Hello,
I see our glorious future government are pretending they know how to tackle youth crime with their laughable proposal to confiscate young hooligans phones. I hate to break it to them but I've met neds they'll only go and nick a replacement caring not a jot about the phone in police custody. They're not noted for their sentimentality about these things. The way they'll see it is that they end up with two phones once the police release the old one. Good God! We're talking about folk who attack people for looking at them. Confiscate their phones!
Oddly the report in the link above describes this is a populist measure. Who exactly is it popular with? If they'd proposed giving them a good boot up the arse or beheading them they'd be elected on a landslide. No one ever smacked a pub table and declared that criminals should lose their mobiles for a month. Populist! Are they anticipating future headlines that read 'nation rejoices as ned undergoes month of minor inconvenience'? The mind boggles.
The only people who'll be taken in by this daft policy are pensioners who don't realise that any old tramp can afford a mobile and believe the young pups are all getting about a million quid a week pocket money if they can afford mobiles.
Personally I'd just have gone for publishing their phone numbers and encouraging the nation to bombard them with crank calls. It wouldn't serve any real purpose other than my personal amusement but it's no less effective than this proposal which is more suited to an irate parent than a government in waiting.
Cheerio
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
7/15/2009
4/09/2008
I Have To Refuse To Believe This
Hello,
Naturally the arrest of Karen Matthews has come to my attention today what with the ladies in work almost forming a giant lynch mob which nearly turned on me when I admittedly half-heartedly muttered something about innocent until proven guilty. I say half heartedly not because I don't believe she is entitled to a fair trial but because I wanted to lamp her long before arrest. It's strange I love cows but the slightest trace of bovine in a person sends me insane.
However I am refusing to believe and will maintain this position in the face of any evidence up to and including a confession signed in blood that the idea for the alleged fake kidnap came from an episode of Shameless. My mind simply cannot accept that level of idiocy. No adult human being could be that suggestible could they? I do realise we aren't talking about a likely contender for Mastermind here but even so. If I allowed myself to think it was true I would be cast into a black despair so awful I may never emerge.
As such I prefer the possibility that she was planning to leave her partner, bottled it then reported her daughter missing in a panic. It seems more plausible and is slightly less evil than a cash scam. As for reports that the McCann's were approached for donations it's entirely possible that this was done by chancers with nothing to do the the Matthews family hoping to scam a few quid on the back of a missing child.
It's just all so depressing I can imagine how upset and cheated everyone who helped out with the search must be feeling. Not to mention the Matthews children involved who at least might get the decent upbringing they are entitled to now that their family such as it was has fallen to bits. I just hope that next time a child goes missing and sadly it will happen again that people don't immediately suspect a scam and do nothing to help the family out.
There is also the small matter of the £5million spent searching for Shannon diverting valuable resources away from investigation of crimes against children and other vulnerable people. If the kidnap does turn out to have been a scam I'd make the fuckers pay back every last penny and if they died before they'd paid it back I'd send the bailiffs into Hades after them.
Cheerio
Naturally the arrest of Karen Matthews has come to my attention today what with the ladies in work almost forming a giant lynch mob which nearly turned on me when I admittedly half-heartedly muttered something about innocent until proven guilty. I say half heartedly not because I don't believe she is entitled to a fair trial but because I wanted to lamp her long before arrest. It's strange I love cows but the slightest trace of bovine in a person sends me insane.
However I am refusing to believe and will maintain this position in the face of any evidence up to and including a confession signed in blood that the idea for the alleged fake kidnap came from an episode of Shameless. My mind simply cannot accept that level of idiocy. No adult human being could be that suggestible could they? I do realise we aren't talking about a likely contender for Mastermind here but even so. If I allowed myself to think it was true I would be cast into a black despair so awful I may never emerge.
As such I prefer the possibility that she was planning to leave her partner, bottled it then reported her daughter missing in a panic. It seems more plausible and is slightly less evil than a cash scam. As for reports that the McCann's were approached for donations it's entirely possible that this was done by chancers with nothing to do the the Matthews family hoping to scam a few quid on the back of a missing child.
It's just all so depressing I can imagine how upset and cheated everyone who helped out with the search must be feeling. Not to mention the Matthews children involved who at least might get the decent upbringing they are entitled to now that their family such as it was has fallen to bits. I just hope that next time a child goes missing and sadly it will happen again that people don't immediately suspect a scam and do nothing to help the family out.
There is also the small matter of the £5million spent searching for Shannon diverting valuable resources away from investigation of crimes against children and other vulnerable people. If the kidnap does turn out to have been a scam I'd make the fuckers pay back every last penny and if they died before they'd paid it back I'd send the bailiffs into Hades after them.
Cheerio
3/30/2008
Is This Real?
Hello,
It has to be said I have very mixed feelings about vandalism. On the one hand I disapprove of destroying public or private property for one's personal amusement but on the other it can on occasion be quite funny. Nevertheless it is illegal so I accept that when little Toby of Whitecraigs finds himself before the beak for his 'ghetto' antics he's got to be punished.
However I was surprised to read in today's Herald that one Gary Shields of Crookston was sentenced to 28 months in prison for his artistic endevours. He'd have been better stabbing someone really. If ever there was an offence crying out for community service or a bit of electronic tagging and a stiff fine it's this one. Oh if only I were a beak I'd have had Gary and his chums in the 'Eazy Riders' crew shackled together scrubbing walls and dislodging chewing gum for a year. I'd have fined the lot of them five grand each on top of requiring them to repay the cost of clearing up the mess they've already made and ordered them to attend literacy classes -'Eazy' indeed! In my court the little buggers would also be tagged and given a curfew to prevent them operating undercover of darkness. Oh and if they're responsible for the graffiti art pictured beside the report in the paper I'd chuck in some compulsory art classes. Honestly it's woeful.
At no point would it have occurred to me to send young Gary to Barlinnie to share a sell with a fellow sentenced to 28 months for trafficking £130,000 worth of cannabis. It's particularly absurd in this case given that trainee structural engineer Gary is an otherwise respectable fellow who was about to be be sent to university by his employer before 28 months of morning shower nerves entered the picture.
I shall spare you all my full prison reform rant suffice to say I'm on the harsh but fair wing that gets drowned out between the stick pins in their eyes and feed them gruel and the teach them to paint cats and fluff up their pillows brigades. My main beef with unduly harsh sentences is that it's taking up a place that could go to a kiddie fiddler or a proper thug. It's not fair that these people who work so hard to cause misery and distress wherever they go should be deprived of a place in prison just because some spray painting amateur is cluttering up a cell. If we as a society stop rewarding effort and hard work we'll grind to a halt and as no-one else is prepared to speak for the hard working criminal outcast the burden has fallen on my shoulders.
My other concern is that putting folk in prison who shouldn't really be there adds weight to the argument that regimes should become softer. Indeed it was the harsh treatment received by many well educated conscientious objectors during the first world war that led to the relaxation of many unduly harsh rules -not that I'm placing Gary in such illustrious company. That was fine back then because the treatment of prisoners was utterly appalling, however we're starting from a much more relaxed position these days. Quite apart from anything else the opinions of prisoners on their treatment should be an irrelevance. Unless they are calling attention to serious abuse of their basic and I emphasise basic human rights I have little interest in how they think or feel about anything. It is far easier to dismiss the bleating of a murderer about prison, an otherwise respectable vandal commands a great deal more sympathy.
As a deterrent his sentence is useless because it's too atypical to have any real impact. Making it typical does not serve the interests of society in any way. In any case how many vandals are caught in the act -judging by the epidemic of bus shelter destruction in the east end I'd guess very few. As far as I can tell efforts to clean up the city are directed at easy targets -city centre office workers dropping fag ends whilst out for a fly fag and so on. The truth is Gary was very unfortunate to be caught.
I accept that for many people graffiti creates an intimidating atmosphere but the we cannot start handing out jail sentences on the basis of people's feelings. In any case if the public regularly saw offenders cleaning up they would draw comfort from the knowledge that something is being done. Gary's sentence is a waste of public money that will achieve little but give those with an understandable desire for vengeance a few seconds victory, until of course they turn the page of their paper and see someone out on parole to ease overcrowding on trial for rape.
Cheerio
It has to be said I have very mixed feelings about vandalism. On the one hand I disapprove of destroying public or private property for one's personal amusement but on the other it can on occasion be quite funny. Nevertheless it is illegal so I accept that when little Toby of Whitecraigs finds himself before the beak for his 'ghetto' antics he's got to be punished.
However I was surprised to read in today's Herald that one Gary Shields of Crookston was sentenced to 28 months in prison for his artistic endevours. He'd have been better stabbing someone really. If ever there was an offence crying out for community service or a bit of electronic tagging and a stiff fine it's this one. Oh if only I were a beak I'd have had Gary and his chums in the 'Eazy Riders' crew shackled together scrubbing walls and dislodging chewing gum for a year. I'd have fined the lot of them five grand each on top of requiring them to repay the cost of clearing up the mess they've already made and ordered them to attend literacy classes -'Eazy' indeed! In my court the little buggers would also be tagged and given a curfew to prevent them operating undercover of darkness. Oh and if they're responsible for the graffiti art pictured beside the report in the paper I'd chuck in some compulsory art classes. Honestly it's woeful.
At no point would it have occurred to me to send young Gary to Barlinnie to share a sell with a fellow sentenced to 28 months for trafficking £130,000 worth of cannabis. It's particularly absurd in this case given that trainee structural engineer Gary is an otherwise respectable fellow who was about to be be sent to university by his employer before 28 months of morning shower nerves entered the picture.
I shall spare you all my full prison reform rant suffice to say I'm on the harsh but fair wing that gets drowned out between the stick pins in their eyes and feed them gruel and the teach them to paint cats and fluff up their pillows brigades. My main beef with unduly harsh sentences is that it's taking up a place that could go to a kiddie fiddler or a proper thug. It's not fair that these people who work so hard to cause misery and distress wherever they go should be deprived of a place in prison just because some spray painting amateur is cluttering up a cell. If we as a society stop rewarding effort and hard work we'll grind to a halt and as no-one else is prepared to speak for the hard working criminal outcast the burden has fallen on my shoulders.
My other concern is that putting folk in prison who shouldn't really be there adds weight to the argument that regimes should become softer. Indeed it was the harsh treatment received by many well educated conscientious objectors during the first world war that led to the relaxation of many unduly harsh rules -not that I'm placing Gary in such illustrious company. That was fine back then because the treatment of prisoners was utterly appalling, however we're starting from a much more relaxed position these days. Quite apart from anything else the opinions of prisoners on their treatment should be an irrelevance. Unless they are calling attention to serious abuse of their basic and I emphasise basic human rights I have little interest in how they think or feel about anything. It is far easier to dismiss the bleating of a murderer about prison, an otherwise respectable vandal commands a great deal more sympathy.
As a deterrent his sentence is useless because it's too atypical to have any real impact. Making it typical does not serve the interests of society in any way. In any case how many vandals are caught in the act -judging by the epidemic of bus shelter destruction in the east end I'd guess very few. As far as I can tell efforts to clean up the city are directed at easy targets -city centre office workers dropping fag ends whilst out for a fly fag and so on. The truth is Gary was very unfortunate to be caught.
I accept that for many people graffiti creates an intimidating atmosphere but the we cannot start handing out jail sentences on the basis of people's feelings. In any case if the public regularly saw offenders cleaning up they would draw comfort from the knowledge that something is being done. Gary's sentence is a waste of public money that will achieve little but give those with an understandable desire for vengeance a few seconds victory, until of course they turn the page of their paper and see someone out on parole to ease overcrowding on trial for rape.
Cheerio
12/18/2007
The Shame Continues
Hello,
Hard on the heels of my drunken episode comes news of Mr Clairwil going off the rails. He didn't even have the excuse of the demon drink which allows me to retain the moral high ground, though in his defence he was trying to 'rehabilitate' a junkie thief.
The sad thing is the junkie in question was almost quite decent in that he used to fund his habit by servicing chaps in various gay cruising spots in Glasgow. There was no need for him to turn to theft. I can only assume he did so out of selfishness, a disapproval of prostitution being somewhat absurd under the circumstances.
The facts of the matter are as follows, he was strolling along when he glanced in a shop window only to spot a junkie who had stolen a large amount of stock from his old shop. Incredibly the junkie actually seemed to have a job in the shop, which raised Mr Clairwil's hopes of getting his money back- he's a clever man but there are times when his naivety astonishes me. The poor soul doesn't realise that shame has been abolished and that far from being embarrassed the thief will perceive himself as the victim.
If only I'd been there. The whole reason people choose to addict themselves to smack is to absolve themselves of responsibility for their own lives, so there was and is no way he was ever going to be paid back. To the junkie it isn't his fault he steals, he's a helpless addict after all, instead he steals because the rest of us are wicked enough to own anything that isn't nailed down. Honestly I've no patience with junkies I've never met one that didn't turn into a bastard and I include two former friends in that both of whom I'd have gladly lain down my life for prior to their addiction. I had no hesitation in dropping them like hot bricks when they began to regard everyone around them as little more than a source of cash.
Which is why headbutting the creature was futile. Not to mention a silly thing to do in front of witnesses. More so when the witnesses sprang into action and sat on Mr Clairwil, refusing to let him go until he promised not to hit anyone. On reflection it's as well I wasn't there or I'd have started biting folk Tyson style. No one sits on Mr Clairwil on my watch.
That isn't the worst of it, while the staff were sat on Mr Clairwil one of them scratched him. Isn't that appalling! I don't know who is responsible, so I'm forced to punish the whole shop and so a vendetta is born.
Cheerio
Hard on the heels of my drunken episode comes news of Mr Clairwil going off the rails. He didn't even have the excuse of the demon drink which allows me to retain the moral high ground, though in his defence he was trying to 'rehabilitate' a junkie thief.
The sad thing is the junkie in question was almost quite decent in that he used to fund his habit by servicing chaps in various gay cruising spots in Glasgow. There was no need for him to turn to theft. I can only assume he did so out of selfishness, a disapproval of prostitution being somewhat absurd under the circumstances.
The facts of the matter are as follows, he was strolling along when he glanced in a shop window only to spot a junkie who had stolen a large amount of stock from his old shop. Incredibly the junkie actually seemed to have a job in the shop, which raised Mr Clairwil's hopes of getting his money back- he's a clever man but there are times when his naivety astonishes me. The poor soul doesn't realise that shame has been abolished and that far from being embarrassed the thief will perceive himself as the victim.
If only I'd been there. The whole reason people choose to addict themselves to smack is to absolve themselves of responsibility for their own lives, so there was and is no way he was ever going to be paid back. To the junkie it isn't his fault he steals, he's a helpless addict after all, instead he steals because the rest of us are wicked enough to own anything that isn't nailed down. Honestly I've no patience with junkies I've never met one that didn't turn into a bastard and I include two former friends in that both of whom I'd have gladly lain down my life for prior to their addiction. I had no hesitation in dropping them like hot bricks when they began to regard everyone around them as little more than a source of cash.
Which is why headbutting the creature was futile. Not to mention a silly thing to do in front of witnesses. More so when the witnesses sprang into action and sat on Mr Clairwil, refusing to let him go until he promised not to hit anyone. On reflection it's as well I wasn't there or I'd have started biting folk Tyson style. No one sits on Mr Clairwil on my watch.
That isn't the worst of it, while the staff were sat on Mr Clairwil one of them scratched him. Isn't that appalling! I don't know who is responsible, so I'm forced to punish the whole shop and so a vendetta is born.
Cheerio
12/05/2007
I Bloody Knew It!
Hello,
You will recall that for the last week or so I was convinced that there was a conspiracy at large in the land to turn me into fascist. Well just as I was starting to recover my equilibrium I popped over to David Duff's gaff and read this.
Naturally I was gobsmacked then I thought to myself -it's a prank! To reassure myself I took to the internet and discovered that it is indeed true or has been reported in The Scotsman and The Daily Mail.
Now I have caught The Daily Mail out being economical with the truth before but the facts of the case are pretty much the same in The Scotsman, The Times and on the BBC News website. It is of course possible that they've all got the wrong end of the stick but it's pretty unlikely. As unlikely as I'd have found this decision until I read about it.
If you've not clicked any of the links above you won't have the faintest what I'm on about. I am referring to the prisoner and ex-prisoner who have been granted the right to have a child by artificial insemination. Apparently mummy will be too old by the time daddy finishes his sentence in 2009. Mummy already has three children so what she is being deprived of is unclear other than the dubious right of having a fourth with a man serving a life sentence for murder.
As far as I understand the job of judges it is to interpret the law and give a verdict. That being the case should we not be looking at the law that's allowed this to happen? How exactly do the parents intend to support this child? What if the pressure of an extra mouth to feed tempts them off the straight and narrow? What did the poor child do to deserve them as parents? Is it wise to assist a man with a history of serious violence have children in the first place? If mummy was so desperate for a fourth child then why did she take up with a man who will not be released until after her childbearing years have ended?
This whining and refusal to accept the consequences of their actions by the prospective parents has been ongoing since 2003 since the Home Office in a rare episode of common sense refused them permission to conceive by artificial means. Being outraged that anyone was attempting to impose the old actions = consequences rules upon them, they obtained sufficient legal aid to allow them to take this all the way to the European Court of Human Rights. The court in it's wisdom ruled that the couple's human rights to respect for private and family life and the right to marry and found a family had been violated.
In truth their 'rights' had not been violated merely postponed. No-one forced either of them to break the law, no-one is preventing them from living as a family on Daddy's release, no-one is preventing Daddy from having a child with a younger woman on his release if he wishes to have a child of his own.
The BBC website informs us that The Home Office only grants the 'right' to artificial insemination to prisoners in exceptional circumstances. Out of the usual fifty or so requests received in a year around seven are granted. On what grounds? I have tried and tried and I cannot think of a single circumstance in which I believe it should be allowed. I do realise that prison is the most frightful inconvenience and a terrible interruption of one's life but isn't that partly the point?
Finally I propose that the national anthem is replaced with 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' by The Rolling Stones in the vain hope that it's wise, if simplistic message is absorbed. I don't know who told these muppets they had rights but I intend to find out and pelt them with scrap metal until they repent.
Cheerio
12/02/2007
Is this a phase?
Hello,
After my wonderful readers responded so well to my cat question below, I thought I'd ask another question or two while I've got your attention.
Does everyone go through a 'political breakdown' in their early thirties? Was I right before or have I now become delusional? Or have the scales fallen from my eyes?
I just wonder because I've become a bit 'law and order' and 'decline of society' of late. Well I say of late at the age of eighteen I remember remarking and feeling very strongly that over the last two years or so things in Glasgow had taken an awful turn for the worse. I was shouted down and told I was talking nonsense by people who drive cars and don't have any contact with hassles on the streets and public transport.
Anyway to give you a depressing insight into my thought process before I get into this post properly I shall tell you how I arrive at conclusions. Various things come to my attention and I have a gut reaction, then I reflect, do some reading, reflect some more and arrive at a position. That does make it sound more clever than it is -it can be as simple as reading two opposing viewpoints that I think are well argued and then leaping straight in.
As I've said law and order has got my goat of late but I'm finding it difficult to arrive at any firm conclusion on the matter. In truth I feel like a bit of a lost soul. Life was much simpler as a fifteen year old Marxist let me tell you. Usually when I encounter something too big for my brain it involves right angles and maths. I can usually manage ethical and moral issues. Libra rising you see. But as ever I'm wandering what follows below are mere assertion, random thoughts and brief reflections on what I've seen here and there. I'm not looking for praise or condemnation but I few directions out of this mental cul de sac would be nice. In brief I want guidance.
There is of course a lot of debate surrounding crime on one side we have folk hopping about in a most disagreeable fashion and on the other folk who reckon things are pretty much as they've always been but that we hear more about crime. Well I have a splinter in my left buttock in this debate. I suspect that serious crime is more or less as it's always been but is easier to prove than ever, hence why not a day goes past without reading of some trial for sickening violent wickedness. What I do feel has got worse and I think fuels at lot of fear of crime is 'petty crime'.
The chaps who spat on me leaving work a few months back and the girl who slapped me on the bus are petty criminals. Whilst I was furious no-one was really harmed but their actions were wrong and if I'm not mistaken illegal.
Similarly I see people racially abused at least once a week on the bus, aggressive and bullying behaviour directed towards anyone out with the ned code of acceptable. Everyday I see some horrible bit of wicked intimidation directed towards someone. Again let me stress that these are not the worst examples of criminal behaviour.
I also have a number of clients mainly refugee or disabled but not exclusively who are the subject of constant intimidation in their homes from gaggles of neds who take exception to and I'm quoting here 'mongs', 'peados' ,'niggers' and 'pakis'. Many of their neighbours are appalled by this but being elderly or otherwise vulnerable dare not speak out. Once again this isn't the worst of criminal behaviour. I should inform you that the definition of peado is very different on the schemes and is mainly used to insult middle aged men that can read.
The above is only what I see personally. I have relatives in the north of Glasgow who could tell you similar tales. I also know people in other parts of Glasgow who again could tell you equally depressing tales.
When I first formed an interest in politics, I was only six or seven and had a world view much like Terry Kelly's. I like to think that as years have gone by I've got a little more sophisticated in my reasoning. The one thing I was and remain a political bigot about though, is being on the side of the underdog. I hate bullying. Cannot stand it. Get so angry I can't even articulate why it riles me so much. To look at someone weaker and take advantage is the lowest act I can imagine. Which brings me to my point on 'petty' crime.
If each of these acts I described above were committed by the state in the form of the army or police. I'd like to think everyone in this country would be outraged. In fact I know they would and one word they would quite rightly use to describe it is oppression. As we know these petty crimes are not committed by the state but by the hopeless young things rattling about our schemes. Why does no one seem to be upset about the most vulnerable amongst us being intimidated in this way? Why when I talk about the area I work and express sorrow at the crimes committed against people who unlike me don't have the luxury of sleeping somewhere more civilised am I told that's what I should expect in Easterhouse? Why if I push the point and express anger about this state of affairs am I told I sound like a Daily Mail reader and dismissed?
The truth is, and I've no reason to disbelieve my own eyes or the people who tell me these things, that no-one cares. The suburban left and right are united in their indifference to this crime wave unless of course it has the effrontery to to touch them in some way.
It may interest these folk to know that I'd never met anyone with and MBE until I started my current job. It may interest them to know that there are legions of people running voluntary projects funded out their own pockets on Glasgow's schemes. It may also interest them to know that there are many more people willing to help out but are too frightened to leave their homes. In truth the council schemes of Glasgow are populated by the best folk I've ever met but also some of the worst which is where the problems start.
Let me say it again, if these people were frightened of the state there would be all sorts of campaigns. Instead their lot is to look out the window of their high rise, see the neds gathering, be too frightened to go out and console themselves with the idea that things are as they always were and know that no one gives a fuck.
Glasgow was always rough by the standards of other Scottish cities but it simply wasn't always this bad. My parents who both grew up in council schemes will happily tell you that. My late granny was so distressed when children started taking her home grown strawberries without asking in the mid-seventies that she applied for a 'pensioner flat'. When someone reached in her open kitchen window and nicked her wedding ring from the ornament it was hanging from, she felt engulfed by a wave of crime. My grannie was born in 1910 and well aware of the razor gangs of the 30's and the high crime rate surrounding them. What she did not expect was that lawlessness to visit her council scheme or indeed any other. She viewed that sort of behaviour as understandable in a slum but not in the post war world of the welfare state.
Now my Dad's family were a bit more 'ghetto'. Great grannie was up before the beak for breaking an American Marine's jaw during the war. Her son once broke a fellows finger in his car door to punish him for looking at his car. Worst of all my dad was up in front of the beak and fined some shillings for stealing British Rail property. The property concerned was the coal that fell off the coal tracks as they passed by his back garden. Other than the above they've been law abiding ever since. They too disdained gang violence.
To go a bit further back my granny on my mothers side once found a ten bob note in the street. She took it home to show to her mother who marched her off to the police station with it. At the time my great granny was struggling to support her nine surviving children who remained on two meals a day as a result of her honesty. Every time I heard that tale as I child I thought my great granny was a total fool, now I esteem her refusal to let her lowly circumstances compromise her morals. To me that is real class.
My point being that all of the above folk were deprived and poor. My dad's lot were the least deprived of all and made a very nice living through money lending. All of us alive today enjoy better opportunities then any of these folk. Some of them chose illegal money whereas some of them chose to go without despite being desperately in need of food. They were all poor but all of them had morals, some more elastic than others.
Mr Clairwil grew up on a scheme, had little materially growing up and has managed to stay out of trouble. In fact he's more law abiding than I am with my chemical adventures. Once again I should stress that everyone above was genuinely poor and deprived. With one exception- me. Yet I have to my knowledge broken more laws than any of them. This notion that poverty cause crime really must end as a reason to excuse evil acts. Oh come on we'd all be relaxed about calling them evil if the state were committing them. Oppression is oppression. As far as I can tell most scheme crime is caused by the unchecked thuggery and wickedness of the physically strong.
If the perpetrators were jailed and punished (which they're not) the victims would feel better. If the police actually patrolled these areas on foot, rather than scoot through in car a great deal of crime could be averted but it isn't. Why not?
Neds, thugs and bullies have always existed and for all I know they always will but is that any reason to give them the whip hand as I submit we do at present? Mob oppression is just as evil as state oppression. Why the reluctance to acknowledge this? Why the reluctance to do something about it? Having a swastika spray painted on your front door isn't the worst thing that could happen but isn't it telling that the thugocracy have stumbled upon such a potent symbol of oppression to signify their reign over our weakest.
Don't have nightmares....
Cheerio
After my wonderful readers responded so well to my cat question below, I thought I'd ask another question or two while I've got your attention.
Does everyone go through a 'political breakdown' in their early thirties? Was I right before or have I now become delusional? Or have the scales fallen from my eyes?
I just wonder because I've become a bit 'law and order' and 'decline of society' of late. Well I say of late at the age of eighteen I remember remarking and feeling very strongly that over the last two years or so things in Glasgow had taken an awful turn for the worse. I was shouted down and told I was talking nonsense by people who drive cars and don't have any contact with hassles on the streets and public transport.
Anyway to give you a depressing insight into my thought process before I get into this post properly I shall tell you how I arrive at conclusions. Various things come to my attention and I have a gut reaction, then I reflect, do some reading, reflect some more and arrive at a position. That does make it sound more clever than it is -it can be as simple as reading two opposing viewpoints that I think are well argued and then leaping straight in.
As I've said law and order has got my goat of late but I'm finding it difficult to arrive at any firm conclusion on the matter. In truth I feel like a bit of a lost soul. Life was much simpler as a fifteen year old Marxist let me tell you. Usually when I encounter something too big for my brain it involves right angles and maths. I can usually manage ethical and moral issues. Libra rising you see. But as ever I'm wandering what follows below are mere assertion, random thoughts and brief reflections on what I've seen here and there. I'm not looking for praise or condemnation but I few directions out of this mental cul de sac would be nice. In brief I want guidance.
There is of course a lot of debate surrounding crime on one side we have folk hopping about in a most disagreeable fashion and on the other folk who reckon things are pretty much as they've always been but that we hear more about crime. Well I have a splinter in my left buttock in this debate. I suspect that serious crime is more or less as it's always been but is easier to prove than ever, hence why not a day goes past without reading of some trial for sickening violent wickedness. What I do feel has got worse and I think fuels at lot of fear of crime is 'petty crime'.
The chaps who spat on me leaving work a few months back and the girl who slapped me on the bus are petty criminals. Whilst I was furious no-one was really harmed but their actions were wrong and if I'm not mistaken illegal.
Similarly I see people racially abused at least once a week on the bus, aggressive and bullying behaviour directed towards anyone out with the ned code of acceptable. Everyday I see some horrible bit of wicked intimidation directed towards someone. Again let me stress that these are not the worst examples of criminal behaviour.
I also have a number of clients mainly refugee or disabled but not exclusively who are the subject of constant intimidation in their homes from gaggles of neds who take exception to and I'm quoting here 'mongs', 'peados' ,'niggers' and 'pakis'. Many of their neighbours are appalled by this but being elderly or otherwise vulnerable dare not speak out. Once again this isn't the worst of criminal behaviour. I should inform you that the definition of peado is very different on the schemes and is mainly used to insult middle aged men that can read.
The above is only what I see personally. I have relatives in the north of Glasgow who could tell you similar tales. I also know people in other parts of Glasgow who again could tell you equally depressing tales.
When I first formed an interest in politics, I was only six or seven and had a world view much like Terry Kelly's. I like to think that as years have gone by I've got a little more sophisticated in my reasoning. The one thing I was and remain a political bigot about though, is being on the side of the underdog. I hate bullying. Cannot stand it. Get so angry I can't even articulate why it riles me so much. To look at someone weaker and take advantage is the lowest act I can imagine. Which brings me to my point on 'petty' crime.
If each of these acts I described above were committed by the state in the form of the army or police. I'd like to think everyone in this country would be outraged. In fact I know they would and one word they would quite rightly use to describe it is oppression. As we know these petty crimes are not committed by the state but by the hopeless young things rattling about our schemes. Why does no one seem to be upset about the most vulnerable amongst us being intimidated in this way? Why when I talk about the area I work and express sorrow at the crimes committed against people who unlike me don't have the luxury of sleeping somewhere more civilised am I told that's what I should expect in Easterhouse? Why if I push the point and express anger about this state of affairs am I told I sound like a Daily Mail reader and dismissed?
The truth is, and I've no reason to disbelieve my own eyes or the people who tell me these things, that no-one cares. The suburban left and right are united in their indifference to this crime wave unless of course it has the effrontery to to touch them in some way.
It may interest these folk to know that I'd never met anyone with and MBE until I started my current job. It may interest them to know that there are legions of people running voluntary projects funded out their own pockets on Glasgow's schemes. It may also interest them to know that there are many more people willing to help out but are too frightened to leave their homes. In truth the council schemes of Glasgow are populated by the best folk I've ever met but also some of the worst which is where the problems start.
Let me say it again, if these people were frightened of the state there would be all sorts of campaigns. Instead their lot is to look out the window of their high rise, see the neds gathering, be too frightened to go out and console themselves with the idea that things are as they always were and know that no one gives a fuck.
Glasgow was always rough by the standards of other Scottish cities but it simply wasn't always this bad. My parents who both grew up in council schemes will happily tell you that. My late granny was so distressed when children started taking her home grown strawberries without asking in the mid-seventies that she applied for a 'pensioner flat'. When someone reached in her open kitchen window and nicked her wedding ring from the ornament it was hanging from, she felt engulfed by a wave of crime. My grannie was born in 1910 and well aware of the razor gangs of the 30's and the high crime rate surrounding them. What she did not expect was that lawlessness to visit her council scheme or indeed any other. She viewed that sort of behaviour as understandable in a slum but not in the post war world of the welfare state.
Now my Dad's family were a bit more 'ghetto'. Great grannie was up before the beak for breaking an American Marine's jaw during the war. Her son once broke a fellows finger in his car door to punish him for looking at his car. Worst of all my dad was up in front of the beak and fined some shillings for stealing British Rail property. The property concerned was the coal that fell off the coal tracks as they passed by his back garden. Other than the above they've been law abiding ever since. They too disdained gang violence.
To go a bit further back my granny on my mothers side once found a ten bob note in the street. She took it home to show to her mother who marched her off to the police station with it. At the time my great granny was struggling to support her nine surviving children who remained on two meals a day as a result of her honesty. Every time I heard that tale as I child I thought my great granny was a total fool, now I esteem her refusal to let her lowly circumstances compromise her morals. To me that is real class.
My point being that all of the above folk were deprived and poor. My dad's lot were the least deprived of all and made a very nice living through money lending. All of us alive today enjoy better opportunities then any of these folk. Some of them chose illegal money whereas some of them chose to go without despite being desperately in need of food. They were all poor but all of them had morals, some more elastic than others.
Mr Clairwil grew up on a scheme, had little materially growing up and has managed to stay out of trouble. In fact he's more law abiding than I am with my chemical adventures. Once again I should stress that everyone above was genuinely poor and deprived. With one exception- me. Yet I have to my knowledge broken more laws than any of them. This notion that poverty cause crime really must end as a reason to excuse evil acts. Oh come on we'd all be relaxed about calling them evil if the state were committing them. Oppression is oppression. As far as I can tell most scheme crime is caused by the unchecked thuggery and wickedness of the physically strong.
If the perpetrators were jailed and punished (which they're not) the victims would feel better. If the police actually patrolled these areas on foot, rather than scoot through in car a great deal of crime could be averted but it isn't. Why not?
Neds, thugs and bullies have always existed and for all I know they always will but is that any reason to give them the whip hand as I submit we do at present? Mob oppression is just as evil as state oppression. Why the reluctance to acknowledge this? Why the reluctance to do something about it? Having a swastika spray painted on your front door isn't the worst thing that could happen but isn't it telling that the thugocracy have stumbled upon such a potent symbol of oppression to signify their reign over our weakest.
Don't have nightmares....
Cheerio
9/24/2007
Traumatised
Hello,
As some of you may be aware 'The Merchant City Festival' was in full swing this weekend. As a resident I'm a bit ambivalent about the whole thing. The local shops have done a roaring trade and not just the wank boutiques but paper shops and the like, we've had a street market and opera singers at the back of the close. All of which please me.
However as with all things there is a terrible, terrible downside. Every single arsehole in Glasgow has descended on the place, all weekend I've had to repress the urge to take to the streets with a loudhailer screaming 'get back to the west end cunts'. Some truly appalling music has been played live by various folk who'd be better off as accountants and worst of all I was attacked!
I was strolling along Ingram Street minding my own business when I was cornered by two chaps dressed as dogs, who proceeded to bark loudly and sniff bits of me that should be left undisturbed in public. Black affronted does not even begin to cover it. Naturally I put on my 'good sport' face but I wanted to kill them. A small crowd gathered to point and hoot at this blatant sexual assault as if what was happening was not already embarrassing enough. As you know I'm not one to point fingers but the pair of beasts have the nerve to bill themselves as 'suitable for children' -they ought to be lynched.
As a direct result of this I've been having one of my turns all evening. Nerves as per bloody usual. I expect the drama students in dog costumes have been smugging all night about making the public part of the performance. I hope they are murdered in their beds.
Cheerio
As some of you may be aware 'The Merchant City Festival' was in full swing this weekend. As a resident I'm a bit ambivalent about the whole thing. The local shops have done a roaring trade and not just the wank boutiques but paper shops and the like, we've had a street market and opera singers at the back of the close. All of which please me.
However as with all things there is a terrible, terrible downside. Every single arsehole in Glasgow has descended on the place, all weekend I've had to repress the urge to take to the streets with a loudhailer screaming 'get back to the west end cunts'. Some truly appalling music has been played live by various folk who'd be better off as accountants and worst of all I was attacked!
I was strolling along Ingram Street minding my own business when I was cornered by two chaps dressed as dogs, who proceeded to bark loudly and sniff bits of me that should be left undisturbed in public. Black affronted does not even begin to cover it. Naturally I put on my 'good sport' face but I wanted to kill them. A small crowd gathered to point and hoot at this blatant sexual assault as if what was happening was not already embarrassing enough. As you know I'm not one to point fingers but the pair of beasts have the nerve to bill themselves as 'suitable for children' -they ought to be lynched.
As a direct result of this I've been having one of my turns all evening. Nerves as per bloody usual. I expect the drama students in dog costumes have been smugging all night about making the public part of the performance. I hope they are murdered in their beds.
Cheerio
8/27/2007
The Health Service Fights Back
Hello,
As someone who has been sent potty to the tonsils by working with the public I'm always pleased to hear of the front line fighting back.
Last weeks Digger carries the tale of one David Perham, a nurse working at Stobhill hospital. There was Mr Perham in the middle of a twelve hour shift when David Anderson was admitted with back pains. Mr Perham offered Mr Anderson paracetamol only to be told that 'they're fucking useless'. He then went to get another nurse to help deal with the complaint, to which Mr Anderson responded by calling him 'a useless cunt'. At this our hero Perham struck a blow form common sense and slapped Mr Anderson right on the kisser. Isn't it hilarious? Can you just imagine the look on his face?
Obviously one shouldn't condone such behaviour if one wants to appear reasonable. If I were in charge I would carefully weigh up the pros and cons, consider all the evidence and have abusive patients dumped on the street untreated with a book on manners. That is what I would do if I were in charge.
As you were.
Cheerio
As someone who has been sent potty to the tonsils by working with the public I'm always pleased to hear of the front line fighting back.
Last weeks Digger carries the tale of one David Perham, a nurse working at Stobhill hospital. There was Mr Perham in the middle of a twelve hour shift when David Anderson was admitted with back pains. Mr Perham offered Mr Anderson paracetamol only to be told that 'they're fucking useless'. He then went to get another nurse to help deal with the complaint, to which Mr Anderson responded by calling him 'a useless cunt'. At this our hero Perham struck a blow form common sense and slapped Mr Anderson right on the kisser. Isn't it hilarious? Can you just imagine the look on his face?
Obviously one shouldn't condone such behaviour if one wants to appear reasonable. If I were in charge I would carefully weigh up the pros and cons, consider all the evidence and have abusive patients dumped on the street untreated with a book on manners. That is what I would do if I were in charge.
As you were.
Cheerio
8/24/2007
Creep
Hello,
Despite being, at heart an eye for an eye type, a holder of life long grudges and somewhat aggressive, I strive to keep these traits under control. I say to myself 'Clairwil you might have have a certain amount of right on your side if you beheaded your work colleagues in a fit of rage but it would be uncivilised'. Rather like breaking wind or eating at KFC. So I stay quiet and act reasonable and although I fear that there will be the most awful tragedy one day for now it works.
The world though goes out it's way to provoke me. Take wife beating scumbag Colin Read for example. Having attacked his wife as she slept, beat her up twice for complaining about it and topped it off by burning her back with an iron you'd expect him to be sitting in jail would you not? Wrong as he was too busy with work to do community service he has instead been fined £2000. I'm sure that will leave a massive hole in his finances. The poor chap only earns £90,000 p/a.
Now you see here I was going to organise a whip round to cover the legal costs of anyone who gives Mr Read a taste of his own medicine but of course that would be wrong and quite possibly illegal. Though I should point out that the circumstances of this case have provoked me and sending me to prison would help no-one. Nevertheless it's the ability to pretend that we don't want to beat the shit out of someone that separates us from the animals So I'll merely suggest that we purse our lips and tut impotently all the while nursing the secret hope that Mr Read dies a slow agonising death at the hands of a mob. That my friends would be justice even if we don't encourage it.
Cheers
P.S Do follow the link above, it takes you to a post written by the wonderful Katy Newton, officially my favourite lady on the internets.
Despite being, at heart an eye for an eye type, a holder of life long grudges and somewhat aggressive, I strive to keep these traits under control. I say to myself 'Clairwil you might have have a certain amount of right on your side if you beheaded your work colleagues in a fit of rage but it would be uncivilised'. Rather like breaking wind or eating at KFC. So I stay quiet and act reasonable and although I fear that there will be the most awful tragedy one day for now it works.
The world though goes out it's way to provoke me. Take wife beating scumbag Colin Read for example. Having attacked his wife as she slept, beat her up twice for complaining about it and topped it off by burning her back with an iron you'd expect him to be sitting in jail would you not? Wrong as he was too busy with work to do community service he has instead been fined £2000. I'm sure that will leave a massive hole in his finances. The poor chap only earns £90,000 p/a.
Now you see here I was going to organise a whip round to cover the legal costs of anyone who gives Mr Read a taste of his own medicine but of course that would be wrong and quite possibly illegal. Though I should point out that the circumstances of this case have provoked me and sending me to prison would help no-one. Nevertheless it's the ability to pretend that we don't want to beat the shit out of someone that separates us from the animals So I'll merely suggest that we purse our lips and tut impotently all the while nursing the secret hope that Mr Read dies a slow agonising death at the hands of a mob. That my friends would be justice even if we don't encourage it.
Cheers
P.S Do follow the link above, it takes you to a post written by the wonderful Katy Newton, officially my favourite lady on the internets.
7/27/2007
They said we'd be artistically free, got to sign a bit of paper....
Hello,
I see there has been a minor hoo-hah about the 'Reggae Compassionate Act' with two of the the signatories claiming that they did not in fact sign it.
For those of you not familiar with the act. It is a document signed by various reggae artists who've been in hot water over violent anti-gay lyrics in their music.
Am I alone in wondering what the point of such a document is? The artists were facing boycotts, loss of contracts, protests and the cancellation of live performances, could it be that they would have signed anything to protect their lucrative careers?
I am certainly not against the right of people to protest against the artists concerned. If one is going to make inflammatory statements against a particular group then they should be ready to take the consequences, as indeed should the companies that sponsor them. Unless of course one is displaying hatred and aggression towards woman in which case they can be assured a of loyal female following and praise for their daring lyrics. Which is fine by me art is one thing, morality another. Unless someone is in breaching of existing laws regarding incitement to violence then I couldn't really care less what they get up to. Incidentally I'd be willing to bet that at least one anti-gay reggae artist is, if not a practicing homosexual, at least gay in their sexual orientation. One can protest too much.
There is something a little naive in the belief that by getting a few artists to sign a piece of paper under threat of boycotts and so on that attacks on homosexuals in Jamaica will stop or even be reduced. Peter Tatchell describes the artists concerned as '...unrepentant homophobic performers are the moral equivalent of neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan'. A fair point but would anyone take seriously neo-Nazis or Klan members signing a document renouncing their beliefs under threat of loss of earnings. Call me cynical but I'd suspect their motives.
Supporters of this campaign have quite rightly pointed to the anti-gay violence in Jamaica as part of the reason for this campaign. However it should be noted that homosexual acts are still illegal in Jamaica. Something that makes gays more vulnerable than anything any reggae artist could come up with. Would the time money and energy devoted to this not be better spent supporting J-Flag who are dedicated to transforming the attitudes of all of Jamaican society towards gays not just encouraging pragmatic self-censorship amongst Jamaican musicians?
It is also worth noting that Jamaican society as a whole is extremely violent. As I'm led to understand that all human life is considered to be of value, would it not be worthwhile for campaigners against anti-gay violence to offer their assistance to the wider campaigns against violence and gun culture? After all it is perfectly possible to dislike or even feel repelled by homosexuals without resorting to violence. Surely a campaign against violence as a means of furthering moral, political or personal aims would do more good than a few insincere musicians signing a bit of paper.
I don't claim to speak for my own country let alone Jamaica. It is idealistic but a world where when can go about one's business without fear of violence strikes me as a pretty universal and desirable aim and Jamaicans are as deserving of the quiet life as the rest of us. If hearing some repulsive, anti gay rant on a reggae record is the worst you have to contend with then you're comparatively lucky. 47% of Jamaican women describe their first sexual encounter as 'forced' or 'somewhat forced' or what about this poor woman who made the mistake of reporting an abduction and gang rape to the Jamaican authorities. Or is sexual violence against women just business as usual?
Cheerio
7/01/2007
Terror Attacks Cause Outbreak Of Drivel On The Web!
Hello,
I have been following the coverage of the terror attack at Glasgow Airport with some interest. Against my better judgement I took a trip over to the BBC news 'Have Your Say' bit. Oh Lord! There are times when I think free speech is a terrible error. Then I think again and conclude that if everyone else is going to talk total nonsense who am I to swim against the tide?
First up we have people attempting to get to the root cause of why the airport was attacked. Quite frankly I think someone in authority should take these 'experts' at their word and send them to Guantanamo Bay for having a suspicious level of insider knowledge. I realise that's a bit unfair given that they're talking frightful rot but it's better than them being allowed to air their views and mislead impressionable children and other vulnerable people.
A popular explanation is of course the Iraq War. Quite why someone who felt that way would attack a country which has just elected a devolved government that are vocal opponents of the Iraq war is not explained or I suspect given any consideration. Something of an own goal for the terrorists there I'd have thought, if they were in a tizzy about Iraq.
Whilst I believe that situations like the Iraq War and so on don't do recruitment to terrorist organisations any harm at all they are not the root cause of Islamist terror. There are times when I'm tempted to start supporting the war in Iraq to distance myself from 'Iraq bores'. Honestly if I were to mention that the telly was a bit dull last night I wouldn't be surprised if someone responded well of course what do you expect when we've killed all those poor Iraqis.
There are loads of folk with solutions to the problem. Like ID cards. Saints preserve us. Asylum Seekers are presently obliged to carry ID cards and it doesn't appear to have had much bearing on terrorism prevention in the UK. In any case, is someone mad enough to set fire to themselves likely to be deterred by someone knowing who they are? I cannot see many future terror plots being abandoned with the words 'drat those infidels and their ID cards'.
The deport everyone brigade are out in full. Quite how this would sort out homegrown terrorists is unclear. What do they expect the government to do? Approach some Muslim country and explain 'we're having a spot of trouble with some Islamist terrorists and we thought with you being Muslims you wouldn't mind importing a selection of violent British nutters'. Somehow I can't see that one working. If someone who isn't British presents a threat to public safety then jail them and boot them out and the end of their sentence however it's not going to eliminate the threat.
Then we have some tosser moaning about Alex Salmond making a statement. Good Lord the way that Salmond carries on you'd think he was First Minister and Scotland had been attacked! That's all we need an uppity Scot getting narked and sticking his beak into matters that don't concern him. He'll only get it wrong and break things.
I think my favourite comment was by 'Claire'. 'I am 22 years old and should not feel unsafe in my own country'. What does being 22 have to do with it you bloody fool? Why she didn't just write 'I am a pampered halfwit who descends into a footstamping hissy fit each time the world shows itself to be less than perfect' and have done with it I don't know. Six months in Iraq would sort her out. As if being 22 grants one the right to special protection!
An improbably named gentleman, one 'Mr Buttomungous' claims to have seen four chaps acting suspiciously in a Silver Mercedes last autumn. However he didn't report this or anything sensible like that in case someone thought he was a racist. I think that is quite the silliest thing ever said by any human being anywhere. Why would anyone publicly confess to finding the though of an accusation of racism as being worse than failure to report a potential terrorist attack?
Mind you abuse of the right of free speech is nothing to the abuse of the English language on that board. It's a well known fact that English is the worlds greatest language, I myself refuse to speak any other, even when overseas. I rather fancy the foreigners enjoy the challenge, in any case I always get my egg and chips. To return to the BBC website, if I find people communicating with grunts and fire in the next couple of hours I won't raise so much as an eyebrow in surprise. Instead I shall draw some stick men and jump up and down.
Finally would you all think less of me if I confess to feeling a warm glow at living in a city with citizens mad and heroic enough to punch out a psyched up burning terrorist? The only thing that would have made me happier would be if they'd beaten him with Irn Bru bottles pausing only to light a fag off the flames.
Cheerio
I have been following the coverage of the terror attack at Glasgow Airport with some interest. Against my better judgement I took a trip over to the BBC news 'Have Your Say' bit. Oh Lord! There are times when I think free speech is a terrible error. Then I think again and conclude that if everyone else is going to talk total nonsense who am I to swim against the tide?
First up we have people attempting to get to the root cause of why the airport was attacked. Quite frankly I think someone in authority should take these 'experts' at their word and send them to Guantanamo Bay for having a suspicious level of insider knowledge. I realise that's a bit unfair given that they're talking frightful rot but it's better than them being allowed to air their views and mislead impressionable children and other vulnerable people.
A popular explanation is of course the Iraq War. Quite why someone who felt that way would attack a country which has just elected a devolved government that are vocal opponents of the Iraq war is not explained or I suspect given any consideration. Something of an own goal for the terrorists there I'd have thought, if they were in a tizzy about Iraq.
Whilst I believe that situations like the Iraq War and so on don't do recruitment to terrorist organisations any harm at all they are not the root cause of Islamist terror. There are times when I'm tempted to start supporting the war in Iraq to distance myself from 'Iraq bores'. Honestly if I were to mention that the telly was a bit dull last night I wouldn't be surprised if someone responded well of course what do you expect when we've killed all those poor Iraqis.
There are loads of folk with solutions to the problem. Like ID cards. Saints preserve us. Asylum Seekers are presently obliged to carry ID cards and it doesn't appear to have had much bearing on terrorism prevention in the UK. In any case, is someone mad enough to set fire to themselves likely to be deterred by someone knowing who they are? I cannot see many future terror plots being abandoned with the words 'drat those infidels and their ID cards'.
The deport everyone brigade are out in full. Quite how this would sort out homegrown terrorists is unclear. What do they expect the government to do? Approach some Muslim country and explain 'we're having a spot of trouble with some Islamist terrorists and we thought with you being Muslims you wouldn't mind importing a selection of violent British nutters'. Somehow I can't see that one working. If someone who isn't British presents a threat to public safety then jail them and boot them out and the end of their sentence however it's not going to eliminate the threat.
Then we have some tosser moaning about Alex Salmond making a statement. Good Lord the way that Salmond carries on you'd think he was First Minister and Scotland had been attacked! That's all we need an uppity Scot getting narked and sticking his beak into matters that don't concern him. He'll only get it wrong and break things.
I think my favourite comment was by 'Claire'. 'I am 22 years old and should not feel unsafe in my own country'. What does being 22 have to do with it you bloody fool? Why she didn't just write 'I am a pampered halfwit who descends into a footstamping hissy fit each time the world shows itself to be less than perfect' and have done with it I don't know. Six months in Iraq would sort her out. As if being 22 grants one the right to special protection!
An improbably named gentleman, one 'Mr Buttomungous' claims to have seen four chaps acting suspiciously in a Silver Mercedes last autumn. However he didn't report this or anything sensible like that in case someone thought he was a racist. I think that is quite the silliest thing ever said by any human being anywhere. Why would anyone publicly confess to finding the though of an accusation of racism as being worse than failure to report a potential terrorist attack?
Mind you abuse of the right of free speech is nothing to the abuse of the English language on that board. It's a well known fact that English is the worlds greatest language, I myself refuse to speak any other, even when overseas. I rather fancy the foreigners enjoy the challenge, in any case I always get my egg and chips. To return to the BBC website, if I find people communicating with grunts and fire in the next couple of hours I won't raise so much as an eyebrow in surprise. Instead I shall draw some stick men and jump up and down.
Finally would you all think less of me if I confess to feeling a warm glow at living in a city with citizens mad and heroic enough to punch out a psyched up burning terrorist? The only thing that would have made me happier would be if they'd beaten him with Irn Bru bottles pausing only to light a fag off the flames.
Cheerio
6/17/2007
Artist Borrows, Genius Steals
Hello,
It has been brought to my attention via 'extreme tracking' that I am the lucky beneficiary of plagiarism. I am not making this up. A young lady employed in the NHS pinched my post on the sex toys (still going strong since you ask) and lobbed it up on Grumpy Cunt.
I don't think I've ever been so surprised in my life. Fancy anyone repeating after me like a parrot and then trying to pass it off as her own work. I must confess to being somewhat flattered.
It reminds me of that time the school nutter brought in a 'Japan' b-side copied onto a cassette and told us all it was his new band. It was only when a chum's older brother taunted them for being a closet Japan fan that we realised we'd been had. Personally I thought it was a brilliant prank.
Did I ever tell you I invented the macaroni pie?
5/27/2007
Ooooh I've gone all Crimewatch
Hello,
As I'm sure most of you are aware the internet stalker of the moment is still at large, which is proving to be fairly irritating and unpleasant for some, to say the least. More here.
If you spot her on your travels, do give the police a bell.
UPDATE: She's been caught and jailed, pending sentencing. Fingers and toes crossed that she's getting some useful form of treatment.
5/18/2007
The world really needs something to take the edge off it.
Hello,
Sorry for the absence. I've been grappling with nicotine withdrawl, a diet of leftovers and no booze for a week. A whole week. Talk about depressing. I haven't decided to take up 'healthy living' or some such nonsense. I've been estranged from my bank card. To cut a long story short my card stopped working, the bank sent a replacement which has been trapped at the sorting office for a whole week.
Anyway I now have my new card and have been able to get back into the old vices again. Merciful Jesus! The terrible thing about not smoking and drinking is that it makes one think of themselves and how they feel constantly and that way depression lies. I imagine this is what rehab must be like.
It is just as well I've got my 'crutches' because I don't think the unenhanced Clairwil could have taken this horror - Tony Blair in charge of the World Bank! For heaven's sake, you'd think after the mess he's made of Britain, not to mention Iraq he'd be unemployable but no. They think he's wonderful!
Nothing's been decided as yet but it's just the sort of thing I could see Blair doing either that or something pointless in Europe. What the reports on this terrifying possibility don't mention is Cherie. The world Bank might think Paul Wolfowitz's lady friend has been a problem but imagine that grasping crow Cherie on the loose. She'll sweep through the world hoovering up freebies and I bet she'll nick the stationary whether he manages to wangle her a job or not.
Quite apart from anything else and correct me if I'm wrong but Blair doesn't have any banking experience does he? That being the case shouldn't he be starting out in the call centre or something to get a bit of experience. There is also the small matter of the question of Blair's honesty cash for peerages, WMD etc.
Why can't he just piss off to America and charge businessmen stupid sums of money to listen to him bang on about how great he is? Isn't that the normal career for ex-prime ministers. Failing that couldn't we just encase him concrete and bury him for a 100 years after which time he wouldn't be able to do any more damage?
Sorry for the absence. I've been grappling with nicotine withdrawl, a diet of leftovers and no booze for a week. A whole week. Talk about depressing. I haven't decided to take up 'healthy living' or some such nonsense. I've been estranged from my bank card. To cut a long story short my card stopped working, the bank sent a replacement which has been trapped at the sorting office for a whole week.
Anyway I now have my new card and have been able to get back into the old vices again. Merciful Jesus! The terrible thing about not smoking and drinking is that it makes one think of themselves and how they feel constantly and that way depression lies. I imagine this is what rehab must be like.
It is just as well I've got my 'crutches' because I don't think the unenhanced Clairwil could have taken this horror - Tony Blair in charge of the World Bank! For heaven's sake, you'd think after the mess he's made of Britain, not to mention Iraq he'd be unemployable but no. They think he's wonderful!
Nothing's been decided as yet but it's just the sort of thing I could see Blair doing either that or something pointless in Europe. What the reports on this terrifying possibility don't mention is Cherie. The world Bank might think Paul Wolfowitz's lady friend has been a problem but imagine that grasping crow Cherie on the loose. She'll sweep through the world hoovering up freebies and I bet she'll nick the stationary whether he manages to wangle her a job or not.
Quite apart from anything else and correct me if I'm wrong but Blair doesn't have any banking experience does he? That being the case shouldn't he be starting out in the call centre or something to get a bit of experience. There is also the small matter of the question of Blair's honesty cash for peerages, WMD etc.
Why can't he just piss off to America and charge businessmen stupid sums of money to listen to him bang on about how great he is? Isn't that the normal career for ex-prime ministers. Failing that couldn't we just encase him concrete and bury him for a 100 years after which time he wouldn't be able to do any more damage?
4/20/2007
Oh Lordy Here Come The Nazis......
' Our time is comming
Tommoro Belongs To Me' -BNP Supporter -Stormfront Web Forum
Vote BNP if you don't want the whole of London and Britain, turning into the ape and reptile enclosures of London Zoo!' -BNP Member -Stormfront Web Forum
Hello,
As I'm sure we are all aware following last week's laughable party political broadcast the BNP are fielding thirty-two morons for election next month. What a bunch they are!
First up we have Kenny Smith standing in Glasgow, he's hard to describe really, though freaky, Nazi geek isn't a bad start.
Tommoro Belongs To Me' -BNP Supporter -Stormfront Web Forum
Vote BNP if you don't want the whole of London and Britain, turning into the ape and reptile enclosures of London Zoo!' -BNP Member -Stormfront Web Forum
Hello,
As I'm sure we are all aware following last week's laughable party political broadcast the BNP are fielding thirty-two morons for election next month. What a bunch they are!
First up we have Kenny Smith standing in Glasgow, he's hard to describe really, though freaky, Nazi geek isn't a bad start.
'SMITH sickened neighbours on his native Lewis by waving a swastika flag on Hitler's birthday.
As Scottish secretary, he vets potential recruits to the BNP and introduces them to their members and officials.
Smith is known for smooth-talking in public and projects himself as the acceptable face of the party. But in private, he is quick to launch into racist bile.'
Imagine living next door to that!
Next up is David Kerr, his hobbies include goosestepping in the vicinity of brown skinned people in an effort to start a race war. I'm not making this up!
'PART of BNP's security team and a candidate in national elections, Kerr is a key player in Scotland.
He was among 58 fans prevented from attending Scotland's match with Norway in Bordeaux, France, during the 1998 World Cup.
Kerr, from Port Glasgow, has organised marches in areas with large ethnic minority populations in the hope of provoking 'race war'.'
Steven Blake is the closet to what passes for normal in that he hasn't been caught masturbating in Nazi regalia- yet. Though he is a fan of some foreign imports....
'THE top-rated BNP political candidate in Scotland, he stood in the Euro elections this year but got less than two per cent of the vote. He runs an IT firm in Stirlingshire but business contacts are unaware of his shadowy politics.
Blake is responsible for the BNP's website, and in the 1980s he imported hardcore Nazi material from the US. He runs Digital Scotland, an IT firm who list work for Edinburgh Cyrenians, a respectable homelessness charity , in their portfolio.
The charity confirmed they had paid the company up to £5000 to run their website but emphasised they were unaware of BNP links.'
It's business as usual for southside uberned Scott McLean
'BNP national deputy chairman and Scotland's regional organiser .
He stood at recent Euro elections and preaches on 'family values'.
Yet, he was photographed giving a Nazi salute at a 'Blood and Honour' Nazi skinhead festival in Scotland. McLean, 33, is a former Glasgow City Council joiner who quit after his views were revealed.
He was involved in gang fights between whites and Asians while at Bellahouston Academy . He joined the BNP aged 18. He has mixed with BNP extremists and others throughout Europe, including members of the notorious Combat 18 Nazi gang.'
What an impressive C.V.
I wonder what Charlie Baillie, another of the 32 BNP candidates makes of all this Nazi love as he took part in the BNP's Rememberance Sunday ceremony. Good Lord! What are they mourning the loss of Nazi life in WW2?
We also have Gary Raikes who apparently takes a dim view of anti-social behaviour. He will, I'm sure be having a stern word with a few of his fellow candidates about their antics.
Walter Hamilton is a particularly disgusting, reprehensible piece of shit who's 'finest' hour to date has been his attempt to exploit the death of Kriss Donald, by hassling his family to win BNP votes.
This next lot will presumably not be displaying much local knowledge having been imported from down south to make up the shortfall.
'Among the candidates in the Highlands and Islands region for the Scottish parliament elections is Roger Robertson, a south-east England organiser. The Lothians sees Sadie Graham from the East Midlands and Tim Rait, who unsuccessfully stood in Maidenhead in the 2005 general election. Mid Scotland and Fife has Michaela MacKenzie, who stood in Warwickshire North two years ago. Meanwhile, the West of Scotland region has Kevin Scott, north-east of England regional organiser.'
The last thing Scottish politics needs is more cretins. Fingers crossed for 32 lost deposits.
Cheerio
4/12/2007
Contemplating Forming A Vigilante Group
Hello,
There are times when I understand how readers of the Daily Mail feel. Take this morning for example, there I was enjoying the first fag of the day when the Scottish news came on with quite the most appalling tale I've heard in some time.
For those of you lucky enough to have been spared, prepare yourself because this is vile beyond words. A young woman was minding her own business, pushing her pram, when a group of...well how would you describe them?.. a sort of sub-breed of shit?....scum?, took exception to her presence and started hurling stones and abuse. It has been suggested that it was racially motivated, though in my view racism alone cannot account for what happened -the beginning of the end of human civilisation might be nearer the mark.
Personally I was sharpening my kitchen knives at that point but it gets worse. One of the group then decided to attempt a bit of sexual assault on the woman and her baby. In broad daylight. In front of his friends.
As I've said before I take a pretty bleak view of human nature. We're a bunch of animals but for the most part are restrained by civilisation and society. Even the worst criminals are secretive, they may choose to ignore law and morality but at least they are aware of them.
Exactly how depraved do you need to be to get together with your friends to verbally, physically and sexually assault a woman and a one year old child? I don't buy all this stuff that the police are coming out with about the other men possibly being disgusted by what the one who went on to attempt the sexual assault did and reporting him. They are as guilty as he is. There were three of them and one of him. They could have stopped it any time they wanted. They did not, which makes them complicit.
It's certainly uncivilised but I sincerely hope the lot of them are gang-raped, tortured and slaughtered by an angry mob. I'm sure if someone filmed it, they'd have a sure fire hit on their hands. Failing that could we have a bit of police brutality when they are arrested, please?
Cheers
There are times when I understand how readers of the Daily Mail feel. Take this morning for example, there I was enjoying the first fag of the day when the Scottish news came on with quite the most appalling tale I've heard in some time.
For those of you lucky enough to have been spared, prepare yourself because this is vile beyond words. A young woman was minding her own business, pushing her pram, when a group of...well how would you describe them?.. a sort of sub-breed of shit?....scum?, took exception to her presence and started hurling stones and abuse. It has been suggested that it was racially motivated, though in my view racism alone cannot account for what happened -the beginning of the end of human civilisation might be nearer the mark.
Personally I was sharpening my kitchen knives at that point but it gets worse. One of the group then decided to attempt a bit of sexual assault on the woman and her baby. In broad daylight. In front of his friends.
As I've said before I take a pretty bleak view of human nature. We're a bunch of animals but for the most part are restrained by civilisation and society. Even the worst criminals are secretive, they may choose to ignore law and morality but at least they are aware of them.
Exactly how depraved do you need to be to get together with your friends to verbally, physically and sexually assault a woman and a one year old child? I don't buy all this stuff that the police are coming out with about the other men possibly being disgusted by what the one who went on to attempt the sexual assault did and reporting him. They are as guilty as he is. There were three of them and one of him. They could have stopped it any time they wanted. They did not, which makes them complicit.
It's certainly uncivilised but I sincerely hope the lot of them are gang-raped, tortured and slaughtered by an angry mob. I'm sure if someone filmed it, they'd have a sure fire hit on their hands. Failing that could we have a bit of police brutality when they are arrested, please?
Cheers
4/04/2007
Oh Dear God- Whatever next?
Hello,
It's one of the more paradoxical aspects of my personality that I have have fairly bleak view of human nature, yet when someone behaves badly I'm genuinely shocked. Unless it's me in which case there are sound reasons. To be fair I only really lose the plot once every five years. The rest of the time I operate on the basis that I should remove myself from the situation irking me before I lose it. Then I light up a fag and think dark thoughts. As you can see I don't really mean any real harm.
That is all just by way of background. Most of you will be aware that Rachel from North London has had a spot of bother, to say the least with an online stalker. Thankfully justice has now prevailed, though the stalker has now gone on the run. Given her (the stalker's) continued blogging on the subject and her general behaviour, I'm sure it won't be long until the police catch up with her.
Having always regarded the blogging lark as a jolly bear pit. It's a helpful reminder that some take a rather more obsessive view of their fellow bloggers.
I have had no involvement with this woman, though I noticed earlier that she'd included one of my comments to Rachel on her (now-sabotaged blog), I am perhaps underestimating the level of anger the friends of her victims feel towards her. However I can't help but feel that sabotaging her blog was a bad move. She's already blaming some other people she's stalked. I can understand the desire for revenge but I really don't see any benefit to anyone concerned in provoking her. Frankly her behaviour is bad enough without it.
The people she is blaming for the sabotage have undergone enough misery. We bloggers all love a good barney but these are flames that don't need fanning. There is no effort required to undermine the credibility of her blog. It is clear in her every post post that she is an intelligent, articulate but deeply, troubled individual in desperate need of help. In any case, isn't this sabotage footering with evidence? I believe she intends to appeal, God knows on what basis.
The best people to deal with Felicity Jane Lowde have experience in psychiatry not pranks. She will be caught. Let them do their job and don't make a bad situation terrible.
Cheerio
It's one of the more paradoxical aspects of my personality that I have have fairly bleak view of human nature, yet when someone behaves badly I'm genuinely shocked. Unless it's me in which case there are sound reasons. To be fair I only really lose the plot once every five years. The rest of the time I operate on the basis that I should remove myself from the situation irking me before I lose it. Then I light up a fag and think dark thoughts. As you can see I don't really mean any real harm.
That is all just by way of background. Most of you will be aware that Rachel from North London has had a spot of bother, to say the least with an online stalker. Thankfully justice has now prevailed, though the stalker has now gone on the run. Given her (the stalker's) continued blogging on the subject and her general behaviour, I'm sure it won't be long until the police catch up with her.
Having always regarded the blogging lark as a jolly bear pit. It's a helpful reminder that some take a rather more obsessive view of their fellow bloggers.
I have had no involvement with this woman, though I noticed earlier that she'd included one of my comments to Rachel on her (now-sabotaged blog), I am perhaps underestimating the level of anger the friends of her victims feel towards her. However I can't help but feel that sabotaging her blog was a bad move. She's already blaming some other people she's stalked. I can understand the desire for revenge but I really don't see any benefit to anyone concerned in provoking her. Frankly her behaviour is bad enough without it.
The people she is blaming for the sabotage have undergone enough misery. We bloggers all love a good barney but these are flames that don't need fanning. There is no effort required to undermine the credibility of her blog. It is clear in her every post post that she is an intelligent, articulate but deeply, troubled individual in desperate need of help. In any case, isn't this sabotage footering with evidence? I believe she intends to appeal, God knows on what basis.
The best people to deal with Felicity Jane Lowde have experience in psychiatry not pranks. She will be caught. Let them do their job and don't make a bad situation terrible.
Cheerio
2/28/2007
Oh My Box Is So Exciting
Hello,
and now that your big eyes are finally open, let me share the highlights of my inbox. Firstly I had an e-mail from this fellow, who has now been added to my sidebar. Do drop in, he really is very good.
Then I had a very surprising email from someone who is moderately famous to readers of broadsheets about some other people in the same line of work being a touch unpleasant about the foreigners. Oh it's like Big Brother for the educated. I'm not allowed to say any more but you might want to keep an eye on Pickled Politics over the next few days.
As if that wasn't exciting enough I got an email about councillors. Lord knows what brought that on. I shall quite from this fine email below
'it has always astounded me just how blatantly Scottish Labour cllrs (esp in Strathclyde) milk the system - lots of allowances for non-existent "responsibilities", and of course the breakfast, dinner, and tea fiddle you mention. There's no way you could get away with this on most councils; it's only because the West of Scotland is such a rotten one-party fiefdom they've managed to keep this scam rolling. Here's to the Augean stables being cleansed come May! '
Do you think he might be referring to this? I rather think he is. That's not all. I was then directed towards this startling news item (more here...) . I wouldn't mind but you never hear Labour voters offering to pay more council tax to fund their representatives lavish lifestyles or mention that Labour have improved things or made them any better off. What's the attraction?
Anyway just for fun I have decided to ask a Labour councillor at least one question about corruption every month between now and the election. Feel free to join me.
Now here's a challenge for you, I'll give £10 to the first person to ask Terry Kelly why he thinks Cllr Richard Manser really had his window put in and get it past comment moderation.
Cheerio
and now that your big eyes are finally open, let me share the highlights of my inbox. Firstly I had an e-mail from this fellow, who has now been added to my sidebar. Do drop in, he really is very good.
Then I had a very surprising email from someone who is moderately famous to readers of broadsheets about some other people in the same line of work being a touch unpleasant about the foreigners. Oh it's like Big Brother for the educated. I'm not allowed to say any more but you might want to keep an eye on Pickled Politics over the next few days.
As if that wasn't exciting enough I got an email about councillors. Lord knows what brought that on. I shall quite from this fine email below
'it has always astounded me just how blatantly Scottish Labour cllrs (esp in Strathclyde) milk the system - lots of allowances for non-existent "responsibilities", and of course the breakfast, dinner, and tea fiddle you mention. There's no way you could get away with this on most councils; it's only because the West of Scotland is such a rotten one-party fiefdom they've managed to keep this scam rolling. Here's to the Augean stables being cleansed come May! '
Do you think he might be referring to this? I rather think he is. That's not all. I was then directed towards this startling news item (more here...) . I wouldn't mind but you never hear Labour voters offering to pay more council tax to fund their representatives lavish lifestyles or mention that Labour have improved things or made them any better off. What's the attraction?
Anyway just for fun I have decided to ask a Labour councillor at least one question about corruption every month between now and the election. Feel free to join me.
Now here's a challenge for you, I'll give £10 to the first person to ask Terry Kelly why he thinks Cllr Richard Manser really had his window put in and get it past comment moderation.
Cheerio
2/20/2007
The Digger Documentary
Hello,
At last, the long awaited BBC Scotland documentary on The Digger has been screened. I have mentioned The Digger a few times here and I must admit I'm a fan, though this programme did reveal the darker side of the magazine which I have been studiously trying to ignore in pursuit of my weekly giggle at the gangsters.
The Digger is a sort of OK magazine for neds or a demented vigilante rag depending on your view. Every week it lists the antics of local criminals- those on the streets, in the police force and in authority. Personally I'd rather it focused more on the police and their dodgy dealings than on the depressing antics of ill educated drug addicts but it is what it is.
I was surprised to learn that it's circulation is now at 11,000 -not bad at all for a 50p self-distributed magazine. I was more surprised still that only two people have been forced out their homes because of it, one being a convicted paedophile whose picture appeared on the cover and the second being The Digger himself, who is the the most unfortunate position of being hated by both the criminal classes and the police.
The programme also featured a poor looking sod by the name of Brian who'd had a contract put out on him after being called a grass in The Digger, something which he vehemently denies being. I was disturbed by the attitude of James Cruikshank (the ruler of The Digger) who didn't care much because Brian is 'a twit'. From what I saw on the programme it's fair to say that Brian probably should repeat a year or two of school but for heavens sake, even I think he doesn't deserve to die. I have no idea what the truth of the story is and in any case the people he's alleged to have informed on sound like total scum, if he did clipe he's done society a favour. I think The Digger made a bad move there.
That said many of the criminals featured are quite pleased to achieve minor fame by appearing in The Digger so it's not all bad news. The programme was not without it's lighter moments in particular the documentary makers stint as the magazines court photographer, which involved a jammed camera and the pursuit of a sex offender through the Gorbals in an attempt to get that elusive cover shot. Sadly the viewers only saw the sex offender from a distance so I'm unable to hunt him down and throw rocks at him for your amusement.
One also has to admire the hard work and dedication of the magazines founder James Cruikshank who carries on in the face of threats both legal and physical. Let's face it there are easier ways to earn a living. Being able to put out a magazine without the backing of the usual publishing and distribution networks, not to mention without advertising is an undeniable achievement not to mention rather inspiring.
Cheerio
At last, the long awaited BBC Scotland documentary on The Digger has been screened. I have mentioned The Digger a few times here and I must admit I'm a fan, though this programme did reveal the darker side of the magazine which I have been studiously trying to ignore in pursuit of my weekly giggle at the gangsters.
The Digger is a sort of OK magazine for neds or a demented vigilante rag depending on your view. Every week it lists the antics of local criminals- those on the streets, in the police force and in authority. Personally I'd rather it focused more on the police and their dodgy dealings than on the depressing antics of ill educated drug addicts but it is what it is.
I was surprised to learn that it's circulation is now at 11,000 -not bad at all for a 50p self-distributed magazine. I was more surprised still that only two people have been forced out their homes because of it, one being a convicted paedophile whose picture appeared on the cover and the second being The Digger himself, who is the the most unfortunate position of being hated by both the criminal classes and the police.
The programme also featured a poor looking sod by the name of Brian who'd had a contract put out on him after being called a grass in The Digger, something which he vehemently denies being. I was disturbed by the attitude of James Cruikshank (the ruler of The Digger) who didn't care much because Brian is 'a twit'. From what I saw on the programme it's fair to say that Brian probably should repeat a year or two of school but for heavens sake, even I think he doesn't deserve to die. I have no idea what the truth of the story is and in any case the people he's alleged to have informed on sound like total scum, if he did clipe he's done society a favour. I think The Digger made a bad move there.
That said many of the criminals featured are quite pleased to achieve minor fame by appearing in The Digger so it's not all bad news. The programme was not without it's lighter moments in particular the documentary makers stint as the magazines court photographer, which involved a jammed camera and the pursuit of a sex offender through the Gorbals in an attempt to get that elusive cover shot. Sadly the viewers only saw the sex offender from a distance so I'm unable to hunt him down and throw rocks at him for your amusement.
One also has to admire the hard work and dedication of the magazines founder James Cruikshank who carries on in the face of threats both legal and physical. Let's face it there are easier ways to earn a living. Being able to put out a magazine without the backing of the usual publishing and distribution networks, not to mention without advertising is an undeniable achievement not to mention rather inspiring.
Cheerio
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)