Sweeping Away The Past

Pinned up at the side of my Apple Mac is a letter from the Planning Department of Leicester City Council. It's was a response to my objection to the impending destruction of of the Thomas Cook building in Granby Street.
It was as cold and soulless as I expected it to be, but the real downer is the fact that Leicester City Council, has no respect for the city's heritage, or the opinions of it's citizens. They trample over the city's historic landscape, like a giant bulldozer, out of control leaving giant gaps and empty spaces which they say are for 'major projects'.

It's nothing less than historical genocide, and they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. I applaud the Civic Society who have done everything in their power to raise awareness of this despicable act, and those that have been out on tyhe streets in protest. But the horror show is not to end in Granby Street, so I'm told. The next victim is to be the All Saints Brewery in High Cross Street, leaving yet another crater deep in the heart of a city rich with veins of history that dates back to the Roman occupation and beyond.

And if that goes, why not dig up the Abbey Ruins in Abbey Park, and sell the ancient stones, to a local mason, remove cardinal Wolsey's grave and build another bloody office black, or car park. That's the kind of thought process that everybody who cares about history is up against. Short sighted, treacherous, vandalism. Where will it all end?.

Dress Codes - Who Decides?

Maybe my wife would disagree, but I'm usually quite a calm person, not given to quickness of temper, able to keep a cool head under pressure. However, I read something in the national press this week, echoed both on press and radio that France is to go ahead with the banning of the burqua in public places.

Firstly I'm disgusted by the fact that a European power would consider what is to me a breach of human rights. Secondly, that a particular garment worn by people of faith is seen as such a threat because I'm told, it doesn't 'fit in' with French society, whatever that means.

So, where does this end?, Shall we band Nuns and monks from wearing habits?, shall I remove both my crucifix and fish pendent from around my neck, becuase it doesn't fit in with our secular society?. If you can do one, you can do the other and in the blink of an eye we could end up living in a state akin to Orwell's 1984 nightmare. And what I find most appaling of all, is that the decision in France, was I would guess, decided by men.

This is 2010, and people should be allowed to wear what they like, where they like. Beware, they'll be coming for you next.

Stupid, Just Stupid

All of this year, I've been listening to Radio 4's excellent series A History Of The World in 100 Objects. It's a joint venture between the BBC and The British Museum, and for me, is one of the greatest programmes ever to be broadcast over the airwaves.

Recently, I paid a visit to the Museum, and managed to see 45 of the 100 images, and had the most enjoyable day. That's why my blood boiled with anger this week when I read of the attack by so mindless yobs who doused the Easter Island head with oil in protest at BP's sponsorship of the project. Like most people I was horrified at the oil spillage of the Louisiana coast, but pathetic vandalism is not the way to vent your feelings.

Lobby your MP, write to BP, stand outside their office and protest peacefully. but don't slip into the sewer mentality by defacing a works of art or historical objects just to gain cheap publicity, and that's what this was..cheap, nasty and utterly pointless.

The Party's Over

A couple of weeks ago, while I was 'offline from blogging' I cut into eight tiny pieces, my membership card to the Liberal Democrats. From the moment of inception, the new coalition government has done nothing but compromise their principles for possibly the most addictive drug known to humankind......POWER.

For me personally this is a step too far, and I'm disgusted at the Lib Dems (quite rightly called 'Con-Dems' in the MORNING STAR newspaper) for selling out, values to which they once held dear, or so they told us. It all leaves a very bad taste in my mouth, and I truly wonder what will happen to the party, come the next election. Having said all that, on a local level, I will without question support my local councilor, Lib Dem Peter Coley, who is and has been for many years, an outstanding and hard working member of our community. The same can be said for Roger Blackmore, who is to retire his council post next year.

Still on the political front, I wrote to the Morning Star this week, arguing that Bob Crow should not walk out of the coming TUC conference when the PM David Cameron is due to appear there, by invitation. Mr Crow was quick to respond, which has made me a very happy man. If you are interested to see both his and my letters, just follow the link from this blog site.

Echos From The Mango

In the early part of this century, before I got married, a good part of my recreation time was spent at the ICE MANGO Internet cafe in Leicester's popular market place. It was here that I first found my way around an Apple Mac (The early Imacs), and met so many wonderful people, as I surfed the net drank endless cups of Earl Grey tea, and observed the Saturday morning human traffic. Hundreds of my journal entries were scribbled at the window tables, and countless ideas for stories and picture projects were given life in that wonderful, friendly environment. Now, like a lot of other Internet cafes that sprung up in Leicester since the mid 1990's, it stands cold and empty, as more and more people are choosing to access the net via laptops, Iphones and the new tablet of communication the Ipad. All inevitable I suppose, but every time I walk by the Mango, all those cherished memories come flooding back, as I look inside at the abandoned shell, and remember how much I loved this place and the lasting effect it has on my life

Reduced to Rubble

This Victorian building on Leicester's Granby Street, was once the home and centre of life for one of the city's most celebrated sons, Thomas Cook, one of the founders of tourism, which ultimately led to the package Holiday we all know so well. Being the abode of such a giant, one could be mistaken for thinking that the local council would want to save this place, spend some money on it's upkeep, and take pride in it's important heritage. Not so, as once again, history is about to be side-lined, and the whole place be torn down in favour of a seven storey office development.

Now I've lost count of just how many empty offices we have in Leicester, so tell me what's the point?. This is just another case of lets sell of our treasures for a fast buck and screw history. Leicester City Council in even thinking about such a proposition, should hide their heads in shame, being the historical Vandals they are continuing to show themselves to be.

The Shelley 100

I'm proud to be a member of the British Museum, every time I go there I'm knocked over by what I see, hear and experience. Of late, The History Of The World in 100 Objects, has drawn my interest like a hoover, moreover it's inspired me to gather from the far corners of my life, 100 objects of my own to represent my personal history, thus far. So far I have retrieved, my fathers army pay book, the first black and white negatives I ever produced, my marriage certificate, letters from a pen friend on death row, and a funny little brass combination lock that's been in my family for years.

I have a long way to go, and what I will do with all these objects is unclear, a self published book maybe?, who knows. But for me it's been a much more interesting and diverse way of 'logging' different episodes of my life, other than just trawling through boxes of photographs. Watch this space