At Battle Mountain
Posted on
September 13, 2013 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
The world's most-read Scottish politics website
-
About
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
-
Recent Posts
- 12-09
- 12-07
- 12-03
- 11-28
- 11-25
- 11-23
- 11-22
- 11-18
- 11-17
- 11-12
- 11-09
- 11-06
- 11-04
- 11-03
- 11-02
- 10-29
- 10-26
- 10-26
- 10-21
- 10-19
A tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!
This man will be the Minister for Sport one day, and we can look forward to some of the best speeches ever delivered in the SP. He’s a genius.
Funny peculiar.. I was just about to post about Mr Obree. A real local hero! -Inovative, down to earth and a world champion.
Exactly. I’d rather take my chance now than live my life asking
“What if?”.
Amazing. He’s an inspiration.
Had some wine, feeling tired and emotional, and this has made me a bit misty-eyed.
We have to win this!
Legend. When Dyson was launching his vacuum cleaners, Graeme would of been looking at the parts. Watch ‘The Flying Scotsman’ film. Inspirational story.
He will be announced as another british success by the BBC if they get round to it.
One of my heroes and still building his own bikes to break records with ease (well maybe not ease but damn hard work that he makes look easy).
An inspiration to every Scot that what we can dream, we can achieve. Hail Alba.
Creative reasoning, technical ability, and athletic ability. Graham Obree has it al!. I am so pleased for him.Get him on side as a role model for heavens sake.
We undervalue our real heroes and give unwarranted publicity and power to our political bawbags.
Graeme Obree’s an absolute legend. That’s just the story to get me in the mood for a bit of Yessing on the streets of Aberdeen tomorrow!
He is inspirational, not only for his technical and athletic achievements but in my view, the fact that he has achieved all that he has, whilst battling depression.
Always interesting to listen to the man on any subject ! ; ‘a genuine cycling hero for Scotland we can be proud of’ ….. unlike some others out there of the too wee, too poor, too stupid brigade.
Well done Graeme !!
I was passed many times in bike races over the years by Graeme and I don’t think he ever fails to give a wee word of encouragement to a journeyman like me. Been my hero for years. Deserves one of the first Scottish honours or a statue down the GD10 time trial course down Langbank way. Chapeau Graeme!
OT sorry but Raging
You got to Believe the sheer unadulterated lies printed in a BT leaflet given to the senior pupils as part of a dummy referendum in my kids Academy next week. The usual shite but with the following crackers…. Only as part of the UK do you get Free Tuition, Dentist Treatment, Prescriptions and bus passes, leave the UK and you’ll lose it. Thats just the start!
Two camps set up with one bunch of pupils running for yes and one bunch for BT.
From what the bairns tell me the majority of the pupils would be no voters… obviously listening to their parents being fed the MSM dross.
@Doug Daniel-
Good luck for Aberdeen tomorrow. Let us know how it goes?
Wee reminder for anyone who fancies having a shout at the Lib-Dems in Glasgow at their CONference – rally at Glasgow Green 11 am, then transport provided to the SECC, where some form of glorified cattle-pen awaits.
(Shame, shame – and thrice – shame on Glasgow City Council for refusing the march.)
Graham Obree a uniquely talented individual, that Scotland’s lucky to have.
Not sure what Graham’s views are on the referendum.
Westie7
Scan it. Post it online & put up link.
We can look at claims & countering.
Scott,
Will get a fresh one, marked one up already and sent it back with my son.
Plenty U-KOK stickers on show this week at Ellon Academy
Graeme – fantastic – well done.
westie7 says:
Scott,
Will get a fresh one, marked one up already and sent it back with my son.
Plenty U-KOK stickers on show this week at Ellon Academy
Westie7
Is this an official BT leaflet or something the pupils have mocked up?
I’m pretty sure that BT & Yes were to provide schools with packs but this is just an out an out fucking lie. It needs outing and reporting. BT must withdraw these leaflets pronto!
The Flying Scotsman – great movie. He just doesn’t give up.
@Whoever-
I’m too Lambrinied to be sure where this link should be, but seeing as everyone seems so averse to ‘Quarantine’ these days, it ends up here:
Graeme is emphatically a big YES.
ianbrotherhood
Careful now. 😉
I reckon that fits with Prof. David Harvey’s “nexus of debt management” concept.
In this month’s Cyclist magazine there is an in depth interview with the Maestro.
I love the part where he has a useful tip for commuting in heavy traffic.
“Strap a garden fork to your rack. Drivers will think, “There’s a hard-working gardener. I’ll give him some room and respect””.
Love it 🙂
Hah, the garden fork tactic I like! I will let my crazy friend, cycling 25 miles to his studio in the rain at 6am know that..,we were just discussing cycling and the pro’s n con’s…the yellow visor jacket helps a bit as well…but when I first read the garden fork thing I thought, hmm, what does the driver behind think? I better watch out they look dangerous with that fork strapped to their bike? Respect for cyclists, that’s what we want. ( yes ok some are idiots I know, but less likely to kill someone than an idiot driver of a fast lump of metal on four wheels).
Well done Graeme,thats great news. I to have been overtaken a few times by him while racing and he always had a word.Not sure if it helped as I’d be breathing out my arse and unable to talk at all.
He is a great Scottish success story and his battles against Chris Boardman really were the cycling equivalent of Scotland v England.
OT
That is a worrying comment from Westie7 and I have similar from large Glasgow catholic high school in southside. Teacher from politics class asked pupils who would be voting for independece, a boy puts up his hand and teacher “smashes” his argument. The vast majority of pupils in class said they would vote no.
Graeme is and was a legend.
The way he was treated while at the peak of his powers was disgusting. Anyone unaware of it should read about it: it will make you cry.
Glad he’s still fightng.
westie7 says
“OT sorry but Raging”
surely that amounts to lies and as such is in breach of whatever law is in place to protect young people from being told untruths in a School environment ?
I know teachers are ABSOLUTELY required to provide an unbiased approach to this subject and allow students to make up their own minds without influencing them either way,
now we all know arguments for/against independence are subjective but the overwhelming evidence straight from the leader of the (Scottish ) Labour party (something for nothing culture) makes a lie of the information given by BT which has GOT to be a breach of some sort of ruling or guidelines surely?
John King / westie
All such incidents in schools should be reported to YES campaign and to your local indy supporting MSP and local councillor with evidence where possible.
Comment deletions aplenty at The Herald today as Settle continues Gardhams spin on the story of McGlynn and the land deal.
Dont bother watching Newswatch – Well orchestrated BBC Guff
It just seemed 1/2 of the students had been briefed with BBC speak /agenda they were supposed to be talking about a percieved bias.
2 said – “I watch BBC all the time” couldn’t say I noticed any bias ???? (what were they watching ???) Very worrid about losing BBC News – no worry about losing your country then !
As for Boothman – nothing to see here ….move along !!!! ( No guilt whatsoever – no ground given)
I have both side of this leaflet scanned but I am crap at uploading and linking, Sent Rev a message that I can email these images to someone better placed than me to do it.
The leaflet has both the BT logo on it and the School badge so I dont know how much is BT and how much is added by whoever is running this propaganda, (Senior Pupils/Union rep/BT)
The ‘spolling mistooks’ tell me there is some element of Pupil involvement?
@ Thistle says:
Have been warning online boggs about this for ages; the schools area a real problem – hotbed of new labour regionalist activists. And Labour has a real stranglehold.
Dunoon Grammar School has exactly the same problem – Leader of Modern Studies, (Politics) STUART CLARK … holds office within SLAB, (councillor in adjacent authority), so how do you think Independence goes down in that school?
Also got Lord Hatenat Robotson invovled in school prizes & talks.
Then holds mock ref (70% for No) (65% for trident) ????????
My own daughters studied with him in recent times and they warned us about SNP ridicule and ‘Strength of the Union’, complained, nothing happened.
This is a real danger for YES and they have done nothing about it !
westie7
why dont you get a copy of that BT rubbish and send it to a Mr Thomas Rymer
the full address and phone and email are as below, the only way these people will sit up and take notice is if we crowd source this misinformation a FORCE them into action
ABOUT
Contacts
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights
Ul. Miodowa 10
00-251 Warsaw
Poland
Tel: +48 22 520 06 00
Fax: +48 22 520 06 05
E-mail: “mailto:office@odihr.pl”
Press inquiries
Thomas Rymer
Spokesperson
Public Affairs Unit
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Ul. Miodowa 10
00-251 Warsaw
Poland
Office: +48 22 520 0641
Mobile: +48 609 522 266
Fax: +48 22 520 06 05
“mailto:thomas.rymer@odihr.pl”
On GMS Jackie Baillie has said that Labour will be announcing their commitment to abolish the bedroom tax ‘relatively soon’, when pushed by I Fraser to say when, exactly, she explained this was ‘relatively soon’ in political speak.
Complain to the Education dept not the school . They are obligated to respond to your complaint . There is a world of difference between examining a topic and pushing an agenda.
@ Westie7 plus others – Here is a link to the Ellon Academy’s website and Pupil Bulletin
link to ellonacademy.org.uk
Normal
0
Schools Scottish Independence Referendum
This morning, you have received two leaflets – one from the school’s Yes Scotland campaign team and the other from the school’s Better Together team. Please take the time to read the information as you consider which way you intend to vote in the referendum. The school’s referendum will take place on Tuesday 17th September from 9am to 3pm. At registration on the day, you will each receive a polling card. Your teacher will tell you when you are able to go and vote. Voting is in the library and room 101. S6 pupils can vote at any time during the day. Voting is not compulsory. If you want to get involved with either of the campaigns between now and the 17th, the Yes Scotland and Better Together teams alternate day about between rooms 101 and 105 at lunchtimes. Mr XXXXXXX
O/T but just another battle. Sign the petition against Royal Mail privatisation at
link to you.38degrees.org.uk
Save the universal delivery service
O/T
Now this sounds encouraging.
Latvian Prime Minister opens the door to recognition of Scottish and Catalan independence
The Latvian Prime Minister admitted that despite the EU’s refusal to make a ‘public statement ‘about what would happen if part of a member state became independent; the advanced stage of the Scottish process has meant that negotiations are already taking place in Brussels.
Due to the legal basis of the Scottish event and following a vote for independence, there could be no grounds for objection from any other country (of the EU), and no reason to withhold recognition of an independent Scotland.
The Spanish and UK governments are blocking any statement from the EU on the consequences of independence in order to continue to state that there is “uncertainty” about what might happen. Mr Dombrovskis’ (PM) comments make it clear that the Latvian government does not support this position.
From NNS website
whilst we’re on the subject of cycling; folks may not know – but Scotland is one of the worlds top locations for mountain biking – not because of the hills – but because the newly devolved Government in the 90’s made those hills accessible under the countryside act. Since then, Scotland is a regular host of the World Downhill Championships (Fort William has been getting 20,000+ spectators) and has had huge investment in local and national trails (for all abilities).
OK, it’s not as important an industry as whisky, oil, gas, finance – but it’s another thing we are truly world class at.
@ John King
Thomas Rymer!?
“Wha shal rule the ile of Bretaine
From the North tae the South sey?”
indeed conan indeed
sometimes truth is stranger than fiction
@Archie [not Erchie]
‘Voting is in the library and room 101‘
Someone at Ellon Academy has a sense of humour (or possibly a complete lack of one).
O/T (sort of) More lies this morning: Labour ‘would axe spare room subsidy’ says Jackie Baillie.
Speaking on the Good Morning Scotland programme, [Jackie Baillie] said: “We are very clear. Labour rejected this approach when it was put to them in government, for social landlords. We have campaigned for its abolition.
“Yes we will abolish it. My understanding is that you can expect an announcement relatively soon.”
link to bbc.co.uk
Presumably Labour will now abolish the Bedroom tax…that or Sarwar and Baillie really have gone out on a limb. I’m guessing it will be Ed’s hurrah moment at their conference in two weeks time to try and re-establish his socialist credentials.
On schools, teachers will try to sausage machine their pupils and heads will not be readily put above the parapet in the class room but let’s not forget that most teachers are as cool as tank tops with socks and sandals. As we approach the big day the Yes side needs to muster those who do communicate with teenagers and whose opinions chime with theirs. What is said now will not count for much in the weeks leading up to the vote.
@ Iain – Both my daughters went to Ellon Academy and I can assure you that Room 101 was a place of torture. Still laughing at your Orwellian pickup there.
Regarding the announcement of the Latvian Prime Minister that he sees no obstacles that would get in the way of Scotland remaining in the EU, I would have thought that BBC Scotland’s European shit digger, Glen Campbell, could have shed more light on it for us. That was a joke by the way…
O/T Nearly choked on my croissant at breakfast time while listening to Jackie Bailllie’s announcement that The Big Labour Party are about to say that they will abolish the “Bedroom Tax” very soon, (her words). Can’t find any further information on it to back it up with a link.
HandandShrimp says:
Lets hope thats the case !
Yes campaign (official) is in danger of drifting into area of ‘lacklustre’ in my view.
The website is shockingly bad and very unresponsive to questions.
Still feel it is way too reserved at this stage and lacks the fire req’d. Hope the uni’s are taken care of ‘cuase I’ve seen very little input from students and youth personally. Hope theres a big student turn out a the march ! (I can at least count on 2 but they’re relatives). Stil dont know if they’ve twigged that a NO vote would really hit Uni education system in Scotland.
dee says:
That yin really is a big marshmallow, there is no substance to her at all!
She never backs anything up that she spouts. Always a laugh to watch her in action though with that knowing smile while everyone else looks perplexed to say ‘where did that come from ? and ‘what the fxxk are you talking about lady’ ?
Had the real joy of telling her where to take her made up BT guff once though when she was out canvassing!
Callum, I would like to offer a punt for my home town, and say that the trail in Golspie, Sutherland is well used and sees visitors from all over the world. link to bit.ly
However if you are of an independent mind and know your Scottish history you might want to take some tools to the top of the ben and remove some chunks from the base of the monument there to the Duke of Sutherland. This is a monument that was paid for by “voluntary subscription” from his grateful and subservient tenants,if you believe that. The alternative was a berth on a cattle ship to Canada. A few attempts have been made to undermine the Mannie as it is called locally, but Sutherland Estates have spent thousands repairing it. They do of course have thousands to spend. Profits from stolen land. link to bit.ly
The indoctrination of our children has been taking place for centuries, by sanitising what they are taught and now at the time of greatest need, brainwashing them with blatant lies and shaming those who support independence. The union has been maintained thus. I went to school in Golspie neath the shadow of the Mannie, Golspies lordly stane, and we were taught the grand sum of nothing about the clearances and the devastation and genocide of our native Highlands. We got plenty about the UK monarchy and even sang from a song book called the Royal Brittanic Society song book. All about the Lincolnshire poacher and such delights. The Churches, who I will never forgive were complicit in this, when with one eye on the land being cleared told the tragic people that it was “the will of God,” they offered them cold comfort and bade them to go in the name of God. The Church then became one of the biggest landowners in Scotland. I recently re visited a church I used to be marched to every Sunday, the decades rolled back as I looked at the pew I used to sit in, and listened to the fire and brimstone minister who one Sunday said that he hoped that the congregations lunch would choke them such was his rage at the paucity of their collections. I had some of my clearest thoughts during his long winded sermons, and traveled the world in my thoughts, but one thought occurred to me that day, why did a church whose function was to spread the word of this god, need riches and land? I now know the answer.
When you realise that many families alive today are resident in homes and estates that were the direct result of the UKs cultural and human genocide, especially in and around Golspie you will understand why these events were successful. Colonisation is an ancient art, honed and perfected over many centuries by The British who learned their craft the hard way at the hands of the Romans and then the French, who they the UK, in their revisionist way have renamed the Normans, such is their hatred of the French. The fact that Scottish culture and history has survived at all is a tribute to those who have never ever given up on their heritage, knows it’s history and is willing to stand firm in the face of aggression, visceral hatred, and blatant racism. My own background has shown me many times, examples of proud Scottish men and women who seem to wither and die under the gaze of the Laird and their British institutions. The life seems to drain out of them, as if their were a company of Redcoats standing by with fixed bayonets and flaming faggots, ready to bayonet their young and torch their homes. Perhaps it was this terror that has become stamped in to our very DNA and psyche that to this day works for London. Terrorism has been a very successful tool in the creation of Empires as Genghis Khan so ably demonstrated all these centuries ago.
His tactics and his campaigns are well documented and essential reading in the likes of Eton, Oxford and Sandhurst. The lessons have been well learned.
I feel so privileged to be alive in this time, to be in this internet age, to be a cybernat, to be able to contribute in ways never before possible to the independence of my beloved Scotland. The keyboard is mightier than both the pen and the sword. I am happy to make my contribution to the various campaigns, such as WOS, YES, and the SNP, in the knowledge that the out come will be an independent Scotland that will never again be stolen from us.
There always need to be a balance between seriousness and fun… and as Reggie Watts (I just discovered him today) would put it, “Seriousness is just the internal perception of what fun is when its not being serious”… this just made my day. Enjoy!
So looking forward to next week in Edinburgh 🙂
Lib Dems today will claim that they have been working on our behalf behind the scenes and that without them it would have been soooo much worse.Even their most devoted supporters will have to take a very long breath and, with fingers crossed, if they are to tick the NO box. Many will have had enough of them.PS: Heard on Radio that J. Baillie has promised, wink-wink, nudge-nudge that the ‘bedroom tax’ will be axed by a UK labour government. Aye right.
Oh!—- It’s on the BBC Web site … well!
1. Labour are not in power at present on either side of the border.
2. Labour are not going to be in power after the next election either side of the border.Vote YES in 2014 and it is gone! Simples.
Nice article about Graeme’s speed attempt here…
link to cyclingweekly.co.uk
Well done, Graeme. You are, and always will be a sporting hero to me.
It is odd regarding schooling. My first primary school teacher was a dragon who started each morning with a bible story a hymn and the Lord’s prayer. She would read tales of daring do and Empire. I think at 7 or 8 we would all have happily waved Union Jacks at a passing Royal. By High School I was considerably more cynical and aware that there was a counter culture. I was not pro any party and I guess was a hippy idealist but that is not unusual for the young (in fact as has been said in the past it is a worry if a young person is not an idealist).
The message has to be that this isan opportunity for Scotland, a blank slate. It is not about party politics but about where we want to go. It is the very essence of idealism. It is hope and opportunity. The Union is pipe and carpet slippers. I can understand the old being worried about change and pensions but this is an opportunity that is a gift wrapped for the young and vigorous. The chance to make a country you believe in and are proud. History and culture is just the starting point. This is about looking ahead not looking back.
The answer is also to let the kids come to their own conclusion that an independent Scotland will be very good for the rest of the UK. It will demolish the old system which is politically rotten and breath new life into a better arrangement for the rUK. This is the very thing that can simply never happen under the present vile set-up designed to reaffirm the establishment and its London-centric GB which they want to prosper above all else.
As for the schools being almost criminally slack in their attitude to politically driven teachers, of any hue, they must be pulled into line by their respective education authority. This is an area that Mike Russell must get involved in very strongly and damn the consequential uproar that will doubtless come from the unionist press and media. It’s happening by stealth anyway, if we sit on our hands and let oppressive teachers and politically motivated stunts plague the minds of our young people.
If we cannot guarantee our young the fullest information and education to make their own democratic choice freely and fairly we are singularly failing them.
A bit misty eyed here. Obree is a real, inspiring Scottish hero from the same mould as Calum MacLeod of Raasay. Anything is possible if you put your soul into it.
Russell had the chance to take on Labour education authorities awash with classroom apparatchiks. He – either through fear of upsetting someone, somewhere or through deliberate calculation – failed.
I hope to God we don’t pay the price for his inaction.
Great picture, the possibility of hope and not living all our lives wishing that Scotland could be free. Hail Alba
Early influences are weird. I remember being the (nearest thing handy to a) baby being kissed by Alec Douglas-Home during the Perth and Kinross by-election in 1963. I was actually nine at the time. I would have voted for him after that! That’s why they don’t let nine-year-olds vote of course.
But really, I just always knew I wanted my country to be a proper country, and was ashamed that it wasn’t. As the realisation grew not simply that we had easily enough resources to make a go of it but that the union was actually draining our resources to our detriment, that desire has only become stronger.
“OK, it’s not as important an industry as whisky, oil, gas, finance – but it’s another thing we are truly world class at.” Callum, have to disagree, it is every bit as important.
Training Day says:
‘Russell had the chance to take on Labour education authorities awash with classroom apparatchiks’
You said what I didn’t !! Russell needs to get a grip on this.
Westie 7
“Only as part of the UK do you get Free Tuition, Dentist Treatment, Prescriptions and bus passes, leave the UK and you’ll lose it. Thats just the start!”
Even if this is the students and not BT ; it is the duty of the school to scrutinize the material used surely !!
Brilliant!. Its going straight on to my FB page!
To Westie7. I too am raging. Send it ASAP to Mike Russell.
Ah Morag, if I spot you at the rally and catch you off guard I’ll plant a wee kiss on your cheek in appreciation of your postings here.