Thursday 24 May 2007

Short termism

Yet another example today of short termism in our society. In order to promote green spaces, you'd think that we would create a new green space, plant some trees, some grass. Return a piece of brownfield land to green space to show what to do.

But no, we instead put down some turf for 2 days - yes count them, one, two - in Trafalgar Square. So it's almost literally here today and gone tomorrow. The turf will be moved to other parks but I assume to replace existent green space rather than create new ones. I don't know about turf but I assume that being laid on concrete for two days can't do it much good - let's just hope that it takes in it's new location. Only tourists go to Trafalgar Square anyway so there's likely to be little impact on the good burghers of London Town.

I propose that instead, if we really want to promote green spaces we really make a new one. Take a street, close it, send the diggers in to remove the concrete and then plant some real grass and some real trees and then leave there for ever.

My suggestions? Whitehall would be good. However, Downing Street would be smaller but more impactful. Visiting ministers should arrive on a goat instead of in a chauffeur driven gas guzzler. Or a donkey for the PM for an added impact of biblical proportions. Of course when ministers are called to Number 10 to be sacked they will have to leave on the ride-on mower so that their final exit from the street (or now renamed Downing Field) will be of some use (biodiesel driven from left over chip fat, of course).

37 comments:

lyndyloo said...

Moose I applaud you!

What a load of green rubbish is being spouted! (or should that be sprouted?)

Maybe local councils could stop putting down block paving at a squillion pounds a foot and just put the same money into planting more green verges, plants, trees and financing their upkeep. Or even providing a local community garden service so that more people that have little time to tend their garden (or are not able to do so) get the option to keep their garden and not have it slabbed over!

And with that I'm off to bed. I have a body combat class in the morning... Night night everyone!

Luv
Lyndyloo
& the Bears
-x-x-x-

lyndyloo said...

Morning everyone!

I've been very productive this morning, answered my emails, made 2 appointments, taken the bears out and dropped them with Grandma and now about to tuck in to a big bowl of organic oats with fresh berries before heading out to the gym.

Cath up with y'all laters

Luv
Lyndyloo
-x-x-x-

Anonymous said...

Firstly, lyndyloo, amd SOOOOO glad Roobear is doing well. Nearly 100 eh? She'll be getting a bonegram from the Qveen soon. You will have to put this in a frame and place it on the mantle piece so that all Roobears visiters can see it.

Secondly, Moose. I saw that on the BBC yesterday and was spitting the proverbial pins. I also thought well, why not Trafalgar Park? I know Hyde Park ain't that far away, but tourists don't nessercelery do they? They (Big Brother, councils etc) keep 'pedestrianising' these areas with, as lyndyloo says, block paving, but there is nothing like a bit o' green to lift the spirits...as opposed to a Ye Olde Lamp Pofte...but if cars aren't using it as a thoroughfare, why can't they use a bit more grass?

Actually, a thought has just occurred...from my festival days...
Mud Fights. Mud Baths. Getting covered in Mud. Soaking wet and covered in Mud. A thin t-shirt, soaking wet, and covered in Mud.

Possibly not a good look, and isn't it a bit early for the naughty corner...

Mud, merde...
love
hazel
x

I've got a frying pan and I know how to use it.

Ok, ok I'm going. Any sign of that water cooler yet?

Anonymous said...

Morning all!

Apologies for absence - had a lot on...

HOWEVER, I am feeling good...

Moose and HL - glad you met up! I will make it to a OAMC eventually :-)

Green - hmmm - am absolutely furious that yet again, in attempts to reduce landfill, the Government are targetting households. Domestic waste in this country accounts for only 10% of all refuse - surely, increasing recycling (which I am in favour of and do recycle lots and lots) for households and 'fining' those that fail to meet quotas is another example of tax by stealth? Grrrrrr.

In regard to Trafalgar Square/Park, if it makes people think about the lack of green space in this beautiful country of ours, that's all to the good. I am lucky in that the village I live in, whilst not being the most picturesque, is surrounded by stunning scenary - really coudn't go back to City living now.

Haven't had a chance to catch up on the squillions of posts I've missed as of yet, so in the meantime, love and best wishes to all and if things aren't quite as you want them to be - I'm sure they will be soon.

S xx.

Anonymous said...

Moose, I love the idea of Downing Field!

Thank you for replying re: CE's blog. No, I didn't recognise you under a different name, dammit! But I understand where you are, and who knows you may want to go back on there someday. I'm all off kilter with his blog now - the timing just doesn't suit!

Lyndyloo - sorry, but I must have missed what was wrong with Roobear. I'm glad everything is o.k. And thank you for understanding my crazy train of thought about Christmas!

Matt - how honest - you could have come up with any old excuse. Sorry you have been struggling recently - it's not fun. As I said to you a while ago, your holiday will sort you out and I think you'll be back on top form after it. The closer it gets though, doesn't the time drag?!

EG & MWK - I can certainly do the 16th and think it's a great idea to meet up on a Saturday. Will we go for lunch? If I win the Lottery before then, I'll treat all of us to a sensational lunch at Harvey Nicks!!

Oh and this is REALLY embarrassing! Hazel, yesterday when you asked is everyone shouting JUDY JUDY JUDY, I completely misunderstood and thought you meant the song Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!! Ye gods, old age is horrendous! So, what did JUDY .... etc mean?!

C xx

Anonymous said...

ChrissieS, Hey Jude was on the radio...that was all...

...and MfR...it is a bit of a relief that you weren't there. We were a bit worried that we may have missed you, and there were SO many guys there who could have been you, it would have been such a shame to have missed you!

Dunk-in at 10 anyone?
love
hazel
x

Anonymous said...

...of course they weren't nearly as handsome as you...and it will be lovely to see you when you decide that you would like to see us...hope you are feeling betterer anyway...

love
hazel
x

I have toast and I know how to use it.

Anonymous said...

Moose - I so agree with you. Although I hadn't seen the trag Sq stuff. Downing Street already has a big patch of green - saw it on tv - quite impressive garden - but of course only those and such as those ever see it.

Hazel - just caught the 10 0 clock dunk - phew!

Mary & Chrissie - new date should be fine for me.

Jollygit - thanksyou - the sun is here this morning. Hope it lasts.

have a great day all.

EG

Anonymous said...

Hazel, now I geddit!

I love The Beatles. I remember coming home from the Brownies one night and my lovely brother had bought me She Loves You!

I was rubbish at the Brownies - I only managed to get one badge and I think that was for "Housekeeping". I was a Kelpie!

Going now!

C xx

Anonymous said...

I agree, and it reminds me of an arts project that a colleague worked on a few years ago. A group of artists decided to regenerate a plot of land that was left derelict. It was in a particularly desolate part of central Birmingham where there was little or no work, and research suggested that the families did not engage with each other, never mind nature, the earth and all that.

So one morning as the residents who surrounded this wasteland opened their curtains, a herd of jersey cows greeted them. Grazing on the land.... as the weeks went by, the cows continued to graze, were looked after by artists and the local community who after not being able to believe thier eyes, were excited to get involved. The cows were monitored by their farmer and a local vet to ensure they were well looked after and treated with respect and over the course of 2 or 3 mths became the focal point of the area. it brought communities together and restored faith and respect in to the plot of land. Evenutally, the cows had to be moved on, but even now - several years later, it is the focal point of the area and the plot of land is well looked after by all the community.

I wish i could have been part of that project.

xx

Anonymous said...

EG...stuffed cauliflower...take off only the scabby outside leaves and place whole flower in a HOOOOGE saucepan of boiling water to steam for about 5mins then drain. Mash up and fry off a bit of mince, mushies, onions, garlic, worsesethershire sauce, anything you fancy really. Carefully peel the top leaves back and even more carefully make two cuts in a + to about 2/3 the way down (towards the stalk) the flower. Put as much of the mixture into the opening as you can, and smother in shaved parmesan and a bit of cheddar, fold leaves back again, wrap in foil keeping it upright, and put back in steaming saucepan for about 10mins. Remove from pan, unwrap foil, and it's up to you how you serve it, as it depends how much it falls apart...but it should be ok to eat the greens as well if the cauli is fresh enough! I've served it with a load of rice mixed into the rest of the mincey mix, but if there are only t 2 or 3 of you, there'll probably be plenty without having to cook an accompanying dish, Johnny.

Although this is wicked in the barbecue pit as well, it's a bit of a winter thing I guess, but you could do a more summery one with rice, peppers, sultanas, etc etc etc if you are that way inclined...

I was an Elf I think. Are they the blue ones? I had SO many badges, I couldn't bend my arm...but then I had inherited my cousin's uniform and she was a bit of a swot...

...and I have just had the most superb sing along to Don't Cry for me Argentina...what an outstanding song!

Have I said too much?
love
hazel
x

jollygit said...

Moose - I quite agree about turfing Downing St - that would be great!

EG - glad the sunshine arrived safely - I hope it lasts! xx

MfR - I'm sorry you're not feeling too sunny at the moment but your holiday will do you the world of good. I always find that the closer to a holiday I get, the worse I feel - it's as if you start to run out of steam 'cos you know you'll be out of the rat race soon ... well I know what I mean anyway! Take care xx

jollygit xx

Anonymous said...

Hi

This is just a quickie to say - Jollygit THANK YOU for sending the sunshine to Scotland :o)

Mary xx

Jo said...

Morning - Just been to see HR, interesting stuff... Turns out I was right all along - hoorah :o)

As for Brownies, I was asked to leave I think as I never had the right shoes and was too disruptive...Nothing's changed really.

:o) Jo

jollygit said...

Mary - it was my pleasure!

Jo/HL - I was a Pixie in the Brownies and I've still got my badges which my mum carefully removed from my uniform (how sad is that!). I remember having to carve a Bible from a bar of soap but I've got no idea which badge that was for! Used to be in the Guides too and had to carry the blimmin' heavy flag at church parade. I loved those days, except for the guide camp, when I tripped over a guy rope (who was he?) and sprained me ankle, although this got me out of having to do the big hike the next day but got me on jam sandwich duty instead!!!!

Halogen days.

jollygit xx

Oh bottoms, I completely missed the 10 o'clock dunk .... oh well, I'll have a midday dunk instead - all welcome.

Anonymous said...

Johnny,

Fab recipie! Will definitely give that a go - sorry to steal it, I know it was meant for EG.

Jo - a wee victory - hurrah!

Jollygit - it's a definite that we go downhill just before a holiday. The girl I work with has been ill for the last 10 days and it's simply because her holiday is imminent!

C xx

Anonymous said...

I feel a little left out - I was never a guide or a brownie. My sister was a brownie but didn't get any further - I think she and her friend were a tad on the disruptive side ...

I saw the turf in Trafalgar Square and couldn't help but think what a waste of money and turf. But what a good idea to grass over Downing St. Future deputy PMs would be nicknamed 2 goats or 2 mowers ... The policemen on duty could wear those sandal things with spikes on the bottom to keep the grass aerated (used to be able to get them from the Innovations catalague - other defunct books of useless gadgets are available). They could keep the grass level down by having a couple of sheep grazing there - as long as they wore name badges to distinguish them from the politicians coming and going from no 10.

Time for a bowl of soup I think. Butternut squash and red pepper anyone?

Anonymous said...

Ooh Jo - a victory! good for you. Will HR do anything about it though??

Anna - there's a patch of grass in front of one of the crescents in Bath where there are often sheep grazing. Not quite the same as inner city Birmingham, but nice to see all the same.

Just a note for Keith if you're watching ... Good luck to Yeovil Town for Sunday at Wembley. Did you manage to get tickets? I thought of you when I say the ticket queues on local TV.

eg(scotland) said...

Hazel - thanks for the cauli recipe - by the time I got to the parmesan, I was salivating. me thinks stuffed cauli for next weekend.

EG

Anonymous said...

Chaps, I'm orf at 1400 so I'm saying cheerio now...

Have lovely weekends wherever you are, whether the sun shines or not...

Thank you all for another smashing week, and see you all on Tuesday!

Cheers Moose!
mwah mwah
love
hazel
x

btw if anyone has mailed me the email is down and I can't get innit. the boy has imported a virus at home, so I'm all a bit non-pc at the moment...sorry...

good night sweet princes x

Anonymous said...

ps I've done a bit of writing and would welcome your comments on my blog...re the hen weekend

many t's
love
hazel
x

Anonymous said...

Yes I am watching, not in a stalking, obsessive way you understand ;-)

Thank you for the good luck message for Yeovil Town. This really is a fairy tale for such a small town that has been in the football league for such a short time. My tickets have arrived so it is all systems go….

Have a good weekend one and all xx

Keith the

BigUn
xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Troops,

Just calling in to say we have been told we are finishing at 4pm (I'll believe it when I see it) so I have quite a lot to do before then.

Susan, EG and MWK - I really hate to say this, but I cannot make 16th June. I completely forgot but we have a joint birthday thingy with Mr S and my sister.

Can we put it back to the 24th? If not, just go ahead and that's fine. I will email you all over the weekend.

To everyone else, thanks for this week - another five days which have helped my sanity and well-being. Thank you!

Have a great weekend - see you on Tuesday!

C xx

Anonymous said...

Hiya

Moose I'm all for Green - these days any spare land is being built on which is a terrible shame!

Hazel - I know you've gone already, have a great weekend xx

Jollygit - we still have the sunshine, in between the rain mind you but it's still here :o)

Chrissie, EG, Susan and other SOAMC attendees - 24th is good for me. Would be great if we can all do the same day, and I think Saturday is good idea too, but if they majority of you can do the 9th then go ahead. I don't mind missing this one but I won't miss another :o) I could always have a wee catch up soamc with Chrissie after work one evening in Glasgow :o)

Have a good weekend all xx

Mary xx

lyndyloo said...

Arfernoon everyone!

Body combat top class!! So much more enjoyable without hangover as last week (eek!)

Keith - Com'on the hoops!!!

MfR- Hope you have a brighter weekend hon!

DD- out?

HL - See you Sunday (yes a sneaky blog meet at Hove actually for an ice cream).

Moose- Have a good one!

Chrissie S- The 16th is proving a very popular day now for parties.

For everyone that asked... Roobear had a lump on her back that seemed to be growing but the vet has assured me it's nothing to worry about on a lab that's nearly 100 it's just a cyst and it'll be fine.

Have a super bank holiday weekend everyone and if anyone has nothing to do tomorrow I need some help clearing out the garage in preparation for the "outdoor inn" bar to be erected for the party on the 16th.

Luv
Lyndyloo
-x-x-x-

Anonymous said...

Oh Lyndyloo and Hazel sneaking in a wee ice cream - yummy - enjoy!

I've just been told I can finish 30mins early - not going to argue with that one......

Have a great weekend everyone xx

Mary xx

jollygit said...

Lyndyloo - give my love to Hazel and have a great time (chocolate sprinkles on my ice-cream please!)

Mary - glad the sunshine is still with you - it's yours to keep OK?!

Have a great BH weekend one and all xxxx

jollygit x

Moose said...

Evening all.
Today was a good day. Swim and steam this morning, a good meeting with my coach and a bacon baguette, cut the grass and washed loads of clothes ready to go away AND I've just made a nearly veggie lasagne which is just out the oven cooling and waiting for the mooselets to finish watching Numberjacks. It's nearly veggie because it has small pancetta cubes innit. Well, I'm trying to clear the fridge out so I just threw everything in. Except the herring. The lasagne sheets were best by March 2004. Let's hope I'm right that dried pasta doesn't really go off...

Good luck to Yeovil and all hooped sports teams. The hoop is a vastly underrated strip.

Have a great meet up in HA on Sunday. I shall probably be somewhere on the M25/M4/M5/A30 while you are licking.

We are not sure when we are leaving yet...it depends how quickly we can get the list of jobs done.

Mrs Moose is out at Simply Red tonight. Jealous, me? Just because I saw them at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in 1985 when they'd had just the one hit...no! Hey, I have my red wine and my lasagne to keep me company. I actually started wishing I had the previous series of House on DVD...

Wishing a wonderful BHW to everyone. Next post will most likely be from St Ives!

Anonymous said...

Oh, i am sooooo envious Moose. Have a pint for me. Hope your holiday is lovely and full of sunshine.

There is a bench outside beachcombers cafe that me and him in doors always use to sit on and read the papers with our takeaway coffee (pre mancub you understand!) - If you get chance, have a sit on it for me.

have a good BHW all, and yay to Lyndyloo and HL meeting up - maybe HL will get round all of us before we all meet together. Always welcome in Nottingham Haze!

xx

eg(scotland) said...

Moose - how was the lasagne. I'm afraid that anything that is on or past it's best by or use by date I have to throw away. The Dom God on the other hand thinks that simply a ploy to get us to chuck stuff away and buy new. So with a lot of stuff he's still happy to use it even if it's well past the date. HAVE A GREAT BREAK.

GOOD LUCK YEOVIL - I'll be shouting for them.


EG

Anonymous said...

Busy yesterday, at home today, been to docs, X-Ray OK, Have not turned into Lou Ferrigno (something like that) No operation needed at this time.

Woooooooohooooooooooooooooo!!

DD out (of it)

eg(scotland) said...

DD - Good news. Enjoy your weekend.

EG

lyndyloo said...

Oh what a nightmare... had a big Friday night out and lost my mobile! This is not a good thing! However Orange have been very helpful and I'll have a new one delivered tomorrow between 9 and 1 which is pretty impressive on a bank holiday weekend Sunday when all said and done. In the meantime I feel like I've had my left arm cut off (which would be less painful than my left knee which I fell over onto and have a masssive bruise on this morning).

sometimes I'm such a numpty!

Luv
Lyndyloo
-x-x-x-

jollygit said...

Lyndyloo - wow, that was one heck of a Friday night! You poor thing - hope you feel much better very soon xxxxx Amazed you're getting a new phone so quickly - well done Orange. Are you still going to be able to get to HA and see la Love for an ice-cream?

DD - glad you're OK xx

EG - can I have my sunshine back please???! It's freezing down here!!

jollygit xx

eg(scotland) said...

Lyndyloo - poor you - mobile and bruise. Hope the weekend looks up for you soon.

Jollygit - you've been so kind how could I refuse your offer. I should say though that while we had the sunshine there wasn't a lot of heat - about 15 degrees - hot enough for this time of year - and for Scotland! Sending it back now - but not sure about the postal service over the holiday weekend.

Luv to all.

EG

Anonymous said...

Just back from meeting lyndyloo! Her bruises are quite spectacular...

anyhoo, Christopher Walken: The Deer Hunter, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New York, Batman Returns, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, The Funeral and Catch Me If You Can

So, pick the bones out of that hon!

love
hazel
x

lyndyloo said...

I thank you all for your kind words, the bruises are now starting to go a lurvelly shade of purple!

Had fun meeting up with the Hazel one and as you can tell she was most impressed with my war wounds. We chatted about all sorts over a couple of drinks as it was too miserable to go for ice cream before I had to go offto my friends birthday party.

... Have to say though peeps it's done nothing but rain on me all weekend!!! All the way down to Brighton- all the way back- all the way to the american football match... can it please stop now?

Luv
Lyndyloo
-x-x-x-


p.s. HL did you see the fireworks? They were just brilliant!!!!