Ladies.