Posted On: Thursday - August 25th 2022 2:30PM MST
In Topics: Orwellian Stupidity Peak Stupidity Roadshow
I'd forgotten this one tidbit from our trip to Great Britain. An incident in this country reminded me of a quick story from London regarding the use of cash for purchases. We all may fight our own battles in this war against Wokeness, Totalitarianism, Orwellian stupidity, and, well, EVERYTHING. Peak Stupidity has picked this cashless society thing as one of ours - see Keep Cash King. I believe this effort has been pushed much harder recently by the use of the Kung Flu PanicFest*.
China had gone pretty far Orwellian before the PanicFest, as we noted in Dashed high-hopes for China - Part 2** (the 2nd half of that post). The phone payment system has been combined with the new "health scoring" to go even farther Orwellian that the man could possibly envision.
I've been hoping Americans would resist that stuff more. Most will value that convenience and not making waves until they've got the rat right up in their faces, it seems, though.
OK, intro. over with, back in Surly New England (no, still in greater London) we exited the river cruise boat at the Tower of London. It was time for a snack, as the stuff on the boat was pretty dear (as they say). At that stand, 2 single-scoop ice cream cones would set us back about 7 quid, but I was up for that. I was not up for "we don't take cash." What was I going to do with those quids (can you say "quids"?) in my pocket back home? Plus, Revelation 13. "OK, see ya."
A couple hundred metres away there was another ice cream stand, so I asked about their taking my cash. "Yes, we do. Cash is King", the young lady said. "That's what I say!" I tipped her a bit, and thought we could really use more people with this attitude. Plus, that coffee ice cream tasted like the real thing. That was heartening.
Back in the colonies, well, why in the hell did we bother? (With the Revolution, that is.) At the big airport terminal, I ran into this again. The Chipotle chain, with probably the biggest mass of food for your money, would not take my cash, even after a short talk with the manager. When I mentioned Revelation 13, a nice passenger in the line even tried to pay for my stuff. I wouldn't have that. I've GOT the money. I just won't do it.
Down the
As I explained in what's now Part I, I have no problem with this behavior now. If the Big Biz outfit that runs most of the food places there wants to shun my money and be a part of Orwellianism, well, I'm not playing, and the low-paid cashier isn't playing.
Pick your battles, they'll tell you. OK, this is one of them. If I had my way, it'd be the people pushing this cashless business that would be at the Tower of London. I mean, IN the Tower of London. Better yet, take their heads up onto the bridge to put on pikes, as the Thames River tour guide told us about.
* If you recall, at first it was about contact with those Covid germs. They were freaking everywhere, apparently, until EXPERT Anthony Fauci changed his professional opinion about that. Then the economy was crashed, and "no change" and "the bank is closed" became excuses.
** I wrote that post in May of '20, but the phone payments bit was not new then.
*** That's a very obscure reference there to Credence Clearwater Revival's Ramble Tamble.
Comments:
Moderator
Sunday - August 28th 2022 3:32PM MST
PS: Thanks, Mr. Blanc. Sorry I missed this comment for a couple of days. I don't know how many quid it was for a beer in downtown London, as we didn't do any drinking at all on this trip. Hopefully a pint is cheaper than a 1-way ride on the underground from zone 6 to 1. It was something like 8 bucks! (One way!)
MBlanc46
Friday - August 26th 2022 4:58PM MST
PS “Quids in” is a common expression meaning something like “saving money”, so, yes, “quids” is legit. However, you wouldn’t say “a pint costs five quids”, you would say “five quid”. When I was there in the 1980s, a pint of the best was just over a quid. How times have changed.
The Alarmist
Friday - August 26th 2022 7:02AM MST
PS
There was nothing to fix. The “City of London” is a legal entity with its own government and with a primary interest of representing the financial services institutions of Britain. Otherwise it is a subset of Greater London, which is its own county in the UK. The Mayor of Greater London, currently Sadiq Khan, has substantial political power, while the Mayor of the City of London (who cares?) is largely in a cermonial role. Both are essentially puppets of bigger fish, i.e. the fincial services institutions of the UK.
You had it right with Revelation 13 (mark of beast required for commerce) ... I was just countering with your story being situated in the whore known as Babylon ... KJV ...
“2... Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
Heady stuff, Revelations. Sadiq Khan is but one of the plagues suffered by the people of London.
There was nothing to fix. The “City of London” is a legal entity with its own government and with a primary interest of representing the financial services institutions of Britain. Otherwise it is a subset of Greater London, which is its own county in the UK. The Mayor of Greater London, currently Sadiq Khan, has substantial political power, while the Mayor of the City of London (who cares?) is largely in a cermonial role. Both are essentially puppets of bigger fish, i.e. the fincial services institutions of the UK.
You had it right with Revelation 13 (mark of beast required for commerce) ... I was just countering with your story being situated in the whore known as Babylon ... KJV ...
“2... Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
Heady stuff, Revelations. Sadiq Khan is but one of the plagues suffered by the people of London.
Moderator
Friday - August 26th 2022 6:47AM MST
PS: Fixed on both counts, Alarmist. Thanks.
The Alarmist
Friday - August 26th 2022 2:25AM MST
PS
Technically, the Tower of London is outside the “Square Mile” of the City of London, but nonetheless ... Revelation 18.
Technically, the Tower of London is outside the “Square Mile” of the City of London, but nonetheless ... Revelation 18.