Scarlet Pimple

Is it true that the promised generosity from Monsieur Eddy Cameron to "Scotland"" is indeed a loosening of the purse strings to allow an avalanche of cash to be sent directly to the bank accounts of the current opposition Yesser chiefs? He now denies that he thought the word "yesser" actually meant...."Yes Sir, Yes-sir, thirty three bags full Sir and is it time to lick your boots,Sir?"" The person who divulged this incredible, convoluted devolution-misinterpretation-package is thought to be in the new Craig Dunain Hospital in far flung Scottish territory. The doctors there, in a newly-printed press release in the locally annexed Press and Fess Journal, claim that their affiliate, the English-based Lance-T, are however keeping their cards close to their vests on the grounds that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and they have to keep some info back for a rainy day ... Meantime, back at the ranch, our Pimpernell associates have unearthed some more incredible factoids recently published by Facebook with a view to boosting their political highly informed pundits' ratings: In response all we can say is .."WOW"". http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-29202729

Noted today: This report confirms those we posted above from our connections in Odessa except for one detail: I said that 30 Pro-Russian Separatists had been burned in the Trade union building shown here. Sorry, it actually was 40. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27517398 Apart from that, this independent online news commentary proves that Pimpernell operatives have very good connections everywhere: They are like Canajin mosquitos... Now you see 'em, now you don't.

"Jim, how do you like my selfie. Should we post it up on the wall in the room as an inspiration to the guys?"

What time do the polls close on Thursday? Big News:- Canada has offered assistance by promising to send 6 Sea Otter float planes to the following hot spots in the campaign: Orkney, Western Isles, Oil rigs, Salmond's Hatchery, etc. Meantime, back in the Fraser River, British Columbia, the first few salmon of the estimated 30,000,000 sockeye salmon (thirty million)run this year have been seen hot-footing it up to Hell's Gate Canyon where the fish ladders have been renovated for the arrival of the bounteous horde. Note: Salmon spawn in the shallow pools of their own birth and then immediately die from exhaustion of the tremendous efforts they have produced running from the ocean against the river's currents and obstacles. Their progeny then, in turn, leave and go out into the Pacific Ocean for 4-5 years. Then return as big guys to spawn again and complete their life cycle. On the way they have to run a gauntlet of countless dangers, such as grizzly bears who have mastered the art of catching them as they jump up waterfalls or rocky outcrops When I arrived in Canada I first went to live in Steveston, a small village on the West Coast on the outskirts of Vancouver,B.C. (Not to be confused with Vancouver, Washington State, U.S.A., just south of us) which at one time in its history boasted the largest Salmon Fish Processing Plant in the British Empire.

Why so many of our members who are not posting opinions in here? Charlie Bannerman has finally seen the light. Good for you. That's the spirit. Charles. The queen claims to be neutral but when David Beckham came out of the No's closet to give the world the benefit of his sweeping pundit's opinion as a celebrity of great magnitude , even the Queen dropped her guard and reserve and , sniffing haughtily, opined that it was her considered opinion that we dumb Scots should "consider carefully what we should do". Eh, what? Do you actually presume to think, Madame, that we are not thinking about this carefully and that there never has there been such a gathering of voters, of which 97% have been registered, who ARE are considering all this in great depth. In fact so much that now the whole world is waiting with bated breath to see what the outcome will be. David Cameron is a distant relative of the Queen according to Wikipedia so go figure. After the dust settles, and IF it is a "no" vote, then a few crumbs will be swept off the Westminster table for Scotland followed in due course by the SAME OLD, SAME OLD. A leopard does not change its spots and a rose by any other name still smells the same. Did you also know that David Cameron is a member of the fanciest gentleman's club in London but we should acknowledge that at least he did oppose NOT having women members admitted.

NO! He was setting up a date with Mrs. Pankhurst and a bit of "no-goodity" or hanky-Panky no doubt.

1. The last Quebec referendum on Sovereignty and leaving Canada, like ours now, came down to the wire and the vote was no by a narrow margin. But I wanted a yes vote for separation because I thought that the "French" in Quebec were pandered to by the Government and got more handouts than the rest of the provinces in Canada to keep them happy, contented and in the club. But there has been talk about another referendum again which , from my perspective, I don't really see the main bulk of the populace wanting it at all in Quebec. The issues are different, however, and it seems to be unlikely to happen again. And people are tired of the upset that it can bring. Meaning you have one chance to make a change for the better in your lives. The No voters in Scotland want the status quo because they see a yes vote as jumping into the unknown. DD you seem to expect all the I's to be dotted and the T's to be crossed before you are prepared to take that leap of faith. How can that ever happen? C'mon, a yes vote is about taking the opportunity to seize the nettle,not about safety and security. If you want that then pick up the telephone tomorrow and order your pipe and slippers form Amazon. Gotta be a mover and shaker to make changes Doofers dad! Look at this way, David Livingstone didn't get certainties when he started out on his journeto Africa up the Zambezi river did he. Yet his name is now a household word in Scotland. In America, Merriweather Lewis and his buddy Clark didn't know what they had to face on their stupendous exploration west to discover the Columbia river exiting at the Pacific Ocean in the USA yet, despite incredible odds, adversities and disagreements between them en route, they finally made it and opened up the West. Then came Alexander Fraser whose mighty trek down the 1200 mile river from the North of British Columbia to the sea at Vancouver was another magnificent triumph of exploration over adversity. What these guys went through daily was something else -- and an easy life and security was not what they were seeking but the big prize and they had the determination and spirit to persevere and achieve their goals. Reading the accounts of what they endured I don't know how on earth they managed to keep going!Thank goodness for them and that. We have only some 35 million souls in this country but we are a dominant player on the world stage and are a very dynamic country on all levels. Remember, if you vote yes and it doesn't work to your benefit you can always emigrate to Canada --if you have an established profession, of course, or have a sponsor such as I had in the Toronto Dominion Bank. Emigration from Scotland to anywhere, including Canada, is also a leap of faith.It's a scary and carries with it no certainty of success. But, once I had made the decision to go to Canada I never re-considered that decision and I never looked back. I could see that opportunities here in Canada (only 150 years old this year) were much wider and available on many levels to a degree that the STIFLING old- boy system in Britain could never offer a restless, ambitious person, who just wanted to do his best and grow. That system was solely designed to keep me in my place rather than acknowledging that I could be the next "likely lad" instead and it affronted me and horrified me when I was forced to wake up and saw what harm it does--AND what a waste of good and available talent that it also propagated. The spectre of failure on some level had to always be a possibility. But what some might view as failure can also be a blessing in disguise since it depends on how you handle it and what results from it in your life. It's the ability to survive and re-organize and understand that the future is what you make of it and the vast number of opportuinties that are revealed by failure must be viewed as a blessing in your life...you are then presented with a cornucopia of options any one of which may be your salvation and inspiration. As such it isn't a bad experience, shocking maybe, but it's also a wake-up call presented to you with one hand but accompanied by the opportunity to experiment in sparkling radiance showing in the other hand. If you want to grow you have to always dwell on the positive, not the negative. Positivity will re-vitalize you whereas negativity can cause stress and sickness. Life is very short, dearies. Seize the opportunity now and vote "YES".

Starchief.... good point.! But very hurtful--to the quick. What's the matter dearie, are you afraid of his opinions? S. P. may be in absentia but he still can voice his opinion can't he? It's a free country isn't it?-----oops I'm sorry, I'd forgotten, it's not free yet until the yessers win. Set and match. Give me a vote and I will be on the first plane.

And remember ...Faint heart ne'er won fair lady. (or laddy if you are of the opposite persuasion).

Ach, yer plum loco, Sneckboy. All yer grapes will be sour ones after a "No" vote. Grrrrrrrrrr!

Oh My! Who is that handsome dude in the kilt. It'sssssssssssssssssss ........ Rob Roy MacGregor, forsooth.

Doofers Dad -your post 1370. You say this is a Referendum, not an Election.---------------Correct! Except that it will be the first that Scotland has been allowed to hold by Westminster in 300 years, I do believe. And if the "no" vote succeeds it will in all likelihood be the last. This is show-time, or showdown-time, ladies and gentlemen. If you do not vote "yes" you could live with regret for the rest of your lives because there will be no second chance as Westminster tightens it's grip on your life -- and your pocketbook. It will be same old, same old, after the dust settles and they realize thatb nthey have won and escaped doom and gloom. Did they let William Wallace off the hook with a slap on the wrist after they caught him after a 7 year-hunt? Not only did they kill him they physically ripped him to shreds in vengeance for his rebellious spirit to let the populace know who was the boss. Dougie Danger: Post # 1372. ...." The whole idea of British fair play has been exposed as a myth. The British elite are the most conniving, serf-interested group that you could imagine." Now, you and I are about 6,000 miles apart so clearly there is no collusion between us as to what we think or want to post.but isn't that almost exactly what I said in my thread about the expat pensioners based on my own experience and observations. The fact that British Justice and fair play is a myth. Folks, it always has been about greed, money or power. It's only about fair play when it serves their interest or agendas.

P.S. He's feeling better now. Back soon, I hope. The lad is indestructible. Pray for him tonight. Daddy Pimpernell.

Your lack appreciation and due reflection of what you refer to as S.P.'s drivel is a severe affliction for you. And demonstrates an incredible lack of knowledge and understanding of the whole situation which I have tried very hard to grasp even if I have contacts on the ground and in the cities of that disadvantaged country named Ukraine. For me to try to instruct you with further facts is unlikely to bear fruit in the short term so I will simply comment upon the mistakes that you reveal in your thinking: So I won't be answering any more of your wayward, chaotic thoughts after this. 1.There is no "The" in front of the word Ukraine. Any more than the names of the following countries are The Scotland, The France The England etc. A long time ago, when Ukraine was a Province of Russia, before decided by referendum to separate from it, it was universally referred to, as "the breadbasket of Europe." due to it's huge plains and wheat fields. That meant that it was seen by westerners as a really important AREA in Russia despite it's size being much less than that of the whole country and therefore added the word to signify this....etc. 2. In your paragraph two the sanctions to which you refer had already been decided upon as penalties for the further inroads of the Pro R S's , aided and supported by Putin. They were not an afterthought. Since then Putin has continued to supply weapons and provisions to the Pro Russian Separatists, who alone could be swept from the country if they were not receiving supplies from Putin. You have ignored the fact I mentioned of the180 white covered trucks that deliberately were driven across the Ukrainian border in violation of Ukraine's border demarcation rights (i.e.a second invasion) and a violation of International Law because no permission from an independent legally-constituted sovereign state had not been obtained. The contents, (obviously weapons and supplies) were delivered and immediately afterwards the PRS started to regain territory they had already lost .At that point they had been within days of defeat. Why haven't you mentioned that you knew that Mr Poroshenko then opined that he could handle the PR Separatists and get rid of them within days but he could not fight them and the Russian regular army as well...comprising helicopter gunships...... and paratroopers who just happened to stray across the border by mistake. Ha! It is well known that Russian troops were already in the ranks of the separatists -otherwise how could some of them be flown home in bodybags, occasioning unrest in Russia -- about which you know nothing because it is well hidden from Western journalists! I did not start this thread, as you aver, stating that Russia was the enemy and did NOT draw comparisons to past East/West Conflicts. I simply said that the Russians would always be a formidable foe who never knew when they are beaten if attacked. The Russian people do not want war any more than any other sane country. Unfortunately,when Putin and his sort are referred to as Russians the simple reason for that is that they are Russian and it has always been the way that top Russian political figures have been classified as the enemy because of their attitudes and actions. Citizens are not fleeing from the Ukrainian military alone. Their cities (Donetsk) have been invaded by the PRS's and in the WAR their homes have been obliterated. Again, Ukraine did not start this war they are repulsing invaders of their legal territory. 3.The BBC does not write articles --they merely print them. These are received from journalists and correspondents who know what the heck they are talking about ..many of these are seen to be unbiased reports and are from freelance journalists. If what these guys say reflects a fair picture of the actual situation on the ground that backs-up and substantiates S.P.'s reports from citizens of the actual country itself, then you should be prepared to listen and learn 4.. You say that Putin is more interested in keeping Ukraine as customers rather than invading it. Didn't you know of the industrial resources in the country he would take over if he did over-run Ukraine? No? Did you read what I said about why Hitler was desperate in moving to the South East of that country to obtain the oil and coal of that region? No? Did you know that Ukraine are already obtaining gas from Poland which will be like a red rag to a bull for V P. because his gas pipeline to the West runs through Ukraine? NO? Did you know that he has already hiked the price of gas to Ukraine and prices have climbed in the country ? No? And you are completely unaware of his wider objectives then? OOPS, -time for you to back to my previous post I think. 5. Your paragraph 5 about Assad, Mubarrack etc is irrelevant and specious. Hussein was hanged, Gadaffii was shot in the head by his own citizens so.......? I am talking about the Ukrainian conflict, nothing else. 6.Your next paragraph about Iraq, Syria etc being deliberately kept off balance and in disarray has me completely baffled. Who do you think is financing the ISIS terrorists--the Brits or the French? Have you any idea what a campaign against these terrorists is costing and will cost? These smart bombs cost as much and maybe more than $1,000 each. And Obama is on record now as stating that a campaign to obliterate them will maybe take years. S.P. has gone to hospital with severe respiratory malfunctions and great pain in his chest muscles so I am replying in his stead. He was laughing then crying so much after he read your last post that he could only gasp .." Daddy, do not fail me in my hour of need. If this is my last breath, reply to old Chlorinated Hydrocarbons2 so that he does not feel lonely and unloved. I think he has lead a sheltered life......aaaargh!

Yep! It's all NATO's fault: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28971901

You know, CH2, I have only on occasion been able to fathom or agree with your past posts but I didn't really hold that against you because free speech is free speech. I just stopped reading them. And my great sense of fairness,which forced me to give you the odd "like" has now been revealed as insanity and I am desolate. As for your acrimonious, vicious, sarcastic, bitter attacks on Saint Scarlet are concerned, all I can do is cry..."unfair". What a plethora of pubescent platitudes thou dost hurl against my defenseless breast, oh Candid Harpie-2. However, from one who has never been to Ukraine and noting your efforts over 3 consecutive posts to discredit the Pimpernell organization's reports by telephone, obtained directly from relatively neutral observers in Odessa who, initially, would not have minded if the Russians had taken over that city but now are in outright opposition to them, I can see that you have some kind of problem with the accuracy of our spies' reports. Consider this: The Russian language is used in Ukraine in the East and in the South, Including Odessa which is a beach-front resort and port where all people want to do is to work, relax and be peaceful. And, until Vladimir Putin started his nonsense everybody got along just fine. Everybody I met there was very friendly and nice to me - the cop we met on the overnight train to Kiev wanted to share his bottle of Scotch with us until he fell asleep and I tucked him in on the opposite seat and woke him up when we arrived in the Capital. Did you know that when Pro-Russian Separatists (allegedly mercenary Chechens, NOT paid by NATO), fomenting anarchy, were attacked in Odessa, they had to seek refuge in a Trades Union Building which went on fire and all died. Everybody was horrified at what this type of anarchy can bring. So, now, the Russian-speaking southerners are as pissed off with V P as anybody else because it's also reported by my intelligent contacts in the area that Crimea's people are no better off now than they were before V. P. ( that's "very persuasive" -at the end of a gun) came calling with honeyed promises of a better life, bigger pensions etc. OOPS! What makes you think that I have not read the past history of the area? 1. When the Germans invaded Ukraine from the South West in the 2nd world war they engaged a poorly-led army in some disarray and with some fast-moving action they swiftly arrived at the capital Kiev and encircled it whilst the Russians retreated to the safety of their Eastern territories. However, Hitler's plans to push to the South East and invade the Caucuses to capture the oil fields took precedence and all went well until they arrived at Stalingrad to be eventually abandoned by Hitler. And the rest is history. And they didn't fare too well either did they at the Battle of Kursk in northern Ukraine, which was the largest, 2-day tank battle in history, and got their bottoms soundly spanked which sent them packing with a vengeance never to return. 2. Stalin was a ruthless murderer of his own people but he was also very smart; and a savvy military man who understood exactly all the arguments that were being put forward by his Generals and usually he had out-thought them before they could even speak. But what your point is in mentioning him is anybody's guess. 3.NATO did not start this current conflict. The Russians under Putin did by annexing Crimea. Fact. 4.The current Ceasefire you refer to is only that if firing doesn't start up again--which it did after it was signed and both sides of course are blaming each other. So, what ceasefire are you talking about? -- Oh, you mean the lull in the fighting whilst Putin is putting the arm on President Poroshenko who bent to the pressure and signed the deal because they don't have the money to fight anybody. So you feel that that's the end of the ambitious Mr. Putin's plans do you? Well, I suppose the new American sanctions that are now being planned are being considered because they trust him to toe the Allies' party line? 5.Oh, and the question of the previous affinities of people that you say the Russians allegedly installed at the parliament building in Kiev, I believe that there is no doubt that the previous President Yanukovych was aligned with Russia's Putin but no Russians were actually in the cabinet in Kiev. Then Yanukovych absconded with the wealth of the country and is now persona non grata in Ukraine but I don't think anyone else did --unless you can name names of course? Unless you are referring to the previous politicians who all have had a finger in the pie but not to help Russia with whom they found it convenient to associate to feather their own financial nests. Select one from the list below and tell me about him or her. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_leaders_of_Ukraine#Ukraine_.281991.E2.80.93present.29 Meantime, back at the ranch........

As the Russian jets buzzed the Canadian destroyer operating as part of a NATO exercise in the Black Sea a couple of days ago, which is an International sea by the way and has been a usual place for these forces to do legitimate exercises for years, the regime in Moscow deny that it was a buzzing. Presumably just a surveillance in case these bad NATO members were considering invading Russia..eh? Meanwhile, with the Ukrainian fleet, such as it was, having been moved west to Odessa from the Ukrainian South East port of Mariupol, which Vladimir PUTIN covets so that he can send his fleet down there to support his most -recently annexed prize of nearby Crimea, to allow land access from the North to that fleet, his land-based military spearhead reached the outer limits of Mariupol and the residents have been reported as digging trenches to hinder the progress of the tanks supporting the threatened invasion. It is now clear that the 180 white covered trucks that illegally entered Ukraine recently contained military supplies and food NOT for the poor peasants as stated by Mr Putin but for the Pro Russian Separatist rebels. Now re-provisioned, the PRR's (who had been on the verge of defeat) have miraculously began a push back and regained most of the territory that they lost to the Ukrainian army over the past couple of months at a cost to Ukraine of some 200 soldiers' lives. Today, Pimpernell spies report from their drone over Odessa that the Russians have attacked one of the Ukrainian ships and set it on fire and destroyed another with the loss of life of one sailor and severely wounded another. Check your T. V. news to verify this . Further, the aim is reported as being a tactic of intimidation prior to moving West along the south shore of the Black Sea with the ultimate goal of securing Odessa as another base for their fleet. If he is successful, that will not only be a coup-d'etat but a complete fait-a-compli. You have to hand it to Putin whose tactic of gradual encroachment has not only revealed that the West will not act to stop him, because Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but also to gain him back valuable territory that he lost when Ukraine separated from Russia. Giving substance to the saying: ''If you pay gelt to the Dane you will never be rid of the Dane." This move also gives him renewed access to the important coalfields and industrial might of the Don Valley near Donetsk in the area east of Mariupol. That's where Hitler lost Stalingrad and countless German and Russian lives during the 2nd World War in his desperate attempt to secure the resources of Russia...what was it, 200,000 German prisoners of war sent to die in Russian prison camps? During all these maneuverings, Mr. Putin is engaged in conversation with Mr. Poroshenko, the new Ukrainian President, demanding that he re-designate certain Eastern parts of the country with special status, meaning that they would no longer be viewed as part of Ukraine but as satellite states under Putin's control . Mr Poroshenko's position is therefore a very difficult one since he sits between the views of his Prime minister apparently being that he does not want to give up these states to the Russians in any way and the fact that, unless Mr. Poroshenko gives in on this, then the invasion will continue because Putin has told him that "we can be in Kyiv( the capital of Ukraine) within two days." That's not an empty threat- it's a fact. The mere fact also that the Western friends of Ukraine have done very little to help him in his hour of need only makes his decision a formality and the question to me now is how does he do this and still save face? His Prime minister is from the West of Ukraine and naturally wants to join NATO and align formally with the West which , of course, is precisely what Vladimir PUT-the boot-IN does not want at all costs. To summarise: Should we be worried in the West?.. IMHO, yes! Is Putin dangerous? IMHO, yes --if you allow him the rope to execute his plans of dominance and his desire to return Russia to it's former glories of the past. Which of course will secure his place in history as well. The previous President left Ukraine several months ago in a hurry and took 30 billion dollars (that's right, BILLION) in two or three trucks stashed full of bank notes all without being stopped by anyone en route to the border. Thus robbing the country blind because this sum represented one year's total income for the country. He managed this because politics in Ukraine are all about getting rich and civilised behavior is not a priority. Politicians are seen on T V attacking each other physically. And jail birds , such as Julya Timoshenko, once a very prominent political figure, are back on the scene again and vying once again for the leadership. I've seen photos of his mansion in Ukraine and the money spent on that Estate was incredible. Now the country is impoverished and doesn't have the resources to fight back for long against the Pro-Russian Separatists, who are merely largely comprised of Chechen mercenaries, since the PRS's are fully supplied and funded by Moscow. Their ranks have also now been augmented by regular Russian army soldiers. Does Putin want a settlement? -yes but on his terms. He does not fail to remind the West that he has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world and if the Russians still treat their military in the way they treated them in the 2nd World War, then they are completely ruthless and soldiers are expendable; They executed 58 generals within the first phases of the German invasion of Russia because they did not achieve the results that Stalin wanted, and they forced Russian criminals, or people who had displeased the State, to walk in minefields to clear them as they pursued the Germans as they laid these minefields in retreat. If you take on the Russians then remember Stalingrad where the cream of the Wehrmacht German army were slaughtered by fanatical Russian fighters who were all willing to fight to the last drop of their blood to stop the Nazi Blitskreig. And there are plenty of them too with a huge population and a huge country and they are no dummies either. Did you know that they have 6 lane highways in Siberia? However, it's true that times have changed but the only thing now is that the mothers in Russia are sending letters to Moscow demanding answers to where their boys have disappeared to and, of course , many have gone back to Russia in coffins which, apparently, is causing a real stir. From all accounts this war is not popular in Russia since the relationship with Ukraine is too close for comfort with many people who have close ties with each other.

The current staggering debt of the U K run up under successive Westminster Governments has been highlighted here and, whatever portion Scotland has to absorb after a possible yes vote, the daunting fact remains that it will still mean that it will take years of prudent financial handling to get it close to being paid off. The unpalatable fact is that if you can't afford it then don't go. The problem with most Governments is that they now don't see borrowing as a last resort but as an entrenched modus-operandi for daily business and going into debt as a regrettable, but necessary, way of running the country...because it suits then to do this! After all, the taxpayer will pay for it, not those who run the debt up. Meaning that THEY don't assume the responsibility for the run-up and are only accountable every 4-5 years or so when there will be all kinds of hand-wringing and myriad of excuses why it could not be helped for all kinds of reasons. Meantime the politicians live very well indeed-- at the taxpayer's expense. That being so, they engage in all kinds of extravagant spending that is simply not affordable in the sense that the debt increases daily from the accumulation of interest which has to be paid at least monthly to avoid the Bank's wrath descending on them and this then obliges them to forget about setting-up a strict capital debt repayment programme and the implementation of a strict spending control initiate within previously agreed limits. Before long, they start to ignore the fact that they are in way over their heads and restricting spending will not be a politically correct way of running the country because the "taxpayers demand it. " etc. Here, in Canada, for the last several years we have been very lucky in a sense that we have had a Finance Minister named Jim Flaherty who did see the writing on the wall and knew that it would be a very smart thing to do to balance the books by the time the next election came around in 2015 which would greatly enhance the Conservatives 're-election prospects. Unfortunately he died suddenly this year and his common sense will be sadly missed. And where we go from here is anyone's guess. But I think, finally, politicians are getting the message that living way beyond our means collectively and individually is not a good way to continue. You can only rob Peter to pay Paul only so many times. And then old Grim, the financial Reaper comes calling. If this referendum does not act as a severe wake-up call in the U. K. to all taxpayers to keep their politicos feet to the fire then it will be a sad day because then you will not make the progress you deserve and it will be "same old, same old" with a vengeance.. Good luck with that one and on the 18th. S.P.

You know, Rangers have fallen by the wayside, sadly for the gates. And Celtic are now not the team they were. i.e how the mighty have fallen? Maybe the beaks are recognizing the fact that the so called lesser teams are not so lesser after all and if they get more recognition and support then they could become the backbone of the League. If they aren't that already. And, if they don't, what will happen to Scottish football over the longer term?

They only stand and wait. But the Happy Clappers are supporters who are so welcome to the club. And probably most of them are died in the wool, older supporters who were watching Caley and Thistle a very long time ago. So why so much derision when you may be one yourself one day? Just asking...

Chums In Canada: We do NOT have free elderly care unless they are found to be without a family and destitute. NOR free medical plan (I pay the family amount of $125.50 monthly ).However I should say that my son's heart operation which the surgeon told me would have cost $500 in the U.S.A. was virtually free.!!!!! NOR free water (paid within the municipal taxes), NOR free prescriptions. The Province has what they call Pharmacare as an add-on to the B.C Medical Planand which is supposed to help out the elderly who are not well off--PROVIDED that the more expensive prescriptions (like the toothpaste tube of back cream to stop the terrible itching that nothing else would cure which cost me $100 which is about 60 pounds)is not eligible of course and you have to spend $1,200 first before you qualify. I.e. it's virtually useless unless you just need aspirin. NOR free higher education which has just gone up in price again. And we don't qualify for free winter coal etc. Sounds as if you are not too badly off really. By the way our news said that the "no's" are now 6 points ahead--is that true? Cheers

If it's a "No" vote then rUK will turn into an anxious.............. rU OK ? ! Mr Cameron is a **** showing his desperation with blackmail and threats...." The independent Scots can't have the pound, it's mine, it's !" What an absolute hypocrite this guy is. He lives in an upscale, poncified part of England where poverty has probably never raised it's challenging head, with all mod cons at the ready. No rancorous, rebel Socialists there fer goodness sake; and he dares to travel all the way up to Scotland to wag his finger at us reminding us how awful it will be for us when we leave Daddy and the Southern Saxons.! At the risk of being " Modified" my take on him is that he is a dink that would turn on The Scots at the drop of a hat if it meant that he had to give up any of his privileges and wealth. When was the last time he came up to Scotland ? If the news is anything to go by, his visit may have stiffened the resolve of the great unwashed to shovel him and his flashy suited ilk out the door. Salmond may be this and may be that but we understand him with his down to earth approach and he doesn't have a fancy Southern accent to hide his country of birth either. And when was the last time you saw Cammy the Cute smile....eh? Believe me, when reality sinks in after a win for the " Yessies", meaning a devastating "NO" for the "Jessies", things will sort themselves out ..... the pound will stay and will rise in value as the years go by. Cammy the Cute is like King **** He tried and failed to stop the waves of Scottish changes that triggered the raves of joy from the committed kilties who were never afflicted by the English wilties.

CH2-- I never said any of the things you said; especially that there are trillions--I said millions. Merely that there IS a very large reserve pension fund in Westminster. What funds or financial vehicles the money related to that pension reserve fund is invested in is not known either to me, you or the gatepost. This has nothing to do with paying out pensions in the U K since we all think we know that, whatever it is called, National Insurance, etc. is used for paying anything the Government needs it for. Otherwise there would be a yearly public accounting for all the money that is spent which would embarrass the heck out of all the smooth tongued Saints in Westminster. Your views in the 2nd paragraph are interesting since they do, IMHO, mirror what is happening here in our part of the world. Old values of thrift, hard work and only reasonable reward compared to the very wealthy are fading away to be replaced by a growing sense of entitlement by the minute in all sectors of society. Teachers want less work, smaller classrooms and are not happy with their lot of $84,000 (about 50,000 pounds roughly) per annum, plus sick days, weeks and weeks of holidays etc, etc,. They are currently on strike en masse in British Columbia and want a large "signing bonus" to finally go back to work? And here was I , pooe me, thinking thatb teaching was an avocation not just a vacation?Precious few appear to be motivated enough to want to do things with the kids after school hours and the computer for sure will replace the physical work for the teachers of checking on homework and such. Everywhere trades expect to be paid huge sums of money for often inferior work and pride in their work is diminishing. Value for money is now, IMHPO, a myth. I had a visit from a roofer the other day who wanted $400 for a job that took only half an hour plus travel of say, a ten minutes. I finally managed to get it done for $150 plus taxes which was much closer to my estimate of the job's worth. And so on. All I can see ahead is that the British DSS pension for us Ex- Commonwealth pensioners will ultimately have NO spending value at all-- which SURELY is the very antithesis of what it originally was intended to do for people who no longer are able to work for a living. At what age does the Government want us to die in order to relieve them of the responsibility of paying us an agreed upon amount of money designed to provide the bare essentials of life? Can they please state this in the non-contract that we HAD to agree to by way of our regular payments of N I contributions when we all thought that it was an agreement for our future benefit? Therefore, the offered contract of a pension with value to stave off poverty in the future for all State pensioners in return for our faithful and regular annual N. I. contributions of long ago, will have been cynically violated by a Government which cares nothing for us as we age and especially if we dare to exercise our freedom of choice of where we live. Those who have stated on here that all pensioners should be treated equally, regardless of where they live, are correct in their thinking. If the British Government does not want to pay us in Canada then those in Germany and the Unites State should suffer the same fate otherwise that's not right. That's why we should all look after our own future retirement plans to avoid the inevitable disappointment of relying on capricious and changing Governments' actions. Plans opting out of the welfare state type of arrangements would be a top priority for me now in view of my hurt and disillusionment with Westminster's current frozen pension policy. Rememebr you don;y=t know where you are foing to mend upo ont his planet sso you had better rely on your own efforts and not the Givernmemnt.

Putting a younger 'un in his place is little more than a fall-back position borne out of fluster bluster since you can't think of much else to say, Laurence. If we don't encourage the young'uns to comment on here what kind of an undemocratic thread is this...eh? This issue affects everybody and no aged wonder-boy, who might be stuck in the past like S.P., has a lock on the answers. If the debate rages on then all power to your elbow to anyone who thinks he/she can make a constructive comment. After all, you can't see the black without the white to contrast it can you? Thank goodness there are some young people around who are actually interested in the whole thing because it sure interests me. The pound fell because it had to as it will in any arena of uncertainty. But when the dust settles and things are seen to be working then it will rise again.

You lads are inshes away frae getting hidden or banned fer going off the thread.