Monday 15th September 2014

[AngryAsWell]

SNAP!

Beat ya by 1 second!

(Great minds an all that... )

[AngryAsWell]

Michael McCann MP ‏@MichaelMcCannMP · 15m
70% NO 30% YES in Stewartfield tonight. Thanks to colleague @IvanLewis_MP for his support.

[Spacedone]

NHS faces mounting financial crisis as deficit heads towards £1bn
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... -hospitals" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The NHS is facing a mounting financial crisis with more than half of all hospitals now in deficit and the service likely to end the year almost £1bn in the red.

Two sets of official figures later this week covering the NHS's performance in April, May and June will confirm a sudden, sharp and dramatic deterioration in its financial health between the first three months of 2014 and that quarter.

The pressure on services is so great and money so tight that, for the first time, a majority of hospitals ended that period in the red and accumulated a collective deficit approaching £500m.

What a shock. The NHS is ordered to cut costs by £4bn per year, the Coalition spent £3bn on their privatisation drive, god know how much on handing out sweet deals to those private companies and Osborne stoles about £2bn from NHS accounts so he could pretend his deficit reduction was on target... is it any wonder hospitals are having trouble with their finances? Now departments aren't replacing people who leave and the remaining staff are being pressured into "working smarter" or working unpaid overtime as it's otherwise known.

[AngryAsWell]

Every Scot should be made to read this before the vote.

Ewan Morrison – YES: Why I Joined Yes and Why I Changed to No

http://wakeupscotland.wordpress.com/201 ... ged-to-no/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AngryAsWell]

Right...that's ok then, but but I saw on the video ..oops no, no that's right I didn't see anything. (links in with above post)

The Daily Record ‏@Daily_Record · 5h
Protest outside BBC Scotland's HQ was 'peaceful and joyous' says Alex Salmond http://bit.ly/1q7L2Bj" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pk1]

I've just figured out who the other "usually sensible Guardian poster who has gone a bit off the rails over Scottish independence" is after popping into the latest Guardian article and reading some remarkably silly posts from them.

What/who have I missed now ?

@Dan - happy birthday.

[RogerOThornhill]

Oh, and this...not the only example.

Leeds Jewish Free School
A secondary school for 11-18 year olds in Leeds. The school, which opened in 2013, was established by an existing maintained school. It will serve 175 pupils when full. In order to deliver a high quality education in a small school, Leeds Jewish Free School has partnered with the Rodillian Academy in Leeds.
Date of opening:
2013

Except that it converted to an academy in July 2012. I assume that like one near me it was told it had to convert to an Academy if it wanted to sponsor a Free School - can't have one of those council-run (sic) schools associated with one of our bright, shiny new free schools can we?

[Spacedone]

Every Scot should be made to read this before the vote.

Ewan Morrison – YES: Why I Joined Yes and Why I Changed to No

http://wakeupscotland.wordpress.com/201 ... ged-to-no/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This quote sums up the campaign perfectly. I've been listening to Yes supporters for weeks now talking about their personal visions of what voting Yes meant and I've wondered whether they spoke to each other since some of those visions were mutually exclusive.

We had to keep all talk of ‘after the revolution’ very vague because our primary goal was to get more people to join our organisation. I learned then that if you keep a promise of a better society utterly ambiguous it takes on power in the imagination of the listener. Everything can be better “after the revolution”.

[AngryAsWell]

Not watched newsnight yet anyone seen it?

Mark Ferguson ‏@Markfergusonuk · 2m
Are #newsnight taking the piss tonight? They’ve just admitted having a 2/3rds Yes voters audience! #bbcbias

[Tubby Isaacs]

James Patterson ‏@James_Pattersn 8m
Cameron seems to spend his life being overtaken by events

[Eric_WLothian]

Every Scot should be made to read this before the vote.

Ewan Morrison – YES: Why I Joined Yes and Why I Changed to No

http://wakeupscotland.wordpress.com/201 ... ged-to-no/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This quote sums up the campaign perfectly. I've been listening to Yes supporters for weeks now talking about their personal visions of what voting Yes meant and I've wondered whether they spoke to each other since some of those visions were mutually exclusive.

We had to keep all talk of ‘after the revolution’ very vague because our primary goal was to get more people to join our organisation. I learned then that if you keep a promise of a better society utterly ambiguous it takes on power in the imagination of the listener. Everything can be better “after the revolution”.

Normally, this close to an election, I would expect to see various party posters (ok, except Tory) in windows. I have only seen two 'no' posters one in a field and one on the gate of the same farm. There are quite a few 'yes' posters in windows, and 'yes' stickers defacing road signs. If the result is to be as close as the recent polls indicate, I would have expected a similar number of 'no' posters and stickers. One can only conclude that 'no' supporters are keeping their views to themselves in order not to attract rent-a-mob. Thank goodness it's a secret ballot.

[pk1]

Not watched newsnight yet anyone seen it?

Mark Ferguson ‏@Markfergusonuk · 2m
Are #newsnight taking the piss tonight? They’ve just admitted having a 2/3rds Yes voters audience! #bbcbias

Yup, that's exactly what she said: we have 2/3rd Yes voters in the audience - that's yer 'biased anti-independence BBC' for ya

And Brian Cox rolled out for the Yes campaign - again......

[Spacedone]

Not watched newsnight yet anyone seen it?

Mark Ferguson ‏@Markfergusonuk · 2m
Are #newsnight taking the piss tonight? They’ve just admitted having a 2/3rds Yes voters audience! #bbcbias

Yup, that's exactly what she said: we have 2/3rd Yes voters in the audience - that's yer 'biased anti-independence BBC' for ya

And Brian Cox rolled out for the Yes campaign - again......

And weren't his reasons for supporting Yes vague in the extreme.

[Spacedone]

Spanish minister (I think) just said on Newsnight that it might take 5 years (minimum) for any Scottish bid to rejoin the EU to go through, that it'd require ratification by each of the EU members and that they'd be required to accept the Euro.

Bully!

And the SNP rep immediately said he was wrong...

[Eric_WLothian]

Not watched newsnight yet anyone seen it?

Mark Ferguson ‏@Markfergusonuk · 2m
Are #newsnight taking the piss tonight? They’ve just admitted having a 2/3rds Yes voters audience! #bbcbias

Yup, that's exactly what she said: we have 2/3rd Yes voters in the audience - that's yer 'biased anti-independence BBC' for ya

And Brian Cox rolled out for the Yes campaign - again......

And weren't his reasons for supporting Yes vague in the extreme.

It's just starting on BBC Scotland. TBF, Kirsty Wark said that tomorrow's edition would be from a 'no' area - then spoilt it by saying it would be from the only place that returns a Tory MP. Hardly a typical 'no' area!

[Spacedone]

Yup, that's exactly what she said: we have 2/3rd Yes voters in the audience - that's yer 'biased anti-independence BBC' for ya

And Brian Cox rolled out for the Yes campaign - again......

And weren't his reasons for supporting Yes vague in the extreme.

It's just starting on BBC Scotland. TBF, Kirsty Wark said that tomorrow's edition would be from a 'no' area - then spoilt it by saying it would be from the only place that returns a Tory MP. Hardly a typical 'no' area!

Nicely linking the idea that voting No means you're a Tory though. BBC Bias strikes again.

[ErnstRemarx]

Middleton & Heywood short list

http://labourlist.org/2014/09/shortlist ... selection/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Whilst I have no idea where Miriam O’Reilly comes from and Byron Taylor seems to be from Basildon, the other two are (to me) "local" both being from greater Manchester.

Biogs of O'Reilly say she was born in Ireland but her farming family moved here in the 50's.

It'll be a parachute job - O'Reilly in other words. The best candidate there is is the asian chap, whom I've heard speak publicly. He should get it, all things being equal.

Having spoken now to my other half, she reckons it's the Rossendale woman who's the keeper. I've not read the last 2 pages of DP, so I'm betting the BBC sleb got it. Will now read through and check.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Talking Nick is back in the other place...

[ErnstRemarx]

Liz McInnes selected for Heywood & Middleton.

Look how quick this one has been, my seats selection has been going on for months..

On the face of it looks like a good choice. Reasonably local and good credentials on Health.

Ernst will no doubt put me right later

No I won't.

MsRemarx went down to London on Sunday - they selected 10 people out of about 70ish to interview - but didn't make the final cut, though fuck knows why. She rates Liz McInnes as a fighter and a leftie, and reckons H&M have just put two fingers up at the regional Labour party who, I'm sure, will have been pushing the ex Beeb sleb, under orders from Millbank. So, not a bad result. Herself even did a little jig when I told her the outcome.

Just wish the party weren't such tight bastards as to not recompense those that went down to London on Sunday with the cost of the train fare. To some of us, that's a fucking king's ransom.

[Eric_WLothian]

Spanish minister (I think) just said on Newsnight that it might take 5 years (minimum) for any Scottish bid to rejoin the EU to go through, that it'd require ratification by each of the EU members and that they'd be required to accept the Euro.

Bully!

And the SNP rep immediately said he was wrong...

Same old tripe from the SNP "we won't be expelled from the EU..." Why can't they understand that withdrawing is not the same as being expelled. He also seems to think that Scotland has already signed the treaties.

[Spacedone]

Spanish minister (I think) just said on Newsnight that it might take 5 years (minimum) for any Scottish bid to rejoin the EU to go through, that it'd require ratification by each of the EU members and that they'd be required to accept the Euro.

Bully!

And the SNP rep immediately said he was wrong...

Same old tripe from the SNP "we won't be expelled from the EU..." Why can't they understand that withdrawing is not the same as being expelled. He also seems to think that Scotland has already signed the treaties.

They do seem a little reluctant to admit that Scotland didn't join the EU any more than England, Wales or Northern Ireland did. We collectively joined as the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom would still be a member after Scotland leaves. They are withdrawing from the very thing that gives them membership in the EU. They'd be a new entity with their own economy, financial position, laws etc and as such the EU would have to consider their membership again based on those things. And as you say, Scotland didn't sign those treaties, the UK did. In fact those treaties were signed and ratified by the very Parliament they are seeking to leave, many of them by Tories they never voted for.

[LadyCentauria]

Probably the wrong place, unsure of correct one, so please move if necessary but:

Did anyone notice Google's acquisition of Lift Labs who make an electronic spoon that helps people with Parkinson's to eat by making small movements to compensate for tremors? Sounds brilliant to me, not just for Parkinson's but for anything that causes tremors or unsteady hand. And they've got a fork, a soup-spoon, and a key-holder planned.

I read about it here:
http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/11/61353 ... ware-spoon

Edit to add: It's very expensive (near three hundred dollars) at the mo, but with scale that'd have to come down.

Wow! what an incredible invention! But how scary are google becoming? They are creeping into every aspect of our lives.... (cue scary music)

Sergei Brins mother has Parkinson's. His family have put a lot of money into free genetic testing for Parkinson's people, as well as research. It can be familial, which is what sparked his interest, no doubt the constant stream of predictions of a 'cure within five years' has had some influence. To my knowledge they've been saying it for around 20-25 years, though the internet seems to have increased the intensity. My grandmother had it, and so do I. It's likely not to have one cause, so one cure is unlikely, and tbh looks no nearer today than years ago. I guess he wants to avoid the brain pacemaker thingy that's the best practice treatment of choice and costs a couple of hundred thou, and no guarantees. I would too, even with his dosh. Still that spoon is well within his price range. If the price doesn't come down or they really do find a cure it could be a lemon.

Very good points, thank you. Google, or the people within it do keep trying to hold up the old 'Don't Be Evil' ethic!

I think the spoon – or rather, the handle which contains all the magic – has a lot of potential. Guessing that it is the handle/controller which is the really expensive part of the whole thing, at the moment. The attachments probably need to have particular weights and profiles but, in time, perhaps you could have adapters to take all sorts of hand-tools like pens or, who knows, even knitting-needles. Back to the controller/handle though; Google have been pretty good at scaling things up by getting the software (and often hardware) engineering right and then licensing it out to a wide number of manufacturers which has brought prices down, certainly for things like phones, netbooks, tablets, streaming devices. I'm sure they think, or Sergey Brin does, that they could do the same with this. There is a potentially very large world-wide market for this gadget – and Parkinson's isn't the only thing that causes people tremor and spasms, by a long way. I'd rather have cures but, as you say, they are always within five years...

[LadyCentauria]

Happy Birthday, Dan!