Vote Yes to live longer
Posted on
May 04, 2014 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
To cheer you up a bit, we thought you might like to see a couple of rather curious pieces from this weekend’s right-wing press. 300 years of the Union have infamously left Scotland with the lowest life expectancies in the UK, as illustrated in particularly stark fashion by some maps published a couple of years ago in the Guardian:
But what can be done about it?
It turns out the answer is pretty straightforward.
And there was support from an even more unexpected source too.
Not our words, readers. But a clear message: vote No and die early.
Shrewd analysis as ever, Sir.
Nice one Stu. With these comments and the Sunday Herald editorial are we near the ‘tipping point’?
We in the Yes camp are well aware that we’ll be happier after independence, so nice to know we’ll be healthier too. Great endorsement of independence from Prof Mike Lean
Bugger me, Louise Mensch said that!! – the tide is really starting to turn. Wonder what’s next, Katie Hopkins flaunting a Saltire?
When obviously right wing supporters of the union can see the truth and bring themselves to acknowledge it the battle is nearly won.
Wonder how these comments are going down in Better Together HQ, not too well I’ll bet. 🙂
Better vote no so ye don’t have to worry about your pension.The unionist are turning into the ayeeeeeaa Bird it had one wing bigger than the other,flew in ever decreasing circles till it disappeared up it own arse shouting ayeeeeeaa
I found myself agreeing with Louise Mensch in this article, and was starting to feel dirty. However, at the end, she reverted to type with the “rUK subsidises Scotland” myth, so my self-respect was saved!
As a drunk who’s just celebrated 25 years of sobriety I support ANY move that will help to deal with the chronic drunkenness that’s endemic in our culture.
The fact that map is England green for longer life and Scotland and Wales are red is just spectacular. Die young, stay British.
Is it just me or does Ms Mensch contradict herself? In the opening salvo she tells us that Salmonds ratings are dropping in Scotland (are they??) and that the No campaign are pulling ahead in the polls, then further down she tells us that the Yes vote has been gathering steam for months. I know I get easily confused, but come on Lou, which one is it?? Considering the No campaign has never actually been behind in the polls, and they are slowly dropping percentage points, whilst Yes is on the up, can someone please explain to my poor befuddled brain how that equates to No pulling ahead?
Actually, ken whit? Dinnae bother. I’m not actually interested in her twisted logic anyways.
I’m away to open a bottle of Bells.
Actually Alex Salmond didn’t say what Mensch claims. He said you couldn’t promote whisky from a nation “with a drink problem.” Strange how almost everything the FM says is in some way twisted out of shape and then usually used against him … or maybe not!!! The unionist hacks seem to work on the premise either to misquote him or if they can’t manage that, they just smear him.
the sooner the better we go independence the better it will be we need full time jobs that is going to last more than 7 months of a year better child care and better rules at the DWP ex and have better and fair pensions in this country and also we keep the scottish pound i dont care what westminster says on this bedroom tax it is against the human rights acts as will refuse to pay it
“Nobody ever asks the English what we think” oh christ
Tories fur Indy starting up or something? 🙂
The Times isn’t a paper I read often but it does appear from what I have read to have been trying for a bit of balance and to at least be open to arguments. That’s all I really want from a paper.
Come on you techo guys out there – get the hitler spoof vid on Youtube showing Blair/Darling/Cameron/Osborne ( choice optional )finding out about the Sunday Herald
This has definitely been one of our better days.
@msean 7:45pm
they’re already out there spreading the message. Well worth a read. Not the same bile and crud spouted from Westminster.
http://www.wealthynation.org/
We also dont need cheering up Rev. This is great fun too. Raging hypocrites that will make even the BBC in Scotlandshire blush, not. http://archive.today/xTI1c
On teamGB media bias the Graun sayeth “Neither the Scotsman nor Herald editors are thought to have taken a final view.”
and
“The other London-based papers, traditionally more closely tied to political allegiances or perspectives, are likely to be sceptical or hostile about independence. The Guardian, recently critical in its leaders of the Scottish government’s case, has not yet decided, nor has the Observer, its Sunday sister paper.
O/T but related
Watching Gary Robertson on Politics Scotland this morning, he tried in is usually sneaky way to get a representative of the YES to say something wrong. However, the lady ( sorry did not catch her name, but have seen her before )
He brought up the Northern Irish issue, in regards to what Trimble was “supposed to have said.
Well she put his nose in a sling, she had watched the interview and knew exactly what was said. She put him right in his place and lambasted the BBC for their onerous comments.
He was going to say something and she informed him the comment is still on the BBC website. Obviously he could not argue about that right there and then, she got him.
Other than that, the rest of the discussion on various issues was almost, dare I say it, fair! A slight change in attitude maybe? ( slight! I do not want to go overboard! )
That’s rather disturbing. Do they know something about the personnel serving in the navy at Plymouth and Portsmouth? Everywhere around both ports for miles and miles is green …except in the docks!
And what the hell is going on in Brighton? Hmmmm …disturbing practices, I fear. Say no more.
How very strange!
http://archive.today/yz71l Progressive liberal Guardian says they’re undecided. I think that a lot of these media companies have just realised that a nation is watching them do their bettertoghetherist thang .
@Les Wilson 8:00pm
It simply demonstrates that starting with a seed lie leads to growth of that lie and it becomes increasingly difficult to keep on top of the twists and turns that ensue.
If they’d only spout the truth in the first place without attempting to spin it they wouldn’t have the problem of inadequate research of the earlier lies. What has happened to “modern” journalism? A bunch of rank amateurs.
Poor research (if they bother at all), poor language skills (leading to many misunderstandings),generally LAZY approach to preparing the scripts for the newsreaders. I’m pretty certain that the newsreaders have little or no editorial control over what’s appearing on their teleprompters. If they do, shame on them all.
@Jim Thomson
Thanks for the link,been reading a couple of their articles.
@msean you’re very welcome 🙂
@Les Wilson.
That Lady was Kate Higgins from burdzeyeview.
For me, one of the tipping points was the decision to farm out the e-cigarettes to chemists. An opportunity for smokers to shift to something else, and the government in Westminster is thinking cash before health.
As “stair heed” might say, I’m astonished.
Fine. Good. But Louise Mench??!!??
But at least if we make it to pension age before we die:-
“Britain’s pension shame : UK state pensions are the LOWEST in Europe – even Slovenia and Slovakia give their old people more”!
(Daily Mail online headline, 27/11/13)
UKOK indeed!
u-kok, nob orders, they are like something from a carry on movie.
Its been carrying on for an awful longtime, many carry on jokes rely on them.
Evidently conditions are not the same in Dover and Durness but Westminster favours the Procrustean bed and we get a one size fits all solution for salaries, pensions and benefits; except of course for London who get more without even asking.
The benefits system is basically that from Beveridge in 1941 looking at the problems of “Squalor, Ignorance, Want, Idleness, Disease” from the 30s and in true Westminster style has been tinkered with ever since so now there is nobody, and I do include IDS, who understands the purpose of the law let alone its interactions.
What we are getting now is a computerised GIGO that will undoubtedly end up with IDS in court for breaking the law and having to get his Westminster pals of all 3 parties to pass a correcting law on the basis of there but for the grace of not being in office this Buggins turn go I.
What we need is a proper debate and concerted action on the purpose and implementation of a social security system (not benefits) that suits us from Kelso to Kinlochbervie and can be suplemented where conditions so require as in the Calton.
Will we get such from Westminster? Are we more likely to get such from our own Scottish Parly? You decide but you need to vote Yes to hand our Parliament the powers.
The Yes Mobile will be in Turra the morra drop in fur a cuppa.
On Turriff High Street
I’ll be there with daft X_Sticks hat on!
pic.twitter.com/6r0KqwPFMb
Yes we have the lowest pensions in Europe. Something I mention at the pensioners club I go to once a week. We could do far better when Independent.
Saw a link to this video from Yes Windaes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPE4w35Ennk
Listening to northbound 2 earlier today, and the
Sunday “phone in” on the “ally Bally”show’ I was
Disgusted with the repeated assertion from the
Host that the FM had stated that “Scotland was a
Nation of drunks” .i would have thought that this
Broadcaster/journalist would have at least reviewed
The original spoken words of our First minister before
“Parroting ” the twisted smear headlines of the London
Media ,and besmirching the good name of
Our elected leader
Shame on you sir! I would expect this from London centric
Journalists/media ,not a north east “local”
@Democracy Reborn
The No Borders leader is the NOB HEAD.
Sorry I’m O/T here, but I’ve just read that a 23 year old man has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal over the tying a dog to a tree and setting it on fire in Kirkcaldy on 25th April.
http://tinyurl.com/lz9ayfo
There is, in my view only ONE punishment fit for this b*****d and this comes from the old “eye for an eye” method of making punishment fit the crime. So my idea is that this individual is tied to a tree and set on fire himself. This is the only punishment that befits the perpetrator of this horrific crime!
Lesley-Anne
Don’t talk crap.
O/T
It looks like the cronyism between the City and Westminster, is now completely out of control.
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/05/02/taxpayer-failed-to-benefit-from-royal-mails-treasure-trove-of-property/
And while that is going on, drone strikes are up.
http://dronewars.net/uk-drone-strike-list-2/
I’ve just read that a 23 year old man
Can’t even think of an appropriate adjective for this creep but he aint a man
@ Cameron B – spit it out, say what you mean man 🙂 🙂
Sorry Lesley-Anne, but I wasn’t comfortable with that comment. Just letting off, nothing sinister. Honest. 😉
I think we are well enough into the twilight zone to go off topic.
I came across this video quite by accident. It is a BBC production and doesn’t seem biased (I didn’t pay that much attention to the audio)
It is A.S. N.S. A.C. A.D. & J.L. “As they were” I have seen old footage of A.S. but not so much of N.S.prior to this. as for A.C. who cares? But a young radical A.D. with the faded Levi shirt black hair and a beard brought a snigger.
I always assumed that J.L. was always “like that” but here is a fresh faced young J.L. She hasn’t changed a bit still a torn-faced git. Moaning about everything and its all somebody elses fault. And watch out for M. Curran sporting the Deirdre Barlow look. Oh Dear!
If nothing else it is an amusing half hour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDvYltD15Gg#t=1252
If we bring up children who will do what Lesley-Anne highlights then we have to look at ourselves. This is much easier when we can see each other.
Stu,
Is there a reason why posts of even modest length aren’t going through? Tried about 5 today – no success.
O/T
SH “Yes” declaration was on main news BBC a few minutes ago, then same on Scottish News. Great stuff.
Now I think we should suggest to Robert Murdoch’s News Corp that they support Independence in the Scottish Sun.
Murdoch has Scottish Ancestry, and no reason to support the Westminster establishment and he could well like to poke them in the eye after the News of the World saga, and they might well increase sales.
We don’t have to like the paper. It would be a means to an end.
I will contact News Corp in London, but don’t have an email address for the New York office.
Even arch-Tory Louise Mensch can see the material benefits of small nations governing their own affairs but not, apparently, the lefty-liberal Guardianista latte slurpers at Islington Towers. Says it all really about the Guardian’s faux-progressive credentials.
@ Democracy Reborn – democracy reborn, suddenly being a nation is the new game in town. Maybe the joyful new commentators are swamping our lengthy discourses with their short outbursts of exuberance?
The Man in The Jar
I watches that when it was broadcast. I thought it was a tawdry cheap attempt at slagging off AS/NS. Everyone else featured on it seemed to get an easy ride though.
Rev , O / T but have a look at the way B.B.C. Scotland handled the news regarding the Sunday Herald ‘s new political outlook, (on Sunday’ s reporting Scotland that is), while the voice over is telling about the Sunday Herald, you see a hand take out from a newsstand a Sunday Herald, but before the voice over is Finnished the hand puts the paper back into the news rack, not very subtle eh?, for me that is the nail in the B.B.C. s coffin.
FireproofJim,
I don’t think we want any association with murder and his brand of ‘Journalism’. The Sun is poison.
That should have read Murdoch. Dan you predictive text.
Rev – how about a small article about what the Labour party stood for ” then ” and what it stands for ” now ” . There’s still a huge amount of Labour supporters who won’t back down, no matter what, until , maybe, we highlight exactly why they supported Labour and what Labour supports now.
@Lesley-Anne
Couldn’t agree more. It happened in Kirkcaldy. I was visiting a friend who lives near Kinghorn a couple of weeks ago, we had to take shelter in Morrisons supermarket because of the huge gang fight going on in the car park.(The fair was on)
There was a spate of dog thefts in the Inverkeithing area a couple of years ago. The perpetrators were selling them on to dog fighters to use as “bait” dogs. The thefts included two ten year old Westies belonging to a lady in her seventies who as a result had to be hospitalised.
Cameron B. Dont talk crap!
Peace!
@Lesley-Anne 10:45pm
Would you be willing to light the match and watch a 23 year old (obviously no right in the heid) burn to death?
Don’t mean to offend, but c’mon…
I don’t think CameronB was talking crap.
Well, as I’ve been saying (posting!) for over 2 years:
“The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth”.
As well as other things talking to NOs, I find they know for sure that there will be uncertainties, but really really hate being told that the uncertain is – certain.
Time for YES and the Scottish Government to face the uncertainties, and indeed welcome them.
This probably needs rewording a bit, but you get the jist!
You all seem very smug and superior. But do’nt forget it was Briton who got rid of slavery and spread out domocrasy in the world. News flash – our parlament is the Queen Mother of Parlaments. Stop been so negative. We have a lot to celibrate in this nation of our’s.
JLT@8:04pm
I lived in Plymouth for quite a few years and I can tell you that the area in red is Devonport. It is a rundown, dumping ground for all “undesirables” and others down on their luck. Unfortunately, poverty is everywhere and the poor souls who live there have no choice but whether it is the blue tories or red tories that shaft them.
@ Lesley-Anne – I know were your heart is but I lost my Father and also my dog – big, big difference
@rab_the_doubter
A Spice Girls Reunion with a Saltire plastered bus and wearing skimpy Saltire outfits. That might even persuade my NO voting daughter! (of whom I’m proud by the way).
O/T
http://nationalcollective.com/2014/05/02/formal-complaint-bbc/
“A Formal Complaint To The BBC
Dear BBC, We’re writing to submit a formal complaint regarding a lack of balance from your coverage of the “No Borders” campaign launch. We are dismayed that this criticism is even necessary, however the coverage from the BBC of the newly established “No Borders” campaign has been disproportionate, unbalanced and failed to meet basic standards of journalistic criticism, highlighting an overall trend in the independence debate coverage. We will set out the reasons for our criticism and invite you to respond.”
continues…
“We need your help to take our movement to communities across Scotland. Please donate what you can”
“Yestival – Summer of Independence”
“40% funded – 29 days left”
@Albaman
Yeah the wife and myself spotted that too
Very subtle stuff (not)
The Man in the Jar
Totally. I’m just narky. I’m not a dog owner but I think I’m human. I’m sure Lesley-Anne has had worse on her nose, and I hold no ill feeling.
Sorry again Lesley-Anne.
Bevrijdingsdag says:
@Lesley-Anne 10:45pm
Would you be willing to light the match and watch a 23 year old (obviously no right in the heid) burn to death?
Don’t mean to offend, but c’mon…
In this case Bev yes I would. There are some crimes that really stick in my craw and this utterly despicable crime is one of them. There is absolutely no excuse for what this person did.
Maybe I’m just getting a wee bit long in the tooth these days but sometimes certain crimes make my blood boil, even more so when the perpetrator gets what can only be described as a gentle slap on the wrist!
I’m not so sure I’d agree with your assessment that he was/is not right in the heid. I believe that this *ahem* stunt, for want of a better name, was purely for self gratification. Dogs like every animal that is kept as a pet deserve the right to life and none of them deserve to be killed like this poor Staffie was.
If this individual was the owner of the dog and he could no longer afford to keep it then all he had to do was contact the RSPCA and they’d help him out.
Oh not you too. The RSPCA doesn’t operate in Scotland. You need the SSPCA.
@X_Sticks
YES mobile, LOL. Mmm, might be worth co-ordinating that in places with the mobile bank (and library) visits.
@rab_the_doubter
Re Murdoch press. I agree – not a nice bunch, but, as Churchill said when the Nazis invaded Russia and Stalin became an ally, ” if Hitler invaded Hell I would at least say a few nice words in the House about Satan.”
The Sun is read by many non-political people in Scotland. Their votes are crucial.
Sorry guys, if you want our new independent Scotland to be the kind of place where you string up criminals to trees and set fire to them, then I don’t want to be a part of it.
As a smaller nation we will find that our strength comes from supporting each other. Obviously all our faiths in Scotland support this, and rabid atheists like myself will share a cup of tea – this is about our children.
@Lesley-Anne –
Sorry pal, but you are well out of order.
Are you seriously condoning the immolation of fellow human beings? Worse – you’re calling for a specific person (as yet anonymous) to be summarily executed by methods ‘we’, as a society, abandoned centuries ago?
Please have a wee think about what you’ve posted here.
You’re opening a jumbo-sized can of worms, and others will pounce on the outpourings. I understand your anger and disgust, but we’ll all have to get used to dealing with those feelings in the months ahead.
Oops! Sorry Morag, I knew what I meant unfortunately my fingers didn’t. My excuse and I’m sticking to it. 😉
I don’t want this topic to take over this thread so I’ll just finish my thoughts by saying that I understand where you are coming from Twenty14 and I agree that there is a big difference between losing a family member and losing a pet. However, as TMitJ says:
There was a spate of dog thefts in the Inverkeithing area a couple of years ago. The perpetrators were selling them on to dog fighters to use as “bait” dogs. The thefts included two ten year old Westies belonging to a lady in her seventies who as a result had to be hospitalised.
The loss of the dogs had a severe effect on this poor 70 year old. In this case it was clearly as bad as losing a a relative. To those who think I’m being a wee bit insane over this I’m sorry you don’t feel the same as me but I respect your view.
To anyone who has never had a cat or dog and lost them then you are lucky. I have had dogs in my life and it has always been the worst day of my life when they have died. Yes they are part of the family, and in my case they have almost behaved like humans in their ability to understand our needs and feelings. So to lose a pet that has been as close as this is extremely traumatic, about as close to the feelings of losing a human family member without actually doing so.
@Mary Bruce
Mary – agree.
I’m sure there’s a place for having a jurisprudential conversation about killing dogs & criminals, but is this really the place? We’re so off topic. Let’s remember that there are lots of undecided voters reading this site who look at the comments for relevant info.
I dont know the origins of this but I do believe it to be very true.
“You can judge a country by the way it treats its elderly and its animals.
I’d help burn the scum to death too.
Some people have forfeited the right to life. Things that abuse animals need to be exterminated.
Unfortunately the RSPCA get so much coverage in the MSM that most Scots don’t realise that in Scotland it is the SPCA. After Independence that hopefully will change.
OFFS please focus.
Sorry that should be SSPCA.
@ Lesley-Anne, I love being part of the wings community, a big part of that is that I can come here and rage – then someone introduces another angle, and then before you know it you are part of a re-vitalised country. Register dogs – in an Independent Scotland you will have the support of the people. In the UK you will have the owners of packs of hunting hounds decrying the waste of public money.
I also noticed Glen Campbell of BBC Scotland was still roaming Europe for some Foriegn Minister to say something negative about Scotland’s entry into the EU.
How long has he been trying to get someone to agree with him that Scotland will not be able to become a new member state of th EU.
He practically tells the Ministrs what to say.
He will keep hunting Europe on behalf of Better Together looking for that EU Minister who will tell him what he wants to hear.
And the best laugh about the whole thing is, WE are paying him to do it through our TV License.
Sorry folks. As a dog lover, I’m getting where Lesley Anne is coming from on this one. Whereas I’d much like to give this inhumane little shit a taste of his own medicine, I can see it wouldn’t go down well. Why not just tie him to a tree in a remote wood in the middle of winter and just leave him.
He’ll have plenty of time to ponder his actions before succumbing to the inevitable.
I’m afraid there are some ‘people’ I’m not interested in trying to understand.
O / T – I think that’s how its done. Disrupting threads and stuff. Has anyone got a link to Taranaich’s wilderness of peace?
Sorry if I went a bit OTT in an earlier comment. Animal abuse is an emotional subject and it can be easy to say something that you don’t mean because you are so angry.
A bit of background to dog theft. The incident in Inverkeithing involved the theft of seven dogs in one day. Around the same time in Hamilton a badly disabled wee boy was at his front window watching his terrier playing in the front garden. A man walked along the pavement and lent over the fence to clap the dog. He then lifted the dog stuck it under his jacket and ran off. Despite articles in the local press the dog was never found. It is suspected that it was stolen for to be used as a bait dog.
Bait dogs are typically small dogs as they don’t want the fighting dog to be injured. The bait dog is put into a cage and the fighting dog is encouraged to kill it by tearing it apart. This is to get them used to “the kill”
I cant imagine how would you feel knowing that your “best friend” had met such an end? It is easy to see how animal cruelty can make people so angry. Part of the problem is that the punishment for these crimes is rather light.
Not our education system, evidently.
I think some more modern legislation is required, recognising that animals, although not as sophisticated as humans, have emotions and feelings and can experience pain and terror as humans can. Add to that the very personal connection that those of us with pets are lucky enough to experience and you can see that we need something more than an offence of malicious damage.
Whilst murder would be excessive, we do need something that reflects the hurt that is caused to the animal and in many cases the owner.
After all, animal cruelty is often an indicator of psychopathic and potentially homicidal behaviour.
I had my winning Lottery ticket stolen recently.
The win was £113 million.
I reported it to the authorities who traced the ticket
and discovered the identity of the thief when he tried to claim the money.
I was asked if I would like to recover the ticket and to press charges.
But being a Unionist I said No.
I didn’t want to cause any trouble.
My finger keeps hovering over the keyboard but I draw back. For professional reasons I can’t say anything about the dog.
I understand where Lesley is coming from, and Stu said the same thing on Twitter. But we don’t have capital punishment in this country and I want it to stay that way. We need to rise above barbarism, no matter what someone may have done.
I see that the thread has changed, and really rightly so. Animal cruelty is intolerable like any kind of cruelty and something that I would like to see with an Independent Scotland are more much stringent controls over animal welfare. It wont happen if its a no vote, the rules are too lax as it is. To stamp out dog baiting etc requires resources and that means money…and education, we ain’t gonna get that with while we have to rely on westminster giving us pocket money while using our countryside for their shooting holidays.
Our people, flora and fauna, and environment need protecting big style, only a yes vote will enable that to have a chance, otherwise we are f*****d.
Ach, it’s only money. ????
youtube.com/watch?v=5F44WfZoIN4
a wee ditty – why we are a part of the future.
OT – bitter irony of the title of this post, but sad news that Elena Baltacha has died of liver cancer. She went to school in my nick of the woods while her dad played for St Johnstone, so I’ve always thought of her as a Perth girl, although she lost her accent latterly.
Her few early years in Kiev in the shadow of Chernobyl won’t have helped. Cruel world.
Och well- it was just me putting up Michael Marra’s alternative anthem.
Animal health and welfare is devolved. Thank goodness. It’s my job. The legislation is recent, and specifically Scottish. It’s a good piece of legislation and I think people should get to know it.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2006/11/contents
Really, this is an example of where devolved powers have allowed us to do a pretty good job.
Morag you are right, capital punishment never works as it can so very easily be misused to say the least.
Only education and the creation of a more responsible and caring society can minimise if not end the type of dysfunction that leads to such cruelty against living beings. We must keep away from any talk of revenge in any context, it is a wholly destructive stance and has no place in a forward looking Scotland.
Hi Morag – something I’ve wanted to ask is why we never seem to have the furore in Scotland about badgers, in relation to TB in cattle?
Nobody’s suggesting animal cruelty should not be severely dealt with, but rather questioning by whom?
Proud “Rag Doll” owner.
TJenny, the badgers in Scotland don’t have TB. Scotland is officially free of the disease. I have every sympathy with English farmers, but it’s not our problem.
Morag – interesting. Any idea why our badgers don’t have TB?
And why is it not heard about more often that we are a Badger TB free country? Och, why am I even asking?
Hetty, Morag. Thanks. You are of course both right. Whatever went on in this creature’s early life to turn him into the kind of thing that perpetrated this act may well have been preventable and it will be our duty in a new Scotland to focus heavily on the early years of our new generations to both provide a happy start to life and to watch out for problems in individuals before they cause long term damage. I’ll leave the details of how it should be done to those whose profession is in such fields. However, it’s clear that over the last thirty years and probably much further back we have lived in a system that can in too many settings be toxic for those living in it, due to the underlying inhumanity of the British/American way of life. While I’m pretty much incapable of summoning up any kind of caring thought about the perpetrator of this atrocity, I understand that he’s part of a wider ailment in our society that diminishes us all and needs urgently addressed.
Norma Morrison says
“You all seem very smug and superior. But don’t forget it was Britain who got rid of slavery and spread out democracy in the world. News flash – our parlament is the Queen Mother of Parlaments. Stop been so negative. We have a lot to cerebrate in this nation of our’s.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=didO-DHpnAE
Fixed that for you btw
Why don’t you read a book Norma, any book,
maybe you could start with Janet and John and work up to the history of the British empire as seen by the countries Britain “democratized”,
then when you’ve learnt a thing or several hundred about “SMUGNESS” you can come back and lecture us about how grateful we should be,
And if your Scottish (I’m convinced you are) why don’t you look at “Stockholm syndrome” see if you fit the description.
Sorry guys I know you were all making an effort not to feed the troll (I don’t think this one has the brains to know what a troll is)
Why dont you start with reading about the “Queen Mother of Parlaments” great great great great great great great great great great great granddaddy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Althing
manandboy says
“I had my winning Lottery ticket stolen recently.
The win was £113 million.”
Philip Hammond here
you couldn’t give us a sub could you?
James Arriere says
” sad news that Elena Baltacha has died of liver cancer.”
Such sad news I am so sorry for her family god rest her soul.
Norma Morrison you might want to google british atrocity’s before you come on here and lecture us .
Try telling the Boers or Kenyans how good and benevolent the british are .
There were 27000 Boer women and children who died in british concentration camps during the Boer war .
The atrocity’s we committed in Kenya came straight out of the gestapo handbook .
You might also want to google the Amritsar massacre or how the the british state deliberately used famine in India to help keep the natives down .
I was under the impression that Britain only went active against slavery because it was giving others such as the Americans an economic advantage over them.
TJenny, it may just be good luck we never had TB in our wildlife.
We more or less eradicated bovine TB in the 1960s. When I was a student in the 1970s I remember being told, we just have to wait for England to get rid of it in the West Country and then it’ll be gone. But they never did. Instead of getting in there feet first to eradicate the last wee pocket, MAAF got complacent and backed off. Not a big problem any more you see.
Then in 2001 testing stopped because of foot and mouth. Nobody could get on to the farms and anyway they were all too busy. Then after foot and mouth was stamped out, people had to re-stock the slaughtered-out farms. Farms in the Midlands bought stock from the West Country, and brought TB with them. That got into the wildlife there, and disaster followed.
We’ve always had a more rigorous testing regime in Scotland, and as I said we may just have got lucky. Scotland is officially a free country as regards bovine TB if nothing else! And we have compulsory testing requirements in place to make sure it stays that way.
As I said, animal health is devolved and Holyrood has generally handled it well. We’ve currently eradicating BVD and the scheme is going well, while DEFRA seems content for England to remain a pest-hole. Animal Health and Welfare legislation is specific to Scotland, and came in in 2006. It’s a good piece of legislation. It’s an area where you can say with truth that devolution has delivered the goods. The example of this one area is one of the many reasons I’m extremely keen on independence, to make sure we keep control.
Hetty isn’t right when she says the rules are too lax and we need independence to change that. The rules aren’t bad. If they are still too lax (and I think they are as regards the use of snares in particular) we already have the power to fix that. Mike Russell just decided not to.
I really wanted the Head of Nob Orders to be called Bobby or Richard.
re the TB, I’ve read that the badgers love maize, a crop we don’t grow this far north. The farmers give the cows supplements, one fed these to the badgers on his land – no TB. I’ve got the link somewhere…
http://www.naphillhorticulturalsociety.org.uk/Documents/Badgers_081208.pdf
I just read that. Sadly, it’s woo. There has been a phenomenal amount of research done on bovine TB and badgers, and would that it were that simple. It’s not.
Re Scotland being a stressed nation – I agree with that.
I had a discussion some years back with a friend saying that althoigh I didn’t think we were oppressed, we had all the symptoms aof an oppressed nation.
Prior to the 2011 Holyrood Elections it became a revelation to me and other Glaswegians that the Average Male Lifespan in the Glasgow East Constituency was – 54 years.
Not many men claiming a State Pension.
In a Glasgow Constituency virtually Owned by Old Labour and New Labour for over 80 years, the average male lifespan is testament to the old adage – ” Keep them Glum and keep them Dumb, Keep them Poor and hidden in Stoor.”
John Mason of S.N.P. held the seat as an M.P. for barely enough time to sneeze after a By-Election in Glasgow East before the local electorate CHOSE to revert to abject insanity in support of New Labour and the Brown- Darling Project.?
When they Vote to be unutterably insane, they show that they have zero respect for themselves, their Parents or their Grandparents. Certainly Zero respect for those few Grand-Fathers who have managed to survive the ministrations of Old and New Labour in Glasgow and Westminster.
Father, at 54 years old – Rest in Peace – in Glasgow East?
Independence has few friends in Glasgow East.
However, during a televised debate hosted by Victoria Derbyshire for B.B.C. in Glasgow I was very impressed by a younger man from that benighted area who showed passion and a fervent desire to change the Glasgow East mind-set.
The S.N.P. Should have Recruited that man and the young lady who Chose to Change her mind from “no” TO ” YES ” on Nationwide television in an Independence Debate.
We will only get Change when we Vote for Change.
Evidently the Voters in Glasgow East demand Poverty and a short Life over any Change. Sad, so Sad.
Incidentally, I have Never been a Member of Any Political Party. Never.
Paula, I’ve put Wilderness of Peace as my click thingy (click the name on comments). If you’re having trouble, here:
http://wildernessofpeace.wordpress.com/
Taranaich, oh, that’s clever!