This is my ONE HUNDRETH post for Beestonia, and I was planning some self-aggrandizing gimmick to celebrate this landmark. I am incredibly rubbish at committing to anything, as anyone who has ever attempted to educate, employ or have a relationship with me will testify, but somehow when it comes to churning out poorly written polemics, I do not tire. But I will spare the cake and fireworks until the next post, as more important issues are at hand.
Thursday saw me attend a very packed, very passionate public meeting at College House School, to work out what the dickens to do about the forthcoming slash and burn proposed by the demonic worshipper at the altar of Thatcher, Kay ‘Nominative Determined’ Cutts. I wont churn out all the details of the cuts,they are available best here http://nottssos.org.uk/ . Opening hours are to be shrank, budgets cut back, trained staff replaced by volunteers. Why? there was no mention of this in the Tory manifesto, and the savings they hope to make seem are pretty tiny compared to the damage that will be wrought. On my last post on the subject I received a wonderfully angry comment from perhaps Nottingham’s most famous blogger, Alan a Dale ( http://alanadale.wordpress.com/ ) who made the point that these cuts are purely ideological
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He’s right, it seems. The UNISON speaker at the meeting, Mike Scott, correctly labelled libraries as ‘ The Universities of the Poor’ and I agree. My childhood was spent in Stapleford library, chasing whatever fickle interest briefly fascinated me; today, I spend hours in the reference sections. They are nothing but a civic force for good, and it seems a touch evil to destroy this. Not everyone can afford to buy books, not everyone is connected to the internet, not everyone knows where to access services and exercise their rights: for these people libraries are vital. Does Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, understand this? I doubt it. Like most of the millionaire-studded front bench, they think of a library as the room opposite the drawing room and across from the servant’s quarters.
What to do then? Well, first off JOIN THE BLOODY LIBRARY, NOW. If you are already a member, good on you, if not, JOIN. And not just you, your kids, your parents, your friends, your neighbours, random strangers in the street, get them to join RIGHT NOW. This is an incredibly effective method of registering your support: if Cutts sees how many people use the library, she might become nervous to touch them. So do it, do it, do it now.
Also have a gander/ sign up here:
- www.facebook.com/nottslibraries
- www.twitter.com/nottslibraries
- www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk
- www.twitter.com/ukpling
- www.facebook.com/pages/Fight-For-Libraries-campaign-from-TheBookseller/134767896588119
There is a day of action planned on the 5th February, at 11am, at Beeston Library. It’s still not totally decided what will entail, I’ll let you know beforehand.
Once a library is gone, its gone. The Conservatives do not like you, do not want you to have this resource. It doesn’t generate money, it empowers the powerless, and they want it gone. Do not let them. Off your arse, get down Foster Road (or to Inham Nook, Stapleford, et al) and join up, register your support.
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I’d also suggest that you write to Anna Soubry asking her to oppose cuts, but you know the drill by now…the letter will either be ignored, or if read, considered to be a coordinated left-wing campaign against her to stop her working on things that really matter to the constituency, such as bowing down to Boots Management and lobbying on their behalf (see Beestonia passim). It seems that news of her failure to engage with the local electorate has reached the opposition benches, judging by an extract from Hansard, December 8th, during Prime Ministers Questions:
Anna Soubry, Broxtowe, Con. This morning, I spoke to one of my constituents[Hon. Members: “Hooray!”] It might come as news to Labour Members, if they were quiet, and they should try it.
Beyond irony.
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On a more immature note, I recently embarked on a short project to create interesting anagrams for MPs – everyone needs a hobby – and posted some online (ROB ANY ANUS was the cracker for our incumbant). One of the more horrific ones, however, was reserved for Michael Gove. I forgot all about it, until I was sent an email urging me to look at Gove’s entry on Wikipedia. I did, and got this screenshot before someone sensibly deleted the highly immature and offensive vandalism, and I swear I didn’t laugh like a drain and feel a swell of pride as I did;
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Besides, I’ve moved on from such immaturity. Nope, now I indulge on an evening in the highly sophisticated hobby that is painting politicians faces on nuts. Heres my John Prescott. Hazelnut Blears and George ‘Brazilnut’ Osborne to follow:
Beestonia 
