One of us
Posted on
January 23, 2016 by
Chris Cairns
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23 01 16 08:43
One of us | Speymouth
The world's most-read Scottish politics website
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About
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
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Recent Comments
- on Mad caps: “I wonder what Belarusian govt would say if a US military vehicle drove across the border from Lithuania? Viv. OB,…” Apr 7, 14:56
- on Mad caps: “Scottish media in panic about Universities and their subsequent bankruptcy. Page after page, comment after comment. Children are trapped in…” Apr 7, 12:34
- on Mad caps: “The “age” question is interesting. Can you remember if younger people were very visible in the 2014 campaign? From memory…” Apr 7, 12:03
- on Mad caps: “An excerpt from an article on the website of the Atlantic Council (see also Radio Free Europe); “Lithuanians paid tribute…” Apr 7, 10:21
- on Mad caps: “Exactly Robert – it’s full of people who rant and rave like you do. Nobody wants to be associated with…” Apr 7, 08:56
- on Mad caps: “” it’s also that the campaign is too closely associated with anti-Englishness, sympathy for the Kremlin sometimes and increasingly wild…” Apr 7, 08:25
- on Mad caps: “Don’t overlook the ingrained antisemitism which a close read of the clannish, self-congratulatory backslapping posts reveals. But yes, if they…” Apr 7, 07:14
- on Mad caps: ““We voters would be in the driving seat – that would be wonderful” Would it though, sarah? In all of…” Apr 7, 07:05
- on Mad caps: “@Ian – as someone who is around half the age of the average suggested above, it’s not just that many…” Apr 7, 07:03
- on Mad caps: “@Sarah (9.16) – Thanks for that and aye, totally agree, there’s nothing like meeting folk in the flesh. Sometimes they’re…” Apr 7, 00:09
- on Mad caps: “IanB, I do hope so , I am definitely in need of meeting up with the cheerful , positive folk…” Apr 6, 22:10
- on Mad caps: “MaryB, it is encouraging that you read para (a) the same way that I do i.e. that it empowers People’s…” Apr 6, 21:27
- on Mad caps: “I miss the way btl was. It was always relevant to independence, and pleasant on a personal level. OK Robert…” Apr 6, 21:16
- on Mad caps: “Sarah @ 4.48 & Duncx I tried to post this earlier today, but it didn’t appear. So here it is…” Apr 6, 21:07
- on Mad caps: “Hi D, Yes, it was good. Not just because the atmosphere was relaxed (because the Eagle Inn is Robert Slavin’s…” Apr 6, 20:18
- on Mad caps: “Had forgotten all about that, Robert. No idea what we were discussing. Love, Samantha
.” Apr 6, 19:44 - on Mad caps: “Hoots aplenty sah, you’ve got me off the hook as Tinto was fingering me for that one!
” Apr 6, 19:41 - on Mad caps: “@Hatey – you aren’t supposed to look into things, you’re supposed to sign the petition and possibly donate money regardless…” Apr 6, 19:39
- on Mad caps: “Sorry I missed the night too – it sounds as though a good time was had by all. Next time!” Apr 6, 19:27
- on Mad caps: “ha ! you told me your name when you emailed me a while back – including your surname – which…” Apr 6, 18:51
- on Mad caps: “@Robert Hughes 3.23: nae probs, Robert. See you next time. Had to head off early. Don’t know how you know…” Apr 6, 18:26
- on Mad caps: “Please tell us, sarah, that when you say you haven’t had a proper look at this thing you are enthusiastically…” Apr 6, 17:46
- on Mad caps: “The First Minister in crucial trade talks confirms someone, no knows who, is very much interested in business.” Apr 6, 16:54
- on Mad caps: “@ Dunx at 8.46 a.m. “..had a look at the blog. Article 25 of the ICCPR…nothing there about referendums..” Well…” Apr 6, 16:48
- on Mad caps: “Ah ! likewise , T.C ( Peter ): I never realised you were there , if I had I would…” Apr 6, 15:23
- on Mad caps: “Sorry I couldn’t stay long, Ian, but thanks for all the effort you and your fellow insurgents put in to…” Apr 6, 14:56
A tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
If only
And membership fees are £100 billion and rising. How many nurses would that pay for?!
Morning All. Brilliant again – it would be really laughable if it wasn’t so true. We don’t use Polonium to take out dissidents – we use drones!!!
Auld Rock
As normal,right on the money Chris
Will he ask Jeeves to taste it for him ?……probably……nice try Vlad
Still sleepy, so didn’t get the tea thing right away. Just sums it up Chris.
Nuclear – removes all unwanted head and shoulders.
Go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on.
Go on.
= )
Go on.
Nice one, Chris.
Not that I’m buying the MSM line on Litvinenko. ?
The Nuclear Club.Its like the Bullingdon Club,only more depraved.
not falling for the media “putin is a bam” line, is it not true he has a higher approval rating in russia than nicola sturgeon has here
This week was a tad surreal. While we had Theresa May not mincing her words as she basically called Putin a murderer for ‘possibly’ being involved in the death of the Russian dissident, Litvinenko, I kind of wondered if these folk actually live in the same reality as ourselves.
Denouncing another world leader as a ‘murderer’ No …we wouldn’t do that!
This ‘nonsense’ that the British State seems to promote to the British people and the rest of the world that it is somehow, a ‘white knight’ and a ‘leading light in this dark world’ would be literally funny, if it was not so contemptible and deadly serious.
As May spoke, I could literally picture Putin sitting there smirking and asking one of his key advisors to now set in motion, the proceedings to have Tony Blair arrested and brought to the Hague as not only a War Mongerer, but a mass murderer and a leader who illegally invaded another sovereign nation.
What is it that this mob in Westminster don’t get? Why is it that Britain is determined to go toe-to-toe with a nation that these days, would give us one helluva mighty kicking …and not in the militaristic sense. The Russians have already shown their brilliance in ‘changing the game’ and making fools of the UK and US by simply just placing troops into Syria. That threw Whitehall completely and showed just how much they disregarded the Russians beforehand. And because of Syria …panic! Let’s accuse Putin of a murder that happened 10 years ago …and only a couple of months after Russia is invited into Syria by Assad. Who is Westminster and Whitehall kidding?!? This denouncement in Parliament this week is nothing more than finger pointing at Russia over Syria.
Well, if I was Westminster and Whitehall, I would be careful. Russia are the slow grandmasters of political thinking. They don’t rush in. They think it out. They play the long game to get results. After all, apart from ‘turning’ members of the British Establishment into spies during the Cold War, the Russians also look deep into the future. About 300 years ago while the Polish-Lithuanian Empire existed as Muscovy’s main enemy, they believed that their ‘true’ western borders lay at both the River’s Oder and Neisse (the whole of Eastern Germany and all of Poland). This ‘sphere of influence’ was achieved in 1945 when the whole of Eastern Europe fell into their control. It is this area again, that Putin looks to influence …all the way to the Oder and Neisse lines.
So …knock yourself out, Theresa …but I would beware. The Russians are liable to drop something on the table when you least expect it.
So opinion has it that Putin murders dissidents with Plutonium. These days the UK kills alleged insurgents with drone strikes.
Seems the rule of law and burden of proof doesn’t quite hit the spot these days.
Without laws, and respect for laws, what do we have if it isn’t anarchy? Death by expediency, by order of someone without a face.
I remember Lee Clegg, a Para jailed for murder on the grounds that he kept firing at a car failing to stop at a checkpoint, but the bullet which killed an occupant was fired once the car had passed the checkpoint, and thus the troops were technically no longer under threat. Tough call to make in the heat of the moment, but murder? The conviction was later quashed, but for a while, it seemed that UK troops were bound by the sanctity of the law. Either something has changed, or there is now some curious law which legitimises execution of alleged enemies and associated “collateral damage” without imminent threat or proper trial.
The method imight be different, but in terms of morality or ethics, is there really much difference between Cameron or Putin?
These days I wonder whether respect for the law is a device meant to control their conduct, or is it merely a spectacular illusion intended to control mine?
Ye’ll not have had your tea Davy boy…let me Put in the sugar!
—————————————————————
PS:
Good programme here this morning on radio Scotland concerning the implications of land reform and farming in Scotland.
A listen at how it’s done in Norway.
link to bbc.co.uk
Pots calling kettles names.
Here’s a scenario to ponder;
A British spy defects to Russia and then starts to work against the UK. This spy is fully paid up by Russian security services.
This spy then accuses the British head of state, the Queen or Prince Philip of being a paedophile.
Tbe spy is then bumped off in Moscow, with suspicions laid at the door of British MI6.
Cue glorious outpourings of support from the UK MSM stating that the spy was a ("Tractor" - Ed) and deserved all he got.
You can bet that this scenario is highly plausible! The Daily Mail would be hanging out the bunting!
That’s a subtle one, Chris. One lump or two?
This man knew a lot about self-governance: link to bit.ly
Labour to be investigated over late ‘Ed Stone’ receipts
Jackie Baillie calling for full investigation.
Hi Breeks. It was ‘Polonium’ not ‘Plutonium’, different element but every bit as nasty.
Auld Rock
Love the toon!
I follow RT, and get a lot of the news that is missing from our pretendy news outlets. Most recently, coverage of scuffles around Downing Street, as Cameron entertained another very dubious gov’t official from Turkey – fast descending into a hellhole.
I don’t buy a lot of the crap about Putin at all, and agree with JLT about his political strategy, which in Syria, has been to just lay out a lot of facts about the West’s duplicity.
When the U.S. or UK denounce someone these days, chances are the country is standing up to them, and not falling in with their grander plans.
Auld Rock: It was ‘Polonium
That guy in Hamlet is a pain in the arras!
I believe the main reason some people don’t like Putin is because our media are telling them so.
I may be wrong,but was not Litvinenko a former member of the KGB like Putin?
If so he was hardly a saint in all probability.
What goes around comes around.
It is an exclusive club where the membership relies on the ordinary people to go without in order to pay the fees for the members. Bit like crowdfunding without asking.
Come to think of it, it is just like it has always been.
Like Valerie, I rely on RT and Al Jazeera for my news information. By watching these two it is absolutely astounding the real news that is omitted from the MSM in this benighted country.
Putin’s slipped something in Dave’s tea? One chump or two?
Our imperial masters do love a good war and it was great for Project Fearing us with their vote NO or we’ll take our 19,000 nuke jobs away. Although Jakie Ballie says its 13,000 jobs. Who do you think you are kidding mister Putin, if you think olde England’s etc
Of the two Cameron is the one who fills me with the most disgust.
Dan Huil at 10.13am
If only we were that lucky???
Is Putin a bad guy? Of course he is. Tell you one thing though – he is a helluva lot smarter than Cameron and Obama combined. The USA and it’s puppets (Saudi, Turkey, UK) have been completely wrong-footed by Putin. The cunning CIA plan for rebellion and regime change in Syria (in order to get their oil pipeline and cut out Russia) has backfired badly, and we now have the worst refugee crisis since WW2. Europe is imploding and things look set to get worse. Outflanked.
Some interesting reading here.
link to fortruss.blogspot.co.uk
Excellent Chris. Even the chairs look toxic. It would be nice if karma would work on the rich, selfish, greedy, immoral gits, ie camoron and his pals.
I fear that is not the case, but maybe it works on the those delivering the lies via the corporate media, I hope so.
nice one Chris but lets not beat about the bush on this Vlad is a total hard man of politics and has probably set in motion many dreadful things but the Russian people know that they need someone like him to fight the economic warfare waged on his country by the US and it`s partners in crime the UK and NATO.
The weird thing is they are defeating the attempts to crush their economy hence the return to cold war rhetoric by the west propaganda machine they would like us to believe that Russia hasnt changed a bit since the soviet era but anybody who has been there lately will tell you a different story.
A story about a nation once on its knees through corruption inside its political class ,a populace that lived in serfdom to an establishment bent on keeping them uninformed and lied to as they creamed of the nations wealth to feather their own nests.
Sound familiar UKOK ?
And a savior in the shape of an ex KGB hard man who has the kind of support from his populace that hambam can only dream off,a man who has changed the lives for the better of millions of Russians.
Now dont get me wrong Vlad is a nasty piece of work but if the choice was between him and bacon porker to rule the world and i had a vote i know which nasty piece of work i would vote for and it wouldnt be miss piggy,s boyfriend thats for sure.
And here we have the new mini-me (or son of Gardham), AKA ‘Shitraker’ (I give Daniel Sanderson ; Hammer of the Scotch)- where does the Herald dig up these muppets from ?
link to heraldscotland.com
With apologies to this marine mammal, does anyone else see the resemblance between our esteemed Prime Minister and the Beluga Whale?
link to upload.wikimedia.org
It’s even got commons, premier and gov in it’s title. Spooky.
Stephen Roney.
UKOK imperial masters currently chuntering away at Corbyn’s UKOK nuke subs with no nukes, on BBC r4. They dont like it. Trident makes UK a world power, its a good thing. Our ickle wickle island Project Fear wise 2014, world nuke power UKOK wise 2016, definitely not Washington’s poodle, at all.
link to theguardian.com
Rancid Graun’s crew of toryboys went UKOK mental 2014 and they’re still freaking out. No Trident means UKOK leaves the world.
“What’s vital is that younger voters who didn’t imbibe all that cold war Dr Strangelove stuff about throw weights, MIRVs and missile ranges should take the trouble to read up a bit. With or without the Bomb we are all still here, contrary to the fears of the CND on the march from Aldermaston.”
How many other countries have nuke weapons floating around in the world’s seas, with no one having any clue where they are or why? But its the UK though, so it doesn’t even cross the mind of an imperial master, at the Graun.
@call me dave says: 23 January, 2016 at 8:53 am:
“Good programme here this morning on radio Scotland concerning the implications of land reform and farming in Scotland.
A listen at how it’s done in Norway.
link to bbc.co.uk
Very good indeed.
What struck me about the programme was that what they were describing as the farming scene in Norway resembles closely such as, for example, Staffin on Skye.
There they are a well spread out crofting community with a central single main street that contains the community centre and community owned store.
The big difference between the history of Norway that led to their small farm, community, style setup is that they had no clearances by their next door neighbours while Scotland did, and, as I’ve already pointed out, it wasn’t just the Highlands that were cleared.
But for the clearances Scotland might well have had the same form of small family run farms, i.e. crofts.
Walk through almost any Highland glen and you can find signs of abandoned human habitations.
The Highland landscape is not the natural habitat of Scotland but a man made barren wilderness due to first clearing the ancient Great Caledonian Forest and then the replacement of humans with sheep.
Those sheep, plus the increase in the deer population, saw off what remained of the old Highlands. The finishing touch was applied by the annual burning of the heather for the purpose of providing an artificial number of Grouse on sporting estates.
This has maintained the depopulation of Scotland and created the barren wasteland we have today. The English Establishment destroyed Scotland through fear of Scottish independence and today they are in abject terror of Scotland regaining her true place and natural population.
They are all in it together.
Creating a dense of doom, uncovering new depravity, and linking it to our personal security.
Justifying the continued ENORMOUS MILITARY SPENDING at a time the planet can ill afford.
Liars everywhere.
Is that meant to be Putin.
Wishful thinking if it is. The cartoon doesn’t address the facts that Trident is a shared NATO asset.
Breatplate
“I believe the main reason some people don’t like Putin is because our media are telling them so.”
It was ever thus,
even so I wouldn’t trust him.
Litvinenko was murdered in 2006. The UK turned a blind eye to it for eight years. Russia was a “friend” they were “playing the game”.
In February 2014 Russia invaded Crimea. In July 2014 Theresa May announced an enquiry into the death of Litvinenko. “That’ll teach them, we’ll show them they can’t mess about with the U-knighted Kingdom.” In Scotland we have guilty, not guilty and not proven. UKOK have just added “probably guilty”. Under foreign office advice we will probably do nothing more. But next time Putin? Just you wait and see! We will have new nuclear warheads, yer on yer last warning laddie.
Shocking, the cartoon doesn’t address the facts that Bill is an idiot
Grousebeater @ 9.33
It was Polonius in Hamlet.
What are the chances we can get through the Periodic table, and the complete works of Shakespeare, by 5 pm today – just in time to attend a Burns’ Supper.
Here’s a thought, or suggestion.
For so long as Trident is based in Scotland, why do we also have to contribute to the cost of WMDs? Is is not sufficient to allow them to be here? Is that not enough of a contribution?
I propose the SG make a case that since Scotland currently has the things here, that should be considered our contribution, and the money we would otherwise spend on WMDs be give back to spend on useful things eg. healthcare.
Obviously I want them gone, but while they are here, why ‘pay twice’?
The Herald: The Guardian:
Pish Tosh Crap made up drivel, The SNP are tearing each other apart, dissent in the membership, no democracy, ferrets in a sack,
These are the exact same tactics they use on the Labour party down south, the same tactics the Media has always used to try and sew dissent and then feed off it like the parasites they are
It seems the inability to learn new ways of distorting the truth or just plain lying their faces off evades them so how about this for an idea, I know it’s radical but give it a thought, what about printing the truth about stuff and maybe the sales might rise instead of having to announce every now and again they’re going out of business because the bad population have stopped buying papers that lie to them
If the newspapers took a look at the Labour party maybe they’d see the similarity
Did anybody see Magnus Gardham on BBC 2016 he said “Hmff erm well ahm the SNP say things but Hmf ahm they’re not always eh well Hmm” and then he sneered
Concise and to the point there, accurate reporting of a speech problem which seems a common denominator amongst “Journalists” when they can’t think up a SNP Baad unprepared and unscripted, thing is these people get paid actual money
BBCs Gordon Effing Brewer takes two minutes to ask a stupid question then waits for about four words of the interviewee’s reply, then interrupts with his own reply to his own question hoping to leave the listener with the notion that was the actual reply, now that’s just bad manners and stupid and if he thinks this will elevate him to the lowly levels of Andrew Effing Neil he’s probably right
But if he thinks it makes him a respected “Journalist” he’s not right
As good as ever Chris!
call me dave says:
Dave that was an interesting link re land reform. Hope many give it a listen.
On an agriculture issue wondered if you would know the answer to this question.
As we know GM are not allowed to be farmed in Scotland, rightly so from my point of view.
Does this apply to foods imported into Scotland?
Something I am concerned with, as I find many vegetables are now staying fresh longer than ever before, which makes me suspicious that a lot of food coming up here may have GM roots, without the population being aware.
Does the SNP have a policy on this?
Adam Mcnaughton’s wee song aboot Hamlet.Dis the hale thing in aboot 3 minutes. If ye hivnae heard it gie it a wee listen. Verry Verry funny. Least Ah think it is!
link to youtube.com
Scott says:
23 January, 2016 at 9:26 am
“Labour to be investigated over late ‘Ed Stone’ receipts
Jackie Baillie calling for full investigation “.
If only…..However…..
Should that not read ‘Jackie Ballie calling for a fool investigation ‘ ?
Dr Jim says:
“The Herald: The Guardian:
Pish Tosh Crap made up drivel”
The topic is fracking. The Unionist strategy may be to try to damage the SNP’s green credentials. At the same time talk up the Greens. The object being to reduce the SNP list vote in an attempt to prevent an overall majority.
Getting on a bit, so memory not what is was, but didn’t the aftermath of Litvinenko’s murder see an official leave No.10 with his notes in plain sight?
The advice contained warned of not upsetting the Russians, as they invest heavily in London.
It may have been another incident, it’s hard to keep up with Whitehall’s duplicity.
Caught snippet of Shereen having a gab with David Torrance this morning, all about the GE and why the predictions were so ‘wrong’ etc, polling matters generally, and he said that The Vow ‘was always going to happen, it was a matter of sooner or later’. Not an exact quote, but that was the gist.
It was always going to happen David? Is that right?
A listen at how it’s done in Norway.
link to bbc.co.uk
a bit of an eye opener,
different planet…
@Les Wilson
I think the answer is that GM food products are not on sale in Scotland…at the moment.
But!
link to archive.is
PS:
Woke up this morning feeling fine..I feel a song…Anyhoo!
Did wake up this morning an hour earlier than usual and felt different I think there is some true in the longer days and shorter dark nights theory. Mentioned it to her indoors as I whistled and made the porridge, all shaved and sparkly clean… She gave me a look!
It’s now the afternoon and I’m still fine, anybody else caught the same virus lately?
@ David Smith 10:42 am
Some interesting reading here.
link to fortruss.blogspot.co.uk
That certainly was interesting! As I always assume – it’s about oil.
@JMT, spot on kid!
JLT
Cracking comment..well said
Nice one Chris,
I thought a cartoon with Mr Putin bare chested on horse back kitted out like Rambo, standing triumphant in the back ground, with Blair, Bush, Cameron and Netanyahu at the table with a CIA, MI5, Mossad book on how to get away with murder, would have been more appropriate.
With a caption from delusional Cameron and Blair saying “The whole world believes and trusts the British justice system”!!!
Anyone remember Dr David Kelly?
I was in Moscow at the time when the USSR was collapsing, and what a terrible time it was. Thankfully, Putin has given the people back their dignity and sense of worth.
Unfortunately, the west/USA wish to destroy Russia and that is no exaggeration! It’s what they do…
So, Davie pictured with Obama would have been more accurate
Call me Dave@12.36
If its the same as mine, It is the worst virus I have had.
The wife has it also, first time off work in 15 years.
mogabee,
Like you said they try and kick Russia at every chance, right back to the space race.
The Russians kicked Americas arse then and are still kicking it now.
Even a few years ago the west was desperate for the Sochi winter Olympics to be a failure.
They are only happy when Russia seems to be struggling.
I have more respect for Mr Putin than any of the tossers running the west.
Never underestimate the power of Mother Russia.
I heard some “expert” clown on the phone in, on Radio Shortbread yesterday morning, saying Putin would join forces with Iran and a few other countries and attack Israel, this will be one of the main reasons the west is panicking, “Total Bollocks in my opinion”
Russia will stand firm because most of us know how the west propaganda machine works.
Don’t get me wrong, Russia has its problems but take a look at the rest of the world, nobody asked me to allow America and the Israeli Jews to police the planet, the answer is “piss off” before you ask.
Putin’s ex KGB so there are bound to be a couple of skeletons rattling around in that particular closet but, relatively speaking, what other high level leader could say any different?
One of the differences between Putin and the likes of the Pigfucker and his chums is that Putin is actually popular at home. He has approval ratings that the “leaders” in the US/UK/EU can only dream about. Something else that the Idiot Media doesn’t like reminding you about.
Putin is a top class strategist and has repeatedly shown that he can run rings round the arrogant fools of the West. He isn’t buying into the neo liberal neo feudalist bankster agenda and for that they hate and fear him, and also for that he gets demonized in ways similar to the way the SNP and its leadership & supporters are.
Personally I’d like to think that an independent Scotland would quietly seek to strengthen economic ties with Russia (and China) while discreetly disengaging from the Anglo American set up.
As it’s ‘toon day – I recommend this gem from genius Shaun…
link to northbritishnews.wordpress.com
I like it, cheers.
Derekm 11.05am. Agree with your post, i was in st petersburg last summer, and the lives of ordinary citizens have been transformed for the better by what putin has done for them. I never believed the ‘russia bad’ sh**e spouted by america and her british poodle.
No sugar thanks.Seen too many stories!
No
You’ll have had your polonium.