Soaring ever higher
Posted on
February 28, 2015 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
0 days remaining. Total at 9am today: £108,000 (Last 24 hours: £2,226)
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28 02 15 13:40
Soaring ever higher - Speymouth
Ignored
@ Rev your banging them oot the day, methinks there,s a swally nite comeing on ,ach well you & the crew deserve it,enjoy yourselves.
Well done RevStu and all who contributed. Roll on May
Keep up Rev.Your through the 75,000 barrier
Magnificent effort and now at £75,000.
Please may I play Devil’s Advocate?
By proposing a new fundraiser? To BUY the SCOTSMAN Newspaper.
I own some shares in Johnstone Press shares and they are going down the toilet. Just Google Johnston press Shares and click on the 5 year performance. It’s gone off of a cliff edge.
If WoS fundraises and buys the Scotsman it can then be proper newspaper with more objective journalism balancing the Scottish govenrnance debate and bust so many Unionist myths.
Why should the best website of it’s kind – WoS – consider this?
Because we REALLY NEED to connect with those NO voters who don’t use social media and the internet so much. It is a big enough demographic to matter. Not just for GE2015 but Holyrood 2016 and the long game.
After all, is this not how WoS came about? To balance the 37 Unionist papers and put the case for Scotland in a fairer fashion.
Food for thought?
Best regards,
Calum
ronnie anderson says:
28 February, 2015 at 12:14 pm
cearc says:
28 February, 2015 at 12:05 am
Some of youse may remember that last year lots of nice people made extra donations that were clubbed together to buy a gold badge for Ronnie Anderson.
Well, this year we are doing it for the famous, glamorous, unparalleled and very emotional, Paula Rose.
If you want to contribute this amazingly deserving cause. Just make another wee (or not so wee) donation and put a post on the off-topic thread saying how much you sent. (£129 so far).
If your not taking any perks Please credit it to Paula Rose i the comment box on the donation page & in O/T Thanks People.
I dunno, turn my back for 24 hours and this is what you get up to.
WOW!!! So proud of you all. Donation about to be made.
It’s funny, but given the immense talent our Rev has been blessed with, I believe he would a success at whatever he turned his hand to, but I genuinely cannot think of a more critically important role than the one he does now.
Nearly 2000 hate and paranoid filled cybernat nazis have funded the cause already 😀
Murphy demands 1000 more… 🙂
The feel good factor is reaching for the stars.
Any rancid journo’s peeking in and seeing this must know they are doomed.
Murphy and Dugs are a gift to the YES movement. Everyday they help our cause.
When the GE is over do we award these two for their “undercover” work…. ?
Don’t tell me they really ARE trying to win for labour. No way, Murhy is a Nat surely. He’s done more for the SNP than Wee eck himself. Worth a medal or a bottle of Buckie for his outstanding contribution to the YES cause. maybe even …… A gold Wings badge ???? 😉
“I own some shares in Johnstone Press shares and they are going down the toilet.”
What’s the market cap? 😀
Passed £76k 🙂
I duuno, but I think this thread might have been better called deja vù. I only mention this cause we *ahem* appear to have surpassed the astronomically high total set by Stu, and all done in 24 hours. 😀
I seem to recall something similar occured last year hence my wee *cough* suggestion. 😉
If we are, in fact, witnessing a repeat of last year’s wee tin rattler then no doubt within the week we will be all talking about crashing through the £100,000 barrier. 😛
Well done all you nasty cybernats! 🙂
Let’s go for double or maybe 100k THEN PUSH STRUGGLING ELECTION APPEALS
(and how many shares and how much for each scotsman shares?)
Oh I can feel the despair in the Slab/ Unionist bunker LOL!
McTernan gonna be fired? Lest’s hope so. The bigmouth wee naff!
Ref Smurphy, he says he doesn’t drink, but that was yesterday’s news, might be different today!!
The Daily Retard on a very slippery slope O “YES PLEASE!”
C’mon, fess up. The spat with the Record was just a publicity stunt. You knew fine well their dim bulb editor would fall for it. Sending some siller your way anyways. Keep up the good work.
Just sent a donation direct to your account, Rev.
O/T I note with interest that the Herald seem to have introduced a policy on their comments btl of having to ‘sign in’ before you can upvote anyone’s comments. This was only ever the case if you wanted to downvote a comment as far as I can recollect.
D’yi think maybe the Herald doesn’t like to see the enormous upvotes for comments against their fallacious reporting of all matters pertaining to Scottish Goverment’s policies that their reporter continuously negatively report on?
It really is propaganda time in the msm in Scotland. Many of us don’t want to ‘register’ with the various rags, but want to express and support intelligent commentary btl from the embattled pro Scottish Government supporters who are engaged in the only form of published commentary that takes an alternative view from the one being expressed by the biased journalism on offer in these rags.
A simple way of achieving that has been to upvote their comments.
I presume they really don’t like to see the large oppostion that is evident through the upvotes btl, and have now resorted to effectively silencing ordinary readers who haven’t subscribed to their paper.
Well f**ck you Herald. I will never access your site again, unless someone on here places an archived copy of one of your articles….oh wait…that’s right, you don’t allow ‘archiving’ of your articles anymore…pathetic transparent censorship, you’re a bunch of cowards, the lot of you…running scared!
Murphy came away with a phrase yesterday,
“Must do better…”
Well, we’re trying our hardest Jim, we’re trying our hardest.
Two targets come to mind. First is to have a healthy fund in place and second is to kick your arse out of East Renfrewshire.
Anent my last post…I’m so furious I’ve put another tenner into the Wings crowdfund…see what you made me do!?
GIRFUTLOY!
Well Stu, it looks like we have funded you to nail the Unionists and their press lackeys right through to May 2016
🙂
I passed on the perk so happy to bung that in the Paula Rose kitty. Can’t find a relevant O/T link so I hope this post will be enough to do the trick
Sorry guys, O/T
Anyone seen BBC Scotland News online today?
Incredibly (well, maybe not), since September last year until now, BBC et al “Scottish” MSM have been headlining Murphy and his “sideshow bob” sound-bites at every opportunity 0pportunity, they have a headline today;
“Who is Jim Murphy”?
followed by a love in complete with poster boy photos with Sideshow Bob sipping a glass of Iron Brew (must be a patriot then), having a “Cheeky Chappie” grin (endear him to the gullible), Dodging the bullet (Nats are Bad people) errrr egg actually, sportily kicking a football (oooohhh Glasgow man – look, Jim plays footie), pointing out of the pic smiling (you know that cheesy photo of politicians to make you think they know you) and heroically saving folks from the Clutha Tragedy (I’m not going to say anything about that photo opportunity).
Proof beyond doubt that Sideshow Bob is THE poster boy of BBC.
This State (UK) is an outrage.
The msm punt this clown at every opportunity, they manufacture a “Crisis” in Scottish NHS to make the Scots Gov look bad, they block any balanced response by the Scots Gov and now, the ex MI6 head gets prime time to claim that Russia is a danger to UK (along with reports of Russian Bombers patrolling along our maritime/air borders).
On that last topic, The UK Govt. sabre rattles over the Ukrainian debacle whilst taking sides with the US (of whom there are reports are going to arm Ukraine. Is it any bloody wonder Russia is feeling a bit anxious about the West?
If we had voted Yes last September, there would be plans being drawn up NOW to rid Scotland of Nuclear subs. Instead, a small majority of people in Scotland voted No and have made us a prime target if the tension between UK and Russia increases.
Mushroom clouds over the Clyde, RAF Leuchars and RAF Lossiemouth anyone?
Thanks No voters……………!!!!!
(A bit of a rant guys, forgive me, I had to get it out)
Murphy says ‘Must do better’.
Too late now Jim.
May Scotland never forget.
In September 2014, the Labour Party Scottish Branch,
had a chance to set Scotland FREE.
They chose to keep Scotland in the Union
to be raped politically, economically and culturally
at the will of Westminster.
The Labour party Scottish branch, with Darling, Brown,
Alexander & Murphy to the fore,
chose to form a Unionist Alliance with the Tories
to maintain Scotland as a colony of the British Empire.
Many Labour voters could see the opportunity
for a new, fair and prosperous Scotland for everyone,
but the Ruling class of the Labour party stood firm
in their alliance with the Unionists.
Scottish Labour betrayed Scotland for English gold.
Never, ever forget it – especially when casting your vote.
Scotland has a choice:-
Prosperity through Independence
OR
Austerity through the Union.
Found a wee blog about the SNHS.
Really well done and full of facts and diagrams. Gives us something to read and increases our knowledge these place.
https://myweemusings.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/its-the-general-election-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-207
Murphy gets a doing in it and shows we Scots are far to savvy for the usual drivel thrown out by the MSM.
Hope you enjoy the read as much as i do.
@john macdonald
You’ll find off topic here John:
http://wingsoverscotland.com/off-topic/comment-page-20/#comment-1970251
Thanks for contributing to the Paula Rose gold Wings badge. A worthy cause (and there might be ‘prizes’) 😉
Am I ever on topic? 😉
I know there’s lots of distractions but Live Independence Broadcasting Lesley Riddoch:
White Blossom talks 2015 -Yes Bar Glasgow
ON NOW
http://tinyurl.com/kklsr8q with Nancy Woodblock band
You are worth every penny Stuart
K1 I stopped buying the Scotsman & The Herald, well over a year ago but during the Referendum campaign period I visited their online sites and sometimes commented. But the sites were just so biased that I simply could not bare to do even that, and stopped visiting well before 18 September 2014. I now avoid all such papers and their websites, period. I also no longer watch any of the nightly BBC Scotland & STV programmes, due to the blatant for all things labour being unbearable. The TV also wheels out the most ridiculous political commentators, whose only motive is self-promotion, over and over again, whom BBC Scotland & STV, allow “to strut and fret their hour upon the stage” e.g the tory unionist who looks like Joe 90’s dim big brother & had the audacity to write an alleged ‘biography’ of A Salmond despite never having met the man and, of course, the ubiquitous labourite pollster, John Curtice. *Groan* Why can’t James Kelly from ‘Scot Goes Pop’ or the Wee Ginger Dug get a crack at the whip on TV? Maybe then these programmes ratings would stop dwindling.
Market cap of £178.81
For all the financials of Johnstone Press
you’ll find them here;-
http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/LON:JPR/Johnston-Press/financials
Correction – Market cap 178.81 Million
Stu, according to Yahoo Finance, Johhnston Press’s market cap at yesterday’s close was 178.67 million. That’s a lot of fundraising. Ticker symbol is JPR.L.
Hi Stu,
Many thanks for the question in relation to a possible crowdfunded PURCHASE by WoS of the SCOTSMAN NEWSPAPER 🙂
You asked what the market capitalisation is. Unfortunately Johnston Press plc don’t give values on any individual one of the 250 newspapers that the company owns. The market capitalisation today for ALL 250 newspapers is around £178 million. Barclays paid £160 million for ALL these newspapers in 2005.
However, given the downward trajectory of the Scotsman circulation:-
Year 2000: Scotsman Newspaper Circulation 100,000+ After a relaunch
Year 2005: Scotsman Newspaper Circulation 65,392
Year 2010: Scotsman Newspaper Circulation 40,514
Year 2015: Scotsman Newspaper Circulation 27,208 – Ouch.
The value of the Scotsman is something WoS may well be able to afford.
If looking at values, last year the “Full Cover Price” fiasco hid a interesting secret: In The Scotsman newspaper’s case, its sales in January were recorded as 32,435. However only 21,806 of which were sold at the full cover price. That represented a year-on-year drop of 17.5% [Source: The Guardian]
Even Andrew Neil – who served one year’s notice in 2005 when The Scotsman posted a £3.5m loss that year and has struggled to reach profitability said: “If we cannot get it to break even or be seen to be close to break even, then what’s the point in continuing?”
Stu, I am absolutely serious about this proposal that Wings of Scotland approaches Johnston Press and ask how much they would sell The Scotsman newspaper for?
Having seen yesterdays magnificent response to the WoS fundraiser, along with the estimate that only 2% of your readers contribute the crowdfund – so with such a structural event as WoS buying a national paper, I believe that it is entirely possible for Wings over Scotland to launch a bid to buy The Scotsman.
Would the very idea of that not be worth writing the letter from your good self to Johnston press plc?
Such a bold move would electrify the MSM water cooler journalist discussions. Maybe get them thinking about injecting some proper balance and neutrality in their articles, even before such an event!
The fact that WoS have a PROVEN track record of fundraising, and it is ENTIRELY POSSIBLE that Wings over Scotland could do this is something that the MSM cannot ignore.
I would give my left arm to see the progress of a letter from you enquiring of Johnston Press to what they would say, then what they might seek as a price tag for The Scotsman newspaper.
Of crucial importance, IF this were to happen, would be a SIGNIFICANT number of voters who don’t use social media, and are open minded to old fashioned newspaper coverage, and may well be disposed to review their voting intentions. All we need do is follow the WoS principles of fairness and forensic study of myths and debunking of same.
Best regards,
Calum.
I don’t understand this market cap talk. You would only want to buy the Scotsman, not all of Johnston Press. So how does the market cap affect this?
@Ronnie Anderson
I went to donate some dosh for Paula but as I pay with the paypal option, I lose the comments page on indegogo.
I don’t know how to get around this. Am I missing something?
BBC Scotland website, re Carbuncle leadership refute: “Opinion polls have suggested the Lib Dems are set to lose many seats across the UK and Scotland in May’s general election…”
Seems as though you’ve already broken free – when did that happen without me knowing?!?!
I like the Freudian slip… but it’ll come true sooner than later…
manandboy says:
28 February, 2015 at 2:10 pm
I agree on Labour. However NEVER forget that the LibDems stood in the unionist NO corner and that they supported, while in government, the austerity cuts hitting the most vulnerable in our society.
All of the Westminster Parties condemned Scotland to further austerity cuts. There are all shades of Tories and the Yellow and Red versions should be shunned every bit as much as the Blue version.
The LibDems have proven to be enthusiastic Tories – Danny Alexander / Malcolm Bruce / Ming Campbell / Michael Moore / Alan Reid / Jo Swinson etc are now recognised Tory supporters/champions/spokesperson. All were very vocal in their support of the union during the Referendum.
Labour is a disgrace but they are not alone.
Just passed £77,000. Jings.
@Nana Smith
When on the front page of the fundraiser, scroll down to the pink “Donate Now” button.
On the new page that opens up, go down to the “log in” bit and if you have already signed up for Indiegogo just login. If you haven’t got an Indiegogo account you will have the chance to create one. I think you need to be a “member” in order to add comments.
That will take you to a page where you can decide how much you want to contribute and how you want to pay. After that, follow your nose and you will have the chance to comment before you leave the donation area.
I think that’s how it worked for me yesterday. Could be wrong though :-p
On the BBC online News today,
Alistair Carmichael, real name Alexander Morrison and born on Islay,
Scottish Secretary and Lib Dem MP for the Northern Isles, said :-
“I have loved every second of being a minister
but I’ve loved every second of being an MP.”
Perhaps that’s because he gets to spend 5/6 days
every week in Edinburgh or in London,
living a life of luxury,
with nearly everything on expenses.
Lots and lots of time spent not actually working
while still ‘working’ at least according
to The Prime Minister.
Must be better than life on Orkney for a man of Alistair’s abilities.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-31667359
I wonder what ‘Austerity’ actually means to him personally,
and his family, on a day to day basis.
I mean has he gone down market in his shopping
and goes looking for the cheapest place to buy milk.
I don’t think so somehow.
After all, austerity is really just working families across the UK,
together with the poor and disabled, and the pensioners,
paying off the gambling debts of reckless,
crooked wealthy bankers
and the like.
nana smith,
As long as you put a comment on off-topic
http://wingsoverscotland.com/off-topic/#comments
it will get counted.
It is handy for Stu to have them commented on the fundraiser but lots of people have various problems working out comments and changing display names.
C’mon everybody, last year we did it for Ronnie and this year he nominated Paula Rose.
john macdonald,
If you could put a wee post on off-topic?
http://wingsoverscotland.com/off-topic/#comments
Need to know how much it was.
So Johnston Press’s 250 newpapers are market valued at £178 million…
What with the declining sales of The Scotsman, could the failing newspaper then be valued at around £0.5 million? I’m sure Johnston Press would be happy with an immediate cash injection in the current economic climate.
Given that WoS crowdfunding is over £70 000 in one day then maybe a crowdfunding venture to actually buy The Scotsman isn’t so far away!
@Jim Thomson thanks Jim!
@cearc message posted on O/T.
Thanks Clootie for that reminder about the LibDems.
I have a kind of a blind spot for the LibDems
because I don’t take them seriously.
When I think of Willie Rennie, I just shake my head.
I don’t see them as any kind of a threat to Independence,
and, they are about to pay a heavy price
for sustaining the Tories in Government.
Mind you with fourteen Scottish MP’s and five MSP’s –
at the moment, perhaps I should keep them in mind more.
Good on you for changing my mind.
You have to assume of course that JP would sell the Scotsman to anyone never mind a representative of a popular movement they’ve been actively trying to crush for the past several years.
Worth a thought.
Scotspine, “…. Mushroom clouds over the Clyde, RAF Leuchars and RAF Lossiemouth anyone?” …..the MoD closed RAF Leuchars (my old base) and it’s now an Army Engineers Depot. The ONLY operational air base in Scotland is RAF Lossiemouth. Yet another Union dividend which makes us Better Together (not).
I see folks are starting to get a wee bit *ahem* interested in the *cough* dreamy possibility of WOS buy up the Scotsman newspaper. 😛
Anyone who is interested in such matters might like to look at this, it is the Interim Report from Johnson Press in 2014.
http://d2j018g7nrzyo3.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/JP_HY14_Results_060814.pdf
As everyone knows I am the village idiot so no one will be surprised to learn that I’m confused. What confuses me is this on page 4:
The Scotsman
H1 Average daily readership 156,7125
, +20% year on year
There is a wee number 5 after the readership number that links to this:
5 Daily readership = print circulation x JICREG readership per copy + daily web unique users
Still makes no difference to me … I’m STILL the village idiot! 😀
O/T
Bugger! Scotland 19 : Italy 22
Should have won that one.
Well, some of our sports people seem to be suffering from an “I don’t really know what country I’m playing for” syndrome.
If only..
How about making it a joint venture between Wings, Newsnet & Bella? Each attracts it’s own supporters & section of readership but then brings a huge diversity to the material published.
Not suggesting others are ignored just saying the main ones as the obvious targets to involve.
In two days this site has brought in £78k so far. Think of the pulling power of a joint venture? Is £500,000 attainable? I don’t know but I do think it’s worth considering.£ I’m in for £1,000 if we go for it 🙂
Rather than the fanciful idea of buying a newspaper i’d rather see us supporting & promoting the one we already have the NATIONALS circulation figures have flattened out at round 20K we should all be ashamed of ourselves whinging about media bias & then not supporting the one publication that took a chance on us…
Macart
Depends how strapped for cash they are
Macart says:
28 February, 2015 at 4:05 pm
You have to assume of course that JP would sell the Scotsman to anyone never mind a representative of a popular movement they’ve been actively trying to crush for the past several years.
Worth a thought.
No such thing as bad publicity though. 😉
However, I really don’t think the future is in black print, dead tree news. It’s the age of the internet, FB and Twits (or should that be tweets – in SLAB’s case maybe not!) The world has moved on from pidgeon post news and it’s more instant and analysed. The red tops are only interested in celeb titivation and sport with politics slipped in under the radar. The gravitas rags are often days or weeks behind what’s happening on the ground snd few outside the establishment bubble take much notice.
Stu seems to have the balance about right at the moment but, be wary, things change very fast these days and the format will probably have to evolve.
Re the purchase of the Scotsman. Just think what a mainstream WoS could do for the cause and I mean tackling head on, the lies of all the other outlets.
I understand that it is not the done thing amongst the media. They don’t like attacking each other, but this is now a war footing for us as the dirty tricks of the establishment and the Press during the indyref are revealed. Go for it Stu.
Lollysmum says:
28 February, 2015 at 4:23 pm
How about making it a joint venture between Wings, Newsnet & Bella? Each attracts it’s own supporters & section of readership but then brings a huge diversity to the material published.
Not suggesting others are ignored just saying the main ones as the obvious targets to involve.
In two days this site has brought in £78k so far. Think of the pulling power of a joint venture? Is £500,000 attainable? I don’t know but I do think it’s worth considering.£ I’m in for £1,000 if we go for it
I think if the other outlets with cash and BT money to burn would quickly put such a venture out of reach. We’d be outbid at every turn. Not saying it’s a bad idea to explore but better to pick fights we can win.
Sorry should have included Common Space as well
Manandboy – speaking of the Libdems I saw on twitter today that Alistair Carmichael stated he would not be interested in being Leader if Nick Clegg loses his seat. Really gave me a laugh. (Help me Rhona).
Just watching the donations relentlessly coming in, it makes you realise Scotland is only heading in one direction.
£80,000 by midnight ?
Sorry for going O/T here but there is a wee *ahem* poll running over on Scots news on line folks might like to *cough* add their opinions to. 😉
http://scotsnewsonline.info/10400/the-daily-record-your-views/
frogesqe
You have to have a dream don’t you & if you don’t try you don’t get!
It has to be worth exploring the possibilities.
*raises hand as an ex Scotsman circulation analyst*
The infrastructure involved in a national newspaper is massive, never mind the responsibility you would acquire for the jobs it supports.
The Scotsman brand will be propping up many, many other titles, titles that may well be profitable, that brand still carries a lot of clout. JP would never let it go unless you also bought all the other associated titles that are produced by that infrastructure.
Wings works fantastically well, a national newspaper cannot do what Stu does. Let’s play to the strengths of this site, and if you want to support an indy newspaper there is already one out there which I’m sure would be glad of consistent support.
I am really enthusiastic about an independence paper – I already have a subscription to the National.
Is it possible to start something like the Metro – delivered everywhere and place on public transport?
We need to start talking with the undecided internet free voters.
I’m sure it be easily crowd funded.
Comment: Suzanne nailed her colours to the mast of, “Better Together” which was entirely proper since whilst identiying herself as a nurse she was not in uniform and had every right to express her opinion since it was entirely apolitical.
The referendum over and done with Suzanne got off the fence and openly declared her allegiance, (when off-duty) to the labour Party. This took her into the political world and her activities required careful handling on the part of her political masters so as to ensure her new profile did not place her at risk of contravening any of the many rules of conduct to which her employment and profession bind her. They failed in many respects and when Suzanne was exposed, ducked and dived and dodged and weaved, seeking to wrap their failures in a cloak of anonymity. When this strategy failed they released the dogs of war against the person that displayed excellent integrity at the time he shared the information with his blog readers. More here:
http://caltonjock.com/2015/02/28/wings-over-scotland-win-battle-of-truth-over-bombast-with-the-daily-record-apology-expected-but-dont-hold-your-breath/
I should perhaps post this on the ‘Its what he would have wanted’ thread.
Is there a competition amongst unionists for the most disgusting tweet.
https://twitter.com/lynndo/status/571660615032426497?s=17
@ Lollysmum
In normal circumstance yes, you’d be right, business is business. This however, wouldn’t be a normal circumstance and the publisher wouldn’t even consider such a sale.
Stu has right idea on how to reach and frogueseque above in both posts makes some good points. I have some experience in this area as do several other regular posters. Even if such a title came up for sale (and that’s highly unlikely), there’d be a cue round the block of serious bidders who’d always have one more pound than you even if all they intended was to burn the title.
Also the future is, IMO, digital media. The print game is on a downward trajectory. They still have reach, but nowhere near the reach they used to have. Advances in technology, social media, the spread and ease of personal networking and communication, the constant stream of scandal and accusations of malpractice attached to the press, all add up to a steady decline in influence and access.
The word is spreading because they can’t control the new technologies, because they can’t control the flow of information and personal communication. As frogesque put so eloquently ‘lets pick fights we can win’. 🙂
“After all, austerity is really just working families across the UK,
together with the poor and disabled, and the pensioners,
paying off the gambling debts of reckless,
crooked wealthy bankers
and the like.”
Sums it up.
gordoz says:
£80,000 by midnight ?
I was going to post a similar comment earlier today Gordoz but thought better of it, the total was around the £75,000 at the time. Looking at the current total of £79,535 I think it was a smart move. I am sure £80,000 will be smashed before midnight! 😀
Re Buying Scotsman.
It would take millions to buy and run a newspaper;even a
loss making one with an anti independence readership.
Who would print and at what cost,who would deliver it to shops and who would set up contracts with shopkeepers etc.
I’m sure there are many senior journalists on this blog who are battle hardened realists and will agree with me.
I was in the Scottish Daily News in the 70’s and experience the heart break of that failure due to lack of funding.
I see that the rumours of the BBC revamping (DIS)Reporting Scotland are not in fact rumours but FACT! 😉
https://twitter.com/OldGlenbogle/status/571720935088234496/photo/1
The Curse of NO strikes again.
Branch manager Johann Lamont. Sir Ian Wood. Gaffe prone Jim Murphy. Scottish Labour. Malcolm Rifkind. Daily Record. SRU. Now Nick Robinson.
@ Nana
Best to let it go Nana. Empathy, understanding, sensitivity, not really things you’ll find following such threads. The work you put in providing site links has to leave you requiring a damn good bath at the best of times, but linking to the zoomers could leave you a bit on the low side.
You’re way to valuable to us for that nonsense. 😉
@Macart
Dettol bath coming up…geez these people are sick
Lesley-Anne says:
“Sorry for going O/T here but there is a wee *ahem* poll running over on Scots news on line folks might like to *cough* add their opinions to.”
____________
WARNING:
Then again, folks, you might not want to, its a part of the Rectum.
The Daily Rectum, keeping Scotland subservient to London since 1895.
You had me at Souvenir Edition of the wee blue book.
@Macart
Meant to add I don’t follow any of these unionist trash sites, that tweet was put up by an independence supporter.
He was querying whether the daily retard would like to comment.
Johnston Press has £600Million? of reconstructed debt.
The £178Million is the cap on investment. A higher bid would constitute a take-over. The shareholder would be offered a price for each share (value) the interested take-over party would pay for each share. There are company rules around a compete take-over.
Johnston shares were selling a 26p. Can’t be bothered looking up present values. At a given time people could buy up £10 of shares at a bank, enough to influence editorial control by voting for a board member or nominee. Ie Rev Stu, & Bateman? Ie it doesn’t have to be a fully funded take- over but a relevant minor holding to get editorial control, through voting on relevant board members.
Caution would be required as the shares could go down as well as up. Johnston Press could go bankrupt because of the high level of debt. Why bother, when an influencial website can do a better job and have more readers.
I agree that supporting and building up the National is more realistic.
The Scotsman’s web presence is probably worth more than the paper now. Half their print circulation probably comes from discounted giveaways to hotels and the like.
But it pains me to say it, their website is well presented and has tons of regularly updated content, and not just political.
They probably turn a profit there, going by the amount of ads.
Just a pity about bias and the idiot posters.
Thing is Stoker the results from the poll do not make comfortable reading for them. This followed on the back of their FAILED spat with the “TRUTHFUL one” is definately not going to make for good reading at their HQ meeting. No not their branch HQ meeting in Glasgow but their main HQ meeting in London. 😀
Reading the foregoing about Johnston Press, I decided to actually check where the share price is heading as this is my specialist subject.
There are rather a lot of arguments against touching this share as all longer term target prices are prefaced with a minus sign. Essentially it needs a miracle and even visually, it is trading in a phase which will be familiar to those who traded the likes of Woolworth or YELL etc.
Anyone got any dosh left?
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/support-alex-salmond-to-win-gordon-ge-2015/
I’m loving the armchair investment analysts on the forum today. Sorry, guys, but you’d have to be extraordinarily mental to buy the Scotsman title from Johnston Press in a counterstrike WingsiBellafication of the brand.
The title would need to be valued first and basically all you are buying is the “goodwill” asset value of the title which is not measured by readership but a seller would wish to measure by the revenue per reader from advertising and other affiliations. I used to work at the FT and they can charge many tens of times the advertising cost per sq inch because of their readership type. Scotsman sells space for a lot more than the Record for example.
Any profitable “revenue per Scotsman reading ABC1 unionist^H^H^Hreader” figures would be instantly wiped out as soon as you mentioned the new owners!!! Lets not get into print facility or distribution which is a scary place to operate in for the uninitiated.
Next time we go for independence; we do need to crack the socio-economic AB’s – but re-inventing a brand like the Scotsman is an expensive and daft way of doing it.
I’ve just checked the latest total.
When you set the target at £45,000 – did you mean per day?
🙂
£1.35 million sounds good. For that, you could hire Jim Murphy as a butler for a week.
Onwards-idiot posters right enough. Stu has just been described as the “Goebbels of Bath” by one of the arsewipes. Sue the twat.
Regarding the potential for a bid for the Scotsman, perhaps just making enquiries and that getting accidentally on purpose in to the public domain might prove to be useful and cost effective form of advertising?
Just in case any one is interested, I know most are not cause you are all far too busy to be bothered with useless info like this, but the wee tin rattler total has just smashed through the £80,000 mark. 😀
I think this was linked to yesterday but, in my humblest of humble opinions, it deserves re posting here today. 😉
http://www.bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk/index.php/city-news/889-power-to-the-bathist-insurgency.html
How did wings come about nosey bugger here,made donation on Monday night never knew crowd funder was coming on Friday
I think we should just let the “Curse of No” and the £600m debt run its course.
The Scotman will hopefully be bust by indyref2 in a few years time so there will be no need to worry about it.
My father must have been one of their most loyal readers as he read it for over 60 years. He stopped his annual subscription before the referendum and now gets the National every day.
He just could not put up with guys like Brian Wilson anymore. He likes the National much better and has also joined the SNP. 🙂
I have seen the future and it has “Wings”!
Callum “Any profitable “revenue per Scotsman reading ABC1 unionist^H^H^Hreader” figures would be instantly wiped out as soon as you mentioned the new owners!!! ”
And instantly replaced by YES, sorry, SNP ex SLab, ex SLibdem, devo max voters, you name it. They probably only sell about 15k copies to tory boy Scotland anyway.
It would be terrific though. Here in England, BBC in Russia shocked and angry at display of Russia media bias for the Putin regime. You really couldn’t invent a bigger bunch of creepy hypocrites and well proven liars than we get in almost all UKOK newsrooms.
@ LA (5.55pm).
Aye, that’s good, but we don’t need to be helping The Rectum to pull in more advertising revenue which allows them to pay folk to make up endless articles of steaming excrement against us and our cause.
London Head Office will not be in the slightest affected by such a “Poll” result. I would be very surprised if they were even aware of its existence.
It will be manipulated to present a favourable reading, hidden well out of sight or even binned beyond all acknowledgment.
These polls, and other click bait traps, exist for one reason and one reason only, to pull in extra revenue.
Their head office in London are very aware of that.
😉
Alright, alright you lot-I get the message-no need to rub salt in the wounds. You’ve trashed my ideas-isn’t that enough for you 🙂
With all the money flowing in, WoS could buy its own Westminster politician – probably a very senior one heading for the House of Lords. An afternoon a week for a year probably wouldn’t cost more than £50 K and would give us a voice in the heart of the Establishment.
Hi Drawdeaddave
In answer to your points. The National is being actively nobbled by Unionist leaning newsagents. Refusal to stock the paper. Hiding it in obscure places. Only ordering 6 copies when there are 20 customers!
Often it takes me a visit to two or three newsagents to get a copy! And I am a dedicated buyer. What chance the casual voter that we need to reach? I’ve raised this problem with management at The National and they are well aware of it. Indeed, WoS may end up being asked to “White Knight” The National if the current owners pull the plug. That is a debate for another day. Though Stu, it is worth keeping YOUR eye on The National in case the Herald want to pull the plug/sell it. In that case we really must look at making sure The National continues.
As for The Scotsman initiative, I am not advocating direct competition with The National, but REPLACING one of the existing 37 x ANTI-Independence newspapers by making an acquired newspaper fairer and more objective.
Asides from the possibility that Johnston Press plc may have “issues” if their share price collapses further – and The Scotsman newspaper becomes available for a much lower price than you might reckon, as Paul D astutely observes, even if/when the fact that Stu may consider a bid by WoS for this huge website to BUY The Scotsman gets into the public domain, the sheer audacity of this would give rise to some valued media coverage of WoS.
As for “fanciful”. I can assure you from personal experience it is eminently possible to bid for The Scotsman newspaper. As well as WoS supporters, there are some very financially well-off PRO-Independence individuals that would actively support a WoS initiative with sizeable levels of support.
Structurally in all of this, there IS an issue about those people we NEED to reach out to, who get their news from MSM and not the modern social media such as WoS.
It cannot be over emphasised how important The National is, and if at all possible one or two new entrants from a PRO-Independence perspective paper format newspaper conversions.
As the old advert goes, we need to reach the parts: no-voters – that other online media cannot reach. For example many over 65 year olds who predominately read newspapers and vote no.
As for finance and business model of a newspaper take-over. When the Sunday Herald turned in favour of YES, it enjoyed a 111% INCREASE in circulation. Whilst all the time the anti-independence MSM competition continues in decline.
It just strikes me that we need to use some vision and anticipate several moves ahead in order to get it right next time. Covering BOTH online and newspaper media should give us that extra edge that last 18th September we could have done with.
Cheers,
Calum
……………………………..
drawdeaddave says:
28 February, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Rather than the fanciful idea of buying a newspaper i’d rather see us supporting & promoting the one we already have the NATIONALS circulation figures have flattened out at round 20K we should all be ashamed of ourselves whinging about media bias & then not supporting the one publication that took a chance on us…
Thanks for that link Nana!
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/support-alex-salmond-to-win-gordon-ge-2015/
Can we all push this to get Alex’s seat in Gordon?
It’s a different set up to indiego, but quite simple.
Jusr create a username and password, or use the facebook thingy.
Also the crowdfund model that is being used, creates a one off direct debit from your account, so It Does Not Take Your Money Right Away. It won’t come off your account till the project is successfull, if the project is not succesfull your money does not leave your account.
In essence buy now pay later…maybe that’ll help people make the decision to pledge to Alex’s campaign at the same time as having just paid out for Wings?
Rev Stu,
as the fund raiser is now nearing £81k, it is evident how much your work is appreciated.
It is a pleasure to be part of this movement and to donate to your website and good works, that bring the truth, to the people.
Onwards…and upwards!
Sorry, don’t buy the national anymore. Not enough like a newspaper which can appeal to the masses. It also should not be brazenly advertising it’s alleged independence philosophy.Why not use the strap line Scotland’s Champion
Strikes me as a publication to keep a few Yes supporters happy but isn’t in the recruitment business for new Yes voters. It’s raison d’etre I’m sure is just to bolster income for the Herald. Am I on my own in thinking the above?
@K1
I’ve just posted it on the next thread, I think folks have all gone to the new thread!
Hi Guys,
I felt compelled to post this.
I am a Nationalist and have been for most of my life. My belief, in this respect, is that Scotland and Britain are incompatible from a political point of view and this has been exemplified by decades of Scotland voting for socialist parties whilst the majority of the UK (England) tends towards the right. I firmly believe that Scotland is best served by the government in Holyrood and would be better served by full independence. I also believe that this is inevitable and that events in Westminster and the UK will drive this in the next decade in any case.
I’m sure most of you agree with this, but the reason for my post is this.
I have followed some ‘other’ opinion threads on SNPOUT and such and quite frankly was shocked by the language and demeanour of these posts. But before we start to pick these apart, please consider this – it would be so easy for their opinion, then our opinion to escalate to something, well, very nasty indeed. Simply look around the world right now and it is all to evident that this kind of debate can become entrenched and then, well… look at the news guys.
Can I humbly suggest that at least this side sticks to it’s ‘A’ game? The benefits of independence are self evident to us, but we need to persuade the other side to turn the 45 into a 55.
We ran a fantastically positive campaign last year and I think that this paid off in membership increases for SNP, Greens, SSP, but I feel that this debate has more or less become a snipers game.
Point out the opposition flaws by all means, but don’t fixate on them. Better that we express a positive alternative and try to persuade than become entrenched in pointless arguments.
Best yet – never interrupt an enemy when they are making mistakes. The Scots are no fools – many people have already made their mind up about the ‘old school’ , what ever colour of rosette they wear. Lets set about making a positive alternative for everyone in Scotland!
Sorry for being preachy.
Had a lovely time at a Women For Independence event. My offspring took part in some excellent craft activities while I devoured the cakes on offer. The chat was all about being welcoming and giving people a voice.
Despite not being of the specific demographic, I had a great time and could see that this group would be forging on ahead, taking up issues that mean a lot to inhabitants of Scotland – rallying against ill thought through austerity, raising concerns re Trident and Fracking, etc. Basically a support group to support everyone who cares about creating a great future for our kids.
By the end, several people there had decided to join the SNP/Greens – buoyed up by the good nature of those involved. All were appalled by the vicious labelling of Independence seekers – we are not vile cybernats, far from it. Just humans concerned about the wellbeing of others. Few there had heard of Wings, but they know about it now.
So the moral is –
Spread the word – and your Wings – and fly wherever your heart takes you.
@ Calum McLean
re; “The National is being actively nobbled by Unionist leaning newsagents.”
As the result of an accident recently I had to be taken to hospital. ( By the way, excellent care at A&E.) I came out again 5 days later and sent my youngest son across the road to the local newsagent for the National.
He returned, very angry, having been engaged by the proprietor in a spat which involved a complaint about me not having cancelled the order and saying that he wouldn’t stock it any more. It was pointed out that having been rushed to hospital by ambulance, it had not been the first thing on my mind, but he just became more ridiculously petulant so that my son – who is slow to anger – told him we wouldn’t be shopping there any more and left. (Not a hardship since it’s very like the local shop for local people in Royston Vesey.)
Anyway, we knew that he was a No voter and that there is quite a clique of English newcomers in this village who were very vociferously No voters. My son thought that it had been a deliberate set-up to give him an excuse not to stock the paper.
Weebeard says:
28 February, 2015 at 8:08 pm
not preachy at all, an eloquent post. i have to say i don’t think we were quite bold or positive enough on currency; at the same time yes was by far the more positive campaign.
post-referendum the better together mob have proved themselves liars in both facts and intent, from the friday morning and evening onwards. all the truth came out in the wash, when they thought the matter settled in their favour. oops.
that’s not so much important to the 45 as to the 55. i choose to believe that the majority of the 55 were taken in by the bullying and by the hurricane of airborne slurry that was launched at them by better together.
i think it’s right that we should be entirely positive and i think we should take every opportunity to expose the disingenuous; the voters can decide after that
Great to see so many new contributors over the last few days. I know from my own experience, that it can be quite daunting for first timers. Once you have plucked up the courage to dip your toe in, this site can become really addictive…but in a good way.???? The more voices the better, so come on folks dive in the waters lovely!
@JGedd
My personal view is that it is a bit disingenuous of English voters in Scotland who enjoy the benefits of free prescriptions, no council tax rises, no student fees, etc… to then bite the hand that feeds them. What do they want for Scotland – Trident? Fracking? No oil revenues? End of Barnett? Jim Murphy as First Minister!!!!!!???
The latter would soon send em scuttling back over the border – and before anyone says I’m in no position to comment, I am English – and happen to consider Scotland to be better placed to give my child a well rounded education, first class NHS service, etc. I voted Yes to empower Scotland, and not keep it under the sway of unelected Lords, Goldman Sucks, Cameron, Clegg and Milipede…
Aye George, it bugs me that no polling has been carried out on the 55%. I would like to see exactly how many voted no because they believed in the Union.
Just under £82,000 36 hours on. £100,000 should be achievable.
@Weebeard (8.08 pm)
You said:
Point out the opposition flaws by all means, but don’t fixate on them. Better that we express a positive alternative and try to persuade than become entrenched in pointless arguments.
Not getting you here…what exactly do you mean? “Pointless arguments”… what pointless arguments?
@ Author_Al (9.07pm).
Well said.
I’ve made the point a few times. It sickens me the amount of English folk who come to live, work and/or retire in Scotland for a better life with all the added benefits but then go and vote to keep us chained to Westminster.
Mind you, there are quite a few of them who do vote for the SNP, Greens and SSP etc and don’t want to remain shackled to the London warmongering rich boys club of Westminster.
I know we can’t give them everything up here, like good weather, but, c’mon, that’s no reason to punish us by voting for Unionism, is it.
🙂
Nobody does it quite like wings,i would like to see more ideas of how to increase it,s audience.
For instance a once a week summary of events on WOS video on
youtube could be very effective.
I feel a lot of the great work that has already been done will be lost to new readers,as they will have to trawl through over two years of posts,and we all get caught up in the comments,thats a lot of reading.
I think wings has to keep growing,and would love it if Stuart
would consider this if he has’nt already.
There are so many great things that could be done with video
i’m sure.
Onwards and upwards,over the line and BEYOND,thats what i want.
scotspine says @ 2.04 pm
Never under estimate the power of the BBC and TV to influence public opinion. Their love-in with Jim Murphy is only matched by the massive publicity given to UKIP in the run up to the Euro elections last May.
That’s why ALL pro Indy supporters need to get out on the doorsteps now and lend their support to your local SNP canidate until after May 8th
Stuart …I think you’re going to have so much cash here, that you can have real fun over the next few months.
Plus …do take a holiday when you need one! You deserve it!!
@Author_Al
Yes, I canvassed with English people for Yes. They had exactly the same ambition for Scotland that you and I have. It’s the Scots who wanted to vote No I don’t understand and we had plenty of those in this area. Those English No voters I mentioned in my previous comment, fit in here better than I do.
What I detected when canvassing here in the SW, is a lack of identity with Scotland. There is little solidarity or empathy outside their narrow view of the world which I would sum up as regional. ( I would say insular but it is not an island! )
Their default position is that they are Gallovidian. One of them asked belligerently, “What has the Scottish Government done for this place?” ignoring the many decades of neglect that they experienced under a Westminster Government. On first coming here I was shocked at how savage the Beeching cuts had been. What a relief it would have been to the A75 if there were still a rail link between Dumfries and Stranraer, instead of, for example, helping to fund a Crossrail project in London?
Vince says:
Sorry, don’t buy the national anymore. Not enough like a newspaper which can appeal to the masses. It also should not be brazenly advertising it’s alleged independence philosophy.Why not use the strap line Scotland’s Champion
Strikes me as a publication to keep a few Yes supporters happy but isn’t in the recruitment business for new Yes voters..
Yeah, I agree. I still buy it as is great to have a pro-Scottish voice out there, but they should have a tag line that is generally patriotic, and not overtly political. A bit more of a softly-softly approach.
It’s like Record openly calling itself “The paper that supports the Labour Party”
Being seen as a party political pamphlet just encourages newsagents to understock or hide it, and no major hotel chains will stock it for guests. It would be good to see them appealing to a more general audience, not just preaching to the converted.
It has greatly improved though since the early issues, and they had a survey on their website asking readers what changes or new features they want to see.
http://www.thenational.scot
First post – found this site a couple of weeks before the referendum. The No campaign and propaganda onslaught had already turned me from a mild mannered soft yes into a raging Nat!
For weeks after the ref I felt bereaved. My country had committed suicide. And I had lost a friend in the BBC which I had previously trusted. Now I see right through it and its scary.
Thank god for Wings, have donated accordingly…
If anyone who’s coming to the WOS knees-up (in Counting House, Glasgow, on Friday May 1st) has any potential raffle prizes, please pop over to O/T and let us know details.
It’s likely to be our last get-the-gither before the GE. Let’s make it a quality gig with good prizes.
If Greg Moodie and/or Chris Cairns see this – gonny geez wan ay yer pikchirs, eh?
Craig Murray/Lesley Riddoch – can you please give us autographed copies of yer books?
Can anyone think of ither buddies we could approach for stuff?
@ Sinky
Yes, but the whole msm project to buoy up Sideshow Bob is so over the top and sycophantic that it is beyond parody.
I cannot believe that people are taken in by the pish they roll out.
I mean, the photos alone show this up.
The DR’s original hand-scribbled notes for ‘The Vow’ would be a cracking raffle prize, eh?
Anyone fancy asking Murray Foote if he knows where they are? (Even a photocopy would be perfectly spiffing…and we wouldn’t even expect them to autograph it or anything!)
Calum said:
“Stu, I am absolutely serious about this proposal that Wings of Scotland approaches Johnston Press and ask how much they would sell The Scotsman newspaper for?”
If nothing else, the publicity this would generate, would be worth its weight in gold. 🙂
Ian Brotherhood
LOL …I think the vow was written on the back of a fag packet! Chances are …this will be the only prize that won’t be collected when the number is read out. It will be a few seconds of deathly silence.
However …sound like it could be a cracking night! Need to get home from Edinburgh; back to Livingston, and then get the train through. Could be a busy night getting there LOL
Mccart Says:
“You have to assume of course that JP would sell the Scotsman to anyone never mind a representative of a popular movement they’ve been actively trying to crush for the past several years.”
The thing is, any business is legally bound to get the best deal for its shareholders.
They cant turn down a good price, without some legal redress, if they can’t show good reason for doing so.
English Law is based on precedent, their would be carnage in the business world if the legal system was seen to set the precedent that they could openly ‘wink’ at legislation in certain circumstances.
Raffle prizes – the shirt Murphoid was wearing when he was viciously egged? (Some stains just won’t shift – if it wasn’t binned then he’ll be able to locate it.)
Raffle prize – the Joe 90 specs Darling wore during the second TV debate with AS.
Come on, be a darling Darling! You won’t be needing them again! (You can keep the wee toty ear-mike though…eeurgh.)
Sunday Herald front page;
https://twitter.com/newsundayherald/status/571811394389184513
O/T – soz bad start for a first post, but it’s about to get worse.
I was a no voter. Not because I don’t want Scotland to eventually be independent, but because I thought it was time for Devo Max, unfortunately not on offer.
Having read this site for a while (before posting) it seems much more factual and inclusive of other opinions than others. I hope you won’t attack me for having followed Labour Hame- it has some interesting ideas that I like (e.g. Maximum Wage), but I feel deserted by labour. I am still a socialist (I love listening to Tommy Sheridan who, I think, is a fantastic speaker) but am liberal and have strong Green ideologies.
In Scotland, and I think in the rest of the UK, we have been sold out to the multinational companies who now control our government.
On Topic
I am for Wings and added something to the pot.
Some people are ‘settlers’
while others are ‘pioneers’.
Settlers want a place to settle and put down roots and build something.
And then to stay there.
Pioneers want to check out what’s over that ridge
and beyond those mountains.
Pioneers want to go beyond the boundaries
laid down by the settlers.
Both settlers and pioneers are needed.
They are neither rivals nor enemies.
They are complementary.
Like the ends of a seesaw.
So also with Independence.
Some are settled – in their careers, in their homes, in their families.
They don’t want to disturb all of that and why would they?
That’s OK.
Others are driven by the winds of change.
They catch the breeze and are moved by the spirit
to seek new frontiers and new ways of living.
That’s OK
The two are different sides of the same nature.
They are not contradictory.
They are not rivals , as some would like to make them.
They are interdependent and complementary.
They work together, when they work together but not in competition.
Sadly, there’s something about the Unionists;
an insecurity which distorts the paths
of harmonious co-operation.
They prefer instead, domination.
Hence the struggle.
But be assured of this –
The austerity merchants cannot win.
The slave owners will not win.
The Unionists time is coming to and end.
For FREEDOM has seen the light
and will not be denied.
There is not a power on earth can stop it.
In spite of what the Westminster Establishment think.
Vote SNP. Vote for settlers and pioneers.
Working together in a fair and prosperous Independent Scotland.
Incidentally, Montelciego, Rioja Reserva 2010. £7 from Morrisons.
If a smooth, plummy red is your bag,
then this is for you.
Don’t wait, the offer will end soon.
But, please, leave some.
I shouldn’t be telling you this after Limoux,
but I’m a mug for sharing with friends.
Re The National and having a Metro-like Newspaper out there. Buy a paper copy of The National every day you can, read it (or also buy the online edition) but take the paper copy out and about and leave it in
doctors’ surgery
dentists
hairdressers
local cafe
on a bus
on the train
at the vets
at the old folks home if your visiting
at the cottage hospital
at the NHS hospital
in the park on a bench on a sunny (and nae windy) day
in the shelter by the beach
in the bench/shelter outside the pubic loos
in loos in venues if they have an ante salon
at the DHSS centre/Job Centre
at the solicitors
at the social work office
basically BUY AND LEAVE THE NATIONAL ANYWHERE and Everywhere. Scribble the web address for Wings on the front or maybe Stu can mock up a page we can download and print,on card, with the url for here and Bateman/Newsnet etc to leave around too.
@ Ian Brotherhood 10:25
Big prize – autograph my wee tummy.
@RascalRachael –
Super first post and I really hope Duncan Hotdogstall reads it 🙂
marcia – yeah i swore a lot.
hi rascalrachael . . . i don’t think you have to own up to anything before being allowed to post here, although i might be wrong, and about to get hit with hammers myself. welcome 🙂
manandboy – i thank you.
RascalRachael says:
O/T – soz bad start for a first post, but it’s about to get worse.
I was a no voter. Not because I don’t want Scotland to eventually be independent, but because I thought it was time for Devo Max, unfortunately not on offer.
No need to apologise Rachael.
We all have our wee “crosses” to bear. 😉
No one on here will attack you in any shape or form for being a NO voter. We all recognise everyone voted for what they thought best. Obviously everyone on here in the lead up to Sept 18th was doing their bit to convince people just like you to vote YES.
No one, as far as I’m aware holds any grudges against people who have, as we say, had their eyes opened to the reality of what happened. We welcome everyone on here and hope they can contribute, in any way they can, to the discussions we have.
As you follow the discussions you will undoubtedly come across disagreements even amongst ourselves on different topics but that is quite acceptable because we all know everyone has differing views about differing topics. You do not have to agree with everyone all the time on here, just be respectful of their point of view and they will be respectful of yours. 😀
@RascalRachael
Welcome. Good first post!
@ Compo and RascalRachael.
A very big welcome to WOS.
Your previous life matters not.
Your new life starts right here.
Spread the word far and wide.
Welcome aboard.
😉
@Paula Rose –
A splendidly generous offer, but Glasgow City Council has several by-laws which condemn that sort of thing, under the umbrella of graffiti-related offences.
Sadly, your lovely wee George Melly will have to be out of bounds on the evening.
I know this will be a disappointment to you. By way of recompense, please accept this Curtis Mayfield 12-incher:
‘Move On Up’ –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z66wVo7uNw
@RascalRachael –
I hope you know you are invited to the WOS shindig in Counting House, Glasgow, on May 1st.
Please bring your pals, especially those who are still ‘No’ and/or Labour voters. By the end of the night, if nothing else, they’ll know that ‘CyberNats’ are just ordinary humans.
RascalRachael says:
“O/T – soz bad start for a first post, but it’s about to get worse.
I was a no voter. Not because I don’t want Scotland to eventually be independent, but because I thought it was time for Devo Max, unfortunately not on offer.”
Welcome aboard the Wings Big Dipper , eh family of fun , eh home of truth .
As they say in the NE ” Come awa in …..t the body o the kirk ”
Now the irky bit ……Curious on the word ” eventually” ….. With a YES we widnna be Independent until March 2016 was that no “eventually” enough .
I second Stoker @ 12.30 am
Welcome .
That can’t be right. Aren’t we all nasty, vile, women hating cybernats living in a sewer?
LOL, welcome RascalRachael
Ian honey – I could turn up in my nursey outfit?
http://bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk/index.php/city-news/889-power-to-the-bathist-insurgency.html
and give a bed bath plus some interventions?
Nation Libre says:
That can’t be right. Aren’t we all nasty, vile, women hating cybernats living in a sewer?
Well if you are what the hell am I doing on here? 😉 😀
@Paula Rose –
Aye. Okay. Whatever.
Ronnie and/or John King can sort the practicalities, like, eh, bringing a bath?
Wouldn’t it be easier if you just did a pole-dance? I’ll bring the pole. He’s called Wryztxzs. You’ll like (nearly wrote lick there!) him a lot.
There have been a couple of comments above which refer to (ahem) ‘people not born in Scotland’ who probably voted the wrong way.
I am lucky enough to stay in a rather pleasant part of our country (if I pretend I cannot see the nuke subs) and blessed with houses both right and left of me with prominent “For Sale” signs. These lovely people were scared by the prospect of independence and for some reason, wish to move (back) to Brighton and Esher respectively.
Despite the sods obviously voting NO, they still intend leaving their dream retirement home as our agenda does not match theirs. I was yacking with an estate agent locally and it seems many people ‘not born in Scotland’ have their houses on the market.
Unfortunately, they are using daft prices which means buyers will also doubtless not be born in Scotland.
@RascalRachael says:
O/T – soz bad start for a first post, but it’s about to get worse.
I was a no voter. Not because I don’t want Scotland to eventually be independent, but because I thought it was time for Devo Max, unfortunately not on offer..
I know several people who voted No who feel exactly the same way.
Many people want to take the middle way if you have 3 choices.. the compromise option.
By the last week of the referendum, the impression was given that No didn’t mean a straight No anymore, it had changed to mean Devo-Max, or some kind of Federalism.
Now what we see are attempts to backtrack and play that down.
I think Labour was banking on the fact that many people have short memories..
Going by the recent polls, it looks like many Scots won’t let themselves be fooled again.
The fact that Labour politicians are urging their members to vote Tory in certain seats.. that just sums up their decline in Scotland..
@RascalRachael says:
O/T – soz bad start for a first post, but it’s about to get worse.
I was a no voter. Not because I don’t want Scotland to eventually be independent, but because I thought it was time for Devo Max, unfortunately not on offer..
I know several people who voted No who feel exactly the same way.
Many people want to take the middle way if you have 3 choices.. the compromise option.
By the last week of the referendum, the impression was given that No didn’t mean a straight No anymore, it had changed to mean Devo-Max, or some kind of Federalism.
Now what we see are attempts to backtrack and play that down.
I think Labour was banking on the fact that many people have short memories..
Going by the recent polls, it looks like many Scots won’t be fooled again.
The fact that Labour politicians are urging their members to vote Tory in certain seats.. that just sums up their decline in Scotland..
@RascalRachael Well done for having the guts to admin you voted no. Welcome to the fight for a better Scotland for all.
Imagine a wee blue dvd!
RascalRachael I was in the Home Rule camp also
Voted Liberal nearly every election
The referendum changed everything and smith commission was like a slap in the face
I realize now HomeRule was a S.O.P,for Unionist parties ,actions speak louder than words
Glasgow/Dundee saved the night,and im hoping for a repeat May 7th
Vote NO you get nothing. People were warned. A hard lesson to learn.
Westminster are ruining the Scottish Oil sector for spite. Thatcher like.
Scotland spends only what it raises but doesn’t have the choice of what the revenues are spent on. Trident, illegal wars and austerity cost more. Austerity costs more than it saves. The one’s who need the money most are charged the most interest.
Unionist Parties funded by Hedge Funds. SNP funded by it’s members.
I do not think Westminster are ruining the oil industry out of spite – they know full well that the oil industry at present have invested huge sums of cash on the years of 2014-2015 on the projects, all of which has been used to offset the profits they would have made otherwise. That is not however to say that their present tax regime is fair or sustainable.
All future projects will be pushed out 6-18 months before starting waiting on an oil price hike to come. Exploratory drilling will be cut, workovers and well improvements will continue on a case by case basis and all the while a % of the workforce will be either released by natural wasteage (completion of projects) or by the oil companies taking advantage of the downturn to cut jobs and reduce Terms and Conditions.
The last figures I remember seeing for production costs in the UK were in the region of £20 average per barrel, so most of these fields are still viable, but just not producing as much profit as their operators would like.
I also find it strange that it has never been highlighted that outwith of the drilling industry, some 50% of those that work offshore hail from the delightful areas of Teeside such as Yarm, Seaton Carew, Ingleby Barwick and Eaglescliffe – to the extent that I was seeing 23 year old Instrument Techs fresh from college, never having worked a day in their life turning up on a new build rig in the south of Spain as Commissioning Techs 3 years ago. Just wait till you hear these guys squealing if Holyrood rais the base rate of tax by 1%.
These guys stitch the offshore industry up better than the Eton crew do at Westminster with their nepotic employment practices.
Welcome RascalRachael to the roller coaster ride that is Wings! I think you will find that many folks who post here or who just come for a good read and to be informed have got here by the same route as yourself – and that makes the decision to join in all the more valid and valuable because it is freely given after being given serious thought.
Now that you see things differently, you’ll wonder how you could have been conned for so long – the realisation hurts! But that’s the thing that drives all of us here – the desire for change by peaceful means. So welcome 🙂
Welcome to RascalRachael. I commend your courage for telling the truth, and there is no shame in having voted No in the referendum if it is what you truly believed to be right at the time.
None of the regular contributers on Wings would criticise you for that.
You have taken a journey that has led you to this place, and I hope that many other end up making the same journey.
As someone else mentioned earlier, you will be made most welcome at the Wings get-together on the 1st May if you choose to come along. I hope you do. You will not find a nicer bunch of people from all walks of life at one of our social events.
O/T Looks like someone has the right idea about the BBC. An inquest in Rwanda finds that the BBC should be taken to court over its editorial standards.
The more No that come into the fold the better as far as I am concerned. That is the whole point of continuing with Wings and fighting for Scotland in the election in May. Who knows how long it might be before we get another chance but in the meantime we can still strive to make them deliver on their “Home Rule” promise
Welcome also to you RR.
They say confessions good for the soul, even for atheists.
I should confess that I was a Tory believer when a student, not yesterday. My first real doubt was when I attended a Tory conference in Perth wearing my kilt ( yes Morag the red one). I received glares and realised that Scottishness was not acceptable to them.
O/T, I mentioned to my Labour friend Joe that his view that I was SNP may be wrong and now he has come out that what he and Labour really fear in the SNP is their internal discipline and that he despairs of the low quality of the SLAB in Holyrood.
Again, welcome lass and please continue to contribute.
Our day shall come!
@Compo
Welcome – good post – one of the things that upset me most was the total betrayal I felt at the BBC.
They are not our national broadcaster anymore.
@RascalRachel
Welcome also and great post. We need the 25% of no voters who where on the cusp of voting Yes to change their minds at the next referendum. I think they will see what the Vow and Smith commission ends up after it has been demolished by the English MPs and the HOL and realised that they were all duped.
It we get any extra powers at all, I will be surprised.
Roads sign powers would be very useful – change them all to km to wind up UKIP. 🙂
Hi RR,
Just a wee addition to my welcome to you last night.
As you will see, there are very many different types of people in our big WOS family, with varying beliefs, but that one issue that bonds us all – a very strong belief in Scottish independence.
We have members from all sorts of religions and none.
We have supporters of many different football clubs and none,
(including the 2 Glasgow giants – Celtic & Partick 🙂 and the lesser Glasgow clubs also – Rangers & Clyde 🙂 )
We have Nationalists, Greens, true Socialists (SSP etc) and Internationalists.
We already have quite a few former Labour voters who have relatively recently seen the light and now fight admirably for independence.
We also have many members who are either English in origin or, like myself, have many English family connections.
And contrary to what certain Unionists would have you believe, we have just as many female members in our community as male and a lot of them are quite strong characters who’ll give any man a run for his money, just watch out for that Nana Smith, don’t cross her whatever you do, Genghis Khan hasn’t a look-in!
🙂
The very creator and owner of WOS, the Rev, is a Liberal Aberdeen fan from Bathgate who now lives in Bath and hates Rangers and people who don’t put paragraph breaks in their posts, so be warned.
🙂
We all have our differences and we all have our arguments and petty fall-outs, just like any other family, but as i said, we are all bonded together in a very strong belief that Scotland will be a far better country with independence.
Spread the word far and wide.
A very warm welcome to WOS.
😉
@ Patrick Roden
And you’re absolutely right Patrick, they are bound to get the best deal for their share holders, but please believe me, when as I said in my second post, any competition for such a title would be able to spend one pound more than anything we could put together. You wouldn’t believe the cost of even small local weekly titles never mind a daily if I told you, but its safe to say that the figures involved in buying and maintaining even a small title would make you blanch.
I think buying the Scotsman sounds like a good idea until you start to look really closely at the detail. The title itself is where the value is, lets face it you wouldn’t want to inherit their editorial staff and hacks and it has no real tangible assets worth mentioning. The trouble is that you would under TUPE regulations and the new owner(s) would then become liable for any redundancy, pension right etc’ if the business was bought as a going concern.
What you might buy it for and what it would ultimately cost to run properly (hitting the desired target audience) will be two quite different sums of money. It would take at least a year to eighteen months after concluding the purchase to get everything in order and make the changes needed for it to be a viable (as in useful to those interested in balanced journalism as opposed to commercially viable which I doubt it would ever really be) by which time a small fortune would have been expended. And to a large extent the opportunity to use it for the GE and Holyrood elections missed.
Having made a wee donation to this fundraiser, I was greatly amused by the sour grapes from some of our unionist chums on Twitter and decided that I would be making a second wee donation on payday.
However I have instead decided not to donate through Indiegogo but to take out a subscription http://wingsoverscotland.com/donate/
I was idly looking back at some old Wings fundraisers when I came across the One Pound for Wings appeal
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/one-pound-for-wingsland/x/2351308
I was struck by the breakdown given of what a £2:00 per month subscription could buy if everyone who read the site took up this option. Whilst expecting everyone who reads the site regularly to kick in £2:00 a month is probably unrealistic, it would only take 1875 folk chipping in £2:00 a month over twelve months to generate the £45,000 annual income the site needs based on the current fundraiser. 1875 is fewer people than have already donated to the current appeal so it’s not an unachievable figure.
This would of course free up the substantial amount already raised for other stuff and would allow future fundraisers to be even more ambitious. Also a small regular donation is often a more affordable way for people to donate.
I’m not saying don’t donate to the fundraiser, the perks are great and there’s nothing like watching the total go up. The bitter and petulant response of the nawbags alone makes it worthwhile but I do think it’s worth considering a small subscription between fundraisers for those who can afford it.
Reference Murphy’s egged shirt. My theory is that it was pre-stained just in case his buddy missed with the eggs. My recollection is that Murphy ducked the first egg thrown even though he had his back to his buddy. Maybe a George Bush intercom thingy was rigged up between the pair.
Is the 1st May gig at the Counting House fancy dress? Wear options – egg-stained shirts, Irn Bru, coyote, nurse uniforms – regular or bikini, Daffy Duckdale, A Greggs pie, A Sandwich, A Wee Thing?
This is my first post.
I’ve been reading WOS since before the referendum. I worked hard to turn some voters to YES and was devastated when we lost( by fair means or foul…..you decide).
Anyway I made a donation on Friday but I’m not sure it went through as my machine crashed and there was no confirmation.
All I’m trying to say is if its not there I’ll donate when my credit card bill comes in. I love reading this site and am looking forward to taking part.
@ MARYDOLL (and any other newbies i may have missed).
Welcome aboard. Always good to see new posters and read what they have to say.
Jeeeeezo, at this rate we’re going to need a bigger boat, or two!
😉
btw, Looks like we’ve also got a bank account that would choke a horse.
How dae ye like them apples, Mr.Foote-in-gub, eh!
£84K and still climbing with 30 days remaining, OH MY!
🙂
Hello Marydoll and a great big welcome to you! We seem to be getting lots of new folks like yourself joining just recently – I’m sure the same sort of welcome from everyone that RascalRachael got yesterday and today will be “Winging” its way to you! 🙂
another JM bandwagon
JIM MURPHY has demanded a dramatic cut in the maximum bet gamblers can place on a single spin on casino-type machines.
Fixed odds betting terminals, which have been dubbed the crack cocaine of gambling, let punters stake up to £100 every 20 seconds on roulette, poker and blackjack games.
But Scottish Labour leader Murphy has called for a £2 cap on stakes, a move he says will help curb problem gambling.
bfh–FOBT are very addictive,but gambling is now 24/7,especially smart phones,in running football.its up to individual to stop,because it’s impossible to control,loss of control gamblers will always find away.
p.s–gordon removed betting tax,new labour planned SUPER casino,s to rival Vegas
just saying
Story in the Daily Heil about union flags getting plastered on signs all over Scotland. Indoctrination.
Very shortly, Stu will have raised double the intended amount. So time to clone yourself. Or maybe open a publishing wing. Or maybe target each group which is in the anti-indy camp. After all, we have to persuade the whole nation and take everyone with us (exclusing the natural percentage of bampots).
Who are they? The elderly. The English Scots. Those with mortgages who could be frightened again with economic scare stories. I do not blame any of these groups, just like I would not blame a half-wit in medieval times for believing in church stories of hell fire.
But their eyes need to be opened. You have the resources and the brains, Stu. Time to up the game. Baiting the intellectual wasteland that is the Daily Record and the Labour Party (Dugdale! Curran?? Lamont!) is only a part-time job. Time to start moving towards indy ourselves and not waiting forever for the SNP to do it at the top level (it will only be ever done from the bottom up).
@Joemcg
https://web.archive.org/web/20150301144021/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2974273/Union-flag-plastered-Scottish-bridges-roads-message-Paid-UK-taxpayer-counter-independence.html
Our day shall come
Joemcg, regarding the Union Flags, these will go the same way as the BT ones, they will be coming off. They could never get all the YES stickers off, and I would imagine apart from the OO types and the Masons, they will be doing wonders for the SNP.
Welcome to the army Marydoll, Stuarts Army, not conscripted all volunteers, women are most definitely welcome but we seem to be a growing band.
Westminster are ruining the Scottish Oil sector for spite. No other reason. Just as Thatcher ruined the Scottish economy. Alexander/Osbourne putting oil taxes up 10% (£2Billion) a year in 2011Budget was nothing more than spite and ignorance. Up to 80%+ which stopped exploration. Cost Scotland £4Billion a year in Oil production. – £16Billion. Danny Alexander thought it was funny.
Union Flag Logo
“Under the plan, any firm who wins a UK government contract will have to agree to display the logo on the finished work.”
nasty
MaryDoll
Welcome to the only place to be-Wings!
Join in for serious debate, conversation, friendly banter & downright daft posts.
You are very welcome so make your voice heard 🙂
If you have a minute take a look at the Comments page on the crowdfunder. Comment by Elizabeth Blair is brilliant
We’re past £85,000 mark by the way.
Great total. Wonder if we should share the indie gogo page with as many YES groups as we can. Lots of local ones…and I know that not all know about wings. Certainly I will be tweeting a rallying cry and link.
Stu is a marvel and the more who know what he does the better. Oh, and any pro union types reading this please be aware this is not desperation but dedication to the Indy cause.
Well, I just watched by team get gubbed today, and saw Jim Murphy not once but twice…These were the days that test men’s souls indeed.
@Bookie
So to ‘get’ the contract firms must agree to put up the poster. Is it just me or is this not a bit scary?
How long before we will all be made to stop and show some sort of reverence (bow?) to it?
What is happening folks.. and this goes for all the uk?
Folks maybe we should force the people down south to put the saltire on all their infrastructure projects that were built in the last 40 years and counting using our oil revenues.
This Union flag thing is all over FB groups, a lot expressing anger, and making noises about direct action, which is no doubt the intention.
I think more will turn to independence seeing this overt action to oppress.
Disgusting, and such an obvious move, as it was never an issue before we practiced some democracy.
Well hellorerr Marydoll ye’ve no goat a knife there huv ye?
ave jist hid ma jaicket stitched fae the last time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Jz7M7TJn4 🙂
@Joemcg.
Great idea. I know a few folk down here that would really pee off!
O/T
Just to advise all you fine folks that there’s another wee crowd funder project just launched.
Remember Dr Philippa Whitford, and how she caused a few waves during the campaign? Well, she is the SNP candidate for Central Ayrshire and would appreciate a few of your spare coins in her tin, which is located here:
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/dr-philippa-whitford-campaign-fund/
Many thanks in anticipation
@Joemcg
I wonder how well the union flag policy will go down in NI?
@Compo, Mary Doll,and Rascal Rachel,
A big welcome to this great site. If you cannot learn something new on here ,your brain is dead. It is jam packed with knowledgeable people ,covering every sphere in life .and is an education resource available to everyone. Enjoy.contribute, and always be honest in your opinion.
It’s all over Twitter too-I’ve just spent a very pleasant hour viewing the inventiveness of the indy movement. It’s great to see a person suggest an idea & 30 mins later the artwork appears in a tweet. This is why we beat them at social media.
The meme has moved on slightly now to Funded by UK government from Scotland’s oil
O/T a bit of trivia about what’s stirring up some of our revered celebrities: seemingly Greg Wise, husband of Emma Thompson, has revealed that he and Emma are very irate about HSBC and tax dodging.
Having apparently just wakened up to the fact that financial institutions have been running rings around HMRC to aid rich clients to evade tax, with very little concern displayed by cynical politicians who pretend that the loopholes and tax havens are beyond their control – Greg Wise and wife are threatening to stop paying their tax in protest.
While their indignation on behalf of law-abiding tax payers is commendable. I can’t help some irritation at those who are late to the game. Am I wrong in thinking that Emma Thompson was one of those luvvies who did not want us to vote for independence on the basis that she lurved us and our wonderful scenery?
At the time I was annoyed at those. like Emma, who demonstrated a naive and shallow perception of what motivated people like me. The very disgust that she and her husband now feel about the corrupt system which connives at tax avoidance/evasion is the disgust that turned me towards the idea of independence more than two decades ago.
I can’t help but feel a little peeved that Emma, Greg and others simply did not understand that there were people here, not aflame with some nationalist sentimentalism, who had calculated on leaving on the lifeboat of independence to escape the rotting, corrupt hulk of the UK and maybe build something better and fairer.
Evidently Emma’s sentimental gesture before the referendum did not of itself contribute to a No vote but what it displays was a carelees inability to actually find out what we were voting for before venturing her opinion. Had she actually done so, she might actually have sympathized with our aims after all.
I’d like to contribute again, but as before I don’t have a credit card. Can you provide a debit card facility please?
@JGedd, completely agree. Greg Wise getting all outraged about tax headers has a lot less impact if Emma Thompson and other luvvies like Ewan McGregor had recognised our democratic rights.
How hard is it for these idiots to have said something neutral, like, Scottish people have a right to vote how they feel, instead of every B lister jumping in with their imperialist opinions.
I found the parade of the luvvies highly patronising.
Hope Wise and his wife spend some time and money on a left wing party down south.
JGedd at 5.51
Emma’s a nice lassie, down to earth, no airs and graces and mainly brought up in Cowal. She lives for large part of the year quietly close to here and enjoys her anonymity. I was disappointed by her declaration for NO but it wasn’t a loud, unreasonable call.
I don’t think she would be uncomfortable on the other side – with some of her friends.
Not all our opponents are enemies.
Jim Thompson
I just tried to contribute to Philippa Whitford’s crowdfunder but gave up towards the end & cancelled it.
Not only do you have to sign up for the crowdfunders site but then you have to register for Cardless site or use Paypal.
I tried to give money earlier today to the SNP candidate for Paisley North earlier & pulled out for the same reasons. I get enough junk mail already so try to limit the sites I sign up to.
Indigogo is brilliant for it’s simplicity & it’s a straightforward debit from my account with no messing around but this is about the fifth site I’ve been to being used by SNP candidates for crowdfunding their campaigns where I’ve tried & given up.
The one thing that struck about all of them is the very low rate of contributions compared to other candidates. Does someone need to have a word? I can’t be the only person reluctant to limit my exposure to companies on the web.
That was probably the most stomach turning aspect of the referendum so called celebrities spouting their view points especially hypocrites like Geldof McCartney and Connollly and their private and public views on the Irish question.
Someone put up the link for Alex’s funding appeal a couple of days ago but now I can’t find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Betsy -I’ve sent a few pennies to your local SNP group.
“I’d like to contribute again, but as before I don’t have a credit card. Can you provide a debit card facility please?”
PayPal should work with debit cards. But if not, just call your bank and give them the account details on the Donate page and they should do you a direct transfer over the phone with no hassle at all (at no charge).
http://wingsoverscotland.com/donate/
@Dave McEwan Hill 6.48pm
I’m sure you are right about Emma Thompson being a nice lassie and obviously intelligent, with her heart in the right place, but that wasn’t really the point that I was making.
She is evidently on the same page as us as she reveals herself now, over the corruption of the financial system, but it seems that though living here for part of the year, she did not acquaint herself with what motivated people who live here and desired independence. As an intelligent person, she could have found that out, before making a comment which she knew would be reported.
The very reason why I mentioned Emma is because I respect her intelligence and therefore find it a pity that someone would choose to intervene with apparently no clear idea of what independence politics was really about. Billy Bragg and others with left-wing sentiments worked it out and supported our ambition. It does not reflect well on Emma that she did not take time to investigate what motivated Yes voters before making her comment. It seemed like the glib assessment of Better Together which we came up against many times.
I can assure you, I do not regard someone like Emma Thompson as an enemy and my criticism is more in sorrow than in anger, because it appears that she is similarly repelled by the greed and unfairness of the UK tax system and should have made a natural ally. I am mystified and saddened that she was unable, while staying here, to meet someone before making a comment (such as yourself, perhaps) who could have enlightened her about our independence cause.
@Lollysmum 6:51pm
Thanks for the feedback, I’ve passed it on to Philippa’s team so they are aware of the potential effect.
We did discuss this a couple of weeks ago and there is a valid reason for using Crowdfunder rather than any other platform.
@Lollysmum 7:34pm
errrmmm, you’re not going to like this ….
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/support-alex-salmond-to-win-gordon-ge-2015/
Sorry about that :-/
@Jim Thomson
Reason to avoid Indiegogo is they do not provide details of donors over $50 which must be provided to the electoral commission. Therefore, SNP has recommended Crowdfunder
@Robert Kerr 2:43 pm and @Joemcg
I’ll volunteer to spend a few days running around England putting up Scottish flags on the biggest public sector investment projects with the message ‘paid for with Scottish money’ if one of you will come and hold the ladder – possibly after the election though 🙂
£86K and climbing.
😉
OVER £86,000. Double jings.
O/T talking Energy for a bit…
Sunday politics 01/03/2015
51mins in, Tom Greatrex says that he is “I am just thankful that we exist in a world where we have a GB market, at least 1 part of every day of 1 of 6 power is coming south to north”
My first issue is his implication that if we were a seperate countries that Scotland would not be allowed to buy energy from Elsewhere ? Don’t Multinational companies constantly buy energy from each other?
For example
The document – https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/224130/uk_energy_in_brief_2013.PDF
States
‘In 2012, 43% of energy used in the UK was imported, up sharply from the 2010 level due to increased maintenance activity that has restricted oil and gas output.’
So surely that is a mis-representation of the facts? But it’s not the biggie.
If ‘in part of 1 day in 1 of 6 power is coming south to north, then
in 5 days of every 6 power is going north to south and even on the other one day, it is only 1 part of the day where energy is going north to south.
Doesn’t that mean that Scotland is a big net exporter of energy ?
Mr Greatrex goes on to say that ‘on 1 day last year 1% of our generation came from renewables, 1% and that shows how stark it can get’
Now I don’t know about you, the idea the on ONLY ONE DAY renewable generation dropped to that level is pretty lovely news to me.
Spin on that ?
Would like to repeat the welcome to the new Wingers, “no” voters included, all welcome !
Only done a couple of posts myself, the quality of them pales into insignificance compared to the likes of some (Macart, Doug Daniel and Iain Brotherhood take a bow) but you’ve got to start somewhere:-)
Great to see the fundraiser doing so well, worth every single penny!
@Cadogan Enright
I’ll bring the ladder…
@Joemcg
Im convinced this union jack thing is a deliberate campaign. Pre ref, they were happy to patronise us into thinking we had our own wee country and have saltires everywhere and call things Scottish. Now they’ve had a fright we will see this rolled back, and more and more union jacks shoved in our faces along with British this, British that.
I’ve already complained to a supermarket about UJs stuck on stuff.
oops paragraph 6 I said
If ‘in part of 1 day in 1 of 6 power is coming south to north, then
in 5 days of every 6 power is going north to south and even on the other one day, it is only 1 part of the day where energy is going north to south.
I meant
If ‘in part of 1 day in 1 of 6 power is coming south to north, then
in 5 days of every 6 power is going north to south and even on the other one day, it is only 1 part of the day where energy is going south to north.
Soz 🙁
The Union Jack/Flag is not the flag of my country and I do not want it to become more common in the public view than it is at the moment.
I steadfastly try and avoid buying anything with a Union Flag on the packaging. There seems to be more of that than ever. However, I will by food that is marked made in England etc.
I still don’t buy the likes of Tunnock’s cakes because of their support for the Union. The price of their teacakes seems to have fallen maybe because of a fall in demand. My apologies for this stance to all Tunnock’s workers but …
OT I never used to watch Bake Off but because my wife is a fan and I quite like to watch TV sometimes I got into the show. So it was with some excitement and anticipation that I sat down to watch the Comic Relief Show from earlier this week. My wife has been away so tonignt was the first time we could view it. WTF one of the celebrities was campaigner Sarah Brown…who she? my wife says she is the wife of Gordon ‘Saviour Of The Feckin Union’ Brown…
the man who earned 1.3 million in the past year. The man who lied about the vow, the man who promised sodding jam today or tomorrow or sometime after the general election…knowing the bloody jam would be thrown out by the Unelected second chamber.
So I have had to watch lovely, fragrant CELEBRITY Mrs Brown do some cooking ….hoping she would lose to Tony Blair aka Michael Sheen.
I won’t ruin it if you don’t yet know who won but it wasn’t Sarah…hopefully Gordon and his Labour cronies will have similar Bad luck.
I am sure Sarah is wonderful but by goodness she is NO CELEBRITY.
I need another whisky.
And a gin.
Apologies for going off topic but maybe I haven’t as I was acutely aware ithey showed the last series of BRITISH bake off during the referendum…subliminal brainwashing by the BBC….
and reeeeeelaaaaxxxxxxxx
PS yes I did say 1.3 MILLION!!!!!
@ RascalRachael.
Welcome, RR. May The Force be with you.
As someone who passes Ru’glen town hall on the M74 (Greatrex country) regularly, I have to say I increasingly loathe the Union Jack which flies there, despite the town voting Yes In the Referendum.
Provocation or what? Provocation.
Answer to your Big Question seems to be: Yes, Yes, Yes.
Of course, I’m quoting freely from Molly Bloom.
What a girl!
Better say that I do know that GB gives his 1.3 million to charity, helped by his missus. I just wish celebrity actually meant Celebrity. Were the Beeb so lacking in stars? If only the 1.3 million pensioners in Scotland had Gordon’s ability to generate money so readily.
vince my pal
fair enough about the union flag,but tunnocks tea-cakes is pushing it
when it comes food,hobbies,life enjoyment ,the world is complicated
I owned a racing greyhound,which ran brough park,now newcastle
I lov cumberland sausages,and the tunnocks tea cake
I was hacked off about Asda,but you have to think about the workers
It’s westminster,political parties you have to direct your thought processes at
not a go at you vince
@ RascalRachael
Agree , Gatrix got left to spew his trock uninterrupted !
Brewer was totally rude to Fergus Ewing .
SNP people got similar treatment pre Sept 18th .
Grouse Beater / Headtacker /Stoker , sorry can’t remember who commented advice at the time .
During an interview as such , an interruption to your answer should be accepted BUT remain silent.
This leaves , in this instance G Brewer to engage Mr Ewing again , and so on .
Today I felt Mr Ewing was very tolerant . He decided to contine with his answer regardless of G Brewer , however the studio had the upper hand as they had tweeked an echo on Mr Ewings microphone and lowered his volume when G Brewer interrupted .
Pleased to see your engaging again today .
Welcome to all other newcomers too.
@ Tinto Cheil , Scott M made a fantastic contribution yesterday , just as we thought he would .
RR , are you familiar with Prof John Robertson , take a peek at his Beeb Bias reports .
They tried to get him dismissed , rather than address his reports he gave them .
@RascalRachael 9.21pm
Not Orange
‘Renewable sources accounted for 32.0% of electricity generated in 2013, an increase of 16.3% in the amount of electricity generated by renewables since 2012. The share of electricity generated from non-Hydro renewable sources (wind, wave, tidal, solar power and thermal renewables) has consistently increased every year from 0.6% in 2000 to 23.7% in 2013.’
source:http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business/TrendElectricity
If only we had control from the crown estate that might increase that amount -http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2383769/smith-commission-scotland-should-keep-offshore-wind-windfall
Or we had some innovative way to increase that amount
http://phys.org/news/2014-09-hydrogen-production-breakthrough-herald-cheap.html
The Futures bright – the future’s Green
Vince,
I stopped buying Tunnocks too, & Baxters soups, (the Baxters gave a huge donation to Project Fear) and I last shopped in ASDA the day they told me my country couldn’t run itself. Tesco & John Lewis & B&Q will also never see another bawbee from me. My family are all the same. The civil rights movement in USA boycotted companies. Hit them where it hurts them; their wallets. I’ll never forget ‘Project Fear’s’ psychological warfare on my country & its people and I won’t let them forget it either. They won the first battle. We’ll win the last.
Very little of the funds that Gordon Brown raises goes to charities. The vast majority of the cash goes to fund Brown’s organisation and interests
from Guido Fawkes
“The most shared story on the blog this year was Guido’s investigation into the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown. Since leaving Downing Street, Gordon has raised over £3 million to support charitable projects yet has given less than a £1 million to charity. Nearly three-quarters of the money raised has gone on his office and globe-trotting travel expenses that run at over £10,000-a-week.”
@Dave McEwan Hill 10:30pm
How now Brown Vow on cash cow row ?
guido fawkes
Gordon Brown
Not a registered charity, two thirds of funds raised spent on expenses
Jim Thompson & WifeyforIndy
Thanks for the info. In that case I’ll be giving them both a miss-sorry Alex & Philippa 🙁
On different rules and codes of behaviour.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31687147
‘Gers chairman David Somers steps down before EGM
Somers said in a statement: “I have worked in the City of London, the world’s greatest financial centre, for decades and enjoyed considerable success.
“When I was approached about the chairmanship of Rangers, friends warned me that the world of football
has different rules and codes of behaviour.
“I now know that is a gross understatement.
As it is in football,
so it is also in the Unionist Establishment.
Just ask the Electoral Commission for starters.
Then call the SFA.
Wind turbines -lucrative Gov subsidies for privately owned
large estates – and Fergus Ewing, Scotland’s Energy Minister.
Whatever the facts of the matter,
the public perception will be
that Fergus Ewing is too cosy with the Duke of Buccleugh
and appears to favour him with taxpayers money.
Mr Ewing is clearly out of touch
with the need to manage very carefully indeed
the information given to the Public
about projects like this latest one in Dumfries-shire –
and also coal based methane gas extraction proposals,
which Mr Ewing has excluded from the fracking moratorium.
I am quite clear that this is precisely
the kind of thing for which Westminster is notorious
and yet here we are with Holyrood appearing
to behave in exactly the same way.
For more details, please read yesterdays Sunday Herald.
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/projects/confirm/d:0.00-0-15127/
I too attempted to donate only to find
that the site would not accept my details
filling every box as required.
I hope you read this Philippa.
Your agent has made a very bad choice
with this site.
I want to support you,
but the fundraising site won’t let me.
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/support-alex-salmond-to-win-gordon-ge-2015/
Crowdfunder is asking a minimum of £10 to support Alex in Gordon.
When you are a pensioner
and are trying to give to so many,
a £10 minimum is not only too much,
it says, ‘I forgot about pensioners.’
Just like in the Referendum
To Peter & Nicola Murrell,
Let me be blunt for the sake of clarity.
How should the SNP shoot itself in the foot over donations?
Use Crowdfunder.
I’ve tried in vain to donate twice to SNP candidates this morning and was frustrated in my attempts by Crowdfunder.
I bank online, and, have used PayPal for years.
I pay for stuff online all the time without difficulty.
Remember this ‘ Customers don’t usually complain,
they just walk away’. (BT Marketing)
I will not walk away from the SNP,
but I do get p****d off sometimes by avoidable mistakes.
I must have got up too early, or, the propaganda has got to me, making me cranky.
manandboy
I agree with both your posts at 8.12 & 8.31am
I’ve looked at quite a few of these sites now out of interest. They all seem to be struggling. I’m glad to see that it’s not just me. I’m very IT literate unlike the majority of my peers so I can only wonder how others are faring.
I donated to Natalie McGarry, Drew Hendry, Denny & Dunipace campaign, Yes Bo’ness & a few others with no trouble at all.
Re the minimum amount £10-you only have to look at our fundraiser to see that lots can only manage £1 or £5 so placing a £10 lower limit means you are probably excluding quite a lot of people from donating to campaigns.
@manandboy, it’s bad form calling Nicola by a married name she doesn’t use, Johann Lamont ditto. It’s label-pinning & sexist and has no historical or legal foundation in a Scotland where women kept their names until this English fashion came north in the 19th century.
Glad to see many young lassies nowadays having none of it.
Hi Fred
I was addressing Peter & Nicola as a couple.
Different etiquette.
@Tîm Criced i Gymru says: 28 February, 2015 at 3:00 pm:
” … Seems as though you’ve already broken free – when did that happen without me knowing?!?!”
The truth is that the Establishment has always regarded Scotland as not within the UK, (except in the balance sheet income column when they do the books). This is apparent in many ways and the United Kingdom balance sheet is perhaps the most obvious but least understood, (by Joe & Josephine Public).
When a balance sheet of income and outgoings is drawn up it is actually a mathematics formula with income on one side and outgoings on the other side. The rule of working with formulae is that you must always do the same operation on both sides of the equals sign.
So consider this – The Establishment fosters the idiotic myth that the United Kingdom subsidises Scotland, (or for that matter Wales & N.I too). So let us just shoot that idiocy down right now and the first obvious flaw in their argument is the definition of what comprises, “The United Kingdom”.
That is Wales+N.Ireland+Scotland+England=United Kingdom.
So the claim that England subsidises Scotland, Wales & N.I is utter toss for they are deliberately making several different errors to foster their propaganda.
First they imply it is England dishing out largesse to all others but it is the United Kingdom funding and all four countries are part of the United Kingdom. ON both sides of the equation.
Second they neglect to factor in the per capita Gross domestic Product of each of the countries on the left hand part of the formula and each country’s per capita GDP is unequal.
Third they imply that as England has more tax payers the English contribute more.
So let’s examine the real facts and how the real calculation should be done.
Point one – Each United Kingdom country has a different population so that demands we calculate on a per capita basis On both sides of the equation
Point two – each country has a different per capita Gross Domestic Product so they do not contribute equally. So that affects both sides of the equation.
Point three – Those English tax payers are subject to per capita GDP issue too and as a larger population need more total funding so we must also deal with that on a per capita basis. On both sides of the equation.
So, just considering Scotland, The Scottish per capita GDP is higher than the UK average per capita GDP so each Scot, on average, contributes a larger per capita sum to the United Kingdom funding pot. The Barnett formula is worked out on a per capita basis but as Scotland has more devolved functions than either Wales or N.I, (and England is funded directly as the UK), then Scotland also must get extra funding to cover the cost of those extra devolved functions only Scotland must fund from their block grant. As the others get those extra functions done and paid for as the UK directly. So they get both the function and funding for them as part of the UK.
In short, on a per capita basis, each Scot puts more in but get less out than any other country in the United Kingdom and the complete set of per capita figures shows that by far the biggest subsidised country in the entire United Kingdom is in fact ENGLAND.
O/T : Just came across this on the British Bias Corporation website and wondered if you think we could put a few “questions” raised on this thread to Smurphy directly. “The Scottish Labour Party will be holding a conference at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on 7 March.
As part of BBC Scotland’s coverage, Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy will take part in a half-hour webcast in which he will answer your questions.
If you have something to ask Mr Murphy, email newsonlinescotland@bbc.co.uk
Please put “webchat questions” in the message field of your email.
You will be able to watch the one-to-one interview, hosted by BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor, via BBC Scotland’s politics website.”
Help!
I just attempted to contribute but I’m not on Facebook nor am I on Twitter. Neither am I signed up to indigogo. I was about to pay by VISA Debit but found no way to do so.
I did see a post on a comment somewhere about making payments by debit card but cannot find it now. As I cannot make head or tail of the process. Am I right in thinking, as a minimum, I must sign up to indigogo?
Robert Peffers
Go to this site’s Donate page & see the first option. Use your card to donate directly into Wings paypal account.
Or sign up for Indiegogo-it’s very simple to do.
@Lollysmum says:2 March, 2015 at 5:07 pm:
“Go to this site’s Donate page & see the first option. Use your card to donate directly into Wings paypal account.”
Err! That’s the problem, Lollysmum, I don’t see any options.
Anyway thank you for the help. I just saw a red box that said, “Donate Now”, and then things ground to a halt as I saw nowhere to enter Paypal information.
Anyway I’ve several other urgent transactions to carry out so I best do them first. I’ll go back and have another attempt later.
If I don’t attend to the other bills I’ll starve in the coming month as one of them is my on-line monthly shopping account and I need to transfer cash in to cover it. Mind you, by the look of my waistline I could do with a bit of starvation but the wee papillon needs her goodies.
@lollysmum.
Sheesh! Silly me. In my hurry I had not gone to the donations page but clicked the contribute now box on this page.
Thanks for your help – I’ll put my stupidity down to a senior moment. It has just been one of those days.
Gordon Brown want to introduce an oil fund!!!!!
Why didn’t someone think of this. Good old Gordon always on the ball.
@Wp,
If only this Gordon Brown guy had once been in government, he could have implemented this plan….oh wait THAT Gordon Brown!
http://www.thenational.scot/politics/gordon-browns-north-sea-oil-fund-plan-comes-under-fire.653
@Robert peffers
Oh Robert 🙂 I hope you got it sorted. The donate page is an alternative method to pay. The main route is via Indiegogo but some people don’t have bank cards to donate with so Stu put up alternate methods a long time ago.
O/T
Following the announcement of the forthcoming deluge of Union Jacks through the ‘Funded by the UK’ exercise, I note the British establishment is now considering the introduction of a ‘universal broadcasting levy’. This means that everyone in the UK, regardless of whether they have a television (or radio) will be required to fund the state broadcaster’s propaganda.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bbc-licence-fee-should-be-replaced-say-mps-10070000.html
Hi everyone who is having a wee bit of a problem with the Crowdfunding site that Alex and other candidates are using to get their funding.
I’m going to suggest a bit of persistence with this.
As was mentioned I think it is part of some of them keeping very straight with the electoral registers for amounts over 50 quid.
You don’t have to register with your real name on this site. Just fill in a name and password. If you don’t have a gocardless thing, don’t choose that option. Then just fill your card details and address details and continue to the next screen, if I recall the site then asks for a password for gocardless, just put in the same password you used to set up your user name.
Because this is a ‘pledge’ based site, it means that you are not paying your amount out of your bank account right away. It’s a one off direct debit that is being set up and that is why this level of detail is required. It is also verifying your residency which makes it easier for the SNP to have good housekeeping.
The amount that you pledge, (yes I know it’s quite a high amount to start with, 10 quid) will only come off your account after the crowd fund ends which is on the 28th March.
The nature of this crowd fund means that if the entire amount is not reached, 10 grand in Alex’s case, then none of it will reach the candidate.
Think of a tenner toward his campaign as approx. 33 pence a day for a 30 day month.
He’s worth it.
🙂
The taxes Scotland raised are consistent even though the Oil tax revenues have fallen (because of Westminster policies). Others revenues sources in Scotland are replacing Oil tax revenues. It coud be as Alex Salmond predicted, revenues from Renewables are increasing and surging ahead.
Scotland exports 25% of the energy it produces, excess energy. There no way Scotland is short of fuel or energy. Scottish consumers pays a higher price (pro rata) for the energy it produces. It is colder. People in the North pay a higher tariff, and conduitive charges, even though they are nearer to the source A tax on the whole Scottish economy.
The rest of the UK not only consume fuel and energy fromScotland but from France (nuclear) and Norway. Large contracts have been made for Norwegian Gas with Statoil, the Norwegian State owned company, worth £Billions. If it was ever needed (not likely) Scotland coukd cut out the middle man (Westminster) and negotiates it’s own contracts, (cheaper distance wise)
Wind Farms are businesses and will be taxed 20% on any profits. Corp tax going to the gov. Or a levy could be put on production, depending on output. Scotland has some of the highest wind levels in the world, and tide flow for water power and energy.
The Duke of Buccleugh and other landowners own over half the land in Scotland. Many people want wind farms hidden from sight. It is highly llikely they will be placed on landowning estates. The bigger wind farms the better. A way to bring the land back into public use. Scotland has a ‘right to roam’.
Scotland has a ‘right to roam’.
According to the Rev’s twitter feed, Wings had over 200,000 page views in one day. Even he sounded surprised by that 😉
Wonder if that was Friday 🙂
Woohoo-Thanks Daily Record 🙂
Lets do it again sometime!
K1
Thanks for the info but some of it doesn’t make sense. If it doesn’t meet it’s target, £10,000 in Alex’s case, then none of it goes to the candidate. That is one hell of a high risk strategy! They are campaigning for funds but may not get any if they miss the target (even by £1?)I’ve little doubt that Alex will get there but some of the lesser known candidates may not.
But it still doesn’t address the exclusion problem does it & for me that’s the biggest problem? Spend two minutes looking at the funders list on Wings fundraiser & see just how many people have contributed £1, £2 or £5. It makes you realise just how many are struggling to make ends meet yet they’ve still tried to do their bit for Wings.
That said more for me about Scots & Wings than anything else I’ve ever heard because it’s the less well off leading the way.By contributing to Wings it allows them a sense of ownership to be able to say I helped with that work & that is empowering in itself.In setting the lowest level at £10 many will think I can’t afford to put in that much & walk away disappointed but probably not able to talk about that sense of disappointment because they don’t want others to know that they are struggling financially.
“There is something profoundly democratic about the BBC. I believe everybody in this country has a right to information which is impartial and gathered without fear or favour. Everybody has a right to great content, that right is part of our citizenship in a way. That is what the BBC offers.”
Tony Hall, BBC Director General (Salary £600,000 per annum) (My emphasis in bold)
He made no comment about BBC Scotland as PR department moonlighting for Westminster.
Ah Grouse Beater, that’s different, that is threatening the integrity of the Union, no fair-play rules can be applied under those circumstances.
Otherwise…….very fair indeed! 🙂
Just a thought but are the SNP hubs able to take donations? I hope they do but does anyone actually know?
The crowdfunders are fine for those with access to IT but what about those that don’t use social media/internet etc. Thinking of perhaps the older generation who may want to give a little to help their candidate.
Wouldn’t want to think they were being sidelined just because technology isn’t their thing :-)or within their financial means.
£100k donations in less than a week on the horizon – surely to god that’s something the MSM or at least the National and *cough* BBC should be highlighting – its quite extraordinary. I bet you the number of small donors will outstrip any labour and lib dem fundraising efforts – never forgetting they rely on their big business & union paymasters.
Interesting to see you indes sneering at our trade unions ….
I hear you Lollysmum, and of course agree with all your points. I think one way we overcome this hurdle is by applying the same approach that we do when it comes to funding Wings: Those who have more put in for those that have less.
Also, anyone can cotact the campaign manager of the corwdfund and raise these precise points and leave comments on the main page itself and it may allow them to reconsider this for the future.
The reality is, this is what they have done and this is what we are dealiing with and I am absolutely with you on the amounts and ‘exclusion’ aspect, and the ‘high risk’ element.
In my case, as one of those who does not have a lot, it was my friend who put money into this crowdfund, and the added tenner she put in was for me as I couldn’t afford it either.
We work around our difficulties, do we do we not L’mum?
I’m just making the point on the ‘technical’ issue for those that may be able to afford that little bit more, but find the site a problem.
We are on the same page with this, I feel. 🙂
@Will Podsmore – maybe if the unions didn’t blindly follow the red rosette and levy funding for them and actually looked at who was actually delivering socialist policies and workers rights, they would get a bit more respect from the punters.
Mr Podmore. Get yourself a cuppa and a day off and go through the 3162 posts that Stu has put on here. Take your time, read and reflect on the FACTS and enjoy your Road To Damascus conversion to the side of goodness, truth, honour, valour and Facts.
Or…continue to worship the false idol that is Jim Murphy, purveyor of gold plated lies.
Your choice.
Oh, and stop being a dick.
Will Podmore, Funded BY UK Government. 🙂
Will Plodmore
Why don’t you just FUCK OFF
thomaspotter2014
You spoke for me-I was sorely tempted earlier but only just managed to resist. Had to leave the thread to remove temptation from sight.
Ta very muchly 🙂
OT
Traveling home tonight on the 74,Radio Scotland on(I Know !!)
J Marra on missed targets in SNHS got right on my goat ( apologizes to any motorists on M74 seeing “Crazy Guy” shouting to himself and banging dashboard.
1: We had an unprecedented Flu like virus sweeping the country since Oct last year.
2:SNHS staff are not immune to said virus causing staffing problems
3: Have lists ever healed a sick person ?
Marra, you are not scoring points from the SNP but denigrating hard working front line SNHS staff .Daughter-in-Law works for SNHS and at times doeslot of extra time (unpaid)during this staff shortage.
Suggest Ms Marra is so distressed that she volunteers for A&E duty. Greater Glasgow & Clyde would probably be grateful for someone to make some tea in between the hectic bouts of activity.(NOT MAKING LISTS)
Health Board Monthly A&E waits – January 2015 – % seen in 4 hours (core sites) Weekly A&E waits – February 16 to 22 – % seen in 4 hours (core sites)
Ayrshire & Arran 81.7 80.5
Borders 89.7 89.5
D&G 96.0 95.4
Fife 89.9 88.2
Forth Valley 86.7 96.2
Grampian 86.1 89.6
Greater Glasgow & Clyde 77.7 75.9
Highland 94.8 95.2
Lanarkshire 86.9 85.6
Lothian 88.4 94.5
Orkney 99.0 93.3
Shetland 97.8 97.5
Tayside 98.8 98.8
Western Isles 96.9 97.4
Bugger Me ! Might have to visit A&E with high blood pressure and me MP is Panda Mundell.
Thrice Woe is me
Rant over
£89K. And all that in just a few days.
Only eleven grand to go folks and we’ve hit the big 6 figures.
OH YES, serious players indeed.
🙂
garles
Let’s help to lower your blood pressure. See Wee Eck & Fluffy (or Panda as you refer to him). Prepare to laugh 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UEL9O6wEcc
Lollysmum says:
3 March, 2015 at 8:46 pm
garles
Let’s help to lower your blood pressure. See Wee Eck & Fluffy (or Panda as you refer to him). Prepare to laugh
Thanks for that,So there are three Tories in Scotland.
(Mundell)
(Mun-dell)
( Munnal)
I detest him with a passion,I remember him when he was at school (year younger me)and he was a pretentious p@@k then as well.I remember the lies when he was a Lib Dim coonciler.then jumped ship for a better offer from Maggies Mob.Would not put it past him to try and join the SNP just to get a seat that is how mercenary he is.
But thanks for the laugh, Panda has gone Fluffy has emerged
Tory Health cuts of £2Billion (savings?) a year since 2011Budget have increased waiting times. £8Billion+ accumulated. No increase 2% for inflation. By 2020 the NHS will be £30Billion underfunded.
90%+ rate is excellent, as 10% should not be there. Dugdale, Murphy and Marra should get a job in SHS, instead of criticising others. Their time would be better spent and it would be an enlightening experience. Trolley for the Unionists.
Cold, malnourished, worried vulnerable people get sick.
If anyone wants to fund an SNP candidate, send a cheque or postal order to SNP HQ’s with instructions. The cost of a stamp. 61p
Cold, worried, malnourished, vulnerable, angry people get sick.
The SNP? Ah canny even git through tae thum tae chat tae wan o yon real people thingys, ah keep gittin ah machine, ah’m no bliddy jynin thum, ah oanly whant wan o yon big posters tae stick in oan ma windaes, tae tell awe they Torags roon aboot me tae vote SNP.
🙁
__________
Nearly £89 an a hauf K, c’mon folks, yer startin tae slow doon.
🙂
Blimey we are nearly at twice the original target.
Wings is where it is at.
Instead of a bazooka of truth we can afford a howitzer of truth. Go us…..and other words of a general celebratory nature
🙂
Almost £90,000 donated now – if everybody who’s donated so far gives an extra £5, the total will reach over £100,000. C’mon folks – just another fiver!
Yay, donation made,was’nt sure of post n packaging for WBB,
will send it later if someone lets me know..
Just doubled my donation. £100K here we come!
If what they say is true and they have a circulation of around 190k by my calculation Wings has raised almost the cost in two days of donations that the Daily Labour get in sales. Not bad!
I get paid on Friday, so expect to be posting my wee silver badge to me. Another fundraiser another record broken.
A small donation from me, bringing the total to almost 91,000. From Poland, with love :*
£91K.
Just £9K to go and we hit 6 figures.
Oh yeah baby, here we go, here we go, here we go.
🙂
Got round to giving my donation tonight. This site is invaluable Rev! Keep up the good work.
Almost £93K – Just £7K needed to hit the big 6 figures.
🙂
Football and shopping, the opium of the people.
O/T
I found the following by accident (and emergency- I’ll get ma coat!) and I thought it was very interesting to contrast the way the BBC UK report the winter A & E issue as compared to BBC PQ…
End ‘fixation’ with A&E waiting time target, say experts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31738750
You would think at least that BBC Scotland could have provided a link to the BBC UK article seeing as how they are so very interested in A&E targets?!
Let us compare this to the A&E CRISIS as reported by our Beloved BBC Scotland at PQ. Some BBC manufactured crisis articles from just the last few weeks as examples…
A&E waiting time targets missed in January, NHS figures show
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-31708835
Waiting time target missed by NHS in Scotland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31601884
Scotland’s A&E struggling to meet four-hour target
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31710487
NHS A&E waiting times stats to be reported weekly
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-31508892
Thousands of hospital beds blocked by ‘healthy’ patients
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31590454
Child mental health wait increases ‘are horrifying’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31682031
Opposition parties claim Scots A&E units ‘in crisis’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-31415301
The different approach is quite revealing on the BBC PQ attitude to the SNP NHS policies.
Thanks – Eleanor Bradford – how about a job swap with your colleague Nick Triggle, Health correspondent, BBC News. I think you need some work experience reporting a real crisis in NHS England and/or preferably NHS Wales – the one run by Labour.
Or Eleanor – perhaps you just should listen to the experts and “End ‘fixation’ with A&E waiting time target”!
About £6,600 needed to reach £100,000! If everybody who’s donated so far gives another £2.69, we’ll hit £100k! C’mon folks – another £2.69 is less than the price of a pint (most places :))!
Mark,
About £6,600 needed to reach £100,000! If everybody who’s donated so far gives another £2.69, we’ll hit £100k! C’mon folks – another £2.69 is less than the price of a pint (most places :))!”…
get a grip man!, we here in WOS land have contributed what WE can to Stu’s Fund.
i have donated to various election campaign funds in Glasgow,and i DO NOT need someone shrilly exhorting us to dig deeper.
There is a target that Stu requested,it has been surpassed….royally….now go and have a lie doon…think next time before you commit to keyboard!.
Been following you for over 2yrs now Rev and what a difference to my debating knowledge you have made.
Got the hoodie, got the glasses and tanker (literally).My donation is in, not as much as I would like but there is still time left.
Iv spread the word far and wide and have family and friends checking for your updates.
Keep fighting the good fight
Hah! Mark and Dennis are both right. The target has been well busted and nobody needs to dig deep. (I have no intention of putting in another penny.) On the other hand reaching £100,000 would be very satisfying – and a nice kick in the teeth for the DR.
Last year when all that money flooded in I was genuinely worried whether one man was capable of spending so much effectively. Then he did it. This time I’m simply genuinely curious as to what he’s going to pull out of the hat.
The fundraiser only has to pull in £250 per day to make £100,000. That’s way possible, let’s just see if it happens.
For those who keep exhorting others to contribute simply to reach some ‘magic’ figure I’d say keep in mind there are numerous other groups/organisations needing funding and Wings has already more than doubled what was requested.
I’m sure whatever the final sum is it will be put to good use but Scotland needs a wide range of new media and functioning organisations, all of whom require funds. As do many of the election campaign groups.
So, if you have donated already, and have cash to spare, think about spreading it around rather than help top up an already impressive figure.
“dennis mclaughlin says:
7 March, 2015 at 12:31 pm
Mark,
About £6,600 needed to reach £100,000! If everybody who’s donated so far gives another £2.69, we’ll hit £100k! C’mon folks – another £2.69 is less than the price of a pint (most places :))!”…
get a grip man!, we here in WOS land have contributed what WE can to Stu’s Fund.
i have donated to various election campaign funds in Glasgow,and i DO NOT need someone shrilly exhorting us to dig deeper.
There is a target that Stu requested,it has been surpassed….royally….now go and have a lie doon…think next time before you commit to keyboard!.”
Dennis, I’ve just donated another £3 so you don’t have to worry about not having that extra pint. No need to thank me.
Less than £5K to reach the big 6 figures, oh yeah!
🙂
I’ve just realised something – WOS now has as many pounds in the bank as the SNP has members.
Two formidable forces in the world of Scottish politics.
I can smell the fear.
🙂
btw, how are those circulation figures at the DR, still plummeting?
Less than £4K to hit the big six, folks.
Have they nuggets any idea how many Rhododendrons we can get for that, eh! A damn site more than they can even dream of.
🙂
Rev, are you going to use the money to buy shares in Rangers?
One of the nice things about this is that there are 2,611 contributors this time, as opposed to about 1,700 last year and just over 1,000 in 2013. It’s still only a tiny proportion of the overall numbers who read the site, but that’s normal. It shows a good spread of donors. Real crowdfunding.
Nobody who has already donated needs to put in another penny. Nobody needs to do anything at all. Just watch the counter. Additional people are coming forward and chipping in all of their own free will. Unless the rate of donations falls off a cliff, it’ll make the £100K all by its own little self.
Mark,I have explained my thoughts on this ‘target’syndrome clearly on here.
I have contributed to WOS for the last year or so but I do not feel the need to advertise how much and how often.
I don’t contribute by posting here or financially for some great big ego trip.
I will plough my own furrow from now on,you and others of the same ilk have tarnished my experience of this wonderful site.
thanks a lot.
Aw, come on Dennis, just ignore Mark. He’s just one guy who got a wee bit carried away watching the numbers stack up.
Mark,
Nearly £97K, just over 3 grand to hit the big 6 figures.
And if you want to try and encourage folk who can, to donate a little more, you knock yourself out mate.
You’ve got as much right to enjoy this spectacular feat as much as anyone else.
Those who can, will, and those who can’t, ie:me, will not.
There’s no need for tantrums and throwing rattles from prams.
😉
Only £1325 to reach the £100,000 mark – with plenty days to spare.
What an achievement folks.
Remind me, while The SNP and WOS prosper, how’z those DR figures.
🙂
Broke the six figure barrier – well done.
Must be great to see your hard work recognised and appreciated.
Very happy about this
In approximately half the allotted time period for this fund raiser we more than doubled our target AND smashed through the £100K.
Red Bull might give you wings but Wings gives you a whole lot more.
Meanwhile, Unionist media sales figures, BBC Licence figures and membership of the Scottish branches of the LibLabCons are all plummeting faster than a lead balloon.
NUFF SAID!
😉
Sing along folks:
((((( If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands )))))
🙂
Unionists, GIRFUY!
😉
Stoker
Anyone would think you’re enjoying this. Ha ha 🙂 Great isn’t it.
Well done to everyone who has helped & all those who wished they could help but weren’t able to.
Don’t worry about it -your good wishes helped too 🙂
Onward & upwards Wings!
I posted on another thread in error today .
This is Sat Eve and I’m in the Hoos !
£100k smashed , Party Time !
Thank you to the BIG £1k donations this week , absolutely FAB .
Donations large or small , every penny is a prisoner and we contribute showing we are very confident the REV will use every penny frugally and wisely .
Team Wings has been and will , thanks to you all , continue to be a great experience .
Like our Party leaders I need my Fix , ehhhm ” daily fix of WINGS ”
Long may it continue , so a very BIG Thank you to you all , donors , posters and every one else who is part of the Family Wings .
Thank you everyone .
Mare drink !
From an admirer and supporter at the other end of the world: just made a modest contribution to your excellent work. Keep holding those bastards’ feet to the fire! You’re an inspiration for a lot of people far beyond your country’s borders.
@ Lollysmum,
Aye, just a bit.
😉
Super, smashing, lovely, great (in my best Jim ‘Bullseye’ Bowen voice).
🙂
Thank you so much Stu for everything you have done and continue to do! I only discovered Wings in May last year, and I’d be truly, truly lost without this site following Sept’s result. Please keep on Winging!!
I don’t watch the BBC/STV news anymore (as its just nonsense), and now I simply can’t bear hearing the ‘Scotland’s Changing’.. propoganda that seems to be on EVERY radio station up here, so I’m not listening to any – even my previously beloved Classic FM.
If there was enough money in the kitty, would there be any feasible way to start our very own pro-independence station?
Morag, the wife (Brenda) has prohibited further contributions to wings now that it has gone over £100k and given that it is so close to the election and candidates need money NOW.
She has issued instructions that our second £250 is go to fundraisers that are struggling to meet their funding targets. We are to make do with one wings badge between us ): .
We tried your one (8 hours to go) BUT NO PAYPAL – why not?
We will now be looking for other struggling fundraisers.
wings on bbc radio scot now
Cadogan
I’m the opposite to you. I won’t touch Paypal with a bargepole so I avoid all fundraisers that use it which means I won’t contribute to the Crowdfunder ones many of the candidates are using.
I like Indiegogo because the money comes out of my bank account immediately & not a month later when I’ve forgotten about it.
No arguing about who gets to wear the siver wings eh? Can’t have them causing marital discord 🙂
Stu
far be it from me to tell you how to spend the money from the fund raiser but i have a suggestion. I had never heard of Wings before the referendum. Spend some money advertising Wings. Papers, billboards and TV ads. Now the referendum has past you may get a bit more freedom out in public. We get may get 70-80% yes next time round.
@ Kennedy.
I’ve been a believer in Scottish independence since my teens but i had never heard of WOS until just a few days before the referendum when one of my neighbours stuck a copy of the WBB through my door.
I’ve since wondered why he did that, especially since he already knew how i was going to vote, due to our frequent wee chats, but to this very day, and i always will be, i’m very grateful he did.
I now promote the site at every opportunity and i’m working on one or two ideas to push it to a wider audience. This i will do off my own back and as a suggestion to you maybe you could take on a similar role within your own life in the area which you live.
One simple idea would be to purchase some WOS business cards and put them through letter boxes. Tip: Do this in the evenings rather than in the morning or throughout the day – you are less likely to have your card binned alongside the junkmail. And people just chilling at home of an evening might have their curiosity prodded enough to have a wee peek.
The cards don’t cost a lot and if you look at the possibility of converting or bringing just ONE new reader to the site then it will be far more than money well spent.
Just an idea, if most of us did something like that it would leave the Rev to focus our spending on other areas.
There are many other ways of spreading the word, as many others already do but it’s quite simple to come up with ideas and as soon as you start contemplating and thinking the ideas just start flooding in.
Also, always carry a few spare in your pocket so when you get into conversation with folk in the pub, at work, at the shops or wherever, hand them one and tip them in the direction of WOS.
Job done!
😉
Finally got round to sending a small donation. More to come. Keep up the good work!
Glad to contribute! Thank you Stu and posters for your valuable insight into past and current Scottish politics. I have been a Scottish Independence supporter since my teenage years (much to the horror of my parents) but lost track of Scottish politics when I moved to NZ over 9 years ago.
I am now addicted to WoS and visit this site several times a day, it makes me feel part of the exciting movement that’s taking place in Scotland right now. I’ve promised my 11 year old daughter that I’ll take her back home for the next referendum so that we can play our tiny part in Scottish history.
WOS business cards are a brilliant idea! If leaflets were available to buy I’d also happily purchase them and post one through every door in my street. And beyond!
I don’t think your utterly, brilliant site is being advertised enough, even now, most folk I talk to have never heard of ‘Wings’.
I had a quick look at your mega-store but couldn’t see cards/leaflets. Are they available? Or am I just being stupid and can’t find them?!
@ Ellie.
Here is some reading material to get your creative juices flowing.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-wee-blue-book-how-you-can-help/
http://wingsoverscotland.com/make-yourselves-useful/
Or you can simply design your own card/leaflet using a company such as vistaprint. They have reasonable prices, good quality products and good online facilities which allow you to play around designing your own ideas etc.
Note: Vistaprint is only one of many companies which does this sort of thing, shopping around may yield better results.
Also, i don’t feel there’s any need to put a list of other sites on any material because once you get people here to WOS they can access all those other sites via the relatively comprehensive list of links the Rev has on here.
Plus, there are others on here who regularly post references/links to their own wee blog spots. So, as you can see it is all on WOS, there really is no need to clutter your leaflets or business cards with a list of the various pro Indy sites.
Good luck and happy hunting.
🙂
@Sinky 8.51. Complain! 03700100222.
£1728 to go on Dr Philippa Whitford Campaign Fund for Central Ayrshire
2 days left
Kirrie square was unusually quiet for a Saturday when I went to get a birthday card for my son Ewen. Then along came a group of half a dozen with Ruth Davidson in the middle. Being kind, it might just have been the fact it was drizzling.
Labour has a survey and a contact us form.
Lets waste their time and ruin their data with a lot of nonsense.
Almost £106K, what can i say!
🙂
Another wee donation as promised. Keep up the great work.
Will be glad to see you back tomorrow, Stu, even though I know you need a break. A few commenters as always seem to get a bit feisty when you’re not around to reign them in.
Donation made as promised. Thanks for all your great work Rev.Stu
£108K bang on!
🙂
£108,052 – well done
Well done Stuart.
More cash than you could have possibly imagined. And it’s good to know that many people believe in what you are doing, and for yourself, knowing that your work is changing the mindset of a lot of people, if not the nation itself!
So …what is one going to do with a whole load of spondoolies? LOL
One hasn’t got a clue 😀
Clueless is fine. It’s gormless that’s a problem 😛
Bank of Punjab pays just over 4% interest on savings accounts.
Good omen. 108 is THE most auspicious number according to Buddhism..