The Rampant Scotland Newsletter - your weekly insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from the Scottish media, for Scots in Scotland and abroad, bringing you news, events plus a Scottish magazine section. Printed with 100% recycled electrons.Previous editions of this Newsletter are available in the Archive> and the Index to the other pages of the Rampant Scotland site is available here>.
The Scottish Snippets Newsletter in its original format began in April 1997 and continued in an unbroken series for 591 issues. Although no longer produced in that format there is now a regular update on the new and updated pages on the Rampant Scotland site and also "Scottie's Diary" on an intermittent basis, To receive this, kust send an e-mail to Scottie with "Subscribe Newsletter" in the subject line.
Current Affairs
Historical Affairs - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
Entertainment
Scots Abroad
Sport
In the First Division, it's Hamilton with maximum points from three games, putting them 2 points ahead of the chasing pack of Partick, Dundee and Greenock Morton.
Amateur side Queen's Park are at the top of the Second Division Raith Rovers have the same points total but the Spiders are ahead on goal difference.
East Fife are in the lead in the Third Division, with Albion Rovers and Stenhousemuir 2 points behind. Perhaps the surprise of the season so far is that East Stirling, usually sitting at the foot of the Third Division, have 6 points. Magazine Section
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
Choosing Scotland's Future
Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, launched a 40-page document this week inviting the people of Scotland to join in a "national conversation" on the nation’s constitutional future. The paper has been published as part of the Government's fulfilment of its election manifesto commitments. While it is billed as about "independence and responsibility in the modern world", it concentrates on independence and how it can be achieved. It lists the possible benefits of becoming independent or gaining more powers at Holyrood, drawing heavily from the Scottish National Party manifesto. It does not cover any of the arguments made by opponents of independence. The paper sets out three principal choices: small extension of devolved powers; radical redesign of devolution and greatly enhanced powers; or full independence. With only 50 supporters out of 129 in the current Scottish Parliament, it seems unlikely that the First Minister will be able to do more than have an open-ended "conversation" until the next election in nearly four year's time. A new website has been launched to attract comments from all shades of opinion. See A National Conversation.
Former First Minister Quits as Party Leader
Jack McConnell, who was Scotland's First Minister from 2001 until the election for the Scottish Parliament in May, announced this week that he was stepping down as leader of the Labour Party in Scotland. The announcement came on the day after his successor, Scottish Nationalist leader Alex Salmond, announced the next stage in his push for an independent Scotland. McConnell has been blamed by some in his party for losing the election in May. At that time, Labour lost four seats, but won just one seat fewer than the Scottish National Party, allowing them to form the next Scottish Executive. Others believe that it was Tony Blair's fall from grace and the Iraq war that lost Labour a lot of seats - they did badly as well in local government elections in England and Wales this year. It is looking very likely that Wendy Alexander, who resigned from McConnell's Scottish Executive in 2002, will be the only candidate for the leadership of the Scottish Labour Party. McConnell will stay on as a Member of the Scottish Parliament.
Photograph courtesy of the Scottish Parliament> © Web site.
16 Edinburgh Schools to Close
Three high schools, 13 primaries and six nurseries are to be closed across the Scottish Capital in the biggest shake-up of its kind ever seen in the city. Falling school rolls have forced the city council to review the number of state schools. Some of the money saved by closures will go towards improving schools which will take children from the ones that close. The sale of the properties and land to developers will generate over £16 million, but the council has undertaken to retain all school playing fields as open public green spaces. The education committee claims, however, that the closures are for educational, not financial, reasons. Many of the older buildings are deteriorating and are no longer "fit for purpose."
Fairer Ferry Fares?
The Scottish Executive has started a study to examine a pilot scheme which would set the fares on ferries to the Western Isles on the basis of charging the equivalent of the cost of travelling the same distance by road. The "Road Equivalent Tarrif" (RET) is seen as a way of supporting fragile island communities by subsidising the cost of travel. A pilot scheme is to be undertaken on one or more routes between the mainland and the Western Isles. It is being suggested that ferry fares would be cut by between 30% and 50% - with the cost being covered by the Scottish Executive from general taxation. The benefit would be felt not just by individuals but by businesses - especially haulage companies or those importing or exporting between the mainland and the islands. And with costs of travel reduced, more tourists would be attracted to the islands each year.
Teacher Jobs Crisis
Just one third of graduate teachers out of 3,500 who qualified last year have managed to secure full-time posts. The situation has arisen partly as a result of increasing the number of teachers being trained in anticipation of a cut in class sizes. But this year there has been a mismatch between expected vacancies and the number of teachers who are looking for employment. There are also claims that some local education authorities are employing probationers, instead of filling permanent posts, to save money. Without the offer of a permanent position, many job seekers are understandably reluctant to move to other parts of the country - sometimes with a spouse and children to uproot as well.
"Library of the Future"
Aberdeen University has drawn up plans for a "library of the future" costing £57 million. The university says that it has outgrown the current Queen Mother Library, which was created when there were just 5,000 students on the campus. The new facility on the King's College campus will provide services for 14,000 students. It will also showcase the institution's 200,000-strong collection of historic books. It is hoped that the new building will become a focal point and symbolise the university's ambitions for the future. The university's principal and vice-chancellor, describing the plans, said "An international landmark, it will echo the impact of ideas from Aberdeen in distant places. It will represent our past, present and future, our continuing role as intellectual pioneers, here at the northern frontiers of Europe. It will be a cultural icon of which not only our scholars and students, but all of the people of Scotland can be proud."
New East Coast Rail Service Operator
The franchise to run the main east coast rail route between London and Scotland has been won by National Express. The route includes stops at Peterborough, Leeds, Doncaster, York and Newcastle (all in England) and Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness in Scotland. The current operator, GNER, defaulted on its payments to the government due to financial troubles in its parent US company. The route will now be named "National Express East Coast" and the company aims to invest in upgrading stations, increase the number of trains on weekdays from 136 to 161, increase reliability and punctuality and improve onboard services. But already there are concerns being expressed that the cost of un-regulated, off-peak fares could soar. National Express are free to increase these fares by inflation plus 2.% every year for the next eight years of the franchise.
Scotland's Best University
League tables of academic institutions should often be treated with caution, but St Andrews University, the oldest in Scotland, does seem to come out consistently high. A couple of weeks ago, the "Good University Guide" ranked St Andrews top of the league for student satisfaction in a survey of 113 UK universities. Now, The Times Good University Guide for 2008 has placed St Andrews 5th in the UK and top in Scotland. Edinburgh University was placed 13th in the Uk and Glasgow was down at 31st. The Principal of St Andrews commented: "League tables are now a permanent feature of the higher education landscape and, while we should always take them with a generous pinch of salt, they have become one of the major factors that influence student choice."
Scotland-Norway Ferry Sails Closer
The consortium planning to start a sea link between Rosyth in Scotland and Kristiansund in Norway (with a stop-off in Shetland on the way) hopes to have an operator on board later this year. There is still a chance, however, that Rosyth could lose out if Newcastle win the day. Rosyth already has a ferry service to Zeebrugge in Belgium, which would allow goods from Norway to be transported to Europe via the planned service. But so has Newcastle - sailing to Rotterdam in Holland.
One of World's Most Dangerous Roads - In Ayrshire
Advice for travellers abroad from the US Association for Safe International Road Travel warns visiting Americans that the A77 road from south of Glasgow to Stranraer is one of 23 of the most risky roads in the world. The list also includes a mountain road in Bolivia and a dirt track that crosses a fast-moving stream in Ecuador. The report describes the A77 as "a winding single and two-lane road in south-western Scotland with varying speed limits and many fatal crashes". Since road crashes rather than terrorism is the number one killer of Americans in foreign countries, any advice to cut the death toll is perhaps welcome. Of course, driving on the "wrong" side of the road in Britain is confusing enough on all roads here for most drivers from abroad. The A77 does have a bad reputation, though it will be interesting to see whether the average speed cameras, which have been installed on much of its length, have any beneficial impact on the accident rate.
£34.5 Million Lottery Win for Postal Worker
Sales in the UK's National Lottery have been struggling a bit as more people realise the huge odds against winning one of the big prizes. So Camelot, who manage the sales of lottery tickets here, teamed up with equivalent schemes in some European countries in order to create an even bigger jackpot prize called "Euromillions". Last week, with a "triple rollover" (the top prize had not been won on the preceding two weeks), Angela Kelly, a postal worker in a sorting office in East Kilbride told her son that she had "won a wee bit of money" - £34.5 million, the biggest-ever payout in the UK and more than double the previous UK jackpot record The 40-year-old, who has been separated from her husband for eight years, spoke at a news conference this week and said she was "still shock".
Glorious 13th
The start of the grouse shooting season is usually the "Glorious 12th" of August. But this year, it became the "Glorious 13th" as the 12th fell on a Sunday. The Game Conservancy Trust is predicting that the warm spring, good heather growth and a rigorous pest control programme should result in an increase in birds. Fortunately, the later appalling weather this summer came at a time when the young chicks were already well-feathered, so survival rates have been good. But animal rights' groups condemned the start of the grouse shooting season and said that in some places it had gone from being a country sport to an "industrial" activity.
Scotland's First Seaplane Route
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has granted permission for Loch Lomond Seaplanes to begin a Glasgow to Oban air service, using seaplanes landing and taking off from the river Clyde and the sea off Oban. The flights are scheduled to begin by the end of August. Regular routes from Glasgow to west coast destinations like Arran, Bute and Tobermory are also in the pipeline. Using a nine-seater Cessna seaplane, return flights from the Clyde at Glasgow Science Centre on the Clyde to Oban Bay are available from £149 return. The company says that the service puts Glasgow in the same league as other cities offering similar services such as Sydney and Vancouver - though it will be some time before Scotland can match the number of flights and destinations of these locations.
The illustration shows Loch Lomond Seaplanes at Luss on that loch.
Bats in the Palace
Hundreds of Daubenton and Pipistrelle bats have taken up residence in Linlithgow Palace - and the protected creatures are being treated like royalty. Mary, Queen of Scots, was born Linlithgow Palace in 1542 and when Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed there during the Jacobite Uprising of 1745/46, the fountain in the courtyard was said to have flowed with wine. Visitors to the palace don't often see the bats as they are hidden away in chimneys and gaps in the brickwork. But they come out to feed at dusk and now Historic Scotland are running "bat patrols" for visitors at night, so that more people can see them. The next such event is scheduled for 1 September at 7pm.
Glenmorangie Goes Gallic
The Glenmorangie range is claimed to be the best selling single malt whisky in Scotland, but that doesn't stop the marketing men giving it a makeover in order to increase sales. Thankfully, they cannot "update" its smooth mellow taste, so thy have turned to packaging and the shape of its bottle. Although the Glenmorangie label is distinctive, there is nothing out of the ordinary about its current straight-sided bottle. But now this most Gaelic of whiskies is being given a Gallic look - with a shape that looks like "curvy French cognac bottles" (see illustration). Names are being given a Gallic flavour too, with Port, Sherry, Madeira and Burgundy Wood Finish whiskies becoming The Quinta Ruban, Nectar d'Or and LaSanta. The aim is to portray the brand overseas as a luxury malt - even though that might result in traditional whisky drinkers in Scotland moving away and Glenmorangie losing its position as the top-selling single malt in Scotland. The details are being kept under wraps (their Web site, for example, is "under construction") and the marketing men are tight-lipped about suggestions that as a result of becoming a "luxury" brand, the price of a bottle may go up by £10!
Dundee Dolphins
The City of Discovery has a new claim to fame - dolphins swimming in the Tay estuary. More often associated with the Moray Firth, further north, dolphins were spotted in the mouth of the Tay a few years ago. Now there are so many to be seen that Dundee City Council's countryside ranger service, in conjunction with the Marine Volunteer Service, is offering early-morning boat trips for those keen to spot the creatures. The dolphins are best seen on an incoming tide, when they are following shoals of fish heading up-river. And if you don't fancy going out on a boat, they can apparently be seen from the harbour at Broughty Ferry, next door to Dundee.
Weather in Scotland This Week
The weather forecasters are finding it hard these days to be cheerful about the weather as they are forced to use phrases such as "miserable" or, for a change, "very miserable". Cloud, showers and some sunny intervals were the order of the day, with below average temperatures for mid-August. Maximum daytime temperatures were around 16/17C (61/63F) and then slumped even lower on Saturday as rain clouds covered large parts of the country. Glasgow struggled to reach 14C (57F) that day - and Aberdeen was even chillier. Sunday doesn't look as though it will be much better - but the start of the working week does look brighter with some sunshine.
The dahlia shown here in the sunshine shows the raindrops from a recent shower of rain.
This Week's Colour Supplement
This week's large format photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna include Tay Road Bridge, Dundee, from the top of Dundee Law (see thumbnail); the Tay Rail Bridge, Clarkia amoena (or "Farewell to Spring" or Godetia amoena); Camperdown House, named after a famous naval victory by Scots-born Admiral Adam Duncan; Mesembryanthemum (also known as Dorotheanthus or Livingston Daisy); Dudhope Castle, Dundee (now the University of Abertay's Dundee Business School). See This Week's Colour Supplement
Another Neolithic Settlement Uncovered
The 5,000-year-old neolithic settlement at Skara Brae (see graphic) in Orkney is already a World Heritage site. But archaeologists have been working on another site on Orkney for the last three years, which they say could be equally important, now that they have been able to unearth more of the site. The dig at Ness of Brodgar has provided evidence of domestic structures and also those used for ritual and ceremonial purposes. The regular layout shows a refined architecture, with many hidden under ground. Beautifully decorated prehistoric pottery "by the bucketful" has been found, with lots of stone tools, a polished stone mace head, which probably came from the Western Isles or central Scotland, and a kind of volcanic glass that only occurs in Arran. The remnants of one stone wall show that it was over 300 feet long and over 16 feet wide - its height is not yet known, but it could well have been very high, based on its width. The archaeologists have named it "The Great Wall of Brodgar" and it is thought to have been a symbolic barrier between those living in the village and the dead represented by nearby Ring of Brodgar standing stones.
The Real Macbeth
In recent years there have been a number of efforts to counter the portrayal of the Scottish King Macbeth as an evil murderer. It was Englishman William Shakespeare who wrote the play about Macbeth that did all the damage - and Shakespeare was trying to curry favour with King James VI of Scotland, who in 1603 had inherited the throne of England as well. This week, BBC Radio 4 explored the myths surrounding the 11th century Gaelic-speaking king. It is acknowledged that without Shakespeare, Macbeth would be largely unknown these days. The real Macbeth did kill Duncan - but in battle, and he brought peace and prosperity to Scotland. Macbeth ruled for 17 years from his stronghold in Morayshire. But he never lived in Cawdor Castle - it was built long after his reign.
Next Week in Scottish History
World Pipe Band Championships
The Field Marshall Montgomery band from Lisburn, Northern Ireland won the World Pipe Band Championships last Saturday. The band has come out top on five previous occasions in the premier competition of the piping calendar (1992, 1993, 2002, 2004 and 2006). Second place went to the Simon Fraser University band from Vancouver in British Columbia and the highest-placed Scots were the House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead band in third place, followed by Strathclyde Police in fifth. Scottish Lion 78th Fraser Highlanders were fourth. Despite heavy rain, over 40,000 people turned up to watch 8,000 pipers and drummers from 240 bands around the world compete in the various grades. About 25% of the competitors came from abroad. Last year, the BBC broadcast a documentary about the championships and they are doing the same this year. There are mutterings that they should do more for such an important world championship. But much of the excitement of the event is created by the bands practising outside the many performance arenas. That is a chaotic process, with audience and performers in close proximity, making it hard for TV crews to do a professional job without considerable editing.
A Sheep Called Skye
The National Theatre of Scotland has created a wide range of theatrical productions, many of them very much for adult audiences. But the highly acclaimed arts organisation also puts on performances for children - and "A Sheep Called Skye" is one of them. Skye may be a sheep, but she was brought up in a Bed and Breakfast rather than a farm. So she longs to find a place where a sheep belongs, rather than feeling, well, sheepish. She decides to turn herself into a tourist attraction, selling scarves and tea-towels in windy car parks - and business isn't baaad at all... This adaptation from a novel is described as a wonderful piece of family theatre and will appeal to anyone with an eye for the beauty of the countryside. You'd be maaad to miss it... The play is on tour at a wide range of venues across Scotland from 21 September to 1 December. See National Theatre of Scotland.
Revival for Aberdeen's Oldest Theatre?
The Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen had its last performance 40 years ago, though it continued in use as a bingo hall until about ten years ago. Located in the centre of the Granite City, close by the main railway station, it is the city's oldest theatre - and the second oldest in Scotland. Over the years, stars such as Charlie Chaplin, George Formby, Harry Gordon, Tony Hancock, Andy Stewart and Calum Kennedy trod its boards. Because of its listed status, developers have not been able to convert it to offices or apartments. But now, after a seven-year battle, the Tivoli Theatre Trust has been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £49,500 to carry out an audience survey, buildings survey and conservation management plan. The objective is to apply for the major grants required to restore it to its former glory.
Retrofest Talent Show Winner
Retrofest in the grounds of Culzean Castle in Ayrshire may be "T in the Park for the older generation," but in addition to performances by a large number of classic bands of the 1980s, the organisers also ran a talent show for new up-and-coming acts. Singer/songwriter Anna Meldrum, 18, from Ayr and Glasgow won the competition, earning herself a spot on the main stage at Retrofest - and perhaps even a record deal. The talented singer was up against acts from across Scotland and Sweden but she wowed the judges - and will now sing in front of an audience of 10,000 people. Anna comes from Ayr, but lives in Glasgow where she is studying Arts at Glasgow University. Retrofest is on September 1 and 2, 2007 - the associated camping site is already full, so maybe the older generation are prepared to rough it to see the favourites bands of their youth.
Scottish Culture Around the World
The main focus of the Scottish Snippets is news items, usually about Scotland. But the "Scots Abroad" section, invites folk to write in about Scottish-related events in their part of the world. It allows publicity for them and an appreciation by others of just how much Scottish culture is perpetuated in every corner of the globe.
Silver Tassie
The Silver Tassie is an international solo piping contest to find the Australasian Young Piper of the Year. It takes place this year in the village of Sutton, New South Wales in Australia on Sunday 21st October. This will be the fourth year in which the contest has been held. Each winner in the five age-related sections will take away a Silver Tassie (a tassie being the Scots word for a small cup or goblet). Last year’s winner of The Silver Tassie was Yasuchiyo Hamilton, aged 14, from Queensland’s Gold Coast. She travelled a long distance with her father to be part of the contest, and claimed the premier trophy with a stellar performance. For further information see A Little Piece of Scotland.
Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results
Aberdeen 1 Heart of Midlothian 1
Kilmarnock 2 Dundee United 1
Rangers 1 Crvena Zvezda 0 (Champions League Qualifier)
Spartak Moscow 1 Celtic 1 (Champions League Qualifier)
Dunfermline 1 BK Hacken 1 (Uefa Cup, 1st Round, 1st leg)Clydesdale Bank Premierleague Results - 18 August 2007
Dundee United 0 Hibernian 0
Heart of Midlothian 1 Gretna 1
Motherwell 1 Kilmarnock 2
Rangers 7 Falkirk 2
St Mirren 2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1
Aberdeen v Celtic will be played on Sunday.Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Results - 18 August 2007
Hamilton 1 Queen of the South 0
Partick Thistle 4 Clyde 0
St Johnstone 1 Dundee 1
Stirling Albion 0 Greenock Morton0
Livingston v Dunfermline will be played on Sunday.Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 18 August 2007
Berwick Rangers 2 Airdrie United 0
Brechin City 2 Ayr United 2
Peterhead 4 Cowdenbeath 2
Queens Park 3 Ross County 2
Raith Rovers 2 Alloa 1Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 18 August 2007
Arbroath 1 Dumbarton 1
East Stirling 2 Forfar 1
Elgin 2 East Fife 3
Stirling Albion 1 Stenhousemuir 1
Stranraer 1 Montrose 0League Tables
Rangers convincing 7-2 victory over Falkirk served to emphasise their unbeaten run so far in the SPL. They are now out in front with 9 points, 2 ahead of Hibernian and Kilmarnock. Gretna's first point in the SPL lifted them above Inverness, who are at the foot of the table with no points.
Scottish Clubs in Europe
Although they only managed a draw in the first leg of their European Champions League qualifying match against Spartak, Celtic are possibly in the strongest position of all three clubs playing in European competitions this week. The 1-1 draw gave Celtic an away-goal advantage and in the return match at Parkhead they will have their supporters out in force to cheer them on. Rangers did win 1-0 at Ibrox, but it remains to be seen whether that will be enough against Crvena Zvezda (better known as Red Star Belgrade) when Rangers play in the intimidating surroundings of the Serbian capital. Dunfermline have an uphill struggle to win through to the next round of the Uefa Cup after a 1-1 draw at home. That gives the Swedish side an away goal advantage when they play again in two weeks.
Better Results for Scottish Clubs
Only a few years ago, nearly all 12 clubs in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) were making heavy financial losses. Now the 18th Annual Review of Scottish Football Finance by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shows that six of them are in the black. Falkirk, Hibernian, Inverness, Kilmarnock, Motherwell and Rangers all reported a profit this year. Even so, taken together, the 12 clubs turned in a collective loss of £9 million, though net debt has fallen overall from £117 million to £94 million in the past year. Heart of Midlothian has the largest net debt of any club in the SPL at £28 million.
Scotland v India
It was a real David and Goliath match this week when India's mighty cricket team came to Glasgow to play Scotland in a one-day international. India are in the UK for a series of one-day matches against England and although the Scots gave a good account of themselves, they were outclassed. For the first time outside the Cricket World Cup, a Scotland match was relayed live on TV to the nation, not to mention across the Asian sub-continent. Scotland scored a creditable 203 for nine in 46 overs. Against some opposition, that might have been enough for a win - but this was India playing. They engineered an impressive victory with seven wickets and 37 balls to spare.
All-Weather Racing at Musselburgh Rejected
Plans for a development of Musselburgh racecourse, which would have allowed flood-lit racing at night and better all-weather facilities costing £11 million, have been turned down by the Scottish Executive. The racecourse owners argued that the extra 30 race meetings a year would generate £12 million every year for the local economy. There had been strenuous local opposition to the plan, which would have had an impact on the historic Musselburgh Old Golf Course. A three-week public enquiry reported against granting approval and the government minister has accepted the recommendation.