THE ETHICAL SNP GOVERNMENT - AYE RIGHT !

I have been asking occasionally over a period of months if there is any dissent in the ranks of the SNP, or is every one of them still too scared of Alex (the spiv) to get off their knees. Some time ago I caused a stushie by attacking the SNP for it’s dealings with the Mormon Brigham Young University, an openly homophobic organisation accused in the Scottish Parliament of driving gay students to suicide, the SNP were involved in business deals with them through using their students as ’interns’ at Holyrood. It was a shaming episode for the SNP, the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish people. The SNP however insisted on carrying on with their ’trade’ and bringing dishonour on Scotland, as far as I’m aware nothing has changed, and neither has my opinion.

We now see them at it again, the SNP Govt. are dealing with an American company CACI (UK) which is close to the Bush administration, and is accused of torturing prisoners in Abu Ghraib Prison in Baghdad, the SNP Govt. are paying them to carry out the next census. There is also the possibility that census information might find it’s way into the hands of the Bush Govt. the very thugs who sanction the torture. Scottish human rights lawyers and campaigners are not surprisingly outraged and critical of the SNP over this, how much damage will this do to our reputation ? They don’t seem to have learned anything from the Mormon Intern scandal, Donald Trump really seems to have convinced Salmond (the spiv) that everything in Scotland is for sale.

“how much am I bid for Edinburgh Castle, Bobby Burns’s Cottage, Ben Nevis”
(A. Salmond the spiv)

Those issuing the contract are already hiding behind the mantra of competitive tendering and not acting on allegations, “delivering best value for tax payers” pass the sick bag.
If the Govt. showed some courage and sacked this mob and went against these conditions they would be backed up by the people, will they though ? Human Rights Activists intend to run a campaign designed to encourage people not to co-operate with the census unless the contract with this company is torn up. That will be worth supporting, force the SNP Govt. to do the right thing, stop them doing more damage to Scotland's reputation.

A SAD DAY FOR AMERICA AND ENTERTAINMENT.

Tonight’s news has saddened me greatly, Paul Newman has died, quite simply I was a big fan, I first remember him in “Somebody up there Likes Me” a movie about the boxer Rocky Graziano a much copied film and brilliant for it’s time, Newman jumped off the screen and demanded that you like him and everyone did. He was of course an incredibly successful screen actor, “Cool Hand Luke” “The Hustler” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and his legendary pairing with his great friend Robert Redford on “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid” and “The Sting” I seem to have grown up with him and people like him.


Part of the attraction with him and his friends and artists was of course their impeccable Liberal Credentials, there was never any doubt what side he was on and he also made millions for charities, a real nice, decent man who also just happened to be a great film star.

I saw him being interviewed one night on the matter of a list which the Nixon White House had issued of people that he (Nixon) didn’t like and considered as enemies, being told that he was on the list he expressed great concern and read the list for himself. He then wrote to the White House complaining that he was worried that he would not be on it, and also that he thought he should have been placed higher up.


My favourite screen memory of him was as a half breed Indian in a movie called “Hombre” his character has been captured from a stage coach and held by the baddies, there is a fellow passenger with them who is a rather high class lady. She tells the passengers of her disdain for Indians whom she regards as savages and recalls with disgust that someone once told her that they (Indians) eat dogs. A clearly simmering Newman says “lady have you ever been hungry” ? she retorts “no but I hope you’re not suggesting that I would eat a dog” Newman fixes her with those famous piercing blue eyes and says “lady you would fight over the bones” a great line delivered by a great actor and a great American.

YOU CAN'T BEAT A FAIR FIGHT - ASK SARAH PALIN.

Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need and ye can;

But kill not for pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill man.

"the law for the wolves" - R Kipling.

Something else to share with you about that stalwart Christian Sarah Palin, she also supports hunting wolves for fun, The method used is quite novel, what they do is first gather up lots of money, (you can’t do this without being rich) you then spend a lot of that money buying high powered rifles and other accessories. You then spend even larger sums to hire a helicopter, pile in with your pals and off you go across the Tundra hunting wolves.

This is apparently great fun for her buddies and damn near guaranteed to be successful. You see the Alaskan wolf is a magnificent creature, classed as the greatest animal parent there is for it’s fearless defence of it’s cubs, Polar bears are big hitters but they face them. Magnificent as the wolves are, fearless and protective as they are, they are no match for humans (?) in a helicopter armed with high powered rifles.

The hunting party take off, able to cover hundreds of miles and using past knowledge and powerful binoculars they locate the wolves and the fun begins, they fly low and easily come up alongside these beautiful wild creatures, they take aim at the exhausted terrified animal and like the brave American hunters that they are they blast it to pieces.

They then land and great fun is had cutting away parts of the dead wolf as souvenirs, lots of photos are then taken with the carcass and the smiling hunters.
Palin has proposed legislation and financial incentives to help those who take part in this so called sport, sometimes even I am lost for words, think again about this woman being President Of America. If I had the power I would lock these people up for a very long time, along with her.

YOU PLAY BALL WITH GOD N GOD'LL PLAY BALL WITH YOU - FILM (ELMER GANTRY)

I want to make an apology to some people whom I have been unkind to in the past, such as Bishop Devine, Cardinal O’Brien, Brian Souter, Ian Paisley, Mormons, numerous wee frees and other religious types whom I consider have picked up the Christian message wrongly. On the substantive issues involved I still hold the same views but after tonight I am less inclined to be quite so harsh with them, tonight you see my road to Damascus took me through Wasilla Alaska U.S.A.

I set out to catch up a bit on the American Presidential Election and quite frankly got stuck in Wasilla with a story about Sarah Palin and A guy from Kenya, a minister who prayed with her to protect her from witchcraft. This is a scary story, I usually like to wound these nut cases with humour but, it doesn’t seem appropriate here, it would appear that the woman who might shortly be a heartbeat away from the famous button which could end the world believes in witches. Equally disturbing is the fact that the man who might be the next Republican President chose her as his V.P. This just isn’t remotely funny any more, both these Republican candidates appear to be trying to avoid the traditional presidential debates, perhaps an angel told them not to take part.

Perhaps the most frightening aspect of all this is the fact that although Obama is showing signs of pulling ahead it is still close, Americans are still supporting McCain and Palin in their millions, I urge you to check this out on “You Tube” and read up on the McCain Palin campaign, you have to read about Palin to believe it, once you have you might feel inclined like me to contact any American relatives or friends and plead with them to save the world, tell them to back Obama for the future, if you want to have a future that is !

Posted September 24, 2008 05:06 AM (EST)
Wasilla, Alaska
Max Blumenthal - Sarah Palin and the Witch Hunter.

I recently attended services at Sarah Palin’s old church, the Wasilla Assembly of God. She left the church in 2002, and is now listed on its website as "a friend," she spoke there on June 8 this year.
They had a pastor from Kiambu, Kenya, Thomas Muthee. he is famous for claiming that he defeated a local witch, Mama Jane, in a great spiritual battle, thus liberating his town from sin and opening its people to the spirit of Jesus.

His stardom took him to Wasilla Assembly of God in May, 2005, where he prayed over Palin and asked Jesus to help elect her Governor and go on to more political success.
He also asked Jesus to protect Palin from "the spirit of witchcraft." The quite chilling video of this has recently resurfaced despite their attempts to hide it by removing it from their web.

"THE QUEEN WAS IN HER COUNTING HOUSE COUNTING OUT HER MONEY"

What was the conversation like at the breakfast table in Buck House this morning I wonder ?
Big Phil. - “ Madge, the buggers are at again, now they want bloody bead rattlers to be Kings and Queens, bloody Catholics ! what next ? think of that Cherie bint we had round here a while ago, remember her at Balmoral she could haunt a house that one, she was a left footer and a bloody scouser to boot, awful woman just bloody awful. What’s that, daughters what ? treated equally ! hells bloody bells, daughters to succeed before sons, no offence old gel but it’s just not on, what if Margaret had been the older sister ? doesn’t bear thinking about, no no it just won’t do, can we not have the Labour Party arrested and locked away ? Could you not demand it by a Royal whatsit, a prerogative thingy and have them shot, I’d volunteer“

So after 300 years Catholics may be OK and women get a nudge forward, Jews however and Muslims and Hindus are still out, they do have some standards you know, what a farce. Madge the glove puppet, Big Phil, expert at shaking hands and insulting minorities, Charles, Andrew and Edward, the brains trust, and Anne who looks and acts like a bulldog chewing a wasp are all still considered to be superior to Any Jew, Muslim or Hindu. They are followed of course by the chuckle brothers “Winco Willie and Hooray Henry” both of whom need to use both hands to find their own a***s.

Here’s something to cheer you up, the Queen who is quoted as the richest woman in the world, wants repairs done to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle at a cost of £16m. to be met by you and me the tax payer, doesn’t it make you proud to think that she is willing to allow ordinary people like me and you to contribute ? bless her. I have no idea what she is worth, worth is the wrong word here, better to say what she has but I know that her grandson Hooray Henry the war hero has £8M. Here are a few things paid for by you the tax payer which it was decided the Royals could not do without last year - Charles by Royal Train to visit a pub £19,000 - Charles again, same train to Edinburgh £21,460 - The Queen on a visit to the USA travelled by helicopter to the horse racing £22,849 - Prince Andrew by chartered flights £331,320 - Charles and Camilla in the Caribbean, yacht charter for 3 days £210,000 the cost of Royal travel last year ? £6.2M.

Do you ever feel that you are being taken for a fool ?


I wonder if it would be possible to allow all those who are barred from the monarchy to claim an exemption on that part of their taxes which goes to the Royals, all the Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Catholics Etc. that seems fair to me and I think I can just about remember a saying which goes “once a Catholic” I know it sounds churlish to say something like this with them being such nice folk and role models but, how many hospitals, schools Etc. could we build if we did what the Bolsheviks did all those years ago or, better still give them jobs to do and get rid of the monarchy for ever, we could catch up with the 21 St. century.

NOT ONLY WILL THE SNP/LIB.DEMS. Close south primary but they will also treat the parents with contempt.

I suggested in my last post about this school closure that the SNP/Lib.Dems. will bottle it and and play truant at the public meeting.
They are nothing if not predictable when it comes to taking courageous decisions, it is with some satisfaction therefore that I can report to you that at last night’s meeting of the South School's parents and friends, they proved me right, they were conspicuous by their absence. They reverted to type and ran away, “homeward to think again”

Cllrs. Adam and Mitchell SNP and Cllr. McGurk Lib. Dem. all Cllrs. for the ward where the School is located avoided the meeting, they refused to meet the parents, they are cowards. Cllr. Eddie Devine attended as the Labout ward councillor along with several other Labour Cllrs. and Hugh Henry Labour MSP, they reported that the audience were furious at - a) the announced closure proposals and - b) the calculated insult by the SNP/Lib.Dem. Cllrs who didn’t bother to show up.

They were cowering and hiding from the consequences of their betrayal of the children, parents and staff of this outstanding school. It’s easy to take such decisions and posture before your group, the trouble is that the people affected will want to take issue with you, you should then come out from your closed meeting and face them, not to do so is a failure of nerve and a betrayal of the families.

What does this say about the sham proposals for a consultation ? The die is cast if this is the attitude of the administration, it’s “South Primary No More” and the carnage will go on. Some time ago there was a large meeting attended by several hundred in Shortroods to protest at the educational cuts, this meeting was, as they say, the “talk of the steamie” it was not unlike last night’s event only bigger. No one from the SNP or Lib. Dems. attended that one either, when challenged about her non attendance Education Convener Cllr. Cameron commented “I was not invited and, knew nothing about it“ other SNP Lib. Dem. Cllrs. said similar things, the crowd at the meeting alas did not believe them, some quite loudly called them liars !

When the Education Convener does not know that a huge meeting on education cuts is about to take place, despite the dogs in the street knowing as well as constant references in the local press and, in addition does not show at last nights meeting as well, it‘s clear that “something is rotten in the state of the Renfrewshire Education Dept.” The children know it, the teachers know it, the parents know it, the E.I.S. know it and the Labour opposition as well as the general public know it.

I hope that Parents, Teachers, Grand Parents, Uncles and Aunts, Students and everyone concerned about the educational welfare of Renfrewshire’s children will make a point of protesting, write, email, phone, visit the SNP/Lib. Dem. councillor’s surgeries and let them know what your feelings are about the dreadful treatment being meted out to Renfrewshire's Schoolchildren by this inexperienced incompitent SNP administration.


The SNP calls itself “Scotland’s Party” god help us all !

QUESTION TIME WITH SOME EMPTY SNP CHAIRS.

Tonight at a public meeting politicians will be asked some tough questions about the closure of the South Primary School.
Education Convener Cllr. Cameron was heard to shout angrily at Labour Cllrs. At the education meeting where the school was doomed by the SNP “youse shut Craigielea primary” and we did, also Ferguslie primary along the road from it, what she forgot to say or deliberately missed out of course was that these two schools were replaced by a brand new state of the art school accompanying both at a cost of £7m. How a convener of education could miss that is beyond me, still it’s a taxing job. Hold on though, it was her who opened it, I was there and saw her, and heard her sing the praises of the wonderful new school. Come to think of it she didn’t mention that Labour built it, wow ! And she and the SNP opposed it wow ! what a memory.

The good ship "Renfrewshire Education" sets out for the future with Captain Cameron at the helm, she strolls on deck with her deck chair and we the people shout Captain will you point your deck chair forward to greater things ? Or backward to steady the ship ? perhaps your deck chair should point starboard to greater achievements or point your deck chair to port for the greater benefit of all, which is it convener ? Which is it ? tell us convener please. Education Convener Cllr. Cameron is then heard to growl in exasperation “ah cannae get this ******* deck chair tae assemble”

Poor old Cllr. Mitchell, I hear that him and Cllr. Adam, Bravehearts both, are now timing their appearances in public to avoid the folk in the South End whom they have sold out. Word has it that they and their coalition partner Cllr. McGurk have been invited to this public meeting tonight by the South School parents, all three though could possibly have other commitments, it‘s a busy life being a political charlatan, having to continually invent half truths and find ways to mislead people, Cllr. Mitchell has a long history of opposing a great many things with the proviso that that opposition must first serve his purpose, only his. Cllr. Cameron of course needs no invitation, she is as mentioned before the Captain of the ship, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else, would she ? could she ? she is the boss after all, do you think she or anyone else from the administration will dare to go ? I Don't !

One of the awkward questions might sound something like this - the reason for closing this school is financial. Q - Why is it then that other schools in Renfrewshire are being kept open when they are costing more than South Primary to run ? “at’s a cracker” as Frank Carson would say. I will report back when I can find an answer but don’t hold your breath, getting a straight answer from the SNP is like trying to put tooth paste back into it’s tube.

IS CRITICISM OF ALEX (THE SPIV) ALLOWED IN THE SNP ?

Credit where it is due, I am nothing if not fair and I’m happy to state that there is no greater spiv and ambulance chaser in politics than Alex (the spiv) Salmond.


Think gun bans when the young boy got murdered, Dunblane likewise, retrieved bodies of drowned sailors, Dead Scottish Soldiers, Lewis Chessmen etc. When it comes to exploiting situations, tragedies included, in fact even better, he’s the man.

With eyes like a poor house rat, ears like Jodrell Bank and rat like cunning, nothing escapes his notice he has no equal when it comes to populism and everyone and everything is fair game, he is the best because he has no equal as far as duplicity and hypocrisy are concerned.

There are politicians aplenty who are more than a match for him as far as ability and intelligence go but, with the exception of perhaps the great Teddy Taylor he is the meanest machine there is when it comes to the art of being underhand and brass necked. He has the sincerity of the late Bob Monkhouse and the human kindness of Winnie Ewing, he could slip seamlessly into the Republican Party in America, a Scottish Richard Nixon if you will.

All of the above makes his intervention in the financial crisis so uncharacteristic, in his usual way he sought to exploit the crisis for his own gain by saying that under independence more would have been done to protect HBOS. He stated that Scotland’s own Central Bank would have spent £100bn. to save it. The rather large flaw in this typical boast is that the SNP have decided against a Scottish Central Bank and the Bank of England would have still been in charge. Was this a blunder by the great ‘spiv’ ? I tend to think that he lied and his hubris caused him to think he would get away with it he has a healthy contempt for the Scottish people, they are no different to him than anyone else in that sense.

Along with “free by 93” “ a penny for Scotland” and the “unpardonable folly” he has now eclipsed these howlers with his rant about the money crisis, he served up scorn and vitriol on those responsible blaming “spivs, speculators and short sellers” his lash was unsparing, even biblical, he was at his slippery thespian best except, this time he didn’t see the train crash coming.

The train was being driven by one George Mathewson the Chairman of Toscafund Asset Management, these people are responsible for the much abused (by Alex the spiv) practice of “short selling” it takes a spiv to know a spiv, right Alex ! So what I hear you ask, well this George Mathewson has another important role in the public life of Scotland he is no less a person than the chair of the Scottish Govt’s Council of Economic advisers, picked by ? Come on you are way ahead of me aren’t you, yes Alex (the spiv) appointed him.

B.T.W. he is also Alex (the spivs‘s) Chief Economics Advisor, he criticises Brown and Darling you know, does Alex (the spiv) Here is a question, will anyone from the SNP dare to say something critical about him, what would have happened to Gordon Brown in similar circumstances ?

THE SHYSTERS THROWN OUT OF THE TEMPLE BY JESUS ARE STILL WITH US.

"Oh the banks are made of marble with a guard on every door.
And the vaults are stuffed with silver that the workers sweated for" - American union song - (Les Rice)

“What is the robbing of a bank compared to the founding of a bank" (Bertold Brecht)

Brecht in his own inimitable way asks who is the most dishonest, the bank robber or the bank owner. Recent and ongoing events make the answer a little bit more complicated for those who stand four square behind the capitalist system. Overnight the most massive socialist decision in history, that to nationalise huge capitalist banks, building societies and finance houses has been made by one of the most right wing presidents of the world’s most staunchly capitalist country. Take a bow George Dubbya Bush and the U.S.A. your humiliation is complete.

Bush, Cheney and Rice etc. have jumped ahead of Marx and Engels and Lenin as heroes of the socialist cause. No matter how this is spun there will be no way out for the free marketeers, the loony camp followers of mad old Milton Friedman and his laissez-faire nonsense are spinning with confusion and the sense that their life’s philosophy lies in tatters, you will not be surprised to learn that I have no sympathy for them.

In their “devil take the hindmost” world, the “devil” has just caught them up and taken an almighty bite out of their a***s, those who say ‘greed is good’ and no one matters except yourself are now grovelling and begging for help from the very society which they exploited so ruthlessly. I say to them, the market is all powerful, the market will sort everything, right ? aye right, as my mother used to say when you got caught out “hell mend ye”

Bush of course who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time has no idea what is going on and continues to read out statements written by even bigger crooks than him, consider the following, Ford, Quale, Reagan, Bush and now McCain and the ludicrous Palin and ask yourself how do these people get to a position of great power ? The answer is that they are put there to represent the interests of the corporate crooks and gangsters who are now being exposed by the current financial crisis, these people though will walk away rich, when they should be walking through prison gates, that’s the poison of capitalism.

The Govt’s of America and Britain now have to clean up the mess using their own people's money, this is an example of a phrase much loved by capitalists “too big to fail” or "if you are going to borrow, borrow so much that your lender can’t afford to see you go under and get locked up" It’s corruption on a grand scale and sadly we have been here before, will we learn this time ?

Unfortunately this is not the end of capitalism but it still represents an opportunity for the left. We must make sure that the future is better and that means much more regulation to prevent dishonest con artists thriving. I.M.O. the man without a shadow of a doubt to lead that is Gordon Brown, it’s not for nothing that he finds himself vilified by the right wing press and, in a disgraceful personal way. They fear him do these people, those responsible for this chaos, job losses, mortgage failures etc.
The thing they fear most is a Labour Party which is free of past New Labour timidity led by a liberated Prime Minister who now has the chance to let people see what Labour and he stand for.

Whatever happens now, we know that free range capitalism released by Thatcher and Reagan does not work, they caused this by deregulating the banks and financial systems. We now know without fear of contradiction that the market does not have the answer and we must not go back to that idea, at this time I am grabbed by mixed emotions, sympathy for those ordinary people who are damaged by this, utter contempt for the greedy capitalist bastards who are responsible and, sheer frustration that we can’t round these people up and throw them in jail, still, maybe in the future eh ?

THE CARNAGE CAUSED BY THE SNP GOES ON.

Today was another shameful episode for the SNP in Renfrewshire Council but, you needn’t worry if you missed it, another one will be along shortly.
Today it was the turn of Ice Skating which has thrived in Paisley since the 19 30’s to be stabbed in the back by the SNP, that’s what those wee knives down their socks are for, another betrayal.

Monday saw the betrayal of South Primary, following an outstanding HMIe report the SNP are closing it, today was the turn of the Lagoon Ice Rink, after two years of attacking Labour as we tried to find a solution they have shut it down, that is now the common SNP solution, closure. What might it be on Wednesday, nothing is safe. Another example of sanctimonious deceit by the SNP, it’s now their trade mark, do you know they call themselves Scotland’s Party ? Honestly they do, ask them if, like growing numbers of others you find it too hard to believe, Scotland’s Party that’s their claim.

They have misled skaters about Braehead being able to provide the groups who used the Lagoon with Ice Time. The groups have told us that by the end of this year they will have been unable to get ice time at Braehead for a total of 6 months, some provision for hockey and ice dancing right ?
The SNP’s fraudulent reason for it’s closure is that it would cost too much to put back the ice, the cost ? £4M.

Cast your mind back a couple of months and the SNP administration wanted to spend £4M. On the Arnotts store, this became the object of great secrecy and councillors were sworn to keep it quite, the reason ? It was reckoned by Renfrewshire Council’s officers that the deal had elements of risk, the SNP backed this. With hindsight it turned out to be fortuitous that the deal fell through when you consider the property market today, it was a near miss. So there we have an example of the SNP’s priorities.

They are prepared to use £4M. Of tax payers money on what they themselves described as a risky venture but, when asked to spend the same sum on restoring one of Paisley’s oldest sports facilities for the same amount they refuse. Remember the world ladies curling championship a couple of years ago, it put the town on the international map in grand style, a magnificent event, a year into an SNP administration and the rink is ‘no more’ the children of Renfrewshire have been sold out by an administration who have no vision and no ambition for themselves or the kids who want learn to skate and ice dance and play hockey, a complete betrayal.

These are the people who claim to speak up for Scotland, they are a cruel joke being played on us all.

IT'S "DE' JA' VU" ALL OVER AGAIN !

"MAN WAS HARDLY UP AND WALKING BEFORE MONEY STARTED TALKING" (Song - "I'm Changing My Name to Chrysler" - By Tom Paxton)

The guys who penned the following great song got there approx 60 years before Paxton. When will we rumble these crooks ? My advice is to keep your money under the bed.

"They used to tell me I was building a dream And so I followed the mob.
When there was earth to plow or guns to bear, I was always there, right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream With peace and glory ahead --Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run, Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done --Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick and rivet and lime.
Once I built a tower, now it's done --Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell Full of that Yankee Doodle-de-dum.
Half a million boots went slogging through hell, And I was the kid with the drum.
Say, don't you remember they called me Al, It was Al all the time.
Why don't you remember, I'm your pal --Say, buddy, can you spare a dime?"

(E. Y. HARBURG/JAY GORNEY) (1932) America.

HITTING OLD LADIES OVER THE HEAD WITH A HALF BRICK IS A CRIME, EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST BUSINESS ( ARTHUR DALY )

“If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose,
and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss”
(R Kipling) Again !

In the good old days of capitalism when a company went bust the head of the family and top man in the firm would sell everything and share what he could and then tearfully say his goodbyes and retire to his study with his cherished revolver. What are these modern capitalists like eh ? What ever happened to doing the decent thing, the honourable thing, Britain is going down the toilet. Where has the British “sword of truth and shield of fair play” gone ? Bankers, Holiday Travel firms and Airline Tycoons you are a big disappointment, British capitalism is ashamed of you.

I remember Freddie Laker and his Airways scam, Thatcher’s favourite capitalist businessman, his company went bust, and among the carnage of lost jobs and stranded passengers he managed to con people into a scam called “I’m backing Britain” to dig himself out of trouble. Younger people might find this hard to believe but people started sending this dodger money, air hostesses donated some of their wages to the cause. I remember thinking when the whole farce was over just what do these people think now about this how embarrassed/ angry are they now ? You see it turned out that when people had lost jobs and thousands on lost holidays that poor Freddie limped away to settle in his stud farm which was worth £7 M. and rendered untouchable by those who had taken the hit buy Freddie’s use of his “practiced lawyers”

Taxpayers today have to foot the bill when the immoral Capitalist gamblers schemes go pear shaped, they gamble with their customers money and get out after the crash with plenty saved away, lawyers make sure it can’t be touched, parasite is too good a word for them.

Unlike the decent one nation capitalist of old we have a new breed, I call them the Thatcher Capitalists, no sense of decency and completely dishonest and vicious, step up to the plate one “Paddy Power Turf Accountant“ the epitome of greed and rapacious capitalism, he is quoting odds on which holiday company/Airline will be next to go, go Paddy it’s an opportunity, a real modern example of the breed. Next we have the other Airlines, circling like vultures picking off the desperate stranded passengers and robbing them blind because they are helpless, a capitalist bean feast, “take no prisoners” picture those big bears feeding on the salmon in 6 “ of water.

Stories are emerging of people being offered flights and the prices changing several times before they get a ticket, I wonder which direction the prices went ? The more desperate their plight the higher goes the price, “what’s that madam, you have a sick child and you must get home, that will be another couple of quid”

The just thing to do here is for the Govt. to help as much as they can with the proviso that the greed driven gambling crooks walk away with nothing, Casino Economy ? Fine if you want to gamble but don’t come cap in hand with your sob stories if you lose, Don’t come to the British working people for help because we know what sympathy you people have for others we are witnessing it right now.

NOW IT'S SOUTH PRIMARY NO MORE AND LAGOON ICE RINK NO MORE BY THE SNP.

Yesterday I wrote about a meeting where the nationalists were in an absolutely foul mood. Mild
mannered Cllr. Mackay screeching like a fish wife, Cllr. Cameron refusing to take part even as education convener when an amendment on education was moved, Cllr. Nicolson casting himself as the “Vigilante Man” (the Travellers must be trembling) and Cllr. McFee displaying his Mr. Nasty credentials by using the Phrase “final solution” when speaking about Travelling People, just like the Cllr. McFee of old before he sailed in to the ’Bermuda Triangle’ that for him was Holyrood. What is going on I asked, well.

This morning bright and early one day after the full council we had some board papers delivered and they contained the following :-
Education Item 6 (a) a glowing report from HMIe on the South Primary School it was a great report, one of the best that I have seen on a Renfrewshire School, well done to them you might think eh ? Well no actually.

Education Item 7 the very next item, on the same board papers. “Proposals for the closure of South Primary School” no I am not making this up you can read it for yourself on the council web site. They are going to close the school that has just received one of the best reports ever seen, no wonder Cllr. Cameron had abandoned her usual sunny disposition, no one likes being humiliated.

Community and Family Care Board Item 16, a report stating that the Lagoon Ice Rink would not reopen they have abandoned the fight to restore the ice to the Lagoon, This is one of the main items that the SNP campaigned on and criticised Labour over non stop, the ’Bravehearts have thrown in the tartan towel again. Libraries, Nurseries, Area Offices, Elderly Wardens, Public Conveniences, savage education cuts and now School closures and closure of the Ice Rink. The unemployed probationary teachers must be ready to give up when they realize that the teachers from this primary are about to leap over them in the queue for jobs, is it possible to find a worse administration ?

Come on now wouldn’t your face be tripping you as well sitting there knowing this would break the next day, unless they didn’t know of course, but if they knew and held it back until after the meeting that would be dishonest would it not ? They were scowling in anticipation of the imminent undignified humbling and, wait for it folks there is more to come, that’s a promise. Not an SNP promise, this one will happen.

THE CUT AND THRUST OF DEBATE _ SNP STYLE.

Full Council and the meeting was back to it’s old bad tempered ways.
The main issue involving me was an item on the Govt’s proposals for Post Offices. The SNP take the view that none should close, at least they started with that view but, like class sizes and Police numbers it didn’t last long.

The next time you hear any of these disingenuous two faced SNP gnats telling you that no Post Offices should close think about this. At the recent Paisley North Local Area Committee the issue of local closures was on the agenda and the P.O. at Glasgow Airport was marked for closure. The meeting chaired by Cllr. B Lawson SNP and attended by SNP councillors did not say a word about it even when asked by Cllr. Lawson if it should be saved, so that principal of opposition to all closures didn’t last very long, these SNP people are completely untrustworthy.

I made the following point which they predictably struggled to find an answer to. The SNP in Renfrewshire Council have in the past year shut down facilities and cut services such as, Libraries, Housing Offices, Nurseries and Public Conveniences to name just some, the reason ? they are underused said the SNP and have to close. Fast forward to today’s item on Post Offices, 800 P.O.’s get 16 customers a week and 1,600 get 20 a day, the cost to these P.O.’s of a single transaction is £17. are they underused ? well you can decide for yourself but, according to the SNP these P.O.’s should be kept open, by this point Cllr. Mackay the SNP leader was unravelling and his voice was becoming more and more shrill as he tried to defend the indefensible. I’m happy to let these facts speak for themselves this is the SNP in action.

Another motion from Labour produced an unprecedented situation, at least to me it was. No rules govern this but it has always been the case that when a council service such as housing or in this case education is the subject of a motion or an amendment that the convener and deputy convener for that board move and second the item. In this case the SNP amendment was moved and seconded and the rest of the Cllrs. came in with their arguments for and against, then near the end of the debate Cllr. Cameron SNP came in for the first time and made a couple of derogatory remarks designed to insult rather than illuminate, she spoke for less than two minutes along the lines of “youse are wrang and yer aw stupid” everyone has their own style I suppose but here’s the intriguing bit, Cllr. Cameron is the Convener of Education, what can it mean I wonder, probably just the typical inexperienced SNP shambles but you never know do you ? I’ve never seen that before, never, is there a move in the offing I wonder ?

In a debate about travelling people the SNP reached a new low, a motion was put to council and spoken to by Cllr. Nicolson, this was a particularly squalid business even by his own dire standards. He set out to show how tough he could be on travelling people and we became more and more alarmed at his attitude, his hatred was all to plain to see, in this debate Cllr. McFee used the phrase “the final solution” yes you read that right ! and Nicolson, his anger brimming over lost it completely and descended into naked racism when he said “they take what they can get and then clear off back to England and Ireland leaving a mess behind” This is the tartan veil slipping and showing us a glimpse of what nationalism is all about ( hatred of others) and what these guys are really like.

In my own contribution I spoke about the problems which surround travellers and tried to put the issue into perspective I said that the crimes committed by Travellers were classed as low level crime by the police, accepting that they can be a monumental nuisance if you are the victim, also notwithstanding the fact that serious crimes can happen with them and with the rest of the population. I made the point that my house had been burgled 3 times and my car vandalised on numerous occasions as well as 2 cars set alight and burned out, none of this related to travelling people despite their camp being nearby every year.

This seemed to drive Nicolson over the edge as he ranted and raved saying “Cllr. Kelly thinks it’s all right for travellers to set fire to factories “ I called out “that’s a lie” he went on “Cllr. Kelly thinks it’s all right for travellers to drive a forklift truck through a factory wall” again I shouted “that’s a lie” then it was “ Cllr. Kelly thinks it’s all right for travellers to have pit bull dogs menace people” “another lie” I shouted, I then shouted “you are a liar” on he ranted, I then shouted “did you hear what I called you ? what are you going to do about it ? ” on he went, while everyone else stared at the ground.

In all the SNP contributions to this debate revenge and retaliation was the theme, it was left to me and other comrades as well as a dignified intervention from Tory Cllr. Ian Langlands to even mention the possibility of making provision for Travelling people to try to improve the problem, Cllr. Langlands and myself even raised the problem of children among the Travellers who need access to Health Care and Education to the anger of the SNP who wanted blood, children were not their consideration.

This was an unedifying display of foaming hatred by the SNP and quite frankly it was worrying and scary to witness but, it was the real SNP and they are proud of themselves. Is anyone more proud to be Scottish I wonder when you witness this distasteful mob ?

IT'S THE TAKING PART THAT MATTERS, RIGHT.

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same"
(R Kipling)

It was too good to last wasn’t it, there we were all basking in the reflected glory of team GB and their heroics when reality crept up on us with 4 sporting howlers in the one week.

Young Khan the boxer has had great publicity, some earned, some not. The wee skinny Scot. whose name escapes me came within a whisker of beating him in a brutal battle recently, Khan is in no hurry to trade with him again.

The other night Breidis Prescott of Colombia smashed him to a humiliating defeat in less than a minute, the kid was beginning to believe his own hype, maybe someone should have told him Colombians are dangerous son. Thumped to the floor twice, bravely back up and then his pitiful version of the “exit waltz” as he staggered around with his legs like jelly before the ref. saved him, at that point he was fighting from memory and he was in very real danger. When the brain starts making promises that the legs can’t keep it’s time to step in, well done the ref.

Scotland lost 1- nil to Macedonia and were lucky to get nil, they played like a team who had never met each other before, we had a good penalty denied but, the man of the match was Scotland’s goalie which tells it’s own story. Players at one time would lie about injuries to play for their national team now they are not so keen.

Meanwhile the scorer of England’s two goals against Andorra, a geezer called Joe Cole from “Sarf London” described it as a good result, he is now in line to play ’Trigger’ in a remake of fools and horses, England for all their wealth in football and all the great players at their disposal don’t seem to be able to perform on the international stage, Andorra nil England 2 considering that this was a meaningful match the score line will haunt them.

The lid got put on it on it as Andy Murray took a hiding from the best tennis player I have ever seen Roger Federer, an absolute phenomenon. Murray did well to reach a slam final and he will be back but I can’t help thinking he will be all to well aware of the gap between him and Roger, this was as good as I have seen him and if he maintains this hunger the rest will be left in his wake again, I can’t imagine how Nadal or anyone for that matter can live with him when he plays like this.


Still we must not give up, what about 3 am street brawling we could win that OK. When the great Ken Buchanan won his world title he shocked his opponent and the world by winning a fight at 3 am our time in a heat wave, Tommy Docherty commented “ they didn’t realize that everyone in Scotland fights at 3 am in the morning”

THE POOR BLOODY INFANTRY.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!" But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot; (R Kipling)

“When I was young I had a twist for punching babies with me fist.
So I thought I better had enlist and join the British Army” (Anon)
Kipling and the unknown author of the words from the above old anti British army ditty originating I think in Ireland, are both illuminating in terms of what it means to be a soldier, you can find similar stuff about almost every Army, they do not refer to every soldier of course, but they reflect the insensitivity of life in the forces where mainly young men become desensitised and brutalised while being protected by the establishment.

Before people jump on me, I want to state that I would like to see our armed forces better trained and valued, far too often young men join up as a last resort because of unemployment or time spent in care and the forces manipulate them. Just a couple of weeks ago 8 soldiers and then 23 sailors were dismissed for drug taking, the figures for this kind of kind of dismissal are running at 800 a year, the 23 sailors were from the same ship, were suspicions aroused when it was seen going round in circles I wonder ? These are horrific stats and tell a different story from the one which the official propaganda tells us.

Govt’s get accused of not caring about our armed forces while politicians sing their praises for fear of the press attacking them, Alex (the spiv) Salmond recently stated that Scottish soldiers were the very best in the world, did anyone like me, wonder how he arrived at that conclusion ? He was just grovelling for votes, cringe worthy and pathetic. The real story about the armed forces is what happens to them when the state has used them and discarded them, that’s the real problem and it represents a giant scandal. Not for those who came through Eton, Oxbridge and the Guards, not the upper class career soldier, not Hooray Henry and Winco Willie the Windsor brothers end of the pier variety act, they will be fine, the rest are not so lucky or well connected.

After the 1st. World war thousands of wounded soldiers could be found selling matches and busking on the streets of our cities and those from poor backgrounds who joined up have been badly treated since well before then. Homeless hostels and mental homes have always had more than their share of ex military men, state Army discards with no hope and no future, has it changed ? well, actually not really.

Recent investigations tell us that by far the biggest number of prisoners in our jails from a shared background are from the armed forces, approx 9,000 people, overwhelmingly they are badly damaged and can’t cope with civilian life, society is finding it harder and harder to hide them which is what it has always done. At the service in Westminster Abbey to commemorate the end of the Falklands War Mrs. Thatcher insisted that servicemen and women who were injured, in wheel chairs, limbless, blind etc. be kept in a corner of the Abbey where they could not be seen and they were to be kept out of range of cameras, TV and press.
There is very little if anything which is glorious about the military when you force yourself to face the reality of how these men and women are treated, how they are really regarded by society, flags, drums and badges can’t hide the pitiful nature of it all for ever and, it‘s harder to disguise it because of modern technology. The next time you see her majesty and the rest of the braying royal flunkies on a platform festooned with medals and swords spare a thought for the 9,000 in jail as well as those who paid a higher price still.

A root and branch overhaul of our armed forces is badly needed and something done about this scandalous situation starting with banning lies about how wonderful and glorious it all is, until we have done that we can not claim to be the best anything and we can’t claim to have a truly professional military, from wounded soldiers selling matches to thousands of ex military in jail have we really progressed ?

To finish with another thought provoking anti war song, as Pete Seeger wrote and Marlene Dietrich memorably sang.

“When will they ever learn, oh when will they ever learn”

AND WE ALL THOUGHT DUBBYA WAS A SPACEMAN !

McCain needed a way to pacify the loony right wing republicans, the ones who reject Darwin and think Charlatan Heston really was Moses. Find a copy of a movie called Elmer Gantry and watch Burt Lancaster sell these half wits religion and you get the essence of the Republican voter who is delighted at the appointment of Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate.


A life long member of the National Rifle Association and that’s not just for show, she enjoys hunting and killing animals for fun, vehemently anti abortion because she sees life as sacred but, also vehemently pro. capital punishment, maybe life’s not that sacred, she supports oil exploration in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, she objects to Polar Bears being classed as endangered, she refutes Global Warming, a 'good ol gal' right !

She is the perfect package to woo the knuckle draggers of the bible belt who were opposed to McCain, they see him as a liberal, honestly. This woman ticks all the Neanderthal boxes. She brings to the international stage all the experience of being Mayor of Wasilla Alaska pop. 8,000. America’s enemies will be trembling. That saying about the VP being a heart beat from the presidency is giving pause for thought especially as McCain is 72 Yrs. Old and a cancer survivor, think seriously about these 4 words “ American President Sarah Palin” will you feel the world is a safer place with President Palin in charge ? Honestly, will you ?


“So god help the mister who comes between me and my sister” as the Beverly Sisters used to sing,
Palin is also under investigation for sacking Walt Monegan the Public Safety Commissioner, it is alleged that he was fired by her because he refused to sack a state trooper who was involved in a divorce battle with her sister, she is clearly one to watch for whatever reason, I think McCain has made a spectacular blunder and I hope he has to, Annie Oakley as a running mate yeehah !

Remember the TV add for Hillary Clinton which imagined the phone ringing at 3 a.m. in the white House ? There is an air of tension and menace implying serious international danger, war, hostages etc. as we are asked, who do you want to answer that call Hillary or Obama. Well now we can imagine Sarah Palin answering that call from a hostile world leader demanding that the USA do something or else, what would she say ? Perhaps something like this “ hello, is that right ! *** ***** ***** ** *** You Goddam foreign B****** this woman might save us all from worrying about Global Warming.