Did I Hear That Right?
They’ve just said on BBC Radio 5 Live, that the Scottish rugby team, were welcomed on to the pitch by a lady bag-piper and two drummers.
Where To Park In Edinburgh
This article is the second most popular on the BBC’s web site.
I just wonder how many of the viewers are from Glasgow!
Surprisingly, it doesn’t have anything to do with the Edinburgh tram.
Scotland And The EU
This article in the Telegraph about the relationship between an independent Scotland and the EU is really worth reading.
Not for the article itself, but for the comments that have been added by readers.
Many would be worthy of a good comedian. And plenty bad ones too!
A Predictable Autumn Statement
Predictable in that it was more of the same, even if you don’t like one or more of bankers, large corporations, benefit claimants, pensioners, unions or drivers. I don’t like at least three!
Some taxes and allowances went up and some went down. Was it ever any different?
We need some radical ideas to get the economy going?
Take these statements which are more or less agreed policy between all the major parties.
1. Banks should lend more to individuals and businesses, so that they purchase capital goods and services.
2. Savers should get a better return on their money.
3. The banks should have more capital reserves.
Point 3 is the elephant in the room, as any money the banks get goes on salaries or to improve their balance sheet rather than more lending.
So let’s leave it out and go to peer-to-peer lending, where borrowers and savers are put in touch by intelligent computer systems.
The Chancellor didn’t take the radical route and help peer-to-peer lending at the expense of the banks. After all if he did, the price of all those Government bank shares would drop. So as they will continue to lose value, wouldn’t it have been better if Gordon Brown had done the prudent thing and put them down, when they went bust?
But then Labour would never have got another vote in Scotland. As it is, Labour doesn’t seem to get many!
The Canny Scots
This story from the BBC shows the Scots at their canniest.
Scotland Taxes Tobacco And Alcohol
Scotland has added extra taxes to large stores that sell tobacco and alcohol. It seems to have had the effect of getting some Sainsbury supermarkets to not sell tobacco. It’s reported here on the BBC.
Although I applaud any measure to reduce smoking, I’m not totally sure about this one. It will harm the profits of the big supermarket groups and they will react, by perhaps not investing in stores and jobs north of the border.
And of course, smokers will still get their fix, by probably buying tobacco from bootleggers and others.
I would prefer to see all tobacco sales in large supermarkets as that would perhaps make it more difficult for kids to get hold of them. After all, when did you hear of a large chain of stores selling cigarettes or alcohol to those underage.
SNP Changes Defence Policy
The SNP appears to be changing its defence policy. It all goes to illustrate the difficulties they will face on so many issues.
I’m not against nuclear weapons, but with the threat from a large superpower unlikely, I don’t think we need something like Trident. We perhaps need some some of retaliation weapon like submarine-launched nuclear missiles.
Scottish Time
There was a cheeky letter in the Times yesterday saying that if the Scots got independence, would the rest of the UK be able to do what we want to do with the clocks and move to a time zone compatible with most of the EU?
Do The Scots Want The Independence Referendum?
I have a feeling that this referendum is going to be one of the most over-hyped and over-budget pieces of political theatre in these isles since nineteen-hundred and God-knows-what!
I don’t care one way or the other, as Scottish independence will probably make no difference to me personally.
If Scotland leaves the Union, it could be argued that my taxes might go down. But I doubt it, as politicians will use my taxes for other purposes!
It could also be argued that taxes will go up, as we would have less revenue from oil.
If on the other hand, Scotland votes to stay in the Union, we’d constantly have these referenda called every year or so by the Scot Nats, until they get the answer they want.
My biggest worry about this referendum though, is of all the Scots I know, few seem to be in favour of the referendum. So we may see one of the most surprising votes in history.
Politicians should be concentrating on what matters. Like creating jobs!
World Porridge Making Championships
I don’t think I’ll mind missing this, as porridge isn’t my favourite food.
But I suppose it brings the tourists to the Highlands. Especially, as it says this about Carrbridge in Wikipedia.
In 2009 the village took on the BBC claiming that the Corporation constantly got the weather wrong which was putting off tourists. Local businesses claimed that BBC weather reports on television and on their website constantly reported rain despite there being no rain whatsoever. Locals stated that the BBC generalised the weather to “rain in Scotland”. Carrbridge became a minor celebrity with the story appearing on national news networks and the quiz show Have I Got News For You.
It does have a station though. However, it would appear that direct trains from London don’t run, although on Sunday there is a direct service to come home. You have to travel via Glasgow or Edinburgh. Perhaps, it’s a plot to keep the Sassenachs out?
The Anonymous Widower 