We remain a Great Britain. The Scots have had their vote and elected to say no to the opportunity to become an independent Country. If I had been a Scot I would have chosen the same road. Time and again specific questions were asked of Alex Salmon(d), the first minister, and time and again no concrete facts or data were forthcoming.
What would have happened to job opportunities and associated pensions, how would the NHS have been funded, what is the financial benefit of North Sea oil, what would be the impact of Trident moving South and, of course, what currency would be deployed and would currency rates work for or against.
The only sensible route was to maintain the status quo and allow Alex and the SNP to negotiate from a position of strength.
All through the campaign I have had no time for Salmond, thinking that he was in this for his own gain and frankly he was saving sod the average Scot in the street. He lost, and look what has happened. he has resigned quicker than a paedophilific radio presenter. There is no I in team, but there is one in king, and by failing to stay in office and fight for his nation he has taken the high road and left the mess he has orchestrated for some other poor souls to sort out. Scotland may well feel they are better off without him.
With uncertainty surrounding the future, and some political posturing over the enhanced powers promise, the Tory party have been quick to seize the moral high ground as far as English law is concerned. This in effect stifles the Labour power base in Westminster. It may even sow doubt into the minds of staunch Labour supporters in the North of England as to whether their party is capable of protecting the interests of the working class Englander. Regularly they see more and more funding at a disproportionate level been passed out to the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and are getting unhappy.
We live in uncertain times as events in the Middle East indicate daily, but closer to home things are equally unsettled. The old adage 'Don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answer to' has been broken by Salmond, the yes/no factions have now got to get back in bed together and what Scotland took as a given as far as devolution is concerned, may now be less attractive than once it was.
Sunday 21 September 2014
Tuesday 9 September 2014
Alexander the Great
So, welcome to the world Alexander. Our fifth grandchild popped out at about 11:15 yesterday weighing in at 9lbs. He is Tim and Maya's second child, and he is now responsible for keeping my strand of the Weathers name in the public domain.
It's an depressing world he is becoming part of, war ravages the Arab states, with Russia trying once more to flex its muscles in Ukraine. Suspicious packages are being detonated in UK airports, and the likelihood of Great Britain becoming smaller as Scotland votes for independence, is on the horizon. His introduction to the world did see a marked improvement in the England football team performance last night, and the cricketers are winning occasionally, but his opportunity to use jumpers as goalposts and chalk cricket wickets on neighbours wall's are unlikely to materialise.
Still, Alexander, you have a lot to look forward to and we will be helping wherever we can, along the way. Who knows, in 2030 all will be looking rosy once more.
It is interesting, though, how the male strand has been diluted overour last three generations. My father was one of three boys and a girl. Between them the three boys fathered two boys and a girl. My cousin Mike and I then fathered a boy (Tim) and three girls.
Strangely, Mike's sister Jennifer produced two boys, neither of whom has any kids yet. Mike's three have so far produced four girls.
So that means Alexander has a sister and four girl cousins on my side and two girls and a boy cousin on Maxine's side. Tim has three girl cousins.
My five-a-side football team looks to be shaping up to have Nell in goal, Sofia and Ava in defence and Archie and Alexander up front. Our sixth is due in March so I might have to alter the line-up at some stage, but having a sub is always useful.
It's an depressing world he is becoming part of, war ravages the Arab states, with Russia trying once more to flex its muscles in Ukraine. Suspicious packages are being detonated in UK airports, and the likelihood of Great Britain becoming smaller as Scotland votes for independence, is on the horizon. His introduction to the world did see a marked improvement in the England football team performance last night, and the cricketers are winning occasionally, but his opportunity to use jumpers as goalposts and chalk cricket wickets on neighbours wall's are unlikely to materialise.
Still, Alexander, you have a lot to look forward to and we will be helping wherever we can, along the way. Who knows, in 2030 all will be looking rosy once more.
It is interesting, though, how the male strand has been diluted overour last three generations. My father was one of three boys and a girl. Between them the three boys fathered two boys and a girl. My cousin Mike and I then fathered a boy (Tim) and three girls.
Strangely, Mike's sister Jennifer produced two boys, neither of whom has any kids yet. Mike's three have so far produced four girls.
So that means Alexander has a sister and four girl cousins on my side and two girls and a boy cousin on Maxine's side. Tim has three girl cousins.
My five-a-side football team looks to be shaping up to have Nell in goal, Sofia and Ava in defence and Archie and Alexander up front. Our sixth is due in March so I might have to alter the line-up at some stage, but having a sub is always useful.
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