As many will be aware, one the policies Obama pledged to undertake when he was elected was to introduce a universal health care system in the states, as the yank system basically means if you aint got cash you don't get treated. This system is fantastic for chemical companies, health insurance, doctors and, gulp, lawyers (Giles - you could make big $$$$ there), marketing people (except nice people like me of course......)
If you have read the newspapers you'll know that the rabid US right (58% of whom don't actually believe Obama is an American and shouldn't be allowed to president,and I think about 70% believe the world is only 4,000 years old etc) are attacking the British National Health Service. Some recent attacks include:
- Any one over a certain ages doesn't get treatment
- You have no choice i.e. you have to use the NHS and nothing else
- There is a cap on drugs per patient
- That the costs are bankrupting the UK economy (strange, I thought it was the bankers)
- That's the NHS is evil (I am not making this stuff up, apparently saving lives is evil if it isn't done via health insurance etc)
The British embassy is more or less countering every point, but has to remain politically neutral.
I know the NHS is not perfect, but it provides fantastic health care for the vast majority of the population, is vastly under financed, allows people to choose to pay if they can afford to / want to, and if you look at whats happening in Wales now you'll see how it should be run (English villages on the borders asking if they can be Welsh of all things). But, lets forget arguments, and dwell on three facts:
- The UK spends less per head of population on health care than the states
- The UK is ranked 18th in the WHO list of quality of health care, the US comes 37th!
- Sarah Palin says Obama's plans are evil (this woman is f*kcing bonkers by the way)
So there you have it. Just when you think yank land is getting sane and rational, you get states legalising carry guns out in bars when people are getting pissed, and now trying to introduce a health care system that is cheaper, and will save lives, is evil.
Good old diddy David Cameron, the first Old Etonian Man of the people, has to his credit tried to re-invent the Conservative party as a centrist liberal organisation. The only really piece of total madness is his European strategy.
Basically Dai has taken the Conservative out of the largest centre right grouping in the European Parliament and aligned them with a cross section of euro-lunatics. The reasoning, I would assume, behind this was to demonstrate his euro-sceptic credentials when he has to battle his own right wing over social reforms. There have however been a couple of spanners in the works of this piece of political genius: the Poles.
First of all the Polish Freedom and Vodka (or whatever they are called) party have demanded the leadership of the grouping even though the Tories are by far the largest party (all due to shenanigans by pro-European Tories), and now the leader is on record (he is also on record as being anti-gay etc) as being totally pro-Europe! Apparently all you had to do was go to the English section of his parties website and you'll see that the party is not anti Europe or the anti new treaty at all!
Its not really a surprise that the Tories have f*cked up big time here (alienating the centre right in Europe, making themselves the laughing stock, loosing all credibility etc) when you realise the political genius behind this is none other than William Hague! Aka the only man in Britain who actually thought the Tories had won 2002 general election! More Hague ideas and Labour may win the next election after all .
These were all touched up, with may be some more highlights, and softening of the "goo".
They were matt varnished and all based to my usual method.
Total time was 20mins per figure.
Would I switch to it?
No. I paint for pleasure, but I can imagine that you can get some good results if you play around with it. And if it means gamers can get better quality armies on the field then why be so snobby about it? Its a good product.
This Swiss could have been very good if I'd spent more time on him.
