Global Ban on Asbestos #2

On 22 June 2012 I posted a brief note on the sad death of my good friend Chris a few years ago from the effects of an industrial disease contracted whilst working with asbestos.


I also mentioned this year`s Action Mesothelioma Day (6 July 2012) and the fact that the theme for the day was to call for a global ban on asbestos.


Mesothelioma UK have now released the first of two bulletins giving details of events that took place on the day.


By definition, many of the groups involved in the day are community-based groups more accustomed to raising funds/awareness and providing support to people in difficulties than with being part of a co-ordinated campaign. Nevertheless, all the groups involved contributed in their own way and I congratulate them all.


I particularly liked the Hampshire Asbestos Support and Awareness Group, who like a number of groups, had to abandon a plan to release doves as an act of remembrance due to severe weather conditions but stated defiantly "the rain spoilt nothing about the day". That`s the spirit !


Returning to the campaign itself, two events may be of particular interest.


In Manchester, the meeting was addressed by Canadian campaigner Kathleen Ruff who spoke about the Quebec Government`s decision to fund the re-opening of the Jeffrey Asbestos Mine which is expected to extract and export 5 million tonnes of asbestos over the next 20 years. Most is expected to go to countries such as India that have no restrictions on the importation of asbestos.


A number of MPs addressed the meeting, and I believe all of these were from the Labour Party. Amongst them was Jim Dobbin MP who had asked the Prime Minister and the International Development Secretary, both Conservatives,  to encourage international communities to oppose this decision.  To his credit, Prime Minister David Cameron agreed to raise the issue at a meeting with the World Health Organisation later that day.


In Leicester, that city`s first elected Lord Mayor, Councillor Abdul Razak Osman, also endorsed the call for a global ban and spoke of the need to support those whose goverments have no restrictions on the importation of asbestos.


If you would like to know more about the campaign, or about the events that took place on the day, please contact Liz Darlison or Tracey Heseltine at www.mesothelioma.uk.com .







  

Happy Birthday, Nelson Mandela

Various parties have gone online to post items commemorating Nelson Mandela`s birthday on Wednesday and slightly belatedly I`m going to do the same.


At risk of showing my age, I thought I`d post an image of my Free Nelson Mandela badge, which obviously dates from a time when Mandela`s circumstances were rather different to the ones he enjoys today.

I had hoped to post pictures of a few other relevant items of a similar vintage but unfortunately my inbuilt tendency to untidiness means that I`ve no idea where I`ve put them !  When I get a few moments I`ll see what I can find and post a few more images.


In the meantime, these two items may be of particular interest ;


Peter Clottey - South Africa`s Unions Congratulate Mandela on Birthday - 17 July 2012


VOA News - S. African School Children Sing Happy Birthday to Mandela - 18 July 2012


both of the above can be found at http://www.voanews.com/section/africa/2204.html .

Quotation Station ; W E B Du Bois on Liberty v. Repression

The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.


W E B Du Bois

Hoonaloon Books July 2012

Just a to let you know that the current Hoonaloon Books Newsletter is online now and can be found at http://hoonaloon.blogspot.com .

Don`t forget that our latest sale is already underway, with the prices of all items we are selling via ABE books reduced by 25% until 27 July 2012.

Hoonaloon Books Sale July 2012

In a spirit of enlightened self-interest, I`d like to mention that the latest Hoonaloon Books sale is now underway and runs from 1 July 2012 - 27 July 2012.


During that period all the items we have for sale via ABE will be discounted by 25%.


The prices shown on our ABE listings are already discounted, so all you have to do is make your choices and place your order.


As I`ve already mentioned we stock a range of titles in the fields of history, politics and philosophy, with a variety of viewpoints represented.


As a quick glance at our listings will show you, we also carry stock in a wide range of other categories. Recent additions to our listings have included works on Transactional Analysis and Gestalt Therapy,  the flora of the Rocky Mountains, historic  monuments in the UK, folktales and legends, a book of religious texts and some books of poetry.


Any questions, feel free to ask.


Nick & Ann-Marie
Hoonaloon Books