8 Days Later
We were pretty stunned after the first 24 hours of our fundraising project, and we’re barely any less dumbfounded after another week.
With £1,673 in “off-site” donations from people who couldn’t get on with Indiegogo or PayPal for one reason or another, our running total with 40 days still remaining is a staggering £14,301 – that’s 48% of the target in just 16% of the time. (Just £597 short of the halfway mark at the time of writing this post.)
While donations to projects like this always slow dramatically after the launch, almost a third of that total has come in since Day 2, which is incredible. We’ve already spent a slice of the cash on some new super-high-quality and extra-secure hosting to cope with the rocketing traffic, and we’re currently in the process of lugging everything over to its shiny new “official” address at www.wingsoverscotland.com.
(We’ll let you know when it’s active, though old links will continue to work for ages.)
But it’s only half-time, and the game isn’t won yet.
We’re already doing better than most similar ventures – as a rule of thumb you can only expect one user in 100 to open their wallets even when you’re only asking for £1, and we’ve already had 1.6% of our readers contribute something, which is actually good going. Every single one is appreciated, from the ones who could only spare that solitary quid to those who’ve gone (sometimes very far) over and above the call of duty.
Nevertheless, that still means 98.4% of the people who come to the site, most of whom do so regularly (over 80% of the users tracked by Google Analytics are recurring visitors) haven’t thus far been prepared to put up a single one-off donation of £1 to keep it going and build on its work to date.
Statistically, the overwhelming probability is that that means you, reader.
So come on, be a sport. It’s not even HALF a cup of coffee. Let’s do this.
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“We’ve already spent a slice of the cash on some new super-high-quality and extra-secure hosting to cope with the rocketing traffic”
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssssssssssssssss miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin.
If you hadn’t had the fundraiser, I was about one server outage away from offering to pay for a new hosting package myself.
Ace cartoon from Chris as per usual. The guy certainly has talent.
Put the mouth/money interface banner up, why don’t you? 🙂
Im off to Facebook again to post for more! With close to 1000 ‘friends’ surely some results!!
Keep it up.
I have already donated and will again, but it registers under my proper name.
Honest guv
I will donate again as well later on. Will let other people make their own contributions before. Nearly 50% there already is excellent though.
““We’ve already spent a slice of the cash on some new super-high-quality and extra-secure hosting to cope with the rocketing traffic””
Yee-ha! There were a few dodgy days last week when it kept falling over
Aye cmon guid folks let’s do it for the Rev, dig deep and stump up. Show your appreciation for one of the most insightful and knowledgeable websites bar none. Likewise, I have already donated and will do so again. The pen is mightier than the sword so more power to the Rev’s arm. Whether it be a £1, £2, £5, £10, £20 or more it all goes to a worthy cause.
Hail Alba vote YES 2014.
Made another little contribution Rev on the back of that cartoon – it was worth that alone. Sent via paypal
PS should that not have read “we’ll need a bigger gaff”
Glad to say that I am not a statistic and have proudly donated to your site, worth every penny for the high quality analysis and information given. Fully intend to contribute even more when funds permit.
Nuther donation done.
I have a cracking idea for a cartoon, but cannot do the necessary, I am willing to give the idea to you as I am confident you will love it and use it, need to do it by e-mail though.
Good news Rev so i too will donate again on pay day at end of the month. I want to help carry it over the finish line and reach its goal. You deserve to suceed and we deserve a site like this and not the trash that we are subjected to from the Unionist press. Our country folk deserve the truth.
Will donate again tomorrow when the wage comes in.
I have donated and will gladly do so again soon. But I want to rant a little first…
I just watched Ed balls being interviewed by Andrew Neil on You Tube.
I don’t think I have seen a more pathetic pointless display from a politician in a very long time!
In essence Labours big economic announcement is they will give poor people two quid a week but its not a promise. It’s an aspiration….
WTF!!!!
Sorry for the capital letters but I used to vote for these F*****S
Rev Stu – I hope you have some kind of analysis planned for the future on Ed’s big idea. It’s certainly worth a few % points.
I am afraid I am one of the ones that made a contribution “off site”
Not because I couldnt get through to Indiegogo or Paypal. I was just desperate to make a contribution…. and didnt read it properly. Anyhoo, it got there, 😉
While I don’t contribute very often, I read this religiously several times a day… and for that very reason it deserves my monetary support. I do not want to understate this by any means when I say this site keeps me sane.
Keep up the fantastic work Rev! All the best
“I just watched Ed balls being interviewed by Andrew Neil on You Tube.”
Got a link?
Just watched SNP Party Political Broadcast at 6.15 after STV news. Wow!!
Very professional,very positive and “Go for it” message.
Chartism endured longer in Scotland than in England. I’ve never known what to make of that. I’m a wee skinny ghost of Chartism, a silly person who hopes for better and believes it possible. One of the instruments of Chartism was its industrious creativity, inventing its own newspapers – maybe this internet thing is the Chartism of our time.
Guess: Rev Stu is a Chartist. Own up, Rev!
Like many of the others here, I pleased to say I’m not a statistic. Indeed I think the fund stood at around £70 when I added my contribution.
I am minded to make a contribution regularly until the job is done.
I hope some other people will do this too.
I love the cartoon too.
NOOOOO!
DON’T LET THE MSM SHARK EAT WEE HAMISH!!!
I donated and will donate some more come next payday because WoS is such good value for money. Instead of trawling various sites, Rev. does it for us, and provides links. Good contributions from guest writers as well, and best of all, a very lively, intelligent BLT, with a sense of humour.
Well, to be fair, a lot of us are impecunious enough never to go for pricey coffee in cafés. (And is coffee good or bad for the health this week? I can never keep up). 🙂
What works for me, anyway, is knowing that newspapers seem to be >= £1.00 these days, which is silly when one has immediately to chuck half of the paper into the recycle bin. Pointless death of trees.
I very seldom buy newspapers now, so I feel I ought to pay up for the news/commentary that I do consume and like.
So I donated a bit, then decided to subscribe monthly – only a wee bit, but mony a mickle maks a muckle and all that. And I demand, yes demand, that you feel very honoured, as I usually stick with ad hoc donations to things, being worried about committing to regular payment.
I did notice that a lot of people were planning to donate at end of month pay day, so I am hopeful your target will be reached. Quite certain, in fact.
So what slogans might work?
– Cheaper than Horseburgers.
– Healthy wholemeal Scottish news – with all the real bits kept in.
Ach, there are bound to be many, but for clever people to think of, not me. 🙂
With regard to mainstream newspapers, it might be worthwhile for me to point out that, in a lot of places, the public libraries will offer online access to ProQuest so that one can read the papers even if they are owned by despicable people.
Haven’t got to the bank yet but will be donating £10 per month, will also chuck other one off donations your way Rev.
Had a wee smile at the music choice for the snp party political broadcast this evening. Someone has a sense of humour(and brave)
@Doug Daniel
”
14 February, 2013 at 5:07 pm
“We’ve already spent a slice of the cash on some new super-high-quality and extra-secure hosting to cope with the rocketing traffic” Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssssssssssssssss miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin. If you hadn’t had the fundraiser, I was about one server outage away from offering to pay for a new hosting package myself.”
Hmmm.
9 February, 2013 at 10:29 am
Albamac says:
I see that some of our friends have offered help with site development. Would a free, unlimited hosting package help?
I’m thinking that it could be used as a development platform for a new site and, if the hosting package comes up to expectations, you could continue to use it when the site is ready to go live without having to migrate to a new host.
Send me an email if you think this is worth talking about, Stu
9 February, 2013 at 5:32 pm
Albamac says:
Stu, could you delete my previous comment? I think this was, probably, the wrong place for it and I’d rather it didn’t sit around.
Thanks.
Don’t know why I asked for the deletion. Looks like it was invisible, anyway! 🙂
Excellent news, just waiting to get paid to be able to donate
The Andrew Neill / Ed Balls interview was on today’s Daily Politics, Stu.
A couple of threads ago you were asking for ideas for the blog – can I suggest that you invite James Kelly of Scot Goes Pop to contribute a few guest articles? The guy regularly produces excellent analysis yet rarely gets comments numbering in double figures. Apart from that he has been taking the independence argument to the sneering little englanders of Political Betting with with wit and grit for years now and I have never seen him bested.
PS Had to make my contribution via a friends’s Paypal account – more to come soon.
Do you mind if I ask, are you an actual reverend Rev?
chicmac at & 7:22 pm
…. and are you really a rev counter?
Albamac: My profound apologies. On especially busy days I can’t even get close to seeing every comment on every story, so some stuff does slip past my notice. Thanks very much for the offer anyway.
“Do you mind if I ask, are you an actual reverend Rev?”
I actually am.
“Can I suggest that you invite James Kelly of Scot Goes Pop to contribute a few guest articles?”
I very much like James’ stuff (and he was terribly nice about me recently), but it feels a bit arrogant to ask people who already have their own well-known blogs to write for me instead, when most of them have been around a lot longer than WingsLand. If we make the funding target and I’m in a position to offer people payment, different matter.
@ Cyborg-nat
I watched the SNP broadcast as well. The music raised an eyebrow.
Caned Heat “Lets Work Together”?
Rev. As a suggestion for a future article.
A lot on the news recently about Glasgow Uni students mock referendum.
I have got the headline already.
Turkeys voting for Christmas!
“Albamac: My profound apologies.”
No worries, Stu. My nose is fine! 🙂
Vronsky at 6:41 pm
Methinks even the Levellers would rise-up and stand for what we’re doing too – as the many allies we have in England, Wales and Ireland who are gathering.
Good to see you being your usual sunny self today 🙂
@ The Man in the Jar, re: Glasgow Uni’s mock referendum
BBC has a story on it.
link to bbc.co.uk
What struck me about the few students they’d interviewed was that the NO sider (Labour club head) sounded like a political broiler, partybot, and desperate. The YESsers sounded more genuine, just ordinary young people, excited, and surprised but happy to get campaign help.
A recent poll showed 18-24 yr olds 58% for independence!!!
Fantastic cartoon. well worth another wee donation, but as usual it will be through your donation link and not indygogo. Hope that’s OK
@lumilumi
The Glasgow uni referendum could be an interesting one; while the result itself will in no way necessarily reflect what will happen in 2014, it could prove a moral booster for the side that does better. While the MORI poll is interesting, support in the 18-24 age group is somewhat volatile poll to poll (my experience is that they tend to ‘No’ if they’ve not bothered much with the issue but rapidly go to yes following a few facts). However, I’d rather not be a better together supporter handing out leaflets saying ‘Vote for the UK and we’ll charge you at least 6k a year to be educated!’…
RevStu
You have e-mail.
The top range that can be donated in the Wings campaign is £ 208 which is named the ‘Hero’ category. So it got me thinking, who are Scotland’s heroes, how many do we celebrate, and how many have been forgotten. So I decided to make up a list of 208 Scottish heroes/heroines.
This is not meant to be a history lesson, just a bit of fun. I’m sure I have missed many more that should be on the list. Scan through the list and ask yourself how many you can readily identify as being remarkable Scots men/women.
Robert the Bruce
William Wallace
Alexander Graham Bell
Robert Louis Stevenson
James Watt
John Maclean
Jimmy Reid
Billy Bremner
Denis Law
Jock Stein
Slim Jim Baxter
Alex Harvey (SAHB)
Bon Scott
Angus Young
Jim Kerr
Charlie Burchill
Annie Lennox
Rabbie Burns
Rab C. Nesbitt
Andy Irvine
Gavin Hastings
Rikki Fulton
Stanley Baxter
Nicola Sturgeon
John Louden McAdam
David Livingstone
St. Andrew
Flora McDonald
Bonnie Dundee
Sir James Douglas
Bishop Robert Wishart
Andrew de Moray
Bonnie Prince Charlie
Greyfriars Bobby
Mary Queen of Scots
Adam Smith
David Hume
Sir Walter Scott
Thomas Carlyle
Bashir Ahmed
Jenny Geddes
Ian Hamilton
Winnie Ewing
Charles Rennie Macintosh
Robert Baillie
James Bruce
Cameron of Lochiel
Carad Nan Gaidheal, (Reverend Norman MacLeod)
James Craig
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Rob Roy Macgregor
William Dunbar
John Elder
Thomas Erskine
Susan Edmonstone Ferrier
Andrew Fletcher
John Galt
Patrick Gordon
Neil Gow
John Logie Baird
James Gregory
James Keir Hardie
James VI of Scotland
John Paul Jones
George Keith
Rev. Stu Campbell
James Keith
Kenneth MacAlpin
Saint Kentigern (St. Mungo)
Captain William Kidd
John Leslie
Alexander Leven
William Lithgow
Sir David Lindsay
Alexander MacDonald
John MacDonald
Charles Macintosh
Hugh MacDiarmid
Alexander MacKenzie
Lachlan MacQuarie
Richard Maitland
Archie Gemmill
William McGibbon
James McGill
Andrew Meikle
Henry Dundas Melville
Thomas Mitchell
Robert Moffat
Alexander Montgomerie
John Moore
Thomas Randolph Murray
Roderick Impey Murchison
William Murdock
George Murray
Governor James Murray
Carolina Nairne
Charles Napier
John Napier
James Neilson
William Maxwell
John Ogilby
Mungo Park
John Philip
Sir John Pringle
Thomas Pringle
Henry Raeburn
Allan Ramsay
Allan Ramsay II
Thomas Reid
James Renwick
John Rennie
Bill Mclaren
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Richardson
John Ross
Robert Sandeman
Henry St.Clair
Thomas Douglas Selkirk
James Short
Archibald Simpson
William Smellie (obstetrics and midwifery)
William Smellie (helped found the Newtonian Society)
John Smibert
Adam Smith
Tobias Smollett
Robert Stevenson (Inventor)
William Alexander Stirling
Robert Stirling
James Stirling
Thomas Urquhart
David Wilkie (Painter)
David Wilkie (Swimmer)
King William I
Alexander Wilson
James Wilson
Chris Hoy
Andy Murray
Andrew Cronykil
Abbot Bernard of Linton (Drafted declaration of Arbroath)
Jimmy Johnstone
Alan Wells
Sean Connery
Alex Salmond
Mary Barbour
Manny Shinwell
Dr Robert Douglas McIntyre
Edwin Morgan
Rosie Kane
Charles Ewart
Billy Mackenzie
Alexander Fleming
Kirkpatrick Macmillan
Thomas Drummond
George Forbes
Henry Bell
William Fairbairn
Sir David Stirling
David Mushet
Sir James Dewar
James Chalmers
Sanford Fleming
Robert Watson-Watt
James Goodfellow
Robert Brown
James Bowman Lindsey
Professor Thomas Gibson
William Thomson
Henry Faulds
Charles Thomson Rees Wilson
John Mallard
James Young Simpson
Alexander Wood
Sir Ronald Ross
Sir John Crofton
John Reith (Founder and first General Manager of the BBC!)
William Cullen
John West
William Paterson
James Clerk Maxwell
Alexander Bain
Kenny Dalglish
Sir Matt Busby
Jimmy Shand
Ken Buchanan
Ronnie Browne
Roy Williamson
Oor Wullie
Chic Murray
Ewen Macgregor
Mark McManus
Walter Smith
Lulu
Ian Anderson
Joe Jordan
Joe Beltrami
Willie MacRae
Thomas Muir
Irvine Welsh
Alasdair Gray
Denis Law
Andy Goram
Midge Ure
Simon Neil
Rod Stewart (Honorary)
Dick Gaughan
Liz McColgan
Scotty from Star Trek
Muzaffar Yousaf
Now that you have finished reading through the list. Stop and ask yourself – who on this list have you never heard of, who on this list immediately inspired you, how many do you think gave their lives for Scotland, how many worked all their lives for the betterment of their fellow human being?
If you can name even one, and if you haven’t already, make a donation, so that one day in the future your kids and your grandkids will be able to learn about all of them, learn how they all became famous sons and daughters of Scotland. For the mere price of a pint or two, you too can be recorded on a list to show that you believed in truth and you believed in putting your money where your mouth is to see that truth flourish.
The Westminster government steals hundreds of pounds from you every year. Here is a chance for you to see some of your hard earned coin being put to a true and worthy cause. Help the voice of reason shout louder, with the eventual outcome of reversing the flow of money from Westminster to your own pockets.
For 100’s of years the Scots have been derided for being tight. We know fine well this is nonsense and that we’re one of the most generous folk on the planet. It’s now time to put up or shut up and prove it.
@keef
I’d add James Hutton to that; considered the father of modern geology.
link to en.wikipedia.org
Why the bloody hell do you have Jamie the Saxt in that list? Arguably, he’s the root of the entire problem we have now.
@Scotiish_skier
Absolutely. Did for geology what Darwin did for biology and very often overlooked!
@Keef
Who’s boaby?
Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill & Karen Dunbar
@The Man in the Jar
Thanks for confirming the music as I don’t hear the full range of sound. ( I am, as I call myself, a Cyborg – part man part machine !)
Most appropriate music if aimed at the other political party voters who are not enmeshed into the Unionist machine?
Keef
Can we also include William Speirs Bruce
link to en.m.wikipedia.org
Don’t like the music at all – just find it irritating and it has no emotional appeal for me. I really wish they’d find something different. When I hear the tune, I hear the words, “united we stand, divided we fall”, which sounds like a mantra for Better Together. I really think they should think again about this, but, on the other hand, it didn’t do them any harm in the election, so what do I know?
If you have Rabbie Burns in there you must also have Rob Donn Mackay, one of Gaeldoms greatest poets, at least until Sorely Maclean.
link to en.wikipedia.org
link to en.wikipedia.org
Indion says:
14 February, 2013 at 7:52 pm
…. and are you really a rev counter?
No, I’m just a nosey bugger 🙂
Rev. Stuart Campbell says:
14 February, 2013 at 7:55 pm
“Do you mind if I ask, are you an actual reverend Rev?”
I actually am.
Cool! Thanks for answering, I thought it might be a nickname. I was half expecting, no that’s my DJ name or something.
@Tearlach
Donnchadh Bàn Mac an t-Saoir should head the list as only he has paid suitable tribute to Scotland’s most beautiful Ben. Second should be anyone who can repeat all 47 verses sober.
O/T One of our posters put up the video on Youtube. Well done that young man.
Changed days from campaigning in the sixties, no offices, no telephone canvassing and very few PPB’s.
@Marcia
God, Marcia, that’s one hell of an avatar you’ve got there – at least I hope it’s just an avatar. Please don’t come back and tell me it’s your real picture!
@Marcia
Actually, is that Norman Bates’ mother out of Psycho?
Jeannie
I should not have gone to Johann’s beautician.
Yes – you are right thought it amusing to go with the name Auld Marcia when I posted on Political Betting.
@Keef
Good list, there were 18 I didn’t know so that’s another 18 quid winging its way to the coffers.
Big kudos for having James Gregory on the list one of the very best minds the world has produced. A few I wouldn’t have put on the list for various reasons and many I would have, including the following ‘biggies’:
Science and Technology
Lord Monboddo
William Chambers
Patrick Matthew
James Hutton
Charles Lyell
Charles T Wilson
Tom Brown
Edwin Mumford
Preston Watson
Enlightenment figures
Francis Hutcheson
The cause
‘Jackie’ Crookston
Angus Cameron
George Mealmaker
Isabella MacDuff
King Macbeth
King Angus
King Bride
Calgacus
Literature and other books
William McIlvanney
Sorley MacLean
Ian Rankin (I know)
Iain Banks
Lord Byron (when he wanted to be)
Walter Scott
James MacPherson
James Hogg
The Brahn Seer
Hamish Henderson
Liz Lochhead
Edwin Morgan
Lewis Grassick Gibbon
Iain Crichton Smith
George McKay Brown
James M Barrie
Thomas the Rhymer
Robert Henryson
John Barbour
Thomas Carlyle
George Buchanan
Hector Boece
Adam of Wyntoun
Going back further and therefore into territory with sometimes disputed origins (usually with Irish or Welsh)
Duns Scotus
St Cuthbert
St Ninian
St Patrick
Pelagius
Caelestius
Aneirin
Taliesin
Hen
Calgacus
I’ll stop there it is after 1 am
I contributed 8 days ago and intend to contribute again.
I do feel it is important to stress that although all is welcome the Indygogo Fundraiser is The Most Important Target to reach as we will lose money if it is not met.
Must admit i felt a little bit down when i counted the number of people who had contributed. I’m a pensioner and i felt a bit embarressed at only being able to contribute at Benefactor level. Anyway here’s hoping there will be a late surge. (smiley thing)
@ Chic Macgregor. You’re a gentleman and a great scholar. I loved your idea of paying 18 quid for the 18 you did not know. Well done.
@morag. I hear you on King James VI. 🙂 . Are you up for making another donation and I’ll remove him and replace him with a Scot of your choosing?
Laura at 10.04 pm – thanks for that. An ancestor of mine was one of the scientific officers on Bruce’s Antarctic Scotia expedition. Bruce’s serious fact-finding explorations had, and still have, far reaching implications for ongoing research. Bruce lost out in financial, geographic establishment and government support compared to the fateful race for the pole undertaken by Scott. Kudos was considered more important than knowledge? My relative was honoured in having a small mountainous range named after him on Laurie Island and many of his specimens are still to be found and used in modern research in the National Museum, Edinburgh.
Rev. S – I’ll be making my own expedition to the bank!
Clarinda what a lovely personal tale. What was his name?
@Keef
I’d put in …
Ewen Bain (creator of Angus Og)
Alexander III (one of Scotland’s strongest and noble kings)
Bill Forsyth
William Thomson aka Lord Kelvin (Irish born but did all his breakthrough work in Scotland)
Frank Barnwell (aeronautical engineer)
Robert Wilson (marine engineer)
Loch Ness Monster
The Broons
Iain M Banks
@Dcanmore.
yip, there are countless more that could be added.
Perhaps I should offer to replace one for the person of their choice if they make a donation. Same as the offer I made to Morag.
@Keef
Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham
Along with his friend Keir Hardie a father to socialism in Scotland and a founding member of the home rule association. Also one of the leading lights of the independence movement as we know it today. In fact he was, I think, either the first or one of the first leaders of the SNP.
The lad got about a bit too. Politician, poet, painter, author, adventurer and rancher. Also known as Don Roberto.
Thanks Macart. I’m taking note of them all.
Kenyon Wright & the late great Stuart Adamson (only thought of him whilst in the car this afternoon) are not there either.
I love the idea of having Scotland’s 208 heroes, but the list is way too male-dominated. I know women tend to get written out of history, but surely we can name more than the 15-odd listed so far.
I’ll suggest Evelyn Stewart Murray for her efforts in documenting Perthshire Gaelic (long since died out) and Atholl folklore – not to mention rebelling against Victorian aristocratic social norms.
There we are donation made!
Aprox. 10% of state broadcaster tax.
I wish it were the other way round!
link to youtube.com
ooops – sorry for delay – link to Eds interview
I’d like to donate but am of an age which mistrusts electronics and having been hacked /diddled once have no intentions of being so again.
When I donate to Newsnet I can contribute via an RBS account – do you have a similar arrangement?
Or can I send a cheque?
“When I donate to Newsnet I can contribute via an RBS account – do you have a similar arrangement?
Or can I send a cheque?”
Yes, you can do either of those things – drop me a line via the Contact form and I can give you the bank info.
link to worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com
Waffle and spin. No indication of any desire to address the structural imbalances that have brought about a new era of Dickensian inequality. Tinkering with minor policy alternatives will do nothing to benefit general society, but will be welcomed by the vested interests who have grown fat over the last 30-40 years. Remember, financial speculators make as much profit when economies are on their way down, as they do when economies prosper. There is only one viable solution to Wasteminster trickery.
Vote Yes in 2014
Keef – his name, Alastair Ross, thought to have perished before WW1 after setting out alone trying to find a winter route west to east (nothing if not contrary!) across the Canadian Rockies. One of his brothers was capped on a number of occasions for Scotland at rugby and their father, Andrew, was the Ross Herald for many years – his surname being a coincidence. link to en.wikipedia.org
Thanks for sharing Clarinda.
He’s on the new list I’m compiling.
Just wanted to say again – it’s time to stop using the phrase “mainstream media” in reference to newspapers and institutional entities like the BBC.
“Old media” is more appropriate. Even though most are online now, the mindset of their owners – that they are the controllers of information – remains.
PS I’ve made a payment for your service. Was going to say donation, but I don’t see your valuable work as charity. More power to your elbow Rev!
Dorothy Devine says:
15 February, 2013 at 9:15 am
I’d like to donate […]
When I donate to Newsnet I can contribute via an RBS account – do you have a similar arrangement? Or can I send a cheque?
Money transfer old-style is possible (and it is free of charge unlike Paypal!):
To obtain Stuarts bank details, you need to contact him using this form. There was someone last week who sent a cheque.
@morag. I hear you on King James VI. . Are you up for making another donation and I’ll remove him and replace him with a Scot of your choosing?
I already did the Heroes bit, and I’ll see what the score is when we’re getting nearer to the deadline. But I think you need to take him out. Is Macbeth in there? He should be. Kenneth MacAlpine?
By the way, Abbot Bernard de Linton is actually Bernard of Kilwinning. I live in Linton, and was told to go away and find out more about this guy who wrote the Declaration of Arbroath. I went away and found out that it was all a mix-up, and he wasn’t from Linton at all. 🙁
Morag
As you’ve already dug deep – consider him out 🙂 Thanks for the ‘update’ on Wee Bernie fae Kilwinning as well.
Who would you prefer to replace him Macbeath or Kenneth MacAlpine?
Can i suggest Davie Cameron and Georgie Osbourne for a future honarary Scots list…
nobody is doing more at the moment to promote Scottish Independence, statues will be erected and songs sung of these two fine gentlmen for many generations to come
Iam a statistic of the skint sort but will when Ican
“I am a statistic of the skint sort but will when I can”
For all our aggressive panhandling, obviously we don’t actually want people who can’t afford it to be chucking their money at a daft politics website. Nobody who’s struggling for cash should feel the least bit bad about not sending any, and that’s certainly not the intention.
Keef,
Can I suggest John Muir, ‘Father of the National Parks’.
WRT the SNP broadcast music, perhaps Bon Jovi’s latest ‘Because We Can’ might have been a better choice. Has some great lyrics;
I don’t wanna be another wave in the ocean
I am a rock not just another grain of sand
I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder
I ain’t a soldier but I’m here to take a stand.
Maybe next time…
Kenneth MacAlpine, I suppose. For all I’m a bit of a fan of the Son of Life.
Derick, seconded what RevStu said about not extorting from people who are skint. But then, most people can manage £1, and then you’re not a statistic any more. That’s all he’s actually asking for, after all!
As my name appears in the estimable list ;0) I feel I should lend balance by putting forward another two
James Clerk Maxwell and Mary Slessor
May I draw your attention to the excelent book The Mark of the Scots by Duncan A. Bruce wherein he has listed those Scots and people of Scots decent who have made a contribution to the world.
This is amost illuminating book of reference and well worth a read.
@Hamish Henderson
I’m afraid Hamish Henderson was not on the original list but James Clerk Maxwell was.
However Hamish was on the ‘mini-list’ I posted.
OTOH this ‘great scholar’ missed an R out of Charles T R Wilson the inventor of the cloud chamber, and I should have put Robert Chambers between the two other names which were key contributors to the natural selection theory of evolution nicked by Darwin rather than his brother William.
We a’ mak mistakes 🙂
Oh and wd for Mary Slessor.
I’m not sure that ‘Scotty from Star Trek’ is actually a Scotty ? Well, the character is, but the actor was Canadian. Does he still count in the list of famous Scots ?
In idle moments (too few these days) I sometimes wonder who would inhabit the cliff-face of Scotland’s Mount Rushmore (Ben Breenge-mair?) I certainly wouldn’t limit it to politicos. I’d go for a grouping of 5 rather than 4 (aesthetically more pleasing!).
So here’s my tentative line up.
In the centre would be the Father of the new independent Scotland – his Eckness.
Flanking him on the left, R.B. Cunninghame Graham.
To the right, Clerk-Maxwell.
On either side, protecting the whole, Wallace and (with reservations) The Bruce.
Handsome!
Don’t push it, kid…. 😀
@Hamish Henderson
Re “The Mark of the Scots.
One bit that I like is the photo of Richard Nixon talking to Neil Armstrong on the Moon (both decended from old border clans)
Nixon is watching Armstrong on a television (invented by a Scot) while talking to him via a telephone (invented by a Scot “sort of”)
Its oor moon!
And the only sport that’s been played on the Moon is Scottish – gowf.
Ach but I and most folk in Kirrie have been to the Moon or passed very close by it. 😉
Why settle for the Moon when we can have the stars thanks to Gregory inventing the reflecting telescope?
Another contribution from me on it’s way.
I was going to make a joke about my baby being able to do without milk for a day to pay for the donation but I think Stu might freak if he read it. 😆
Chic – phasers set to malky!
Congratulation Rev! I would sped most of the money on wine, Simmental & song; the blow the rest!
keep up the good work.
The was suposed to say: Congratulation Rev! I would sped most of the money on wine, wimmen & song; the blow the rest!
Bizarre or what?
keep up the good work.
Alexander R. Todd, Baron Todd
Alexander Robertus Todd, Baron Todd, OM, PRS FRSE was a Scottish biochemist whose research on the structure and synthesis of nucleotides, nucleosides, and nucleotide coenzymes gained him the 1957 Nobel Prize for Chemistry
Is it not easier to make a list of those who are not Heroes?
I donated quite early this morning, it being pay day. I am not yet 60 and hate the sound of pension day.
I notice that the total has gone up by probably less than £110.00 today. I know this is a flattening out period that is to be expected. Hopefully there will be a surge at the end of the month when many get paid. If you haven’t donated yet or are waiting for payday like I had to. Do IT! It feels really good.
Keef
Pipe Major William Ross – 1878 – 1966.
Considered to be the most respected and competent piper, composer and teacher of the last century. Taught thousands of pipers – particularly during his time as Head of the Army School of Piping at Edinburgh Castle. Renowed throughout the world as the master of his art. A real gentleman.
No relation this time (!) but it is surely fitting to have such an honoured piper on your list?
Thanks Clarinds the thought had occured to me, but I dropped it as besides having an uncle who played drums in the Queens own pipe band, I knew nothing about pipers. Sad really.
Lulu?
‘Black Agnes’, Countess of Dunbar?
I’d like to nominate Rowdy Roddy Piper as an honorary member for the list.
link to youtube.com
Oh, and stick Super Gran in there too.
Why not Billy Connolly? Unionist or not, remarkable acheivements all things considered.
He’s the only comedian I know who still makes me cry with laughter – especially the old stuff.
@Chic Mac.
Hmmm! I obviously need reading specs. Soo–How about William Malcolm inventor of telescopic sights and because I am so slow Sir Keith Elphinston( Invented the speedometer ) smiley thing smiley thing
Heroes: definitely King Alexander III who even as a boy had the temerity to refuse to pay homage to Edward I for Scotland as he was responsible to the Scottish people. Our greatest ever King.
Also Bobby Thomson: baseball’s ‘shot heard around the world’…arguably baseball’s most famous moment.
link to en.wikipedia.org
Davey Crockett, Jim Bowie, Piper John McGregor – at The Alamo
Cherokee John Ross – leader of Cherokee nation
Sam Houston
Andrew Carnegie
Oops, I’ll stop now…loads more in the States
Ré the list of famous Scots. Anyone that votes ‘Yes’ in 2014?
@clochoderic
‘Ah awa and dinnae talk pish’.
In case there are any who don’t know what this exchange is about, have a look at this
I should add though that that isn’t what I was alluding to, funny though it is, but to the following cul-de-sac at the top of Bellies Brae which is called ‘The Moon’ although here Google Maps has assumed it was a liscence plate and ‘fuzzed’ it.
link to maps.google.co.uk
Hmmm! seems you need to hit the link button on GM now, here it is (hopefully) in satellite view which does have the name printed
link to maps.google.co.uk
Thank you Chic for that wee link to Taysiders in Space. I especially liked the “set phasers tae Malky.” Neat word play on the Glasgow rhyming slang Malky Fraser–razor. From the days when open razors were carried by the hard men. Giving rise to further cheery comments such as ” kin yer Maw sew? well get her tae stitch that” slash!
Ah, happy days
Indeed, but I notice it being claimed as Cockney Rhyming slang more recently. Perfidious Albion.
How about the two Scottish men one in Glasgow, one down London way, the one in
“Glasgow” invented the ATM that we all use today as the “hole in the wall”, unfortunately for him, the one in the London area (who had a team working for him)
also invented the ATM, eventually the dispute went to a court of arbitration of sorts
and I beleave the Scot in Glasgow was recognised as the rightful inverter, unfortunately I do not recall there names.
another name I cannot recall (I`m good at this eh) is the engineer chap who worked on the Clyde shipbuilding and was using ultrasonics to check welds for
impurities, had the thought that it could be used in the medical field, got together
with the medical profession at one of the Glasgow hospitals, the result was the
almost every pregnant woman in the modern world can have the development of
the unborn child displayed on a screen.
but I do have a name to add to the list = William Topaz McGonagall did anyone
see Billy Connelly `s recital of his Tay Bridge Disaster on the top of Dundee Law
in a snowstorm? Brilliant!!.
I was waiting for someone to suggest one of the finest contributions Scotland has made to poetry. 🙂
Connolly’s biggest gigs – Sold Out, Played Out and Copped Out. Given his fondness for baring his erse, how about this for a farewell performance – Butt Out!
PS you can watch Billy Connelly`s rendering on You Tube.
“PS you can watch Billy Connelly`s rendering on You Tube.”
They’re turning Billy Connolly into glue? I know he’s getting on and not very funny any more but that’s a little harsh.
Rev Stew,
I agree with you but there were periods when he was funny, without the swear words.
I still like his take on Mc Gonagall`s “Tay Bridge”
anyone come up with the names of the other people I posted about?.
How can you have Andy Goram and not Alex Ferguson or Kenny Dalglish?
And what about Armando Iannucci, Muriel Spark or Colin Maclaurin?
Geoff Huijer -Cherokee John Ross – leader of Cherokee nation
Thank you for that, I completely forgot about him.
Professor Ian Donald was the man who developed obstetric ultrasound.
James Goodfellow of Paisley and John Shepherd-Barron born in Tain both claim to have invented the ATM- either way it seems both were of Scots origin, but I think Goodfellow has the patent.
In case they have not been mentioned before, what about Jim Baxter, Denis Law and Jimmy Johnstone?
Dont forget Jock Tamson and his bairns!!.
…. and whovever made the 30,000th (i can write but not say it unless pitthed) comment – barring, Grahamski et seq of course.
RevStu: you have non-urgent e-mail.
Fiona and Albaman Tom Brown (on my mini list) was the engineer who invented and developed the human ultrasound scanner. He held the sole patent on it but made little or nothing from it.
Professor Ian Donald did indeed carry out the clinical trials with it and for that reason deserves credit, but Brown made it possible.
Chic McGregor
Thanks for that, I had a feeling that Professor Donald was not the full answer.
I think the same applies to James Goodfellow in as much he too did not make any
money from his invention. still,two more to add to your list,
Thanks Chic, for clearing that up- it seems we are falling over scots who have made major contributions to the world.
It seems sad that whilst we are clever enough to do all this inventing some still see us as being “too stupid” to run our own affairs.
Fiona,
Too wee, too stupid aye well as a woman you will know the value of an ultra scan
on pregnant woman, my son who is 41 yrs old now. was scanned while “within”.
my wife had to go to Edinburgh for the scan, (it was in the early days of scanning)
and we still have the print-out of that scan (use it to remind him of his beginning!)
and to think it is used world wide now, as are ATMs indeed where would we all be without the “hole in the wall”. aye too wee, too stupid indeed!!!.
As regards ultra sonic scanning Professor Donald worked with Kelvin Hughes scientific instruments in Hillington to develop the system. I was an apprentice there at the time and saw some of the trial scans. One had the name of the woman scanned , I forget who but looking at the scan I said “whit, Mrs. Whitshername is having twins?” much panic and swearing to secrecy. Of course I had no Idea who Mrs. Whitsername was. Severe telling off then much laughter in the canteen. Ahh, the care free days of youth.
Professor Donald had the idea of using ultrasound scanners on patients, he tried, but rather unsuccessfully, to scan human brains with what was available commercially (metal flaw finders). Tom Brown offered his services and developed the first successful manual ultrasound body scanner but the company retained commercial rights for the patent which is in his name. This is common practice, for example when my name appeared on a patent when I worked as a device physicist in semiconductors, although you are listed as a patent owner it is the company you work for that retains the commercial rights, its standard clause in your employment contract.
Kelvin Hughes, a subsiduary of Smith Industries were subsequently contracted to develop the commercial system.
All Brown got directly was the honour of being acknowledged the inventor and winning awards occasionally. Although it no doubt furthered his career hence an indirect gain.
Mutterings I just came accross this message,
Money transfer old-style is possible (and it is free of charge unlike Paypal!):
Not true for the Bank of Scotland because bank transfer was my first thought ,the cashier told me it would cost £20 .
She then went on to say there was another method but I didn’t pay attention to what that was merely latched on to the fact it cost nothing and made the donation.
Dorothy Devine said: “Bank of Scotland because bank transfer was my first thought ,the cashier told me it would cost £20”
She must have talked about CHAPS payments, which costs around £20. From personal current accounts, Faster Payments (same day) are FREE. I bank with BoS and make dozens of transfers a month.
You can do bank transfers like mutterings mentioned online free and quickly. It’s virtually instant too. It’s easy to do as I’ve seen it done and been through it many a time. They must have been talking about other systems of payment as suggested above.
Rev,
Do not dispare, we may go off subject now and then but I am sure no-one forgets
your appeal at the head of this column, as such a another fiver “winging” your way
shortly.
Chic McGregor, thanks for that,I had forgotten the details, I think that my wife must have been scanned more-or-less within the first year or two when it became
available to the N.H.S. (41YRS ) I remember it was explained to her that this was
a new development
Rev finding it hard to contribute on indiegogo/paypal,putting in my details same as last time.But the agree button is not allowing me to proceed?
Promise is a promise Rev 🙂
Shipped that tenspot just now for you.GL meeting your target man.
Next gig i’ll earmark another tenner.
Two weeks, and apparently half way there if you include the off-system donations RevStu mentioned above.
Most of that was achieved in the first mad 24-hour avalanche though. Another £15,000 still to be found in just over a month.
It’s a pretty steady trickle. Most days still get enough that we’ll make the target if it carries on at the current rate.
“Rev finding it hard to contribute on indiegogo/paypal,putting in my details same as last time.But the agree button is not allowing me to proceed?”
If you can’t get PayPal to play nice (and you’re not alone), there are other options. Check the Donate page:
link to wingsland.podgamer.com
RevStu said:
It’s a pretty steady trickle. Most days still get enough that we’ll make the target if it carries on at the current rate.
Pleased to hear it. I imagine there are a few regulars who will spring for a second tranche towards the end if it looks as if it needs a wee boost.
Mutterings and Appleby , thanks – I think I may have to take my wee branch to task.
When I tried to make a bank transfer donation to Newsnet they insisted that I would have to do that through an RBS branch – not too convenient.
Apart from thatwhy would there be a charge of £20 on anything electronic?
Sounds lke a con to me.
Another wee donation made – keep up the good work
Payday approaches. Another few quid in the pot from me then.
There seems to be a fashion starting, I noticed another Scottish news site is asking for donations and add that unless they get the money they cannot continue. I found it to be a bit odd as the “appeal” was tagged onto the bottom of an article claiming bias at the BBC. However, one guy got stamped on for mentioning that he would not be donating until they sorted out their moderation policy & my post agreeing with him got moderated into non-existence. As I don’t see how a site can criticise bias, by being bias themselves, I shall not be donating anything towards them. On the plus side, Rev Stu; you get a double dunt come pay day. At least you seem to permit contrary opinions on here.