Things you probably wouldn't want to do #825,321.75

People that like to have a rant: the Scots
Subject they like to rant about: the Union, whatever their stance on it

So would anyone in their right mind have an open comments site for Scots (or indeed anyone else that cared, ie noone) to comment on a proposed referendum for independence?

Yup.

The National Conversation.

We are only 3 months behind here, which is quite good as yesterday we were in 2006.

I've read something like 6 comments and I'm itching to say something. Itching. Itching. I shall refrain, because "oh my god get me away from these cretins, I quite like England and I LOVE Wales" probably wouldn't be all that helpful. I don't believe that's representative of what I actually think about independence anyway. I want to be (properly) part of Europe. Or we could form an alliance with Norway and Switzerland and go completely in the other direction. Hmm. I don't know what I think. I need someone to understand politics for me and explain it s-l-o-w-l-y. Or I might become a politician.

Scarily, this looks like they want the people of Scotland to think up their own constitution. 24 hour compulsory drinking, free fags and regular stoning of the English does not a constitution make.

Fla fla fla. Roads and stuff.

Financial pondering

Could some of the money that's being shuffled to save banks not be given to the employees who have lost their job? Just a thought.

Aside from job losses, which are horrible whether it's Mr Brown at no 10 or Mr Brown from down the road, I am still pleased at the demise of HBOS. I don't care if it's a Scottish institution, frankly, and as far as printing our own bank notes, RBS does that fine. We're a bit idiotic for wanting to hang onto a bank that holds no power in the slightest, we are still under the influence of the Bank of England. Which presumably won't be taken over. If we get independence, we'd presumably become a functional part of Europe and adopt the Euro. Virtually none of the spectacular buildings in Edinburgh are still used for their original function, I hardly think it matters for BoS Head Office as long as it remains where it is. Lovely view for flats.

I'm not sure where I stand on independence by the way, I just think Alex Salmond is the only one of them at the moment that doesn't deserve a public flogging and that's what he wants. I think.

As for the new name for the new bank, are they going to be Lloyds TSB HBOS? Lloyds TSB works just fine, HBOS is dead and the brand name doesn't need to be retained in memorium. The names could be attached to relevant products; for example the diddy account that doesn't even have a debit card - the HBOS account. The mortgage for people with poor credit history? The Halifax mortgage.