Buddy can you spare a dime?

There is something depressingly predictable about the threats being received by the three members of the SFA panel who imposed a £160,000 fine and one season transfer embargo on Rangers.

I just did a quick calculation and as a fraction of the possible £132,000,000 debt faced by the club, in percentage terms £160,000 represents the following:

Independent

One of the best prospects for Scottish independence will surely be that in the bright new dawn of a democratic socialist state, The country will at last be free from the odious influence of big business.

Doh!

Is it just me?

Well it obviously is because I have just googled it and there were no responses. However, I am having breakfast this morning at one of the 2012 Olympics sponsors’ premises. From the window I can see the highly original and innovative grotesque images of Wenlock and Mandeville, the Olympic mascots.

The restaurant kindly supplies free wi-fi so I am able to make the following observation:

Looking into the eye(s) of Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville

Examining frogspawn

And speaking of google, those chaps have a sense of humour. Google the word askew and I dare you not to smile.

Kintyred

I took these photos from the homeward bound bus from Campbeltown yesterday. You can see my reflection on the bus window on some of them but I hope that doesn’t spoil your enjoyment.

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Can you ‘spot’ good music?

I’m trying out a new WordPress feature here. I’m a big fan of Spotify and subscribe to their premium service. The Word Magazine has compiled a playlist which they have called “33 years of underrated albums as capriciously chosen by The Word”

And if this new feature works, it should appear as if by magic below.

The name’s Bond….

“The world’s best three wheeler” was apparently a selling point in 1958.

Just how exciting was this car?

In 1958?

I had one of these….

Can anyone remember the game in which the graphics were a series of vegetable gardens and you (the player) were a caterpillar trying to eat all the veg? At each stage the garden was more of a maze and you had to do it in a quicker time. At the end of each stage the caterpillar shouted “Yippee!”

Or am I getting mixed up with my other recreational habits of the time?

PS Did anyone actually know anyone with a C5?

A spell of humour….

via Claret and Amber:

Chancer?

I’m confused by the latest developments in the Rangers administration story.

From what I can gather, an American, who it is doubtful has ever even met a Scotsman or watched a fitba’ match wants to buy Rangers.

No, sorry, that should read he wants to buy Rangers assets for £11 million (they are worth several times that) and leave its liabilities in administration. He wants to do this without striking a deal with either the club’s majority shareholder or Ticketus.

As if Rangers’ creditors (including HMRC) are going to settle for £11 million.

Furthermore he wants guarantees in place that if he succeeds in performing this conjuring trick, that the SFA and SPL will not punish any newco club with points deduction, relegation or forfeiture of any historic honours won by Rangers.

The very fact that this guy is even being given any credibility by the administrators or those in the corridors of power in Scottish football is a disgrace.

From here it looks to this blogger that if a deal is done to let this guy take over Rangers it could very well be the end for them and will surrender any remaining credibility for Scottish Football.

If it does happen it will be because there is a collective will to save Rangers at any cost, even if the cost is greater to the wider game in Scotland.

Duff and Phelps continue to make £600 per hour out of this nonsense.

Edited to add : And yet overnight the situation has become even more confusing. The SFA has imposed a life ban from Scottish Football on Mr Rhyming Slang. Presumably they have concluded that he is to be held up as the man to blame for the whole mess. They have also banned the club from signing new players for a season. It would seem that scuppers any remaining hope of Rangers avoiding liquidation and that Duff and Phelps have trousered a couple of million quid for nothing. Trebles all round!