E is for Eye Candy - Crescent Highlander Swoppets - Late Follow-up?

I have a folder simply marked 'George K', dated July 2020, which I suspect might be the follow-up images mentioned in the comments, last time we looked at these, back in 2018;

 

https://smallscaleworld.blogspot.com/2018/11/s-is-for-swivel-not-swoppet.html

 

Or related to them in some way (there are two years between the events), in which case, this post is a follow-up which never happened, but it was a bloody odd year, and, with Mum and Girly-Girl both leaving this world, over Christmas, a rather shit one, in which I had other things on my mind, but many thanks to George K for sending them, and here's the officer who was missing last time.

 

This time the marching rifleman's the missing chap, Crescent's 60mm 'swoppet' Highlanders, marching, fighting (the Officer) and dancing, I think that sums-up Glasgow on a Saturday night? Thanks again to George K.

M is for Marx's Massive Moorland & Mountain Men

A quick box-ticker today, these are the six-inch 'Scottish Soldiers' from Marx UK factory in Swansea, and were a standard 'going-home' or 'attendance' present, at Birthday Parties when I was a kid.

 

For those who don't, or didn't practice such a thing, this was when all the kids who went to someone else's birthday party, got a little something, usually of the novelty or 'Christmas stocking' variety, to take home, in part as a memento of the occasion, and in part because watching one child open lots of presents (at least one of which could have been yours, if you hadn't handed it over!) tended to bring out the green-eye'd monster in some!

There was a bit of a party circuit in the late 1960's early 1970's, and several of the members had large gardens or grounds (such as Elvetham Hall, now a hotel and 'village' development!), and these keepsakes would, if the weather was inclement, be hunted for, outside, like Easter eggs!

 

If you found more than one, though, you had to surrender the spares to those who hadn't found any, in the great divvying-up! I remember the hard-polystyrene Indians also from Marx, and little bags of the Minimodels/Culpitts wild west (very frangible!), card-tube kaleidoscopes one year, and the rubber snakes mentioned here yesterday. The whole concept was meant to teach, in the nicest way, sharing, fair-play and decency? Some just resorted to lucky-bags as everyone was leaving.

 

I only have five (5th below), but I found this site which has all six;

 

http://marxsoldiers.british-classic-motorcycles.co.uk/index.php/scottish-soldiers/

 

Which was funny-ironic, as I was expecting a second bearskin for three pairs, and actually it's a third Highlander, leaving two lowland/fusilier types (with odd headdress I'm thinking, sort of French colonial, 18-somethings, 19-oh-whatever?) and the one Scot's Guard. That site's are cleaner than mine!

The other 'Fusilier'

Slight colour variation between batches?

A couple of - also soft, unpainted, polyethylene, 6" - Wild West cowboys who have come in at some point, I haven't obtained the hard, factory painted, polystyrene Indians from my childhood yet, but they were the 'thin' sculpts also done in 'HO', and the archers and spearmen tend to damage when you do see them.

B is for Brave Busy Book

I mentioned in another post over Christmas how TKMaxx didn't have the usual pile of Phidel Busy Books this year, and to be honest, the supply of them has been dwindling for some time, after trying to scalp a couple of extra-quid per unit, WHSmith seem to have stopped stocking them (locally at least) some time ago, and my last few trips to TKMaxx haven't seen any, but I have managed to pick-up a couple at Charity shops, and this in one of them!

Brave, a Disney Pixar movie which - like most of Phidal's choices - has totally passed me by! Not only that, I'm an old git, it's bound to happen; but I've never heard of it, despite it's having won lots of awards and sounding like I'd probably enjoy it (?) - I Googled it!

If the Mother turns into a bear (she does!) I guess the three little cubs are also the 'triplets', who might spoil the movie for me, I hate the annoying brat/comedy element (Daggit, I'm talking to you, and you Scrappy Doo, and yes Tweakie!), so three is just too much! But the mother/bear is a nice sculpt!

Most Phidal sets have rather naff play mats which consist of stills from the production, but this could have limited use as a pocket war games mat? Heavy cover, light cover and a quest/target to defend - the Henge!

That's it, box ticked.

F is for Follow-up - Novelty Highlanders

Having looked at a pencil-sharpener here among the key-rings and things, I've since found a pencil-top . . . all I need is a highland piper eraser - there must be some - and I'll have a full set for the start of the new term!

Rather than the splayed-legs and 'up the jacksey' of a lot of these figural pencil-tops (He-Man, DC superheroes, The A-Team's BA Baracas), this one has been given a Dalek 'skirt' to hide his modesty! And - despite being a several-generations-down-the-line clone - you can still clearly see the Britains Herald DNA in the pose.

40mm from the bottom of the Dalek skirt to the top of the Busby and originally manufactured in a softish PVC, which is hardening with age.

Further to the Hilco post I found a pin and it fits, I know it looks as bit loose in the photograph, but I can assure you it fits snuggly, like a glove, settling-in with a nice, satisfying click! I suspect however the original was a little longer though; this is a standard, modern seamstress's pin.

When we were kids (those of you of a certain age will remember, but for the younger loyal readers-) there used to be charity 'flag days', where you gave to a representative in the street with a donation and were given a token of your gesture (a bit like WHW!), usually a flag (I remember white ensigns for the RNLI and wings for the RAF Benevolent Fund), and they had longer pins to deal with the paper/flag and the giver's lapel, I suspect Hilco used one of those for a slightly more realistic length? The pinned-flags were replaced in the 1980's with stickers, and then - in recent times - the dreaded, door-stepping 'chuggers'.

They may well have blunted the end though?

H is for How Many?

I thought my sample of Charbens Highlanders was a bit poor until I checked them against the Plastic Warrior special and found I seem to have an unlisted drummer and a 60mm flocked piper, but I still need to track down a Drum Major - you can't have everything!

The marching soldier; there's three poses here with rifle variations on the middle pair, a 60mm to the right and the original from a hollow-cast mould on the left. In the PW Special they seem to have two versions of that early one.

Pipes . . .

Again three types, the early hollow-cast to the left in three greens, the second 54mm type to the far right and the 60mm with flocked Busby second from the right. He's better painted too and would seem to be a stab at competing with Britains Herald on a more even footing? Or he may even have been used as a tourist piece?

. . . & Drums!

My drummer, I'm assuming he's Charbens as he's painted like most of the other Highlander's - Charbens don't seem to have gone in for stripes on their tartans much! Also the drum is similar to the Guardsman's drum; sort of a semi-flat sculpt? And - because it matches the lead version in Joplin's big book!

Close-up of flock-headed 'Peter' Piper! [That's a strangled-English, German joke for those who like their childhood-rhymes on the dunkle seite!] The flocking is quite thick and has a little white plume-remnant poking out of the top, so the flocking must have been done after painting - to prevent the red plastic showing-through?

The figure is a pantographic copy of the 54mm late version, although the base has then been pared-down to match, probably to fit existing bolsters or something technical like that! Chances are there are still some Charbens to find, both the drummer and Drum Major could have a possible two other versions, now we know the marching and piper have three each?

Although, looking at mine and PW's, I'd say there seem to be five marching variants; two 1st, two 2nd and a 60mm? Note also that all the first type (from hollow-cast tools) is marching off the right foot, left forward, the other versions are off the opposite step.

F is for Follow Up - Highlander Pencil Sharpener

Anon made an excellent suggestion in comments the other day about the possible source of the head for the Hong Kong novelty pencil-sharpener, sadly it doesn't seem to pan-out, but I shot a comparison anyway, and it helps 'prove' Lone Star's plagiarism - if you weren't already decided!

Years ago when looking at Lone Star Wild West's in someone else's collection I noted the similarity with some of the Britains Herald poses (we looked at some of them last year - in a series of posts I never finished! Must do so!), and they said "Yes, well it's still a bit of a moot point as to who was first", then; a month or two ago, when comparing the Khaki Infantry after Chris Smith's contributions, we saw how they had taken a boot with a bent-toe from Britains and included it in a very different figure - who didn't need a bent-toe!

And here, again we see the lines of the plaid draped down the back of the Lone Star figure (right in both shots) mirror both the Britains original (left) and the Hong Kong copy (centre). He has shorter stumpy legs and the distinctive 'fur' or feather striations of the Lone Star headdress, and is chunkier overall, but basically he's the same pose; conclusion - Lone Star were terrible copyists!

 

The pencil sharpener is now known to be from Hong Kong's KT.

Lucas is for Sacul

These are shown in Joplin's Great Book of Hollow Cast, in metal, as Sacul, so I'm going to assume, presume, guess and suspect they are Sacul in plastic too!

Unlike the Guardsmen to which I've added several figures since we looked at them here a few years ago, the Highlander sample is a rather pathetic two! And in a rather non-descript marbled plastic best described as half-stirred hot-chocolate! But they were languishing under the 'unknown' moniker until a few days ago, so that's a small advance!

They are however, lovely sculpts, although I'd suggest the mace is a tad longer than the scaled up real one would be; he looks like he's planning on a joust once the parade's over! Paint is as poor as the Guardsmen, but the piper has enough left to hint at a well-painted countenance once?

Half-stirred hot-chocolate! We looked at a hollow-cast colonial helmeted highlander from Sacul a while ago (several years) whether these are from the same line, or a more ceremonial set I don't know, but suspect the latter.

H is for Hollow-cast Highland Heroes

A couple of mysterious figures here, both painted in the same way, same colours, as Gordon Highlanders, both made of the same shade of the same very tinny or brittle, red polystyrene, both semi-flat (demi-ronde), both have very thin, oblong bases, but both completely different sizes. And both probably from hand-held, hollow-cast moulds, converted to injection-tools.

However; for all their similarities (identicallities!) there are some very striking differences, in addition to the size, are the facts that the second (smaller) figure, is almost childlike, with a'toy' gun and he has a huge red plum water-falling off his Busby, absent from the first (who's headdress is more like a Guard's Bearskin), he has more - the look of a Doll's House accessory? While the first figure - as well as having a 'bearskin' on his bonce - is lacking a sporan?

Using Joplin's The Great Book of Hollow-cast Figures (which also contains solids and composition) as a guide; Nobel make a 40mm one who's close to the figure on the left, but his legs are more at ease to this chap's at attention, there's nothing else close.

The one on the right ('Baldrick'!) is similar to a pose by Fry in hollow-cast, but it's more of a passing resemblance than the same tool, and while there are a couple of others in the Unidentified section, nothing really looks like this chap?

Can anyone add anything; they came separately, years apart.

P is for Pipes & Drums

Am I right in thinking Lowland Regiments have 'Bands' and Highland Regiments have 'Pipes & Drums'? Something like that, anyway; Hilco didn't bother with marching soldier types, but gave us some nice Pipes & Drums, seen here, although there are some colonial 'combat' types; I don't have any.

The pipes come in three versions which seem to all be from hollow-cast moulds. Now, there is a rule of thumb with these paint-simplified Tartans which - as plastics collectors - I guess we take from Britains catalogues, but it goes back to the hollow-cast era, which seems to consist of two main parties - The Black Watch and the Gordon Highlanders.

Above we have Black Watch 1st, 2nd and 5th figure, with something equating to the Britains Gordon's at the 4th stand. The 3rd figure is probably supposed to be a Gordon also, but the pale yellow, being almost a whitish hue, could pass for another tartan.

The Black Watch pipers actually wear Royal Stewart tartan for both kilt and plaid (the over-shoulder cloth), the soldiery wear the darker 'Regimental' tartan, which Britains did as a plain, darker (than the Gordon's) matt-green. If you get a bit of blue in the mix it's probably the Cameron Highlanders (the Sculptures UK figure we saw the other day?).

Two Black Watch on the left and three Gordons on the right. The Drum Major has an extra-long gold-painted dress-makers pin with the pin-head set into the little slot in his hand, for a staff/mace, I meant to put one in and photograph it before I posted these but forgot, I'll try and do it for the end of the (this!) 'Highlander season' . . . or next time we look at them - thematically by pose - but you can see how it should look, I'm sure.

I've seen these in an all-gold finish too, presumably as touristy items?

S is for Swivel not Swoppet!

Although the actual reason for these probably has more to do with sculpting limits vis-à-vis undercuts, rather than any desire for added playability, the bandsmen look silly dancing on swords, while the dancer is - frankly - mincing on the marching legs!

Three of the marching figures, all the 'Pipes & Drums' poses, although they all have the same legs, the Plastic Warrior magazine (link) 'Special Publication' on Crescent (for these are theirs!) makes clear that each figure is individually marked on the base, and the bases do differ slightly!

I didn't check mine before shooting the photographs, so you'll have to consult the above publication, especially as I am still missing a pose - gives me a chance to return to them one day!

The sword dancer; going back to the PW special; they suggest a surrendering pose is the result of the leg swap, and I can see it, my mincing comment was unfounded! Also I was going to use my favourite 'Dancing L....' phrase, but firstly, this isn't Cherilea and second, I don't want to be making enemies North of the boarder when I may be needing my McDougall credentials to seek asylum from a neo-fascist Bwreaksitian any-day soon!

Five of six; I'm missing the officer with drawn sword. This chap came in this year I think, can't remember if it was PW's show in Twicker's, Sandown or one of the boxes from Chris or Jim, so thanks to anyone it may have been! He is unpainted 'on top' but fully-painted 'underneath' which is a bit odd, until you realise . . .

. . . as a set/line they are shedding paint like there's no tomorrow! I can see a day, fifteen or twenty-years hence when I just strip them back to two-coloured unpainted figures, and that may be what happened to the marching torso?

 Crescent - especially late stuff - being not that chalky have always been bad at holding their paint and there's nothing you can do about it, short of adding a coating of something clear, which A) may discolour going forwards, or B) start flaking as well, bringing the paint underneath with it anyway!

J is for Japanese Highlander - Black Watch!

Title says it all!

100mm, plaster-filled, blow-moulded, celluloid lump of Crimean warrior (the French were actually on our side in that one, probably why it went so badly! No offence Berthoux!), or colonial era 'type'.

I guess these were sold as cheap ornaments to poorer - yet house-proud - citizens wanting a [patriotic] bit of 'Meissen' or 'Spode' for the mantle-piece/shelf, or perhaps as 'ersatz' polymer fair-ground prizes (fairings)?

H is for Highland Odds & Sods!

Having seen Hong Kong's novelty Highlander production earlier this morning, this is a group of the less common piracies of the every-day figures, although they may mostly also have been aimed at the tourist market - tuning-up in ones every time; not the handful's those commoner pastel-maroon 'Empire Made' and HK copies from the 1950's do.

The three on the left seem to share an origin (other than the Herald donor), having many similarities, but work has been done to differentiate them, particularly the Busby, but also - of course - the base-plate of a three part tool and the weapon arm.

The Drummer is channelling the Britains Hong Kong drummer, even to being PVC glued to a green base! While the fifth figure may be a clean example of the figures we saw here, he is also PVC and both figures look later and are heavier copies, possibly hand-done rather than pantograph, and sharing an origin?

Markings are; from the left:

Made in British Hong Kong

Empire Made

Empire Made (ink-stamped or tampo-printed)

[blank]

Made in Hong Kong

Note: that first one is marked the same as the grenade thrower added to the 'Khaki Infantry' page yesterday.

Compared to their donor-sculpts, with the marching guy I've shown an early Lee Enfield armed Herald figure (far left) and a Britains Hong Kong PVC lump next to him.

N is for Novelty Highlanders!

Let's get the oddities out of the way first!

Alongside the Dewar's Drum Major we've seen recently and included for sizing, we have a rather nice Hong Kong piper, based on the Britains Herald pose (as most copies are) but with the novel change of headgear to a side-cap, his pipes are also further spread with a thicker connecting sash (which probably has a special name but I don't know it!) sans tassels.

Then there are three versions of key-ring, the one on the right being a heavier sculpt in a softer PVC to the other two, along with a mini-key-ring version approximately 1:72nd scale.

The three larger key rings with the Herald donor; I converted the first one years ago, although a full'ish 54mm, with no base he always looked a bit smaller and hung around even while I was a small scale 'purist', I used to always cut the key ring away, I now realise this was a kind of sacrilege (unless you add a base maybe?) so now I leave the key ring - or whatever remains of it, as it the case of the other two!

Bog-standard tourist items in the 1970's and 1980's there must be quite a few of them or things like them around the place and I'm sure that away from our branch of the hobby there will be key-ring (-fob, -chain...) collectors with lots of paint/plastic/sculpt-variants and/or different sizes?

As I'm equally sure the eraser/novelty-sharpener collecting people have a few more of these? I don't know where the head came from but it doesn't seem to have come from the earlier Zang/Herald chap, who has the long tapes or ribbons at the back. And his legs have veered away from the donor's design!

No branding clue, just a simple 'HONG KONG', and again probably sold as a generic tourist trinket from the kiosks of Central London or the gift shops of lesser or second-tier museums and visitor attractions.

I also have this in the collection, although I ask myself "Why?" every time I see it! I guess I like the clever impression of depth-of-field attained by the laser-cut laminate glued to its own background - they even line-up the shadows! A fridge magnet; it's probably still around, or quite contemporary, although I've had it for ten years or more?

D is for Dewar's

This was in the same box as the Condor stuff; 'Minor Makes C/D/E', although I suspect the 'make' is Britains Hong Kong facility! Until I dig the 'Highlanders' box out again (it was in my hands the other day, but went up to the attic), probably over Christmas, I can't check the finer points, it may be the late Britains moulding, it may be a copy.

The 'Dewar's' plinth advertising the product is polystyrene, the figure in a PVC vinyl-rubber and the painting is definitely not Britains, so I suspect a good copy!

It's the holes in the feet which make for the Britains link, the separate arm also being a feature of the Britains figures - I'm 50/50 decided/undecided on the moulding - obviously it's the Britains pose; I'll do a direct comparison next time . . . for all I know it's in the Great Book of Britains, but that's buried in the garage at the moment!

To that end, I have removed it from the C/D/E box and will add it to the Highlander box, increasingly I seem to be going that way, the small scale are still sorted first by make, then by wider types, while the boxed/bagged/carded stuff is a bit mixed in all scales, but the loose, large-scale is best sorted thematically, even if the make is known.

The Zombies got their own box the other day and it already has five types in, although I cheated slightly by deciding October 31st's Mummies from Brian B were 'living dead', not 'skeletons' and therefore 'zombies' of a sort!

If you're wondering why the short-posts and box-tickers this week, it's that time of year when you are all finishing jobs, getting work in, completing contracts, moving house (believe it - busiest time of year for estate agents), visiting friends and relatives, doing the annual shopping expeditions and such-like, so there's a drop-off in your attention spans and over-all visits, so I'm getting easy stuff out, ticking boxes, clearing some stuff out of Picasa and - hopefully - keeping it varied and/or finding something to interest you along the way, while topping-up the tag-list!

A is for Another - Sculptures UK; Highland Piper

Like an 'R is for Return...' but new and differenter (which should be a word!), we looked at one of these Sculptures UK figures (from Peter's plunder bags) back in the summer, and it turns out that not only was there one in the storage-pile, it may be one of the first larger scale figures to join the collection, being - from memory - a charity-shop purchase in Newbury or Hungerford in late 2008 or early 2009

Looks to be a different sculptor, or maybe he was better at layers of flowing garb (the face is similar to the previous figure's), but I think a different hand/technique is involved here? The pipes and - I suspect - the hands are a single metal casting set into the resin, which is sensible as otherwise the thing wouldn't survive removal from it packaging, while this has survived losing its packaging years ago, a trip to and from charity and seven years in storage!

As with the previous post I haven't the faintest idea who's tartan this is, or indeed; whether it's a made-up one? Following Gisby's lead last time I found several Highlanders including Royal Stewart and Black Watch piper paint-ups of this sculpt - this is neither. But it's cleverly done with four colours over the base, which is finely etched with both lines and a cloth-pattern, giving the appearance - by eye - of a very fine print, all done through 'technique'!

As you may have gathered by now, the Highland box turned-up the other day, so I will be giving them the same treatment as the Guards, but I need to combine with the attic stash first and look up Regimental-tartan, hopefully over the weekend?

Q is for Question Time - Highlanders

These are odd, I had five in storage and picked-up a couple more this year somewhere; PW's show or Sandown Park? I have a feeling someone once told me who made them or where they come from, and they are similar to the Toyway vinyl run of Timpo solid late version combat highlanders (a dense, glossy-painted PVC), but obviously these are parade/musician types with smaller bases.

Upper shot, let top right - the four poses so far discovered by me (that's not a 'discovery', they do turn up and I'd seen them before with dealers and so on before I started collecting larger scales a few years ago); Drum Major (Pipe Major?), drummer, bass-drummer and piper.

Lower shot - there are several tartans on display, leading one to wonder if they represent real or generic cloths and might be touristy things. I seem to recall Britains collectors saying the all-green one (second in) is Black Watch, but I'd need to gen-up properly before attempting the others!

I love the little 'big' cat's head over the shoulders of the bass-drummer! The bass drummer needed a hot-water treatment before he would stand-up properly, and follows the pattern of most similar figures in having the drum affixed by a long, integral spigot spearing the drummers chest!

These two drummers are actually different mould-cavities, note the thicker base on the right-hand example in both pictures (yet he's still also slightly shorter) and the yellow-weave stencil of their tartan is slightly different too, suggesting they may have been sprayed together while still on the runners?

I'm not sure if the left-hand drummer is a repaint or not (again the thinner-based, taller moulding), looking at the little area of waist-band between the halves of the jacket, there's no sign of a previous scheme so I guess the kilt is genuine, but I suspect the white may have been touched-up by hand . . . including the eyes!?

The most recent piper (right-hand of pair) has a deposit/film on the base which seems to have been some reaction in the factory, as it's under the green paint, and doesn't scrape off with a finger-nail. Perhaps someone sprayed a mist on the tool to cool it and it puddled on the flat area of the base? Too much mould-release lubricant . . . something like that?

Anyway, that's them as I have them so far, are they Toyway, or the same HK lot that did the Salvation Army bands, someone else . . . anyone know? And thanks to Chris Smith for the latest additions.

I is for Independence!

I don't have a say in today's vote...probably a good thing, and while I don't have the arrogance to think any post here would have made any difference to the outcome; I still felt it best to leave this post until the vote was so near it would have no effect whatsoever, yet I feel I'm allowed an opinion (McDougall's on one side, a UK citizen...) and would like to state it before the outcome is known!

I hope the Scots vote YES to Independence from the administration of Westminster (whether or not they subsequently choose to retain the monarch), in favour of 'sovereign' statehood, if you know what I mean...and I'm not sure anyone really does...

 Cherilea (left) with reissues and Monarch

Nationhood/Nationality

So the first thing to understand is that Scotland is already a 'Nation', it is one of the nations currently making up the UK, with it's own flag (possibly forced on it for the purpose of making the Union Jack prettier!), so all the Yes camp is looking for is autonomous governance to enhance and 'complete' that existing nationhood.

Secondly; both nations - England and Scotland (I'm leaving the Welsh and all colours of Irish out of this, as they have for the most part kept a respecting silence on the whole subject) are mongrel nations of immigrants from across the world and across time from before the Romans, who reported the Scotii as being from Ireland anyway!

Anyone who watched the brilliant 'Blood of the Vikings a decade or so ago will know, there's very little original anything traceable, anywhere, some Pictish in the highlands I think, some Viking in North-west Wales and Anglesey, a bit more in Northumberland/The Wash, the Britons have gone, some Breton's still in Cornwall, there are shades of Celt, Irish mostly, about the place, and of course the Assyrian mercenaries...sorry; Auxiliaries left their bagpipes beyond 'The Wall'!

The above is simplistic and inaccurate (it'd take weeks to research every dotted 'i' for a post like this - I'm typing without notes here...from the heart!), but you get the picture, we're none of us who we think we are.

I was - 36 months ago - in the 'No' camp, but then I read a couple of histories of Scotland, and here follows more simplistic generalisation; The nations were first brought together by the Scottish King James, so you could argue that by voting Yes they'll be casting-off England, but actually he kept them as separate entities. It was the bail-out from the Darian Venture that forced closer ties on the Scots and lead to so much resentment.

The Welsh (thought I wasn't going to mention them!), who were conquered in a more traditional way (and also had a flag forced on them, so that both green and a dragon could be left-off the Butcher's Apron), have always been closer to the UK and didn't really want the devolution Phony Crony Tony B. Liar gave them as they knew their situation would be dire without being part of the grater whole, not so Scotland.

The UK is the last vestige of Empire, everyone else has got independence, or; at least - all those who asked for it, why should Scotland be any different? They have fought against us on and off for most of this islands recorded history, why wouldn't they want independence?

It should be noted that Cornwall is also a nation, with it's own courts and parliamentary structures, no oft used, but there in the statutes, so if Scotland does vote Yes, we just change the blue to black {Cornwall has a white on black saltire}, and maybe a bit of green?...a dragon?

They've also fought for us - Harry Payne paper soldier 'scraps' concertinaed together

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

Everything I've heard, from BOTH sides, since day one has been either and/or; hyperbole, propaganda, lies, estimates, hypocrisy, political expediency, plain insult, emotive tosh or nationalistic flag-waving of the worst 'patriotism-for-scoundrels-to-run-to' (remember the WWI post the other week!) kind. And for 'both sides' read all sides; I don't know about you but I'm sick of so-called 'neutrals' coming-out in favour of Stay Together...usually after a briefing in Westminster!

Firstly - most nations who go independent make a half-good job of it after the 'parent' has fought tooth and nail to keep hold of them - for purely selfish reasons!

Secondly - You can't make definitive statements about the unknown, the Vote is for Independence, not a fully fledged, fully autonomous nation-state, ready for a seat in the UN next Friday!

There will be 16/18 months of negotiations (I believe there are scheduled elections for March 2016, which is a target, but the date's not set in stone), and following a democratic Yes vote in the referendum, these will likely be amicable, or as amicable as possible, which will sort out all sorts of things....including all the more outrageous claims and counter claims of the last year or so....lets look at a few of them...

Can't be in the EU - Already in the EU, they'd be separating from the UK, not the EU, Stay Together and it's supporters in Brussels can say all they like to frighten simpletons, but if it comes to it the European Court would correctly rule that Scotland (and the individuals in it) hadn't left the EU, didn't intend to leave the EU and therefore had every right to remain in the EU. Or is the EU going to pay out a pro-rata rebate (for 5.something million heads) and cut them loose whatever?

Can't be in NATO - As if NATO is going to let-go of some of it's best units in a fit of pique? I don't think so! It stands to reason that in the debates following a successful Yes vote, Scotland would get those regiments with Scottish heritage, title or recruiting area, support elements for them, some planes and helicopters (pro rata) and - in my best fag-packet maths - a few fishery-protection/mine warfare vessels with smaller harbour-support stuff. NATO is not going to kiss that stuff goodbye, it just isn't. there would be a fast track to fit the Scottish C3I into the NATO structure, and because once the dust has settled the ties that bind will be stronger than the shite coming from the mouths of Stay Together, they'd probably retain a joint role, or enjoy joint training with UK forces?

Nuclear Submarines at Faslane's HMNB Clyde - I would imagine that in the event of a Yes vote, there would be a deal, to hire/lease/rent the base for a number of years and compensate the remaining 'UK' for the cost of relocation...it's called Realpolitik, and it happens all the time, it's distasteful, but it's reality.

Banks/Money - I've never read and heard so much cods-wallop from BOTH sides in all my life...People in Azerbaijan, Alaska and Auckland all pull their UK pensions with no problems, the banks are mostly English in all but name; English customers, branches and funds vastly outnumbering those in the  Scottish area, those banks will sort themselves out following a Yes vote - they'll have to. The pound is as much Scotland's as 'ours', if they chose to use it, or peg their economy to it there is nothing 'we' can do! Finland uses the Euro, Panama uses the Dollar...see? It's a globally traded currency, and Scottland has enough of them to go on using them long after Cameron's temper tantrums are consigned to history. And again; they will be using it after Thursday whatever the vote, and a Yes will lead to  months of negotiations...everything prior to that point is just bullshit, and the media have made it sound like the end of everything!

Yes Scotland graphic

The Big Bribe - That Er...Isn't!

3 years ago the Yes camp had 14% of the vote in the bag, Westminster did nothing in their arrogance, and that figure got closer and closer to 50%. Suddenly - last Wednesday - the shit hit the fan and according to the tabloid filth; the end of the world was nigh! Devo-max (a curates egg is ever there was one, if there's a calling for that level of devolution there's a calling to give Scotland independence without a vote!) which Cockwomble Cameron wouldn't include on the ballot-sheet - was back on the table, embiggened to the MAX without any reference to Parliament in Westminster, which has had - mostly Tory - backbenchers choking into their breakfast Mine Kamp's for the last few days, swearing it won't happen over their dead bodies and why should the 'British' (read; Little Englanders) be expected to pay for Scottish (read; the 'auld-enemy's) deep-fried Mars Bars...it's not only a last minute bribe, it's a crap one that won't stand up to scrutiny, and will never happen!!! Jesus save us from the establishment, they're as thick as pig-shit, if not thicker, but they're in power...and doing stuff...that effects lives...

...two weeks ago a poll also found 60% of the English believe Westminster should punish the Scots if they vote No.

Yes Campaign graphic

I could go on, and on and on; the stuff in the papers in the last few days, the provable bias of the BBC, the execrable little Stay Together shit on the World service last night, throwing bile at everyone including the listeners...but you get the picture...it's all rubbish, untried, untested "our view is the only view" rubbish. I will just look at one recent piece...In tonight's Evening Standard there was a scare story about mass job-losses at the Scottish tax office...as if Scotland wouldn't need its own tax facilities! Risible junk, from a paper I used to admire...in the '80's!

Britain is broken, Scotland can be a very successful Independent State, and in voting Yes to do so can help concentrate minds in Westminster and Brussels to the way Corporate Capital is usurping democracy. Smaller poorer nations have managed independence with no problems to speak of, and Toyota, Mercedes, Microsoft or Google don't care where the lines are on the map.

Hong Kong - after Britians

Ponderings from my Facebook 'Wall' the last few days...

150-odd nations have gained Independence since 1945 (or something like that - can't beat an uneducated generalisation!), most have made a reasonable job of it, some with a new currency, some with a pegged currency...no reason why Scotland can't!

Vote Yes, yes, yes...London will enslave us all in the name of profit!

Voting to retain the UK for historical reasons or love of the flag...is the worst reason there is (it means you're probably over 45 and averse to change!). All the other reasons (pro and con) are lies, hollow threats & promises or other forms of propaganda, you won't know until you try...but it's gotta be better to NOT be part of someone else's little empire...gotta-be! Vote YES for nationhood!

Being a realist I know it's all down to the undecided's, the recently registered and whether the youngsters will A) turn-up and B) vote rather than spoiling the ballot with a Simpson's/TOWIE/Hunger Games quote!

Every time the ruling elite issues a threat the 'Yes' vote goes up, it really is like watching a train wreak in slow motion...good luck Scot-land!

We're weaker every day, global corporate interests are consuming what's left of democracy, TTIP will end government by the people without the people being asked, and where you've drawn the lines on the map makes no difference to Toyota, Cadbury or Microsoft.

Why would they want 'clout', they want to govern themselves, as 5 million Scots, not a forgotten administrative rump of greedy London! Tiny little nations make up the bulk of the worlds nations, and the power of the 'big boys' has done nothing but harm for centuries, not having clout means you can't fund terrorism, start wars, rip-off Sierra Leone, steal your neighbours land...give them FREEDOM!

You get the same thing with discussions on expanding Heathrow, taxing bankers, mansions etc..."we'll all go somewhere else", yet Norway, which has the highest tax (and highest levels of social infrastructure) suffers no brain-drain, no wealth drain and continues to remain a beacon of socially-responsible democracy. It's also used it's oil revenue to build a Sovereign Wealth Fund of billions (hundreds of billions), while we've wasted all ours preparing state assets for sell-off and destroying the organisation of the workers, without even lowering tax to reflect the loss of those assets and their associate costs...because we're still subsidising them to ensure the private owners make a profit!

Remember - London gets up to 100% more per head for some things (roads) and considerably more per head for everything than any other area, region of municipality in the UK, every minute of every day!

"You get what you deserve", lets hope they vote for something else! The UK is the last vestige of Empire, if Luxembourg can manage independence so can Essex!

Good Luck, yer Highland Reavers, you! Send the world a message...self determination along cultural lines, whatever's on the map! Cadburycolavagencorp don't care where the boarders are on the map, they'll still top up their drinks machines, open their show-rooms and sell you their sugary-shite!

So far; the only person jailed for intimidation (or fined? or whatever...up before the Beak anyways!) was a 'stay together' supporter!

Just listened to a really biased 'debate' on currency on the World Service #lying #BBC, where some fatuous git from Landaan Town was allowed to sarcastically shout at the interviewer, the Scots independence rep and the entire listener-ship, while the Scots guy got about a fifth of the air-time to speak calmly and patiently while knocking down every establishment lie!

I just prey the Scots see the last minute bribes (not available to the postal voters, so technically; 'gerrymandering') for what they are...BRIBES, and vote YES to independence....

Vote 'yes' and you might save Europe (and the UK) from themselves...vote 'no' and TTIP will sell 2000 years of striving for betterment to Cokapepsicorp for a pound!

Is that a picture of a biased #lying #BBC reporter....I'm getting sick of pictures of biased #lying #BBC reporters!

I stick two fingers up to the Sun every time I see it and I haven't been polled yet! Freedom and independence for the existing nation of Scotland - common sense!

The thing to emphasise at the polling stations tomorrow is - most independent countries make a good job of it...but MORE importantly...all 'Parent' countries fought to prevent that independence - for purely selfish reasons...with lies!

Conclusion?

I think that Better Together may just scrape in, but if they do; it won't change anything. Indeed it may make things much worse, both sides of the boarder, but one lives in hope. Hope that the people of Scotland will chose the 'Yes' path of a community based on local cultural ties, not the dictates of faceless cockwombles in Westminster. The hope that those same cockwombles might just realise they've gone too far and need to listen to all of the people, more of the time, the hope...hopes....

Bit scrappy, but I've rather thrown it together, and there are some nice pictures of toy soldiers for those of you with your heads in the sand!