Money For Nothing

A guest post from Joe Public.

Such prescient lyrics, composed in 1985

"Money for nothin' and chicks for free 

Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it

Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb"

Who'd like to be paid, not for doing something, but for not doing something?

Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy, has stated recently that “in 2011 constraint payments totalling £12.1 million were made to wind farms through the balancing mechanism”. 

The Renewable Energy Foundation claims on its database the biggest recipient of constraint payments was Hadyard Hill wind farm in south Ayrshire which received £2,150,068 since 2010. It is operated by Scottish & Southern Energy on land owned by former presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament Alex Ferguson. According to his declaration of interests last year, he estimated his rental income to be between £40,001 and £45,000 a year.

REF's enlightening database is searchable & sortable. An invaluable tool.

It was Bob Dylan who sang:

"The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,

The answer is blowin' in the wind."

Meanwhile, in Hungary, a $billion-worth of Forints is being put to good use, in the ultimate recycling scheme...

Annually, Hungary recycles about $1 billion worth of old forints (currency of Hungary), and converts the worn out currency into briquettes. After which, these are distributed to different charitable organizations . The briquettes are used as a heating fuel. This unique government program covers up to a third of the expenses in heating some of the buildings.

The Greek Experiment

Why would any country be serious about joining the European Union?

Rangers - A Sign Of Things To Come

click to enlarge

Another Loss In Afghanistan

Senior Aircraftman Ryan Tomlin, of 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, was killed on Monday, 13 February.

He was taking part in a partnered patrol to reassure and interact with the local population in the Western Dashte area on the edge of Nad-e Ali district in Central Helmand Province when he was fatally wounded by small arms fire from an insurgent attack. He was airlifted to the field hospital at Camp Bastion, where he later died.

SAC Tomlin was on his second tour to Afghanistan.

British military deaths in the war in Afghanistan since 2001 now stand at 398.

Another loss of life in this useless war.

Are We About To Repeat History?

Princes Street, Edinburgh

Capital City of the new Scotland?

Guest post from Apogee.

I was spending a wee bit of time reading Hazel Lewry's blog specifically about the Treaty of Union. Very interesting and I get the impression that she is well clued up.  In my opinion it confirms what I have always felt, if we wanted to, we could just walk away from the whole thing.  Seems Ireland never paid any money way back into the coffers and considering what Scotland paid the treasury in oil revenue, why should we pay anything?  Anyone reading the McCrone report realises we were and are still being lied to, and when they (westmonster) talk about the rule of law, they mean their law, English law. In Scots law the people are the law, not parliament. 

I wonder, having watched Cameron in the last couple of months, he has realised this is in fact the situation and has decided to let the cards fall as they may, could be the least messy solution to a lot of problems, he should be in the position of knowing the real financial position, If he doesnt, if he is being lied to, there will have to be a big clearout of traitors, because that is what they are.

But a treaty can be walked away from by either party, that's the way treaties work, so how is the EU "treaties" so unbreakable,  Where did the idea come from that EU law is above international law, wishful thinking and disinformation from the EU. That can be the only answer, and as an independent country, we are surely, as a sovereign country, within our rights to ignore all EU laws except those that apply to trade that we wish to take note of. 

We decide who enters our country, and has residence, not the commissars of a fascist state.

Time this whole constitutional business saw the light of day, and an honest debate was had. If we did walk away, whose army are the going to send in? The English, a third to a half are probably Scots. The Germans? no one would put up with that. The Kermits? aye right. But remember that the EU is building, slowly but surely, a supranational 'police' force which can go into ANY EU country without asking permission first. I understand from reports that it numbers about 1800 and is armed.  


It has been hinted that the amalgamation of Scottish police forces may well have been a 'suggestion' of the EU.

What do you think?