Anyway, this week, 1st week in December 2007, the Labour party have finally gone into meltdown. I was never really able to put my finger on just exactly what it was I never really liked about them, but it seems I'm not the only one ( (c) John Lennon).
The Labour party have, for me, for a long time exhibited this idea that it was only they who cared about the poor, the meek, the humble ((c) The Bible). They have propogated the myth, particularly in Scotland, that only the Labour party care about the poor and disinherited of the Earth.
What an astonishing fallacy. As if, the other political parties could actually accept that these lies belong soley to Labour. I'm firmly in the camp that all political parties will eventually be corrupted in one way or another by power. We only need to look at who was attracted to "serving" the Scottish people in the first place though, to realise that anyone with half a brain and a wee tad of influence would be jumping on the gravy train, then pushing through the idea that life in Edinburgh meant they should have to purchase a property in the Capital at taxpayers expense, with no discernible benefit to the taxpayer after said "service to the community" was completed... a 4 year term with serious interest...
Anyway, that's only half the point. Labour have finally gone into meltdown as they seem to have forgotten that the rules they imposed to prevent the SNP from accepting donations from Scots actually allowed to benfit from their talent, ie those living abroad, rather than those who stayed at home and slimed their way up through the union movements, actually applied to them too. It's a familiar scene. The Labour party have decided that only they are able to represent 'true Scots' views. The SNP are parochial teuchters and the Tories are public school Stock brokers ((c) Daily record - Scotland's National Newspaper... when it suits...). The Labour party are immune to the rules. A bit like the smoking prefect grassing in the 3rd year rebel... I digress... again!
Wendy Alexander, brother of SNP hero Douglas, he who ensured victory at the last election, is refusing to resign from her post after illegally accepting a contribution from a tax exile, despite ackowledging the importance of the contribution through a thankyou note. Wendy claims she didn't mean to intentionally do anything wrong... Son, for I'm sure you're the only one I'll actually direct this way, when some twat describes you as a 'towering intellect', just remember... it's hardly likely to be true, even if you wish it to be so. When you're in a hole, show the good grace to recognise it and stop digging. Don't lie, don't blame others. Stand up and take it on the chin. You may well lose position, but at least you'll always have your dignity.
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Thursday, 7 June 2007
Trams...
I've lived in cities with trams. They're very nice. However to suggest that trams are immune to traffic congestion is idiocy at best. The merest block on the line holds back the tram. I've actually been on a tram that hit a car turning across the tram track. It was a perfectly legitimate manouvere by the car, but the driver stopped for oncoming traffic and underestimated how long it would take the tram to stop. Collision! Only one winner too!
I've stepped of trams with tracks going down the middle of the road, only for car drivers to ignore the open doors and endanger our lives.
I've been stuck on trams going slower than walking speed due to traffic congestion, where the street was not broad enough that the tram track could be given a lane of it's own.
Don't get me wrong, they're very pleasant and a whole lot cleaner than the diesel fumes that pollute our cities, particularly where buses congregate, ie Union street in Glasgow, but to suggest that trams are some sort of panacea to our traffic problems is an utter nonsense. The politicking from Edinburgh and Labour on this issue is pathetic.
PS The claim that we have to continue because we've already spent £100m is a nonsense too, when not a single track has been laid. Where has the money been spent? Land & Surveys. Land can be sold to recoup outlay and the surveys should be worthy in their own right... otherwise, why were we paying for them in the first place?
I've stepped of trams with tracks going down the middle of the road, only for car drivers to ignore the open doors and endanger our lives.
I've been stuck on trams going slower than walking speed due to traffic congestion, where the street was not broad enough that the tram track could be given a lane of it's own.
Don't get me wrong, they're very pleasant and a whole lot cleaner than the diesel fumes that pollute our cities, particularly where buses congregate, ie Union street in Glasgow, but to suggest that trams are some sort of panacea to our traffic problems is an utter nonsense. The politicking from Edinburgh and Labour on this issue is pathetic.
PS The claim that we have to continue because we've already spent £100m is a nonsense too, when not a single track has been laid. Where has the money been spent? Land & Surveys. Land can be sold to recoup outlay and the surveys should be worthy in their own right... otherwise, why were we paying for them in the first place?
Edinburgh's trams
Another day... more Labour carping!
They're determined to shove on with the wasteful tram system through in Edinburgh, whilst the rest of Scotland is made to wait for essential upgrades.
Today in the Scotsman, George Foulkes greets "They want it for dualling the A9. I've driven up the A9 - there are some parts of it where you don't see any cars for miles."
George may well be correct, but I wonder if it occurred to him at the parts
where he suddenly ran into a massive weight of traffic might have been due to the Italian campervan or Tesco Articulted lorry that was holding back the traffic for 10 miles on the single lane road.
We need upgraded infrastructure across the entire country, not some nice trams - which have more than enough disadvantages - for the privileged few who live in the capital.
They're determined to shove on with the wasteful tram system through in Edinburgh, whilst the rest of Scotland is made to wait for essential upgrades.
Today in the Scotsman, George Foulkes greets "They want it for dualling the A9. I've driven up the A9 - there are some parts of it where you don't see any cars for miles."
George may well be correct, but I wonder if it occurred to him at the parts
where he suddenly ran into a massive weight of traffic might have been due to the Italian campervan or Tesco Articulted lorry that was holding back the traffic for 10 miles on the single lane road.
We need upgraded infrastructure across the entire country, not some nice trams - which have more than enough disadvantages - for the privileged few who live in the capital.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Labour carping
Well, the Labour party are still struggling with the will of the Scottish people. Tony Blair is too busy on his farewell tour to bother to congratulate Scottish first Minister Salmond, whilst the Queen and Rev Iain Paisley have both managed to find the time... Gordon Brown finally picked up the phone after 2 weeks but the back benchers in Westminister feel they can hoot derision when the subject of how the devolved parliament interactions with Westminister is raised. Interesting times!!!
More locally the SNP have asked the Auditor General to investigate the projected costs of Edinburgh Tram and Airport Rail links. A perfectly sensible move given the history of Labour Lib Dem administrations previous project costings... Scottish parliament origally quoted at £40m, finished costing nearly £400m. Des McNulty, though, is "worried the Auditor General might be being brought in to find something that would justify SNP policy."
Is it just me? Of course that's what's happening Des. The whole country hopes that's what's happening. It makes perfect sense, given the appalling overspend on so many other projects... In fact, it's a surprise to me that it isn't standard practice for the Audotor general to go over all major projects... otherwise, what is his job??
More locally the SNP have asked the Auditor General to investigate the projected costs of Edinburgh Tram and Airport Rail links. A perfectly sensible move given the history of Labour Lib Dem administrations previous project costings... Scottish parliament origally quoted at £40m, finished costing nearly £400m. Des McNulty, though, is "worried the Auditor General might be being brought in to find something that would justify SNP policy."
Is it just me? Of course that's what's happening Des. The whole country hopes that's what's happening. It makes perfect sense, given the appalling overspend on so many other projects... In fact, it's a surprise to me that it isn't standard practice for the Audotor general to go over all major projects... otherwise, what is his job??
Monday, 14 May 2007
Glasgow IS Manky!!!
Apparently the leaders of the Glasgow bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games have taken the mighty huff with a Nigerian offical for claiming that Glasgow is a crime-ridden midden.
I don't know why that should come as a surprise to anyone, as Glasgow is easily the dirtiest, most litter strewn shambles I've ever come across. Don't get me wrong, I love living here, and I have had the benefit of having lived in a few great cities around the world, but the fact of the matter is the streets are filthy and the council do a terrible job in cleaning up, despite the ridiculous levels of council tax which they collect.
Still, here's a great initiative from the council...
I kid you not. I watched a group of guys working at a bin and when they left, this
is what they'd done. They'd screwed a new sign to a bin, telling us that the district council were screwing signs to bins... OK that's not entirely true, the sign says "It's our city, play your part" and is part of the CleanGlasgow campaign which has a web presence and a group of guys screwing signs to bins, so far as I can see.
Am I being simple? Honestly, does this strike anyone, apart from the Primary 6 class whose idea it might have been, as anything other than a massive waste of time and resource - I mean they didn't even empty the bin when they were there.
I don't know why that should come as a surprise to anyone, as Glasgow is easily the dirtiest, most litter strewn shambles I've ever come across. Don't get me wrong, I love living here, and I have had the benefit of having lived in a few great cities around the world, but the fact of the matter is the streets are filthy and the council do a terrible job in cleaning up, despite the ridiculous levels of council tax which they collect.
Still, here's a great initiative from the council...
I kid you not. I watched a group of guys working at a bin and when they left, this
is what they'd done. They'd screwed a new sign to a bin, telling us that the district council were screwing signs to bins... OK that's not entirely true, the sign says "It's our city, play your part" and is part of the CleanGlasgow campaign which has a web presence and a group of guys screwing signs to bins, so far as I can see.
Am I being simple? Honestly, does this strike anyone, apart from the Primary 6 class whose idea it might have been, as anything other than a massive waste of time and resource - I mean they didn't even empty the bin when they were there.
Interesting Times
'May you live in interesting times!' apparently an Old Chinese curse - but probably not! Still, it applies to Scotland these past few weeks, as for the first time the Scottish people have granted the Nationalists a greater share of the vote.
As a result of this, the Labour party have gone in a massive huff with the electorate, refused to acknowledge the victory and taken to the courts in order to overturn the result. No word on how long this petulance will last.
The Lib Dems, whose policies as far as I can see were almost identical to the Nats policies have declined to join a leading coalition on the grounds that the Nat's are keen to ask the people of Scotland whether they'd like to run the show for themselves, but they don't want to ask the question - presumably in case they don't like the answer... I think my dictionary must have 'Democrat' wrong.
The Green party were almost wiped out at the election, returning 2 MSPs. Many people have mused over whether the smaller parties lost out due to the increase in Nat sympathy, but closer to the truth is more likely to be the fact that all the parties are now taking Green issues more seriously - hence less need for a Green pressure group. Whilst the socialists massive public falling out with Tommy Sheridan plus the ridiculous behaviour of the likes of Rosie Kane throughout the last parliament simply made them unelectable - good intentions or otherwise!
We're now heading towards a minority administration lead by easily the most capable man in Scottish, or probably UK, politics being propped up by your kindly old neighbour who tended his garden fastidiously and worried about streetlamps polluting the night sky. Alex Salmond's enemies are licking their wounds and waiting for him to fail in order that they can reclaim lost ground... No word on how any of them intend to best serve the people who elected them.
Interesting times indeed!
As a result of this, the Labour party have gone in a massive huff with the electorate, refused to acknowledge the victory and taken to the courts in order to overturn the result. No word on how long this petulance will last.
The Lib Dems, whose policies as far as I can see were almost identical to the Nats policies have declined to join a leading coalition on the grounds that the Nat's are keen to ask the people of Scotland whether they'd like to run the show for themselves, but they don't want to ask the question - presumably in case they don't like the answer... I think my dictionary must have 'Democrat' wrong.
The Green party were almost wiped out at the election, returning 2 MSPs. Many people have mused over whether the smaller parties lost out due to the increase in Nat sympathy, but closer to the truth is more likely to be the fact that all the parties are now taking Green issues more seriously - hence less need for a Green pressure group. Whilst the socialists massive public falling out with Tommy Sheridan plus the ridiculous behaviour of the likes of Rosie Kane throughout the last parliament simply made them unelectable - good intentions or otherwise!
We're now heading towards a minority administration lead by easily the most capable man in Scottish, or probably UK, politics being propped up by your kindly old neighbour who tended his garden fastidiously and worried about streetlamps polluting the night sky. Alex Salmond's enemies are licking their wounds and waiting for him to fail in order that they can reclaim lost ground... No word on how any of them intend to best serve the people who elected them.
Interesting times indeed!
Here I am...
Having dithered for years, I've finally dived in and joined the covert world of semi-anonymous blogging.
For some time now I've been transfixed by the battle raging between Terry Kelly, recently re-elected councillor in Paisley, and a merry band of 'fiskers' over on Terrywatch.
Given the level of vitriol that flows over there I often wondered whether I might be able to join in and retain some sense of humour about it all. It's easy to imagine being cool and calculated from the safety of anonymity, but here at the coal face of red-hot political debate, will I blossom or perish? Only time will tell.
For some time now I've been transfixed by the battle raging between Terry Kelly, recently re-elected councillor in Paisley, and a merry band of 'fiskers' over on Terrywatch.
Given the level of vitriol that flows over there I often wondered whether I might be able to join in and retain some sense of humour about it all. It's easy to imagine being cool and calculated from the safety of anonymity, but here at the coal face of red-hot political debate, will I blossom or perish? Only time will tell.
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