Thursday 19 December 2013

RANDOM THOUGHTS

I see the Botox has worn off, and then some!
I was thinking today that the British doctor who was killed, or died, in Syria, was an example of just how the "clout" that BT likes to brag we have everywhere, gets things done.

His brother explained that he had been in touch with the FCO to try to get them to do something. Other European countries had moved quickly to secure the safety of their nationals. Germany in particular had done this very effectively. Britain seemed strangely powerless by contrast.

Some idiot junior minister or bag carrier from the FCO was trotted out to say that they had asked for consular access, but nothing had been forthcoming, but it was a scandal that the man had been murdered by the Syrians.

That clout we have in the world truly is frighteningly powerful... Our enemies fear us and our friends admire us... Hmmm yeah.

Sounds much more like one word from London and wee Willie, and ...erm.... sod all happens…
**********
You hardly need to think about it.
For heaven's sake who would trust this man with the tea fund?
**********

Margaret Thatcher dies - Cameron says she was his favourite all time leader.

Nelson Mandela dies - Cameron says he was his favourite all time hero.

Peter O'Toole dies - Cameron says he was in his favourite all time film.

Ronnie Biggs dies - Still Waiting to hear if he was his favourite all time criminal.

Silly really, he has many many close friends who are on trial at this very moment. Surely one of these must be his favourite...Lynton, Andy, Rebekah, Charlie....?
**********
Ye gads! That's not the SPIV Cameron approaching one, is it?
Quick Camilla, pretend one is one...
**********
It was interesting to see that Danny Alexander has found a black hole in his head.

Well, to be honest, he didn't find anything, as locating his arse with two hands would be a real break though as far as he is concerned.

However, his poor staff at the treasury have apparently found a black hole of billions in John Swinney's  costings for an independent Scotland. Leaving aside the fact that the white paper was informed by some seriously clever economists and academics (not likely to be found at the treasury), one question popped immediately to my mind.

Would this, I wondered, be the same treasury that oversaw the complete collapse of the economy only a few years ago not having foreseen it one tiny little bit, and the treasury which has since consistently failed to forecast one single thing right, except maybe what time the tea lady would bring round morning coffee, or what their bonuses would be? Yes it could. So...maybe just a tad dubious then? Or maybe even a load of horse manure?
**********
Oi! Where are you off to Baldy? What you going to do about all these
 poor people your half arsed schemes are killing every week?
**********
At the risk of becoming boring on the subject, the seemingly serial thief, His Noble Beardyness Lord Hanningfield, bless him, has been on the fiddle again, nipping in to the House of the Walking Dead, signing in the book, taking a quick subsidied snifter and sodding off again £300 richer. 

Quite clearly the greedy old Tory doesn't learn a lesson very quickly. He was sent down for 9 months for being a thief less than 2 years ago, but, as is the wont of these people, he pulled a nervous breakdown out of the hat and hey presto... was out of stir within 9 days.

Possibly the fact that prison warders didn't greet him with a respectful "good morning my lord", and bow as he passed in the corridor, was too much for his aristocratic sensibilities and brought about his complete collapse.  

Once out of stir he was able to get himself back together with a good bit of expense fiddling... After all, if you only get 9 days, it's probably worth the risk. He says he paid back all that he stole, so obviously the man has to start getting it back. 

£300 a day x 5 over say 35 weeks of the year when the lazy old buggers aren't on holiday = £52,500 tax free, plus cheap booze and grub and a pile of free toadying servants... Nice one your old faker.

Talking of old fakers, I wonder how Margaret Moran's nervous breakdown is going now that she got off with stealing all that money. Back to being a plump middle aged dolly?

Here are some pictures to remind us of the unlovely old fraud Mags...

Before, at the time of, and just after the trial, which she was excused as she was deemed unable to plead because of severe depression:

Before the trial (left) looking like an overweight 50 year old with a strange orange flower growing out of her head; at the time of the trial having aged by 30 years, now looking like a podgy old bat. And below, the week after the trial that she dodged, looking remarkably better and not a day over 60 (although still a bit on the plump side).
This old witch, who stole £53,000 of taxpayers' money, could give master classes on how to avoid justice.
Leaving the pub and out for a walk with the dog only days
after being diagnosed as too ill to stand trial.
Depression is a terrible thing.

23 comments:

  1. I despair for the people of Scotland if they vote No in September.
    I despair for the continued existence of Scotland should we vote No.
    I will never return to Scotland except for short visits should the vote be No.
    My life would be not long enough for independence to bounce back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, I'm beginning to think telepathy here.

      Before I opened this page I was just considering what Yes voters would do if we lost the vote.

      With all the lies and black propaganda that they have used to scare people for voting for their own future, I can see a lot of unhappiness, anger and bitterness.

      The question is how will that unhappiness manifest itself?

      The normal way in Scotland, from what I can see, is a steely determination not to fail next time, work hard for another SNP government that will have a referendum in its manifesto and buckle down to English Tory rule for another 5 years.

      I imagine that that is what will happen.

      The removal of the Barnett Formula and an even bigger subsidy of the UK, while they force their evil policies on us, starving and freezing the poor, poisoning the water, and privatising because there is no more money for public service, should do the trick.

      It's not like these policies work. I noticed on the news this morning that there is a £198 billion borrowing requirement (black hole?), that half the schools in Nottingham have totally failed and are to be put into special measures, and that a hospital in Colchester has been reported for falsifying cancer patient waiting times... so the right wing ways look like they are a bit of a failure.

      Or will people with anything about them start leaving Scotland as it gets dragged with the UK to being that small island off Europe only good for education (but not in Nottingham) and sightseeing, gawping at Wills and Diana and George as so ably described by the Chinese leadership to embarrass Cameron.

      What other alternatives could there be?

      What difference would a Labour government in England make? What are the chances of labour getting in in Scotland and copying all their policies, or would someone like Lamont actually find a backbone and tell Miliband that this is not Much Binding on the Marsh?

      Who would be Labour's coalition partner in government now that the Liberals have become an endangered species?

      Should I leave?

      Where will I go?

      Hmmmm….

      I’m rambling.

      I’m glad you have sorted your problems.

      Delete
    2. Inner B. S. Urchin... and Tris,
      it won't be a NO vote!

      If they somehow wangle it, then it will be a 'NO but' vote. Very painful and upsetting for us committed and politically aware folk, but please remember, completely rooted in the basic requirement underpinning the kind of Scotland we want to grow into.

      That is, a trusting and credulous population that are always willing to give 'their' politicians just one more chance (in difficult circumstances). Working democracy NEEDS the benefit of the doubt.

      It's not an attitude to be ridiculed, be ashamed of, or taken for granted. In this, the Tory experience in Scotland is very informative I believe.

      Just before their complete annihilation in 97, John Major, of all people, actually increased Tory seats and vote in Scotland after his 'soap box' campaign. But without understanding..... and action, that was IT!

      We WILL be winning this thing in September, no matter the result. I am begging the pair of you, and anyone else out there reading this, please do not leave.

      Please stay, man and redouble the grassroots (non party political) campaign that the referendum will have (and has already) kickstarted.

      My biggest regrets in life are rooted in the way I was, as a kid, so easily (physically) manipulated out of my own country.
      That's been a very long standing and effective plan.

      Believe me, once they get you out, you become of very little concern to them (sometimes even an advantage). That's why Scotland is unique among Western developed Nations, being practically the same population size as we were during the first world war, 100 years ago FFS!

      Every other normal, non Brit country, has at least DOUBLED in size during the same period. That means, to me anyway, that at least half our likely population of trouble makers and political (British) nightmares, have been simply either exported and or born abroad!

      JOB DONE!

      Not subtle, but apparently invisible to the entire population of Britain (let alone Scotland)!

      A bit like British Army atrocities occurring in Belfast, but somehow outwith the British population's self perception as the measure of decency, democracy and fair play (again led and encouraged by our totally un biased BBC).

      I made this mistake many years ago, and for many years I have been trying to engineer a way back. The referendum is here (thank god), time has run out for me now, and their is no more 'engineering' available, So it's a crash landing and that's that, but I am coming to fight and I will be staying to fight!

      I know you are both probably just letting off steam but please don't accidentally walk into that old trap! You will be most needed (and missed) after a NO vote (god forbid)! You will be encouraged to leave, no doubt. Please don't.

      And please don't talk about leaving, I think that's almost just as damaging.

      Sorry for the diatribe. I nearly wrote a similar monologue about a year ago, when Dean was talking of leaving (America I think), but thankfully he found circumstances that allowed him to stay. I didn't have the courage to mouth off about it then, let alone be impudent enough to advise someone else against the very same road I had followed (and enjoyed following). Somehow I feel easier about it now now? Maybe it's the nature of the unique historic deadline of it? Who knows.


      Please consider this a lecture, and the drunken, nervous confession of a totally unjustified sinner. (wink)

      braco

      Delete
    3. LOL I probably wouldn't go, although I love France, and I love the climate; and Iceland is very very appealing because of its innate decency (but not its climate).

      To be honest, I think we will win.

      So it probably doesn't arise.

      I was just wondering what would happen.

      I ehar that Cameron has written that he has no plans to touch the Barnett Formula, but, if we remember rightly, he said the same thing about VAT just before he increased it to 20%, hurting the poorest.

      Actually I think that what he wants to do is kill off the poor (who are more inclined to vote Labour). If he managed to get rid of a couple of million of them, particularly the old or unemployed or ill ones, he would be pretty much guaranteed to win elections.

      When I say he, I mean they, because he is, I'm pretty sure, going to be flung to the lions.

      I hope I get to see that! :)

      Delete
    4. Yeah, we'll win Tris.

      Now aren't you ashamed that you fooled me into 'de larvae'ing' myself so embarrasingly ? You should be ashamed of yourself! Taking advantage of such an old, 'tired and emotional' day dream believer.

      I am shocked! I may even have to reconsider my views on Monarchy, if this is the kind of treatment to be expected from a Republic (even though I do understand that Munguin , like Napoleon, is 'a kind' of Sovereign)!

      braco

      Delete
    5. No no... not at all.

      I just needed bucking up a little... and you did that.

      Munguin, friend of government ministers and pop stars (he had his photo taken with Pet Clark a few weeks ago when he gave her a box of chocolates, (unfortunately the photographer managed to miss HIM out of the picture and met his end in an uncomfortable way), wanted me to point out to you that mere monarchy is of nothing compared to him, and that he uses the word 'republic' in an ironic way.

      :)

      Delete
  2. I can post again. It was the Self Destruct Cookies add-on to Firefox which was causing the problem.
    I disabled it and re-enabled Ghostery which works effectively as well without of seeing the note that the cookie for Twitter etc have been destroyed. I liked that but pragmatic beats elegant inconvenience.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree, the referendum will be, above all, a test on the collective intelligence of the people of Scotland on whether they want to continue being governed by a Westminster government run by spivs for spivs, or would they rather have government in Scotland by the people of Scotland for the people of Scotland.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have great confidence that we won't be misled by their lies. Who the hell wants to live the way that they are living in England, never mind the horrors that they are visiting upon the sick and the poor here already.

      Clout and the most unequal country in Europe.

      Yuk.

      Delete
  4. Plus ca change -

    I am reading a swashbuckler by Kevin Cornwell ("Sea Lord") where the hero is an impoverished Earl who is embarrassed by his title.

    I raised an eyebrow when he included in his plans to raise a bit of cash - "I could join the other clowns in the House of Lords and claim my attendance money".

    The novel was published in 1989 and makes you wonder how long and to what extent behaviour like this Hanningfield geezer's has been going on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barney, it's being going on since the place was started up.

      People have always bought their places in it, at least originally, either for money, or doing something for the King, or being a bastard son of said King (mother's husband given a title so that he wouldn't kick off, and royal blood would not have to live without a title).

      On the basis that they have always been free to steal, they will always have stolen.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Is he like Hornblower?

      Delete
    2. Cornwell's the guy wot rote the "Sharpe" books.

      Doesn't so much blow his horn as rollick his yarns.

      Delete
    3. Oh, yeah I like them. I once watched the whole series on dvd.

      Delete
  6. Tris,

    Your comment "still a bit on the pump side" shows an appalling lack of taste or even decorum.

    I'll leave the sensible comments to the more erudite of your contributors! .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooooops... :)

      As you know, John, taste and decorum aren't exactly my strong points.

      However I am grateful for you pointing out my errors in such a discrete and tasteful manner.

      :)

      Talking of such things, how is the wind up in the island?

      I was thinking of you last night when I heard the forecast.

      Delete
    2. Erudite?

      Niko.... Where are you?

      Actually where is Dean? haven't heard from him for a week!

      Delete
  7. tris

    Deano is reflecting on his wobbly decision to maybe vote yes
    realising with all these yes voters who are departing the homeland.
    the price of housing and the rise in job vacancys due to a massive rise
    in migration, will lead to affordable housing and better career prospects
    for the remaining unionist scots.

    plus the interminable whining chip on me shoulder moaning
    will finally be over peace and harmony under the three crowns
    of our glorious union will reign for ever more............bliss !


    Erudite is a damn good adhesive

    barney

    sharpe um ! a hero of the British empire one of the iron dukes finest
    just the kind of British role model for young Scottish youth to admire.
    although he does keep getting shafted by the English officer gentry

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Niko... Are you, by any chance, related to Hans Christian Andersen?

      I only ask because the two of you seem to share a talent for fairy tales.

      Delete
    2. Niko -

      My approach to the Sharpe character is purely academic as I am a loss to understand how an intelligent working class lad like him would choose to slavishly serve the interests of a dissipate class of self-serving sociopaths.

      He may be a role model for you but if I had to recommend one from those days it would be the likes of Thomas Spence, Joseph Johnson or Jeremiah Brandreth.

      Delete
  8. tris

    taste and decorum brownlie says oops see him at home on a good day

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looking much better than the last time I saw him...

      :)

      Delete