Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Government starts book burning exercise?

I shan't deny that in recent weeks I have been lax at looking through Hansard like I used to. However, today I have taken a peek and was tickled pink by what I found.

In response to a question from Theresa May about what reviews, surveys, questionnaires and polling the Department for Local Government Government and Communities had carried out since November 2007, Hazel Blears said one was called Fire Kills Literature Review.

For some strange reason all I could think was how the conversation went. "Right guys, time to have a review. Who's got the books and the matches. Let's see if paper still burns. And remember, next week we'll be reviewing the wetness of water!"

In other news they also had a Fire Kills campaign recognition omnibus survey. Wonder if that involved live demos re-enacting Joan of Arc's failure to recant her insanity and instead prove that fire does indeed kill?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dizzy - not usually a pedant, but St Thomas More was beheaded at the Tower of London having been convicted of Treason by the false testimony of Sir Richard Rich. His Catholicism (technically) had nothing to do with it.

I suspect you have been misled by Backadder:

"Edmund: Well, it is so often the way, sir, too late one thinks of what one *should* have said. Sir Thomas More, for instance: Burned alive for refusing to recant his Catholicism, must have been kicking him- self, as the flames licked higher, that it never occurred to him to say, "I recant my Catholicism."

For famous people called Thomas who suffered death for the crime of Heresy by burning at the stake, can I suggest His Grace?

Kind regards

MORUS

dizzy said...

Indeed television as ruined me. I was going to use Joan of Arc originally so have reverted in response to pedantry.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps this new fashion for Fire Awareness prompted this just last week

"Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has now withdrawn the dramatic chip ban demonstration for schoolchildren — due to health and safety fears ...

Dave Crawford, a watch commander with the fire service, said: “The practical demonstration is very dramatic and quite spectacular...it definitely stuck in their minds.

Instead, the pupils will be handed leaflets and given instructions telling them what they should do in the event of a hot oil blaze occurring at home"

30/05/08

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2051604/Chip-pan-fire-safety-school-demo-%27too-risky%27.html

Armchair Sceptic said...

The problem for Labour is that, as much as they'd like to burn some books, they'd have to burn a lot more videos, DVDs and YouTube videos to hide pictorial evidence of their failure.

Old BE said...

Fahrenheit 451 is required reading in NL circles.

Rich Tee said...

Funny post. You're, er, on fire.

Anonymous said...

Now I feel bad...