Right, as promised, one last piece of admin. (This post will be removed in due time.)
We left yesterday’s piece and the associated poll up for two full days to make sure the people who don’t read Wings at weekends saw it and had the chance to vote in it too. But in truth it was pretty obvious how the vote would go from about 20 minutes in.
When the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts died last month, the first of their songs that popped into my head, for no particular reason, was “Under My Thumb”, a mildly controversial 1966 album track the band never released as a single in the West.
Its most infamous place in history, though, is this.
Until Watts’ death I was only very broadly aware of the events at Altamont Speedway in 1969, a free festival at a racetrack near San Francisco at which four people died in scenes of malevolent chaos and which is widely regarded as the grim headstone of the hippy era.
But on seeing the extraordinary footage above for the first time on the day of Watts’ death – taken from “Gimme Shelter”, notionally the official movie of the show, although the first two-thirds of it are actually a mundane travelogue of the preceding tour dates – I did some proper reading up on it.
And as I did, a horribly familiar feeling started to unfold.
For many years now, whenever I’ve done one of those “Which Political Party Should You Be In?” online quiz things, it always says that I’m a Green, which is weird because I really hate cyclists. Nevertheless, it was still the result when I did one most recently, just last month.
So I decided that for the first time in my life it was finally time to join a political party.
Her Majesty’s Prisoner No. 157095, or Craig Murray as we still prefer to call him, is a fascinating piece of living evidence of the Kafkaesque country Scotland has become under the despotic rule of Nicola Sturgeon.
Craig has a number of serious medical conditions, one of which causes him frequent dizziness and fainting spells. To gauge their severity (because obviously it’s hard for Craig to judge, given that he’s dizzy and/or fainting at the time), his doctor gave him a device called a pulse oximeter. Depending on the readings from it after an attack, Craig’s life could be in danger and an ambulance should be called.
But because presumably even the Scottish prison authorities realise that it would look quite bad if a political prisoner like Craig died in jail, they did offer him an alternative.
An ongoing exception to this site’s retirement is for news relating to the scandalous imprisonment of journalist and former UK ambassador Craig Murray, the only human in the history of the planet Earth ever to be jailed for the barely-defined pseudo-crime of “jigsaw identification”.
We had another phone call from Craig in HMP Edinburgh yesterday, and he continues to be in good spirits and be well treated by both staff and fellow inmates. He expressed great gratitude for the flood of mail sent by Wings readers in response to our appeal a couple of weeks ago – he’s been receiving up to 60 letters, emails and packages a day, which have been very much appreciated in helping him pass the 22.5 hours out of every 24 that he spends locked alone in his cell.
The prison authorities, however, imposed some bizarre restrictions.
Aidan on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Aye I think the facts of the case probably do lean against the narrative I set out above, but I…” Jul 10, 06:04
Young Lochinvar on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Ooh errr.. Muham..d has just topped the list of male newborns names in home of Torydom Merry ol’ Engerlund.. Wowsers!…” Jul 10, 04:40
What Rot on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I contributed, more than I could afford at the time, but I’ve got zero evidence now that I ever did.…” Jul 10, 03:08
Onlooker on The Only Notes That Really Count: “The only notes that really count…are the ones that come in wads. Indeed.” Jul 10, 02:07
Young Lochinvar on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Ooops! Meant to say: HMcH @ 8.52. Anyway it’s after his bedtime/ wing lockdown now anyhows.. Waiting for hung-over intemperate…” Jul 10, 02:06
Young Lochinvar on The Only Notes That Really Count: “HMcH Somehow I doubt Roddy feels particularly chastised by your wee piece of grandstanding.. Anyways peeps, happy birthday tomorrow to…” Jul 10, 01:48
Stuart Swanston on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Once the donors who had requested repayment had been refunded we must assume that that total subtracted from the grand…” Jul 10, 01:02
fiona on The Only Notes That Really Count: “For everyone saying “the SNP will never…” “if the SNP had done….” etc etc, please acknowledge the fact that all…” Jul 10, 00:37
Lynn Fraser on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I have filled in your contact form. I gave statement to Branch Form. I hope to have contact from you.…” Jul 10, 00:01
crazycat on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I can see your point, but: When I received my refund, they admitted it hadn’t been spent on the correct…” Jul 9, 23:33
James on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Adrian getting his master’s opinion in first there….just to quell expectations amongst the colonials.” Jul 9, 23:14
James on The Interests Of The Many: “I reckon the SP wisnae in the video; his ankle tag widnae let him go ootside….” Jul 9, 23:11
James on The Interests Of The Many: “So…the ‘National Broadcaster’ eh? “…People are just pleased the England team are for once playing some decent football…” What people?…” Jul 9, 23:03
100%Yes on The Only Notes That Really Count: “The SNP will never deliver Independence!!! I hope this is the beginning of the end for this party who stole…” Jul 9, 21:41
100%Yes on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Is this the real reason the SNP has never been committed to Independence? If the SNP had been honest I…” Jul 9, 21:32
100%Yes on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I hope the SNP isn’t using the Scottish government legal counsel for advice, this has nothing to do with the…” Jul 9, 21:24
robertkknight on The Only Notes That Really Count: “There you go, Crown Office, I think that’s referred to as having one’s feet held to the fire!” Jul 9, 21:23
Sean Duffy on The Only Notes That Really Count: “It’s a very compelling argument and aligns with my understanding of how the law stood on this matter. The unknown…” Jul 9, 21:07
Aidan on The Only Notes That Really Count: “This is an excellent opinion but may not fully and completely cover off what could be the SNP’s line of…” Jul 9, 20:56
Hatey McHateface on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Well, well. Roddy Dunlop KC agrees with me that the original ring-fenced fund, sensibly invested, would have near doubled in…” Jul 9, 20:52
Fraser on The Only Notes That Really Count: “How fast can an actual Political party be wound up? Well after this there will be no money left to…” Jul 9, 20:45
Southernbystander on The Interests Of The Many: “But that is not what is happening. It is simply being pleased that English sports people are doing well. You…” Jul 9, 20:38
Blackhack on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I never paid any money in, but if I did I’d be signing that pronto.” Jul 9, 20:23
Southernbystander on The Interests Of The Many: “No. People are just pleased the England team are for once playing some decent football and we have one player…” Jul 9, 20:05
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Your Call Is Important To Us: “I have not. I’d redact it with a black box if I’d done that.” Jul 9, 19:57
James Barr Gardner on Your Call Is Important To Us: “Mallaidh is an Irish and Scottish Gaelic spelling of the name “Molly,” which itself is a traditional pet form of…” Jul 9, 18:31
DelayedResponse on Your Call Is Important To Us: “That’s incredibly frustrating – it’s amazing how often you can get a vague response like that. Hopefully they’ll actually get…” Jul 9, 17:48
twathater on Your Call Is Important To Us: “The ENDLESS mindless responses that all say the same thing “Fuck Off” we’re not interested in addressing your complaints, even…” Jul 9, 17:42
Hatey McHateface on Your Call Is Important To Us: ““Mallaidh” is a very nice Gaelic female name. So probably a real person, possibly a real woman, but according to…” Jul 9, 16:24
