The Descent of Man
Der Spiegel had a great cover in a recent edition of the magazine portraying Donald Trump as the 'descent of man'.
Which is a very apt description of the way Trump behaves as a politician - no lie is too big to tell and no insult is too great to hurl at political opponents, be they friend or foe.
The man really is a dangerous, out-of-control demagogue - a snarling vulgarian who demeans political debate on a daily basis.
The exception which proves the general rule is Russia and President Putin for whom Trump has only expressed his great admiration up till now.
Ask an impertinent question! (4 January 2012)
As we as being a very learned person - able to talk with authority on just about any subject under the sun - Dr Bronowski was a down to earth kind of chap.
No airs or graces - not puffed up and full of his own importance - physically he resembled a hobbit, small in stature - but possessed of a lively, indomitable and generous spirit.
And Dr Bronowski had some advice for viewers who watched his TV programme - which has stayed with me to this day.
'Ask an impertinent question', he would exhort the viewers - with visible passion and conviction.
Before going on to explain that the sum of human knowledge has only grown down the ages - because of people challenging and questioning a perceived wisdom - or orthodoxy - of the day.
It's a bit like the the old adage - 'there are no stupid questions'.
So here goes:
"Does the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) intend to pay a £1500 lump sum to the ambulance staff who failed to respond to 999 calls from families in Tomintoul and Crieff - both highly controversial incidents in which two people died - tragically and perhaps needlessly?
And if so, what is the logic behind the SAS decision and the proposal to use public funds in this way?"
And by way of background and explanation - here's what I wrote about the big SAS 'giveaway' only last month.
Money, Money, Money (December 28th 2011)
The offer of a 'new deal' for ambulance staff made the news headlines - just before Christmas.
As regular readers will know there has been a long running dispute about 'rest breaks' - and whether ambulance crews should respond at all times to an emergency 999 call.
The existing Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) policy up to November 2011 - encouraged staff to give up their entitlement to an 'uninterrupted' rest break - in return for a payment of £250 a year - plus £5 for every time their break was disturbed.
The SAS has since confirmed that the number of rest breaks disturbed in 2010 was 2248 - or roughly once per year on average for each member of staff - of whom there are 2445 apparently.
See previous post dated December 20th 2011 - 'And The Weasel Goes To.....'
Because of the inability of the SAS and the trade unions to resolve their differences - the Scottish Government and Health Secretary - Nicola Sturgeon - stepped in an 'imposed' a temporary solution - pending further negotiations.
The result of those talks was announced during the week - and the basis of the new deal is that all ambulance staff will receive a one-off payment of £1,500 - plus an extra £5 every time their rest break is disturbed.
So 2445 x £1,500 = £3,667,500 plus 2248 disturbed rest breaks (using 2010 figures) x £100 = £224,800 or £3,892,300 - to settle the dispute this year.
Now what the SAS has not explained to me or anyone else is the cost of the old (2010) policy - compared to the cost of the new policy.
I can see the logic behind a big increase in the payment for someone's rest break being disturbed - twenty fold from £5 to £100 a time - which compensates people for being flexible on the basis that those disturbed the most - get a greater reward.
But what I'm not so convinced about is that handing over a one-off payment of £3.7 million - represents very good value for public money.
If people are being adequately compensated in the future - what is the point of spending £1,500 or £3.7 million in a one-off 'buy out'?
I will need to ponder that question over the holidays - and see if I can come up with a sensible answer
'We Come in Peace, Shoot To Kill' (01/02/18)
I caught up with Donald Trump's first 'State of the Union' speech which was delivered in Washington on Tuesday.
Now having spent his first year in office completely 'trashing' his predecessor President Obama and political rivals, Trump had the bare-faced cheek to say that he was "extending an open hand" to Democrats to work together before imploring the whole country to come together as "one team, one people and one American family."
Ha, ha, ha, ha - now that is funny!
Especially coming from one of the most divisive presidents in American history as well as the one with the lowest approval ratings of any first year American president.
Reminds me of one of the lines from the great 'Star Trekkin' song by The Firm - We come in peace, shoot to kill'!
Star Trek Labour (23/08/15)
I heard someone on air recently liken the chaos in the Labour Party to a plot from one of the original Star Trek programmes.
Now I was quite offended by that because I grew up with Captain James T. Kirk and Mr Spock, and while one or two episodes from the original series were indeed 'turkeys' many of them were clever, interesting and thought provoking.
If you ask me, much better analogy for the Labour leadership contest is the song and video Star Trekkin' pokes fun at 'Trekkies' and others who are inclined to take the famous science fiction programme too seriously.
Maybe this is what's happening to the Labour Party as well.
Star Trekkin'
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward 'cause we can't find reverse.
Lt. Uhura, report.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.
Analysis, Mr. Spock.
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it;
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward, still can't find reverse.
Medical update, Dr. McCoy.
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it; it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.
Starship Captain, James T. Kirk:
Ah! We come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill;
we come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, men.
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.
Well, it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it; it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, scrape 'em off, Jim.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward, and things are getting worse!
Engine room, Mr. Scott:
Ye cannae change the laws of physics, laws of physics, laws of physics;
ye cannae change the laws of physics, laws of physics, Jim.
Ah! We come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill;
We come in peace, shoot to kill; Scotty, beam me up!
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.
Well, it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it; it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow Jim!
You can not change the strength Jim of the engines.
It's worse than that, it's physics, Jim.
Bridge to engine room, warp factor 9.
Och, if I give it any more she'll blow, Cap'n!
Red Alert Red Alert
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward 'cause we can't find reverse.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward, still can't find reverse.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward 'cause we can't find reverse.
Lt. Uhura, report.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.
Analysis, Mr. Spock.
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it;
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward, still can't find reverse.
Medical update, Dr. McCoy.
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it; it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.
Starship Captain, James T. Kirk:
Ah! We come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill;
we come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, men.
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.
Well, it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it; it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, scrape 'em off, Jim.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward, and things are getting worse!
Engine room, Mr. Scott:
Ye cannae change the laws of physics, laws of physics, laws of physics;
ye cannae change the laws of physics, laws of physics, Jim.
Ah! We come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill;
We come in peace, shoot to kill; Scotty, beam me up!
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.
Well, it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it; it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow Jim!
You can not change the strength Jim of the engines.
It's worse than that, it's physics, Jim.
Bridge to engine room, warp factor 9.
Och, if I give it any more she'll blow, Cap'n!
Red Alert Red Alert
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward 'cause we can't find reverse.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward, still can't find reverse.
