Pilton Sucks dotCom

It would seem readers and friends that support for our anti bullying campaign is growing judging by the comments we have received. Growing to is the demand for an investigation into Muirhouse Social Work Department and its bully cover up plot. One comment asked for protection if they came forward, what a travesty when employees have to ask for protection for coming forward, they fear victimisation which says a lot about M.S.W.D and Its bullying mentality.

We at Pilton Sucks.com are commited to rid the workplace of bullying and we can start with M.S.W.D.The bully continues to work there and is hiding behind the coat tails of his manager.

We are also informed that the bully may be guilty of misuse of council transport booking out a council car for two hours on Friday 13th february but not returning it till tuesday i6th February without an explaination. He just cannot help himself not only is he a bully but quite possibly a thief as well. Come on Muirhouse get a grip and get rid of this character.

Friends and Readers, if you have some spare time and wish to shop locally why not try ScotMid in Crewe Road North, I did and lived to tell the tale.

I wandered into ScotMid one afternoon making my way round that maze of steel fencing giving our wholesome ScotMid that P.O.W camp look. On entering said premises I was met by a lady with a sleeping bag under her arm, when I asked her why she had such an item she told me that it takes so long to get served in this place I brought my bed with me just in case. I am sure she was just pulling my leg.

So as I sauntered down the aisles I had to be careful at the produce because it was almost jumping out at me or in this case falling on me because it was so badly packed. On joining the longish queue I noticed the staff happily chatting amongst themselves and the heavy breath of frustration coming from the ever increasing queue. I turned my head and noticed the security guard reading the Edinburgh advertiser somebody remarked behind me thats the third time he has read that paper while I have been in this queue, i wondered what that said about the quality of the paper or the length of the queue.

Anyway as I played with time I eventually got served and made my way out of the store only to be met by a stack of unused lottery slips possibly the remenants of some punters dreams, and up to the post office I did go to join yet another queue. On entering the post office I met the  lady with the sleeping bag, she turned round to greet me with that look of queueing fatigue in her eyes. Ah well she said it is nice to know some things never change.

So in this modern era of crooks, cheats, conmen and of course consultants, be comforted in the thought that the new residents of the Waterfront Wevelopment will miss out in these little pleasures of life, while the residents of the Crewes can continue to revel in the caring, sharing shops of Crewe Road North.

Well readers and friends, it seems our good councillor Elizabeth Maginnis is advocating the development of a casino within the Waterfront Development, no doubt in Granton so she can continue to live the good life which her many interests allows her to do. Who voted for this person, surely the last thing we need is more gambling and its associated problems.

This is pure stupidity. We are told it could attract up to 30,000 visitors - SO WHAT!  What she should be pursuing is trying to bring in real sustainable employment to the Granton area not another organisation designed to fleece the punters of their money. It would be far more benificial if Ms Maginnis used her time more productivly- say in her role as Chair of the  very secretive Waterfront Board to secure some of the 9,000 jobs she herself told us there would be available for the local punters,

From the Evening News:

Speaking at yesterday’s full council meeting, Granton councillor Elizabeth Maginnis, said: “If this casino was sited in Granton then you could see up to 30,000 visitors coming to one of the most deprived parts of the city. This development would also bring benefits to the rest of the city.”

It is time that Ms. Maginnis seriously considered her position and real role in this community, possibly she should consider resigning as local councillor - you can almost feel the sigh of relief coming from the community.

PiltonSucks.com believes the casino proposal is a nonsense and does not even bear a second thought. We also feel that gambling and the casino groupies who frequent these places would certainly not enhance the community rather give it yet another blight in its makeup.  One of the ways to rub a community’s face in it is to create an even bigger divide between the haves and the have nots.

Friends and readers this ludicrous idea comes from, wait for it , A LABOUR COUNCILLOR the ordinary peoples party dedicated to lifting the scurge of poverty from our communitys. Doing a good job is she not?

Readers and Friends, take a moment from your hectic lives to close your eyes and allow yourself to dream, to dream of meandering down Waterfront Avenue looking at the pavements that glisten in the early evening almost like gold dust sprinkled in front of you, and as you continue your pleasant stroll you will pass Caroline House and along to yet another building site with the ridiculous name of upper strand.com

But fear not as reality bites in the shape of a sculptured bronzed couple going to the beach.  The lady with a child, the lad with the boat and the man, cloth cap in hand.  Look if you will at them in from a short distance you would swear that the man was looking up at the swanky new development, puzzled as to why he cannot and will never be allowed or encouraged to improve his families lot, and that his life span would be a lot shorter than the residents of swank towers.

Could it be that his life will be cut short by some illness which might have been avoided if he could have afforded the medicine or will his children be given the opportunity in education and employment he never had. Yes friends and readers thank goodness that kind of living is in the past.

But as you leave the soon to be leafy suburbs of Waterfront Avenue the dream is over and suddenly you wake to find yourself at home in a chair with the tv on and a news presenter informing the nation of crisis in the N.H.S.,  education failing our children and employment - oh yes at record levels - but as you know, not were you live.

Thank goodness I woke from that dream.  God only knows how we could have lived with conditions that those poor people remembered in sculpted bronze had to put up with. 

Friends and readers. If you care to take a walk through Royston as we do regularly, you to will have seen if not had a mishap on them the ever decreasing state of the pavements and the roads. It would seem dear friends the local council have lots of spare cash for speedbumps judging by the amount they have built in Wardieburn and Royston.  Not everybody is a “boy racer.”

Indeed some of the -TRAGIC CALMING METHODS - are like mountains and you would need a landrover to get over them certainly a case of over-enthusiasim.  Is it not just as important to have safe pavements and streets free from bear trap potholes and seismic cracks in the pavements. With so many potholes around the community its amazing that no one has seriously hurt them selves but then people probably know where they are.

Edinburgh has so many potholes our rulers should get it put in the tourist guide Wecome to Edinburgh but watch were you walk and put a spare suspension kit in the back of your car-just in case.

P.S. One place that won’t be in the guide, guess where?  Yes you are right - THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT - in fact the Pilton punters  might even be barred form their streets just in case the punters moving in catch the local disease the pothole syndrome.

 

PiltonSucks.com have recently been to Ainslie Park leisure centre, which as you know is on Pilton Drive.  One of our associates asked a member of staff if they knew if local people used the centre, she replied that more local people were now using it and that was good for the centre.  We were aware of the leisure card which allows use of the facilities for one pound, which we were informed were issued on a post code basis.

So the increase in usage although welcomed by PiltonSucks.com is dependant on where you live in the community and which postcode has the card at anyone time - we hope you follow this so far.  As most of the residents will know the leisure centre has far from dropped its prices in fact they have recently been increased and therefore out reach of the average Greater Pilton family.

It is our opinion that although very welcome the postcode card is a quick fix to a growing dissaftisfaction with the private club mentality which the centre seems to be creeping towards.

Healthy activities have to be encouraged and certainly amongst our community’s children. Do you the citizens think that we should only be afforded postcode health?

Sounds familiar does it not!

Friends and readers,  no community can survive, or dare we say thrive ,without its activists.  Here in Greater Pilton we are blessed with some of the best in the city.  Take Betty Mcvay for instance, shas given many good years of service to her community and regardless of differences of opinion with others from time to time is a giant in our community.

There are others, the late Maureen Macmillan another stalwart in her community who also gave many years of service to her community.  In the Granton Area Eveyln Preston who very sadly passed away last week was to a huge influence in her community and will be very sorely missed by all.  Also there is Fred Marinello who we are sure the community can expect great things from.

These people and many more in our community do what they can to enrich the life of the residents and we at PiltonSucks.com recognise and welcome this.

From time to time differences will arise and debate rightly and properly takes place. We to encourage this, but when the debate stops and a conclusion is reached it must be for the enrichment of the community

If there is a chink in the armour it is when the eye is taken off the straight and debate decends into inner fighting.  This is foolhardy and extremely short sighted.

Of course community activists have differences from time to time but the objective should be the same A BETTER COMMUNITY A SAFER COMMUNITY A HAPPIER COMMUNITY.   

We at PiltonSucks.com are happy to work with community activists whether openly or anonymously.  Feel free to contact us. 

We at PiltonSucks.com support the idea of a community newspaper such as the North Edinburgh News (NEN).  This paper serves the the residents of Greater Pilton and is published once a month.

However we have one tiny critisism, what about some in depth journalism ask the awkward question from time to time, inform the residents of what is really going on in their community.  So come on Mary do not be frightened of the spectre of the Labour Party and their displeasure put some meat on the bones - you never know it might even boost circulation. While we are on the subject, what about a website - it’s 2006.

If you want to know how it is done well, check out Perth Australia: http://www.communitynews.com.au/

 

Those who can, do.

There are many myths surrounding bullying, including the perception that it is tough management and you have to be a bully to get the job done.  However, research shows that a toxic working environment where threat, coercion and blame are commonplace will be charaterised by low moral, diaffection and demotivation. There could also be a high level of sickness absense and a quick turnover of staff or alarmling low levels of full time staff.

Bullying is not tough management - it is bad management and always will be.  Staff have a right to a safe, secure working environment and to feel they are a valued member and colleague. Unfortunately in some places like Muirhouse Social Work Department this is not the case.

Bullying is all about power. Bullies want control of their victim and the environment.  Their main instrument of control is criticism. A colleague may focus on alleged underperformance. A manager may criticise everything from professional conduct to personal appearance. To correct the alleged failing, the victim jumps through more and more hoops, but the harder victims work, and the more they achieve, the greater the bully’s insecurity.

This damaging cycle often ends in the victim facing disciplinary procedures or stress, breakdown, or both. The bully then selects someone else to pick on and starts all over again.

Isolating victims from their friends and colleagues is key to a bullys tactics and the effects of this should not be underestimated.  It can be emotionally and psychologically damaging.  In a bullying workplace such as Muirhouse Social Work Department, colleagues are often afraid to stand up for the victim in case they become targets themselves. Those who speak out for friends being bullied or who blow the whistle on a bullying environment [THE MUIRHOUSE TWO] have shown to have been bullied.

As serial bullies try to move up the professional ladder, they become more and more able to abuse their power using all the tricks available to the serial bully. What angers the bully is the inability to move up the greasy pole because he or she believes they are some how superior to others.