Situation Rectified - It Is Now

Yesterday morning on returning from work I was met at the kitchen door by Mrs. Big Dollop who was slightly aggrieved at the situation regarding our washing machine – a washing machine which has served the Big Dollop household well for the best part of the last 8 years or so.

The kitchen floor was awash with soap suds due to the fact that water was cascading out from its front door so I guess she had a point about its reliability, so in order to defuse an otherwise pugnacious situation I thought I would imitate the bold Michael Winner and told the wife to “ calm down dear “

In truth I was feeling rather tired after an eight hour shift at work, I was ready for my bed and informed my significant other half that we could speak about resolving the situation in the afternoon after I had managed to get an hour or so in my bed.

Having set the alarm for 2:30pm so I could watch the Scottish cup final on the television I was somewhat surprised to find the house was empty and counting that as a blessing settled down to watch the football when after about 20 minutes Mrs Big Dollop appeared on the scene and informed me that the situation regarding the washing machine was “Now Rectified” and there was no need to talk about it as I had intimated earlier in the day.

I asked her who was coming in to fix the machine as I have a friend in that line of business and was one who would have done the job at a reasonable discount – she explained that as I had been somewhat reticent to resolve the situation at 6:30am (The time I got home from work) she just went out and bought a new one at a cost to our bank account of £300.

In retrospect perhaps she did not appreciate the Michael Winner comment - I should have noticed she was less than impressed by my crude attempt at humour and just explained that 6:30 in the morning was not the best time of day to call out a repair man.

Being pragmatic I would have just had it fixed – however Mrs Big Dollop erring on the side of extravagance decided to purchase a new one - Women!

Diversity - Worthy Winners of BGT

That’s Showbiz as the old saying goes- last night the dance troupe Diversity took the honours by winning this years Britain’s Got Talent competition with a stunning performance which guarantees them the first prize of £100 000 for winning the competition as well as the opportunity to perform in front of HM Queen Elizabeth at the royal variety performance in London's famous West End.

Diversity were just as surprised as any one at winning BGT given the fact they were up against the red hot favourite – Susan Boyle from Blackburn.

There has been much speculation as to the underlying reasons by Ms. Boyle did not win the competition as was widely anticipated.

Her apparent spat with two supposed fans and a police constable in her London hotel in the days leading up to Saturday night’s finale are thought to have had a detrimental effect on her public appeal, however that takes nothing away from the boys of Diversity who on the night, rose to the occasion and won the competition on their own merits.

Ms Boyle may indeed have lost the competition- that however does not make her a loser – she has achieved her stated dream - that of being a professional singer and in all probability (God Willing) will now go on to have a very successful career as a recording artist earning anything up to £10 Million over the course of the next 12 months or so.

However it remains to be seen if she has the mental capacity to deal with the unrelenting pressure which has dominated much of her life since her audition on BGT 2 months ago.

Diversity are more than worthy winners of a competition, which for the past 8 weeks has enthralled the UK public. Well done boys!

The Worm Turns

Here we go again, was my immediate thought when reading an article about the small group of extremist Muslims who sparked outrage in March when they disrupted a parade by the Royal Anglian Regiment on their return from a tour of duty in Afghanistan when they marched through Luton town centre.

Apparently a crowd had confronted them in a manner which led to a physical confrontation in which punches where thrown leading to a severe breakdown in public order in which traffic in Luton town centre had been forced to a halt.

One underlying factor in this escapade was the fact that the protesters against the extremist were from their own community - approximately 200 moderate Muslims on leaving Friday prayers took exception to these individuals and their radical agenda and took it upon themselves to rid their neighborhood of a scourge which surely has no place in a tolerant society – that scourge being intolerance and racism.

This incident reinforces a belief held by the Big Dollop that the vast majority of our Islamic population are law abiding citizens who are fed up as being somehow complicit with the radical views as expressed by Muslim bigots in our media.

Sadly in the Political Correctness climate of today any person who does not happen to be of a certain heritage risks being branded a racist (and arrested) if they were to confront these dangerous individuals and their agenda – however by making a stance in the manner they did today – the moderate Muslims in our society have shown that the radical agenda often portrayed in the UK media holds no sway with the vast majority of law abiding citizens who just happen to follow the teachings of Islam.

Very Interesting Indeed

In light of the recent revelations concerning the public outcry regarding certain Members of Parliament extravagant claims for expenses for 2nd home allowances the Big Dollop would like to pass comment on one MP in particular.

As a matter of record I would like to state that have no axe to grind with his political association, he just happens to be a conservative MP, but I feel it is only right and proper to point out that I would also have held his feet to the fire had he been a member of any of the other political parties in Westminster.

IMHO all politicians, regardless of their political affiliation who have played the system deserve nothing less than contempt and the scorn of Joe Public.

It has been reported that top tory politician Bill Cash designated his daughter Laetitia's West London flat as his "second home" for Commons allowances and claimed £15 000 over a 12month period to pay his daughters Rent.

The MP told Sky News that his daughter "did not need" the flat during 2004 and 2005, and he agreed a "tenancy agreement" with her for it.

Does Bill Cash honestly expect Joe Public to buy this crock of Chit! - for it seems to me that the UK tax payer was effectively paying the best part of £300 a week in order to pay for his daughters mortgage.

She had apparently owned her home for less than a year and a half, and for more than 12 months of that period her father had paid her £1,200 a month in rent from public funds, is it just a coincidence that as soon as her father stopped claiming money for it Miss Cash then sold her flat for a very respectable £48,000 profit? - you can draw your own conclusions on that one.

Mr. Cash like all those who have been found out with their hands in the cookie jar, has stated it was all above board and that it was within the rules – no surprise there – however it would be very interesting indeed to know if the inland revenue have got any record of the £15,000 income his daughter has apparently received – very interesting indeed.

Sometimes The Price of Fame Comes at a Cost Not Worth Paying

There has been much speculation in the red top newspapers about the mental health of Britain’s Got Talent favourite - Susan Boyle, who according to reports is on the verge of quitting the show in light of the pressure she has come under since she first came to the public’s attention approximately 8 weeks ago.

Susan Boyle

    Britain's Got Talent

She was photographed remonstrating with a policeman outside her London hotel who in her opinion had not done enough in keeping people away from her who were intent in harassing her – apparently the police man had dismissed her claims of harassment by stating that by being in the public eye should learn to “expect this kind of thing”.

Looking at her personal history as reported in sections of the media, Ms Boyle has always been the subject of personal critique which manifested its self in the form of bullying mainly due to the nature of her personality.

She herself has stated that performing on BGT has given her a platform to prove that she is not the worthless individual she has been made out to be by those who have gone out of their way to run her down - which given her experience may go a long way to explaining her recent outburst as reported in certain sections of the UK media.

One can only too well understand why she didn’t quite hit it off in the semi final of BGT, when in many people’s opinion she didn’t quite perform to the level of expectation anticipated.

The intense speculation in the media has obviously taken its toll on Ms. Boyle who to all intents and purpose is still just an ordinary middle aged lady from Blackburn; I think she is beginning to realise that the price of fame can in some instances - come at a cost that is just not worth paying.
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Even the Tooth Fairy is Cutting Back!

There is no doubt that in the vast majority of households up and down the country the credit crunch is impacting on family life with the constant increase in cost of paying the utilities, mortgage, council tax and putting food on the kitchen table on a week by week basis.

One aspect of the credit crunch which the Big Dollop didn’t give a second thought about until I heard it featured in a news item on the radio this morning concerns someone who when I was a child I always looked forward to receiving a visit from – The Tooth Fairy.

Apparently even the humble Tooth Fairy is not immune to the down turn in the economy nowadays as it has been reported that the average donation to the children of the UK who place their fallen out teeth under their pillow has decreased to an average sum of £1.15 per tooth – which even in this day and age is not to bad when you consider young children have up to 20 milk teeth that the tooth fairy is desperate to get her hands on.

It just goes to show you how much the country has gone to the dogs when even the Tooth Fairy has to pull her belt in an effort to cut down on costs. 

No Fool Like an Old Fool

The Big Dollop is shaking his head once again in disbelief at reading in one of our daily newspapers a story about a 73 year old gentleman who is currently appearing on the television show Britain’s Got Talent as a break dancer – a story which in the normal course of events I would probably say “good on ya mate".

However reading further it was revealed that the old codger is currently claiming disability allowance and is also driving around in a motability car all paid for by the DWP. (That’s the tax payer in simple layman’s terms)

The gentleman concerned stated that he had an idea of who informed the authorities he was break dancing on BGT, adding that they were probably jealous, sadly the silly old fool has just not got the necessary insight to realise that by performing on the television show in the first place.

Perhaps the most outlandish statement he made was when he said "With all this publicity my chances of winning the competition had been ruined” -  How ironic when the person who “dobbed him in” was none other than - himself.

They say with age comes wisdom – they also say there is no fool like an old fool, I wonder which one applies here.

Dig Deep Folks

This evening whilst reading today’s newspapers I came across a story which surprisingly has been given little coverage in the main stream media – it concerned a charitable event in aid of the Help for Heroes charity and takes the format of a sponsored bicycle run from Portsmouth to Paris.

The timing of the event is very poignant in so far as it coincides with the 65th anniversary of the D Day landings in Normandy in June of 1944.

The 350-mile Band of Brothers Battlefield Bike Ride retraces the Normandy landings and finishes at the Eiffel Tower after six days.

The charity’s patron, actor and TV presenter Ross Kemp, joined top brass to see the cyclists off at Southwick Park, Hants — where General Eisenhower launched D-Day 65 years ago on June 6, 1944.

It is hoped that cash raised by those taking part in the event will help towards accruing the further £16 million to the £4 million already raised in order to attain the £20million target which will enable the charity to build seven recovery centres for troops injured in the fields of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is possible to sponsor the riders in the following manner:

• By phone - Call 0300 200 1066 and use the automated system (calls at national rate)
• By text -     Text HERO to 60999 to donate £5, which will be deducted from your phone bill
• By cheque - here for the postal address and download gift aid form online.

For more info and to register an event click here

Dig deep folks.

An American View of the Fluster Cluck in Westminster

Scotland's bard Robert Burns in his poem To a Louse stated the following: 

"O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us to see oursels as others see us" - Roughly translated - it means something along the lines of: "Oh, that God would give us the very smallest of gifts to be able to see ourselves as others see us. 

The video below backs up that assertion beautifully - enjoy !

Eight Bloggers of Merit IMHO

To the lady from Dundee who nominated me as part of this ongoing proposal to spread fellowship among the blogging community – my humble gratitude.

On receiving this award the eight bloggers must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their own nominations.

As part of the criteria for nomination - the blogs should be exceedingly charming.
These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends, They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. 

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Subrosa – An erudite blogger of the highest calibre – has my utmost respect.

Shambles Manor – Inspirational blogging at its best.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy - A lady who has a wry sense of humour.

Bloodbus – The point of view of an everyday bus driver in Glasgow.

All Seeing Eye – Articulate without the need for the unsophisticated vernacular.

Tommy English – A nationalist with a true love of his country.

Tonybeingcreative – Knowledgeable, informed and well clued up.

Aye We Can – I don’t always agree with his outlook- but he speaks from the heart.

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If at all possible, please give more attention to these excellent Blogs.

Unbearable ! What In The Name of Friar Tuck ?

Reported in certain sections of the media today was an article concerning the remarks made by Conservative MP Nadine Dorries who has indicated that in light of the recent public outrage aimed at various MP’s who have cynically abused the system by which MP’s claim their expenses.

It is her opinion that it is just a matter of time before an honourable member commits suicide - the delusional Ms. Dorries was quoted as saying the atmosphere in Westminster had become “Unbearable “

With all due respect to Ms Dorries - the Big Dollop just has to ask, what in the name of friar tuck would she know about being in a situation in life and all that it throws at you, that could be remotely described as being “Unbearable” in any shape or form.

Like the vast majority of those and such as those who have been quoted in the media for their alleged exploitation of the system, she appears to be so out of touch with the reality of the situation regarding the consensus of opinion as held by ordinary members of the Public here in the UK.

She ought to think for a moment on the hundred’s of thousands of people trying to get by on a daily basis, out there bursting their arses in all sorts of weather 5 days a week for a wage of £300 or less if they are on the minimum wage – perhaps she could take a moment to reflect on the two million people (who because of the monumental fluster cluck the government have made of the economy) are currently unemployed and barely scratching a living for themselves and families.

To hear Ms Dorries bitch and whine about a potential suicide of an MP makes me want to barf, she and her ilk are totally clueless to the daily grind the rest of the population are facing in order to just get by.

The privileged few really need to get a grip and learn to exercise some humility when trying to placate the public as to their reasons for claiming expenses often to the detriment of the UK tax payer.

I would not wish for one moment to hear on the evening news that one of these turds had taken their own life over a claim for expenses but at the same time I would not lose a moments sleep either – that is - if any of them had the courage to actually do it.

Pretty Well Summed Up

Showing The Way Forward.

When I look back at the videos of my daughter when she was about 4 years of age she was a happy and contented child playing with other kids of her same age from our neighbourhood.

When I look at her now she has very little contact with any of them at all apart from perhaps the odd hello if she meets them at the bus stop on her way to college

On the face of it I guess you could say its all part of growing up , to move on and make new friends and so forth – however thinking about it from a different perspective got me to consider what other reasons could there be for these things to happen over a relatively short time ( 10 years)

Why is it in Scotland children are often in each others company – best friends for life – only to divide them at the age of 5 by sending them to different schools where - and lets be honest - the ways of the adult world are slowly taught to them – they become either Prodi Dogs or Cathy Cats and then (as parents) we seriously wonder why prejudice and bigotry is an endemic problem in society especially here in the West of Scotland.

No one can deny that the shadow of sectarianism has for far too long been blight on Scottish society. It is a cancer which has affected all of us in some shape or another

The prejudice which stains Scottish culture fuels an alarming reality that you need not belong to a particular faith to be a victim of sectarianism. The school you attend, the community you belong to, your name, your accent or even the colour of your clothing can all mark you out as a target for discrimination and abuse.

Reported tonight in the Evening Times was a story about how the town of Barrhead has addressed the problem by holding a march at which more than 500 school children strode through their town centre in an act of unity against a scourge which is unfortunately prevalent in many aspects of Scottish society - bigotry and intolerance.

Showing The Way Forward

The parade which was led by two pipers included kids from catholic and non-denominational schools in the town who proudly wore specially made T-shirts for the occasion – they marched to the town's Cowan Park where a pleasant afternoon was spent playing a number of outdoor games, much to the enjoyment of all who participated.

Police, teachers and community leaders say Barrhead doesn't have a particular problem with sectarianism as such, but they were keen to make children aware of an issue which today - in the 21st century - still casts its ominous shadow over life in the West of Scotland.

The march by the schoolchildren in Barrhead may not achieve the goal of realising a society free from sectarianism where cultural and religious diversity is respected and celebrated by everyone - but at least as a town, they are showing the way forward!

Common Sense Prevails ( At Last)

The Big Dollop would like to take a moment and congratulate the brave men of the Gurkha Rifles who after a battle as hard as they ever fought in the theatre of war won a great victory today when the government finally saw sense and enacted a policy whereby any Gurkha who served in the regiment for a period of four years now has the right to live and work here in the UK.

These tenacious fighters from Nepal have fought for the Crown for the best part of 200 years – during that time they have earned a reputation of being among the bravest of the brave.

They also have total respect for the UK and its people for this was clearly demonstrated by the crowds of Gurkhas outside parliament today, when after the historic announcement was made they to a man gave a hearty “three cheers” for the embattled and deeply unpopular PM – Gordon Brown - many of whom were filmed saluting him in person when he finally had the gall to come out and face them man to man - Perhaps Mr Brown can take some lessons about the virtue of "Humility" from these brave soldiers.

It is just a shame that this government had to be dragged kicking and screaming through the courts and go through the ignominy of losing a vote on the matter before it finally did the right thing.

A very emotional Joanna lumley who was indefatagble in her support of the Gurkhas expressed her delight at the ruling today . Well done Ms. Lumley

More Spin Than Substance

Having just watched the press conference given this afternoon by the PM Gordon Brown, I  have to say I am still unconvinced that he is any where near being honest when he said  the following:

“No Labour MP who broke expenses rules would stand at the next election" 

If there was even a half chance that this indeed would be the case then I have to ask why the likes of Hazel Blear is still serving in his cabinet, given the fact she failed to pay capital gains tax of £13,332 on the sale of the flat she designated as her  Second Home" and subsequently claiming  it back as an part of her expenses. Mr Brown in trying to defend the situation regarding Ms. Blears said:

“It was neither against the law nor against the rules of the House at the moment." 

A statement which sums up the subterfuge in his statement about the breaking of the rules, people would have more confidence that Mr Brown was sincere in his assertion if he had said something along the lines of -

"Any labour MP who has been found to have cynically exploited the expenses system with fraudulent claims for expenses in order to line their own pockets will not be allowed to stand as a labour candidate at the next general election" 

- but then again what do we expect from our politicians when it comes to the spin they generate with regards to what they say against what they actually mean.

The Big Dollop is of the opinion that Mr Brown is once again stalling for time for he knows that if he was to sack the errant labour Members of Parliament for their duplicity in matters of fraudulent claims for expenses it would trigger many by-elections in which the labour party would not have a snow balls chance in hell of winning.

His hollow words in claiming that any Labour MP found guilty of breaking the rules would not be allowed to stand for election is in effect- a ruse to try and save time and hold on to power till a general election is called sometime in June of 2010.

Am I Just Being Too Sentimental?

Today’s newspapers have in the main, been dealing with the speculation about the speaker of the House of Commons chances of remaining in office given the intense pressure he is under after a very lack lustre performance in Parliament yesterday afternoon. 

 

In other news I found an article which had me shaking my head in disbelief, it told of an individual who was found guilty on a charge of murder resulting in him spending the next 27 years of his life as a guest of HM’s prison service. 

 

The individual concerned was jailed in 1982 for a crime which consequently he was found to be innocent off thanks to the progress made in technology with regards DNA testing. 

 

There is no doubt that after being banged up for a period of 27 years the individual concerned is in line for a considerable compensation payment, however it has been intimated that he will probably have to pay a contribution fee approaching £250 000 for his “ food and lodgings” for the time he spent being incarcerated. 

 

After spending 27 years in custody for a crime he did not commit, surely he is entitled to receive the full amount of compensation which he is due or am I just being too sentimental in my thought process?

Only In America - Thankfuly

Watching breakfast television this morning an interesting story was broadcast which caught my attention, it featured an organisation which was close to my heart when growing up as a teenager. I refer to the boy scouts.

It was announced that the UK Scout Association have a new Chief Scout in the person of Bear Grylls who takes over the roll in July from the former Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan.

I have no doubt the boy scout movement here in the UK is a lot different from the one I used to attend on a regular basis way back in 1973-76, however I am also certain that it has not changed as ominously as it has in the USA where it has taken on a sinister philosophy in so far as the programs it offers its members nowadays.

I read in the NY Times a story which reports that the scout movement in the US has begun to train its young members up in such issues like counter terrorism and dealing with different aspects of law enforcement, in particular with regards to illegal immigration.

Why the scout movement in the US thinks it’s necessary to teach young teenagers skills such as storming a Hi-Jacked Bus, or on how to incapacitate and detain a suspected wrongdoer is way beyond my comprehension.

All you have to do is look at the photograph to see where I am coming from - boy scouts? They look more like the Hitler Youth!

The difference between the scout movement in the US and here in the UK can be found here

Its Not Over Until The Fat Lady Sings

The Big Dollop would like to take a moment to reflect on the events which transpired over the course of the weekend in the domain of Scottish football with particular reference to the race for the SPL title.

Before a ball was kicked on Saturday the advantage to win the SPL lay with the reigning champions Glasgow Celtic who led their great rivals from the south side of Glasgow on goal difference - this came about because Rangers could only manage a 1-1 draw with Hibernian in midweek while Celtic took care of Dundee United with a 2-1 win the previous night before.

It was noted by those who take an interest in these events that the Hibernian were on the receiving end of much warranted praise from the followers of Celtic after their spirited performance against the Rangers – yet when the same fate befalls the Celtic 3 days later one of the Celtic players is all over the newspapers complaining about the negative style in which Hibernian played against the Celtic.

Did he honestly expect the players of Hibernian football club to roll over and play dead in order to give Celtic the advantage going in to the last week of the season?

Gary Caldwell may very well be disappointed at the result that transpired but to cast an aspersion that Hibernian football club are some how complicit in making sure Rangers win the SPL is surely out of order.

One aspect of the weekend’s fixtures that was definitely out of order was the manner in which the Rangers forward Kyle Lafferty contrived to get a fellow professional sent off with what can only be described as a blatant attempt of gamesmanship, it was a crude attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the referee and he can consider himself fortunate he is not up on a charge of bringing the game in to disrepute.

The bottom line as I see it is - if Celtic fail to win the league then they will have no one to blame but themselves as they could and should have had Rangers dead and buried months ago - some how, some way the Rangers have managed to claw back the points deficit which Celtic held over them.

The Celtic Team that played under the likes of Tommy Burns or Martin O’Neil would never have conceded the ground the present one has IMHO.

As for the Rangers? How many bites of the cherry do they need before they finally wrestle the championship flag from Celtic?

Since Wednesday nights game against the Hibernian the Rangers fans have been gnashing their teeth and bleating about perfectly good goals being disallowed against them on at least three occasions this season – so what - all teams get the breaks now and again, referees and linesmen are only human and as such - open to all manner of mistakes.

To hear my fellow Rangers supporters bitch and whine about perceived injustices was extremely embarrassing to say the least, sometimes you just have to take it on the chin and get on with the task at hand – winning games!

So once again the destiny of the SPL title is in the hands of Glasgow Rangers – a win on Sunday against Dundee United will secure the title for the first time since 2005, anything less (unless Celtic don’t manage to beat Hearts) will see the championship going to the East End of Glasgow for the fourth consecutive year.

Bearing in mind the SPL is played over 38 games who ever wins the league come Sunday will be worthy champions.

I don't hear the fat lady singing - just yet

The Words Pot, Kettle and Black Spring to Mind.

During the furore over the scandal involving the debacle over numerous MP’s claims for expenses it has become very apparent that the mood of the people of the UK has been some what irritated by the continual and unedifying manner in which MP’s of all political persuasion when asked to account for their alleged misdemeanours have tried to placate the Public by spouting out the same old crap along the lines “it was within the rules”

The public are totally disgusted on how our elected representatives have been somewhat evasive when asked to justify their reasoning behind what the vast majority of people consider as a flagrant abuse of the system in regards to their often inexcusable claims for inappropriate expenses which if submitted in any other circumstances (the private sector) would be more than likely the subject of a police enquiry if not a prosecution.

One has to ask why the speaker of the House of Commons allowed the reputation of the UK parliament to get to the stage where it is now seen to be wallowing in the gutter.

The speaker - the Right Honourable Michael Martin has evidently been negligent in the discharge of his duties in so far as he failed to uphold the tradition of guarding the reputation of parliament by holding the MP’s to account on such unsavoury issues like that of MP’s (extravagant) expenses.

Recently he got involved in the matter in a manner which on reflection he might just regret one day.

As speaker it is his domain to remain impartial to the business that might come before the house and to try and remain aloof – however in his wisdom he chose to chastise two MP’s who asked him for clarification on points of order regarding his decision to call in the police – not to investigate the claims of alleged fraudulent of expenses by certain MP’s but rather to look in to the matter of who released the information in the first place to the media

The Speaker's concern’s about the leak to the Daily Telegraph - criminal as it quite may be - is in my humble opinion a busted flush for as I see it, his own complicity in the manipulation of the expenses system clearly demonstrate he is in no position to claim the moral high ground any where in this whole sorry saga.

The words Pot, Kettle and Black spring to mind.

Last Night's Question Time

Part of my leisure time on a Thursday night involves time set aside to watch Question Time on the BBC which this week featured an animated debate on the current scandal surrounding the furore concerning expenses claimed by numerous MP’s from all sides of the political spectrum.

During the normal course of events certain decorum is often afforded to members of the invited panel, however in last nights broadcast the situation threatened to get ugly when ever the politicians tried to defend their position with regards to their individual set of circumstances.

It is a very rare occasion indeed where the audience on this programme are openly hostile to the people participating in the debate – last night was one of those rare occasions.
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One Reason Why The Criminal Justice System Is Going To The Dogs

An article in yesterday’s Daily Mail caught my attention for it featured a story which exemplifies one of the reasons why the criminal justice system here in the UK is going to the dogs.

The article in question highlighted the case of two low life scumbags who were quite rightly prosecuted by the police after a neighbour of the house they were breaking into photographed them in the act of carrying out their skullduggery, only for them to be let off with no more than a slap on the wrist by a judge who has ultimately failed in his duty in conferring what should have been a mandatory custodial sentence for these two career minded criminals.

What kind of message does this totally incompetent verdict convey to those public spirited people who would consider assisting the police in their quest to bring criminals to justice – what more compelling evidence was needed than a near perfect digital photograph of these pair of thieving ba**** *ds effectively being caught red handed in the act of housebreaking only to have a judge let them walk free with a suspended sentence and supervision order.

In fairness to the judge, perhaps in this instance he was adhering to government guidelines about not sending people to prison for under a certain period of time due to the current situation in the prison system regarding over crowding, however that will be of little comfort to the householder who got burgled and lost a plasma television, a computer games console and a laptop with a combined value of £ 1400.

The fact that the prison system here in the UK is creaking at the seams is to some extent irrelevant to the Big Dollop – in many foreign countries, people who fall foul of the law inevitably end up banged up in a stinking cell with up to 20 other undesirables and let’s be honest, hardly any one in this country gives two hoots about their situation.

This pair of knuckle heads can count themselves very lucky they got off so lightly, for the judge who presided in this sorry saga has surely failed in the discharge of his duty and deserves nothing but the distain and contempt of Joe Public.

Needed - The Testicular Fortitude of Goliath

Reading the news from N.Ireland tonight one story which caught my eye featured an article whereby two on duty police officers were found guilty of littering when a litter warden and a council worker allegedly saw them throw a tea bag and a milk carton from the window of their squad car whilst they were on a break from their duties.

The two officers were each found £250 each for the littering offence with one of them incurring a further fine of £100 for the offence of smoking in the car, they were also ordered to pay the court costs of £100 each.

The two officers concerned obviously denied the charges against them and had previously declined the option of settling the matter by accepting a fixed penalty, so the fines they both received will no doubt be a bitter pill to swallow.

One aspect of this particular case which I find incredible is the fact that two dickheads working as litter wardens had the gall to take the police officers to task on this matter – lets just say one would need the testicular fortitude of goliath to try the same kind of thing here in the West of Scotland, where going by reputation alone, the police officers would have more then likely told them to F**k off before swarming all over them like a rash if they had even attempted to admonish them for littering .

I also find it kind of comforting to know that in this day and age no one is above the law when it comes to littering the Queens highways – Not even HM’s police officers.
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Very Simplistic - But True, ha ha

The following two statements are very simplistic in their logic but both brought a wry smile to my face.  

Heaven is Where : The Police are British, The Chefs are Italian, The Mechanics are German, The Lovers are French and It's all organized by the Swiss.
 
Hell is Where : The Police are German, The Chefs are British, The Mechanics are French, The Lovers are Swiss and It's all organized by the Italians.

Mr Brown's Latest No Brainer

This morning I had what is commonly known as a coffee spitting moment when trying to catch up with current events whilst reading my morning newspaper, the reason being the latest hair brained proposal from our much maligned PM - Gordon Brown.

His latest Pie in the Sky scheme to try and endear himself to the people of the UK involves one the most idiotic and ridiculous propositions I have ever had the misfortune to read.

Mr. Brown is apparently of the opinion that in order to improve his government’s perceived vulnerability on law and order, has recommended that the police should provide a service whereby anyone who has cause for concern about their “safety” can if they so desire can ring a "hotline" and be escorted home in the presence of police officers.

Mr. Brown must be living in the twilight Zone if he thinks this Looney Tune proposal will ingratiate himself in anyway with Joe Public, he apparently does not realise the police just don’t have the resources to mollycoddle people home from a night out because they have may missed the last bus or just simply can't afford the cost of a taxi home.

The PM is in grave danger of losing the plot big style if this ham - fisted proposal is an example of what he is intending to offer Joe Public by way of persuading them to vote for his party come the time of the next general election.

Like those and such as those who live in a bubble, he simply has no idea of what goes on in the majority of the UK’s town centre’s, especially at the weekends when the police are to all extents and purposes run off their feet dealing with the mayhem that often prevails, an example of which is clearly demonstrated in the video below - A video which raises one very obvious question.

Who is going to deal with this sort of crap if the police have to escort people home under Mr. Brown's latest No Brainer ?

A Very Impressive Ceremony Indeed

The following video was filmed approximately 20 years ago – it comes from the BBC programme “Around the world in 80 days “featuring the travel exploits of Michael Palin who at that time worked and earned his living circumventing the world.

Watch this spectacular video at your leisure and enjoy the impressive lowering of the flag ceremony which occurs at sundown every day at the crossing point which is located at Wagah between Lahore on the Pakistani side, and Amritsar on the Indian side of the border.
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Mr. Brown, For The Good Of The Country - Make The Right Choice!

During the course of the past few months or so there has been a wailing and a gnashing of teeth within certain sections of the blogesphere to heap pressure on the Prime Minister (PM) Gordon Brown to consider resigning from office.

PM Gordon Brown

The Big Dollop has for sometime now been fairly indifferent to the calls for Mr Brown's departure from Number 10 mainly due to the opinion I had, in so far as it differed from the apparent consensus that his credentials of being a one eyed Scottish idiot was insufficient grounds for his departure - be it by resignation or any other means.

Placing aside Mr Brown's deficiencies regarding his perceived shortcoming at not having 20/20 vision, it is now very evident that he is struggling to fulfil the responsibilities that are commensurate with the office of PM.

During his tenure since assuming the mantle of PM we have seen the economy head for the doldrums, unemployment is rising steadily and he has presided over the near total collapse of the banking system here in the UK.

As well as being totally inept in his response to the near fraudulent dealings of members of parliament when it comes to their so called expenses, another situation which he failed dismally to address in a positive light before the full extent of the problem came in to the public domain, his half baked attempt to find a plausible solution was revealed in the release of a You Tube video which was as cringe worthy as it was embarrassing.

Perhaps he should have tried to follow his own advice in the video and exercised a modicum of humility himself , instead of coming across as being a sanctimonious self-righteous buffoon.

With the recent debacle concerning the brave men of the Gurkhas and the scandal which we now know as "Smear Gate", he is in grave danger of losing the trust and confidence of the base of his labour voting electorate – a base which is surely evaporating on a daily basis .

When all is said and done Mr Brown has got one of three choices to make.

1.  He can resign from the office of PM and simply sit out the remainder of his time as an MP on the back benches.

2.  He can grab the bull by the horn and go ask HM Queen Elizabeth to dissolve parliament and give the country what it is crying out for – an election.

3.  He can sit out the term of his office and hope that somehow there is a turnaround in his fortune by the time he is legally obliged to go to the country.

I 'm betting he will choose option three.

A Blight On The Landscape

On Saturday morning I had the pleasure of travelling over to the town of Rothesay on the beautiful Isle of Bute - a remit connected with my designated duties associated with my current employment.

As part of my assignment I also had to deliver newspapers to a shop in the village of Tighnabruaich where because of regulations related to break times for the industry I work in, I was obliged to take a 45 minute break which I duly took at a view point over looking the picturesque Kyles of Bute on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyle.

The scenery from the vantage point over the Kyles was nothing short of spectacular, although it was dark and overcast when I was there, the beauty of the place was still very much self evident.

The Picturesque Kyles of Bute

I imagine it must be a very busy place come the height of the summer tourist season which brings me to the point of this particular post – although the scenery was blue chip - the view however was shocking to say the least – let me explain.

Looking down the Kyles offers a vista which is hard to beat, but like elsewhere in Scotland there was blight on the landscape featuring a problem which sadly affects the majority of our countryside here in Scotland – that of litter dumped at the roadside.

The vantage point I was at was strewn with all sorts of casually discarded refuse, everything from empty soda cans, beer bottles, leftover food remains and children’s soiled nappies where left on the grass verge instead of being placed in a rubbish bin.

This IMHO represents a major problem which if it is not addressed properly must have a detrimental effect on the tourist industry when it comes to the over all judgement holiday makers have when returning to their homes after their vacation here in Scotland.

The majority of people here in Scotland take great pride in declaring themselves as Scottish, how come they don’t give two hoots about its appearance?

Who Says You Have To Cross The Winning Line First To Be A Winner.

This morning reading the Sunday newspapers among all the doom and gloom concerning the state of the economy and the scandal surrounding the uproar relating to the obscene immorality of numerous MP’s, it was refreshing to see a story which was a pure joy to read.

It concerned a soldier who in spite of being badly injured in a rocket attack in Basra last February undertook and finally finished the London marathon after completing the 26.2 mile course in a time of 13 days 2 hours and 50 minutes.

Major Phil Packer made a  *mockery of the doctors who told him it was highly unlikely that he would ever walk again with a grim display of will power and determination by walking two miles a day on crutches after starting the race with the thousands of other competitors on April 26.

All too often the word Hero is applied to people from the world of sport who have accomplished many great things – not meaning to pour scorn on their otherwise tremendous achievements – Major Packer’s endeavours over the course of the past two weeks proves beyond doubt that you don’t have to cross the winning line first to be a winner.

His triumph in crossing the line can serve as a beacon of hope and provide motivation to those people who may think they are failing in the daily battle to overcome the seemingly insurmountable problems that effect each of us in our individual lives.

Every painful step Major Packer took in his quest of completing his “mission” was an inspirational example in which he displayed in a most humble and selfless manner how the human spirit can rise above the most terrible personal tragedy.

His untiring efforts have so far raised more than £700,000 towards his goal of £1m for the Help for Heroes campaign in support of troops wounded in action.

We in the United Kingdom owe Major Packer and the thousands like him who wear the uniform of HM’s Armed Forces a tremendous debt of gratitude.

* It might appear to the casual reader of my blog that I am in someway being disrespectful of the efforts made by Major Packer’s doctors – I can assure you, that was never my intention, I made the comment to highlight the resilience of Major Packer’s strength of mind in proving them wrong and not in any way to malign their professional integrity.

Honourable Members of Parliament? My Arse!

Watching the evening news tonight had the Big Dollop hopping mad at the reports on the expenses claimed by our so called honourable members of parliament.

Once again we had to witness the brazen arrogance of members of the Westminster Parliament stand in front of the television cameras and try and justify their shameful conduct when claiming expenses with regards to their second homes which I grudgingly acknowledge, are entitled to do under the current system, the problem being as the Big Dollop sees it – the system sucks like a Dyson. 

The cynical exploitation of expenses has undoubtedly angered the ordinary man in the street, with many people just barely keeping their heads above water, it is galling to know these MP’s are shafting all of us with their immoral claims for crooked expenses over and above their basic annual salary which I believe is currently £65 000 a year. 

Why is it very few of these MP’s realise the outrage Joe Public feels towards their evident indifference to the apparent fraudulent manner in which many of these claims are submitted? 

The Big Dollop currently works six nights a week to keep the wolf and the sheriffs’ officers off his front door step, it is a never ending grind to pay the mortgage, the utilities, council tax and put food on the table. 

The responsibility of holding down a job and keeping a roof over our heads is a task which Mrs. Big Dollop and I strive to attain on a daily basis – it really does get on my wick to see all these smug gits on TV with their disingenuous platitudes. 

Honourable Members of Parliament? My arse!

Politics - A Dirty Job, But Someone Has To Do It

The Big Dollop having family living in the USA has a passing interest in Politics on the other side of the pond, so it is understandable (I hope) that I want to feature a story regarding the 2010 senate elections especially for the state of Louisiana where a Porn Star by the name of Stormy Daniels has thrown her hat in to the ring and is standing against the incumbent Republican Senator David Vitter under the slogan “Stormy Daniels: Screwing People Honestly”.

Senator Vitter has not had his troubles to seek having been caught up in a prostitution scandal in 2007 – a situation which Ms Daniels is quick to exploit Senator Vitter’s apparent hypocrisy given the fact that he ran on a platform of Christian family values and an anti-sex education agenda.

Ms Daniels, one of the most successful porn actresses in the US, has already challenged Mr. Vitter to a debate — “but I don’t think he has the balls to confront me” — she also said she would be willing to wrestle him, adding it was a prospect that Senator Vitter, "with his track record, might secretly relish"

Asked if she could seriously cut the mustard if elected Ms. Daniels said “Politics can’t be any dirtier a job than the one I am already in.” 

I have serious doubts that Ms Daniels can come any where near beating Senator Vitter next year, but her contention to run for the seat is an inconvenient reminder for those of a Republican mindset as to why their policies have been robustly rejected by US electorate during the course of the last 3 years or so.

I must confess and if I were eligible, I could be tempted to vote for her!

Regretable To Say The Least

Now that the dust has settled on last nights semi final of the Champions League game between Chelsea and Barcelona - a somewhat self-effacing Didier Drogba has apologised for his vicious outburst of anger directed towards the referee at the end of the match.

In all fairness Drogba was not the only Chelsea player to vent his spleen as Chelsea were knocked out by a goal scored in the 93rd minute, thus preventing them from advancing to face Manchester United in the final which is to be played in Rome in 3 weeks time.

It is self evident that the demeanour of Drogba which was witnessed at the end of the game was regrettable to say the least - the high emotions and frustrations which arose from his bitter disappointment was the result of what he perceived to be some bad decisions made by the Norwegian referee, however that in no way mitigates his demonstration of hostility towards the match official .

I just wonder if he understands the irony of what he perceived to be a “Ducking Fisgrace” given the manner in which he expressed his emotions – hardly an example for those watching the game on television at home, especially children.

One Rule For Them and Another Rule For The Rest of Us.

Recently featured significantly on various media outlets (Radio and Television) the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have engaged the public to participate in a campaign whereby any individual who is of the opinion that a neighbour, colleague or indeed a stranger for that matter who may be in receipt of welfare benefits to which they may not be entitled - can if they so desire lift the phone and place a call to the DWP who will then look into the matter with a view to bringing that suspect to justice by investigating every claim regardless of the whether the grounds behind the call placed to the DWP are justified or not.

Enlarge Picture Here

The Big Dollop has some concerns regarding this policy for it is very apparent that in today’s society there is one rule for those and such as those and another rule for the likes of ordinary people like myself (there but for the grace of god) who may, through unforeseen circumstances of redundancy and so forth, find themselves unemployed and on the odd occasion may have to work on the side in order to keep the wolf or dare I say it - the sheriffs officers away from the front door.

How come the authorities always seen to target the ordinary Joe Soap in these instances when those in a position of authority always seem to come out of it smelling of roses ?

Go Easy On The Mayo

An interesting news item from the USA caught the Big Dollops attention, it featured President Obama and Vice President Biden who unannounced - casually strolled in to a burger bar in Arlington Virginia in order to partake of some lunch yesterday afternoon.

In spite of their undoubted VIP status both President Obama and Vice President Biden waited their turn in the queue and thereafter ordered a burger and fries from some very surprised staff behind the counter.

On placing their individual orders each dipped their hands in to their pockets and paid for their meal, and then the pair stood aside like the other customers and waited for their number to be called before going to a table.

Not wanting to be seen as being somewhat cost-conscious with his money President Obama offered to purchase burgers for the press pool that inevitably follows him around.

Somehow I could never envisage Mr. Brown ever being able to accomplish anything as down-to-earth as this – he simply does not have the people skills to carry it off!

Simply Inconceivable

In one of today’s newspapers there was a story which on reading had the Big Dollop shaking his head in abject disbelief – it featured a lout who had went to court to voice his resentment at having to wear a high visibility vest denoting him as an undesirable currently serving a community service - stating that wearing it would cause him humiliation and embarrassment.

“It advertises that you have done something wrong and you don’t want the whole world to know,” he told the court during his trial last month. – No shit sherlock!

Incredibly this knuckle head won his case when Magistrates’ District Judge Philip Browning at Great Yarmouth Court said

“The defendant in this case did have a reasonable excuse for failing to comply with the unpaid work requirement of his suspended sentence order.”

Is it just me or is that statement the biggest load of crap ever espoused by a member of the judiciary – the whole point of making these ruffians wear a high visibility vest is to hopefully embarrass them into realising that not only have they done wrong but that the rest of us in society know they have done wrong, the fact that this hooligan has his sensitivities aggravated is tough shit IMHO.

Personally if I was in a position to have a say on the outcome in a case like this I would have given the sniveling little shit in question the choice of wearing the high visibility vest or doing 2 years in jail.

It is simply inconceivable that those convicted and sentenced to do a community payback sentence can to all intents and purposes dictate the terms of their sentence.

Is it any wonder that a fair number of convicted felons just laugh at what passes for the criminal justice system in this country.
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John Higgins- World Champion For a 3rd Time

The Big Dollop would like to take a moment to congratulate John Higgins on becoming the world champion at snooker for the third time.

The Wishaw wizard clinched his third Crucible title by defeating Shaun Murphy 18-9 in the Betfred.com World Championship final in Sheffield, to follow up his previous victories in 1998 and 2007.

 John Higgins  Snooker World Champion 2009

They say that being proficient at the game of snooker is a sign of a misspent youth - Mr. Higgins by winning 71 frames of snooker over the course of 13 days earned himself a cool £250,000, he must have had a lot of time on his hands as a young man.

Congratulations John

HMS Sheffield.

Today marks the 27th anniversary of the attack on HMS Sheffield which resulted in the loss of 20 of its crew with a further 24 being seriously wounded. HMS Sheffield was a Type 42 guided missile destroyer of the Royal Navy.

She was attacked by the Argentine Air Force during the late morning of May 4th, 1982. Two exocet missiles from an Argentine Super-Etendard fighter bomber were fired at the Sheffield from a distance of only 6 miles - one missed but the other scored a direct hit and ignited a fire which resulted in a cloud of poisonous smoke enveloping the ship causing most of the crew to abandon ship.

HMS Sheffield 

The attack on the Sheffield was in retaliation for the sinking of the Cruiser Belgrano which was sank two days earlier by the nuclear-powered submarine HMS Conqueror with the loss of 323 men.

The Big Dollop would like to pause for a moment’s reflection in remembrance , not only for the men of the Sheffield who perished on that fateful day 27 years ago, but also for each and every soldier, sailor and airman who paid the ultimate price - regardless of which side they fought on - God bless them all .

The Prosecution of Drivers Continues Unabated.

Today I came across an article in one of our daily newspapers which I have commented on before in my humble blog – that of the injustice often perpetrated against ordinary members of the public lawfully going about their business and being hammered by fines incurred for speeding on the Queen’s highways whilst driving their cars.

I have no problem with those who exceed the national speed limits by margins of 20 mph and so forth being brought to task for what I and many others will agree, is a dangerous act of folly especially if the offence occurs in a built up area, its the prosecution of Joe Public who may have crawled up to 35mph in a 30 mph zone that gets on the Big Dollop’s wick.

Take Lancashire police for instance – it was reported that they have raked in millions by hitting drivers with 502,000 fixed penalty notices since the policy to increase the number of cameras from 63 in 2001 to the present day figure of 345 – during that period of time only two drivers have been given the benefit of the doubt and received a warning about their future conduct with regards to adhering to the national speed limits.

Last year the police force in Lancashire collected £4.3 million by issuing 57,658 tickets to motorists who were unfortunate enough to be caught by the dreaded speed cameras.

It should be recalled, the introduction of speed cameras was we were told, to improve certain acts of road safety with a view to saving lives in so called accident black spots – honourable sentiments I suppose.

However the cold harsh reality is far simpler than that - the powers at be quickly came to realise that it was a very easy way in which to raise revenue and in spite of very little improvement in road safety actually having occurred, the prosecution of drivers not only in Lancashire but all over the country - continues unabated.

It just shows where the priorities are for the police, when muggers, rapists and child offenders get a written warning, but the motorist who pays dearly for the right to drive nowadays, gets penalised for everything from eating a sandwich, laughing behind the wheel and God forbid – committing the heinous crime of exceeding the speed limit by as little as 5mph.

The same article I read also revealed the police in Lancashire handed out cautions and written warnings to serious offenders who because of the serious nature of their offences, should have been banged up in HMP Strangeways IMHO.

Among the cautions, conditional cautions, final warnings and reprimands given out last year were 17 for indecent assaults on children, 11 for possessing indecent images of children and one for rape, 34 arsonists and 73 people caught with knives in public were also given a written ticking-off.

The good people of Lancashire will no doubt sleep easy in their beds at night knowing their local police force have got their priorities right !

Skake Hands With ? Yes - Vote For ? Not A Snowballs Chance In Hell

30 years ago today the country went to the polls and elected its first female Prime Minister in the person of Mrs. Margaret Thatcher.

The following day she moved into Number 10 and for the next 11 years or so the green grocer's daughter from Grantham held sway in Downing Street in what can only be described as one of the most turbulent eras in recent political history, that is until the recent events which are effecting the country nowadays.

Although derided by a majority of people in Scotland her policies brought about major changes in a manner which one way or another had a profound effect on almost every family in the country.

No one can ever forget the division and bitterness the miners strike caused in 1984 when she refused to give in to Arthur Scargill and the resulting legislation brought in to break the strangle hold the unions had in the country at that time.

One note of interest is the fact that since 1997 when the labour party regained the reins of power in Westminster there has hardly been as much single comma of Mrs. Thatcher’s union reforms amended in twelve years of Labour rule.

She brought about the end of the nationalised companies such as British Telecom, British Steel and British Gas and in doing so she gave the ordinary man in the street the opportunity to buy shares, albeit at a horrendous cost of placing thousands of other people on the dole.

From the beginning of 1983 to mid 1985 I found myself as one of “Maggie’s Millions” that is to say unemployed as a direct result of her policy waged against inflation – a policy which also put thousands on the dole – indeed I distinctly recall her saying that the number of people out of work was a price worth paying to keep inflation down.

At the time I was bitter at being thrown on the scrap heap – I was relatively young and unhappy at having no income except on the odd occasion when I could find some casual work to perhaps enjoy a Friday night out at my local pub, I had aligned myself with the mindset that prevailed in Scotland at the time - looking back I now realise that I probably had a great time – I had the freedom to do exactly whatever I wanted to do without the responsibility of raising a family and keeping a roof over my head.

She also brought in a policy which allowed people to purchase their council houses – a policy which benefited the Big Dollop when I got back in among the employed in 1985 with a local Double Glazing firm- an industry which at that time was booming as a result of people making home improvements on the council houses they had just bought – it was a job which gave me the best part of 20 years full time employment which also enabled me to purchase my own home too.

Mrs. Thatcher was a PM who was determined to achieve whatever goals she set out for herself regardless of the cost involved to certain sections of the community, she was resolute and courageous in the pursuit of her ambitions – she was a conviction politician and a person who if I could meet today –I would shake hands with.

Although I admire her fortitude as a politician, there is not now nor indeed ever was - a situation in life where she would have a snowballs chance in hell that I would ever have voted for her, 30 years is no where long enough for that to ever happen.

More Questions Than Answers

Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann who according to much of the UK media was abducted from her parent’s holiday villa in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz in Portugal.

Madeleine McCann

The reason I mention the UK media as such is because there are fundamental differences of opinions regarding the disappearance of Madeleine as reported here in the UK to the way it has been reported in Portugal where the police have all but given up in searching for her, as it is on record that the chief police officer investigating the case, is of the opinion that the youngster died on that fateful night in May of 2007.

The Big Dollop is of the opinion that it is impossible to come to a definitive conclusion about whether the McCann’s are or are not complicit in Madeleine's disappearance / demise due to the absence of solid evidence.

However I have no doubt that their actions on that fateful evening when, along with seven other friends they dinned out in a tavern - albeit only 100 yards from their accommodation, was more than a contributing factor in her disappearance.

Think about it for a moment – Nine adults out socialising, with 8 children in total being left alone in various holiday apartments without adequate supervision is in my humble opinion - irresponsible to say the least.

I honestly believe if they had been anything other than middle class Doctors, the McCann's (along with their seven friends) would have been charged with neglect or child abandonment long before now.

It must be unbearable for Kate and Gerry McCann not to know what happened to their daughter 2 years ago, however the fact that they now have to live with the guilt of their actions on that evening on a daily basis does not absolve them of their responsibility towards the care of their children at the time.

Whatever happened to Madeline on May 3rd 2007 only God knows, her parents have the rest of their lives to regret their decisions on that fateful night, unfortunately - two years down the line there appears to be more questions than answers.

Mr Hannity - You Sir - Have Just Been Called Out

The following video is very interesting in so far as it features Fox News presenter Sean Hannity who stated on his TV show that he would be prepared to under go water boarding in aid of the families of the troops by way of backing up his opinion that water boarding suspected terrorists is no more than an enhanced interrogation technique rather than torture.

Keith Olberman his rival on another TV Chanel in the US took him to task and offered $1000 for every second he could withstand the experience of water boarding.

The fact that Mr. Hannity does not appear to have the testicular fortitude to take up Mr Olberman's generous offer of $1000 per second somehow tells me that the families of the troops won't be getting a sizeable donation from Mr Hannity any time soon.

What a Wonderful World Indeed

The following video speaks for its self - enjoy

Fined £550 and 7 Penalty Points - He Should Count Himself Lucky

Working as a driver for a distribution company in the West of Scotland an interesting story caught my attention in one of this morning’s newspapers.

It featured a story about a trucker who was convicted of careless driving on the A9, fined £550 and had 7 penalty points imposed on his license.

He was convicted on the evidence of two police officers who stated it was probably the “Most Horrific Driving” they had witnessed - stating in their evidence that the 44 tonne bulk tipper truck was swerving from side to side, veering to the wrong side of the carriage way and repeatedly smashing off the kerb.

It emerged in court that the driver did not have the proper license to drive the 44 tonne tipper which may go a long way to explain his apparent incompetence whilst driving on the A9 - a fact which the sheriff somehow overlooked when passing his judgement, surely a driving ban would have been an appropriate sentence.

In his defence the driver of the Truck who denied falling asleep at the wheel said the two traffic officers had been economical with the truth in the “fabrication “of their evidence.

In this day and age with all the technology available, would it not be prudent for traffic patrol cars in Scotland to be fitted out with video camera's to back up the evidence of traffic officers when presenting evidence in a court of law.