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.

THE SNP/LIBDEM EDUCATIONAL VANDALISM IN RENFREWSHIRE GOES FURTHER.

Cllr. Cameron SNP (P.D.E. Dec. 29 2010) shamelessly suggests that replacing 60 primary teachers with unqualified sessional workers will benefit our children; I find it difficult to accept that anyone could actually believe this let alone Cllr. Cameron who is convener of Education. This is what the SNP/Libdem coalition intend to do, sack 60 primary teachers and replace them with unqualified sessional staff. Not satisfied with cutting over £12m. from the education budget in 3 years, closing schools, cutting music tuition, leaving us with the worst pupil teacher ratios in Scotland, removing school transport and causing the worst teacher morale in living memory they intend to continue wielding the knife.

These unqualified staff will work on subjects like citizenship, better health, sport and cultural activity. As far as I'm aware these things already form part of the learning experience in our primary schools so what is this really about? At the Labour Group meeting where these proposals were put £1.2 million of savings was mentioned: not by me I hasten to add; it was said by Mr. Naylor the Director of Education for Renfrewshire Council.

Claiming to improve education by sacking 60 teachers and bringing in unqualified sessional workers is the most bizarre suggestion I have heard since Cllr. McCartin Libdem leader stated in a letter to the Glasgow Herald that our music students would benefit once the SNP / Libdem coalition cut their music tuition in half. That is a true statement, from the woman who is deputy council leader and convener of social work services.

This is about cuts, not improving our children's education. The SNP/Libdem administration on Renfrewshire Council are morphing into a version of the Tory/Libdem Government at Westminster, they clearly share the Governments enthusiasm for vicious cuts to services and they also share their determination to make the most disadvantaged pay the price. It is another example of the contempt that the SNP/Libdem administration have for the electorate; compounded by their arrogant attempts to convince us otherwise.

CABLE, CLEGG, THE LIBDEMS, THE SNP – APOLITICAL AND AMORAL EVERY LAST TREACHEROUS ONE OF THEM.

Being the kind of person I am, I am loving every minute of Vince Cable's humiliation, this being Christmas I hope that what is happening to him is even more painful and embarrassing than it would normally be. Modern British political history has been tainted by the emergence of squalid little self serving groups of liars and backbiting groups since the gang of 4 formed the Liberal Democrats. Rogers, Owen, Williams and Jenkins: each one with a personal grudge set the scene and later merged with the Liberals, a historically significant party sold out by weak politic lightweights like the wretched David Steel, a man who missed his vocation in life, he was born to play Uriah Heep. Dennis Healy summed the lot of them up with his description of the truly treacherous and disingenuous David (Lord) Owen "the good fairy made him handsome, charismatic and intelligent, then the bad fairy came along and made him a shit" Dennis whom I rarely agreed with certainly got that one right!

A year ago most people could not have told you who Cable: Clegg: Moore: Alexander etc. were. People like me who devote a lot of time to politics knew the reason for that and more and more members of the public are now discovering that reason. They were and still are nonentities and we are now seeing the consequences of such people being put in power, those who knew these cowards knew they would roll over for anyone who would give them a sniff of power, the same thing happened in Renfrewshire when the Libdems rolled over and were bought by the SNP add the arrogant Libdem leader in Renfrewshire the Bully McCartin to that list of infamy.

While McCartin and her lap dogs are happy to cut schools, libraries, swimming pools, school transport etc. etc. Clegg and Cable swore on a stack of Bibles that they would never concede certain dearly held principles. Does the term dearly held principles mean the same to Libdems as it does to other people? Let's have a look and see: I would suggest that among all the crap spouted by the Libdems the best known is PR this we were assured was their Raison d'être their reason for being in politics they abandoned it for a job with the Tories. No rise in Tuition Fees was a solemn promise to students and they sold the students down the river as well. I remember arguing in the council with Libdem leader McCartin who was vehemently opposed to nuclear power: it was her party's policy and she was proud of it: now as part of the Tory Govt. They have ditched that as well. Then we have Trident, non negotiable they said well guess what? They lied about that as well and have accepted the Tory Trident position.

Here in Renfrewshire we have the awful spectacle of the Libdems supporting the Tory Govt. while in coalition with the Local SNP who oppose the Tory Govt. two parties clinging to power despite having to tell all kind of stories to stay there it is humiliating for them but they don't have the courage to do the right thing. Blatant hypocrisy fits them like a glove: the inexperienced and cowardly council leader Derek Mackay SNP in a moment of blind terror at a council meeting stuttered out from panic stricken lips that the Tory/ Libdem Government cuts "were about right" while the vicious Libdem leader McCartin sails on like like a Mafia Don prepared to sink to any depths for the money and a taste of power: for her there is nothing: Cuts, Tuition Fees, Trident, PR etc. etc. that would interfere with what benefits her she would happily send weans back up chimneys if there was something in it for her.

Let's face reality here, the Tories, the Libdems and the SNP deserve each other, when the chips are down there is no difference between them and they will eventually pay the price for such deception and absence of any morality. We will remember them at future elections.

WIN LOSE OR DRAW; THE STUDENTS HAVE CHANGED THE GAME – THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT DECENCY, COURAGE AND SOLIDARITY ARE STILL PART OF THEIR MAKE UP.

Watching the establishment close ranks against the students has been exasperating and entirely predictable. The overwhelming consensus from the sewer that is Murdochland is that the students are a gang of thugs who are out of control and only interested in violence and destruction, readers of this blog will recall that that was what I predicted when the first demonstration took place. To put it all into some kind of perspective we now have a situation where spraying graffiti on Winston Churchill's statue is a far greater crime than assaulting a young student by hitting him over the head with a truncheon and causing him to be admitted to hospital to undergo brain surgery and this after refusing him medical attention. Stories as expected are now being invented and credited to "sources" among the student protestors and lies reported as "an insider told us" etc. etc. Theresa May the Home Secretary is now blatantly stating that the students were a disgrace and bent on violence, due process anyone? Will a judge throw out any charges because the Home Secretary has prejudiced the outcome? Will we see any charges brought against any Police Officers?

"honest M'Lud it was the horse's fault that the protestor got trampled not mine"

Meanwhile one or two papers are telling different stories but they are being dwarfed by the Murdoch Empire and you will look in vain to find any TV or Radio programme prepared to break ranks. Dig deep; persevere; and you might find references to unprovoked brutal police tactics; not necessarily from students but from adults who were there and many of them are of exemplary character some were parents of some of the students and many were education professionals, teachers, lecturers etc. Very little evidence is caught on film of the violence reported by the obsequious media but that doesn't stop them from painting word pictures for us that are shameless in their bias and pro establishment leanings.

Let me delicately throw in another part of the jig saw that has not been mentioned, I am doing this because I have experience of such matters. I have been on many picket lines and demonstrations in my 62 years the most obvious would of course be the coal disputes (coal disputes not Miners Strikes) the fawning media insist on 'miner's strikes' because that description avoids telling us that there are two sides to every dispute and perhaps it's possible that either side could be wrong, even the employer/government side. There was a thing called the "picket line shuffle" we would link arms and so would the cops and we would shove each other back and forth with lots of threatening noise etc. the only injuries sustained at this were toes trod upon, we used to chat away to the cops during this performance. They took great delight in thanking us for the overtime pay they were making and we would wind them up by asking where their ID numbers were.

The ID numbers were missing again in Parliament Square, pickets were told on the coal dispute lines by some numberless cops that they weren't in fact cops but military, who would have thunk it? In democratic Britain as well with a law abiding Tory Govt. running the country. Here is another mystery from those days. When hostilities were done for a while miners and their sympathisers would debrief and discuss the day's events and it became obvious after a while that we were asking ourselves who some of our own team were. Many of them were not known and they were mostly unwilling or incapable of taking instructions from the union marshals, they appeared and disappeared with the trouble, they were not the usual suspects, Anarchists: Socialist workers; Maoists etc. they were well known to us so who were they?

"Agents Provocateurs" are people who incite crime to get someone else arrested and have been used by Govts. For centuries for this purpose and I'm not talking about the political agitators here I'm referring to the forces of the state. Many believe including me that It was done during the coal disputes and I have no reason to doubt that the present Govt. would do it again, Is it possible do you think that we might have seen them in Parliament square the other night?

WHEN THE TORY/LIBDEM WESTMINSTER BOAT GOES DOWN THE LAST TWO RODENTS FIGHTING OVER THE LAST LIFEBELT WILL BE CLEGG AND CABLE.

Who remembers Vince Cable raising a laugh by describing Gordon Brown as Mr. Bean ? I guess that Brown being the man he is would not have taken any great satisfaction were he watching Cable today leading the Govt. on his bill to raise Student fees. Cable was more "Mr. Has Been than Mr. Bean" and me being the kind of man I am, unlike Gordon Brown revelled in his wretched performance at the despatch box. A hesitant shifty exhibition from a man whose political star is falling as fast as the snow surrounding us; and very few are more deserving of a spectacular fall from grace than this quack of a politician. Round here we have a saying to describe a person who simply can't be trusted: we say "He/She has more faces than the town hall clock" and Mr. Cable displays every devious one of them. His already collapsing body language was such that we half expected to see a crumpled suit with no one in it as his masters P.M. Cameron and Deputy P.M. Clegg left the chamber before the debate started, a case of rats leaving a sinking ship surely. Whether the Govt. carries the day is now neither here nor there as far as the Liberal Democrats are now concerned, their mendacity is clear for all to see; they no longer have anywhere to hide and are staring into the political void and it couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of crooks and backstabbers.

It would be difficult indeed to find a clearer cut case of a political party being so palpably caught out and shown as a bunch of fraudulent shabby crooks. They have been exposed for the way they conduct politics, which is to promise everything to everyone safe in the knowledge that they will not be in the chair when the music stops as Pat McFadden Labour MP so eloquently put it in the debate. That is why they signed the NUS pledge but they are in the chair and they have been exposed as opportunists who stand for nothing. It was not as they are trying to say now only one part of their manifesto it was a central plank and deliberately designed to buy student votes. It is now 18:47 PM and we know that 28 Libdem shysters voted with the Tory Govt. the bill to raise tuition fees and cut the education teaching budget by 80% has been agreed because of the support of the Liberal Democrats, will people remember this act of treachery.

Will any of you; like me; spare a thought for the bright boys or girls who because of what happened today in Parliament will not manage to access higher education. Perhaps the one who would have discovered a cure for cancer or the common cold could have been one of those youngsters who missed out because of what the Tories and Liberal Democrats did today, we can't say can we? Perhaps one of them could have become the ordinary hard working teacher who inspired a young pupil to enter higher education and go on to achieve things which could be of benefit to society. We will never know but we do know that it is possible and that makes them (the Govt.) guilty of vandalism against us all. When talent, intelligence and diligence fails because the Govt. for ideological reasons places financial penalties in the way of young people we, you and me and all of those protesting students and their families have a right to damned angry. The gutter media has already started to trash the protestors and it will get vicious. That makes it even more important that progressive forces and progressive people stand four square behind the students and refuse to be lied to by Murdochism. If we allow the Govt. to carry on down this road we will be back to the vicious eighties and the evil shadow of Thatcher will descend on us again. Time for the whole Labour movement, parties unions and the rest of decent society to stand firm, raise our voices so they can be heard in the Camen Isles and the Bahamas where the tax dodging Tories are wintering.

Another shameful step has been taken towards a society long desired by the Tories and most Liberal democrats where those who are fit and well off don't pay for the poor and sick while those parents who do not have children or are well off do not pay to educate the children of parents who are less well off, and our society slips back again under these political fraudsters. Once again we here in Renfrewshire are left wondering at the completely untenable position of the SNP in the local council. Today in the fees debate the SNP were fierce in their anger against the Liberal Democrats. SNP MP Pete Wishart was particularly aggressive and angry he treated the Libdems with scorn and not a little contempt, one can only assume that Mr. Wishart was performing a little cameo for the cameras. This situation again shows the contempt that the Renfrewshire SNP/Libdem cabal have for the voters; how can they (SNP _ Libdems) be at each other's throats in Westminster and in bed together in Renfrewshire? They are now following a pattern; recently the SNP led administration in Renfrewshire refused to condemn the Tory/Libdem budget of savage cuts from Westminster when the SNP leader and Holyrood candidate Derek Mackay said at a council meeting and I quote "the cuts are about right"

Today saw a new low for the Tories and an even deeper low for the Liberal Democrats at Westminster, young people in future will pay the price of their duplicity, for the sake of a whiff of power and a ministerial car. Nonentities like Danny Alexander and Michael Moore both Liberal Democrats prove to be as handy a pair of MP's as money can buy, while here they continue to enjoy the support of SNP council leader Derek Mackay and his 'minder' deputy council leader the Libdem Leader Eileen McCartin. In all honesty readers can any of you bring yourselves to vote for these people again?

“BLISS WAS IT IN THAT DAWN TO BE ALIVE- BUT TO BE YOUNG WAS VERY HEAVEN” (WILLIAM WORDSWORTH ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION)

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Another day of huge student protests passes and the ruin of society predicted by the Sun, Telegraph and Daily Mail did not seem to happen. Instead what we got was a display of anger tempered with self restraint and determination to be heard, this time there were far more young students from schools rather than universities. Attempts by the right wing media to portray all of this as violent anarchy are failing: they are failing because of increasing technology, it is harder now for the police to lie about numbers present as well as using excessive force against protesters because it is a fact that in a large crowd nowadays perhaps 90% of those present will have a mobile phone/camera, even the most diligent and brutal police group find it difficult to seize tens of thousands of cameras and smash them. Even then they used mounted police to charge demonstrators who were perfectly well behaved, a fact that the Chief of Police knew nothing about when interviewed later, there is a pattern here, like the Brazilian electrician shot dead and the newspaper seller whose manhandling by police led to his death. The police issue several versions of events changing them as quickly as they are exposed as lies, we await with patience to hear why it was thought necessary to charge the crowd with horses, perhaps while they are at it they will explain why it was also necessary to keep thousands of young people under collective arrest without charge or evidence of crime; some as young as 13 for nine and a half hours in freezing conditions without water or access to toilet facilities. We may have to wait a long while, meanwhile can we not dispense with our hypocritical babbling about our precious democracy and freedom. When police can: with impunity hold thousands in captivity and prevent people from walking down a street peacefully, boasts about democracy and freedom etc. are flawed and hollow, it's about time we admitted it.

Finding amidst the demonstration a police van unattended slap bang in the middle of the oncoming crowd struck me as being very suspicious; am I alone in finding this rather bizarre? It was the type of vehicle which we see carrying officers to various locations where they are deemed to be needed, where were they? Did the "Mets. Finest" turn and flee abandoning their van in the face of the baying hordes intent on violence and havoc? Some of those 13 year olds can be particularly vicious you know: I suppose you can't be too careful. I have searched in vain to find an explanation for a police van abandoned; not parked remember but abandoned to the mercies of the vicious hordes of nasty 13 year olds and even worse 17 and 18 year old female students whose violence is legendary. Unfortunately for the vicious press liars and for whoever thought up the idea of leaving the van in the hope that it would provide bad coverage of the demonstrators the technology I mentioned kicked in. We got some stunning photos of a very dignified and determined group of teenage schoolgirls who had formed a cordon around the van to prevent it being vandalised, well done to those girls. Perhaps we will get an explanation for that, maybe some of the press photographers who were right on the spot at exactly the right time to catch some youngsters climbing on to the roof and kicking the van. Some of the crowd were so vicious that they could plainly be seen cooperating with the press photographers who asked them to kick the van again so they could get a better picture, perhaps it is just the case that British rioters are so much more better behaved than our European colleagues "after you Cecil with the iron bar" "no no you first old chap" it's British breeding probably.

The students continue to lead the way and the Unions are making the right noises about massive resistance to the Tory/Fibdem Govt. Some Govt. people BTW in offering a solution for the economic situation have hit on the not so innovative idea of blaming the lower orders for breeding so much, we have been here before and they serve to remind us of the utter viciousness of the Tory Party and the pathetic obsequiousness of the spineless Fibdems who stand for nothing absolutely nothing, no political anchor and no lie they would not tell to get a taste of power, no cause they would not ditch, they are crooks and crawlers everyone of them.

I congratulate the students again and I also encourage the unions and every other person and or organisation that believes in justice and fairness to do everything we can to rid us of these parasites once and for all and don/t forget we are not just talking here about Tories we now have a cabal of backstabbing liars and traitors propping them up, the Liberal Democrats who will if there is any justice never be forgiven or forgotten, they have gone the same way as the treacherous SNP when they brought us Margaret Thatcher and they, like the SNP will have to wear that badge of shame for a long long time, in my case for ever. Direct action is the way forward; don't make the mistake of thinking that we are dealing with an honourable enemy. Think back to Thatcher and before her as well. The enemy are the self seeking supporters of Capitalism whether they are prominent and bullish Tories or underhand crawlers like the Liberal Democrats and the Tartan Tories of the SNP we must be determined to take them on and the place to do it is not the late night TV studios, the place to do it is the streets.

Posted by Cllr Terry Kelly at Sunday, November 28, 2010
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THE WORLD SURVIVED REAGAN AND BUSH, CAN WE SURVIVE PALIN?

When 'Spitting Image' ran a sketch years ago showing President Ronald Reagan answering one of his aides by saying "Nicaragua? that's the big guy with the beard aint it?" we all laughed uneasily, we knew the biggest military and economic country in the history of the planet was being lead by a congenital idiot and the world was a less safe place because of it but: Corporate America was willing to risk it because they would get seriously rich, so what! that's Capitalism right!

Fast forward on a nightmare journey and we find another congenital idiot George Bush as president of America he once said ''Our politically correct society is acting like some giant insult's taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards...There's going to be a retard summit at the White House.''
We laughed and showed a rictus grin as the Bush years held the world in an uneasy embrace: we had stopped asking by then how such people could become so powerful. Corporate America smiled from the sidelines as it's pockets bulged with green, that's Capitalism right!

Right now we watch horrified as the never ending Korean conflict flares up again with nuclear capability on both sides; we should all be reflecting uneasily that one of the apparently plausible presidential candidates for 2012 is Sarah Palin: believer in witchcraft; slaughterer of animals for fun and congenital idiot. When asked what newspapers and magazines she reads on a political talk show she couldn't name a single one and said
"All of 'em, any of 'em that have been in front of me over all these years. Two days ago when asked about the Korean flare up she said "But obviously, we've got to stand with our North Korean allies."

North Korea backed by China are the communist enemies of South Korea who are backed by America. I sometimes think that I remember this stuff as part of a nightmare. This woman could conceivably become the most powerful person on the planet: the world looks on aghast and says "surely even Americans can't be that stupid" but: we said that before with Reagan and Bush did we not? Corporate American crooks continue to win while placing idiots in positions of great power and they thus ensure that their wealth continues to grow. Here is a nice thought as we approach Christmas, cherish the season of Peace & Goodwill and try not to think 2 years ahead try not to think that in Reagan, Bush and Palin we could have lived under the world leadership of the third congenital idiot American President, all of whom had and still have access to the Nuclear Codes.

POSITIVE ACTION IN HOUSING [home@paih.org] ACTIVELY STANDING UP FOR JUSTICE AND PROTECTING OUR GOOD NAME.

The British Government have been thwarted from carrying out appalling policies against Asylum Seekers in Glasgow, vigilance is required against any further attempts to persecute people who are very vulnerable and living in our midst. Let's make it clear that we will oppose any further attempts to disperse these people who are now our neighbours, read the following statement by the agency protecting them.

STATEMENT REGARDING CANCELLING OF UNITED KINGDOM BORDER AGENCY (UKBA) LETTER TO 600 GLASGOW FAMILIES BY DAMIAN GREEN, IMMIGRATION MINISTER + URGENT FUNDING APPEAL FROM POSITIVE ACTION IN HOUSING
Glasgow MPs Have stated that immigration minister Damien Green has cancelled a letter forcing asylum seekers out of their home with 3 days notice. We understand from Glasgow City Council sources that the UKBA now recognise the timetable is unachievable. Negotiations between them and the Council, GHA and Y people are to continue. Council officers are trying to point out the merits of the existing contract and the risks of terminating it. More information will be provided by Friday 26 November.

A Council source today informed Positive Action in Housing that:
"It is important to remember that this is not just about accommodation. Glasgow Council has a dedicated and well qualified/trained team who act as gateway to whole range of services from council and other bodies - social work, education, translation, medical services. Ypeople (YMCA) are not equipped to handle the larger numbers and already rely on council services and support. Angel Group cannot get even the accommodation right far less provide any support."

Robina Qureshi, Director, Positive Action in Housing, said:
"We welcome the fact that the Immigration Minister has cancelled the UK Borders Agency's potential eviction letter to 600 Glasgow refugee families which threatened to put them out of their homes inside three days. The February 2011 deadline is effectively dead. We now hope that he will also consider whether it is right and proper to put families into accommodation provided by private landlords when there are growing concerns about these agencies' ability to provide accommodation and support similar to the Council.

"The Council, similar to the city's refugee support groups, clearly has concerns about the ability and competence of private landlords contracted to the UKBA, to handle a contract involving vulnerable families.

"Positive Action in Housing remains concerned about the health and safety of vulnerable families and the sick, elderly and disabled people if they are transferred to poorly regulated and substandard accommodation run by unscrupulous private landlords whose sole motivation is profit. We believe that Glasgow City Council is the best housing and support service for the refugee families.

"However, if the contract is not going to be reinstated with the Council, then we believe that Glasgow's registered social Landlords are safer, more reliable and better regulated alternatives. Certainly their health and safety record in housing vulnerable people is impeccable.

"We remain committed that if any families are moved against their will or even one child is forced to move school then we, alongside our extensive networks of supporters, will publicly support and advocate for each and every family, and have the resources ready to do so.

"The UK Borders Agency has underestimated the strength of feeling about the agency's actions on Scottish soil. From the hundreds of emails and letters we are getting from the public, people are disgusted. Members within the Jewish community have also raised comparisons with what happened to Jews in Poland and Nazi Germany.

"Asylum policy in the UK remains a torture test for would be refugees. The psychological torture lies in a UK asylum policy that claims to offer sanctuary then systematically treats vulnerable people like criminals and liars. Their most basic human rights are violated. People seeking asylum are amongst the poorest of the poor, they are forbidden to work; they humiliated by being forced to take benefits that are up to 45% below what UK citizens get, they are marked out in shops when the use the "Azure card", they must 'spend' the card as soon as they get it, they are forbidden to save up for things like their children's school uniforms because the money on the card is invalidated after a matter of days, they risk falling into destitution at any point in the asylum process and no homeless unit or soup kitchen is allowed to help them. They live in the housing no one else wants. Those houses will lie empty again if they are forced to vacate now. Throughout their asylum claim they face the threat of destitution, detention or deportation. They can languish in such a system for seven years without reprieve. Their mental health is often severely affected as a result – something that rarely happened before they arrived in this country.

"The asylum system attacks human dignity. Many people seeking asylum escaped and survived torture, multiple rape or seeing their loved ones killed, and endured the pain of separation from their young children in order to find peace, democracy and liberty - words that regularly ring out to countries around the world from the BBC World Service no less. The mental torture is the realisation that they risked their lives and left their family, home and country, for nothing, only to find themselves vilified as social parasites by the country and to find anything but peace, democracy and liberty. Those words must seem so hollow given the treatment they received at the hands of the UK borders Agency and its privately contracted cohorts.

"We urge everyone who supports this campaign to please keep up the pressure and keep sending in your messages of support to home@paih.org. We will pass them on".

Write to your MSP, MP and MEP. To find out who your local representative is, just enter your postcode in http://www.writetothem.com/ and email them from the website.

The following should be included, Alex Salmond, the firstminister@scotland.gsi.gov.uk - Scotland Secretary michaelmooremp@parliament.uk - Damien green, immigration minister,greend@parliament.uk; - Phil Taylor, Head of UKBA Scotlandphil.taylor@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk - David Crawford, Head of Social Work, Glasgow City Council: david.crawford@sw.glasgow.gov.uk - Theresa May, Home Secretary at mayt@parliament.uk - Or: Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

( Positive Action in Housing) - Please support our work and donate what you can. You can send a cheque made out to PAIH Ltd and post to Positive Action in Housing, 98 West George Street Glasgow. Alternatively give an online single or monthly donation at http://www.justgiving.com/paih/donate. Just Giving reclaims Gift Aid automatically and pays donations to us directly at the end of every week. The site is 100% secure. Donate securely online at http://www.justgiving.com/paih/donate

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