Rose coloured criticism.

[g jones]

Originally Posted by chav1

"COME TO ACCRINGTON - its not as bad as burnley" is about the best i can think of

I take difference with that. I like Burnley town centre compared to Accrington.

I am with Garinda. Rose coloured spectacles do not improve anything in reality. You should face up to the issues. Less spin more honesty.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by g jones

I take difference with that. I like Burnley town centre compared to Accrington.

I am with Garinda. Rose coloured spectacles do not improve anything in reality. You should face up to the issues. Less spin more honesty.

Infact we could do away with all this positive thinking, rose coloured spectacles nonsense.

The Council could give us all a years supply of Prozac when our Council Tax bills are issued.

We'd all be in cloud cuckoo land, and everything would seem simply wonderful.

[Billcat]

Originally Posted by garinda

Billcat, just because you are critical it doesn't mean you don't care or love something. You comment, and see what's wrong, because you care.

Hi Garinda!

Certainly it is okay to identify what needs to be improved - and there always is something in that category. BUT - the is a world of difference between identifying and attempting to take on a problem and merely complaining. Truth is, complaining is probably the number one spectator sport here in the USA, and it would not surprise me to find that the same holds true in a lot of other places. Frankly, life is too short to spend time with the whiners, especially when there are plenty of fun folks who are positive and active.

It is also vital to recognize what is good and what is improving and the folks who are making the effort.

It is my belief that if you really "care of love something," you should personally get involved addressing one or more of the problems. I was raised to give back, to try to leave the place a bit better than I found it. That's why I'm ususally pretty busy with various projects and fundraisers. It can be as simple as participating in a community clean-up day to chairing a state-wide project for Kiwanis, where 14,000-plus members are working to raise funds for part of a new children's rehab hospital.

I see way too many folks who are quite ready to identify all the problems, but who are completely unwilling to make even a minimal effort to address them. IMHO, those folks are part of the problem - perhaps the biggest part!

[Gayle]

I agree Billcat. The trouble is that some people seem to think it's someone elses responsibility without taking any ownership themselves.

[Billcat]

There is a great quote, variously attributed to Edward Everett Hale and also to Helen Keller. Probably was first said by Hale, given that he lived earlier. Can't blame Ms. Keller for using it, as she accomplished much, despite being blind and deaf.

"I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

It is a great concept!

Hale also had his thoughts about those who complain too much, "Never bear more than one kind of trouble at a time. Some people bear three - all they have had, all they have now, and all they expect to have."

And, one more from Hale, just because we should all feel this way, "Even with all my wrinkles! I am beautiful!"

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I agree Billcat. The trouble is that some people seem to think it's someone elses responsibility without taking any ownership themselves.

I find that attitude a little bit patronising, although I'm not taking it personally, as you don't know what I may or may not do.

Everyone has the right to voice their opinion, and pass critical judgement, or indeed give praise, whether they 'take any ownership of themselves' or not.

Whether a person sits on their arse all day, does invaluable work, quietly with true altruism, or does a lot of high profile, back slapping, community work, I think each is still able to give valid, constructive comment.

Going back on track to Peter Britcliffe's thought. It is quite a naive mind that believes that big business will relocate to any particular area, just because it's citizens are thinking positively about the good things the area has. In fact it's simple minded rubbish.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Absolutely agree there Garinda. The point is that HBC is a collection of our elected representatives and surely we ought to have the right to point out to them what we feel could be done to improve things.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I still think that having an interesting and attractive town centre is far more likely to draw new shops/businesses and tourists/visitors, both of which compliment each other and lead to a continually flourishing town as opposed to charity shops and pound shops and a piddling little market which discourages people from coming in from out of town and summat stuck up on top of the Coppice which hardly anybody is going to see.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Absolutely agree there Garinda. The point is that HBC is a collection of our elected representatives and surely we ought to have the right to point out to them what we feel could be done to improve things.

Well then, I quite agree with you too.

Just because people have chosen, for whatever reason, to put themselves up for public office, the majority of people who don't still have a right to voice their opinion, even if it is critical.

Perhaps if they were doing their bloody job better, we wouldn't have to be told to think more positively about our area.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Billcat

Hi Garinda!

Certainly it is okay to identify what needs to be improved - and there always is something in that category. BUT - the is a world of difference between identifying and attempting to take on a problem and merely complaining. Truth is, complaining is probably the number one spectator sport here in the USA, and it would not surprise me to find that the same holds true in a lot of other places. Frankly, life is too short to spend time with the whiners, especially when there are plenty of fun folks who are positive and active.

It is also vital to recognize what is good and what is improving and the folks who are making the effort.

It is my belief that if you really "care of love something," you should personally get involved addressing one or more of the problems. I was raised to give back, to try to leave the place a bit better than I found it. That's why I'm ususally pretty busy with various projects and fundraisers. It can be as simple as participating in a community clean-up day to chairing a state-wide project for Kiwanis, where 14,000-plus members are working to raise funds for part of a new children's rehab hospital.

I see way too many folks who are quite ready to identify all the problems, but who are completely unwilling to make even a minimal effort to address them. IMHO, those folks are part of the problem - perhaps the biggest part!

I'll type out Peter Britcliffe's column, for anyone that might not have seen it in the Observer.

'My old Dad used to say you don't hear a fishmonger crying 'stinking fish' because if he did he would never sell anything. That's one of the reasons I don't knock Hyndburn, and in particular our major town centre, Accrington. If I did who would want to invest here and would we currently be welcoming businesses like Tesco, The Officers Club and Subway into town?
Those who whinge and knock the town would do well to heed my old Dad's words if they wish to see improvements.'

This is were we differ.

I call it burying your head in the sand, rather than not knocking the town.

Does Peter's schedule at the ivory tower that is the Town Hall, allow him to see what is actually happening in the town?

Did he see the fourteen empty stalls, at the already much reduced, because of 'improvements, market this afternoon?

Does he see the still empty new retail units in the town centre?

Does he see the hideous blue and white facade on Broadway, a quarter of which is the Town Hall's offices?

Barnes's furniture store still sadly empty. The Victorian Arcade in a dismal state. Numerous closed shops, and council backed new ones being added to the stock as we speak The list is endless.

Commenting on these things isn't 'whinging', it's pointing out the fact that something is drastically wrong. It isn't a nationwide problem, sadly for us it's a local problem.

Not knocking the town, thinking positively about the area, isn't an alternative to actually solving problems, like I said it's burying your head in the sand. Problems just don't go away if you chose to ignore them, anyone who has ignored a drip through a ceiling would agree, when you later have to have the whole room replastered.

Bill, everyone has a right to question those that have put themselves up for public office. It's called democracy. What that person does or doesn't do for the community is totally irrelevant, as most people I know go about that sort of thing quietly, without the need to make a big song and dance about it, and if they do that shows something lacking in character in my opinion.

Funnily enough my old Dad used to have a witty anecdote that featured Peter Britcliffe, but I'm much to loyal a son to print it.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I would happily participate in a community clean up, but I know that a couple of days later, the work that I might have done removing rubbish and graffiti will have been undone by irresponsible people who do not care about the environment that they live in. It makes me wonder at the state of the houses that some of these people live in. I find it totally depressing to watch young mothers allow their toddler children to discard wrappers from pasties and sausage rolls by just throwing them in the street......especially as there are places to dispose of these items of rubbish.

Much more could be made of our town centre...it has a sad down at heel feel to it. No amount of rose tinted spectacles can alter that fact.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I would happily participate in a community clean up, but I know that a couple of days later, the work that I might have done removing rubbish and graffiti will have been undone by irresponsible people who do not care about the environment that they live in. It makes me wonder at the state of the houses that some of these people live in. I find it totally depressing to watch young mothers allow their toddler children to discard wrappers from pasties and sausage rolls by just throwing them in the street......especially as there are places to dispose of these items of rubbish.

Much more could be made of our town centre...it has a sad down at heel feel to it. No amount of rose tinted spectacles can alter that fact.

That's funny. We were sat outside today, on the corner of the market, having a coffee from the van which has the chairs outside, facing Wilkinsons. Two girls aged about eleven walked past.

One tossed an empty drinks can down the stairs to the market cellar.

'Oi, go and pick that up, there is a bin here.'

'**** off' she replied.

I flew after the little scrote, and again shouted my instruction, a little like I was possessed by a demon.

Happily she eventually went and got the discarded can, and placed it in the bin.

I even frightened myself.

[Gayle]

Good for you, Garinda.

[Margaret Pilkington]

That is exactly what I mean. Now girls of eleven should know that it is wrong to discard litter by just tossing it on the floor....even toddlers should be checked...or failing that there should be someone handing out fines......a few £50 fines and maybe these miscreants would think twice before littering the place.

[garinda]

I'd do it again, lots of us would, it's just acting upon instinct....until one of us gets knifed!