Not raising a glass to a proposed rise in the drinking age.

Apparently, the do-gooders in the IPPR are seriously wanting to increase the age for buying booze from 18 to 21, to curb "under-age and binge drinking".

Well, hello? McFly? Are you really fucking dumb? By increasing the drinking age, all you're going to do is increase the number of under-agers drinking.

The BBC reports -

By raising the age threshold, he claims: "It is at least possible that those in their early and mid teens will not see drink as something they will soon be allowed to do so therefore they might as well start doing it surreptitiously now."

And it's utter bollocks. They'll see it as even more of a laugh to drink, since it's even more not allowed by the nanny state. What's even better is that he goes on to concede that this will not actually solve the problem, but in true "something must be done" and "won't somebody think of the children" fashion, he's prepared to fuck it all up.

Some kids are still going to get shit-faced on Buckfast, MD 20/20, Merrydown, and other such delightful beverages. Some are not. No amount of fannying around from a new labour think tank is going to change that.

My legacy will last, Muahahahahahaa

Apparently Tony Blair's legacy will last...

Would that be the legacy of Education, Education, Education?
Would that be the legacy of wars the people didn't want?
Would that be the legacy of sleaze?
Would that be the legacy of cash for honours?

Blair's legacy will last, but not for the reasons he wants them to. All he needs is an evil laugh to cap it all off.

I can't help but wonder if people will remember all of these things in a similar manner as they vilify Margaret Thatcher as the milk snatcher, and other such neat rhymes...

Blogs need content warnings? Tim O'Reilly needs a reality check.

According to the busybodies of the world, "Weblogs need content warnings".

Blogs which are open and uncensored should post an "anything goes" logo to the site to warn readers, the code suggests.

Readers of these blogs would be warned: "We are not responsible for the comments of any poster, and when discussions get heated, crude language, insults and other "off colour" comments may be encountered. Participate in this site at your own risk."

You come in to my electronic home, and tell me how to live?
Fuck off!

You've come to this site to read my rants. MY RANTS, dammit.
You can agree, disagree, fuck off, I don't care. But you came here of your own free will.

"You don't have to insult people to be frank."

But sometimes it's just funny.
I find myself agreeing with Jeff Jarvis, who is quoted as saying -

"I don't need anyone lecturing me and telling me not to be disagreeable."

Fuckin' A.

Meta-protest

I read this twice, given the proximity to 1st April.

The BBC report that locals are protesting about the protesters who block the roads, and generally piss the locals off on a daily basis.

"There's not a problem with the peace camp but over the last six months we've had the roads blocked, kids not getting to school, doctors not getting to surgeries, carers not getting to the elderly."

The hippies respond with...

"We feel that if these horrible, immoral weapons are here we have to come and put our bodies in the road and do what we can personally to try to stop them."

The simple answer is, run the fuckers over.

If they block the public highway so that locals can't get to and from shops, schools, houses, hospitals and so on... Run the fuckers over - that'll soon let us know how true they are to their cause. Loitering in the middle of the road seems to be having more effect on the people who live in the area, rather than those at the base. Does that not tell you that perhaps they are missing the point, and blocking the road is a waste of time? How to really get your voice heard. Wankers.

Greens say no to nuclear, yes to luddism.

On a wonderfully green piece of paper which was stuffed through my door, Alison Johnstone gleefully tells us that she, as the Green candidate for Meadows / Morningside, says "No to nuclear".

"This report clearly shows we can reject the UK government's proposals to build new nuclear power stations and succeed in reducing emissions. By switching to locally produced power, Edinburgh can lead the fight against climate change."

Where, exactly, do these people think we're going to get our electricity from? It sure as shit ain't the electricity fairy. Just how, exactly, do they intend to make up the energy gap between renewables, fossil fuel plants, and nuclear in the next decade or so, when our existing nuclear stations go off-line?

I expect we'll hear that we are to cover all our buildings, and green spaces with mini-windmills, whilst we are to catch our farts for a bio-gas plant, or some other crack smoking idea.

Quite simply, build more nuclear plants now, or you will not be switching on your lights in a couple of decades time.

I will not even start on the mention of mobile phone masts in the leaflet.

Are these people luddites, or are they actually expecting us to take them seriously?

Drunk and incapable woman avoids jail for assualting a paramedic

In the Metro today, it was reported that an 18 year old girl, who was drunk and incapable, collapsed in a drunken heap and was attended to by an ambulance. As the girl was falling unconscious, a paramedic proceeded to give her a sternum rub. (Where you rub your knuckles on the person's breast bone, relatively hard, which usually has the effect of waking people up a bit). The girl proceeded to punch the paramedic, and then kick him. She has been given 150 hours of community service by Perth Sheriff Court.

First off, why was she so drunk she couldn't remain in a state where she could get herself home?
Secondly, there's a massive difference between a paramedic applying the old sternum rub, and someone trying to feel you up. I know what a sternum rub feels like when sober, and it's not pleasant.
Thirdly, will she actually learn anything from this 150 hour community service order?

I would like to see her sent to assist the paramedic she assaulted for 150 hours, and see the sort of abuse they take. I think that would be a worthwhile experience for her, and would perhaps make her appreciate just what these people face, and do on a day to day basis.

I have never understood why people assault folk from particularly the ambulance service and fire brigade? Don't they realise these people are putting their lives on the line for us?

MSPs expensive expenses overhaul...

The BBC reports that George Reid has called for an overhaul of the expenses system for MSPs. This begs the question, how can a system that's only a few years old require an overhaul already?

Would that be for these reasons -

"Some MSPs have been criticised for making money by buying and selling properties part-funded by the taxpayer.

The allowance scheme has also drawn criticism for allowing members to make claims for council tax and TV licences."

The dishonest people who are elected MSPs are exactly the reason why we do not need more layers of government. One parliament in Westminster is more than enough dishonesty for our nation! They are supposedly representatives of the people, for the people, by the people - and yet they have higher salaries than many of those they claim to represent, yet still feel the need to swindle us, the tax payers, out of more money from fraudulent or immoral dealings with expenses.

I expect the overhaul will tell MSPs they need to try harder, and cost us a hell of a lot of money in the process, achieving absolutely fuck all.

Sack the lot of them, the work-shy bastards!