Yesterday the licensing man from Dundee Council went down the taxi ranks ordering saltires and yes stickers removed from the taxis. (would he have ordered No stickers removed as well? We can never be sure as there weren’t any.)
Having missed the train to my Cupar meeting last night, I got in a taxi (it’s not far) and the taxi driver was giving his side of the story. He said he told the council man that “There is an argument that he was within his rights to tell me to remove the sticker, but when he told me to take off my lapel badge, I told him that he was infringing my absolute right to freedom of speech under article ten of the European Convention.”
This campaign has been the most uplifting experience imaginable. It will not be possible to put the people back in the box of media-induced apathy after this.
One of the most unexpectedly invigorating aspects of the campaign is that in packed town hall meetings, I have been sharing the platform with people who are not good public speakers. If that sounds paradoxical, it is because often they have never done any public speaking before. Yesterday in Cupar there was an excellent lady who works in the NHS who had a deep knowledge of its workings and of the threats from privatization of its services, including the mechanisms by which these privatisations were being advanced. She believed that after a No vote it would not be possible for the Scottish NHS to continue to be insulated from some of these trends, and she explained why she felt that.
There was no polish to her quiet delivery, but her heartfelt sincerity and the depth of her knowledge held the audience in intent silence. She had never spoken in public before. It was truly inspiring.
The substance of the campaign is people in local communities actually talking to each other about what is important to their communities and they way their society is organized. I have never seen anything to compare this to. No wonder the politicians have no idea how to counter it. The happy lack of hierarchical power structures in the campaign on the ground seems to relate to the fact that so many women are coming forward as speakers – for the third time, I was the only male on the panel yesterday.
Better Together have women too of course. Just in case anyone has been living under a rock and hasn’t seen it, here is the Saatchi and Saatchi produced Better Together broadcast that set the campaign on fire. The many spoofs are great, but I think nothing quite equals the sheer comic genius of the original.
I have added this picture as pro-government commenters have started to come on the site with their ridiculous propaganda claims that NATO killed very few people in its 398 bombing raids on Sirte. What you see is just one street of scores in similar condition. You can believe your eyes or the propaganda.
“Your only hope is stuffing ballot boxes, to which you will doubtless resort”
Much planning going into policing the ballot. After Labour’s victory in Glenrothes (the marked up register disappeared, gosh how unlucky) I’m advised that I must be mounted on my 125cc scooter and ready to follow the van carrying the ballot boxes hither and thither until they get to the count. Exciting – I’m going to feel a bit like Matt Damon in the Bourne Identity.
The proof is in the bombing indeed, as W. Penney spent a lot of time
working out the affects of bombs and explosives on the surrounding area of the target site as well as its effects on human flesh.
Hence it is a matter of simple arithmetic;
Planners, that is those organising the bomb runs, for the jet jockeys to proceed to bomb the designated targets. These planners have the geography of the area in mind, they also have the demography of the said area in mind. They then take account of the kill range of their ordnance, as well as its effective range, ie maim and injure severely radius of the chosen weapon type.
Thus the bombing runs are carried out based on these gruesome calculations of how many dead are these going to produce?
Those ghouls exactly know how many they are going to kill to a man, before a jet is airborne. However to keep the ordinary man in his stupor, and keep the stupid happy an on side, out come the ridiculously low and more “acceptable” figures of the dead for the media, that is then recorded as “historical facts”. This excercise effectively paving the way for the next campaign of mass murder, because no one really got to know how many were killed in the first place.
Fact that bombs and ordnance cost money and have to be put to use effectively somehow is never mentioned, because an effective use of killing industry product means deaths on industrial scale. This somehow dose not go along with the sinecure of; freedom, democracy and mum’s apple pie. Hence the under-reporting of the deaths by a huge margin, as the perpetrators are sure; dead men never talk!
Funny that the opaque transparency of the tonnage of bombs is another little secret that is never probed, after all the tonnage of bombs can then be compared to the standards of the ultimate evil WWII and the resulting parities could open up a whole host of unwanted cans of worm.
So yes Craig can prove the numbers of dead, and be pretty accurate about it all, all he needs is to find the tonnage of bombs, and the estimated kill ratio, and pretty soon can reveal how many corpses were produced so that some investor can get a pretty good return on their shares in the killing industry.
Really, OSCE monitors are needed. A disintegrating state like Britain cannot be trusted, especially now that it’s been taken in hand by US coup-plotters.
MJ
“A while back Craig revealed that at some point during his tenure as an ambassador he was offered an honour, which he turned down because of his commitment to Scottish independence.”
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If memory serves, Craig turned down a VO (Victorian Order – it may have been an MVO – given to diplomats en poste for helping to arrange a Royal visit) not because of his commitment to Scottish independence but because he is a republican.
“Res diss, you fucking liar.”
you lose the argument – next please
Removal of the Saltire is not a new thing, fire engines in 2012 were forced to remove the the Saltire from their front grills,if memory serves me it was the Grampian region.
You’re spot on Craig regarding, public debating here there and everywhere, the grassroots campaign by the yes camp (not the no camp as they have to bus up grassroots campaigners from down south)has been nothing short of remarkable.
People all across Scotland and in all walks of life are now politically awake so to speak, men like Ivan McKee and Stewart Hosie, have inspired others to take to the dais.
I wonder if this is how Scots felt during the “Age of Enlightenment” Voltaire, once said, of Scotland.
“We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.”
Maybe just maybe, an independent Scotland could lead the way again.
Caught lying, res diss flounces archly away.
Wouldn’t know Bayesian inference if it dressed up like Jimmy Savile and watched you bathe.
Craig; Other than morale boosting, can you provide features, as well as benefits of independence? Possible unintended consequences?
Former CIA contractor Steven Kelley says that the ISIL terrorist group is a completely fabricated enemy created and funded by the United States.
“This is a completely fabricated enemy,” he said in a phone interview with Press TV from Anaheim, California on Thursday.
“The funding is completely from the United States and its allies and for people to think that this enemy is something that needs to be attacked in Syria or Iraq is a farce because obviously this is something that we created, we control and only now it has become inconvenient for us to attack this group as a legitimate enemy,”
He made the remarks as US President Barack Obama is under pressure to seek congressional approval before expanding Washington’s military air campaign against ISIL targets from Iraq into neighboring Syria.
The Pentagon has already launched at least 100 airstrikes on ISIL positions in northern Iraq since Obama authorized the use of force against the terrorist group earlier this month.
A western backed terrorist regime,why am I not surprised.
Idiot
If you were to bother looking at the article you highlight rather more closely you will see that writer is not forecasting a yes win – and indeed he is saying that the most likely outcome is a defeat – look at the normal curve showing the distribution of probable outcomes. Once you have understood the basic concepts and learnt some basic manners then we might get onto discussing whether the Bayesian inference applies in these circumstances – but I somehow doubt that it is within your intellectual and moral capacity.
Craig; Other than morale boosting, can you provide features, as well as benefits of independence? Possible unintended consequences?
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Ben
Firstly Scotland will be rid of one layer of needless government namely Westminster, with this we will also thankfully jettison the preposterous House of Lords, these 800 odd fat cats, and 20 odd more David Cameron created recently, will no longer feed from the Scottish trough.
Independence will allow Scotland to make its own decisions regarding whats best for its people, infrastructure and many other areas, it won’t be all sweetness and light there will be some tough decisions to make as well.
Thanks RoS,; I understand the dream of independence. I just don’t understand how the New Boss will be different from the Old.
There’s a lot of ways of making an omelette, but they are still made from eggs. I want to know what breed of chicken will come out when it hatches.
There is no predictor, except human nature.
These guys usually have a rather better appreciation of statistics than our friends
http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/scottish-independence/referendum-outcome
However, if you think that abusing no voters will improve the chances of the yes campaign then please feel free to follow your inclination.
The UK has it’s own version of US Constitution, but even the excellent lawyers and statesmen could not prevent lawyers from diddling with Common Law, the basis of the Constitution. They fixed it with Admiralty Law to do an end-run around Common Law. There is always those who want to force their own kind of outcome,
___________________
‘If memory serves, Craig turned down a VO (Victorian Order – it may have been an MVO – given to diplomats en poste for helping to arrange a Royal visit) not because of his commitment to Scottish independence but because he is a republican.’
Whereas you bowed or knelt before the ‘Queen’ for your CMG. How many arses had to be licked to get that bauble? Do you dress up in the rig at home? Do let us see a pic. We need a laugh.
RoS
Does it slightly worry you that post any independence Scotland would in effect be left with only two tiers of Government and (I think) no second chamber, with the lower tier almost entirely beholden to the first tier for its funding. Not many checks and balances there especially given that it would be difficult to claim that the SNP has been much of a force for decentralisation while in power?
Aww, how cute, innumerate chav trying to be supercilious! At least you learned to parrot the word ‘dis-tri-BU-tion’ since your last linkless lie. Good Boy! Inbred City of London pedo serfs never really learn probability, do they. It’s a feudal atavism, after all, and not a meritocracy.
You lack motivation. All right then. Explain the distinction between Bayesian and probabilist approaches and how it relates to trend assessment, and I’ll give you peek into the toilets at Charterhouse.
I see the old Zionist devil Henry Kissinger has a new book, coming out on the 9th of September, called “World Order.”
Thanks RoS,; I understand the dream of independence. I just don’t understand how the New Boss will be different from the Old.
There’s a lot of ways of making an omelette, but they are still made from eggs. I want to know what breed of chicken will come out when it hatches.
There is no predictor, except human nature.
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Ben I see your point.
Independence is about controlling Scotland’s finances, and spending them as we best see fit in Scotland for Scots. Of course there will be some corruption every government has some, but Westminster is unfortunately corrupt to the core.
What kind of chicken you ask, well I feel Scotland is a country left of centre regarding politics, UK Labour once held that position, but now they’re as far right as the Tories, when it comes to policy making.
” So yes Craig can prove the numbers of dead, and be pretty accurate about it all, all he needs is to find the tonnage of bombs, and the estimated kill ratio ”
Utter rubbish. This was the method used in the late 1930’s to predict civilian casualties during The Blitz and which proved to hopelessly wrong. The RAF and USAAF dropped 3,900 tons of bombs on Dresden killing between 23,000 and 25,000 on the other hand Operation Linebacker II in 1972 saw 20,000 tons of high explosive dropped on Hanoi for around 1,600 deaths.
The only sure way is to count the dead and missing.
Opinion polls and bookmakers (I’m not certain legalising these in Scotland in the early-60s was a good thing). Wow they’re authoritative indeed. Tell me Resident Dissident, if I may call you that, how come you have such a finger on the pulse, or is it a hand in the purse of all matters Scottish? I thought you were our Lvov correspondent, au fait with all things Banderist, coming after a stint as Zionist mouthpiece in residence, alternating with habbaduk, can I ask, is their any area of the world, any field of science, of economics, etc. in which you are not Resident Expert, I’m sure it would be a shorter list than those in which you are?
“What kind of chicken you ask, well I feel Scotland is a country left of centre regarding politics”
Yeah, I thought Obama was left-of-center, but governance brings the pale horse of compromise. Many feel that is a noble objective; doing good versus doing the perfect. I’ve found it disappointing, RoS.
RoS
Does it slightly worry you that post any independence Scotland would in effect be left with only two tiers of Government and (I think) no second chamber, with the lower tier almost entirely beholden to the first tier for its funding. Not many checks and balances there especially given that it would be difficult to claim that the SNP has been much of a force for decentralisation while in power?
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Resdis
It has been difficult for the Scottish Government over the past few years due to Labour/Tory/Lib/Dem held councils who just don’t want to play ball, some like Tammany Hall aka Glasgow City council, have actively been trying to hinder the Scottish government at every turn.
I don’t quite understand what you mean by “Upper and Lower” chambers Scotland has no upper house, there’s no need for it.
Its parties, consist of SNP/Labour/Greens/Lib/Dems/Tories, these are the main parties at Holyrood
Sounds like the NHS woman made a good argument for independence. Whether or not the Yes campaign wins, her arguments will need stronger support South of the border as well.
“What kind of chicken you ask, well I feel Scotland is a country left of centre regarding politics”
Yeah, I thought Obama was left-of-center, but governance brings the pale horse of compromise. Many feel that is a noble objective; doing good versus doing the perfect. I’ve found it disappointing, RoS.
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Ben
I deeply sympathise with you, I have been watching from afar and Obama hasn’t lived up to expectations especially his (PPACA) or Obamacare as its better known, not to mention the upsurge in Obamavilles all over the USA. They remind me of the old hoovervilles.
“I deeply sympathise with you”
RoS
If Scotland’s population is left-of-center and follows the behavior rather than the words of elected reps, good on ’em. The US is more conservative as a body and too busy working or lazy to give a fig. I hope that difference makes a difference for Scotland.
RoS
So there is no need for upper and lower houses or hindrance from local authorities in your eyes – so a single all powerful authority is what you would look forward to in an independent Scotland. Whatever happened to the checks and balances of good governance.
While I doubt Salmond and Co would be quite so blatant in their objectives, we must thank you for a glimpse of the Nats true colours.
I think a de-centralized, village-like approach to government would work, and it certainly fits the culture of Scotland.
Having a power-central, makes the government too powerful and corrupt. It also makes it difficult for the back-stage players to get a foothold with bribes and patrimony.
“Firstly Scotland will be rid of one layer of needless government namely Westminster”
But it will have to replace it pretty sharpish with its own Scottish equivalent. As needless Westminster agencies like the IRS, Passport Office, DWP etc withdraw and put up the For Sale notices, Scotland will have to replace them. It will need to open embassies in many of the world’s most expensive cities. It will need to recruit and equip its own military services.
In the first few years therefore Scotland will be faced with rather high start up costs. In terms of unintended consequences, this is where the fundamental error of trying to cling on to the UK pound will really bite. Scotland will need to borrow money to see it through the early years. The banks may not be excessively indulgent when it comes to negotiating interest rates. You might be better off going to wonga.com. Before you know it, Scotland will be up to its ears in debt and about as independent as a glove puppet.
“Firstly Scotland will be rid of one layer of needless government namely Westminster”
But it will have to replace it pretty sharpish with its own Scottish equivalent. As needless Westminster agencies like the IRS, Passport Office, DWP etc withdraw and put up the For Sale notices, Scotland will have to replace them. It will need to open embassies in many of the world’s most expensive cities. It will need to recruit and equip its own military services.
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Its said that the UK’s tax system is the most complicated in the world, Scotland will have an 18 month window to set up any admin
dept required many such as the pensions dept already exist in Scotland in Dundee and Motherwell.
as for passports its envisaged everyone living in Scotland will keep their existing passport and when it expires a new Scottish passport will be issued, we have in Scotland a passport issuing office in Glasgow already set up.
As for embassies we could share the UK’s depending on how negotiations go,and EU embassies I think are open to any EU member for assistance, yes we’ll need to set up a DWPbut some of the personnel and infrastructure are already in place in Scotland.
If you want to read comprehensive version of Scotland’s future under independence,google the whitepaper “Scotlands Future” it has many many answers you seek.
Finally I think you mentioned a Scottish defence force, well Scotland currently contributes £3 billion pound a years to UK defences in return we receive just one third of that back, that surplus will be used to build a tailored defence force for Scottish needs.