rUK, Fashion, TV and the Free Market All Down the Rabbit Hole

Do you know what rUK is?

In the past people would say that a woman does not have a penis, rather than say a woman has a vagina. You would never hear anyone say I man doesn’t have a vagina, but always a man has a penis. You see where I’m going with this. I’m not talking about penises and vaginas. I’m talking about how language can reflect where the power lies.

rUK - Sort OfA new thing has appeared on the horizon here in the UK. The new things is rUK. rUK is part of the discussion heating up about the possibility of Scotland voting for independence, which means leaving the UK. rUK is short for “the rest of the UK. It makes sense, rUK. But it could have been mlUK short for “maybe leaving the UK” which, of course, would stand for Scotland. In the language about the independence debate it is the UK, not Scotland that is re-identified.

Makes no difference to me. I’m really an outsider looking in and have no firm opinion about whether or not Scotland should go, except to say, that if they want to go, then they should go. It feels like they want to quit the club but keep some of the best bits of club membership: the Queen (who would have thought), the pound, free travel, military cooperation, etc. The want to leave the club but still be able to use the club lounge, and when the rClub members says, “Well, if you leave you can’t use the club lounge anymore” the mlClub members get all huffy and self-righteous and declare the lounge is as much theirs as rClub members. If they can pull it off, more power to them.

Fashion, the Media and Fantasy Politics

I have always wondered why the fashion industry gets free advertising every day in the media. It's not as though most of us watching or reading can afford the clothes being shown, and I doubt most of us would want to wear them - sometimes they are so weird. This $1.5trillion a year industry gets millions and millions in free advertising in the guise of news stories. Funny old world.

Today, February 19, 2014, The Guardian gave Anya Hindmarch free advertising for her luxury handbags and other shit. Or...

Breaking news! The UK came to a standstill when Anya Hindmarch displayed her luxury handbags and other fashion accessories on a London catwalk. David Cameron was so overwhelmed by the luxury goods he announced he is quitting politics so he “can spend full time learning how to make luxury handbags and fashion accessories.” Others have voiced concern that no one is going to work, but instead standing in line to buy Anya Hindmarch handbags that cost from £800 to £2000. At present know one knows where HandbagsandothershitGate will lead, except to say that millions are hoping Nick Clegg will joins Cameron his is new career.

Today, February 20, 2-14, The Guardian gave free advertising to Gucci and designer Frida Giannini. Or...

Breaking News! Gucci fashion show in Milan yesterday changed UK politics for ever. Today the Liberal Democrats announced they were so impressed by Frida Giannini’s designs for Gucci the leadership has decided to convert the entire party into a fashion company. When Tim Farron, President of the Liberal Democrats, was asked about this bold and risky decision he said: “Well, let’s be honest. We can’t do much worse than we’re doing now. And let me emphasise. We are willing to change any or all of our plans and designs at the drop of a very luxurious and expensive hat. For example, we have already dropped our Fashion of the People campaign in the hopes that Gucci will gives us a foot in the door of the fashion industry where we can make the tough decisions that will be needed to demonstrate that we are grown-up players in the business. Besides, The People aren’t major players in the industry anyway, and there are plenty of charities shops selling hand-me-down clothes, usually located near a money shop or a payday lender. We are hoping to get started by emulating Gucci boots that sell from £550 to £1000.” 

Today, February 21, 2014, The Guardian Prada.
Today, February 22, 2014, The Guardian gave free advertising to Versace.
Today, February 23, 2014, the Observer gave Roberto Cavalli free advertising.

I was going to keep writing my little political satires on fashion and politics, but free advertising for fashion never ever stops. I give up.

TV Eats Itself

For years people have been worried about the impact of television on our brains, our health, our society, our everything. Many of us thought that “reality TV,” which of course has nothing to do with reality, was finally that step too far that would end all speculation. But no.

In Britain Gogglebox has become a big hit programme and is being moved to primetime. Gogglebox is a TV show showing people watching TV. That’s right, millions of people in Britain are sitting in their homes watching people watching TV. There is nothing more I can say. Really.

The Protected Ass - Sorry! I mean the Free Market

The Tory/Liberal Democratic government is hiring private contractors to decommission Britain’s aging nuclear reactors. Value for money I’m sure we will be told in this free market world of adventure capitalism. There is a hitch, however. If in the act of decommissioning these private companies cause a minor or major radioactive incident – in other words, if they fuck up – they will not be held financially liable for the cost of cleaning up their own mess. The Tory/Lib Dem government will “indemnify the private contractors,” meaning the compliant tax payers of Britain will pick up the tab, even if it is billions of pounds.

How much do you want to bet that at least some of these private contractors sing the praises of the free market and condemn government interference in the private sector. The taxpayers have been giving welfare to private corporations since the beginning of time in the form of subsidies, indemnities, tax cuts, etc. Free market my ass.

Copyright © 2014 Dale Rominger