G8 Summit protests in Gleneagles. Who's going? Who's worried?

[bennywhale]

Anyone going?

Who's doing what?

Anyone worried about the behaviour of the poilce?

[sweetheart]

1. I'm planning to get the hell out of scotland

I can't conscience standing so close to bush, as geez, my home is only
4 hours away from gleneagles... and i was gonna get the hell out of
scotland.

I've stayed at gleneagles, and its a very posh rural resort-hotel
between perth and sterling... that is rather easy to defend.. as i
hear, they're putting up a 5 mile cordon/fence, so that no protester
is seen by a war criminal... and defending the war criminals with
100 million pounds of security that they don't even spend on the queen!

My view is its a huge mistake for any country to support the G8
corporatist war criminals of new fascist bolshevism... and while some
are planning to protest, i'm gonna get the hell out.

I expect it to be a public relations disaster, as local UK politicians
don't get this kind of security, so the whole meeting will be at a net
cost to anyone in scotland and ZERO benefits. Why don't they go meet
on a ship somewhere, better yet a prison ship, and stay there!.. or an
island like Saint Kilda. Then they can be "in scotland" and leave
decent people alone.

[Nihil]

4. I'd go one better ...

> Why don't they go meet ... an island like Saint Kilda. Then they can
> be "in scotland" and leave decent people alone.

Gruinard!

This could be a really good idea for the Scottish Tourist Board ...
"Looking for the ideal site for those top-level meetings that seem
to draw those pesky protesters? We in Scotland have the answer!
An entire genuine Scottish island, reserved for your party!
No-one allowed to land on the island except by YOUR permission!
All of your guests (and staff) are housed in traditional rustic
cottages and we even supply sheep for those cold, lonely evenings!"

What d'ya think?

[sweetheart]

5. Skildir (norse for Saint Kilda)

I'm seeing it. There are several islands in the orkney chain
they could use quite exclusively.... but saint kilda is by
far the most remote:

http://www.scotland-inverness.co.uk/stkilda.htm

After looking at this website, perhaps "I'll" see about going
to saint kilda during this silly meeting of poodle shaggers. ;-)

Scotland is really missing out on the unique assholes-on-islands
tourism thing.... too bad.... for all those tourism revenues.

Gruinard:
http://www.celticfringe.org.uk/gruinard.htm

Stroma or Swona would be perfect as well:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/print/scotland/whereilive/popups/map.shtml?picture=map6&location=highlandsandnorthernisles

[Nihil]

6. Love it! "this silly meeting of poodle shaggers"!

Yes, I think St.Kilda has a lot going for it in terms of keeping the
buggers away from everyone else!

I was forgetting that they spent four years "cleaning up" Gruinard
but, with a bit of luck, they'd probably disturb the deep spores while
developing the "security measures" deemed necessary to protect them.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1457035.stm)

Thanks for the links and for a superb turn of phrase!

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. sweetheart - you may not realise the history of Gruinard Island

It was used for anthrax weapons testing during World War II. Officially, it's clean now - but it would be hilarious to see world leaders being the ones to prove it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1457035.stm

[Englander]

8. Also, Dr David Kelly,yes, that Dr Kelly...

was involved in the decontamination of Gruinard;

"Colleagues praise Kelly's work in island clean-up

ALASTAIR DALTON SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT

Tue 22 Jul 2003

DR DAVID Kelly’s contribution to the decontamination of a Scottish island used in wartime anthrax experiments has been fondly recalled by former colleagues.

"He was a thoroughly decent and well-respected scientist," Sir William Stewart, the chairman of the Health Protection Agency (HPA), told The Scotsman.

>snip

Dr Kelly, who was head of microbiology at the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down from 1984 to 1992, was among scientists involved in the clean-up in 1986. A mixture of formaldehyde and sea water was sprayed over two areas of the 520-acre island found to be still contaminated, with hot-spots being injected to a depth of 18in. The treated sites were later re-seeded and a flock of sheep was successfully grazed on Gruinard the following year.

The island, half a mile offshore, was declared free of anthrax in 1990. "

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=792372003

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Somehow, when the Tories said they were going to put all asylum seekers

on an island for processing, I always presumed they'd pick Gruinard Island. It just seemed to fit their attitude so well.

[sweetheart]

10. HA! "one who gets joke after explained.!"

Sounds perfect! My home office guide to citizenship left out the
biological weapons testing part. ;-)

I find that old buildings in scotland are terrible for athsma and
dust spores, so perhaps the revenge of the biological sith might yet
mess with them. May they all get lethal athletes foot!!

[McKenzie]

11. spent a week diving there in 1992

absolute heavenly place although the MoD missile tracking facility was a blot on the landscape. The missiles were fired from Benbecula, which joins North and South Uist - both wonderful places too - I have done measured drawings of the thatched buildings on the islands. we got to drink in the MoD mess though which was a hoot. If you think trying to find your way home after a few drinks is difficult on dry land try getting into an inflatable boat to get back to the ship...ssssplaaaash!

It's too heavenly a place for corporate greedies and other, assorted creepies...send them to the neighbouring island of Boreray (it's actually a sea stack rather than an island) and let the gannet colony have fun dive bombing them. Even better, drop them off on the Arctic Skua nesting sites at breeding time. The "bonxies" are fearsome beasties and will physically attack intruders. I ran away when they zoomed in on me.

As for the other islands, how about Rockall?

[Vladimir]

2. I ain't gonna be in the country, which is just as well n/t

[Taxloss]

3. I can't make it.

I protested when Bush came to London, but no way can I afford this in time or money.

[T_i_B]

12. G8 Justice & Home affairs meeting in Sheffield at present

If all the daft places to hold a meeting of G8 Justice & Interior ministers going the G8 have chosen Sheffield. They are meeting in a suburban hotel with swanky receptions in the town centre. Residents near the hotel need security clearance just to get into their own homes and large areas of the town centre are being closed for security reasons.

Of course there are a few protestors for all these shennanigans. Indeed they were out in force on Saturday whilst I was stuck in a nearby bookshop reading "Bill the Galactic Hero on the Planet of Bottled Brains". It is doubtful that G8 ministers will see very much of the protestors though.

Why couldn't they just meet somewhere a bit more out of the way? :shrug:

http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1055462

A RING of steel was being thrown around Sheffield today as the biggest ever police operation mounted in the city got under way.

Parts of the city were to be sealed off as a security measure against protestors and a possible terrorist attack as the G8 Summit began. South Yorkshire Police were preparing to close several roads in the city centre to ensure the safety of top level ministers from the world's eight most powerful nations.

South Yorkshire Police refused to say how many officers were on standby to ensure the three-day summit passes without incident.
But they said all leave had been cancelled and officers from three other forces have been drafted into the city.

[fedsron2us]

13. It is a nightmare when these clods come to town.

At least you were spared the Bush entourage. During his visit to Germany last year it appeared a good part of the country was sealed off. What is really irritating is that the Council tax payers of Sheffield are probably going to be being asked to pick up the bill for all the policing yet will receive no benefit from the visit. Still, I am glad that the big wigs are attending a reception at Cutlers Hall. It will give them some hint of Sheffield's claim to greatness. I remember taking some of my University exams there many years ago.

[T_i_B]

14. Bush entourage?

Amongst those attending we have US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. This meeting does have one or two "Bush entourage" types attending, which is part of the reason why some people wish to protest.

[fedsron2us]

15. I was thinking more the immediate camp followers of POTUS

when he pays a visit. Then they lock down whole swathes on the country. Ask most people in the UK to identify the US Attorney General or the US Homeland Security secretary and you will just get blank looks.

[sweetheart]

16. I've changed my mind, they're not driving me from my home

They can hide in gleneagles cowering in fear from the people, but i've
no mind to recognize a prison transfer with special conduct. They're
erecting a second fence around gleneagles to keep the criminals IN,
and surely it will be needed. I urge all scottish highland folks to
not feed or house an escaped criminal if one gets out, but to call the
police immediately and have them taken back to the dock.

Really, they should hold the summitt in belmarsh prison and formalize
the reality of who the criminals are.

[four more wars]

17. I'm going to Protest n/t