BIRTHDAY CHARITY EVENT

PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS

The above photo shows from left to right, my dad, Cllr Tommy Williams, me and Cllr Mark McMillan. Other Councillors present on the night included Cllr Sam Mullin who provided the disco and Cllr Bob McGerty. This week the Paisley Daily Express contacted me to ask if they could do a feature on party etc I advised they could and provided them with the information as well as a photo, although a little tacky (me with a photo of Tebo) if it helps get more money for Leukemia Research I am all for it.

Remember the page is open until the 23rd of November!

RUSH LIMBAUGH IS AN IDIOT

MICHAEL J FOX

As I am not American I did not hear Mr Limbaugh attack Michael J Fox for his appearance on a Democratic Hopefuls advertisement, if I had I think I would have broken the radio! Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease affecting the motor functions of the body, as someone who has watched a close family friend fight the disease I was appalled by Mr Limbaugh's attack.

His apology was not much better! He said 'IF I am wrong in characterising his behaviour (Michael J Fox's behaviour) on this commercial as an act' then he would admit he was wrong and apologise! I cannot help but think that it may have been better if Mr Limbaugh had actually researched (or paid someone to do it for him) the topic of Parkinson's disease and found out what the symptoms are.

I think that Michael J Fox is extremely courageous putting himself in the firing line and standing up for his beliefs. Before the last elections I emailed George Bush and asked him to reconsider his stance on stem cell research I pointed out that he had been lucky enough that none of his immediate family had been blighted with a condition (to the best of my knowledge) which could benefit from stem cell research. I never received a response, not even an acknowledgement that they had received the email, I didn't expect a response from Mr Bush but even a campaign worker or low level staffer saying your views have been taken on board would not have been out of order!

So to Michael J Fox I say, good for you and always remember ...

If your opponents are attacking you, you must be doing something right!

BIRTHDAY CHARITY EVENT

PHOTO TIME

OK the above is a photo of my family that were present at my 30th Birthday part, the photo was taken by my friend Vanessa (thanks Vanessa) and although there were a few of the family missing due to work and what not it was great to see so many of them there!

And before anyone points this fact out to me and I know that I am getting phototastic but it is fun!

Sri Lanka and Norway

PROTESTING IN ROME

The above is a photo of protesters in the Centre of Rome, on Thursday the 19th of October, I must admit to being somewhat confused as to what the banners were on about so I have recently googled it and found out a wee bit more about it!

It turns out that Norway has been playing a 'peace keeping' role in Sri Lanka, according to the information I have found there is some dispute about their impartiality! I am going to keep reading but if you know anymore about it, please leave a comment!

The Police presence was interesting to say the least, the march seemed extremely peaceful despite the riot gear and massive police presence.

ROMA 2006

ROMA 2006

This is me on my mobile to my dad, while he was stuck in Paisley and I am on the open top bus outside the Colosseum, my sister Clare took the photo, she was laughing because my dad had called for advice on a computer glitch! It is excellent how you can keep in touch when you are so far away!

The above photo is above is me on the last night of the holiday during our meal, which was fantastic, I will have to get the name of the restaurant and give it a plug on here because the food was excellent!

ROMA 2006

ROMA 2006 PHOTOS

These are just a few of the photos I took in Rome, these ones were taken on the open top bus, on the tour we saw the Colosseum, the Vatican, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Giardini del Quirinale and Finnegans Irish Pub for the Celtic game! If you spot yourself on the photos above you were obviously on the bus at the same time and I hope you had as much fun as we did. The first photo is NOT of the Colosseum but a building which was constructed sometime after the Colosseum and meant to look like it! The second photo is of St Peters Square and the Vatican, and the third photograph is of the Colosseum itself in all it's splendour!

IN FLIGHT SECURITY

FOR OUR SECURITY?

OK the title above is a little misleading I actually have no problems with the added security requirements, although I think there are slight problems with them that need to be addressed.

The biggest glitch I found was that when coming home we took advantage of the Duty Free and bought a few bottles of wine and the like, at the cashiers desk the teller put the bottles into a clear plastic bag, tied the top and put a security tag (which you would have had to cut to get to the bottles) with a number on it. There were no problems getting onto the plane with the bottles at Champino airport, the problem came when we went to check in for the Belfast to Glasgow flight.

The problem was that when we went to check in, the girl at the desk advised that we could not carry the bottles onto the plane we had to put them into the hold luggage. Now this was a little traumatic for us as we had to then try and rearrange the contents of the suitcase on the concourse of Belfast International Airport, but we managed and thanks to our request for a fragile sticker the bottles were in tact at the other end.

Question what happens if you are flying with BA or a similar company and it is a connecting flight so your bags go straight through? Are you then not allowed to buy duty free (ie alcohol)? Surely as the tag has a number on it and they use your boarding pass to register it, the purchase can be traced and checked? I think I will write to the Transport Minister Douglas Alexander and ask!

SNP UPSET

NATIONALIST FORUM

Well it turns out that this website is being read by some not of the Labour persuasion, just for those people who are posting on the 'Free Scot review' forum neither me nor my dad have posted or will post messages on your site, we have better things to do like representing our constituents! Your insecurities are showing here, why are you so afraid of challenging opinions? Why are you intent in using personal attacks rather than policies or politics to prove your argument? Because you have neither?

The only reason I found out about it was because so many of you have visited my website, the stat counter advertised at the bottom of this page gives me the details of where you have been last! So just for you all, unlike you all I reveal my name when I post, I am not ashamed of my views and I believe that if you want to make a point and stand by your convictions you should have courage and reveal your identity.

COUNCILLOR RAYLEEN KELLY

HOUSING STOCK TRANSFER

Earlier this week Renfrewshire tenants voted by a majority of 36 votes to reject the proposal to transfer the housing stock to a not for profit Housing Association.

Despite the SNP and SSP claims that it will be OK because the Scottish Executive or the Treasury will give the Council the money there have been no indications to this effect. They are claiming this as a victory but the tenants that I have spoken to are not so sure, they are concerned about where we go now!

Keep this in mind those who are professing to be the saviours of the tenants, not one of them actually lives in a council house! Mr's Hogg and McCartney from the SSP certainly don't live in a council house, and before the accusation gets fired back, I have never suggested I do, I have similarly never told the tenants to vote in a particular way because I am very aware that it is the tenants choice! The mistruths being put forward by the SSP and the group Mr McCartney professes to represent are shameless, maybe they have the answer now? I doubt it!

SNP HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY

Having been away for the last week, I have missed a lot of the local and national news, I have seen however the SNP leader Alex Salmond and the SNP have been found out! I noticed an article in the Scotsman which shows what Wendy Alexander MSP said in the Parliament some time ago, that their education policy doesn't add up!

Instead of challenging the assertions Alex Salmond is complaining that the Civil Service neutrality has been compromised as it was the civil servants who wrote the report. There is nothing new here, Wendy Alexander MSP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North already pointed this out in the debate on Student finance last month, which I covered on this web page!

Instead of the whinging at comments at the end of the Scotsman article it would be more appropriate for the SNP to actually address the content! Alas they can't because they don't have an answer they thought that they could get away with incompetence!

BIRTHDAY CHARITY EVENT

LEUKEMIA RESEARCH

As I have said before it was a fantastic night, loads of money raised and I think everyone had an enjoyable night, there were some people who were missing but most had already let me know they couldn't make it!

The amount so far is over £800 (between the online site and the donations on the night) so thanks to everyone who made a donation, anyone who didn't but wishes to please do not hesitate to visit the web page as it is open until the 23rd of November.

ROMA 2006

ROME 2006

OK I am back and I had a fantastic time, my feet are extremely sore due to all the walking, but it was definitely worth it! Clare and Lucy deserve a huge mention here for their organisational skills and their skill at reading the map! We saw the sights, tasted the food and shopped till we dropped.


Although Rome is beautiful I did notice that many of the problems that exist here in Scotland are prominent in Rome, the most obvious examples are those of Graffiti and Parking!


The graffiti is rife, although because it is in Italian (obviously) you don't know what the slogans are, it is unsightly.

Parking and driving in Rome is a NIGHTMARE! Outside our hotel which was situated next to Termini (the main station in Rome) in the last day there were two accidents involving cars and mopeds, obviously the mopeds came off worst. Smart cars seem to be the order of the day in Rome as you can pretty much park them anywhere, although people pretty much do that anyway without taking account of the size of the vehicle!

I will post some photos in a short while, just need to get settled back into the way of things first.