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Wings Over Scotland


Reborn In The USA 66

Posted on August 06, 2016 by

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The Formula 452

Posted on August 04, 2016 by

Have you ever wondered how you try to poison and shut down a debate and a political environment that you fear you’ve found yourself on the losing side of, readers? Well, it’s funny you should ask, because as it happens we’ve got a visiting professor – an expert authority on the subject – with us today to give us a demonstration.

tanktoptorrance

Make sure you’ve got your pens and notepads ready. He’s got a very busy schedule and we can’t afford to have him here for long.

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The cybernat in the trees 109

Posted on August 03, 2016 by

A parable of internet abuse. Acknowledgements to Alan Moore and Frankie Boyle.

haloj1

Dedicated to David Torrance, Susan Calman, Johanna Baxter and Angela Eagle.

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Until your ship comes in 188

Posted on August 03, 2016 by

There’s been a statistic released in Scotland, so obviously there’s a crisis.

policeexpress

Anarchy on the streets can only be moments away.

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The shopping monitors 252

Posted on August 02, 2016 by

The mad explosion of news that consumed most of July has largely abated. The Tories have a new leader, Labour are settling in for an insanely destructive and bitter two-month factional war in order to (almost certainly) re-elect the same one they only elected 10 months ago, and Brexit is on hold until next year.

So with a palpable sigh of relief, the Scottish political media has been able to get back to what it does best: juvenile silly-season drivel about nothing.

masonbarr

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About time, frankly 324

Posted on July 31, 2016 by

In December 2013, the editor of this site – who knew nothing of the secret this article is about to reveal – tweeted “When we write the chronicles of independence, I hope there’ll be a whole chapter on @A_DarlingMP”.

ald1

Well, this is as close as we’re going to get.

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When time stood still again 246

Posted on July 30, 2016 by

Yes supporters are currently holding what seems to be a very well-attended march from Glasgow’s Botanical Gardens to a rally in George Square, with thousands more people seemingly turning up than even the organisers’ highest pre-event estimates.

We could verify that with footage from the Labour-controlled City Council’s webcam at the square, if it hadn’t mysteriously stopped working an hour and ten minutes ago, weirdly enough at the exact moment the march started to arrive.

whentime

Funny, that. We’re sure it’s just a coincidence.

Slow train coming 87

Posted on July 30, 2016 by

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An empty quiver 201

Posted on July 29, 2016 by

This week I published, through Common Weal, a discussion paper on the potential currency options for an independent Scotland in light of the material changes in circumstances caused by the Brexit vote.

This paper examines some of the options open to an independent Scotland and concludes that, on balance, the best option for Scotland would be a Scottish currency, initially pegged to Sterling but with the infrastructure and mechanisms in place to move, replace or remove that peg if and when it proves advantageous.

(As the UK did itself in the 1980’s when the pound was pegged first to the US dollar and then to the Deutschmark.)

One of the requirements of an independent currency is that Scotland would need its own foreign reserve fund which would act as a buffer against trade imbalances and would be used to counter movements in exchange rate (particularly if we were pegged our exchange rate to Sterling).

express10a

It was on this particular point that yesterday’s Scottish edition of the Daily Express chose to focus, in its characteristically measured, balanced and thoughtful manner.

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A great day for child abusers 329

Posted on July 28, 2016 by

Well done to everyone concerned. Paedophiles and the Daily Mail will be partying hard tonight. Although as it later transpired, only for a while. The Supreme Court ruled that while the Named Persons legislation needed a small tweak on data-protection grounds which will most likely delay it for a few months, condemning more children to needless suffering, its core aims in fact WERE lawful.

(It remains to be seen how much the restrictions on information-sharing will hamper the successful operation of the scheme.)

This won’t stop the campaign against it, however, so there’s still hope for those who want to batter toddlers to death without interference from the pesky nanny state.

We’d say more, but just read this again.

The darling of the comrades 281

Posted on July 26, 2016 by

A new YouGov poll of Scottish voters was released today. It had no voting-intention figures, and concerned itself mostly with people’s assessment of the main Scottish and UK party leaders. The Labour-voters column was interesting to say the least.

labmay

That’s rather a lot of love for a Tory PM from people who voted Labour at the last UK election just over a year ago – more of Scottish Labour’s remaining voters found Theresa May likeable than dislikeable. But then things got even weirder.

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Fluid times 148

Posted on July 26, 2016 by

A brief note on the current futility of political commentary.

mayborders

Remember that? Well, let’s see how it really works.

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    • James Cheyne on The Gulf War: “Are you upset… didums. Trying to control the narrative, as far as I am aware it still relates to Scots…Jan 1, 16:46
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Gulf War: “KID-ON SCOTLAND Cardboard box with two holes cut for eyes. Wee boy in there pretending he wants out. In reality…Jan 1, 16:41
    • Alf Baird on The Gulf War: “The Rev has rightly again pointed out the ever widening gulf between votes for SNP and votes for independence. By…Jan 1, 16:27
    • sam on The Gulf War: “Guid New Year, James. I used AI to get this information. The sources quoted include “thebarristergroup.co.uk”. “Search Assist Yes, there…Jan 1, 16:26
    • Insider on The Gulf War: “James Cheyne says: 1 January, 2026 at 3:49 pm “Scotland is a independent Country,” Well, so glad to hear that’s…Jan 1, 16:08
    • sam on The Gulf War: “The decision is written by the Tribunal judge and his panel.I doubt they were stupid enough to believe this would…Jan 1, 16:00
    • James Cheyne on The Gulf War: “Should Scotland be an independent Country, Scotland is a independent Country, just that England and media controls the narrative not…Jan 1, 15:49
    • James Cheyne on The Gulf War: “AI is a computer, A computers output is only as good or sound as the creators imput. That why you…Jan 1, 15:37
    • David Holden on The Gulf War: “Honest John one of the first successful charisma bypass operations in our wee country. As for James Kelly and his…Jan 1, 15:33
    • Robert McAllan on The Fear Of The Briar: “Andy Wightman ‘the keynote speaker’??? FFS the ba’s burst afore it even touches the slates!!!Jan 1, 15:25
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    • geoff on The Gulf War: “You don’t seem well.Jan 1, 15:10
    • 100%Yes on The Gulf War: “Alf, I’m afraid a lonely fart will have more effect than liberate Scotland will. We need to stop fucking around…Jan 1, 15:10
    • Alf Baird on The Gulf War: “Yes, national identity and therefore national consciousness (based on culture and indigenous languages) is a central feature in colonial societies…Jan 1, 14:53
    • Lorna Campbell on The Gulf War: “Happy New Year, ane an a. Great piece, Rev. If the Sandie Peggie appeal is successful on the grounds that…Jan 1, 14:41
    • Northcode on The Gulf War: ““Westminster will never allow Scotland’s money to escape no matter what.” It isn’t up to Westminster… it’s in the gift…Jan 1, 14:34
    • Lorna Campbell on The Fear Of The Briar: “Do you know of any party that disbanded itself after independence, David? Even if the SNP lose eventually, they will…Jan 1, 14:33
    • James Barr Gardner on The Fear Of The Briar: “The BBC publishing the Scottish Newspapers front pages does not have the Nationals, strange every time the National has strong…Jan 1, 14:31
    • Effijy on The Gulf War: “Westminster will never allow Scotland’s money to escape no matter what. We know that Westminster initiated the murderous Highland Clearances…Jan 1, 14:16
    • Northcode on The Gulf War: ““…the continued ‘strategic drift’ of the once dominant national party onto the jaggy rocks of colonialism.” An apposite metaphor, one…Jan 1, 14:14
    • sarah on Off-topic: “No steak pie but the remnant of carbonnade des marinieres – steak casserole – that my better half made the…Jan 1, 14:10
    • sam on The Gulf War: “https://theconversation.com/twenty-five-years-of-data-shows-how-link-between-identity-and-views-on-scottish-independence-has-grown-stronger-266963 “People’s views on how Scotland should be governed have always reflected to some degree whether they feel Scottish or…Jan 1, 14:09
    • sarah on The Gulf War: ““…just stay drunk.” No. Just keep watching the Scotland World Cup-qualifying goal replays. I do! It does wonders for my…Jan 1, 14:05
    • Alf Baird on The Gulf War: “The now ever widening gulf between votes for SNP and votes for independence may be likened to the established business…Jan 1, 13:59
    • Derick fae Yell on The Gulf War: “Question Are those who support independence but not the SNP going to vote for someone else, or not vote at…Jan 1, 13:31
    • Northcode on The Gulf War: “P.P.S.If I have made any typos the day, and fowk hiv noticed, just ignore them… recovering from the effects of…Jan 1, 13:02
    • willie on The Gulf War: “A Good New Year and a good article. The bond between independence and the SNP has indeed been broken. Where…Jan 1, 13:00
    • Marie Clark on Off-topic: “Steak pie day for me too Tinto. Only myself and Mr C today, makes a change. I must say I’m…Jan 1, 12:47
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