Who pinched the sign?

Two thirds of the way down Leith Walk there were two signs;

One says welcome to Leith

The second said Twinned with Rio de Janeiro

Someone has pinched the second sign, this is bad and an amnesty should be announced.

The people of Leith want their sign back!
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Pants to London

It brightens up a tube journey!
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Lib Dem Voice needs help?

I am just reading a copy of the Times, and on the front page there is a headline "LDV rescue ruled out".

I thought wow, Lib Dem Voice hits the national headlines, but we can all lie safe in our beds tonight.

I can assure you that Lib Dem Voice is not seeking a £30milion bridging loan and is not in any financial difficulties.

Although on a serious note Van maker LDV has asked the Government for a £30million bridging loan, which has been turned down citing that the parent company, Gaz should cover the losses.

The best sign of the day

Walking past the Omni centre this morning and passed this great sign!
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Leith - the plan for the Port and Docks

As I was surfing around catching up on news on the Scottish blogs I saw on my good friend and colleague, Caron's blog a great posting about Leith Harbour, read it here.

I don't claim to be a Leither, I have only lived in Scotland since May 31st 2008 (although 4 weeks holiday every year for many years must count for something). But, I do love where I live and am sure as I am here longer I will call myself a Leither, it's an awesome area.

I live on Western Harbour, next to Newhaven Harbour and close to Leith Harbour and Docks and it is very much Leith, not Edinburgh.

Forth Ports have got this wrong, when you go on their own website they have the Leith Docks development separated from the Edinburgh Waterfront until you go into each aspect and then see that they also include Granton in this, with a picture of Newhaven & Leith.

They claimed in the piece in the Scotsman that people have got it wrong and that Leith Docks is the overall name, well it isn't what their website insinuates. Their website states the opposite, so I think as well as joining Greener Leith and I urge you to check out their take on the Harbour we should let Forth Ports know our views, the only email address I can find on their website is bshaw@bigpartnership.com so I am urging all my readers to use this email and let them know your views!

I am pleased that Edinburgh City Council Leader, Councillor Jenny Dawe is listening to the local residents on this important issue, well done Jenny.

Forth Ports are out of step on this issue, let's hope they get get it right!

Will the recession hit football and players salaries?

My first comment is I really do hope so.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want any clubs to close, football is way to important and is a large part of our lives.

Ask yourself this; should a person be paid £90,000 per week?

You might answer that a company director should (although not from the banking sector), but a footballer?

Although you need to be skilled, or talented to play in the top flight of football, I consider a plumber to be very skilled and though they're expensive they aren't as expensive as a football player.

Why doesn't the SFA or the FA step in and put a cap on players wages?

This debate will rumble on but I will always hold the opinion that these salaries are ridiculous!
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Unite and the mysterious car manufacturing plant

So, Unites boss Tony Woodley (in a nice comfortable job) thinks it is professional and helpful to warn the public that 6,000 jobs are at immediate risk and a major car manufacturing plant is about to shut down in the next four days?

How the hell does he think that is useful?

This weekend every single person who currently works in the car industry will now be fretting about whether they will have a job next week. Worrying whether they are going to be unemployed next weekend, thrown out their house etc etc

Does Tony Woodley not think life is difficult enough for most of these folk anyway?

Banks, who already don't need much excuse to tighten their belts and be hypocritical will look at their records and probably reassess every loan that is connected to anyone working in the car industry.

The BBC news website is reporting this story as well as the BBC News channel in detail.

I am sure Tony Woodley and Unite thinks the Government should do a financial rescue package for the car industry, but his comments surely could push the whole industry into a major meltdown now?

Many car manufacturers are already on 'breaks', shorter working weeks and the rest, including Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Bentley, Mini, Jaguar Land Rover plus others so has his ill thought out comments pulled the rug from under the industry's feet or helped it along?

So my question to Tony Woodley is what is your next bit of advice? And how much money and which industry should the Government save next?

Heathrow - stop the runway and get your plot

Watch the latest news and make sure you sign up for your plot of the land to stop the third runway - it's important.

We all need to join together to protect the environment before it's too late.

Cashless society?

I'm not convinced that by 2012 my wallet will have been replaced by my mobile phone.

The story that was just running on the BBC News was that you will be able to use your mobile for transactions under £10 (assuming you have the funds) and over £10 you will need a pin number as well.

I'm not sure I'd want to and I'm not sure older people will have the mobile phone in which to do this.

Also, mobile phones are one of the top things stolen from teenagers so surely there is a major risk here?

The chap selling this said cash was fiddly - what a load of rubbish.

Long live cash.
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I've taken the plunge

I've finally done it, I've joined the gym.

So, will I be swimming at 6.30am tomorrow? Time will tell, but that's my aim.

I need to lose weight, I'm never going to be a gym bunny but I can with a bit of will power and getting motivated and off my backside at least lose a couple of stone.

I have every excuse in the book for why I don't do it and that's not good enough any more, I'm 41 and fat and its time to fight back and today is the start!
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Birthday travels part 3

So, through Montrose which Adam Stachura says is Gods own country, obviously unbiased as he lives there!
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Birthday travels part 3

So, through Montrose which Adam Stachura says is Gods own country, obviously unbiased as he lives there!
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The Dundee sun

So, the next part of my journey brought me into Dundee, and then just outside the other side was this view
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Birthday travels

Yes, todays the day, I am 41 (technically not until this evening) but that's detail.....

I'm off to West Aberdeenshire & Kincarding today and then onto Gordon. So today I'm going to do a snapshot of photos from my "commute". Enjoy!

This is a misty Ladybank in Fife.
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Weathermen (and women) get it wrong!

I watched the weather report with interest this morning as both today and tomorrow I'm in the North East (of Scotland).

The snow would avoid Edinburgh this morning and there might be a flurry around noon.

Now, unless the clocks have gone back 5 hours they've got it wrong.

So, I wonder what its really like in Aberdeen? Ho hum
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Yet another SNP promise ditched

For crying out loud, how many of their 2007 promises do they need to ditch before the Scottish media start having a pop?

Every time the Lib Dems do anything we get attacked, this is the SNP, the minority governing party in Holyrood and yet they do whatever they want and the political journalists don't blink an eyelash - why?

So now it is only the Liberal Democrats who are campaigning genuinely to scrap the unfair council tax.

Lloyds TSB bank charges - £60,000 per week

Iain Dale has reported a fantastic story today about Andy Hornby (former HBOS boss) who was giving evidence to the Treasury Select Committee.

He is now a consultant with Lloyds TSB, paid a mere £60,000 per week - yes per week!

Well done to Iain Dale for raising it.

Me, I am just one of the mugs that is a Lloyds TSB customer, why should I continue - anyone from Lloyds TSB want to advise me why?

Mike Russell loses forestry campaign...

So, the SNP have done their first reshuffle.

Not entirely sure why they have bothered apart from the demotion of Mike Russell from his Environment post, which is excellent news given his disgraceful proposal to privatise 25% of Scotland's forests by the back door.

The Scottish Lib Dems have worked hard on this campaign and it is great to see a result.

The BBC news website headline is great "Ministers sacked in SNP reshuffle".

The sad part of all this is the fact there is obviously no talent on the backbenches to enable Alex Salmond to sack some of the Cabinet to bring in new blood to replace the tired people and ideas.

Our own Business Manager in Holyrood, Mike Rumbles said: "I'm delighted that Alex Neil's ultra loyalty has finally been rewarded. The lesson of this reshuffle is that slavish adoration of the first minister pays dividends.

Well done Mike - an excellent comment!

Unexpected snow

Despite the weathermen and women predicting heavy snow for Edinburgh and the Lothians we have escaped their predictions.

Until last night, it wasn't expected as previous weeks but finally I got snow.
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Lib Dems up by 6%

Fantastic news. According to political betting, tomorrow's Sunday Telegraph will be running the story that both Conservatives and Labour are down 4% and that the Liberal Democrats are up 6%.

Apparently the Conservatives would have an overall majority of 28 seats in the House of Commons if this was repeated at a General Election.

I wonder given this poll was conducted on the 4th and 5th February, how much the workers snowed in impacted on this poll.

Birthday boy

Here's Simba - the birthday boy (my turn next week on Friday).

We are off go-karting this morning which should be fun.
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Bashir Ahmad MSP

It has been reported on the BBC that Bashir Ahmad MSP has passed away, my thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

Aberdeen, snow and the incompetence that is Scotrail

White blanket - that's Aberdeen as I arrived earlier today, and then the heavens opened up and the snow started again, thick and heavy and in just a few minutes I was a walking snowman!

I was up here to spend time with the Lib Dem Council Group - a good day.

Then off to Aberdeen station to head back to Edinburgh, eventually the train was adverised - just 2 coaches though - come on Scotrail, what planet are you on?
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Public Transport

So, the morning starts with catching the number 10 bus from Western Harbour to Waverley.

Then the train from waverley to Glasgow, then a short walk to the Buchanan Bus Station.

So, onto the 901 to Dunoon including the Western Ferries service from gourock to Dunoon.

The return journey is slightly different, the CalMac ferry from Dunoon to Gourock.

A quick catch up with George Lyon, top euro candidate, then a quick car ride into Greenock.

SPT train into Glasgow Central, followed by a brisk walk to Queen St and currently on the train to Edinburgh!

If that's not supporting public transport, I don't know what is.

Oh, and I've still got one more bus to catch lol
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Google searches

As my regular readers will know, I really do feel that the Scottish Conservatives are Salmond's litte helpers and a vote for the Tories is a vote for the SNP - therefore a wasted vote.

However, imagine my surprise when I googled 'Alex Salmond' this evening, when it said;

"searches related to alex salmond"
alex salmond wife snp annabel goldie tony blair

That really says it all, doesn't it?

Charlie Gordon MSP - the website

I have just read with great interest the story on Doctor Vee's blog about the most expensive website ever even for a parliamentarian, Charles Gordon MSP.

Apparently there were only 18 visits to the website - even my blog gets more than that!

You really should read the story.

The Scottish budget - well done Tavish and the team

I will blog in detail later as I am currently tied up going through a mountain of CVs.

If you read nothing else, check the BBC coverage of the deal as announced today.

There is then further details here.

Lost - one marked register. One owner, no history.

Can you believe it?

As reported by the Press Association.

Kirkcaldy Sherriff Court has lost the marked register from the Glenrothes by-election - this is the list of voters who actually voted in the Glenrothes by-election, we don't know who they voted for, just that they voted (when a voter goes into the polling station they are asked for their details).

So, who will stand up for this and admit they have made a major mistake?

Political Parties are entitled to the Marked Register but not this time.

The Labour Government have a record of losing election data as demonstrated from Parliamentary Questions from Lynne Featherstone MP (when I worked as her Head of Office, although not my questions).

The Courier local paper is running the story, as is Guido Fawkes.

Still no snow - lol

So, the weathermen last night predicted heavy snow in the East including Edinburgh.

Still nothing here this morning and I can't see over to Fife to see if they have it.

Well I'm off to Aberdeen now so let's see what its like up there then.
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What a difference an hour makes!

An hour ago, I blogged about the weather - the fact that all my friends and colleagues (and my Mum) thought we would have snow here in Edinburgh - wasn't that surprising, however we had blue skies.

We had a mini blizzard at 4am, then another around 10.40am but now we have snow but I am not convinced it will settle that much.

The weather man on STV has just predicted heavy snow for Edinburgh this afternoon and evening so let's see.

The weather we are seeing down in London is bizarre to say the least, but what still annoys me (it angered me when I lived there) is that we cannot cope. I always recall when my Mum lived in Ardgay in Sutherland, snow fell the trains put on a snowplough and just got on with it.

Okay, some roads couldn't cope - the Struie often would get closed but that's because it is so open across the hills and the drifting would be bad.

Come on Britain - get on with it.

No snow here!

As much of the UK is under 6 inches of snow I thought I'd show the view from our flat - see, no snow!
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A rare thing in life......

A day off - no Lib Demming (yet) :-)

I was still up early, 6.45am, so had coffee, fussed Zennor, fell asleep but woke up in time for Match of the Day, then Andrew Marr.

So, then it was DIY time, we bought a coat stand from the Futon Shop, Edinburgh when they had their post Christmas 50% off sale.

What a f**king pain in the ar*e to put together - never again will I buy something like that again.

On the positive side, the Australian Open tennis final was on - what a fantastic match that was, although I would have preferred Roger Federer to have won.

So, that's done, now off to Tescos at Stockbridge to get the cat litter, the ASDA stuff is rubbish, it doesn't clump.

That's life.
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