Thursday 25 September 2014

Scotland, the future could be bright.


If, on the 17th of December, in 1903, had you suggested that a new invention would enable wars be won and lost, and ordinary people would have used such to go on holiday thousands of miles from their home, you would have been locked up for being a madman. On that day, Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first powered flight.

Let me sidestep the argument that a Scotsman may have invented powered flight for a moment and concentrate on my point. Even if you knew the Kitty Hawk aeroplane had made her flights that day on the beaches, you would still be hard pressed to understand the future of nations would either fall or be victors because of such a momentous event.


Scotland has access to oil under the North Sea. How much oil depends upon which expert or scare monger you choose to listen to, either or both are to some degree correct. However, my belief, as much as the world could not predict the events that would follow the flight of the kitty Hawk, nor can we predict the future for the oil and gas under the north sea. How long will it last depends not only on the extraction rate, but the extraction difficulty, boundary ownership and political geography of the location of the wells in the North Sea.

To base a countries future on one argument could be catastrophic if things went wrong. It is one heck of an argument, if we are right, and we believe we are right, the future could be bright. If we are not quite as right, well maybe there will be a little less, but the future would not be dimmed. To follow this line of reasoning misses the point entirely. Let me revert to the original metaphor.

The dream of flight was always there for the Wright Brothers, the construct of the aeroplane was always there for them, they had it just about right and they knew it. It took a retired mechanic with a little insight to produce an ignition coil and spark system, that in turn allowed the small engine to produce enough horsepower to maintain powered flight long enough to fly the distance needed.

The SNP has the metaphorical aeroplane, it has the belief, it even has the engine, they just need enough people in the right place to make things happen, and slowly, they are getting them together. It is known the country of Scotland cannot base it’s future on the North Sea alone, technology will change and such change will alter the rate and value of the oil, but Scotland has a powerful army of bright thinkers, an intelligent army of inventors and if they put their minds together, so many more avenues will become apparent that Scotland will be able to fly along hitherto hidden pathways to increase the wealth, the power and the success of Scotland.

Had you been in a position to wager a few gold coins on the Wright brothers given what we know now, you would indeed be wealthy. I know many Scots not in Scotland, would love to come home, make more money than they do now, have a brighter future than they do now and have greater stability than they do now, to the benefit of everyone proud enough to support Scotland and her brilliant people. We need to stop basing all our trust on the ‘experts’, but have a side wager that if Scotland were self governed, she could choose her own paths and make of it what she will. I have no doubt in my mind, Scotland would be a most successful place to be.

Scotland, the future could be bright.

by Kaela Street, 25th September 2014

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Thieving Butchers



Thieving Butchers
By Kaela Street  24th September 2014
With deep regret I have to tell you that you are being cheated. I know this is not new, the Government have been cheating us for years, the Police cheat us daily and shopkeepers regularly cheat us when all we want to buy some meat. Now I cannot say for sure that Sainsbury's are deliberately putting a thumb on the scales, nor can I say any supermarket is breaking the law by entering into a contract to sell a product, then selling something different. That would, after all, be against the law.

In days gone by, weighing scales had to have a scale that was visible to both the Customer and the Vendor, that way each could see the weight of the product, say, a kilo of prime beef and thus a contract entered into that was fair to both parties, and legally binding. However, some vendors were less scrupulous than other vendors, and they may have tipped the scale in their favour by accidentally placing their thumb on the scales pan while the meat was being weighed. That way, the customer paid for weight he did not receive.

When did you last see your meat weighed on a scale before your eyes, I bet for most of us, that had not happened in a long while, and like me, you probably believe what you read on the label of the packet of meat you have picked up from the shelf. But have you noticed how the meat, when cooked either spits all over the place sending showers of oil droplets onto everything within range of the stove top? Bacon has to be fried in a dry pan for a few moments to let the water boil off before the meat starts to cook, initially it is poached!

If you use something like a Foreman Grill with a catcher tray, take a look at the amount of water pours off nest time you do pork, beef or chicken. You see, Butchers are placing their thumbs on the scales tricking you to buy chicken and water, beef and water or pork, and added water. They tell you it plumps up the meat, and makes it more tender. That I say is utter codswallop, it is cheating.

You enter into a contract to buy a kilo of beef, and you end up with a glass of water, some beef and a pile of unwanted unhealthy chemicals. Putting water into meat, by way of tumbling, needs chemicals to be added to enhance the flavour and retain the water. Messing about with meat in this way turns a huge profit to butchers and supermarkets. They  have found another way to rip off the public and they seem to be getting away with it.

Thieving Butchers
By Kaela Street  24th September 2014

Monday 22 September 2014

Whitehall set up the Scots to fail.

It is going to take guts to plant the Saltire and promise it will always fly free. It will take a remarkable person to deliver the pledge and a remarkable nation to make it happen. And we are in good luck, as we have an abundance of remarkable people in Scotland, and the Nation of Scotland, is truly a remarkable nation.

Picture if you will, two young lassies holding the Saltire while being surrounded by Unionists, defying anyone to take that flag from them, defending it on camera for the world to see. Two young lassies, remarkable. This is the pride the people of Scotland find in themselves, and I don’t just mean those in the #Yes camp, but many of those who voted for the #bettertogether are true and loyal Scots who want nothing more than to see a strong, safe and prosperous Scotland.

So what went wrong, and why on earth were two young girls being surrounded by an angry mob of strong Scotland supporters? let me set aside one fact though, many people who were in the crowds, in the market squares and squaring up with flags draped askew, hold nothing but malice in the minds, and they would not know a Scot from a hole in the ground, many were there for the beer, the chant, and the after match fight.

How did we let the British Government drive a wedge between family members, between clubs and groups of like minded Scots, how did we let them fill so many empty corners with indecision and corruption? We knew they would lie, they would cheat, and we knew they would do their best to pull the wool over our eyes? I think I have an answer, because we thought for one moment they would play fair and that was the reason the movement for independence lost so many last minute votes.

They seized the opportunity to alter the lies and facts in such a way that before anyone could rebuff them, they were seizing the minds of the undecided. They told truths, of sorts, but in such a way that it was plausible. We did not set ourselves up before hand to counter their insipid intervention. Whitehall set up the Scots to fail and they did this in agreeing to specific wording in the referendum. I don’t know what words should have been used, but in hindsight, the actual words used were to create a wedge between political parties, not Scotsmen and women seeking greater autonomy.

The Scots were divided by their political views and as like many, the vast majority of a population do not follow the legalities of fine political argument, we elect clever people to do that for us, it is no wonder so many were undecided, all they knew was it was important to choose the right political view, but which was it. Yet they were all Scots, and they all wanted something better, not a fight against their neighbour, not to lose their pension, or worry if the money will dry out before the week is over.

It was indeed the wrong question, and the question was created in London and the Scots needing something took it, and cheered and waved a flag or two. Yes sadly, I understand we gave the upper hand to London. We fell into the liars trap, and then they cheated on us and reneged on us. Now they use it divide further, making promises that apply only when they win a next election, and I can warn everyone, they will even try to make laws to make it impossible to break away in the future.

Whitehall set up the Scots to fail.

by Kaela Street 21st September 2014

Sunday 21 September 2014

Scots Manage the Impossible



For many people, the entire concept of Scotland Versus England is nothing more than an archaic football match once a year, and for many, football matches are so far down the priority list, it is of little interest. But for a lot of people, people who remember the recent wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, the South Atlantic, will know the Scots are not only exceptionally brave but mightily powerful opponents. To hear the skirl of the pipes in the distance lifts many a heart to go on and work harder in the most appalling of conditions.

As a Brit, I have heard in the distance the pipes of 2 Para and have known with absolute assuredness, the Scots were there and prepared to hold the ground while refugees poured over the line. To quote the Infantry web site, "The Second Battalion forms part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. Through ...  hard training, the airborne soldier is expected to develop resilience, self-confidence and a fierce determination to succeed, whatever the difficulties. ...  a winning factor time and again on operations."

In other words, the Army trains and selects only the best, and the best are the best in the world, a lot of Scots are selected because Scots exhibit all the qualities  that are needed to be successful.

Problem solving is a skill that creates invention. Scots are among the most prolific of inventors, they solve so many problems it is hard to keep track of, some include Penicillin - Sir Alexander Fleming (1881 - 1955), The Television - John Logie Baird (1888 - 1946), The Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell (1847 - 1922),(Tarmac - John McAdam (1756 - 1836), RADAR - Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt (1892 - 1973) (visit http://www.scottish-at-heart.com for more information)

The above inventions changed the world, changed for the better, the above men were Scots, the men were problem solvers. And lets not forget people like King William I "The Lion" (1143-1214), he adopted the heraldic symbol of the red lion rampant on a yellow background. That symbol is still seen on Scotland's Lion Rampant flag today. William Wallace (1274 - 1305)  at the Battle of Stirling Bridge he Defeated  Edward I's Army.

Think about people like Arthur James Balfour, James Keir Hardie, John Mackenzie and others too numerous to mention. My point is, these people were not born to be famous, they were not given all the success automatically, they didn't all inherit the rights riches and privileges to become world famous and legends in their own right, they were for the most part, ordinary people, no, they were people of Scotland.

They were for  the most part advised and coerced to stop doing whatever it was they were trying to do, because it wouldn't work, or there was no money in it, or it simply couldn't be done. They all, to a man, had to struggle, work harder and stay focused because they had a feeling, a feeling they were right, it was something they wanted more than anything else.

They did not have 45% of the country on their side, they were most often alone, and entrenched in the profound belief that what they were doing was right.

These Scot's I talk about went on to achieve things that were believed to be impossible, they managed through self determination to change the world and every element in it. The Scots have now shown they are capable of self rule, of walking onto the world stage and staking a large claim of it. The Scots have the ability and determination to change the world as we know it. The Scots manage the impossible.

Should England be worried of this? The only people in England that worry are those that seek to milk and steal the fortunes of the Scots for their own advancement, from Parliament to the BBC, from the Banks to the Shipyards. Keep the Scots looking in bins for food and queuing up at food halls and you have them in your pocket, is the common misperception of many of the English Lords and Gentlemen who believe they have the power.

If you should ask an English politician , or even a past Prime Minister who was kicked out of office for complaining about a woman being dour, if this is true, they will fall over backwards to convince you it is anything but the truth. As soon as you turn your back, they change the rules, invoke new laws and make it harder for anyone to get a foot in the door, they have been doing this since Queen Elizabeth the first, and they are good at it.

Now we have all the ingredients for the Scots to secede from the United Kingdom, except for one thing, Mr Alex Salmond started a ball rolling, a ball that gathered so much momentum, a ball that was intercepted by a wall of lies and untruths, a wall of disinformation.

Yes it stalled, but we need only one person to get that ball rolling with so much more vigour and might than the English can hardly imagine. It is possible the country that has so many Inventors, poets, builders, politicians or note, so many explorers and soldiers, carers and nurses, is it possible that we can find one person with the ability to grab that ball and continue the devolution roll, is it possible in four million people, I bet you it is, and I can tell you with some certainty, that person will be a Scot, a Scot with a dream and a Scot with a sense of purpose, and they won't be working on their own, they will have forty five percent of the nation's population working with them, cheering them on and motivating them.
The Saltire will not be hidden from the World Stage, The freedom of the Scottish nation will not fade away.


Scots manage the impossible.
by Kaela Street  21st September 2014

Saturday 20 September 2014

I discovered the Shetlands



I discovered the Shetlands were treeless islands for the most part, with narrow unmade roads, with pubs open if someone needed a drink, and a taxi that flew between the islands. I discovered a spirit of togetherness unmatched by almost anywhere else in the UK. People were hard, but friendly, the weather was hard and unforgiving. Most of the Shetlander lives, revolved around the sea, from the fishermen to the inter-island ferry operators, from the postman to the Sheriff. 

Milk was expensive and the only shop near to where I lived, seemed to be able to charge anything they wanted for  their goods, often selling slightly older goods at a lower price, and making stock we thought they had, not available to us. Eggs were very expensive and petrol was almost rationed. I lived there while Piper Alpha was establishing itself, long before the great north sea tragedy that spewed forth onto the worlds newspapers as fire seemed to consume men and equipment for days.

I could walk the hills in absolute safety, save for the birds protecting the area they nested. The pure pristine beaches were heaven on earth and fishing with a single hook could net a feast  or at least a yarn to spin in the pub that night.

The cliffs were home to countless millions of seabirds and the local people seemed to live in the space below upturned boats, mail took three days or more to get to England and the air was so clean you could taste it. The wind blew relentlessly and clean air from the Atlantic ocean bathed and cleansed everything in the Shetlands.

I would love to go back there now I am retired, but I fear for my pension, my lifestyle  and the medical services I need from time to time. Had Scotland the money to look after it's pensioners, the freedom to let them buy the goods they want and have the medical help they need, I seriously would rethink my sojourn in England. I know now, sadly too late, that if the British Government had in fact looked for a way that England and Scotland could have been financial partners, best friends and supporters of a form of Independence that would allow Scotland to grow in the way she needs while England benefitted from every ounce of oil, whisky, tourism, invention, ship building etcetera to the Scots benefit, it would have been utopia on earth and I cannot think of any right minded individual who would not want to be a part of that.

I for one, would pack up my campervan, invest in a few quarts of petrol and a Ferry Ticket to Lerwick and to have a life in the most beautiful place on earth, a lovely place to write, to live and champion all that is right.

Without Let or Hindrence



I stayed up as late as I could waiting for the results of the Scottish Referendum to come in. My partner and I glued to the television for hour upon hour, sadly reflecting how the News on the BBC had turned into a regurgitated rotation of video bites and sound snatches. We lamented how all the footage gathered by hundreds of cameramen all day long resulted in about 7 minutes of scenes that seem to be replayed end to end every seven or eight minutes. "Has the BBC an agenda of simplicity?", we wondered. Has the BBC already made up its mind as to what it will show and how it will show it?


If the BBC is controlling the broadcast output in such a way, it surely is no longer reporting the 'news', but rather simply creating what it thinks we need to see. It worries me when an establishment relied upon so heavily by so many people, is not only being manipulated by the government, but by the BBC itself.


Add to this the argument dividing Scotland and the bias of the BBC will actively portray anything the 'Yes' campaigners do or say in a more negative light, often one of ridicule, and anything relating to the 'Better Together' camp as being perfect, truthful, honest and informative.

For a few days I heavily tweeted obstructions to the 'Yes' campaigners, sometimes lampooning them for wanting to break away from something that is strong and good, sometimes jeering their fundamental stupidity, or just tweeting silly statements designed to question their loyalty. I knew I was doing 'the right thing' as the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron was asking us all as a nation, to warn the Scots against separating from the UK, for it would plunge us all into darkness and an unstable market that would seemingly collapse overnight.


I wondered why Mr Alex Salmond, the Leader of the Scottish National Party, refused to explain what currency he was going to use in the future as the British Mandarins seemed united on the fact separation would mean exclusion from the British Pound. The Royal Bank of Scotland publically made a huge song and dance about moving the plaque for their head office to London, as though the very bank the Scots were going to need and rely upon had fled south before the border closed, in order to protect the investments it held. The bank we bailed out, it seemed, had been told by the UK Government, to show loyalty to England or  face a huge financial destabilisation.


Within hours, I was reading well written and articulated arguments that supported the concept the Royal Bank of Scotland was already Based in London, under one of its other names. The move was nothing more than a scare tactic. A penny started to drop.


Too late, I realised the bumbling stupidity of the nation of greed based in and around Whitehall had been injecting fear into the minds of millions, through Radio, television and the newspapers. They used commerce, retired politicians no one ever trusted, and by twisting the argument instead of reporting the news, the BBC became the primary tool for disinformation used by the British Government.


Alex Salmonds advisors failed to warn him the perilous act of not identifying a currency strength was to be his downfall, and I wonder now how many of those trusted advisors were actually on the payroll of our subversive government.


A whopping 45% of the adults in Scotland wanted change, needed change, but the campaign was ill thought out. It was essentially too simple, "Wave the Scottish Flag and they will follow". The vast majority of pensioners and a hundred percent of the school-goers would have been far better off, than if they were to stay as part of the UK. National Pride is a powerful weapon, it lifts people, it empowers people, it enables people, and in such a way, National Pride could have driven Scotland through the days, weeks and months of uncertainty while the change-over took place. How many had their passport open, how many read "Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary."


There was the very instruction to everyone, play nicely, let each other do what each other needs to do, let people do things and go places without barrier. Instead of trying to force Scottish People to be a part of something they did not want to be.


The UK government and people should have been working in a manner to support the people of Scotland, to allow them to have what they needed, and by cementing ties commercially, industrially and competitively with the Scotland based industry, banking, Health Services, Education Services, Transport and rail services, broadcasting services and most importantly, in matters relating to defence.


We should have created a mutually beneficial Commercial Partner, that would retain Scotland as a friend of the United Kingdom, but totally self controlled. We would be their biggest customer and would treat favourably requests for assistance and defence. We could have been the sole buyer of the oil reserves, and would provide all resources for the Scottish Defence Minister, in return for granting us time to relocate  our Nuclear Deterrent. Open border crossing and access to NATO and the EU would have continued, not as a fractious arm, but as an approved and supported loyal ally.


We did not do Scotland any good whatsoever, and now I feel gutted for my Scottish friends in a part of the world I have lived in and loved, I feel bad for the way we stood on the world stage and stabbed an emerging nation in the heart, and I now no longer trust anything that Mr Cameron and his sick minded bullies care to share. For my part, I utter the most profound apology to everyone in the #yesScotland campaign for every #indyref tweet I made. I was wrong, I made a huge mistake and I will live to regret it for the rest of my life.