Dave and I were walking to work yesterday when we passed this wall of brightly colored posters on Finchley Road. They're related to the mayoral election on May 6.
Valerie Brown is running on behalf of the anti-establishment Burning Pink party. I don't know about her policies -- she has a manifesto here, and it sounds to me like a recipe for paralysis-by-committee, but I appreciate anyone who recognizes the failures of the status quo and wants to try something new. Still, if I were voting I'd go for Sadiq Khan again. (I can't vote because I'm not a UK citizen.)
We have a three-day weekend because Monday is our early May bank holiday. Reading, gardening and walking the dog are in my immediate future. (So unusual, right?) We're also planning to have a couple of friends over on Sunday for a garden brunch, which will be exciting -- we haven't had company for more than a year!
I finished our library inventory and only ten of our regular books have gone missing this year, which is pretty amazing -- last year it was something like 65. (That doesn't count some little Spanish books we bought for the language classes. The students were all required to read one, and about 20 of them are still missing, but since we know who those kids are we might be able to round them up.)
In the middle of the day, the camera shop called and said my camera was ready for pickup -- so after work I zipped down to Vauxhall and collected it. Woo hoo! I planned to walk up to the Thames and take some pictures right away, but wouldn't you know, the battery was completely dead, so I had to bring it home and charge it up before I could use it. I'll take it out today when Olga and I go walking.
I am surprised. I too am not a British Citizen and therefore not "allowed" (god do I hate that word) to vote in General Elections (ie where it really matters). However, I am, yes, allowed (!), nay asked, to vote in the local ones, and the European Parliament's. Since you live here, on these hollowed out isles, I can't imagine that rules are different just because you are American.
ReplyDeleteAs to library books (you worry too much, though do appreciate chasing books is part of your job description) I suggest a simple thumb screw: If a book isn't returned and/or fines are not paid the offender will be banned from further borrowing. Neither are they allowed to use the library's computers till the situation is rectified. Guess how I know this. And before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion: I am the offender.
On a personal note: Should you lend a book privately do not expect to get it back. Ever. I once, in a moment of absentmindedness and not remembering my own rule of thumb, offered to lend someone (my son's then math teacher - of all people!) a book because I thought he might like the subject matter. Naturally, fifteen years later that book still has not been returned. A book dear to me. Hard feelings? Nah. It is what it is. Just throw money at a solution, in this case buy the book AGAIN. Consider the first one a gift without a thank you.
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For some reason, Irish, EU and Commonwealth citizens are allowed to vote in local races. But the rest of us are not.
Deletehttps://www.gov.uk/elections-in-the-uk/local-government
I know I think way too much about retrieving books, but as you said, it IS my job. And as much as I complain about it, I also enjoy the challenge. Sometimes it takes some real persistence and even detective work!
To "round up" the kids with overdue library books may I suggest bringing Olga up to the school. Tell her that the kids are all squirrels. As soon as they hear her barking and baring her fangs they'll have those books back tout suite. Mind you, you might receive some parental complaints!
ReplyDeleteThat is a brilliant idea, but I'm not sure Olga would fall for it, unless the kids all wore false tails.
DeleteI did like the "Politicians are Scum" one.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I do like the posters. Very visual!
DeleteThere are the remains of a handsome man in Sadiq. I'd vote for him. But I am not as shallow as I seem. I know rather a lot about Khan.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you are not a UK citizen. Can you hold dual citizenship?
Yeah, we can, but we have to apply for it and it costs a lot. We'll do it one of these days. We've already passed the tests and done all the hard work.
DeleteValerie's platform sounds a bit like "I am a nice person, I like puppies, and everyone should just get along".
ReplyDeleteBeing a librarian for children's school library is like being Harris County Precinct One Constable's Corporal Joe Bowden, a hero to those who have had things stolen- oh and, if books were bikes. Anyway, good job , Steve! I am sure the library is grateful!
Ha! I know -- it's very "power-to-the-people" to say you're going to have committees of random Londoners running things, but can you imagine how chaotic that could get!?
DeleteI'm glad you got your camera back. I'm looking forward to seeing the new photos.
ReplyDeleteWe went to see Roger's daughter and family last Sunday and spent an hour or so in the yard hanging out and talking distanced, but mask-free. It was lovely to feel safe now that we're all fully vaccinated. Enjoy your Sunday garden brunch. it makes life almost feel normal.
Nice! It IS great to be getting back to normal.
Deleteburning pink party? I wish we had a multi-party system. it would force people to cooperate. funny that the posters for Valerie say 'politicians are scum' when she's running to be a politician. the 'politicians are pants' though leaves me scratching my head. must be a British thing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a British expression of disdain! There are multiple parties in UK races but for the most part it's Tories vs. Labor, just as in the USA there are two dominant parties and in some areas (like NYC) lots of little ones. (There's a third fairly large party here in the UK, the Lib Dems.)
DeleteI can't wait for more pictures now that you have your camera back.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to oblige!
DeleteAs long-term residents (not yet citizens), we can't vote in national elections but we can vote in local ones. Just read a bit of what Valerie Brown has to say; if I could vote in London, it wouldn't be for her -- although I do agree that most politicians are scum. Enjoy the "new" camera!
ReplyDeleteI think Valerie's heart is in the right place but her solutions don't sound workable to me.
DeleteGlad you got your camera back. I'm betting you are anxious to try it out.
ReplyDeleteI see that Valerie has spared no amount on her campaign advertising.
She hired some good graphic artists, at least!
DeleteI would have thought the camera shop would have charged your battery since they were doing repairs but I guess, in today's world, they only do what they have to. Glad you got it back though. I hate election seasons because of all the signs that pop up at every intersection, it seems, and stay there for what seems like forever. My, I'm sounding like a Grumpy Old Man today but I'm old so I have a right to be grumpy. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, now that you mention it, it IS surprising they didn't charge the battery. I can't figure out how it got run down in the first place. The maintenance work wouldn't have done that, I don't think...??
DeleteI'm glad you've got your camera back but it seems like lousy customer service to return it with a dead battery.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, I didn't even think of that, but you're right! They should have charged it.
DeleteYou find some beautifully colourful photo subjects in the big city
ReplyDeleteWhoever Valerie has working on her campaign, they're good with visual messaging!
DeleteZipped down to Vauxhall from Finchley? Where's your cape, Superman? :-)
ReplyDeleteJoking aside, is it me or am I seeing more lunatics this year putting themselves forward in the mayoral elections? I had a pamphlet delivered the other day with a list of all the candidates and their policies and it was as thick as the (soon to expire) Argos catalogue! :-)
Have a nice Bank Holiday weekend.
It seems like every election brings out the lunatics, doesn't it? I honestly haven't paid much attention to all the contenders in this one, since I can't vote anyway. We didn't get the Argos-like pamphlet! (Not yet, anyway!)
DeleteA dead battery! Oh, dear. I'm impatient, so that would have bothered me a lot. The colors of those posters are very eye-catching!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's purposeful, so people don't spend a lot of time in and around the shop testing the camera when it's first returned -- they have to go home and charge it up first!
DeleteOur first non-family company in a year just left. It was really lovely to have them here.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your pictures!