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| Image: BBC Online |
The good thing about writing my blogs the following morning as opposed to the night before, is that I get to react faster to anything in the news that catches my eye. Even more so when a Sunday paper has held onto a juicy story to release it at the end of the week.
It appears that even the most principled among us, those of such strength and admiration among the community, will fall eventually. Sinn Fein: the voice of IRA terrorism purporting to be a political party, Socialist stand up guys, the voice of the disenchanted people. Even they, at their contradictory best, when faced with the power and money that life in Westminster affords, couldn’t help becoming at one with the machine and the temptation to rip off the public they so vehemently claim to be the true representatives of.
In today’s Sunday Telegraph, it is revealed that Sinn Fein MPs have fleeced Britain’s parliamentary system to the tune of half a million pounds (£500,000).
Despite refusing to take up their Westminster seats, five Sinn Fein MPs have rented three London properties from the same family at rates well above the market norm. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have jointly claimed expenses of £3,600 a month to rent a shared two-bedroom flat in north London – fair monthly rent for the flat would normally be £1,400.
I am tempted to say this is what happens when one allows terrorists to take part in politics, when really we should just have banged them up in a dark cell somewhere for the rest of their life. But I won’t because it’s simpler than that. These people are murderers, support murder and atrocity, and have done for over thirty years. Now they have “turned to politics” they have also turned to petty crime, and have actively robbed British tax payers to the tune of half a mil.
I wonder what expensive label of Brandy they chink together when they celebrate their new wealth, these days? At least it’s not an innocent child’s blood they are celebrating being spilled any longer – allegedly.
I made the best of yesterday, nobody can argue with that. Up at 6am, I had blogged, written, showered, dressed, coffeed, toasted, and was on the bus out of Leith shortly after 8am. By nine o’clock I was standing in Corstorphine waiting for PC World to open.
To while away the time I tried out my new digital camera by taking a picture of the nearby Tesco supermarket (see right side of this post). Exciting eh? In doing so it reminded me I was nearly out of Italian coffee so I went in to stock up. I also got myself some limited edition Ethiopian to try out. I tasted it later in the day and it’s lovely.
Into PC World next and I wanted to check out at close quarters these nifty Netbooks that are on the go. I’m thinking of getting one for when I’m out and about, and particularly when I’m out the country or on trains etc., which I do quite a lot. I wasn’t there to buy (can’t think of any good reason to buy a PC from PC World), I just wanted to see how these wee machines fit under my hands if I was typing into them, because writing, after all, is what they will be used for mostly.
Two different members of staff came up to ask why I was typing a copy of the Netbook specifications, terms and conditions of sale into Notepad. Fascinating sales technique, I observed.
I also had a look at the Apple counter and their rather juicy Macbooks. Devon just got one of these and I can see why. I’d only seen them on the Net but up close they are very impressive. And thin! Way out of my price ranger, though; maybe one day.
Since I was in the area I popped into the pet store and checked out their wee furries. They had some right bonny wee bunnies in, very friendly this batch too, compared to others.
It was such a lovely morning I walked back into Edinburgh (yes, from Corstorphine) and when I got back to the town stopped off in my usual coffee shop for a cappuccino and warm chocolate pastry. I read the Guardian review of books and chose my horses for the day, then headed back towards Leith via the Post Office to collect a parcel – my new Specials t-shirts were in!
It started to rain on my way back down Leith Walk so I jumped a bus and headed home, knackered, but satisfied to have gotten a full Saturday morning under my belt. It may sound pretty lame, but I do a lot of thinking and stopping to write in my notebook when I’m out and about on a Saturday. Plus I enjoy these walks, and with a decent wee camera now, hopefully I can get some good shots of Edinburgh for the blog.
I decided to devote my afternoon to marketing work for Stella, developing flyers and postcards, and other promo-related work.
My mate’s horse, Moonwalking, ran in the 5.15 at Hexham. After starting the day at 3-1 it drifted to 9-4 and then into 2-1. In the end, I declined a bet and the horse won the race. Ah well.
By the time last night came round I was shattered. I watched ten minutes of a dreadful film (Eden Log) and hit the hay.
Don’t forget, in tonight’s monthly newsletter is a competition to get your hands on a copy of Stella complete with signed goodies. You can only enter if you are a newsletter subscriber so head on over and get your name down if you want to win! www.colingalbraith.co.uk/mailinglist.html.
CHEAP AND FREE E-BOOKS!!
- Selektion – FREE!
- Brick by Brick – FREE!
- Silly Poems for Wee People Vol.1 – FREE!
- Fringe Fantastic – £3 (£5 OFF!!!)
- Poolside Poetry – £3 (£2 OFF!!!)
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Freedom from the Mundane 
I am soooo seriously tempted by these netbooks, but they apparently don’t hold the likes of Word, only useful for surfing (or so I’m told). I love the Mac Airbook, but can’t afford it. So I think when it’s time for me to upgrade (and the current one is 3 years old this month), I may go again for another lightweight laptop. All of my gadgets are lightweight and portable, dating from when I was gallivanting all over the country with the NUJ and writing on the hop.