Alan Taylor - a choob

Anent (good Scots word) the latest diary entry from Alan Taylor in the Sunday Herald (a Scots Comic publication).

A man who really should know better

"REMEMBER the referendum, when lies, damned lies and statistics were thrown at Yes folk by naysayers ........ we were told that oil was about to run out and that to base our wellbeing on it was barmy. And lo! What have we here? Less than a month ago a new oil field was discovered east of Aberdeen. Why that was not announced before September 18 one can only wonder."

Clearly, Mr Taylor is joining the Nat throng that loves nothing better than a good (or even pisspoor) conspiracy - especially if it's poor old Scotland that is being done down. This is not dissimilar to Cameron's "secret" visit to Shetland and the huge hushed up Clare field. 
One might expect of course that Mr Taylor, esteemed and learned journalist as he is, to have managed to shed some light on all this. The engineers must have been told to go slow in their exploration despite promising rock formations? Or did they know before September 18 but managed to get everyone sworn to secrecy? Everyone. 
Or is it that small finds are actually still quite common and that this is just more of the same irresponsible and dishonest "reporting" that one should expect from the deep wellspring of Nationalist paranoia?

OK Mr Taylor - here's another one - announced on 13th November -

"A MASSIVE new gas field has been discovered ... the discovery of the Pegasus field has just been announced to industry experts who will now work out how best to develop it.

The new field is in the same area as the Cygnus development which, at its peak, will produce enough gas to meet the needs of 1.5 million UK homes...  tests carried out at the Pegasus West area of the new field...indicated a combined, sustained flow rate of more than 90m standard cubic feet of gas per day which is the equivalent of 15,000 barrels of oil"

Oh shit, sorry, my mistake - this is off the Tees Coast. As Mr Taylor would say, why that was not announced before September 18 one can only wonder.

NHS not doomed after all - despite NO vote!!

From the SNP's media Centre -

One of Scotland’s top surgeons has urged people in Scotland to vote Yes to save the NHS .... Dr Philippa Whitford - a consultant breast cancer surgeon - has made clear that a Yes vote in September is the only way to protect Scotland’s NHS budget from Westminster's cuts agenda.

But.. but.... Nicola has just pledged....

• The revenue budget of our NHS is set to rise in real terms for the remainder of this parliament.
• If I am re-elected as First Minister in 2016, I pledge today that it will rise in real terms for each and every year of the next parliament too.

Surely all that vote YES to save the NHS wasn't just scaremongering was it? 

Alan Cumming - Village Idiot

Suits You!

Oh dear. Wit and wisdom. And the very opposite. From the interview with Decca Aitkenhead 14/11/2014:

“All those people who voted no because they thought that devo max was going to happen, they’re now furious, and I think there’s a great energy of a lot of people thinking, ‘Dammit, we got screwed again’. And, of course, I’m like, ‘Well, what did you think was going to happen, you stupid fuckers?’ ”

To repeat: All those people who voted no because they thought that devo max was going to happen, they’re now furious.

They are? And why? Has anyone met the furious no voter who feels that they voted no because of 'devo max' (whatever the fuck that might actually be)? Obviously Mr Cumming has. Unless of course he's just a loud-mouthed airhead who holds forth for effect.

Salmond - the bitter end nears

What a joy it was to see Salmond on Andy Marr on Sunday November 2nd, 2014.

(this may not be the actual 2 November show but you get the picture)

As a bit of a backdrop, we are all too well aware that one of the most used weapons in the Nationalist toolkit is a well sharpened sense of grievance. Let us recall that diminutive Nicola, had already stated that the "Westminster parties are already backsliding on the delivery of new powers".
(Aye, she wishes!)

So it was no surprise that Marr confronted 'eck about the timetable of delivery of the new powers.* Of course, to his credit, Salmond felt obliged to tell the truth ... he had confidence that new powers would be delivered, but, gasp, get this... they weren't being delivered willingly!
The duplicitous Westminster bastards! We want willingness! And we want it now!! And if we don't get that, we'll hold your feet even closer to the fire, presumably.

*so fooking essential to our well being.

Alas, poor Johann

Nothing in her life
Became her like the leaving it.


The reluctant leader has departed the scene. In truth, although an honest and decent person, she was too small. Inspirational? Hardly. 

But she didn't go quietly. She was greatly quoted as accusing UK Labour colleagues of treating Scotland as a "branch office". 

Well, this member got a communication from Johann from the Glasgow Office on 25 September. I am so pleased to be writing to you to say: "We did it."

And enclosed was a leaflet - Sick of Waiting For a GP? Tell 10 of your friends about Labour's GP appointment guarantee. 

Now, unless this blogger is very much mistaken, that policy, which was announced by Milliband in May, refers to NHS England. Why would Johann send me it? Why would she tell me to tell of my friends about it? Truth is, poor Johann couldn't run even a branch office.