Pilton Sucks dotCom

Community has become a byword these days for any initiative claiming to be socially responsive,wether in health, education or the physical environment. In terms of housing and the built environment, the community label seems to have emerged at the point where the great mass housing projects of the post world war two era began to falter in their promises to deliver the brave new visions of those who had created them.

The notion of,community participation in planning and neighbourhood renewal then followed.The foundation for this belief being that if people were given the opportunity to express their needs and desires,then empowerment would result.

So are these ideas and ideals still as relevent today,when our traditional patterns of settlement and social relations have changed beyond recognition, and consumerism and individualism now prevail?

Well perhaps more than ever, although it may be participation of a different type which emerges. A participation based on a cultivation of enthusiasiam for the built environment as a dynamic and vital thing,where less time is spent passively pouring over plans in church halls at consultation stage,and more spent actively engaging individuals and groups within the community with their own neighbourhoods and surroundings.

P.Gallacher

Friends and readers. One of our comments received said that how would bullys like it done to them. A very understandable feeling and a sentiment with which we have some sympathy with. But we would rather have these individuals exposed and outed from the workplace.

The systematic destruction of an individual as happened to the victim of the Muirhouse bully and his hand held puppet of an assistant, shows clearly the need to root these people out of the system,and show clearly there is no place for them or anybody else who bullys others in the workplace.

As long as these cardboard cutouts are allowed to continue to behave in such a way,then all who are disgusted by this kind of behaviour will suffer, as they will feel in their heart of hearts -we could have done something-we could have said something. But it is never to late to right a wrong, so whatever you have seen or heard or even witnessed in your workplace, and it feels wrong it probably is wrong and you have a duty to report it, and bring it to the attention of senior managers.

To be absolutly fair if they do not know what is going on then simply they can do nothing about it. On the other hand if they do know and still do nothing, then they are just as guilty and should feel the same force of justice as the bully will.

So friends and readers THE MUIRHOUSE TWO saga continues, but perhaps not much longer, and justice can be delivered to the evil of bullying and its perpetrators. Never forget bullys are in the main cowards and will do everything they can to hide and deny it, but as we all know now some memories are long, and people will not forget what happened, and the brave will come forward and speak up, it is in everybodys interest to cut out the poison and inject the antidote.

So Time goes on but only to free memories and clear thoughts on events that did indeed happen,and happen in a sinister and clandistine way, a way which was a deliberate attempt to destroy another person,and if our information is correct almost did, that in its self is unforgivable and must be punished.

So friends and readers as you relax at home and steel yourself for the next working day remember, you have a duty to your fellow man, for we are all vunerable to abuse and its effects, you may well know someone who has been a victim of bullying, you may know what effect it has had on them, do not stand aside and allow it to happen, that plays into the bullys hands, and gives him a green light to continue.

We at Pilton sucks.com deplore outright any kind of bullying we have seen the results first hand of what it can do to peolple, do not let it happen to you.

Friends and readers. It would seem that we were a talking point at the last Muirhouse community council meeting. So let us set the record straight.

We are a community website,not owned or controlled by any one person, so speculation is useless about who writes what.

We have openly run an anti workplace bullying campaign, which involves potentially anyone in the workplace as you may be next, we will continue to look at and comment on local issues and will not be bullied into silence,so as to suit the powers that be.

In actual fact Piltonsucks.com presents an opportunity for frank open debate were everybody is welcome and nobody is excluded. We are not in anybodys political pocket or favour any particular movement,but see a need to up the political anti and wake the people from their slumber so they can see what is really going on around them.

It is for them to decide what if any action has to be taken to improve their lot,we offer what no other local forum does-a real voice and platform to air your views.

The posters that have been put up locally have been torn down, not by the residents but by those who wish to curtail freedom of speech-what are they frightened of what have they got to hide. Yet we see in most centres adverts for politcians and their advice sessions,so what is the difference.The big difference is that no one controls us, but unfortunatly the Labour Party controls through being the paymaster most of the local projects.

Piltonsucks.com is there to make sure that openess is on the agenda and not secret decision making designed to keep the power in as few as hands as possible.

So we are delighted to be spoken about at a community council meeting, and are more than willing to debate local issues as they come up. Greater Pilton should be a hotbed of political debate, at the moment it is snoozing,hopefully we can adjust that and bring back good old fashioned debate.  

Friends and Readers.It would seem that Edinburgh South West Labour Party is having a bit of a bash and at a mere £40 a ticket its a steal. What is this all in aid of,so money can be raised to elect Sheila Gilmore an Sarah Boyack to lord it over us in the Scottish Parliament. Of Course you can have the pleasure of the company of poison dwarf Douglas Alexander at this super bash.

How many of Labours working class supporters will be able to afford a ticket, not many we think,so it is aimed at the well heeled full of shit middle class punters of South Edinburgh.These punters must be breathing a hugh sigh of relief that they will not have to mix with the rough working class types,you know the ones who pay most of the taxes and endure most of the hardships, and receive least of the benifits.

Who does Labour think they are kidding trying to be all things to all people,but only if you are middle class or aspire to be. The party is over for these hi-jackers who pretend to have the ordinary persons interest at heart but in reality could not give a dam. These greedy slobs only want your money and time,then you will be forgotten about until the next time.

So Gilmore is leaving the sinking ship of the city chambers for another sinking ship holyrood, their greed knows no bounds.

Real Labour supporters should reject these idiots and elect their own people from their own communities and stick it right up these pompous has beens.

Here is a phone number to voice your protest or if you are stupid enough buy a ticket 07971 836152 or keziadugdale@hotmail.com. These people are making a fool out of you and taking your money at the same time, do not let them do it. Real labour people stand up and boot these impersonaters out.

Friends and Readers. Our source at Shrubhill has alerted us to strange goings on at Murrayburn gate Social Work Centre. It would seem according to our source that the C.S Manager has submitted some very large overtime claims.How can this be. We are told that the dodge used amongst others is working from home.How can you get a job like that?Of course work for the social work department

Such is his glee he is unable to contain his self and we are told he is buying drinks for all at his local rugby club. Surely questions have to be asked about what is,we are told are quite large sums of taxpayers money. Has nobody at shrubhill had the sense to ask what is going on, then again that would be to much to ask.

So not only do we have a bully in Muirhouse but a fiddler in Murrayburn, only the tune he plays is the overtime waltz.

What kind of misfits does the criminal justice setup employ. The name should be changed to criminal justice dis-service, for that is what these wasters are doing,a dis-service to all, by their seeming disregard for accountability.

No wonder the system is in a mess if these are the kind of individuals who work there. We need a complete over haul of the system, and clean out this nest of vipers, who think they are a law unto themselves.

But as long as senior management turn a blind eye to what is going on these cretins will continue to thrive.Fortunatly there are some honest people,like our source who feels trapped by what he sees and  hears but is understandably frightened to speak publicly, for the time being that is.

A do nothing culture and blame the weakest is the policy operated by an impotent Social Work Department, happy in their cushy numbers and determined not to rock the boat.

Well times change and things happen which may force the issue and make sterile management do something to rid the department of bullys ,thieves and also rans. It makes you wonder who the criminals are.

Friends and Readers. It seems Paul Nolan is not the only one who has clandistine activities to answer for. Our very own Waterfront guru has some awkward questions to answer. Councillor Elizabeth Mcginnis[were does she get the time] is up to her neck in dubious dealings and our sister site Edinburgh sucks has got wind of them to.

Dear Elizabeth, Socialist of the year is feathering her own nest while trying to come accross as all things to all people. Desperate to hang on to her seat at all costs as that is her key to the good life.

But the clock is ticking and the local punters may well decide to eject her from her cushy number. Her small circle of hangers on will not save her nor will the almost invisible local membership. But Never mind she has always got the Pilton Elderly Project to fall back on as well as Gierson Associates[were does she get the time.

Take heed Elizabeth your Waterfront pals will not come to your rescue they will leave the ship as soon as it looks like sinking,and it certainly is a little rocky. It may well be you need another foreign holiday[were does she get the time] to think things over, and come to the conclusion you are a liability to the local punters and the ever shrinking Labour Party.

Take some good advice watch out for the party wannabees they will surely dethrone you,and probably manage to lose the seat as well.We do not have to go to far back to when the party was hi-jacked by the trendies, and Labour was reduced to also-rans-it is history repeating itself.

So councillor as you ponder your future and look at all your avenues of escape,look to your friend in craigmillar he keeps on going,going,gone.You can pack the community council with your inexperienced pals who will hang on to your every word but they will not save you they probably cannot agree what day it is. 

You know it is time to go but you will like many of your pals will try and cling on to office blaming everyone and everything except yourself. The inner circle of hangers on will turn their back and walk away trying to suck up to the next seat holder.

Labour is finished and you and your like have played a major part,hope you are satisfied, crooks like Nolan and his clan will come to heel so watch and learn,and let the people decide. 

Friends and readers. As we wander around Greater Pilton we hear many different stories,some it has to be said we take with a pinch of salt others we take on board. As with many other communities we have our fair share of social problems and we try to deal with them the best we can.

But when we hear stories spread from outside we take a different view. On tuesday of last week 7-06-06 we were talking to one of our younger citizens about the evil of drugs and its repercusions on the community. His reply somewhat suprised us. He told us that he had heard one of our leading activists was a drug misuser, when we asked him were he had got this information, he told us one of his mates had told him.

Further questioning revealed the possible source of this information, we were not suprised when he told us that someone in the social work was talking about it. We are not conspiracy theorists but we have heard this rummor before. This is mischief making and we can guess who started it.

We are told mud sticks but not in this case, so beware when you are out and about that mud is not flung in your direction.Everything Pilton Sucks.com prints it can back up and is based on sound information. People come to us usually because they are to frightened to say it them selves. We should have our public bodies and representatives open to scrutiny, but more often than not this is not the case.

So by default they can get away with things which if open to scrutiny would not be the case. We were involved in an interesting debate recently in the west side of the city, a debate we have to say we have a great deal of sympathy with.

The Debate consisted of wether public bodies such as the local social work departments and housing offices should not have management committees made up of local people. It has to be said that this is a very attractive idea, and would contribute to opening these hithereto secret organisations to public scrutiny, this would go some way to stopping small minded individuals spreading muck to hide their own short comings.

This is something we will go away and think about and look at the possible disadvatages and advantages of such a scheme.But certainly it offers possibilities, and if the politicians disagree with it you can be sure it has merits.

A number of people have approached me suggesting i seek nomination for the Lothians list for next years elections to the Scottish Parliament and i have agreed to put my name forward.

No my friends not one of our associates but none other than George Foulkes.Who we hear you shout well we will tell you.

He was a former Labour councillor before he ran away to Westminster, now he is back threatening us that he will stand again. First of all who asked him,did you, we didnt. Secondly who needs him do you, we dont. Now that he has packed in at hearts he has time on his hands so what better than getting a nice cushsy well paid number in the Scottish Parliament.

It is not as if we were desperate to have him that we could not survive without him, but he thinks differently. There are a lot of good people who represent their communities that never get the chance to stand, but this greedy chancer has already had more than his fair share,and now wants more. there seems to be no end to their egos and greed.

When the Scottish Parliament first came into being The Labour Party in particular promised the punters and members new people, well where are they it is the same old recycled faces from council chambers and westminster. The rest of the parties have behaved in much the same way,private club mentality. One or two have got in as independants,but only a few and some of them are second hand party hacks.

George Foulkes and his like should stand aside and support others who have never had a chance, but he wont his ego will not let him, and that number of people he is talking about, will undoubtably be part hacks trying to hang on to his coat tails.

Dosent the Labour Party realise it is fresh thinking we need new blood, people with something to say that the average joe will listen to, not another exLabour party MP looking for a retirement home.

If he is selected and we hope not then the people of Lothian should reject him, it makes a mockery of politics that these people can please themselves when and were to stand and you the punters can like it or lump it.

Why dosent Mr.Foulkes put his money were his mouth is and stand as an independant. No chance but he will grab the party ticket and get the ever decreasing membership to do the dirty work for him.

So Comrades simple choice, believe Mr. Foulkes is the answer to all your problems the mana from heaven we have all been waiting for,or just another greedy chancer looking for a soft seat to sit in. THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

Yes friends and readers it is almost that time of year again. The illustrious Edinburgh Festival, bringing with it the usual band of luvies and over priced shows. Of coure do not forget that ever popular tourist attraction the tattoo. But what of the punters of Greater pilton we have a purpose built arts centre, that is of course if you can get in.

It Might be nice to see some of the festivals delights in our neck of the woods but alas that will not happen as the travelling band of players will not travel down this way as the culter vultures of Greater Pilton are perceived to delight in other forms of artistic pursuits. Such a shame as that was the ethos of the Festival Fringe when it was set up but like most things it has been hijacked and is now in the hands of true art lovers, you know the ones that are always cadging money, usually from the overpressed local taxpayer.

Our local Labour council are of course true art lovers you can tell by the amount of freebies doing the chambers rounds.Certainly our noble provest has to be seen enjoying the on the house activities and of course representing the plebs to.

We the mere taxpayers are told the usual story, that the festival brings in millions of pounds a year to the city, quite possibly but were does all this money go and who to. Same with that dreadful new year bash in the city centre, which again brings millions to the city,same question were does it go and who to. We are told it brings and sustains jobs in the city,fair enough but is it not cheap foreign labour we are talking about just take a look below stairs in some of our swanky hotels, where english is not a second or even third language. Should these hotels not be paying the rate or better still their working practises looked at.

But back to these missing millions where are they it makes the Da Vinci Code look like snakes and ladders. Surely some of these missing millions could come the way of us lesser mortals you know the punters that do not get to go to these super shows or more honestly cannot afford to. The brewerys and the hotel chains must love these shindigs but i do not hear them saying how much they will invest back in the city from their good fortune, no as ever greed takes over and stuff the rest.

So as the good punters from the housing schemes with their potholed roads and missing pavements, decide which of the super shows they might try to take in, they look to their diaries and remember the rent is due so is the gas and electricity bill,the kids need new shoes and their benifits are late. The fortunate ones if you can call them that, those who have jobs,festival frolicking comes way down their list, more survival in this rich city of ours.

So next time you hear a local dignitary going on about how much this city makes from these wonderous attractions, ask them who really benifits,those with the money or those without.    

Friends and readers.now that summer is in theory upon us our minds turn to al fresco dining-or eating and drinking out doors-which has been happening at the anchor inn for years. On a sunny day or for that matter any other day, you can see the patrons glass in hand betting slip in the other enjoying the outdoor life that sunny Granton has to offer.

But as the new punters move into their brand new over priced waterfront homes al fresco will be a common site and if Ms. Mcginnis has her way their cassino membership to. But of course as you can imagine there is a down side to. It sometimes rains, more often than not it is cold, or you could have the worst of all worlds the terrible treble live in one of our decaying high rise flats.

Of course those unlucky punters could still dine al-fresco if they could cut there way through the pidgon shit which litters their balconys, but down on the waterfront pidgons do not exist,they cant afford the prices. So our waterfront punters will be able to enjoy all the comforts of out side dining-if they can fit into the tiny space that is called a balcony-minus of course the load rap music which can often be heard coming from the direction of Muirhouse or the pidgon shit.

So dear friends as we laze away these summer evenings dreaming of the money supply or reading the Times leader or possibly the news of the world,certainly not the Sunday Post,we take comfort in the fact that when it is cold or when it rains it will do the same on the waterfront, the only small difference is that there will be no leaks in their houses and they will be able to afford the heating bills. It makes you smile does it not.