American Health Care

I have been following the debate on the American health care system over the past few months and thinking about how good we have it in the UK. I know that this is not always a popular thing to say in fact one of our native Conservative MEP's disagrees with this sentiment entirely as shown through his appearances on American TV Daniel Hannan MEP.

At the moment I am sitting watching 'The Rainmaker' a film based on a book by John Grisham one of the story lines the young lawyer in the film/book follows is that of a young man called Donnie Ray Black who has Leukaemia, his insurance company refuses to pay for the life saving treatment because a bone marrow transplant is an 'experimental' procedure the case argues that this led to the death of the young man.

It does show a stark and albeit dramatised version of the American health care system in which insurance companies would decline and dismiss all claims as a first response. I understand the arguments against an NHS style system however, I cannot thank the NHS enough for the amount of money and time spent on treating members of my close family and cannot help but think had we been living in America these individuals in my family would have had a much harder time during their illness and half the treatments and drugs used would have been denied as experimental or too expensive.

I know we don't have a perfect system by any manner of means but it is clearly fairer and looks after those weakest in society where the US system does not, the elderly and poor are left behind. Surely the measure of a just society is how we treat those less fortunate than ourselves, how can we look someone in the eye and say I think it is fair and just for you to die because you dont have enough money to live?

Have your say here in the comments section and on the BBC website.

Tory Fanclub

Tartan Tories Reunited

I remember from my studies in University that the SNP were the reason that the Conservatives and Thatcher got into power in 1979. They supported the Tories and were given the nick name 'The Tartan Tories' they helped bring Mrs Thatcher to Scotland and as recently as last year Mr Salmond suggested that the only reason Scotland didn't take to Mrs. Thatcher was down to her Social Policies, he was ridiculed then and deserves to be again today.


Today the SNP jumped straight back in to bed with the Tories at Holyrood, I think their side of the bed was even still warm. They voted for a symbolic motion to dissolve the UK Parliament. Personally I think those that voted for it should go back to a Standard Grade Modern Studies class and learn about the powers of the Scottish Parliament and it's scope of influence. It is almost as bad as the motion put to the Full Council in Renfrewshire by the SNP heavy weights Mylet (who had an attendance record of about 33% at Committees and Council Meetings) and McKay (now their fearful leader)...

10. Notice of Motion - Submit notice of motion from Councillors Mylet and Mackay:-

"Democracy in Renfrewshire. Discuss".

Thursday 26/06/2003 09:30

Now as much as I like helping with homework I firmly believe that the SNP should do their own instead of trying to get others to do it for them! This was grandstanding at it's worst and the motion today was the same.


I know that the scandal over expenses has blinded the public to the good that the Labour Party has done in power and I understand that not all of the work has been fruitful, there have been mistakes made but Government is made up of ordinary human beings and human beings make mistakes as a nation we are much better off for the Labour Government than we realise. As a Scottish Nation we are miles better for the Labour Government and are paying the price for the SNP in power through the slashing of Council budgets.

We need to take power back, we need to prove that we are worthy and we need to show that we can handle it, I think we are going in the right direction and am proud to admit I am a Labour Party member, come on all you hiding under the couch come out and start spreading the positive message that the Labour Government is a force for good and equality in our society.

BNP

Did you Vote?

In Renfrewshire our electoral slogan is 'No Vote, No Voice'. I have repeated this quite a few times at work over the last week or so to those in my work who advised that they did not vote in last week's European Elections. When I voted around 8pm last week only 94 people had bothered to come out to vote at my polling place?!?

Part of the reason I get so upset by the whole not voting thing is that when I was young we had a real life suffragette living upstairs, in the warm weather she would come down into the communal garden and sit and tell us stories of when she was young. It really does make you realise how far we have come when you think about it, in my life time I knew a woman who was unable to vote because she was a woman. I used to think my mum and dad must hate this cause she is telling us about throwing toffee hammers through windows and chaining herself to railings, in reality my parents were incredibly proud to be her neighbour and her friend.

Don't get me wrong I understand the controversy over expenses and I understand why people are upset by this, my understanding however stops when I think that people think that voting BNP is somehow a reasonable alternative? It stops when I think about the gains made by the Conservatives and the SNP despite being caught in the mire as much as the Labour Party? I know we are the party of Government but surely it would take the collective will of Parliament to change a system such as the expenses and none of the main parties did very much to try and bring about this change.

The leader of the SNP is caught up in the expenses scandal, the Conservatives are in it up to their eyeballs as are the Liberals so in that regard you can see why people would be reluctant to vote for a major political party, but please vote for someone, spoil your paper make a protest instead of staying at home.

If you don't vote, you have no voice, so don't complain about Europe or the Political system if you didn't vote, you have no right to complain if you don't take part in the process.

Race for Life

The Race for Life

I have had one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling weekends of my life and I am still buzzing from the excitement.


Saturday was the wedding of two good friends John and Lucy, the bride was beautiful and the groom couldn't stop smiling it was a truly magical wedding and I was so pleased that they allowed us to be part of their big day. Even the obligatory dancing, which I am hopeless at, even more so when I am sober and have all of the usual inhibitions, was fantastic. The band were great and covered all types of music, even the bus ride home from Kilbirnie was a great laugh and I got home around 1am, later than I planned.

On Sunday it was an early rise for the Race for Life, and getting ready was a little more difficult than expected, as I lost the safety pins so I couldn't attach my number or my name plate on my back!

My friend Charlene picked me up and we were off to Glasgow Nautical college to meet up with the girlies. We had already had one injury before we got there one of the girls has been having joint problems as was unable to take part -doctors orders- but we soldiered on. When we got there Sharon and her trusted bum bag had spare safety pins (thank god) and a whole host of things (pens to write names in case we forgot, and well it was a Mary Poppins bag), we all got suited and booted with our numbers on the front and the names of those we wanted to run for on our backs.

Before getting on our way we took a group photo (will put this up when I get it), When we walked towards Glasgow Green we could hear the music and the stage announcers right away,

'Welcome to Race for Life Glasgow, the biggest Race for Life in the UK, 17,500 women are taking part today ...'

On arriving I had no idea it was going to be this big an event,


Between and 'Reach for the stars' warm up and Suzie Maguire of Real Radio breaking two microphones it was a great atmosphere. Lord Provost of Glasgow Bob Winter gave a fab speach, short and sweet and really fitting the occasion.

On Our way to the start line, which you had to walk to down the road and round the corner, getting ready to go (male cheerleader at the start shaking his pom poms) and we were off on a whistle tour of Glasgow, we managed to complete the course in under 1 hour and had a fantastic amount of support all the way through from the road sweepers out and about and clapping the racers on their way past, to the ordinary people lining the route and clapping and cheering.

Loads of different people taking part, with the wee white scotty dog with the pink whistle round it's neck to those suffering from cancer who were running to prove that it can be done. It is a humbling experience walking beside someone who has their own name on their back, to the family of James who were in the final stages with us, obviously a mother and sisters, you could write a book with the stories just printed on the back's of those taking part and I am sure that similar to me others will be writing about this and hoping that they touch even one person and compel them to either take part or at least sponsor us.

We crossed the finishing line to whoops and cheers and I don't think I have ever had such a sense of achievement in all my life, I know it is a small victory and it is only 5Km but crossing that line you feel as though you are doing something special and it is true the taking part is the bit that matters.

Absolutely buzzing I have still not come down from the roof yet, we got a medal and a goody bag which was totally besides the point, and better than that we raised an amazing amount on line for an excellent cause. So just in case you were waiting for us to complete please sponsor us now...

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/trs

Race for Life

SPONSOR US PLEASE!!

A group of the girlies from work and myself are going to be doing the Race for Life for cancer research in Glasgow this June. There are 11 of us taking part and the above link (http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/TRS) is where you would go to make a donation. We may only be walking the course but we are still training hard and hoping that we raise enough money to make all of us proud.


So many of our lives are touched by cancer and this is a great way of showing that you care, making a difference and who knows your donation of £5 could be that extra amount that funds the cure of this horrific disease. Over the last ten years alone we have made dramatic improvements in treatments and prevention so your donation really will make a difference.


Thanks have to go to TRS as they have been a fantastic support, please give generously, and thanks in advance from ...

Sharon, Rayleen, Karen, Sheila, Jennifer, Belinda, Nicola, Ashleigh, Charlene, Heather & Gillian. XXX

Bad Week for the SNP

Slogans, Cuts and Tax

This week has not been really successful for the SNP locally or Nationally. Nationally despite their protestations that they remained fully committed to a Local Income Tax the Flag ship policy was finally dropped.

The Local Income Tax was the SNP's 'Big Idea' it was the one issue they spent MORE time on than any other at the 2007 elections, more time than Education and Police and more time than independence, their so called reason for being. One SNP spokesperson is quoted as saying that they 'took command of the situation' by dumping it. An article in the Scotland on Sunday today contains a suggestion that MANY of the SNP MSP's won primarily because of this policy, and I am sure there are many people who voted for the SNP at the last election who would not normally have done so based on this policy that are now regretting their decision and many will now feel let down and deceived.

Locally the SNP presented their budget to Renfrewshire Council with a slight sting in the tail for their finance spokesperson Cllr Noon, as the Leader of the Council Cllr MacKay made the presentation of the budget himself rather than following long established convention (which I believe they stuck to last year) and allowing the finance spokesperson to present.

Could it be that Cllr Noon declined to do this as he did not agree with the budget being presented? Is there a split locally in the SNP? Or is it just that Derek is a bit of a control freak? I would have said glory hunter but having examined the budget there is no glory in taking responsibility for it.

Cuts, cuts and more cuts another £1Million cut in the Social Work budget and £2.5Million from the Education budget despite the propaganda on the Renfrewshire Council website. I was trying to put more information on the council's budget onto this article but the website for the Council will not allow access to the Council and Government section, conicendence? Make up your own mind.

SNOW DAY

Snow and Budgets

Edinburgh is a lovely city, and it becomes even more lovely in the snow, although you do tend to find that it doesn't lie as readily which is not great.  I have been mostly shut in doors today as the TV kept saying only make necessary journeys and I didn't think nipping down to Ocean Terminal to do a bit of impulse shopping was essential.  So instead I spent the day catching up on the days events through the Internet and the TV.  I am hearing from the Scottish News Reports that the budget decision may be 'fast tracked' through the Scottish Parliament this week.  

The word 'Fast Track' makes me wonder through if you are moving at that pace is it not in the hope that those voting for it won't actually notice the hidden cuts and charges contained in it?

I get a little suspicious when people start suggesting this don't you?  

It has been so good catching up with some relaxation, when I tell people I work in a call centre they assume that the conversation is all about Celebrity Big Brother and Survivors (or whatever the latest 'reality' TV show is), in all honesty we talk about Israel, we talk about Politics and we talk about the issues facing us, and most of the people I have spoken to are getting more than a little fed up with Salmond's threats to resign when he doesn't get his own way, talk about throwing your toys out the pram!  

I wish that they would take these things seriously instead of giving it the petted lip every time things don't go their way.  And I think the reaction of the crowd to the SNP leader on Saturday at the new St Mirren Park was a clear indication of this, talk about being humiliated, and before anyone starts yeah you would expect some booing for any politician but not so much the chanting that came after it!  I felt a little embarrassed for Provost Lawson to be honest as she did not look happy and them with their big shiny banner at St Mirren Park too, just shows you politics and football does not mix.

On a separate issue I plan to release the full answer from the BBC to my complaint regarding the DEC appeal and their refusal to show it, I have asked that they get back to me if they do not wish this to go ahead with the reasons why, so watch this space it should be up (if they have no reason to wish to hide such a standard response) on Thursday.