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| Image: STV.tv |
The Scottish Elections
It’s another sunny but chilly day over the Scottish capital. I think this contradiction in weather patterns has something to do with the Scottish Parliamentary Elections this week. Oh, hadn’t you heard? Yes, we Scots go to the polls again tomorrow, the second time in a year, but this time with Alex Salmond trying to convince us why he should remain a drain on the public purse and waste of our time.
This election has not exactly caught the Nation’s interest and I’m feeling pretty apathetic towards it all. I’m not a nationalist, and Salmond, who I respect as a very smart politician, remains in my view bad news for this country. He scraped into a minority government in the last Scottish election following the failure of the ballot machines, and has followed through little on his big promises.
He does it at every election: announces major changes and sweeping reform that will financially benefit people. Basically, he’s trying to buy us off again.
Last time it was a promised freeze on the Council Tax—which he managed to do—but what have we actually gained? Nothing, except a much poorer service from a skint council that couldn’t manage a piss up in a brewery. I’d rather pay slightly more for a better service.
I’m stuck as to who to vote for. I want rid of Salmond because the SNP stands for everything I don’t; it would be the worst thing imaginable if Scotland went independent and broke off from the UK. But who would I want in his place? There’s nobody with either the backbone or the savvy, in fact the only person that could possibly carry the job off with any form of command is Annabel Goldie, but she’s a Tory so has as much chance of winning as Simon Cowell has of finding a pair of trousers that fit properly.
Maybe I should put my faith in the Scottish people. Maybe our in-built parochialism will serve us well and a referendum on Scottish independence will prove fruitless to those who call it and the issue will be closed. Maybe, just maybe, I should rely on the fact that Salmond is no use and should remain at the top doing nothing, until someone can be found that knows what is actually needed and can deliver.
Web Work
Work began on the initial design phase for my wife’s new website, the boudoir branch of her business. This website is to be “classy, sultry, informative, and appeal to all women.” Not much of a challenge then. We’re looking at darker colours, black with indigo/purple or silver, that kind of thing.
I made suggestions and comments no the website ideas she already gave me so will await her thought process to follow through to see how closer we are after that. On the freelance writing side, I copy edited three articles for her to use as PR.
Silly Poems Vol.3
I began the task of assembling all the new poems I’ve written and adding them to the pile of poems from previous volumes of SILLY POEMS FOR WEE PEOPLE. I’m re-writing a lot of them too, making them sharper and sillier where I can. It’s going ot be a cracking upgrade.
I think I’ve found an artist to work with who can do the illustrations for this new edition, also. We’re meeting this week to talk it all through but she comes highly recommended from one of Edinburgh’s top artists so I’m very hopeful. I’ll spill the details once the deal is through.
Day Job
The day job provided some less than delightful surprises yesterday. Due to sickness, there are only two of us in covering a full 24-hour shift. I had been hoping to get away early after work to do some writing up in town, and to try and shake the cold that’s come on, but that all had to be canned.
I’m starting to feel quite run down this week. The cold that’s developed is hanging around and I’ve been feeling quite chesty. I’ve been trying to get to bed a little earlier but all the work I have on sees me coming in from the day job and getting stuck straight into it. That’s generally me until midnight so my working days are panning out to be 15 hours long not including lunch or dinner.
So long as I’m back up to full fettle in time for London next week, I won’t be caring.
That’s me for today. May the fourth be with you!
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Freedom from the Mundane 
Time for a trip to Napier’s!
Vote for the individual you think is, as an individual, the best person for the job. Is there a choice beyond those two? Just because it doesn’t seem someone will win doesn’t mean they won’t — again, as you said, if you trust the people. Not that I do over here, especially in our over-medicated, reality show mentality, but I always try to vote for the person I believe will represent what I want to achieve, separate from the hype.
Why on earth would anyone want to increase the budget of a council that ‘couldn’t manage a piss up in a brewery’ is beyond me?
I’d rather pay less and have public services run by an efficient council that provides value for money. Allowing taxes to continually increase only serves to allow the council to be lazy and wasteful.
Someone willing to grasp that particular nettle would get my vote.
The point I was making was more in reference to Salmond’s attempt to bribe the electorate, but I agree with what you’re saying. If there’s a candidate willing to rip out the Council and make it more efficient then they’ll get my vote.