Sorry, its been two months since you last heard from me. I have a poor excuse, I have been busy with other things, hopefully I can build up some momentum over the summer months.
Today, the Coalition government will deliver its 'Emergency Budget', we really are in a financial mess just now and the situation is replicated across Europe. I know that we will all be affected by some of the things announced today. I know the public sector will take a big hit, but not as big as in Ireland where many public sector workers have experienced pay cuts of around 15%. We are all aware of the situation in Greece, Spain and Portugal. I am so pleased that we are not one of the countries using the Euro as I fear the Eurozone may suffer much more than us.
The house is like a hotel just now, with so many comings and goings. It is so nice to see people and that they want to come to Edinburgh. Sorry, this post is rather short, I may get back tomorrow to comment on the Budget.
Monday, 21 June 2010
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
We got Change!
Well dear people, after a very exciting few days we now have a new government. The last few days have highlighted the best and the worst of our current political system. I must first of all pay tribute to the negotiators for both the Conservatives and the Lib Dems who have worked so hard to arrive at the situation we now have. This change has the potential to reshape the British political landscape forever.
Five days seemed like an eternity, however it was better to get it right in a timely manner, as they say 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread'. Monday was a particularly difficult day with Messrs Mandelson and Campbell trying to scupper thigs by encouraging Gordon Brown to resign, hoping that would instigate a Lib - Lab pact. Clinging on to power at any cost was not what Britain needed and thank goodness it is not what we got. Gordon Brown, in his resignation speech, came across more statesman like than at any other time I heard him speak. Perhaps as the pressure was lifted he was more able to relax and be himself.
The next 48 hours should be time enough for us to see who will fill the Cabinet and ministerial ranks. I was delighted to hear the announcement of Osborne as Chancellor and Hague as Foreign Secretary, filling two of the three great offices of state within minutes of taking office should assure the City that things are under control.
I look forward, with great interest, to the next few days. I will hopefully update you with my views as things develop.
Five days seemed like an eternity, however it was better to get it right in a timely manner, as they say 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread'. Monday was a particularly difficult day with Messrs Mandelson and Campbell trying to scupper thigs by encouraging Gordon Brown to resign, hoping that would instigate a Lib - Lab pact. Clinging on to power at any cost was not what Britain needed and thank goodness it is not what we got. Gordon Brown, in his resignation speech, came across more statesman like than at any other time I heard him speak. Perhaps as the pressure was lifted he was more able to relax and be himself.
The next 48 hours should be time enough for us to see who will fill the Cabinet and ministerial ranks. I was delighted to hear the announcement of Osborne as Chancellor and Hague as Foreign Secretary, filling two of the three great offices of state within minutes of taking office should assure the City that things are under control.
I look forward, with great interest, to the next few days. I will hopefully update you with my views as things develop.
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Election Fever
Now dear reader, we are in the final two days before the inhabitants of this sceptred isle chooses it political leaders for the next parliamentary term (however long that term will be is anyone's guess). During the last three weeks I have spent much of my spare time poiunding the streets of Edinburgh delivering leaflets, talking on the doorstep and attended many hustings. One thing I do know is that the public has an appetite for change. The opinion polls have spent much of the time predicting a hung parliament. As the day gets nearr we are seeing the polls starting to predict the possibility of an overall winner.
I firmly believe that we need an outcome that gives a political party a strong mandate to deal with the situation this country is in. I am convinced that a hung parliament is bad for Britain, particularly at this time. We need a decisive team running the country and we need a fresh team. The current administration is tired and has run out of ideas. The only recommendation I can give to anyone in these last days is this, 'Go out and vote on Thursday 6th May!'
Thank you dear reader, and please do vote. Hopefully, I will get back to you on Friday when we can discuss the result.
I firmly believe that we need an outcome that gives a political party a strong mandate to deal with the situation this country is in. I am convinced that a hung parliament is bad for Britain, particularly at this time. We need a decisive team running the country and we need a fresh team. The current administration is tired and has run out of ideas. The only recommendation I can give to anyone in these last days is this, 'Go out and vote on Thursday 6th May!'
Thank you dear reader, and please do vote. Hopefully, I will get back to you on Friday when we can discuss the result.
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Deluded Nationalist Parties
Well dear people two posts in two days. There is nothing like a general election campaign to light my fire.
I listened to a Welsh man earlier today, Ieuan Wyn Jones, the Leader of Plaid Cymru telling Radio 4 that if his party can get sufficient MPs elected, with the SNP they will hold the balance of power in Westminster and negotiate on a vote by vote basis with the majority to get more money out of Westminster for Wales and Scotland respectively.
Now, I thought to myself, we have one of the worst financial situations ever, money is short and we can expect cuts everywhere. This leads me to believe that both party leaders are seriously deluded if they really do see any truth in these statements. I cannot imagine either Gordon Brown or David Cameron agreeing to one single extra penny leaving Westminster for Scotland or Wales in the next five years.
Now, I am not saying that MPs from these parties will not be best to represent the interests of their respective countries and constituents but they certainly will not extract more money from Westminster. I say put this issue aside and look at the real issues affecting not just Scotland and Wales but the whole of Great Britain.
I hope a SNP parliamentary candidate knocks on my door to pour forth this theory, I will certainly enjoy the debate.
When I lived in Newcastle we used the expression 'I will show my backside in Fenwicks window if that happens' (Fenwick Ltd is Newcastle's equivalent to Jenners). Perhaps I need to ask the question, What time does Jenners open on 7th May? (Just in case I have got it all wrong).
Till the next time dear reader.
I listened to a Welsh man earlier today, Ieuan Wyn Jones, the Leader of Plaid Cymru telling Radio 4 that if his party can get sufficient MPs elected, with the SNP they will hold the balance of power in Westminster and negotiate on a vote by vote basis with the majority to get more money out of Westminster for Wales and Scotland respectively.
Now, I thought to myself, we have one of the worst financial situations ever, money is short and we can expect cuts everywhere. This leads me to believe that both party leaders are seriously deluded if they really do see any truth in these statements. I cannot imagine either Gordon Brown or David Cameron agreeing to one single extra penny leaving Westminster for Scotland or Wales in the next five years.
Now, I am not saying that MPs from these parties will not be best to represent the interests of their respective countries and constituents but they certainly will not extract more money from Westminster. I say put this issue aside and look at the real issues affecting not just Scotland and Wales but the whole of Great Britain.
I hope a SNP parliamentary candidate knocks on my door to pour forth this theory, I will certainly enjoy the debate.
When I lived in Newcastle we used the expression 'I will show my backside in Fenwicks window if that happens' (Fenwick Ltd is Newcastle's equivalent to Jenners). Perhaps I need to ask the question, What time does Jenners open on 7th May? (Just in case I have got it all wrong).
Till the next time dear reader.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Vote for Change!
The Westminster Election cometh!
I have not blogged for an eternity, have been so busy living life to the full.
I found this wonderful quote from Lord Macaulay on a friend's facebook page:
There is not, and there never was on this earth, a work of human policy so well deserving of examination as the Roman Catholic Church. The history of that Church joins together the two great ages of human civilisation. No other institution is left standing which carries the mind back to the times when the smoke of sacrifice rose from the Pantheon, and when camelopards and tigers bounded in the Flavian amphitheatre. The proudest royal houses are but of yesterday, when compared with the line of the Supreme Pontiffs. That line we trace back in an unbroken series, from the Pope who crowned Napoleon in the nineteenth century to the Pope who crowned Pepin in the eighth; and far beyond the time of Pepin the august dynasty extends, till it is lost in the twilight of fable. The republic of Venice came next in antiquity. But the republic of Venice was modern when compared with the Papacy; and the republic of Venice is gone, and the Papacy remains. The Papacy remains, not in decay, not a mere antique, but full of life and youthful vigour. The Catholic Church is still sending forth to the farthest ends of the world missionaries as zealous as those who landed in Kent with Augustine, and still confronting hostile kings with the same spirit with which she confronted Attila. The number of her children is greater than in any former age. Her acquisitions in the New World have more than compensated for what she has lost in the Old. Her spiritual ascendancy extends over the vast countries which lie between the plains of the Missouri and Cape Horn, countries which a century hence, may not improbably contain a population as large as that which now inhabits Europe. Nor do we see any sign which indicates that the term of her long dominion is approaching. She saw the commencement of all the governments and of all the ecclesiastical establishments that now exist in the world; and we feel no assurance that she is not destined to see the end of them all. She was great and respected before the Saxon had set foot on Britain, before the Frank had passed the Rhine, when Grecian eloquence still flourished at Antioch, when idols were still worshipped in the temple of Mecca. And she may still exist in undiminished vigour when some traveller from New Zealand shall, in the midst of a vast solitude, take his stand on a broken arch of London Bridge to sketch the ruins of St. Paul’s.
-Lord Macaulay
Now, given the current problems affecting the Holy Roman Church today in relation to child abuse and how badly it has been handled globally, one wonders how close we are to witnessing a traveller from New Zealand taking his stand on a broken arch of London Bridge to sketch the ruins of St. Paul's. One thing which I do know is that if the residents of the United Kingdom remain apathetic towards politics we will get closer to such a ruinous situation. I do not intend to tell anyone how they should vote. In this blog you may arrive at a fairly certain conclusion of my voting intentions, however all I will say to you dear readers is 'Go out and vote'.
From now until May 6th we will hear soundbites, read propaganda from all of the political parties and be inundated with information from every form of media imaginable. Five years ago we were not blogging, facebooking or using twitter. This is the first UK election in history that has such a vast array of media available to communicate with the electorate. Another first is the live television debates between the leaders of the three main UK parties.
I have lived in Scotland for less than two years and I now realise how the political parties in Westminster are so centred on English issues, they appear to forget that Health, Justice, Education and many other important parts of their brief are now exclusive to England, having devolved these responsibilities from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly. I now realise that during this election campaign Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish residents are simply not interested in what Westminster politicians have to say on these matters.
A note to the political party leaders, think very carefully about what you have to offer the residents of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I know in depth what the current administration is doing about education, health and justice. Give us a message that informs us what your party is offering those not resident in England.
We must also remember that the right to vote is privlege which was fought for and cost some their lives, particularly women who were first given the right to vote in 1918.
I would like to see a change of administration in this election, we have seen many changes since LAbour came to power in 1997, some good, some not so good and some extremely bad. Today, the Leader of the Labour party promised a referendum on reform of the House of Lords and on voting reforms (including a fixed term parliament). Leaders of political parties only propose reform on voting if the current system appears to threaten them. First past the post has been the status quo in Westminster and is always pushed to the bottom of the list of reforms when a party has a decent working majority. Last time around Labour promised a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, that promise was not fulfilled.
Now kind reader, I rest my case for today and leave you with one thought - 'please go out and vote on May 6th'.
I have not blogged for an eternity, have been so busy living life to the full.
I found this wonderful quote from Lord Macaulay on a friend's facebook page:
There is not, and there never was on this earth, a work of human policy so well deserving of examination as the Roman Catholic Church. The history of that Church joins together the two great ages of human civilisation. No other institution is left standing which carries the mind back to the times when the smoke of sacrifice rose from the Pantheon, and when camelopards and tigers bounded in the Flavian amphitheatre. The proudest royal houses are but of yesterday, when compared with the line of the Supreme Pontiffs. That line we trace back in an unbroken series, from the Pope who crowned Napoleon in the nineteenth century to the Pope who crowned Pepin in the eighth; and far beyond the time of Pepin the august dynasty extends, till it is lost in the twilight of fable. The republic of Venice came next in antiquity. But the republic of Venice was modern when compared with the Papacy; and the republic of Venice is gone, and the Papacy remains. The Papacy remains, not in decay, not a mere antique, but full of life and youthful vigour. The Catholic Church is still sending forth to the farthest ends of the world missionaries as zealous as those who landed in Kent with Augustine, and still confronting hostile kings with the same spirit with which she confronted Attila. The number of her children is greater than in any former age. Her acquisitions in the New World have more than compensated for what she has lost in the Old. Her spiritual ascendancy extends over the vast countries which lie between the plains of the Missouri and Cape Horn, countries which a century hence, may not improbably contain a population as large as that which now inhabits Europe. Nor do we see any sign which indicates that the term of her long dominion is approaching. She saw the commencement of all the governments and of all the ecclesiastical establishments that now exist in the world; and we feel no assurance that she is not destined to see the end of them all. She was great and respected before the Saxon had set foot on Britain, before the Frank had passed the Rhine, when Grecian eloquence still flourished at Antioch, when idols were still worshipped in the temple of Mecca. And she may still exist in undiminished vigour when some traveller from New Zealand shall, in the midst of a vast solitude, take his stand on a broken arch of London Bridge to sketch the ruins of St. Paul’s.
-Lord Macaulay
Now, given the current problems affecting the Holy Roman Church today in relation to child abuse and how badly it has been handled globally, one wonders how close we are to witnessing a traveller from New Zealand taking his stand on a broken arch of London Bridge to sketch the ruins of St. Paul's. One thing which I do know is that if the residents of the United Kingdom remain apathetic towards politics we will get closer to such a ruinous situation. I do not intend to tell anyone how they should vote. In this blog you may arrive at a fairly certain conclusion of my voting intentions, however all I will say to you dear readers is 'Go out and vote'.
From now until May 6th we will hear soundbites, read propaganda from all of the political parties and be inundated with information from every form of media imaginable. Five years ago we were not blogging, facebooking or using twitter. This is the first UK election in history that has such a vast array of media available to communicate with the electorate. Another first is the live television debates between the leaders of the three main UK parties.
I have lived in Scotland for less than two years and I now realise how the political parties in Westminster are so centred on English issues, they appear to forget that Health, Justice, Education and many other important parts of their brief are now exclusive to England, having devolved these responsibilities from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly. I now realise that during this election campaign Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish residents are simply not interested in what Westminster politicians have to say on these matters.
A note to the political party leaders, think very carefully about what you have to offer the residents of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I know in depth what the current administration is doing about education, health and justice. Give us a message that informs us what your party is offering those not resident in England.
We must also remember that the right to vote is privlege which was fought for and cost some their lives, particularly women who were first given the right to vote in 1918.
I would like to see a change of administration in this election, we have seen many changes since LAbour came to power in 1997, some good, some not so good and some extremely bad. Today, the Leader of the Labour party promised a referendum on reform of the House of Lords and on voting reforms (including a fixed term parliament). Leaders of political parties only propose reform on voting if the current system appears to threaten them. First past the post has been the status quo in Westminster and is always pushed to the bottom of the list of reforms when a party has a decent working majority. Last time around Labour promised a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, that promise was not fulfilled.
Now kind reader, I rest my case for today and leave you with one thought - 'please go out and vote on May 6th'.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Normal Service Resumes!
Hey ho good people.
After my last post, a serious rant, I am in a much more calm state as I write this blog. I still frimyl believe that everything in my previous rant is valid but maybe could have been articulated more eloquently. I hope this light hearted sojourn is more acceptable to you all.
first of all lets think about Rush, my whippet. He has gone through some difficult times of late. It all started before Chrstmas when he was constantly scratching his face. He managed to wear away the hair around his eyes and had part of his snout bleeding. First visit to the vet resulted in piritn and steroids. I had visions of my whippet becoming a bulldog, especially as he started lifting dumb bells! Anyway, this did no good. He has since been sedated on two occasions and had scrapes and incisions, I still await the final results. He is a brave wee soul and does not make much fuss, additionally he does not shy away from visits to the vet. When a definitive result is known I will share it.
A few weeks ago I went to the cinema to see Nine with my dear friend Jan. Wew both enjoyed the movie. I am currently looking forward to seeing 'The boys are Back' which has had rave reviews. Avatar is also on the list but i need to organise myself properly to fit it in.
Last week a dear frriend of mine died, his funeral is on Thursday and I will go down to Sunderland for it. His illness has been quite public on facebook, which is quite a good thing in many ways. Unfortunately some tasteless posts regarding after funeral drinks and partying have soured things slightly with some people trying to score points against each other. The only good thing is that Colin would probably find the whole thing hilarious - requiem in pace.
I had a good weekend in Newcastle with some good friends and enjoyed a good lunch in Switch my usual Sunday lunch venue in Newcastle. This week has been quite full with trips to Glasgow, Fife, Lanarkshire and Forth Valley already. Tomorrow going south and Friday in Dumfries.
Politically things are hotting up on the British scene with all three major party's making every effort to gain headlines. More to follow. The Chilcott enquiry is peaking at the moment with Blair last Friday and Claire Short today, interesting stuff but what will we gain from it? After all, its an enquiry not a court room no-one will be prosecuted. Hopefully, our political masters will learn from it - I have my doubts.
Around the time of Burns night I attended dinner parties two nights in a row. On both evening I met two different ladies who had experienced in-patient hospital care in the same hospital ward for similar procedures. Their accounts of their experiences were so stark it was impossible they had experienced health care in the same country let alone the same hospital, it only goes to prove that expectation is a great influence on experience.
I need to sign off now - hope to get back to you all soon.
Bye for now.
Jimbo
After my last post, a serious rant, I am in a much more calm state as I write this blog. I still frimyl believe that everything in my previous rant is valid but maybe could have been articulated more eloquently. I hope this light hearted sojourn is more acceptable to you all.
first of all lets think about Rush, my whippet. He has gone through some difficult times of late. It all started before Chrstmas when he was constantly scratching his face. He managed to wear away the hair around his eyes and had part of his snout bleeding. First visit to the vet resulted in piritn and steroids. I had visions of my whippet becoming a bulldog, especially as he started lifting dumb bells! Anyway, this did no good. He has since been sedated on two occasions and had scrapes and incisions, I still await the final results. He is a brave wee soul and does not make much fuss, additionally he does not shy away from visits to the vet. When a definitive result is known I will share it.
A few weeks ago I went to the cinema to see Nine with my dear friend Jan. Wew both enjoyed the movie. I am currently looking forward to seeing 'The boys are Back' which has had rave reviews. Avatar is also on the list but i need to organise myself properly to fit it in.
Last week a dear frriend of mine died, his funeral is on Thursday and I will go down to Sunderland for it. His illness has been quite public on facebook, which is quite a good thing in many ways. Unfortunately some tasteless posts regarding after funeral drinks and partying have soured things slightly with some people trying to score points against each other. The only good thing is that Colin would probably find the whole thing hilarious - requiem in pace.
I had a good weekend in Newcastle with some good friends and enjoyed a good lunch in Switch my usual Sunday lunch venue in Newcastle. This week has been quite full with trips to Glasgow, Fife, Lanarkshire and Forth Valley already. Tomorrow going south and Friday in Dumfries.
Politically things are hotting up on the British scene with all three major party's making every effort to gain headlines. More to follow. The Chilcott enquiry is peaking at the moment with Blair last Friday and Claire Short today, interesting stuff but what will we gain from it? After all, its an enquiry not a court room no-one will be prosecuted. Hopefully, our political masters will learn from it - I have my doubts.
Around the time of Burns night I attended dinner parties two nights in a row. On both evening I met two different ladies who had experienced in-patient hospital care in the same hospital ward for similar procedures. Their accounts of their experiences were so stark it was impossible they had experienced health care in the same country let alone the same hospital, it only goes to prove that expectation is a great influence on experience.
I need to sign off now - hope to get back to you all soon.
Bye for now.
Jimbo
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Lunatics take over the asylum
I apologise to anyone with mental health problems if they find the title of this post offensive. I am absolutely irate this evening after a visit to Tesco Extra on Great Junction Street. It is not the first time I have visited this store and witnessed a small number of children aged circa 8 - 12 yrs causing havoc. A few months ago someone was riding a bicycle around the store. I asked the security guard why he had not removed the person. apparently he is not allowed to, he can only instruct them to leave and is not allowed to physically remove them from the store, if he does they can accuse him of physically attacking them. This evening two people were sitting in the two piles of baskets inside the entrance to the store, genuine customers were unable to get baskets and the security man could only ask them to move.
Members of the public in the store appear to prefer to be ambivolent towards this situation rather than challenge it head on. I believe that the police, tesco security staff and all of their customers have a responsibility to help maintain a safe environment when we shop. To ignore this small number of people who behave in an anti-social manner is to condone their behaviour. We need to challenge it, otherwise it will only get worse.
I understand that these young people live in a block of flats between Great Junction Street and The Shore, many people say it would be a good thing if the block of flats was blown up. i can only add that when they are blown up we should ensure that the majority of the current residents are still in them.
Now, people of Edinburgh, of Scotland, of Great Britain we all need to take up some responsibility for challenging anti social behaviour, additionally we need to etition our politicians to have the current law changed to enable and empower security staff to be able to use reasonable force to remove people from private premises when they are causing a nuisance. If we all sit back and do nothing it will get worse and we will only be able to blame ourselves for doing nothing. In short, the management of the asylum needs to regain control, otherwise anarchy will rule forever.
I hope to get back to you soon with a more down to earth update on how life continues for me in Edinburgh.
Members of the public in the store appear to prefer to be ambivolent towards this situation rather than challenge it head on. I believe that the police, tesco security staff and all of their customers have a responsibility to help maintain a safe environment when we shop. To ignore this small number of people who behave in an anti-social manner is to condone their behaviour. We need to challenge it, otherwise it will only get worse.
I understand that these young people live in a block of flats between Great Junction Street and The Shore, many people say it would be a good thing if the block of flats was blown up. i can only add that when they are blown up we should ensure that the majority of the current residents are still in them.
Now, people of Edinburgh, of Scotland, of Great Britain we all need to take up some responsibility for challenging anti social behaviour, additionally we need to etition our politicians to have the current law changed to enable and empower security staff to be able to use reasonable force to remove people from private premises when they are causing a nuisance. If we all sit back and do nothing it will get worse and we will only be able to blame ourselves for doing nothing. In short, the management of the asylum needs to regain control, otherwise anarchy will rule forever.
I hope to get back to you soon with a more down to earth update on how life continues for me in Edinburgh.
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