First Buses, you’re driving me crazy!
For those of you fortunate enough not to live in West Yorkshire, or who do, but are not dependent on this awful bus company, it may mean less to you than some. But fine, because I’m lacking for blog material (feel free to suggest ideas, ideally non political), its the best I can do tonight.
Today, First Buses increased all their bus fares around here. Fair enough, its only once a year, and if they provided a decent service, I wouldnt object. But thats the critical term, provided a decent service, because they dont! Thankfully my experience of their evening bus service is now restricted to 3 nights a week, instead of 4. However last week, twice, the bus turned up more than 10 minutes later than scheduled (and after 8pm, that can hardly be down to traffic), and the other night, I have no idea, after more than 20 minutes, there was no sign of any bus, so I gave up, and paid out for a taxi home!
I’d love to say this was the exception to the rule, and in a sense, it is, this is worse than normal, but that doesnt mean normal is a good service, because it isnt! In truth at 9.15 in the morning, when we are meant to have a reliable service, we went for about 2-3 weeks where if a bus turned up less than 5 minutes late, I never spotted it, and I’m near the start of the route, so…
Yes, sadly, like so many things in life now, the reliability of their service is awful, but they still feel free to raise fares by far more than inflation! 5-10%, if you really wanted to know!
So yes, First Buses, feel free to raise your fares, but you need to raise the quality of the service you provide too! I know, wild dreams, but…
Fine, grumpy old lady rant over! 😛
Video time. Well, in a sense, its the same group as the last video, but it isnt. Thats because this is the 70’s version of the Temperance 7, complex stuff! And yes, it sums up how I feel about First Buses, and all they dont do!
That casting couch moment
Well fine, as a small part actress, in modern times (and lets face it, supposedly I was an actor back then), I’ve never actually encountered that casting couch moment. I know, what a surprise, not!
However its a well known fact that back in the ‘Golden Age’ of movie making, and before then, the casting couch wasnt only something that was hinted at, it was reality! Back then, its fair to say that more than a few actresses, either trying to get that break, or to move up in the standings got there by more than acting talent alone. Though in truth, on the whole, they were given little choice in the matter, if they wanted to make it. Yes, I wouldnt be totally surprised at some point if Clara Johnson had to go through the routine herself, to get her big chance. I mean, you only have to look at the fact that prior to 1933/34, and her promotion to Goldwyn Girl status, that she’d been around as a humble chorus girl for a while, and then suddenly…hmm? Maybe it was just hard work, who knows, but the cynic in me still wonders, all the same?
Given that the book I read it in, is factually tarnished, many times over, I’m prepared to tread carefully on this, but allegedly Jean Harlow was sought (and not for her movie skills) by high ups in many studios, both male, and indeed, female for other purposes when she first broke through seriously into the movies. True or not, she married 2 ‘senior’ staff at MGM, who werent logical marriage partners for her, but hey, it does seem she had a yearn for older men, so that could be totally wrong assumption, especially as one of them was pretty much proved to be impotent!
But yes, back then, the whole casting couch thing was part of the movie industry, in those less than enlightened times. But if anyone thought it had gone away, oh my, how wrong can you be? In truth, the only question that needs to be asked about the whole Harvey Weinstein thing, is why its taken so long to come out? The answer, my dear, of course, is power. But of course, with anything like that, once one domino falls in the pack, every other domino quickly tumbles over as well. He thought, because of his position, that he could get away with it, but now, finally, thankfully, it has caught up with him.
Is he the only one? I very much doubt it. In truth, I’d be amazed if he was. I suspect a few more will follow now, but we will have to wait and see on that. I think its safe to say that a trans woman actress, fast approaching 60 is not likely to be a casting couch target for anyone lol! Especially given my back wouldnt be up to anything adventurous anyway! But yes, hopefully, now, a number of younger actresses may manage to avoid this fate. But I suspect, there’s always someone, so…
Oh fine, the video. This might sound like its from the 1920’s, but its actually from 1961. Yes, still delightfully ancient for most, but…there were 9 members of the Temperance 7, a play on the term ‘one over the eight’ which definitely wasnt a sign of temperance lol! There was a major revival of the group about 10 years later, which lineup I have featured here in the past. Sadly, the only film I can find of the original lineup singing this, is of pretty poor quality, so lets go with this, which looks like a scene that Clara Johnson, and other chorus girls of that era would be very familiar with!
Its wonderful to be here!
Oh fine, the title is semi apt, but its definitely tilted to fit the video, which my 20’s friends will get, if I say its the cats whiskers!
In truth, when it comes to tackling the matters of transgender rights, I tend to be a bit of a pussy cat, not a tiger! Well, I am the submissive type, so…lol. Not that you’d believe that I’m the shy type over the last couple of weeks, for sure.
Tuesday marked the teleconference about gender diversity, the transgender version, of which I was one of the 2 major participants, and it was a great experience. No, I dont know how many people were listening in, or have listened to replays of it, but hopefully there were a few. It was certainly interesting to learn more about gender fluidity (the other person discussing things, and answering questions), and say my piece for transgender people (of both directions), I must say. I would say hopefully the DWP would take note, but in truth, there isnt anything that needs fixing where I work, for sure!
Out of this, I discovered that the department are planning to do some pieces for International Womens Day on Wednesday, and have now written a piece for that. Well, I answered some questions, someone else has transformed it into a readable article, and with luck, that might attract a larger Civil Service audience, I sure hope so!
Sorry, I have no idea if the latter will be available to non civil servants, but I’ll try and copy and paste it to here, if nothing else.
On top of all this, I’ve applied for a position on the Diversity committee, for which I could qualify on age (59 very soon), gender (obviously), and sexuality (asexual, bi, if I was interested), so I’ve applied for the cross strand role. Whether I get it, or even an interview, who knows? But hey, I’m getting the chance to be a transgender role model, and I’m proud of that.
No, I’ll pass on the Twitter chat with Trump, thanks!
Right, the video. Its actually from the 70’s, but sounds like its from the 20’s, and its a famous song from the 60’s! The singer, she’s been around forever, and still sounds good, even now! I hope you will enjoy the show!
stevielounicks 
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