Someone made this
…for us off their own bat this week, unasked. It’s pretty awesome, though we haven’t the slightest idea what we could use it for. (What it really makes us want is a snazzy 1cm-thick cutout metal version of the logo to use as a poker guard. Anyone?)
But when we have our own nightly current-affairs TV show on an independent Scottish Broadcasting Service, it looks like the intro is pretty much sorted. 
We figured we should probably at least tie the video into something, though, so for this month’s stats post we thought we’d look at the lifetime readership figures since we linked up with Google Analytics at the start of March 2012.
(The monthly totals for June and July were pretty static at around 240,000 readers and 4.4m pageviews, despite a 20% drop in the number of posts while we’ve concentrated on the imminent Wee Blue Book and some other projects.)
The significance of that unique-users figure of nearly two million, of course, is that if all of them voted Yes next month it’d almost certainly secure a comfortable victory for independence. (On an 80% turnout of an electorate of just over 4m, roughly 1.6m votes would be enough to hit the 50% mark.)
Now, sadly everyone who’s visited Wings in the last 29 months ISN’T going to vote Yes. There are some No voters in there, undecideds, non-voters, people outside of Scotland and people who came here by accident. (One soul arrived recently via the search term “kjv barrels of fish left over”. Nope, us either.)
But those figures serve as a striking demonstration of just how many people you CAN reach on the internet. The battle for Scotland’s future will still be chiefly won or lost on doorsteps and in the streets, but a single website reaching almost half the adult population of Scotland with fully-referenced facts and figures, contradicting the relentless avalanche of falsehoods from the No camp and media, is no small beer.
There are less than seven weeks to go. You’ve done an amazing job this far, but more than ever we need you to keep spreading the word, both online and in the real world. This morning’s polls put the gap at just six points. It’s up for grabs. Let’s get to work.
Hey Rev, do you have figures for that filtered by geography?
Would make a good TV advert. How much would it cost to get it on STV and Border TV?
That is epic
Awesome vid.
Can it be linked to first time visitors as an intro to the site?
Brilliant Stu. Quick, before it goes check out the text below the first picture in the Mail link.
It says “Unaware: Surrounded by saltires, Mr Salmond is unaware of the solitary Union flag behind his head”.
There is no Union flag behind his head. There IS a cross of St. George however.
If we can’t beat these fuckwits we deserve all we get.
And that video is bloody fantastic!
That was awesome, I could feel that as much as hear it.
short & sweet
I’d contribute to get this on telly…all it needs is another line after the none of them support independence line to say say something like “are you SURE you are getting all the facts?” and it would be perfect to go straight on TV as an advert! It’s awesome!
That’s a good bounce rate! Shows people are coming here and engaging.
Kjv barrels of fish left over – That sounds like a phrase Siri would search for…
Brilliant. Shared already.
Great Stats Stu. Can’t wait for the Blue Book.
Less than 7 weeks, I hope I last that long.
I trust that no BBC Scotland facilities were used in the production of this brilliant advert.
Or do you have another mole in the production department?
How about a TV advertising. crowd funding?
That certainly grabs your attention.
The video is fab too.
2m page views. Wow.
That was superb. Can you imagine it on the big screen in a cinema? Wow. But how much would it cost to show it on STV? Should we have another crowdfunder for this?
wow that’s outstanding!
Whoever made it has obviously given up on the Sunday Herald.
The level of debate, thanks to WoS Contributors and articles by Rev Stu, Scott Minto etc have been a revelation to many.
The Statistics shown above are directly relevent versus the collapse in the readership of MSM where newspapers have collapsed by more than 20 per cent in sales.
The Final Push for FREEDOM is within sight.
O/T
Imagine being a 50 year old man in Margaret Curran`s Glasgow East Constituency where the average Male Lifespan is set on HEADSTONES at only 54 YEARS – AFTER – Scab SLAB has owned this constituency for the past 80 years.
This Shadow Sec of State for Scotland needs a Reality Check on every doorstep.
In over 30 years my local SLAB scab MP has never once been stood on MY doorstep and never and never answered any questions.
Great video and it should be on TV. What about a voice over at the end re checking out the facts?
My feet are already covered in blisters and we have 7 weeks to go!? Only death or Lewis Sundays will stop me from campaigning!
Rev, please note that Yes campaigners will have not had time to visit Wings as often as they would have liked!
Aye lets fund TV adverts to bring folk here!
Sos, 2m unique users, not page views.
Do they keep polling the same no voters in these polls? They must,because they keep getting the same negative results.
@Dr JM Mackintosh
The video was made with the profits from badge and keyring sales as well as donations from generous WoS readers.
To your BBC question; the answer is no.
Great stats for the site though,the message is getting through.
Daily Heil attacks with 80 per of voters say the Games have made no difference to how they were likely to vote. Only 12 per cent said they were more likely Yes etc.
Fine so here in ABZ, Press and Journal reaches around the North East of Scotland up to Orkney and Shetland, most Scots oil installations etc and they have mercilessly attacked Glasgow’s Commonwealth games
Press and Journal Friday’s 2 page spread take on Bolt’s “bit shit” headline is, “Games dubbed fantastic after etc” with lonely pic of one Scots sports fan, big photo of cyclist but surrounded by 4 really nasty headlines, “Officials say event not suffered in any way” “Appeal after toilet set alight at Games” “Oz weightlifter admits head but on Welsh athlete at Games” “Police complaints over long shifts at Games” with full details on just how shit the 2014 Commonwealth Games the Press and Journal say they are.
Maybe P&J UKOK liggers in particular just do not like athletics or Glasgow but its day in day out up here now.
That was fantastic!
3 words.
That simply rocks…
I put the video on full screen and volume up and I then felt the hairs on my arms move.
This needs to be made into a TV advert.
Brilliant advert.As per the Usain Bolt cartoon.Wasn’t it great when he pulled up Britnat Gabby Roslin on air for saying we didn’t need Bolt.She has made her feelings not very subtly known on the British Scotland thing.She referred to the English team as British over and over.Colin Jackson pulled her up as she was also referring to a Welsh girl..She became defensive and said well they are British why shouldn’t I.Get to ferk woman that’s the whole point of the teams so we can actually give the credit to the actual nation for once and not the collective England is Britain crapp.I just don’t think the English know who they are hence they change their anthem very few years.None of the English cry when their anthem is played so that tells its own story.
Brilliant Stu .
Someone out there did this ??
Give us your name please so we can thank you
And can we crowd fund this on an advert for the telly.
Give Wings another high profile lift.
Got £10. burning a hole in my pocket that is screaming for a good cause. Just say the word and it’s on its way Stu.
Could we not all put money to an advert on the STV channel using this video
I have my £10 donation ready when you decide to use the video as a TV advert.
Decide today, money in by Friday, TV ad last week in August.
You know it makes sense
This is what happens when you actually reduce something of quality today – people are so impressed (and shocked) that they’ll produce free advertising for you!
Or * produce *. Damn you autocorrect.
@kendomacaroonbar
Did you do this video Ken? It’s great and I too would love to see it on the telly. That would make a lot of the naysayers feel sick.
Get it on everyday for the penultimate week of the campaign and give people something to think about. Stats are great, using this as an advert could potentially double them.
Rev I see a lot of merit in reposting some of the best articles for those that missed them first time around also serves as a reminder of the reasons we will vote Yes.
@Jamie
Wings readers paid for this ! by contributing towards badge sales.
Too right, Rev, “Lets get to work”
My own experiences canvassing tell me that there is plenty work still to be done, but plenty opportunities too.
We are a traditionally no area of southern Scotland. Whilst canvassing a CD area with a high elderly population the other night I knocked on about 30 doors. 16 were in. I got responses of 5 committed yes, 5 dk, 5 soft no and only one definite no, (he was an “Alex Salmond is a liar, why should my taxes pay for dole scroungers” type). Out of the 16, only 2 were under 55, both males voting yes. Few of the rest spent time on the Internet and most got their news from the BBC.
Of the 5 don’t knows, every one scored between 6 and 9 out of 10, so all of them leaning to yes. Of the no people you could tell that they would all reconsider if they thought we could afford it and if it could be demonstrated that the future would be better under independence. It was clear that the msm and bbc had put the fear of death in them. They were all interested in chatting to me though and all wanted more info. I can totally see why Better Together are starting to panic, they know how easy it will be for us to convert another 3 to 4% over to yes.
So out of our 16, only 1 frothing britnat and the rest potential yessers, if only they can get the correct information. As it was though, we could only count on 5 out of the 16 to actually vote yes.
So it essential that we keep knocking on the doors. we only need a few percent swing but there is a total abundance of potential yessers out there who are just waiting for us to reassure them that a yes vote is the right thing to do.
I take with me a load of newspaper articles from websites which I have printed out from the Internet and laminated. These include the UK govt admitting pensions are safe, Barnett formula facing review if a no vote, Patrick Dunleavy saying the UK treasury is lying, the financial times analysis that iScotland will be better off than rUK and the data on how Westminster ripped off the Scottish farmers with the EU grants. I have added the recent one on UK govt underplaying the value of the oil. It is amazing how effective they are with people who have only been exposed to the BBC, they know instantly that they have been lied to. Roll on the blue book so I can take it with me too.
I have no doubt that this referendum is ours for the taking, 6 more weeks of us lot on the doorsteps along with the cybernattin and it will be a landslide. Lets do this!!
If I was Alex Salmond. I’d have a Wings over Scotland badge on my lapel Tuesday night. Talk to the people of Scotland, on and off line:D
Get it on the telly!
Loving the video animation.. top class piece of work. Kudos to kendo(I believe its kendomacaroonbar’s work… sorry if i’ve got that wrong). More please….
It is so simple and straight to the point that this must be seen by evey person that is entitled to vote on sept the 18th , as @Yesguy says I will be more than happy to donate to the cause of turning this video clip into an epic national tv advert that all sides of all voters deserves to see.
Can anyone please let me know if this is possible as donation is at the ready ?
I thought i was seeing the introduction to a WOS TV programme.
Perhaps after the 18th we will
Vote YES for a better world.
Brilliant!
Cinema ad? I’m up for chipping in.
Great work on the subject of the users figures Rev. Really deserved due to the quality of the content. And as for the maker of the clip, take a bow sir/madam, take a bow.
Cool.
I like it.
“Kjv barrels of fish left over”- if Kjv is King James Version then the search is on the loaves and fishes parable- some versions say 12 barrels of ‘broken pieces’of fish and bread were left over (the Yes position) but other versions say there were only seven barrels of left overs (the No position).
For more see link to biblehub.com
@heedtracker
On the Daily Heil poll – anyone harbouring any lingering notion that Curtice is an impartial analyst should read the comments attributed to him in the Mail. Or indeed have another look at his performance on BBC euro election night. The man, quite simply, is a charlatan.
The Mail’s Unionist triumphalism seven weeks out really does bring to mind the question of how a anti-Scottish, London-driven MSM (including BBC ‘Scotland’ and STV) can be accommodated in the event of the unthinkable No vote happening. The levels of vicious and hysterical gloating coming from the various MSM sewers will be unbearable.
I guess we’ll just have to vote Yes then.
According to ITV website a “Coronation Street” slot costs about £3750 for a one off 30 second ad!
I’m willing to chip in for the advert. I’m willing to contribute towards several adverts!
@kendomacaroonbar: I thought of you as soon as I saw it, well done. The end result is wonderful.
Milady de Winter says:
3 August, 2014 at 1:50 pm
It wouldn’t take long to raise £3750!
Political advertising is not permitted on TV in the UK. Sorry folks but someone has to say it. That’s why you don’t see any political adverts on TV.
I’m with everybody who wants to chip in for this on TV or cinema, but time is short. Go for it.
I would certainly contribute £20 for this to be made into a tv advert.More if necessary.These days tv reaches more of the population than cinema.I think it would pay big dividends.
@Stuart Black
Thanks Stuart. Your generosity helped make this
Michael
Is it really political?
Newspapers regularly advertise on TV.
This is just directing viewers to another source of information. It does not say “vote Yes”
Michael
They would have to prove it was political if the bit about them being anti indy was altered slightly.Change it to say..”They don’t speak for everybody” or something similar and that would leave enough doubt for the ASA.
@ KendomacaroonBar. A big Tammy doff to You Sir well done& many Thanks for the Wings Badges,I gave Jock Scot a Ceramic Wings badge he was over the moon being excepted as a Winger,as I said to Jock he makes a valueble contrabution to the overall Yes Campain.
Michael,
What if it’s classed as an online news site. The bookmakers and like advertize all night ,they annoy the hell out of me. Can we advertize Wings the site and leave out any “political” stuff till folk switch on their laptops and come here online?
Love the picture at the end. How can i get that for my screensaver ?
Great stuff Kendo,
However you look at it, this is fantastic news. Shine on, Wings Over Scotland!
@Ronnie
My pleasure Ronnie. Many hands make light work
we all help in any way we can. Kudos to those individuals like yourself who are pounding the streets in all weathers to get the word out.
Together we can do this !
Powerful! Work of this quality must not be neglected or forgotten.
It MUST be brought into the public domain/consciousness by whatever means.
My pocket-money is waiting for the call.
I would happily contribute to this on TV or similar…
@milady de winter
Well milady we now know that it is more than affordable which is fantastic , all we need to now find out is how much red tape stands in the way of making it happen and if it is at all even possible as I have a suspicion it can only be placed as a trailer in the cinema can anyone advise on this ?
If the cinema is the only option it will still be epic and my donation is still at the ready.
Could we fund a DVD for every household in Scotland.
I wonder if STV would run it before the ‘Clash of the Titan & Tit’
that was just a jolly jape Alisdair !
Some rates on stv…
link to stvcommercial.tv
Just brilliant. Well done to Kendomacaroonbar.
For years and day in day out, hundreds maybe thousands of yewkay “journalists” have been attacking Scottish democracy, lying, misinforming, misrepresenting, smearing, you name it they do it. BBC sits on top of that rancid pile of vote No grot, but throughout all of it there’s the journalism of Stuart Campbell and that’s all there is.
Wear a WoS lapel badge on Tuesday oor Eck!
@ Kendomacaroonbar, any more news on the Helensburgh Wingers Nite Out.
Hey, if you’re going to the Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony tonight enjoy yourselves.. but it’s time to take back the coverage of Scotland, the host city..
We have Scotland’s recognised national anthem as The Flower of Scotland.. now it’s time for Scotland’s International Anthem to be sung aloud.. so be that person in the crowd, stand up and sing our Auld Lang Syne, so here’s a hand.. you’ll know when the time is right
C’mon Scotland, it just takes one piper / one person.. let’s raise the roof in Hampden.. even the BBC couldn’t mute out our bonnie song.. do it for yourself!
first check in today! That was awesome! Liked the one about big Al that was on the page after it finished
@Ronnie
Re Helensburgh Wingers. Just need the entertainment committee to come up with a date
That’s you btw
Don’t know if the First Minister would wear a Wings Over Scotland badge on TV. However maybe we could issue a challenge similar to Pat Nevin’s ‘Tommy Ring’ regular placement on Match of the Day.
Could the First Minister say ‘Wings over Scotland’ during the Salmond/Darling debate? Even ending a sentence in ‘Wings’ and starting another with ‘Over Scotland’?
@ Kendomacaroonbar, naws no me, needs someone from that area gits yer finger oot, there must be mair Wingers in Helensburgh Cmon lets be hearing from YOUS times awasteing.
Brilliant piece of work and very professional.
But as there is no political advertising allowed on British TV and WoS is registered as a participant for Yes it can’t be shown.
Also if we was shown then it would open the doors to the BT affiliates to begin advertising even more lies. And they would easily outspend us on TV adverts.
How about newspaper ads pointing to the advert online ?
@Ronnie
I’ll phone you early next week to discuss.
Patrick Harvie’s comments in the Sunday Herald are not exactly helpful to Yes. I used to rate him as a politician. However, Harvie basically insinuated that he could live with a No vote. So the privatisation of the NHS, and other public services is okay is it Patrick? Is it fine by you that many people are relying on food banks? Are you really a radical, or are you a fake, pseudo one? If he is a radical, I do not get any sense from him of much passion about securing a Yes vote.
Worst of all, Harvie made it quite clear that he has no political nous and is not a team player. Both of these attributes are essential for a successful political leader. This is not good.
@ Kendomacaroonbar no probs Ken am here for you anytime, mybee,s a wee trip into Maryhill midweek to catch up with julie,s escapades in Oban,word is she went full tilt on Frid nite delivering a great speech.
Excellent vid! Bold and proud, dramatic and thought-provoking. I agree, let’s have whip-round for a tv advert.
Voice-over at end of ad re ‘facts’ would be good.
I just donated £20 to a certain Nationalist political party – I can do this again, readily, for pro ad like Kendo’s.
That is just EPIC!
Seriously, that must be used for something! That cannot be left unused!
brilliant, love it, sign of things to come hopefully
Simply outstanding advert.
While I have never posted my own blog here it feels appropriate to post now – ‘The Perils of a Homemade Commercial’ which I wrote after I made my own advert for my book. As you will see it was not a success!
link to geoffhuijer.blogspot.co.uk
anyone: what does the “bounce rate” mean?
Rory, I think it’s people who come to the site and immediately leave again, either because it wasn’t where they were trying to go, or because their first impressions were unfavourable.
@ Ian Mackay, this is the time to stand up and be counted. Salmond is no different from everyone else voting Yes. WoS journalism has been the only one to support, explain, clarify, de bullshit the biggest BetterTogether bullshit artists we’ve ever seen and all of it unpaid too.
Mind you, on Tuesday, Ponsonby and co will no doubt have same cops that escorted the women with a Yes Scotland flag from the BBC Commonwealth Games. If anything summed up how Scotland is ruled by another country, it was that tawdry display of law and order and all the while paid dudes are handing out thousands of Scotland flags with union jacks on the back.
@Morag
Worst of all, Harvie made it quite clear that he has no political nous and is not a team player. Both of these attributes are essential for a successful political leader. This is not good.
Yes, he was moaning at the very start of the campaign as well.
@ Morag.
That’s interesting. I don’t keep Mungins republic or the Peat worrier in my favourites so I usually “bounce” to them, and Subrosa too.
@ Heedtracker. Was there any evidence of the Union flag being coupled with the welsh, Northern Irish, or English flag, or was it only Scotland that was singled out for the treatment?
Rory – I think the bounce rate refers to folk clicking the OS link and then leaving very quickly for whatever reason. Presumably the other 90+% stay for, on average a duration of 6.20 mins, whilst viewing an average of 4+ pages/sessions. Therefore a very low bounce rate is a good thing. (Or I’ve got it all wrong and am talking mince).
could use it to advertise on you tube, geotargetted to scottish people, it would suit that kind of format
We have learned that when the going gets tough we cannot rely on Patrick Harvie. He is to concerned with his professional nice guy image, and ego, to fight for a Yes vote.
@Rory The ‘bounce rate’ is the % of people who have landed on the site and then immediately left it. This is generally an indication that they have arrived on the site by mistake or were looking for something else.
@Indigo
How does that work and how much does it cost ?
Bloody cheek coming from Clegg…
link to scotsman.com
@ gerry parker, I don’t know but watching someone getting thrown out by the Police after buying tickets for waving a Yes Scotland flag is beyond reason. Rules say no non competing nation’s flag allowed but even English cyclists had union jacks on their helmets and the UK wasn’t competing. The games officials completely ignored their own ruling, which is just outrageous and welcome to the UK.
STU: A point about the drop in posts for your info. Since I joined twitter I have concentrated my posting effort there because I reach a wider audience. But I still come here to read the articles and pick up ammo for my tweets. If others have been doing the same, and I have noticed there are a fair number of Wingers on Twitter, then that could account for some of the posting drop.
I didnt need to be told it was Ken who made this,
It was obvious.
Kendo,
I will never smile at you chosen name again, this is seriously good stuff. A crowd funded stv ad would be a winner I think, in terms of funding. Kudos.
Only problem would be, would they allow it to be shown at all?, if they would, it would be great.
a supporter – I think ‘posts’ refers to ‘articles’ posted by the Rev and others, e.g. Scott Minto, and not comments posted by er, commentors.
Just trying to figure out a way around the media ban on political adverts on tv , what if all the wings over Scotland readers were to pick an online social website and repeatedly share and repost this advert on a certain day all day , to point of nothing else getting posted , surely this non offensive advert would create such an impact that somewhere in the media coverage either tv or papers this simple act would get some sort of mention ?
I like it, in a ‘Game of Thronesey’ kinda way. Darling (of the petted lip) can be Joffrey. You can be Sandor Clegane, the [News]Hound. The Hound’s favorite expression is ‘F*ck Joffrey’ so that all fits quite nicely.
Stu,
just thinking that it could also be an online NEWS service intro, then reaching the world, huge possibilities, but not enough time I would think.
I think Stu said the comments were about level. They take off when the concern troll shows up of course, which is also when the really hard-hitting articles go up.
Of course, if we’re out delivering Yes papers, we’re not on Wings. I’m only here because I’m waiting for the rain to go off.
muttley79 at 2.59 pm 3 August
“Patrick Harvie’s comments in the Sunday Herald are not exactly helpful to Yes.”
Many of the Greens are NOT passionate about a YES vote. I have had a number of spats on Twitter with some Greens about personally abusing Stu and other Cybernats, and on matters where they have been more or less supporting the NO campaign’s lies.
TV is expensive but very simple and cheap to put it on Youtube. Just a few minutes work.
Darlings – divisions in the ranks are not helpful either.
We have a couple of Greens in our local Yes group and they’re great. I’ve heard them disagree with Harvie. Someone mentioned that independence, while voted on by the party conference, isn’t really core party policy, and that Robin Harper is a No.
@Indigo
I’ve sussed out how to advertise on youtube. I’ve taken a punt and will see if there is much in the way of uptake on the ads.
I went to a Patrick Harvie meeting. Only about 50 people turned up but that might have had something to do with the local weekly paper (unionist) giving the wrong night for his talk, so a lot would have turned up on the wrong night to be disappointed. Patrick is not at all confrontational in his approach but I would not question his commitment to YES. I liked him.
kendo – got a link?
@Thor
Viral ads are the way forward. Sharing the link to all and sundry and often is a good start.
The broadcasting companies would never screen the film for fear of upsetting the NO paymasters
As a 3d Max user myself that’s a pretty darned neat animation!
Wouldn’t mind seeing this trailer before settling down at the cinema.
@T Jenny
Tried to post it but the spam filter must have eaten it.
Go to the above video in the article and click on youtube icon..it will take you straight to the video, then click on the share button and it’ll give you the link.
kendo – thanks. (And how very dare the spam filter be so very naysaying.
)
OT Apologies if this has been posted before.
agreaterstage.net/2014/08/02/the-internet-the-tory-and-the-black-black-oil/
I heard Harvie speak at a Green Yes meeting and he was very good. But if he can’t handle himself and avoid dissing his own side to the media when being interviewed, it doesn’t speak well of his political acumen.
Cmon Wales go for GOLD Garaint
In a galaxy far, far away …
Great piece of work!
Heedtracker
Some days back you asked my advice on respected Scottish artists. I mentioned a couple but a recent newspaper article motivated me to write a lot more, a rant:
A Fart in the Wind – grousebeater.wordpress.
I hope you find it informative and entertaining.
@muttley79
I want to believe in the Greens but experience has taught me that they are just a splinter group from the old thinking person’s Liberal Party.
They do love to debate, argue and pontificate but at the slightest opportunity of actually accomplishing anything, and having to take responsibility, they have never had enough consultations and meeting to make sure everybody is on the same hymn sheet, nevermind the same page.
Paralysis by analysis, teachers, uni lecturers and other middle class concerned thinkers, and an example of the dangers of too much democracy. A bit like universities and schools in extremis. There must be a mathematical formula to work out the number of different opinions from a given number of educators which involves some multiplication factor of number of hands available to vote.
They have had some great ideas and seem a very engaging and responsible group but governance and leadership, no.
Patrick Harvie comes across as a very intelligent genuine campaigner and does make his position very well.
They are kind of like the perennial undergraduate students constantly waiting for the week-end and a bladder pack or two, of cheap red wine, which will help their group through the week-end, endlessly debating everything from Gaza to ecology to brown bread and the merit of open toed sandals in winter. It is the process that is the motivation, not the decision, an achievable action plan and the result.
Patrick Harvie is a very good speaker, intelligent, and talented, which make his comments all the more regrettable. Harvie should be defending the Yes side more, and not aiding the snide Unionist agendas of the likes of Hutcheson and Gordon. Otherwise he will look like a useful idiot.
100 medals for the Celtic Nations, 170 for England.
Now, thats what I call punching above our weight.
@kendomacaroonbar
If you think viral ads are the way forward , like I mentioned earlier could it not be publicised on wings over Scotland that all readers keep reposting this on a social network site on the same day at the same time almost to the point of the site going into melt down , surely this would get some media coverage which is all that is needed , kind of like when rage against the machine beat simon cowels nonsense to the number one spot ?
Its just such a great piece that needs to put to it’s fullest potential , good job
OT
BBC Sport on the web giving the games wrap up
1 England
2 Australia
3 Canada.
That’s us tellt then,
Superb video – fantastic! This needs airing on tv.
Go for a fundraiser if that is what is needed.
As someone else suggested, how about getting it on advd along with other video gems from Wings (properly imprinted, of course to keep the EC happy). Pop them through letter boxes when canvassing.
Basically, though, this one needs to be seen!
@ Mary Bruce, 1:24pm
Great on the canvassing, Mary. It is incredible that we are having to speak so much about policy details instead of simply the question of democracy and the need to control our own affairs. Too many have been fooled into believing that we are too poor and worse, don’t have the talent to do it for ourselves. The laminated articles for canvassing is a good idea – our house has been like a print shop for months in an effort to educate those who say, “there’s no information”. Really?…
Onward!
@BtP
Agree with every word, after the first CH get together I stayed overnight and went to George Square in the morning when a CND rally was being held and went round the crowds with AYE RIGHT leaflets one person almost spat the reply when she said I wouldnt have anything that has to do with Wings over Scotland (saw the tshirt)
That was my introduction to the Green campaigns “talking a good fight” but when asked to stand up and be counted, withered away!
I don`t believe this :- Just watched an advert on STV where they plead for us – “To PEDAL for POVERTY” ?
Vote BT and we can buy bikes, pedal for poverty in Scotland to feed the Poor.
Are they taking the hiss.?
@Thor
I’ve splashed out on google ads promotion for the whole of Scotland, and I expect to see some kind of uptake on the numbers. Let’s see what that brings
This just gets the sites name in front of people on line, but we still need to spread the word as far, wide and deep as possible.
The Rev’s Blue Book will be a major milestone. I’m saving my pennies for a major push when that comes out…this add just helps to bring the punters to the door.
muttley 79
I sussed the Greens out on the budget negotiations at Holyrood when the SNP was a minority administration seeking a consensus.
Foot stamping and screaming seems a good description.
“power without responsibility – the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages.”
Stanley Baldwin with reference to the London based Press and their barons.
@ Bugger(the Panda,4:42pm
OT
BBC Sport on the web giving the games wrap up
1 England
2 Australia
3 Canada.
That’s us tellt then,
Maybe they should do the table by population size. That would give them something to think about because I think Kiribati might just have got to first place followed by a couple of other wee countries.
That would be them tellt!
@ kendomacaroonbar
Good on ye!
give yourself a macaroonbar!
If anyone needs inspiration for the last few weeks of the campaign then please read this …..
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
@Bugger the Panda
I’d rather have a double nugget or an oyster if that’s ok ?
To add to the merriment of the nation one of the most despised and least trusted political leaders ever seen in modern politics has decided to wade in to the referendum as an ‘attack dog’ for No.
Clegg: Sturgeon was ‘misplaced and gauche’ to link Games with Yes vote
link to heraldscotland.com
I’ve had some fun passing this article around as it’s a great way to get to undecided voters by reminding them of the kind of repulsive unprincipled liars westminster that want them to vote No.
The tiny number of yellow tories still supporting Clegg still seem to have no idea just how toxic he is, thankfully.
@kendomacaroonbar
As I have said already great work , if we all keep it up I’m positive we are on to a winner , keep us updated on the uptake on numbers , I’m also looking forward to the revs blue book any idea on when this will be out and how I can get my hands on one , off to watch the clip for a fifth time .
@ kendomacaroonbar
Awe, all right!
@Betty,
DVD production and distribution is a large undertaking and apart from the practicalities of storing a good few thousand dvd’s (big space required) we start to get into the realms of transit vans and big money. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice idea, but we don’t have the structure or bandwidth to organise such a thing in such a short period of time. My opinion.
The Rev’s blue book is the next bigee and I respectfully suggest that we prep for fundraising to get that off the ground, as I’m certain that the book production has taken a bigger than expected chunk of money out of the kitty given the volumes he needs to print off.
As for this video, please just sent it to as many people as you can think of, and ask them to do the same
It’s inexpensive and only demands your time and good will.
Kendo, I recognised it was your work in the first 2 seconds… and that was only because of my slow brain.
There must be a way to embed this on the front page of Wings site Rev?
Its so good.
Rookiescot
I think that is probably WGD’s most powerful piece of writing. I defy anyone to not be affected by it.
@ Betty
By ‘We’ I mean anybody that’s prepared to volunteer
@Brian,
It’s up to the Rev. It’s totally free to use and distribute.
Just for the avoidance of any doubt…the video is a direct copy of the Glasgow Subway advert designed by our good Rev… I just arranged for pictures to be added
Our Yes group discussed DVDs (of the best presentations from the village hall meetings), but the cost and praticality really didn’t make them worth it as regards bang for buck. Better to distribute links to the YouTube versions.
You woudn’t make DVDs just to distribute a 1-minute plug animation, after all. If I got given a DVD and that was all that was on it, I’d be a bit puzzled. You’d need to fill the DVD with good material, of which there is plenty, but it’s a big undertaking and as I said it doesn’t seem to deliver bang for buck when you really work it out.
Not sure if your aware but the BBC have opened an article on the Commonwealth Games for comment
Of course we have the usual brigade of ‘been on for months’ (barely 2 weeks actually)
But please avail them of any comment
link to bbc.co.uk
“It will be the most important televised clash in British history. On Tuesday night, Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling will debate Scottish independence.
With only six weeks to go to the referendum, more than a million Scots are expected to tune in. Salmond has two hours to revive the flagging case for Scottish independence – and Darling two hours to secure the Union ”
Can you smell their fear ?
link to dailymail.co.uk
Has anyone any information on the election monitoring Stu asked us to sign up for ?
Yes the smell of fear wafting off this pile of dont panic UKOK pants
link to scotsman.com
Re the Patrick Harvie piece in the Sunday Herald today – I read it and came away a bit pissed off – he comes across anti Salmond, anti WOS, pro BBC, anti Tommy Sheridan, basically on the opposite side from me on many issues.
Patrick is someone I respect and I always thought, if anything he should have a bigger role in the Yes campaign because he talks a lot of sense and comes across really well on TV.
Just looked again at the piece – ‘interview by Paul Hutcheon’. Which I suspect means my initial response is what Mr Hutcheon was trying to achieve – sowing division in Yes. I would be interested to see how Patrick felt the written piece reflected the 2 or 3 hour interview, and what has been left out.
For example, when asked about the First Minister is it likely that Patrick’s full response was simply “I’m not a fan” full stop?
Anyone hear the Nicola and Lamont programme on Clyde 2?
O/T
One thing I have learned in over 50 years in politics is that the more one side shouts they are winning the more you should understand they don’t believe it.
If you take YouGov polls out of the aggregation of polls you get a figure in the high forties. We win on that pre election polling figure if it is accurate as YES voter determination to vote and a huge YES army in the run-up to the polls gives us a 10% improvement on that figure.
PS I have heard that YouGov is still using landline phone polling. Can anyone confirm this? This is an entirely inaccurate way to poll as only about 20% of the voting population is now accessible on landline polls and they are in huge majority over 55 years old and mostly female
Bill McLean
I couldn’t find it on their schedule.
BtP – yes, it was on but I didn’t hear it – out leafleting!
I was going to do something similar. I had this idea of Hamish (Cairn’s lion) firing up long cold furnaces, smelting iron and forging the Wings logo. Nice tie in with Ravenscraig etc.
However, creatives skills have been applied usefully elsewhere for Rev
Quick piece of info but a poll on a Glasgow Poker Page has had 31 votes cast, I know its not a great sample but 27 of the 31 are for a YES Vote, every poll I have seen apart from the ones carried out by pollsters has yes in the lead so why the disparity?
Gary C
These polling companies i=use a system called, scientifically biased.
While I appreciate the work that’s gone in to this, I think the semiotics are out of sync with the general over arching sentiment of Scottish independence.
The music is somewhat ominous and the slow reveal of this imposing metallic insignia gives the Wings logo a feel of a singular, heroic agency that brings light from the shadows. It’s more suited to a super hero film. ‘Epic’, is accurate – but I don’t think relevant.
Wings has most certainly been an illuminating, reinforcing and affirming site that has helped me greatly in articulating my stance on Scottish independence – but this video communicates a self-importance I’d never associate with the site, Rev and all contributors.
When set against the quote from Ghandi – I envisage him wearing blue and silver lycra, bounding across rooftops, darting in to shadows and smiting oppressors by refracting focused sunlight through his spectacles.
I think something more humble would be more suitable.
…some people tell me I over think things.
BBC Reporting Scotland with a ‘special’ Glasgow’s Golden Games on now
Sad bit is Jackie Bird, brought out her box and confined to the broom cupboard studio instead of being able to use the main studio that the Londoner’s have been using, says it all.
@Edward
The ‘Big’ studio set is probably being used by the EBC.
Kendo
The Home Counties Broadcasting Corporation?
HCBC
@kendomacaroonbar
Well done – great advert.
Glad my badge contribution went to such a good cause – wings badge is great as well.
I thought it must have produced in BBC or some professinal set-up.
So looks like you could get a job on the new Wings News on SBC.
BBC coverage of the Commonwealth Games this afternoon;
When I switched the TV on, highlights of the bronze medal match between England and New Zealand was being shown. I don’t know much of this match was shown, but it went on for a good few minutes. A huge contrast to the gold medal contest where the highlights package extended to the Australian team celebrating a victory over India. However, the BBC were kind enough to inform its viewers of the score in this final match. I could be wrong on this, but I was always led to believe that gold medals were better than bronze. Perhaps I’ve been misled all these years, or I’ve somehow managed to misinterpret the importance of the medal awarding structure.
Anyway, it was back to the studio for an interview with three of the English hockey team.
Next up was netball, and again we were shown highlights of the bronze medal match between England an Jamaica. This lasted approximately 12 minutes, with a one minute introduction on how England managed to get to this stage of the competition, followed by a full ten minutes of action, then an interview with the losing England captain. We were not given any interview with the bronze medal winning Jamaican side. The extended highlights of the gold medal match saw a single pass and final whistle, followed by brief celebrations by Australia following their victory over New Zealand. Again, I remain convinced that gold medals are the best of all the awards at the games, followed by silver, then bronze, and most certainly a greater achievement than fourth place. Can someone please confirm or deny this?
It was then back to the studio for an interview with Adam Gemili, an English athlete.
Next up we had badminton finals, with Kirsty Gilmour (Scotland) competing in a gold medal match. We were treated to two minutes of this match. This was quickly followed by the mixed doubles final with two English teams competing. This was given nine minutes coverage. So, that would be two “home nations” competing in badminton finals, yet one of those nations is given more than four times the coverage.
The kind BBC then informed us that Geraint Thomas (Wales) had won a gold medal in cycling, but we did get to see the medal ceremony.
Finally, we were given very brief highlights of England losing in a squash final.
So, there we have it, incontrovertible evidence of the BBC showing bias towards one of the supposed home nations, and utterly shameful coverage of the games on the whole.
@ kendomacaroonbar, fantastic video, is that a Two Steps From Hell soundtrack of which I really like?
@ kendomacaroonbar, This is probably for a game but they did Batman movies link to youtube.com
Marco McGinty
If all goes to plan, this will be one of the last sporting events to be covered by the BBC in Scotland. Maybe they are just getting as much biased coverage in while they can.
Dumb approach – this was the opportunity for the Scots to be shown what an equal partner we are in the UK and be shown how much we are valued by Westminster through it’s media arm, the BBC.
What a missed opportunity for the No camp – they have been unable and unwilling to change, even when it is demonstrably in their best interests to do so.
Well done to the English athletes for topping the medals table. I am so proud of the Scottish team right now – time for the public to follow their lead and take our place in the world.
There are two reasons why you shouldn’t run this vid as an add. One is the science of the wording; if you have a sign in a Doctors which says ‘7000 people didn’t show for there appointments’, the number of no-shows goes UP. Thanks to group conformance bias. If its phased as ‘98% of people either turned up or phoned to cancel’ it works much better.
So saying none of the 37 newspapers support you is a line you should ignore like the plague.
Also, if you are serious about running an add on TV, read what happened to Get Up! in Australia link to getup.org.au
They had the cash for the ad slots, in a country were political adverts are legal.
The logo is good. If you can think of some better wording a ten second ad on You Tube is a good idea, because people can just click through… Although Google have been known to be choosy too.
@Heedtracker
No, it’s from a licence free library of music. However I can hear similarities
@Zeonglow
The vid is factual. None of the 37 openly support Scottish independence.
The point being that only 1 side of the argument is being proffered and promoted.
The Sunday Herald is neither National nor a daily.
It’s not the point of wanting all 37 newspapers to support independence , it’s about making people realise that they are not supporting each side fairly and it is all totally a one sided argument in favour of supporting the better together , to which the number of newspapers it seems are in favour of better together can’t go up any more as it appears to be all 37 already.
Tam Jardine
I fully agree with what you mention, as, the BBC have acted like this for decades. I used to play golf in my younger days, and in this time it was the BBC that provided the majority of golf coverage. Almost every single shot that Nick Faldo played was shown. When Faldo’s career began to decline, the mania switched to Lee Westwood. It’s been the same for the vast majority of sports since the 1980s, an they just can’t change from their ideology of Britain is England, and England is Britain.
My father has phoned the BBC on several occasions to complain about the coverage, and he’s been told by the telephone operator that the BBC has been inundated with similar calls, so yes, I believe they have unwittingly helped our campaign. I can only hope that the DKs remember all of this bias in the run up to the referendum.
As for the English team and individual athletes, I have been cheering them on, unless they were up against a Scot, and have no grievance whatsoever against them. Indeed, I congratulate them, and all they have achieved.
But as for the Scottish team, they must have tremendous pride, and I too have so much pride for them. A small nation, a vastly under-resourced part of the so-called union in sporting infrastructure, to have achieved so much is fantastic.
Roll on September!
With regards to the fine video production for WoS, there are likely to be party election broadcasts in the next few weeks. Could this video not be used for, or in, a Yes campaign election broadcast?
I’ve just found this:
“The BBC’s final criterion for allocation in the 2014 referendum in Scotland
1. Legislation provides for the Electoral Commission to “designate” organisations in a referendum.
2. The legislation provides that such designation confers on the organisation rights relating to referendum campaign broadcasts (RCBs) and specifies that broadcasters must only broadcast RCBs on behalf of designated organisations.
3. Following the Edinburgh Agreement, the Commission’s responsibilities regarding designation will apply to the Scottish referendum.
RCB Criterion
Each designated organisation will be offered at least one RCB if the Electoral Commission designates organisations on both sides of the referendum question*.
BBC Services which broadcast RCBs in a Scotland-only referendum:
• BBC One (Scotland)
• BBC Two (Scotland)
• BBC Online
• BBC Radio Scotland
• BBC Alba
• Radio Nan Gaidheal
Electoral Commission
4. In setting its policy with respect to RCBs, the BBC is required by legislation to take account of any views expressed by the Electoral Commission.
* It is expected that the Electoral Commission will designate organisations on both sides of the Scottish referendum. If the Electoral Commission designates on one side only, the criterion will be reviewed.”
The footnote (I have replaced a superscript 1 with an asterisk to make it clearer) is interesting.
It appears to be possible for the Electoral Commission to allow broadcasts from one side only.
I assume that “designated organisations” are very unlikely to include every single registered participant.
It is also now too late to buy time on STV – in the link that was posted earlier it is stated that in order to guarantee transmission, applications must be submitted 6 weeks before the start of the month in which they are to be broadcast.
@kendo
Well done on the professional look and feel to this clip. One of the weaknesses of a grass roots capaign is that some of the material being produced is, frankly, amateurish and it shows. Looking at this clip you don’t feel like it has been put together on a shoestring and you wouldn’t be embarrased to see it on TV or in the Cinema. How many other well-meaning but in the end cringe-worthy projects created by the pro-independence groups should never be seen outside the internet? For anyone who wants to argue otherwise, just read the positive comments on this page about this clip.
Links for my comment above:
link to bbc.co.uk
link to downloads.bbc.co.uk
I still have the Wings over Scotland leaflets if anyone want some
link to cgi.ebay.co.uk
Only 1700 left
@Patrician,
Thank you for your kind words
Excellent job, Ken, loved it xx
Oh! Flipping Awesome!
I don’t visit WoS quite as often as I used to. Far too many personal attacks and a lot of the same people having a chat to each other.
However, still remains the best pro website by far.
Cool.As.Fuck
Since this was a light-hearted point of discussion, I thought it may be of interest to know that everyone’s favourite public broadcaster has (via R4s More or Less) calculated the per capita performance for the recent CG and a cumulative table from 1990.
Nauru are the winners on both. Population of under 10,000. Every medal they have won is in weight lifting.
Among us and the neighbours at the Glasgow games, Isle of Man placed 5th and Scotland 6th. Wales 8th, NI 13th and England 16th.
To Kendomacaroonbar: congratulations on a very professional video. I’ve been in radio and TV all all my working life, scriptwriting and doing v/o’s; should you need any help with those – my services are available – gratis.
Well done Kendomacaroonbar.
“You’re so professional Howie.”
The pedant in me is agonising over the “none of them” not recognising The Sunday Herald but others have eased my agony…
8=)
I would donate to this being televised too- sure thousands would.
Stu, The advert would seem to lend itself to being shown in cinemas?
If you’re not going to use it….. what was the point?
Patrician
Bearing in mind that many of the clips that you refer to ARE produced by amateurs on a shoestring, (Now, why should that be?) It’s hardly surprising that the results leave something to be desired. And, considering that the productions of the opposite side are not only well-funded, but have professionals in the teams, there are bound to be unsatisfactory comparisons and reactions. However, the passion of the “home teams” cannot be denied.
Cringeworthy, maybe. But their hearts are in the right place. Scotland.
@Tom Foyle
Being amateur and on a shoestring is no excuse for the standard of some of the work produced. I am not comparing it with any well funded, professional work produced by anyone.
With approximately only 6 weeks till the vote, the time for amateurs is over, it is time to get out and talk to and persuade undecideds. Could you in all honesty show an undecided voter some of the work on the internet and expect it to change their vote?