Worst Group (again...)

Virgin Rail has lost its bid to continue running the West Coast Mainline and will be replaced by the UK's largest rail operator, FirstGroup. A disappointed Sir Richard Branson said Virgin would "almost definitely back out" of bidding for more franchises.

FirstGroup said it would "offer substantial improvements in the quality and frequency of services".
Rail unions warned they would resist any attempts to cut staff pay or working conditions. Aberdeen-based FirstGroup already operates a number of rail routes including Great Western and ScotRail.

From BBC News website

My job requires me, on occasion, to travel down to Preston in Lancashire to my company's head office. I travel down by train on the west coast mainline and it's fair to say few of my trips with Virgin Rail have been without incident. From broken toilets, unreserved seats and overcrowding to late trains and quite awful communications, Sir Richard Branson's company can hardly be described as leading the way in rail travel. Having suffered several times as a result of their incompetence I was pleased but not exactly surprised that they have lost the franchise to run trains on the west coast of Britain after 14 years. However, my satisfaction at Virgin finally getting their comeuppance was soon eroded by the news that Virgin are to be replaced by those other bastions - I said 'bastions' - of public transport. Yes, step forward First Group.

Since my change in personal circumstances at the start of this year, I haven't had cause to rant about Worst Group principally because I no longer have the need to use their shockingly poor bus services. That and the fact Worst Group have sought to address falling passengers numbers in Midlothian - by withdrawing their services altogether thereby leaving people who require public transport out on a limb. The good folk of Dalkeith, Mayfield and Gorebridge who had relied on the ramshackle number 86 service for decades were told by Worst Group several months ago their bus service was being withdrawn. The attitude of the First Edinburgh bus chiefs appeared to be -  tough. Thankfully, Lothian Buses have stepped in and, by all accounts, have improved the services in Midlothian no end.

On Tuesday came the announcement that rail fares in Scotland are to rise by around 4%. Lo and behold, 24 hours later Worst Group are awarded the west coast mainline. May I say to the people who presently use the line that I hope they continue to use the service in good numbers. If not, be prepared for Worst Group to apply their simple business plan. That is, if passengers numbers fall (and this is more than likely if their track record of reliability on the buses is anything to go by) then services will be reduced and then withdrawn altogether. It has happened with alarming frequency with the bus services in Edinburgh and Mid and East Lothian.

Don't be surprised if, a few years from now, there won't be a west coast mainline. And, if that happens, I will not be able to travel to Preston.

It's not all bad news then...

Damaging Scotland's Economy

David Cameron has indicated that he intends to seize the initiative over a referendum on Scottish independence. He told Andrew Marr, in a BBC interview, that "in the coming days" the UK government will set out the legal position concerning a vote on Scotland's constitutional position.

The prime minister said uncertainty was damaging Scotland's economy.

From the BBC News Website

So Dave has decided to 'seize the initiative', eh? Well, he wouldn't be the first Tory Prime Minister to treat Scotland as an irritant that needs to be dealt with. Back in the 1980s/90s, the despised Margaret Thatcher 'seized the initiative' when she shut down traditional Scots industries such as coal mining, steel and shipbuilding and, in doing so, tried to destroy so many communities. She may have destroyed the working traditions of thousands but she could not do the same to the spirit of the Scottish people.

Thatcher also used Scotland as a guinea pig for the poll tax. Thousands of Scots refused to pay this most unfair method of local government taxation but this didn't stop her then trying it throughout the rest of the United Kingdom - the ensuing riots meant this was one of her idiotic schemes that was doomed to failure.

Nowadays, Scotland is a very different place. It has a devolved parliament run by the Scottish National Party which has achieved so much in a short space of time to make Scotland a better place to live for hundreds of thousands of people. The Tories - and the Labour Party to a certain extent - are running scared. David Cameron knows the people of Scotland are seriously considering independence rather than see him and his clueless class-obsessed party damage Scotland the way Thatcher did decades ago.

'Uncertainty damaging Scotland's economy?' Any damage to Scotland's economy will come from London and a Prime Minister and coalition government who care not a jot about the Scots or their country. We certainly don't need a lecture from an old Etonian who doesn't speak for our nation - and a man who said last week that dealing with the shadow chancellor Ed Balls was like dealing with someone who has autism.

Stick to what you know best, Dave. Which, going by the last few months, certainly isn't running the country.

Wrong on So Many Counts

One of the ringleaders of Scotland's biggest paedophile network has had his minimum prison sentence cut by four-and-a-half years by appeal judges. James Rennie is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a three-month-old and for conspiring to get access to children in order to abuse them.

Rennie, from Edinburgh, was ordered to serve a minimum of 13 years in jail. Appeal judges have reduced that to a minimum of eight-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.

Judge Lord Clarke, sitting with Lord Philip, said: "We wish to make it clear that that does not mean he will be released after that period of time. "All that has been done is fixing the period of time that must be spent by the appellant before any consideration can be given to his release."

From the BBC News website

The above story appeared on BBC Scotland's new pages over the weekend. I would like to meet those appeal judges and ask what possible justification there is in reducing Rennie's prison sentence. Why do they think 13 years would be too long for someone who sexually assaulted a three month old baby? What kind of mind does someone have in order to commit those abhorrent crimes?

Surely, this man should be thrown in jail and the key to his cell thrown away? There has long been debate in this country about whether capital punishment should be re-introduced. In cases like these, I would suggest it should,although there will be those who say hanging would be too good for people like Rennie.

It has been said the Scots legal system is one of the best in the world, although I suspect readers of this blog from the United States would question that with the Lockerbie bomber in mind (I still think Iran was behind that atrocity but that's another story)

When people like Rennie are convicted of vile crimes but then have their minimum prison sentence cut, it puts the legal system in this country to shame. The do-gooders in society will point to Rennie's 'human rights'. This dismisses the human rights of those children who are the victims of his actions.

They won't be able to appeal their life sentence...

Census Day

A snapshot of British life is being taken, with Sunday the official day for people to complete the 2011 census. Every household in the country has been sent a form that asks who is living there as well as seeking details on jobs, education and ethnic background. The aim is to get an idea of who is living in the UK on a specific day, and how they live their lives. Filling the forms in is compulsory. This year for the first time households will be able to complete them online. The census has taken place every 10 years since 1801, apart from during World War II.

From the BBC News website

I received my census form two weeks ago, an official from Midlothian Council knocking on my door at 7.30pm on a Sunday evening to deliver the form in person. I'm assuming she was being paid double time for this - an excellent use of the Council's already stretched resources...

I have duly completed my form and shall post it back tomorrow. It will be interesting to see the results published in due course. Judging by the amount of times I hear OH MY GOD! being screamed, particularly by younger people, I'm wondering if the numbers of those pertaining to have a religion will have increased.

Most of the questions were straightforward about your own personal details and those living with you. I included details for my youngest daughter Michaela but I would have preferred more relevant questions such as:

How often does she borrow money from you?
How often does she pay you back?
How many times does she hog the bathroom for hours on end?
How many times does she leave said bathroom looking like a Turkish sauna?
Is the number of times she makes you a cup of tea related to question 1?
How many times do you have to tell her to slow down when you're in her car?
How much Valium do you take before entering said vehicle?

The answers to the above would provide a much more valuable snapshot of my life.  As for accuracy, it's interesting to note that National Census Day was the same day Scotland played Brazil in a football game in London - and the game was shown live on television. Methinks there may be a chance that, once the information is published, officials will discover the population of Scotland has reduced by several thousand...

Rights and Wrongs

Prison bosses were told to apologise to an inmate who was caught with drugs in his cell after an inquiry by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The prisoner was found with methadone, a heroin substitute, at HMP Shotts. However, the prisoner, named as Mr C, complained that Scottish Prison Service (SPS) staff had "adapted" the policy on searching and testing for drugs. His complaint was taken up by the ombudsman who found in the prisoner's favour.

The ombudsman ruled that the SPS should put a policy in place for staff to follow when testing substances, take steps to make prisoners aware, remind staff to record search timings and "issue an apology" to the inmate.

From the BBC News Website

The above story follows hot on the heels of the story of an inmate in a Scots prison who complained his human rights were breached because he wasn't allowed chocolate. This was a man who is serving a prison sentence for the sexual abuse of a ten year old child. Meanwhile, at Westminster the Houses of Parliament continue to debate whether some prisoners should be given the right to vote at elections. Again, this follows human rights protocol from Brussels.

I don't think I need to make comment on the above, dear reader, as I suspect you will have already formed your own opinion. All I will say is surely the victims of crime should have their 'rights' considered above all. Or has the world gone mad....?

That's a Bonus...

The government is resigned to UK banks paying out billions of pounds in bonuses this year, despite its calls to curb the payments, the BBC has learnt. The best the coalition can hope for is a declaration from the banks that they will pay out less than they would have without government intervention, said BBC business editor Robert Peston. The government is also looking for banks to lend more to small businesses.

Business Secretary Vince Cable has been vocal in his opposition to big bonuses. He told the BBC last month that the coalition government was "fully signed up" to "robust action" in curbing bonuses.

From the BBC News Website

Last August I went to see the wonderful comedian Reginald D Hunter at the Edinburgh Festival. He said that all we ever get these days 'is shit news, man. If news came towards you in the street you would cross over to avoid it'. He's not wrong.

People in the UK, like many other countries across the globe, are facing financial hardship in 2011. Many will lose their jobs, their homes and family life as they know it. The global financial recession is the root cause of this - triggered by the threatened collapse of many financial institutions. The UK government has bailed out several banks, most notably the Royal Bank of Scotland - at the taxpayers expense. A week into 2011 comes the news that those same banks are preparing to pay out huge bonuses to their senior managers. The question on everyone's lips - apart from, I suspect, those who work in the banks - is why?

The ordinary working man and woman on the street are at the stage where they don't know how they are going to afford to live. They live week to week, possibly day to day in some cases. The money that has been taken from their pockets via increased VAT, national insurance contributions and taxes was redirected to banks to bail out their mismanagement. Mismanagement which is now resulting in more bonuses being paid.

Vince Cable says the government is fully signed up to robust action in curbing bonuses. Really? I don't trust politicians, particularly those who have sold their soul in order to gain a little bit of power.

As the cost of Christmas and the increased cost of living begins to hit people hard, we can at least take some comfort from the news that our bankers are resting that bit more easily. That's nice isn't it?

A Story to Restore Your Faith in Society

A Canadian couple who won $10.9m (£6.7m) in lottery winnings in July say they have given away $10.2m of the prize to groups in their community. Allen and Violet Large said they were plain country folks who needed no more than "what we've got".

The two said they had donated about 98% of the cash after helping their family. The elderly pair gave the money to churches, fire departments, cemeteries, the Red Cross and hospitals, where Ms Large has undergone cancer treatment.

"We haven't bought one thing. That's because there is nothing that we need," Mr Large, 75, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr Large, a retired welder from Canada's Nova Scotia province, added that he and his wife were quite content with their 147-year-old home and everything else they already owned. "You can't buy happiness," he said.

From the BBC News Website

An unusual but welcome item - a heartwarming story on the BBC...

Standing Up for Scotland

Scottish ministers and officials have turned down a request to attend a US Senate hearing next week over the release of the Lockerbie bomber. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and the Scottish Prison Service's medical chief Dr Andrew Fraser were invited. Senators also invited Westminster former justice secretary Jack Straw.

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was jailed for life for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 which killed 270 people, most of them Americans. He was released by the Scottish government in August 2009 and allowed to return to Libya on compassionate grounds, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The Scottish government maintains that the release was solely because of Megrahi's terminal illness and had nothing to do with a prisoner transfer agreement between the UK government and Libya.

From the BBC News Website

It's almost a year since Mr al-Megrahi was released from Greenock Prison. Yet still the controversy over his release rages - mainly from our cousins across the pond. The recent explosion from the BP oil rig off the east coast of the USA has caused environmental disaster for parts of the country - and has turned into a political football. Some US senators suspect that BP lobbied for Megrahi's release last year to aid its chances of getting oil deals with Libya. It is, therefore, open season on BP in the States and some US politicians see any link, no matter how tenuous, between Scotland's decision to release Mr al-Megrahi and the now hated BP as a means for political gain - a chance to make a name for themselves.

Even the Prime Minister of this country - David Cameron - declared on his visit to his chum President Obama - that releasing Mr al-Megrahi  was 'completely wrong'. Then again, Cameron is leader of the Conservative Party and is maintaining a party tradition which began under Margaret Thatcher of sticking the boot into the Scots at every opportunity.

The Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has rightly turned down the 'invitation' to go to Washington to explain the actions of the Scottish government. MacAskill released al-Megrahi on the basis the Libyan is terminally ill. There is an argument for suggesting al-Megrahi was the victim of a miscarriage of justice and was wrongly convicted in the first place but that's another debate. As it did this time last year, Scotland has stood up to the USA. It was a decision devolved to the Scottish government. Whether they agree with it or not, US senators and David Tory Boy Cameron should respect that decision instead of jumping on whatever political bandwagon happens to be passing this week.

Amidst the growing anti-British - and perhaps anti-Scots mood - in the US it's worth remembering there are British soldiers dying in Afghanistan and Iraq in the so-called fight against terrorism. And it's perhaps also worth recalling how many US dollars found their way to the fighting fund of the IRA in the 1970s and 80s.

The so-called special relationship between the USA and UK is showing signs of strain. David Cameron could alleviate this by giving those 'Scots upstarts' what we really want - independence. Then he could lap dance for the President until his heart is content...

Massacre in Cumbria

Twelve people have been killed by a gunman who went on the rampage across Cumbria in north-west England. Taxi driver Derrick Bird shot dead a colleague in the town of Whitehaven before driving through the countryside apparently targeting people at random. Twenty-five others have been injured, three critically. Police say they are dealing with 30 separate crime scenes. Mr Bird's body was found in a wooded area in Boot in the Lake District and two weapons have been recovered.
 Stuart Hyde, Cumbria Police's Deputy Chief Constable, said: "We are still at a very early stage in our investigation and we are not able to really understand the motivation behind it - or establish whether this was a premeditated or random attack. Current indications are that 12 people have died, plus Derrick Bird. And a number of people are also receiving treatment in hospital."

From the BBC News website

This shocking incident happened in the north-west of England earlier today. Those who perished at the hands - or weapon - of Mr Bird did nothing wrong. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A time when a man, for inexplicable reasons known only to himself, chose not only to end his own life but that of eleven other innocent people. It may well be the death toll will rise.

It brought back horrific memories of what gunman Thomas Hamilton did in the Scots town of Dunblane fourteen years ago. Why anyone would choose to cause such carnage and inflict untold grief and misery on others is beyond any sane person. One can only assume that Bird, like Hamilton before him, became insane. I can only try to imagine what those who have lost their loved ones must be going through. I suspect right now they'll be numb with shock.

My thoughts are with them tonight.

Man Flu - The Facts (well, sort of...)

Men may have a weaker immune system and could be more vulnerable to so-called 'man flu', scientists propose. Evolutionary factors and hormonal differences may make males more susceptible to infection than females, says a Cambridge University team. Their theory, outlined in a scientific journal, suggests there is a trade-off between a strong immune system and reproductive success.

Previous experiments have found differences in the ability of females and males to deal with infection. The study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal, investigated the reason for these differences. Dr Olivier Restif, one of the authors, said: "If you assume that males are more exposed to infection, then can natural selection influence that process?"

To find out, scientists developed a mathematical model that highlighted the role of other factors, like ecology and epidemiology, in shaping the immune systems of men and women.

"If males are more exposed to infection than females (for behavioural reasons for example), it is possible to see them evolve lower immuno-competence than females," the authors wrote.

But John Oxford, Professor of Virology at the University of London, disagrees.

He says his team at the University of London deliberately infected men and women with the flu virus. He says there was no noticeable difference between their recovery times or their immunity.

"But the women did complain more," he added.

From the BBC News Website

So now it's official - Man Flu does exist. Although Professor Oxford disagrees - however, I particularly liked his comment in the final paragraph...

Welcome to the Working Week

The working week should be cut to 21 hours to help boost the economy and improve quality of life, a left-wing think tank has said. The New Economics Foundation claimed in a report the reduction in hours would help to ease unemployment and overwork.

The think tank said people were working longer hours now than 30 years ago even though unemployment was at 2.5 million. The foundation admitted people would earn less, but said they would have more time to carry out worthy tasks.

From the BBC News Website

Ah, think tanks. Where would we be without them? An ingenious thought, reducing the working week to 21 hours. I may just suggest this to my manager at our team meeting on Monday morning. However, I'm not very confident he'll agree and he will certainly dismiss the sub-text of my suggestion that my salary remains as it is for doing less work. In fact there's a more than reasonable chance he'll make a suggestion of his own, namely I reduce my hours even further to zero per week and with salary in accordance to hours worked...

I like the quote that the foundation 'admitted people would earn less'. Wow, they've certainly given this considerable thought. However, they say, people would have more time to carry out worthy tasks. Like figuring out how to pay the mortgage, council tax, gas bill, phone bill etc, etc.

I have fond memories of my wife's grandfather from a quarter of a century ago. He was old Labour through and through (none of this new Labour nonsense) and he and I would engage in lively political debate whenever we met. Being a Scottish Nationalist, my own political views weren't a million miles from the auld fella's. At the time, Thatcherism was at its height and The Hatcher as he so memorably called her was well down the road in her plan to destroy Scotland. Grandad used to tell me the only way to fight hard right, like Thatcher, was with hard left. Although then Labour leader Michael Foot's election campaign didn't do much for that argument.

I wonder what Grandad would have thought about the above left-wing think tank's idea. Actually, I don't have to wonder. I know damn well what he would have thought. Meanwhile, back in the real world...

Erogenous Zone - Somewhere Near the Equator?

The elusive erogenous zone said to exist in some women may be a myth, say researchers who have hunted for it. Their study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine is the biggest yet, involving 1,800 women, and it found no proof. The King's College London team believe the G-spot may be a figment of women's imagination, encouraged by magazines and sex therapists.
But sexologist Beverley Whipple, who helped popularise the G-spot idea, said the work was "flawed".

From the BBC News Website (link to to the full story on the title of the post)

What I want to know is - who are the researchers who have hunted for it? Any vacancies...?

Oh, Belt Up...

TV character Peppa Pig will be seen wearing a seatbelt in future episodes, after parents raised concerns over children following her example. British animation company Astley Baker Davies said it would also re-animate scenes from the first and second series to reflect the change.

"We were very naive when we started making Peppa," co-founder Mark Baker told Broadcast magazine. "If we could turn the clock back, we would," he said.

Aimed at children aged two and above, Peppa Pig won a children's Bafta in 2005 for best pre-school animation. Shown on Five and children's channel Nick Jr, it follows a five-year-old pig named Peppa, her family and friends. Astley Baker Davies had initially considered including seatbelts and child seats in the show but felt it might limit the characters' range of expressions.

But it reversed its stance after a parent complained that her daughter had refused to wear a seatbelt because Peppa did not.

From the BBC News Website

My two year old grand-daughter Hannah adores Peppa Pig - when she's not running circles round her beleaguered Papa. You can guess what Santa brought Hannah at Christmas. But the politically correct brigade just can't let things lie. Perhaps someone may wish to point out that Peppa is a cartoon character.

As for the final paragraph in the story some people just aren't meant to be parents...

Can I Have a Large One?

The NHS has some new advice for people struggling to schedule a fitness routine into their daily lives - a workout between the sheets. According to the NHS Direct website, "sexercise" can lower the risk of heart attacks and helps people live longer. Endorphins released during orgasm stimulate immune system cells, which also helps target illnesses like cancer, as well as wrinkles, it states.

From the BBC News Website

It's unusual for me to start the New Year on a positive note (rest assured, it won't last) Not only is Christmas over for another year but the above report on the BBC News website quotes the good old National Health Service advising that sex is good for you. However, without wishing to rain on any parade, I feel I must take issue with some of its findings.

'Sexercise' can lower the risk of heart attacks and help people live longer. My father, God rest his soul, was married three times and had countless affairs. He died of a heart attack at just 58 years - it may well have been that his extra-marital activities helped contribute to his early demise. I don't know if he died with a smile on his face but he was on his own at the time...

What also intrigues me is how the NHS discover these nuggets of information. Presumably by conducting surveys or getting organisations to do this on their behalf. But how accurate are the findings? I have to say I've never been asked to help with a survey about my sex life. If I were I would almost certainly give misleading answers.

How old are you, Mr Smith?

47 (that bit's true)

And how many times a week do you have sex?

Oh, twice, sometimes three times a night...

I see.

Occasionally there's someone with me....

Quite. Do you talk to your wife when you make love?

Only if she's on the phone...

You're not taking this seriously, are you Mr Smith?

Well, you started it...

I do occasionally receive 'spam' emails from less than reputable online pharmaceutical companies offering me 'Viagra' at a reduced rate. I once asked my local chemist - on behalf of a friend, you understand - about Viagra and if I could get it over the counter. 'Only if you take the whole packet at once' replied the chemist.

The Christmas period saw a plethora of Carry On films on television. Actor Sid James was not averse to the odd affair or five - yet this didn't seem to improve his rugged features. As his one time lover Barbara Windsor would ask as she went into his pub 'Have you got a large one?' Sid's reply of 'I've had no complaints so far. Har, har,har!' is one of the classic lines of British cinema...

However, perhaps I'm doing the NHS boffins a disservice. Above is a photo of me early on New Years Day. Draw your own conclusions, dear reader...

Read All About It

A commission set up to tackle literacy problems in Scottish schools has found almost one in five Scots has difficulty with reading and writing. The commission made 11 key recommendations aimed at addressing the problem of poor literacy skills.

It said tackling problems caused by deprivation was crucial. Judith Gillespie, chairwoman of the commission and development manager of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said: "There needs to be a zero-tolerance approach to tackling poor literacy and it's time that this problem was effectively addressed. At the heart of the commission's findings was the need to address the problems caused by social and economic disadvantage at an early age. This should be a key feature in the development of any literacy strategy."

From the BBC News Website

The above story comes as no surprise. I'm proud of my two daughters and what they've achieved in life but it has to be said their spelling leaves a lot to be desired. Many people blame - somewhat ironically - technology for the alarming drop in standards of literacy. Michaela sent me a text the other week telling me she had 'flue' - only she could buck the trend of text language by expanding words unnecessarily rather than abbreviate them. However many youngsters are so accustomed to text protocol that they find it difficult to write in English.

When Laura and Michaela were at primary school they used to get glowing reports from the teachers. However, it was always a bone of contention come parents evening when I got to see some of their work and I would ask why their spelling was so awful. The school party line was consistent if nothing else - it didn't matter how they spelt things as long as they were writing things down. Something I didn't agree with at the time but my pleas were ignored.

I shudder when I read reports like the one above and read about a 'zero-tolerance' approach. I wish the experts would leave the cliched spin and buck passing and just get on with tackling the problem. They could start by teaching primary school children how to spell. As for blaming deprivation - this seems to me to be disguised as lazy parents who can't be arsed to sit with their children and read them stories because 'I'm a Big Brother Celebrity Strictly Dancing in the Jungle Get Me Out of Here' is on the goggle box.

Try that as a starting point for the 'literacy strategy'....

Political Spin

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Tory leader David Cameron have apologised after claims they used an Armistice Day service as a photo opportunity. Officials at Westminster Abbey raised concerns that the leaders had failed to notify senior staff they were to be pictured in its Field of Remembrance.

Mr Cameron's photographer pictured him inspecting tributes on crosses. Mr Brown was also filmed there. Mr Cameron said: "It shouldn't have happened... I want to make that clear."

From the BBC News Website

Doesn't this just sum up our politicians today? Spin, spin and more spin. It wasn't enough for Messrs. Brown and Cameron to pay their respects in a dignified, unobtrusive manner. They just had to ensure someone was there to record them doing so.

'New' Labour has been spinning like a Catherine Wheel for more than fifteen years now. When Tony Blair was Prime Minister he was the perfect front for Labour lies and conning the British public into thinking the country was great again. Nice Tony, smiling Tony, caring Tony - how could anyone disagree with him? Until the weapons of mass destruction fiasco and losing soldiers lives unnecessarily in Iraq and Afghanistan showed his true colours...

The Tory Party are no better. David Cameron comes across as a smug, know-it-all politician who is desperate to show he's the new, improved Tony Blair. The prospect of the Conservatives getting back into power again is a truly frightening one, particularly for Scotland. Few Scots will ever forget how Margaret Thatcher - who was shaking the hand of Gordon Brown outside Number Ten Downing Street the other day - tried and damn near succeeded in destroying our country. Something Cameron should think about next time he thinks it's a smart move to head for Glasgow to campaign for his party in a by-election (will he be in Glasgow for the general election a few months from now? Probably not...)

What a pity Jim Hacker isn't still around. The fictional MP and Prime Minister from the BBC comedy Yes Prime Minister, along with his civil servant Sir Humphrey Appleby, probably knew more about politics than Brown and Cameron put together...

I'm Off to the Pub

Drinking alcohol every day cuts the risk of heart disease in men by more than a third, a major study suggests. Research involving more than 15,500 men and 26,000 women found large quantities of alcohol could be even more beneficial for men. Female drinkers did not benefit to the same extent, the study in 'Heart' found.

Experts are critical, warning heavy drinking can increase the risk of other diseases, with alcohol responsible for 1.8 million deaths globally per year. The study was conducted in Spain, a country with relatively high rates of alcohol consumption and low rates of coronary heart disease.

From the BBC News Website.

A couple of pints of Belhaven Best, please barman. Purely for medicinal reasons, mind...

Misery - The Key to Happiness. It's Official!

Feeling grumpy 'is good for you'

An attack of the grumps can make you communicate better, it is suggested
In a bad mood? Don't worry - according to research, it's good for you. An Australian psychology expert who has been studying emotions has found being grumpy makes us think more clearly.
In contrast to those annoying happy types, miserable people are better at decision-making and less gullible, his experiments showed.

While cheerfulness fosters creativity, gloominess breeds attentiveness and careful thinking, Professor Joe Forgas told Australian Science Magazine. The University of New South Wales researcher says a grumpy person can cope with more demanding situations than a happy one because of the way the brain "promotes information processing strategies".

Negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world Professor Joe Forgas. He asked volunteers to watch different films and dwell on positive or negative events in their life, designed to put them in either a good or bad mood. Next he asked them to take part in a series of tasks, including judging the truth of urban myths and providing eyewitness accounts of events.

Those in a bad mood outperformed those who were jolly - they made fewer mistakes and were better communicators.

Professor Forgas said: "Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, co-operation and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world."

The study also found that sad people were better at stating their case through written arguments, which Forgas said showed that a "mildly negative mood may actually promote a more concrete, accommodative and ultimately more successful communication style".

His earlier work shows the weather has a similar impact on us - wet, dreary days sharpened memory, while bright sunny spells make people forgetful.

From the BBC News Website

Misery - The Key to Happiness

The key to a happy relationship could be accepting that some miserable times are unavoidable, experts say. Therapists from California State University, Northridge and Virginia Tech say accepting these problems is better than striving for perfection. And they blame cultural fairytales and modern love stories for perpetuating the myth that enjoying a perfect relationship is possible.

From the BBC News Website

Now this news report from 2007 - which I stumbled upon tonight - doesn't reveal anything startling. I got married on 19 June 1982 and it didn't take me long to realise miserable times were ahead - in fact it was the early hours of 20 June 1982...

It's being miserable that keeps me going. First thing in the morning is when I'm at my worst. Another hellish day lies ahead at work; the joys of Edinburgh's public transport system means it will take me at least an hour to get to the office with the inevitable roadworks on at least one part of the journey in adding to this; now winter is here it's dark and raining most mornings; and today I was asked by a colleague at work if I would be joining the Secret Santa charade at the dreaded Office Christmas Party. Ask me in December, I protested although it's a near certainty you'll get the same answer - not bloody likely.

Those cheery types who bounce into the office first thing in the morning with a smile and an irritating 'Hi! How are you?' really irritate the hell out of me. Some people tell me I should adopt a more positive outlook on life and that I will live longer as a result. Which begs the question - why the hell would I want to live longer? Life is pretty shit as it is - and this year has been one helluva year...

So, as the story above says miserable times are unavoidable. As a fortysomething with two daughters and two grandchildren - and another brat on the way - as well as being lumbered with being a fan of Heart of Midlothian FC - you certainly won't find me disagreeing!

Not Long Now...

Middle-aged male smokers with high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels face dying about 10 years before healthier counterparts, a study warns. The UK study looked at more than 19,000 civil servants aged 40-69 and traced what happened to them 38 years later. The study was set up in 1967-70 at the peak of the vascular disease epidemic in the UK.

Participants had their height, weight, blood pressure, lung function, cholesterol and blood glucose levels measured and completed a questionnaire about their previous medical history, smoking habits, employment grade and marital status. Current smokers made up 42% of the men, 39% had high blood pressure and 51% had high cholesterol. They were followed up nearly 40 years later in 2005 by which time 13,501 had died.

From the BBC News website

Some interesting statistics there. Coming from a family where heart disease has always been a factor, I'm not particularly perturbed by the prospect of dying ten years before I should. As my grandfather died at 45 and my father died at 58 - both died very suddenly from a heart attack - the chances of me reaching the stage where I can draw my pension are - unlike, I have to say, my physique - pretty slim. I'm 47 years old and I'm continually told by those who tell me they care for me that I should lose weight. They may have a point.

But with a family history of heart disease being overweight is just one of many reasons why I may be considered at risk. Being a parent, grandparent, son, mortgage holder and not exercising enough - okay, not at all - all contribute to my unwell being. As does having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, mild asthma and a bad back. And a cat allergy, dust allergy and hay fever. And have I mentioned I've had toothache recently?

The plus point is I don't smoke, don't drink much alcohol (honest!) and seldom eat fried food (I usually grill) That's good, doctors may say but there is a considerable negative mark against my health. I support Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

As my good friends Adullamite and Lizzy might say that would knock ten years off anyone's life.