| Wednesday, January 25, 2006 |
| OUR LEADERS - PART 1 - 'JOKE' McCONNELL |
 I wanted to start a little series of profiles of some of the leaders of the world, and where better to start than at home?
Jack McConnell is Scotland's 'First Minister'. This position and the title came about when Scotland overwhelmingly voted to have a parliament of its own, devolved from Westminster. The title 'First Minister' was selected because it makes the holder of the title seem important but not quite as important as a PRIME Minister. This is vitally important if the ego's of the politicians in London are to be protected, which they must be, at any cost.
McConnell is the third person to be Scotland's First Minister. The first one, Donald Dewar died while in office. The second, Henry McLeish, was deposed after a scandal involving subletting office space and £36,000 pounds. In other words, losing the initial First Minister may be considered unfortunate, losing the second may be considered careless, but to lose the third would be a godsend.
Jack McConnell is not a man to be outdone when it comes to being 'fishy'...
According to Spinwatch, on 8 January, 2004 the prestigious journal Science reported that Scottish farmed salmon contained high levels of toxins. Using corporate front groups, the salmon industry quickly moved to spin the story and discredit the research. Spinwatch argues that the PR campaign implicated Scottish First Minister, Jack McConnell, in a conflict of interest. The Executive pumped £1.5 million into the campaign to convince the public that salmon was safe. The most valuable gift McConnell received as First Minister was a pair of gold cuff-links given to him by Marine Harvest. McConnell's brother also runs a Marine Harvest fish farm.
McConnell was also implicated in the first lobbying scandal of the Scottish Parliament, know as lobbygate...
A newspaper alleged that an undercover journalist had evidence that the company's executives were offering preferential access to Scottish ministers and openly boasted that Mr McConnell was a former employee of the firm.
A parliamentary probe later cleared him of any wrongdoing and Mr McConnell's reputation stayed intact.
Yes, his reputation as F%*"^!&))$>>£%^(THIS SECTION HAS BEEN CENSORED BY THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE - NB we call it an 'Executive' because Tony wouldn't let us call it a government) has been secured.
One significant record Mr McConnell holds is the record for the number of 'gifts' given to politicians in Scotland...
1 Jack McConnell, Finance Minister 1999-2000, Education, Europe & external affairs minister 2001, First Minister 2001-
120 [gifts]
Twelve bottles of whisky, two bottles of vodka, champagne, bacardi, liqueur, brandy and four bottles of organic beer from Allied Distillers, Inverness Council, Russia, China, Georgia and others. Nineteen tickets for football and rugby matches, films and balls from Celtic FC, Motherwell FC, BT Scotland, British Linen Bank, Scottish Screen, Associated Newspapers (owners of the Daily Mail) and others. Nine golfing items, including shirts from Western Isles Council, an umbrella from Silvercups Studio and a quaich from the Scottish Amputee Golf Society. Five pairs of cufflinks, including Gold salmon ones from the fish farming multinational, Marine Harvest. Dinner and overnight hospitality from Rupert Murdoch's News International, publishers of The Sun, The Times and the Sunday Times. If nothing else, the amount of alcohol he received proves his credentials as a Scotsman.
He was in trouble again recently when he holidayed with the presenter of one of the UK's main current affairs shows. Yet again, he was cleared.
 McConnell is widely regarded as a machine politician - a man of no firm convictions who has played politics for power - not for any heartfelt feelings about issues. He supported the war in Iraq. He enjoys meeting other world leaders and significant people but is at something of a loss at what to say to them when they arrive. Tony told him never to talk to powerful strangers when he is not there.
In this picture Tony's hair appears ruffled and his shirt and tie look a little messed up. Jack is emerging from the car after him. Thumping the tub wonders what back seat shenanigans were going on? (obviously the term 'back seat shenanigans' refers only to possible political activity undertaken by the two leaders in the car on their way to wherever they were going that day).  It is not widely known that the job of First Minister has wreaked havoc with Jack McConnells knees. This is because of all the kneeling he has to do when Tony Blair enters the room.
He is often referred to as 'Joke' McConnell because many people feel that he just does what Tony tells him too. A poodle's poodle in fact.
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posted by michael the tubthumper @ 1:29 pm  |
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| 3 Comments: |
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Of course, we KNEW what the tub thumper emant by 'shenanigans"..what kind of scandal mongering liberals do you think we are???
That picture looks a like one of the wacky scenes from "The Wall".
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Tubby, doesn't it just make you proud to be Scots! I wonder how Oor Jackie feels at being the lapdog of a lapdog....?
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i think he must enjoy it. he gets to meet important people and pretend like he is on the decisions
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| What is Tubthumping and who is doing it? |
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Name: michael the tubthumper
Home: Glasgow, Scotland
About Me: Tub-Thumper - 1. A speaker or preacher who for emphasis thumps the pulpit; a violent or declamatory preacher or orator; a ranter. This blog will be a combination of reasoned posting somedays and an occasional rant.
28 years old, I write and research for a couple of websites and also do my own stuff.
See my complete profile
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| Thumping The Tub Video |
I have made a few short movies. Here are links to free downloads for them all in the order that I made them (as far as I can remember). Please feel free to use, distribute, disagree with, shout at etc etc
Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition
This was a REAL song from World War 2. I was so stunned by it I had to make a movie
How Far Is It From Here to Nuremberg
This is my attempt at a video for the excellent, if worrying, David Rovics (see links) song
What You Like
I believe the word for this is "splenetic". Only 20 seconds long.
Imperial Measures
What is going on in Iraq? Some things you knew, some you didn't. A couple of bits of info are out of date now.
Wish You Were Here
Wish You Were Here is a 6 minute film about the unprecendted rate of animal extinction we are currently experiencing
Gorillas and us
I don't like creationism, neither did Douglas Adams
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| Recent Thumping |
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| Older Thumping |
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| Links |
spinwatch
adbusters
internet archive
art not oil
blairwatch
bushflash
camcorder guerillas
corporate watch
campaign for press freedom
noam chomsky
common dreams
counterpunch
cost of war
david rovics
democracy now
dissident voice
the dossier
downing street says
etims
robert fisk
food not bombs
global research
gmwatch
impeach blair
indybay video
killing hope
lobbywatch
mediachannel
medialens
mickey z
mixed up records
george monbiot
mark thomas
john pilger
radio 4 all
schnews
snow shoe films
sourcewatch
tom englehardt
ukwatch
video activist network
howard zinn
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U.S. MONETARY Cost of the War in Iraq - other people are spending too, and the human cost is much higher
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| some of the blogs I look at |
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| Arse of the month |
The inaugural 'Arse of the month' award goes to our very own Scottish First Minister Jack (Joke) McConnell. He seems to spend a lot of his time sucking up to english politicians and yet it appears they don't even know his name. Follow the link to see..
NODOBY KNOWS ME
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| It's All Gone Scottish |
A list of some other Scottish sites and blogs most of which, if not all, are pro-independence. I don't agree with content on all of them obviously. Some are Scots at home, others abroad.
The Scottish Patient
Kim Ayres
Our Scotland
average tosser
1820
big stick small carrot
J. Arthur MacNumpty
World of Jack McConnell
The Firefox Chronicles
Independence 1st
Radio Free Scotland
Scots and independent
Scottish Independence Guide
TCOAW
Small Nation
Inveresk Street Ingrate
Radical Glasgow
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| Want to Swot? |
If you like this site and think it is time to start getting informed here are a few real favourites of mine that will help you blow away the corporate and government propaganda you are constantly bombarded with. It is added to every so often.
politics and the english language
Beyond Hope
the gore exception
your tax dollars at work
a cultural chernobyl
choose life (not trainspotting)
shooting an elephant
a war crime within a war crime...
the menace of liberal scholarship
the modern era of law
naming the problem
the four ages of sand
a news revolution has begun
come september
money is the cause of poverty
countering corporate power
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| Other Stuff |
Who links to me?
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Blogdust
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Of course, we KNEW what the tub thumper emant by 'shenanigans"..what kind of scandal mongering liberals do you think we are???
That picture looks a like one of the wacky scenes from "The Wall".