Fast track

Question

One of the most striking things about all the juicy oops-I-mean-unnecessary-and-ttawdry coverage of Blunkett's Bane in the UK press is the almost universal use of "fast-track" as a verb (with or without a hyphen), in reference to what the Blunkster allegedly did regarding the work-permit application of his fancy piece's nanny.
I was aware of the expression "fast track", of course, but I'd only previously come across it in texts of the
core-this-and-key-actors-that type, not in the mainstream media.

Does this mean we've now seen the Official End of such useful verbs as "expedite", "facilitate" and perhaps more appropriate for the redtops simply "speed up"?

Ross Howard

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]One of the most striking things about all the juicy oops-I-mean-unnecessary-and-ttawdry coverage of Blunkett's Bane in the UK press is ... End of such useful verbs as "expedite", "facilitate" and perhaps more appropriate for the redtops simply "speed up"?[/nq]
I wouldn't mind an explanation (or example) of "texts of the core-this-and-key-actors-that type".
I think 'fast track' is useful because it describes a process rather than action in a particular case (which is what the other verbs mean to me).
eg in the Brit Civil Service there was (probably still is) a "fast track" style of promotion where you entered a programme which permitted you to skip grades. Those not in the programme could, by all means, have their promotions expedited, facilitated and even speeded up. But they couldn't skip grades and that was the heart of being fast tracked. Similarly in my old outfit (Social Security) it was possible to fast track some claims - ie put them into a different algorithm from other claims. But that didn't stop a non-fast-track claim being speeded up etc.
So I think "fast track" is a useful addition to the language. Vis a vis Lord Blunkett (as he will shortly be) I can easily envisage a scenario where his Mistress's nanny got the standard "Thank you for your letter. We are madly keen to be of service to you but for Christ's sake don't keep ringing up or writing in because these things take time with the best will in the world I mean how would you like it if you had to stop bathing the kids because one of their Fathers was on the phone asking if you'd given the kids their bath yet?" but nevertheless got her application processed quickly because it turned out to be dead straightforward.
Of course, I can also envisage a scenario where Sir Blunkett dropped a heavy hint to a minion that a certain Filipina of his acquaintance seemed to be waiting rather longer than one would expect for a straightforward case.
The supreme irony would be if said minion reluctantly rang the appropriate underling to get a jildy on with Ms Casalme's paperwork and was told "oh, that one. I posted it yesterday."

John Dean
Oxford

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The supreme irony would be if said minion reluctantly rang the appropriate underling to get a jildy on with Ms Casalme's paperwork and was told "oh, that one. I posted it yesterday."[/nq]
"Get a jildy on" was completely new to me. Does it come from hindi?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Of course, I can also envisage a scenario where Sir Blunkett dropped a heavy hint to a minion that a certain Filipina of his acquaintance seemed to be waiting rather longer than one would expect for a straightforward case.[/nq]
This situation reminded me of Tony Cooper's post about aldermen or local councillors or someone, and the way in which favours, posts etc were in their gift. Would I be right in supposing that if a parallel case to the Blunkett one ("Minister Fast-Tracks Visa Application for Lover's Nanny") occurred in the US, no-one would think twice about the visa but he'd be forced to resign for having a mistress? That is, the opposite situation to what we have here.

Katy Jennison
spamtrap: remove the first two letters after the @

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Of course, I can also envisage a scenario where Sir ... rather longer than one would expect for a straightforward case.[/nq]
[nq:1]This situation reminded me of Tony Cooper's post about aldermen or local councillors or someone, and the way in which ... in the US, no-one would think twice about the visa but he'd be forced to resign for having a mistress?[/nq]
Ah but, now this brings us to the problematic use of 'lover' in this case. Given Blunkett isn't married (correct me if I'm wrong), she isn't technically his mistress. But since she *is* married (still correct me if I'm wrong) he's technically her lover. While accepting that one couldn't for a moment describe a Minister of the Crown as having a 'girlfriend' and that I'm at a loss to suggest anything better, I'm not comfortable with 'lover'.
DC, Proofread out. Abbey National and the process of demutualization? More than I ever wanted to know about it, I can tell you Katy.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Of course, I can also envisage a scenario where Sir ... rather longer than one would expect for a straightforward case.[/nq]
[nq:1]This situation reminded me of Tony Cooper's post about aldermen or local councillors or someone, and the way in which ... in the US, no-one would think twice about the visa but he'd be forced to resign for having a mistress?[/nq]
In general, no. Coop was posting specifically about Chicago, whose political culture is, today, not so typical, thankfully.

Steny '08!

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I was aware of the expression "fast track", of course, ... texts of the core-this-and-key-actors-that type, not in the mainstream media.[/nq]
[nq:1]I wouldn't mind an explanation (or example) of "texts of the core-this-and-key-actors-that type".[/nq]
Well, Google on something like "key actors core fast track stakeholders framework partners capacity building knowledge society" and take your pick.
For example:
"This note presents an emerging model of a country-driven trade capacity building framework. It builds on partnership among national and external stakeholders and puts partner countries in the driver seat. This note seeks to make such a model accessible to and used by a wide range of actors and countries involved in the development partnership. In particular it targets trade capacity building practitioners in partner countries, donor agencies and multilateral organisations. The note is work in progress. It attempts to address the following questions:
Why is a country-driven trade capacity building framework needed?
What is trade capacity building?
How is a trade policy process constructed?
Who are the stakeholders?
What is the role of a ?lead? donor or facilitator?

What is trade mainstreaming?"
And then, ta-daaa, a bit further down we find:
"Implement mechanisms to allow for quick, or 'fast track' responses to the action plans"
www.acp-eu-trade.org/documents/OECD DAC country%20driven%20TrCBFr 251102.pdf

(Mickwick's your key stakeholder for awareness-building at an individual-actor level in this area, though.)

Ross Howard

Usenet · Answer

Wood Avens typed thus:
[nq:2]Of course, I can also envisage a scenario where Sir ... rather longer than one would expect for a straightforward case.[/nq]
[nq:1]This situation reminded me of Tony Cooper's post about aldermen or local councillors or someone, and the way in which ... but he'd be forced to resign for having a mistress? That is, the opposite situation to what we have here.[/nq]
And then there's the French situation whereby he'd have to resign if he didn't have a mistress.

David
==
replace the first component of address
with the definite article.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Wood Avens typed thus:[/nq]
[nq:2]This situation reminded me of Tony Cooper's post about aldermen ... That is, the opposite situation to what we have here.[/nq]
[nq:1]And then there's the French situation whereby he'd have to resign if he didn't have a mistress.[/nq]
Or the Spanish one, whereby nobody would be asking for his resignation even if he had three mistresses and was fast-tracking the immigration of all the nannies' friends and families, commandeering Air Force jets for the purpose.

Ross Howard

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]"Get a jildy on" was completely new to me. Does it come from hindi?[/nq]
Yes indeed, via British Army jargon. So many British army units spent time in India between the Kipling and WW2 periods that the Indian words they picked up there (shufti, doolally, etc.) rapidly became general service slang. Jildi means Hurry Up. Memory suggests it occurs in the poem Gunga Din.

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]"Get a jildy on" was completely new to me. Does it come from hindi?[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes indeed, via British Army jargon. So many British army units spent time in India between the Kipling and WW2 ... doolally, etc.) rapidly became general service slang. Jildi means Hurry Up. Memory suggests it occurs in the poem Gunga Din.[/nq]
It was "Din! Din! Din!
You 'eathen, where the mischief 'ave you been?
You put some ~juldee~ in it
Or I'll ~marrow~ you this minute
If you don't fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!"

John Dean
Oxford

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