OK, four things.
First, perceptive readers will note that Stage 2 of the re-design has occurred: the sidebar has changed, an Archives page has appeared and the Categories have been replaced by a ‘Tag Cloud’. This means, when posting, I would love you to Tag it rather than Categorize it. Please. If you can. And if you understand what I mean. (And if you do, please could you explain it properly to me? I just think it looks prettier.)
Second, my trial of a new hosting company is going fantastically (ie I’ve not spectacularly fucked anything up yet) and I am going to try to transfer the Ministry onto my new host of choice at some point over the next month. This will probably lead to 48 hours or so of semi-scheduled downtime. But given that my current pus-ridden, cocksucking host has unexpectedly closed the Ministry again just as I’m trying to compose this post, I think the effort will be worth it.
Third, and with all due respect to any civil servants who may read this blog, the news that Paul Gray is back at work within the Civil Service after just 13 days in the wilderness is reprehensible and unforgivable. As our friends at Blairwatch would have it, “It’s shaping up to be a bad week for Gordon Brown.” In fact, it’s quickly shaping up to be a bad administration for the Son of a Manse-r Man…
Finally, watch this. I wept with laughter.
“As Donal cried, we knew that he was sharing our pain.”
Minitrue [hearts] Adam Curtis.
In defence of Paul Gray, later reports say that he is working out his notice, rather than sitting at home waiting for year end.
I’m not pretending that there isn’t an element on convenience about this story. While it is said that working out his notice in a vital new role (doesn’t everyone when they resign under a cloud?) triggers no additional payment, Mr. Gray reaches his 60th birthday next year and becomes eligible for his pension.
Nevertheless, although he’s a fall guy who didn’t have too far to fall, I feel a great degree of sympathy with him. He’s the head of a gigantic organisation in which someone did something spectacularly stupid. By resigning, he’s deflected some degree of criticism from the government, as any good apolitical civil servant should.
I note that a reward of £20,000 has been offered for the return of the discs. That’s what Steve McClaren earned in a week as the England manager – pretty gratifying, isn’t it?