900,000 jobs for Kintyre

[ionnsaigh]

900,000 new jobs for Kintyre, would grab the attention of even the most apathetic reader. a similar reaction would be expected if the figure where to be applied to road deaths, cancer rates, prisoners, crimes, new schools, doctors, nurses, so on and so on. The list seems inexhaustive when applying to in relative terms of our population of Five Million. The headlines would far outweigh those of Iraq, Trident, Global warming, Royal family, Big Brother, or who won or lost the cup.
Take One pound Sterling, not much really, however multiply it by One Million then the total becomes more than significant in anyone's language, well anyone that is apart from the ruling political party, the media, who along with those responsible, actively encourage the general downplaying of this number. If your favourite football team where to beaten 5-1 this would be seen as a resounding defeat, or victory if they happen to win. The amount would be seen as considerable. If you happen to lose One Fifth of your bodily functions you would be seen as severely disabled.
So in today's Scotland take care when announcing pride in belonging. I hide my head in shame, disappointed in my meager response, my own apathetic selfishness, deaf to the cries and suffering of the poor neglected people of our land. I hear the same old arguments that essentially blame the poor for being poor, these have all a Capitalistic fed common theme, chiefly focused on the size of the spoon- rather than the size of the pot.

If we as a people continue to allow this mass suffering, particularly when we have a peaceful and Democratic opportunity to address this human carnage at the forthcoming elections. Then nothing other than shame would live and prevail in our collective knowledge and history- as to who we really are- and did we really care.

[daftdog]

EH!!!!

Sorry, but i think the flu i have has affected my brain, as i have not got a clue what your post is actually saying ionnsaigh.

In simple terms, what is the point you are trying to make??

[bill]

Usual pointless drivel

[ionnsaigh]

The level of poverty in Scotland.

[Sheik Yir Erse]

ionnsaigh - the sole purpose of the English language is to communicate. Perhaps you should bear that in mind prior to your next meandering rant, no-one seems to have any idea what you're on about.

Maybe if you tried to tone down the language and speak in reasonably simple terms, perhaps us with a decent education, who hold down responsible jobs would have even the slightest clue as to what you are talking about.

Your arguement may very well be valid, but no-one will ever know. Simply, if you cannot communicate the reasons behind your arguement then you've fallen at the first hurdle I'm afraid

[jfine]

The level of poverty in Scotland.

Is it that bad? compared to other countries?

[Bobbie En Tejas]

I hear the same old arguments that essentially blame the poor for being poor, these have all a Capitalistic fed common theme, chiefly focused on the size of the spoon- rather than the size of the pot.

Ionns, there are a lot of poor who don't have the means to do anything about it, children, the old and infirm. But you have to admit there are a lot of very able-bodied lazy souls who would rather do nothing than take responsibility for their own lives and that of their family. Many times (and I have worked with street people in the past), it is not a matter of can't, but won't.

And the thing you fail to remember sometimes is that even in a communist society, everyone must contribute something or it doesn't work. You know there are those people who will work to the utmost because they have a sense of pride and duty and responsibility, while others lay around complaining about their back, the weather, the unfairness of having to stand up and actually do something to feed themselves. In the communist world, they are both equally entitled.

[Big Bob]

SQUIRRELS' RIGHTS
THE 'REST OF THE WORLD' VERSION:

The squirrel works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building and improving his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the squirrel is warm and well fed. The shivering grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies in the cold.

THE END

THE BRITISH VERSION:

The squirrel works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building and improving his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the squirrel is warm and well fed. A social worker finds the shivering
grasshopper, calls a press conference and demands to know why the squirrel should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others less fortunate, like the grasshopper, are cold and starving. The BBC shows up to provide live coverage of the shivering grasshopper; with cuts to a video of the squirrel in
his comfortable warm home with a table laden with food. The British press inform people that they should be ashamed that in a country of such wealth,
this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so while others have plenty.

The Labour Party, Greenpeace, Anima l Rights and The Grasshopper Council of GB demonstrate in front of the squirrel's house. The BBC, interrupting a
cultural festival special from Notting Hill with breaking news, broadcasts a multi cultural choir singing "We Shall overcome". Ken Livingstone rants in an interview with Trevor McDonald that the squirrel has got rich off the backs of grasshoppers, and calls for an immediate tax hike on the squirrel to make him pay his "fair share" and increases the charge for squirrels to enter inner London.

In response to pressure from the media, the Government drafts the Economic Equity and Grasshopper Anti Discrimination Act, retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The squirrel' s taxes are reassessed, he is taken to court and fined for failing to hire gr asshoppers as builders for the work he was doing on his home and an additional fine for contempt when he told the court the grasshopper did not want to work. The grasshopper is provided with a council house, financial aid to furnish it and an account with a local taxi firm to ensure he can be socially mobile, meanwhile the squirrel's food is seized and re distributed to the more needy members of society, in this case the grasshopper.

Without enough money to buy more food, to pay the fine and his newly imposed retroactive taxes, the squirrel has to downsize and start building a new home. The local authority takes over his old home and utilises it as a temporary home for asylum seeking cats who had hijacked a plane to get to
Britain as they had to share their country of origin with mice. On arrival, they tried to blow up the airport because of Britain's apparent love of dogs.
The cats had been arrested for the international offence of hijacking and attempt bombing but were immediately released as the police fed them
pilchards, instead of salmon, whilst in custody. Initial moves to return them to their own country were abandoned since it was feared they would face execution by the mice. The cats then devise and start a scam to obtain money from people's credit cards.

A Panorama special shows the grasshopper finishing up the last of the squirrel's food, though spring is still months away, while the council house he is in, crumbles around him because he hasn't bothered to maintain it, furthermore he is shown to be taking drugs. Inadequate government funding is blamed for the grasshopper's drug 'illness'.

Meanwhile, the cats seek recompense in the British courts for their treatment since arrival in UK and the grasshopper gets arrested for stabbing an old dog during a burglary to get money for his drugs habit. He is imprisoned but released immediately as he has been in custody for a few weeks. He is placed in the care of the probation service to monitor and supervise him. Within a few weeks he has killed a guinea pig in a botched robbery.

A commission of enquiry that will eventually cost £10,000,000 and state the obvious is set up. Additional money is put into funding a drug rehabilitation scheme for grasshopper and legal aid for lawyers representing asylum seekers i s increased. The asylum seeking cats are praised by the government for enriching Britain's multicultural diversity and dogs are criticised by the government for failing to befriend the cats.

In the meantime, the grasshopper dies of a drug overdose.

The usual sections of the press blame it on the obvious failure of government to address the root causes of despair arising from social inequity, and his traumatic experience of prison, and call for the resignation of a minister. The cats are paid a million pounds each because their rights were infringed when the government failed to inform them there were mice in the United Kingdom.

The squirrel, the dogs and the victims of the hijacking, the bombing, the burglaries and robberies have to pay an additional per centage on their credit cards to cover losses, their taxes are increased to pay for law and order and they are told that they will have to work beyond 65 because of a shortfall in government funds.

THE END

Since this was written, the squirrel has decided that enough is enough, has sold up everything he owned and buggered off to live in Spain!

[ionnsaigh]

Big Bob alias Alice in Wonderland,
A couple of points, do squirrels own the means of production, is there a minimum wage, because if there is it doesnt matter how busy or hard working any squirrel happens to be. Do some squirrels enjoy great inherited fortunes without having to lift a paw.
From your post let me make a stab at what type of squirrel you are.
1. Hard working.
2. Self employed.
3. English.
4. Middle class.
5. White settler.
6. Failed in the past and extremely bitter.
How am I doing so far?

[Hadrians hiring!]

Ho ho ho , this is fun!

[Sheik Yir Erse]

Ding ding - round 2

[Sheik Yir Erse]

Ionnsaigh,

Back to your points to Big Bob.

How would a minumum wage encourage the LAZY grasshopper to get off his back legs? He/she has no desire to work for the minimum wage when it, and more, is provided for them at no effort?

Also, why would it appear to be correct to persecute squirrel because his father or mother worked hard to build up a nice nest egg of nuts and a dry home?

I think you fail to see that the vast majority of people in Britain are:

1. Hard Working
2. Working / Middle Class
3. Not dependent on the state

However Bob's post points to the increasing alienation that this section of society feel. What Bob's post should have mentioned is that 90% of the population are squirrels. The ones that feel as if they're putting nuts on the table, and are always last to be invited to the winter feast.

Finally if Bob was actually the type of squirrel who was:

1. Hard working.
2. Self employed.
3. English.
4. Middle class.
5. White settler.

Why does that make his point any less valid? Your last point about 'failed in the past' is just petty and ignorant.

PS. Wonder if we can stop the Squirrels analogy yet.

[Jock Strap]

Big Bob alias Alice in Wonderland,
A couple of points, do squirrels own the means of production, is there a minimum wage, because if there is it doesnt matter how busy or hard working any squirrel happens to be. Do some squirrels enjoy great inherited fortunes without having to lift a paw.
From your post let me make a stab at what type of squirrel you are.
1. Hard working.
2. Self employed.
3. English.
4. Middle class.
5. White settler.
6. Failed in the past and extremely bitter.
How am I doing so far?

Ionnsaigh - point 6 "Failed in the past and extremely bitter" that sounds a bit more like you with your postings on here....

I think you are a wee squirrel - suffering from wee man syndrome (why are all wee men so angry....think about it!)

PS - Aren't we all White Settlers when it comes to the crunch.....Mick Donaghue?!

[bill]

[Sweltered]

I sense a poetry post in the near future from the Red Rambler