Bristol Libdems - 5 strikes and you're out?

as written on in Bristol's Evening Post

1. Selling some of Bristol's Swimming Pools in 2005 when we have an obesity problem. At least one site, Speedwell, still sits unused but fondly remembered now.
2. Plans to sell off some of Bristol green spaces to raise funds 
3. Criticism for failure to estimate the need for primary school places 
4. A £22m grant spent to make Bristol a cycling city but missing the target by 17%
5. £45k spent on waste management consultants that results in less waste being recycled

And the relentless pre May politicking continues with Cllr Hopkins appearing 2-3 times per week in the local media (twice yesterday).

Library clears its shelves in protest at closure threat | Books | The Guardian

Library clears its shelves in protest at closure threat | Books | The Guardian

Because if you don't like the cuts there are things you can do. SABA: Small acts, Big impacts.

The new activism

http://swns.com/county-council-axes-entire-arts-budget-in-response-to-cutbacks-281217.html



Commenting that the possible loss of the local library would mean your town would be made a desert gives a causal link between reading and global warming that is difficult to grasp ...but when a local authority cuts its arts budget by 100% then perhaps the allegory is appropriate.

Without the arts, a town or city can soon become a cultural desert. Without the arts, how can the creative process take place? From where can anyone draw inspiration?

And if there's no creative process, then there's little chance of innovation. Less innovation inevitably leads to less business success, leading to less employment, less tax revenue, an even bigger deficit and so on.

Of course, you could take to the streets. But 20 people with placards can be ignored (300,000 people can be ignored) so why don't we try a different form of activism?

Form a facebook group and page against the cuts, ask people to declare they won't vote for the party, councillor, MP or MEP that condones such savage cuts then publicise the hell out of it.


-- Steve

Location:Bath Rd,,United Kingdom

Staying with No according to Harvard Business

Staying with No - Harvard Management Update - HarvardBusiness.org
Sometimes, it takes all the muscle I still have to refrain from saying "told you so"

The Positive No

Saying "no" is a positive affirmation of personal control of a situation. Freelancers do it all the time. There are projects that are not profitable or interesting that those in the freelance economy choose to decline.

And there's the rub.

Choice.

I received a tweet on launching this blog to ask if I had seen or read The Yes Man - the answer is "not yet" - but if we are conditioned or choose to blindly say "yes" all the time, aren't we letting others or circumstances or our environment or upbringing or sub-conscious take control and therefore responsibility for our actions?

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500 Workers in Newham say no

Newham refuse workers walk out | libcom.org
I have no political axe to grind. But this is a good example of taking control of a situation. 500 workers in East London walked out when the local council attempted to change terms and conditions.  These people felt that the imposition of new terms and conditions would result in a pay cut and refused to to accept it. Not union led. Spontaneous. They said "no".

Why The Power Of No

When an individual says "no", they take control of the situation. By saying "yes" control remains with the person requesting whatever it they want. True?