The talk of the town
Posted on
May 05, 2014 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
Readers will know that as a rule we don’t just pinch bits of other peoples’ work wholesale, but in this particular case, given that the entire UK media’s been going on about it misleadingly for a solid week and still shows no sign of stopping, it seemed only fair that everyone should be up to speed on the source.
PDF version here.
So we had days and days of coverage over Salmond’s remarks on Putin, and when you read them in the magazine the interview was given, then you cannot quite believe it. I am completely underwhelmed…
Yeah I’m kind of underwhelmed too.
Man, Aly Campbell really fits in at GQ: pretentious, overbearing, pseudo-macho, misogynist beta male to a tee – but in constant denial of the fact it’s not really much better than your usual Lad’s Mag. Case in point:
Good for you, Alex.
This was a wee bit confusing:
Aye, let’s assume GQ readers haven’t had a basic primary education about Roman Britain, why don’t we… Though if we’re going by political state being the determining factor in allocating famous people, then Boudica would be “greatest Iceni,” seeing as England didn’t exist yet, and wouldn’t for another 8 centuries.
Of course, I’d define “Briton” as “anyone born in Great Britain” and so Boudica, Shakespeare and Burns would be eligible, so there it is.
Alex Salmond is and always has been a patriot. He genuinely
wants to improve the lives of Scots.I for one am very happy to have him, just where he is. None of us would be here, there would be no grass roots campaign,there would be NO bogs doing what they are doing now, not even “Wings” who we are all proud of. If not for him.
So I suggest we ALL get behind A.S., he deserves praise, and especially so when under an unprecedented MSM and UK media and blogg onslaught.We can differ later, but for now we need to support him.
It might just be the format, but Campbell comes across as a very aggressive interviewer. I hope he learns to calm down a bit in future interviews, or his nose may find itself on the receiving end of a punch from some pampered celeb.
I am so grateful that you made this available and I totally withdraw any suggestion that I have ever made that it was, perhaps, a bit naive to risk an interview with that snake Campbell. The whole thing – those 10 slightly rash, though defensible, words on Putin apart – was a masterclass in the control of the interview process AND, what is even more remarkable, he still managed to come over as principled, honest and engaging. Campbell said his Mum wasn’t pleased, but I suspect that is a surrogate confession for his own frustration at being comprehensively out-thought. Alex Salmond is many times too smart for Cameron, Osborne and co. let alone the viperously stupid Lamont. Alas, there are always those who feel humiliated by the presence of real talent and it is that alone, plus a venomous press, that creates the hatred that is directed at him from some quarters. For me – it makes me smile. Talent, honesty, principle and guts. What’s not to like and to admire.
oops – BLOGGS not bogs!
I’d love it if someone would detail the chain of events that led to a minor, unremarkable and inconsequential part of an unpublished interview being passed to the No campaign and bigged up into a week long howl of anger by the whole of the media.
Who did the passing and why, who was it passed to and who was involved in coordinating the media attack with the political attack?
Its a nice photo though. I’m an ex vote NO Guardian reader, so am accustomed to years of the most ghastly pics those gits can find.
Yep, after reading that I’m of the opinion that A Campbell is one seriously rude and obnoxious guy. Don’t know how I never noticed it before 🙂
@ Andrew Morton, chain of events= Campbell, BetterTogether, BBC, all news corps, Lamont and co, us.
I guess this format works well for Alistair Campbell. Short questions and soundbite opinions. A lot of the questions were quite shallow and almost childish. Nevertheless I liked reading it.
Alex Salmond has a pretty sharp wit and would appear to give as good as he gets. He seems to be able to see a trap coming and gets his message in beforehand.
The Putin and/or alcohol sections are, of course, not stories that justify headline news.
@ Taranaich 5:44 – the First Minister should get his facts right, the ladies know all about Boudicca.
link to boudiccacouture.com
Alex Ferguson said “give him laldy” Who on earth or Scotland as ever said that? It’s give IT Campbell, you soft southern…
Wie the price of Chippin Tattie,s,neibody,s buyin chips,
whits gonna happen wey awe the unsold newspapers,will they
recycle them an make Toiletpaper,will the toiletpaper
market collapse through over supply of raw material, we need answer,s ? BT camp can help oot here, STOCK UP. yous
are gonna need plenty.
The three stooges will no doubt go for Salmond again this Thursday. Would be nice if we could make the ”help me Putin” front page of The Sunday Herald go viral if only to highlight Unionist hypocracy!
Who the fuck is Alistair Campbell?
Nob.
Macwhirter has made AS the subject of his blog. Putin smear!
link to iainmacwhirter.wordpress.com
Thanks for posting this Rev. I couldn’t have bought GQ with dignity! AS was absolutely fine in this interview and it is “astonishing” that the MSM was able to spin the two innocuous remarks he made on Putin and alcohol. But AC was, and still is, a spin doctor.
@Paula Rose
I only looked at the web page…I did not enter honest.????
AC, “you get a good press up here, they’re eating out of your hand” No wonder Blair’s gone mad.
I’ve got a signed copy of the white paper. Hmmmmm…..eBay?
The small excerpts the MSM deigned to produce after a couple of days were enough to tell my suspicions, that this wasn’t quite what they were saying it was, were absolutely correct.
The whole article, well, just proves how utterly innocuous his original statements about Putin, and pretty much everything else, actually were. Spun out to the sort of degree Campbell would be proud of, however, they looked just a smidgen more serious… just not worthy of the media frenzy that arose from it.
Pathetic, all round.
Of course, as I frequently point out, when they’re busily using piddly little things like this to attack him you just know, beyond doubt, that they’ve got nothing else to counter independence with. They are going for him, they are spinning the line that it’s all about him, or the SNP, because they cannot see any other tactic than the one they have used for years.
Trouble is, that tactic has only succeeded because people weren’t paying attention. Now we KNOW they’re all lying bastards, the trick doesn’t work quite so well.
Loved the wee dig from FM about the EA not being ‘sexed up’. Would loved to have seen Campbell’s face at that point. 😀
re Nigel Mace
“the presence of real talent and it is that alone”
And that, my friend, is the core of the Independence debate, because Scotland has been brainwashed for centuries into thinking it is a collective fuckwit that requires handouts.
Along comes someone who clearly demonstrates that this is not the case and he comes up against a brick wall of 300 years making.
That’s why some Scots state that they hate Salmond, because they have been conditioned into looking in the mirror and applying self loathing.
It is also the reason that Salmond, Sturgeon, the others in the Yes campaign, including Patrick Harvie and Elaine C Smith are loathed by the No campaign.
There is not one Unionist politician who can hold a candle to any of the politicians in the Yes campaign. And they know it, the media know it and hence you see the hatred.
Remember that Alistair Campbell is the man who wrote Tony Blair and that corrupt, poisoned, New Labour Party into power and completely ruined both the economy and the social fabric of the UK.
Brilliant interview. This needs to be circulated widely so people can judge for themselves whether they think the media coverage of the white paper, and independence generally, has been fair.
AS displays intellect, wit, knowledge of subject matter & gravitas throughout the whole interview. He is head & shoulders above the other Scottish leaders. Is there ANYTHING he said on Russia/Putin that is factually incorrect or that has not been said by objective commentators on Russian affairs (& even, in public, other world leaders)?
I could honestly see Ruth Davidson give a decent interview on the same areas that Campbell covered. Fundamentally disagree with her politics, but do think she has some intellect. But really – Johann & Willie Rennie? It would be a car crash.
@Croompenstein
Cool new gravatar 🙂
Salmond’s answers are witty, without artifice.
The mischief made with them since is reprehensible.
I am also not sure why Alistair Campbell flew up to Aberdeen. He could have conducted his interview, such were the questions, through twitter.
“ when they’re busily using piddly little things like this to attack him you just know, beyond doubt, that they’ve got nothing else to counter independence with
Precisely my thoughts when on day 4 bbcgms ran with all 3 opposition leaders attacking him in turn over Putin. They have nothing to attack independence with, and nothing to pull the SNP government up on. All they have is childish smears.
If you haven’t already seen it, Derek Bateman’s blog on this is well worth reading:
link to derekbateman.co.uk
FM should have asked him about wee Robin or Dr Kelly. Campbell is a dangerous manipulator I was surprised that FM agreed to be interviewed by this slug.
FFS, anyone would have said as much. 9 day wonder, that is all it is.
@call me Dave 🙂 a bit better than uncle Frank
Alba4Eva
Who the fuck is Alistair Campbell?
Nob.
Alba, does that mean A Campbell is a member of “No Borders” or do you mean he really is a Nob?
We need answers.
AS confident, well informed, direct and relaxed throughout.
As this article gets out to a wider audience, people will quickly realise the MSM has made a meal of AS remarks about Putin. We should all ensure it is widely distributed online.
Nothing to take offence at was there?
Alex. Salmond is comfortable with himself and it shows in his replies.
I also watched the Bruges speech followed by questions. He was exactly the same, relaxed and knowledgeable.
Bloody hell a whole week or more of balling and shouting out of every UKOK orifice based on restoring Russian pride must be a good thing but the rest of it cant be admire. What will bettertogther clowns concoct next week?
Am I the only one that’s impressed that after that aggressive, bear trap laden interview all the msm could do to make the FM look bad was to twist a couple of his comments out of all context and hope no one read the original piece for themselves?
@Giving Goose;
Well said.
Caz… just a moment of inner rage, that escaped from my inner Zen. 😉
…not my inner Zen… my ‘usual’ Zen. Lol
Kirsty
Do you have a link to the Bruges Q & A session. I have seen the speech but the version did not have the post discussion .
Big taaaaa
BtP
What it shows is … it doesn’t matter who does the interviewing, what the question is or how AS replies … The nasty brigade could spin anything into a negative headline and story.
It will happen no matter what the original context or words. BT and helpers want to play dirty? Then they will go ahead and do it!
The only counter is for sites like this to set the record straight and for the rest of us to direct as many people as possible towards the truth.
Good grief. In context, his comments about Putin are even more bland and innocuous than they already seemed when the msm tried to spin them into something sinister. (Chuckled at the comment about throwing the journalist in front of the train, though). Best answer of all, imo, was “if you say so” in response to “that makes him a war criminal”.
Fuck me Stu!
Tell you whit,you come and look after the bairns,we live in the low highlands,and I’ll take over for a day or two.
I know it’s important but we all need a day or two off.
Aw power tae ye if you refuse.
It’s clear that AC spent most of the interview looking for quotes he or the MSM could spin against Salmond who did very well to sidestep them while still coming over as a decent guy.
As an aside, I don’t like the main photo. I’m sure there will have been better lit and more open faced images that could have been chosen from the photo-shoot. Perhaps the will to present a positive light on AS, just wasn’t there. Hoping for AC to be honest, is like expecting water to flow uphill.
“People more nefarious than Campbell have vested interest in saying how it will never work” Got that right. This dude in particular is pretty shameless and their lies about Lord Trimble were spectacular link to bbc.co.uk
Gallamcennalath… and we accept that as journalism as a society?
Nah, I don’t.
Lies/dis-information/mis-information is all BS.
…I don’t accept that the media’s (MSM) job is to punt such guff; and I believe that this is the principle reason for Wings et-al existing (as you point out).
There have been rare occasions when an interviewer has stepped back from the quest for a quick headline and carried out an excellent and educational interview (I’m sure Stu, or someone might be able to post a link… I just don’t know the links)… but is that not what Journalism is about? …not trying to trip folk up, but trying to pass on their point of view. Journalists should be cameras, not scripts!
Did Alastair Campbell not arrange the meetings of Tony Blair/Col Gaddafii in the Libyan desert and also of Tony Blair/Rupert Murdoch in Australia.
Hypocrite.
I consider Campbell to be a war criminal for his role in promoting war in Iraq and the countless needless deaths since.
He is one of the nastiest pieces of work ever to appear on the British political scene.
By ‘Their point of view’, I meant the subjucts view…
bloomin heck, im rubbish tonight! LOL
Just reading this over on newsnetscotland
link to newsnetscotland.com
Yet again the BBC have been Biased
The Scottish government has an area where any member of the public can start a petition
Think it’s a great idea and also think it’s a dam good way to make our voices heard
link to scottish.parliament.uk
Not sure if your are allowed to petition for an investigation into the BBC or if it’s just to be heard within the parliament
Anyone know?
What do you think – shall we exercise people power and use the systems we are gifted with to attempt to make a difference
I don’t think one has been raised yet as I searched for BBC
Hey BtP,
The only thing I’ve found is on BBC iPlayer of all things; sorry, I can’t do the clicker thing but this is the link:
link to bbc.co.uk
Alba4Eva
“subjucts”?
You on the wine?
Kestral
It’s a subject[you reading this Alba4Eva]that’s been done to death in Holyrood.
They have no power,as broadcasting is a Westminster retained power,hence all the neg propaganda.
Derek Bateman covered this in his blog too but I’ve written him off. He’s on a BBC pension & can’t quite reach a concensus with himself that the BBC is institutionally corrupt, deliberately & organisationally biased as well as wholly self serving.
Neverthless, on this matter he reaches the same conclusion; Salmond’s innocuous comments have been blown into cosmic proportions to further the Unionist smear agenda, nothing more.
One does wonder is Salmond quietly enjoys this fantastic hyperbole as it obviously continues to work against the NO campaign.
Nah Goldenayr. Android totie wee silly smartphone keypad.
To cheer myself up… link to youtube.com
It is actually a good interview and an entertaining read. The comments about Putin are fair. I can’t believe people like Lamont have been stupid enough to get suckered into asking a FMQ about those comments. Inept and utterly useless as an opposition leader does not even begin to cut it.
Harsh on Osborne though 🙂
He’s on a BBC pension
A pension? What’s that?
G H Graham
Do you not get the impression that DB is doing the same as the rest of us?
i.e. not scaring friends and family in the wrong direction?
Or even trying to woo those who think fence sitting is the safest bet?
A sugar lump attracts more wasps than a dead duck[or whatever]
Point is,you get no converts to a cause by telling them they’re numpties.
“I have showers”
Spluttered my coffee over the key board with that one!
All in all, I thought it is a very good interview. AS gives a good account of himself and I couldn’t see the likes of Cameron or Milliband coming across quite so genuine. I’ve never been one to say ‘I like Salmond’ (though I have zero dislike for the man) but maybe with that interview I begin to.
@HandandShrimp “harsh on Osborne though” — yes, surprised the msm didn’t make more of that one… oh dear, let’s not encourage them!
Seems there is still some to properly inform going by the tv report i just saw,though a rugby club may not be the place to find many yes voters.
I never really followed the the Labour government of Tony Blair and had very little knowledge of Alistair Campbell other than he was a spin doctor. The next time I was aware of him was when it was said he was the inspiration for one of the characters in the TV programme “The Thick of It”.
After watching that programme I thought he must be someone to be reckoned with but this is the second time in a year he has had his arse handed to him. The first was when Tommy Sheridan appeared on one of Andrew Neil’s politics progs. Mr Sheridan called him out on being a socialist or something like that and I expected a bit of a ding dong between them. I was surprised that this supposed bruiser, bottled it and metaphorically went and hid behind the sofa. This article shows him up for being not very bright either.
Alba4Eva
Seen it loved it and got the daughter with a Facebook page to share it.
Nothing worse than those wee screens,especially when you’re my age and have to magnify a 20+inch screen to read the big type.
1984
Salmond totally owned this interview. Don’t know what the fuss was all about Putin or alcohol. MSM get it wrong as usual. Not that they ever get it right.
msean
I’m a rugby fan,my friends are rugby fans/players…maybe the rugby “club” you frequent,aren’t?
There are plenty greasy pole climbers who join clubs for the status and adhere to any prejudices the chief bully has.
Forgot just how good AS is, and thanks Rev for posting this. That was a masterclass in working Campbell, and you could almost sense the frustration building as Campbell, knowing he couldn’t win anything on points, tried a scattergun approach, but to no avail.
What he did do, of course, was take a few weeks to spin the Putin remark, and use it (and here I agree with Derek Bateman) to generate interest in the article.
Plus side for us is that he, as well as the compliant BBC, print media and Unionist politicos, have all been revealed in their Emperor’s clothes. Nice one!
Campbell’s got a brass neck, still trying to spin and smear after what he’s done.
People who witnessed, first-hand, Campbell’s behaviour before he got on the wagon tell tales that wouldn’t be out of place in a Spike Milligan sketch. The guy is a sociopath.
I hope I live long enough to see him and his buddy Blair, and all the rest of their gang, in the Hague, and look forward to seeing him try to spin his way out of a life sentence for crimes against humanity.
Let’s look at this another way.
Teams of London media hacks and Government spooks will have had a standing mission to ‘get’ Salmond for years. Everything he has said and done will have been examined and investigated.
They end up having to resort to a few fairly innocuous words in a rather good interview. What does that really say about the man?
fairiefromtheearth says:
1984
Don’t get all “transpatial” on us.
Alistair Campbell knew what he was doing when he conducted this interview. This is just macho posturing on his part in a literary sense; trying to do a Paxman and intimidate a public figure.
At the time, they probably thought they had nothing. Then Putin flxes his muscles, and one wee sentence is suddenly gold dust to them. It’s just appalling. If this Westminster’s idea of the so-called ‘British Fairplay’ then they seem to have forgotten the meaning of those words a …very …very long time ago. The sooner we are out of this Faustian pact of a Union, then the better for Scotland.
Personally …whoever came up with this little insidious idea to poison the Nationalist cause, as well as falsely blacken the First Minister’s reputation …well …there is a Russian word that describes that person perfectly, and that is, they are a little ??????.
I am on the Al Jazeera web site just now.
Anybody else want to come over and help them out on this good article on the referendum question?
link to ipsos-mori.com
Hello Goldenayr,
I’m not encouraging anyone to call anyone else a numpty. I can do that myself.
But I haven’t got time for folks dithering one way then the other, especially when it comes to an opinion on the BBC.
It has been proven to be a refuge for criminals. Like a totalitarian state, the BBC, through agencies, criminalizes the act of watching telly without its permission. Meanwhile, it uses its disproportionately acquired wealth to broadcast through multiple channels, propaganda on a breathtaking scale & severity.
If Bateman wants to torture himself reaching an alternative viewpoint, hey, it’s a free country.
I like this website because it neither dithers nor wavers. I don’t always agree with Stu Campbell & I’ve said so when I think it merited saying.
But the ability to come here & digest brutally honest accounts backed up with unarguable evidence is refreshing & addictive.
I can’t imaging many folks visiting these pages for more than a few occasions & still struggling to settle their opinion on independence.
Wow! What happened there! What’s with the ‘??????’. Seems that the Rev’s system doesn’t like Russian sweary-words!
Ah well …just use what ever you want as a sweary word for the ‘??????’!
@ Kirsty somewhere UPPAKYE
I can’t see it, because I am outside teh UK, even though Brugges, as far as I remember is too.
Thanks anyway, I will go ferret out a proxy fingy.
@ JLT
It gives me that for emoticons and other shite like that.
Are you on a MAC, like me?
Ian Brotherhood
I hope I live long enough to see him and his buddy Blair, and all the rest of their gang, in the Hague, and look forward to seeing him try to spin his way out of a life sentence for crimes against humanity.
You never know, Ian. Strange things happen in life. Sometimes, things come about when least expected. Blair has a lot of blood on his hands. As my father continually mentions; there is still grave suspicion over what happened to David Kelly, the scientist who took his life after the parliamentary foreign affairs select committee had a good go at him. His death was very suspicious.
Hopefully, someone will produce something that proves that Blair and his cronies did lie …just so he could back his American buddies …and oh aye …be feted and fawned over as he paraded himself around America pretending that he was a big shot, just like his pal, good old George Bush.
First
BtP
Your link sent me to a 2011 graph site.
next
G.H.Graham
Fair doos…
However,there are those amongst you who have to play it canny.
I’m ex MoD,I’ve probably said more than I should have just by admitting it.I’ve went further though on this site and others,telling people what they do.
Not everyone can hide like me,the fact DB came out when it was anathema to do so tells a lot about him.
Cut a little slack for us whistleblowers is all I ask.
With the YesMobile in Turriff today with a great bunch of campigners including the FM Alex Salmond strolling through the crowds and engaging with ordinary people. What a refreshing style of politics.
None too young, none too old everyone welcome to talk. I saw him spend a good 15-20 minutes with at least 3 people, answering their questions, having a debate.
Lots of time for pictures with young people. My respect for him rose even further today. There really isn’t another politician in his class that I can think of.
Links to the pics on Twitter:
link to twitter.com
link to twitter.com
link to twitter.com
link to twitter.com
msean
I saw that Sky News report on the referendum, James Mathews again trying to get in amongst your ordinary Scottish voter at a rugby sevens tournament.
I think the last time he was up here he went to a bowling club in the Borders and some other Tory club in Edinburgh.
He took a straw poll that time and I think it was about 80% NO and 20% YES.
My advice to Sky News is, just stay out of our debate, we don’t need jokers like you getting involved.
BtP,
Nah! Jus a normal PC! However, it must have been the Russian Cyrillic writing that confused the hell out of the editor.
The word, apparently when spoken in Russian, is pronounced ‘Day-mo’. In English, this 4 letter word begins with begins S, ends in T and is another name for doo-doo.
@Goldenayr
No offence intended re rugby clubs,the greasy pole climbers may well exist and may vote positively.
msean
They’re just more prevalent where the money is and are more inclined to follow blindly if there’s cash involved.
That was brilliant. Some of his answers were legendary. I particularly loved this one:
“When you’re lying in the bath do you think about what your new national anthem will be?”
“No, I have showers.”
How can you not like the guy? I don’t get it.
(“you” as in “anyone who doesn’t like him”. I suspect we’re all fans here.)
Croopmenstien says
“FM should have asked him about wee Robin or Dr Kelly. Campbell is a dangerous manipulator I was surprised that FM agreed to be interviewed by this slug.”
Whats the best anti snake bite cure?
yup snake venom,
he played Campbell like a violin,
and gave him just enough to run with and effectively pulled the establishments teeth,
NEVER underestimate Alex Salmond,
Oh btw Call me Dave was right , cool.
@caz-m
Surely what we want is for Sky News to get fully involved in the debate. Its No that doesn’t want to debate.
@ Goldenayr, apologies as I have lost a block of posts which have suddenly magiced up.
Big probs cutting and -asting too. Maybe glasses no longer working.
Sorry
Real site link is
link to aljazeera.com
or,
if you are adventurous and don’t mind a bit of the wild side
link to tinyurl.com
@ JLT
Fancy a bamboo shoot, au nature?
Now am I understanding this correctly – the magazine has had a huge amount of publicity, leading no doubt to a rise in sales… and then lots of people who believe the spin will be very embarrassed if not also very angry?
I wish people would stop complaining about other indy sites like Derek’s as they all will have personal reasons for not calling a spade a spade at this stage to keep their own professionalism and personal contacts intact so just relish their contributions so far.
The @BtP Al Jazeera link should have been link to aljazeera.com
@X_Sticks – Great photos, the FM is just different class. What was on in Turriff today?
BtP
Ha Ha Ha …like it! Good one!
Right, time to leave the real Game of Thrones, and away to watch the TV version of it. Am away!
dammit, refreshing should have been before posting … sorry BtP 🙁
So it’s all really about trying to give the “I’m voting no because I don’t like Alex Salmond” folk an actual answer to the question “why is that?”
cynicalHighlander
I agree with you there. The Yes Movement is a broad church and we will not agree all the time with other parts of the Movement.
One part of the broad church from the Aberdeen branch of National Collective have produced with nice wee video that deserves a wider audience.
link to youtube.com
Hello goldenayr,
I can speak well from a whistleblowing perspective so forgive me if I’m short on sympathy for those struggling with accepting the inevitability of accepting the truth.
I was invited by the United States Senate to Capitol Hill in 2008 to provide evidence against my employer (who killed 14 of my colleagues by the way). It assisted the US Government delivering the third largest fine for health & safety violations at that time, in history.
My employer spent millions of dollars trying to rubbish my character & integrity but they didn’t factor in that they were dealing with a Glasgwegian who didn’t give a shit.
🙂
I need a secretary to proof read my posts. 🙁
BtP
Cannae help,twitter only.
I did find this interesting from A.Massie on their report.
“The No campaign say they’re not worried about criticism [of their campaign strategy],” says Massie, who writes a regular blog for The Spectator.
“They don’t see the point of running a cheery populist campaign that loses. They would rather win with a negative campaign than lose with a more positive uplifting message. They have identified the voters they need to speak to, the voters they need to attract – and they don’t really care about what anyone outside the campaign office thinks.”
Kinda puts his pisstake attempt into perspective?
@seasickdave:
“I consider Campbell to be a war criminal for his role in promoting war in Iraq and the countless needless deaths since.
He is one of the nastiest pieces of work ever to appear on the British political scene.”
Absolutely. Let’s remember also he went for the BBC’s throat during the Dr David Kelly business, effectively causing the resignation of Greg Dyke and stripping the BBC of its last vestiges of independence from government. It’s hard to think of an individual who has caused more damage in the past 20 years, barring Blair and Brown of course.
GHGraham
Weil done.
So ye ken the crap that can come.
So did Robin Cook,Willie MacLean…
Some of us don’t just have reputations to save.
goldenayr,
You should know I have a terrible reputation that’s definitely worth saving.
🙂
GHGraham
At last,a kindred spirit..:-D
handclapping
I would love Sky news to get involved in a serious debate about Scottish independence. But ever since the Referendum date was announced, Sky News have treated it as some kind of a joke.
Even when it is discussed on their paper review spot, it is met with sniggers, laughs and jokes. Sky just don’t think Scotland in general is worth talking about.
Maybe if the Scottish Sun does come out in favour of Independence, then you should see a change in their attitude, considering the owner of Sky owns the Scottish Sun.
I have a wee feeling the Scottish Sun will be making an announcement fairly soon.
caz-m says:
“I saw that Sky News report on the referendum, James Mathews again trying to get in amongst your ordinary Scottish voter at a rugby sevens tournament.”
Saw it too. I certainly hope the characters they interviewed aren’t typical? I know they aren’t! Very biased intro and editing.
@Macia ah need ah secretary tae type ma posts, ma spellings
attrotious, see whit ah mean lol.
Eric D
[AKA Dorice]
Get wi the program Eric.
Your news is old news.
@gery parker,patrician. I got a bag of leaflet delivered
for the Strathclyde park event, more promised.
Yes Papers delivered tonite so will be on & of line for a couple of days.
Marcia
I loved the Gamelan, if that was what was used. A right call to the gods. 🙂
caz-m
You mean after every ed in Scotland checks out the Sunday Herald sales figures for the next couple of weeks?
Always supposing that they do what’s said on the cover,if they don’t…?
A fascinating article. Suspect Campbell didn’t ask all his questions in quite such a brief manner as they appear. Brief questions aid reading the print narrative. After all, the pair seem to have spent some time together, including lunch.
It’s the scattergun approach that makes it such good reading. AS would not have had time for considering his answers, which makes them all the more remarkable e.g. the showers one. Campbell obviously realised he was fencing with a master.
Two answers which struck me were – “Relations with media are an inevitable part of discourse. The test is do you administer policy without fear or favour. And I do.”
And – “The most important thing for a country is how useful it is to the rest of the world, not how great you are but what contribution you can make.”
Head and shoulders above all other UK politicians.
If anybody has contacts with any other Indy travelers
SSP,ILP,WFI,we’re looking for leaflets or body,s from those
organizations , the more the merrier to join with us at the
Wings stall.
Post up to Gerry Parker or Patrician. Thanks
X_Sticks : I was in the audience for Salmond’s Carlisle speech.
The speech was good, and well received by the mostly business audience.
But what impressed me most (and from what I overheard – those local business people agreed) was that he then sat down and answered every question put to him. That Q&A didn’t finish until all questions had been answered.
He then left the stage and chatted to anyone who wanted to chat.
When we left 30 minutes after he’d joined the audience, he was still there, chatting away.
BBC Scotland’s James Cook was there, but like the rest of the media, he completely ignored what followed the speech.
Or … was it those infamous BBC-S editors again ?
You know, the folk that the BBC-S executives claimed are responsible for all ‘editorial decisions’.
That Q&A was recorded, but has been edited out of all subsequent BBC Parliament broadcasts.
We know why.
Carlisle was not unusual – it’s what usually happens – and if you watch the FM’s recent ‘EU’ speech the Q&A is where we see him at his very best – but it doesn’t matter where he is or who is asking the questions.
Cameron’s spinners know this, which is why we are unlikely to see a Cameron/Salmond debate
O/T oh dear, someone has just commented on the VNB fb page that the name is very silly and doesn’t inspire confidence.
ronnie anderson
Where,when and…do we go for a pint after?
Best portrait of Salmond of any – by a mile.
Paula Rose
Comments are open again?
Paula Rose
Sorry,just noticed its the FB page.
Don’t have one,or mobile phone…Yeah,I’m a luddite.
@ goldenayr – the commenter suggested Be A No would be better!
Ronnie – we’re having a similar problem down here (Yes South Annandale).
SCND has some crackers though, but like all groups are short on cash so a small contribution is welcomed.
No reply (yet) from LFI, but we’ve got canvassers and helpers from RIC coming down – hopefully with some of theirleaflets.
We should have WfI and BfS stuff (we need to provide a diverse table – this is ‘Toryland’), and I’ve managed to get some leaflets from the JRF/Common Weal Project.
The latter should have new information coming out soon, so keep an eye out for it.
If you can, why not print copies of the various leaflets yourselves ?
Plenty of ‘printable’ leaflets on the NNS site too.
Hi Dorice
Glad to see you are well
goldenayr.
It wasn’t when I first posted it on the Guardian’s Cif pages the same day I saw what happened.
But if I’m not welcome – that’s fine.
Eric D
Forgive me Eric if I’m wrong…
The only Doris[Dorice] I know of is the “Dinner Lady”.
Any relation?[Any subsequent ignoring of this post will entail a rejection of your posts]
Paula Rose
That’s Dandy!
Eric
Just seen your last post.Genuine posters only.
HandandShrimp
You can verify his credentials?
First Minister welcomes Putin to Edinburgh.
25 June 2003 and it’s Labour’s Jack McConnell who’s fawning all over Vlad.
link to m.scotsman.com
Hi Dorice – Legend
Where have you been?
Wasn’t going to comment. Can’t stand Alistair Campbell.
@ Ronnie, Thanks, got the grandchildren for the next few days so won’t be online much but will e mail Linda as promised.
@Ian Brotherhood
I will second that. As you say “the rest of the gang” so lets put some names of two other neeps to be sat alongside them. First one, (blank cheque) Jimmy Broon and secondly (Lord Snooty) Mandleson. They were all complicit in the murder of thousands of innocent civilians.
FFS Teflon Tony Middle East Peace Envoy, shurley they are yankin oor chain.
Gawd…!
I must be having flashbacks to my time with Whitehall!
Soree!
That’s it? That’s what got the great UK media all hot and bothered?
FFS, they are pitiful.
Is jealousy a factor here?
A lot of people whacking away at Salmond would love to be interviewed by GQ but are too boring to be asked and too stupid to handle it if they were.
Hope you’re keeping well dorice. 🙂
@Croompenstein
I thought it was the Turriff Show, but someone today said that was still to come, so I guess just some sort of Gala Day. Good day for Yes, dozens of new supporters for the cause.
@Eric D
Yes, Dorice, It didn’t surprise me that Alex was like that, but good to get it out there, especially given the ‘monstering’ he’s been getting from our ‘Scottish’ media and the Bitter mob.
We had good fun with the YesMobile today, it’s so ‘Yes in your face’ and you should have seen the faces of the UKOK mob when they saw it. They all looked a bit like Johann on one of her good days! Good to see you on here these days, I really don’t know how you Conan and Ann et al put up with the crap over on the gruniard for so long. I never had the patience for the naysayers. My respects to you sir.
I thought it was a great interview, congrats Alistair Campbell for searching questions, and Salmond for effective and controlled answers. Up to an old-fashioned David Frosty standard I’d say.
Don’t forget the decade of sanctions before the Iraq invasion. I think the UN reckons the resulting death toll included half a million kids under five. British Labour didn’t impose the sanctions, that was the Tories, but the two shades of British nationalism work as a tag-team to drive the UKplc ratchet.
The Unionists are barking on this one. I’d say the attitude to Putin is generally ambivalent, and within 4 months either there’ll be missiles and bombs flying around so nobody cares, put your head between you knees and say goodbye to the future (exceedingly unlikely), or the situation will be resolved, or on its way.
If Putin can get over his knee-jerk and irrational response to what could be seen as double-standard Western provocation considering Cuba and indeed our Referendum, and get back to his more softly softly catchee monkey agenda, Western leaders and wannabes will be queueing up to “respect” him, and Salmond may be remembered for having more percipience and world-awareness than most.
Checked the McConnell Putin link and still there…sooberb Stu
link to imgur.com
AC: What film did you last watch?
AS: Not been to the cinema much but
I’ve watched all of House Of Cards.
AC: Did you learn anything?
AS: That Kevin Spacey is a great actor.
Mr Salmond who holds all the cards totally owned
the professional * spin doctor * liar, and showed him up for the Joker that he is.
There was no need to shuffle as he called a Spade a spade, and Decked the wee Knave with every Hand.
The First Minister is the Scottish Diamond they could never bluff to join their cheating British Club.:)
BBC news at ten headlines: Elena Beltacha former England number one women’s Tennis player is dead.
Cameron will be angry.
They’re not supposed to even mention the E word at this time let alone make a booby like this.
RIP Elena.
Any of our theatre/film/video community fancy making use of the dialogue – don’t know who would play each part.
alexicon
Best bit is she played for and considered herself…Scottish.
dadsarmy
Care to explain your “rubbish” comment?
Goldenayr.
Her father played for St Johnston(?) and he was from the Ukraine.
dadsarmy
Some folk might say “knee-jerk and irrational response”, some say ‘slipping the noose’ and others who say ‘ingin’. I don’t think picking sides in a gang fight is particularly brave nor clever and I was glad AS did neither.
alexicon
Haven’t I been reminded?
Dorice is a legend in the CiF comments. Dorice, I hope you are well – I know people worry about you sometimes. (I’m Rolfe, though I never commented very often.)
I’m sorry for the uncivil comments from this newbie here calling himself “goldenayr”. This is embarrassing. We’re not all like that. I for one was very glad to see you comment here a few days ago and I hope very much you will make this a permanent hang-out.
O/T
BBC Scotland going big on the unveiling of the Black Watch statue in Belgium today.
Statue was wrapped in a “Butcher’s Apron” before the unveiling.
I would have thought a Saltire would have been more appropriate.
link to bbc.co.uk
@Ian Brotherhood
@roll on 2014
I hope I live long enough to see him and his buddy Blair, and all the rest of their gang, in the Hague, and look forward to seeing him try to spin his way out of a life sentence for crimes against humanity.
The Stinky Jobbyeees, will find the sewer 🙂
didn’t either…damn it. 🙂
Strange story
You’re sitting in the pub,with your mates.Now,not all these people are age old friends but you’ve grown to know everyone that comes in.
Maybe you’ve sat on the sidelines and not joined in.
Suddenly the doors burst open and a torrent of what you want comes flooding in.
Is this the new messiah?
Is he a prophet?
Naah,he’s one one of your mates long lost hingons.
O/T, apologies, but saw a re-tweet on Stu’s page that according to Populus/FT average of polls for April (16K sample), Tories have now closed the gap to 2% on Labour. If they continue on that trajectory, it’s clear they’re going to have at least the largest number of seats next year.
The thought of another Tory govt or Lib Dem coalition (same thing) fills me with despair. We can kiss bye-bye to the welfare state & NHS as we know it. Full blown neo-liberalism will prevail.
For any Labour voters – that is what you can look forward to by voting No. Will we hear any of the MSM raising the ‘fear’ of 5 more years of Toryism, in the same way they have propagated the ‘risks’ of independence? I wouldn’t hold my breath….
Since I heard about Elena I have wondered if she may be a victim of Chernobyl
She was born in Kiev in 1983 Chernobyl was ’86 and the family arrived in the UK in ’89
Her original illness which directly led to the liver cancer is thought to be caused by a compromised autoimmune system
@Eric D
Hello Dorice, been reading your posts on the Guardian for a while. Kudos.
G H Graham says:
Derek Bateman covered this in his blog too but I’ve written him off.
I wouldn’t write Derek off because of his articles on the BBC. I did disagree with his view in the recent article and stated as much, but it is his view. He will still have friends and a certain loyalty to the BBC.
I wouldn’t hold that against him. He is an excellent blogger otherwise on the Independence debate, and in my view his contribution is to be welcomed.
Morag Graham Kerr
For reference,this “newbie” has been online since the early nineties,and fighting for recalibration of the democratic deficit before that.
keep your two knit thoughts to yourself.I have on;ly recently done Guardian,why?
Becaause it’s shit.
I do my fighting on the frontline.I come on here to relax.
When did you get modern?
XSticks the Turra Show is the first weekend in August if I remember correctly. I know cos I used to help (wo)man the SNP stand there before I moved to the Central Belt.
@LizM
Aye Liz, that is the Turra Show, but I couldn’t find out what the do today was. Some sort of spring Gala, I guess, but couldn’t find anything on Mr G.
Very good interview and the FM handled the old Labour “spin doctor” very well, as you would expect. I knew the Putin and Scots drink questions were being blown out of all proportions by the MSM and David Cameron, Labour, Lib Dems etc, etc.
O/T. Working on my second convert to Yes. Was a No now undecided. Usual reasons, not sure about economic case, what will happen to education fees, prescriptions, pensions etc. Asked him if he had seen stats on Scottish revenues for past 15-20 years – No, did he know about Barnett formula – No, McCrone report from 1970’s – No, Scotland’s future oil revenue’s (he works in the oil industy like me) – No, that Norway, Denmark and other small countries are in the top ten wealthiest countries in the world – No.
Told him I will be sending lots of data on the above issues to him tommorrow. He replied he would look forward to that. I also said I can clarify anything he doesn’t get in the info I send him.
Elena Baltacha originally stayed in the Ipswich area when the family came to the UK as he Dad signed for Ipswich Town. After a short stay there he moved to St Johnstone, when Elena would be about six, and then joined Caledonian FC in Inverness. So Elena did indeed spend the bulk of her childhood in Scotland and seemingly classed herself as a Scot.
Anyway, tennis players in the UK should technically always be referred to as British by the media as they compete as Britain in the Davis Cup. That will hopefully change soon!
Great article. My stock response to anyone bringing up the ‘Putin’ and ‘nation of drunks’ comments is now:
‘Did you actually read the interview’
Goldenayr, I’m not going to start getting all judgemental about your posts. But jumping in and insulting someone who has just posted something very helpful and constructive, just because you have seen it before, isn’t cool. When the person you insult like that is a bloody legend, it embarrasses everyone.
Nobody has to pass your test of purity to be allowed to post here, so just wind your neck in OK?
TheItalianJob
Careful now. It looks like you might be spreading the independence virus. Your colleague is liable to become a carrier, as well. Now how do I get this genie back in the bottle? 🙂
Sorry if this has already been posted.
I wonder if the GQ round of questioning will reappear this Thursday at FMQ’s.
link to tinyurl.com
Morag
Nae one has,you included.
What I find strange is the term “legend”,is that descriptive or logistic?
Lesley-Anne
Hi, hope we’re cool. 😉
Apologies
When I said “Nae one has”
I was including myself.
Arbroath 1320
How dare you assail our eyes..:-]
CameronB Brodie says:
Lesley-Anne
Hi, hope we’re cool. 😉
Aye of course, we just had a wee disagreement about a certain situation. That’s in the past. These things are bound to happen from time to time. Now is not the time to be bearing any grudges. 🙂
Just in case any one was ever in doubt about where we, Scotland, stood on the world stage then wonder no more. I have the proof, thanks to a fellow tweeter, definitive proof that Scotland is NOT a country but just a wee *ahem* colony of the British Empire.
link to tinyurl.com
@CameronB
Says
“It looks like you might be spreading the independence virus.”
This is the type of virus I don’t mind spreading. 🙂
LA
That was cool,who knew “NorseWarrior” was such a twat..:-D
Lesley-Anne
That flag. Not very tactful. Would they be stupid enough to think a wind-up was sensible? Oh the numpties. 🙂
@Lesley-Anne
Depressing, really depressing.
The Royal Navy Ensign also winds me up, and continually reminds me that it’s Englands Navy.
OT As a Perthite I had mixed emotions today. First I was delighted, after a week of trying, to get tickets for us for the cup final, second I was dismayed to hear of the death of Elena Baltacha.
Although the Perth lassie’s illness was probably due to her early childhood in post Chernobyl Ukraine we still regarded her as one of us and she still regarded herself as Scottish.
Dorice is a good egg and veteran of the Guardian CIF
From an English acquaintance who had been linked into the Craig Murray piece on the “No Borders” farce
“For those of you in the balance, let me (an Englishman) make a prediction for you. If the No vote wins the day, Scotland will be punished to a degree beyond anything history has yet officially (and unofficially) recorded. Ye Scots will suffer, for your impudence and your open boldness in rebelling against your master on such a globally visual stage. Retribution will be slow, inexorable and devastatingly to both Scotland and inevitably towards each and every Scot, irrespective of how you voted.
Such statistics will be but a triviality so far as Westminster is concerned, as it will hold each and ever one of you culpable for the SNPs insurrection.
We English will sit back and watch/witness ‘our’ government make you suffer for the sins of your national party…and all of it subsequently conducted carefully within the bounds of International law and protocol.
You pour souls will be collectively bent over and bound by these carefully applied restraints ,and systematically butt-f**ked thereafter by Westminster at their discretion and pleasure. This act will take place over a period of time based upon nothing more than what they (Westminster) deem to be a suitable period of retribution.
At the end of it, you will each have learned who your true master is and exactly where your place is in the scheme of the ‘United Kingdom’.”
@HandandShrimp
More than a good egg, an original Cybernat. The type the establishment love to hate.
Hi Dorice! It’s really great to see you again. Hope your well!
I’m confused.
I thought most folks were agreeable to using their own names on here and here I find everyone’s reverted to type. How on earth am I to keep up with you all. I know I’m slow on the uptake, I put it down to my solitary brain cell, but now I’m really confused. 😛
Dave McEwan Hill says
Wow.
Can he be booked?
Thepnr
ONLY IF YOU READ THE BLOODY GUARDIAN.
Who is goldenayer? Troll? Idiot? Arsehole? you decide.
Fech sake
I’m aff,the next thing you’ll be advocating is bumpers on kiddie swings and cotton wool dispensers on street corners.
Am I alone in thinking the photo in GQ is deliberately Hitleresque?
O/T but anyone seen or heard A Darling, J Lamont, B McDougall lately? Have they all been asked to keep the head down?
Let’s all calm down a little, shall we?
@David McEwan Hill
The only exception I would take with your English friend’s analysis is in regard to “We English will sit back and watch/witness ‘our’ government make you suffer for the sins of your national party…and all of it subsequently conducted carefully within the bounds of International law and protocol.”
I think that sentence, given Theresa May’s promise to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights, is somewhat optimistic. Once they do that, they will effectively be able to do whatever they like, irrespective of international law.
Incidentally, withdrawal from the ECHR also raises another possible means of leaving the EU – by eviction, a very real constitutional probability I have not seen elucidated on anywhere in the MSM.
Every single member of the EU is in the ECHR and the EU has also endorsed membership of it collectively.
haud on the noo
That or a police suspect line-up, or a still from Porridge. I’m not a fan.
Rev,will do after this.
StevieMcB
GIRFUY.
scotswoman says:
O/T but anyone seen or heard A Darling, J Lamont, B McDougall lately? Have they all been asked to keep the head down?
I haven’t seen any of them but thanks to Rona MacDonald I now about this!
link to tinyurl.com
I wonder if Johann Lamont, Anas Sarwar or Ed Milliband know about this wee defector. Oh wait a minute that appears to be Anas holding the Labour for Independence banner. 😛
Rev – if you’re tuned in here, any idea when we’ll get our perks from the crowdfunding? The Jolly -in-the-Ferry on Friday would be an excellent outing for the badges.
I gather he did it for a joke. But it is a nice illustration of the serious point that just because you’re in a photo with LFI doesn’t mean you’re pretending to be a member.
Every time someone comes out with the shot of the SNP councillors posing with the LFI stall, just show them that!
I know we are supposed to be posting music in O/T, but this is instead of posting a duck. Did someone mention oor Anas?
link to youtube.com
@T-Jenny
What is the jolly in the Ferry? Broughty Ferry? Queensferry?
For what little it is worth I would like to reinforce Dorice’s reputation at CiF, where I also post. I learned an enormous amount from Dorice’s posts there and really valued the speed with which he put together strong factual information to counter the routine lies and misinformation on that site.
Sadly missed there: nice to see you here, though 🙂
Got to admit Morag he has just given the YES camp a major boost with that photo in my opinion. As you say any time the Better Together crowd come out with their Labour for Independence are a front for the SNP garbage we can just throw this straight back in their face and they can not say a word. 😛
Chic McGregor – it’s the next WOS night out in the Jolly Hotel in Broughty Ferry from 6.30 on Friday. All welcome.
Anyone read the Farage interview in the same magazine?
AC: “Which current world leader do you most admire?”
NF: “As an operator, but not as a human being, I would say Putin. The way he played the whole Syria thing. Brilliant. Not that I approve of him politically. How many journalists in jail now?”
link to gq-magazine.co.uk
I must have missed all the “Farage calls Putin ‘Brilliant'” headlines, aye?
To be honest, Lesley, I didn’t think it was him at the beginning, just someone else with a passing resemblance. That’s because he has a genuine nice smile, and I’ve never seen that on his face before, ever. It makes him look positively attractive!
But we are assured it really is the man himself. Maybe LFI suits him. He should consider it.
Doug, you are freaking kidding, you have to be!
I agree Morag. I’ve been thinking about the photo for a long long time. I just could not bring myself to believe that it was actually him.
Now that we have been convinced that it is him perhaps he might have come to his senses and realised that Labour for Independence is his only way to go in the future of Scottish politics, at least in the short term.
I’d still love to be a fly on the wall of the office when this photo is brought out the next time he meets up with Lamont though. 😛
Have you seen that ghastly hectoring lecturing photo he uses on Twitter? He should change it for the LFI one – just the head and shoulders. He’d come over a squillion times better. It makes him look positively nice.
No I haven’t Morag. I don’t follow him mostly cause I don’t want to read his anti independence rants. 🙂
@goldenayre,
Articulate response?
Morag Graham Kerr says:
Have you seen that ghastly hectoring lecturing photo he uses on Twitter? He should change it for the LFI one – just the head and shoulders. He’d come over a squillion times better. It makes him look positively nice.
And there we have it folks!
I don’t follow him either but he sometimes gets re-tweeted, or he’s involved in a conversation I’m following. The photo is really terrible. Makes him look as if he’s giving someone just out of shot a piece of his mind.
Well if he wants to go much further in politics then I’d suggest that he change it for the LfI photo now. 🙂
Ah,keech..aw right.
StevieMcB says
@goldenayre,
Articulate response?
Says it all really stevie.
OT
STU it transpires that UKIP has cancelled its Freepost address after the party is sent blood and faeces.
Well done Stu you have given Nigel Garage a well deserved kick up his ASS.
Didn’t Grima Wormtongue get run out off town?
Lesley, 😀
(I just worked out what you meant. Too subtle for me at this time of night!)
Mind you Roll on it could NOT have been any one from Scotland who sent UKIP flyers etc cause as we all know we’re too wee too poor and too stupid to be able to do such things. It must have been that Clegg person after he was gubbed in those recent T.V. debates. 😛
Thing is Morag I don’t do intelligent conversation, I leave that for the intellectuals on here. 😉
I just put up silly posts that sometimes end up actually being funny, mostly they’re just plain daft. 😛
Well I put the two I had in the recycling after a neighbour complained that they’d probably choke up his stove, which was my first suggestion.
That was UKIP flyers I was talking about, not intelligent posts!
LA
Re your one at 01:14.
Aye right?
I was beginning to wonder for a second there Morag.:)
I quickly ruled out intelligent posts, well at least intelligent posts from me. 😛
Well someone has to bring order and chaos to this site goldenayr, if not me then who? 😛
Doug,
What a constrast with the AS interview. The man really has nothing to say.
Morag, L-A,
Anas certainly looks a lot happier with LFI than he did at the Clydebank STUC where he looked quite shocked at the reception that he got.
It must have made him think, about his career prospects if nothing else. Who knows….?
“Chic McGregor – it’s the next WOS night out in the Jolly Hotel in Broughty Ferry from 6.30 on Friday. All welcome.”
Damn. We currently have the dogs, our English springer and my daughter’s two. We had the option of not picking them up till the weekend, she has had ours last week, but since we were down in the central belt this weekend we decided to take them back up with us today to Kirrie.
They can be left for a couple of hours so we might still pop-in.
LA
Think the seventies theme tune.
Wonder woman ,wonder woman.
Cant remember the rest…chauvinist facepalm!
Roll_on_2014
“Nigel Garage”
Ever since Edinburgh I always thin “Nigel Faux Rage”
Well I’ve been called a lot of things in my time but never Wonder woman, more along the lines of HOI you, hay, short stop,…:P
LA
Hays for horses..
Wonder is for all.
Any one up for a wee bit of Better Togetherness at this late hour?
Go on I know you want to be Better Together, after watching this I know I do! 😛
link to tinyurl.com
O/T
Looks like they need to get the brand consultants in to help with the nation building in Iraq. I wonder when this will be reported by the BBC and how?
link to thepeninsulaqatar.com
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/100444/World/Region/Shelling-kills–in-Iraqs-Fallujah-Doctor.aspx
link to zeenews.india.com
link to bbc.co.uk
Iraq? That went well then?
Haven’t you heard Cameron, Tony Blair has his fingers on the pulse of this. Well I say fingers on the pulse, to be more exact that would be fingers on the pulse of the bank manager as he transfers millions into Blair’s Swiss account! 🙂
Lesley-Anne
I believe I have just bested the world’s leading ‘news’ service. 🙂
CameronB Brodie says:
Lesley-Anne
I believe I have just bested the world’s leading ‘news’ service. 🙂
Well as they say, you are only as good as your last report and obviously the world’s leading ‘news’ service just isn’t up to scratch these days. 😉
Here’s one specifically for everyone who has a Facebook page. 😉
They claim, via Twitter, to have 1500 followers, I’m thinking most are not actually NO voters. 😛
link to tinyurl.com
You know how we were talking about the sectarian card being used to divide Scots? Try doing a search for sectarian trouble Fallujah. I appreciate the BBC may have faced cutbacks, but they’ve had since January. Suspicious folk might think they are trying to hide something.
link to bbc.co.uk
cameron,
I believe that they have been downgraded from AAA+ to BBC-.
There you go again Cameron, making assumptions about the BBC. Assumptions, I might add, that clearly are well wide of the mark. 😉
As you well know, or maybe you don’t, there is, apparently, some sort of independence referendum occurring in a wee insignificant and poor country towards the end of this year. Now being a fully paid up member of the BBC appreciation society you will be aware that the BBC is exerting all of its resources to ensure that all the people of this small, insignificant little country are kept up to date and fully informed of everything they need to know so that they can make an informed decision in the referendum. 🙂
Now if I could only remember where this small and insignificant little country was. 😛
The BBC speaks with forked tongue.
But the violence is also part of the broader malaise affecting all Iraqi provinces, including some of the major Shia ones, as Prime Minister Nouri Maliki seeks to tighten his own political control and power, and in the process to impose a highly centralised system of control, which most provinces are beginning to resent.
Monster-ing projection. Disgraceful.
link to bbc.co.uk
I don’t know if my faith is restored.
link to bbc.co.uk
link to bbc.co.uk
What’s in a name?
Apparently everything as far as Alistair is concerned.
Campbell. Name meaning.
Crooked or distorted mouth.
And that’s exactly how the words come out of his mouth.
What’s in a name?
Apparently everything as far as Alistair is concerned.
Campbell Name meaning.
Crooked or distorted mouth.
And that’s exactly how he words come out of his mouth.
What’s in a name?
Apparently everything as far as Alistair is concerned.
Campbell Name meaning.
Crooked or distorted mouth.
And that’s exactly how the words come out of his mouth.
Goldenayr says
“I do my fighting on the frontline.I come on here to relax.
When did you get modern?”
Oh god a REAL cybernat
picked up any wounds on the “front line”
wind yer kneck in man yer beginning to sound like a real prat.
Which of the following would have highlighted the weakness of the West and emboldened Putin to go ahead with his activities in Ukraine/Crimea?
1. Cameron’s plea for support in opposing Independence for Scotland.
2. Lord Robertson’s offer of an association with NATO (especially a reduced NATO – i.e. without Scotland).
3. Salmond’s unpublished remarks to a GQ interviewer.
As far as as I am concerned I require apologies from all the political parties and the media and all other organizations which put out releases or participated in the demands. I include Amnesty International, and the Ukrainian Society. They did themselves no favours whatsoever in my eyes by participating in this smear campaign.
James Dow at 5.50. Suggest you think carefully about posting that particular comment 3 times. It might appear you were wanting to attract attention to yourself from our host
I have worried about Dorice for some time – sadly missed on the Guardian forum but to be honest that forum ain’t what it used to be. Lead by the columnists it seems to attract a number of the ignorant and supercilious .
Good to see you here!
Wee Ginger Dug has a good bite this morning!
Scotswoman
You ask about flipper Darling. It seems he is supposed to be debating the referendum with local SNP MSP Jim Eadie at Craiglockhart Church, Craiglockhart Avenue on Thursday at 7.30 p.m.
btw 102 YES academics writing in Herald on how being part of UK will endanger University research funding which is being cut by the UK coalition.
@Dorothy Devine
Does he ever. He’s put in words what many of us will have been thinking for quite some time.
Totally agree on the Guardian forum. Of recent times the kneejerk nutters and telegraph rejects seem to be coming out of the woodwork. Keeping the peace or simply being polite is becoming nigh on impossible.
john king
And when do you stop sounding like a real prat?
An exercise jn comparing Herald headline.
When “No” academics question independence, it’s “Academics slam Salmond plans as worthless crap”.
When “Yes” academics back up the white paper and independence, it’s “Academics divided over independence”.
They really do think we’re morons.
“BBC Scotland is institutionally corrupt and those who are employed within will be tainted. It’s up to the good guys to do something”
link to newsnetscotland.com
Good analysis of what is probably going on inside the BtBC.
What can be done about it?
Boys! Pack it in or take it ‘outside’ to quarantine . I can’t see what is worth falling out over, considering all the things you obviously share in common are much more important.
It was supposed to be a holiday yesterday but after scanning the posts above, it would appear some thought they had been invited to a boxing match.
Not to watch mind you, but to get in the ring, pull on some gloves & have a swing at anyone that moved.
It’s a sunny, if blustery day in Perthshire, today. I hope its as bright & uplifting where ever you are. Make the most of it.
There’s only 4 & 1/2 months to go to turn around enough undecided voters to win. Unfortunately, I think yesterday’s brawling efforts probably won’t work.
goldenayr
You seem to have turned into a very angry man over the last day or two.
I don’t know the reason for that, but you are starting to create a bad atmosphere on the site.
Can I suggest that you give the site a miss for a day or two, to let you get your head back together and come back refreshed and ready to put all your energy into fighting for an Independent Scotland.
We need all the support we can get and the LAST thing we need is internal squabbling.
This is only constructive advice and in no way am I preaching to you.
So hopefully you will take what I am saying on board.
All the best from a fellow Winger.
caz-m
Not angry,and am sorry if folk are offended by my defence…but!
I don’t take,swallow,tolerate shit.
This story is like one of these we dugs that are continually running over and trying to have sex with your leg. No matter how hard you shake it off it just ignores you.
link to archive.today
Happy Birthday to me!
MARGO MOMENTS :-
In 1999. Donald Dewar,F.M. set the budget for the new Holyrood Parliament Building Cost at £40 million. As the costs rapidly increased, the only person who was complaining was oor Margo.
When the cost reached £128 million, I wrote to her.
Using a paper-clip, I attached a One Pound Sterling Banknote to the letter, requesting Margo to give my donation to Sir David Steele in his position as Chair of the Holyrood Parliament Building Committee.
My donation could only be used by Sir David – IF – he used my slogan :- ” Eff the Expense, get the cat – a Goldfish.”
Margo enjoyed the irony and sent me a nice reply, enclosing my One Pound Banknote.
Like Jim Sillars, I don`t have many heroes, but Margo filled the Bill for Scotland. And me.
Campbell Name meaning.
Crooked or distorted mouth.
And that’s exactly how the words come out of his mouth.
And he says it three times without even the slightest hint of irony…. 😉
Stu, why do you have to have the same name as both Alistair and Menzies?
Happy Birthday cmDave.
@call me Dave . Hap Hap Happy Birthday to You Dave , ah hud
a wee hicup there lol,whits that American saying you know
when you go tae any till Grrrrr, in Scottish parlance
Hiv ah rite good YIN.
Thanks folks!
Off to work for a wee while 🙂 wee spelt right this time.
Unfortunately Tony B. shares my birthday date too 🙁
Regarding Dave McEwan Hill post: 12.00
rUK extracting punitive measures in case of a NO vote.
Lets not forget; sadly their will be many a ‘Proud Scot’ who will revel in such a prospect for Scotland after a NO vote also.
Mostly figures in the Labour Party many stinking of ‘Ermine’
There,s mair tae dey than jist Talk
Tak yer erse oot the hoose fur a Walk
Hey a wee blether wie Neighbours & Freins
& Gether mair fur oor Cause.
@ Croompenstein 8:46pm – Better late than never eh? It was the Turriff Street Festival. Great pictures on the Yes Aberdeenshire Facebook page including some brammers of the FM doing what he does best.
@ call me dave
Happy birthday and have a good one. 🙂
@ronnie anderson.
Better.
Tak yer dug oot the hoose fur a walk.
Getting my coat now
All the best
O/T sorry, something strange on the Better Together Facebook page. Their recent Billy Connolly graphic which has been one of their most liked/shared posts seems to have been deleted…has Billy objected?
John King 6.29
Totally agree
@Robert Kerr Good on you,is it a wee Ginger Dug breed,
every bark helps, no you, you jist talk as normal lol.
The black watch we’re formed to guard the highland line to police their fellow scots on behalfe of the English so to me the union flag was the correct one to use for them to use O.t. We should not be surprised at Campbell or Munro travel their clans both fought against Charlie and Scotland at culloden no offence meant Stuart just facts vote yes
@ Croompenstein, weil done Pal liked the photo’s,keep up
the good work.
Agree with Nigel Mace’s opinion on the FM. Superb – the corollary was Campbell’s final comment about eBay.
I guess with Wings’ readership more have read this article than via GQ.
Goldenayr
I think you need to take a long hard look at yourself and stop your aggressive posting.
You are offending people here and I am offended about what you are doing.
You are either a very clever Troll stirring things up, whilst pretending to be a misunderstood cybernat.
If “I don’t take,swallow,tolerate shit.” is really your way of going about your business here, I recommend you go somewhere else where you can act out your aggressive cybernat act.
You will not be missed.
I think it’s a pity that Dorice’s original post, which was excellent but which Goldenayr took inexplicable exception to, seems to have vanished. It makes the subesquent exchange incomprehensible.
As well as screwing a post of mine on another forum where I linked to Dorice’s excellent post on Wings as being the perfect illustration of the point I was making – about the BBC re-editing interviews to suit its own narrative.
I hope Dorice will post it again, it’s information that shouldn’t be lost.
BtP
Read me how you like,I’m no troll.
And yes,shit does wind me up,I am belligerent and I can go OTT.
However,I also come from a background of dissent,like most on here.
I will not apologise for standing my ground and asking questions.I will apologise for causing unwarranted offence.And I apologise now if you think I’m being hard headed.
But I will also quantify it with this..
clique [kleek, klik]
noun
1.
a small, exclusive group of people; coterie; set.
verb (used without object), cliqued, cli·quing.
2.
Informal. to form, or associate in, a clique.
Origin:
1705–15; < French, apparently metaphorical use of Middle French clique latch, or noun derivative of cliquer to make noise, resound, imitative word parallel to click1
Related forms
clique·less, adjective
cli·quey, cli·quy, adjective
cli·quism, noun
sub·clique, noun
Without voices of dissent and "outsiders" there is a real danger of this sites users becoming just that.And that is when we become easily dismissed.
A family is different it allows all voices to be heard and recognises the shortcomings of it's members.There are lots of things posted on here I don't agree with but hold my tongue because I know that how things read aren't necessarily the way they're meant.Then there are other times when rationality escapes me and I let rip.
So if you're offended and you think I'm out of order,sorry.
But don't think I'm going to temper my posts to others sensitivities.
call me dave 9.13am.
Happy birthday mate.
@call me dave
Happy birthday Dave and big thanks for all the excellent links you spot and post here and NNS. 😀
Goldenary
You can have your opinion, whether I or anyone else agrees or disagrees with it or not. This is not a site for drones.
Just don’t attack others on the site, please.
That is all.
Rev, You probably know this already but just saying in case you don’t. 🙂
There appears to be an issue with the database, yesterday I got an old article up from around mid april when I clicked on a new link, I was reading it having a sense of Deja Vu when I realised I had read it and thought I had mistakenly hit the link, was talking to a pal on the phone just now and he said he clicked on a new link this morning and an article from 12th April popped up. So something going on there. There were no updates for an hour earlier and sometimes WOS disappears of the interweb, don’t think its a DDOS but might be. Anyway thought I would let you know, I worked in IT, sometimes users think that you are aware of every issue, when you don’t, so thought I would let you know anyway, apologies if I have just repeated what you already know…
BtP
Fair enough..but what if their posts are garbage?
Do we let it slide for the sake of appearance?
The “Dorice” debacle started because I jumped in with both feet.The only “Doris” I know is a unionist troll prolific on other sites.I don’t frequent the guardian as I find it pseudo intellectual claptrap,so was unaware of him.
Patience,lack of, and the two bottles of red were my downfall.
But it won’t stop me the next time if I think there’s a troll in our midst.
And I’m glad you and others are able to bring me task when I’m wrong…free speech is what we’re fighting for.
Which red?
2 bottles, if true, would make me totally incapable of finding the keyboard nevermind not spilling some dreeps on it. Not a clever thing to do on an unforgiving Mac notebook.
I have done it once and now keep my glass on a different table to the side; much safer.
I never tweet, for the obvious reasons.
Dorice is one helluva guy and I think he is English.
It made me totally incapable of rational thought.
And I shouldn’t have been arguing on other sites and flitting back.
Nothing surer to raise the blood pressure.
I’d watch that. Stu does NOT like people accusing others of trolling on Wings. Even when it’s true. He has in the past threatened to ban the accusers rather than the accused.
Even if it might be true, for God’s sake wait and read a few posts before jumping to conclusions. In this case, Dorice’s appearance was followed by a flurry of greetings from other posters who recognised and respected him. Jumping in before these posts appeared and accusing him of trolling was just crass.
Morag
Is your point just to goad me?
Eh, what’s that about Dorice? A great poster on cif. I gave up on cif, and perhaps he did, but he does post (not as Dorice) on the Herald sometimes. Pre-moderated not post-moderated I think still, so his posts take a time showing up. I also see his up-votes so he reads posts. Same old Dorice though, if he’ll pardon the “old”!
Troll he is not! Unionist he is not no neither. Very informed and active for YES.
Having said that and not able to read Dorice’s post, it is worth checking that it’s the same Dorice and not an imposter!
Goldenayr, my point is to let you know that Stuart doesn’t take very kindly to posters calling out other posters as trolls. Sincere posters have been threatened with a banning for it.
So you may want to be careful how you handle that.
Given the content of the post, which I read, I don’t think it’s an imposter. Also, I think anyone wanting to impersonate Dorice would simply have adopted that as their user-name, rather than joining Wings with a different name and then simply claiming to be Dorice.
This isn’t the first time he’s posted here either – I saw him post a week or two ago.
T Jenny
Oops, posted in wrong thread, should have been here.
I added an ad for the Jolly when I refreshed the Kirrie Aye TV loop in the Yes shop. Not that a couple of weekdays notice in Kirrie will add many to the total this late in the day.
link to i51.photobucket.com
Sorry Morag I normally get a reply that my post has been received . On this occasion I tried twice more with the same result, so I actually thought I had not posted.
The last time I was in Scotland was as a piper in the Rats of Tobruk Pipes and Drums to perform in the 2005 Tattoo.
A poem for how it felt.
Only in Scotland am Iwh
Sorry Morag
New to this hit the wrong key.
The poem
Soulfull
Only in Scotland am I whole
Reunited with my soul
For the boy could be taken
And his soul forsaken
To patiently await
His final fate
Scotland forever tattoo on his heart
From very last breath
Right back to the start