What About Pebbles ?

Since her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent there has hardly been a day gone by without some mention of the Susan Boyle either in the newspapers or on our television screens.

Such has been the media interest in her prospective singing career that there can be no doubt that her life is about to change in a very dramatic fashion sometime in the very near future.

The following video addresses that dramatic change in her life in a manner which is quite unexpected, sad and it has to be said – in a somewhat humorous way too- enjoy the video .

Absolutely Fabulous ( If You pardon my Pun)

Great News for the Gurkha Justice Campaign today, the Government were defeated in a vote in "The Commons" by 267 to 246 - surely opening the door for a change in policy from the Government to allow all retired Gurkha veterans the right to settle in the UK.

 The Gurkha Soldier - Bravest of The Brave

  Lachhiman Gurung VC - Tul Bahadur Pun VC

The motion which was put forward by the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is seen by many in the blogosphere as a another kick in the bollocks for an under fire PM Gordon Brown -the Big Dollop is more than indifferent to the situation regarding Mr. Brown’s position as PM and more interested in attaining justice for the brave men of the Gurkha Rifles.

The actress Joanna Lumley who has been an “absolutely fabulous” (excuse my pun) campaigner for the rights of the Gurkhas to settle here in the UK was quoted today as saying:

“Before this vote was taken our spirits were nearly at zero. When it came through we saw it on the screen and I can't tell you the sense of elation, the sense of pride - pride in our country, pride in the democratic system and pride in our Parliament”

If this government should renege or indeed defer any change to their stated current policy regarding the rights of the Gurkhas to residency in the UK, then the Big Dollop would suggest that Ms. Lumley should consider the possibility of standing against the Home Secretary- Jacqui Smith in her own constituency under a ticket of Justice for the Gurkhas at the next election – I reckon she has a great chance of getting elected if she does.

The following video can express the case for the Gurkhas better than I could ever hope to, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did .

Stay Patient And The World Will Be Your Oyster

Like millions of others who watched in disbelief the performance of Susan Boyle on Britain’s Got Talent, the Big Dollop was blown away by her incredible singing voice, indeed I passed comment about her ability as a singer the day afterwards on my humble blog.

The intense interest in Ms. Boyle that has elapsed since her appearance that evening has been nothing short of phenomenal with extensive coverage of her every move splashed out in our newspapers and television screens on a daily basis.

Her performance on BGT was posted on you tube and attracted viewing figures numbering over 100 million – and was reported in the Scottish newspapers as being a bigger Draw than the likes of Britney Spears.

There have been some reports in certain sections of the media over the course of the past few days concerning the mental state of Ms Boyle saying she is on the verge of a breakdown, which considering the fact that the world’s media has been camped out on her doorstep is highly unsurprising.

One thing I was taught growing up was there would be occasions when people’s version of events would not necessary be as straight forward as they appear to be, the story concerning Ms Boyle’s mental condition is one of those occasions.

There has been speculation that the family of Ms Boyle have grown impatient with a lack of progress concerning her prospective career opportunities and have been reported that they are on the verge of ripping up her contract with ITV.

It would appear (if there is any truth to the reports) that they are worried that the bubble that has enveloped Ms Boyle will burst and she could be denied the opportunity of earning “Serious Money” - there is also speculation that they have issued Simon Cowell with an ultimatum to let her sing ( release a CD) or she will rip up her contract and quit the show.

Apart from having a wonderful God given talent for singing, a great deal of Ms Boyle’s appeal was the fact that she was a spinster who stayed at home with her pet cat and until very recently looked after the "needs" of her elderly mother.

Compared to the Big Dollop she has obviously led a sheltered life and as such may not be aware of worldly matters in so far as the legalities of a binding contract are concerned.

If I can play devils advocate for a moment - would she be better off taking advice from someone who has an unworthy motive in her future prospects, I.e.: Simon Cowel or taking advise from those who have a vested interest in her furure, I.e.: Her Family.

There is no doubt that regardless of the eventual outcome of the competition Ms. Boyle’s future is well and truly secure as far as realising her dream of being a professional singing star- the genie has been let out of the bottle - Ms Boyle could do no worse than taking the advice often given to me when I was growing up and impatient to get things going – “ Stay patient and the world will be your oyster”

Joy Riding ? I Call It Car Theft !

Reading an article in one of today’s newspapers raised the hackles on the back of my neck as it made reference to a story relating to a car crash in Dundee in which the occupants of the car (a hearse) had driven in to a telegraph pole which then burst into flames, resulting in them being admitted in to Ninewells hospital.

Like many similar articles written in much of Scotland’s newspapers these two individuals were quoted as being "Joy Riders."

Certain aspects of this story gets right on the Big Dollop’s Wick, as a tax payer I will have to foot the bill for any treatment given to these two dickheads and secondly the way they and their ilk are constantly referred to in the media as being - Joy Riders.

I was brought up to believe that taking something that was not my own without the acquiesce of the lawful owner was Theft.

Perhaps I am a tad to perplexed by the need to sugar coat the act of theft by some sections of the media, but my frustration stems from the fact that the first ever car I ever owned was stolen by what the police in their communications with me termed as Joy Riders.

Luckily I got my car returned to me and being fully insured got my car back to being road worthy in the fortnight that followed – I loved that car but after it was stolen from me it was never the same feeling driving it - sadly I had to sell it shorthy afterwards.

The Big Dollop from time to time has previously stated in his humble blog his antipathy to the PC brigade in regards to their warped view of certain aspects of life and the way it is reported in much of the UK’s media.

That notwithstanding this is one instance where I am in complete agreement with them regarding the theft of someone’s pride and joy. People who steal cars should be reported as being the thieving toe rags they are, rather than an ill-advised and politically incorrect term like - “Joy Riders”
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What a Load of Bull

Watching the news on television nowadays can be a depressing pastime especially given the present economic downturn in the country as a whole- with doom and gloom on our screens on a daily basis it is very pleasing to witness a story which brings a smile to the face.

One such story which was brought to the Big Dollop’s attention over the course of the weekend featured an unusual visitor to a supermarket in Co Mayo in Ireland when the staff and customers were more than alarmed to see a bull charging down the aisles.

It was a story which could have so easily had a completely different ending – luckily though – no one was injured in this bizarre escapade.

Enjoy the video – I did ! - especially where the supermarket worker did his impression of a Spanish bullfighter with a shopping trolley - priceless!

Inalienable Rights of Living In a Democracy - To Freely Express Our Opinion

It has to be said that the Big Dollop has a passing interest in politics and current affairs and as such tries to keep himself informed by using various mediums - be it by watching television, reading newspapers, listening to the radio or indeed, browsing the Internet.

Thursday evening saw the BBC broadcast their weekly edition of Question Time in which members of the great British public get to ask direct questions to a panel on matters which are concurrent with the news of the day.

Thursday being St George’s day, a question relating to whether England should adopt it as a national holiday was put to the panel , one of whom was a historian by the name of David Starkey who (IMHO) expressed in his reply to a perfectly straight forward question - some disparaging remarks about Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland as being “ feeble little countries”.

It has to be acknowledged that in some quarters his remarks went down like a lead balloon with many people from outside England expressing their opinion that his comments were silly, offensive and disrespectful - opinions which taken at face value, I doubt any reasonable person could disagree with.

However one of the inalienable rights of living in a democracy like ours is the fact that each and everyone of us has the right to express our opinions freely and without the fear of being persecuted for doing so, so whilst Mr. Starkey may have come across on television as being relatively “indifferent” as to the veracity of the three other countries that encompass Great Britain as a whole, by replying in the manner he did, I - like many others, found him to be nothing but a pompous and egotistical buffoon.

Regardless of my personal feelings for the man's opinion's, I defend his right to express them as freely as I have just done in my rebuttal of his remarks as expressed by him on the BBC’s Question Time on Thursday night, remarks which I consider as being somewhat “odious and reprehensible” to say the least!

For the record, I am in favour of St George’s Day being a holiday in England as much as I am for St Andrew’s day in Scotland, St David’s day in Wales and St Patrick’s Day in N.Ireland.

The Ministers Responsible For This Travesty of Justice Should Hang Their Heads in Shame!

Twice previously I have featured posts (Here) and (Here) regarding the brave soldiers of the Gurkha Rifles so it was with more than a passing interest that a report broadcast on the BBC this afternoon caught my attention.

Apparently the Gurkhas have lost their latest bid to overturn a ruling that would have allowed those brave fighters from Nepal who served the Crown before 1997 the right to take up residence in the UK.

The Big Dollop is of the opinion that the men of the Gurkha Rifles who have served this country with great distinction for the best part of 200 years are being sold down the river by a government who quite frankly - are unfit to remain in office.

It is absolutely shameful that this rabble in power should take liberties with this brave band of soldiers - a rabble who by setting an almost impossible set of qualifications for the ordinary Gurkha soldier to attain - have to all intents and purposes told them to go forth and multiply.

The ministers responsible for this travesty of justice should hang their heads in shame!

Going by the reaction in the blogesphere here in the UK - the Big Dollop is not the only individual who is more than peeved off at this heartless decision taken by a totally inept and morally bankrupt government.

Thunderbirds Are Go

Reading the Daily mail this morning this rather cool looking picture caught my attention, although it looks like something out of Thunderbirds (Tracy Island) or a scene from the television program Lost the passenger jet is actually part of a luxurious hotel suite where those with the necessary readies can relax and enjoy the fantasy of being cut off from the rest of the world.

The two bedroom suite is housed inside the fuselage of a 1965 Boeing 727 which was destined for the scrap heap or at least it was until is was built on to the side of the Hotel Costa Verde in Costa Rica where its patrons can enjoy spectacular views of the Manuel Antonio National Park's rain forest from the plane jutting out from the hillside.

A tariff of between £200 and £250 per night to book the unusual suite situated on the Pacific Coast means this hotel suite is unfortunately way out of my budget - that is, should I ever have the desire to take Mrs. Big Dollop there for a second honeymoon.

If There Is a Modicum of Compassion

Being bored with the depressing news about the state of the economy and speculation from numerous politicians as to the reliability of the chancellors bold claims that the country is on the mend after his latest budget, the Big Dollop decided to look further in to today’s newspapers to find articles of interest that are as far removed from the present turmoil in the economy as I could find.

One such story featured the situation concerning the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs who is currently applying for parole in the hope of being freed before his 80th birthday.

Mr Biggs who was jailed up for 30 years back in 1964 escaped just 15 months in to his sentence and managed to evade British justice for 35 years before voluntarily returning to the UK in 2001 at which time he was immediately arrested and incarcerated in HMP Belmarsh to serve the outstanding balance of his sentence.

The Big Dollop is of the opinion that any one convicted of a violent crime should serve the full sentence as handed down by a judge if convicted of that crime, however the circumstances concerning Mr. Biggs are such, that serious consideration should be given to his application for parole being granted, given the fact that he is almost 80 years of age, as the victim of a series of strokes he can no longer speak or walk and on release will pose absolutely no risk of re-offending.

If there is a modicum of compassion within the parole board Mr. Biggs will be granted the parole he seeks, thus enabling him to fulfil his only desire in life - that of entering a Margate public house as a free man and buying himself a pint of English Bitter!

If the Justice Secretary- Jack Straw, can grant special dispensation to Jack Tweedy (Details Here) then surely in the public interest he can grant Mr. Biggs that same consideration.
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Nothing Short of Phenomenal

This young man who goes by the name of Danny MacAskill was featured on the BBC 6:30pm Scottish news the other night; his skills at riding a bicycle are nothing short of phenomenal.

It was filmed in and around the streets in the centre of Edinburgh - with the background music provided by "The Band of Horses" for their epic song 'The Funeral.'-  Enjoy the video, it's Phenomenal.

Why Is It We Never See ?

On April 15 the people of Liverpool solemnly remembered the 96 football supporters who were tragically killed at Hillsborough 20 years previously.

On the same day in Aberdeen, a memorial service was held for the 16 oil workers who perished when their helicopter crashed in to the sea 13 miles off the Scottish coast.

Reflecting on both sad events, it is self evident that both occasions have touched the hearts of many individuals on both sides of the border.

However one aspect of the memorial service in Aberdeen has irked the sensitivities of the Big Dollop and until now I have been reticent to record my thoughts regarding it on my humble blog.

I have been reticent because it was never my intention to denigrate the pain and suffering the families of the 16 workers who were killed, but such has been my irritation I feel compelled to place my thoughts on record.

Present at the memorial service in Aberdeen were the PM Gordon Brown, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, HRH Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, although I commend them all for attending I must confess I was slightly aggravated with them at the same time.

During the course of the past 6 years or so almost 400 UK military personnel have paid the ultimate price in both Iraq and Afghanistan and to my knowledge the PM (Blair or Brown) or indeed any of the other leaders of any of the major political parties have been seen anywhere near a funeral of a single soldier killed in either theatre of conflict.

I must reiterate, it was never my intention to malign the memory of the 16 brave family orientated individuals, who perished in the helicopter accident.

It just saddens the Big Dollop that we never see any government minister, politician or member of the Royal Family for that matter, meeting the coffins or attending the funerals of our fallen heroes - those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the country!

Imitation is The Greatest Form of Flattery

It has been widely reported in the UK media that Susan Boyle, the lady from Bathgate who recently was shown on Britain’s Got Talent has been show cased around the world due to the power of the Internet and in particular on the You Tube web site, where her indefatigable performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical - Les Miserables, has received almost 100 million hits.

It has also been reported in the UK media that she is now in great demand and in all probability has a tremendous future in prospect as a result of auditioning for the BGT competition.

Time will tell in the end if there is any merit to the hype surrounding this dowdy wee woman from Bathgate - meantime she can sit back, enjoy the plaudits and as she said her self, embark with baby steps on a journey which hopefully prove she wont be a flash in the pan like the many who have performed before her on similar talent shows on UK television, before sliding back to obscurity.

The Big Dollop finds it almost laughable that many talented and established singers/ groups can play for years on the UK music scene and not get any where cracking America - yet Susan Boyle all but conquers the US in the space of a week – Incredible!

They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery - Enjoy the video.

The Use of Mobile Phones Whilst Driving- A No Brainer !

The Big Dollop is employed as regular readers of my humble blog will know, as a driver working for a distribution company here in the West of Scotland.

To say that I have seen some weird, if not outright dangerous driving whilst going about my employment would be an understatement, especially when getting towards the end of my shift and the 8-9 o’clock school run comes about .

It really is amazing to see just how many drivers are flouting the law when it comes to the use of mobile phones whilst driving; there are still a significant number of people who are not aware or worse just don't care about the dangers involved by this foolish practice.

Being an amateur blogger (it’s my hobby now) I am always on the look out for interesting stories which I can relate to - on which I can make comment, one such story demonstrates in a most tragic fashion the reason as to why the laws regarding the use of mobile phones whilst driving have been brought on to the statute books here in the UK.

Over the course of the weekend a father whilst driving his car in Houston Texas drove his car into a 9 foot deep Bayou – that’s a water ditch to you and I – whilst attempting to answer a call placed to his mobile phone.

Although he escaped the car with another adult and a 10 year old child – 5 other children all under the age of 7 perished in an accident that could have been so easily prevented.

The laws regarding mobile phone use whilst driving and the penalties incurred for doing so (if caught) may seen a tad unjust but the consequences of ignoring those laws can be so serious in the extreme.

Johny Bravo - What a Guy !

Surfing the You Tube web site you can come across some classic videos - the following video features a character who I am of the opinion should have had a better profile among the great British public - the man is the quintessential babe magnet.

I first became aware of Johny Bravo when my daughter (the little squirt) was a nipper and to keep her amused I let her watch the cartoon channel which resulted in the bold Mr. Bravo coming to my attention - at the time I thought he was a super star (ha ha) - If the truth be told - I still do.

I didn't realise it till recently, but apparently I dance like him.

Enjoy the video.

A Cruel Manner in Which to Lose a Football Match

Today being the first day of a week's holiday away from the responsibility of having to work, I had a few beers last night, a long lie in this morning and the pleasure of watching the football on the television this afternoon - the game in question being the English FA cup semi final between Everton and Manchester United.

As a neutral and my support of Newcastle United - the match was a non event for me as far as any entertainment value was concerned, the game itself ended up 0-0 after 120 minutes of (it has to be said) lack lustre football after which came the dreaded penalty shoot out which Everton subsequently won 4-2.

The penalty shoot out is a cruel manner in which any team can possibly lose such an important match, but when you have players who cost their club upwards of £30 million on the park, one would expect them to have the ability to convert a penalty kick 18 yards from the goal line.

The penalty taken by Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov was absolutely shocking, I am 100% serious when I say Mrs Big Dollop could have taken a better penalty kick than the one taken by the normally resolute Bulgarian striker - Berbatov - So just how bad how was the penalty kick ? - judge for yourselves.

In all fairness Berbatov was not the only player to miss a penalty this afternoon. 

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This Too is Simply Awesome

On January 19th I posted (Simply Awesome) in my humble blog an advert for T mobile in which a flash mob entertained Joe Public in a somewhat innovative manner by staging a group dance in Liverpool street station.

This video was recently filmed at Antwerp railway station in Belgium - it too is nothing short of being - simply awesome!

An Unreserved Apology is Required in This Instance

I read with interest in today’s Daily Mail a story about two Austrian tourists on a visit to London who were approached by two police officers who informed them it was strictly forbidden to photograph anything to do with Transport.

Citing anti terrorism laws as the reason and thereafter encouraged (for the want of a better word) them to delete photographs of Londons famous red buses - photographs of which, are a pre requisite of any visit to the nations capital city.

This situation would be almost laughable if it did not have serious consequences for the tourists in question, for you can bet if their country of origin was that of any on the Indian sub continent, there is more than a passing chance they would have been detained by these two wooden tops under the anti terrorism laws they threatened to apply in this instance.

The Big Dollop understands and indeed acknowledges that there is a need for some sensitivity in an era of global terrorism, - however is it not a tad naive to think that terrorism can be prevented by chastising innocent tourists?

In this day and age when the layout and panoramic view of every aspect of the city of London is freely available on Google street view, do the authorities really think prospective terrorists are going to take a chance of getting caught when they can get all the relevant information with the click of a mouse?

I wonder what the odds are that these two policemen were really proud of themselves - having thought they had actually pre-empted a terrorist attack by two Austrian tourists.

You really could not make it up!

The two officers involved in this embarrassing incident should then be compelled to go on diversity training, sexual orientation sensitivity courses and for good measure – enrolment in ethnic cultural awareness and appreciation seminars would not go a miss either.

The Metropolitan Police should issue an unreserved apology to these two tourists and thereafter pay for the man and his son to come to London as guests of the force, a little public relations in this instance with perhaps a small presentation of the latest digital camera would go a long way to restoring the credibility of the Met and falicitate the need to make amends to two slightly harassed tourists to the UK.
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May The Force be With You

Reading today’s Daily Record brought a wry smile to my face as it reported that eight serving police officers with Strathclyde Police have registered their religious persuasion as that of Jedi Knight.

Apparently reporters at the Daily Record, on requesting the relevant information quoting the the freedom of information act, received confirmation from Strathclyde Police, who according to an officer who did not want to be named, only did so, in regard to the promotion of their policy to raise awareness of job opportunities for "minority groups".

After all the negative publicity regarding the Metropolitan Police in London during the recent G20 altercations with protesters, when the police were deemed to have used excessive Force in some instances - perhaps there are a lot more serving police officers who are members of the Jedi Knights than the eight who are quoted as being officers serving with Strathclyde’s finest!

Some Very Profound Advice Indeed.

It's amazing how powerful simple words and common sense can actually be - the following video dates from 1999 and offers some very profound advice.

Enjoy!

Some of the lyrics in this video really strike a chord with the things that are really important- and I don't mean the advice about the sunscreen.

"The real troubles in your life, are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind - The kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday"

It's scary how prophetic that statement is for us here in Scotland the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 happened between 2 pm and 4 pm - it was very much an "Idle Tuesday "- I still get chills when I hear that part of this song.

Never Judge a Boyle by Her Hairdo

Last night marked the return of Britain's Got Talent to our television screens and in the first show a possible favorite has been brought to the attention of the great British public.

A wee dowdy woman (who has since been nicknamed as "Paula Potts") from Bathgate almost got laughed off the stage when she said she wanted to emulate Elaine Page.

Boy did she prove them all wrong! She blew the audience away with a fabulous performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical Les Miserables.

Enjoy the video. It just goes to show each and every one of us - we should not judge a Boyle by its Hairdo.

Barmy Jobs Galore

Mrs Big Dollop had the occasion to ask me the other day what my job title was, adding that she thought I was employed as a packer / driver with my current employer - She had a wicked smile on her face as she told me that in order to impress our friends perhaps I should tell them that I was employed as a Media Distribution Officer instead (I work night shift in the distribution industry delivering newspapers)

Having quirked my interest I decided to have a wee look at the employment web site she was viewing to see what other barmy job titles that were on offer - I was amazed at the list of everyday roles given pompous new names by prospective employers.

Vacancies for positions such as petrol-station attendants, dinner ladies and even fruit pickers have been “modernised” to make the roles more appealing to potential staff.

The practice of dreaming up an utterly barmy job titles seems to have gone into overdrive.

Petrol-station staff are now known as petroleum transfer engineers, Dinner ladies as education centre nourishment consultants, Fruit pickers are five-a-day collection operatives.

Other ridiculous job vacancies include transparency enhancement facilitators – window cleaners to you and me and people who dish out dodgy burgers in city centres at 3am are now mobile sustenance facilitators.

Among other gems in the jobs vacancies was a front line customer support facilitator – call centre worker while labourers are now advertised as mortar logistics engineers.

Factory workers are mass production engineers and panel beaters have become vehicle restoration engineers.

I didn’t see any advertisements for Bankers though, I wonder why?

The Queen in Royal Blue

Recently it was reported in some sections of the Scottish media that the Queen has a photograph of the Glasgow Rangers football club adorning the walls in Buckingham palace.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

 Rangers Number 1 Fan

Glasgow MP Ian Davidson was stunned to discover the framed photograph during a tour of Her Majesty’s home. He told of how he came across team photo while browsing the grand galleries inside the Royal household.

“We made our way through the main entrance and up the grand stairways and spectacular galleries with the collection of old masters, as we went towards the roof we passed by a room where I spotted the photograph of the Rangers squad hanging on a wall, I couldn’t tell if it was a current team photo but it was definitely Rangers as the club name was printed across the top.”

 The photograph of her majesty in Royal Blue  should settle the matter once and for all – the Queen is without doubt (as she would say in her own imitable fashion) "An aficionado to the fortunes and aspirations of Glasgow Rangers Football Club".

Quite Simple When You Think About It

There has been much coverage in the UK media during the course of the past fortnight regarding the furore about the expenses claimed by many Westminster MP’s with regards to their second home allowances.

The simple fact that those in the spotlight have declared that they were not breaking the rules does not wash with the Big Dollop, these people are supposed to set the example which the rest of us should try to emulate but when senior ministers in the cabinet try to claim expenses for watching pay per view cable television ( the adult channels) it kind of rubs Joe Public up the wrong way.

More discredit was brought about when it was revealed that many MP’s were claiming for a second home  (out with their constituencies) many of them with family members which resulted in the UK tax payer effectively paying the mortgage on their siblings/ parents homes.

The whole policy of MP’s expenditure has rattled the cage of a good number of the electorate, many of whom are worried sick about their long term future employment prospects and who are struggling to pay their just and lawful dues on a weekly basis as a result of the current credit crunch.

The Big Dollop like thousands of others is extremely hacked off at the abuse of the system and is of the opinion that something must be done to rein in those who have had the audacity to milk the system and stand there straight faced on our television screens and deny any wrong doing.

In an ideal world the second home allowance for MP’s could be voted off the statute books but it has to be recognised that for an MP to attend parliament on a fairly regular basis it is necessary that an MP should have a base somewhere in the London area which brings me to the salient point of my latest rant on my humble blog.

In just over 3 years time London will host the Olympic games for which a huge village is currently being constructed to accommodate the athletes from the many countries attending, would it not make sense for the Government to take ownership of this village after the conclusion of the Games and use it to house the 600 odd MP’s who have constituencies out with the London area.

MPs would be allocated a flat when they get elected and hand it back when they get voted out - quite simple when you think about it!

Apart from offering a secure environment to house our MP’s - it would solve the problem with regards to the abuse of the system which is apparently endemic amongst the parliamentarians at Westminster and go some way to restoring the faith of Joe Public when it comes to the so called propriety of our individual MP’s

You Couldn’t Make it up or Could You?

On Friday it was reported in much of the media in the UK that during the G20 summit a protester had died after a mob stormed the Royal Bank of Scotland and besieged the Bank of England in the heart of London’s financial centre.

Indeed it was reported widely that the Police were pelted with bottles as a medical team tried to revive the demonstrator, who had collapsed at a makeshift camp being set up near the Bank of England.

"Police officers gave the shaven-headed victim, who was wearing a Millwall FC football shirt, mouth-to-mouth and CPR after struggling through the crowd to reach him, sadly however the man, who was said to be in his forties, was pronounced dead from natural causes shortly after arrival at hospital".

So there you go, an individual who fits the stereo typical idea of a protester :- that of being a skin head Millwall supporting knuckle head who as part of a rabid mob attacking two major banks in the financial centre of London suffered a heart attack and when rendered assistance by members of the metropolitan police, apparently died because the police came under heavy bombardment from a hail of bottles from other protesters. -You couldn’t make it up or could you?

Here we are 4 days later and it has been brought to the public domain that Mr. Ian Tomlinson, 47, (pictured above) the individual who died was not a protester at all, but rather a newspaper seller who was on his way home from work at a newsagent when he was caught up in the mass protests near the Bank of England and according to several members of the public apparently suffered a heart attack only after being attacked by police who had mistaken him for being a protester.

According to statements received by the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission is examining several accounts which allege Mr. Tomlinson, a married man who lived alone in a bail hostel, was struck and shoved to the ground by officers in riot gear.

This clearly puts a different perspective on the previous article about police being 'pelted with bottles' by a rabid crowd!

Could the other possibility be that they were trying to stop more violence against him? - It would seem that quite a few came to his aid rather than prevent it, and that strangers have serious evidence to back up an alternative view.

The fact that he had a serial killer haircut and was wearing a Millwall football top is immaterial on how he died, there has to be some open accountability as to why this man died on the streets of London at a time when there was much violence going on in the immediate vicinity around him.

There is every possibility that the poor man could have indeed died from a heart attack or (if I can be cynical for a moment) as a result of a random violent act perpetrated against his person by (at this time) - unknown assailants.

It has to be noted that a good number of those wearing masks were Not All Protesters, the Riot Police just by the nature of their apparel were pretty much incognito also.

A full enquiry must be held to determine the truth - either to exonerate the police or weed out those who have no right to wear the uniform.

Mr. Tomlinson's death shouldn't be based on lies and innuendo but fact, If not, then the future looks pretty bleak for all of us.

Update 7th April : This Video may shed some light on this sorry situation. You can judge for yourselves

A Hard Luck Story That Did Not Wash With The Courts (This Time)

Back at the end of October last year I passed comment on a famous footballer who escaped a ban on his driving license because he claimed that he could not afford to employ a chauffeur in spite of earning almost £4000 a week as manager of the Jamaican football team.

Incredibly the judge at that time bought that lame excuse as reason enough to effectively slap him on the wrist.

At the time I did not name the individual although I did leave cryptic clues to his identity, today reading the daily mirror I have learned that he has once more been up before the beak for another driving misdemeanour – this time his hard luck story did not wash with the courts and he landed himself a six-month ban and was fined £1,000 for failing to identify who was driving his £60,000 BMW X5 which was clocked doing 51mph in a 40mph zone.

It might have taken the best part of six months for justice to catch up with this former footballer – but it just goes to show you, fame and fortune can only carry you so far - this time round the authorities have treated him in a manner which the everyday “Joe Soap” would expect in a similar situation.

The individual concerned claimed exceptional hardship last time round - apparently this time he refused to cooperate with the authorities when it came to revealing who was driving his car when the latest brush with the law took place - he apparently did not learn the error of his way last time round.

Perhaps now that he may have to employ himself a driver to enable him to carry out his duties as manager of the Jamaican football team he might actually get to know what real “exceptional hardship” really is.
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Both These Cretins Have the Moral Compass of a Worm

It can not be denied that from time to time the Big Dollop has passed comment on both the IQ level and indeed the moral character of those individuals who make their living by being employed as Traffic Wardens, not just in this country but on the odd occasion, from over seas also.

I have often tried to convey my opinion as to their integrity when it comes to doing the right thing by members of Joe Public - Indeed I have often thought that the vast majority of those traffic wardens on whom I have passed comment upon have taken great delight in bringing untold misery to ordinary people by their over zealous actions when dishing our parking tickets.

To back up my point of view I would like to share this photo with you which show two traffic wardens booking two police cars who just happened to be parked on double yellow lines.

Now in order that there is no misunderstanding of my point of view, I don’t condone the actions of the drivers of the two police cars, indeed I am of the opinion that they are breaking the same law that you and I would be booked for and as such - should incur the same penalty for doing so.

Looking at the picture closely you can not help but get the impression that these two cretins are actually enjoying issuing tickets to the offending police cars.

The (gallows) humour of the situation clearly wasn't lost on the Traffic Warden on the left, who can be seen laughing as his colleague places a fixed penalty notice on the first victim's windscreen,instead of a public show of lightheartedness he could have at the very least shown some respect for his profession and given the appearance of carrying out their job with a modicum of dignity as he and his colleague were handing out the tickets.

The fact that they mutually thought it was amusing to ticket the police cars, indicate to me that both these cretins have the moral compass of a worm.

Someone Has a Great Sense of Humour

This is a video which appeals to my bizarre sense of humour, the people who originally edited it have got a great imagination – it should bring a smile to you face - enjoy!

How Times Have Changed!

Over the course of the last 24 hours or so The Big Dollop has been reminded of how life used to be in the early 1980’s which just happened to be the days before I owned a car.

Yesterday Mrs Big Dollop had a wee misfortune in so far as she experienced a flat tyre in our automobile - an automobile which if I am honest has seen better days.

Going by its current appearance  our wee jalopy could very well be considered as being  an old banger, but it is our old banger and given the financial situation which now envelops my good lady wife and I, our chances of acquiring a new car any time soon are akin to a snowballs chance in hell.

The Big Dollop's Wee Jalopy

Today or rather this morning after working a hard (night) shift at my work, the time to go home approached with an impending sense of foreboding on my part, the main reason being I knew I had the prospect of getting public transport home.

After a 10 minute walk to the bus stop I had to endure a wait of another 10 minutes before a bus came my way.

In the 20 or so minutes that had elapsed I could have been home, taken the dog for a walk and started cooking my breakfast and yet in front of me was a 20 minute jaunt home via every housing estate between my place of work and the bus stop 50 yards from my front door, so at 11:22am this morning I found myself stuck at a bus stop Day Dreaming I was home enjoying the delights of a mug of tea and a roll and sausage and potato scone.

To cap it all off I was charged a sum of £ 2:60 for the privilege for the bus ride home, £2 fricking 60 no less.

I thought to myself - at least Dick Turpin had the courtesy to wear a mask when robbing someone – although in retrospect I have probably been out of the loop for far too long when it comes to knowledge of the average bus fare nowadays - The last time I was on a bus it cost me something like 30p for the same journey, how times have changed!

The song by Joni Mitchell about paradise and a parking lot came to mind on the journey home from work this morning for never a truer sentence was ever sung about life and its warped set of circumstances. - You never miss something till it’s gone.

The car (that heap of shit) I don’t think twice about jumping in and going off to do something or another was very sadly missed this morning , when I look back to the days before I owned a car I wonder how in the hell I put up with all the hassle.

The only redeeming factor about today was the sun was out shinning and it was a very pleasant day for a 10 minute walk.

I wonder in all honesty if I would have been the same way of thinking had it been persistently raining from the heavens.

Any in The Big Dollop Tartan ?

Reading this morning newspapers I came across a picture which my first thought was along the lines of "What in the name of friar tuck?"

Last night being my night off I enjoyed the delights of a few bottles of Bulgarian beer and thought I might be suffering some kind of side effect.

Which One Is The Big Dollop Tartan ?

It was only when I saw today's date I realised it was an April fools joke and had a wee snigger to myself.

I would love to see sheep like this in the Scottish countryside especially where the tourists in the highlands are concerned.

I wonder if they have any in the Big Dollop tartan ?