A plug for Saturday’s protest on behalf of the Fermoy unit, and a brief explanation of NAS West Norfolk’s involvement.
DISCUSSIONS AND DECISIONS
I have made mention of the protest on Saturday against the possible closure of the Fermoy unit previously, but was not able in that post to say anything about NAS West Norfolk involvement as that was still under discussion and I did not wish to be seen as pre-empting that discussion in any way.
The discussion is now resolved and the decision has gone the way I was hoping for. Campaigning on behalf of services needed by autistic people is part of our remit and as such not only will various people from NAS West Norfolk be in attendance on Saturday, we will have the NAS West Norfolk banner with us. Although this protest has been organised by the local Labour Party in conjunction with King’s Lynn District Trades Union Council our presence is not in any way a statement of party political views – we are going to be there because the issue is important to us and not because of who is organizing it.
Before finishing by showing the poster for the event I issue a call: anybody reading this who can get to King’s Lynn on Saturday please do so – let’s make this big!
A plug for an important protest and some highlights from today at work.
INTRODUCTION
I have been at work today at James and Sons, and also a discussion has been taking place regarding a protest on Saturday. Thus this post is in two parts, starting with
PROTEST AGAINST THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF THE FERMOY UNIT
The state of Mental Health services in Norfolk is already, to put it bluntly, scandalous. Therefore, I have no hesitation in urging everyone who can to be present in King’s Lynn from 12PM this Saturday to be part of this protest.
Above is a jpg of the official poster for the event.
IMAGING
Here are a few highlights from today at work…
Lot 19Lot 40The hallmarks on lot 40Lot 43 – a five image gallery. The fact that I produced a full gallery of this lot and have sahred it here should absolutely not be taken as expressing support for the compnay being commemorated!
Lot 91 – this will be on the front cover of the catalogue – and I produced a nine-image gallery.A close up of the front of the medalsA close up of the rear of the medalsThe reverse of the two cruciform medalsThe obverse of the two cruciform medalsThe obverse of the two stars (a look at the reverse of the group will tell you why I did not do a close-up of the other side of this pair)The obverse of the two disc medalsAnd the reverse – the ninth image is a close up of anothe rpart of the lot and I de3cided not to include it.
Lot 207 – both sidesLot 207 – obverseLot 207 – reverse.
A signpost to a pwtition that should get very biog very quickly, some of the best images from today at work and a couple of links relating the latest blunder by the Goldsmith campaign for London Mayor.
INTRODUCTION
A two part-post, as I was always going to be sharing some images from today, and I have something else that needs to be given prominence…
PETITION: QUALIFICATIONS OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL FOR PIP/WCA
MEDICAL TO BE OPENLY AVAILABLE
I received a comment on my recent post “Many Things” (I have the commenter’s permission to quote verbatim) that runs as follows:
i started a petition to have open transparency about the Health care professionals that do the WCA a assessment on behalf of the dwp, the reason for this is that are they qualified for the role there doing ie a physiotherapist doing a mental health assessment for bi-polar, ask directly for there qualifications and you will find a wall of hiding behind laws, so to make it easier the petition is about having this in public domain so vunerable adults do not have to go through loops to find out the information and decide whether the person that assessed them is fit for purpose, in light of channel 4 dispatches nothing has changed so this is more important now. can you sign please the link is below https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/126229
This petition struck instantly, and I followed up the link, which revealed the following:
I have signed this petition, shared on twitter & facebook, and urge everyone to sign and if you are able share it. Please use the link below:
Today at work I made a stgart on the imaging for the May auction, and here are some of the highlights for you…
Lot 1 – a vewry ornate photograph album
Lot 3 – not so ornate as lot 1 but on similar lines
Lot 4 – a pretty little item
Lot 4 in its closed state
Once on a time lot 3 was lockable, but this lock is no longer functioning
Lot 6
A close up of the lump of iron pyrites with two figures on top
Lot 7
The trademark from lot 7
Lot 8
Lot 10
The first of two close-ups of this piece
Lot 101
Lot 103
Lot 105, followed by two close-ups of the handle
Lot 107
A close-up of the axe-head segment of lot 107
THE CASE OF MR GOLDSMITH
AND THE SCRAPED BARREL
Mike Sivier at Vox Political set me on to this story, which is typical only worse of the way in which the whole of Mr Goldsmith’s campaign for London Mayor has been run:
An excellent post from Jayne Linney, which I am pleased to note has also appeared on Huffington Post. Please read Jayne’s post in full and post comments there.
Also at Today Mind have launched their “Take Off The Tape” Campaign which focusses on Anxiety; their website states “Do you talk about what’s most worrying you? Or do you keep yo…
A pot-pourri of a post, featuring my website, mental health, public transport, a new find in the blogging world (for me), human evolution and a few pictures.
INTRODUCTION
I have spent a good part of today working on my website, www.londontu.be, and I also have some pictures that I have not previously shared, plus a few other things.
THE LATEST FROM LONDONTU.BE
I have recently created three new posts that I choose to share here:
Cheshunt – a post that grew out of seeing this on my twitter feed:
Covent Garden – a post that was in part inspired by this:
THE MENTAL HEALTH TASKFORCE
Mind, the mental health charity, have produced this about the Mental Health Task Force:
MUSICAL KEYS
On Monday evening, Musical Keys had another session for autistic people. As well as my usual i-pad generated strings (cello only on this occasion), the session ended with something new – generating sounds by constructing lines on the i-pad screen for balls to bounce off (for those with long memories the approach is bit like reverse “bat and ball”). Here some photos relating to that event:
The Custom House viewed from Queen Street
The Mart.
This is exactly the sort of ride that I hate!
The Pilot Place development
A Rainbow while I was waiting outside (there was a session for youngsters going on, so I felt it best to stay outside although it was cold.
The Scout “Hut”
I-pad screen.
The lines and dots program.
A NEW FIND
To give credit where it is definitely due, it was a post by Mike Sivier at Vox Political that introduced me to anewnatureblog, which I am now following. The particular post that Mike shared and that I followed up on was this one. I subsequently also read this one. I highly recommend this blog.
BETTER TRANSPORT MAPS
It was also courtesy of Mike that I found the Guardian piece that led to my discovery of the better transport campaign. One thing they are doing is producing maps which show how transport services across the UK are being endangered. Just one example: in Norfolk, where I live the county council’s transport budget was £4m in 2010 and £2.67m in 2015 – a cut of 33% in five years (and as a regular user I defy anyone to suggest that Norfolk’s transport provision is not in need of improvement!).
A GIF ABOUT HUMAN EVOLUTION
This little GIF, which WEIT picked up via twitter, started life in Carl Sagan’s Cosmos TV series. I have two links for you:
An account of an autism related meeting in Norwich, loads of links, some quality dragon pictures, some infographics and some other pictures.
INTRODUCTION
Although this post is based around my attending a meeting to do with Autism at the Charing Cross Centre in Norwich I have lots of other stuff to share as well, in the form of photos, infographics from various sources and a plentiful supply of links.
THE MEETING
The purpose of the meeting was to contribute towards a wide scale report on improving Mental Health services across the board. The speaker, who has been travelling around the country listening to ideas from people emphasized that one of the things his report would contain was a statement that it must be shared with contributors.
One of the (many) disastrous things that has been happening over the last few years has been a removal of investment from preventative care in favour of crisis management.
One of the commissioners for the Norfolk and Suffolk PCT actually told the manager of Asperger East Anglia that she should tell staff “to stop working with people after three months”, which demonstrates a scandalous lack of understanding of Autistic Spectrum Conditions.
As the only person in attendance to be actually autistic rather than either a professional working in the field or a parent/ carer of someone with an Autistic Spectrum Condition I made several contributions.
The final report should be complete by the start of October, and if we have not heard anything by the start of November we have been given a green light to contact Jane Sayer at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
HERE BE DRAGONS: A PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERLUDE
I have already dedicated a whole blog post to the dragons that can be seen in and around Norwich at the moment, but yesterday I was in parts of Norwich not covered in that post, so I have some more dragons for you…
The first four pictures are of McFly, who sits just outside the City Hall
An educational dragon “The rise and demise of the dinosaurs”
This is Mr Wing, who resides just outside The Forum
“Dragofly”, one of two full size dragons (plus a clutch of babies) to be found inside The Forum
Luda, the other dragon to found inside the forum.
GoGo King Tut, the Egyptian dragon
Norwich Twilight, looking out over the marketplace.Morgan, in one of the streets that feeds into the marketplace.
“Eye Spy Cecil”, near Castle Mall.
Skipper, in the arcade.
Double Decker, Castle Meadow.
I did not get this one’s name, but s/he guards the castle itself
LINKS
My first two links are both related and come courtesy of Dr Marquis Grant. They are both to do with a survey for autistic people:
A petition that I have referred to several times previously in this blog is Fiona Paddon’s petition calling on the NHS to provide free tests from Group B Strep, which now has over 180,000 signatures. The next step is to pile on the pressure bby writing to MPs, to which end I have two links for you…
Finally in this subsection, a petition calling for the mayor of London to get dangerous lorries off the roads (so far this year lorries are responsible for the deaths of eight cyclists in the capital).
BLOGS AND BLOG POSTS
In this subsection are links to the some of the best blogs and blogposts I have found recently…
Having just mentioned the extraordinary Max Tegmark, this seemed a natural place to mention a book devoted to the strangest aspects of science, which it so happens that I read on the bus to Norwich yesterday.
Faraday’s Candle are regular producers of marvellous science and nature related stuff, and this piece on The Arches National Park is comfortably up to their usual high standard.
INFOGRAPHICS
Four infographics to share today. First, by way of Abby Tomlinson on twitter this on abstaining in the face of oppression:
Next up, this on Austerity:
This on energy is probably the most important of the four:
Finally, this on the Great Gathering for Voting Reform:
AFTERWORD AND SOME FINAL PHOTOS
I hope that you enjoy this blog post as much as I have enjoyed creating it, and that some at least of you will be inspired to share it. I finish with some non-dragon related photos from Norwich…
A personal account of the meeting “Marxism and Mental Health”, which was in the Saturday evening slot of Marxism 2015 and had been given a large venue (which was packed).
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to another post about my experiences at Marxism 2015, the five-day political festival in central London organised by the Socialist Workers Party. Previous posts can be viewed here. This post focuses on one meeting, one which I believe fully deserves to be thus privileged.
MARXISM AND MENTAL HEALTH
This meeting was important for me in many different ways, not least in that by its mere presence it meant two meetings on the subject of mental health (along with earlier one featuring Susan Rosenthal).
TREATING MENTAL HEALTH WITH DUE SERIOUSNESS
Not only was this meeting given the prominence of a Saturday evening slot, it was given one of the biggest venues to be used during the event, the Elvin Hall (and btw was packed to the rafters). To see one genuinely good slide presentation is unusual, to encounter two in one day is (for me at least) unprecedented good fortune – but it happened here.
Beth Greenhill set up and ready for action.This picture was on display before the meeting started.Beth and chair Pete Jackson ready for action.A book display (my finances do not permit more than looking!)
THE MEETING ITSELF
To give you an idea of Beth’s talk I will share those of the slides I managed to capture…
The sign off screen, and our featured image.
Beth giving her talk.
Not a separate slide – a sneaky close up by me.
There were some excellent contributions from the floor, most notable east London social worker Monica and south London mental health activist Jeremy.
Monica, opening the discussion section of the meeting.Jeremy making his contribution.
Being present at this meeting was an amazing experience, and apart from the opening and final rallies it was without doubt the best meeting I attended on any of the five days. I finish with another couple of photographs…
Beth giving her summing up speech.A stylised rendering of the Euston Arch on the Victoria line platform (the original was destroyed in the 1960s so I cannot comment on the closeness of the resemblance).
Welcome to this, my third post about Marxism 2015, the five-day political festival hosted by the Socialist Workers Party at the Institute of Education in London. I hope that you will enjoy this post and be inspired to share it.
ACCOMMODATION
I was booked to stay with somebody in Walthamstow, and although their house is not close to a tube station, it would nor amlly have been easy to get there. However, the tube strike meant that we had to go by bus to Clapton and get a London Overground service to Wood Street. In the heavy traffic generated by the tube strike this took considerable time. Getting in the following morning was easier, but I failed to allow enough time (a very rare occurrence) and arrived a little late for the first meeting…
AT THE EVENT
Here is a photo of my timetable for the day in question, showing the meetings I decided to attend…
All of these meetings were magnificent, but I am going to concentrate for photos on the first two, and for most of my text on the third.
Here then are some photos from the first meeting, and fascinating stuff it was too, with a convincing demonstration of egalitarianism in early human history…
Anatolia.CatalhoyukCayonu
These reconstructions are wrong in one respect – the houses had neither windows nor doors, being approached through the roof, with most of daily life taking place on said rooftops (there being no roads).
A mother goddess from these ancient remains.A 19th century South American village on similar lines.
For the second meeting I attended that day on Mental Health, photos really can tell most of the story…
Another connection to where I grew up – Jeremy from Streatham talking about the Mental Health Charter.Jo from London tells of family memories of living near a mental hospital (When we first moved to London there was exactly such an institution within a few minutes walk of our home)
This picture adorns one wall of the Elvin Hall where the meeting took place.
Susan gives her opening talk on Mental Illness: A Disorder of Capitalism.The feature image for this post.
A GERMAN-CENTRIC TAKE ON CLASSICAL MUSIC
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this meeting I was a little disappointed that it was so dominated by German and Austrian composers, with only brief mentions of the Italians (my favourites). Before moving any further I must pay tribute to Siobhan from East London who stepped in at the twelfth hour when the person who should have been chairing the meeting could not be located, and did an excellent job…
Siobhan from East London who stepped in as chair at the twelfth hour.
Although as I have said I would have preferred more credit to be given the Italian composers, I did enjoy this meeting, and overall Sabby Sagall acquitted himself well in slightly testing circumstances…
Sabby Sagall speaking about Classical Music.
I will finish this post with a few pictures from later in the day…
Mark L Thomas addresses a packed house on “Are the Greens a Left Alternative?”Shahrar Ali, leading Green, offers constructive comment from the floor.Sarah Creagh introduces “Rosa Luxemburg and the German Revolution”A moment of whimsy -a close up shot of on of Sarah Creagh’s earrings.Blackhorse Road Station, from where a 123 bus gets to the end of the road on which I was staying, by night (definitely the best time to see it!)
Accounts of three petitions at different stages:
1)Provide tests for Group B Strep to prevent any more avoidable deaths of newborn babies, recently launhed via change.org
2)Mind’s petition calling for mental health services to receive a fair share of funding.
3)The successful change.org petition re Protein World’s vile “is your body beach ready?” ads
INTRODUCTION
This is going to be a very brief post, but there is some important information to share, about three petitions that are at different stages of their lives. Highly unusually for this blog there are no pictures.
PETITIONS
1: JUST TAKING OFF
The first of three petitions covered in this post comes from change.org and the title really does say all that needs to be said:
This petition, launched by Mind, calling on the government to ensure that mental health services get their fair share of funding, has been delivered to Downing Street bearing over 100,000 signatures. The full story can be read on the Mind website.
3: VICTORIOUS
When Protein World launched a series of ads targeting women with the question “is your body beach ready?”, the counter attack, in the form of a petition, was laucnhed via change.org, and 71,111 signatures later, change has been achieved. Huffington Post, so often a source of good stories, have the full story on this one.
AFTERWORD
I hope you have all enjoyed this post, and will be encouraged to share it. Another post in my special series, “London Station by Station” will be going up in the not too distant future and later this week I hope to put up some posts about Marxism 2015 which I shall be attending.
As well as my main piece, I have some very interesting and important links to share, several infographics and of course lots og high quality pictures.
THE WEEKEND APPROACHES
The weekend is upon us. I am particularly looking forward to being able to actually listen to some of the test match, having not been able to do so either yesterday or today. England’s policy of stacking their team with batting paid off at first as they were able to recover from a disastrous beginning (30-4) to reach a respectanle 389, significant contributions coming from Stokes, Root, Buttler and Moeen Ali. The downside of the selection policy, a lack of serious bowling options (for all his position at no 8, and hence officially being selected as a front-line spinner I do not rate Ali a serious bowler) is being cruelly exposed by the Kiwis, who are currently 235-2.
INFOGRAPHICS
I have three infographics to share with you today, two on the Human Rights Act and one on poverty…
aspiblog 