There’s less than a week to go until America elects its next president. As the Trump/Clinton campaign finally comes to a conclusion, there are a few thoughts that have crossed my mind. I will begin in an unusual place – the exhibition at the V&A in London, which I visited on Monday, called “You say…
Paul Barron is a management consultant with Human Alchemy.
There’s less than a week to go until America elects its next president. As the Trump/Clinton campaign finally comes to a conclusion, there are a few thoughts that have crossed my mind.
I will begin in an unusual place – the exhibition at the V&A in London, which I visited on Monday, called “You say you want a Revolution, Records and Rebels 1966-70”. It also depicts the American involvement in the Vietnam War, Cuban Missile Crisis with Russia as well as the race to put a man on the moon. Bob Dylan wrote “The times they are a changing” and the Beatles were at their global height, experimenting with drugs, meditation and peace.
I remember as a teenager the absolute explosion of music and the real feeling of change and unrest around the world; none more so than in America where Lyndon Johnson was escalating their involvement in Vietnam, civil rights were boiling over as Muhammad Ali refused the draft and the black power movement were protesting at the 1968 Olympics.
The assassinations of J F Kennedy and Martin Luther King brought America to the boil and Richard Nixon came to power on a ticket of reform and listening to the people.
So fast forward to 2016 and consider what it is like for the average American today. The American dream of independence, booming economy and global power before the financial crisis, has been replaced with eight years of relative austerity, job losses, unemployment, longer working hours, growing debt (35% of all Americans have debt that is more than six months overdue), Islamic State threatening their homeland, immigrants stealing their jobs and Russia flexing its muscles on the world stage.
The violence and unrest that has been present at the Trump rallies is an eruption of this frustration, boiling over in front of a candidate who is stoking the fire with his rhetoric, aimed directly at their fears and prejudices.
Add to this the view that “Washington” has done nothing to support them and “politicians” are generally not to be trusted. Enter Donald Trump.
Americans are looking for someone to stand up for them, make them powerful again and not spout political messages that have no substance.
The Brexit vote was a vote for change, “ordinary people” who finally had a vehicle to express their anger, irrespective of the consequences.
Well Trump is not a politician, he is a celebrity and we know that people are influenced by celebrities. He plans to deport 11 million immigrants, build a wall on the border of Mexico, create the world’s greatest army, wipe out Isis and have America be respected again, “really respected” and no one seems to care how he intends to perform this miracle.
Meanwhile, Hillary, the polar opposite of Trump, is embroiled in scandal and represents the very establishment Trump supporters are opposed to, which is why the vote is so close.
The FBI investigation into Hillary’s emails will not conclude until after the election so we are all watching this supreme farce being played out as deuce point in the final set.
On the wall of the V&A exhibition was the following.
“The change that took place from 1966 to 1970 was that people no longer believed that authorities knew best, they increasingly trusted their own judgment and believed in the possibility of progress”.
Fifty years on, don’t bet against Trump, despite the widely held view he is a dangerous lunatic!
Paul was previously CEO of NATS, President of ALSTOM UK and MD of Ruston Gas Turbines (now Siemens). He was awarded a CBE in 2000 an in 2013 received the Association of Colleges Gold Award in recognition of his career achievements. Paul is now a management consultant with Human Alchemy.
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Phase two of the works at Speakers’ Corner in Lincoln is well underway and expected to finish on schedule this summer.
Phase two, which began on Monday, January 11, will see existing paving upgraded, as well as new street furniture being installed.
It will follow the first phase which was completed and open to the public on December 22, with a new bench put in place around the existing London Plane tree, instead of the demolished kiosk.
Speakers Corner bench is in place, but closed off until phase two paving works are finished. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Site setup for phase two is complete, with workers on site currently digging out the existing hard paving standings at the Cornhill.
A large portion of the area has been fenced off while work takes place, leaving just two pedestrian strips on either side to access both the High Street and the Cornhill Quarter.
There is limited access in the area while works take place. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Despite the cold and wet weather throughout January, progress of the paving removal has not been affected.
This means that phase two works are still on course to be finished in summer this year.
It is hoped that once the area is completed, the walkways will blend in with those at Exchange Square, as well as utilising the space for events.
A look at how the finished development will look. | Illustration: City of Lincoln Council
Bin collections in Boston and in parts of East Lindsey will be suspended for the rest of the week due to COVID-related staff absences.
The collections will be suspended from Wednesday, January 27 as a number of East Lindsey District Council’s and Boston Borough Council’s waste crews either have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council said it is not a decision that has been taken lightly and it is necessary for the service to be suspended in some southern parts of the district until Monday, February 1.
From Monday, waste collections are expected to continue as normal.
Households impacted by the disruption can present any accumulated side waste in black refuse sacks alongside their black bins on their next scheduled bin collection.
The following areas are affected:
Boston
Friskney
Eastville
New Leake
Stickford
Coningsby (part)
Coningsby Moorside
Dalderby
Haltham
Mareham Le Fen
Moorby
N Bolingbroke
Revesby
Scrivelsby
Tumby
Tumby Moorside
Tumby Woodside
Wilksby
Wood Enderby
Carrington
Dogdyke
Frithville
Gypsey Bridge
New Bolingbroke
New York
Scrub Hill
Thornton Le Fen
Westville
Antons Gowt
Cowbridge
Fishtoft
Frithville
Langrick
Sibsey
East Keal
East Kirkby
Hagnaby
Keal Coates
Midville
Stickney
Toynton All Saints
West Keal
Victoria Burgess, Assistant Director for Operations at the council, said: “Over the past couple of days it has proved a real challenge to keep the service going with a number of rounds having not been completed due to staff absences.
“With more crews off again today we needed to take action now and suspending the service is the only realistic option available to us to keep everyone safe – something we’ve worked hard to avoid.
“Our workforce has done an amazing job over the past year and they’ve received much praise from the community and are grateful for your continued good wishes.”
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire County Council has agreed to extend their open days at the Household Recycling Centre on Bittern Way for the disposal of black-bagged general waste and recycling only.
The two extra days of opening are Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next, between the hours of 8am and 4pm.
Over 6,000 people living in and around the Scunthorpe have signed up to donate convalescent plasma after having coronavirus.
This comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is appealing for more potential plasma donors ahead of an upcoming third trial.
Convalescent plasma is the antibody-rich plasma of people who’ve had coronavirus. This can be transfused into people who are struggling to develop their own immune response.
NHSBT wants more people in the area hitting the 28-day recovery mark to sign up.
Over 30 donations have so far been taken at the Scunthorpe donor centre at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road, which opened in December last year.
People can register to donate online here and can donate 28 days after they’ve recovered from coronavirus.
The Lincolnshire centre is located at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road in Scunthorpe. | Photo: NHSBT
NHSBT is collecting the plasma for new trials for older people or those with cancer to treat them early in the course of the infection.
Two earlier trials have now stopped for data analysis. The upcoming third trial’s focus will be on those with low immune systems and all donations are tested for COVID antibodies.
The NHS trials of convalescent plasma are the largest randomised controlled trials for this treatment of COVID-19.
Professor Dave Roberts, Associate Medical Director for Blood Donation at NHSBT, said: “More people than ever are now able to help – the time to donate is now.
“We especially need donations from people in Scunthorpe who’ve had hospital care. Men who had hospital care are around six times more likely to have the high antibody levels which might save lives.
“We have completed two trials and analysis is ongoing. We now need to collect plasma for further planned clinical studies. We’re particularly looking at high risk groups such as the elderly and people with cancer.
“Donations are vital to the ongoing lifesaving research, which gives us a better understanding of how we can best treat patients with COVID-19 and help prevent deaths in the future.”
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