Tag: Politics

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Glasgow. How bizarre. Especially when you compare this news to the list of the most deprived areas in Scotland. The top ten are all in….Glasgow. Definetly looks like an us and them attitude – pretty poor that the council spokesman gets all excited about some crap broadband award but fails to speak on the poverty issue.

As an aside, the website detailing the poorest places (called the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)) is actually very impressive. Requires a plugin but well worth the 2 meg download, although I can think of far better ways of spending the exec’s money.

Ghost Town

Voted yesterday in the Euro elections. First time in the new house. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was – the guy taking my name was checking off those who had voted and from what I could see there was only 5 or 6 names ticked out of around 30 on a page and this was at 7:30PM. Shocker. We reckoned in the office that someone only needs around 1 in 10 people to vote for them to get elected. Thats 1 in 10 of the whole population, not just those that voted. Yikes. Looking at the results, thankfully the BNP have taking a kicking and it looks like Labour have suffered badly – and finally they are admitting it’s due to Iraq. The tories must be kicking themselves – the first time in years that they get to turn the knife into Labour and the UKIP turn up and nab some of their vote. Stop laughing at the back.

Good to see Libdem’s gaining also – might reduce some of the snide comments Charles Kennedy has had to put up with.

Orange Walk

Why were they walking last Saturday? In fact, why do they walk. They attract nothing but trouble wherever they go – most of the folk walking alongside are pissed out of their heads. Its about time the marches were stopped for good. A few months ago a Sunday Herald article took the head of the Orange Order in Scotland to task for the disruption and police costs that the marches cause. He argued that it wasn’t the lodge members but those that chose to march with the Order – he also said they were in the majority.

Well sorry, but thats just bollocks. Saturdays march involved around 8-10 bands. Before they set off around 50-60 men decided they had to relieve themselves before starting. Did they find toilets. Did they hell. Jumped into an office complex and relieved themselves against walls, doors and cars. Were they hangers on – nope. Suited and booted with Orange sashes. And the police just watched. I cannot wait to move from this area – hopefully Saturday is the last time I need to listen to the drum at 8:30AM.

IDS out?

It’s not really fair having a laugh at the Tories – even with Labour as dire as they are they still can’t mount a credible opposition. But is seems IDS is on his way out after a leadership vote was called. I don’t think there’s been a poor opposition leader in recent times, although Foot and Kinnock weren�t too hot. I can’t see IDS hanging on but more depressing for British politics is I can’t see a worthy successor either. Labour for third term?!

Chancers

Just watched a BBC Scotland documentary called Chancers. The programme follows the Airborne Initiative which tries to help persistent young offenders and change their ways. What struck me was the determination and faith that some of the Airborne workers had and just how difficult their job is. I thought my day-to-day job offers challenges and problems – theirs is an absolute nightmare. Constant abuse, threats of violence, persistent drug-taking and a total lack of discipline and respect yet throughout the course they must show they have belief in the offenders. And looking at the Airborne website I’ve seen the salaries offered – that�s a low wage for the stress they go through.

More desperate are the offenders themselves. Even though they are in last chance saloon they still push their luck taking rules to the extreme. Some of the behaviour……can’t put it into words.

But what�s left me confused is how best to deal with the offenders? Lock up and throw away the key? More initiatives like Airborne? Just don’t know which is why it’s so difficult to fix.

The West Wing

Just watching last weeks episode. And by the way before I start on the praise its a woo-hoo to Graeme for recording it for me and a boo for Channel 4 for dumping the last series in a graveyard shift while at the same time pumping shite like The Games all last week.

Anyway….enough of the digression. The West Wing is the best prog on TV at the moment. Even a poor episode is better than most of the other drivel on at the moment. Its only flaw is that everyone that works in the Whitehouse is good and has no real flaws….apart from lying about their health. Add a few darker characters within the administration and it would be top smart.