Friday 3 July 2009

Dilbert, satnavs and art


Been in sales and strategy meetings at HQ for two days solid. Occasionally we’d have a short break from the meeting so that we could go to our computers and e-mail each other. Ludicrous when you think about it.

On the way back from Basildon to Old Sodbury my satnav advised me to take a detour off the M25 due to congestion ahead. I ignored it. Guess what happened? Yes, 200 yards after the junction the satnav advised me to turn off at the traffic came to a standstill.

Finally managed to reach the M4, upon which the satnav advised me to take another detour to miss a section near Slough. This time I took the advice and ended up in a stationary queue on a country road alongside the M4. The traffic on the M4 was trundling past at a steady 50 MPH. After 10 minutes a eventually doubled back for 2 miles and rejoined the M4 without having any further problems.

It would appear that where satnavs are concerned you should make a decision, and then reverse it at the last minute.

I’ve decided to make a break with my dinosaur past. While I am extremely comfortable with degrees centigrade, metres and litres, I have never managed to move away from miles per gallon when it comes to fuel consumption – despite the fact we’ve been purchasing the stuff in litres for donkey’s years. This weekend I’m going to change the settings on the car’s computer to indicate miles per litre.

Haven’t had much time to observe the world news over the last couple of days, so commentary is sparse today. I did notice, however, that artist Antony Gormley is to start exhibiting people on the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square today. To me it seems an utterly pointless celebration of the dull and mundane, which has come to typify modern art and the clamour for celebrity and self-promotion. I’m with Brian Sewell in that much of what passes for modern art belongs in a circus side-show.

3 comments:

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Can't knock Anthony Gormley, Sir, following his largesse with the north east's children and population and his creation of our beloved angel...

It is quiet here tonight - Is everyone out barbequeing?!

Ms Scarlet said...

I think it's all tennis in the news... but our hopes have been dashed again.
I think they should put a bus on the plinth... or a working red telephone box... with a ladder.
Sx

Liz said...

I would like to propose Scarlet-Blue for Minister of Art. I agree entirely, something iconic and British is exactly what should be on that 4th plinth.

If they must sit people on the plinth - Brian Sewell should be up there. At least he's interesting.