The Times are giving out more free books! I discovered this yesterday when I trooped into Camden for some fridge fillers (and fruit bowl fillers and cupboard of dry goods fillers)
This week is Science. I'm not huge on science but yesterday's The Craftsman by Richard Sennet reminded me of my anthropology days. It's about the worker in all of us. Made me think of Nimble Little Fingers or whatever it was called about female factory workers in Asia.
So today, in the pouring rain, I jumped on Zat bike to get another. Now I've no need for the newspaper as you know as I get it in my inbox but then 5 books for the price of 1? I also like paper, any paper, the feel and texture of it in my fingers as I turn pages. You won't catch me reading an e-book anytime soon.
Today I was given Deep Simplicity by John Gribben about "the harmony underlying our existence".
Ooh, I look on the back and no female authors listed. Yesterday, The Craftsman promised The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan and Silent Spring by Rachel Carson on the back sleeve but not Deep Simplicity. Oh. What's going on?
Perhaps I shouldn't bother with Science after all. I still have some of my old anthropology books to read, most notably Death Without Weaping - The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil by Nancy Scheper Hughes. It's brilliant, harrowing, engaging but I never finished it.
I also STILL have to do my book reviews on the free books I got two weeks ago. I started Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton the other day on the train but fell asleep. Doesn't really bode well does it but I promised you a book review and a book review you shall get! Just don't hold your breath ok?
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
An email from 'quality' - woo hoo!
Late last night as I went into my inbox to rid it of junk mail I saw an email from 'quality'. Well I'll be blown! What a surprise!!
It was an inoffensive missive. He said he was "sorry" (blimey, they are ALL sorry) the letter gave me "cause for concern" but the housing association wouldn't evict me "immediately".
He understood, he said, why Pathmead's letter might concern me but on the other hand, he said: "a tenant may want a landlord to be as honest as possible about their intentions about a property, and that Pathmeads letter can't be criticised on that score." (I was criticising the Council 'quality', for saying I could stay until August which isn't true... you pretending you missed that...?)
He said he and 'allocations' would work with me "as much as possible, nearer the time, to secure alternative temporary accommodation," (no no no NO) "although we also hope that you have success with your bids for permanent accommodation as soon as possible," (yes yes yes YES).
He hoped this gave me some reassurance with respect to my future accommodation (er no) but to keep them informed "if any other matters give you cause for concern." (I have told them everything, well, apart from my son living so closely to alcoholics and the like).
I replied, straight away, rambling, for I do at late hours, how this was Groundhog Day, but not funny, I'd been through this with the church. Then I deleted references to Groundhog Day. Find something funny? Down here? They'll soon put pay to that! "I do not know when my 14 days will start," was how I toned it down, down, down.
I also told him I'd bid on five properties. Five! Near my son's school! "Five years I've been waiting, bidding, hoping for this nightmare to end. I don't want to go through complaint procedures, I just want to take my son home, once and for all."
Last week my support worker told me all managers had the power to use "their discretion" and he didn't know why they weren't using their discretion with me.
I reminded 'quality' that I wanted the Council to review my situation. "It now has my medical history I sent to you. Kind regards, Sue."
Stigmum is singing "Que sera sera" in my ear.
Shut it with your que sera sera stigmum. I'm not in the MOOOOD.
"For dancing, romancing!"
SHUT UP.
(Nolans??? For flips sake...)
It was an inoffensive missive. He said he was "sorry" (blimey, they are ALL sorry) the letter gave me "cause for concern" but the housing association wouldn't evict me "immediately".
He understood, he said, why Pathmead's letter might concern me but on the other hand, he said: "a tenant may want a landlord to be as honest as possible about their intentions about a property, and that Pathmeads letter can't be criticised on that score." (I was criticising the Council 'quality', for saying I could stay until August which isn't true... you pretending you missed that...?)
He said he and 'allocations' would work with me "as much as possible, nearer the time, to secure alternative temporary accommodation," (no no no NO) "although we also hope that you have success with your bids for permanent accommodation as soon as possible," (yes yes yes YES).
He hoped this gave me some reassurance with respect to my future accommodation (er no) but to keep them informed "if any other matters give you cause for concern." (I have told them everything, well, apart from my son living so closely to alcoholics and the like).
I replied, straight away, rambling, for I do at late hours, how this was Groundhog Day, but not funny, I'd been through this with the church. Then I deleted references to Groundhog Day. Find something funny? Down here? They'll soon put pay to that! "I do not know when my 14 days will start," was how I toned it down, down, down.
I also told him I'd bid on five properties. Five! Near my son's school! "Five years I've been waiting, bidding, hoping for this nightmare to end. I don't want to go through complaint procedures, I just want to take my son home, once and for all."
Last week my support worker told me all managers had the power to use "their discretion" and he didn't know why they weren't using their discretion with me.
I reminded 'quality' that I wanted the Council to review my situation. "It now has my medical history I sent to you. Kind regards, Sue."
Stigmum is singing "Que sera sera" in my ear.
Shut it with your que sera sera stigmum. I'm not in the MOOOOD.
"For dancing, romancing!"
SHUT UP.
(Nolans??? For flips sake...)
Monday, 2 November 2009
Four political parties on council flat sell offs:
Council candidates met last week to pitch for control of Camden Council ahead of the elections. They were asked by someone whether it was right to sell council homes.
Greens: "It's a difficult one - the executive has a huge problem. But the council clearly does not have a strategy on reducing its waiting list."
Labour: "In almost every case it's wrong. They should only sell homes that are in chronic need of repair - that has not been the case so far."
Lib Dems: Camden has been "punished" by the Labour Government.
Tories: "I don't think the sell off of voids needs questioning (no?!). Council tax alone will not cover the repairs - I'd ask the Government, where's the magic pot of money?"
I posted earlier today, the local authority (libdem/tory) blames the Government and the Government blames the local authority for the rat shit mess down here. (Response from Brown's quarters)
The I Don't Know Party wasn't available to comment, sadly, just got this news in the Camden New Journal today.
Who are you going to vote for next May? I Still Don't Know
Greens: "It's a difficult one - the executive has a huge problem. But the council clearly does not have a strategy on reducing its waiting list."
Labour: "In almost every case it's wrong. They should only sell homes that are in chronic need of repair - that has not been the case so far."
Lib Dems: Camden has been "punished" by the Labour Government.
Tories: "I don't think the sell off of voids needs questioning (no?!). Council tax alone will not cover the repairs - I'd ask the Government, where's the magic pot of money?"
I posted earlier today, the local authority (libdem/tory) blames the Government and the Government blames the local authority for the rat shit mess down here. (Response from Brown's quarters)
The I Don't Know Party wasn't available to comment, sadly, just got this news in the Camden New Journal today.
Who are you going to vote for next May? I Still Don't Know
Support worker survey
The council's written asking me if I'll take part in its Service Users Satisfaction Survey.
It's asking me all kinds of multiple choice questions about how friendly my support worker is, how helpful, how reliant. I like my support worker so I'll sing his praises.
Most questions are straightforward: "I feel in control of my money" or "I feel satisfied and happy" or "I feel my cultural needs have been met" (no, no, no!)
Others aren't: "I understand my housing options and feel able to make decisions about where my family lives". You can only give one answer for this double question. By saying yes to the former I have to say yes to the latter, but I can't say "no actually, I'm being punished for trying to make this decision by waiting and waiting even longer."
There are two big boxes at the end where I can put into my own words what I have liked about the service and what I haven't. In huge writing I will say what I like; my support worker, then in titchy writing because there's not enough space I will write what I don't like - the fact that my support worker knows me best but is actually powerless to help me. He's ignored by his managers.
You can do it anonymously but then you can't go into the prize draw for £100 of shopping vouchers.
Sod it, I'll put my name to it, wasn't long ago I wrote to 'needs and access' slagging off the service anyway so they won't be hearing anything new from me.
Do you think with £100 I can shop for a council flat? Ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha haaaaa, I'm soooo funny. They auctioned off another load last week but I wasn't paying attention. Next round I'll wave my shopping voucher. "It was a prize from the homeless housing division!" Good idea no?
It's asking me all kinds of multiple choice questions about how friendly my support worker is, how helpful, how reliant. I like my support worker so I'll sing his praises.
Most questions are straightforward: "I feel in control of my money" or "I feel satisfied and happy" or "I feel my cultural needs have been met" (no, no, no!)
Others aren't: "I understand my housing options and feel able to make decisions about where my family lives". You can only give one answer for this double question. By saying yes to the former I have to say yes to the latter, but I can't say "no actually, I'm being punished for trying to make this decision by waiting and waiting even longer."
There are two big boxes at the end where I can put into my own words what I have liked about the service and what I haven't. In huge writing I will say what I like; my support worker, then in titchy writing because there's not enough space I will write what I don't like - the fact that my support worker knows me best but is actually powerless to help me. He's ignored by his managers.
You can do it anonymously but then you can't go into the prize draw for £100 of shopping vouchers.
Sod it, I'll put my name to it, wasn't long ago I wrote to 'needs and access' slagging off the service anyway so they won't be hearing anything new from me.
Do you think with £100 I can shop for a council flat? Ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha haaaaa, I'm soooo funny. They auctioned off another load last week but I wasn't paying attention. Next round I'll wave my shopping voucher. "It was a prize from the homeless housing division!" Good idea no?
I've bid on four you tossers
"They check to see how much you're bidding," said the support worker. "If you bid every week, they are likely to look on you more favourably."
Wankers. It's not always possible you know, when you have a child to consider.
This week I haven't considered Zat bike and been "fussy" about carrying it up loads of stairs.
The four properties I have bid for are schleping distance from my son's school.
One is fourth floor of a tower on a large estate. There is no lift and possibly no space for Zat in the flat even if I can carry it up.
Another is first floor with a balcony on the same estate. There is space for Zat therefore
The third I bid on is round the corner from me here, further from a main road so Zat is crucially important. It also has a balcony for Zat.
The fourth is a conversion, further from the school , first floor, where will Zat go?
There were four other council flats to bid on but I'd need to change my son's school. Don't want to do this.
There were three housing association ones. One is near here, so ideal location, but I do not trust housing associations, I do not, do NOT. Look what's happening to me here.... Oh fuck it, I've just bid on it. I won't get it, I'm quite safe....
That makes FIVE I've bid on this week. Will I get one, will I? Oh reader, you will know next week what I know now.
It's not often that FIVE properties come up near my son's school. Will the council notice how I bid? Will the council care? Will the council shortlist me for any of them knowing that their stupid policies are seeing me evicted from my homeless temporary accommodation? I leave you to your own conclusions while I kill myself softly with another cigarette.
Wankers. It's not always possible you know, when you have a child to consider.
This week I haven't considered Zat bike and been "fussy" about carrying it up loads of stairs.
The four properties I have bid for are schleping distance from my son's school.
One is fourth floor of a tower on a large estate. There is no lift and possibly no space for Zat in the flat even if I can carry it up.
Another is first floor with a balcony on the same estate. There is space for Zat therefore
The third I bid on is round the corner from me here, further from a main road so Zat is crucially important. It also has a balcony for Zat.
The fourth is a conversion, further from the school , first floor, where will Zat go?
There were four other council flats to bid on but I'd need to change my son's school. Don't want to do this.
There were three housing association ones. One is near here, so ideal location, but I do not trust housing associations, I do not, do NOT. Look what's happening to me here.... Oh fuck it, I've just bid on it. I won't get it, I'm quite safe....
That makes FIVE I've bid on this week. Will I get one, will I? Oh reader, you will know next week what I know now.
It's not often that FIVE properties come up near my son's school. Will the council notice how I bid? Will the council care? Will the council shortlist me for any of them knowing that their stupid policies are seeing me evicted from my homeless temporary accommodation? I leave you to your own conclusions while I kill myself softly with another cigarette.
Response from Brown's quarters
I'd shred the letter if I had a shredder for what it's worth but instead I shall hang on to it incase it is useful for housing my son.
Yes, our Prime Minister forwarded my letter to the Communities and Local Government. If nothing else, it's more than his predecessor did for me. The letter did not however say "we're onto it mamma, we'll house you in a jiffy." Oh no.
They are "sorry" to hear about my situation (so easy to say, so easy) "but the allocation of social housing by a local authority is a matter for the authority concerned, and neither Ministers nor their officials are able to intervene in individual cases."
That's handy innit? The local authority, which is of flipping course a Libdem/Conservative one, says they are sorry but have to follow Government policy (when you back them against a wall) and the Government turns round and says it's nothing to do with them, talk to the local authority. Round and round we go.
"It's their fault says local authority, no it's their fault says Government, no it's their fault, no it's theirs..." Meanwhile, we are stuck. Me, my son, others, their children, squashed within failing policies, finding it hard to breathe.
"Local authorities," I am told, "are responsible... for housing allocation schemes, which must ensure that "reasonable preference" (i.e. priority) is given to certain categories of households."
Here is the list of households "that need to be given "reasonable preference":
Yes, our Prime Minister forwarded my letter to the Communities and Local Government. If nothing else, it's more than his predecessor did for me. The letter did not however say "we're onto it mamma, we'll house you in a jiffy." Oh no.
They are "sorry" to hear about my situation (so easy to say, so easy) "but the allocation of social housing by a local authority is a matter for the authority concerned, and neither Ministers nor their officials are able to intervene in individual cases."
That's handy innit? The local authority, which is of flipping course a Libdem/Conservative one, says they are sorry but have to follow Government policy (when you back them against a wall) and the Government turns round and says it's nothing to do with them, talk to the local authority. Round and round we go.
"It's their fault says local authority, no it's their fault says Government, no it's their fault, no it's theirs..." Meanwhile, we are stuck. Me, my son, others, their children, squashed within failing policies, finding it hard to breathe.
"Local authorities," I am told, "are responsible... for housing allocation schemes, which must ensure that "reasonable preference" (i.e. priority) is given to certain categories of households."
Here is the list of households "that need to be given "reasonable preference":
- Are homeless; check, been on the register over four years.
- Are occupying unsanitary, overcrowded, or unsatisfactory housing conditions; check, overcrowded and unsatisfactory.
- Need to move for medical or welfare reasons; check, welfare reasons: Government wants me back in work never mind the situation driving me mad and into the arms of the NHS.
- Need to move to avoid hardship; check, how hard does my life have to be?
Talk to the housing office, it suggests.
"If you are not satisfied with the way the council has dealt with the matter, you can complain using their complaints procedures. If you are not satisfied with the conclusion arising out of your complaint, you may wish to pursue this with the Local Government Ombudsman."
Clearly this is what I have to do. Instead of feeling filled with renewed energy, I feel crushed beneath the weight of the state's iron slabs. I want someone to take me by the hand and do it for me. I want someone to take me by the hand and SUCCEED where I am failing.
You think lone parenthood is a walk in the park? I can't see the fecking wood for the trees....
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Down and Out in Paris and London
(Free with the Times)
I am an Orwell virgin. I've heard of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four but haven't got round to reading them as I thought, so close to the state am I, that I might find them depressing.
Down and Out in Paris and London is my first foray into Orwellian literature. Were it not free, I would not read this for a while either but reader, if you are an Orwell virgin, I highly recommend it!
His expose of poverty isn't as grimly depressing as this blog; the man does humour! The man does humour well!!
He regales us with descriptions of the people he meets in Paris, even the bugs are personified; as soldiers emigrating to other rooms. The life of a washer upper is no fun (having been one myself) but we get a look into the workings of hotels, the shere cacaphony of having to cook four or five separate meals for two hundred or so people in the space of two hours.The dirt, the hierarchies, the treacherous hours for such little money where sleep becomes the luxury beyond anything else and the bistro at weekends. As a reader, you're swept along with him, smiling as you go.
The feel and mood of London is altogether different. He comes back to look after an 'imbecile' but the job doesn't start for a month. We follow his journeys with 'tramps' and the vicious cycles they are caught in and the lodging houses that will only keep them for a night, so they are forced to keep moving. In Paris the homeless can kip on park benches, in London no. I wondered whether with the council auctioning off hostels to private developers, life for the homeless will return as it was in the 1930's. Hope not....
Their diet of 'tea and two slices', the coffee houses that will rob them if they're paying by meal ticket not cash, Orwell gives it all. He says these people are 'ordinary'. I know this, but I also know that today society still carries huge assumptions about the underbelly of society. That society still thinks these people are 'work shy', druggies, alcholics oh I don't know, I haven't read the Daily Mail for ages.
I really enjoyed this and not just for the short chapters which kept me bouncing along. It is still as topical today as it was then, as illuminating a look at today as it was then. My only gripe, if I'll allow myself a gripe, is that he makes assumptions about women but then in London he didn't really have any contact with them and didn't talk to the one female tramp he met on his road.
Orwell paints a vivid and comic picture of his experience. I'm ready to read Animal Farm on the back of this!
(OK, this is my first 'review'. I hope I haven't put you off a corker of a book. Better I do it though than not do it because well, I said I would didn't I?)
I am an Orwell virgin. I've heard of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four but haven't got round to reading them as I thought, so close to the state am I, that I might find them depressing.
Down and Out in Paris and London is my first foray into Orwellian literature. Were it not free, I would not read this for a while either but reader, if you are an Orwell virgin, I highly recommend it!
His expose of poverty isn't as grimly depressing as this blog; the man does humour! The man does humour well!!
He regales us with descriptions of the people he meets in Paris, even the bugs are personified; as soldiers emigrating to other rooms. The life of a washer upper is no fun (having been one myself) but we get a look into the workings of hotels, the shere cacaphony of having to cook four or five separate meals for two hundred or so people in the space of two hours.The dirt, the hierarchies, the treacherous hours for such little money where sleep becomes the luxury beyond anything else and the bistro at weekends. As a reader, you're swept along with him, smiling as you go.
The feel and mood of London is altogether different. He comes back to look after an 'imbecile' but the job doesn't start for a month. We follow his journeys with 'tramps' and the vicious cycles they are caught in and the lodging houses that will only keep them for a night, so they are forced to keep moving. In Paris the homeless can kip on park benches, in London no. I wondered whether with the council auctioning off hostels to private developers, life for the homeless will return as it was in the 1930's. Hope not....
Their diet of 'tea and two slices', the coffee houses that will rob them if they're paying by meal ticket not cash, Orwell gives it all. He says these people are 'ordinary'. I know this, but I also know that today society still carries huge assumptions about the underbelly of society. That society still thinks these people are 'work shy', druggies, alcholics oh I don't know, I haven't read the Daily Mail for ages.
I really enjoyed this and not just for the short chapters which kept me bouncing along. It is still as topical today as it was then, as illuminating a look at today as it was then. My only gripe, if I'll allow myself a gripe, is that he makes assumptions about women but then in London he didn't really have any contact with them and didn't talk to the one female tramp he met on his road.
Orwell paints a vivid and comic picture of his experience. I'm ready to read Animal Farm on the back of this!
(OK, this is my first 'review'. I hope I haven't put you off a corker of a book. Better I do it though than not do it because well, I said I would didn't I?)
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