The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


For Sidney Bechet

Posted on October 06, 2013 by

larkin

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

110 to “For Sidney Bechet”

  1. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    (kiss)

  2. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    nae culture?Â

  3. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:



  4. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    nae culture? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HeB8JJFoBw

  5. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Paula Rose:
    Thanks for this link below. Really enjoyed it. Powerful stuff.
     


     

  6. Daughter of Evil Reindeer
    Ignored
    says:

    nae culture?


  7. Hetty
    Ignored
    says:

    The unique and vibrant culture as well as gorgeous countryside was the reason for my parents (though namely my dad) bringing us here, to Scotland,  for our hols and day trips when they could afford it, and it is why they pretty much envied Scotland for having an actual cultural and environmental identity, which I think they thought was well in the past in the N E of England. I won’t let the ‘no’ lot let them down in my wonderful adopted country. I am so glad my sons have listened and read enough about the Indy issues to have made their own minds up, to vote YES. If it’s ‘no’ they might choose to take up their dual birthright as well, and bugger off to NZ and I wouldn’t blame them! Fingers crossed it’s a YES.

  8. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

     nae culture? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pZDx8u8XFs

  9. Daughter of Evil Reindeer
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Paula Rose
    So beautiful.

  10. msean
    Ignored
    says:

    Has anyone ever won an election by telling voters that their country and culture doesn’t actually exist?

  11. David Smith
    Ignored
    says:

    @Paula.
    That was a marvellous bit of prose. I feel the need to share it!
     

  12. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    um couldn’t resist really – this is the master librarian’s best (and most misunderstood) not sure why my links don’t come up blue, but I expect you non-luddites can sus it out.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfZ5AtBez

  13. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    Surely the Creole culture of New Orleans was “subsumed” into the Greater Americana?
    I need guidance on the link between Sydney Bechet and Philip Larkin. 
    Please Rev. 
    Hail Alba.

  14. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Loved Philip Larkin. Got taught several of his poems in ‘O’ grade and ‘H’ English.
     
    This just might be a good day. The Guardian newspaper appears to be ticking Cameron off for not debating with Mr Salmond, plus they have a little dig at the No Campaign and the Scottish media for their ‘scare’ stories.

    Slowly, but surely, the English media is becoming aware of what is happening north of the border, and I think they are rather tad bemused by it!
     
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/06/david-cameron-scottish-independence-debate

  15. Albalha
    Ignored
    says:

    @RobertKerr
    This may help as a start
     
    http://www.nepr.net/blog/sidney-bechet-symbol-jazz

  16. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Albalha
    Many thanks. Now I need to read and listen.
    The diversity and vibrancy of WoS is coming to the fore now.
    We cannot but win.
    There shall still be a place for this community in our Scotland. Come what may.
    Oh Rev Stu what have you done?
    Hail Alba

  17. Simon
    Ignored
    says:

    Still some confusion in the Guardian article:

    “The nationalists remain vulnerable on the nuts and bolts of pension provision, public expenditure from a low tax base and meeting Scotland’s share of the UK debate….” (I think they mean Debt), but aren’t all these things problems for the rUK, not problems for Scotland?

    “… a No vote (which would hand it the title of Most Independent Non-independent Country in the World)…” I think they mean in Britain, given the autonomous status of regions in other countries (e.g. the US) as discussed on here recently…

  18. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Simon
    I agree. Swinney has already guaranteed the Pensions, so a poor bit of commentating there. However, what I am happy about is that it is a main English paper pointing this out to the rUK. The 2 bits that pleased me were…
     
    1. Cameron is getting a ticking off for his ‘hands off’ approach
    2. The media in Scotland is getting bad press for it’s approach to the whole thing.
     
    Overall, I give it a big thumbs up!

  19. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Actually, the Guardian have given it two postings in their paper. Same thing …a dig at Cameron over Scottish Independence.
     
    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/scottish-independence-blog/2013/oct/04/independence-scotland-tvdebates

    Though I must admit, this posting seems to give the illusion that it is BT who WANT the TV debates. I think it was more of the other way around!

  20. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    jlt 
    The second blog in the Guardian by Carrell is largely propaganda. He and Cohrane in the Telegrah run a black is white ccampaign against the Independence movement. Cochrane particularly. 

  21. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Cheers Brian.
    On a totally different topic, even though I couldn’t find that article from an English newspaper last week commenting on the media north of the border, at least as pointed out in my first article above today, the Guardian have helped me out on that one!
     
    cheers again!

  22. Another London Dividend
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC Radio Scotland Business on now digging up the old Labour back bencher A Darling on the Scottish Banks collapse again this morning.

  23. sneddon
    Ignored
    says:

    Apart from journalists and the westminster village idiots, who in the real world gives Darling any creditabilty on his utterances on any aspect of the economic collapse?  It’s a real puzzler.

  24. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Brian
     
    Severin is pretty much a straight forward member of the Better Together orthodox church. Cochrane using a similar analogy is more of a David Icke adherent.

  25. sneddon
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Kerr – Creole can’t be regarded as ‘subhumed’ into American culture.  Creole seen as the ‘other’ by mainstream America good to visit and get off your face but back to the good ol’ usa on the Monday.  That was my impression I got from living there in the 90’s.
    I suppose the best answer would be ‘its complicated’

  26. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder if Darling mentioned it to them on the Radio that Barclays had to be bailed out to the tune of £552.32 BILLION pounds.
    He may say that the UK Government helped RBS with £42 Billion, but I bet he won’t say that it cost 12 times that to save Barclays.

    http://www.businessforscotland.co.uk/bizforscotland-destroys-the-no-campaigns-bank-bail-out-lies/

  27. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ JLT – Love your Gravatar, unchained Unicorn. Well done.

  28. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Cheers Archie …I’m still messing about with it! You would not believe how many people in Scotland don’t know that the Unicorn is actually the main symbol for Scotland. It’s not the Lion Rampant. That’s the Royal Coat of Arms.
    My new mission …making folk aware of the Unchained Unicorn! The Standard for Scotland!

  29. Seanair
    Ignored
    says:

    The Mail on Sunday front page has not one, but two corkers.
    MOD: SCOTS risk terror attack if UK is split…. And NATO tells SNP you CAN’T join us.
    Wouldn’t open the paper (it’s my wife’s) but think this is desperate stuff—easily refutable of course.
     

  30. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Another Bedroom Tax petition – this one is SSP-backed, doesn’t have Jelly Baby’s fingerprints on it, and is calling for Miliband to force an emergency debate on immediate scrappage (currently has 300 signatures) –
     
    http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ed-miliband-leader-of-uk-labour-party-present-emergency-motion-in-parliament-to-abolish-the-bedroom-tax-now-not-after-2015#share

  31. Tamson
    Ignored
    says:

    Re the Guardian/Observer: by far the most educational piece in the Guardian today is this one:
     
    http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/06/what-makes-modern-britain-great-tribes
     
    Shows you what “Britishness” really is in the minds of so many. The author is the former general secretary of the Fabians.

  32. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    Seanair;

    Strange article, as London has had numerous terrorist attacks, as well as those  in Manchester and Birmingham some years ago.
    So much of what they put in depends on all suspension on normal human abilities, like memory, ability to see or think.
    Unfortunately the NATO article doesn’t seem to be on the digital version of the paper.

  33. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Sunday Teaser: can you guess who wrote the following comment, on Derek Bateman’s blog? Nae cheatin!

    ‘Derek is absolutely correct: trying to put forward a fact-based rational argument for separation isn’t going to work for the YESnp campaign. Mainly down to the fact that their facts are not in fact facts.

    Better by far to ramp up the identity politics and go for the grudge and grievance angle – a place where many on the YES side feel most at home.’

  34. Stuart Black
    Ignored
    says:

    Easy peasy Ian, he doesn’t do irony, does he?  😉

  35. jim mitchell
    Ignored
    says:

    Maybe the most interesting story is the one that appeared in the Sunday Post:
    UK gov must come clean on oil ‘cover-up’

    Sun, 06/10/2013 – 11:05
     

    The Scottish National Party has called for information following revelations oil was discovered on the Firth of Clyde in the 1980s yet further exploration was blocked by the Ministry of Defence over fears it would interfere with the nuclear submarines based at Faslane.
    As reported in today’s Sunday Post, seismic and geological studies were carried out by energy giant BP in a 92 square-mile area south of Arran, but both BP and the UK government say they no longer have copies of the survey results.
    Retired Labour politician David Lambie MP has said the oil exploration was blocked by the MOD.
     
    SNP MSP for the South of Scotland Chic Brodie said:
     
    “Given the revelation by former chancellor Denis Healey that the UK government underplayed the value of oil in the 1970s, we have to be deeply sceptical that the UK government is telling us everything they know when it comes to oil in the Firth of Clyde.
     
    “We know for a fact that the MoD was consulted on the exploration and now we have the local MP at the time saying they had any further exploration halted.
     

    “The people of Scotland deserve answers from the UK government on what is exactly down there. It is odd to say in the least that no records exist anymore.â€Â 
    Then again is it likely, a London government wouldn’t have kept yet another oil secret from us, would they?

  36. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    @JLT
    Visitors to Stirling Castle will be in no doubt whatsoever regarding the Unicorn and Scotland.
    It is of course on the UK Royal Coat of Arms, facing the English Lion.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom
    There are two versions. Implying two kingdoms united. 
    On an earlier thread a comment was made that the Unicorn shall be gelded if we vote no!
    An interesting riposte to those who would defend a “status quo ante”.
    Hail Alba

  37. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian
     
    LOL
     
    The legion voice of our erstwhile fellow traveller on the road to independence perchance?

  38. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Aye. The one and only Grahamski. He does spout some shite, but you’ve got to hand it to him – he’s consistent.
     
    Has he been barred from here? Can’t remember last time he keeked round the door…

  39. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Gordon Bennett! (*)
     
    It would seem, from the Twitter feed, that Rev is transcribing George Robertson. Talk about over and above the proverbial?
     
    (* James Gordon Bennett Jr. inherited his father’s talents for journalism and controversy, not to mention his multi-million dollar estate – and he’s the Gordon Bennett that the phrase refers to. He took over control of the New York Herald in 1866, by which time he was well into an enthusiastic and hedonist playboy lifestyle, indulging in spending the family fortune on air and road racing in the USA, England and France.)

  40. MajorBloodnok
    Ignored
    says:

    There is also this Gordon Bennett (the one I think of).
     
    A highly decorated Australian general best remembered for escaping Singapore in 1942 but thoughtfully leaving his troops behind to be captured by the Japanese.  A bit like those Labour MPs climbing over each other to get into the House of Lords.

  41. les calthorps
    Ignored
    says:

    I brought up the subject of the oil discovery in the Firth of Clyde in these columns a few weeks back and full details were given at that time of the Westminster chicanery that took place  then.
    The details should be fully exposed and used to refute the arguments for the loss of employment when the WMDs are removed from our country. 

  42. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @les calthorps –
     
    Was it yourself who mentioned the infrastructure development in Irvine? (Building of hotels etc some years ago.) I wanted to ask more about that but couldn’t relocate the comment.
     
    Anyway, I know nothing about the oil industry, but it’s common knowledge, here in Ayrshire, that there’s plenty of the stuff out there.

  43. les calthorps
    Ignored
    says:

    Gordon Bennett gets a mention in one of RLSs works.

  44. Mosstrooper
    Ignored
    says:

    James Gordon Bennett Sen. was born in Keith and of course James Gordon Jnr. was his son and the man responsible for setting up the International Herald Tribune in Paris, the first truly international publication and the man who sent  Henry Morton Stanley. 

  45. Seanair
    Ignored
    says:

    Brian Powell
    If this story really does come from the MOD they’ve gone down even more in my estimation. Absolute rubbish. How would the terrorists get past our Border Guards?
     NATO story still unread by me, but someone else might help.
    Keeping my blood pressure down.

  46. les calthorps
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian
    Am getting old and doited so cannot remember the name of the thread  that contains the full details. There were at least two large hotels built at the time, no doubt someone can come to my rescue and flag up the full details.
    At the time I thought that my but and ben up amang the whaups in view of the Firth could be traded for a property in the Bahamas so am still living in hope!!
    Joe.

  47. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Robert Kerr and JLT – Last week in Quarantine a few of us were majoring on Scottish History books and of course touched on the heraldic Scottish Coat of Arms which has 2 chained unicorn supporters [dexter and sinistere] plus other Scottish symbols. As you correctly said the United Kingdom Royal Coat of Arms has the Lion [England] and chained Unicorn.[Scotland].
    Got to say that my BP went through the roof when I saw the collar and chain and then obviously did some more digging for reasons. I ended up still none the wiser because explanations heraldic reason that the Unicorn was chosen for its Purity, Truth and Strength [Far Eastern Folklore] while others stated that a Unicorn is a dangerous beast and must be shackled as it is the mortal enemy of the Lion.
    Now Heraldic instruments are altered and changed from time to time and it appears that if the chain is broken and the Unicorn faces the camera instead of looking at the Lion then Scotland will be Independent.
     
     
     

  48. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @les calthorps-
     
    It’ll happen yet mister!
     
    Here’s what Irvine harbourside will look like 20 years hence:
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WtjDr4yZ82g/TNFb2zRrd6I/AAAAAAAAAN4/rEiG3cWe5UE/s400/monte_carlo.jpg

  49. muttley79
    Ignored
    says:

    @Seanair
     
    MOD: SCOTS risk terror attack if UK is split….
     
    Does this mean the Ministry of Defence is going to launch a terror attack on us if we vote Yes, or do they think this will definently happen if we vote Yes?  If it is the latter, how exactly do they know this is going to happen?  Via a crystal ball, or are they going to withhold intelligence (which would surely be against international law)?  All very bizarre…
     
    And NATO tells SNP you CAN’T join us.
     
    Good.  I do not like NATO anyway.

  50. pmcrek
    Ignored
    says:

    muttley79
    Aye my measured response to NATO membership scare stories is, “Care? lol”

  51. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Archie / Robert
     
    I believe that if Scotland does become Independent, then the Scottish Coat of Arms is 2 Unicrons facing each other with a shield between them. A Red Lion sits above the shield holding sword and sceptre. A statue of this lion sits outside the Queens Gallery at Holyrood.
    I remember Neil Oliver talking about the Unicorn during his ‘A History of Scotland’ series. As he put it, a Unicorn is a beautiful fierce creature that could only be tamed or captured by the hand of a young virgin girl.
    How ironic then, that eventually that legend came to pass. Queen Elizabeth the 1st of England tamed the Unicorn by offering it’s King (James VI of Scotland) the crown of the English throne too, and from that point on, Scotland slowly lost her independence.
     
    Ach well …disnae matter …we’ll get it back on the 19th September 2014 !! (…and oor Unicorn’s too!!)

  52. Bill C
    Ignored
    says:

    I know a couple of people in the oil industry who say there have whispers for many years that there are substantial reserves of oil off Scotland’s West Coast. That and the Clyde Estuary story need further investigation by the SNP. West Coast oil could be a real game changer. 

  53. G. Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh dear. Unionist Sunday Times journo Gillian Bowditch referred to Scottish regiments being cut by “successive ENGLISH governments” on Sunday Politics Scotland earlier. Can she survive in her job after this terrible slander?

    Watch Gillian’s outrageous slip of the tongue (moment of honesty) at 1:11:50-ish.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03bt5q7/Sunday_Politics_Scotland_06_10_2013/

  54. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    As a teenager in the 80s in Wigtownshire I remember the excitement among the locals caused by the reported test drilling in the Firth of Clyde. Local councillors were muttering in the local press about Stranraer being a useful base for BP. Also in more recent years there have been test drillings in the Solway Firth. Links below to the Glasgow Herald story and the MoD involvement.
     
    http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19840215&id=E8FAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3KUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6404,2815084
     
    http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19840215&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
     

  55. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Finally! Just watched the debate from Abertay University.
     
    Well …if that is the Unionists argument, then they are in serious trouble. Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was a good debate. I thought Lord Robertson did alright. Certainly a change from the screaming and shouting that we got from Anas Sarwar at Nicola Sturgeon. Neither politician interrupted the other, so that was extremely good.
    There is no argument! Lord Robertson, as much as he tried to put across an argument, really revealed nothing. We will get nothing if we vote No. It was pretty much the usual stuff that we get from Project Fear. I thought the boy, Hosie, did okay. Got the main points across, and the students liked it.
    Gives me belief that if the young folk (who will be a bit green around the ears) get the main points put across to them sensibly, then common sense should tell them to vote ‘Yes’.
    As I said earlier today …looks like it could be a good day!

  56. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    I meant to say that the second link is the entire edition of The Glasgow Herald with the editorial leader, on the drilling, on page ten. Interesting to note near the end of the piece when it says “Pessimists say the oil boom is already over.” And this was in February 1984! Oh I wish the paper put names to the ‘pessimists’.

  57. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Dcanmore – I am just doing a bit of digging around and I noted that Chic Brodie MSP submitted a FOI to various in March of this year. Has the response been ‘Sorry we lost all documents regarding this?’ Maybe I should ask him eh? Nope I didnt buy the Sunday Post.

  58. Caroline Corfield
    Ignored
    says:

    I worked in the seismic industry and its utter shite that someone somewhere doesn’t have the survey information.
    It was produced on round reels which may well have deteriorated but most data on round reel was copied to more stable magnetic tape media as this became apparent, but all surveys have hard copy paper and film at 300dpi of the seismic sections, and they will be around. As will the people who shot the survey and the people who processed the survey as will the geological interpreters who said yes there’s a good chance of oil there, as will the people on the exploration rig who will have drilled a hole and put instrumentation down it to prove the oil really was there, and in an exploitable form. SO, plenty of people know.
    And anyway these days you would not start exploiting that area without a new 3D survey of the potential fields. Woo hoo, more work for my man!

  59. Jingly Jangly
    Ignored
    says:

    I worked in the oil industry and in the 80’s one of my colleagues told me that he had been on the survey ships in the Clyde and West Coast and the signs were encouraging. At that time we expected that there would be some appraisal drilling but it never happened. We always assumed it was due to Trident. Note just because the signs are encouraging does not mean that there are recoverable oil reserves. The companies that chartered the survey ships will know what the results were, they will not have lost their records. I presume that as soon as we vote YES then appraisal drilling will be carried out as a matter of urgency.
     

  60. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Rev I do apologise.
     
    Could this frightening scenario play out at Faslane
     
    http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/10/05/327786/submarine/
     

  61. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Caroline – By all accounts GECO were doing the survey work but then it stopped dead in the water. I agree with you, of course there are logs but in dusty boxes marked ‘Commercial Confidential’.
    What I find somewhat amusing is this – If there was an objection by the MOD [Malcolm Rifkind] because of potential hazards to UK and US submarines how on earth do these same submarines manage to negiotate the North Sea and other areas?
    Notice to Mariners – Emmmm not sure but there might be a drilling rig near Arran, position fixed but to ensure safety take a bearing on the Ice Cream shop in Girvan. If in doubt surface and exchange papers and magazines with the rig crew.
     

  62. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    Does anyone else think this lull in proceedings would be a good time to strike with the WoS poll ? What do you think yourself Rev Stu ?
    Seems quiet in the press just now
     

  63. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    Here is an FOI release regarding oil/gas exploration in the Firth of Clyde.
     
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-gas-exploration-in-the-firth-of-clyde-foi-130568
     

  64. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    West coast oil.
    I posted this elsewhere a while ago.Glasgow Herald 1983?news.google.com/…/forargyll.com/…/…FOI Request March 2013.forargyll.com/…/…————————————–July 2013:http://www.gov.uk/…/Infrast_Off.pdfPS: On the newspaper link look down the page re: Devolution Labour: Funny old world.

  65. gavin lessells
    Ignored
    says:

    Strong condemnation of “Scottish” Labour by Derek Bateman in todays post! Ca;ll me Dave has kindly provided the link.

  66. Conan_the_Librarian
    Ignored
    says:

    They fuck you up, your mum and dad.   
        They may not mean to, but they do.   
    They fill you with the faults they had
        And add some extra, just for you.
     
    But they were fucked up in their turn
        By fools in old-style hats and coats,   
    Who half the time were soppy-stern
        And half at one another’s throats.
     
    Man hands on misery to man.
        It deepens like a coastal shelf.
    Get out as early as you can,
        And don’t have any kids yourself.

  67. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Interesting piece here in a student-produced magazine – Lamont tries to ‘explain’ her virus insult:
     
    http://www.journal-online.co.uk/article/10973-johann_lamont_defends_nationalism_virus_comments

  68. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    My Gawd is this an actual sensible piece from Brian Wilson? Such a difference from his Scotsman rantings.
     
    http://www.energyvoice.com/2013/09/brian-wilson-politicians-brash-boasts-ignore-human-cost/

  69. Jon D
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T – apologies but worthy of mention,
    Good to see NewsnetScotland and similarly vast numbers to its site.
    http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2013/10/06/media-wars/
    The  truth will out……

  70. sneddon
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian guess what no comments facilty especially after they accused SNP of making light of HIV, Oh dear guess who wants an internship with labour?

  71. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    ianbrotherhood
    Thanks for link:
    ————————–
    Asked if she felt misquoted by the media about the comments she made in a robust attack on Alex Salmond’s SNP government. 
    She said: “No, to be fair I think there are people who sit waiting for me to make a speech and are ready to be outraged and perhaps to misrepresent or condemn what I’m saying.
     
    What! …  She can’t have it both ways surely
    Was she misquoted  – No
    Then she plays the yes I was misquoted or misunderstood in the same sentence.
    Aye right.
     

  72. Stuart Black
    Ignored
    says:

    The Jimmy Reid Foundation are not going to rival Wings’ level of crowd funding any time soon, which I personally feel is a real shame. They are working on an alternative to the corrupt and self-serving system that  the UK is welded to, and I believe that most on here would be drawn to the Common Weal, but it needs fleshing out. The people working on it are giving their time and services free, but there are costs involved, and they depend on the likes of us to provide funding.
     
    I lobbed money in some weeks ago, but I was perplexed to find that, with only 18 days to go, they have not even reached 9,000 pounds of their target of 25,000. So, I gave them some more tonight, and you can too.
     
    Come on lads and lasses, let’s gie them a wee haun’, eh?
     
    http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-common-weal-we-need-you-to-build-a-better-scotland

  73. jim mitchell
    Ignored
    says:

    Dcanmore, thank you for those links, re page ten which you mentioned, I also thought the letter right at the top of the page warning about right wing politics was also interesting and relevant to both Scotland and the politics of Britain today.

  74. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Ianbrotherhood,
    Hi mate. How you doing?

    To be honest, I have no time for anything that that woman has to say. She said that at least 40% of our nation had a virus. I find that utterly appalling. She made it out that 40% of the nation suffered a terrible and wicked disease. To me, it just shows what utter bitterness resides at Scottish Labour HQ.

    For the last two years, they have been told again and again, that need to change and refocus their strategy. But they can’t. This utter hatred of the SNP, and of Salmond, has blinded them completely. To be honest, they are so focused on the SNP and Salmond, that they have forgotten about any policies of their own. I really couldn’t tell you of one Scottish Labour policy. I’m not joking when I say that!

    But, I believe there will be a day of reckoning for the Scottish Labour Party, and I can name that day; Friday the 19th of September 2014. The day the result is announced.
     
    Overall Ian, hope you had a good weekend mate. Catch you on another post!

  75. heraldnomore
    Ignored
    says:

    As  Stuart Blck says, get a Common Weal badge to wear beside your Wings.   Go on, you know you want to.
     
    It’s all part of the changing times that Mike Small sets out in that excellent Bella article.

  76. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Waiting on my badge coming.
    Saw Stuart B mention it late last week.

  77. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @JLT-
     
    Cheers to you too. Have been busy, reading a lot for some uni assignments/exams, but it involves Scottish History, Poetry etc, and I’m loving it – also getting a lot from right here, the links e.g. the fantastic map that Chic linked-to t’other day.
     
    Anyway – enjoy what remains of the weekend mister.
     
    Hoots the noo! 

  78. muttley79
    Ignored
    says:

    “If an ordinary SNP voter or somebody who believes in independence, but who wouldn’t define themselves as nationalist, were offended by what I said, that was not my intention and I’m accountable for what I say.â€
     
    What is the difference though between being an SNP voter who supports independence, but does not define themself as a nationalist, and one who does?  Does being a Scottish nationalist make you the equivalent of Hitler or something?
     
    Addressing the conference in her annual speech, Lamont said: “The next year is about defeating the politics of nationalism, a virus that has affected so many nations and done so much harm.
    An ideology that never achieved anything. But it is about more than that. It is about Scotland and all our nations embracing the ideal of the United Kingdom.”
     
    So you reject Scottish nationalism, while embracing British nationalism at precisely the same time?  Also, an ideology that achieved nothing?  Did you think Ghandi or Mandela achieved nothing then?
     
    She added: “For the nationalists, the misery of the people isn’t a wrong to be corrected, it is a chance to be exploited. For them, grievance is not to be addressed, it is to be nurtured.
     
    So tell me Lamont, what has Scottish Labour achieved for all their voters in the disadvantaged areas of Scotland, particularly in the West of Scotland then?  You have played on people’s grivance of the Tories, and delivered virtually nothing for them for decades.
     
    “It’s a cynicism, which corrodes our politics. It should create in us a revulsion.”
     
    So you see no cynicism in SLAB’s elected representatives then towards their own voters?  What about their nepotism, their crony networks of patronage?  No revulsion for them? 
     
    “What I was trying to get at was, actually a politics which says we are different and the reason we need to separate is because our identity is being run down, and that we are somehow oppressed by the rest of the UK, I think such politics are unhealthy.
     
    Who said anything about Scotland’s identity being run down, or being oppressed by the rest of the UK?  Have you heard of democracy Lamont, of electing your own governments all the time?  Is this concept too complicated for you?

  79. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Ian – Thanks for the link to the student journal and here is a wee clip for our own WOS readers from J.Lamont’s justification of her speech regarding ‘virus’:

    “If an ordinary SNP voter or somebody who believes in independence, but who wouldn’t define themselves as nationalist, were offended by what I said, that was not my intention and I’m accountable for what I say.â€

    Addressing the conference in her annual speech, Lamont said: “The next year is about defeating the politics of nationalism, a virus that has affected so many nations and done so much harm.

    “An ideology that never achieved anything. But it is about more than that. It is about Scotland and all our nations embracing the ideal of the United Kingdom.”

    1. You were deliberately offensive, did you not read your script beforehand? You are accountable Johann Lamont and you are offensive to everybody who is thinking of voting Yes or even undecided. How can anybody trust you as a leader of anyone and anything. You have just insulted millions of free thinking, independent minded people across the world who now thrive in their freedom.

    2. The so called ‘nationalism virus’ that has caused so much harm to so many nations instead of embracing the ideals of the UK?

    What UK ideals are these? Or are you going to say that ‘ideals’ are something to be aimed for provided we say NO and join in the collective hive mentality and work together for a mystical Nirvana. Somewhere over the rainbow there is a dark dark place with a dark dark room.

    Yesterday I spoke with a Nigerian lady here in Aberdeen and apart from the fact she had just gained a Masters Degree with Honours in HR, I asked her why so many Nigerians in Aberdeen. She said, ‘Because Scotland sent us Mary Slessor, we come here to honour and remember her sacrifice for us and to give back to you’

    So Johann Lamont, we already have our ideals and its nothing to do with your perverted view of nationalism, its to do with the caring and open minded values that ordinary people in Scotland have enjoyed long before you ever spouted your tuppenceworth. You are an embarassment to Scotland.

    Ok said my bit. Hope its not too long.

  80. david
    Ignored
    says:

    lamont is very embarassing for scotland

  81. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Archie-
     
    Hear hear mister. 
     
    Lamont’s ‘virus’ comment and Robertson’s ‘Wot? Nae Culture?’ howler could well go down as pivotal in this debate – some insults are easily shaken-off or forgotten, but I don’t believe this pair of muppets will ever be allowed to forget these crass utterances – as ignorant as they are contemptuous.

  82. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    ARCHIE! DID YOU EVEN READ THE NEW COMMENT RULES?

    LINE BREAKS, MAN!

  83. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    @david.
    More than that. Lamont is an embarrassment to herself. 
    Does anyone want her as FM?
    Hail Alba

  84. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Rev – I did I did and put line breaks in but when I submitted it came up all joined together. Next time I will put double line breaks in. Honest. I even tried to go back and edit coz I knew you would be hovering but it was too late to edit. Sorry

  85. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev, I have noticed at times that when I write something and put in a line break, it doesn’t appear. Instead, I have to put in two to get one.
     
    Let’s try one break here:
    Lets try two:
     
    What happens?

    Yep, need to hit ‘Enter / return’ twice to get a single line break.

  86. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    The Lamont virus comment goes far beyond Scotland.
    She seems to have forgotten next year there is the Commonwealth Games, and every country there, now Independent, will be represented by athletes who could think of themselves as nationalists.
    She should be reminded of this ignorant insult, often.

  87. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Yep, need to hit ‘Enter / return’ twice to get a single line break.
     
    Even though hitting Enter once appears to create a clear, one line break between paragraphs when writing a post, it doesn’t. You need to do it twice, at least with chrome.

  88. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ SS – Whew thanks for that. I knew I had done it right but when it was submitted it was all joined up……so double up to avoid upper case words from Rev Stu eh?

  89. david
    Ignored
    says:

    she cant make a speech, she reads a script which is written for her. there is a reason she comes across as a vile thick non-entity.

  90. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Rev,
    Got to admit with a couple of the guys above. I swear I put line breaks in between some paragraphs, but it still comes out as one giant super text.

    I am now going over each of submissions, as we know it is now driving you crazy. The only killer is, and it does happen …you submit, spot the error, try to go back, but the editing is now closed. That is a real pain in the @rse when that happens!! 

  91. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Hmmm…interesting…Rev has Tweeted that he’s working on a ‘blockbuster’ article for tomorrow.
     
    We know he’s been transcribing the words of George ‘I was the King of Naydo dontcha know‘ Robertson.
     
    Anyone care to have a stab at what it could be about?
     
    Will Rev give us a teensy, toty wee tiny clue if we ask him really nicely?
     
    Or will we all ‘accidentally’ start copying cite-tags into monoblocked comments?

  92. david
    Ignored
    says:

    it could be anus sarwar being jeered out of clydebank

  93. kininvie
    Ignored
    says:

    @ scottish skier
     
    And with Firefox also….
     
    It has to be said that the Rev’s thunderous wrath and threats of eternal damnation are a burden on his ignorant followers: How are we small sinners expected to understand?
    To avoid being turned to a pillar of salt:
     
    1) Never copy/paste the ‘xxx says’ line.
    2) Always hit line break twice between paras

  94. kendomacaroonbar
    Ignored
    says:

    On behalf of the people of Scotland I would like to apologise for Johann Lamont.

  95. NorthBrit
    Ignored
    says:

    https://twitter.com/KennyFarq/status/386628969413369856
    Kenny Farquharson appears to be wrong about something.  Presumably from ignorance because we know (from him) what a fair minded journalist he is.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Jones
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Francis_Edward_Keith
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-21085002
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_MacDonald
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-French-Foreign-Legion-Legionnaire/dp/1848840853
     
    That took all of two minutes.  I suppose for an editor two minutes of fact checking would be absurdly over egging things.
     
    Apparently some people have been dreadfully mean to poor Kenny.
    https://twitter.com/KennyFarq/status/386796934377140226
     
    One can only speculate why.  However, if I was the editor of Scotland on Sunday and didn’t want to be considered Vichyist I might consider doing something about people posting manifestly untrue comments about the French resistance below the line of a article accusing nationalists of being connected to the Nazis.  The problem with the Scotsman censoring comments is it rather implies it approves of the ones that make it through.
    http://archive.is/2O6Ee (Alba Amicus post).
    This link provides the refutation:
    http://d-d.natanson.pagesperso-orange.fr/resistance_juive.htm

  96. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    kendomacaroonbar: Re Lamont.
    Nice one.
     
    Rev:
    I want to use the excuse that JLT gave!

  97. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ kininvie – Yeah Firefox here to. Oh well I now have single spaced stripes on my bottom from the Rev. Its ok, it reminds me of the daily caning I used to get at Bishop Wordsworth Grammar School in Salisbury. I refused to kneel in chapel and called a teacher a scunner. I got expelled as a rebel. Oh well nothing has changed much eh?

  98. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “I knew I had done it right but when it was submitted it was all joined up……so double up to avoid upper case words from Rev Stu eh?”

    It’s just like a typewriter. One press of Return puts you on a new line, but it doesn’t create a space.

  99. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Rev – Thanks for editing my submission by the way. It looks a lot better.

  100. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s just like a typewriter. One press of Return puts you on a new line, but it doesn’t create a space.
     
    It just appears to when you are composing a post, hence the common problem I assume.

  101. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    I concur with other comments. A return does indeed appear to create a line space in edit box but when submitted, the line break disappears.
     
    Thus, one has to hit return twice creating an unnaturally large line break that is corrected during submission.
     
    And I’ve just lost the will to live after having to explain that dull advice. 

  102. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    That’s true.  It’s also true that the paragraph break produced that way is unnecessarily wide.  If you then go into the edit screen, that can be rectified by hitting each break with the cursor and doing a back-space.  Two presses of the return key while in the edit screen also gets you the narrower, better paragraph break.  Note that’s what appears in posts RevStu has edited.
     
    Anyone who wants to hit “edit post” to make the paragraph breaks look right probably has too much time on their hands.  And probably won’t be able to do it anyway, because some piece of spam Akismet has thrown in the trash will have automatically closed the edit window.
     
    And another thing, if you forget to italicise something and manage to edit, you have to type <I> </I> around the text manually, because there’s no italics button in the edit screen.  However, if you type that HTML code in the normal comment box, it will appear like that and won’t italicise the text at all, because the system will have converted the angled brackets to “greater than” and “less than” codes.
     
    The WordPress system is a nightmare, but Stu says it’s still better than the alternatives, so I suppose we just have to deal with it.
     
    I still don’t know why anyone would put a lot of extra carriage returns at the beginning or end of a post though.  I mean, what’s the point?

  103. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ SS and GH plus JLT – Not sure but I suspect that certain browsers are not quite completely compatible with WP and its comments box.

    I take Rev Stu’s point regarding the typewriter line break and yes you would hit it twice to produce a spaced paragraph break.
     
    Anyway..lots of new posters in the next thread which is good. The Rev is gonna have his work cut out to train them.

  104. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    How did you get that extra-wide space at the end of your post, then?

  105. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    By the way, I realise these formatting posts are a sad waste of a life, but RevStu hinted he was putting up the blockbuster new post at a minute past midnight, and I thought I’d hang around aimlessly just in case he did.

  106. Adrian B
    Ignored
    says:

    Good luck on Thursday Morag. Do you know when the results will be due?

  107. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    Count is 10 am Friday.

  108. Albalha
    Ignored
    says:

    @StuartBlack 6/10 @ 0748pm
    Re your comment about the Common Weal fundraiser, I too am perplexed.
     
    I contributed early on, will get my badge, but had expected it would be well supported. Maybe it’s not had enough publicity, I don’t know. Have also posted the link here a couple of times too.
     
    Robin McAlpine, in my view, is one of the best media performers. He offers well reasoned, coherent argument and has the benefit of not being in a party.
     
    Everyone talks up Common Weal, let’s hope they also contribute so they can do the work they propose in the next year.
     
    Here again the link
    http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-common-weal-we-need-you-to-build-a-better-scotland

  109. Stuart Black
    Ignored
    says:

    Yes, Albalha, puzzling. Ah well, 17 days to go, still time.



Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.




↑ Top