Follyrood parliament building

I blogged a few times last year on the 450 million waste of money that is Folyrood, so I thought I would have a look at the Scotsman to see how it was all going just now.

Apart from the usual problems with windows, stairways, gates, roofs etc etc, all is wonderful. It now costs 73 million and rising of our money a year to get all the snouts fed here.

Anyway the Scotsman now has 74, yes 74 pages of articles on the Holyrood building and its problems.


Scotsman.com News - Holyrood parliament building

Honest it's for the Wains

I see Viagra will soon be available over the counter at your local pharmacy.

But it also looks like it will be doing a bit more of what it was originally designed to do, which was to reduce blood pressure and treat Angina.

One touching story of its recent use shows how it can save not only marriages but also lives.

And of course Boots wanted to wish you a Happy Valentines Day.

So next time you get some spam for Viagra maybe you'd better get some in!

Cool Britannia - RIP

Cool Britannia has finally rolled over and died- RIP. Now if only Mr Blair and his tired and knackered NuLabour party would just do the same.

I see Mr Gallagher from the Beatles tribute band Oasis has launched a scathing attack on Mr Blair. He said

people had thought Mr Blair "was going to be John F Kennedy", but he was now "saddled" with the Iraq war.

He went on to say

"When the Labour Party got in it was all about children and education and yet 10 years down the line there's people saying that kids are better off in Poland... I don't really think there's anything left to vote for. That's why people don't vote... why people would rather vote for celebrity talent shows than would vote for politics."

On the Tories and David Cameron he had the following to say

To say no comment is typical of him and his party copping out. They wait to see what Tony Blair says...and then they move in behind and switch it and change a little bit. It's like a song writer who's eternally ripping off someone else's song and just changing the odd line a little."

Which is a bit rich since most of his songs seem to be a ripoff of the Beatles.

It's interesting to note that By 1998 the Economist was commenting that "many people are already sick of the phrase," and by 2000 - after the fall of Britpop - it was being used mainly in a mocking or ironic way. Much the same then with Mr Blair and his party.


BBC NEWS | Politics | Oasis's Noel attacks Blair record

Nuclear review 'was misleading'

I see Mr Blair tried his usual trick of promising one thing and delivering another.

A judge ruled that the consultation process before the decision last year had been "misleading", "seriously flawed" and "procedurally unfair".

Having been found out our Mr Blair went on as usual and

said while the ruling would change the consultation process, "this won't affect the policy at all".

So basically he won't change his policy whatever the outcome. Now I wonder where he has done this before and what the consequences of that have been.

Initially Mr Blair had said that before any decision was taken to build more stations, there would have to be

"the fullest possibly public consultation and the publication of a further white paper setting out our proposals."

This is what the judge has found to be completely untrue.

Each of the major parties had a comment on the above

Green Party spokeswoman Sian Berry also said the Energy Review had merely been a "rubber-stamping exercise".
Shadow trade and industry secretary Alan Duncan described it as "an astonishing ruling" which showed up the government as "fundamentally deceitful."
Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne said: "The judgement really shows you can't perform a 180-degree U-turn on a matter as important as nuclear power without a proper public debate. It's a real slap in the face for the prime minister's sofa style of government."

P.S. I have no problem with the idea of Nuclear Power. It's the process that I am concerned with and the dictatorial way that Mr Blair tries to do Government.


BBC NEWS | Politics | Nuclear review 'was misleading'

All at sea: the anatomy of an MoD decision over new aircraft carriers

A damning report by the Defence Committee indicates that

THE Royal Navy could be left without working aircraft carriers because of continuing delays and doubts surrounding the MoD's management of the £3.6 billion project to buy new vessels

Apparently this has been going on for 9-10 years and the report continues as follows

The Ministry of Defence says it is waiting for "consolidation" in the maritime industry. Navy sources also fear the main gate decision now depends on the Comprehensive Spending Review in July. "Gordon Brown is keeping the navy dangling," one navy source said. The House of Commons defence committee warns of the "risk" that the carriers will be late, "leaving the Royal Navy without a carrier strike capability".

Perhaps we will just have to go and buy some from India instead.

The Scotsman - All at sea: the anatomy of an MoD decision over new aircraft carriers

Thousands to police smoking ban

Up here in Scotland the smoking ban has been running for nearly a year now and with little or no requirement for this type of heavy-handed enforcement. Apparently

"In Scotland, there have been just 11 fixed penalty notices issued to premises in the last 10 months, with many councils having issued none at all."

The ban rolled in and people who smoked retired to the glorious outdoors making it both safer for us, the non-smokers, and getting the smokers outside for a decent breath of fresh air.

Most smokers now hanging about outside in their little shelters appear like lepers of the olden days but without the "Lepers Window" they used to have in places like churches.

More posts on smoking here

Thousands to police smoking ban

NHS Lets War Hero go Blind

Another story of how the NHS is failing us and the lottery that is now Health Care.

This is not an isolated story for this affliction as seen here on one of my favourites.

Currently it is even a lottery to get even fairly routine treatment done as the various NHS regions attempt to balance the books for the blessed Hewitt.

P.S. The photo above is not one of the planes Mr Reyre would have flown in (A Lancaster) but it is of a Canberra which my father piloted back in the 50's and 60's. More here.


NHS Lets War Hero go Blind

Jumping McNumpty - Police Petition

A while ago I blogged on the Home Office Minister Tony "Mcnumpty" McNulty and his "jump up and down" advice.

Anyway to cut along story short follow this link to see how this might look and then sign the Petition at No 10.

Little benefit for working single mothers

The Telegraph has the following to say on the benefits system in the UK.

Labour's tax and benefits system makes it more lucrative for single mothers to stay on state handouts than return to work, according to research from the world's chief economic and social authority.

In a major blow to Gordon Brown's reputation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development indicated that Britain has the Western world's biggest benefits trap.

So basically you are better off on benefits rather than working. What incentive is this to anyone to get out and work?

George Osborne the shadow Chancellor had the following to say.

"Ten years ago Gordon Brown came into office promising to make work pay. Here is the proof that, a decade on, his whole approach has failed and we need a new alternative."

Little benefit for working single mothers

Valentines Gift's

A quick list of presents not to buy today. I'm sure that my wife enjoyed the replacement mop head that I bought her (honest!).

Amazon.com : Amazon Gift Central

It's Ned(dy) Cars

I'm sure my big bro', once nicknamed Ned or Neddy but now Noddy and a Plod will be commenting on this, but just to get in before him.

"Ms Andrews thought the car was an unmarked police vehicle and stopped," Martin Macari, the fiscal-depute, told Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday.

"The Alpha Romeo pulled up behind them. MacInnes, the driver, got out of the car and approached the driver side. She opened the window and spoke to him. He was holding a radio and spoke into it, requesting a vehicle check."

Police in an Alfa, I think not , we are not in Italy!

It goes on

The shaken teenager and her passengers decided the incident was strange. MacInnes looked young to be a police officer and Gray is very overweight.

My God whatever next an overweight Policeman!

It's Ned Cars

Cities vie for 'rudest folk' tag

Another survey, showing England is ruder than Scotland and even Wales. Scotland has 2 in the top 4 and Wales even manages 1 in the top 3. And the worst are of course England, with Liverpool and Birmingham coming last. Aberdeen of course showing well!

'POLITENESS INDEX'

1 Glasgow

2 Sheffield

3 Cardiff

4 Aberdeen

5 Leeds

6 London

7 Bristol

8 Newcastle

9 Birmingham

10 Liverpool

Cities vie for 'rudest folk' tag

Volunteers could staff 999 lines

Hello, is that 999, could I have an ambulance please?

Do you know what number that is I'm not sure, I'm new here and can't find the right button to press.

It's urgent help please.

You could ring NHS 24 , I've found their number.

dialtone

......


BBC NEWS Scotland Edinburgh and East Volunteers could staff 999 lines

Valentines Day - Romance after 17 Years

Seventeen years ago I celebrated my first Valentines Day with my Wife Chris. Being a man I can't remember what I gave her back in 1990, we may even have been apart as Chris then worked in Inverness and I worked in Aberdeen.

I'm sure it was something romantic, as it was our first Valentines day together, and a memory of roses being delivered to her work seems to come to mind.

Since then we have got married and had 3 children the oldest of whom is now 13, so romance tends to be in the background with the needs of everday life. So it's probably a good idea we have a day like today when we can celebrate in a simple way our love.

The romance is certainly a bit different these days as noted by the following E-Mail I received this afternoon from Chris.

Re Valentine gifts for boring old married couples!

Hi Ali,

Here is some links to a selection that look nice, one is quite expensive and my favourite but also a couple of cheaper options for a spare set.

Cheapest first.

http://www.johnlewis.com/Home+and+Garden/Bedroom/+Bed+Linen+/Duvet+Covers/791/2334/Product.aspx

http://www.johnlewis.com/Home+and+Garden/Bedroom/+Bed+Linen+/Duvet+Covers/791/7705/Product.aspx

I like the 2nd option best.

This is my favourite but might be too red?

http://www.johnlewis.com/Home+and+Garden/Bedroom/+Bed+Linen+/Duvet+Covers/791/6101/Product.aspx

Just need you to get some essentials like veggies for tea tomorrow and school snacks.

Love

Chrisx

Romance is still alive just in a different form!

P.S. I did buy the 2nd Option as the most expensive one was only available on the Internet. There were also some other more romantic gifts!

Cartoon Time

First a much needed new pill for our current lifestyles.



and Second a Vista cartoon just for you Apple fans out there.

Chancellor's World Cup fever fails to grip the Scots

I see turncoat Brown is again trying to ingratiate himself with our southern neighbours by supporting the English FA's possible bid for the 2018 World Cup. The man is a complete charlatan.

Stewart Maxwell MSP, the Scottish National Party's culture spokesman, said:

"Good luck to England, but I suspect that Gordon Brown's support for the bid is more about politics than sport, and his desire to ingratiate himself with the English electorate in his desperation to get into No 10."

Opinions in England were apparently all for going for the bid whilst most in Scotland appeared not to care. However the following is typical of this mealy-mouthed creature as the Chancellor appears intent on demonstrating how much he identifies with English voters.

"I have been around the world, I have been in Asia, America and Europe, and I think there is great support for England having it 50 years after we won the World Cup in 1966," Mr Brown said yesterday.

I assume Mr Brown has now become English. Good luck to them.

P.S. Note to the F.A. watch out for the VAT.

P.P.S. By the way Scotland are of course the real World champions as evidenced here. And will of course be the current holders of the Cup on the 24th March of this year when they beat Georgia almost 40 years to the day since they last held the Cup after beating the English at Wembley.

Chancellor's World Cup fever fails to grip the Scots

"He is Scum and should be treated as Scum"

Not my words but borrowed again from Big Bro? who borrowed them from a murdered child's mother in respect of a Paedophile who, as reported in the local evening paper.

"Has now joined the queue of money-grabbing cons hoping to cash in on the fact they have to slop out."

See my previous post on similar case.

MS India bids for worst corporate anthem title

Always worth a listen to are these wonderful songs. What makes a company think they should do this. They are so appallingly bad and so kitsch. Anyway have a listen to this one about Microsoft Vista from Microsoft in India.

Update 22:30: Apparently My Bro prefers this classic Offering from Microsoft in India.

Here are the lyrics (apparently)

I thought I would take the opportunity of adding the lyrics to the rap section of this truly moving song (note, these are by no means perfectly accurate):

Oh boy I don't know where to begin

So much feature don't know how to fit 'em in

Get ready for the wow! experience

I showed them once, I felt the crowd delirious

Ohhh!

Step through the Window, take a trip with me

I'll turn your world on it's head with my 'flip-3d'

I'll make sure to the best websites I go

Windows Vista can be ? all in one go

So much data

Still I search quickly

Safe with Win Defender security

Visual, hot-to-trot?, it's sure pretty

I've got my laptop, I take my world with me!

Search is incredible!

SOFTWARE IS RELIABLE!!!

Style's irrestistable!

Yeah!

Enter Windows Media Center

Music, Radio, Video, whatever!

Guaranteed more fun for your pleasure

Let's just say you're entertained forever!

One thing you just can't ignore

Zooms your performance for sure

And when you feel the need for more speed,

You can even boost that through the USB!

Windows Vista with it's sleek design

Even if you're a real good friend of mine

Don't even try askin me to lend you mine

'Cos you only get the 'wow!' when it's genuine

100%

100%

100%

MS India bids for worst corporate anthem title | The Register

Revealed: MSPs' dubious claims

As usual we find those pretend politicians at the Scottish Parliament are trying to dig their snouts even deeper into the trough of our money.

Greg Gibbs, campaign director of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said he was astounded that MSPs were trying to get away with such frivolous and dubious claims.

He said:

"This is a classic case of MSPs not treating taxpayers' money as our money. As far as they see it, it is their money."

Also have a look here for even more stories.

Scotsman.com News - Scotland - Revealed: MSPs' dubious claims