Wings Over Scotland

This is a bit Brighton Rockish and has Peter Lorre in it, though the cast comprises just about every Quota Quickie actor/actress (can I say that?) in the UK at the time, apart from Googie Withers:

link to youtube.com

And now the perfect excuse to recycle this……

“How to become an actress: stand in front of the fire until your googie withers.”

And whilst I’m here……

“How to become a poet: stand in front of the fire until your rabbie burns.”

I’m sorry it’s the strain of lockdown.

That’s interesting information because some of the explanations for “shad” don’t seem very convincing:

link to en.wikipedia.org

It seems to have gone all hipstery/boho, a bit like Finnieston and Duke Street in Ra Toon.

Thought(s) of the week:

Week 42

– It would be curiously interesting to hear what the folks from the European Union think (or know about already) the present situation within the present led Scottish Government. It also makes me now wonder what things did NS actually discuss with the continental Peoples of Mainland Europe. How much could or do they know?

– Scotland’s independence… the one thing Unionists can’t stop talkin’ about. SO what about us?!

– Only now 2% remaining to get to over 60% Yes (whatever that might achieve or stimulate.).

– This Year 2020 is known in the Chinese calendar as Year 4717.

==========
– The SNP Manifesto 2021: Perfect, say this document has been leaked by the SNP and that this IS indeed their 2021 manifesto – Get them to declare it is NOT their manifesto – Make them state their reasons for not agreeing to the wording (and which parts do they agree with), make them deny it, let them publicly disown this democratic manifesto, make the People of Scotland wonder… “Why doesn’t the leadership agree with it, the Scottish National Party leadership actively support independence, don’t they, right?” Make our electorate expect it. Yes, the other leaders of our international community should look upon this process and proposed manifesto favourably, checkmate genius. Could 2014’s Cassetteboy (or some other skilled cutter) do an edit of all the words, spoken by NS and put together in a manifesto speech VOW (as originally composed below by Rev):
———

“We believe that the Scottish people are sovereign, and we hereby announce our intention to declare Scotland independent and submit that intention to the will of the people in this election for their approval.

Accordingly, if the Scottish National Party should secure more than 50% of the constituency votes in this election, we will consider that a clear mandate to withdraw from the Treaty Of Union, declare Scotland to once more be an independent state, and seek recognition from the international community on the basis of Chapter 1, Article 1 of the UN Charter, the right of all peoples to self-determination, that self-determination having been expressed by this vote.

Should the UK Government wish, we are willing to confirm that mandate via a referendum, to be held no later than three months from the date of the election, on the same question as that used in 2014. If no such referendum is requested or conducted, the declaration of independence based on the election result will automatically be considered to stand.

Upon the secure establishment of independence, a new general election will be called immediately.

With regard to other policies, our current positions on all issues remain unchanged, and all future legislation will be brought before the Parliament, debated and voted on in the normal manner.”

Signed on behalf of Scotland,
Wings Over Scotland.
———

Share the draft Manifesto for Independence 2021 further online via social media and other inventive ways. Once again, make the SNP leadership publicly disown it. That action alone should speak volumes to people who are listening. Let the pressure build further upon the incumbents. SO to be sneeky, it’s like making the SNP leadership make a ‘VOW’ to their own manifesto hehe, all it would need is an autograph at the bottom. A crowdfunded postcard mailshot yeah, how much for 1,000,000 postcards? (x4 postcards per sheet of A4, that’s 250,000 sheets of paper/card) Pending the next Wee Book… could it be worth considering an interim project of something like: The ‘Wee Blue Manifesto’. The best thing is, you can then post the postcard on again to the next 1M Scottish people. It could also work well as a calling card. Yes, times juan sheet of A4 paper/card divided into 4 quarters, you then have your 1 million manifesto postcards. We had our Declaration of Arbroath back in 1320, so this would be a very timely contribution and reintroduction for 2020. Ah, “to be from these evils…” I’m in.

All every reader needs to do is: Press and P… then press .
==========

– Come 1st January 2021 does anyone believe that whoever is Prime Minister of the UK, is NOT going to announce some kind of EVELesque speech that very Friday morning. It’s at that point, previous European protections are no longer available to Scotland… what happens then?

– I do believe in the power of Wings.

– Is there an election / referendum / vote imminent or something… it’s seven long months to May ’21 and I’m already receiving PPB bumph thru the post and also as seen on a guest tv.

– Quality flick again and thx TC for sharing “The Long Memory”, that was a really good movie with some devilishly distinguished characters and excellent acting, Eva Eva-baby like. Especially “The Long Shot” from yon Clint Eastwood dude with the rifle at the end of the movie… “whistle whistle”. Hi Marie Clark, wishing ye well x.

Hi, Marie. Glad you are still dropping in here and monitoring quality, or in my case, pure kwality.

AOK at The Towers but we missed The Wee One terribly during total house arrest. Fortunately she remembered us and my grate jokes. She beat me at three-card brag two weeks ago so things going swimmingly in the education dept.

Harvey is a bit fragile at the mo because he thinks the goldfinches are laughing at him but he’s looking forward to Christmas and the chestnut stuffing. Have a Kool Yule yourself with all the fambly.

@C-Man: loved The Rev’s Declaration of Bath too but I wouldn’t place much hope in the EU post-31/12/20. We’ve chosen not to be independent and the Europeans will just negotiate the best deal they can get with Bojo for assets like our fishing.

That “long shot” Flint Yeastfood fillum: I’ve been trying to remember its title. It’s the one where he kills the baddy on a rock with a shot from incredibly long range in an arid landscape, innit? Any ideas what it’s called?

@Ian B: loved that scene. That whole desperate, precarious bit of juggling for balance on the edge of disaster fair summed up my professional “career” 🙂 .

That wasn’t actually the film I think I remember: Clint shoots the guy on the rock in the head from an impossible range with a time delay for added dramatic tension. Or does my mind deceive me?

Still recovering from that foatie on the M/T with our leader grinning beside that creepy dork in a dress.

Was it for this the clay grew tall?

“Weasels, rip my flesh!” he Zappa’d.

@TC –

This Eastwood film – could it the The Eiger Sanction?

@ Brian Doonthetoon

Brian , I no longer comment on MT but felt compelled to congratulate you for calling out a particular odious individual on MT last night…..he drags this site down and when he attacks people like you then it is obvious what his real motive is….anybody who criticizes him is deemed a Sturgeon fanatic.

Though he has ONE friend on MT who supports him and who thinks he is funny……

I also see that if anyone deflects from what he sees as is the only relevant topic i.e. anti Sturgeon…. then he shoots them down…..as someone made a comment about Trump and was accused of posting crap about Trump and apparently according to him ” This was posted to try to and deviate attention away from the core topic “….as in the ONLY topic he EVER wants to talk about constantly….as self imposed site moderator.

As an ex SNP member who is critical of Ms Sturgeon’s leadership, where in previous threads I have said my piece, I do not feel compelled to repeat same thing over and over again. At least others on MT are adding new issues to this topic and not rehashing same old tired sheeite and constantly judging others contributions and condemning them also resorting to insulting them personally and categorising them as…….. Sturgeon fanatics….unfairly.

Since when , after an appropriate time , can one NOT be able to add a comment that one wants without another contributor stating not allowed…..I used to enjoy adding comments…. now I just cannot do it…still read what Rev posts and support him.

It is quite depressing…as if not depressed enough I have no energy or inclination to comment….and I for one am not confident enough to comment and be berated and belittled…I think my type of comments are no longer welcome on this site. and I am not a strong enough person to try….glad you are.

Best wishes to you, Tinto , JGedd, IanB and all others on OT.

Hope everyone on here is well and have a good day/evening

Clapper 57, I know just how you feel. I’ve been taking time out from most of it. Like yourself I read it, but quite honestly more times than not, I just can’t be bothered.

This long year with the virus is taking it’s toll on a lot of people’s mental health. I’m a glass half full gal, but even I feel it at times. Don’t comment much anywhere now, sometimes on WGD. I’ll come back to the fight when I can muster some energy for it.

While I’ve mentioned WGD Paul has a crowdfunder going, canne dae the linky thing. Have a look on his sight and see if you have a spare bawbee to give to it.

Take care Clapper 57 and stay here and rest among your friends.

@Clapper and Marie Clarke: cheer up, Laydees! My autumn collection previews next Monday: a riot of aubergine, russet and heliotrope erupting over the wacky world of Torrance-tribute tank-tops, male hot pants, culottes and plus-fours.

Tried to post some exclusive shots but my digital skills are sadly lacking.

And this is for JGedd: hope you are improving by the day. Heard this on The Third Programme (timewarp still active in Auld Cadzow area) today and thought you might like it, being a soffisticate:

link to youtube.com

First encountered his piano work in “Rope”.

Tinto, just read that again, the last remark was meant to be humorous, sorry if it reads as kind of sharp. Not meant that way.

Marie Clarke @ 9.09
While it was good of you to make sure, I thought you’d like to know, I thought you were being funny too.
And if I know Brian …when he turns up he’ll tell ye the same thing and reassure ye that he did not think ye sharp.

I only turned up here ( funnily enough) because Smallaxe was on my mind too.

A wee dig at Paul WGD on the main thread earlier , that , might/might no have got nasty had me just about to post … the humanity and “Peace Always” ethos taught by oor Smallaxe runs far too strong BTL with far too many on this site to buy the shit yer selling pal… So don’t even go there …

Of course then the news about Ginger came in and that put the kibosh on their stupid…

But all that sent me lookin at old conversations….. my that man was a Gem Marie wasn’t he !!!
And Cearc ??? 🙂 whit a wummin….. I’m now resolved to try even harder to suppress my natural Bitch ( not a whole lot I can do about my resting Bitch face 🙂 but still come to the Wings stall I’ve never bitten anyone …yet… ) and be mindful of Smallax and how he accepted every bit of the Yes movement for what it was and for what it can be…. as best I can….
Peace Always my off topic friends xxxx

AND ….. Just on the off chance that ye ever look in…. My very Best as Always to you and yours Mrs Smallaxe xxx I think of ye often 🙂

Hi TC.

Typing of things Welsh…

During my time as DJ in Jaspers Rock Club at the Tay Hotel in Dundee (!989-1995), every two years, a large flock of Welsh rugby fans booked in for the weekend of the Scotland v Wales game at Murrayfield.
It made sense for them to get cheaper accommodation in Dundee and travel down to and back from Edinburgh after the gemme.

Onnyhoo, I always made a point of playing this track on the Friday and Saturday nights of the rugger weekend. Went down well with the Welsh peeps.

It’s from Argent’s live album “Encore”. The middle 8 was the bit that went down more than well.

link to youtube.com

Ah, I see what you mean about “We’ll keep a welcome in the hillside”. Coincidentally, MRD was Welsh, did you pure ken?

Not much of a singer but she stuck the fingers up to all the hypocrisy of the time and did well for herself eventually. That whole Stephen Ward thing was very murky and there must have been lots going on below the surface with the security services.

I’ve enrolled her in my “Did you know they were Welsh?” club along with Tommy Cooper and Ian (State Licensed Jester) Hislop, although the little squirt seems to hate being reminded he was born in Mumbles. Was there not a programme where he was also embarrassed by having a Gaelic-speaking relative in the Hebrides?

Morning folks, and a very wet and windy one it is too here in the south west.

Mr C has taken himself off for a day or two and I have the weekend to myself. Oh my, I dinnae ken how I’ll manage withoot his instruction to keep me right. Aye right, I’m planning to do nothing for a wee change. I don’t even have the wee dug to walk as she is away with her other human. I’ll think about what I’ll do later, I’m kinda busy doing nothing just now.

Hope everyone is well and managing to avoid the dreaded virus. We seem to have an outbreak in the local care home which is a bit worrying. One poor soul has died, very sad for all concerned.

I see the WGD is slowly improving, and he’s being moved away from the charming wee bigot in the next bed. Can I just give a wee mention to his crowdfunder, details on Paul’s sight. It started away well but has slowed somewhat. I know times are not easy cash wise for a lot of us, but if you can give a wee bit for one of the stalwarts of the indy campaign, I’m sure it’ll be very welcome.

Have a good day everyone, I know I’m going to enjoy mine. Take care.

@Dan The Man: thanks for the informed ornithological info. We never saw buzzards Where I Am until roughly the late 90s but now they are common feeding on roadkill on the M74. We used to get excited spending holidays in Ardgour and Ardnamurchan because when we saw them there we felt we were in the wilds and had truly arrived.

Coincidentally, around that time the red squirrels and green woodpeckers disappeared from our neighbourhood. I’m a bit perturbed by your carnivorous squirrel: what has happened to cute ickle wickle squirrel nutkin?

“I’m sure the local council will acknowledge my effort and reduce my council tax by the appropriate amount…” Now that WAS funny!

“They once had a printing error on a run of the lager tins which resulted in one the ladies having what looks like a manly appendage showing through their lace dress.”

Tennent’s was just ahead of its GRA time, surely, or mebbe Daddy Bear worked there in an executive capacity in those days 😉 .

@Cactus –

Have been doing a Batman impersonation here for months, climbing the walls…

😉

You’re right there with the climbing of the wa’s Ian Brotherhood.

Some of us climb and some of us just hang around.

This Halloween could be known as… H20.

Ye feeling thirsty. 🙂

@JGedd: I laughed seeing you post that on the main thread. What have I told you about posting such stuff there?

That book seems so clever my bwain certainly couldn’t cope with it. Coincidentally, I’m having a 2D compass bearing problem in the real 3D world which involves allowing for the difference between magnetic north and grid north. I can see this small eminence on the distant horizon but it’s off the OS sheet WIA and so it’s hard to follow a bearing on the next one, if you get my meaning. I believe MN and GN will be almost the same in the Glasgow area in a few months’ time but it’s still driving me mad carrying over the angle onto another sheet.

Vasco da Gama, ya bass!

This butter’s lovely…….

@ Tinto (back to boring weekday nomenclature)

I was concerned my wording might give the impression of crazed meat eating squirrels. Maybe a comma would have helped separate those doing the eating from those doing the investigating.
In mitigation I failed my English O grade, but passed my French somehow, possibly because I was more attentive dans le class Francaise due to the rather attractive French assistant…

JGedd, a quick read of the wiki page and Flatland sounds ace! I’m picking up a hint of the Plato’s Cave Allegory, but more in wonderment of how an actual film would be made to capture the various differing dimensions.

Dark at 5 o’ clock, and shitty wet weather to boot for the foreseeable, at this rate Santa won’t have a bloody chimney to get doon on ma hoose… 🙁
Did manage to prepare the last course of a dozen bricks so they are ready to lay if I get a few dry daylight hours. Then it’ll be building a wooden frame and mold around the top layer of bricks so I can pour concrete and cast the first part of the lum’s crown.

@Dan: so the squirrel may only have been investigating? Understood! Lang may yer lum, etc.

@David: I suppose the easiest explanation is that Portuguese speakers wouldn’t understand it. Otherwise, FFS!

I only got as far as the incredible beauty of the 9X table – after that I was lost.

I’ve not posted an oldie for a while, so here’s one about embodiment and emotional cognition. Especially for all those who would deny an individual’s legal rights are grounded in their biology and the universality of the Natural law.

Ronnie Cook – Super Fine Girl
link to youtube.com

FFS!

Bastardin’ toothache and 50mph winds and lashing rain just isn’t a conducive environment to be working on a roof! 🙁

Sorry to hear that the toothache is still plaguing you Dan, cannae dae much aboot the wind and rain. It’s been a heluva day weather wise.

Seeing it’s halloween, but nae guising, here’s a wee song.

link to youtube.com, or if a wee bit more sophistication is for you
link to youtube.com

Stu is on the rampage 🙂 I have to agree with him. MT was getting super tedious.

Hope you are all well and thank you for the previous kind words. Sorry I did not respond earlier. I was taking some time away from OT.

@IanB

Keep me updated on the camp if you could please. I’ve a fair bit of experience (before I became a father obviously) at different protest camps and would be happy to lend my knowledge, presence and experience if it is of any benefit.

Here’s a wee link to a protest we did down at the historical centre of sherwood forest back in 2004 in Mansfield Woodhouse.

youtu.be/eQr9CDE7lxk?t=286

There were 3 of us from Scotland in the tunnel team. I’m the guy with all the beige clobber on (from about 4:45 onwards) (I’ve changed a bit obviously since then) with the other two being Kev and Andy who some of you will maybe recognise from Bilston Glen or Faslane. It was a rare laugh although we did spent most of our time pished (especially over winter).

Still got a good few old contacts from back in the day who would probably be more than willing to help with a more direct approach to digging in should the need arise. 😉

Wow I see Stu is on the warpath on the MT. I have to agree with him, it was getting out of hand. I very seldom bother to comment over there anymore, it’s hardly worth the effort. Oh well if he opens a new thread everyone better be on their best behaviour, or else the hammer is oot.

Dan, I think if todays forecast is right, lumwatch will have to be postponed for a day or two. Be careful, we dinnae want ye blawn aff the roof. I enjoyed your comment on the MT aboot the supermarket, I could just picture your moonwalk. Well done sir.

Thought(s) from Week 44 – Yes, I’m up and in for a regular Edinburgh presence with y’all Ian Brotherhood. It would be good to be there at least every Friday to begin with, then mark it by ‘doing something’ at 6pm… singing/chanting/protesting is popular (just as the Scottish news begins on your televisual screens.) Establish a base, set up a ceremonial totem like pole and have some tiki torches for into the evening. Let’s give journalists something to write about, and all for the right reasons. Put it into the hands of the LIVE tv broadcast media at 6pm. Be unavoidable. If they’re there, we’re there. Bring along a chair, stand or be seated, make yourself comfortable, then rise up by standing up at 6pm FOR the news, BE the news. (NB Normally when people sit at a venue, they are waiting for and expecting some kind of performance!) All we need is a constancy to continue. Once it’s been started in Edinburgh, other people may be keen and the template could and would be used by other towns and cities. ps Daisy Walker has some excellent ideas for the protest camp on The Sitter article from the early morn of the 31st.

– Another excellent piece of quality art and title name for Saturday’s toon yesterday, cheers. Looking at Scotland’s present situations, I sometimes wonder if Chris ever feels like recrafting any of his previous creations to present day, meaning like, for example, remember back to the toon of Hamish one festive beside the Jesus Christmas tree with a large gift-wrapped Number 2 awaiting opening underneath… could you imagine said Jesus Christmas tree being placed under a big locked metal cage with NS standing alongside akimbo. You could call it “Nicola’s Cage” or “Nicola’s Caged 2”.

– Today is a day (and the first day) for many people in the so-called UK, who will no longer be payed furlough monies. This is bad and that change will have its own natural consequences.

– SO there goes Halloween’s H20, how was yours? It could also be known as, ‘Holyrood H20+’, in relation to the just over 20 years now of a political horror and abandonment of devolution to Scotland and the Scottish people, let alone our restored independence status.

– With regardings to the latest chosen political word, which seems to be… ‘tier’. This word appears to be getting introduced into other areas too. Take for example the popular games of Candy Crush, there are new game features where instead of previously using the word ‘levels’, it’s been altered to use complete “tiers (1 of 5)”. It’s all intended do not you know. Our bestest tier to achieve is minus zero (if you’re a believer that is) eitherway it’ll always be cold to the touch. Coronavirus Sirus aside… it’s now two months to go. Seasons Greetings.

– And now… to finish on a happy note… I give you… C major.

@ Cactus – Knew you’d like it;)

Just a wee suggestion, but I wonder if a LiveJournal blog might work better than Twitter for spreading the word and keeping people in touch? LJ has been around for a long time (I set up my first account there in 2003), but it’s not much used these days. However, it’s by far the best blogging and social-networking site I know of. In format, it’s similar to blogs like WOS, but it has some useful additional features. For example, it allows people to comment directly on previous individual comments in discrete threads, so that it’s clear who is replying to whom with no need to identify the intended recipient. It is also effective as a networking site, as users can follow each other’s accounts and see all of their posts in chronological order on a single ‘friends’ page. It’s free, doesn’t use algorithms, doesn’t censor posts or comments (this is obviously a major advantage in view of Twitter’s blocking of accounts), and it allows for annoying spammers to be simply blocked. You know who I mean. What’s not to like? The account set-up page is here: link to livejournal.com. All that’s required is a willing blogger to set up a ‘Scottish Independence Now’ blog and start the ball rolling.

Hi Ian, that’s excellent. I’ve just returned here because it’s occurred to me that LiveJournal also has communities, which allow any member of the community to make blog posts in them. If I or you were to set up a community, we wouldn’t necessarily have to post regularly on it ourselves. What would be necessary though would be to persuade others of like mind to set up accounts on LiveJournal and to join the community.

Andy, have just commented, using ‘Tester’ as title. I’m using ianbhood.

Michael, what name are you on LJ?

Another wee morsel which may be useful to those of you who have mobile phones: there’s an LJ app for them: link to news.livejournal.com

Aw noes, comment in held moderation which compounds concerns. 🙁

@William Wallace –

Enjoyed that video. You’re a braver man than me, no way could I ever get into a small underground space like that. (Remember Charles Bronson in whatever film? That’d be me…)

Anyway, hope you’ll consider joining livejournal.com

It could come in very handy down the line.

😉

Hi Daisy Walker.

I think your comment at around 15.10 is in moderation, because you mentioned ‘the prickly one’ with his username.

Dan – maybe you did the same?

@Andy & Michael –

Well, it seems to be going fine so far!

I suppose we’ll have to get a good few comments in one place before we all get used to how the ‘nesting’ format works, what notifications are like etc, but it’s certainly easy on the eye.

Nice shout Michael Laing!

Slainte all!

😉

@William Wallace –

Before I forget, your video reminded me of the camps/protests when the M77 was going through the back end of Pollok Estate – were you involved with that too?

Hi Dan.

I’m back to work tomorrow. I don’t work near the wards so shouldn’t affect me.

Don’t know what my duties will be. Meeting with ‘the management’ tomorrow at 9am. Should be well asleep by now for a 6.12am rise. My early to bed plan didn’t work out.

Nighty night.

@William Wallace –

😉

Great read, thanks. Look forward to finding you over there.

I’m posting this to see if it’ll open the page I’m currently on i.e. Michael Laing’s latest. So this is a test of sorts…

link to ianbhood.livejournal.com

@Ian B, Michael Laing & “others interested”

I’ve created a “Scots Republic” Community on LiveJournal for like minded “fundies”: it’s not an open group, so we can exclude heid the ba’s and concentrate on matters at hand.

I’m still a learner on there, so be patient, but no doubt others will be able to advise and contribute!

@Ian Brotherhood: I’ve posted a link to the community on your LJ post.

@Ian B & ML

Happy for folk to publicise and link to the Community on LiveJournal. At present joining is moderated, ie it is not an open group. I’m happy for others to share moderation going forward, but it’s probably worth screening who can join IMO?

@Andy –

As and when word spreads and we start using it, it’s bound to happen – an undesirable will come in. It’s inevitable.

FWIW, I reckon we take a leaf out of Rev Stu’s book and have whoever’s ‘room’ it is make those decisions. Otherwise we’re into committee-style stuff and there’s really no need for it. Not all exclusions/expulsions are ever agreed unanimously.

Your room, your rules!

😉

@Ian B & Michael Laing

If you build it, they will come…..? 🙂

link to scots-republic.livejournal.com

Many moons since I posted any music link but this one seems very apt today.

Gil Scott-Heron, ‘B’ Movie (1981)

link to youtube.com

@ Ian B

Interesting to see other notable folks discussing this subject.
(Contains a midge reference making me feel guilty for squishing them!)

link to sourcenews.scot

@Andy –

Like yer new avatar sah!

Good to see you back on MT too.

😉

@Dan –

Interesting stuff, thanks. Good to see another African proverb too – I posted one just t’other day, can’t remember where now… ‘Unity chops elephants!’

😉

I’d really like to enjoy human rights and the benefits of democracy before I pop my clogs. Unfortunately, that’s highly unlikely given the low-flying authoritarians who control ‘our’ government and ‘our’ judicial system. As they are clearly hostile towards liberal science, so are unable to support democracy and public health.

Remember, covid-19 isn’t interested in genderwoowoo, as it threatens the sexes differently. So Scotland’s hard covid-Brexit will be all the nastier if we can’t force our legal officers to respect universal principles of legal doctrine. Such as the Natural law. Though the latter directly challenges Westminster’s unsubstantial claim to authority over Scots. So ‘our’ legal Establishment are unlikely to respect it, as they have pledged allegiance to the Crown in Parliament, rather than the Scottish public.

DJ Cummerbund – Before I Pop
link to youtube.com

Aye, t’was indeed a bold and brave move to press the submit comment button with a text box so full of an amalgamation of letters forming verses of rhyme in dare I say a rhythmic structure.

There’s nowt worse than sufferin’ “the clench of woe” as one of your comments gets caught in moderation and kennin’ the gaffer is gonna huv tae read it afore it ever sees the licht o’ day.

Thankfully had the painful tooth nerves oot so huge relief not enduring toothache any more.

Lumwatch update while I’m here. Rain finally eased and braw mild temps so installed the wooden mould on the lum brickwork and mixed up a muckle load of concrete.
Then proceeded to carry a ream o’ buckets o’ it up the ladder and fill the mould. Added pigment to dye the finished colour to better match the existing stonework. Think I should have added more though as it could’ve done with being darker than the chocolate Angel Delight shade it looks to have ended up with.
Just hoping the mould section release ok in the next day or so without damaging the cast lump…

@Tinto 10th November 6.47pm

I see what you mean about those naughty lyrics. How like men to have taken the pet name of a dear little furry thing, make it indelicate & turn innocent children into potty-mouths. Tut, tut, lads.

Reminds me of trying to keep a straight face when our sons were watching children’s TV. Does anyone remember the series ‘Rainbow’? The double entendres were on the same level as a Carry On film. I have to say, it made me uncomfortable that adults were kind of subverting a children’s TV programme & having a giggle over the heads of the children.

Wiki-Wiki Wednesday night lovers…

An off topical interim interdictation as follows:

The only thing to do, was to drive up to “Observatory Crest”.

Follow the moonbeams whilst you’re wearing your blue jeans.

BIFF! BOFF! SCHMACK! KERPOWWWW!

Fraternal greetings, C-Man.

Whenever I get cheesed off by the slurry pit that is Scottish politics, I find this just about restores my faith in humanity:

link to youtube.com

@JGedd: thanks for your comments and lovely music. That wee girl is about a year older than our wee grand-daughter but looks quite like her and the wee Tennessee girl is quite delightful.

No-one could be grumpier than me at the moment, me old haricot, because our movement has been subverted by various Judas goats but I’ll keep going for the wee ones, despite all we’re up against.

Fighting a battle on two fronts isn’t recommended but what else can we do?

See you at Philippi.

Parsley, ya bass!

@Tinto

Wow, that is mesmerising & beautiful. Scandinavian choirs are something else. Transcendent religious music like that almost makes you believe.

Thanks for that, & thanks Scotland – at last.

@Tinto

Funny how familyChristmas traditions start isn’t it? I don’t know how this one came about in our household; we would listen to this music after frenzied present wrapping while the kids were supposed to be in bed. ( The middle one, the livewire who wouldn’t sleep, would constantly sneak down the stairs & his dad would have to hold the door shut while I frantically tried to hide the presents.)

We were given a CD of Vejvanovsky by a Czech friend on one of our visits & now I can’t hear this without seeing Christmas lights in a darkened room & smell the fumes of mulled wine while we relaxed after the fraught present wrapping. It will always mean Christmas Eve to me. (Perhaps we should have given our restless child some of the mulled wine?)

link to youtube.com

Just a quick one for Andy and Michael and WW –

The lack of correspondence on the LiveJournal should not be viewed as a negative.

We’ve put the pieces in place for dialogue as and when required – if this place suddenly ‘vanishes’ for no obvious reason, we have somewhere else to regroup.

Hoots all.

😉

@Ian B

No worries: agreed, I think the LiveJournal thing is a back up. I haven’t had much time to devote to it recently, but I think its time will come. Like you, I see it more as a resource for like minded folk from here and elsewhere to come together and discuss things and organise when and where required.

I don’t think twitter, FB or WoS BTL comments can provide that, particularly for those who have abandoned them or been turfed out. Time will tell: in lieu of any real movement or action after Holyrood 2021, I suspect more will be required.

In the meantime, put your trust in the Scots people, but keep your metaphorical powder dry! 🙂

“It’s all in the living see, hope yer going groovy dude. ?”

Absolument, C-Man. That wee girl gladdens the heart.

K&K Johnson: talcum powder?

Please continue with your bulletins from afar and hope to meet you in a vernal interface situation, C____d permitting in the NY.

@ML: you can do it this way link to en.gravatar.com

I managed it so it must be easy. You could use either of those images as your (g)ravatar if you wanted.

Excellent! Looks great.

@Ian B:

You could double or quits with, “I’ll eat my hat if Johnson gives us a Section 30.”

🙂

@ Ian B: “You’ve taken that too far…..” 🙂 .

link to youtube.com

Testing
twitter.com/extgirl1/status/1272323320944484359

@Jill Sharpe –

Yes, it works.

😉

Outer Bull / Double 11:

– ‘Waiting for independence’. Maybe that could be used as a clever and hard hitting idea for a time-lapse video-shocker montage collage. A person stands holding and flying a Yes flag with a big smile upon their face. A familiar background is used to familiarise the viewers. The date is the 18th of September 2014. This is the first picture frame taken. Frame 2 is of the same person, Yes flag, background but ONE YEAR LATER. Continue this pattern on through the years of this 21st century up to Year 20XX, then begin to change and transition the appearance of the person, the Yes flag and the background with how things will have changed.

Example: The person could be a 16 year old Scottish citizen, who voted for their first ever time and they voted Yes. The following years, the Yes flag remains, as their smile continues to transition and change. The background begins to deteriorate, with fires, buildings knocked down and ukunion flags & bunting everywhere. The candidate would now be 22 years old as of this year (they could even be standing in Freedom Square for Frame 6, with their Yes flag and a face covering on.) Smile for the camera sure – A ‘Sliding Doors’ type alternative scenario could also play out along side it too – Maybe Cairnstoon or somebody else with excellent graphical skills would like a shot at it. Hey Phantom Power. Howsabout a 10 page flick-book for starters. What do and did you envisage for Scotland four years from now and ten years from ’14?

– I remember back to when we were all protesting outside at Plantation Quay in Glasgow, (at the bee-bee-zzzzz) suggesting why don’t we get ‘saltire marked’ sticky-tape made, to put over our mouths to indicate that the BBC were gagging the many voices of Scotland… strange how that has came to be now, with visual designs of the many excellent saltire-print face coverings, or masks if you will please. Now available and in store, thank you.

– Glasgow, Edinburgh and other areas are now tierfully categorised and labelled as “Level 4” for at least a further 3-weeks (till 11/12/20) from Friday past. If we’re wanting and planning to have a rally camp based presence at Holyrood, we really need to be there throughout the remaindeer of December (that is if the ‘levels’ permit!)

– SO this upping to current Level 4 status for many of us means, that like happened back on the 6th April 2020 (700th DOA anniversary), once again we are unable to publicly mark our Saint Andrew’s Day this year. Anyone got plans to celebrate our national day? I may take a journey to ‘Saint Andrew’s Bridge’ – which spans over the River Clyde upon Glasgow Green – to fly my saltire. This bridge has history.

– The 24th of March is a date that should also be noted. Specifically 2016. Come next year, that would have been the five year marker.

– Afternoon Tinto Chiel, Yes, our very distant cousins Kang & Kodos Johnson from beyond and from America’s original tv family cartoon. That pm Johnson could do with some TP powdered over his stench, then wrapped up and flushed away by using the other type of TP. Credits to Beavis and Butt-head. Yeah, roll on to the New Year of ’21 for our reacquaintances. There will be an outpouring of many emotions at midnight upon The Bells, when Auld Lang Syne is sung in echoing chorus across The World.

Compare and contrast, groovers:

My Lagan Love – Mary Black – Phil Coulter – YouTube

The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood – Sandy Denny – YouTube

@TC –

🙂

‘Can’t Be Bothered Now’ could/should be SNP slogan for the upcoming conference.

A veritable blues song title if ever there was one…

😉

Double 16 / Double 8:

– Seasons greetings, the idea of getting people stimulated and motivated (to consider voting Yes) has now also been successfully accomplished by both the UK and present led Scottish Government. Take a bow and make another vow. Yous have now got the People of Scotland angry and more politically engaged than ever before and we will find a way to protect our sovereign beings… and this is all down to your own doings… or non-doings.

– If 2014 was an actual 45% vote for Yes and current polling is running at around and inbetween 53 to 58 percent for Yes, that’s a big big big swing to normality. Then you add in the six years of new eligible first time voters, add in current ‘dont knows’ (who you would think would vote more for Yes than no when the time comes) add also previous non-voters who recognise that they must now vote and vote Yes to retain and restore control of their country Scotland, TO Scotland. Of course, it might not even come down to an initial vote if certain treaties and international law have anything to do with it and the precedent is challenged by persons willing and able.

– We occasionally hear mentioned on the news wee hints from various EU representatives saying there would be no reason why Scotland couldn’t quickly rejoin the EU as a member, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of them ponder and pose the question, post 31/01/20, “Why hasn’t the Scottish Government given their people the choice and option of an independence referendum to settle the UK’s constitutional crisis?” Maybe they know something we don’t know, but then we probably already do.

– The country and Kingdom of Scotland has always been under represented in seat numbers in the House of Commons. As there are about 650 seats in Westminster – and only the Kingdom of Scotland forms this union of the UK with the kingdom of England. Half of these seats should be in the name of Scotland and the other half should be shared between England, Wales and Northern Ireland. But then that would be a democratic arrangement. 325 Scottish seats to the left of ye, 325 rUK seats to the right, here we are stuck in the middle with EU.

– It can be good to condense.

– Convenient how an actual English Parliament/Government does not exist in any physical and independent form. Or if it were, would that be named… the ‘English Executive’, building?

– Congrats and thanks for nine awesome years. Indeed, was eagerly expecting and pleased to see Wings has had almost 900,000 visitations in October alone this year. Makes you wonder which will come first next… 1,000,000 reader visitations or 1,000,000 reader comments – Note – reader comments currently rocking up at 977,2xx contributions. It’s the final straight and into the last quarter. X is a round number, of years.

– Instead of LGB(T), it should revert to the already written original…
LGBG – “Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls”.

– Evening Tinto Chiel, fellow Level 4ourian. How’s life on the outside with ye all? I’m mostly in and if I’m not in I’m probably out, and yes you’re right, many dictators from many countries of history but ye wouldnae of thought it could of happened to Scotland and a devolved Scottish Parliament. Imagine that the positions were switched, where NS was FM for indyref1 and Scotland’s Alex Salmond is First Minister of Scotland the now… Scotland would already be an independent European country once again, sharing in the current situation of this present ‘pandemic’ with the rest of The World. Hey, have a great day!

Hi hi Cactus long time ra Toon wanderer lol

I’m busy tomorrow (1/12/20) but the following day Wed 2/12/20 I was thinking of taking a reccie to Holyrood regarding how and where, and in what way some form of peaceful protest, presence could be set up.

I’ll be leaving from Perth – sometime civilised – in the morning. And I can provide a lift to 2 medium sized adults.

Would anyone like to join me? As I say this day would be a reccie only, and a chance to plan.

My feeling is – ‘if we build it, they will come’….

One good thing about Covid, is – with the 2 meter spacing – every protester takes up a lot more room;)

Equipment wise, I have one of those large Fishing brollies, and some foldable chairs, and a flask (for coffee).

I have a disused Postie wheelie hand held trailer that would be ideal for a portable Billboard (one each side). (needs a bit of work to get it up and running). It is also collapsable so is easy to get in a car.

Another gut feeling is, if this is going to take off in any way, meetings will need to be held, and they might as well be held on site, so to speak as a way of maximising efforts. It also becomes a Hub for all to visit.

Any thoughts.

Hello Dramfineday,

I was ill this last few months, and felt very much as you describe just now. Know exactly where your coming from.

Physically I’m getting a bit better, which always helps, and so 2 things I promised myself back in 2014.

I would do all that I could, as best I could, and leave nothing on the shelf. If it worked, fine, and if not I could hold my head up high.

And some advice I once read – if you think there’s just one more mile to go, tell yourself its 5, that way you won’t get caught out.

We’ve got 10 more miles to go man. Heads up. As best you can, in the kindest way you can. And the fact that you care so very much means a lot. Never under value that.

Best wishes. Aye.

Thanks Ronnie, not sure what Bacs is ? Trying to avoid Paypal. I looked at the Donate site where the bank account number and routing number is, and it looked like the paypal site.

I’ll check it out, Im in the USA so want to get it right.

Thanks again Ronnie

Aweright ronnie anderson, hope yer doing good dude, I still wander about the toon most days. All missions mindstored for retrospective-reporting.

Hey Daisy Walker, Yes, count me in for tomorrow at Holyrood, I’ll see if I can bring along some song and fellow folk with me. Will aim to be there for lunchtime between 12pm and 1pm. (Update: X2 more guests confirmed for tomorrow’s road-trip and counting…).

In light of last night’s positive vote result, maybe it will motivate and inspire others to join us. There’s got to be some local people in Edinburgh like… bring a chair with ye.

Thanks Dan, Yes Got it Just trying to avoid Paypal taking a cut by donating directly. Thanks

Hello folks,

I checked this site last night and there were no takers at that time, so apologies.

I did go to Holyrood today – at just after 4 pm.

First and foremost it is extremely COLD.

I just missed getting in to the building to speak to anyone – as it was closed… however, the kindly Police in the area have advised me to e-mail Police Scotland with regards liaison between the Holyrood and any peaceful presence. There is a Police Inspector sighted within Holyrood with officers, and liaison is part of the remit.

With regards the layout – most of you will be aware the forecourt area is a mix of concrete, paddling pools and grassy ‘arenas’, with the fixtured concrete bollards and seats scattered about in a suitably decorative manner (but also there to prevent or hinder any vehicle with bomb getting close to the building).

There is an area (on the Holyrood forecourt) of hard standing between the bollards and the road, which I think the authorities would have difficulty rejecting us from using. It leaves a sterile area within the bollards and entrances clear of our activities.

The area can be seen from the road, and from the concourse. Holyrood Palace car park is opposite. As is Holyrood park nearby, should younger party types want to go on to revel in the fresh air.

Obviously – unless there are incidents – pedestrian and cycle traffic can pass as normal on all areas of the hard standing, including the ‘peaceful presence’ stall.

Incidentally I was liaising with a vintage Yesser – this idea is not a new one. A Caravan took up residence outside St Andrews House, occupied 24/7 in the lead up to the 1997 Devolution Referendum. Another idea they had (hi viz is a theme) was a blue light to signify support for Scotland’s right to self determination. Since the nights have fair drawn in – how nice would that be.

Did I mention how COLD it was. I mentioned earlier about a presence 24/7… but now I’m going to be a bit more practical and a bit more realistic.

A hub of this kind serves 2 purposes – it is a High Profile Presence and a source of info/ and other lawful activities can emit from there.

If this gets up and running – realistically, people are going to have to do shifts (if only for toilet, meal and heat breaks).

During the hours of darkness, they are NOT going to get many, or any useful visitors. It would be a very, very hard shift for very little effect.

So realistically this would mean that the bulk of the ‘presence’ takes place during daylight between 9am – 4pm.

If there is the staffing, organisation, talent and will to turn the ‘presence’ into more of an event/evening do – then I would suggest these are scheduled for weekends of Frid 11th, Sat 12th and Sun 13th and the following weekend Frid 18th, Sat 19th and Sun 20th become informal Concert / Speech / Sing Song nights.

And with regards this aspect – we need to play cannae – if people spontaneously want to break out into singing On The Banks of Loch Lomond, For Auld Lang Syne, Flower of Scotland, For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow (that ones for Alex), ‘We’ll meet again’ that ones for EU – there’s not a problem and no-one can really stop that. After all, I’m sure it is written – you’ve got to fight, for your right to ceilidh’ – that ones for Cactus.

If however you want to give wee Isa McShoogle her big break and ship in a stage, a loud band with amplifiers – you’re getting into a whole new ball park, licenses, insurance, toilets, and different Policing arrangements are required. I don’t have the energy, experience or inclination to do that, particularly in this short time frame.

And we need to be Covid Safe for those staffing it, and for those coming to it. Its outside, the seating available is all hard standing, plus folk can bring their own, and they won’t be there for too long.

Any wee concert/speechifying should be planned to be no longer than an hour, and finish 9 – 9.30 ish. We want this family friendly, and safe. We also want the Polis on side, not pissed off because its become the unofficial town shabeen for every drunken trouble maker in town.

By keeping it to this tight time frame, the need for portaloos will not be necessary. As soon as they become needed by visiting groups – we will be closed down for Covid reasons.

And lastly, for now, Hogmanay – I’m going to suggest that this is a long, and special one, and our unofficial big ceilidh dooo, complete with candles and Blue Lights, goes on ‘officially’ until the dizzy late hour of 1.30 am.

And if we can get some good speakers – and yes Alex I do mean you – and all you good Facebook users can get it ‘out there’ – I do not see any reason why this night cannot be repeated by a ‘peaceful presence’ in every town and village and city centre, if only for a 1/2 hour at the bells. With a Blue Light of course.

Now, it might be there are already plans afoot re some of the above. And I’m absolutely not out to step on anyones toes or steal anyone’s thunder – so speak up and we shall come to an arrangement.

What I’m thinking of proposing to the Polis in the first instance, is a small canvass pagoda for shelter, with table for leaflets, poster, etc – staffed up with 4 – 6 people. They (i’m saying they, but it might just be me) bring their own meals, and do a couple of hours shifts before taking a break in town for all the usual necessities. I don’t know if it will be possible to get permission to use Holyrood toilets, I will of course ask.

I’m away for the next 2 days, but back on Saturday when I shall look back in to see what folk think and suggest.

Oh, one last thought – no presence on Christmas day – it would just look sad, plus its my turn to do the cooking.

Hello Lizg, thank you for that.

Just to let folks know – I’m getting significant gaps in posts, and the timings that they appear on this OS site, which varies between which computer I use. Some posts not showing at all on my iPad…

For the folks that posted they would be at Holyrood – I checked the night before and your posts were not showing up on my computer. So I never saw them until too late.

Very sorry about that.

With regards your comments Lizg – if its a daytime, peaceful presence on the Forecourt of Holyrood Parliament, and it is being done in a Covid safe manner – I’m planning that it will be legal and have no justification in going to court. Our EU Human Rights allow for peaceful assembly for political and religious reasons.

As I understand it the previous undertaking involved the setting up of a protest camp… which is different and kicks in different laws.

If there is something visible, a point of contact, a rallying point, and it leads up to attention being on Holyrood on 31/12/20, with a view to inspiring a national, hi vis course of action – like the blue light 1 minute after the Bells in every town centre in Scotland, and every Yessers window…. Then I see it as just as positive a course of action as the marches AUOB.

Plus Hogmanay’s ours, and while big fancy public showcase do’s are fantastic, traditionally, we also used to, and still know how to make it, a few members of the family and the neighbours. In view of Covid, lets play to our strengths.

I think I still have your e-mail, would you be Ok if I contacted you for further info in the near future. If we get the run around, knowing who is who, and who has jurisdiction will be important.

I won’t be able to update further until Saturday, but will look in to read any suggestions.

Best wishes to all, and as I said before, I’m not looking to step on toes here. if someone is already down the road of setting this up, let me know, and I’ll help all I can.

@ Lizg

Hi Liz…flapper here….a wee wave and a hello if you pop back into OT today.

Hope you are well…

Also hello to Daisy…..been reading your excellent comments on MT…..

If Tinto Chiel, Ian B, JGedd and others pop into OT too….big hello to you also and hope you are all well…..

Have a great day everybody…..

As Lizg said the land which was camped on – went to court and lost.

Its too cold, to little time and dark too early for full on ‘occupation’ of the site. Plus it kicks in different legislation.

If however there is ‘peaceful presence’ during daylight hours, with some evening smallish events at the weekend – leading up to Hogmanay – this should/possibly become a source of positive publicity, a hub, and a marked event on 31/12/20.

By keeping it primarily during daylight hours, it will be easier to staff, and avoid (hopefully any type of legal action- never mind a protracted court case).

No disrespect to ‘occupation’ type protests but there’s no time for that in the lead up to 31/12/20.

Legal, fleet of foot, and effective is the only way I can see it. The KISS principle seems a good one too.

What do people think about the Blue Light idea?

@ Daisy Walker: well done, Daisy, for the effort and commitment you are putting in. Re using Holyrood loos, we were allowed to do so at the October 2019 Yes march so I am sure they must be available to the public all the time. There is a gift shop in Holyrood which argues the public are allowed access to the building.

Hi Flapper 🙂 being all caught up with the Twitter thing means lm very rarely here.. but it does give me such a lift to see your good self always so cheery.
I am well and I hope that you and yours are too xxx
I hope it’s not going to be too long before we can meet up and catch up 🙂
Take care of you my friend xxx

@Daisy Walker (11.29) –

FWIW, I don’t feel the ‘blue light in every window’ idea would work because, at this time of year, a lot of window spaces are showing blue Christmas-tree lights and the light from tellies tends to be blueish anyway.

Test post.
Soz for double post on MT, site seems very slow for me today with pages timing out and occasional gateway errors.
Have switched all my IT shiz off and on again so fingers crossed that should sort things.