Aye, that's about it!
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Prioritising Obama Style
I don't know the circumstances of President Obama's situation here but it would appear he's addressing some conference just after he's heard the news of the shooting in Texas.
As Counting Cats in Zanzibar says "Nice set of priorities there." I wonder if anyone in the audience had a loved one stationed at Fort Hood.
Alcohol Laws - Nice Little Earner for the Treasury
I haven't, as yet, written about the proposed changes in how Scotland intends to curb its alcohol culture but if this story is anything to go by then we need to ensure the words 'common sense' are somewhere in the policy.
Sue Savage from Cranbrook, Kent, was shopping in the town's co-op, accompanied by her 6 foot, 15 year old daughter Tara. Ms Savage was purchasing alcohol for a drinks party along with other items. Because her daughter is much taller than her, she asked her to reach to the top shelf and fetch 4 bottles of vodka mixers (whatever they are).
A supervisor approached Ms Savage and told her the shop thought she was supplying alcohol to a minor and when Ms Savage protested she was told, "I'm sorry I don't believe you."
"They took the four items out of my basket my daughter had reached for and allowed me to buy the rest of the alcohol and the rest of the shopping."
Ms Savage and her daughter left the shop but she changed her mind and returned, leaving her daughter in the car. The shop refused to sell the mixers to Ms Savage and said "We strongly suspect you are buying them for your daughter," and the duty manager said she was breaking the law.
Ms Savage said she handed the duty manager the right money for the drinks and took them away but was reported to the police, who appeared at her home sometime later and issued her with a fixed penalty notice.
The staff obviously know Ms Savage and her family because they knew Tara was under 18 but as Ms Savage says ,"Assuming that someone is going to supply alcohol to children just because they have a child with them is ridiculous."
You can watch Ms Savage on the BBC's video here.
Lovely little earner for the treasury when police go around issuing fixed penalty notices because a minor helps reach items on the top shelves of supermarkets. Being what is now commonly referred to these days as vertically challenged myself, I've alway had to ask someone tall to reach for top shelf items, be it a jar of jam or a bottle of wine. Now I'm going to have to ensure the person I ask looks at least 50 - just to be on the safe side.
Hopefully she will decide to go to court to fight her case.
Don't forget, she was able to purchase other alcohol for her party without any problem.
Subrosa's Super Seven Blogs
A Very British Dude - Sex Education
Events Dear Boy, Events - Speechmaking the Brown Way
Newsnet Scotland - Glasgow North East - Surge in Postal Ballots
Police Inspector Blog - When is Crime a Good Thing?
The Last of the Few - Nothing More Need be Said
Think Defence - The UK's Place in the World
The Anger of a Quiet Man - And so it begins
A Drink of your Choice to:
Advanced Media Watch - One man's special Guy Fawkes Night
Constantly Furious - An Outbreak of Common Sense
Winston Smith - Mind your language and a few more thoughts on sterilisation
Late addition: Ideas of Civilisation - Leaving childish ways behind
Newsnicht - David Doherty
David Doherty is the Green candidate for the Glasgow NE by-election. He was interviewed on Thursday night by Gordon Brewer.
The interview was rather a rushed affair, but for a young man of 24, I think Mr Doherty did rather well. It was obvious he had done his revision and was nervous, but he didn't allow Gordon Brewer interruptions to put him off message.
The one criticism I would give is that he said he was campaigning on housing and public transport. Aren't they both devolved issues? The Green Party's policy on Warm Homes is a UK policy though so I can't take marks from him really can I?
I'm all for the Greens Warm Homes policy even although I've just spend quite a bit insulating a room (internal insulation as no other solution possible), but the cost to government would be prohibitive. Public transport in a country like Scotland is a difficult issue. Fine for the cities but outside the central belt we rely upon our own personal transport and that's not going to change for generations. Providing a good public transport service in rural areas isn't a sensible use of money.
Such a shame Mr Doherty's chance in the 'hot seat' was so brief, but I was impressed by his demeanor and the fact he didn't talk propaganda every minute, so I give him 8 out of 10.
Friday, 6 November 2009
G20 Summit St Andrews
Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews
Today finance ministers from the world's 20 richest nations will arrive in Fife to tackle the biggest issue facing the planet according to today's Courier. Together they represent around 90% of the world's wealth, 80% of world trade and two-thirds of the world's population.
Decisions made will have a direct impact on the lives of billions of people across the globe the Chancellor said yesterday. He also said what is at stake is nothing less than the future prosperity of the world's nations and millions of jobs.
The two big issues on the agenda are making progress on tackling - wait for it - climate change and reaching an agreement on how to generate growth in the future.
But to ordinary people why does it matter these powerful men and women are locked away for two days in a beautiful town on the coast of Fife. (Well actually they're not in a beautiful town but staying at the Fairmont Hotel which is two miles outside town. More about the hotel later).
Alistair Darling's reply was: "It's jobs." He also says the evidence of that concerted emergency action is there for all to see with Germany, France, Japan and America all coming out of recession. The UK, he predicts, will follow shortly, towards the end of the year.
It is towards the end of the year is it not? Maybe Mr Darling's 'end of the year' is Hogmanay. After the report yesterday which stated the UK was still in recession he can't be in a very happy mood.
Back to the Fairmont. Don't be thinking these people are living a life of luxury. The Fairmont is an average, new build (well nearly new) hotel. It is to my mind 4 star luxury with an over-priced tag. The cost of meals is more than ridiculous and if you do book for just yourselves, be prepared to be told you have to eat in the most expensive restaurant in the hotel because 'others' have booked the other eating areas. Dinner will give little change from £100 per person which includes a half bottle of middle-of-the-road wine.
How dare she criticise the Fairmont some of you may ask. The answer is I booked to stay there for three nights last year but left after two. The room was fine, much as I'd expect from a 4 star hotel, but it was positioned overlooking the air-conditioning vents and the noise continued day and night. Because the air-conditioning in the room was stuck on high there was the necessity of needing to have the window open all night. Six complaints about the air-conditioning produced no results.
Dinner was way over-priced, nouvelle cuisine style, most acceptable but not special so we ate in St Andrews the following evening. I decided to leave a day early because I was exhausted through lack of sleep and it was only because I began to loudly rant at the receptionist that I wasn't charged for the third night I had booked. She muttered something about me breaking my contract. Luckily enough I had my booking confirmation email to hand and was able to say they had broken the contract first because my "self controlling air-conditioning" didn't exist.
I expect these global finance ministers will have better fortune and of course they won't complain about the price of the food either. After all, they won't be paying the bill.
To be fair, the clubhouse and golf course were top notch and breakfast choice was excellent.
My advice for a treat would be to spend a little less, have a relaxing time, good food and calming surroundings in the peace and quiet of Stobo Castle. It has the most fantastic pool and steam rooms plus the bonny town of Peebles a few minutes drive away.
Do You Believe Gordon Brown?
I've listened to Gordon Brown's speech earlier in which he tries to convince us, the great unwashed, that our armed forces need to be in Afghanistan in order to keep our streets safe.
"Fighting there, so that we are safer at home..." In what way are we safer here with most of our military away from home fighting an unnecessary war in a foreign land?
"Joined by countries from all over the world..." Yes indeed other countries are contributed their troops through the Nato alliance. We have 9,000 of our troops out there, Germany has 4,200, less than half that amount and they are constitutionally restricted to non-combative roles. France has 3,000 troops in Afghanistan and refuses to send more.
"Britain could not afford to walk away..." That's fear-mongering and disingenuous. No reason given as to what it is we can't afford because there is none.
Brown threatened Karzai with the withdrawal of international support if he doesn't tackle corruption. I've been listening to this same sentence from Brown for many months now. The Afghan government will continue to operate as it does. Yes it will do a little window dressing to ensure the $billions of aid continue to flow in and to show the outside world change, but the core will stay as it has for generations.
"In the end we will succeed or fail together..." Emotive words again, desperately trying to convey that Britain would be cowardly to remove themselves from this conflict. It has become very evident over the past months that Obama calls the tune in this war and the other countries play the supporting acts. Those like Canada have this sussed and already have a planned withdrawal organised but the UK government refuse to even utter the words.
As I've said many times, our presence in this war will reverberate throughout these islands for generations. Our borders are wide open to those who wish to do us harm and therefore we already have many living here who wish us harm. Our forces would be far better utilised policing our borders to ensure that no more gain entry. Surely as an island we are in a better position than many other countries of ensuring our coastlines and official entry points are stringently supervised.
The most revealing detail in this, and the Iraq war, is that all three main political parties continue to support it. With the exception of a few brave dissenters, none of the opposition leaders has questioned why we continue to be committed to this war, when there is a flood of evidence which proves Gordon Brown's reasons are wrong. No political leader has the courage to look far enough into the future to see the damage this will do to what was once a free country. The blame lies not only at the feet of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown but with David Cameron and Nick Clegg. They're all responsible for the misery which will be caused here in the coming years.
I don't believe Brown, not for one minute.
It has just come to my notice JesstheDog has also posted on this subject. Have a read here.
Update: A quote from Gordon Brown in the Record:
"A 'Fortress Britain' policy of just protecting your own borders is not going to be sufficient."
What evidence does he have to make that assertion? No effort has been made for years to protect our borders efficiently. Quite the contrary.
73% Want Troops Out of Afghanistan
Firstly I would like to record my condolences to the family of the soldier from the 3rd Battalion The Rifles, who was killed in an explosion near Sangin in central Helmand province yesterday morning. His death brings the number of British military personnel who have died in Afghanistan since the mission began in October 2001 to 230.
Mike Smithson at PoliticalBetting.com has analysed the latest YouGov poll which had a sample of 1,021.
The big news from Channel 4's point of view, (they commissioned the poll), is the response to the Afghanistan question. A total of 35% said all troops should be brought homed immediately, 38% wanted withdrawal in "the next year or so", and just 20% said they should continue as long as the Afghan government wants them there.
Amongst the 55+ age group 77% wanted withdrawal either now or within the next year or so. There wasn't that much of a split between party supporters on the question.
It seems normally YouGov polls have a sample of about 2,000 and this latest survey is very much akin to the tracker polls carried out during the party conferences.
As many of you know I'm not a great believer in political polls, but is this a sign that the public are wakening up to the useless, hopeless and constant drip drip of lives being lost or soldiers being seriously maimed for no good reason?
I should like to think it is.
Thursday, 5 November 2009
The Reason Why There So Few Elected Tories in Scotland
It's confirmed! If you think you're sexy then the Conservative party isn't for you. Now I know the real reason why there are so few tory politicians voted into office in Scotland.
The reason: A tory councillor Geoff Courtenay, 64, has been told he will not be re-selected for next year's elections after posting a "How Sexy Am I' quiz on Facebook. Councillor (shortly to be Mr) Courtenay, who represents the Brunel ward in Exbridge, was informed that his postings constituted 'inappropriate material'.
Posting on Facebook, councillor Courtenay filled out a 'How Sexy Am I' quiz, which told him he was '93 per cent sexy'. Posting below it Courtenay wrote: "Why are they saying 93%? I demand a recount, I want 100%."
Councillor Courtenay is known among his counterparts for his sense of humour, but the top brass in the cabinet didn't find it amusing.
There's the proof that tory candidates why so few Scots vote tory. In order to be selected by their party, they must be sexless and have had a humour bypass. Obviously Scots don't feel such attributes have any appeal.
FMQs 5 November 2009
Surely it would have been better (for the labour candidate in the forthcoming Glasgow NE by-election) if Iain Gray had questioned the FM on the lack of respite care available for carers. I have it on good authority from Kez Dugdale, that Willie Bain, the labour candidate, lives part-time with his parents in order to give his father some respite as his mother is housebound. Of course maybe Mr Gray didn't want to draw attention to Glasgow council's social work department which should organise respite care.
The report published today by Audit Scotland was Annabel Goldie's choice of question. Good one it was too. Mr Salmond was unable to provide details of future cuts but of course mentioned the £500m the Westminster government have cut from the Scottish grant. It wouldn't be an FMQs without Alex Salmond including that detail somewhere in his responses.
Tavish Scott really should have kept sitting today. He tried to pick a phrase from a statement the FM had made in the past, only to be humiliated by the First Minister having his whole statement to hand and he had much delight in sharing it with the Chamber. Poor Tavish, he does take humiliation well though.
Christine Grahame asked if the Scottish government had objected to Westminster about their continuing policy of placing children of illegal immigrants in Dungavel detention centre. The Scottish government had voiced its concerns the FM replied and will continue to do so.
Bill Aitken was worried about the police service being affected by the forthcoming cuts but was assured, by the FM, that with more than 1000 new police on Scotland's streets, front line services would not be affected.
That's it for this week. I'm sure the half hour will be available on DemocracyLive or the BBB iPlayer. For those readers outside the UK Holyrood TV should shortly have it available.
Newsnicht - Willie Bain
Willie Bain is on the left
Willie Bain was in the hot seat on Newnight Scotland last night. He is the labour candidate for the Glasgow North East by-election.
The interviewer was Gordon Brewer and I feel he was very 'soft' and far less time was given than was allocated to David Kerr on Monday. Is that a good or bad thing?
Mr Bain appeared confident but Gordon Brewer wasn't intent on an in depth interview.
In my opinion Mr Bain received an very easy ride but I give him 7 out of 10 for confidence.
That doesn't mean I'm not still slightly concerned that a man of 36, who works part-time in London (perhaps because he can't find a job in Scotland), still lives at home with his parents. I have a 'thing' about grown men living with their parents especially when they have an income through their own efforts.
Australians to Build New Scottish Hospital
Glasgow Southern General
A £550 million contract to build Scotland' largest hospital has been awarded to the firm behind the new Wembley Stadium, health officials are set to announce.
Australian construction giant Brookfield, now known as Multiplex, beat two other bids to win the right to work on the South Glasgow Hospital, which will replace the city's Southern General within the next five years.
The official announcement will be made this morning but the Herald has been told the deal is already agreed.
Funded entirely from the public purse, the new hospital will be part of a massive "health village" with 1100 beds, all in single-room accommodation and 20 'state of the art' operating theatres.
The Sydney based firm sparked controversy when it won the Wembley contract and finished the project late and over-budget. Multiplex had serious problems with their Wembley build which was finished two years late and £300m over budget.
We can only cross our fingers that the people of Glasgow don't suffer these kind of problems with their new, shiny. high-tech hospital which is badly needed.
Why there wasn't a Scottish firm which could build this at a competitive price worries me. We have the construction industry constantly shouting about lack of business, yet they've been outbid by the Australians.
The Scottish government must ensure every nook and cranny is covered with regard to the contract. Anything less will possibly come back to bite them.
Jenny Hjul and a Fun Poll
Pre-makeover
Post-makeover
Many Scottish readers will recognise the woman in the above picture but for those of you who don't, it is Jenny Hjul, a journalist who writes in the Scotland section of the Sunday Times.
Ms Hjul (who is married to that staunch unionist, Dundonian journalist Alan Cochrane) really has hatred and vitriol for the SNP and her emotions drip from her words every Sunday.
One of my readers has suggested I do a fun poll to see who Ms Hjul will pillory this coming Sunday, so here it is. I must confess I stopped reading Ms Hjul's articles when I realised she had such an extreme phobia about Scotland and independence. Sadly not even the best makeup artist can rid her of that permanent sneer look.
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Ryan McLaughlin - The One Man 'Halt MS' Campaigner
Ryan and his Mum
Fourteen year old Ryan McLaughlin from Drumchapel, Glasgow, was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire on Radio5Live yesterday morning. It was his Scots voice which first attracted my attention and then the subject. His aims are to ensure pregnant women and children are given vitamin D (the 'sunshine' vitamin) to prevent the disease, to raise awareness of the benefits of taking vitamin D and to have the RDA altered to a suitable dose.
Ryan's Mum suffers from multiple sclerosis and he admitted he'd missed quite a bit of school because he had to take his fair share, along with his Dad, of caring for her. "There's nothing that can be done for Mum now but something can be done to prevent anyone else getting MS. I'm back at school now because Mum's not too bad if she sticks to her routine," he told Ms Derbyshire.
This young lad's latest achievement is that he's been granted a Government summit to discuss his pleas. Nicola Sturgeon also agreed to the summit to raise awareness of the impact of vitamin D on MS. Many scientists believe this could prevent up to 80% of cases of MS, which currently has no cure and affects 12,500 Scots, more per head than anywhere in the world.
When asked on radio if he had considered how the vitamin would be administered, quick as a flash he said, "In milk for school children or in bread."
I'm sure all of us would like to see this debilitating disease conquered in Scotland. It does say quite a bit about the effectiveness of the MS lobby on governments though, when it takes a 14 old to break the deadlock between pro-campaigners and the Scientific Committee on Nutrition.
Well done Ryan and may I wish your campaign every success. You'll never be short of work when you leave school - the lobbying firms will be queueing at your door.
Simon Mann is Pardoned
Two years ago I was intrigued by a documentary in which Simon Mann gave evidence against some of his 'management team' when he led the botched coup in Equatorial Guinea back in 2004. Mann stood to gain £9m if the coup had succeeded.
The old Etonian and ex-SAS officer was sentenced to 34 years imprisonment but has been released by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema this week on 'humanitarian grounds.'
The father of seven was met yesterday by his wife, Amanda and sister, Sarah, after two months of secret negotiations. But when he touches down today on board a private jet, he will face a barrage of questions.
During his testimony, Mann implicated Mar Thatcher as one of five 'managers' of the plot along with Eli Calil, a Lebanese oil trader based in London. Mr Thatcher was convicted in South Africa in 2005 of unwittingly helping to finance the plot when he paid £140,000 for a helicopter.
The Independent asks a few questions:
* Will Simon Mann stand by his testimony to a court in Equatorial Guinea that Mark Thatcher was part of the "management team" for the coup?
* Will the mercenary also continue to insist that Ely Calil, the reclusive Lebanese oil billionaire, was "the Cardinal" – the powerful businessman who originated the coup plot?
* Did the CIA blow the whistle on the coup attempt to protect the interests of American oil companies?
* Did the Spanish authorities give tacit approval to the plan to replace President Obiang with Severo Moto, an opposition leader in exile in Madrid?
* What knowledge did Britain have of the plans for the coup and did London seek to warn the Obiang regime of what was happening?
It has all the makings of a good espionage novel doesn't it? I wonder if we'll ever be told the ending. There is the possibility that Mr Mann may put pen to paper when he's back in the comfort of his £5m English country residence in Hampshire.
Five British Soldiers Killed
Just minutes after I published the last post I hear the news that five British soldiers have been shot dead in Helmand Province in an attack the UK military blamed on a "rogue" Afghan policeman.
The soldiers, three from the Grenadier Guards and two from the Royal Military Police had been mentoring and living with the Afghan police in a checkpoint compound.
The officer, who may have been helped by another, opened fire, injuring several other troops before fleeing.
Gordon Brown issued his usual platitudes but his time would be better spent having a war cabinet and planning a speedy withdrawal. In a country which has existed for centuries on corruption, situations like this are bound to arise.
The death toll has now risen to 229. People were shocked when it reached 200. Are the public becoming shockproof?
Five families today won't be shockproof. They will be in deep despair at the loss of their loved ones.
Update: According to Gordon Brown at PMQs, five other soldiers were seriously injured in this incident. More deep distress for another five families while the PM continues to spew his spin about how 'helping train the Afghan army and police' is protecting our islands.
Source: BBC
A Very Different Winter
Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan are preparing for a 'very different winter' amid signs that suggest Taliban militants plan to ramp up their attacks in the coming months rather than reduce them because of the logistical challenge of travel, particularly in the country's foreboding mountain passes.
The Canadian battle group commander of Task Force Kandahar said: "We know for a fact that the insurgents aren't leaving this winter."
"They recognise key decisions are being made by Obama, the British, the Germans, the Danes, the Canadians and my others as to force levels and future commitments.
"There is no doubt about it, we can expect throughout the winter that we will continue to be dealing with the same types of incidents, same numbers, same brazen attacks," Lt Col Jerome Walsh said.
The Taliban took the credit for the decision on Monday to cancel the planned presidential run-off election. The Taliban's recent posturing, both on the ground and in the media, is further evidence the group is refining its tactics to increase its political clout in the West.
"The biggest achievement the Taliban has made this year is in promoting the debate about the merits of the war at home," said Richard Barrett, the head of the UN's Taliban and al-Qaida monitoring unit and a former British intelligence officer.
Also reported is that British medics in Afghanistan see more traumas than all UK hospitals put together on an average day.
Col Peter Gilbert, Officer Commanding of Hospital Squadron at Camp Bastion in Helmand province said, "We are seeing injuries here on an almost daily basis that nobody in the health service will ever see."
Gilbert, 51, who is the commanding officer of the Territorial Army's 256 City of London Field Hospital, heads a squadron of about 170 men and women, from the clerk at the front desk of the hospital to the specialist surgeons.
A few days ago surgeons operated on a Danish soldier after an explosion blew off both his legs, a whole arm and the hand from his other arm.
Gilbert said the reason such extreme casualties can survive is down to three things, rapid treatment on the ground, getting them to hospital as soon as possible and specialist treatment when they arrive. Doctors normally speak of the 'golden hour' fro treating patients immediately after they sustain an injury. In Helmand the phrase has been modified into 'the platinum 10 minutes'.
As well as Nato troops who have been injured the medics treat Afghans from the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police. Insurgents are also treated (under guard) and receive exactly the same treatment as an injured British soldier.
This is only a brief glimpse of the front line and it would seem there is to be no respite for the troops this winter. Many are exhausted as they have had no leisure time for weeks or months. Their days and nights consist of work, food and sleep.
Our politicians don't appear to care because they have left these soldiers in limbo while they decide on a plan. Douglas Alexander was on television yesterday uttering the usual platitudes which we know are all lies.
I can quite easily suggest a plan. It's called a withdrawal plan. The sooner politicians agree to bring the troops home, the sooner they may begin to claw back some respect from the public. I note Kim Howells, a former Foreign Office minister, has broken ranks and called for the phased withdrawal of our armed forces. He told the Guardian, "It would be better to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate, instead, on using the money saved to secure our own borders."
Finally one politician is brave enough to speak out against the government's propaganda.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
England's Solution to the Lisbon Treaty
The Czech President signed the Lisbon Treaty this afternoon. Britain is now governed from Europe and our political representatives are now purely figureheads with the power of parish councillors. (Haven't I heard that said of the Scottish Parliament?)
EU Referendum has also recorded the event. Me? I'm so sad to see the consolidation of a European Superstate when so many generations have fought and died for Britain to make its own laws, have its own powerful governments and care for its people.
There is a solution for the conservatives though. David Cameron, should he become Prime Minister, could immediately grant Scotland a referendum and ensure the tories campaigned in the YES camp. Scotland would gain independence and that would leave England requiring to reapply for membership of the EU and therefore in a position to negotiate terms.
Perhaps Scotland would do the same. Just a thought - I can but dream.
Graphic courtesy of Muffled Vociferation
Newsnicht - David Kerr
Last night I watched Newnight Scotland, only because David Kerr, the SNP candidate for the Glasgow NE by-election was to be interviewed. The interviewer was Glen Campbell instead of the regular Gordon Brewer. Did that make a difference? That's a matter of personal opinion.
Mr Kerr, ex-BBC employee and for a time, editor of Newsnight Scotland in the past, seemed confident and performed well initially. The nonsense about his place of birth he handled well although he could have been slightly more assertive. Clement Park Nursing Home, Lochee was my place of birth but I wouldn't consider I 'belonged' to that area, as I spent the first 11 years of my life in Dens Road, which lies at the opposite side of the city.
His answer regarding MPs' expenses was clear and precise but then came the question - "Do you think we should still have troops in Afghanistan?" What a disappointing response. Mr Kerr thinks we should have troops in Afghanistan and they should continue to stay there until a strategy review is done. A strategy review could take months, in fact would definitely take months and meanwhile 9000 men and women struggle to do their best to survive in conditions few of us would tolerate or even imagine.
He doesn't seem to have any idea about the Afghan war or military processes - that was obvious from his body language. I was hoping he had some knowledge of the present situation of our armed forces but it appears the issue is not important enough to him for it to to warrant any serious study.
Some of you may think I was wishing David Kerr would say, "Bring them home tomorrow," and you are right, but I am always happy to listen to those who disagree with my view. What is it about politicians (and prospective politicians) that they're unable/unwilling to say more than, "We're in Afghanistan to protect our streets?" None has taken the line that being there is causing harm to these islands for future generations. None has openly stated we're not in charge of our own military but we're the support forces for any decision the US makes. Defence is one of the few areas over which Britain has control, for the present anyway. Many other areas of government have been removed and are now decided by the EU.
I know I'm not a lone voice saying our military should be withdrawn as soon as possible and I also know that in the past couple of days more people agree, because they realise Afghanistan will not be controlled by westeners and will fight to keep what we in the west consider is a corrupt and discredited president and government.
If Mr Kerr does wish to brush up on today's military matters, there's no finer place for him to start than EUReferendum or its sister/brother blog Defence of the Realm.
Let's see how the other candidates perform this week. Being first in such a situation is always a disadvantage because the questions are fresh but overall David Kerr did quite well and I'd give him 7 out of 10. Maybe my expectations were just too high.
BBC Democracy Live
DEMOCRACY LIVE
Apologies for the lack of fancy graphics, but I had a look at the new BBC political interactive page yesterday and was quite impressed.
Be warned though, if you're watching a live broadcast, there is no facility to pause it should you need to leave the computer.
That's my only gripe and the picture is so much clearer than on the Westminster government site. Take a look. Oh, out of the eight channels, there is one for the Scottish Parliament, so we've not been forgotten.
The End of the Oil Dollar
Late last month Iran announced that its foreign currency reserves would henceforth be held in euros rather than the dollar.
Now, in the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning - along with China, Russia, Japan and France - to end dollar dealing for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.
Secret meetings have already been held by finance ministers and central bank governors in Russia, China, Japan and Brazil to work on the scheme, which will mean that oil will no longer be priced in dollars.
The plans, confirmed to the Independent by both Gulf Arab and Chinese banking sources in Hong Kong, may help explain the sudden rise in gold prices, but it also augers an extraordinary transition from dollar markets within nine years.
The Americans, who are aware the meetings have taken place - although they have not discovered the details - are sure to fight this international cabal which will include hitherto loyal allies Japan and the Gulf Arabs.
This sounds like a dangerous prediction of a future economic war between the US and China over Middle East oil - yet again turning the region's conflicts into a battle for great power supremacy. China uses more oil incrementally than the US because its growth is less energy efficient. An indiction of the huge amounts involved can be gained from the wealth of Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar who together hold an estimated $2.1 trillion in dollar reserves.
Brazil has shown interest in collaborating in non-dollar payment, along with India. China appears to be the most enthusiastic of all the financial powers involved, not least because of its enormous trade with the Middle East.
Chinese financial sources believe President Obama is too busy fixing the US economy to concentrate on the implications of the transition from the dollar in nine years' time. The current deadline for the currency transition is 2018.
Remember I mentioned Iran changing to the euros at the beginning of this post? Bankers remember what happened to the last Middle East oil producer to sell its oil in euros rather than dollars. A few months later after Saddam Hussein trumpeted his decision, the Americans and British invaded Iraq.
Another interesting article on this subject can be read here and is entitled 'The end of the dollar spells the rise of a new order.'
MSPs Remembrance Wreaths - Update
My post yesterday created a good discussion about the decision of the Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body to allow MSPs to claim for Remembrance Day wreaths.
The Times is reporting today that SNP MSPs will not claim for wreaths. I'm pleased to hear it. Surely they could go one step further and ask for the item to be removed from the list of claimable expenses. I know many veterans who would appreciate such a gesture.
Iain Gray said his personal view was that MSPs should pay for wreaths and not claim them on expenses. Decisive leadership as usual from Mr Gray.
Monday, 2 November 2009
Glasgow NE By-Election
Just recently we had this photograph (above) of Willie Bain, the labour candidate for the Glasgow NE By-Election. Maybe Mr Bain doesn't realise his photocalls don't show him as being a quite erm... mature enough to be an MP.
Who is Willie Bain's PR photographer? Do they vote for another party or do they dislike him? There must be a reason because this photograph (below) appeared this weekend. There was no caption but I immediately thought of one. "Balls R Us."
I could be beginning to develop a tiny bit of sympathy, (just a tiny bit mind you), for the labour candidate because I haven't seen a sensible photograph of him yet.
Changing Tune (or should that be Tone)
It's a far cry from nearly two years ago, when it was reported that Tony Blair had been holding discussions with some of his best mates about the prestigious new job as President of Europe, to this.
Seems like Mr Blair already has his 'damage limitation plans' in place and he will insist he never mounted a campaign to become the European Union's first full-time president.
Blair's former chief-of-staff in No 10, Jonathan Powell, was sent to test the support in Europe and to covertly lobby Mr Blair's name to be among the leading contenders, but he came back disappointed.
The news from Brussels is that a centre-right candidate from one of the smaller EU member states will be given the presidency to ensure it becomes a ceremonial position rather than a high profile position capable of influencing policy.
A summit is being organised by the EU for mid-November when the name of the new president is expected to be announced. Any excuse for a jamboree at our expense.
I wonder if Tony will attend. It hasn't been a good week for him after all. Firstly Tesco didn't want him and now the EU have unceremoniously shoved him aside. These rejections aren't going to do much for his property portfolio are they?
Welcome Home
For seven months the Black Watch has served on the front line in Afghanistan, but this week three flights will bring the 430 battle weary soldiers home.
Five Black Watch soldiers lost their lives and 31 were wounded in action during their time in southern Afghanistan and their Commanding Officer, Lt-Col Stephen Cartwright, flew into Scotland on Saturday, ahead of his men, to meet the bereaved families.
He told of his "immeasurable pride" in those men both lost and returning.
"... I saw young Scottish soldiers perform at the very highest level," he said.
"The regiment was given lots of dangerous and difficult tasks and we were pushed to the extreme, but the men's performance was outstanding and every mission was a success," he stated.
Meanwhile the actions of the Black Watch have also attracted international praise. Before leaving Kandahar they were presented with the Canadian Joint Talk Force Commander's Commendation for their courage on operations. It is the first time the international honour has been awarded in three years.
The Black Watch's return this week will be followed by a series of six homecoming marches in their traditional heartland of Perthshire, Dundee, Fife and Angus next month. A memorial service will also be held in Inverness Cathedral on 3 December in thanksgiving for their return and in memory of those lost in action.
Anyone wishing the dates of the marches should check the Black Watch website.
Further to my post in which I mentioned the death of SSgt Schmid, I was very sad to hear he lost his life on his last day of deployment. This is another tragedy which could have well been avoided if Gordon Brown had shown the world Britain was a country which made its own military decisions. Now it has been proven that we are nothing but a supporting 'act' for the US. Our troops are presently in limbo while our PM waits for Mr Abama to tell him what to do. How did we get into this position?
Afghanistan Election Re-Run Cancelled
Radio5Live has just reported that the re-run of the Afghanistan election, planned for later this week, has been cancelled. Karzai has been declared President. There was only one major candidate up for election. It was Karzai of course.
The attempt of the US and UN to inflict western values on a country which is determined to rule by its own methods, is farcical.
Meanwhile we still have 9000 troops out there but thankfully they will be spared from putting their lives further at risk by protecting voters.
Another British soldier has been killed in Helmand and has been named as 30 year old Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid of the Royal Logistic Corps. His death brings the total number of UK military personnel killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 224.
In Afghanistan the job of the Logistic Corps soldiers must be a complete nightmare. They are responsible for supplies reaching troops and most supplies have to be delivered via Pakistan. It's so easy for us, sitting in the comfort of home or a warm office, to forget the conditions our armed forces have to contend with in this treacherous landscape.
Poppy Wreaths on Expenses? Wrong Decision from the Scottish Parliament
The SPCB comprises of an MSP from each of the four main Scottish parties and Holyrood's residing officer, Alex Ferguson.
This is a bad decision and I would ask the SPCB to reconsider. What on earth are they thinking? At times I despair at the thoughtless actions of our political representatives.
Neil Griffiths of the Royal British Legion Scotland, said wreaths cost about £16. Even if an MSP attended 6 services, the cost would only be £96. The current basic salary of an MSP is £53,091, plus expenses.
If a member of the Scottish Parliament cannot make a contribution in this way towards the care of our troops, then they really shouldn't be representing the people. I for one will be watching the publication of MSP's November expenses very carefully.
Udated Editor's Note: The present members of the Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body, responsible for this decision, are Tricia Marwick (SNP), Mike Pringle (LibDem), Alex Johnstone (Conservative), Tom McCabe (Labour) and presiding officer Alex Fergusson (Conservative).
Thanks to leg-iron for highlighting this matter.
Sunday, 1 November 2009
BBC Radio Scotland
RADIO Scotland
Tucked away in the Times the other day was an article entitled "Listeners desert trivial and parochial BBC Radio Scotland'. It is reported the radio station has suffered its sharpest decline in audience figures, with the loss of 125,000 listeners in a year.
The biggest losses are from its 'flagship' morning news programme according to Melanie Reid and Patrick Foster. Flagship programme? If Good Morning Scotland is Radio Scotland's flagship programme, there's really no hope for the station. GMS must be set on a 15 or 20 minute loop, relying on pre-recorded audio and newspaper headlines. There are few live interviews these days and the interesting political situation here is never discussed in any depth; in fact nothing is discussed to any degree.
Jeff Zycinski, head of BBC Radio Scotland said:
“Despite the figures we have been producing some excellent programmes throughout the summer and into the autumn. Our Edinburgh festivals output was particularly strong and we had some great output marking ten years of devolution.
“For us, quality is more important than huge audiences and it’s more important that we keep our focus on the detailed audience analysis work we’ve been doing this year and work towards our plans to refresh the schedule at the start of next year and throughout 2010.”
Auch Mr Zycinski, stop kidding yourself. You must know that listeners like myself had enough some time ago and moved to Radio 4 for a quality morning news programme, even though it is London based and doesn't report much about Scotland. My interest in the Edinburgh Festival is minimal, yet each summer many hours are dedicated to advertising individual festival shows. Throughout the month of August programmes relating to festival issues are broadcast at all times of the day. People who live a distance from Edinburgh consider most of these broadcasts to be lengthy promotions or 'luv-ins' and switch off.
The station, having decided to go downmarket for some reason, is now missing its identity which was to provide Scotland with a balance of cultural content, informed discussion and coverage of the arts. Now we have a schedule which appears to consist of comedy, folk music and chat. Even the best of its current affairs programmes relies heavily on the public phoning in, traffic news and text messages.
The station's lack of quality presenters does nothing to enhance their programmes. Lesley Riddoch was unceremoniously dumped from the Friday lunchtime slot, although I note the unequivocal Brian Taylor has valiantly stepped into the breach, but I truthfully couldn't name any other presenter without someone giving me a clue. Oh I lie! There's Glen Campbell, possibly the most biased interviewer I've heard on a radio station for many years and certainly one person who encourages me to change channels.
Why has this happened? Is it that listeners in Scotland, unlike those in England, have no great interest in challenging or intelligent programmes? Is it part of the dumbing down of our society?
Radio Scotland has a duty to the whole of the nation - not just a narrow segment of it.
UK Drugs Policy is Inadequate
Professor David Nutt, the now ex-chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), was sacked by Alan Johnson last week. Did Alan Johnson invite Professor Nutt to a meeting? Did he telephone him to discuss his concerns? No. He emailed him and told him he was sacked. The Telegraph reported Professor Nutt had received a letter from Mr Johnson, but on Sky News this morning, Alan Johnson admitted he had not written a letter, but emailed the professor.
David Nutt was not paid for his advisory position so it is all the more insulting that he was not treated with even the slightest courtesy. How do we expect our young to respect others when the Home Office minister behaves so badly?
I use drugs - alcohol and tobacco, but I've never used any others and have never been tempted. Once I saw a pal on an LSD trip and it wasn't a pleasant sight. That may have had something to do with my decision.
The present science involving cannabis and ecstasy is not acceptable to the Westminster government. It's just not what they want to hear. For 10 years the UK has had the same drugs policy and time hasn't made the policy any less superficial. Despite the knowledge and good sense of the people working with drug abusers and despite millions of pounds being ploughed into mainly locally managed anti-drug campaigns, drug use hasn't reduced to any great extent. By all accounts it seems more people are using party drugs nowadays.
Professor Nutt wasn't advocating a free for all legalised drugs policy but he wanted to scrap the present system of drugs classification. New laboratory created drugs have emerged during the last decade and their effects on behaviour and health need to be compared with other recreational drugs.
Before establishing a new classification register, public opinion must be informed by scientific findings as well as personal experience of the social disruption caused by legal and illegal drugs. It's time comparisons were made between the costs of different treatments for alcohol, tobacco, hard drug and soft drug users.
Will our politicians accept this has to happen and we need to update? No. They're too worried changing the present policy would lose them votes so it will stay as the inadequate piece of legislation it is.
Glasgow NE By-election
I just can't stop laughing. Visit here and see the reasons, with which I entirely agree. Labour continue to talk the talk while they walk the plank.
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