Off-topic
Posted on
January 02, 1968 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
For off-topic chat. Duh.
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
Mmmmm…
It hasn’t been approved – my post at 7.39pm is still “awaiting moderation”.
Strange to think that back in October, Dumfries & Galloway looked like the most impossible seat for the SNP (4th place in 2010), yet Ashcroft and others are showing it going gold. Maybe everyone’s fed up with their MP:
link to wildernessofpeace.wordpress.com
Happy Birthday John.
Happy birthday from me and mine John. Don’t get fat on the cake 🙂
I played this for Ian Brotherhood last year so your honored (or insulted).
link to youtube.com
Happy birthday John! 🙂
Raising a drink to you…
(It’s only cheap Lidl cola, but it’s the sentiment that counts, right?)
As we were discussing postal votes in a recent thread on the main blog for anyone interested I’ve listed the areas and postal vote percentage returns below. I think I’ve removed all formatting so hopefully will show up OK 🙂
Aberdeen City – 92.6%
Aberdeenshire – 94.3%
Angus – 92.9%
Argyll & Bute – 95.1%
Clackmannanshire – 95.2%
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar – 92.8%
Dumfries and Galloway – 95.1%
Dundee – 91.3%
East Ayrshire – 94%
East Dunbartonshire – 94%
East Lothian – 94.8%
East Renfrewshire – 94.4%
City of Edinburgh – 92.2%
Falkirk – 95.5%
Fife – 92.3%
Glasgow – 88%
Highland – 93.8%
Inverclyde – 92.2%
Midlothian – 93.7%
Moray – 92.9%
North Ayrshire – 93%
North Lanarkshire – 86.6%
Orkney – 94.5%
Perth & Kinross – 94.1%
Renfrewshire – 95.1%
Scottish Borders – 93.6%
Shetland – 93.7%
South Ayrshire – 93.6%
South Lanarkshire – 93.5%
Stirling – 95.3%
West Dunbartonshire – 93.5%
West Lothian – 93%
Total – 92.5%
Jim,
To put that in perspective, the highest voter turnout in Australia (where voting is compulsory) since 1946 was in 1946 at 91.85%.
It has not been above 85% since 1972.
link to idea.int
I don’t recall them giving out the PV turnout seperately at the Highland count. Mind, it was 8.30am so my brain had pretty well gone on strike by then.
@Jim McIntosh
Those numbers are truly eye opening.
To be clear though these are the percentages of people who requested a postal vote and then actually bothered to vote?
I’d guess if you bother to ask for a postal vote, chances are you will use it.
Thanks for that Jim McIntosh
Must have been a lot of work.
cearc,
I was at the Moray count they didn’t give it out there either, but as you know there were teams of staff recording info from all the boxes.
I extrapolated the info above from the ‘Scottish Independence Referendum – Electoral Data (XLS)’ document found at
link to electoralcommission.org.uk
Jim do you have a breakdown of the percentage of non postal votes of each area too, for comparison?
K1 – if you follow the link in the post above all that info is in the excel spreadsheet. Lots of other interesting stuff as well.
Thanks Jim, will do 🙂
Hi Ian B.
See my post at 7.39pm last night. It was in moderation for hours so you may have missed it.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
I’m just trying something – just ignore me.
——————————————-
Interesting comparison…
Voter power in Dundee West 0.216
The average UK voter has 1.18x more voting power than voters in Dundee West.
Voter power in Dundee East 0.973
Voters in Dundee East have 3.85x more voting power than the UK average.
BTW: that site also suggests for Dundee West,
Constituency marginality Fairly safe.
I don’t think McGovern is “fairly safe”, going by the SNP’s canvassing returns onnyhoo.
Strange.
The above appeared immediately after hitting “Submit Comment” but the bit below the line just wouldn’t appear on the “a-fundamental-misunderstanding” page.
Don’t know if it’s ever gonna appear. (That’s been around 12 minutes and it’s still not showing.)
My last post (above) took AGES to appear here.
My post in today’s page took around 15 minutes to appear, then I ended up with two of it because I thought the first one had been binned for some reason.
just a wee test …
trying to see if there’s still a delay and if my details are “sticky” (don’t even go there!)
no delay but, also no details in the boxes … hmmmm
Brian, are you getting your posting details (name and e-mail) being pre-completed?
It’s odd that Jim T (who is sitting alongside me) using an almost identical laptop, and Chrome settings, can post immediately and retains user details.
Which takes us to the classic, “What’s brown and sticky?”
Just had the cookies changed to permit Wings so, we’ll see what that does!
Hi Betty Boop.
I have no problem on my MacPro at home – username and email filled in, although I did have to put them in manually, for a wee while, when I moved to this machine and updated system software, Firefox, and so on.
OK now though.
However, on my personal iMac at work, and the Windoze machine I sometimes use, it’s erratic. Sometimes stuff posts immediately, other times there’s a delay, like this afternoon.
Neither machine displays username and email; I have to click in each box then select. Firefox installed on both machines.
another cookie change
yet another tweak (in IE this time)
Beedeeteetee honey I’m on my way to give you a special stroke, have the darkened room ready – all will be well.
She’s off out to do battle with the Troon survey sheet delivery.
I’m fiddling with her bits (technical term, apparently) to see if I can replicate the working set up on my laptop versus (why do sports link people always say “vee”? Poor education I reckon .. anyway ..) this one.
I might be doing a “Captain Oates” on this tonight :-p
Walk don’t run…
link to youtube.com
Weird.
When I use Safari on my imac posts are near instantaneous. When I post from W8 and use Chrome they take about half an hour to appear.
See you in half an hour.
settings in IE changed – wonder if that will help …
restart of lappy to try that and see if posting name/email sticks
back on Chrome (and still waiting for previous post from past 20 mins to appear)
Right … on my own lappy now, same OS build, same anti-virus, same browsers (IE & Chrome)
Another thing I notice is that on this lappy, once I send a post, it returns to bottom of page but, the other lappy doesn’t (probably linked to the slow update of posting data).
I am convinced there’s something happening outside the browsers but there’s not much there that can be tweaked except a/v software and the OS (Win7 pro x64) isn’t as tweakable as XP was.
ho-hum
I think I’ll try Safari on my personal iMac at work tomorrow, and see what begrails of the lateymost postage, that happidge with Fireyfoxy.
Oh yes!
OK, a video for yooz, that I picked up from Facebook.
It’s rather good, in an anglo-centric way. Appears to be available, even if you’re not logged into Facebook.
link to facebook.com
right, as I was comparing Chrome browser settings, I noticed that my one has “Done” buttons and Betty’s has “Finished” buttons in same place.
No obvious language settings (different versions of English maybe?) and the installed versions of Chrome are identical.
@BDtt – was the egg hand familiar? a bit quick for my old eyes but, a youngster like you will spot it 😛
ok, yet another go
righty-ho, next minor fiddle to see if that helps … probably not.
ok – that posted straight away !&?*? whit?
Still not keeping poster details though.
I switched on Java helpers in Toolbars and Extensions, and also Norton Identity Protection. Bizarre. Will need a few other posts over time to see if it’s going to be permanent.
Hah! Knew it was too good to be true. Bugger!
getting fed up now.
last try – cleared browser cache in IE 11
One of my old show reels – notice how cleverly I lose my heels –
link to youtube.com
While I’ve done my best to just let him hoist himself on his own petard, I cannot help but reiterate how much I loathe Ian Davidson.
link to wildernessofpeace.wordpress.com
If he gets back in because the Patriotic Socialists, Scottish Socialists and Scottish Greens split the vote with the SNP, I might defenestrate something. Man is a lout, a goon, a blockhead, and he needs kicked out.
Strange that…
Chrome is Google’s browser, and from what people are saying here, it has an odd habit of losing posts?
I’m using Gmail (until I can find a better alternative!) which is also by Google, and it frequently loses my messages…
Coincidence?
when do we get back to normal stuff like quarks?
You mean “quark” as in, the elementary particles that combine to form such things as the building blocks of atomic nuclei?
Or “quark” as in the noise made by an atomic duck? 😉
(*watches a tumbleweed blow past in the silence…*)
…I’ll get my coat…
Also, six days to get to £3,000. I’m going to post this every day until we get there.
link to crowdfunder.co.uk
Um – app, Twitter and wings – how does that work on etch-a-sketch?
I’m dumfoundit. Time to watch naughty stuff, nighty night.
Um – app, Twitter and wings – how does that work on etch-a-sketch?
I’m dumfoundit. Time to watch naughty stuff, nighty night.
Yes Paula, what has happened to Auld A? An informative chap.
O/T and since this is O/T that’ll be Ok then.
Just substitute Westminster for B….. and it just about sums up the media frenzy.
link to youtube.com
By the way, lead singer has a slight resemblance to a young Jim Murphy. No offence mate!
Hi peeps.
You must know that microsloth has given up on Indecent Exploiter?
Microsoft relegates Internet Explorer to a ‘legacy engine’ to make way for new browser
link to theverge.com
@Brian Doonthetoon
Internet Explorer has actually been dying (not so slowly!) for years now. All that’s left is the digital equivalent of skeletal remains reanimated through some sinister dark techno-magic that left it nothing more than the shambling electronically-zombified remains of something that was never all that alive to start with…
(Feel free to quote me on that. I’m at my most creative at these insanely late/early times!)
Knowing Microsoft, I doubt I’ll be tempted to use their “new browser” either.
Then again all my systems here are Linux powered now, and they wouldn’t want something working on Linux.
That would be like Jim Murphy going on the BBC and telling the world that he’s been lying all along and that everyone should vote SNP!
Phew, rant over. I’m off to bed now… 🙂
link to youtube.com
Do you ever get tired?
I’m tired and right about now a hill loch with a head of trout and a wee break is calling. A total break from screens, arguments, debate. Just friends, wine and a craic, perhaps some of my old chefing skills and some eats.
Some days you just want to see a child laugh because the future is all before them, feel the arms of that pretty girl you married twenty seven years ago around you, feel the wind in your face and watch the world go by.
Today feels like one of those days.
@Macart
Totally agree. Enjoy your break Sam.
Thanks Nana 🙂
Consider me gone… for a time.
Brotyboy
Hi, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. That was indeed my dad and everything was fine, thanks.
I’m back in Dundee every two or three weeks, so I imagine it won’t be too difficult to get together. I’m not sure how contact details are best shared though.
Thepnr
Apparently you’re the man to speak to.
Brian Doonthetoon & Pete the Camera
Nice to finally put faces to names. 😉
Tight lines @ Macart and i think i might do the same this weekend so thanks for a cracking idea 🙂
Sometimes you just cant beat being out in the beautiful Scottish countryside watching a river flow or the waves of a loch lapping about your waders as the world passes by to the twittering of the little birds in the trees 🙂
test with Safari
second test
@BtP
Safari so goody 😉
20+ minutes delay
Sometimes I’m tempted to take a holiday myself.
Trouble is, if I did, I don’t think I’d come back…
@BtP, 1:59pm
Panda on Safari? You don’t hear that every day of the week! 🙂
Anyways, please explain what going on Safari does for you rather than being an Explorer, ie, when you see this in half an hour or so! 🙁
Remember that I (the real Betty B not the imposter posting above) am an IT idiot…
Can someone tell me what’s going on with the Rev? I seem to have missed something.
@ Natasha, 4:04pm
Read through the last main thread Temporary Service Interruption and you will get the idea from some of the posts why he might need a breather. Apart from that, I have a feeling he has something he wishes to do over the next few days.
Anyways, what we can all do is keep the heid for a few days and behave like the sensible adults we are 🙂
Oh, that was interesting. Post to Natasha appeared immediately:-)
Pushing my luck now!
@Natasha he’s simply gone “tilt” over the (as yet formally unannounced) appointment of Kate Higgins as a SPAD to our Nicola.
Alternatively, he’s being touted by a variety of folks on here as having audience tickets for a range of politics shows over the next couple of days.
There’s even a wicked rumour that he’s attending the conference this weekend.
The first one above, was the subject of a (now replaced) thread he started and which rapidly became a misogyny accusation-fest.
Other than that, he probably simply needs a wee spell away from the hassle, and who can blame him?
@Betty Boop – Hmmm, so my tinkering with your bits seems to have some intermittent success?
Probably not my undisputed skills as a laptop fiddler, more likely to be a random occurrence of getting past some invisible barrier.
@JimT
It’s now 4:44pm and my post at 4:31pm still hasn’t appeared on Chrome which is where I posted it, but, is here on Explorer. Go figure.
And stop hinting about your predilections… my reputation is at stake and PR will be envious. 😉
Natasha
There’s only so much a sentient being with funtioning nervous system can take, before having to think up new and imaginative swear words? 🙂
@CameronB
Email me at thepnr03@gmail.com and I’ll pass on Brotyboys email address as he instructed earlier.
Hi Natasha.
Email me at:-
brian@navelfluffdoonthetoon.plus.com
(Remove navelfluff to get correct address.)
I’ll send you something.
@CameronB
I remember at Kinfauns Primary school a hundred and fifty years ago or so, someone suggested we invent swear words.
The two I thought up have both appeared on TV.
The first was ‘Smeg’, which appeared some years ago on Red Dwarf and the other was ‘Cunk’ which has appeared recently as Diane Morgan’s alter ego ‘Philomena Cunk’ on Charlie Brooker’s show.
Probably just coincidence, especially the second.
Can you put me down for 1st May please?
@iclare1 –
Noted!
🙂
Hi BDTT + Ian B, can you make sure I’m on the May 1st list too, please. Ta. 🙂
Hi iclare1, welcome, should be a lively night at the Counting House 🙂
Hi Ian
Was undecided about 1st May for personal reasons but if I can make it will definitely be there.
@BDTT
I intend staying overnight so will be driving, looking forward to shacking up with Paula Rose once again 😉
@Thepnr –
🙂
Thanks to everyone for filling me in about the Rev. Kate Higgins sounds like a real piece of work.
Hi Ian B.
You haven’t read my post at 9.48am yesterday morning, have you?
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@BDTT –
Sorry mister, did see it, but didn’t respond immediately, then forgot…
Your list is the main one. I don’t have any names that you don’t, assuming that you’ve updated today with iclare1, TJenny and Thepnr.
Still waiting to confirm a good few via my missus and SSP buddies – probably another dozen or so, but I’ll have to nail them down and get whatever names they want on badges etc.
Sorry if I’m flagging a bit, but you seem to have it all under control!!
Hey Brian,
Is the YES bus getting spruced up for a trip to Westminister?
Hi Cearc.
Because of the age of the bus, it usually keeps to within a 20 mile radius of Dundee.
However, it is going through to Edinburgh on 18th April.
Reason for keeping close to Dundee…
For example, if it breaks down on the Edinburgh trip, it would cost around £600 to get it ‘recovered’ back to the yard in Dundee. + the cost of getting the passengers back to Dundee.
From the 5th April, until the election, the Dragon will be at City Square in Dundee every weekend (mostly Sundays), as a campaigning hub for the SNP – whether they like it or not!
.
Hi Ian B.
I am continuing to be an alert reader!
BTW: ‘Alexandra Holmes’ has suggested ‘Sand Holmes’ as her username for the badge. That saves some ink…
Brian,
It would be worth low-loading it down for the MPs to arrive at Westminster in it.
@BDTT –
🙂
You’ve got it covered.
So far we still haven’t captured any celebrities (apart from, obviously, Miss Rose) so the shout is out – who will be the first ‘name’ to pledge attendance?
The smart money (or so I hear) is on Bateman, but a slender possibility that a Riddoch or McAlpine may, by sheer coincidence, find themselves in or around the CH on May 1st? Michty me, the grapevine is a weird and wonderful thing…
OOH! Cearc!
I will put that idea to Bob.
8=)
@ Brian Doonthetoon Why is the yes bus coming through to Edinburgh on the 18th of April. My part of the World.
Ian,
Celebrities?
I hear that a famous author and crossword compiler will be there!
@Ian Brotherhood
Don’t know if you are today’s compiler Ian, but if you are, could you post the missing clues? Looks like they used a bigger or bolder font for them and couldn’t fit them all in.
@Chic McG –
Wisny me mister!
It’s a hell of a mess today. Don’t know what must’ve happened to cause that.
Is that your letter in there today? Gordon Bennett, we’re taking the place over one column inch at a time…all we need now is Paula Rose doing a tasteful centre-spread.
Aye, that wis me.
@Chic McGregor
Very nice coverage of Maxwell’s achievements here:
link to maxwellyear2006.org
One quote from Einstein on his work.
“the most profound and the most fruitful that physics has experienced since the time of Newton.”
@Thepnr
Although he is well up there in the pantheon among his fellow physicists, I doubt whether even half the population of Scotland could tell you anything about him.
Another example of Union dividend perhaps?
It is remarkable how the greatest achievements of Scots become ‘buried’.
For example, James Gregory’s discovery of the calculus, the invention of the reflecting telescope, the identification of diffraction grating effects and his fundamental work on mathematical series and first proof of the calculus all attributed to Newton, Leibniz, Taylor et al.
Yet how many Scots have heard of him?
And then there is ‘survival of the fittest’ a well established theory of evolution in Scotland from Lord Monboddo to Patrick Matthews going back decades before Darwin ever came up to Edinburgh to do his degree.
Curiously, ‘second division’ achievements are ‘allowed’, James Watt, Bell, Baird.
Patrick Matthew no s
@Chic McGregor
You definitely got me there with James Gregory, I had always believed (and read) that there was a dispute as to who “founded” the use of calculus was between Newton and Leibniz.
I also have never heard of Lord Monboddo nor Patrick Matthews. How ignorant are we (I) then?
Looks like I should give up reading novels and start reading about Scottish history, in particular it’s scientists. Thanks Chic.
Thepnr
How ignorant are I? Tut tut.
🙂
Ok Natasha. Am I.
I said “are we” then realised that it was I who was ignorant and not Chic, hence the addition of I.
Please don’t belt me again Miss, I promise not to do it again 🙂
Hi Folks
Ninja Penguin in brilliant form and giving me something f@ckin’ excellent to sing..Hail Alba
Nicola’s Army
youtu.be/hiuSR8hQf18
A wee tune from Yew Choob for the weekend link to youtube.com
Hi Michael McCabe.
I’m not sure – something at Holyrood. I’ll try to get more info.
Hi Chic McGregor and Thepnr (and ‘et al’).
On the ‘scientist’ subject…
Who was the first person to demonstrate working electric light? And where?
And if anyone feels the urge to type Edison or Swan, award yourself a spell in Quarantine!
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@Brian Doonthetoon
Brian, did you receive my e mail ?
Thanks Ninja Penguin
I tried a while ago and followed all the rules so I’m glad you’re the ones wi’ the brains
Hi Ken.
Yes. I’ll reply tonight.
8=)
@BDtt
Would that be James Bowman Lindsay in Dundee in 1835?
He was born less than a mile from where I now live.
Amazing where Google can lead you 🙂
Electric light – was it Nicholas telsa?
Well done, Thepnr!
In 1835, 40 years before Thomas Edison announced the invention of the lightblub, he demonstrated constant electric light, whereby he could read a book at a distance of one and a half foot.
His concern with electric light was mainly prompted by the need to provide a safe method of lighting the jute mills, where severe fires had devastated the lives of the workers.
link to leisureandculturedundee.com
Oh, and it was in the Thistle Hall in Union Street, which, in a later incarnation, was Teazers Nite Club.
Nvm google says thepnr is right :p
I see you’ve discovered ‘off-topic’ Caledonius.
Welcome to the clubbie!
Gonna be in the Counting House on 1st May?
@Thepnr
I remember an incident as an undergraduate when we were going through the series definitions of various trigonometric functions.
The lecturer put up the series for arctan. I realised that if pi/4 was the presumed value then we could use the series to calculate a value for pi. I interjected with that suggestion and the lecturer told me I was correct and that it had been used to do that and that it was known as the Leibniz series.
On another occasion the lecturer covered MacLaurin’s series, pointing out that his grave was no more than 200 yards away from the lecture theater, in Greyfriar’s churchyard. He then went on to the related Taylor’s series which he prefaced (tongue-in-cheek) with the comment “but, of course, whatever a Scotsman can do an Englishman can do better”.
It was many years later that I learned, by chance nerdy leisure research, it was in fact Gregory who came up with both ‘Leibniz’ and Taylor’s’ series and many others.
Moral is – ignorance is rarely the fault of its possessor.
Something we should bear in mind when next exasperated by unionist displays of it, however spectacular.
Didn’t know about Lindsay, thanks.
But on a similar theme, the World’s first wind turbine used to generate electricity was built by James Blyth in Marykirk, just over the Angus/Aberdeen border. He offered to supply electricity to the town, but the people refused, thinking it the work of the devil. He used it to light his own house.
A useful one to use on Quixote types.
The lassie dancing in this video looks strangely familiar, but I can’t place her.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, ‘The Zephyr Song’ –
link to youtube.com
@Ian Brotherhood
Nice choice, enjoyed.
The dancer was also a little familiar to me too. Though I can’t place her, will have to wait until I get my cataracts operated on 🙂
@BDtt
By the way I met my lovely wife in Teezers Nite Club in 1978, I’d had a few and the cataracts were just starting to give me problems.
@Ian
Nope, can’t place her. Similar cheek structure to Sandie Shaw from the 60s.
‘Show me a motion!’
‘Aye. Nae borra. Jim’s jist left wan oan the carpet.’
Boney-M, ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’ –
link to youtube.com
Rain surely 🙂
Ian B, Thepnr, Chic McGregor
Is ‘cheek structure’ some kind of euphemism? Mind you, if I had a figure like that, I’d probably be dancing in my underwear too.
Nat, never noticed her figure. Yes, I am that old.
This one, obviously, is for Rev:
Boney-M, ‘Hooray! Hooray!’ (It’s A Holiday) –
link to youtube.com
Well the Rev must often think he his lying down by the rivers of Babylon, or at least the Tower of Babel.
Hey Ian Brotherhood
Just saw your post on the main thread, that 20 minute delay drives me nuts too. I was searching today for some kind of solution with no luck.
Patrician mentioned a few days ago here that he was close to having a solution. Have you got there yet P?
Now for Boney M 🙂
link to youtube.com
Hi Thepnr.
I’m using Firefox 35.0.1 with MacOS 10.6.8 (old, I know) on a Macpro from 2007 and I am having no delays.
.
Onnyhoo, this has got to be my fave Boney M track of all time, in the world, ever. When I played the 12″ in Chalmers & Joy for the wee listen, back in the 70s, I thought, “That is GOOD!”.
link to youtube.com
Sorry Ian,
For my entire life I have heard that line as “Brown girl in the rain”. Quite shocked really.
@Brian Doonthetoon
Glad to hear your not having any issues with delays to posting. I guess your not yet on the “list” and your posts don’t have to be filtered through GCHQ before appearing.
“A paranoid is someone who knows a little of what’s going on.”
William S Buroughs
Oh Thepnr, I have delay issues at work, both from my personal iMac and the work’s wintelbox.
I can’t think of a rational explanation.
I think it’s all down to some cookie malfunction.
Brian,
If you have enough confidence/knowledge, try installing dual boot to a Linux OS (Ubuntu, Mint etc.)
No Thanks, Chic.
MacOS 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) is working fine on this machine.
I don’t want to jinx it.
@ Ian Brotherhood If you go to go-go amy.com then to video then to commercial work you will find your Red Hot Chili Peppers Dancer. Anyway here is Something Delightful With a bit of Dancing. Does the Dancer look like a young Paula Rose ? link to youtube.com
@Thepnr –
I hereby nominate you as WOS’s very own ‘Daddy Cool’. You may have to acquire a suitable outfit for May 1st.
I’m sure Paula Rose would agree, but she’s been strangely quiet.
(Rev goes on an unexpected holiday, and Paula Rose is AWOL? Hmmm…)
@Chic McG –
‘She looks like a sugar in a plum’ is the one that always got me, but it turns out that is the actual lyric. Never mind – great tunes summoning happy memories. And Scotland’s very own Boney-M is looking more like ‘a sugar in a plum’ with every passing hour. Roll on the Sunday papers and politics programmes: “Taxi for Murphy!”
Never mind a taxi for Murphy. Let him run home The W–ker.
@ Brian Doonthetoon
What’s happening May 1st?
@Michael McCabe –
Nice one.
Can’t even guess whether this one is of similar vintage, but it did it for me at the time.
Black Box, ‘Ride On Time’ –
link to youtube.com
@Ian Brotherhood
And Scotland’s very own Boney-M is looking more like ‘a sugar in a plum’ with every passing hour.
You mean he’s on to plums! Hahaha 🙂
Caledonius
Bless you, child, we’re all meeting up in the Counting House in Glasgow for a Wings get-together! (Well, I say ‘we’ but I’ll probably be chained to a canvassing sheet and clipboard in Jedburgh). Scroll up the thread and you’ll find details
(I do hope you weren’t taking the p*** with that comment, because I’ll look really stupid if you were).
@ Natasha
Lol no, I was serious, I’m kind of new to Wings so behind on news like this. I don’t really get to talk politics much with family or friends so I’d thought Id try out talking to people on wings – people who hate the Union and want independance like I do. 🙂
Although I think Ive rubbed a few people the wrong way, not the best start. The meeting sounds fun, if I’m allowed to stick around this site I’ll certainly try to go.
Btw, I tend to use my iPad and sometimes I get instant posts but at night it takes about 15mins for my posts to appear. Could the slowness be due to some sort of time of day thing?
Btw I’m no tech wizard, just a silly thought. Wanted to let you know my experience as I see others are suffering posts appearing after long delays too.
@Caledonius
“Although I think Ive rubbed a few people the wrong way, not the best start.”
Don’t worry about it. I do that all the time! 😉
Hi Michael McCabe.
The info below is from the event’s Facebook page at:-
link to facebook.com
—————————————————-
18 April
at 12:00–16:00
The Scottish Parliament, EH99 1SP
To ensure the Scottish voice is heard at Westminster, and to stop a majority government, we need to vote SNP in the general election. This is the best way to support Scotland on the road to Independence.
BEST TIN HAT AWARD – Embracing the phenomenon we will award a trophy and a bottle of wine to the most innovative tin hat of the day 🙂 🙂 🙂 PLEASE wear it proudly on the 18th April 🙂 🙂
POETRY COMPETITION – Closing date 31/3/15
We are running a poetry competition and the winner will get to read out his/her poem on the day of the rally. Please submit your entries to;- thevoiceofscotland@virginmedia.com
;- just a couple of rules….keep it clean, no swearing, and as the focus of the rally is on the SNP, please mention them somewhere in your entry. Good luck!!
Speakers;
Joyce Rahman – Opening address
1.MC McKinnon – The Voice of Scotland
2.Colin Keir – SNP MSP Edinburgh West
3.Tommy Sheppard – SNP Westminster Candidate
4.Maciej Wiczynski – Poles for an Independent Scotland
5.Paul Young – Scotland Against Fracking
6.Roddy Oliphant – link to itsscotlandsoil.com
7.Martin Mitchell – The Radical Road Bar/Restaurant
8.Ex-Corporal Cliff Purvis- Veterans for Independence
9.?????? – Poetry competition winner
10.Ben Munnoch – Young Scots for Independence
11.Barbara-Anne Haig – Yes45Fife
12.Ruaraidh Oliphant – Scotland’s Youngest activist!
13.Deb Brown – Yes We Care Dundee
14.Steve Bell – Steve will read out statements from supporters who are unable to attend the rally.
15. Andy McGurk – Catelonia/Scotland & Independence
16 Derek Bateman -Ex BBC journalist-derekbateman.co.uk
17 Adrian Bayne – The Voice of Scotland
18 Hannah Bardell – SNP Westminster candidate
19 Hardeep Singh Kholi – Comedian, Broadcaster, Journalist & Chef TBC
20 Michelle Thomson – SNP Westminster Candidate
21 June Reilly – Charity worker with homeless and vulnerable adults
Joyce Rahman – Closing statement
Supporting statements;
Springbank Distillers Campbeltown.
A YES supporting family company
Brian Cox – Dundee born Scottish actor, films include Braveheart, The Bourne Identity, X-Men
Elaine C Smith – Glasgow born actress, TV credits include Rab C Nesbitt, Naked Video, theatre roles Calender Girls & I dreamed a Dream.
The fabulous YES BUS will be there!
Music:-
Dick Gaughan – International Singer/songwriter/guitarist
Ted Christopher – One of Scotland’s finest performers
Kenny Donaldson – Wonderful accordionist
Amanda Brown – Fabulous vocalist/guitarist from Fife
Scott McWatt – Critically acclaimed Scottish recording artist
Rebecca McKinlay- Traditional piper & highland dancers
Musicians for Indy – Please check out their facebook page
Jack Rowberry – Award winning modern blues singer
LIVESTREAM
FOOD BANK COLLECTION
It has become customary for there to be a food bank collection at these events, and this one will be no different. The generosity of the Indy folks is now well documented and welcomed from the charities that run these places. Many, many thanks.
—————————————————
You can see the ‘poster’ here:-
link to tinyurl.com
Cannae make the rally. Will be in New Zealand. 🙁
@Caledonius 12.58am
You haven’t rubbed anyone up the wrong way; when you get to know Ian B a bit better, you’ll be able to have a joke with him. You’re very welcome here. More so in my opinion than some long-term commenters who have just revealed a very nasty side to their natures over on the ‘Temporary interruption’ thread.
@Bdtt
Met Kevin (livestream)at the SNP conference today and he is intending to come to the Counting House bash on 1 May.
Badge name required = Thistle
Spent pm with QQ & Chipmonkey and met a few more Wingers hingin’ aboot the place. Great first day.
Betty Boop
I watched the conference on independence live.It looked really good & would have loved to be there. Had to make do with Ronnie Anderson & John King causing havoc on Livestream comments page instead! 🙂
Have no idea whether they are livestreaming tomorrow but hope so.
Help! Can I have some reinforcements on the main thread – they’re starting to eat each other – it’s not pretty 🙁 very sad 🙁 My first venture onto Off Topic by the way xxx
@ Lollysmum, 9:41pm
Conference was really good, excellent speeches and resolutions. You know, it is just like Wings; it is like being amongst family.
I’ll have to look at the livestream and see what RA & JK have been up to 🙂
@Natasha & mumsyhugs
Believe me it is not worth becoming embroiled, the exact same thing happened in Sept after the Referendum when the Rev took a break.
Paula Rose made the right choice when telling me by email on Friday she would not be back until Monday when the Rev returns.
@ mumsyhugs, 10:18pm
I’ve been trying to catch up on what’s been going on in the main thread and it seemed to be calming down a little while back.
I guess the report that started the argument is having the effect intended, ie to be divisive. Whilst respecting everyone’s opinions, we shouldn’t allow that to happen.
I have just saw a post from Paula Rose on the main thread, I guess the valve popped and the pressure just had to be released!
I’ve left the Rev sleeping peacefully – he loved his foot massage. I’ve already had to do some whip stuff on the main thread, now dears can we get the kilted hordes to behave?
@Natasha –
This is for you.
I like to think it’s about a Blobfish, but they just couldn’t bring themselves to use that in the title:
Radiohead, ‘Weird Fishes’ –
link to youtube.com
No surprise here –
link to youtube.com
@ Brian Doonthetoon 9:43am Thank you for all that lovely Information. I will be taking a wee daunder down there on the 18th.
(do these comments from the Bahamas reach you?)
Coming over loud and clear Paula. Oh wait…Paula come back Paula…
I guess the Rev called huh, that’s you and me finished LOL.
Jock Tamson has just tweeted me that he’s not too particular.
Paula Rose,
Gently with the thumbscrews, sweetie. We want the Rev returned still able to type.
Please be quiet – took me ages to get the Rev to go to sleep last night.
We didn’t half post some good music on here in the last year. Fellow Wingers take a bow.
He’s stirring – got to go xx
@Paula Rose –
‘Do these comments from the Bahamas reach you?’
Yes, they do, but they take approximately 20 minutes, as they would if you were ten feet away.
Thepnr – shh dear, we don’t want everyone to know.
Cearc sweetest – he’s salivating over the flocked wallpaper.
@Ian
The Piglet Squid looks more like Mr Blobby than the Blob Fish, IMO.
I know, controversial suggestion, but judge for yourself:
link to divereport.com
Oops! wrong url.
Hod on…
link to 36.media.tumblr.com
@ Natasha
Aww thanks Natasha. You, Lesley Anne and a couple of others have certainly helped me feel more part of the group. And as for Ian Brotherhood, I think we concluded we clashed when not in the best moods, it seems all sorted now. 🙂
And yeah was sad the way the main thread went. Personally thought the SNP conference would have dominated the talk today, but hey ho, maybe tmoz.
Thanks again for filling me in on the counting house event!
There’s a bit of Lord Foulkes about it as well.
Does this work? Maybe…
link to youtube.com
Oops – Rev is stirring, must attend – xx
@Chic McGregor –
🙂
Sooperbus Maximus.
‘There’s a bit of Lord Foulkes about it as well.’
So, not only is it a Piglet Squid, but it’s pished?
Now there’s a thing…
@Ian Brotherhood
Thanks – I think. You continue to broaden my musical education.
I’m thinking of changing my username to Shrieking Harpy. What do you think?
@Natasha
FWIW I agreed with everything you said, just reluctant to get involved. Been there and done that. Decided it’s a waste of time, refusing to fan the flames.
Nice to see you getting stuck in though. By the way if I felt I needed too, believe me I would. Better though to starve them of oxygen.
@Natasha –
😉
I think it’s too late for me to attempt to answer loaded questions, because I am, myself, loaded.
I also think that some folk are still wielding hatchets which, for the greater good, need to be buried soonermost.
Should I ask, or just go back to bed?
Go away for a few days RnR and the last thread seems to have gone tonto. Seems an awfie lot of grumpy folk on it. With over a thousand posts I’ll give reading back through the thing a miss.
Any roads, played catch up on my recording of the SNP conference last night. Helluva speech by the FM. I haven’t trusted the political class for (mumble) years, but that lady may just be the real deal y’know. Mr Hosie and Mr Robertson looked like class acts in their interviews, hell even the random bods interviewed on the floor after the main event looked different class. The old Beeb couldn’t lay a glove on any of them.
Morning folks. Hate this changing clocks, I’ll be jetlagged for the whole day!
Popped over to the main thread. Popped back out again.
Going to play some Red Hot Chilie Pipers at full crank to see if it will wake me up.
Just looked at my laptop to find it’s an hour later than I thought. B******ds! Who invented BST anyway? They ought to be shot at dawn. Not that I’m intolerant or anything.
Ian B
I’m keeping my hatchet up my sleeve until I can find a head to bury it in.
Natasha,
Plenty of wood to chop here!
Just noticed something that I hadn’t noticed before when refreshing the page using Chrome.
If you scroll down to the very bottom of the page so that the “Submit Comment” button is visible and then refresh the page. As the refresh completes I briefly see this line of text appear below the comment button:
Current ye@r* 3.4.
Anyone one else fancy trying this, I know after doing a google search for “Current ye@r*” that it is associated with WordPress and may be a bug.
Tried again using Firefox and got this line of type:
Current ye@r* 2015
2015 instead of 3.4. Puzzling.
And that last post went up instantly instead of the typical delay.
That last post did not appear instantly and still hasn’t.
Thepnr
Yes you are right. I get it with Chrome but nothing when I use IE
@Lollysmum
Thanks, do you suffer from posts being delayed or not?
@Thepnr
I get that too.
2015 for me.
Currently using Linux version of Pale Moon (a modified variant of Firefox).
Out of curiosity, I took a look into the source code of this page.
The “Current Ye@r” thing seems to be part of the antispam measures. With “2015” and “3.4” being the two values listed there.
Not too sure exactly how it works, since my knowledge of web scripting is limited…
@Oneironaut
Your knowledge of web scripting may be limited but mine is non-existent.
Take a look at the first few results of this Google search, seems there is some kind of issue starting 4 or so months ago. I have no idea though if these issues are in any way related to the delays of posts appearing.
Just hoping someone with more knowledge might find something as it’s an absolute pain.
link to google.co.uk
Going by that, it definitely seems to be part of the antispam measures.
One site on there has it set as an actual visible form field (like Name, Mail and so on). Except it’s filled in as a number like “3.4” by default, and the poster has to clear that and type in the current year, “2015”.
That way it’s less likely to be an automated spam bot, as they wouldn’t know to do that. Similar to a “captcha code” used on some forums that only a human could respond to.
On this site though, it doesn’t seem to be active. Maybe once a poster is moderated, the Rev can add them to a “not spam” list thus it isn’t needed. Anyone on that list can post normally, while anyone not on that list gets sent to the moderation queue and either allowed or blocked.
So it’s a bit more aggressive than normal spam filtering, as I’d guess this site is under various forms of attack most of the time.
I’m only assuming that’s how it works though. Could be wrong.
I don’t think it’s what’s causing the slow down though. Unless the antispam measures are unusually slow to respond to new messages.
I find that a spot of sauce coding and whipped scripting does the job.
@Oneironaut
Thanks for that, I’m probably barking up the wrong tree but did find it funny that I hadn’t noticed that appearing before.
I’m certain the site has a “not spam” list as your first post is always moderated, same if you type your email or id wrong.
Thepnr
Oh yes, I’ve always suffered from delayed posts. So much so that it isn’t worth trying to join conversations because by the time my post appears, the thread has moved on to another subject so I’m always behind the curve.
I often end up just giving up on posting.
Would you believe it-my last post appeared immediately!
I did wonder if it was something to do with how many were browsing particular pages simultaneously.
And my last one didn’t appear immediately-it just doesn’t make sense.7 minutes & counting for that one.
This one submitted at 9.16pm
I just tried the reload right at the bottom of the page thing and, for a microsecond, I saw the date 2015. I will now post this and see what happens.
And that posted immediately!
BTW:
The last four names I have for badges on the 1st May are:-
iclare1
TJenny
Alex Clark Thepnr
Thistle
Anyone I’ve missed over the last 48 hours or so?
@BDtt
“Anyone I’ve missed over the last 48 hours or so?”
Apart from the Rev, you mean. 😉
@BDTT –
Not that I’ve noticed – you’ve caught all the same weird fishes as me.
Ignore this post, just testing post speed!
Hi X_Sticks.
The Rev has his badges from Invergowrie in September last year, Glasgow in November, and Invergowrie in February. And his Seafest badge, and his ‘Arbroath Declaration’ badge, and so on.
He probably has a bigger collection than Betty Boop!
I wonder if he’ll come to the Counting House to collect his latest, in person?
.
We’re up to speed then Ian!
@BDTT –
We certainly are.
I told the hardy buddies in Ardrossan about it today, and will do so again at SSP branch meetings, perhaps RIC meet if I can make it. Genuine interest – especially as it’s likely to be the last social for most prior to the GE.
Rev safely delivered back into the fray – don’t mention flocked wallpaper.
So, when do we start rehearsals for doing this on May 1st? Out there in George Square, with all the moves sorted, tight as a drum. Bags me the bass player.
But who will be Maurice White? I suggest Ronnie A should get first shout at that…
Earth Wind and Fire, ‘September’ –
link to youtube.com
@ Ian Brotherhood I read yout post on the main page re Ardrossan, next time better no making your notes in a notepad in the pissing rain. But weil done to you,s all that braved that storm front.
@Oneironaut & Ian Brotherhood
Just wanted to say, well done both of you for getting drookit and freezing just to let Gordy know that we haven’t gone away.
Hope your having a hot toddy now 🙂
@ Ian Brotherhood am no blacking up fur anybody ask Billy Cotton an he,ll bring his band lol.
Just stumbled across this. Used to love the Neville Brothers, and this guy was the business. Seems he’s still going…
Aaron Neville, ‘Tears On My Pillow’ –
link to youtube.com
Ronnie darling – just over a month to go till I am in your arms!
Here’s one for Paula Rose.
Johnny Nash, ‘Hold Me Tight’ –
link to youtube.com
Hi Ian B.
Before I turn in…
“She said spread your wings my little butterfly…”
“Mom, I touched the net!”
“If these wings could fly, for the rest of our lives…”
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
link to youtube.com
@Oneironaut –
Haven’t even checked with you yet if you’re coming to CH on May 1st. Are you? You wouldn’t want to miss out on the customised badge – your campaign medal collection won’t be the same without it.
Please confirm!
Enjoyed the conference the last 2 days in the good company of QQ Betty Boop and Jim T. Pictorial evidence that Betty Boop and I got our hands on Humzah Yousaf to follow when I work out how. Jealous Paula Rose and Natasha?
@ Briandoonthetoon Please add Jock Scott for the 1st May also waiting on Julie submitting names.
@ Paula Rose You,ll need tae strech your arms tae git roon everybody lol.
Hi chipmonkey
Try using tinypic.com to post the pictures, works well on Wings and no need to give any personal details like email ect.
They are stored on their site with a link you can post here.
What’s the times for the get together on 1st May? I’d love to come but would be relying on trains to Dumfries
@ Macart, 7:49am
They were all class acts!
Never thought I would spend two full days at a political party conference and want to do it all over again!
If anything, the atmosphere was even more intense than the Hydro a few months back. We did get down to business too! 🙂
@Ian Brotherhood
Dunno really. You know I’ve never been much of a social person.
(An “antisocial socialist”, you might say!)
I’ll see what kind of state I’m in by then anyway. Also whether I can afford the fare and the ridiculous prices they charge for drinks up in Glasgow! Hehe.
Hi peeps.
My last post, anywhere, for tonight.
This was in today’s Sunday Herald. The wee segment that jumped out at me was,
“Dundee West, won by Labour in 2010 with a 7278 majority over the SNP, is said to have been written off by headquarters and has not been given an organiser.”
Here’s the link but you don’t have to click it – I have pasted the full story below.
link to heraldscotland.com
——————————————————
(Headline)Scottish Labour accused of ‘giving up’ in key election marginals
Paul Hutcheon
Investigations Editor
Sunday 29 March 2015
SCOTTISH Labour headquarters has been accused of giving up on key battleground seats by channelling resources to the party’s favoured “sons and daughters”.
The Sunday Herald has learned that Dundee West, held by Labour for 65 years, has not been given a dedicated party organiser, while resources have also been moved away from a prime target seat on the outskirts of Glasgow.
Labour won 41 seats at the last general election in Scotland, but opinion polls have predicted meltdown for Jim Murphy’s party and sweeping SNP gains.
Political parties in Scotland tend to prioritise a small number of seats in national elections, but the polls have meant that nearly all Labour constituencies north of the border are in play.
Of the thirty or so organisers working for Scottish Labour, some are focusing on one seat, while others are taking care of multiple constituencies.
In public, Murphy is committed to holding every seat won in 2010 and picking up gains from the Liberal Democrats.
In private, tough decisions have been made in the party’s Bath Street HQ about which seats should get the time and resources.
Dundee West, won by Labour in 2010 with a 7278 majority over the SNP, is said to have been written off by headquarters and has not been given an organiser.
The organiser in East Dunbartonshire, which Murphy said he wants to win from LibDem Minister Jo Swinson, also covers the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East seat, and is believed to be focusing more on the latter constituency.
Lanark and Hamilton East, which Labour’s Jimmy Hood won in 2010 by 13,478 votes, is not expected to get a dedicated organiser.
Activists are knocking doors in these constituencies, but senior party insiders believe these seats are either lost causes or risks not worth taking.
When considering which seats to prioritise, Labour HQ looks at the 2011 Holyrood result, referendum voting behaviour, and whether local members are hitting targets for the amount of voter contacts made.
Resources are being used in Glasgow, parts of Lanarkshire, as well as in the West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire seats, the latter of which is held by Murphy.
Glasgow East MP Margaret Curran, who is also shadow Scotland secretary, is receiving help from the party.
One senior party source said: “The resources are benefiting the favoured sons and daughters.”
A second insider said: “It looks like HQ has given up in these seats.”
An email has also revealed that the Blairite Progress group will be campaigning next week to save seven Scottish Labour candidates associated with New Labour.
On Wednesday, Progress activists will visit the seats held by MPs Anas Sarwar, Gemma Doyle, Gregg McClymont and Pamela Nash.
On Thursday, the team will help MPs Ian Murray and Sheila Gilmore, as well as candidate Melanie Ward.
A spokesperson for Scottish Labour said: “Labour has 33 organisers working in seats across Scotland. It is the largest ground campaign we have ever had and we will continue to make the case for social justice through the election of a Labour government, street by street, door by door across the country.”
Ross Greer, the Scottish Green candidate in East Dunbartonshire, said: “It’s amazing that Labour have taken so long to realise East Dunbartonshire will reject them at the ballot box in May, although their reliance on Royal Mail would indicate that they don’t have the volunteers knocking on doors and feeding voters’ anger back to party HQ.”
SNP MP Angus Robertson said: “Labour are paying a heavy price for their toxic alliance with the Tories in the referendum – and these revelations show that there is simply no such thing as Labour heartlands in Scotland any more, as their support under Ed Miliband and Jim Murphy continues to stagnate.”
A Scottish Conservatives spokesman said: “Labour appears to be paying the price for decades of complacency in these seats. Parachuting in last minute organisers to certain parts of the country won’t reverse that neglect.”
——————————————————
link to youtube.com
@Indigo –
No big fixed times – say, 7, 7.30-ish? but some will be there beforehand. I’ll be there about six-ish. If we lay claim to the same patch as before, it’s a sharp left when you go in through the main doors on St Vincent Place.
Last time I had the space booked, but there’s no need for it – the place is so huge that, even if 150 of us turn up, we’ll find room enough, if not in that patch, elsewhere, and if we end-up absorbing other punters, no worries – it could be a happy hunting ground for us, get a few last-minute converts.
Not sure what the numbers were last time, we all had different guesses, but it couldn’t have been far off 150 at its busiest, maybe more. The doormen got a bit tetchy with us at one point because we were jam-packed and the bar staff were having bother getting through us to clear the empties.
Regardless of numbers, it should be a great night, if for no other reason than we’re doing it right on the doorstep of Glasgow City Council – they won’t like it one wee toty bit.
Really hope you can make it Indigo – tell all your pals, and make a proper night of it!
That’s interesting, I wonder whether perceived strength of SNP candidates is shaping where they’re putting resources too – Chris Law in Dundee West with his Spirit of Independence profile would be difficult to beat I think
@ chipmonkey, 11:12pm
Good to see you both in Glasgow.
Never did get Alex’s book signed. After having us wait in the hall, they asked everyone to join on the end of the queue buying their books in the stalls section! I think folk might still be there!!!
Don’t want to make Paula R too envious with tales of Humza, but, a lady was positively swooning when she said she had a kiss from him yesterday. Your photo might put Paula over the edge. 😉
@Betty Boop
Trying the tiny pic thingy
//i62.tinypic.com/rwjp08.jpg
Thanks Ian, might just be me but keen to meet other wings folks, train back is at 11 apparently so that should be fine, just need to get some child sitting organised 🙂
Indigo – that’s you added to to the badge list.
You better turn up!
8=)
Haha, well that’s that decided then! Cheers Brian
@Indigo –
🙂
Can BDTT add you to the list for a personalised badge? And if so, what name should appear on’t?
Real name? Lorna
@ Ian Brotherhood and CH Wingers
Perhaps we would endear ourselves to CH staff by making sure we return glasses to the bar and save the staff the bother of having to climb over or shimmy through us.
No shimmying might upset Paula, however, but I’m sure she’ll find some other entertainment 😉
@ Indigo
Hi Lorna – meant to say, we’ll be pleased to meet you at CH. The more the merrier!
Xword fans. Digital version today, clues invisible on chrome w7 unless you click and hold over them.
I usually use snip to screen capture so you can fill it in with the snip pencil.
Trying snip seemed to work, clues were visible during capture, but were not visible in final captured image.
Same for the National’s built in version of snip.
However the page pdf download function does display the clues.
ctrl + to zoom in on pdf then use snip to capture is a workaround.
@Ian Brotherhood
Just checking, did you get my message with the pics from yesterday?
Not sure if Gmail are playing sneaky tricks with my messages again…
Cheers Ronnie
Looking forward to meeting up with folks again.
@Oneironaut –
Yeah, I got the pics and message, quite late-on.
I replied last night. Didn’t you get it?
@Ian Brotherhood
Nope. Looks like Gmail was playing sneaky tricks with my messages after all.
At least that one got through 🙂
Hi Indigo (Lorna).
On your badge, do you want,
Indigo
Lorna
Indigo (Lorna)
Lorna (Indigo)
Lorna Indigo
Indigo Lorna
?
.
BTW: Captured Jock Scot (Yew Choob) also.
Do you want,
Jock Scot
Yew Choob
Jock Scot (Yew Choob)
Yew Choob (Jock Scot)
Jock Scot
Yew Choob
Yew Choob
Jock Scot
?
I know, it reads pedantic, but we’d hate for you to be disappointed with the nomenclature on your badge.
Beedeeteetee
Executive decision – “Indigo” and “Jock Scot” – It’s who we Ken them as.
Hi Paula Rose.
Will you be wearing the crotchless earflaps while you administer you executive decision?
What about,
Alex Clark
Thepnr
Alex Clark (Thepnr)
Thepnr (Alex Clark)
And so on?
Are you willing to risk the wrath of Thepnr if we get his badge wrong?
I do wish that I could follow my own advice since it’s embarrassing that you can’t.
Like a lot of others here we can only take so much before letting off steam. I regret posting last night when I should have know better than to do that, my trigger was pulled and that was that.
Apologies to those I may have offended by flying off the handle. Particularly X-Sticks as my comments were aimed at controversy and those were the three that sprang to mind.
I wasn’t arguing the right or wrong of any position, only the timing. Sorry again, I know I can contribute much better than that.
Thepnr
Wrath? LOL.
Hi Alex.
Like many others, who can’t keep up with comments as they are posted, I find myself trawling through them and I find that any post I was gonna do in response to the ABL story, has already been addressed by another Winger.
I know that there are are many who read the ABL story, then immediately click on the icon to go to the comment box, type and submit their comment, without reading if anyone has typed the same thing, provided the same link(s) and so on.
I find that so frustrating!
It’s like that ALL the comments that have been posted before are irrelevant!
That’s why my posts on the main pages are few and far between – someone’s already typed what I would have typed.
Does what I’ve typed concur with your particular regrets of last night?
Eh dinnae ken. Eh’m fae doon the toon, ken, iye?
“ABL” = “ATL”; Above the line.
I was thinking in shorthand.
Beedeeteetee – you’re frae a lovely part of town dear, succinct and to the point xx.
No Brian of course not.
To understand what I was trying to apologise for you would have to read all the comments from about midnight on.
Please stick Thepnr on my badge. Ta.
Hi Alex.
“Please stick Thepnr on my badge. Ta.”
Noted.
BTW: my observation in my earlier post wasn’t aimed at you.
I read your wee disagreement with X_Sticks last night and I thought, “Alex is a wee bit emotional tonight; that’s no’ like him.”
I was just observing that a lot of Wingers comment without reading everything that has been posted previously, and that’s why I find that anything I was thinking of typing has already been typed.
If I THINK I’m gonna type, I make sure I read all the other posts before I type my 2p worth. Then I find that what I was gonna type has been covered already.
Not all Wingers do that, as I typed previously.
Makes one feel like a lurker…
@Thepnr
No worries Alex I know what a wee hothead you can be 😉
As long as you get a pint to me at the Counting House before I get my hands on Paula whip you’ll be fine 😀
Had a great weekend at the conference, first time I’ve ever been a delegate to a party conference. Who knew that it would be such fun. Those who know me will know that politics only became a part of my life because of Wings. Thanks for that guys – Mrs Bob is now an SNP widow as well as a Wings widow.
Lots of fellow wingers there as well. In order that I don’t offend by omission ill just say it was great seeing you all.
That’s part of the reason I rarely chip in on main article discussions.
Even before the current “posting lag” problems, I was still lingering behind the discussions (likely due to the fact that my mind takes longer to process certain topics that aren’t related to my usual interests). Not to mention the fact that I usually don’t have the spare time to read through several hundred posts a day to check that my comment hasn’t already been said.
Easier not to bother saying it, than to say it anyway and be greeted with a reply of “(name) already said that. Try and keep up, ya daftie!” (Or less flattering words to that effect!)
Also, I had other reasons for taking a few steps back from Wings over the past months…
And on that note, I just deleted most of what I was going to type next. I’d rather not feed any dirt diggers from the MSM who happen to be reading through these posts.
But yeah, like Rev Stu said before, everyone has their breaking point.
Anyways, lightening the mood a bit. I’ll post up some music…
Here’s one for Jim Murphy! 😉 Hehe.
link to youtube.com
@X_Sticks
Thanks, same goes for all that were supporting the petition, I used it, wrongly, as an example of timing.
Interesting that the Rev goes and does exactly what I was arguing against in the first article of today. Maybe simply a case of wash your sheets right away rather than lay in the filth?
Bdtt
Only just caught up on posts, read yours from the 29th at 11.55pm, fell about laughing. “Given” organisers by HQ? We’re fighting off volunteers at branch level, and that’s in the Scottish Borders! We could easily have had three organisers just for our branch, never mind for the constituency, but had to choose just one because of the way the membership data network is organised.
What a joke. They really are dead in the water now.
Bdtt
What the heck. I’m going to ask for a badge, and then I’ll feel obliged to make it to the CH even if I should be out canvassing.
I’m torn between ‘Natasha’ and ‘Shrieking Harpy’ though.
@ Brian Doonthetoon
Nothing wrong with being a lurker! Lurkers unite! Well I was such until I actually summoned up the guts to finally post an opinion one day… now I can’t stop. Damn my addictive personality.
Oh and as it happens my first few posts (after validation) took about 15mins each to appear. Now it’s only about 2mins to instant. Curious.
Natasha,
Wee Evil Furrin Shrieking Harpy, surely?
Thepnr,
Shouldn’t worry about too much. Compared with the ‘Let’s pick on people (apart from ourselves) to blame for losing the referendun’ brigade, yours was a quite mellow remark.
Caledonius, 12.24pm
It’s so sweet watching you leaping about in the deep end after having put a toe in the water; I was just the same when I started commenting (don’t recall anyone welcoming me, though – some people actually reserved judgement in case I was a troll! Honestly – petite moi?)
Just keep an eye out for sharks (and blobfish – ask Ian B about that).
cearc
Nah, that wouldn’t fit on the badge. 🙂
@ Caledonius Ah dont lke Lurkers. Ah like Lurchers WOOF WOOF did nobody tell you.
Lurkers =s Lurchers =s Winger =s Informed.
All the Graduates meet on the 1st May in the Counting House register your name for a named badge to BrianDTT.
@ Natasha O ya wee fibber ah welcomed you as did others,you,ll be gone tae the back of the class if you fib again.
Having read all the posts on the main threads. I now find myself at the last resort and it seems Everybody has gone. So Before I call it a night I will leave you with a Song. link to youtube.com Oh nearly forgot. It’s great having you back Rev Stu.
Re Alex Thepnr and Brian DTT comments on how quickly the threads move on, I suffer the same fate of being to late for the party as well this is more to do with my slow one finger typing speed rather than any delay in uploading, still
its good to see lots of new posters on the threads just shows that our group are not withering away but getting stronger, we would have more to moan about if the site was shrinking rather than growing.
I would like to set up a SNP stall in our wee corner of Scotland. Where can I get hold of leaflets and other campaign materials as local SNP branch has nothing spare. Happy to purchase badges etc direct from SNP shop but really need stuff people can take away and read. I do not have the facilities to print my own.
@John Young I can arrange to get you iScot magazines which you can sell and split the sale 50/50 allowing you to generate a ‘fighting fund’ to print your own material.
Let me know if that is of interest to you.
It’s a good thing I’m not religious.
Looking at the storm that’s battering this place right now, I’d probably suspect Jim Murphy and Co of trying to summon up dark malevolent supernatural assistance to win them the election!
@kendomacaroonbar
Hmmm, consider me intrigued by that idea also… 🙂
Not sure who’d buy them in this town, but curious about it anyway.
Hi Natasha
I think I welcomed you when you first started posting 🙂 I do try when I see someone new, but, by the time I get on here these days, they might have been posting for weeks before I notice.
Having difficulty keeping up with because of all the stuff going on outside and, these days, I usually have a 20+ minute delay on most posts. Always surprised now if a post appears immediately!
Anyways, for anyone I have missed greeting, please be assured that you are welcome as far as I am concerned :-))
@ronnie anderson
Oh please say I’ve evolved into a winger! It would make my year!
Also May 1st – I might be heading up to Striling around then for a friends 21st birthday, things a bit up in the air atm, I’ll try to confirm one way or the other in the next week.
@ Oneironaut @ 11.37am
‘And Lo! Did the dark prophet Jim Murphy of the Fib attempt to summon forth a great flood, that it might sweep away the scourge of Sturgeon and her followers, and all who dared to dream of independance and a fairer society.’
Not sure about 4 down today.
BTW clues are still invisible today, so wondering if it may not be a ruse to get folk to buy the paper version? In which case, my bad for telling workaround.
I buy the paper version anyway, but in the evening. That is to check how many are left. If there are none left, so much the better, I didn’t waste a possible first time buyer getting one.
Chic,
Just keep complaining to them, maybe they will sort it.
My today’s complaint @8.20:
‘I know it is rather dull and conventional but how about having a crossword with ALL the clues every day and VISIBLE.
That tantalizing glimpse of the clues as one taps on the screen does produce a wee frisson of excitement. Then there is the thrill of discovering that if you hold click continuously you can both see the clues and get a sore finger.
Sadly, overall, these pleasures are totally outweighed by not being able to do the *** crossword, again.’
No response yet!
cearc
See my workaround above (yesterday).
Briefly download pdf of page.
Zoom in on crossword with ctrl+
Snip it (snip should be in accessories on windows)
Fill it in with the snip pencil. Might want to set mouse to slow for easier writing control.
BTW yesterday’s maths square was particularly easy 😉
@Caledonius
“Oh please say I’ve evolved into a winger! It would make my year! “
Becoming a Winger is a state of mind…
A form of transcendence into something greater…
Just as the lowly caterpillar that knows little beyond the taste of the leaves shall one day rise as a beautiful butterfly and enjoy the freedom of the sky. So too shall the brainwashed follower of the Red and Blue Tories one day be reborn anew by the discovery of the truth, and rise up to know all the freedom that the promise of independence can offer.
No-one can tell you you are a Winger, it is something you have to feel within the heart and soul.
And with great power comes great responsibility…
There is much to learn. Next week, how to catch a fly with chopsticks! 😀
@Oneironaut, Caledonius
Yes, only when you can walk the entire path of paper without missing a single lie will you earn the name ‘Grassrootshoper’.
Of course there remains the minor matter of burning the Wings logo into your forearms by lifting the Rev’s cauldron of truth.
Caledonius says:
“Oh please say I’ve evolved into a winger! It would make my year!”
You’ll have to attend one of the Wings over Scotland new inductees backroom gatherings where you have to make a sacrifice to the Rev. Sleeves and trouser legs being rolled up are optional but won’t do your cause any harm.
Certain high officers in the cult of the separatists must be in attendance before your induction as a winger is recognised by George Galloway.
😀
Natasha, don’t rename yourself shrieking harpy! I fear that would involve a picture change, and that dog with the yes sticker on its noggin is far to cute to be replaced.
@ Oneironaut
Yes Sensei, wise words, I shall reflect in them.
OT Today was the deadline for countries to join the AIIB and retain founder status and rights.
A lot of dominoes have fallen in the last few days. The UK was the first in Europe. The last biggie, Russia lodged its application a couple of days ago.
Even the IMF and World Bank have felt it necessary to give it support despite American opposition.
This really feels like the beginning of the end of dollar dominance. i.e. just a wee bit important in the World order of things.
How do I post a foatay on here?
Wee Jonny
Ye cannae. The Rev disnae allow it.
Ye’ll need tae post a link tae it in an online repository.
Natasha honey – your name is and will be Natasha, now stop being silly, and have you forgotten that lovely stroke I gave you after your first comment?
ronnie anderson – don’t forget the hairy string on the first of May for our lovely new wingers.
Caledonius darling – don’t be trepidatious, I’ll be gentle.
kendomacaroonbar at 11.09am what a good suggestion, think I would prefer just to hand them out to anyone who shows a genuine interest. Can I get back to you tomorrow evening and thank you for responding so promptly.
Chic M.
Ah okay. No biggy Twiggy.
I’ve just had a few signs on my car changed and fancied posing a foatay o it in here.
@John Young
Absolutely no problem John.
Oneironaut @ 3.26pm
Brilliant post on being a Winger & so funny. You earlly should post more often. I’ve needed that LOL all day. Catching a fly with chopsticks :-)When & where is the lesson going to be?
Aaargh Really not earlly-duhhhh!
Never having had the pleasure of a wings meet n greet before, quick question. Is there eats involved or should you eat before you get there.
Sounds a daft question I know, but just getting things squared for the trip and the hotel.
@Macart
There’s no food laid on but the Counting House does decent pub grub and seems pretty popular for food.
Go early and get a seat. Wings have generally gathered in the south west corner of the pub – it’s almost a separate room tucked round the corner.
Look forward to meeting you there.
Ditto x_sticks
Any particular time?
MacArt love – I expect there will be flutterings of wings from about six rising to a roar within an hour xx
@Paula Rose
Many thanks m’lady.
Look forward to it.
@Wee Jonny
Try tinypic.com read the instructions. It’s just a drag and drop case then you can post the link it generates.
SSP branch meeting earlier, first in a wee while for me, and I was telling them about the WOS Mayday bash. One of the chaps expressed particular interest – thing is, if he does come, he’ll be bringing his fiddle.
Now, me ain’t no musician, but this guy is good. Problem – nae music in Wetherspoons pubs. (Aye, well, if they object to him playing then they’ll mibbe lose one hundred or more customers at a stroke…)
Ian,
He could play to the smokers outside?
@Lollysmum
The lesson will probably be somewhere on the Dreamscape. For there, anything is possible, where worlds rise and fall with but a fleeting thought, and catching a fly with chopsticks is an effortless task.
Alternatively, I could come along to the Counting House gig, and you could bring some chopsticks and flies with you, and I’ll give it a go here on the material plane too 🙂 Might take me a little longer than I’m used to though!
@Ian Brotherhood
Now I’m definitely tempted to come along after all. Curious to see if the bouncers decide to use the window instead of the door to remove him from the premises! I’ve heard they do that sometimes.
I’ll bring some popcorn to eat while enjoying the show! 😀 Hehe.
Hi Natasha.
I’ve added you to the badge list for the 1st May, “as known”.
8=)
.
Macart and Caledonius – if you’re definitely gonna be there, let me know and I’ll add you to the badge list.
The deadline for claiming a badge will be 11.59pm on Wednesday, 29th April.
.
Hi Wee Jonny.
If you want to send me pics like last time, I’ll do the needful. You no’ wahnt ti book a seat or seats on the charabanc through to Glasgow with us on 1st May?
That goes for anyone else in the Dundee > Perth > Blackford > Stirling > Glasgow route area. 8 seats still available @ £8 for the return journey.
Leaving Dundee @ 5.30pm; leaving Glasgow @ 12.15am.
When I want cheering up I watch this clip. Just something in the kid’s joy when he really get’s into it makes me smile.
link to youtube.com
@cearc –
That’s exactly what I was thinking – he could play outside, in George Square, and we could go out to see him. And he would do it too, I’m sure. Lovely guy, and a real character.
At the SSP/SNP stall in Saltcoats a couple of weeks ago, he got right up the noses of the neighbouring ‘Labour’ stall-people by loudly referring to them (repeatedly, for over an hour) as ‘the wattered-doon Tories ower there!’
Hi peeps.
I’ve been a tad remiss, what with one thing and another.
It was Paula Rose’s mention of the hairy string that reminded me.
Here are a couple of pics from last Sunday, 22nd March, where Wings joined up with Team YES Bus to campaign for independence and the SNP at City Square in Dundee.
This first shows Wingers and assorted Team YES Bus members. For those of you who don’t know Ronnie Anderson, he’s the tall guy in the middle.
The second features Ronnie wielding the hairy string over the head of CameronB Brodie, in Henry’s Coffee House in City Square, at the après-campaigning wind down.
‘The place reminded me of home – it was filthy and full of strangers’.
That, plus the best mother-in-law joke of all time, right here:
Les Dawson on ‘The Good Old Days’ (1983) –
link to youtube.com
Ah Dundee… not been back in 11 years. Nice seeing photos of it again 🙂
And dare I ask the story of the hairy string? Or is it an enigma wrapped in a mystery?
Oh and Ian Brotherhood, Natasha tells me to ask you a very very important super serious question. It is: Blofish?
Oh, blobfish actually.
link to youtube.com
Here is an Oldie. link to youtube.com
@ Caledonius
To be invested into the Order of the Hairy String is one of the highest honours bestowed upon a Winger. The ceremony always comes as a surprise to those so honoured as does the criteria for being anointed.
The roll call of anointees is short, such is the status of this honour.
Be assured, you will know if you are ever so anointed. :-))
@ Ian Brotherhood, 12:43am
@ Brian Doonthetoon, 12:13am
Gee, I’m up late tonight…
There’s nothing desperate about Ronnie!
Anyways:
@Ronnie, the curl that hairy string still has is quite impressive. You haven’t had the curling tongs on it, have you?
@CameronB, Nice to put the face to the name!
Yeah Mr B. would be good to have some live instrumentation at the CH giggle.
Should the evening take a wander outside, I’d probably have a notion to do the locomotion around Freedom Square, led by fiddle.
Merry April the 1st Day attendees 🙂
X
@ Ian Brotherhood For You. link to youtube.com Thank You Very Much.
@Caledonius
“And dare I ask the story of the hairy string? Or is it an enigma wrapped in a mystery?”
That’s the final lesson.
After the one about how to walk on water and how to master the “midge stance” of Winger martial arts (you must be very swift and very annoying to your opponents!) 😉
Talking of The Hairy String, here it is at Inverwotsit.
Sorry, I had forgotten about those pix.
link to tinypic.com
@thepnr and others having issues posting. The issue here isn’t with most people’s browser or PC. The issue is the WordPress installation on the server hosting the site. To use a highly technical description the configuration is sh*gged. Stu needs to get whoever is doing the hosting to go through the configuration and fix the issues. There are some issues that are not fixable unless you are quite technically minded.
I have some workarounds but they are more hacks. For example, for Firefox if you are having to fill in your details every time you post, then use the extension auto fill version 1.6.
@Patrician.
Need to get you to look at my i mac sometime , that “technical” description fits my copy of Safari – don’t know what happened to it and I’ve stopped using it. Now use Firefox.
@Patrician
Thanks for that. Will give it a try.
apologies, I am blaming autocomplete on my phone, earlier post should read:
autofill3.6 version.
Just ask if you have a problem setting it up, the official instructions are rubbish.
testing autofill
Hmmm, not working yet. Installed autofill, restarted Firefox, returned to Off Topic and name and email fields blank. Will try again after restarting computer.
Not working for me I’m afraid. I suspect there may be other issues??
link to i62.tinypic.com
@Betty Boop – I was bound to get it wrong …
@chipmonkey
Nice pic 🙂
Aha! Thanks @Thepnr
It must have worked then!
You never know what I’ll manage to post next… hairy string… seafest…
Ian Brotherhood, 12.43am
Great link to Les Dawson. Just a shame it was followed by Bernard Manning!! 🙂
Caledonius
The first time I encountered the hairy string, I thought Ronnie was going to hang me!
schrodingers cat – if you’re lurking out there, Loretta says hello. 🙂
chipmonkey – I am very jealous, although I would still choose Alex over Humza.
@ chipmonkey
Thanks Fiona for the pic of Humza and his granny! Nice bloke, eh?
Hi Chipmonkey.
The rule of thumb is…
If the web address has both h.t.t.p.// and w.w.w. (disregard the periods), then you don’t paste the h.t.t.p.// part – WordPress adds that in automatically. You only need everything after, and including w.w.w.
So, a link to my webspace should look like this (with h.t.t.p.s.) typed in front of it:-
However, if you link to a site that has the whole shebang, ie, h.t.t.p://w.w.w. (without the dots), then you only paste the stuff from “www” onwards.
See?
@bdtt thanks, now I remember. I got it second time:-) I thought ailing the first time was worth it not to get hit on the head with a big stick for rule breaking 🙂
Nice photo. It’s the one where I’m the blob half hidden by the yes flag!
Like Youtube, for example.
@thepnr
It does work, the trick is to after installing the addon and restarting firefox.
Open a wings article and do the following.
Click in Name text box, fill in your name, now right click in that box, in the dropdown menu select Autofill -> Add rule for this field. Click next button and then click Finish button.
Repeat for Mail and Website, if required.
Open a different Wings article and you should hear a beep as it updates the text boxes.
Hello all, sorry I haven’t commented or put up any new Devo Files for a while: a mixture of a horrendous bug and some trying personal issues have really taken it out of me.
With the start of the campaign, the negativity, lies, corruption and fighting has kicked into gear, and it’s supremely difficult for me to keep a happy face. The recent SNP gender quota controversy didn’t help: the last thing I wanted to see was people sympathetic to the cause fighting with each other on a complicated issue like this. We have enough problems with New Labour lying about the SNP planning to scrap the UK pension and the “biggest party forms the government” meme, the NeoLibDems lying through their teeth about fantasy federalism and holding the Tories to account, and the Tories just being the Tories.
With only about five weeks to go, I have to get out of this mess. We’re on the cusp of a new age, and I’m still too traumatized by the referendum result to countenance defeat in May. I’m sick of the people and cause I believe in being called racist, right-wing, xenophobic, economically illiterate, fascist, evil, everything under the sun, while *I’m* the one being accused of having a problem with “tone.”
I have made an arse of myself on the main thread, (not for the first time recently) with stating that the BBC were messing with the Jim Murphy interview. No excuses, I missed it.
Taking a break from Wings, I need it, see you all on election night.
@Taranaich & Thepnr –
Steady lads, steady…
To paraphrase Orwell – if you want a picture of Scotland’s future, just imagine Brian Donohoe’s face, laughing, forever…
It could happen – if we give up.
See ye’s tomorrow?
Hoots!
Thepnr: Taking a break from Wings
When a guy lives vicariously by who he talks to on a social website it’s time to find a new hobby. 🙁
Thepnr
We love you.
Taranaich
We love you too.
The hour is always darkest before the dawn.
@Thepnr et a’body else interested –
My new email address:
ianbhood@gmail.com
The old one will die on Friday.
@ Taranaich
Hi there, I for one just want to say great work with those files. I’ve been utterly shocked at the votes some of these so called Scottish MPs took in our name. If you ever make more I’d love the dirt on Frank Roy.
As for all the negativity, dunno, I found it worse during the referendum especially the moment my dad phoning from England said to me “no idea why those racist yes voters want to destroy the Union, utterly disgusting – don’t let them intimidate you.”. To which I could only reply “dad, I am a Yes supporter.” it was a horrible awkward time. And after defeat I literally felt numb for weeks, don’t think I even ushered a word the full day following it.
Now, I can’t explain it, I don’t feel the same pressure or dread. I dont want to call it hope or optimism but it feels damn close to that. I also find limiting how many blogs I visit and how much news I look at help. I know most of it will be full of crap and just raise my stress levels. So why bother – and if polls are correct and as rock solid as they have been for months then it seems many people are now clued on to much of the medias bile.
Perhaps just step back from the politics for a few days, this things got weeks to go yet. The Rev seemed to benefit from his four day break.
Let them call us names, it’s nothing new. With luck our revenge will come election night, watching smug unionist MPs who have called us allsorts dethroned. Hope you feel better soon, you really have been doing a great thing with those files, and I for one do appreciate the work you must have put into them.
@Thepnr
Know what you mean fella. Had to take a break myself.
Sometimes you get too close, too involved, so invested you don’t see the wall until you smack into it. Do what I did and have a rest. In your case well earned.
By the by I’m still looking to shake that hand.
Rest well.
@ taranaich
That’s what makes you, you.
You care.
No bad thing in my book.
Kick back with some non political literature for a few days and possibly the box set of your fav sci fi. That’s what I do. 😉
I’ll be there on 1st May……badge please if possible?
Thepnr & Taranaich
To regain the world we need to step back from it a little. Away from the noise.
@Taranaich + Thepnr
Now you know why I keep disappearing for months on end…
Have to stop doing that though, it’s getting more and more difficult to return each time, knowing I have to immerse myself once more in that vile pool of media poison.
Ignorance truly is bliss… Maybe that’s why so many people out there like to remain gullible and uninformed…
Hi Kininvie.
Noted. You’re on the list…
Sair fecht the day, cannae get 15 doon. Some kine o flooer Ah think, mibbes in Latin.
Hi Taranaich. Me too. I don’t comment on the posts now as I feel there is a great big elephant in the room called gender equality.
So I’m taking a break and reading blogs, reading books, watching videos etc to keep the mind active! I’ve just baked an Easter cake too!
Watched all ten parts of a video on the 1916 Easter Rising (well it’s Easter and the 100th anniversary is next year and there’ll be precious little about it on the MSM).
link to youtube.com
Keep on blogging – you have a great resource in your devo files back in your Wilderness of Peace!
Hi Patrician.
I installed that extension on my ‘at work’ iMac and it works fine, filling in the two fields.
However, that hasn’t cured the delay in a post appearing. They still take around 10 minutes to appear. On this machine, my home MacPro, posts appear within seconds of hitting ‘Submit Comment’.
Strange thing is, both machines are running MacOS Snow Leopard with Firefox 35.0.1.
Oh, and I disabled “Blur” (formerly “Do Not Track Me”) on WOS pages, on the work machine, but that didn’t make any difference either.
Starting the third in The Lewis Trilogy by Peter May.
What a cracking read so far. Already feeling sad that this is the last in the series.
I hasten to add: by “this mess” I most assuredly did NOT mean you fine folks, it’s more about my local situation. Inverclyde is one of the localities which is still predicted to be a New Labour retention, even given the SNP surge, and I desperately don’t want any SNP Inverclyde folk to think this is going to be a cakewalk. Not a single activist I know is complacent, of course, but there are only so many of us: even if every member got out and worked, 1,300 for an electorate of over 60,000 is a momentous challenge.
@Taranaich
Could always suggest pooling resources to buy up a few advertising billboards around Inverclyde and use them to display some of the choicest bits from Mr McKenzie’s Devo File there 😉
Failing that, getting them made into stickers for bus shelters and public noticeboards perhaps?
Good luck with the campaigning! 🙂
If you’re watching tonight’s leaders’ debate, keep the page at the link open and click on disagree or agree as your mood takes you.
The graph will be updated in real time.
link to itv.com
@Chic McGregor what a fascinating character Peter May is. Just googled him. Will look out fof the Lewis Trilogy. Sounds like the kind of story that would make a great TV series.
Not watching the debates as no TV but will look on youtube.
Good luck with the canvassing Taranaich. You sound quietly determined!
@Capella
Yes I think he is excellent. The grit and detail and the realistic well developed characters are fully up to or surpass those of ‘Nordic Noir’ of which I believe ‘Scottish Noir’ (McIlvanney, Taggart etc.) is a subset or maybe even a precursor.
Like Nordic Noir he has characters which are all allowed to work to the full intelligence of which they are capable, which distinguishes that genre from the Anglo/American likes of Midsommer Murders, Murder She Wrote, Death in Paradise and the like, where superficial, often inexplicably stupid, stereotypes are the order of the day.
He avoids stereotyping, like Nordic Noir, but takes that even further by, whenever he can, describing some of the character’s history which helps an understanding of how they got to where they are. Not just one or two characters but as many as he can do that for.
Even the ‘bad’ guys.
OK his character development is maybe not quite up to that of McIlvanney but his overall fusion of character development, real life grit and the care over how many of the main characters got to where they are is new an unique I think. A new, and I think better, quality/quantity balance.
His plots are logically cohesive and intelligently intricate.
As for televisation, yes, much of it you can easily see is transferable, but some bits, very important bits, would require a new approach and a very good director to accomplish it. But if they managed it, it could be groundbreaking.
Let me rewrite this bit: (Must learn to check that edit window before hitting send)
‘OK his character development is maybe not quite up to that of McIlvanney but his overall fusion of character development, real life grit and the care over how many more of the main characters got to where they are is new and unique I think. And I think a better, quality/quantity balance.’
@ Chic McGregor
Are you a copywriter? You could write the blurbs for his novels! Intriguing. I do love Nordic noir and I thought the Swedish and Danish productions were much superior to the British version of Wallander. I put it down to a completely different world view. Maybe Scandinavian, maybe social democrat? Beyond stereotypes anyway. How can these wee countries produce good drama!
But I have to confess to not reading McIlvanney. Must add to reading list already too long.
Capella
No, just a recent find for me.
PS
I agree the superiority of the Scandinavian productions, directorially, but to his credit, I thought Branagh, who I normally write off as a luvie-wannabe, did ‘get’ it. But not enough to salvage. Scandi was better.
The Bridge, is my fav.
But in book 2, May attempts insight into an even more challenged character than Saga Norn.
@ Thepnr. You said you were talking a wee break from Wings and not Posting. I think you will still be reading the posts though. Anyway here is a wee song for you. link to youtube.com Haste ye back Alex
For those taking a time-out, a virtual thumbs-up to y’all, lurking is mandatory though 🙂
It’ll soon be party-time in Scotland as each and every SNP seat win is announced.
This Tuesday is the month to go marker, see you then.
McIlvanny is brilliant. So astute. After the ‘Kiln’ have read most of his books. He was in a Hotel in Glasgow recently being acknowledged. Rankin has borrowed a few hints. Ian Banks is a good writer.
Been reading up on Irish History after a recent trip to Dublin. A great City with a good Art Gallery. An interesting exhibition of Artists and Writers linked.
@Cactus
My mind is on permanent time-out these days. I just leave my body to do the occasional post.
Try not to engage my body in debate though, he’s a sarcastic little git when he gets going! 😉
Interesting feedback on the Leaders Debate. I watched the BBC “highlights” last night and Nicola Sturgeon was particularly impressive on two points:
1 keeping Labour honest
2 challenging Cameron on an EU referendum to honour the votes of the member nations of this “family of nations”.
I find today that her EU referendum challenge has been edited out of the “highlights” !
Ah the BBC, what are they like?
Even worse – all broadcasters have edited out Nicola’s attack on wasting billions on Trident. That wasn’t even the first version of the highlights. Craig Murray has detail:
link to craigmurray.org.uk
We will need a special youtube video of “offcuts”.
Can someone advise please..? I’ve enquired using the contact form but have yet to receive my crowdfunder perk.
Has everybody else received theirs?
Thanks.
@oneironaut – know what you mean dude.. hopefully things will make more sense in just over a months time 🙂
@Cactus
I wouldn’t expect the Rev to get around to that stuff until after the election. He may be a bit busy to deal with such trivia before that 😉
If he turned up at the Counting House he could probably save himself a fortune in postage…just sayin’ like..
I am not allowing the Rev to leave his parishioners in Bath for the foreseeable future – he has a flock that need his spiritual guidance.
I’ve posted this on today’s main page but I thought it would be an idea to post it, also, in off-topic, for the cognoscenti.
————————————————-
Two subjects to this post…
1. McGovern’s reason for withdrawing.
I read this web page through a link on a Facebook page on Tuesday.
link to iaindale.com
The pertinent sentence is right at the end of 14 Dundee West.
“There are rumours that Jim McGovern is being pressured to stand aside for a new candidate.”
.
2.
Back on 21st November 2014 (the Day before the Wings get-together in Glasgow and Nicola’s Hydro gig), Rev Stu posted this:
“We’ve still got cash left over in the Wings kitty and it’s only £500 for an election deposit. We think it’s about time that we put up our own candidate, either at the next available by-election or at the 2015 general election.
We’re not even joking. We’re going to do it. Because it looks like ANYONE can beat the Lib Dems now.”
And he typed that here:-
link to wingsoverscotland.com
So, me and Pete the Camera managed to get some badges made for the Wings get-together on the 22nd November in Glasgow.
(See link below.) Some of you may possess these badges…
I recently sent Rev Stu a collection of badges that we’ve put together since August last year. In his email reply, he said that he’s definitely wearing this one the next time he’s asked on TV – the one we managed to put together for the November meet.
@All me O/T buddies –
Anyone who wants to keep in touch, please note my new e-mail – ianbhood@gmail.com
Please drop a note if you’ve a spare minute, or you’re going spare for a minute – either will do nicely, so long as I get your details.
The address you have for me will be deid on Monday, if it isn’t already.
Since the gender balance debate looks like it will be permanently Off Topic, I thought I should post a couple of links here to current articles on this issue.
First up is Bella Caledonia where the wings position is mentioned, I thought quite sensitively.
link to tinyurl.com
Second is a Common Space article which covers other types of discrimination against minority groups.
link to tinyurl.com
For those who regard these as “divisive issues” and wonder why they are raised now, I can only say from decades of experience:
There is NEVER a right time
There is NO proper method.
It is always TOO MUCH and TOO SOON.
There’s an election to win.
Message received, thanks.
@Brian Doonthetoon
I sometimes see a delay on posting on one of my home machines but not on the others. The one I perceive as slow is the one that doesn’t have cookies installed, it needs the autofill fix. I say perceive, as occasionally the posts appear almost immediately. To me this points to either the server that hosts this website is labouring under the strain occasionally or GCHQ need to get their finger out and process the posts quicker 😉 Unfortunately, either one takes it out of our hands.
@ Patrician
Well, let’s see how long this post takes to appear!
I know you have been sporadically putting the brain cells into gear on this for months, so, thank you for your efforts.
Been having trouble since just after the Ref. It did get better for a while, but, was dire last week. I used to find that if a post was taking a while to appear on Explorer, I could pop over to Chrome and would be there and vice versa. Now, they can both be simultaneously slow or can pop up immediately on the odd occasion especially if it is the first post of the day!
‘Tis an enigma or a mystery or just tomfoolery at Cheltenham 🙁
My 2:25am post went up immediately! 🙂
@ Patrician
The post right afterwards didn’t go up immediately and the 2:25 still hasn’t appeared on Chrome.
Doh…
Ken500
Agree on all those comments.
I think you would like May.
Hello, please put me on the list for 1 May at the Counting House. Irene Anderson.
Hi Irene.
You’re now on the list!
Good to meet you this afternoon in George Square.
(Thinks… Another Anderson. Should we be worried?)
8=)
After a bra’ trip to Glasgow today, I’ve been catching up on the Wings main pages and comments.
Which made me think of the link below. We have not returned to the back of the bus – we have occupied the driving seat!
link to youtube.com
Referring back to my post of last night at 9.35pm…
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Re: item 2. In the last 23 hours, someone pointed out to me that WOS = Wings Over Scotland and WOS = Wings Over Somerset.
I never noticed that…
It was me doon
Edith Piaf, ‘La Vie En Rose’ –
link to youtube.com
Gabriel Yared, ‘C’Est Le Vent, Betty’ –
link to youtube.com
Johnny Hallyday, ‘Un Jour Viendra’ –
link to youtube.com
The Manhattan Transfer, ‘Chanson D’Amour’ –
link to youtube.com
@Irene Anderson –
Got ye on my list as well – looking forward to seeing you.
Hoots!
I see you mentioned crazycat’s and my benightment today Ronnie, on ‘The Accused’ thread 🙂
Aye, an unexpected ‘honour’, does that make us knights of the hairystring realm noo?
Anyways lovely to meet you and Bdtt and crazycat, caz-m, and Pete…hope I haven’t left anyone out.
MIssed Nicola’s speech but more than made up for by meeting you guy’s 🙂
A wee song that could describe the ‘spirit’ of many on here 🙂
link to youtube.com
@Betty Boop
Some of what happens can be fixed by pressing Ctrl+F5 to refresh your browser. This is a fix that I suggested to use when the site was under DDOS for a while.
A simple explanation: F5 reloads the latest version of a webpage, this will usually be from a copy in your computers memory. Ctrl+F5 requests the server that has the webpage to send a completely new version of the webpage.
However, it worth noting that while Ctrl+F5 will cause a request for a new web page from the server, the server may ignore the request and return a server cached page. Thus even Ctrl+F5 may return an old version of the page if the server doesn’t properly handle the request. I think this is part of the problem, there are issues on the server hosting Wings or to be more precise there are issues with the WordPress installation. I see issues like this almost every day in my working life, usually caused by someone for example, upgrading a piece of software with a fix that looks innocuous or tweaking a setting to see what it does and forgetting to return it to its original setting. It usually just comes down to bad change management and testing procedures.
Skip this part if you don’t want technical explanation: F5 reloads the webpage from the local cache if it is available and hasn’t timed out, if it isn’t available then it will request the page from the hosting server. Ctrl-F5, requests the webpage directly from the hosting server regardless of whether there is a locally cached copy. More info on caching can be found at this link, link to w3.org.
Ian Brotherhood – I’m sitting comfortably.
Have I got this right?
link to youtube.com
Sweet…
link to youtube.com
just a note…
link to youtube.com
I know dears – but it’s gotta be…
link to youtube.com
Anyone interested in the English view?
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose –
Good Dury there. 🙂
4
3
2
1
I was young once…
link to youtube.com
@Paula Rose –
My e-mail’s deid tomorrow, or day after, so please note: ianbhood@gmail.com
Hoots the noo!
One for the Rev…
link to youtube.com
Did I do this one for the Rev?
link to youtube.com
@ K1 That was a great wee song you played. you should pop over to off/topic more often with a song. Anyway. link to youtube.com Aye till I die.
Can’t resist – my thoughts go out to you all…
link to youtube.com
something quiet…
link to youtube.com
Time for some real music…
link to youtube.com
I live and breathe in this country.
For Easter this is lovely…
link to youtube.com
hermless…
link to youtube.com
2
1
Blast Off – The Birthday Party
link to youtube.com
Paula Rose
You might have guessed by now Paula, you make me want to fiddle about and get at the fundamentals. Well, I think this cat has a lot to do with the development of certain predilections we share.
Talking about ‘hip to the beat’, here’s one of the wildest showbiz dudes of his era. Mae West apparently thought he was probably one of the greatest entertainer of his time. I don’t think “race music” would have been accepted into ‘popular culture’ at that time, without him. 😉
Sorry for poor audio quality. 🙁
Thanks bro. 😉
Harry “The Hipster” Gibson – Piano Boogie Jump
link to youtube.com
Darn, missed the new page. 🙂
something for this Groundhog weekend
Groundhogs from Who will save the world
link to youtube.com
Thanks Bdtt, and Teddy Thompson’s cover of ‘Tonight Will Be FIne, is one of my ‘heart’ songs…:-)
I replied to you in the wee sma’ hours but it didn’t post…think tiredness left in the http…anyway…
link to youtube.com
Oops that reply was meant for Michael…:-)
Hi peeps.
Here’s the updated info forom the Facebook page, regarding the YESNP Independence Rally in Edinburgh, on 18th April.
======================================================
18 April
at 12:00–16:00
Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre
Ocean Drive, Leith, EH6 6JJ Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Not long now until our event, but as the heading above suggests, we have had to have a change of venue!
We have three incredible SNP Westminster candidates on our speakers list and the Scottish Parliament felt the rally was taking the form of an election broadcast and under their rules they have to remain neutral, which we totally understand.
So, we have managed to source another fabulous space, it’s The Waterfront Plaza, Ocean Terminal – just opposite the main entrance to the shopping centre.
The new venue means our candidates can speak freely and are not restricted by the constraints at the Parliament grounds on the run up to the general election. It also means we are not as pushed for time, which is wonderful.
Car parking at Ocean Terminal is FREE, and it’s well served by Lothian Buses. I hope this will be an easy change for you and that you will still be able to attend.
Many thanks for your support
To ensure the Scottish voice is heard at Westminster, and to stop a majority government, we need to vote SNP in the general election. This is the best way to support Scotland on the road to Independence.
BEST TIN HAT AWARD – Embracing the phenomenon we will award a trophy and a bottle of wine to the most innovative tin hat of the day 🙂 🙂 🙂 PLEASE wear it proudly on the 18th April 🙂 🙂
POETRY COMPETITION – Now closed.
We have had a phenomenal amount of entries! Some funny, some poignant, all fantastic….thank you so much for embracing the suggestion. The admin will meet in the next few days and we will announce our winner 🙂 🙂
Speakers;
Joyce Rahman – Opening address
1.MC McKinnon – The Voice of Scotland
2.Colin Keir – SNP MSP Edinburgh West
3.Tommy Sheppard – SNP Westminster Candidate
4.Maciej Wiczynski – Poles for an Independent Scotland
5.Paul Young – Scotland Against Fracking
6.Roddy Oliphant – link to itsscotlandsoil.com
7.Martin Mitchell – The Radical Road Bar/Restaurant
8.Ex-Corporal Cliff Purvis- Veterans for Independence
9.?????? – Poetry competition winner
10.Ben Munnoch – Young Scots for Independence
11.Barbara-Anne Haig – Yes45Fife
12.Ruaraidh Oliphant – Scotland’s Youngest activist!
13.Deb Brown – Yes We Care Dundee
14.Steve Bell – Steve will read out statements from supporters who are unable to attend the rally.
15. Andy McGurk – Catelonia/Scotland & Independence
16 Derek Bateman -Ex BBC journalist-derekbateman.co.uk
17 Adrian Bayne – The Voice of Scotland
18 Hannah Bardell – SNP Westminster candidate
19 Hardeep Singh Kholi – Comedian, Broadcaster, Journalist & Chef TBC
20 Michelle Thomson – SNP Westminster Candidate
21 June Reilly – Charity worker with homeless and vulnerable adults
Joyce Rahman – Closing statement
Supporting statements;
Springbank Distillers Campbeltown.
A YES supporting family company
Brian Cox – Dundee born Scottish actor, films include Braveheart, The Bourne Identity, X-Men
Elaine C Smith – Glasgow born actress, TV credits include Rab C Nesbitt, Naked Video, theatre roles Calender Girls & I dreamed a Dream.
The fabulous YES BUS will be there!
Music:-
Dick Gaughan – International Singer/songwriter/guitarist
Ted Christopher – One of Scotland’s finest performers
Kenny Donaldson – Wonderful accordionist
Amanda Brown – Fabulous vocalist/guitarist from Fife
Scott McWatt – Critically acclaimed Scottish recording artist
Rebecca McKinlay- Traditional piper & highland dancers
Musicians for Indy – Please check out their facebook page
Jack Rowberry – Award winning modern blues singer
LIVESTREAM
FOOD BANK COLLECTION
It has become customary for there to be a food bank collection at these events, and this one will be no different. The generosity of the Indy folks is now well documented and welcomed from the charities that run these places. Many, many thanks.
“forom” = from
@ Patrician, 12:14am
Thanks for the tips. As we have found over the months, it is outwith our control 🙁
At least there was only a few minutes delay in the wee, sma’ hours instead of the usual 20+ minutes!
Err…
Crivens! You know what?
Our ambassador woke me from hibernation.
How’s everybody doing?
Cheers!
Hi AuldA.
Good to see the March sunshine – and your ambassador – have brought you out of hibernation!
Your lack of input to Frenchgate/Memogate over the last couple of days perpluzzled* me.
Onnyhoo, as you have typed that you want us to correct your English/Scots, I must point out that the usual spelling of “crivens” is “crivvins”, usually preceded by “Jings!” and followed with “Help ma Boab!”.
This link may help you to get your tongue round the Dundonesian dialect of Scots.
link to web.archive.org
Onnyhoo, nice to see you back.
* One of my makey-up words.
AuldA honey! Coffee or something stronger?
Wee Jonny sent me a pic of the update to his wheels a few days ago and – woe is me! – I’ve just got round to uploading it to my web space.
Apologies to Wee Jonny for my tardiness.
BTW, WJ: you want to book a seat on the minibus through to Glasgow on 1st May for the Wings get-together?
link to sites.google.com
@ Bdtt
@Wee Jonny
Jings, that car is impressive – love it 🙂
@ Auld A,
Whaur hae ye bin? Welcome back:-)
@Everybody:
Thanks for your heartwarming messages!
Feel a bit dozy tonight but will answer tomorrow for sure.
Hugs and kisses from Paris! Have a great evening!
@Hoss Mackintosh
Regarding the article about the Today programming being edited. After Morags post saying everything was the same I of course listened again and it was the same.
Thinks how did I miss that? Doesn’t matter the “fact” is that I did. So pissed off with myself that I took a break from wings. This was a good idea in any case.
However, I started reading again tonight and went back to that original thread and saw that I wasn’t the only winger to see the edit. That was a relief, here’s the good news for our sanity. The original version of the Today program I listened to was 2:59:46 the previous two days were 3:00:16 a 30 second difference obviously.
The version that is up now is 2:59:57 an extra 11 seconds from what we listened to.
I know what I heard, everybody else can make their own minds up.
Glad to see you back Thepnr.
Thepnr dearest – got the coffee machine on for AuldA, do you want the same?
re – Return of Thepnr.
On the face of it, a contradiction in terms, but a most welcome development all the same.
Alex – please note my new email: ianbhood@gmail.com
(The auld yin will be deid tomorrow.)
I’ve been asked, by Bob Costello of Team YES Bus, if Wingers want to have presence next Sunday in Dundee, with the YES Bus at City Square, the 12th April.
The YES Bus will be campaigning for a maximum vote for the SNP on 7th May, and for independence for Scotland, in the long term.
Ronnie is now in possession of the banner, so it’s now up to him.
cearc sweetest – special stroke.
Ian has had a quick swish – anyone else before I put the wand away?
Dont be putting the blame oan me you didna tell me yesterday , an I asked you if you had anything on in Dundee, to take the Wings banner back with you,sneaky bahaaah,ah know yer game so’s I,ll come tae Dundee ae you need tae do is ask Lol.
BDtt,
I could post you a spare white tarpaulin 3.41 metres long and 1.76 metres wide. If you want to make another banner.
Och Ronnie…
Bob only got back into Dundee after his Norwegian cruise, at 3.15 this morning.
He’s only, just, getting back into the campaigning groove.
If you’re coming up to Dundee, gimme a shout on…
0-7-9-8-6–8-8-7-9-9-8 (Day time)
or
0-1-3-8-2–2-2-1-1-8-0 (Evening)
Hi Cearc.
What makes you so sure that I would know what do do with such an implement?
@ Paula Rose yup everybody knew but ,money spoke louder than words.
Whose got the ‘I want my baby back’ link?
@ Briandoonthetoon Whit dey yea mean
(Thinks… Another Anderson. Should we be worried?)
There,s many branches in oor Oak Tree Brian,so dont be walking under any or anither Anderson mibbee faw in here,ah want mair tae come oot the woods,an they dont need tae be of ma Clan lol.
Welcome Irene.
@Thepnr,
Thanks for your comment – I also thought I was going nuts but my wife was listening as well and we both did not hear Rev Stu’s bit.
It had been cut and then replaced later.
Waste of time complaining to the BBC but sometimes it is better to get it out of your system. I just got their response earlier…
“If it was not available for technical reasons initially, that problem seems to have been corrected now. Sorry for any inconvenience.”
Still waiting on my final one at the BBC trust.
I have bought the G.A. Ponsonby book and looking forward to that.:-)
Welcome back.
Hi, Auld A! Welcome back; we’ve missed you.
@Paula: a coffee with a dram of… well, uh.
@Natasha: Thanks!
I’ve lost a lot of time engrossed in literary exercises (i.e. trying to write short stories), until I found out recently that, whatever amount of energy and love I put into them, I could not get them fully right—specifically I couldn’t write realistic dialogues. There seems to be an insuperable fence here: if you’re not immersed in an English-speaking world or use English everyday with native speakers, there is hardly a way you can tell, for example, unusual or posh words from normal ones, which leads to stilted dialogue; it’s not about purple prose or something of that ilk, it’s about picking the right word and not something (almost) nobody uses and that you choose nevertheless because, well, you don’t have the necessary feedback to sort the chaff from the wheat.
And written English does not help you here.
Besides, I suddenly realised listening to the accent tag feed on YouTube that there were still large areas of Scotland where I would experience (at least at start) a ‘lost in translation’ syndrome. Like, e.g., listening to the Aberdonian accent. That was an exotic experience.
@Brian: thanks for your advice. That will help me write better Scottish dialogues in the future! 😛 Perpuzzled. You mean discombobulated? Flabbergasted maybe? Ever-so-slightly :°
Besides, I’m still involved in linguistic quests. This time I search I word I forgot whose meaning both encompasses ‘move repeatedly up and down, yoyo’ and ‘discuss vividly’. Any idea?
Have a great day anyone out there in the Northern mists! 🙂
Bdtt – Thanks for posting that photo Brian. I do love my car.
I won’t make the Coontin Hoos on the 1st.
Is it my imagination or are there more Yes stickers on cars again? There was a lull after the 18th but I’m sure I’ve saw more and more the last couple o weeks. Anybody else?
@Paula Rose
“Ian has had a quick swish – anyone else before I put the wand away?”
Aww, did I miss my chance? 🙁
Was just out wandering in the fog down by the shoreline here. No zombies or ghost ships spotted yet.
(All the Labour supporters must be staying at home then!)
Hope everyone had a fun chocolate bunny day! 🙂
@Wee Jonny
Just out of interest Jonny has the political stuff on the motor lost you any business?
Wee Johnny
Its not just on cars , I am beginning to see them pop up everywhere down my area , there was a big yes banner on the fence of one of our co-ops .
I tore all mines down on the 19th September but after logging back onto wings a few days later I put mines back on my car and office .
X_Sticks – No.
My wife advised me against it incase it did cost me business but I needed to do something.
My view was that we were saturated with Union Union Union, and felt that some people were scared to talk about Yes. So my car was my way of saying it’s okay to talk about Yes and even be Yes. And it’s done that in spades.
I had 1 customer who said they thought I was ramming it down people’s throats and that people can think for themselves. (This was also in response to me wearing a Yes t.shirt everyday, having Yes stickers on my windee cleenin buckets and havin Yes on my bills). My response was “If you’re away to tell me you’re gona get another windee cleenir because I’m all for Yes then you can shove your windeez up yir arse and that’ll go for anybody else who has the same thoughts because nothing will change my mind that Scotland should be an independent country.”
She thanked me for my honesty and loved my dedication. I still do their windeez.
I had another who only realised what was on my car as late as last August. She was mortified that one of her neighbours might have saw my car. I laughed at her and told her I was gona drive really really slow down her long driveway and the private road her and her neighbours live beside.
My thoughts then and now are If you have a problem with what’s on my car then fuck you.
In the lead up to the referendum it got loads of attention. Some positive and some negative.
It still does.
Siverytay-
I kept my Yes flag flying in the backies until the pole eventually couldn’t take any more of the strong winds last month and snapped. I’ll put it back up as soon as I get a new flagpole.
I’ve never stopped wearing my wee gold Yes badge on my work shirt collar,Yes badge on my jeckit and wee SNP badge everyday.
Yes spotting was part of everyday life last year but things obviously died down but obviously never died after “The day we shall not speak of”. But now the Yes spotting game’s back on.
Respect for your commitment Jonny. Takes some bottle to risk your livelihood.
I shall put my Yes badge back on my jacket from now on for the sake of solidarity.
Ha.
I’d rather risk my livelihood than risk not being able to look myself in the mirror.
Auld A
Does it have to be just one word, or could it be an expression/phrase?
Auld A
bandy about, thrash out, toss around, spar with, altercate, bounce off
Altercate was the only one I could find which was just one word, but I’m not sure it covers the first meaning you mentioned.
Could this be McTernans last throw of the dice?
link to youtube.com
@ British Labour and your imperialist Fabian masters.
Chumbawamba – The Land Of Do What You’re Told
link to youtube.com
Chumbawamba – Walking into battle with the Lord
link to youtube.com
Chumbawamba – One Way Or The Other
link to youtube.com
@CameronB Brodie
Been trying to catch you, email me at thepnr03@gmail.com and I will forward Broty boys email to you.
Thepnr
Cheers. I’ve been laid low this last week and have only recently resurfaced. I’ll drop you a line in a day or two, when feeling more human.
———————————————————–
Here is one for those already attuned. 🙂
Negativland – Negativland
link to youtube.com
For those not in the know, Negativeland were at the heart of the culture jamming movement. A postmodernist rejection of cultural orthodoxy.
IMO, the Yes movement could have been view as the postmodern culture jamming of British orthodoxy.
Here is another culture jammer. So much for the BBC’s competence. 🙂
Bhopal Disaster – BBC – The Yes Men
link to youtube.com
I have been working on this opinion piece for a week or so now,with nowhere to post it up.
link to dl.dropboxusercontent.com
Have a read and let me know what you think.
@ Wee Johnny Big TAMMY doff tae U.
@Patrician 12.46am
I thought it was very interesting and well-thought out, with clear sources and evidence.
@Natasha: Thanks, it was ‘to bandy’. I didn’t know that meaning of ‘spar’, which for me was just a name meaning some kind of pole or bar. I will… spar it for future use! 🙂
Thanks once more and have a very great day under the Sun!
FAO: thepnr
Hope you are well – if you still have my mobile number could you let me have yours. M
@Arabs for Independence
My phone packed in and I lost all my contacts, send me an email at the address from 11:35 above and I’ll send you my number.
@ Wee Jonny
@ X_Sticks
I still wear my Yes badges, wristband and have Yes on my windows.
The Yes flag took a battering in the gales and the pole (approx. 30 feet) had to be taken down, but, it will soon be refurbished (hopefully) and will sport an enormous saltire.
Think I should go for a tattoo ? 🙂
@Wee Jonny
“My thoughts then and now are If you have a problem with what’s on my car then fuck you.”
Well said! 😀
I picked up one of those big “Yes” flags during the referendum campaign, but never managed to find a place selling anything suitable to use as a flagpole.
Then after that ill-fated day of the vote, I thought it would never see the light of day again anyway…
Still, maybe if I can find a pole for it someday.
Until then, it sleeps and dreams of flying free in the wind… 🙂
My 4 wee (3′ x 2′) saltires are still hanging from my windows.
However, the big (5′ x 3′) YES saltire was damaged during the January winds and has rolled itself up around the cane it is hanging from.
Never mind; on holiday next week so I’ll get it fixed.
Betty Boop – NO!!!
Beedeeteetee cherub – I’ve just checked, I’ve got a spare cane.
Hi Oneironaut.
Keep an eye on Aldi and Lidl for their 30+ feet fishing poles. Available for virtual peanuts.
They get them in, then a week later, they have them at half price.
Pete the Camera has a splendid example with a YES saltire, which he wielded with some effect during the referendum campaign.
Hi Paula Rose.
It is well known that you always have a spare cane!
However, my cane is in perfect working order. The winds caused the grommet at the bottom flagpole side of the flag to tear out, thus allowing further winds to cause the flag to start retreating round the cane.
I don’t know why…
link to youtube.com
@AuldA 7.46am
Hooray! I didn’t think I’d get it so quickly. We also have a term, “sparring partner”, which is someone you practise boxing with, or someone you have regular debates with.
Spar – moi?
@Paula Rose
I usually go to the Co-op.
Natasha sweetie – ssh honey.
Lidl for a fiddle…
Keep trying with this new e-mail address…can’t get any comments through, here or main thread…23.45…test
@Brian Doonthetoon
Hmmm, never seen those in the Lidl down my way, but I’ll keep a look out. Thanks 🙂
Ideally I’d prefer something that wouldn’t bend with a heavy flag in a strong wind though.
The winds down our way have to be experienced to be believed! If they ever invent a wind turbine that can handle it, they could probably run the national grid from this place! 😀
…still testing…canny get through…
Don’t worry Ian, we can see you.
The Remains – Don’t look back
link to youtube.com
@Natasha, @Paula:
I always thought a ‘sparring partner’ was a guy you kept in your larder/pantry in case… well… you’d experience ‘an unfortunate spell of deep sorrow’… 😛
Betty Boop – No. But ‘sup ti you.
Oneironaut – I used the same pole I use for window cleaning. They’re actually painters telescopic poles. They’re strong (but obviously not strong enough for the strong winds) and the one I have for work is a double but they also come in triple piece for reaching higher up. Mine can extend to around two metres (Ooh Matron). I get mine from Wickes as they have always been the cheapest at around £12.
When I do put another flag up I’m gona swap the 5×3 Yes Saltire for my 5×3 Lion Rampant and cut the Yes from one of my t.shirts and sew it next to the Lions mooth. Good idea I fink.
@Ian Brotherhood
I can see your post at 12:30, but your avatar is missing.
Some BOFH at GCHQ been taking out some frustration on your internet connection?
@Wee Jonny
Sounds like a plan there. If I see that one being carried around at some event, maybe I’ll come up and say hi 🙂
(Assuming someone else doesn’t have a flag of similar design and I get the wrong person. But, oh well, maybe make a new friend!)
@Paula R
@Wee Jonny
Thanks for the advice (nay, instruction from PR!). Well then, maybe I shall have to look for a transfer instead and have Paula stroke it on for me 😉
Anything (almost) for the cause 🙂
Darlings – I’m always here, touched by your wotsit.
Well that debate was good. I’m now informed LOL.
AuldA honey-waggle dance.
So much touching by so many – oh my word!
Heads up, Wingers who will be in the Dundee are over this weekend.
On Sunday, from 12 noon until 4pm, Team YES Bus will be at City Square in Dundee, campaigning for independence and the SNP.
Any Wingers who are in Dundee at the weekend will be welcomed with open arms by Team YES Bus, to hammer home the benefits of re-electing Stuart Hosie in Dundee East and electing Chris Law (Spirit of Independence) in Dundee West.
We Wingers had a bra’ afternoon at City Square a couple of Sundays ago!
“Dundee are” = Dundee area.
@Paula Rose
“Darlings – I’m always here, touched by your wotsit.”
A cheesy wotsit? 😀
@ Wee Jonny
Like your style
: > )
Remember that Sex Pistols song that began with the lines…
Don’t know what I want
but I know how to get it
I wanna be… in Dundee
xx
Oneironaut honey – bad dreams can be avoided by consuming cheeses wrapped in urtica leaves xx
Brian Dtt
We Wingers had a bra’ afternoon at City Square a couple of Sundays ago!
What cup size were you?
Hi Paula Rose.
You’ll be made welcome! Who will be able to resist the heels?
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Hi Natasha.
We had catering facilities so mine was ‘coffee cup’.
.
Anyone else gonna make an appearance?
BTW Paula Rose.
“Sex Pistols”, “Dundee”.
The original Sex Pistols played their only Scottish gig in Dundee, in October, 1976.
From the link below…
“My memory of the journey is hazy, probably because there was beer involved, but I do remember waking the following morning as the train trundled over the Tay bridge and into Dundee.”
and
“We played that evening in a student union gaff and, while lightly attended, after a few numbers, pretty soon a barrage of glasses and bottles started hitting the stage belying the numbers in the sparse crowd.”
This was the gig in the “Bowlin’ Alley”, the students’ union of the Bell Street College of Technology. (See second link.)
link to edinburghnews.scotsman.com
link to retrodundee.blogspot.co.uk
Check out “THE BOWLING ALLEY – MARKETGAIT” in the list of hits.
BTW: I am “Brian Wilson”.
@Natasha, 10:10pm
Natasha, I was avoiding that corny question 🙂 BTW, does anyone use “corny” these days or am I just showing my years? 🙁
Hi B Boop.
The adjective “cheesy” seems to have been substituted for “corny” in the past few years.
It has been applied to music, (ABBA, etc) and popular cultural philosophies, like deelyboppers, whirly bow-ties, and other stuff worn “for fun” at social functions.
Personally typing, I would be quite happy to see “cheesy” consigned to the wheely bin of obsolete words.
@Paula Rose
Ahh ok. Had to ask Wikipedia what Urtica Leaves were. I’m not sure I want to try that… (O.o)
Besides, I can draw some good inspiration from bad dreams! 🙂
@Brian Doonthetoon
But “corny wotsits” just doesn’t have the same ring to it… 🙁
The Jackets – Freak Out 🙂
link to youtube.com
Very very O/T something so beautiful…
link to thehollywoodnews.com
might incur the wrath of rev – in mitigation, please watch out for Zizi.
Cornish Yarg wrapped in nettle leaves – one of the most exquisite cheeses on the planet, Cornwall has an SNP branch – we are the future xx
No embeddy thingy -phew!
And no remarky on the whole Sex Pistolly Dundee fundemold.
Me thocht that would have suffered an interestymost in the punkoley Paula Rose.
Perhail, Paula Roses forgrail their roots, as they climbil the laddridge of age and noteritridge? Oh, deep folly!
Onnyhoo, tonight I am mostly partaking of Lidl’s “Cheese Puffs”, which are Wotsits without the marketing budget.
OK, here we go a very special song dedicated to Johann Lamont from her very bestest pals Mags and Jim.
The O’Jays link to youtube.com
Most apt LOL
Darlings hold on a sec – gotta tidy up a bit.
Sshhhh…
FFS, no-one let-on that the main thread comment-count is approaching 400,000.
We all remember Paula Rose’s shocking behaviour when this place was getting close to 10k. (Aye, the mask slipped then eh?)
It would be of inestimable benefit to us all if we confine her to O/T in the mantime, I mean, meantime – a suitably saucy conversation, and/or a steady supply of her fave music links may do the trick.
If, on the other hand, she breaks cover and hits the main threads as the clicker nears 400k? God bless us and save us and soap us and shave us, it doesn’t bear thinking about…
@Ian Brotherhood
I’ll try to hold the fort here with this. Paula loves the 70’s.
link to youtube.com
Hey, we’re discussing Maggie and Michael’s cheese! (The Yarg)Yummy stuff.
@Thepnr –
Appreciated.
A manly/womanly/humanly supreme effort is required here, and it must succeed, like the gumsy budgie of yore. We must sort our plans before she gets back…
Anyway, here’s a catchy tune!
Jamelia, ‘Superstar’ –
link to youtube.com