30 seconds into the future
Since the disaster that befell our Super HypocrisOMeter 5000, we’ve been pretty careful with our equipment budget. But this week, after being caught on the hop by the unexpected early conclusion to the Rangers CVA saga, Wings Over Scotland has taken the plunge and invested in another electronic aid to help us stay that all-important one step ahead of the zeitgeist.
The SeeAhead Industries Predictamatic XF12 is the state of the art in digital foresight technology, and we put it straight to work to see if it could give us some advance knowledge of how Alex Salmond’s appearance at the Leveson Inquiry this afternoon will turn out. The contents of the Device Output Log can be seen below.
++ SALMOND ASKED IF THERE WAS A TRADE-OFF BETWEEN SUPPORT FOR BSKYB BID AND SUN SUPPORT FOR SNP ++
++ SALMOND DENIES ANY LINK, SAYS HE WAS ACTING TO PRESERVE AND/OR CREATE SCOTTISH JOBS, SUN’S SUPPORT COINCIDENTAL AND MOTIVATED BY ANTIPATHY TO LABOUR ++
++ LABOUR REFUSES TO ACCEPT DENIAL OF CONNECTION, INSISTS EVERYONE CONCERNED IS LYING ON OATH ++
++ CITES EVIDENCE WITH REGARD TO SAID ASSERTION, SUCH AS KZZT! ++ SEARCHING ++ SEARCHING ++ EVIDENCE NOT FOUND ++ ERROR ++ ERROR ++ PLEASE REBOOT ++ ++
For goodness’ sake, this thing’s just new out of the box. [thump]
++ ALERT MEMBERS OF PUBLIC POINTEDLY NOTE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LABOUR AND MURDOCH FOR PREVIOUS 15 YEARS ++
++ ALSO OBSERVE THAT SALMOND IS NOT GODPARENT TO ANY OF MURDOCH’S CHILDREN, HAS NEVER HOSTED A PYJAMA PARTY FOR MEMBERS OF MURDOCH FAMILY, HAS NEVER FLOWN HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD TO BEG FOR MURDOCH SUPPORT, ETC ++
++ LABOUR COUGHS, INDICATES GOODYEAR BLIMP, RUNS AWAY ++
++ SALMOND ASKED IF PHONE WAS HACKED ++
++ SAYS NOT TO HIS KNOWLEDGE ++
++ RUTH DAVIDSON HASTILY REWRITES SCRIPT FOR FIRST MINISTER’S QUESTIONS TO SOMETHING ABOUT SALMOND BEING FAT AGAIN ++
++ LIB DEMS ++ KZZT! ++ SEARCHING ++ SEARCHING ++ LIB DEMS NOT FOUND ++ ERROR ++ ERROR ++ PLEASE REBOOT ++
Oh dear.
Goofy Ed Miliband was up before the beak yesterday. Incredibly, he managed to look even more shifty and evasive than the two war criminals, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Remarkable, wasn’t it? The bit I saw was like watching a child on the verge of tears when told it can’t pour chocolate milk on its mashed potatoes.
The ‘impartial’ Brian Taylor from the BBC has set out his list of questions that he wants answered by the FM.
And helpfully shown us an e mail that needs answers to.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-18412596
Does anyone agree with me that Gordon Brown’s appearance and testimony at Leveson was the most disingenuous ever on Court TV.
He never answered any question directly but used weasel language, linguistic body swerves and personal affront.
I think, sadly for him, that his mental health has degenerated by some degree.
For once I believe the opinion of Murdoch.
Heh-heh, yes Reverend,
It’s on occasions like this these that you realise, beyond all reasonable doubt, that there’s something deeply rotten at the heart of the Labour party.
Gordon Brown is still my favourite though. He didn’t so much answer questions as provide a series of over-prepared speeches to each question. He was clearly intent on ‘setting the record straight’, as only Gordon can.
I liked his attempt to disown spin. With that creepy, sinister smile of his he said, “I don’t think I could claim a great deal of success in that department”. You wouldn’t think that this was the man who, throughout his period as chancellor, frantically briefed against Blair and anyone else in the Labour party foolish enough to oppose him. And that was how he treated his ‘friends’!
Thank God nurse was waiting in the wings.
This is the only political blog which (deliberately) provides a good laugh. Thanks for that. Very refreshing and extremely enjoyable.
Daily Record headlines .Salmond questioned over Murdoch links.
Could be worse –
has put together a list of questions
Severin Carrell and the Guardian are slavering at the bit and waiting to pounce. Carrell had his “Salmond at Leveson: the unanswered questions” prepared days ago. Since the Guardian stated in one of its editorials, namely “Britishness – identity parade” on 8th June, 2012 that, “Defending the union is important …” any claims that it was anything other than another member of the defend-the-Union MBM has been debunked.
Bunch of hypocrites: today on their front page they they are pushing an article by a Mr Gavin Short, “We Falkland Islanders have the right to decide our own fate” Mr. Short talks about his hopes now that they are going to hold a referendum:
“Our future is neither for Argentina nor the UK to decide. We alone, the people of the Falkland Islands, can make that choice. The principle of self-determination is enshrined in the UN charter and is a human right applicable to all peoples, including us.” …
… “The Falkland Islanders are a peaceful, hard-working and resilient people. Our society is thriving and forward-looking. Self-governing, financially self-sufficient and with our own identity, we are a small place with a big future.” …
Huge amount of support for this BTL.
But when someone makes similar assertions about Scotland …..
@John Böttcher
Beat me to it! And don’t you just love the “Comments have been switched off for legal reasons” underneath!!
Dai, do think the Guardian’s“switched of for legal reasons” is actually Guardian speak for “switched off for fear of retribution!” 😆
@Arbroath1320
Oh, yes, the “legal reasons” is a great cover-all for the Guardian! It allows for ‘Publish and be Damned’ without those pesky BTL contributors refuting any and all falsehoods.
Note how Severin Carrell’s ‘articles’ rarely have comments allowed … unless there’s a whiff of ‘Gotcha!’ regarding the Scottish independence issue: for example the recent one he put out stating that “Alex Salmond’s efforts to build a cross-party movement for Scottish independence have suffered an early blow after the Scottish Green party leader withdrew from the yes campaign.” which was lies, when the truth was that Patrick Harvie had stated, ” … we’ve not “walked out” of the Yes campaign. We’re just very frustrated that we’ve not been allowed in.”
Without fail, every time the Guardian and Carrell come out with this stuff they get found out. They like to think they are somehow ‘better than that’ and above all of the muckraking and smears. They’re not. They’re as bad as all the other MSM No-to-Scottish-independence trash.
Well, I think that goes down as a resounding success for the Predictamatic XF12’s first field test…
😀
@Reverend Stuart Campbell,
If anything this is an understatement.
I nearly fell off my office chair when I heard the BBC correspondent Ross Hawkins make a favourable comparison of Alex Salmond’s openness, and his answers and evidence today, to the sordid evasions and mis-directions of Campbell, Blair, Brown and Miliband among others.
Hawkins was effectively saying, how refreshing to have a witness that not only answers the questions that he’s asked, but answers them honestly. I think even Robert Jay was shocked.
Have you noticed also that, after Jay had finished with Blair, Brown and Miliband, you were left with a sinking feeling about the absence of all the questions that you wished Jay had asked? With Salmond, there was, instead, a satisfying feeling of satiation. A feeling of, well, er…that’s that then.
Taylor is still at it! Just listened to him on BBC1. Why can’t he give in gracefully?
O/T. I wish the BBC would stop saying thousands are coming out to see the torch. No they are not! Thousands are coming out for the free music concerts! They would still be there if there was no torch!
Juteman, you’re NOT supposed to notice that there is a free concert.
Simples! 😆
Dal/Arb
Saw the whole thing start to finish today and I still can’t stop grinning. Fulsome answers with added detail and amendments for Leveson’s own records and the capper – admitting openly (pardon the paraphrasing) ‘Hell yes I’d lobby on behalf of NI for Scottish jobs. Are you guys nuts?’ Or words to that effect. 😀
The Guardian doesn’t know whether their hammerd, punched or countersunk. Just checked their site and the first article on the event covers everything except the Observer bombshell. Still no comments allowed.guardian.co.uk/…/…
I’d have replied to your post on NNS Macart but they won’t let me off the “naughty step”. 🙁
I watched from about 3 o’clock, I think. Isn’t it amazing how, when you get an open and honest politician who has nothing to hide the truth always comes out so much easier! It is also so much easier when you end up with the judge on your side! 😀
Let’s see the Dependence parties deny that Scotland can not go Independent! 😆
Oops!
Looks like I was a wee bit too slow with my “challenge” to the Dependence parties.
http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/salmond-at-murdochs-beck-and-call
What were they watching when they wrote this s****?
What were they on ?
The men in white coats do know where these imbeciles live don’t they?
Quite extraordinary. The point wasn’t made that the press in Scotland is very much anti SNP. But it was a solid performance. I fully agree with the posters criticising the Guardian and the BBC – the articles were a disgrace.
Have confidence Gordon.
Normal service will be resumed, probably tomorrow. 😀
Off topic. The next big scandal has arrived.
Severin Carrell @severincarrell
Scottish govt has men in black handing out 100s free saltires to #Olympics #torch crowds on Mound: no union jacks here http://yfrog.com/odnkxsdj
Torcuil Crichton @Torcuil
@severincarrell that’s hilariously insecure.I thought Alex Neil had wrapped himself in the Union Jack bath towel after last week’s bbcqt.
Jim Slaven @JimSlaven
Proof that the Black Shirts are out on the streets of #Edinburgh. Via @severincarrell http://yfrog.com/odnkxsdj You couldn’t make it up. #Scary
Iain McGill @IainMcGill
@GHmltn @severincarrell that’s the difference – obviously the Union Flags are sold out to a loyal populace – cannae even give saltires away!
Chris Ship @chrisshipITV
This is interesting: claims Scot govt gave out Saltires 4 #torch relay http://bit.ly/LX9hlM Worried too many Union flags? Or national pride?
Shona Robison @shonarobison
The amazing Emeli Sande in Edinburgh complete with saltire face painting! http://yfrog.com/odl4sxkj
Not Emeli Sande @notemelisande
The SNP made me do it!
Is it me? Or has the fact that the SNP won in 2011 finally driven Scottish Labour insane?
Isn’t it amazing how jealousy can strike the dumb and ignorant! 😀
Just stuck this up on ‘The Herald’
I just finished watching the Leveson Enquiries’ own video of this.
That was an incredibly impressive performance by all three of the main players. Jay, Leveson and Salmond showed a mutual respect for each other that was frankly a revelation. It compared very favourably to the nonsense that Lamont and Davidson thinks consititutes a forensic analysis.
I think the saying “respect attracts respect” speaks volumes for what happened at Leveson today.
The worrying aspect to this is that I doubt very much that Davidson, Lamont or the other one can spell respect far less understand what the word respect actually means!
Arb @ 11:52pm.
Agreed.
From the video, it is pretty obvious that Salmond has a very clear idea of what he can and can’t do.
From similar videos of Lamont and Davidson and him we can’t remember, it is perfectly clear that there is no actual higher brain engaged.
It is just a fight or flight response.
How do you think they would have dealt with that? Would they know what they could or couldn’t do? Well perhaps they would, what with the Westminster knows best implant…..
Trademarked by a Unionist near you.
@James Morton
“Is it me? Or has the fact that the SNP won in 2011 finally driven Scottish Labour insane”.
I can assure you it isn’t just you. But might I offer another possibility for their affliction?
The reality that there is going to be a referendum in 2014 has started to dawn on them. What we’re now witnessing is Scottish Labour awakening from its dogmatic slumber. For the first time, they’re having to confront the question: what is Scottish Labour for?
There is no sensible answer to this question. And, on the eve of the official launch of the Labour-Tory coalition’s No campaign, they’re collectively starting to realise that not only are they responsible for condemning the rest of us to suffer under Westminster Tory governments that most of us voted against, they’re going to have to shamelessly advertise that fact by sharing a platform with the Tories for the next two years. They realise that there’s nowhere for them to hide anymore. The game is up.
All things considered, in Scotland today, I’d say that’s enough to drive anybody insane.
Arb
Near as I can tell the thinking appears to be – Well we’ve dropped anvil after anvil on this guy in recent months and there’s not so much as a scratch on him. Swiftly followed by a Spike Milligan moment ‘What are we gunna do now? What are we gunna do now?’ Back to the Acme anvil factory tae demand a refund.
Every piece of muck the ConLabLibs have chucked has either missed or slid off. The FM can relax and have some fun at FMQs today. Great performance based on mainly respect and laying out the facts, something many news commentators have trouble with in my opinion. Probably because they are unfamiliar with the former and are strangers to the latter.
I see today’s offer by Steve Bell in the Guardian’s daily comment cartoon feature – how laughably ironic – has no comments allowed!! It is but yet another offensive, childish and pathetic dig at Alex Salmond.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2012/jun/13/leveson-inquiry-alexsalmond
I presume that the Guardian Media Group will get ever more screeching in their attempts to ‘get’ Salmond since yesterday’s accusation of the Observer gaining access to his bank account. How they will attempt to squirm out of that one will be interesting …
F**k ’em and hell mend them I say.
I’m done with MSM Dal, I just find it hard to believe a word they say anymore. I’ll judge a person by their actions, not what people say about them and to date the FM and current SG have done this country proud. When I see different then and only then would I change my opinion.
What takes me to the fair is that a certain Mr MacWhirter in the Herald comments on the fact that he was aware of colleagues trying to access the FMs account in 99 or there abouts, yet strangely didn’t see fit to boldly raise the subject of invasion of privacy himself at the time. I guess its just accepted practice amongst journos eh? Tear into someones private life, using any method necessary, cut them up a little and stroll through the wreckage they leave behind. All in a days work really.
I trust none of them. Best way forward – gather info from as many news sites as possible sift the gold from the crap and form your own opinions.
“today’s offer by Steve Bell in the Guardian’s daily comment cartoon feature”
Bell is a good artist, but a shit cartoonist – about 70% of the time I have no idea what point he’s trying to make, and today’s is a good example. What on Earth is it supposed to mean? What’s with the sheep? What “freedom” is Salmond talking about? What’s it even trying to say?
Its the lazy charicature that they fall back on as the automatic assumption is that seeking independence is some sort of rabid nationalism or anti English mindset. Painted faces = Mel Gibson = Anti English….
When you read the comments from ordinary folks on the Mail and Telegraph on any Scottish article there is a real whiff of “how veray dare you“. Its seen as a personal slight on them or their country. So the anti English thing is an automatic reference point and Gibson’s character in Braveheart is the totem pole.
Hi Macart. I haven’t watched FMQ’s yet but will do so later. I did think that after the F.M.’s stellar performance yesterday FMQ’s might be a bit of a damp squib. However, as I posted in an earlier post I need not have worried. There is a god!
I don’t know what programme the Labour party were watching but it certainly wasn’t the Leveson Inquiry, more likely to have been a Tom and Jerry cartoon! :lol
Whatever medication the Labour party are collectively on then it is most definitely the WRONG dose!
It amazes me, well no it doesn’t actually, how pathetic the Dependence Brigade have become. Don’t get me wrong. We all knew from day one that the D.B. would turn into the nasty little gathering of hobbits they have become. However, I don’t think anyone could have predicted that they would have done so so quickly! I think we are now witnessing the case where ANYONE discusses Scottish Independence the D.B. stand around with their fingers in their ears singing LaLaLaLaLaLa!
With regard to all the anti Independence in the media from south of the border, I think that while 99% of Scots are NOT anti English the actions of the media are slowly but surely going to turn 99% of Scots into becoming anti English. The media might think it is fun to continually put Scotland and her people down but there is going to come a point when the people are going to stop and think. They are going to stand up and say “you know what, I’ve had enough of this shit! You claim that we are anti English well congratulations you have succeeded in turning Scotland into a country that hates the English.”
These numpties that promulgate the constant ANTI SCOTTISH and ANTI INDEPENDENCE bile need a damned good kicking up the erse! More importantly they need all the bile they print rammed where the sun don’t shine! The one thing that keeps me going day in and day out is the fact that I “know” we WILL win in 2014. I am not being over optimistic in this it is just the more these morons continue printing and broadcasting their Anti Independence bile the more people in Scotland will read/hear it. The longer this continues then the more people up here will say “you know what, screw them, I;m voting YES!” In the long term I think the Anti Independence approach by the MSM and BBC WILL work to our benefit and work against them!
Rant over! 😆
I’ll provide the boot! 😀
Bags I get to haud them doon! 😆