Off-topic
Posted on
January 02, 1968 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
For off-topic chat. Duh.
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
- 12-17
- 12-14
- 12-12
- 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
A tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
For events we now have our own – very sympathetic to the cause – Event Production Services.
Apache – Alba (2014) e-mail info@apache-alba.org
web http://www.apache-alba.org
Sound equipment hire and event management for various type/size events (political, corporate, leisure, entertainment & social)
@Brian:
On a French keyboard, you have a dedicated key for the umlaut (‘tréma’) and the circumflex (^).
@Paula, Natasha, Brian: for ‘door’, I have no clue why the word is feminine, also in old German and old Greek (‘thyra’).
For das Kind und das Mädchen, it’s clear. They correspond to pre-puberty individuals (bairn, lass) when the differences between males and females are still few, therefore the choice of neutral. Compare ‘die Frau’ (the woman), of course feminine (also die Jungfrau, the maid), but der Knabe.
Oh, that 16dn though!
Folks, that’s the First Minister’s Gifts now in the auction catalogue. Starts at page five and goes to page eight.
link to greatwesternauctions.com
If you want to bid on anything (remember that proceeds go to charity) you either turn up on the day (A Wings Auction? 😉 ) or you register on-line beforehand.
Lot 243 on page 6 …
Remind me, which of the two came of best?
Bill T
Yesterday or today’s. Today’s seemed a lot easier.
@Paula Rose (greens and SNP):
I’m sorry your Greens don’t live up to your expectations. Greens are a bit inconsistent, because the environmental stance isn’t enough to underpin a party’s credo. You’ve to add extra bedrock, that you pick elsewhere. In fact, one could say that ecology is neither left neither right-wing. It is a concern that transcends the traditional political clefts. That’s why most Greens are squirming when one asks them to define exactly where their party stands, even if for most of them it is on the right-wing.
If you advise me to join the couthy guys of the Brechin’s SNP branch, I will. They won’t see me a lot though… Warn them! The French are debarking!
Hi all,
is it just me or are we having a nasty spell of bad weather! according to the BBC it is bloody armageddon out there.
jesus whit the hell happened ta us when we cant deal with a storm in December..
Will be worse when it hits the north later, just as well i dont watch the BBC any more i canny cope.
@Jackie G.:
The day you’ll see pinguins pelting down,you’ll know you’re in trouble! 😛
@ Bill_T & Chic McGregor –
Altruistic cybernats – sounds about right!
Hi AuldA.
You’ll probably know the answer to this…
There was a French politician, probably in the early 80s, whose spoken English was impeccable. He was interviewed regularly on British TV, where he peppered his speech with English colloquialisms, don’t you know, old boy.
Can’t remember his name but I have this vague memory that he wore a dicky-bow, and was slightly rotund.
What was his name?
Beau Dic-de-Rotund?
When will it all end, just seen an advert for “The Broons” jukebox favorites, jings crivens help ma boab it’ll be “Now The Broons 10” next
WAPOFS (BTL) on the main threads past couple of days…honest to god.
Thank fuck for this wee space here.
B52’s, ‘Rock Lobster’ –
link to youtube.com
Ian honey! I could namecheck your heroes that I was with at their first gig in London!!!
Still on holiday and today was interesting. Heard a guy singing in a bar so wandered over. he was very good and then he played this song.
A song I posted on here at least 3 times but have never heard sung before. I was pleased, considering I’m in the US even more pleased. Things can still change, for the better.
Never give in!
link to youtube.com
@AuldA @Paula Rose:
if only the blasted Greens and SNP would agree to an SNP/Green joint candidature in a couple of constituencies they would save us all a lot of bother and we could chase 59 seats.
I have great friends and admire loads of folk in both
One of my all-time favourites Ian. Here’s a risky one, dedicated to you know who.
Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard – No LSD Tonight
link to youtube.com
Next time he shows up, would somebody be kind enough to ask him if he recognises free will and self-determination as human rights. I appear to have scared him off. What a pitty. 🙂
@Alex –
Hope you’re having a rerr terr there. The shitey weather you had on arrival has reached us, and it’s a bit of a wig-shifter but nothing we can’t survive.
Here’s another of your favourites, to be consumed with a wee shorty and a box of Andrex (man-size, naturally…)
Andre Rieu, ‘Amazing Grace’ –
link to youtube.com
Thepnr – honey
link to youtube.com
Oh jealousy – someone had to – New Rose
link to youtube.com
You want tears –
link to youtube.com
Hector – the Hero
link to youtube.com
@Ian Brotherhood
Yes that is one of the songs I will never forget, they were part of the campaign. Aye Aye Aye was another, gies a link 🙂
@Paula Rose
Tracy Chapman & Pavarotti was unexpected but great, also New Rose hahaha I remember well.
Should have just played the Pouges for the last one!
And there is the tune of Hector – Mwah mwah honey bunch, have a lovely time with Karen (waving honey) and come home soon.
Ah yes – I remember it well – xx nite nite
link to youtube.com
Jim Thomson,
Thanks for the link. Some interesting stuff.
I reckon lot 221 is a must have for BtP.
@Brian:
Ooops. The early 80’s. I was pretty young then (in my early teens). French politicians that speak fluent English are certainly rarer than Labour MPs supporting independence. Refer to Jacques Delors to see what I mean. No, frankly, I have no clue. If your dating is correct, you refer to the first years of the Mitterrand’s era, and I am not familiar with the political figures of that long gone past. That is, I know them by name, but I can’t associate these names with any definite faces. The only one I remember is, of course, Robert Badinter, the Justice minister, who passed the bill abolishing the death penalty.
Otherwise, I am sorry, I’m just unable to help you.
@Cadogan Enright:
Certainly the SNP hasn’t the monopoly of brillant people. I wish, as you do, that Green and SNP could reach an agreement and propose common candidatures. A common cause deserve common candidates.
@cearc 12:20am
Well spotted 🙂
I was speed-scanning through the lots and missed that one.
@BtP, if you’re about, here’s the direct link link to greatwesternauctions.com
I see that our old friend Mr Robinson is at it again..praising ED on his new mission for this week.
Labour leader Ed Miliband is setting out his economic plans in a speech promising a “tough but balanced” approach to cutting the £90bn deficit.
Yes ED its a fair bet that there will be a lot of ‘cuts’ to the welfare system to help ‘hard working families’ ie the Middle class to keep them in the syle they are accustomed to.
We would not want to be associated with the poor working class no no that would not do.
This is a post I did on Facebook on Tuesday night. Interesting video.
The thing is, I had a feeling that we on the YES side of politics were all reading from the same Facebook pages and web pages, and perceiving a situation that wasn’t actually real.
But…
Tonight, I had on Channel 4 News as aural wallpaper, while I was doing stuff on one of my Macs. And my ears pricked up. Ordinary Glaswegians saying what we, on the YES side, hoped.
So I recorded it an hour later, because it says in a nutshell what we have been thinking over the past couple of months. Labour are really on the ropes. It’s not our hope; it’s Labour’s fear.
We’re on our road to independence, unless a new CON-LAB Westminster government derails the democratic will of the Scots.
link to youtube.com
That clears up the mystery then. I didn’t know that.
The thing about a branch in Scotland is that a lot of what they do is about fighting elections in their own particular patch. This is going to be the main focus for everyone for the foreseeable future what with WM, Holyrood and then council elections in consecutive years.
If you have a connection with a particular branch such as having lived there at one time, then you might well want to join there because you’ll know the area and be able to relate to the leafleting and canvassing activities even if you can’t join in. However if you’ve never lived at a Scottish address you might feel a bit left out if you just pick a branch because you fancy the name or something.
On the other hand the Brussels branch – or actually maybe the London branch if you find that Brussels isn’t very active – will contain others who don’t live in Scotland and aren’t focussed on particular streets and villages that you might not know. I know the London branch is very active as I follow them on Twitter. When I was membership secretary there we had a handful of members living on the continent, including Christopher Harvie who was then in Tubingen. They preferred it to Brussels and that was fine.
These branches will also have people who can’t get to meetings for reasons of distance rather than because they don’t want to be active, so again you may find they’re better set up for you and you might have more in common with the other members.
I don’t know anything much about Brussels other than that it seems logcial from where you are. I do know that London would be very pleased to have you if that’s what you chose.
That’s not quite what I was told. I supposed das Kind was neuter because it did for either sex.
Das Mädchen, though, I was told was a quite different reason. I’ve certainly heard it used for older girls, and indeed one of the songs I sing a lot (“Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht”) uses Mädchen very definitely for the girl in the song who is fanciable.
I understood that that one was a consequence of the standard change to neuter gender when a noun was turned into a diminutive. The original word being the archaic “die Magd”, no longer in use, and having been diminutised (if that’s a word) to Madchen and becoming das Mädchen in the process (acquiring the umlaut at the same time).
I was also told that some German people are embarrassed by the neuter form of the word and there were moves to change it to the feminine gender.
The thing is, I can’t remember who told me all this, or even whether I heard or read it, but there you go.
Talking to Will earlier got me thinking of this. Reflections on Eros and dependency (Warminster’s).
Kleerup ft. Lykke Li – Until we bleed
link to youtube.com
@Morag:
Thanks wholeheartedly for all this advice. I agree with you that picking up at random a branch is Scotland wouldn’t be very clever nor productive, even the Brechin’s branch for the sake of the sultry eyes of Paula (as we say in French).
However, I just completed and submitted my entry into the new SNP’s skills database (maybe you got the mail, too, or it is sent to new members only?). They might find out that I can be more useful directly at the headquarters, either to translate various documents (I speak quasi fluently four european languages) or to advise whomever on scientific questions. Let’s see how this database thing winds up and if they find something I could help them with.
That’s odd, I saw a link to that skills database on Twitter, but I don’t have an email. I think your language skills might be especially sought-after!
@Morag (and others):
I suppose somehow they already know everything about you! 😛
Just in case: link to voteSNP.com
Any want to guess how many H&S regulations are being smashed here?
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, ‘Nowhere To Run’ –
link to youtube.com
Ask Rev Stu
link to ask.fm
Brian asks:
There was a French politician, probably in the early 80s, whose spoken English was impeccable. He was interviewed regularly on British TV, where he peppered his speech with English colloquialisms, don’t you know, old boy. Can’t remember his name but I have this vague memory that he wore a dicky-bow, and was slightly rotund.
Can you mean the erudite, wise, left-of-centre political journalist, Olivier Todd?
He wore a bowtie most times, often commentating on French-English politics as well as world affairs, used British colloqualisms and dialect with ease interviewed on British television. Handsome guy. Must be in his eighties now…
“Broadsword calling Oneironaut…Broadsword calling Oneironaut…come in Oneironaut…”
Someone, please remind me how to use the archive.today button? I’ve got it right there on the toolbar, and used it on-and-off for a while, but have now forgotten the (very very simple) sequence of clicks.
How, for example, would you go about saving the current WOS thread (English Votes for Scottish Laws) into here?
What Broad’s word?
@ Ian Brotherhood
I think oneironaut said he would be away from WoS for about a week. Think he’s writing a book.
Ian doll why would you want to? Anyway it’s easy you copy in the url wait 5 mins and there it is. You have my email if you need further elucidation.
There is only one – but there are so many of you…
link to youtube.com
It takes longer than a week to write a book. Trust me.
@ Morag – lovely to have you here in the playroom of wings, I don’t tolerate bullies so certain boys have to behave.
I expect I’ll go away again before Cameron starts, but AuldA called me over.
Okay, what the f**k has been going on? I took a night off to catch up on sleep, and discovered WWIII had broken out over on ‘The inconvenient truths’. I thought I had my hands full stopping five year olds from picking their noses and pretending to shoot each other during the school nativity play.
“Broadsword calling Cameron B…Broadsword calling Cameron B…come in Cameron B…”
Hi Grouse Beater.
I stuck ‘Olivier Todd’ into Google’s Image Search and I don’t think it was he. The guy I have in mind was slightly balding and had a ‘tash’.
Ian Brotherhood
This is way past a joke.
Have fun peeps, and just in case things look as if they’re about to go pear shaped..
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Ian Brotherhood
This is way past a joke.
Have fun peeps, and just in case things look as if they’re about to go pear shaped..
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Cheer up folks
link to tinyurl.com
Brian: The guy I have in mind was slightly balding and had a ‘tash’
The clues he gave me were not much to go on, more thirty percent of the guys in town. ‘Slightly balding,’ a ‘tash,’ ‘putting on weight,’ which is more than could be said for me. I couldn’t remember when I last had a square meal, a cigarette no substitute for ham and eggs, my stomach telling me to pull in my belt another notch. I needed the work. The phone handn’t rung since the Red Cross parcel guy got lost. So I took the case.
(My gumshoe rates are $200 a day plus expenses.)
More news when I have it.
🙂
Hi Grouse Beater.
Can I add that he came over as a tad jovial, both in appearance and action?
Correct me if I’m wrong,
but does the coquettish tilt of Carol Kirkwoods chin during the weather reports not send a shiver of delight through half of the male population?
Or am I getting just too interested in cloud formations such as
MAMMATUS?
DISCUSS!
Brain: tad jovial
🙂
Well, humour (optimism) keeps me going – I first thought of Olivier Messien only to remember he’s a composer! Part of my uni course was French philosophers and playwrights, whereby I encountered French politicians. But your description covers a good few middle-aged politicos.
@John King
I think you need therapy John 😉
John King
Therapy? – Living In The Shadow Of A Terrible Thing
link to youtube.com
Play loud and share with the neighbours. 🙂
Remind them that neo-liberalism compels environment catastrophe and ultimately ends in totalitarianism. 🙁
John King,
Dunno, have you discussed it with Irene?
Easy one today although it took a few minutes to see how 19ac was correct.
Just for John
link to youtube.com
@John King:
You dream of a nimbus maybe? 😛
Cearc says
“Dunno, have you discussed it with Irene?”
Strangely enough Cearc the subject of Carols Occluded fronts have never come up in conversation with my dear wife. 🙂
Xstick says
“I think you need therapy John”
I did have a dream once about Carol administering (ahem) therapy,
I seem to recall it involved the use of as pair of wooden spoons and a Tonka truck! 🙂
@ john
Was it the dumper?
@ Chic Mcgregor –
agree but then I expect Calgacus to give us better and more on Monday, I actually look forward to Mondays now.
@Paula Rose –
Don’t mean to be a tease, but I do another ‘day’ as well – ain’t telling which though!
If I keep getting the things accepted (fingers crossed) I’ll drop a WOS-related hint into one of the clues – keep yer peepers peeled!
“Was it the dumper?”
No actually it was the er, em, Longjohnfiretruck
there I said it,
oh and a bottle of cod liver oil 🙁
Speaking of cod liver oil, is it true that vitamin D is in short supply in Scotland, so that the ampoules have to be dispatched using a post code lottery?
Goodness gracious me…
First time I’ve seen this video:
Kate Bush, ‘Babooshka’ –
link to youtube.com
Thirsty?
Chewsday?
Wens day?
Fried aye?
Me want a clue to do!
The easy one with ‘skinny dips’?
Ian Brotherhood says
“First time I’ve seen this video:
Kate Bush, ‘Babooshka’ –”
I’ve never seen Kate Bush’s Babooshka either,
OK ok Im going Im going. 🙂
@Paula Rose –
Mibbes aye…an mibbes naw.
Incidentally, do you happen to know a word which contains all the letters of your name? I’ve had a try, and it’s surprisingly difficult.
Hi Grousebeater.
Eh um stuck, up the burn wie nae canoe, nivver mind a paddle.
I tried this string as a search on Google.com…
“French Politician” “impeccable English” colloquialisms
and got ONE hit at archive.org, to an article dating from 1938, which wasn’t really pertinent.
I guess this will remain as another of the unanswered questions in my life history.
.
Hi AuldA.
“Cod Liver Oil”…
I was fed that daily for a number of years in the 50s. I believe it was supplied, free of charge, to mothers to inflict upon their offspring. It wasn’t the most unpleasant tasting medication that was forced into me.
I had castor oil once…
First time? Kate Bush? Wtf are you playing at? All bad.
How much longer?
link to youtube.com
We care now.
@Paula Rose –
Nothing wrong with that. I didn’t even have the volume up.
She does have remarkable eyes – imagine if she got together with David Tennant? Their weans would look something like this:
link to th00.deviantart.net
Onnyhoo…
Carol Kirkwood.
I feel I must admit a penchant for blondes (Katherine Jenkins, Yutte Stensgaard, Sammy Winward, my first girlfriend, my first wife) but Carol has never done it for me.
I admire the fact that all her bits are in the right places but I find I have to concentrate below the neck while watching her broadcasts.
And wasn’t that a disappointment for all men, when the news about Judith Ralston broke?
@Paula Rose –
Maybe sung by one with a lisp? (5)
Typing about unlikely duos…
It was a great regret to me when Karen Carpenter died. I would have been overly interested in a duet featuring her and Greg Lake.
They both have/had that richness and uniqueness of voice that is rare.
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
Maybe one needs family to mix with a smelly sky (5,5)
@ Ian everyonetogetherhood – nugsa?
Richard Bruce of this parish has made a special wee (unofficial) video card for Jim Murphy to mark his impending appointment with electoral oblivion.
Please help us make this an overnight sensation, just in time for his big moment tomorrow –
I’m calling it ‘Murphy’s Salute’:
link to youtube.com
My Computer broke down nearly 5 weeks ago. Aah I hear you say. but it has been torture not being able to post on hear for nearly 5 weeks. I would just like to say I have missed you lot. Ian Brotherhood Congrats on the Crossword. The P.N.R Hope you are having a great Holiday. Anyway some of you might recognise yourself in the Crowd. link to youtube.com Aye till I die
@Paula Rose (10.10) –
Nah. Stumped.
Wee clue?
Just putting out a reminder of the Yesmas Ceilidh taking place tomorrow night!
wildernessofpeace.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/yesmas-ceilidh/
Natasha, I’m sure there are still some tickets left, give us a phone. Sorry to hear about your man, hope he feels better soon!
There’s anti Fracking petition signing taking place in Airdrie town centre today (13th December), 10am-12pm. Come along and sign it if you are in the area and meet WoS LEGEND Ronnie Anderson!
Details here: link to airdrierambler.wordpress.com
Anti fracking petition in Airdrie tomorrow. Come along and meet WoS LEGEND Ronnie Anderson!
Details at link to airdrierambler.wordpress.com
Ian, are you Calgacus? I sent in my first ever attempt at a crossword (the first week, before they had published any) but in hindsight, although it was a 15X15 it had way too many clues >50. I have since sent a revised version with more blocks, about 30 clues. So hopefully I can join the club.
Hi folks. anyone with a spare couple of minutes should read this.
The reviews, not the book, obviously.
link to amazon.co.uk
Conan
OMFG
whooohahahahahaha
those reviews are superb,
you didn’t write them did you?
Heres a little taster.
“Whoever the brave satirist behind this book is, he or she has made an excellent stab at capturing Clark’s (editors note: refers to Alan Clark) sparkling prose; however, it ultimately falls flat, as it quickly becomes clear that nobody could really be as deluded, foolish, and arrogant as our putative narrator pretends to be.”
(snigger)
“This was alright, but I could have done without the bit where the main character describes how Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron oiled up and wrestled one another on the floor to decide who sat beside him in the Kingfisher chippie while he had his third pizza crunch and chips. ”
(HOHOHOHAHAHAHAHA! 🙁 damn those outtakes)
“Possibly one of the greatest tales ever told, up there with Lord Of The Rings, Harry Potter and Mein Kampf. The story features an incredibly brave protagonist called Alan Cochrane who is really awesome and cool and has loads of girlfriends and not at all a weasel worded, drivel spouting ego maniac”
(good try)
“If I had one complaint, it’s that the sexual tension between Cochrane and Salmond is never really addressed or resolved. This could use more work in a future rewrite.”
(OOH ER TELL US MORE?)
but for sheer bwilliance it has to be
“It’s just a shame Alan couldn’t have removed all the bits about that pointless Alex nobody and just focused on how brilliant Alan Cochrane is, but I suppose he couldn’t, because the book, like Alan himself, is perfect just the way it is.
In conclusion, I would heartily recommend this book to a friend if I had one, as this is a truly outstanding work of literature which I love even more than I love making airfix models of Spitfire aeroplanes in my garden shed. Magical.”
(do I know you?)
ps is that a milk mustache?
And finally special mention for,
“I predict big things from this exciting new author, shines a light on the dark and twisted mind of one of the most egotistical narcissistic individuals around in Britain today. Also has a few mentions of Alex Salmond. Not suitable for the feeble minded, animals, children or those easily offended by dull, vapid prose.
An ideal gift for those that have a door to wedge open or have a wobbly table leg.”
Conan,
in the immortal words of Graham Doig
I LOVE YOU MAN! 🙂
But just so as were clear here,
your no Carol Kirkwood!
Right!
@Brian the blondes’ chaser:
Well, cod liver oil is a primary source of vitamin D, which is relatively difficult for our body to synthesize in Scotland during winter since it is the product of skin exposure to UVB. Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) prevents rickets and somehow boosts the immunity system (together with vitamin C and iron). Cod liver oil has also some other benefits, but I agree with you, it isn’t the most tasty beverage to gulp.
Castor oil? That sounds barbaric.
For your unknown political figure, I’ll ask my ‘in-laws’ tomorrow. Maybe they’ll know. Don’t despair!
•••–•–
or we’re even 🙁
@Conan
Brilliant. My only question is: What were you doing on that page I the first place? Were you buying an Xmas pressie for Severin Carrel? 😀
Great fun fined Conan, made my morning.
err fun find
@Chic –
Yep, that’s me.
Good luck. I hope you get a shot.
@ IB 11.02pm –
Footwear for saucy lady.
Brian: I tried this string as a search on Google. “French Politician” “impeccable English” colloquialisms
More chance of a result placing an English-French issue. ‘French politician involved in Concorde debate.’ – That try came up with M. Chamant, but he wears ties.
PS: I too was subjected to the Cod Liver Oil treatment supped from a spoon. Great day when they arrived in capsules you could swallow whole.
@Grouse Beater:
Cheater! Now that defeated the real purpose of the cod liver oil’s daily torture: to make you love the taste of Brussels sprouts. 😛
Thanks Ian. But its been a few days now.
Hi AuldA and Grousebeater:
This character, played by Mark Williams in “The Fast Show”, reminds me of the French guy but the French guy wasn’t a ginger and had classic baldness (hair at back and sides; none on top).
link to youtube.com
@Brian:
I am totally baffled. Will ask tomorrow. Be patient! 🙂
Brian: This character … reminds me of the guy
Hilarious. 🙂 We’ve all met that guy.
Today I am mostly …
Pretty impressive video about UK’s air space created by the NATS.
I didn’t know Aberdeen was the world’s busiest heliport (ca. 02:00)
The music is cool, too.
Talking Heads, ‘Crosseyed And Painless’ (Live, 1980)
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose –
I give up.
Wot? The 5,5 clue?
A wee tune for Lesley Anne.
link to youtube.com
Assuming it is –
Family (kin) mix ‘to’ and ‘BO’ (smelly) sky – ky boots.
This is for Paula Rose, who I upset yesterday by linking to an old Kate Bush video.
It’s a Wilko Johnson tutorial on how to play ‘She Does It Right’ –
link to youtube.com
Ian honey – you never upset me, you always do it right xx
And Ian sweetie you have impeccable taste xx
Ian my sweet boy – I can count to ten –
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose –
Impeccable taste? Moi?
That’ll be because, naturellementellementellyment, my formative years were spent watching TOTP, when it was (more often than not) presented by satanic child-rapists and/or necrophiliacs delivering this type of shite:
The Wurzels, ‘Combine Harvester’ –
link to youtube.com
@Ian:
Oui, toi ! 😛
To gauge the dynamism of the SNP, the French “socialist party” (as right-winged as the New Labour can be) appears to have no more than 60,000 paying members, for a total population of 60,000,000, whereas the SNP’s membership approaches the double for less than one tenth of that amount.
Human rights abuses? Convenience with despots. Crimes against humanity? Fascism? Death squads? None of these are strangers to the British state.
In the wake of Thatcher’s departure, I remember her victims. Patrick Warby’s daughter, Marie, was one of them. Marie, aged five, suffered from a bowel deformity and needed a special diet. Without it, the pain was excruciating. Her father was a Durham miner and had used all his savings. It was winter 1985, the Great Strike was almost a year old and the family was destitute. Although her eligibility was not disputed, Marie was denied help by the Department of Social Security. Later, I obtained records of the case that showed Marie had been turned down because her father was “affected by a Trade dispute”.
link to johnpilger.com
Dead Kennedys – ‘Holiday In Cambodia’
link to youtube.com
Quick guys I need a christmas poem (keep it clean) any ideas?
Connivance, obvs. 🙂
Love to help John, but I’m clearly not your man. 😉
Ooh – poetry time, can we have a few parameters John King darling?
e.g. number of lines, reason for etc
its a wee poetry competition at work but I knicked one off the internet and so far Im the front runner, and no mention (yet) of plagarism. all good 🙂
And you think you won’t get found out? Commenting on one of the most widely read sites in Scotland! (giggle)
@John King:
In French, I can help.
In English, I can just yelp!
@Lollysmum
“I think oneironaut said he would be away from WoS for about a week. Think he’s writing a book.”
I don’t think that was me.
I have been away, but not for that. And actually I write books in a month, not a week! 😉
Hi Ian Brotherhood.
The longest serving Wurzel is Tommy Banner, who joined “Adge Cutler & The Wurzels” in 1967.
Of course, the Wurzels wouldn’t have been the worldwide success they were/are without some Scottish influence and Tommy is the Scottish input. He cites his musical influences as “Jimmy Shand, Winifred Atwell and ‘wee’ Willie Simpson in Edinburgh”.
He also lists this:
FAVOURITE 3 SONGS FOR DESERT ISLAND DISCS:
1. ‘Flower of Scotland’
link to thewurzels.com
@Briandoonthetoon –
Didn’t know that. I take it all back.
Oooo-arrrrr!
Joe Cocker, ‘Unchain My Heart’ (Live, 1988)
link to youtube.com
Ah, a Joe Cocker link! Just what I was waiting for.
I’ve always thought that this recording deserved a wider exposure than it received, being a meld of rock and folk.
John Peel obviously believed there was mileage in it…
link to youtube.com
My heart is unchained and my unicorn frolics free – xxx
@ John King They hing the tincel on the tree
wie flashing lights for awe tae see
am no much of a angel
thank goad,or they wid be hingin me.
diz that help John.
Hey folks,
Because the night:
link to youtube.com
I’m up for da night if anycoolbuddy wants to chat..
Love X
That was a boring night then Cactus?
Pretty groovy actually BDTT, live music on tops.. was the foist song that came into me head, ye canny beat a bit of the OGWT.
Our independence is gathering ground.. a bit like ‘the quickening’ from Highlander.
Just got me hands on the daily ‘National’, looking forward to the future as we near Scotlands next big decision..
Some headlines will be unavoidable.. take it to the bridge!
@Paula Rose:
what unicorns?
Another new post on Wilderness, this time about No voters:
link to wildernessofpeace.wordpress.com
Frankly, I cannot think what Bella hopes to achieve with this. I’ve spent the better part of 2 years trying to understand No voters, talking to them on doorsteps and at stalls and at the Yes shop, and not once have I heard anything that couldn’t be easily refuted. I don’t honestly see much that would change three months after the referendum.
I mean, all power to them, but the 2 million No voters have had ample opportunity to let their voices be heard. They preferred to remain silent, and dared to object when that vaccuum was filled by violence in George Square and the triumphant cries of the British establishment.
Hi AuldA.
These unicorns, I presume.
https:/sites.google.com/site/webgaffer/home/badge-designs/Being Scottish-screen.jpg
Sorry – typo with the link. 2nd try:-
link to sites.google.com Scottish-screen.jpg
just posted but despite refreshing the page twice, post seems to have disappeared.
Try again: typo in the link above – here’s the correct link:-
link to sites.google.com Scottish-screen.jpg
Typo in the link above.
There should be TWO forward slashes before “sites.google”.
OK. WordPress has split the url over two lines because there is a space in it.
So if you click on it, you’ll be taken to a page where you’ll get this message:-
“We’re sorry, but we were unable to locate the page you requested.
Here are some similar pages from this site:
* Being Scottish-screen.jpg”.
Just click on that Being Scottish-screen.jpg link to find the unicorns.
(Thinks… Was it worth it?)
Liked your piece on “No regrets”, though I may be a wee bit bias. 😉
Thanks Cameron! Frankly, some of the comments on there are beyond insulting. Who the hell are they to demand “civility” when we have been called Nazis, Fascists, Racists, Xenophobes, and everything in between? Who in the hell are they to demand a voice when they have had the entire media and establishment on their side?
No, we’re not going to get anywhere playing nice with No voters. Not anymore. No voters had their chance to have their say, they chose silence, and thus let the BNP speak for them. You don’t want to be lumped in with the BNP? Then have the courage of your convictions to speak up. Praise the union. Extol its virtues. Don’t you DARE crawl back into your box while the 1.6 million who voted for radical change keep screaming against the dark.
Gosh BDTT and BTP – those unicorns don’t half cause confusion!
Oh, sorry Taranaich – forgot to say – love the latest, already posted to my fb page, this one –
link to facebook.com
@Brian:
Nice efforts and outstanding mettle!
Next time, try to insert %20 instead of a space in your link.
Eg: http://The%20Dinosaurs.com
Oh look – the Rev’s rat’s names – how cute!!
Rona, Cara, Islay, Jura, Skye and Shuna.
Brian DTT honey – is that hairy string badge still in development?
@Brian: Ooops, the %20 works only after the domain name. e.g.: link to thenational.scot
When one speak of white unicorns, I rather think about her:
link to fc06.deviantart.net
Hi AuldA.
The problem boils down to the fact that when I started using Macs (1997), even in the ‘Classic’ system, you could have spaces in file names, unlike DOS and early Windoze, which suffered from a need for underscores. Microsloth just didn’t accept the concept of a space as a legitimate character.
I found that Google sites doesn’t ‘correct’ spaces in file names, so I usually do away with the spaces or use dashes.
In the case of ‘Being Scottish’, I forgot.
Where does ‘your’ unicorn come from?
.
Hi Paula Rose.
The ‘Hairy String’ badge is still a project in development. Other projects are further along the completion route. I’m working on something for Ronnie at the moment but it’s a tad tricky, involving extending truncated arms to fill visible space.
@Brian: Yep, Unix machines are definitely superior.
Dashes, you mean –, or hyphens – ?
‘My’ unicorn is of the same ilk as my avatar: I specialize in flying unicorns. They are handled to me by my lass, but I like them.
ooh – BDTT sounds complex – btw did you see my comment at 7:36? All the Rev’s rats are ladies, more ideas for badges?
Um – all you lovely people.
I’ve got safari 6.1.6 on my maccy thingie – but it keeps going down on me uninvited.
What can I do?
Unfortunately, Paula Rose, I must leave my hovelhold daily, in order to attend the domain of my employer. In return, my employer provides me with beer tokens, which also retain the roof over my head and keep the wolves from the door.
In other words, badge design is a hobby, which receives a modicum of my quality leisure time, time that I am not posting on here, or Facebook, or dundee3js.freeforums.org, or having a snooze, whilst listening to music.
Oh, and another badge project in development at the moment involves Scottish Wildcats…
BDTT – wild pussies!!!
I’m BACK! Have been taken up with nativity plays and husband’s impending 50th birthday surprise celebration arrangements.
Sorry I didn’t get to your Yesmas Ceilidh, Taranaich, hope it was a great success.
Loved the reviews of Alan Cochrane’s, books; I have to confess I succumbed to the temptation of commenting on some of the unionist ones, no doubt they’ll see me as a trolley.
Ian Brotherhood, I think you also do Midgie – am I right?
🙂
Paula Rose – I keep wanting to call you Mrs Slokum. xxx
Oops, I think that should have been ‘Slocombe’. Watched it as a child and didn’t know much about the intricacies of English spelling.
@Natasha –
I beg your pardon?
I refer the honourable Miss Natasha to the reply I gave some days ago…i.e. ‘mibbes aye, an’ mibbes naw’.
You’re such a tease. 🙂
@Natasha –
It’s Mrs Slow-Come.
Liked 8Dn today.
@Paula Rose:
Safari 6 is antiquated.
The latest version bundled with OS X Yosemite is Safari 8.
Update your system! I’m sure your moggies will purr of satisfaction.
Paula Rose says
“And you think you won’t get found out? Commenting on one of the most widely read sites in Scotland! (giggle)”
Ah but that’s why we have pseudo—-
OH? 🙁
Brian
Well, I’ve flicked through my foxed references to French socialism and some key political incidents, thought of Alain de Benoist, (beard) Lional Jospin, (full head of hair) Alain Juppe, (no moustache) and the balding Michel Debre, but none fit your description a hundred percent. Can you think of one more identifying characteristic? A tattoo, an earring, and famous wife?
It’s got me annoyed too.
@Grouse B.:
Alain Juppé is not a socialist, he’s the former head of French tories (UMP). Jospin wasn’t politically active in this period. Michel Debré, could have been. Gaston Defferre?
Guys,
Just found this regarding radio scotland morning show.
radio scotland shuffle.
A new three-hour morning discussion programme hosted by Kaye Adams will replace Morning Call..aagh
it gets better:
Speaking about the changes Kaye Adams said:
“This new show will allow us to really discuss and dissect the issues of the day – and put our decision-makers on the spot.”
That will be a bloody first then Kay(e)
Apparently such lovely characters as Euan McColm are piling on my blog on Twitter. I’m a ‘sanctimonious prick’ who writes ‘poisonous bile’, with someone even wanting to know my name (easy to find, it’s on the ‘about’ page).
Can’t believe how thin-skinned some of these folk are. You’d think I called them nazis or viruses, or called for them to be bayoneted or something.
Taranaich
They are cognitively dissonant dicks. Just shrug and laugh. 😉
AuldA: Alain Juppé is not a socialist
I didn’t mean to imply he was … I concentrated on look-a-like possibilities. I considered Defferre but alas, no moustache!
Taranaich honey –
6376 reach on my wee fb page plus loads off likes !!!
@ Ian Brotherhood and Natasha –
Having a wee smut-fest are we?
Roses have thorns – just saying xx
In a UKOK world turned upside down, Zionism is to be supported while Scotland’s will to self-determination is to be resisted at all costs. Surely this is the logic of the madhouse?
@ Jim Murphy
Any comment?
Anti-Zionists Holocaust Survivor
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose:
But canny men use gloves to pick up roses… 😛
@Paula Rose
I once got my husband a Valentines card of a little caterpillar on a rose stem; it said, “I’ve had to avoid a lot of pricks to get to you”.
@Ian Brotherhood
I didn’t see that one coming!(I’ll get my coat). Loved the mashed potatoes clue; priceless. 🙂
Taranaich
We love you; they’re just playground bullies. xx
Just back from a wee visit to Dunoon.
Congratulations to Dave McEwan Hill and to all the Argyll Yessers on the new Yes shop premises.
Enjoyed chatting to everyone there today, yer all doing a great job.
Roll on May 2015.
Heard this on Celtic Music Radio 95.0FM earlier and thought I’d share it here, with you, in the Connoisseurs Lounge:
Sheila Stewart ~ Jock Stewart
link to youtube.com
Sheila died last week, raise a glass and cheers to you Blairgowrie!
AuldA honey –
I’ve met both of those mischievous darlings – I think they were both surprised at my youth and my knowledge, their references to aged characters in British sit-coms is only to be expected.
They are both of ‘a certain age’.
@Paula Rose
I can of course only bow to your wisdom and experience – astonishing in one so young . . .
Natasha dear – you know I’ll always look up to you.
@Paula Rose
Only if you get down on your knees first! 🙂
Natasha – cheeky.
@Natasha & Ian
Should have spotted the famous Gegs (9, 4)type clue, but didn’t till late on, so I was a little Heggs (11) when I did. OTOH I think that’s why getting Diptychs without the D was so satisfying.
I’ve been 100% up till now but today been way too busy to do the crossword.
Thanks everyone. I wish I could be like the Rev and just shrug these comments off, but some part of me really does hope in vain that they’d see the light. But they’re happy in Plato’s cave.
By the way, Ian, how does the diptych clue work? I got the answer because it was the only word that fitted, but I don’t understand it. I also had to look up watergaw, as my Sassenach education left that out.
Chic, a wee look at Google helped me with Gegs, but I’m stumped by Heggs. Explanation, please!
It’s okay, Chic, just got it – hadn’t looked far enough.
@Natasha –
A pair of pictures, hinged together and closable. Yeah, it’s a bit contrived, but I suppose that’s what they’re after. (If they’re not I won’t be doing them for much longer!)
P.S. Crazycat gave me an idea for how to do a ‘Paula Rose’ clue, but it’s a tricky one, still chewing it over…
@Taranaich
The bullies you talk of have no respect from ordinary punters. You however have plenty, the professional shows his jealousy at being a poorer writer than the amateur.
Nothing like being noticed to know you are kicking where it hurts. Keep up the good work.
Here’s a wee tune about the bullies.
link to youtube.com
@Taranaich ~ hope y’all had a braw time at the ceilidh in Greenock (not Gourock as I previously miscommented).
Cheers.
link to youtube.com
@Taranaich they’re in awe of a true Wordsmith & they’re ,jobs think of Ghandi.
@Ian Brotherhood
Short and sweet eh! 🙂 Here’s somebody wiser “aving a larf”.
link to youtube.com
@Taranaich
“Thanks everyone. I wish I could be like the Rev and just shrug these comments off,”
So do I. I used to be braver, but as you get older and start to consider leaving something for the children and grandchildren it gets harder.
I haven’t been bullied for a while but I guess that just means I’m no longer hitting the mark like I used to.
@Chic McGregor –
Whoever or whatever it is that’s getting to you? Fuck them.
We’ve a job to do, and you’ve been hauling on the rope along with a’body else for years.
Twenty-odd weeks to go mister – all the concrete barricades they’ve built around the Palace of Westminster won’t help them one jot. Their tea’s oot – and it’s the people of Scotland who will deliver it…with a smile. 🙂
Taranaich
Hope this helps. Don’t let the bastards grind you down.
link to facebook.com
@Scotland ~
The ‘Yes Alliance’, that means you Y’All.
@Chic McGregor ~
You’re bang on the mark fellow Scot, cheers from me.
@Taranaich
Dinnae fash yesrsel Al, they’re just shadows after all.
Was at the common Weel Aberdeen bash. Very positive vibes there. Kerry and Peter from Common Weal, Lesley Riddoch and Maggie from the Greens.
I need to get some time with Thistle to get the Livestream stuff sorted out.
An inspirational evening. As you can no doubt tell.
O/T comment 7777 imminent…who will it be, and what will it say?
(This should be 7774, so, the third to appear after this…)
SPIN THE WHEEL!!…
Ian, Cactu,
Thanks for that.
Chic McGregor
I’ve always thought you are sharp as a tack. Your probably just stirring envy, from a bunch of not-so-sharp pricks. 🙂
@CameronB (1.31) –
That’s 7777!
Quick – click your heels together three times and make a wish.
Ian Brotherhood
Sorted, though I’ll not tell in case it doesn’t come true. I think you’ll have a rough idea though. 😉
Thanks Ian Brotherhood; my education continues on a daily basis!
Chic and Taranaich – I was mercilessly bullied by a class teacher when I was on placement as a student teacher; it took me two years to recover from it. One thing that really helped was discovering that she had done it to other people too – I know that sounds weird, but it made me realise that it wasn’t my fault. I hadn’t triggered it by anything I had or had not done. It gave me permission to stop beating myself up about whether or how I could have done things differently.
The truth is that bullies don’t need a reason to pick on someone; they just get a kick out of it, and they will go for whoever’s the easiest target. In my case, the class teacher had real power over me, because she could decide if I passed or failed that placement. In your case, Taranaich, they can have a go at you from the safe anonymity of their keyboard without having to look you in the eye. Bullies are sociopaths. They get away with their behaviour because people make the mistake of assuming that you can somehow appeal to their better nature, or reason with them. You can’t. The more you try to do so, the worse they will get. The ONLY language they understand is fear, and the only way to stop them is to make it extremely unpleasant for them to continue their bullying.
Anyway, sermon over for the day. We think you’re brilliant and that’s all that matters!
Time for our alternative national anthem – pure brilliance –
link to youtube.com
Erm, I may have misled somewhat. A few years back, when people tried to bully me for political reasons on the internet, I was robust enough to deal with it. I operated on the principle, ‘If you prick me, do you not bleed’.
It was bullying, but unsuccessful bullying.
Indeed they might claim I was the bully, although I never to my knowledge instigated it.
However the point I am making is that in those days, internet banter often entered into an area which might well, today, be considered litigious.
It is a combination of that modern threat of litigious consequence and and my afdvancing years and its potential effect on my offspring and my wife’s legacy which is my main concern.
If I only had myself to think of it would be a different matter.
I know we are right in our claim, politically, morally, legally, economically and culturally. There is an unshakeable inner strength in that.
@Paula Rose:
Personally, one of the instrumentals I prefer and evokes the more Scotland for me is Enya’s “Sun in the Stream”.
link to youtube.com
Or, alternatively, “smaointe”.
link to youtube.com
(Okay, I admit, I like bagpipes)
AuldA
You’re just an old romantic really, aren’t you? 🙂
@Natasha:
Absolutely. I love Romantic music. Chopin, Schubert, some Beethoven, Grieg, Liszt, etc.
E.g. Schubert’s impromptu #3. Just listen and dream… It’s a bit a heaven song… mesmerizing.
link to youtube.com
And of course Mozart, even if he’s born too soon. Andante of piano concertos #21 and #20, just sublime (Brendel! Brendel!).
link to youtube.com
Old recollection of a strange stay in Périgord with then-scunnered-friends.
But most of all, the andante of Mozart’s clarinet concerto. I own a special version that was recorded on a purposely reconstructed original instrument, that was slightly different from modern clarinets and could descend one octave lower. No youtube sample available.
The best version I found online is this:
link to youtube.com
All the andante is overwhelming, but from 18:15 on (the end), each time I hear it I feel like weeping. Just a few notes though.
If you ever feel down, remember the poor Blobfish, dredged up from the deepest ocean just so that he could be roundly mocked.
Here he is –
link to aquaportail.com
I like lots of different music. Special penchant for the English composers, Holst, Elgar, Delius, Coates, Lennon, Elton John, Gary Brooker, George Harrison.
But most of all I do like to hear pieces with the dronic Celtic element. i.e. when the melody is in continual reference to the key note so that even when it is not actually played continuously, your inner mind is forced to ‘insert’ it.
Many pieces which are not consciously Celtic have that quality e.g. Handel’s ‘Queen of Sheeba’ which is effectively a Strathspey, or the opening section of Neilsen’s ‘Helios Overture’ or even Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’.
So here is an eclectic selection of my favourites:
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
If you haven’t seen this New Statesman piece about Lindsay Jarrett, it’s worth a look. She was happy to have snaps taken with us at the last PQ demo before the 18th.
A real, living hero.
link to newstatesman.com
Ian Brotherhood
You’ve got a thing about that blobfish, haven’t you? 🙂
Humbled to meet a very brave Lady Lindsay Jarrett.
Im sure many Wingers would wish Lindsay & Family a Merry Christmas.
Thanks for the post IanB.
Everybody loves a wee bit of Mess Around Surely ? link to youtube.com Aye till I die
@Natasha –
You’ve rumbled me.
The blobfish, god love ‘im, reminds me of my first girlfriend. She wasn’t quite as miserable looking, but her complexion was similar (perhaps a tad more peely-wally) and she had a charmingly bulbous nose bearing forty-three freckles of various sizes.
Thankfully, she was interested in crosswords, so we spent many a happy evening at the kitchen table in her Gran’s house, play-fighting over the dictionary and teasing one another with obscure acronyms. We eventually fell-out when I posed her a double-barrelled one to which the answer was ‘Blue-Jay’ she asked for a clue, so I gave her the first letter of both, whereupon she told me to F, three blanks, O, two blanks.
She then left me forever, and I’ve been trying to ‘FIND OUT’ why ever since…(sniff)…
Ian
Maybe her dad was a cop who didn’t take kindly to bank jobs?
Ronnie. “Im sure many Wingers would wish Lindsay & Family a Merry Christmas.”
Yes indeed!
@Ian Brotherhood
I have to admit to having a definite weakness for women with freckles 🙂
Pity you two had cross words… (groan!)
Looking at the earlier discussion, I used to be a romantic, but… Well, let’s just say that I learned my lesson there (several times!)
Anyways, posting up a quick music link before calling it a night.
The title of this one could easily describe the weather all week…
link to youtube.com
Have a nice night… And remember these words of wisdom:
“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that is your own self!” 🙂
Brian
Unless I stumble upon your man by accident I think I’ve drawn a blank on my sources – Laurent Fablous, Edouard Balladur, and the centre-right Gerard Larcher, all podgy, balding, but no ‘tache.
@Grouse Beater –
Can anyone help?
It’s a manhunt, right? A French dude who’s baldy and overweight and has some face furniture?
This could be fun.
Give us a wee clue to start us off – do you reckon he’s alive?
Mostly easy but some harder clues today.
@Ian:
The inspecteur Clouseau?
Time for a laugh… 🙂
‘A Christmas Cracker’ Grouse Beater on WordPress.
Friends of the evening, good eve!
Another one of my lexical quests.
This time I seek a short word meaning ‘horizon, last line of visibility’ that also enters into an expression meaning ‘something about to happen, something portentous’
Any idea?
Thanks so much!
@Auld A Verge?
@Grouse Beater –
Very much enjoyed A Christmas Cracker – didn’t see the ending coming at all.
@AuldA
Not sure if this is what your looking for but “vista” is close.
Her Majesty when she is not purring. Also watch out for Kinnock feeling his loss.
link to youtube.com
@Alex:
Close but that’s not it.
If I remember correctly, it’s a nautical term.
Ian:
Very much enjoyed A Christmas Cracker, Grouse Beater.
🙂
@Chipmonkey:
Nope. It’s not so usual as “verge”. To say the truth, I think I saw the expression for the first time on a recent issue of the National. I should have written it down, blast me! 🙁
@Grouse Beater
Might surprise you but so did I enjoy A Christmas Cracker.
Credit where it’s due.
Alex: so did I enjoy A Christmas Cracker
You’re very welcome! 🙂
Just smapled- erm, sampled, a wee Lagvulin given as gift. Might be the very thing to help compose more political satire. Hic!
(I don’t drink Grouse anymore – the ‘Vote No’ malt.)
@Grouse Beater:
will read your post tomorrow. Just too frazzled tonight. Have to sleep.
I’m dozzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
On the cusp of sleep Auld A?
@Paula Rose. Love the anthem. I’m sure I remember it put suggsted on a radio Scotland programme as the new anthem years ago…I think it may have been the man himself who phoned in.
AuldA: I’m dozzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
That word related to ‘horizon,’ prospect and fate … oh, you’re off to bed.
@AuldA
You’ve left a puzzle and I’m still searching for the answer.
It’s not in my head, that’s for sure. Damn you 🙂
Big Country playing ‘Fields of Fire’ in Germany in 1995.
What a total heart-breaker that Stuart Adamson isn’t around to see what’s happening.
If this is what he could do to a crowd, in monsoon conditions, in Germany, two decades ago? what impact might he have here, now?
link to youtube.com
Auld A
In the offing?
Vanishing point?
Point of no return?
A wee confession; I resorted to looking at Thursday’s paper for the solutions to Wednesday’s crossword. Either it was really hard or I’m losing my touch.
Ian Brotherhood; your girlfriend obviously hadn’t heard of the old adage: Men are like floortiles. Lay them right the first time and you can walk all over them for years.
🙂
@chipmonkey
I suspect AuldA has been giving it big zzzz’s for a wee while now. He’s dreaming of the word that eludes him.
It could be “ken” if you stretch things a bit LOL.
It’s beyond my ken anyway Alex.
Since I posted a rather mellow relaxing music link last time, now I’ve picked something likely to wake you up again!
The title of this one is meant as a tribute to everyone out there who gave it everything they have (and sometimes even more!) in the independence campaign earlier this year…
link to youtube.com
Keep those feet to the fire on these cold winter days! 😀
@Natasha
My missus has walked all over me since we first met.
Wouldn’t mind, but she never even bothered to lay me first 🙁
@Alex Clark –
‘…she never even bothered to lay me first.’
I like your line o’ reasoning there.
@Natasha (10.57) –
Well, Paula Rose did say she wanted it a bit harder, didn’t she?
@chipmonkey
Haha, that’s my reasoning also. Beyond your ken is beyond the horizon.
It’s the second bit though, “ah ken” just doesn’t cut it. 🙂
To AuldA at 8:29, looking for a word for horizon/something about to happen, how about ‘cusp’, or (my wife’s suggestion) ‘azimuth’.
Offing, that was it!
Thanks to all, you’re so kind.
And special xx to Natasha that found it!
I apologize. I was just pooped yesterday. I am trying to recover from a pulmonary infection, benign but still an infection, and since I was not granted any leave, I had no real opportunity to rest; and France is one hour ahead of Britain, so when it’s 9 pm for you, it’s 10 there.
Thanks so so much again. As Paula would put it, I love y’all! 🙂
Ah, AuldA! You French with your strange ways; you make the tomatoes square to fit the Kraft cheese slices.
Does the Greenwich Meridian not still slice through France, subjecting you, at this time of year, to Greenwich Mean Time? Or are your time bandits still holding a grudge because London was chosen instead of Paris?
BTW: I’m having a problem with my Powermac that I do most of my stuff on. (At the moment, I’m on my iMac which I just use for the webby stuff.) On the primary partition, the Powermac won’t go past the grey screen with the Apple Logo and the spinning indicator. It starts up fine on another partition, with the same system version (10.5.8), which I use for repair and maintenance purposes.
Onnyhoo, most of my computer time is now being taken up with trying to sort the problem. Last night, I bit the bullet and installed a fresh system but still no go.
Re the mystery Frenchman: I’ve had a look at pics of all those who have been mentioned, except Grouse Beater’s final suggestions (not had time), and I don’t think he’s any of them.
Ian Brotherhood – read my post up above, 10th December at 8.03pm, for the background to the search.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@Brian:
Indeed. Actually, the city in which I give lectures, Le Mans, spreads almost astride the Greenwich meridian (old town is located at 0° 11′ E). It’s 250 km South-West of Paris, and 55 minutes in high speed train.
So, yes, on purely geographical grounds, we ought to be part of the same time zone as you. In fact we were, until 1940. When the Germans won and occupied France during WWII, for commodity reasons they brought their own time zone with them, i.e. GMT+1. And it stayed like this until the end of the war. Then the new French government prepared a decree to switch the legal hour back to GMT, but somehow it was never signed, fell into oblivion, and we remained at GMT+1.
This is handy in Summer when we add the extra DST hour: we can enjoy light until around 10 pm. Since we’re slightly souther than you, Summer days are shorter, but Winter days are longer by about half-an-hour. It dawns around 8:30 am, and full night returns around 6:00 pm.
Today’s is the year’s shortest day. From now on, the Sun will begin to nibble the night away. Rejoice! Rebirth!
For your Mac, try to boot with the ‘S’ key pressed. It should boot you in single user mode, and display some messages. Maybe your first partition needs a fsck. If you need some help, you can mail me at 10 {period} 50 {at-sign} free {period} fr. I’ll be happy to tow you out of this rut, if I can. I still use Leopard on the office’s server (a G5 MacPro) than manages mail, FTP and some DNS business.
As I am going away for Xmas I would just like to take this opportunity to wish Stu and everyone at Wings a Merry Christmas .
I am back before New Year so i will catch up with what has been happening then .
Hi folks.
Does anybody know if the Daily Record demo is still happening tomorrow.
@ castle hills chavie
Yes it is- tomorrow at 12 noon outside the Record.
Listed on IndyScot events page
Enjoy 🙂
French humour:
Early in the morning, a man hurries into the bathroom to take his shower precisely when his wife steps out of it. At this very instant, someone knocks at the door. The women hastily snatches a towel, wraps it around her body, goes to the door and opens it. It’s Mike, their neighbour.
Before she could greet him, he says: “If you drop you towel, I will give you 500 quids”
She thinks it over in a rush, and decides to let the towel drop.
The guy leers at her for a while, then gives her a 500-pound note and leaves.
A bit bewildered, but happy to have earned so much money in such a brief amount of time, she returns into the bathroom.
“Who was it?” asked her husband.
“Mike,” she answers
“Cool!” exclaims the guy. “Does he have given you back the 500 quids he owes me?”
Cheers Lollysmum.
I know you can’t make it, but I’m sure you’ll be there in spirit.
But for all those that will be there, wrap up warm, it’s winter solstice in Scotland and on the banks of the river Clyde, so it will be bloody COOOOOLD !!!
So thats, hats, gloves, scarves, two pairs of socks and if you’ve got them, your thermals.:)
@AuldA
Liked the joke, not being pedantic but I know how you feel about getting the grammar right!
The term “quids” is never used only “quid”, no plural 1 quid, 10 quid or a million quid.
There is no £500 note, £100 is the largest, only trying to help.
@castle hills chavie
Since I’m not being pedantic 🙂 Glasgow forecast is reasonably mild tomorrow at 11C. Wet though, so take the umbrella.
Cheers Alex.
So defo a hat, I hate umbrellas.
Jokes now, eh? Ok…
A man was travelling across the country in a hot-air balloon and realised he was lost.
Seeing a man walking along a lane below, he descended a short way and shouted down to him.
“Excuse me! Can you help? I promised a friend I would meet him a hour ago, but I’m lost. Can you tell me where I am?”
The man below looked up and shouted back.
“You are in a hot-air balloon hovering at an altitude of approximately 30 feet above ground level. You are between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude!”
“You must be an engineer” said the balloonist.
“Indeed I am” replied the man below. “How did you know?”
“Well” replied the balloonist. “Everything you have told me is technically correct, but I have absolutely no idea what to make of your information and I am still lost. You really haven’t been much help at all!”
The man below responded “you must be in management!”
“I am” replied the balloonist. “How did you know?”
“Well” replied the man on the ground. “You don’t know where you are or where you are going. You have risen to the position you’re in due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems for you. The fact is you’re in exactly the same position you were in before we met, except now it’s MY fault!”
Thank you, I’ll be here all week. Try the fish! 😀
@Alex : just THANKS SO MUCH!
So quid is invariable.
Oops. Sorry for the £500 note. My life as a counterfeiter has prematurely ended! 🙂
There is a €500 note, but I admit I never had one in hand!
Well I’m glad the level of joke has risen with Oneironaut’s contribution (giggle).
@Oneironaut
Yes, sums it up nicely. Though I’m biased. +1 from me 🙂
Oh btw – I’ve got a lovely set of copper saucepans that need a tin lining, anyone know of a place in Angus or anywhere in Scotland that does this?
Another joke:
A salesman, a secretary and a boss walk out of a restaurant into a parc. They pass by a bench, and miracle! there lies forgotten an oriental lamp. The boss jumps on it, rubs it with one of his sleeves, and, of course, a djinn appears.
“Usually,” declares the djinn, “I grant three wishes to a single person, but in this case, since you’re three, it’ll be one single wish for each one of you.”
The secretary shoves the two guys and says hurriedly: “I want to be on a beach in the Bahamas and never have to bother to work again!” And poof, she disappears.
Then the salesman blurts: “I want to drink a piña colada on one’s of Hawaii’s beaches with the woman of my dreams.” And he vanishes too.
The djinn turns to the boss and says: “Now your wish?”
“Have the two others returned at their desk before 2 o’clock!”
@Paula Rose
Where you been? Thought it was just me that went missing.
There is an electro platers in Arbroath, couldn’t say whether or not they will take your pans though 🙂
Years ago they would have but seems like this is a newish company (but I think run by the same people). Hood might be able to help seeing as he has his own wee engineering firm in Arbroath?
That’s better AuldA – much more tasteful, but I’m afraid your english will need some correction (searches for suitable implement).
Thepnr honey, my favourite engineer to the rescue!
two great friends meet in the pub every Friday. One has a gammy leg, his mate a humph on his back. Despite this they are content with their lives.
This particular Friday both of them get pissed and stay way beyond closing time. AQfter leaving the pub the friend with the humph decides to take a shortcut through the graveyard despite of the rumours it is haunted.
Halfway through a wee devil jimps out from behind a gravestone and demands “What is that on yer back?” “Meh humph” says the wee man.
“Gies it” says the devil and grabs the humph from his back.
Next Friday the two friends meet up again, the man with the gammy leg is amazed at the change in his mate and demands to know what happened. The wee man explains the story and his mate decides to take the shortcut that night in the hope that the same will work for him.
Drinking finished, they part company and the man with the gammy leg takes a shortcut through the graveyard.
Sure enough, halfway through a wee devil jumps out from behind a gravestone. “Whats wrong with you leg?” the devil asks.
“Doesn’t work right” says the man.
“Have you got a humph” asks the devil.
“No”
“Well here’s wan”
I think Thepnr does better jokes (smiley thing).
btw Weegingerdug wants a job – I reckon 200 of us subscribing at a tenner a month would help.
Any of our badge teams ready to do a limited edition “I dig the dug” run?
I note that the latest polls show a majority for an independent Scotland – the point of no return xx.
@Paula Rose: err… except park instead of parc, what was wrong in my English? Could you be more specific?
@AuldA
I guess Paula was just being picky or winding you up. Only term you used differently was djinn, English speakers would use Genie.
Ah, yeah. “one’s of” instead of “one of”.
@Alex Clark:
Paula picky?
Paradoxically, Génie is also the corresponding French word. I thought “djinn” would taste more exotic (while remaining English).
As the French saying goes: “Best is good’s worst enemy”.
Such a lovely boy…
link to youtube.com
Ssh – don’t tell anyone, but there’s a new yew choob thingy available.
Very quiet tonight so a wee vid for the Rev with his favourite of the moment….
link to youtube.com
Hi AuldA.
In the interests of Franco-Scot co-operation, I would offer the following proof reading.
Your last line in the joke was typed as,
“Cool!” exclaims the guy. “Does he have given you back the 500 quids he owes me?”
I thought it was quaint but here’s how it should read (two correct versions):-
“Cool!” exclaims the guy. “Has he given you back the 500 quid he owes me?”
or
“Cool!” exclaims the guy. “Did he give you back the 500 quid he owes me?”
Re: the Powermac problem. Tomorrow, I will be taking my backup drive out of its USB external case, and installing it in a USB/Firewire case, so that it is bootable under 10.5.8 on a Powermac (non-Intel).
(I back up to this drive 3 times a day, using Carbon Copy Cloner.) If I get successful start up, it will be a case of erasing everything on the problem partition, then carrying out a Carbon Copy Clone from the backup to that partition.
Fingers crossed…
Hi Paula Rose.
You typed,
“Any of our badge teams ready to do a limited edition “I dig the dug” run?”
Did you not get your slender hands on one of these limited editions at the Glasgow party on 22nd November?
My all-time favourite joke:
Did you hear about the dyslexic devil-worshipper? He sold his soul to Santa.
*Pedantic Mode: On!*
The word “Genie” is meant as a translation of “Djinni” so technically either of them can be the correct word.
Also “Djinni” is the singular and “Djinn” is plural. 🙂
Pedantic Mode: Off!*
🙂
A man is pulled over by the police.
“Is there a problem officer?” he asks.
The policeman replied “Yes, you were seen to be going at 45 miles per hour in an area with a 30 limit. Can I see your driver’s licence please?”
The driver responds “Well I would show you, but I don’t have one.”
“Why not?” asks the policeman.
“I lost it for a dozen other offences last year” replied the driver.
The policeman looks surprised at this.
“I see. Can I see your vehicle registration documents” he asks.
“I’m afraid I don’t have them. You see, I stole this car” replied the driver.
“You stole this car?” asks the policeman looking even more surprised.
“Yep” replies the man. “After I murdered the owner. I’ve got his body stuffed in the boot if you want to see!”
The policeman, now convinced he’s dealing with a complete psycho, slowly backs away to his car gets on the radio and calls for backup.
Within minutes, two more police cars arrive and another five police officers surround the car. The senior officer approaches cautiously.
“Sir, can you please get out of your vehicle very slowly” he says.
The driver calmly gets out of his car.
“Is there a problem officer?” he asks.
“Yes. Please open the boot” replies the officer, watching him closely.
The man opens the boot, revealing nothing but a spare wheel.
“Is this your car sir?” asks the officer.
“Yes” replies the man, and shows the officer the registration documents from the glove compartment.
“And do you have a driving licence?” he asks. And is shown the man’s driving licence.
The officer is puzzled by this and says “One of my colleagues informed me that you had no licence, and that you had stolen this car, murdered the owner and stuffed his body in the boot!”
The man replied “I bet you the lying bastard said he caught me speeding too!”
Disclaimer: Please don’t actually try this if you get pulled over. (Or at least don’t blame it on me afterwards!) 😉
Caught a snatch of this tune on RS earlier, being played by Nicola Benedetti. Found it, eventually, and here’s the original, by Phil Cunningham, with Aly Bain:
‘The Gentle Light That Wakes Me’ –
link to youtube.com
Nice wan Ian, here’s ma fave from Phil and Aly…
link to youtube.com
@Oneironaut (11.56) –
Soo-perb! 🙂
Reminds me of one.
Guy walks up to a really good looking woman in a bar wearing a T-Shirt which proclaims “NAN”.
His chat up line was “Since you have told us your name Nan, would you like to know mine?”
She said: “My name isn’t Nan. N-A-N, stands for the National Association of Nymphomaniacs.”
The guy, flailingly trying to retain a modicum of authority in this social exchange, says: “O-K, so what kind of guys do you like the most?”
She said “Scotsmen and native Americans. But since you have been presumptuous about my name. might I ask you yours?”
“Certainly”, said the guy, “It’s Tonto MacKenzie”
Here is my Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham effort. The Craic at the start of the tune is Class. link to youtube.com Aye till I die
@Croompenstein (12.22) –
Beautiful stuff. Cheers.
Never heard that one before. I’ll be keeping it bye for someone very special.
As oor ain Ronnie Anderson once said ‘tears fa’ doon…’
any excuse for The Jayhawks..
link to youtube.com
The folk group I played in had a cousin of Aly Bain as lead singer.
Scottish song, Irish singer.. wonderful Luke
link to youtube.com
Whispers at the bus stop…..
link to youtube.com
Standing by peaceful waters….oh yeh..
link to youtube.com
“While shepherds washed their socks by night…”
Here it is – Capitalism in the raw, right now –
link to english.cri.cn
@Ian Brotherhood
Not Found
@Brian:
Thanks for the fix. Of course it’s something I know and I never say orally, but it’s the kind of flub I do when I translate things too quickly. Next time, I’ll double check before posting rather than making a big nitwit of myself.
I hope your plan will work. I wonder why you don’t use Time machine. It’s fairly safe and reliable as a backup program, and it’s fully integrated with EFI so you can boot and restore automatically your partition. The main snag here is that your disk might be damaged (crashed sectors), in which case your restoration is likely to fail.
@Oneironaut:
Thanks for the complement. In fact, managing arabic plurals is sometimes difficult in our Indo-European languages. For example, Tuareg is a plural. The singular is Targui. Wadi is singular, whereas the plural should be ‘wed’. There is no definite rule.
@Alex –
Sorry about the duff link.
It was an article about ‘Sock City’, and I got it via this page:
link to en.wikipedia.org
My article, on what my ex-pat mates think they know about the Referendum.
link to rbs.postach.io
@Brotyboy –
Good piece there mister. I admire your restraint, and hope your pals have a good long think about what you’ve said.
TBH, I’m totally dreading the next couple of weeks, having to meet certain relatives. It’s a strain at the best of times, but there are two or three in particular who will definitely enjoy having a dig about the result. Best I can do is stick to the raspberry cordial and keep biting my tongue. The alternative (i.e. hoofing their self-satisfied arses out the door) would be delicious, but have long-term consequences which I daren’t risk…yet.
@Ian:
You have my sympathies. My own family is so skimpy that I do not face this kind of quagmires. Sometimes I wish I had a bigger family, but sometimes I realize it can be a real curse.
Back to my language quests, I was wondering if there is in English a simple verb to express the notion of ‘beginning a gesture but being interrupted right away’. In French, we use the verb ‘esquisser’ (to sketch); for instance: “il ne put esquisser un geste avant d’être attaqué” meaning “he could not even make the slightest gesture before being assaulted”. Isn’t there a way to put it differently? Just curious. English has so many verbs, it seems unlikely something like that does not exist.
Thanks!
@Ian Brotherhood
If you want, I can come over and stand around wearing my “Ye can stick yer union up yer erse!” badge prominently displayed! 😉
@Oneironaut –
I may take you up on that!
@AuldA –
I can’t think of an equivalent idiom, but one relating to nosiness, or small-town mentality, is ‘you can’t scratch you arse around here without everyone knowing about it’. It’s not something you would find in a dictionary, but the meaning is specific and well-known.
@Brotyboy
Well done sir, very good blog. Surprised you haven’t to my knowledge mentioned it before? Better late than never though.
AuldA –
Re ‘In the offing’ – I’m really chuffed I got the right word; I went to a website of nautical terms, and that one seemed to be appropriate; apparently it refers to things you can see below the water in front of the ship.
Ian Brotherhood & Alex Clark – you poor hen-pecked things. Never mind, I’m sure Paula Rose will give you a cuddle if you ask her nicely. 😉
AuldA 1.29pm – how about “You took the words right out of my mouth”? (with a passing nod to Meatloaf).
@Ian Brotherhood
Thanks. Some of the restraint was self-imposed as I had originally intended using the piece as a starting point for a discussion and emailing the link to the guys, which is why the names were all changed to protect the guilty.
But on reflection, it may be simply pointless. That’s what was so frustrating, I usually ask people to flesh out their views and tell my why they are held, but when all you get is opinion it’s hard to see it as anything other than confrontational. One of these guys has been a friend since he came to class in P2, which is a fuck of a long time ago.
Unless of course simply wearing a Yes badge upfront is deemed to be confrontational. But they’ve always known my politics are well to the left of theirs.
Uh, the captcha has disappeared. That’s what happens when one entrust a website to one that has learned to program on an Amiga! 🙂 🙂
@Natacha:
“Offing” in my dictionary means “the more (sic) distant part of the sea in view”, whereby “next to the horizon”. ‘In the offing’ was used somewhere in the National, where I discovered this word.
For the second part, the context of the short story is this: ‘ “Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she squealed. Unexpectedly, she rushed to hug him; it was so abrupt and spontaneous that he couldn’t parry it. “It’s nothing,” he said after a few seconds, slightly uneasy.‘
I used ‘he couldn’t parry it’ but the idea was that ‘he’ had not even a chance to start a gesture of defense. That’s the idea I was trying to express.
@Natasha –
I forgot to thank you so much again.
Your help was invaluable.
@ Alex Clark
Unfortunately it’s not my blog, it’s run by a school friend of my brother’s, but it’s collaborative so I thought I’d give him first refusal on it. Glad you liked it.
In the offing – so on-topic for off-topic xx
@Brotyboy
Ah! cheers.
Good old Grove Academy, who’d have thought that a product of Grove could be a left leaning Independent type like both my son and daughter (and a lot of their friends)?
Must be as a result of their parents views rather than their teachers, I am open to be corrected on this assumption 🙂
@Paula:
Paula, you’ve an outing in the offing? 🙂
xx requited.
How about some tunes to mark passing of the shortest day? Brighter from now on, a wee bit every day – yeeee-ha!
The Darkness, ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’
link to youtube.com
AuldA
I think ‘parry’ was an excellent choice. How about ‘caught off balance’ or ‘caught unawares’ as well?
I must say that you are very good about people correcting your English grammar; given how rubbish my French is, I wouldn’t dream of criticising your English!
@Ian Brotherhood
My parents got married 51 years ago today; it was the winter of 1963, which I believe was extraordinarily cold. Within two weeks they were living in a tent in Ghana while my father conducted an archaeological dig. Quite a contrast! My brothers and I were all born in Accra, and I didn’t see snow until I was about 6, when we visited grandparents in England. I wasn’t very impressed by it.
Did you see that on the Economist website?
On December 2nd, at what otherwise might have been a dull committee meeting, Sir Malcolm Jack, a former clerk of the Commons, was asked why the catering services of the House of Lords, the upper house, and the House of Commons could not have been merged to save money. He replied: “The lords feared that the quality of champagne would not be as good if they chose a joint service.” The astonished chair of the committee, Jack Straw, spoke for most of the nation as he gasped: “Did you make that up?” Sir Malcolm assured him he did not.
link to economist.com
Pink Floyd, ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ (with lyrics, so we can all sing along…)
link to youtube.com
One for AuldA after reading that story he posted a link to.
Sailor – Glass of Champagne.
link to youtube.com
@Natasha:
Could have worked as well. By the way, you write ‘unawares’ with a final s? I never do. I just write ‘unaware’. Much like those who write ‘backwards’ instead of ‘backward’. I was never able to ascertain if there is a noticeable difference in meaning between the two. Seems just to be a matter of choice.
Well, you can’t present things like this, because I suppose we strive toward different goals. Mine is to write (and speak) English as best as possible, which means mastering the grammar (besides, the English grammar is fairly simple w/r to the French one). That’s why I’m eagerly accepting critics and remarks, and try to absorb vocabulary like a sponge. If you condone all my mistakes, I won’t improve!
@AuldA … maybe language can’t be taken literally! The nuances probably aren’t the same for all, but if you told me someone was taken unaware,I would wonder unaware of what. Natasha wrote unawares,which to my mind is the correct phrase if you mean something more of the nature of taken by surprise. Others perception may be different.
The Ruts, with Henry Rollins, ‘Babylon’s Burning/Society’ (live)
link to youtube.com
@ Alex Clark
Grove in the late sixties/early seventies was a very different school and the Ferry was a very different place. Having said that, I have no conscious memory of any teacher trying to influence us politically.
I lived in Douglas until I was 7, although I went to Eastern Primary from aged 5. My old man was a lifelong socialist who left school at 14 but who went to night school after the war to study accountancy and ended up as the Financial Director of a British Leyland dealership in Dundee.
I always say we got our sense of political morality from the old man but our sense of pure morality from our mum. Maybe that’s why I scraped passes throughout university except in Moral Philosophy where I got a Merit.
@Ian Brotherhood
Should post up a link to a video of The Wizard of Oz along with that song! 😉 hehe.
Anyways, posting up my music link of the day. A song I used to love back in my college days, now a time in my life I look back on with longing.
We all wish we could return to happier, more carefree times in the days when we weren’t so damaged…
link to youtube.com
AuldA
You’re right, if no one corrects you, you won’t learn. As far as I know, the only time you would put an ‘s’ on ‘unaware’ is in that particular expression.
With ‘backward’ and ‘backwards’ I think it depends on whether it is an adjective or an adverb; for example, you could call someone ‘backward’ if they had parochial and uneducated views (eg they were racist or homophobic), but you would talk about someone walking backwards.
There is a similar issue with ‘practice’ and ‘practise’; the former is the noun (I went to hockey practice) and the latter is the verb (I practise hockey). I find it helps to remember the saying, “Practice makes perfect – therefore, practise.”
@Natasha
Ahh ok.
I’d always thought “Practise” was the American spelling (since they seem to have an odd habit of mis-spelling things by adding an S or removing a U)
Help needed to track down Referendum poster 🙂
Can anybody help me find an edition of that great ‘Scotland be Brave – Say Yes’ ? Am happy to pay if one is still for sale so long as it’s in good order – the image of the blue piper against a red background.
I’ll pop in tomorrow to check for replies.
Many thanks
GB
@Brotyboy
Just tongue in cheek, as I said both my children went to Forthill and then the Grove. They are still friends with people they met in Primary 1 which is great.
During the campaign, my son told me that NONE of his friends were voting No. True they are not that young now and most will be 30 next year, still it’s good to see that this generation at least are very open to the idea of running their own affairs.
That’s why IMO Independence will come eventually but seems inevitable.
Off-topic – like being back at school, must get my uniform out (giggle).
@Paula Rose
Uniforms are fine but I draw the line at the strap!
This one’s for Paula Rose, if she’s about. I’m hoping she can identify the man in the white suit at the start – the dude with the highly creative dancing style.
Live Stiffs Tour 1977, ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’ –
link to youtube.com
Humphrey Ocean – he used to play bass with Kilburn and the High Roads – Ian Dury’s first band.
See Ian! Knew our Paula would get you sorted lol.
@Paula & Alex –
Splendid service altogether. Five stars.
I’d go the whole wide world for you lovelies –
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose –
I’ve done my level best to make it a wee bit harder – if you can complete tomorrow’s National in less than fifteen minutes I vow to buy you the cocktail of you choice next time we meet.
If you take longer than that? Hmmm…let me think…what are you prepared to wager?
@Paula Rose –
Did you ever see Humphrey Ocean in the flesh? He looks very tall. (Mind you, he’s good at tumbling his wilkies.)
Ian honey – I saw Kilburn and the High Roads when I was sweet sixteen.
I’m crossing my legs in expectation for tomorrow’s cruciverbalism xx.
Ian love – I used to do John Graham’s crosswords as an egg timer – 3 and a half minutes xx
@Paula Rose –
Just Wikied John Graham.
All bets off. 🙁
What a diverse and unusual bunch we are.
Long may it continue 🙂
@Alex –
Speak for yourself. I’m nohrmall…erk, twitch, barf….
Its what we do link to youtube.com Aye till I die
@Natasha & Chipmonkey:
It is obvious one cannot translate literally from one language to the other. Sometimes, it is possible (as ‘ce n’est pas ma tasse de thé’ meaning exactly ‘it’s not my cup of tea‘), but often this is impossible. Yet, English is known to have plenty of words (think about, for example, a bog: bog, marsh, mire, slough, swamp, fen, quagmire, and surely others I forget), so I was pretty disappointed that no real way existed to capture this simple idea of beginning a gesture without the possibility of finishing it.
English is so rich that it is a problem to memorize and remember every word, especially when you’re not immersed in an English-speaking environment. It’s like a stack, where the newest words would push the oldest aside. For example, yesternight I was floundering to remember the word ‘stubble’. I knew I knew it, but couldn’t put my finger on it. It came back this morning when I awoke. Then it was ‘bunk’ in the sense of ‘stacked beds’. I have to constantly dig into my brain to keep the memories alive, and that’s why I read and write as much as possible.
About spelling: do you write ‘victual’ or ‘vittle’?
AuldA All respect to you for building and maintaining your language skills,despite all the work involved. There are many word smiths visiting this site,but I’m not one of them. I can’t imagine when I’d use victual. ‘I victualled them’ wouldn’t come up as I’d use a combination of words to form the verb-to supply them with food. We don’t tend to say we take victuals to the food bank. Using unusual words may rather break the flow of language and make it stilted or even not understood. Then again,I do use stubble a lot just now. The farmers are ploughing up the stubble fields far to fast for my liking! (Be careful with ‘bog’ in central Scotland!)
@Chipmonkey:
I am well aware of that. On the other hand, living in France, I could say I feel at ease both with words of Germanic origin and with those of latin origin, which are often considered posher or somewhat bombastic (consider, e.g., morose instead of sulky).
What is it about bog in central Scotland? ‘Bog’ can mean ‘cludgie’ of course. Is that what ye had in mind?
@AuldA
Speaking from the point of view of a (wannabe) writer, there are a lot of times when I find the english language very limiting.
There isn’t always a word or phrase that can accurately describe what’s in my head while keeping it short enough not to bore readers with long descriptions.
The language of dreams does not translate very well into english, and I often find myself sadly disappointed by that…
Oneironaut:
There isn’t always a word or phrase that can accurately describe what’s in my head
Make up your own word. That’s the joy of creative writing. You can follow classical rules, or junk them for complete freedom of invention.
‘Truthiness’ – the amalgamation of strong opinion and flaky statistics to present a lie.
‘Ginormous’ – bigger than enormous, and more monumental than gigantic.
Jabberwocky is your rule of thumb. 🙂
@ Ian Brotherhood – not amused, went on forever with no climax.
@Grouse Beater: portemanteau words. Chortle 😛
@Oneironaut: well, I don’t balk at extended descriptions. On the contrary, I like them. Consider this: “There was a hush, and in the now undisturbed room nothing resounded anymore but the dampened and distant hum of the busy city down below the castle. Winter sunrays were flashing through the various stained glasses, producing bright shafts of colored light that cast variegated and shifting patches on the glossy floor, crisscrossing each other in ever-changing patterns as the clouds scurried in the sky, pushed by the wind. It was a mesmerizing spectacle, a slow dance of infinitesimal, ephemeral but effulgent blotches, unfolding in an unreal silence. Claire found herself fascinated.”
Hi AuldA.
You typed,
“well, I don’t balk at extended descriptions.”
He farted. The smell hung in the air, exactly the way a brick doesn’t.
@Brian:
You have a knack for concise descriptions! 😛
Please boys – its bad enough the main thread concentrating on football without you lowering the tone over here.
@Paula:
Did I see anything despicable?
I shun football. I have always despised these guys that earn wads of money just for kicking a ball during 90 minutes, while they are lauded and partly fed by people who rely on food banks.
@Paula:
Did I say anything despicable?
I shun football. I have always despised these guys that earn wads of money just for kicking a ball during 90 minutes, while they are lauded and partly fed by people who rely on food banks.
@Paula Rose –
🙁
@AuldA
ooo, very nice. What’s that description from? 🙂
AuldA: a slow dance of infinitesimal, ephemeral but effulgent blotches, unfolding in an unreal silence.
Purple prose! 🙂
@Oneironaut: if I confess where I got that from, I’ll henceforth lose all dignity and credibility. But thanks!
@Grouse Beater: Remember I was born in Versailles. Rank has its obligations! 😛
I love you all – mais mes sweeties je retire au mon lit, mon autre-demi wants a cuddle.
(giggle)
@Paula: Bonne nuit, fais de beaux rêves !
I’ll try again here, as this is the right place for it.
In 1970 I wrote a fan letter to Morecambe & Wise at the BBC, hoping for an autographed pic of my comedy heroes and included an idea for a sketch based on The Monks characters. I received a contract from the BBC for the idea and it has been made and shown several times over the years. It is called ‘Beer From Candlesticks’.
About 18 months ago, letters turned up in London where my kids live with their mum, as well as in Dundee. During the making of Morecambe & Wise In Pieces an assistant producer had found my original letter and was trying to trace me for permission to use it.
When I spoke to the assistant producer I told her the story and gave my permission. They offered a fee for using my letter but I asked for a credit instead, so I’m assured that the script has been altered to say something about the viewers taking the characters to heart and thanking me for my bit.
Past experience tells me not to count my chickens, particularly after a couple of false starts in the intervening 18 months, but Morecambe & Wise In Pieces; The Sketches airs on BBC2 at 6.15pm on Christmas Day.
I will be recording it and once again remembering how much I worshipped Eric and how he spoke right to me the way only true artists can.
@Brotyboy –
Nice one. Fingers crossed they are true to their word.
I guess we’re of a vintage which remembers just how huge M&W were back then – the Christmas ‘specials’ were probably the equivalent of Doctor Who in terms of anticipation.
‘He won’t sell many ice-creams going at that speed!’ is surely in the top-ten all-time UK telly classics.
(Fond memories of my favourite uncle firing a mouthful of half-chewed peanuts across the room at that one!)
@AuldA
Dignity and credibility are overrated…
(At least I assume that’s why the Labour party got rid of all of theirs years ago! Hehe) 😉
Not sure if this has been posted already or not. I only just got it sent to me in an E-mail from the Ayrshire Independence Movement (formerly the Garnock Valley/West Kilbride Yes group).
Alex Salmond being interviewed on RT.
rt.com/shows/sophieco/216575-uk-salmond-scotland-independence/
Cameron isn’t just a bad loser, he’s a bad winner. I like that line! 😀
AuldA
Re ‘victuals’ versus ‘vittles’ – both spellings are valid, but in my experience the latter tends to appear in dialogue where the author wants to convey a colloquial or idiomatic feeling. For example, I would expect to see it in the dialogue of rustic or working class characters in novels set in the 18th or 19th century by authors such as Dickens or even Georgette Heyer.
In other words, ‘victuals’ is posher!
@Natasha: Thanks! 🙂
Hi AuldA.
I managed to get my G5 back into rude health, earlier this evening.
I’ll email you with details of what I did, in case you find it useful. (No point in boring the PC brigade.)
.
A wee tune for Paula Rose…
This reminds me of all the times at WOS get-togethers, where she’s thrown off her tartan heels, jumped delicately up onto the nearest table, and displayed her terpsichorean talents, having surrendered to the rhythm.
link to youtube.com
Ian Brotherhood (aka Calgacus)
Bit confuzzled about ‘stags’ and ‘lions’. You keep broadening my Scottish education – had never heard of aos dana (and wouldn’t have got the answer if it weren’t for Google!)
I liked ‘roo’.
“A wee tune for Paula Rose…
This reminds me of all the times at WOS get-togethers, where she’s thrown off her tartan heels, jumped delicately up onto the nearest table, and displayed her terpsichorean talents, having surrendered to the rhythm.”
I should get to many more of these get-togethers! 😉
@Oneironaut
They’re not telling you the half of it! 😉
My son Calum’s friend Jamie just won Master Chef.
Here is a picture comp. Which one is Calum, my avatar may or may not help on this :).
oneironaut honey – so sweet, darling I Iove you!!
A Paula Rose walks into a bar and asks for a double entendre.
So the barman gives her one.
@Chic McGregor
Not good enough my friend. Your love child (Jamie?) looks nothing like you. Did he win or not 🙂
@Brian Doonthetoon
Said barman ends up in DRI with heel sticking out his skull.
He does however recover, just unable to serve a double entrende again?
Thepnr
No ‘Calum’ is my eldest son. Jamie, the one in the middle with the chef’s hat is the one who has just won Master Chef.
Think that photo was from their days at the Byzantium restaurant in Dundee.
Jamie prepared a meal for us once and I’m not just saying this, it was just about the best thing we had ever tasted.
Believe it or not I was quite similar in appearance to Calum when I was his age.
Chic
Well done to Jamie, I was just having a wee wind up by the way but am sincere in my congratulations to Jamie.
Next time I’m in Kirrie, I’ll cook you a meal and you can compare 🙂
Brian Doonthetoon
Nice one!
By the way, Paula Rose, did you do John Graham’s crosswords in between straightening your hair and putting on your make-up? 🙂
Chic
Second from the right?
@Brian:
chuffed you managed to find to solve your computer woes. I’m fairly interested in your solution, so please go ahead and mail it to me.
@Everyone:
Merry, merry and even more merrier Xmas to everybody!
Joyeux Noël à tous !
@Natasha –
The ‘lion’ wears a mane, so, it sounds like the male is ‘Mainwaring’.
‘Stag’, if used as a verb, is an old Scots word meaning ‘to drive stakes into the ground’.
BTW, I don’t know these old Scot words – I’m finding them in The Scots Dialect Dictionary (Alexander Warrack) originally published in 1911. The copy I have was a present from a friend 20 years ago, and I’ve seen similar editions in places like The Works for three, four quid. It’s been reprinted so many times that the fount is, in places, almost illegible, but it’s a real wee treasure-trove all the same.
@Natasha
Nope. Perhaps this old gnarled photo of me (as opposed to a photo of old gnarled me) from when I was about the same age as Calum would be a better clue.
Well, not the Christmas I expected it to be, sadly.
But I wish all wingers a very happy Christmas.
Was going to wish it on all Scots,but I still can’t find it in my heart to forgive they who voted no for purely selfish reasons.
@Andy Smith
“Was going to wish it on all Scots,but I still can’t find it in my heart to forgive they who voted no for purely selfish reasons.”
I know the feeling. I’ve never been a very forgiving person. Even less so now…
Hi Andy Smith and Oneironaut.
A web pal I have in Canada emigrated from Dundee, after the 1979 referendum. He had been a staunch member of the SNP and was totally disgusted and demoralised by the ‘fixed’ result.
He has opined over the years, that Scots can be broken up into 3 groups:-
1. One third those who will never in a month of Sundays vote for independence.
2. One third those who will always vote for independence, come what may.
3. One third who can be persuaded either way.
In the referendum vote, the YES argument won over around a third of this ‘open to persuasion’ group. Unfortunately, due to the tripe coming out of the Daily Record and BBC Scotland, two-thirds of that group were persuaded to vote no.
The hard core of group 1 are a lost cause; they are those who are quite comfortable with the Status Quo, thank you very much. Maybe former public workers, with a full pension and a wee part-time job to stop their brains becoming addled, mortgage paid off, kids making their own way in the world: they’re content and see no need to rock the boat by changing their social/political/constitutional umbrella.
Group 3 are the ones we have to bring into the fold. We have to persuade them that there can be a better future for our country. We have to listen to what they believe, then provide them with the truth that proves that what they have believed is actually the lies that they have been fed by an establishment-compliant media, ie the Daily Record and BBC Scotland.
That is our job between now and 7th May, 2015.
.
Hi Ian Brotherhood.
Re: Scots words. You may find this of use. I refer to it regularly:-
“Dictionary of the Scots Language”
link to dsl.ac.uk
And if you ever feel the need to explore Dundee, you may find this info of use:-
link to sites.google.com
“Well my name is Saint Andrew and I’m here to tell you whuh’ the story wis then and whuh’ the story is noo.
I fund masel beh the side o’ a loch wi a vat o’ veeps and a flask o’ hough.
Eh looked aroond and eh thocht “och! It’s rare t’be alehv – is it?”
Just been told it’s Christmas.
Here’s one for y’all
link to youtube.com
@Briandoonthetoon –
Cheers for that link.
And a very merry Christmas to Rev and all Wingers, especially the O/T regulars. If anyone had told me, this time last year, that we’d lose the referendum but this place would be as busy and upbeat as ever? I’d have been, well, sceptical at best.
Ye’s are some bunch, and I raise a glass to y’all.
Cheers!
I hope all you reprobates on O/T have a peaceful Christmas.
Look forward to seeing you all (well most of you)in the New Year.
Firm handshakes & big manhugs to all the boys and xxxxx’s to all the ladies
Colin 😀
@Grouse Beater
Ref your enquiry for the poster – blue piper on red background.
I have that as a jpeg. Is that any good to you ?
I must admit to feeling a tad more mellow than usual.
I went into Tesco this afternoon, after work, for last minute bits and knacks, only to find Drambuie at £15 a 70cl bottle. How could I resist?
I have partaken of one or three ‘slightly roostie nails’ in the past hour or three. I say ‘slightly’ because I was taught by someone who probably knew the biz, that a ‘roostie nail’ was a medium sized glass, into which two measures of Glenfiddich and one measure of Drambuie had been carefully poured. One or two ice cubes may be added ‘to taste’.
My ‘slightly’ version amounts to a measure of ‘Queen Margot’ whisky (bottled for Lidl by a well known family-owned whisky firm who ‘granted’ that the country was doomed if we voted YES) and a measure of Drambuie, with two lumps of ice.
Hence I am mellow.
So I will offer here one of my favourite traditional Scottish songs for this festive 48 hours…
link to youtube.com
In case I am suffering from over-mellowness tomorrow, I will take this opporknockitty to wish all Wingers, specially the ones whom I have met at our various get-togethers, in Glasgow ( Counting House thrice & George Square on 12th Oct) and Edinburgh, and not forgetting the Metropolises of Broughty Ferry and Invergowrie, a’ the best for tomorrow, the new year and the coming 6 months.
Let’s do it! Nil Illigitimi Carborundum!
Just found this on Facebook…
———————————————–
Ok so we’re getting a bit carried away there, but none the less the Alliance for Scotland convention on the 17th January is going to be an epic showcase of the huge talent within the Yes movement and beyond. And in the run up to the Westminster election there is an ever increasing demand and need for the continuing debate.
The purpose of the Alliance for Scotland is to continue the huge political engagement we saw in Scotland these last two years. It shows no sign of abating within the Yes movement itself. And the Alliance promotes all pro-indy groups and parties, with equal footing and equal space, whilst giving voice to third sector organisations and other self-determination campaigns around the globe.
These individual entities have so much to offer and do their own thing well, but a platform for all, gives the opportunity for maximum impact to the public. We need to hear these differences in policy and approach but crucially we need to hear the unity that exists in combatting the worst of Westminster and what can be done with devolution, home rule and the route to an Independent state.
Those who backed Better Together on the 18th September still want to hear this debate. Many a No voter was swayed as we know at the last minute by ‘the Vow’ and many wanted the vision offered by the Yes campaign but remained unconvinced on the details. That’s passed and what lies ahead for all Scots is another exciting period for us all, and yet more tough decisions to make! And the first Alliance convention has plenty to offer to satisfy the thirst for politics.
An all day event from 10am to 5pm, four main question time style debates and workshops covering topics diverse as Fracking to Feminism, TTIP to Radio Free Scotland, top speakers from Scotland and beyond with 20+ stalls ranging from the SNP to RIC and the SSP, Business for Scotland to the Green’s to mention but a few.
All under one roof, in the state of the art facilities at Dundee Universities Dalhousie Building. A variety of film crews will cover the debates and workshops and we’ve no doubt there will be lively debate. With broadcaster and journalist David Torrance chairing the debates, tough questions await our panellists and we look forward to hearing their expert answers. Our main debates & confirmed speaker are:
Debate 1. Can we make Poverty history post No vote?
Cat Boyd – Radical Independence Campaign co-founder
Dr Tony Cox – Historian & anti-poverty campaigner
John McArdle – Black Triangle Disability rights
Jimmy Black – SNP
Peter Kelly – Director Poverty Alliance
Allan Grogan – SSP
Debate 2. The Smith Commission, Devo Max & the 55%
Pauline Hinchion – Dundee Green Party
Sarah Hendry – Radical Independence Campaign Dundee
Craig Murray – Former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan
Professor John Curtice – Psephologist Psephologist Psephologist Psephologist
David Clegg – Political Editor Daily Record
Debate 3. The new media age & the old media bias?
Robin McAlpine – Common Weal
Iain McWhirter – Journalist & Broadcaster
Bruce Fummey – Comedian
Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp – Business for Scotland
Ken Ferguson – Editor of the Scottish Socialist Voice
Lindsay Jarret – Big Loom Director / Independence Climber & Campaigner
Debate 4. The General Election, UKIP, The West Lothian question, is Independence inevitable?
Colin Fox – SSP Co-Spokesperson
Chris Law – SNP & Spirit of Independence campaigner
Pauline Hinchion/Patrick Harvie – Scottish Greens
Bethan Jenkins – AM – Plaid Cymru
David Clegg – Daily Record political editor
Professor John Curtice – Psephologist PsephologistPsephologist Strathclyde University Psephologist
An excellent line up, sure to provide the public with excellent debates and access to experts, politicians and activists. Dundee is alive with progressive politics and activity, the referendum campaign inspired so many of its citizens not only to vote, but to get involved, so its vital for the city to continue this interest shown by the public & play host to our first convention.
This is the beginning of a new era in Scotland. With Labour & the SNP now with new leadership, big rises in pro-indy party memberships and broad unity amongst Scots on Holyrood needing more powers & of course there’s plenty of division on what powers and when they’ll be delivered. But nonetheless we have entered into a new phase for our nation, and the Alliance for Scotland will seek to make these exciting developments more accessible for us all, and to get involved and talk to each other about and those in power.
Please like our Facebook page,
link to facebook.com
check out the event link:
link to facebook.com
you can purchase tickets from:
link to eventbrite.co.uk
————————————————
Pass this on…
Hey Brian!
Do you only speak Latin when you get mellow? 🙂
Have a good one buddy.
Happy Christmas one and all:-)
Ian Dury & The Blockheads, ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’ (live, OGWT, 1980)
link to youtube.com
Happy wotsit everybody.
@BDTT
Thanks for the heads up on the Alliance convention. Tickets booked.
OK, worst Christmas songs ever. You won’t be able to stand more than 10 secs of this. My contribution.
link to youtube.com
Merry Christmas to all our fabulous Wingers. Best wishes to all. 🙂
Merry Xmas from me too. Hope you all have a good time. Looking forward to next year as I’m sure we all are.
Others may not feel the same, particularly if their job depends on voters. Time for good cheer 🙂
@Alex Clark –
That was horrible. Thanks anyway.
This is, perhaps, even worse –
Roy Wood with The Wombles:
link to youtube.com
@Ian Brotherhood
A fucking wombling merry Xmas. Says it all really.
Up to no 1 of the worst Christmas songs hahaha.
Red Sunset: I have that as a jpeg. Is that any good to you?
I’m looking for an original poster in good order to frame for my study, but I’m grateful for the offer – might be useful if all else fails although Daughter Two thinks she knows where to get hold of one …
🙂
Merry Christmas all you lovely people, cats, hens and cybernats!
Btw Brian Doonthetoonie – I note that the event in Dundee mentions stalls, are we thinking of having one?
Oops – and Pandas!
Merry Christmas, or Happy Solstice, or whatever other festival or celebration or party is significant to your beliefs!
I plan on spending some time contemplating and meditating on the past year. Renewing and reinventing myself and finding the true Inner Me in order to prepare myself for the campaigns still to come…
…Well, maybe tomorrow… Today I’ll be stuffing my face at the family get-together!
See ya! 😀
Hi Paula Rose.
You typed,
I note that the event in Dundee mentions stalls, are we thinking of having one?
You may recall that the last time I gave you one (St Andrew’s Day, Fat Sams), it seemed to be well received by those who were there and enjoyed the spectacle.
I think it will be worth looking into – watch this space.
@ Briandoonthetoon, 24/12/14, 9:37pm
Thanks for the heads up on the Alliance for Scotland event. This must be why Dundee is my fav city! It is buzzing. Tickets bought for Jim and myself, plus Betty’s Boy.
Will pass on the info. Keep us informed if there is to be a Wings presence.
Cheers
@ Ian Brotherhood, 24/12/14, 10:10pm
Merry Christmas, Ian – just been given your book as a pressie:-)
Oh, and if you want to hear a really bad Christmas song, there can’t be much worse than the one I’ve linked. I used to have to listen to Christmas CDs at work which, each year featured at least four versions of this dirge, but, this is the worst I’ve heard – so far…
link to youtube.com
I’ve PM’d Dom Anderson to find out about having a Wings presence at the event.
To follow on from my Christmas song last night…
This is definitely in my top 5 fave Christmas songs. I bought the single when it was released in 1977 and then, subsequently, bought the album from which it came, “Gone To Earth”. Like many of the singles I rated over the years, it wasn’t a hit, as far as I’m aware. Didn’t stop me playing it at Christmas gigs over the years though.
This clip shows the band performing the song live, in a packed auditorium in Berlin. (Funny how the Germans tended to rate some of our bands higher than our record buying public did.)
link to youtube.com
@Briandoonthetoon tickets organised for me and qq for the 17th. I’ll watch this space. X-sticks and Paula Rose see you there (if not before).
Looking forward nervously to Morecambe & Wise at 6.15 on BBC2.
I only hope the script turns out as I’ve been advised, otherwise I’ll look a bit of a cunt for telling people that I’m getting a mention.
Not that I’m unused to looking a bit of a cunt.
@Brotyboy
Will tune into that myself if I don’t fall asleep first.
Hi Brotyboy.
Were you ever a member of the old DC Thomson 3Js forum?
@Thepnr says:
Will tune into that myself if I don’t fall asleep first.
are not watching James May’s toy stories then Alex, they are blowing up Action man just now
Sorry for any confusion between me and Thepnr. My own computer is on the blink. An accident with an opened can of beer.
So I’m using the wife’s which still has Thepnr as the default and sometimes in my enthusiasm to post I forget to replace it.
@Brotyboy
I didn’t fall asleep but daughter called from the US just at that time. Was it on and as you hoped?
The Pogues, ‘Turkish Song Of The Damned’ (live) –
link to youtube.com
That was a great credit you got broty boy
Ha!( watching M@W) Brill.
An accident with the beer, Thepnr honey? You drank it?(giggle)
Yeah Paula I drank it. Then forgot where the bog was! oops.
My little lapin Thepnr – I’ve got a lovely new computer thingy! All I have to do is caress and stroke it and it responds immediately, reminds me of certain wingers, mentioning no names Tartan Tory.
Wow! Way more than I’d expected. I thought they were just going to show my letter, but it was read out from start to finish. And my name was mentioned then I got the credit I’d wanted for all this time.
It was very strange seeing my handwriting from 1970. It’s still crap now.
@Brotyboy That’s your cover blown then:-) Good piece… much more than just a mention. Glad I was watching.Congratulations.
@ Brian
No, never.
Here it is from about 44.30 in
link to bbc.co.uk
Not the whole gag, just the final bit, but I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
On the first day of Christmas my Sotland gave to me –
Jim Murphy up a gum tree…
Mine
All mine.
Christmas!!!
@Paula Rose –
Sotland? We’re not that bad, shurely…hic…
(‘Jim Murphy up a gum tree’ looks like it might be a good anagram, but it could do with a ‘b’…)
@chipmonkey
Thanks. A very emotional time for me.
@Brotyboy
Nothing like a look back in time. Must be pleasing for you to get some credit, even this late. Nice one.
Um – am I the only person who loved the Rev’s Christmas playlist?
Just asking like.
Nah. I haven’t listened yet. John King though did going by his post early this morning, “Silent Night by Simon and GarFunkel”
So NO your not the only one.
‘Fall to your knees!!’
Perry Como, ‘Oh Holy Night’ –
link to youtube.com
This site’s page, Christmas Day, two years ago.
Quite moving, to look back, and see what sort of stuff we were talking about. And the difference in numbers is astonishing – have a quick swatch at the posts in the vicinity.
Just 24 months ago!
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Ian honey, I don’t remember you being off your knees since you first met me.
@an Brotherhood
So 2 years ago, 17 posts. Many are still here and a few missing. Well done to those that stuck around.
I arrived later but look up to you guys that paved the way.
I’m wondering how many of the ‘end of the year’ reviews produced by the TV companies will show this wee clip of Scotland’s Commonwealth Games team, in the tunnel, immediately before they entered the arena in the opening ceremony?
I’m guessing none of them.
link to youtube.com
Happy Christmas everyone.
@Ian Brotherhood 10.51
Erm, it’s pronounced ‘Mannering’ . . . hence my confusion! Before you have a go at me for being a pedant, I would like to point out that Milngavie and Kirkcudbright make no sense whatsoever. 🙂
@Chic 11.59
Wow! I take it all the girls were after you? I knew I should have gone with my first guess.
Paula Rose – you’ve had us all on our knees since before we met you. 🙂
Hi peeps.
Remember we’re on a new page now so, if you type your comment then click on ‘Submit Comment’, you will be taken back to the previous page.
When you are, just click on your ‘back’ button, then refresh the page, and you should see your new comment in situ, on the new page.
Then just delete all your bumf in the text box, to tidy your window.
Hi Natasha.
So, yi’ll ken whaur ‘Ainster’ is, ya hoormin? Nihin’ else even cams close…
8=)
I am now off to cook Christmas supper for me and the product of my loins.
Tonight, we will mostly be having a starter of lentil and bacon soup, followed by Kangaroo steaks and venison sausages in gravy, with carrots and broccoli and, of course, baby spuds, and if we’re not full, we may follow that with ice cream and mandarin segments. We’ll see…
Onnyhoo, I will still be partaking of the ‘roostie nails’ while food preparing so, depending on how mellow I become, I may be on later; or maybe not.
Enjoy the rest of Christmas day peeps!
8=)
Relatives, we all have them. Paula Rose has a very interesting Uncle of which you might be surprised.
I have just discovered that I have a second relative (distant) that bloody well surprised me to.
PS He was not from Easterhouse.
Merry Christmas to all, and thanks to Brian Doonthetoon for the Barclay James Harvest song.
I think I got into them the traditional way back in the days of vinyl, scouring through the stacks in a second-hand record shop (well I am a Paisley boy, a penny saved is a penny earned…). If you found an LP with good artwork on the cover, you took a chance on the music.
Brian Doonthetoon
I understood about three quarters of that. Go easy on me, I used to be English!
I was into Barclay James Harvest in my teens, believe it or not. Also Steeleye Span and the Alan Parsons Project. The worms are really coming out of the woodwork now.
Hope the kangaroo steaks were yummy.
Has anyone worked out 16 dn and 22ac in Wednesday’s crossword yet? I’ve got words that fit, but that doesn’t mean they’re right.
Bdtt
By the way, my Glaswegian husband thinks you just called me a whore. I’d get your coat if I were you. 🙂
Hi David And Natasha – pleased you enjoyed BJH!
Nah, nah, Natasha. Your Glaswegian husband is misinterpreting a Fifer’s term of endearment. “Ya hoormin” is used similarly to “Well, fük me” – it’s just an expression. The person who utters “Well, fük me” doesn’t actually expect you to comply. Similarly, “ya hoormin” may be used in mixed company. I’m sure Paula Rose or John King will back me up.
BTW: the lentil and bacon is in the pressure cooker – around 10 minutes to go. Everything else is cleared for take-off, except for the kangaroo and venison – they’ll be last to do; around 12 minutes in the frying pan, turning every three or four minutes.
Bdtt
Are you in a different time zone? Most people eat their Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. Don’t tell me you’re in Australia for Christmas.
Hi Natasha.
The thing is, my son usually confines himself to one main meal per day. However, on Christmas Day, he goes with my ex to his Gran and Grandad for Christmas Dinner, where they sit down to eat at 3pm.
He then comes down to my hovelhold in the early evening and, most years, he has his second Christmas ‘supper’ around 10 or 11pm. So, with one thing and another last night, mainly partaking of small ‘roostie nails’ and posting here, we were running a tad late.
Onnyhoo, around 1am we sat down to lentil and bacon soup with a couple of slices of bread to dip in it. It was rather fine – made with around half a kilo of bacon chunks, from a bag of Lidl’s ‘cooking bacon’ and with the usual grated carrots, swede chunks, chopped onion and leeks.
When we had finished the rather generous portions, we kinda looked at each other sheepishly, had a short conference and decided that we were too full to do the kangaroo and venison justice.
So, both items are in the fridge, along with the cooked tatties and carrots. All that has to be done is the making of the gravy and cooking of some broccoli. So, we’ll be eating a delayed Christmas ‘supper’ today, around 1-2pm.
I’ll cook off the roast duck that was planned for today and we’ll have that tomorrow, before he goes back up to his Mum’s.
(Belly is now rumbling with all that typing about food!)
Mmm venison, very tasty. I worked a summer season in the Atholl Arms Hotel in Blair Atholl, a place that had lots of guests from England and from the continent.
When we had German guests in for a meal, I used my Higher-Grade German: “Guten Tag, wir haben Orangensaft” etc. Except that one time venison was on the menu and I had no idea of the word for that, or for deer. So all I could do was say “Bambi, der fleisch ist Bambi, sehr gut, yum yum!”
Sales of venison were down that day. 😉
@Bdtt
I like a man who can cook. 😉
David – I hope you didn’t mention the war . . . 🙂
@Bdtt:
Kudos for your chef skills with British supplies.
I can’t rival you. I just cook cakes, biscuits, mousses and other desserts.
AuldA dear, you are not suggesting that British ingredients require special cooking skills are you?
Paula Rose
I think he’s just astonished that we can cook at all. In my case, he’s right; I just get my husband to cook for me.
Natasha honey – I will not (stamps foot) have any denigration of either our cooking or our ingredients.
Paula Rose
Be careful you don’t snap those pretty heels when you stamp your foot.
What have YOU done today to make you feel proud?
This is my Christmas present to all Wingers. Enjoy and reflect.
Heather Small – PROUD
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose –
How about Potted Heid, aka Head Cheese?
I’m no veggy, but FFS, a line has to be drawn somewhere.
link to en.wikipedia.org
The message is for all of us. We’re not beaten, we fight on.
@Ian Brotherhood
Potted haugh here in Dundee, hated it. Used to get it for my tea wie chips, worse was spread on a piece. It was cheap though so popular.
Boxing Day Challenge –
Great songs clocking-in at less than three minutes.
Blondie, ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ –
link to youtube.com
P.S. Please, a’body, don’t make any jokes involving ‘head cheese’ or there’s a good chance I’ll throw-up.
The Clash, ‘London’s Burning’ –
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose and Natasha: Don’t stomp. It’s a great achievement to be able to cook spicy and toothsome dishes when you don’t have olive oil, pepperoni, various aromatic herbs, rocket, garlic, etc. at your disposal.
Paula, never tried to cook a blanquette? Amongst my late granny recipes, this was a clear winner. Blanquette for Xmas. Out-and-out posher than turkey! 😛
Radiohead, ‘Faust Arp’ –
link to youtube.com
(Linguistic quest, again)
Experts, pundits, kingpins, etc. of the English language, I beg once more that you enlighten the poor and miserable pipsqueak I am.
Is there a word that would mean a sudden twist of circumstances, but not for the best, as a turnaround can be, but for the worse?
I pledge my faith in your arcane and unfathomable linguistic knowledge.
Your eternally obliged.
The Undertones, ‘My Perfect Cousin’ –
link to youtube.com
@AuldA
A “comedown” is equivalent to a sudden change for the worse.
@AuldA –
‘Snafu’ is in my 1999 Collins English dictionary.
A horrible word, with grotesque origins (I don’t recall ever hearing it in everyday usage) but perhaps fits the bill?
The Buzzcocks, ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ –
link to youtube.com
Tom Jones, ‘It’s Not Unusual’ (live) –
link to youtube.com
@Ian Brotherhood
Your on a roll Ian, you’ve just played two of the favorite songs of mine from my youth with the Buzzcocks and the Undertones. Slainte!
Definitely under three minutes, when you top-and-tail all the palaver…
Pavarotti, ‘Nessun Dorma’ (live) –
link to youtube.com
Oh yippee – lots of movies of naughty boys being spanked, see you next year darlings!!!
@Alex –
I’m trying to remember where I got this crack cocaine, but don’t care enough to concentrate fully…where’s me chewing gum?
‘I would like to be cheerful again…’
Van Morrison, ‘I’m Tired Joey Boy’ –
link to youtube.com
Thin Lizzy, ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ (live) –
link to youtube.com
Makes it in, by the skin of Windsor’s proverbials:
Don Estelle & Windsor Davies, ‘Whispering Grass’ –
link to youtube.com
This is what have in abundance. Heroes!
Could always use a few more, go on, you have it in you.
link to youtube.com
The Waterboys, ‘How Long Will I Love You?’ –
link to youtube.com
Stone Roses, ‘Elizabeth My Dear’ –
link to youtube.com
‘Scotland is my dreaming head…’
The Waterboys, ‘Islandman’ –
link to youtube.com
Ian, my friend this one is for you.
link to youtube.com
Taj Mahal, ‘Statesboro Blues’ –
link to youtube.com
@Alex Clark –
Hoots mon!
As it happens, watched Cool Runnings this afternoon with my lass.
‘I’m not smokin’, I’m breathin” !
Potted Hough melted over chips is quite tasty…
Onnyhoo, at the moment, I am watching ‘Chas & Dave’s Knees Up’, recorded from Channel 5 last night (originally broadcast in the 80s). I’d seen clips of it on the Chas & Dave documentary on BBC 4 some months ago so, to get a chance to record it was a bonus.
Albert Lee has just done “Country Boy”; Eric Clapton is coming up. Here’s the segment that’s on now, featuring both Eric Clapton and Albert Lee.
link to youtube.com
@Alex –
This is what we need right now – more of this man, and all he represents.
Dick Gaughan, ‘Workers’ Song’ –
link to youtube.com
Ian, agreed. I’ve missed Dick, haven’t saw him post for a while.
See what I believe, there will be a reckoning and we will reject those that rule us, our Imperial Masters.
I don’t seek communism or revenge. Only justice, and the poor have and are being shafted for the sake of the rich.
This is why I have abandoned the Labour party, so called party of the people. A sham is what they are, in fact a disgrace in my eyes. Read this and weep you Red Tory bastards.
@ Brian DTT the last time I hear of a reciepe with Potted Hough was fried hough on toast,25yrs ago,ah kin still hear John McInroe.
AuldA darling, I grow most of those in my garden and we do have shops!!!
@Paula: You grow blanquettes in your garden?
I’m on my way… 🙂
Paula Rose’s blanquettes are growing in the field next door. Yes, even in Scotland cows have babies and produce milk.
Her pepperoni tree is a sight to behold in full fruit (miserable coo won’t give me a cutting).
Surprised that you can get Italian sausage in France you must have a transport network.
@Cearc: As I have myself lived in Italy, I’ve set up my own traffic in various ingredients! I’ve a stash, but shhh! 😛
Paula, be careful: Highland cattle are very fond of pepperoni! Gives their milk a spicy aftertaste. You should keep your plant under a glass cloche, especially if there’s a herd of ferocious bovines next door! 🙂
(I like teasing you. It always makes my day!)
By the way, do Walkers’ shortbreads also grow on shrubs in Scotland? 😛
Fears dear, I explained to you that this species will not thrive in the wet,windy and salty air where you live and AuldA it is far to big to be kept under glass. I expect like me you have a spaghetti tree – Cearc honey, you could try one of those.
@Paula: I can assume a glassy look, but you’ll have to ding me!
Hi AuldA.
I have popped up to to increase your knowledge of the Scottish culinary arts. Two subjects for now; Finnan Haddie and Haggis.
These stories were originally posted in DC Thomson’s 3Js forum, some years ago. First of all, the Finnan Haddie.
———————————–
Doon the Toon on 21-Feb-05 20:12:06
Its full name would be “Finnan Haddock” or to give it its Sunday name, “The Glenfinnan Haddock”.
It is so named because it is one of the UK’s scarce freshwater haddock species and is only found in Loch Sheil and the burns that flow into it.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct was constructed so that anglers would have somewhere to sit while casting their lines into the water, be able to enjoy the view from higher than the river bank and indulge in a bit of trainspotting while waiting for a catch.
There is a legend that Prince Charlie (no, the Scottish one!) enjoyed a meal of freshly caught Glenfinnan Haddock, in a creamy white wine sauce, on a bed of oats, accompanied by the chef’s choice of in season greens, with spam and a fried egg on top, shortly before the raising of the standard.
Of course, I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the legend!
———————————–
Secondly, a subsequently ‘hushed up’ story about Haggis research.
———————————–
doon the Toon on 12-Aug-99 11:43:25
Have you seen this month’s (Sept) issue of “Haggis International”? According to their lead story, scientists at the Haggis Research Institute at Kirkmichael are close to a successful conclusion to their attempts to develop a genetically modified, bi-directional haggis, which has the ability to instinctively shorten or lengthen its legs, depending on whether it is running clockwise or anti-clockwise round its hill.
They hope, that if their experiments are successful, the way will be opened up for lowland haggis farms to be developed, in places where the hills or hummocks do not rise to the heights that the highland haggis is used to. So, it is hoped that these GM haggii(?) will, within a couple of generations of lowland acclimatisation, develop legs of equal length.
The eggs they have in incubation are due to hatch in late October, so there is mounting excitement in Kirkmichael!
If things work out ok, one haggis will deliver twice the amount of edible haggis drumsticks, which, as you know, are a much sought after delicacy. (The short legs are currently of use only as hornygolloch fodder)
yours,
Doon the Toon
———————————–
8=)
@Bdtt:
I received your mail alright. Thanks so much. Will answer in due time!
About your comment:
1. The story does not say if the railway was built to serve Scotland’s main factory of creels!
2. I didn’t know Scots had imported our famous dahu. (link to en.wikipedia.org)
I am really chuffed the Scottish genius will be righteously applied to further improve the Dahu race. As a French humorist put it: “I like animals, especially with mushroom gravy.”
But I am thrilled to watch a haggis coasting along a brae and skidding over an iced lochan. Youtube link, please!
I am absolutely outraged at this attempt to genetically modify the lovely haggi!
This will be a disaster – if this strain escapes into the wild it will result in haggi no longer being able to keep upright. This would be a disaster for our unique Scottish ecosystem.
I shall be writing to my MP!
Ddtt,
The ’99 project was doomed to failure as thy did not take into account the nature of the haggis.
What would a lowland haggis do all day? Sit around in a field. Perhaps, occasionally have a wee trot around in a circle? It would be like battery hens, an abomination.
Every Highlander knows that the haggis wakes up each morning with an unquenchable desire to get to the top of a hill during the day. As it does this by the longest possible route it has to develop large, powerful and meaty muscles in order to be able to get there and back home to bed in the evening (in winter that’s just a few hours!).
A lowland haggis would be miserable little creature yielding drumsticks hardly worthy of the name.
Well, I must admit (changing the subject from Haggis) that I am totally dumfoonirt at the myopic vision within the SNP, as detailed at the link below, re: Craig Murray being defined as not a suitable candidate, because he said he would NOT support the SNP if they decided to back the bedroom tax.
You couldn’t make it up!
link to craigmurray.org.uk
We have Labour on the ropes, so are the SNP trying to be fair, by alienating the vast majority of their new membership, to put the contest on more of an even keel?
Bdtt Obviously the SNP are extremely anti the bedroom tax. They’ve gone to great lengths to counter it. What extreme circumstances would they ask him to back that? He must have known that. Obviously there will be many attempts to divide. It’s like defence counsel schooling for prosecution in court. He failed big time… which is very worrying.
@Bdtt:
This is outrageous, but no surprise to me. Mainstream parties expect their MP to form a solid block and implement the consigns without discussing once they are uttered. That is, in other words, put the party interests before your owns. Divergences in opinion are supposed to be discussed internally before the final decision that clinches any dissension and must be followed by anybody. It has always worked this way. I am viscerally opposed to this kind of policy, and that’s why I never entered in politics. Too many scunners to swallow.