Homegrown Horrors for Halloween

On Oidhche Shamhna - the night before Samhain - the door between 'our' world and the world of the dead was reputed to open, allowing for all manner of supernatural beings to pass into the realm of the living. As per usual, it is an apt time to run an eye over the make-believe horrors that those in power, or those in the tabloids, deem to be a threat to our way of life.

Foreigners are usually a good bet. Especially those we see as immigrants - not 'ex-pats' like the English abroad - and asylum seekers. Last year though, saw 'the enemy within' take the limelight.

This year, its a bit of both.

Taking our jobs, having our babies, not going home.

Foreigners. There's nothing quite like a bit of bother from others to get the Great British knickers in a twist. This year, its the shocking news that 25% of all Brit babies are born to at least one foreign parent. Not mentioned is that these figures include parents from the likes of Ireland, the US, Canada - and other 'nice and white new world nations' - France, Spain and the rest of Europe. Let's face it, almost all of us must know one Scot who has a partner from one of these nations. Are we concerned?

The implication obviously is though that these foreign parents are more than likely bleck. Or maybe Asian. Or.... SLAVIC!!! And sure enough, read further into this Metro report and we see 'Eastern European' immigration getting the neep-lantern treatment. Not only that but the shadowy 'Migrationwatch' gleefully dispute the official figures and are adamant that NONE of these Slavs intend to return home after a year or two here doing the kind of work that some Bwits are too lazy or incompetent to do anymore.

On a slightly different note, one has to wonder why the English-based Migrationwatch who seem to take umbrage at the migration of Slavs, Blecks and Asians are credible sources for the media whearas the likes of Settler Watch, Scottish Watch and Sìol nan Gaidheal who highlighted mostly white and well-off English migration to Scotland were slated as 'racists'?

Lastly though, its the horrors at home that we really have to worry about. And everyone from David Cameron to Ed Miliband to Johann Lamont has been warning about them.

It's those of us who want 'something for nothing'. No, not the MPs and their expenses. No, not the bankers. No, not the Royal Family. No, not the arms dealers. No, not those in House of Lords.

There are many but old people seem to be especially scary this year. Labour have suggested that they should pay for their travel, care and prescriptions. The Tories suggest that they should work for their pensions. What the fck these old folk have been doing all their lives, I don't know. But somehow, the entire population of pensioners has reached a ripe auld age without working nor paying taxes! Incredible! Are they all Barclays or Starbucks shareholders?

Get on yer bike, coffin dodger.

Joining the elderly on the Jimmy Savile roll of dishonour are the unemployed who not only need their benefits cut but should not be allowed a chance to gain an apprenticeship according to Labour. Students too think that education should be a right and not a privilege for the likes of David Cameron, Nick Clegg, George Osborne, Tony Blair or Alastair 'Black Dwarf' Darling who were all lucky enough to go to very posh schools indeed.

There are indeed two worlds and the spectres, hobgoblins and bloodsuckers of Tory and Labour take full advantage of that open door to keep their Westminster gravy-train on the go, to stockpile their weapons of mass-destruction and to keep that gap between rich and poor from narrowing.

Johann Lamont - a woman of many faeces

In the past, the Iron Lady of Scottish politics has perhaps been unfairly treated. Say, portrayed as a sad auld jakie whose days of youth, vigour and radical action are long gone. However, now she has now wholeheartedly adopted the policies, excuses and even the language of the Tories. The taxpaying public are scolded for expecting 'something for nothing' and that we should apply 'common sense' to public finances. Lamont is going from a sad auld figure to a new Thatcher.

Much has been said in recent days of Scottish Labour's sudden and sickening lurch to the right - even mainstream journos on the BBC has expressed their shock and dismay - so there will be few words here. Even Angus Macleod of the Times - and no Jimmy Reid is he - questioned that if the elderly, the sick and students were to be means-tested for their benefits and entitlements then what next? The NHS?

I can point you to the erstwhile Jimmy Reid Foundation - poor Jimmy would be livid at the current position of Scottish Labour and Bella Caledonia for some good reading on this topic.

Suffice to say at a time when the UK government is pursuing projects that started under Labour or are still supported by Labour - including Johann Lamont - paying the PFI rents on schools and hospitals, such building aircraft carriers, renewing Trident, maintaining a fleet of nuclear submarines, maintaining the huge subsidies on nuclear power and continued involvement in foreign escapades such as Libya and Afghanistan, it won't wash to say 'we can't afford these public services.'

As always, it's a matter of priorities. We could choose to protect and enhance the lives of Scottish people through better public services - that we all pay for already - or go down the auld road of arming ourselves to the teeth in the spirit of Rule Britannia.

This also comes after Labour has joined with the Tories in Stirling Council and delivered...a council-tax cut! I'm not really sure how that will protect services in Stirling. For example, how will Stirling Council reduce class sizes with a reduced income?

Labour... are kaputt.

A letter to Johann Lamont

Dear Ms Lamont,

I am writing regarding the recent council tax cuts imposed on the people of Stirling and the employees of Stirling Council. It appears that the local Labour Party actually opposed their own proposal and united with the Tories. As an employee of Stirling Council and active trade unionist, I am deeply worried about the effects of this on public services and jobs in Stirling. Many schools are now without specialist teachers in the areas of music, art and Gaelic and I fail to see how these cuts will improve this situation.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/political-news/councils-tax-cut-decision-condemned.1330139172

It would appear that the average household in the Stirling area will save only £12 a year. Unfortunately, the impact on pay and conditions, jobs and public services will not be so slight.

As I understand it, Labour has in recent years condemned the council tax freeze as a threat to jobs and services. It makes me wonder how Labour imagine that uniting with the Tories to deliver tax cuts will protect our jobs and services.

http://www.labourhame.com/archives/2467

Lastly, in view of this, do you still expect us to vote Labour this week?

I look forward to your reply.

yours,
Tocasaid

Further reading:
http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-economy/4416-threat-to-stirling-council-living-wage-as-labour-tory-pact-blocks-snp-budget

The Tories like Labour's 'manoeuvre' though...
http://www.toryhoose.com/2012/02/in-defence-of-consensus-stirling-council-cuts-tax/

As to the photo above...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17829438

A confused driver has ended up trapping his car on the steps of a Paris metro station, after mistaking it for the entrance to an underground car park.

"There's a sign saying 'Haussmann Parking' right in front... I made a mistake," the driver - identified only as Johan - told the AFP news agency

Out for St Andrew's Day

The Tories are in power in London and that can only mean one thing. Strikes and riots. We've had the latter, as Tory substitute Nick Clegg famously predicted shortly before helping the Tories regain power. Now, despite the mantra of 'we're all in this together' from two thirds of the millionaire BeeGees of Westminster - the third one, reptilian posh boy Millibland doesn't have a clue - we see company CEOs and bloodsucking bankers coin it more than ever. The latest stat is that the top 100 bosses in the UK earn 145 times more than the average worker's wage.

 

In true Thatcher the Snatcher style, they want to fleece us of our pensions in order to feather the nests of some New Labour style PFI pirates. Some short term financial and electoral gain for ConDem Britain but like yon PFI schools and hospitals which flourished under Labour, we'll be paying them up for decades to come. 

 

Britain is bankrupt. That much we know. But how come we can still afford to bomb the Libyan rebels to power against Gaddafi? How come we can afford new aircraft carriers? Hell, how can St Michael of Gove afford to send a copy of the King James Bible to every school in Engerland?

 

More than 20 unions are calling for a one-day strike. Even the once effective EIS has finally decided to support their members - but only after thousands left them for NASUWT, the SSTA or the newly formed SPTA - after apparently acceding to some crazy demands from COSLA. RMT, Unison, Unite and loads are joining in the fun.

Go for it. Lets have an 80s retro St Andrew's day...

 

Aberdeen

12:30pm - Rally at Castlegate.

Dundee

12noon - Assemble at Dudhope Park. March to City Square for rally.

Edinburgh

11:30am - Assemble at Johnson Terrace for march down High Street and Canongate for a rally at the Scottish Parliament.

Glasgow

12:00pm - March assembly at Shuttle Street (off Albion Street).

1:15pm - Rally at Barrowlands Ballroom.

Inverness

12noon - March and rally at Mercury Hotel, Church Street.

Time to go French - against the cuts

It was always gonna be like this. If Labour had got in, Alasdair Darling promised that the severity of the cuts would've made Thatcher blush. As it is, we have the great ConDem twins of the bloated Westminster family, Cameron and Clegg. Meanwhile, banks that were bailed out by the state and that are now owned by the state are still paying their chiefs inflated salaries and bonuses.

Who said that capitalism works? The auld Eastern Bloc had shoe mountains apparently, that accrued due to policies that saw people working never mind the demand or use for the product. Bankrupt Britain meanwhile is building up piles of aircraft carriers and other instruments of war - solely to avoid redundancies. The fact that these people could easily be occupied producing technology vital to Scotland's renewable energy future is lost on the London government while the likes of Scottish Labour are too docile or cowardly to back such a move. War is always big business in Great Britannia.

Presently, the French are kicking off big time. If we have any sense, we'll follow. If we're serious about mending the broken economy, lets tax the rich first. These are the fckrs who got us into this mess. Should health workers, teachers, binmen and other public service workers pay the price with their jobs?

The EIS - a good example of a non-politically aligned and powerful union - in conjunction with the STUC have organised a march against the cuts. But this ain't only about education. That much is clear.

Click here for info on Saturday's march in good auld Dùn Eideann. Meanwhile, watch "crypto-communist" film director Ken Loach give Michael Heseltine some lessons on morality and the economy on the recent Newsnight broadcast. Its also worth remembering that socially-democratic and independent Norway don't have a national debt and therefore don't need swinging cuts to balance the books. What is Scotland doing wrong?