The 'big guy with the beard' as Ronald Reagan used to call him because he couldn't remember whether his name was Nicaragua, El Salvador or Castro has decided to put his feet up, in Scotland he would of course be 'the big yin' as in " sake man it's the big yin awright Fidel "
I mean of course Ele Commandante Fidel Castro, scourge of America and no fewer than 10 of it's wretched presidents, those who are still alive can still be heard muttering "why me, why me, why did my years in office have to be overshadowed by this giant of history, why oh why me" ?
He survived hundreds of attempts on his life by the CIA known around the world as the 'keystone cops' he defied the world's greatest ever super power and continues to ridicule them.
He kicked out the American crooks and corrupt politicians who used Cuba as a playground where every perversion known to man could be found while the ordinary Cuban lived a life of ignorance and poverty, the American Quisling Batista fell and Fidel and the rebels triumphed, the rest as they say is history and glorious history at that.
What other word can you use but glorious to describe a poor third world country of 11 million souls who defied the American bully and in the short space of fifty years provided it's people with better health and education than it's giant hostile neighbour.
A brutal neighbour who tried and still does try to crush it, first by invasion and then by a crippling embargo which the American bully forces other countries to take part in, Britain, shamefully obeys.
I hope he lives into a long productive retirement and continues to run rings round the dullards who have up to now been the American presidents, Cuba remains a beacon of hope for the world, due in no small measure to Fidel, a true giant.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
THE RAINBOW NURSERY & THE SNP'S EMBARRASSING 'U' TURN.
Some two weeks ago the SNP tried to slip out another closure without the public noticing, the Rainbow Nursery, again in one of the Town's less well off areas was too close, the pattern of attacking the poor goes on under the SNP.
The parents immediately contacted their local Labour Cllrs. myself and Tom Williams and we immediately visited them to help with their efforts to prevent closure.
You will note as the parents and staff did that the two other councillors for the area Dillon of the Lib. Dems. and McLaren of the SNP were conspicuous by their absence.
On the day before the Education Board Cllr. Cameron the convener was bullishly telling everyone that she (the council) had no locus in the matter. The council have 3 seats on the management board and provide a large subsidy to the nursery but SNP logic as expressed by SNP convener Cameron has it that it's none of our business, all done with a straight face !
One day later at the board meeting Cllr. Cameron was a bit less bullish and meekly accepted an amendment to 'their own proposals' to save the nursery and plan for it's future ! she even had the gall to say that Dillon and Mclaren were working behind the scenes to help when the truth was that they couldn't even find the courage to attend a meeting with the parents.
What was really happening ?
The SNP found that a nursery which the council subsidised was struggling and they saw the chance to make a cut and avoid the blame by claiming it was nothing to do with them because it was 'private'
Another shameful and embarrassing episode for a cowardly administration and warm congratulations are due to the parents who reacted with fury and great speed to rumble the SNP con.
It was a great pleasure for me and Cllr. Williams to be able to help them, well done to all.
The parents immediately contacted their local Labour Cllrs. myself and Tom Williams and we immediately visited them to help with their efforts to prevent closure.
You will note as the parents and staff did that the two other councillors for the area Dillon of the Lib. Dems. and McLaren of the SNP were conspicuous by their absence.
On the day before the Education Board Cllr. Cameron the convener was bullishly telling everyone that she (the council) had no locus in the matter. The council have 3 seats on the management board and provide a large subsidy to the nursery but SNP logic as expressed by SNP convener Cameron has it that it's none of our business, all done with a straight face !
One day later at the board meeting Cllr. Cameron was a bit less bullish and meekly accepted an amendment to 'their own proposals' to save the nursery and plan for it's future ! she even had the gall to say that Dillon and Mclaren were working behind the scenes to help when the truth was that they couldn't even find the courage to attend a meeting with the parents.
What was really happening ?
The SNP found that a nursery which the council subsidised was struggling and they saw the chance to make a cut and avoid the blame by claiming it was nothing to do with them because it was 'private'
Another shameful and embarrassing episode for a cowardly administration and warm congratulations are due to the parents who reacted with fury and great speed to rumble the SNP con.
It was a great pleasure for me and Cllr. Williams to be able to help them, well done to all.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
MORE DRACONIAN SNP CUTS
The list of vicious SNP cuts just gets bigger and bigger, what the SNP insist on calling 'savings' turns out to be quite a list of brutal cuts.
Unless you believe that reducing 12 elderly wardens to 6 will as the SNP said "improve the service' that is what they ask us to believe, they actually put that in their document, you have to have a very srong streak of arrogance to insult people's intelligence in such a way and the SNP have it.
We now learn that their latest 'savings' (cuts) involve the closure of 4 libraries and 5 area housing offices, their logic on wardens spreads therefore to these 'savings' (cuts) as well.
Like the wardens we are now told that closing the area housing office and forcing people to journey outside their local area to deal with housing matters will be 'an improvement'
People who use their local libraries will now have to travel elsewhere to use the library service again according to the SNP this will be 'an improvement' I must go and check if Orwell who created 'the ministry of truth' was in fact a Scotsman and a member of the SNP.
Shamefully sitting alongside the library closures is the reduction in opening hours for the Museum.
Make no bones about it, 'the Barbarians are at the gate' the Philistines are in control.
Working people and the whole Labour movement strived for centuries to provide libraries and museums free for everyone and this mob are destroying that legacy, these are the peole who call themselves Scotland's party, a cruel joke indeed.
Years ago there was another famous nationalist who said "when I hear the word culture I reach for my revolver" his ideas seem to be thriving in Renfrewshire under the SNP.
Unless you believe that reducing 12 elderly wardens to 6 will as the SNP said "improve the service' that is what they ask us to believe, they actually put that in their document, you have to have a very srong streak of arrogance to insult people's intelligence in such a way and the SNP have it.
We now learn that their latest 'savings' (cuts) involve the closure of 4 libraries and 5 area housing offices, their logic on wardens spreads therefore to these 'savings' (cuts) as well.
Like the wardens we are now told that closing the area housing office and forcing people to journey outside their local area to deal with housing matters will be 'an improvement'
People who use their local libraries will now have to travel elsewhere to use the library service again according to the SNP this will be 'an improvement' I must go and check if Orwell who created 'the ministry of truth' was in fact a Scotsman and a member of the SNP.
Shamefully sitting alongside the library closures is the reduction in opening hours for the Museum.
Make no bones about it, 'the Barbarians are at the gate' the Philistines are in control.
Working people and the whole Labour movement strived for centuries to provide libraries and museums free for everyone and this mob are destroying that legacy, these are the peole who call themselves Scotland's party, a cruel joke indeed.
Years ago there was another famous nationalist who said "when I hear the word culture I reach for my revolver" his ideas seem to be thriving in Renfrewshire under the SNP.
Friday, February 15, 2008
BRAVEHEARTS MY JIM ROYLE !
About early evening last night I wrote an article giving my thoughts on the council budget which I thought was an exercise in deception by the SNP, no surprise there then right.
Most readers will know that I find the SNP contemptible again no surprise.
I’m now sitting less than 24 hrs. later and I have received 29 comments, one positive and 28 hostile.
The hostile comments are predictably nasty and abusive with a few exceptions, they are all pro SNP and they all have one thing in common. They are all anonymous every one of them.
These people like to think of themselves as 'bravehearts' Scottish warriors for independence and all that 'old pony', ready to vanquish the English oppressors etc.
What are they like ? they can’t even identify themselves to a harmless old blogger like me, I fear the worst when the battle starts, there could be heavy casualties in the crush to run away.
Most readers will know that I find the SNP contemptible again no surprise.
I’m now sitting less than 24 hrs. later and I have received 29 comments, one positive and 28 hostile.
The hostile comments are predictably nasty and abusive with a few exceptions, they are all pro SNP and they all have one thing in common. They are all anonymous every one of them.
These people like to think of themselves as 'bravehearts' Scottish warriors for independence and all that 'old pony', ready to vanquish the English oppressors etc.
What are they like ? they can’t even identify themselves to a harmless old blogger like me, I fear the worst when the battle starts, there could be heavy casualties in the crush to run away.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
JUSTICE ? AMERICAN STYLE
Some prisoners from Guantanamo are now to go on trial and the Americans are calling for the death penalty if they are found guilty.
There's a slight problem here which so called western democracies Britain included might have spotted.
That problem is,well, it's difficult to describe in a nice way because America (home of the brave and land of the free) has imprisoned and tortured these prisoners for 6 years without a trial. Quite a big omission when you are seeking justice and, telling the world that you stand for freedom, justice, and democracy eh ?
It's worth recalling how some of these people got there. Pakistani street criminals and gangsters were kidnapped, tortured and made to confess to being members of Al Qaeda they were then sold on to America at $5,000 a time and, he presto ! America were catching the bad guys. The Pakistan authorities were never convicted of collusion over this, right ?
I will be dead and long gone before America can hold it's head up in the world and I think there will be a lot more of this kind of sickening American behaviour to come.
Gordon Brown would do well to remember that 'if you lie down with dogs you wake up with flees'
Bush & co. get nostalgic for the 'good ole days when you could jest lynch em' without all this fuss.
There's a slight problem here which so called western democracies Britain included might have spotted.
That problem is,well, it's difficult to describe in a nice way because America (home of the brave and land of the free) has imprisoned and tortured these prisoners for 6 years without a trial. Quite a big omission when you are seeking justice and, telling the world that you stand for freedom, justice, and democracy eh ?
It's worth recalling how some of these people got there. Pakistani street criminals and gangsters were kidnapped, tortured and made to confess to being members of Al Qaeda they were then sold on to America at $5,000 a time and, he presto ! America were catching the bad guys. The Pakistan authorities were never convicted of collusion over this, right ?
I will be dead and long gone before America can hold it's head up in the world and I think there will be a lot more of this kind of sickening American behaviour to come.
Gordon Brown would do well to remember that 'if you lie down with dogs you wake up with flees'
Bush & co. get nostalgic for the 'good ole days when you could jest lynch em' without all this fuss.
THE TARTAN TORY BUDGET
Today in the council chambers we saw another episode of shame for the SNP they produced a budget that Margaret Thatcher would have been proud of. Cuts in spending were imposed on the most vulnerable members of the community.
The poorer areas were hammered again by this bunch of political charlatans, education, social work, the elderly etc. are the ones who will suffer most, this is the cost of the council tax bribe by the nats.
The cost of council services generally go up every year, when you have a tax freeze you lessen the money available to pay for those costs and services get cut, that's what the SNP have just done.
Nurseries, sports facilities and education spending in poor areas are slashed by these tartan tories yet again.
First Salmond (the spiv) sells the jerseys to the tories in Holyrood and the Renfrewshire nats follow his lead like sheep.
The cheering you might have heard was the sound of the two tories rushing to stand four square behind this right wing budget. They didn't just support it they fawned over it.
None of the nats seemed to be in the least perturbed by their tory friends support, what has happened to these people, they gave us Thatcher in Westminster then a coalition with the tories in Paisley then a coalition in Holyrood now the Renfrewshire tories think they are wonderful as well.
Decent Scots. must be revolted by them.
The poorer areas were hammered again by this bunch of political charlatans, education, social work, the elderly etc. are the ones who will suffer most, this is the cost of the council tax bribe by the nats.
The cost of council services generally go up every year, when you have a tax freeze you lessen the money available to pay for those costs and services get cut, that's what the SNP have just done.
Nurseries, sports facilities and education spending in poor areas are slashed by these tartan tories yet again.
First Salmond (the spiv) sells the jerseys to the tories in Holyrood and the Renfrewshire nats follow his lead like sheep.
The cheering you might have heard was the sound of the two tories rushing to stand four square behind this right wing budget. They didn't just support it they fawned over it.
None of the nats seemed to be in the least perturbed by their tory friends support, what has happened to these people, they gave us Thatcher in Westminster then a coalition with the tories in Paisley then a coalition in Holyrood now the Renfrewshire tories think they are wonderful as well.
Decent Scots. must be revolted by them.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
A SECOND OPINION REQUIRED !
The Govt. yesterday made a shameful decision, they decided to exclude doctors from outside the EU from training to become consultants in the NHS.
This is designed to make sure that British doctors will get the top jobs and is quite simply wrong, this blunder makes the following scenario possible, a young just qualified British doctor starts at a hospital on the same day as a young just qualified doctor from India, they become firm friends and their medical careers run in parallel.
Both doctors are regularly promoted and they keep in touch as their career paths cross occasionally, hanging over their head will be the knowledge that the Indian doctor can’t become a consultant, he / she could well be recognised as the best senior registrar in the country by his/her peers but is excluded, how would the brilliant young Indian doctor feel ? Indeed, how would the less brilliant British doctor feel, knowing that their friend would have been a better candidate ? How would a patient feel knowing that their consultant did not get their job on merit alone ?
This stinks to high heaven and is a huge lurch in the wrong direction, it is immoral. I understand that this will become an issue for the Law Lords and I hope they kick it out.
I would like to see the organisations like the BMA who look after doctors interests come out strongly against this, it’s not rocket science, when a job comes up whether it be a medical consultant or a hospital porter it must go to the best candidate.
This is designed to make sure that British doctors will get the top jobs and is quite simply wrong, this blunder makes the following scenario possible, a young just qualified British doctor starts at a hospital on the same day as a young just qualified doctor from India, they become firm friends and their medical careers run in parallel.
Both doctors are regularly promoted and they keep in touch as their career paths cross occasionally, hanging over their head will be the knowledge that the Indian doctor can’t become a consultant, he / she could well be recognised as the best senior registrar in the country by his/her peers but is excluded, how would the brilliant young Indian doctor feel ? Indeed, how would the less brilliant British doctor feel, knowing that their friend would have been a better candidate ? How would a patient feel knowing that their consultant did not get their job on merit alone ?
This stinks to high heaven and is a huge lurch in the wrong direction, it is immoral. I understand that this will become an issue for the Law Lords and I hope they kick it out.
I would like to see the organisations like the BMA who look after doctors interests come out strongly against this, it’s not rocket science, when a job comes up whether it be a medical consultant or a hospital porter it must go to the best candidate.
THE POISON OF RACISM
I sometimes find it hard to believe that in 2008 the problem of racism still dogs society, despite the progress that mankind has made some people still judge other people by race rather than "the content of their character" as The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther king famously said.
In Spain recently at a motor racing event the young British driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to racist abuse by Spanish fans who had blacked up to abuse him, motor racing for god's sake !
Spain has a particularly bad reputation on this and the authorities have failed to address it.
Any country which lived under Franco for so long would hardly emerge unscathed but that alone does not explain it.
Thierre Henry planned a reaction when playing for France against these Spanish thugs, when he scored a goal he walked across to where the worst of the abuse was coming from and stood with his arms on his hips and just stared at the people who were abusing him, he held this stance for a while and his team mates stood aside before congratulating him, it was devastating and powerful, Spain was held up to ridicule.
The problem is world wide and Britain including Scotland has it's share, the amount of anti English feeling that exists here is sickening and damaging to Scotland's reputation.
The campaigns to 'kick out racism' in sport are well meaning but they are not enough, something tougher is required like banning those guilty of racism including teams and countries from events as well as clamping down hard on other race/hate crimes.
I remember all those years ago when Tommy Smith and John Carlos stood on the Olympic Podium and gave the Black Power salute, it was one of sports most thrilling events of the twentieth century.
We cheered and shouted that racism was on it's way out, that's not the only thing we got wrong but, we must not give up, this and other evils can be overcome, we need the political will to do it.
In Spain recently at a motor racing event the young British driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to racist abuse by Spanish fans who had blacked up to abuse him, motor racing for god's sake !
Spain has a particularly bad reputation on this and the authorities have failed to address it.
Any country which lived under Franco for so long would hardly emerge unscathed but that alone does not explain it.
Thierre Henry planned a reaction when playing for France against these Spanish thugs, when he scored a goal he walked across to where the worst of the abuse was coming from and stood with his arms on his hips and just stared at the people who were abusing him, he held this stance for a while and his team mates stood aside before congratulating him, it was devastating and powerful, Spain was held up to ridicule.
The problem is world wide and Britain including Scotland has it's share, the amount of anti English feeling that exists here is sickening and damaging to Scotland's reputation.
The campaigns to 'kick out racism' in sport are well meaning but they are not enough, something tougher is required like banning those guilty of racism including teams and countries from events as well as clamping down hard on other race/hate crimes.
I remember all those years ago when Tommy Smith and John Carlos stood on the Olympic Podium and gave the Black Power salute, it was one of sports most thrilling events of the twentieth century.
We cheered and shouted that racism was on it's way out, that's not the only thing we got wrong but, we must not give up, this and other evils can be overcome, we need the political will to do it.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
PAISLEY'S SHAME BY THE SNP-AGAIN
Alex (the spiv) Salmond slunk out of Paisley yesterday after declaring the new Council Headquarters open, the SNP stood around like a crowd at chucking out time braying like donkeys at his every word.
This is the same SNP gang who poured scorn on the project of a new headquarters but of course, that was before they formed a cabal with those upright politicians in the Lib. Dems. and now they get to cut the ribbon, shameless the lot of them.
This building should not have been opened by someone as undignified as Salmond (the spiv) Renfrewshire is embarrassed again by this lot.
For over a week now the council's 'brand new building' has been getting polished and cleaned everywhere and the paint fumes were enough to make you dizzy, all in a new building ! all at the cost of thousands ! unlimited overtime for King Alex (the Spiv), is this a good use of taxpayers money ?
A council worker with a council vehicle was allegedly despatched to Edinburgh in an emergency at considerable cost, why ? to bring back a load of 'tartan napkins' for the Alex (the spiv's) beano, well, it's your money they are spending.
The background music was the Proclaimers, one of whom has ditched the SNP and the other is preparing his CV to join Tommy Sheridan, you couldn't make it up.
Wee Alex (the spiv) made a speech praising Paisley, the more he praised us the faster we counted the spoons and then, he opened the plaque and there it was -- 'opened by Alex Salmond MSP' but, hold on, he does himself an injustice is he being modest ? whit ? modest ? Alex (the spiv) shoorly shum mishtake, modest !
Everyone knows of course that he is actually Alex Salmond MSP, MP so, what happened to the 'MP' part of it ? why is this most bullish of politicians hiding the fact that he not only runs Scotland but he is an MSP and an MP is it perhaps that an admission of this kind would be an own goal for him, two jobs and the first minister, what a man eh ! he wants posterity to recall him as an honest decent leader but, he's way too late already.
He slunk away without telling us that he was about to jump once again into bed with the Tories in Holyrood, absolutely no shame eh.
Still referred to as Paisley's shame was the time that the SNP were in power in Paisley this was of course the last time they jumped into bed with the Tories, they are no different now.
They were always known as the 'Tartan Tories' and they still are, it's a deserved insult which will always stick to them.
Like a bell around the neck of a leper.
This is the same SNP gang who poured scorn on the project of a new headquarters but of course, that was before they formed a cabal with those upright politicians in the Lib. Dems. and now they get to cut the ribbon, shameless the lot of them.
This building should not have been opened by someone as undignified as Salmond (the spiv) Renfrewshire is embarrassed again by this lot.
For over a week now the council's 'brand new building' has been getting polished and cleaned everywhere and the paint fumes were enough to make you dizzy, all in a new building ! all at the cost of thousands ! unlimited overtime for King Alex (the Spiv), is this a good use of taxpayers money ?
A council worker with a council vehicle was allegedly despatched to Edinburgh in an emergency at considerable cost, why ? to bring back a load of 'tartan napkins' for the Alex (the spiv's) beano, well, it's your money they are spending.
The background music was the Proclaimers, one of whom has ditched the SNP and the other is preparing his CV to join Tommy Sheridan, you couldn't make it up.
Wee Alex (the spiv) made a speech praising Paisley, the more he praised us the faster we counted the spoons and then, he opened the plaque and there it was -- 'opened by Alex Salmond MSP' but, hold on, he does himself an injustice is he being modest ? whit ? modest ? Alex (the spiv) shoorly shum mishtake, modest !
Everyone knows of course that he is actually Alex Salmond MSP, MP so, what happened to the 'MP' part of it ? why is this most bullish of politicians hiding the fact that he not only runs Scotland but he is an MSP and an MP is it perhaps that an admission of this kind would be an own goal for him, two jobs and the first minister, what a man eh ! he wants posterity to recall him as an honest decent leader but, he's way too late already.
He slunk away without telling us that he was about to jump once again into bed with the Tories in Holyrood, absolutely no shame eh.
Still referred to as Paisley's shame was the time that the SNP were in power in Paisley this was of course the last time they jumped into bed with the Tories, they are no different now.
They were always known as the 'Tartan Tories' and they still are, it's a deserved insult which will always stick to them.
Like a bell around the neck of a leper.
SCOTLAND'S IMAGE UNDER THE SNP
Scottish TV news 10 mns. ago and there was Donald Trump's bag carrier.
No not Salmond (the spiv), the other one, the wee swarthy Yank who looks as though he's about to make you an offer you can't refuse any minute now.
Here was the real picture of what Trump thinks about the 'wee spiv' and Scotland, this performance before the Holyrood committee could only be described as one of deliberate withering contempt.
You have to witness this confrontation to see the arrogance of these people and what they really think of Scots. A devastating slap in the face for Scotland's dignity, already damaged by the election of a leader who is a shifty con man.
This was not an American diplomat and consequently he shot from the hip, safe in the knowledge that Salmond can be bought and that Trump can pay the price.
When asked what his meeting with Salmond was about prior to the decision being called in he gave a breathtakingly insulting answer.
You need to have contempt for Scotland to say the following -
" the meeting was about procedure that's all, only a discussion about rules"
He went further with this gem
" I have no idea what Alex Salmond thinks about this project "
You need to read that last quote again to get the measure of what these people think of Salmond (the spiv) and Scotland.
These guys are 'rat race leaders' they took one look at Salmond (the spiv) and all their wheeling and dealing experience surfaced, they knew right away what they were dealing with, they had no trouble reeling him in.
If you need a parrallel think about Groucho Marx and Margaret Dumont. Groucho - "if I pay you will you kiss me" ? - Margaret (outraged) "what kind of woman do you think I am " ? - Groucho - "We have already established what kind of woman you are, now we are arguing about your price" Poor old Scotland eh ?
No not Salmond (the spiv), the other one, the wee swarthy Yank who looks as though he's about to make you an offer you can't refuse any minute now.
Here was the real picture of what Trump thinks about the 'wee spiv' and Scotland, this performance before the Holyrood committee could only be described as one of deliberate withering contempt.
You have to witness this confrontation to see the arrogance of these people and what they really think of Scots. A devastating slap in the face for Scotland's dignity, already damaged by the election of a leader who is a shifty con man.
This was not an American diplomat and consequently he shot from the hip, safe in the knowledge that Salmond can be bought and that Trump can pay the price.
When asked what his meeting with Salmond was about prior to the decision being called in he gave a breathtakingly insulting answer.
You need to have contempt for Scotland to say the following -
" the meeting was about procedure that's all, only a discussion about rules"
He went further with this gem
" I have no idea what Alex Salmond thinks about this project "
You need to read that last quote again to get the measure of what these people think of Salmond (the spiv) and Scotland.
These guys are 'rat race leaders' they took one look at Salmond (the spiv) and all their wheeling and dealing experience surfaced, they knew right away what they were dealing with, they had no trouble reeling him in.
If you need a parrallel think about Groucho Marx and Margaret Dumont. Groucho - "if I pay you will you kiss me" ? - Margaret (outraged) "what kind of woman do you think I am " ? - Groucho - "We have already established what kind of woman you are, now we are arguing about your price" Poor old Scotland eh ?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
