Getting the Tories out - using social media

In the next few days the Tory's millionaire backers will be buying up social media space at a ridiculous rate. We need to do everything we can to counteract this, and since it was too big for one post on Facebook there I thought I'd list it all here.

The Basics - Taking a stand

1. Don't give the Tories social media oxygen. Don't react to their posts. Don't comment on their posts. And definitely DON'T share them. Arguing with them or reacting with an angry face else just ensures more people see it.
2. Follow your chosen candidate and their local party on all platforms and if possible set notifications so you are alerted every time they post. Your job now is to boost their posts so more people see them without having to pay for it as the Tories are doing.
On Facebook react to every post (that's 'love', 'laugh', 'angry' or 'wow'), comment on every post (even if it's just a thumbs up icon) and if possible share every post.
On twitter simply like a post, rt and reply.

3. Make sure your socialist friends know this! Friends don't let friends make social media mistakes. (Maybe you could share this post?)
4. We need to show people hope. Every time you share or rt a positive post do so with a message of hope ("we can make this a reality", "this will help so many people").
If you do this it will really help your chosen candidate, and it need only take a few minutes a day for the next few days.
We CAN make a difference.

Intermediate - Beating the Blues

 1. Keep scanning the replies to your chosen candidate's posts. React to all the positive replies. DON'T react or comment on any negative responses, however if someone else has, the negative reply will rise up the comments, it's your job to push them back down again by replying to all the positive comments (you may need to reply to a few positive posts several times to push them above the negative ones). This works for Facebook and Twitter.

2. Follow the opposition. If they make a stupid mistake take a screen shot and share that with a suitably cutting comment. Never, ever, share their post directly. Ever.
3. Regularly do a search for your chosen candidate and another for your chosen constituency. Boost all the positive posts by reacting and commenting (even if it's only to say a simple 'Thanks'). On twitter don't forget to filter both for 'Top' and 'Latest'.
4. And finally an easy one, follow your party's national page, reacting, replying and sharing as you would for your local candidate. And if you have the time add a few other pages as well, such as Another Angry Voice, Scientists for EU, BestforBritain and PeoplesVote.
We CAN out-reach the Tories and we won't have to spend a penny to do it.
Go for it!

Advanced - Social Media Warrior

1. Seen a good post or image? Copy/screenshot/download/save it and push it out to your contacts via WhatsApp. This is currently being used to great effect by pro-Brexit groups.
2. Join Nextdoor. It's local to each area so you'll have to register at https://nextdoor.co.uk/ It's more like an old style message forum and tends to reach the people who don't like mainstream social media. It gets the message outside your normal bubble but keeps it local.
3. Watch your friends posts. If you see a lie /false news CALL IT OUT. But don't get into arguments, call it out, post your proof and move on.



Finally if you are doing all of this please get off social media for a bit. 
Call Granny, make sure she knows about why you are hoping for change of government, she'll love to hear from you. Call all your friends and relatives. Go out and get into political conversations. Sign up for your party's telephone campaign (there is usually an app for that that will allow you to do it from the comfort of your own home).
And honestly, if you can do any of that you can do door knocking.

We will win this, one conversation at time. 
For they are few, and we, we are many.

We will not comply

This half-term my kids have been sent home with a form asking for their country of birth and nationality. My husband and I strongly suspect that the final data set will be used for political gain and to curb immigration. 
We will not comply with this Conservative Government's blatant xenophobia so we've written to the headteacher and governors. We strongly recommend you do the same and since it's easier to adapt what someone else has written than to start from scratch here's a copy of what we wrote.

"Dear Head Teacher and Governors,
Thank you for your Data Collection Form Autumn 2016.
We have been looking into why the DfE wants this information and have found out that parents are not obliged to provide it. We will not be.

You can find more information here: http://schoolsweek.co.uk/school-census-2016-how-should-schools-collect-nationality-data/
Here is the relevant paragraph:
"The rules place an obligation on schools to ask parents for the country of birth and nationality of their child. But there is no requirement for either parents or pupils to supply the information.
Parents can refuse to provide the information and, in this case, schools can record that refusal in their census submission. Schools also have the option to tick either ‘not yet obtained’ or ‘not known’."
We therefore request that you record that for both our children information on their 'Country of Birth' and their 'Nationality' was withheld by their parents.
Yours sincerely,"

Poem - Because I am a Woman

A poem a wrote a few weeks ago.

Because I am a Woman.

Because I'm a woman I should smile because it makes the world a brighter place.
Because I'm a woman I should make the most of what you charmingly call my assets.
Because I'm a woman they can tell me I have to wear high heels to work which will hurt my back,my feet and slow my day.
Because I'm a woman they can comment on my skin like its a work qualification

Because I'm a woman I should accept their shouts and the beeps of their horn because they are a compliment.
Because I'm a woman I can wear low cut tops but not breastfeed my baby in public because that would be gross. 

Because I'm a woman I will cross the road if I think he's following me.
Because I'm a woman I carry my keys in my hand placed individually between my fingers.
Because I'm a woman I will keep my thumb poised between the call and video button on my phone.
Because I'm a woman I won't take taxi on my own but I do know the way home with the best lighting. 

Because I'm a woman I will drink out of bottles and keep the top covered.
Because I'm a woman he thinks my smile is an invitation.
Because I'm a woman he thinks my short skirt is practically asking for it.
Because I am drunk he thinks I won't mind.
And because I'm a woman, my previous sexual history is his defense.

Because she's a woman I won't let my daughter out late on her own.
Because she's a woman I will teach her how to hide, how to kick, how to run and what to do.
And because big crimes start with little misdemeanors I will find the strength to call out those actions as misogynistic. 
Because I will report them.
Because I am a woman.

Cold call fun

I don't know about you but the amount of marketing calls I'm getting are beginning to seriously p*** me off. I've had to develop a few methods to deal with them since "I'm registered with the telephone preference service, please remove my number from your list" clearly isn't getting through.
Method 1. I tell them that I do need to speak to them but there's someone at the door could they just hold the line for 30 seconds while I deal with them then I prop the phone up in front of the radio and walk away and leave it. Hopefully this keeps them on the line a bit longer and stops them harassing anyone else.
 
Method 2. I pretend I'm Helen Tichner from the Archers and I've knifed Rob then I ask them for help with what I should do with the body and how to make a good custard.
 
Method 3. Pretend I've been kidnapped. I'm trapped in the house, I can't get out, can't make out going calls and I don't know what to do. Then I scream down the phone at them. 
 
Method 4. I tell them that I am a media consultant and that my rates are £400 an hour and by staying on the phone and continuing to phone me and not removing my number from the list they are there by agreeing to pay my bill. 
 
Method 5. I remind them that I have in fact opted out of receiving their phone calls and that by continually phoning me they are not only breaking the law but engaging in harassment. I ask for their name so that I can send the information to your lawyer. 

Method 6. I imagine I'm an over tired mum of a new baby and go all emotional on them (This one is really not that hard!)

Of course I'd rather that they just didn't call but if they must be a nuisance then I don't see why I shouldn't wind them up too.
 

Mum in a time of conservatives - A load of hot air.

Honestly I can be a bugger for using up the earth's valuable resources. I could just get my local MP to stand in front of the wrack of wet clothes and ask him (because it invariably is a him and not a her) about his election promises. But no, I go ahead and tumble-dry wet clothes.

I asked a friend how she lived without one (her tumble-dryer I mean, she has an MP), she said her last one broke and she simply didn't replace it. 

So how can you cope without a tumble-dryer? Get extra radiator racks, definitely get an outside line or possibly one outside but under cover (is there a carport, conservatory or simply a well ventilated passageway you can put it in?) A couple of my friends have had sheilas put on the ceiling above a radiator and they work really well.

Healthy? Don't think it really makes a difference.
Green? Hell yes, very. 
Money saving? Yep
Lefty? Well it beats giving your money to the energy companies or a white goods manufacturer. So a little yes. 

Or you can ask your MP over for a cuppa.

There's no one left of here

I wrote this ages ago but somehow it disappeared. No idea why. So hear it is again.


I took a 'political compass' test this week.  If you'd like to take it to then I strongly suggest you click on this link and do it NOW as the post below could ruin your results for you.

It put me just left and slightly lower than the Dalai Lama.
What did that tell me? Well, in some ways nothing new. I am very left wing and quite libertarian. I'm proud to be what I think is a socialist, I can remember my Grandad telling me it was great thing "you should be proud to stand up for those who are not able to do it for themselves and share what you have with them" he told me "it is nothing to be ashamed of". I am proud. I'm also sad that it would seem that with this test at least half the of the Labour party leadership are not with me.
You can easily dismiss some of the questions as a bit vague and I admit that after years of taking magazine tests in teen mags and other media that frankly should know better I do tend to answer these in extremes (it's the only way to get an interesting answer).
http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/left-unity-is-it-just-joke.html
If you don't look at the map you might end up exactly where you were heading.

Mum in a time of conservatives - Drown your sorrows

Drown your sorrows. In water. 

Seriously, have you actually looked at the cost of decent bottle of Champagne recently? And the kids Fruit Shoots and J2O don't come cheap either.
You could all switch from all those expensive not to mention calorific, bottles and cans. Clearly I don't mean bottled water, because who the hell is going to have the cash to splash on Buxton, plain old tap water. No sugars, no artificial sweeteners, no calories and no hangover. 
 
Healthy? Check! 
 
Money saving? Check!

Green? Well there is no packaging and no air-miles so Check! 

Lefty? No cans and bottles means no extra money for Rexam's Tory supporter Graham Chipchase and what could be more lefty than a product for the masses? So, "hell yes" Check!
 

Just don't add whiskey......

(Yes this is a little tongue in cheek, I need something to lighten my mood. But seriously water is great stuff. Want some ways to make water more interesting? Click here )