Prof Alan Crockard's letter of resignation

The MMC/MTAS debacle of Junior Doctor's Training in the UK looks to have seen its first senior Resignation, Professor Alan Crockard has apparently resigned from his position as National Director for Modernising Medical Careers. Confirmation of the resignation or reporting of it in the mainstream media appears to be thin on the ground and even the Telegraph does not actually have a report on it , just the letter. Various Blogs by Health Professionals have the story from early this morning.

UPDATE: Telegraph appears to confirm story here:

Alan Crockard is an eminent neurosurgeon, and has been the national director of the Department of Health's programme, Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) and its online application service, the Medical Training and Application Service (MTAS), since 2004.

One paragraph from the letter is very interesting:

From my point of view, this project has lacked clear leadership from the top for a very long time. Moving to the last few weeks, I have become increasingly concerned that the well intentioned attempts to keep the recruitment and selection process running have been accompanied by mixed messages to the most important people in the whole process - the young doctor applicants.

I assume that this is a dig at Patricia Hewitt. We can only hope that she has got the idea and will follow Alan Crockard's example. This is however unlikely bearing in mind Labour's normal mode of operation of promotion on failure.

It was earlier reported today that he was being reported to the GMC by Lindsay Cooke, who founded Mums4Medics - a family support group for people caught up in the jobs fiasco, who wrote to the GMC naming Prof Crockard as he was

"ultimately responsible" for the MMC and its implementation.

"I respectfully ask the GMC to examine the conduct of Prof Crockard in this matter and, if it is found wanting, to consider disciplinary action,"

Full text of resignation is as follows.

Dear Liam,( Sir Liam Donaldson chief Medical Officer at the NHS)

I wish to resign from my position as National Director for Modernising Medical Careers with immediate effect. I am increasingly aware that I have responsibility but less and less authority.

I care deeply about medical education and training. In 2003 I moved from the College of Surgeons where I was Director of Education to join the MMC team. At the College we developed a competency based curriculum. These ideas rolled over into MMC where the team put together the Foundation Programme which was launched in 2005.

It also involved coordination of the stakeholders in curriculum development, training the trainers and carrying out numerous road shows to set the scene for consultants and trainees. It is now considered successful and fit for purpose.

In addition the doctors completing the Foundation Programme this year seem as if they will match well into the new Specialty Training Programmes. As a prelude to new Specialty Training, MMC worked closely with PMETB and all the stakeholders to facilitate the new competency based curricula and set the scene for such a radical change in training.

Manifestly, specialty training is an order of magnitude more complex than Foundation, but it became obvious that the MMC team's expertise was less used in planning of specialty rollout. MTAS was developed and procured by DH outside my influence.

An email (12 October 2005) to our team made it abundantly clear that "Debbie (Mellor) has been tasked with delivering a recruitment system to recruit junior doctor posts specifically FP's and ST's .......I am not clear how far you should (or want) to be involved in this. We don't want to tread on any toes, but equally we need to be clear about what level of autonomy this Programme has".

The MMC programme has been the subject of an OGC Gateway Review in September 2006 (DH331), they concluded "that the programme has made significant progress since the OGC health check in August 2005".

The report overall was supportive of MMC, but there was one serious red risk. This was to "identify a clear break point for the MTAS project beyond which the contingency arrangements should be activated". It also commented on the unclear leadership between DCMO and two senior responsible officers.

From my point of view, this project has lacked clear leadership from the top for a very long time. Moving to the last few weeks, I have become increasingly concerned that the well intentioned attempts to keep the recruitment and selection process running have been accompanied by mixed messages to the most important people in the whole process - the young doctor applicants.

I realise that the service must continue to allow patients to be treated and I know little of the law, but it seems to me basically unfair to advertise the possibility of four interviews and then suggest that these might not be honoured.

Equally devastating would be the suggestion of some stakeholders, that the completed interviews be discarded and the process be rerun.

I accept that in many areas and in many specialties, this round of recruitment and selection has been acceptable. But the overriding message coming back from the profession is that it has lost confidence in the current recruitment system.

With my very best wishes.

Alan

Prof Alan Crockard's letter of resignation

US military tests ground-penetrating Monster Bomb

Now I wonder where they might want to use that?

Full details on the MOP bomb here.

The Mop Bomb a proposal by the US Air Force to develop a massive, precision-guided, 30,000 lb (13,600 kg) 'bunker buster' bomb. This is substantially larger than the deepest penetrating bunker buster presently available, the 5000 lb (2,270 kg) GBU-28.

The earliest types of these bombs were designed by Barnes-Wallis (of Dambuster fame). The two most famous versions of which were Tallboy and Grand Slam.


Ground Penetrating Monster Bomb

Fortuitous Warship deal to secure Scots jobs

Amazing just a few short weeks before elections in Scotland this news "pops" out.

Now, as I blogged some weeks ago, they have been arguing about this for some 9-10 years now.

It does seem a bit fortuitous that the announcement is going to happen in the next week. Call me cynical!

Warship deal to secure Scots jobs

Beckett attacked on farm payments

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee called the handling of the new Single Payments Scheme an

"embarrassing failure".

accoding to the BBC. They then went on to complain Mrs Beckett and senior officials had not been held

"personally accountable"

for delays.

In other words they should have been sacked. Their actions could cost us the Taxpayer up to £500 million so this is no minor oversight. This does not include the costs, stress and misery to the farmers because of the delays on payments. The MPs' report said:

"A culture where ministers and senior officials can preside over failure of this magnitude and not be held personally accountable creates a serious risk of further failures in public service delivery."

So let's see what's happened instead of sacking the idiots responsible for this. Oh yes that nice Mrs Beckett has towed her caravan across to the Foreign Office and been promoted to Foreign Secretary where she is now even deeper in the mire and dragging us with her.

Labour "government" at its' best.

P.S. After writing this I thought I'd just pop over and see what Wat Tyler had to say on this at Burning our Money He certainly has done some work on this subject and I'll point you here for more info. The final sad touch though was the P.S. at the end of the first article:

PS Let's hope somebody more competent than the horse lady is working on extracting our marines from Iran. If it's left to her, they'll still be there this time next year. Maybe we could swap her for them.

God but that's so true.


BBC NEWS | Politics | Beckett attacked on farm payments

SNP ready to plant their banner in Labour’s heartland

An interesting article in the Times that kind of backs up my opinion of what is happening in Scotland at the moment. It is not that Scotland wants the SNP and Independence, its just that we don't want Labour and in particular Blair and Brown. I must admit if anybody asks me I just say vote anyone but Labour and hopefully not Lib Dem as they have been the lackeys for Labour in Scotland, especially the arrogant, brainless and unprincipled Nicol Stepen. The quote below rings true in that Mr Blair is now as unpopular as Maggie was and look what that did to the Conservatives.

I suspect the SNP will do well in the local elections but that final Independence Vote will evade them again. Hopefully the Tories will then begin to benefit again and Labour will slowly decline to the current Tory levels. I can but dream...

This is, primarily, a stinging rebuff to Mr Blair, who has succeeded in winning for himself a level of unpopularity that has not been witnessed north of the Border since Margaret Thatcher introduced the poll tax; in this case it is Iraq that has been the aggravating factor. For Mr Brown, too, the poll is grim news, because it suggests that he may take over as Prime Minister just as his homeland is turning its back on a decade of steady if unspectacular economic growth under his chancellorship.

SNP ready to plant their banner in Labour’s heartland

Computer therapy access 'for all'

According to the BBC our esteemed Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said:

"On 1 April, we will reach the first milestone in our drive to provide choice - namely quicker access to computer-based self-help services to stop mild mental health problems becoming worse.

"Clinical evidence confirms that counselling and therapy are just as effective as medication in helping to treat most cases of depression."

Now what she knows about clinical evidence could be written on the back of a stamp. In fact what she knows about anything could be written in a large font on the back of stamp.

I thought for a moment this was a joke for April 1 just being released a bit earlier by error as is normal by Patricia (Best year so far) Hewitt. This is not so much about choice as about cost and lack of resources. I have no doubt that the computer therapy may be a somewhat useful tool in the box but it is no replacement for face to face therapy. A few others have much the same opinion and they should know better than me.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said computerised CBT was an important addition to the range of treatment options available for people who suffer from mild depression or anxiety.

But he added:

"This method of delivery will not suit everyone.

"Some people will prefer face-to-face contact and this electronic therapy must not be a replacement for CBT."

Dr Richard Vautrey, GP negotiator for the British Medical Association, said it was helpful to have a range of options for treating depression and computerised CBT had proven to be useful in some areas of the country.

But he added:

"Many patients still struggle to get an appointment with a therapist and it is key that it doesn't replace the pressure to invest in trained therapists."

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, said:

"Evidence from several hundred thousand of our callers shows that of those reporting depression or anxiety, while 83% are being treated with medication, only 2% are receiving cognitive behavioural therapy.

"While we applaud the secretary of state's announcement, we urge her to match it with a funding commitment to ensure that CBT can be a real choice, as she intends, for everyone who could benefit."

So whilst, it my be of some use, it is really just another case of Patricia trying to dumb down the NHS as usual. Medicine by Protocol, Medicine by numbers, Medicine by the untrained.

BBC NEWS | Health | Computer therapy access 'for all'

BBC fights to suppress allegations of bias against Israel

According to the Independent

"the BBC was in court yesterday fighting over the public's right to know. But the Corporation was not battling to bring information into the open. Instead it has paid an estimated £200,000 in legal fees to keep the report secret.

The Corporation is trying to persuade the High Court to overrule a decision by the Information Tribunal that an internal report into the BBC's Middle East coverage should be made public."

So what looks like a report that perhaps critisices the BBC is as far as we know at the moment not to see the light of day. Not only that but about 1800 people's TV licence fee is being used to stop us from seeing the report. What a complete waste of our money.



BBC fights to suppress internal report into allegations of bias against Israel

Sleaze watchdog says Blair 'failed to live up to promises'

Sir Alistair Graham has been forced to step down from his job as chairman of the "Sleaze Watchdog" after disagreements with the Labour Sleaze chief Tony Blair.

Launching his final report as chairman, Sir Alistair said Mr Blair should never have promised to be "purer than pure" unless he was going to "follow through" with action.

Mr Blair is keen to escape the cloud hanging over him because of the police inquiry into loans for peerages allegations when he steps down at the end of June.

He is also still under public scrutiny for his role in the Iraq Dossier that helped take us into the invasion of Iraq.

This was also the subject of a question at PMQ's today when Conservative MP Stuart Jackson asked about parliamentary standards commissioner Sir Alistair Graham, who said Mr Blair had damaged trust in politics, asking if Mr Blair was "qualified" to advise his successor on drawing up a new ministerial code.

Mr Blair said: "I completely disagree with Sir Alistair Graham. He is entitled to his opinion and I am entitled to mine".

So again Mr Blair rides roughshod over anyone who dares argue with him and believes himself above criticism.

Sleaze watchdog says Blair 'failed to live up to promises' - Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

Sunset at Tarland

Sunset
Originally uploaded by fitaloonson.

My son Cameron took this last night about 40 yards from our house. It was also selected to go onto the Scotland in the Gloaming Blog.

Stupid Thief stole police officer's bag

Some scroats are just not really up to their line of business, as so ably displayed by Fraser Cheyne . Apparently Fraser

A thief, who had just evaded jail, was later caught stealing a police worker's handbag in Aberdeen.Fraser Cheyne, 21, admitted stealing the bag just hours after being placed on probation for a previous theft. Cheyne took it from a Grampian Police employee on a Christmas night out with colleagues but was caught.

Time for a rethink of occupation, perhaps being a Labour Cabinet Minister might suit him, most of them have been promoted beyond their abilities.

BBC NEWS Scotland North East/N Isles Thief stole police officer's bag

Angry Scots fishermen lose out in German swap deal

From this story I can only conclude that the government has already decided that Scotland is a lost cause or that the just don't care anymore and can't be bothered to look at the consequences of their actions. I suspect it's a combination of both.

SCOTLAND'S most powerful fish producers' organisation accused the UK government yesterday of "breathtaking arrogance" over the controversial decision to swap almost £2 million of the North Sea's lucrative prawn catch to prevent trawlermen in the south of England being driven out of business.

The deal, brokered last week by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and backed by Ross Finnie, Scotland's environment minister, has resulted in German prawn fishermen receiving 375 tonnes of the UK's share of the North Sea langoustine catch in return for 150 tonnes of sole which will be used to aid 160 English boats operating in the southern North Sea.

Mr MacRae,the secretary of the Scottish White Fish Producers' Association whose organisation represents most Scottish prawn boats, said:

"You have to ask if the government has lost the plot completely."

A spokesman for DEFRA said:

"Without urgent action, 160 fishing boats stood to directly lose their livelihoods and go out of business because the restrictions were giving them such problems. We had move very quickly.

"Due to the urgency of the situation, there wasn't the time to consult the industry as we would normally do."

So that's the real reason, they had to move quickly, and didn't really think it all through, marvelous reasoning! Unfortunately this is joined up government under Labour.

The Scotsman - Angry Scots fishermen lose out in German swap deal

British backtrack on Iraq death toll

The Independent reports that British government officials have backed the methods used by scientists who concluded that more than 600,000 Iraqis have been killed since the invasion, the BBC reported yesterday.

The Government publicly rejected the findings, published in The Lancet in October. But the BBC said documents obtained under freedom of information legislation showed advisers concluded that the much-criticised study had used sound methods.

The researchers, reflecting the inherent uncertainties in such extrapolations, said they were 95 per cent certain that the real number of deaths lay somewhere between 392,979 and 942,636.

The conclusion, based on interviews and not a body count, was disputed by some experts, and rejected by the US and British governments. But the chief scientific adviser to the Ministry of Defence, Roy Anderson, described the methods used in the study as "robust" and "close to best practice". Another official said it was "a tried and tested way of measuring mortality in conflict zones".

So the government after trashing the report with no reason, apart from it was not what they wanted reported, have been advised by their top officials that the death toll is more than likely correct.

This is a shocking figure and will forever be the legacy of Bush and Blair who have dragged us into this conflict with no thought to the likely outcome.

British backtrack on Iraq death toll - Independent Online Edition > Middle East

Old Bird Flys again?

Baroness Thatcher visited Bruntingthorpe Airfield near Leicester on Friday to see the progress of the restoration of the Vulcan bomber XH558.

Engineers are in a race against time to restore the Avro Vulcan B Mk II for a flypast over London in June to commemorate the South Atlantic conflict.

Lady Thatcher also met crew members who took part in the Black Buck missions to bomb Port Stanley at the start of the war.

Barry Macefield, an air electronics officer on the second Black Buck mission, said: "I feel very privileged to have met her. It's not often when you are sent into war that you can meet the person who did it.

"I was surprised how well she looked. She had a firm handshake."

David Thomas, former flight commander of 44 Squadron, said:

"To me, Margaret Thatcher is just a brilliant icon and everything it is to be British.
"But for that iron will, where would we have been in the Falklands War? She stuck her neck out and she won."

Remind me next time you see Mr Blair or Brown visiting with some of the Servicemen and women they have sent into war.

Oh and by the way have a look at how the Biased BBC ended their reporting on this event. No mention of the meeting with the crews or anything like that. Why do we have to contribute to their Labour supporting views.

But the British government decided it would fight to reclaim them and Mrs Thatcher dismissed advice from defence officials who feared the islands could not be re-taken. She ordered a task force to be assembled to fight a war 8,000 miles away from the British Isles. The war claimed the lives of 255 Britons and 655 Argentines.

Sky News: Iron Lady Faces Her Past

Woman DriverSatnav plunges £96k Merc into river

According to that well known journal "The Leicester Mercury" a Woman DriverSatNav system plunged a car into a river. The driver a 28-year-old woman - apparently on her way to a Christening on 3 March - ignored signposts indicating the track was unsuitable for motor vehicles and gamely ploughed into the watercourse. Unfortunately, the river was "swollen after heavy rain in recent floods" and quickly overcame the Merc, "gushing through the car" and sweeping it 200 metres downstream "bouncing from one river bank to the other, as the woman frantically tried to smash the windows with her feet".

No further comment is required.

Satnav plunges £96k Merc into river | The Register

NHS cuts 'hit antenatal classes'

Why I should think NHS Cuts should be news anymore I'm not sure. The relentless cutbacks and dumbing down of the NHS continues from Cradle to Grave and even before and after each of them.

Now it's Antenatal classes that are being cutback.

Hospitals in parts of England and Wales are reducing or even axing services for pregnant women because of the NHS's financial problems forced on them by Patricia Hewitt.

According to the BBC, the National Childbirth Trust and Royal College of Midwives, told them that Antenatal classes and breastfeeding tuition are being affected.

Apparently a Department of Health spokesman said trusts should meet standards laid down by the NSF, and echoed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

"The soon-to-be-published maternity strategy will set out how we will achieve services that provide real choice and support for women in all settings, from antenatal care through to the early child years."

So that will be another strategy/protocol to follow which has plenty of paper but no action or money behind it.


BBC NEWS | Health | NHS cuts 'hit antenatal classes'

Police told Blair would resign if cautioned

According to the Telegraph:

"Make no mistake, Scotland Yard was informed that Mr Blair would resign as Prime Minister if he was interviewed under caution," said a source. "They were placed in a very difficult position indeed."

Just imagine if I said I was to resign my post at work to the police rather than be interviewed under caution. I would rightly be laughed out the door and told to go and resign. So we now have two levels of justice. One for the rest of us and one for those in government.

Just some more of the hypocrisy that this Labour Party uses to hang on in government.


Police told Blair would resign if cautioned

Dumbing down of the Ambulance Service

Across at Random Acts of Reality we have the story of the latest dumbing down of the NHS. This time it's the turn of the Ambulance Service and as usual it is being sneaked in below the radar, not only of Joe Public, but even of the employees. As Tom Reynolds says.

With the whole dumbing down of healthcare under this government, this hasn't come as a huge surprise, what has come as a surprise is that no-one is protesting it. It's a stupid, stupid idea and I'm dreading working with an ECA; it's nothing against the people who will be doing the job, but they won't have the training to provide the care that has traditionally been part of the ambulance service.

It's the sort of thing that will have me leaving this job that I love so much.

I picked this up from Dr Crippen who said in his article:

This, of course, is Hewitt dumbing down the service to save a few pence. Her mind works like that. Most of the patients who see GPs only have minor illness, so why not get a nurse to do their job? Most of the patients consultants see have predictable and easily treatable problems, so why not get a GP (with a “special interest” of course) to do the job? Most of the calls the ambulance service get, even the 999 calls, are breathtakingly trivial. So driving skills, even white van driving skills, will do nicely, thank you. Who needs a paramedic?

Most of medicine, like any other job, is humdrum. But when there is a serious problem, a really serious problem, you need trained personnel. You need experience.

If the paramedics are replaced by white van drivers, the really seriously ill patients will not get to hospital.

Perhaps it does not matter any more. You might as well die in the in the hands of the ambulance quacktitioner on your way to hospital as die a few hours later in the hands of the hospital-at-night quacktitioner.

Soon the NHS will be populated by the likes of Blue Peter's John "I'll have a go" Noakes and we will just be one big accidenttraining exercise for the NHS as they skill up. Remind me not to get ill/have an accident/get pregnant(?) again.


Random Acts Of Reality :: Changes, And Not For The Best... (Or - Reynolds May Lose His Job Again)

Scotland win World Championship (Unofficial)

As I mentioned back in February Scotland have won back the World Championship. Even if they lose on Wednesday they will still remain the team who have retained it the longest and have had the most Matches as Champions. What more need I say.

Unofficial Football World Championships - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lochnagar

Lochnagar
Originally uploaded by fitaloon.

Busy this weekend so a picture from earlier this week to enjoy for the moment.

Macavity Brown

What more need I say. Hat Tip to 18DS

Brown confident of Scots victory

Go on admit it when you saw the title you thought this was a Politics entry about the May elections in Scotland.

Well sorry about that but it was just to wish Scotland well this weekend on their trip to The World Cup Finals.

Group B: Scotland v Georgia
Date: Saturday 24 March
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Venue: Hampden Park
Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Scotland,
updates on the BBC Sport website,
highlights on BBC 1 Scotland at 2220 GMT


BBC SPORT Football Internationals Brown confident of Scots victory

A Budget Brainteaser

What about this for Smoke and Mirrors from our esteemed Chancellor.

Gordon Brown's promise that four in five households would be better off because of his budget was impossible to prove, leading accountants said yesterday. The missing information includes:

* The level of income at which basic-rate tax will become payable from 2008-10

* The level of salary above which NI is payable for that time

* Increases in personal allowances for people under the age of 65 from 2008-10

* When higher-rate tax becomes payable in 2008-09

* Details on who is able to claim working tax credits or child tax credits and how much

* Levels of inflation Treasury has assumed for its figures

* No commitment to provide this information in next week's Finance Bill, which will only cover tax changes in 2007-08

So basically Gordo can say whatever he wants and we can't prove or disprove it. Real Macavity at work.

A Budget Brainteaser

Blair finally admits full scale of war casualties

Tony Blair has been for a long time embarrassed by his decision to take the country into war in Iraq. No more telling example of this is in the article above. Extracts below:

The Independent has learned the figures will show that 114 British soldiers were seriously hurt in Iraq from 2004, compared to 46 during the invasion of 2003.

In Afghanistan, the figures reveal that the casualty rate rose last year to 30 seriously hurt, compared to two for the previous year. The rise was caused by a Taliban offensive last summer, and raised fears that it could rise sharply again when the next, expected, offensive gets underway.

Last night, MPs on all sides called for figures on the wounded to initiate a debate about how British casualties are treated at home. Some MPs contrasted how UK casualties returned home with little publicity whereas in America returning casualties are treated as war heroes.

The refusal to publish casualty figures has helped the impact of both conflicts on communities across the country to be underestimated. In many cases, seriously injured soldiers have had to cope with loss of limbs.

One final point on the article is the following:

The publication of the figures next week is unlikely to end the row. Some campaigners believe they are suspiciously low, but the MoD will insist they are as accurate as possible. They have been processed by the Defence Analytical Services Agency. "It has been a massive job," said one source.

The only bit of this that has been massive has been getting Mr Blair to acknowledge these figures, he would still rather have them covered up. He cannot admit he was wrong.

I also note that he has come out in favour of the Falkland War, which has it's 25th anniversary this year. Speaking to the historian Simon Schama on a website interview he said:

(Mr Blair) agreed it had been a "scary gamble". "But when I look back, yes, I have got no doubt it was the right thing to do," he said."But for reasons, not simply to do with British sovereignty, but also because I think there was a principle at stake which is that... a land shouldn't be annexed in that way and people shouldn't be put under a different rule in that way." He noted that the British casualty figures were higher than those for the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. When you look back on it and you talk to the people who were there at the time, and as I say I wasn't even in Parliament at the time, but I think it took a lot of political courage actually to do that."

You should note the the line in bold where Mr Blair tries to justify his invasion of Iraq, This man is unbelievable!

It is well to remember that in 1982 Mr Blair was a member of CND and would have called the Islands Malvinas and demanded United Nations authority etc etc.

In addition we have the following again from the Independent:

Wives of serving soldiers being made to 'feel like second-class citizens':
The wives of British servicemen feel they are treated like "second-class citizens" and regarded as an "irritation" by the military establishment while being left to cope alone with the constant fear of their partner being killed.

Just one more embarrassment for Mr Blair.

Wives of serving soldiers being made to 'feel like second-class citizens'

Ministers finally admit full scale of war casualties

North Sea tax falls £5bn short of Chancellor's expectations

Apparently

The one group of companies which will not benefit at all from the Chancellor's largesse in cutting the main rate of corporation tax by 2p in the pound is the UK's North Sea industry.

Gordon Brown decided to exclude the offshore oil and gas sector from the tax cut entirely. The decision was presumably taken on the grounds that North Sea tax receipts are already forecast to fall sharply over the next three years and would otherwise have declined even further.

Now I wonder why that might be, would it have anything to do with the following:

Nevertheless, the industry must be starting to think it is personal when it comes to the Chancellor and the North Sea. He has twice increased offshore taxation - first in 2002 and again in 2005 - despite the howls of protest from the industry that this will deter investment and lead to an even more rapid decline in production.

The Chancellor has as usual gone for a quick fix and is now paying the price as just a the time the UK required extra production, and therefore increased take by the Chancellor there is less production and less revenue for him. The Energy companies are investing abroad where they can make better returns on Investment. Have a look a the details below and see what the Chancellor has caused to happen.

Although capital investment in the North Sea reached £5.6bn last year - its highest level since 1998 - UKOAA says this was partly due to the sharp rise in offshore inflation for services such as rigs. For this year, it forecasts a decline in investment of £1bn-£1.5bn.

Although output is expected to rise to 3.1 million barrels a day, this is largely because of a delay in the scheduled start of production last year from the Buzzard field. By 2010, output is projected to have fallen to 2.6 million barrels.

These figures reinforce how far the North Sea sector has declined from its high point. But as UKOAA points out, it still supports as many as half a million jobs and is capable, given the right business climate and a favourable tax regime, of providing 40 per cent of the UK's primary energy needs in 2020. It can only hope for a more sympathetic hearing next year from Mr Brown's successor.

I must declare an interest here as I work for one of the larger Energy companies.

North Sea tax falls £5bn short of Chancellor's expectations

Eat your Greens kids

Mmm Tasty.


Hat Tip to the man himself Guido.

On a lighter note this is Mr Bremner at his best.

Guy News TV: The Bogey Man Cometh

Savage Killers' minimum jail terms cut

Here are three stories of savage killers having their sentences reduced for unbelievable reasons.

In the first case a killer who had previously murdered,and then went onto to savagely murder his brother with an axe, has had his sentence reduced. Apparently he has been a good boy since then and should be released to murder someone else. The only saving grace is that this guy is now getting on a bit (he is 66)which is not unusual for someone who has murdered on two separate occasions and lived through both sentences!

The second killer has had his 20 year minimum term cut by 3 years after he shot dead a tourist, tried to murder the rest of the man's family and robbed them. Why has he had his sentence reduced you wonder, well this time apparently the sentence was "excessive", and "he has influenced for the better the lives of fellow prisoners by his own conduct". I joke not! This is absolute b***ocks.

The third scroat, who murdered a security guard horrifically by kicking and stampimg on him, leaving only three ribs undamaged, as this didn't seem to be enough he then slashed his victims face and boiling water was poured over the mans head, so not too much violence there then. Apparently his sentence has been cut because the appeal judges thought it was a good idea.

So there you go even after murdering someone savagely and in some cases going on to to do it again, if you are good in prison, you'll be out double quick.

And just remember don't worry life will, in any case, be better for these poor scroats in prison as they now will get all the benefits of normal life as it will be against their "Human Rights" to deny them anything available outside prison.


BBC NEWS | Scotland | Killers' minimum jail terms cut

More Power Please - Labour plays down Holyrood powers gaffe

Apparently

EMBARRASSED Labour leaders at Holyrood were yesterday forced to withdraw a parliamentary motion that mistakenly called for more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

The motion was published by Margaret Curran, the Labour chief whip and the minister for parliamentary business, ahead of today's debate on Scotland's place within the United Kingdom.

The motion praised the Union but noted that devolution was "a process not an event". It went on to state: "Scotland should retain the benefits of being part of the UK while, where appropriate, increasing the powers available to the Scottish Parliament."

Increasing the parliament's powers is not Labour Party policy. Indeed, Labour is the only one of the main parties going into this year's election which does not call for at least a debate on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

The motion was withdrawn hurriedly after the mistake was spotted.

Perhaps the Chancellor might like to use this kind of mistake to change his budget so it doesn't affect the low paid.
The Scotsman - Politics - Labour plays down Holyrood powers gaffe

Police play the Moulin Rouge

Nice work if you can get it. Any Dancing with the girls after?

If you would like to try this out perhaps now is the time to join the Local Police Pipe band.

Apparently

The group had been traveling to perform at the Stade de France for the Scotland vs France match on Saturday when they received the unusual request.

A police spokeswoman said they

"received an excellent reception."

She added:

"The invite came about after the theatre's management heard the pipe band were in town and of course they couldn't refuse."

Of course they couldn't pass up the opportunity. Videos of the Can-Can being performed are awaited.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh and East | Police band play the Moulin Rouge

Kicked in the teeth

I put up this post with no changes as it's from my big bro', Thanks loon for saying it better than I could.
Having been brought up as a Dependant, I take a keen interest in most things military. It is achingly clear that the various agencies involved in dealing officially with servicemen and servicewomen (and their Dependants) injured and killed in the line of duty are failing lamentably both in their duty of care and levels of empathy.

I usually leave Rogue Gunner to highlight these issues admirably, but here's one he missed.

The local paper reports that;

The mum of an Aberdeen soldier killed in Iraq today hit out over demands to make her pay for inquest papers.

Diane Douglas says she has been told she can get the transcript of the court probe - at a cost of £1.10p per page.

And she branded the request "a damn disgrace".

Lance Corporal Allan Douglas was on the roof of a police station when he was hit by a sniper in Iraq last year. The 22-year-old, of the 1st Battalion Highlanders, had been planning to leave the army.

In November an inquest in Oxford, attended by his mum and dad Walter, returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

His mum said today it was "very important" that she have all the papers from the inquest but felt the authorities were "just not bothered".

Bloody beancounters.

If I sound bitter then tough. I try my level best to deal with compassion in my job, but penny pinching bureaucrats bite my arse.

I've sworn twice already...not my usual way. I apologise, but I recall that when my father, having served 40 years in the RAF and then as a SSAFA Welfare Officer for 2 years, died having succumbed to cancer and suddenly the bookkeepers at RAF Hendon were on to me after a scant few weeks to reclaim 11 days of his pension as it was paid in advance!

They got a letter expressing my feelings. I was polite. Did I get a reply? You have a guess.

Tears are welling.....see what those bastards have done to me after all these years. I'm off to weep quietly. Missing you old man!

Welcome to Toy Town
The Home of Noddy (& Mr Plod): Kicked in the teeth

Gordon Brown, Robbin’ Hoody

A quick link and hat-tip to the always funny Beau Bo D'or

Beau Bo D’Or » Blog Archive » Gordon Brown, Robbin’ Hoody

Brown's Final Con Trick?

Tomorrow's papers will no doubt have the headline of "2p cut in Income Tax". However behind the headline will be the usual smoke and mirrors that the con artist Gordon Brown always employs at his Budgets.

By saving till the end his declaration on an income tax cut he will make the headlines and appear at first sight to be a beneficial man delivering gifts to all and sundry, but behind all the words is the real truth.

• The overall impact of income tax /NIC changes will cost working families £340m a year.
• A single person without children earning £16,000, like an NHS maternity care assistant or a police community support officer, will pay more a year in tax, and not gain from tax credits.
• Everyone earning between around £5,000 and £18,000 will pay more income tax, and many will become more dependant on the complex tax credits system. Half of all tax credit payments are wrong, and over £2bn has been lost to fraud and error.
• The tax burden is set to rise from 39.2% last year to 40.4% in 2008/9. That’s a rise of over £17bn.

The great Tax credit scheme will have to be used to attempt to claw back the money that Gordon has taken away from the lower paid. Anyone who has been through the nightmare it is, will not be expecting much apart from when it is totally wrong and billed once more to us the taxpayer.

This is all before the fine details (hidden taxes on us) of this con trick of a budget are exposed for what they are.

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

Airhead backs Scroat over jail phone message

Apparently an airhead of a judge has issued a ruling on the legal challenge on recorded messages on phone calls from jail and that they are an unlawful invasion of a convicted scroat's privacy.

Lord Glennie said people were not stripped of their basic rights simply because they had been jailed, and he held that the Scottish Prison Service did not have the authority of parliament for its policy of attaching the warning to all telephone calls.

So the scroats who have, by definition, removed the basic rights of other people, in this case by repeated jailing for assault and armed robbery are being "victimised".

Perhaps we should just set them free, just in case, we deny them anymore rights.

Annabel Goldie, the Scottish Tory leader, claimed the rights of prisoners were being promoted above those of the law-abiding and said the ruling had made Scotland

"a laughing stock".

She also said:

"Prisoners forfeit a number of rights when they go to jail, which should include the ability to dictate on what terms they make a phone call."

Ken MacAskill, the SNP's justice spokesman, said:

"This is outrageous. People who breach the law must pay the price. Taxpayers' money is being used to fund these legal aid cases, money which could be going to help vulnerable people in need of legal representation. A line needs to be drawn now."

More on this here

Stealing Your BallsMoney

Via Croydonian we find the story of how Ed Balls and his Master Gordon(Joe to my enemies) Brown will not only be Burning our Money, but also Stealing our Money.

Now I'm sure that amongst these accounts untouched for 15 years there will be some genuinely "dead" accounts, and much better than going to the banks, the money is used sensibly, but think on the following.

If at the birth of your son/daughter you drop a quick £1000 in an account for the wee sprog and Grannies and Grandad then chuck in a few bob to help it along (Those Tuition Fees are so expensive nowadays).
Now at 21 the slightly larger sprog discovers that forgotten account book hiding in the back of the drawers that he's been using for furniture in his first flat and thinks, oh wow, money to pay off that large overdraft from going through University, what happens?

He pops along to the local bank, hands over his account book and says give me the money. Then the sad tale unfolds. Unfortunately your nice Mr Balls has snaffled it to pay for that nice Olympic Games back in 2012, (Interest on £30 billion is a lot you know).

According to that nice Mr Balls it will all be simple to "reclaim" the money, but if you've ever tried to get money out of a bank or the government you'll know that the words simple do not apply. Mix the two together and in two shakes you'll have written your will and passed the account onto your kids.


Ed Balls publishes consultation document on unclaimed asset scheme

Little Joe Stalin

As the Labour NEC puts out the timetable for the CrowningElection of the next Labour Leader and, lest we forget, our next Prime Minister the following article shows a little of what we might expect from the current Chancellor.

A few snippets from the document might whet your appetite for how he will "govern" this country.

The documents confirm Mr Brown's ferocious appetite for what others may regard as tedious detail.

One of his first actions as Rector was to write sternly to university officials, arguing that "I must have all the business of the Court on hand, in order to fulfil my function as Chairman", and so he had to receive the minutes of all Court committees.

At this young age, Mr Brown seems to have been worried whether he was getting enough publicity. In one internal memo the university's information officer wrote:

"The Rector appears to be sensitive to the fact that the BBC did not contact him yesterday to appear on television. I told him this was a matter for the BBC to decide whether or not they should follow up any story. In confidence I have warned the BBC News Editor in Edinburgh about the Rector's attitude."

When it came to the end of his three year term Brown clearly hoped to go out in style. He planned to give a valedictory address and get the University authorities to declare the day a special academic holiday, with no lectures or classes. This was derisively rejected. The Secretary wrote that Brown's suggested date was

"singularly inappropriate", suggesting instead that he give his address on a Wednesday afternoon, a time normally free from classes anyway.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Brown's first taste of power

Military Inquests- More delays

Because of our archaic laws and Government and MOD inertia inquests for Service Personnel killed overseas will be even more delayed as a result of a change in location of the Inquests. The reason for this change is that Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, where all flights used to end is being redeveloped and so the Military Transport aircraft will now have to land a RAF Lyneham which is in Wiltshire. This means the Wiltshire Coroner now has to lead all proceedings.

Geraldine McCool, the solicitor who represented the family of Matty Hull, who was killed near Basra in March 2003 when a US pilot fired on his tank convoy, said she was "appalled" to learn of the decision.

"We have at least got now established in Oxford a centre of excellence for army deaths - and to hear that that is going to change for no good reason whatsoever is very disturbing," she told the BBC.

She added that spreading the workload around the country looked "initially quite attractive" but was actually "foolhardy".

Coroner Andrew Walker and two others were brought into Oxfordshire last May to clear a backlog of 85 cases of dead service personnel awaiting hearings.

Shadow Defence Minister Liam Fox said:

"There's a lot of hardship and a lot of heartache that's being endured by service families here, and the government needs to address this a little more thoroughly than they've been willing to do up 'til now."

The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) said that no new resources had been allocated to Wiltshire, but this was under review.

A spokesman said Oxfordshire had done a "fantastic" job, but that relatives of service personnel had found travelling long distances difficult.

He added:

"We are confident that any coroner can build up the same level of expertise on military inquests as Mr Walker and his colleagues did."

Considering it took over 3 years to "build up" that expertise in Oxfordshire, it will take a while before this will happen.

BBC NEWS | UK | Military inquest venue to change

Death by 1,000 cuts: NHS budgeting laid bare

Tales of the destruction of the NHS by Patricia (Best Year so Far)Hewitt continue with this article in the Independent written by a doctor at an NHS hospital in the south of England.

In the article the doctor writes how the relentless pursuit of the false targets set by Patricia to make the NHS break even to some sort of mythological target are affecting an A&E department. One particular bit got my attention in particular and shows how the short term thinking of this budget is possibly causing lives to be lost

Training budgets have been cut back, or simply suspended. As a direct consequence, when our new defibrillator appeared, nobody had been trained in its use the first time a patient needed it. On another recent shift, of the three qualified nursing staff present, one was dealing with a man who had bled into his brain. Another was helping control seizures in a three-year-old, and the third one was transferring a patient to theatre whose thigh bone was poking out through his jeans.

Which left two unqualified assistants with three months' A&E experience between them, to temporarily look after 10 or so "trolley" cases, from backache to threatened miscarriage. They also had to make sure the department was clean to prevent the spread of MRSA, answer the phones that never stop and keep an eye on the junior doctors.

We must get rid of this women before she kills us all.

Death by 1,000 cuts: NHS budgeting laid bare

Ex-Whitehall chief slams ‘Stalinist’ Brown

I've read all the pieces on this bit of news that say this was "gossip" or "off the record" or whatever, but it was all said by a man who should know pretty well how Mr Brown works. The fact the it was "off the record" or should I say, unguarded, makes it more likely to be the truth rather than carefully thought out story.

This man was at some point a highly respected Civil Servant and for him to speak out like this, is out of the normal for former Mandarins, who tend to be fairly close-mouthed about their opinions of current Political figures.

I would suspect that this is a message from Turnbull as payback for many years of the destruction of the Civil Service as he sees it. You might argue that this destruction is a good thing, but I would say that the bypassing of the controls of traditional government, with the use of Cabinet, Civil Servants and Ministers in concert, that we are destroying this country.

Mr Brown is at heart a Control Freak and believes that Knowledge is Power, this is a poor way to run a department far less a country.

FT.com / World / UK - Ex-Whitehall chief slams ‘Stalinist’ Brown

Fame at last - Scottish Blogging Roundup

Fame?

SBR 23: Whoops « Scottish Blogging Roundup

Nae Langer Tae Lie Hodden In a Pauper's Grave

Peter Milne - Fiddler
Originally uploaded by fitaloon.

Taken from the Press and Journal on the 17th March 2007

Riches denied, thy boon was purer joys What wealth could never give nor take

Inscription on Monument to Peter Milne

AS A LAD that lo'es the traditional fiddle music o wir ain country an specially fae oor North-East neuk, I hae dauchl't in reverence eence or twice at the monument tae Scott Skinner (1843-1927) in Allenvale Cemetery and the een tae Peter Milne (1824-1908) oot in Tarland bearin the inscription as abeen.

Dash't tho, I wis nivver sae touch't as at the unveilin at Nellfield Cemetery on Sunday efterneen, o a granite heidsteen tae Milne, dubbit in's day, the Tarland Minstrel.

That the Lord Lieutenant o Aiberdeenshire saw fit tae be there made it aa the mair impressive bit fin young Eilidh Anderson, aa spruc't up in her clan tartan kilt, gaed forrit tae lay a posy in front o the heidsteen, it got till's - maist o ye wid o seen the photo in Monday's P &J.

Eilidh is the niece o the lad that bears the accolade o the modern day "Tarland Minstrel", Paul Anderson, an it wis aa throwe him that at last Milne wis nae langer tae lie hodden in a pauper's grave.

PAUL, jist noo, a research Fellow at Elphinstone Institute cwidna lat things abee as his myn wis set tae find far Peter Milne wis beerit haein deet in the Aiberdeen Peerhoose an dumptit wi ithers somewye in the toon.

The ootcome wis that Paul's researchin pyntit tae es spot in Nellfield cemetery and raisin siller throwe concerts an donations wis able tae mark, in a fittin wye, the contribution Peter Milne made tae oor music.

Ere's links wi the self-styl't Strathspey King, James Scott Skinner, fa started oot as an aucht-eer-aal playin in Milne's band at dances roon aboot Don an Dee.

Skinner wis tae reca in articles for the People's Journal those days o yore far the barns the dances were held in hid earthen fleers, plunks laid on tap o secks o corn wis the seatin an myn transport wis shank's meer or the bike.

Aboot fower in the mornin, they aa made for hame an Skinner wis tae write 'I often wonder how I, a boy of eight or nine years, survived the physical strain and the loss of sleep . . . it was nothing for Peter and me to trudge eight or 10 weary miles on a slushy wet night in order to fulfil a barn engagement'.

Weel they were tae gyang their ain roadies an Scott Skinner's career his been weel documentit bit lang overdue his been the acknowledgement o the debt we owe tae Peter Milne for pittin his mark on oor unique fiddle music, describit as 'perhaps the very best interpreter of Highland Strathspey Deeside could ever boast till the after days of the vastly popular Scott Skinner'.

Foo than did sic a talent fa on hard times? Weel apparently Milne wis said tae tak tae opium as a cure for rheumatism fin workin doon in Manchester an syne a daft caper in a pub fin somebody ruggit a cheer fae oot aneth him cripl't him, spennin the hinmaist ten eer o's life in hospital.

HE DIDNA write aa that mony tunes bit the eens he did were toppers. Een that comes tae myn is 'John McNeil's Reel', composed for a celebratit heilan dancer an still play't ower an ower the day, a tune that fun its wye ower the Atlantic far the French Canadians claim't it as their ain, bit they jist ca'd it 'Big John'.

Ay, nae only dae we owe a debt tae Peter Milne bit tae Paul Anderson for the valuable darg an gran tae see the name Elphinstone Institute on the gravesteen at Nellfield.

Noo fae greats o the past, lat's get richt up tae date wi the news es wikk o twa freens o mine that hae made their mark in their ain lifetime an for that, richtly honourit in their ain circles.

First, congratulations tae that gentle giant o the hivvywechts o the Heilan Games scene, Bill Anderson, on bein inductit inta the Scottish Sports Hall o Fame anent sic like as Ally McCoist an Yvonne Murray.

WELL deserv't and acknowledgin the Heilan Games scene at last - toorist billies tak note.

Syne there wis Jim McColl bein recognis't at the Royal Television Society Awards as bein best Nations an Regions presenter, es efter the eident darg ower 30 eers in front o the cameras.

That they be MBE's afore jist rubber-stamps their achievments athoot ony cash-for-honours capers.

Lost in the Brave New World of NHS

Push for Personalised Services

Lost in the Brave New World of NHS

Have a look at the two posts above and contrast the difference between the Imaginary that Mr Blair thinks exists, because he would never have to do this himself, and the Reality that people are finding.

This is a minor example of what happens out there in the "real" world, not what the politicians think happens. In the Independent article Jemima Lewis says

Luddite though I may be, I am far more computer (and consumer)-literate than many of my parents' generation. It is the most fundamental principle of the NHS that it should be accessible to all, yet these well-meaning, sloppily executed reforms may create a two-tier system of access. The young, determined and scientifically minded will be able to find their way to the best care. The old-fashioned, impatient or technologically inept will give up in despair - myself included.

Whilst in the BBC article Mr Blair called for

"truly personalised" services with people given the information and power needed to choose a school or hospital.

This is typical of this government who thinks that everything is rosy out there as they regard us from their High Towers.

And as for the comment from Patricia (Best year so far) Hewitt that

Technology is really expanding what is possible.

She wouldn't know what "Technology" was if it slapped her round the chops. As the shadow Health Secretary put it

Rather than more warm words, what people want is for the government to trust the professionals.

Push for Personalised Services

Lost in the Brave New World of NHS

Jack Flash - Passer-by bowled over by nude OAP

Couldn't resist this story from Perth.

A pensioner is being sought by police after he was spotted driving naked around a bowling green in Perth on a motorised scooter.

The man, thought to be in his 70s, was seen in South Inch by a passer-by at about 1000 GMT on Thursday.

The witness was concerned he would be seen by children at a nearby park.

A Tayside Police spokesman said the man put his clothes back on and drove off. The man's scooter is believed to have a top speed of 3mph.

The sheer speed of his getaway obviously dissuaded any pursuers.

Apparently several officers were dispatched to the bowling club to investigate but the fugitive had gone - leaving tyre tracks as the only clue to his identity.

A spokeswoman for Tayside Police confirmed they were looking for the fugitive. She said:

"At 10.10am, a naked man was seen on a disability motorised scooter at the South Inch.

"The area was searched and there was no trace of the male involved. We are still actively looking for him."

Lucky he wasn't out today or he would have been frozen to his saddle!

BBC NEWS Scotland Tayside and Central Passer-by bowled over by nude OAP

Six Billion Pound Man

Many years ago before the Olympics were awarded to London, Mr Brown wanted nothing to do with them. Now he seems to see them as his Millenium Dome, and we know how that turned out.

Two articles in the first Post are quite interesting on the subject.

The first shows how Gordon has turned from a critic of the games to now supporting the games to the tune of 6 Billion pounds that he has magiced up from You and I, because make no bones about it , that is where the money will be coming from.

The second shows the deep incompetency of Tessa Jowell who even a few weeks ago was denying the 9 billion forecast.

I love the idea of the Olympics coming to Britain as I think they can be good for us in many ways, but the unfortunate problem is that we have an incompetent government interfering and meddling in their usual way. Now the Olympic's are more a roundabout way of regenerating some of the more needy (Labour Supporting?) parts of London without proper consultation or planning.

I predict the final bill will be way above the projected 9 billion and we will all be paying for these Games for some time.

The First Post : Gordon Brown's Olympics embarrassment

Burning our Money - BBC Jam

Over at Burning our Money The very nice Mr Wat Tyler has given me some credit for a story on the BBC Jam fiasco.

As he said Alastair:

highlights the abandonment of the BBC's online education service, BBC Jam. This "free" service has only been up since last year, but it has been severely criticised by private sector education providers as unfairly damaging their businesses. They have taken their complaint to the European Commission, and the BBC Trust has now abruptly terminated the whole thing. It's a complete mess that has flushed £75m of our money down the toilet.

In fairness to the BBC, Alastair points out that the Jam project was landed on them by the government- in particular, our old friends the Commissar and Charles Clarke.

The original article I wrote is here - BBC Jamming Suspended.

Lions led by Donkeys

According to the Telegraph article Andrew Lansley, the Conservative health spokesman, said today that a consultant wrote to him this week and said that doctors today were

"lions led by donkeys"

- a phrase used originally about First World War soldiers.

"He’s right. The appalling shambles made of Modernising Medical Careers risks undermining the morale and the future of the medical profession. What is the point of expanding medical school places and then destroying the career progression of junior doctors

I am assuming that the Consultant means that the Government are the Donkeys as some of the more senior members of the Medical establishment seem very similar to the Generals in WW1.

Any way it is good to see that David Cameron will be supporting the Doctors and I wish them all the best in getting this travesty overturned.

For earlier posts on MMC/MTAS look here.

UCAS goes PC

I see UCAS will be asking for details of parents jobs and educations levels on their next applications forms.

I can't really see what relevance this information could possibly have to a University when it was considering an applicant, apart from to fulfil some sort of "quota" to allow them to display how PC they are in taking students from differing backgrounds.

Apparently Bill Rammell, the Higher Education minister, said the Government supported the plans.

"We believe that admissions officers should have as much information as possible to help them to assess who has the potential to succeed," he said.The new information on candidates' backgrounds would ensure all applications were "genuinely dealt with on their merits", he told the House of Commons.

How this information could help with the above I have no idea. I would tend to more agree with the following from Martin Stephen, the High Master of St Paul's, the independent boys' day school in London, whowsaid:

"This is taking university entry out of academic achievement and straight into social engineering."

Applicants must say if parents are graduates

Hackers Heaven - Opening near you Soon

The words "Government", "NHS", "Security" fill me with dread. The idea that our NHS could run a secure computer system, available to all and sundry, fills me with dread from some of the errors and foul-ups they have made in the past. I wouldn't trust them to keep my name and address secure far less more personal details.

Some idea of the task in front of the NHS is shown in this article.

Whilst reading the BBC article you wonder if it is the BBC dumbing down the level of security required on such a system or it is just the fact that the NHS is incompetent. The trouble is, that it is most likely, a bit of both.

After working for the past 28 years in the IT world I can tell you that no system available to all and sundry on the Internet can truly be secure, even if it has the best brains behind it. Even within a "closed" system available to only GP's and Hospital staff it will be insecure and the main reason will not be technology it will be people.

People who lend out their access as its "easier" , people who leave a PC logged on, people who just have a look for a bit of curiosity, People who design bad systems and processes etc etc. People will always be the weak link.

My advice, when the time comes don't let the buggers put any of your information onto the Spine. Say no!

BBC NEWS | Health | Home access to NHS records plan

McConnell hints at Cynical Electioneering.

The Election is obviously on our First Minister's mind as he announces the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road is likely to be the next big upgrade in Scotland.

This is despite the fact that only three years ago Scottish Executive officials insisted not enough vehicles used the road to justify dualling it. They said it could even handle 50 per cent more traffic.

Not that I'm cynical mind you.

Richard Lochhead, the Scottish National Party MSP for Moray, also welcomed the First Minister's comments.

He said:

"The people of Moray will welcome the growing cross-party support and momentum for upgrading the A96 and dragging this vital transport link into the 21st century.

"I do hope Mr McConnell's belated recognition of the need to improve the A96 is not just him getting carried away in the run-up to May's elections."

Nanette Milne, Tory MSP for the North-east, said:

"This is very encouraging and exceptionally long-overdue news. It is one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland."

The Scotsman - Scotland - Aberdeen - McConnell hint lifts hopes in road battle

Cherie says "Say Sorry now"

Great idea get the typical scroat who's just been convicted of kicking someone's head in to say sorry to his victim. Most scroats have a limited ability to recognise they have done wrong and the ideas of saying "Sorry" is risible.

Cherie needs to get out into the real world with her husband and see what happens, rather than say sorry, the scroat will spit in your face and do it again.

Her advice would be better placed aimed at her husband who should be saying sorry for the mess he making of "running" this country. Unfortunately Tony behaves a bit like a scoat and rather than apologising, laughs in your face before he steals off to "earn" money on the lecture circuit.


Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

BBC Jamming suspended

The BBC has had to suspend its £150m online education Service BBC JAM as it has fallen foul of EEC regulations. It follows complaints from commercial online companies to the European Commission about the £150m project.

The project was set up despite warnings and strict conditions placed on it in 2003 about likely impacts on other companies.

Under the BBC's charter, the corporation is charged with promoting learning for school-aged children.

One of the conditions BBC Jam was set up with was that half of its content budget had to be spent on commissioning material from outside the BBC.

Conservative broadcasting spokesman Ed Vaizey said:

"This is a mess of the government's own making.

"They told the BBC to set up Jam even though a number of education companies were already providing those services.

"We have constantly raised concerns about BBC Jam and its impact on the private sector. It does not surprise us that the service has been suspended. The blame rests fairly with the government."

Oh well that's another few million of our money the Government has wasted.

The complainants say the service, designed as a learning resource for children aged five to 16 in support of the national curriculums, damages their businesses.

BBC Jam is an online learning resource for children, designed to be used at home to support key areas of the school curriculums across the UK. It will be suspended from 20 March 2007.

Acting BBC Trust Chairman Chitra Bharucha said in a statement:

"The Trust has requested BBC management to prepare fresh proposals for how the BBC should deliver the Charter obligation to promote formal education and learning, meeting the online needs to school age children.

"Despite a rigorous approval process involving the BBC Governors, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, and the European Commission resulting in extensive conditions on the service, BBC Jam has continued to attract complaints from the commercial sector about the parameters of its activities."

An official statement is available here.


BBC NEWS | Education | BBC suspends net learning project

Pensioner denies smoke ban breach

Apparently this is the first court case where a person has appeared in court charged with smoking in a prohibited place. Such an irony for a man with the name of Wraith to be done for smoking.

I'm frankly amazed by that, though from what I have seen the law does seem to be being obeyed wherever I have been.

When the law came in nearly a year ago now, I would have said that it would have been a regular occurrence.

Mind you from the story it appears that the guy may have been a little under the weather.

The final irony of appearing in court on National No-Smoking day is just exquisite!

Now to persuade my wife to kick the habit, or maybe I can just get the Kids to do it for me.


BBC NEWS Scotland North East/N Isles Pensioner denies smoke ban breach

Catholics turning away from Labour?

Labour and many Catholic priests are having some problems seeing eye-to-eye at the moment over a number of issues. Many of these are related to the family unit which most Catholics would see as Mum, Dad and Kids, whereas Labour tend to be a bit more free than this.

What is certain, from my quick poll of Catholics I know (my wife is a Catholic), is that Labour votes will be few and far between, and whilst they might not be representative of the whole of Scotland they are from vastly different areas and backgrounds.

None of them seem likely to vote for the CPA, but they all have one thing in common and that is they would like Labour and for, the most part, the Lib Dems out. Votes will be going to the SNP and the Tories and tactical voting will be going on.


The Scotsman - Labour and the turbulent priests

New Adam Smith £20 note launched

Nice to see the head of a Scotsman on the Bank of England £20 note.

As Mr Smith said:

What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?

Too which he might have added the pleasure of being on a Bank of England £20!

BBC NEWS Business New Adam Smith £20 note launched

Life Thru a Lens.

Apparently after its failed attempt to have one over Dave using the Chameleon, Labour are looking at another attempt to smear him using the Robbie Williams song 'Life Thru a Lens'

The song, which contains lyrics such as: "You sound so funny with your voice all plummy/Now your cheques bounced better run to your mummy ... You're scared of the poor and needy/Is that why you're all inbreedy," will be used to further send up Cameron's toffee-nosed credentials.

"Although it's now a few years old, it contains lyrics which we thought were perfect for a piss-take film on Cameron," I'm told.

"At the moment it's just a question of editing the best bits and using it with the best clips.

"It may well be something that gets used in a few months' time."

I have the feeling, that as usual, the Labour PR machine has read it all wrong. They just don't get what makes something funny rather than just plain boring, especially as Mr Williams is now a bit past it all.

Now if the Tories were to make a few adverts featuring our Gordy as the Rev I.M. Jolly that might be funny as in

"I am the Reverend I.M. Jolly. That's Jolly, spelt M-O-R-B-I-D."

More Jollies here


Independent Online Edition > Pandora

MMC/MTAS on 18 Doughty Street tonight

18 Doughty Street will be discussing the MMC/MTAS farce tonight.

for previous stories see here

18 Doughty Street : Politics for Adults | TALK TV

Twit?

I've been waiting for my favourite policeman, well he is my big bro, to blog on this before I said anything as I'm in no place to say what is good policing and what is a drunken slapper trying to kick, gouge, hit, scratch, maim and otherwise injure a policeman.

One really good point he raises is about the aspect of racism being brought in, As he says

What most will agree with though is the utterly despicable way in which Race has become an issue in this matter. It has been said before that many of the so-called ad-hoc anti-racist forums/spokespersons are actually, on many an occasion, creating a more divided not diverse society. This time, I believe 'they' have shot themselves in the foot.

As one commentator on another blog put it.

The arrest of a drunken and violent female is always a bit of a mare for a male officer. It never looks pretty and whilst you are dealing with her you are worrying not just about your safety, but also what spurious allegation the drunken thing is going to make.
Add to that the fact that current UDTs (Unarmed Defence Tactic) dont look too pretty either. Knee strikes, baton strikes and distraction blows look very aggressive to the untrained observer.
The officer was doing what his force trained him to do, the outcry is over how ugly it looks. It would appear at the moment his force are standing up for him, even a statement from his chief.
This is all a media circus, some yorkie wannabee Al Sharpton is trying to build a reputation out of it. He is a silly man who makes silly comments and should be ignored. He does however mention a few of the magic words the press love to hear.
Storm in a teacup, good luck to the PC involved, ignore it all and enjoy the 8-4 for a while.
Alternatively wait until one of the redtops does a few background checks on her, exposes her as a cross between Jade Goody and Punchy McPunchy and you can sell them your tale of suffering for a few grand.

As sergeant Stan Jablonski used to say

Let's do it to them before they do it to us.

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The Home of Noddy (& Mr Plod): Twit?

Blair called to account over abandoned troops

The Independent on Sunday reports today that

British soldiers returning from war are suffering unprecedented levels of mental health problems amid claims that the long-standing "military covenant" guaranteeing them proper care is in tatters.

They have investigated details of problems reported by returning service personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan and reveal that

More than 21,000 full-time servicemen and women who have served in Iraq, as well as army reservists, have developed anxiety and depression.

Apart from terrible toll on service personnel the paper also reports on the fact that the government is doing little to help those who return to our shores injured or maimed, it reports

The extent of the hidden costs of war is exposed in the same week that five British soldiers were killed in action in Afghanistan and Iraq, the highest death toll since 2003. A total of 6,600 British troops have been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 600 flown back to Britain for treatment. But Combat Stress and the British Legion say that even these figures grossly underestimate the real scale of the psychological injuries among troops. The charities warn that the true cost in terms of family breakdown and broken lives will not be felt by society for at least a decade.

They accuse the Ministry of Defence of abandoning vulnerable soldiers, some of whom experience crippling nightmares and flashbacks, by closing dedicated military hospitals and putting troops in civilian wards.

One senior Serviceman, Air Marshal Sir John Walker said

He believed that the military covenant is at "breaking point". The former head of Defence Intelligence Service and deputy chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee said: "Has the covenant been broken? Well in my opinion it has certainly been stretched to breaking point. This relationship should be based on trust, and I am afraid sending our forces into an illegal war is a severe breach of trust."

At the end of this month, Britain will become the only country in Europe without a dedicated military hospital when it closes the doors of Haslar Hospital at Gosport, Hampshire.

Meanwhile an MoD spokesman said that the defence budget had increased and that junior soldiers had received a substantial pay rise.

That should really help!

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics