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nursebill

Listed below are comments made by nursebill between Friday, 4th July 2008 and Wednesday, 6th May 2009.

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Brown's right royal dilemma 09:22am on 06 May 2009 It's like we used to say when I worked for the NHS - are you overspent or underfunded?Is the Royal Mail losing money,or does it not get enough money to perform the tasks it is asked to do which can be made profitable,as well as those tasks which can never be made profitable but are socially useful?Like postbuses in the Highlands or rural post offices across the UK.
I can't remember if it is Sweden or Denmark that is obliged in law by it's government to deliver post to anywhere in the country by the next morning.Both being comparatively small populations spread over wide areas,like the UK,subsidies have to be paid to continue these kind of services which,I imagine,still need to be run efficiently.
So in the end,like a lot of political issues,it comes down to knowing the cost of something against the value of it and legislating accordingly.
Capital ideas 10:55am on 15 Nov 2008 Brian,I fear that PFI/PPP will become a lot more attractive under this Westminster government once they've given enough taxpayers money to the banks to enable those 125%mortgages to start up again,as well as pad those expense accounts.Westminster will then direct more taxpayers money to companies in a panic move to get those companies back to work paying their usual minimum rates to their workers and their usual xmas bonuses to themselves.
SFT may not be perfect but it seems to be better,fairer and more economic to the public purse.At least it's different to the norm and seems the least change available under the current devolved settlement.
Auntie's dilemma 4:23pm on 03 Nov 2008 At 55 I feel put off by the zoo radio format of Brand,Ross and their cronies Wright,Evans and Radcliffe and hope they all b**off to Whipsnade FM ASAP.Poor John Dunn and Ray Moore must be birling in their graves at all the carry on(but it won't be to the music!).
Can we get back to broadcasters please who then can become celebrity,not the other way around?After 2pm Radio 2 is unlistenable apart from the features which I can't listen to as they are on too late.Someone of the style of Gay Byrne who used to be on RTE in the am who could mix all kinds of music,features and public involvement that would have you crying,laughing and angry at whatever injustices he could find.Thank God for Tom Morton on Radio Scotland in the pm,at least.
Superman or Clark Kent? 12:22pm on 19 Oct 2008 It strikes me in all the brouhaha about Glenrothes that the unionists do not try to get the SNP on their tax policies.Although there is the superficial image of a tax freezing/cutting administration friendly to citizen,pensioner and worker I cannot get away from the fact that all small countries cited as being admired are high tax countries.From Scandinavia to New Zealand via Canada and Ireland all have high local and national taxes,as well as inheritance,property and sales taxes to make your eyes pop.As well as the recent fashionable green energy taxes which seem to be popping up everywhere.
I was in New Zealand a few years back and couldn't believe my ears at hearing of national income tax at 33% plus all the others whilst my wage for the post I was in at the time was half of what I could earn in Scotland with 22% off in tax.
I've heard Johann Lamont being scathing about the SNP wanting scandinavian levels of public services on uk levels of tax and whilst I am no lover of the lady's party and it's policies it's a charge that I feel hasn't been rebutted either ably or at all.Even Norway's famed oil fund hasn't saved them from having to pay out in a big way.
Anyone care to agree,disagree or rebut sensibly?
Politics as football 11:02am on 07 Sep 2008 As you put it in your blog,Brian,it all seems a bit complex and confusing to the layman especially,as always,in any talk about Scotland and what it wants(or needs)and by association NI and Wales,England gets left out of any such discussion.And probably feels a little p... off as a result.Devolution for England and within England hardly rates a mention anywhere.Just ask someone in Berwick and/or Carlisle how they feel about needing every little thing rubber stamped by Whitehall rather than a local assembly/parliament that knows a bit about what's being discussed.Look to the likes of Germany for ideas on how to balance the national,regional and local body politic with all sorts of equalisation schemes to spread the wealth a little more fairly as well as raising a little bit yourself.
Although I have to add that you can feel patronised no matter the size of the political body.Most people down here in the southwest probably feel that Holyrood looks more to the central belt than down here or up north.And I dare say that people in Stranraer or Kirkconnel probably feel the same way about being governed from Dumfries.It's the natural order of things to whinge!
Out of the loop - into the noose 1:49pm on 04 Aug 2008 No 11 makes several salient points but one missing,in my opinion,is the malign influence of the electoral first past the post system which contributes to the type of "dictatorship" you allude to.Exchanging one Labour elective dictatorship for a Conservative one every one,two or three elections may be seen to be democratic but merely institutionalises bad practice following bad practice.Which neither party in government(or out)will want to change as they wait in turn for their ride on the merry go round(or should that be gravy train!).
At least Holyrood,and the other devolved administrations,has PR to moderate such excesses by hopefully removing such permanent majorities(in common with many other European democracies).
Out of the loop - into the noose 12:31pm on 04 Aug 2008 Seems to me that Mr Robertson is a little out of the loop himself,Brian,considering his group's limited numbers(soon to be even less)and their limited influence(ditto,thanks to Mr Cameron).Even at a constituency level there is very little reported about their work in Scotland so what are they there for and why?,except to make up the numbers of Labour's majority.Rapidly becoming as invisible as those MEP's in Europe,although at least they have transnational influence.
Seniority within Labour should always start with those who have access to power and use it constructively for the good of the people.And the people would see the power and influence that affects their daily life coming more and more from Holyrood not Westminster.
Sorry,chaps,but that's life!That's progress!!
On the tour bus 10:20pm on 29 Jul 2008 Re 44.Thanks for the report Ewan.I did wonder if this would be just an SNP PR jolly at public expense as there was no info coming out about dates and times for public access but I'm now thinking it's maybe part 2 of the National Conversation where the Government engages with civic society.But in a local sense with people being asked to attend as representatives of their organisations.Am I right,Ewan or others,and will all the other local meetings be not open to the general public to walk in and talk to their first minister?
Will they, won't they? 5:21pm on 25 Jul 2008 Brian,just heard on the radio from some Labour chap saying he hopes Mr Mason enjoys his trip to London and his seat on the green bench because it won't last long till they get back in at the general election(the only true test,according to this guy).However I'm not so sure.
He seemed particularly ticked off at all the wasted votes for the SNP,who really don't want or need to be there,letting in the Tories at the next general election,when they should be voting Labour to keep up the big majority.He further seemed put out that the SNP calls itself social democratic but seems to ally itself at Holyrood with non-socialist parties rather than their natural ally in Labour(a left of centre party,at one time,apparently!).
Megaphones at the ready 5:17pm on 04 Jul 2008 When does resigned despair blend into apathy is another point,Brian.Jobs,drugs,gangs are all problems any party would be hard put to solve,so doing nothing may let Labour back in with a much smaller majority.Which I'm sure they'll be more than happy with just as long as the SNP don't win.
Besides I'm not too sure about this idea of SNP MP's at Westminster anyway.By their own admission they don't participate or vote in debates that don't have a Scottish or UK tinge to them so is their being there any more useful than Scottish Labour MP's?I appreciate that would give Labour a bloody nose,which might help them pick up their ideas,but I'm just not sure if the game is worth the candle.

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