Ashdown rescued from crash
Posted on
April 30, 2013 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
Weirdly, the front-page lead story of today’s Herald newspaper is (at the time of writing) completely absent from the online edition. We did a little digging and found that it had been somehow fused into a piece about three women and a baby being involved in a car crash, with no text.
Hopefully the Herald will fix the glitch soon, but in the meantime we’ve managed to get a hold of this low-resolution but (just barely) legible image.
Click for the readable full-size version.
O/T but relevant I think.
I have received and completed a web based survey by Yougov on voting intentions and it seems all slanted to Trident, Scotland and the conundrum of what to do, if / when it is kicked out of Scotland and should it be replaced or not and to what extent.
Love to see the “regional” breakdown on this one.
Grrrr. What did I just say not one day ago about going off-topic in the FIRST COMMENT of a thread?
Normally there are a few comments up by the time an early post by me gets published.
Take it down it you wish and then stick it back up, or I will later?
Need some coffee?
Better quality version.
link to 4.bp.blogspot.com
I shall bring things back on topic, Stu.
Are the two stories here related? Ashdown calls for the money to be sent back, and Monty digs for charity?
G. Campbell – WTF?!? What’s with the creepy picture of Magnus Gardham on the bottom right of your link?
“Look into my eyes, you are feeling sleepy, veeeeeeeeery sleepy… Now vote No.”
That’s really rather sinister.
On the top of the full page Louise Batchelor says Independence is essential – always liked her.
“Need some coffee?
As coffee is disgusting, that would only make things worse.
If coffee is disgusting have a “British Dram” instead.
Who is the author of the piece? Surely not gardham?
Oh No! Is that what a unionist looks like?I have seen them without knowing.No wonder they are so nasty and bitter.
I thought they were run of the mill Tories.
From my furtive flick through the Herald at the newsagent this morning (as usual, without buying it) it appears to be day one of a redesign. Don’t know yet if it extends to the online version but may account for one or two glitches.
Anyway, glad to see Robbie’s piece trumping Gardham’s reheat of the currency pish which no doubt would’ve led on another day.
Oh dear,
Not gardham, but Dinwoodie. Need some coffee.
Thanks G Campbell for the higher resolution version. I thought the version the Rev put up was some sort of eye-test (I failed). Very heartening to see the Herald still running with this one – obviously they subscribe to that Scottish motto Nemo me impune lacessit – and the lawyers seem to have gone quiet lately (apart from BBC Scotlandshire’s).
Also, it’s always fun seeing the BT mob getting the same treatment and innuendo that the SNP have had to put up with for years.
Right, I’ve done my bit now so can I go O/T? – I think Magnus is moonlighting as a model for C&A (in case his day job doesn’t work out).
Worth noting that Ashdown falls short of calling for the dosh to be returned.
Harry Reid’s column in today’s Herald is also very positive for us, and a smaller piece about the BBC has an astonishing quote from Ken McQuarrie about perceived impartiality doing damage (that’s why they’d never ever do it etc)…don’t have the hard copy to transcribe, but both should turn up in due course.
Is that Monty digging for the truth or a reason to stay in the Union?
Although YouGov used the official referendum question in their survey today (“Should Scotland be an independent country?”), they felt obliged to add some more text above it, starting with “If there was a referendum tomorrow on Scotland leaving the United Kingdom ….” — it’s well known that “leaving the UK” is one of those phrases that will potentially make anxious people say No rather than Yes.
They can’t help themselves can they?
Interesting that someone billed as a major player in Better Together makes this one contribution to the debate in a year. Kids, dont accept sweets from strangers, but if you do its ok to eat them.
Talking of Glasgow based newspapers. I see the Daily Record are reporting the next generation of OF fans got some good training last night.
link to dailyrecord.co.uk
@ThomasWidmann
My partner did a yougov survey yesterday, if its the same one, there was a few questions about trident and nuclear weapons after the indy question. Its also the first time she’s ever been asked an indy question despite being with yougov for probably a decade or more.
Now online edition. “11 minutes ago” it says.
The story popped up on the Herald site a few minutes ago.
Well its a start, and while I’m not holding my breath for it making any difference to BT, it might at least make people see that other people think this stinks too and its not just ‘SNP whinging’.
Doug Daniel said:
“WTF?!? What’s with the creepy picture of Magnus Gardham on the bottom right of your link?”
There is no Magnus Gardham in that picture. I suggest you install a BetterTogether Blocker to prevent any instances of Magnus Gardham appearing in the future.
I seem to recall Mr Ashdown spending some time on the whole Balkan issue back in the day. I’m surprised it took him so long to jump on this one. Quite glad he has mind.
As for the creepy Gardham pic…. Is it my imagination or is there a slight red tint to his eyes?
The on line Herald has it, now. THIS is it.
@Bugger (the Panda) & @Rev
Perhaps you should have offered a Bru:
link to m.youtube.com
I have had the same YouGov survey. Looking forward to the results.
The story is now up on the Herald website.
link to heraldscotland.com
If it was a private poll then you won’t see any results being published.
Rev sorry to go O?T ,however I am concerned for your well being.
There is a piece in the North Britisher today by Kevin Tool ..is about his Brown play.
You being the master of deconstruct you could write a thesis on the nonsense therein.
however we need you for the more day to day stuff and after reading that article I fear you could be kept busy until after the Referendum.
Unless that is there was another Gordon Brown PM I do not know about, the one mentioned in this article his Brown of Assisi.
It makes Mother Teresa sound like a member of the Orange lodge in comparison to this “son of the manse” .
Marcia
Do you want my answers?
O/T and I am going into the Sin Bin for my second offence
The Herald has a piece on the SPAD to Viceroy Michael Moore using his UK Gov credit card to upgrade his airline tickets etc etc
This wee bit caught my eye
Through his inquiries, Mr Banks, who represents Ochil and South Perthshire, found Mr Roddin had used the card mostly for hotel accommodation in Edinburgh – including four stays totalling £461; Glasgow – with one stay at £21; Aberdeen – one stay at £75; and Brussels where one stay cost £171. In London, two stays totalling £467 were recorded on the card’s transactions.
£21 for a Hotel in Glasgow? I take it he rented to room for a hour as he was tired?
@Bugger (the Panda) says
£21 for a Hotel in Glasgow? I take it he rented to room for a hour as he was tired?
Rented a room for an Hour ??? Ooo I say!
TW: “If there was a referendum tomorrow on Scotland leaving the United Kingdom
I have never understood why, when attempting to predict the outcome of a referendum being held in 1.5 years time, pollsters ask what you would vote tomorrow.
Whilst many people will interpret the question as to their future intention, many people will answer the question asked.
Why not just ask what they are thinking of voting in 1.5 years time and whether or not they might change their minds. Then you are far more likely to get a better picture of intention.
Renting a room by the hour is more discreet than a public car-park !
For those wondering why Yougov are outliers with respect to Scotland most of the time…
link to yougov.co.uk
Targets for the weighted data are derived from three sources:
The census
[check]
The National [Newspaper] Readership survey (a random probability survey comprising 34,000 random face-to-face interviews conducted annually)
[Now this is slightly worrying. You are aware that in Scotland, newspaper sales decline has been running at twice that of the UK as a whole?]
(In the case of party identity) YouGov estimates. These are a derived from an analysis of more than 80,000 responses to YouGov surveys at, or shortly after, the 2010 General Election, when respondents were asked both
i) whether they generally thought of themselves as Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem etc (party identity); and
ii) which party they would support, or had supported, in the 2010 General Election. Data are weighted to 2010 party identity wherever this information is available. The weights used for party identity are consistent with the outcome of the 2010 General Election.
[oh oh. This might work in England, but in Scotland a very large proportion of the Westminster VI is entirely tactical and does not reflect true intention. Likewise, there are many people that consider themselves ‘Labour’ but vote SNP…]
Only on Holyrood VI do Yougov do reasonably well in terms of matching other pollsters and getting the trends/final result not too badly.
Sorry Rev going O/T for a minute . Does anyone know if everything is o.k with Peter A Bell . There has been no updates to his scoop.it site for a few days and thats not like Peter .
“Sorry Rev going O/T for a minute. Does anyone know if everything is o.k with Peter A Bell . There has been no updates to his scoop.it site for a few days and thats not like Peter.”
Off-topic is fine. Off-topic in the first comment on a post is rude. Have dropped Peter a line to see what’s what. His last couple of tweets look like spambots (haven’t clicked on them).
@Bugger the Panda
What’s amazing about the SPAD story is that he could actually get credit on a UK Government card.
MajorBloodnok @ 10:21
Maybe it was a Debit Card linked directly to the Scottish Government Account?
Again OT sorry!
Last night someone posted a link to Debate.com, which asked, “Should Scotland become an independent nation?” I took part in the survey late in the evening when it was about 67% Yes 33% no. It shot up a few % in an hour or two and is currently sitting at 73% Yes 27% no.
Looks like those nasty cybernats are at it again.
Anymore for anymore?
link to debate.org
On topic, online poll requires votes.
link to bit.ly
@Silvertay
Yes, I was wondering about Peter. Hope he’s OK. On the other hand maybe he’s been kidnapped by the Truth (sic) Team for rendering.
“Yes, I was wondering about Peter. Hope he’s OK. On the other hand maybe he’s been kidnapped by the Truth (sic) Team for rendering.”
Peter says he hasn’t been kidnapped, but is just a bit poorly at the moment. Of course, if he HAD been kidnapped and his Twitter account was in the hands of MI5 goons, that’s exactly what THEY’D say.
@Hen Broon
It is the same one!
Speaking of missing persons, where’s Scott Minto got to? Not seen him hereabouts recently.
And right on cue Scott turns on up on today’s other thread. MajorBloodnok facepalms.
@Tartanfever
That article and photo gallery is shocking. Thanks for the link.
Only three arrests what were the Polis up to?
Shakes head in disbelief.
Weeangrythingy
link to dailyrecord.co.uk
@Scottish_Skier
Today’s YouGov survey, which I took part in, asked how I voted in Constituency and Regional vote on May 5 (they omitted the year, a strange omission which I commented on).
Could they use this data to improve their Scottish predictions? It seems from comments above that at least three people who read this blog have been surveyed. This makes it look like a larger-than-usual Scottish survey.
I have been thinking about this currency line that the UK/Unionist campaign has been punting and how it could be used by us as a simple way in to discuss the true nature of Scotland’s economy and it’s relation with the current UK’s economic international standing.
My thinking always centers on how best to handle a discussion with a concerned voter who is responding to the ‘fear uncertainty and doubt’ behind the aims and thrust of The Better NO campaign strategy in general and this threatened denial of access to Sterling line in particular.
Firstly point out that Sterling is and has been since the UK was formed Scotland’s currency and therefore ours by right.
Then some simple to understand facts as to why the rUK would move heaven and earth to keep Scotland using Sterling.
Scot’s economy makes up for +/- 40% of the shortfall in the UK’s balance of payments deficit. Give a simple example. If the current entire UK balance of payments deficit is say 60billion, with Scotland’s economy removed from Sterling the day after Independence, rUK deficit jumps overnight to 100billion! Ask them to consider how the international markets are likely to react waking up to those kind of Sterling economic figures? What will be the effect on rUK AA+ borrowing rates? How will rUK finance it’s already trillion £ debt.
In Scotland the reverse occurs. The markets wake up to a country with a 40Billion balance of payments surplus. What will be the effect on our AA+ borrowing rates (back up to AAA+?). The cheaper international borrowing rates now make our repayments on our share of the historic UK debt easier and more manageable than it is currently.
This to me is quite a simple example which explains the stupidity of the current currency position being taken by the Uk government and Unionists.
It also however opens the door very nicely for the discussion to widen into just why Scotland’s economy makes up such a large part of UK exports. That is to say that we have a very diverse and productive economy that still makes and exports things as well as oil, gas and whisky. Something that seems to be unbelievable to most people I speak to at the moment, such is the lack of knowledge of our own economy.
You could compile short but impressive list of our export strengths. Eg
BillyBigbaws says:
11 March, 2013 at 4:25 pm
We manufacture 28% of Europe’s PCs, and 7% of the entire world’s, as well as 29% of Europe’s notebook laptops – all in this small nation of five million odd souls. It accounts for 14% of our GDP, which is about the same as oil and gas would, but you never hear a word about it, not even from the SNP.
http://www.realscience.org.uk/makeitb/scottish-manufacturing-industry.html
This is the kind of information that when disseminated and generally known makes the kind of stance being taken by the UK government and NO campaign unsustainable.
I would go further and say that when folk realise and accept the truth (and just as importantly, the truth of it’s suppression) they get very angry and become vociferous supporters of Independence. Ref. My mother and father after reading the McCrone report!
Thanks again BillyBigBaws
@themaninthejar
The polis? Sweep,sweep.
Oh and they will be sending some guys wearing anti sectarian unit vests out to an Ayr Utd game again soon.
@The Man in The Jar
..and both sets of intelligentsia on display don’t even realise that they are being herded into the same Unionist pen.
Still, I’m glad our reward for winning the 1st Division is to have our ground trashed by ‘fans’ of two colt teams which the SFL CEO wants to admit to the leagues..
I have never understood why, when attempting to predict the outcome of a referendum being held in 1.5 years time, pollsters ask what you would vote tomorrow.
Because they’re attempting to discern who’s been persuaded which way by what’s been said and done up to this point, and because no one knows what might be said and done in the next year and a half, or what effect that might have. So they ask voting intention now to find out what people are thinking now, reasonably assuming there’s no one who will say “Well, tomorrow I’d vote for independence but come the actual vote I’ll be voting for the union”. They’re not attempting to predict the outcome in the future, they’re attempting to find out what people are thinking now.
O/T I was wondering has MadJockMcmad and others in Dumfries seen the military convoys here in Galloway.We had an hour long armed tracked convoy went through here at 01.00-02.00, as well as Hercules heading very low in the direction of West Freugh and now usually a fortnight before UK has some “fun” abroad the fighters have been darting about. I have only seen RAF and no Luftwaffe or Danes this time. So perhaps the Germans and Danes will not be going wherever they are going in a few weeks time.?Perhaps Achiltibuie or further east than that?
Or is it a matter of careless talk costs peace of mind in our New Prussia?
@ Semus.
I think the sperm whales suddenly making a rare appearance in the Firth of Forth might be aware that some big noise is happening on the West Coast.
link to bbc.co.uk
Stu Thanks for checking up on Peter for me .
Jiggsbro. They’re not attempting to predict the outcome in the future
Well that’s not strictly true, given that right after elections/referenda, pollsters immediately try to prove they were the one that predicted the result the most accurately and furthest in advance. That’s how they their reputation is built;accurately predicting the public’s mood/opinion.
My point also stands; a poll asking what you will vote tomorrow is poorly indicative of what you intend to vote in 1.5 years time. If you want to know what people are thinking of voting in 1.5 years time, ask them that.
When asked a hypothetical question (asking about a referendum tomorrow is hypothetical, asking about the one in 1.5 years is not), people commonly try to work out the motive for the question so as to give what they think is the right answer. Ergo, for the ‘tomorrow’ question, you may have some who actually answer that question and others who assume you mean what they plan to do in 2014. Ergo, you can be getting two different sets of answers to the same question.
Will the two answers be the same? Quite possibly not. Someone might be tending to Yes and if pushed, would agree to that for 2014. In contrast, they might say no to a (‘rushed’) referendum tomorrow. That’s because the 2014 answer may depend on influencing factors which do not apply to the tomorrow question.
As I said, if you want a straight answer, ask a straight question. Any question that may force a person to query the motive for that question and adjust the answer based on what they think you are asking, may very well give you strange results.
Anyone who posts first and makes no reference whatsoever to the lead article desrves to get kicked off.
It suggests to the other readers that you are actually just using the forum to post whatever irrelevant rubbish you wish without any recognition of the research and effort that went into posting the original article.
It is also a huge distraction to those illinformed and undecided readers who visit these pages who may conclude that this site is just a chaotic hash of incoherent babble.
I urge those who do this to think before they choose to open their keyboard gob & consider the potential negative consequences of their actions.
At the very least, say something sensible and pertinent about the article, and tack on a “and by the way”.
G H Graham,
I had the impression that postings were encouraged. I also see this site as an information and thought sharing site for pro indy folk to debate and encourage undecideds into the debate.
Many of the most interesting and thought provoking subjects have come from a naturally meandering discussion on these threads. (See the Billybigbaws post I quoted). I read the articles and all or as many of the posts as I can for this reason.
If for some reason the posts were to dry up or become restricted solely to the article that sparked the meander, then I for one would feel the site to be lessened as a resource.
I would say that in my experience it took a lot of effort to cross over from simply reading the site to actually posting and so I understand that possible lurkers need to be encouraged and not frightened from posting their thoughts. Which I fear you are in danger of doing with your last post.
Sometimes rudeness happens accidentally and I really can’t see how anyone that comes to this site regularly could feel any disrespect or lack of gratitude for the obvious hard work, research, thought and effort that goes in to all the published articles.
“Sometimes rudeness happens accidentally”
Sure, but that line’s a bit harder to pull when it’s less than 24 hours since I expressly asked people NOT to go off-topic in the FIRST comment.
Two old friends have been sitting drinking without saying a word to each other for three hours in a quiet pub. After another half hour and three more vodka, one of them asks the other ‘do you think we should have some crisps?’ His friend, outraged, replies, ‘are we here to talk, or are we here to drink?!’
@Tom Hogg
@Training Day
I don’t follow football so I have no idea what you are talking about.
Rev Stu,
Absolutely agree but I think my point still stands.
Your point was absolutely correct. It doesn’t actually conflict with asking people simply not to go OT until there have been one or two replies.
Rev Stu
a propos less than 24 hours ago etc.
You are assuming I saw that particular post?
We don’t all live here day in and day out. Some of us have bars to go to and they are not all coffee ones.