WHEN TEA BAGGERS TALK ABOUT A SECOND AMENDMENT SOLUTION, THIS IS WHAT THEY MEAN.

I watched a remarkable interview from American TV the other night. A guy called Lawrence O Donnell on his own show was interviewing the Republican Senator for Arizona a Mr. Franks about the shooting of the Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who was shot along with others including 6 killed in Tucson Arizona by a mentally disturbed young man called Jared Loughner. The interview took an extraordinary and fascinating turn when O Donnell either in a planned way or inadvertently asked the Senator the following. "Would you have preferred this shooting incident to have happened in 2003 or today in 2011" he asked this question no less than 4 times and could not get Republican Senator Franks to answer it.

His refusal to answer such a simple; albeit slightly unusual question on such a grave and current incident caught my attention; I did some reading on this to try to see what was going on.

In 2003 the Democrats passed a law which made the maximum number of bullets which could be fired from an automatic weapon such as that used by the gunman 10, the Republicans later changed that law to increase the number of bullets from 10 to 31 so, Mr. Franks was being asked in a roundabout way "would you prefer the gunman to be able to fire 10 or 31 bullets?" a question which we in this country call 'a no brainer' yet the senator could not answer, the reason for his inability to answer?

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a hugely powerful organisation with massive political influence, they can make life very difficult for anyone who gets in their way and that includes politicians. They lobbied the Republicans to have the number of bullets increased because it would make them even greater profits for selling their guns (why kill 10 when you can kill 31, get your 31 shooter from us) they also enticed (bribed) them with money, they bought the votes of the Republicans and no doubt some Democrats as well. The wretched Senator Franks is one who has been bought by them and he therefore was unable to say that it would have been better had the incident taken place in 2003 rather than 2011.

Put another way Republican Senator Franks of Arizona was unable to say that when a deranged gunman opens fire in a crowded shopping centre it is better if he fires 10 rather than 31 bullets. This is America, today: right now! This is Capitalism red in tooth and claw, the scourge of the Planet Earth, is there hope for the future? A lot is riding on Obama.

“HOME OF THE BRAVE AND LAND OF THE FREE” _ GOD HELP AMERICA!

The accused Jordan Brown stands in the dock looking a little bewildered, he is chained hand and feet as he is charged, the charge is the heinous murder of his father's fiancé who was 2 weeks away from giving birth at the time of the killing making the charge one of double murder. He faces life in prison without parole: the death penalty is not an option in this case despite that fact that this is Pennsylvania USA where there is an insatiable appetite for practicing such barbarism. The American 'justice' system is so enthusiastic about putting people to death that they offer no less than 5 different methods of doing the deed: gas chamber; electric chair; firing squad; chemical injection and good old fashioned hanging for the 'good ole boys' who are traditionalists, say what you like about America but you can't accuse them of not offering choice and variety.

The person standing chained in that dock Jordan Brown was 11 years of age at the time hence no death penalty as the USA have recently banned it for under 18's. He is now 13 and has been sentenced to life without parole and an appeal is taking place now to challenge the sentence, only in America eh? He shot the victim in the back of the head with a rifle: his very own rifle especially made and suitable for use by an 11 year old and needless to say in America it is perfectly legal: it's a godsend when you have run out of ideas for a Christmas present for your all American kid.

If the appeal fails he will be the youngest ever American to get such a sentence and the youngest in the world according to Amnesty International but hey! this is America right, Innovation and can do remember? 2,400 are already in prison doing this sentence and 450 are in Pennsylvania to their shame. A week or so ago I watched with growing anger and frustration as President Obama hypocritically lectured the Chinese delegation to Washington on human rights. I thought about America's Guantanamo Bay Prison where prisoners have been held for 6/7 years without trial let alone sentence and that was before I heard about this case. Having ruled that life without parole can apply to any murderer, (there is no age qualification that I can find) they still seem to think that they are in a position to lecture the world about how to treat their citizens, it beggars belief and it must be a huge embarrassment to many Americans who are progressive democratic people.

It reminds me of what a great man once said when asked what he thought of Western Civilisation, he replied "I think it would be a great idea" (Mahatma Gandhi) I wonder how many Americans have ever heard of him?

“HOME OF THE BRAVE AND LAND OF THE FREE” GOD HELP AMERICA!

The accused Jordan Brown stands in the dock looking a little bewildered, he is chained hand and feet as he is charged, the charge is the heinous murder of his father's fiancé who was 2 weeks away from giving birth at the time of the killing making the charge one of double murder. He faces life in prison without parole: the death penalty is not an option in this case despite that fact that this is Pennsylvania USA where there is an insatiable appetite for practicing such barbarism. The American 'justice' system is so enthusiastic about putting people to death that they offer no less than 5 different methods of doing the deed: gas chamber; electric chair; firing squad; chemical injection and good old fashioned hanging for the 'good ole boys' who are traditionalists, say what you like about America but you can't accuse them of not offering choice and variety.

The person standing chained in that dock Jordan Brown was 11 years of age at the time hence no death penalty as the USA have recently banned it for under 18's. He is now 13 and has been sentenced to life without parole and an appeal is taking place now to challenge the sentence, only in America eh? He shot the victim in the back of the head with a rifle: his very own rifle especially made and suitable for use by an 11 year old and needless to say in America it is perfectly legal: it's a godsend when you have run out of ideas for a Christmas present for your all American kid.

If the appeal fails he will be the youngest ever American to get such a sentence and the youngest in the world according to Amnesty International but hey! this is America right, Innovation and can do remember? 2,400 are already in prison doing this sentence and 450 are in Pennsylvania to their shame. A week or so ago I watched with growing anger and frustration as President Obama hypocritically lectured the Chinese delegation to Washington on human rights. I thought about America's Guantanamo Bay Prison where prisoners have been held for 6/7 years without trial let alone sentence and that was before I heard about this case. Having ruled that life without parole can apply to any murderer, (there is no age qualification that I can find) they still seem to think that they are in a position to lecture the world about how to treat their citizens, it beggars belief and it must be a huge embarrassment to many Americans who are progressive democratic people.

It reminds me of what a great man once said when asked what he thought of Western Civilisation, he replied "I think it would be a great idea" (Mahatma Gandhi) I wonder how many Americans have ever heard of him?

A GOOD USE IS FOUND FOR THE MONARCHY AT LAST.

Friday evening 14/01/11 off to the cinema: persuaded by daughters against my better judgement to go and see a film called "The King's Speech" not because of as some might think my hostility to the monarchy but simply because the idea of a film about someone trying to overcome a stammer held no appeal. Anyone who takes an interest in cinema will not be surprised to know that I was entirely wrong, the film, the dialogue, the jokes, the acting etc. were outstanding: it's not often in buttoned up Britain that you hear loud unrestrained laughter in a cinema but it was here in abundance. The main characters the King, Queen and the speech therapist are played brilliantly by Colin Firth as George V1 Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen and Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue the speech therapist.

The above 3 lead a stellar cast and they are superb, the American market will as always lap it up as their appetite for upper class British stories is insatiable, they seem to think of Britain as being in a kind of old fashioned time warp and they love it. The Americans think this is history which it is of course a version of; albeit a sanitised version but, they are not completely aware that the Royal family are not much changed; a glance at the Government front bench will remind you of that. Don't look for much historical content, it has been given a good coating of whitewash and the Nazi menace which paralysed Europe at the time gets hardly a mention.

As big Basil Fawlty would say "don't mention the War" the utterly vacuous Edward V111 is skipped over as is his outspoken admiration of Hitler and the Nazis, likewise 'Bertie' George V1 who actively tried to prevent Jews from escaping Hitler's terror. His Queen is played as a funny charming airhead who has a slight air of menace about her but there is no hint of the rancid old racist and bigoted snob whom we all grew up referring to as "The Queen Mum" the nation's granny as the Daily Mail would have it, BTW there is still no sign of the £6M. of debt that she left: that was a clever trick wasn't it?

Their chances are being played up for Oscars which if they are flying around should go to Rush but it might not happen because there is a powerful Jewish lobby campaigning against the film because of its historical inaccuracy about Hitler and the anti Semitism which it studiously ignores. I'm not sure about that stance because had I been looking for an accurate narrative of the time I would simply not gone to see it, they would be better to voice their concerns and accept it as a film with no message of any kind other than to entertain which it does brilliantly. On a final note: Rush is such a chameleon that after 15 mns. I whispered to my daughter "I'm sure I've seen that guy?" "He was the chief bad guy in 'The Pirates of the Caribbean series of films" she whispered rather disdainfully ! its worth going to see him alone, go see it.

FROM AN ANGRY WORRIED MOTHER TO THE SNP/LIBDUM COUNCIL ON TEACHER CUTS.

Sometimes 'Joe Public' steps into the political limelight shooting from the hip and the heart, what follows is an example of just that. This furious young mother added these comments to her signature on the petition to stop the SNP/Libdum Council from replacing qualified teachers with unqualified staff; you can almost smell the outrage and withering contempt as you read her words.

"Perhaps the Council will do what they've done in Paisley Town Centre next - i.e. put a cardboard cut-out of a teacher at the front of the classroom with a big badge 'Imagine Your New Primary School Teacher' ........it seems the logical next step since they seem to have a fairly limited imagination. My suggestion would be to go the whole way...replace the Council with a huge cardboard cut-out, cheaper and you would get about as much reaction from them - I'm still waiting for a reply to my email, Mr Mackay, from last year"

Well said madam you speak for many.

Hugh Henry MSP for Paisley South has joined with Wendy Alexander MSP for Paisley North to protest the scandal of replacing primary school teachers with unqualified sessional staff he called on Alex Salmond to use his influence to stop Renfrewshire Council replacing qualified teachers with unqualified staff.

Mr Henry said:

"As a former Minister for Education and teacher, I know and value the contribution made by qualified teachers. In Scotland we fought long and hard to create a professional and qualified teaching work force. Renfrewshire Council's proposals will dilute the contribution made by skilled and trained teachers. This could be the thin end of the wedge for education in Scotland. We could see Councils trying to save money by replacing qualified teachers with cheaper, unqualified staff and even volunteers. Despite comments to the contrary, the Director of Education confirmed to councillors in a briefing that volunteers might be used.

This should not be a political debate. I thought that there was a consensus in Scotland that our children should be taught by qualified teachers. The losers, if this is allowed to go ahead will be our children and Scottish Education.

Mike Russell should be standing up for Scottish education, but sadly he does not appear to doing so. I know Alex Salmond has real influence over the SNP Councillors in Renfrewshire and that's why I have written to him to ask him to use that influence to bin this short sighted and dangerous proposal from Renfrewshire Council.

It's time to put our children first."

HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK 60 PRIMARY TEACHERS” (RENFREWSHIRE SNP/LIBDEM COUNCIL)

The circus rolled back into Paisley at the Renfrewshire Education Board today at the council buildings, a crowd of parents were there and they were not happy, the reason? Well it shouldn't surprise us anymore to learn that the latest brutal cut in services will once more be in education. Convener Cllr. Cameron SNP has presided over the nastiest period for education in Renfrewshire in living memory and today she sat in residence again as plans were passed to sack 60 primary teachers and replace them with unqualified sessional staff teaching them things which most people seem to agree are already being taught by teachers, the question therefore is why?

Let's take sports which are one of the subjects where these sessional unqualified people will be involved with the kids. Let's imagine a St. Mirren youth coach comes in and advises them about football, would the coach be better at teaching football? Well notwithstanding their present league position the answer to that would have to be a yes so, where is the problem? the answer as in so many things is money. The plan to bring such specialist people in to schools will save Renfrewshire Council £1.2m a year because there will not be a teacher in attendance in the class and the specialist brought in costs approx. half what a teacher costs, the child will lose 2,5 hrs. A week usually spent in the presence of a properly qualified teacher.

The council in a display of rat like cunning and shear brass necked effrontery claimed this would be advantageous to the children and of course the big bonus would be the big annual saving of £1.2m a year. No one believes this the SNP/Libdem coalition don't believe it either but there is not one of them with the backbone to say so, they are all bought and sold and not one with an ounce of decency or shame. There are 3 special advisers on this committee who very rarely if ever cast their vote, after what they did today they should reconsider their position. Today the proposal from the SNP led council suddenly took on the appearance of that famous straw which broke the camel's back and all 3 ripped into the council as if they were throwing off all constraints. It was dramatic and uplifting to see and hear them, the SNP/Libdem councillors and the education officers looked as if they had been caught like rabbits in the headlights of an oncoming truck.

First up was the Rev. Father Boyle who represents the Catholic Church he relentlessly tore the council proposition to bits with logic, good manners and the know-how gained as an ex secondary teacher, he destroyed the council arguments with ease and did so with politeness and reason, (I must try this method some day) . Next up was the Rev Clark, Methodist Minister who introduced himself by giving his CV. Honours Graduate and University lecturer in several disciplines as well as Chaplain to several schools, the SNP/Libdem councillors and education officers shrunk before his onslaught of rational argument and impeccable logic, last up was a George Hamilton, a retired college lecturer from nearby Reid Kerr college a "weel kent" Paisley face who tore into the council with relish, he was quite brilliant. All 3 spoke from the heart and with great experience and all 3 condemned the council proposals, no axe to grind here of any kind it was humbling for the council but; they have remarkable powers of hypocrisy and they had their minds well and truly closed. The vote was won by 10 votes to 8 in favour of the council and against the teachers and unfortunately against the children as well.

This was the SNP in its narrow minded meanest mood; persuaded by council officers to embrace this patent nonsense and not one of them with the courage or intelligence to break ranks. 3 years ago they came to power and started by cutting education by £12m and went on to sack more teachers than any other council: provide us with the worst primary pupil teacher/pupil ratios and the second worst secondary pupil/teacher ratios in Scotland, educational projects which helped the less fortunate were dumped: music tuition was cut in half; this provoked the idiot Libdem Leader Eileen McCartin to release one of her famous 'Bushisms' when she wrote to the Glasgow Herald saying that Renfrewshire council would improve the musical ability of it's pupils despite cutting tuition in half, cutting music tuition out all together would presumably turn them into little Mozarts according to this idiot woman's logic, she is Social Work convener and deputy Leader of the Council, honest to God that is true! Schools were shut and school busses were cut as well and now this. Cllr. Cameron now sits as convener and shows no remorse or respect for anyone, I am eternally thankful that my children were schooled without the influence of her and the SNP/Libdem coalition anywhere near them and my pity goes to those who have the misfortune to have their children subjected to the people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing, how can anyone look at this crowd of nonentities and vote for them.