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, Hamilton have maximum points, followed by Dundee, two points behind. Livingston continue to trail at the foot with only a solitary point from four games.
Magazine Section
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
New Leader of Scottish Labour Party
Wendy Alexander was confirmed this week as the new leader of the Scottish Labour Party - the largest opposition party in the Scottish Parliament. She received the backing of 41 of the 46 of the party's Members of the Scottish Parliament. Indeed, efforts to find another candidate with sufficient support so that their could be contest for the leadership - instead of a "coronation" - failed to produce anyone. She will be formally installed as Labour's fourth leader since the Scottish Parliament began in 1999. Wendy Alexander is regarded as one of Scotland's most intelligent politicians, but whether she has the personal qualities to match First Minister Alex Salmond's debating and political skills remains to be seen. She has already said that she intends to "reform" the party and is willing to take part in any debate about Scotland's constitutional future. She has indicated that she is in favour of greater powers for the Scottish Parliament - which is likely to lead to some friction with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the UK government.
Photograph courtesy of the Scottish Parliament> © Web site.
Longer Delays If Bridge Tolls Scrapped
A report commissioned by the Scottish Executive has warned that removing the present tolls on the bridges across the rivers Forth and Tay will increase traffic and so lead to longer delays. Most motorists will understand the logic of extra traffic, but since it is the bottle-neck of the toll booths that cause the major hold-ups, their removal should smooth the flow. That has certainly been the case on the Erskine Bridge, where tolls were removed last year. Despite the consultancy warnings, finance secretary John Swinney confirmed that they would be scrapped, saying that "it would be an injustice to the communities of Fife, Tayside and the Lothians to keep tolls when elsewhere in Scotland they have been removed." The latest annual traffic statistics show that the number of vehicles on Scotland's roads is at the highest ever level (2.29 million) and that the mileage driven on the roads went up by 3% last year, compared to the year before - and was 16% more than ten years ago. Despite the steady rise in road usage, the number of road casualties last year was the lowest since 1952 and that the number seriously injured (2,611), was the lowest figure since records began in 1950.
Her Majesty's Greenest Ship
HMS Daring, which has successfully completed its initial sea trials in the Firth of Clyde, may have more firepower than any previous ship in the Royal Navy, but it is also being touted as the "greenest". It has an enviable low fuel consumption, which would allow it to sail to the Falkland Islands - and back - without refuelling. And its exhaust emissions are a fraction of its predecessor - and the casings for its shells from the 4.5 inch guns can be recycled. HMS Daring is the first of six Type 45 destroyers being built on the Clyde. She is no slouch, either, accelerating to 29 knots in 70 seconds - and can go from 30 knots to zero in 5.5 ship lengths. The ship is also designed to produce a low profile on radar - it appears like a large fishing boat. Its own radar could pick up a cricket ball travelling at three times the speed of sound and can simultaneously deal with dozens of incoming threats. The destroyer is now back at its berth in Scotstoun prior to embarking on further rigorous trials.
Apple's First Scottish Store
Computer giant Apple is opening its first Scottish store in Glasgow's Buchanan Street this weekend. It is the company's 190th store world-wide and the 10th in the UK. A shopping frenzy is being predicted when it opens with 45 Apple Mac PCs and 50 iPods on the shop floor for customers to try before they buy. Live concerts will be a feature of the new outlet - up-and coming band The Dykeenies will play at the first concert on Tuesday, August 28, at 8pm. The building works to convert the store to Apple's high standards cost of over a million pounds.
South African Train in George Square
Anyone passing through Glasgow's George Square this weekend will be surprised to see a massive steam train "parked" there. It's a "Mountain Class" railway steam engine, which was built by the North British Locomotive Company in Polmadie in Glasgow in 1945. It is to take pride of place at the new Riverside Transport Museum being built in the city of its birth. The engine (Number 3007) pulled the renowned "Blue Train" from Johannesburg to Cape Town for over 40 years.
Tartan Register for Highlands?
The Scottish Executive agreed in the last session of parliament to the setting up of a new National Tartan Register to "protect, promote and preserve one of Scotland's most iconic and valuable assets". The register will be under the control of the Lord Lyon of Scotland. That body is one of the oldest heraldic organisations in the world and is based in Edinburgh. But this week Highland Council called for the new body to be located in the Highlands, arguing that tartan was very much a symbol of the Highland clan system. The Highlands form the geographical centre of the historic legacy of tartan and also boast a wealth of experience and knowledge of tartan. However, it seems more likely that the organisation will be Edinburgh based, under the Lord Lyon's guardianship. But even if the register and its staff are located in the Capital, it is argued that the associated national archive and museum could be set up in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.
Hard Working Doctors?
Doctors are facing criticism from government and from a public that see the salaries for GPs rising as their hours of work reduce and coverage outside "normal business hours" on five days a week, being reduced to telephone services and thin on the ground locums. So they have announced a publicity drive to highlight their efforts, with a poster campaign to raise awareness of the work GPs undertake on a daily basis. They illustrate that while GPs are responsible for their patients only from 8am until 6.30pm five days a week, they tend to work much longer hours and that they work under greater pressure. Doctors often retire earlier than they used to, with many frustrated by the government bureaucracy and form filling. Net income for an average GP is now over £82,000 a year and some earn over £100,000. Their new contracts cost millions more than anticipated.
A Bridge Too Far?
A paper from the Centre for Cross Border Studies, an Irish think tank, has floated the idea of a bridge or tunnel between Northern Ireland and Scotland - a distance of 21 miles. While admitting that the project is "very ambitious", it is argued that a 220mph train service running from Dublin to Glasgow, to connect with London and continental Europe, would have many benefits, including a massive social and economic boost to both parts of Ireland and Scotland. Sceptics will point to the £3.4 billion that the Irish government is spending just to create a 10.5 mile rail link between Dublin city centre and its airport.
Too Few Insects
Research carried out over the last five years by entomologists at the Game Conservancy Trust working with other consultants, shows that these days arable crops contain over 30% fewer insects than needed to sustain a number of farmland birds, including partridges and yellowhammers. The research is part of a project called SAFFIE - Sustainable Arable Farming for an Improved Environment. The scheme aims to enhance farmland biodiversity by developing more wildlife-friendly farming techniques. Arable flowers and seeds are key foods for farmland birds, insects and small mammals all year. Flower seeds are an important food source during winter, while insects are an essential food for many young countryside bird chicks. Getting the balance right to benefit wildlife is difficult, because reducing chemical controls can reduce crop yields and farm profitability. The decline of many farmland birds is linked to the loss of their food supply - many of these are regarded as weeds by farmers.
Strengthening USA Ties
A delegation of senior US politicians from the Friends of Scotland Congressional Caucus were in Scotland this week, strengthening links between the US and Scotland. The organisation was launched in April 2006 and its members include nearly 40 Congressmen, with membership now opened up also to the members of the Senate. The politicians were presented with a bolt of cloth made from the newly designed Friends of Scotland Congressional Caucus tartan. It incorporates the six white and seven red stripes of the American flag with the white cross on a blue background of the Scottish saltire.
BBC Consultation on Worth of Gaelic TV Channel
The board of the BBC has launched a "Public Value Test" to find out what a digital Gaelic TV channel would be worth to viewers. Those with a particular interest (the supporters of Gaelic have been pressing for a dedicated Gaelic TV channel for many years) and the general public are being asked to submit their comments. The BBC has calculated that the digital Gaelic TV channel plus an enhanced Radio Nan Gaidheal service and more internet content on BBC Alba would cost £18 million a year. That equates to £209 for all 86,000 Gaelic speakers in Scotland (according to the 2001 census) - far more than the £135.50 annual licence fee paid by each household with a TV. The BBC caters for many minority interests, but admits that the value of such a Gaelic service would be "difficult to calculate". But with the Scottish Executive already committed to providing £11.9 million a year for Gaelic programming, the consultation exercise is probably academic and services are likely to start on a digital channel next year. Being a BBC service, there would be no commercial advertising on the channel.
A Shaggy Dog Story
The staff at an abandoned dog society in Dunning in Perthshire became fed up with the pampered pure bred pooches at the Crufts Dog Show in London, where the top dogs in the world compete to be named "Champion of Champions". They decided to reject the pomposity of that event and so they recently organised their own "Scrufts" dog show. The accent was on fun and the ancestry of some of the endearing dogs who took part was not always clear. But like many mongrels, they were often brighter and more affectionate than their pedigree cousins. The show was not about winners and losers - though there were podium places for the "waggiest tail" and "the dog most like its owner."
Insured Against Nessie Attack
There are some who are sceptical about the existence of "Nessie" - the Loch Ness Monster - even though a large creature has been reported on many occasions.Scientific searches of the loch have proved that the creature is elusive, however, to say the least. But the organisers of the "First Monster Duathlon" - a star-studded line-up of 250 teams of four will run and cycle on a 120 kilometre course around Loch Ness - are taking no chances. The organisers say that they are planning for "all eventualities" and with so many finely tuned athletes, Nessie might be stirred into action. The insurers (who struggled a bit to work out the risks and the premium to be paid) have agreed that they will pay out if proof is produced during the race that Nessie has been sighted. Since the bizarre insurance policy was reported extensively by the media, the organisers have obtained much free publicity which will be worth far more than any (nominal?) premium they are having to pay...
Photograph of Loch Ness from Dores courtesy of the Scotavia> © Web site.
Junior Hibernian Kyd
Over the years, many football-mad parents have showed their support for their favourite football team by naming their children after important players. Some have gone even further, and little Gavin Barker's dad is one of them. The toddler has been christened with the middle names of "Junior Hibernian Kyd" by his dad, a fanatical supporter of Hibernian Football Club. The "Kyd" has been included in honour of Albert Kidd, whose two goals denied Hearts (the rival Edinburgh club) the championship in 1986....
Weather in Scotland This Week
After a damp start last Sunday with rain and cloud and temperatures largely in the 12/14C (52/57F( range, the weather - and the temperatures - improved later in the week. By Wednesday and Thursday, the weather was really summery, with lots of sunshine. Glasgow had the highest temperatures on Thursday of over 25C (77F) but it didn't last and there was much more cloud on Friday. Cloud and light rain moved in on Saturday but most places brightened up as the day progressed, with temperatures reaching 17/19C (63/66F). The outlook for Sunday and Monday is for some sun breaking through.
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 Red Admiral Butterfly, on a ligularia flower at Culzean Castle (see thumbnil here); a life-size statue of a pirate...; Cormorant showing off its curved beak; the Wallace Memorial in Robroyston, Glasgow, marking the spot where William Wallace was betrayed and captured; and Gladioli flowers. See This Week's Colour Supplement.
Sir Walter Scott To Go "Green"
The 19th-century coal-fired ship "Sir Walter Scott," which takes thousands of tourists on trips on Loch Katrine in Perthshire, is to undergo a "green" conversion from burning coal to using bio-oil instead. Loch Katrine supplies a large part of the drinking water for Glasgow and there has always been a concern about contamination from "normal" diesel. The ship, which was launched in 1899, is to undergo a £2.3 million refurbishment which will mean that it will not be providing cruises until next June.
Burns Hip Flask Sells for £7,200
The auctioneer's estimate for an 18th century hip flask, once owned by Robert Burns, was between £600 and £800. Made of green glass and in a leather case, bids for it came in from Scotland and around the world. It eventually went for £7,200. The successful bidder was a private collector from Scotland.
Elsie Inglis Day
Elsie Inglis (1864-1917) started her medical training at the revolutionary "Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women" and was one of the first women doctors in the UK by the end of the 19th century. But she is best remembered for her work throughout Europe during the First World War, setting up field hospitals in countries including France, Belgium, Serbia, Romania, Greece and Russia. She is credited with saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of servicemen. There are statues to her in many of the countries in which she gave service - but nothing in Scotland, despite being called "Edinburgh's Florence Nightingale". However, a campaign has been launched to create a permanent statue to her in the Scottish Capital. It is argued that there are statues in Edinburgh to people who are barely famous. Elsie Inglis, on the other hand, brought honour to Scotland and her adopted city and she deserves to be recognised
Next Week in Scottish History
"Local Hero" Phone Box Reopens
Pennan, the Banffshire beauty spot that featured in the movie "Local Hero," was devastated by mudslips that inundated a number of the houses there earlier this month. A wall of mud from a number of landslides above the village cascaded into the row of cottages along the shore. One of the casualties was the iconic red telephone box that was such a feature of the film. Some of the houses will take a long time to be made habitable again, but after 16 days of clearing up of the mud, the telephone kiosk in the 1983 hit movie is back in action again. It has become a popular tourist attraction and its re-instatement will help life in Pennan to get back to normal.
"Scrap Boring Mod"
A Highland councillor courted the wrath of the Gaelic community this week by arguing that the Royal National Mod, a Scottish institution since 1892, should be scrapped "because 30 or 40 people sing the same song and bore the pants off everyone." Kenneth MacLeod added that the annual celebration of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture was "out-dated" and did little to ensure the survival of the language. He called for an International Celtic Festival based in Inverness, which would unite people from Wales, Ireland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Brittany. This would be a truly international festival of music, song and dance. Organisers of the Mod hit back, pointing to the Mod being the premier Gaelic festival for Scotland and that it introduces change all the time, remaining popular with competitors and visitors from all over the world.
Cowal Highland Games
20,000 people are expected to descend on Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde this Saturday to enjoy Scotland's largest Highland games. This is the 113th year of the Cowal Highland Gathering and highlights include the Scottish Highland dancing competition, solo piping competitions and heavy athletics. The event takes place over Thursday to Saturday, with the hotly contested pipe band competition being staged on the last day. The weather was kind on the first two days and, after a cloudy start, brightened up also on Saturday.
Picture via Wikipedia.
Blooming Great Weekend
Aberdeen's new two-day flower festival will be officially launched at Hazelhead Park on Saturday. The event celebrates Aberdeen’s outstanding success as a city in bloom with a mix of stalls, workshops, activities and other attractions. But the main element is a Royal Horticultural Society flower show, previously held in Duthie Park. Among those taking part is retired farm worker George Cumming, 86, for whom 2007 marks the 60th consecutive year he will have exhibited. Last year, Aberdeen won the overall national Britain in Bloom award for the 11th time, along with other prestigious prizes including a Communities in Bloom award. Not a single year has gone by since 1965 without Aberdeen having a success in a major floral competition.
Doors Open Day
Doors Open Days give free access to hundreds of fascinating buildings across Scotland. Every weekend in September places that are normally closed to the public open up to allow the public the opportunity to discover the heritage on their doorstep. Buildings of every age, shape and function take part, from ancient forts to cutting-edge arts venues. There are also many different activities, including a bicycle tour, musical concert, canal trip, art exhibition, model aeroplane fly-by and storytelling. There are demonstrations of everything from guide-dog training and star-gazing to archery and honey production. One of the highlights in Glasgow will be a tour of the 1750s Castlemilk stables block which has just opened after a £3.6million restoration. Another popular building is the Panopticon Theatre in the Trongate (see graphic). British-born Stan Laurel first took to the stage there in 1910 and Archie Leach performed as part of a troupe of tumblers - before changing his name to Cary Grant. For more details of all the buildings open across Scotland as part of this programme, see www.doorsopendays.org.uk/opendays.
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.
Culloden Stones
I am informed that the Jacksonville Scottish Highland Games and the St. Andrews Society of Jacksonville are purchasing one of the engraved "Culloden Stones" which will be laid in the approach to the new Culloden Visitor Centre. Many American and Canadian individuals of Scottish ancestry and Scottish societies are sponsoring one of these stones so that they can become a part of the memorial to the Battle of Culloden in 1746. That was when the Jacobite Rebellion was crushed and the Highlands were subjected to punitive action. It was this which led to many Scots to emigrate - and spread Scots and their descendants around the globe. Thanks to ongoing restoration by the National Trust for Scotland, the moor on which the battle was fought, looks much the same as it did on that fateful day. For more information on how individual donors and corporate bodies can become part of this historic site, see www.ownthestone.org.
London Gathering
London may not be "abroad" but that doesn't mean that the Scots who live and work down there are any less enthusiastic about organising Scottish cultural events than those in other parts of the globe. The London Gathering, which takes place on 8/9 September, will include a variety of home grown musical talents, whisky master classes, Q & A sessions with literary greats (such as A.L Kennedy, Alan Bissett), celebrity chef demonstrations and samplings (with Nick Nairn), fashion, ceilidh dancing, retail and even a mini Highland Games! Artists performing at the event include Hugh and Cry, the iconic pop duo, the Clan Wallace (a tribal pipe and drum band encompassing traditional and original Scottish music with a twist) and Dougie McLean, described by The Wall Street Journal as "a musical hero". And Balvenie distillery will be presenting "The Whisky Theatre", presided over by the connoisseur of Scotch Whisky and Keeper Of The Quaich, Charles Maclean. For all the details, see www.thelondongathering.com.
Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results
Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3
Livingston 1 Dunfermline 1Clydesdale Bank Premierleague Results - 25 August 2007
Celtic 5 Heart of Midlothian 0
Falkirk 0 St Mirren 1
Gretna 1 Motherwell 2
Hibernian 3 Aberdeen 3
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0 Dundee United 3
Kilmarnock 1 Rangers 2Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Results - 25 August 2007
Clyde 1 St Johnstone 0
Dundee 3 Partick Thistle 0
Dunfermline 2 Stirling Albion1
Greenock Morton 0 Hamilton 2
Queen of the South 1 Livingston 0Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 25 August 2007
Airdrie United 1 Queens Park 0
Alloa 2 Brechin City 2
Ayr United 4 Berwick Rangers 0
Cowdenbeath 1 Raith Rovers 0
Ross County 1 Peterhead 0Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 25 August 2007
Dumbarton 2 Albion Rovers 0
East Fife 3 Stranraer 1
Forfar 4 Elgin 0
Montrose 3 Arbroath 3
Stenhousemuir 0 East Stirling 3League Tables
After a shaky start, Celtic seem to have recovered and are now in second place in the SPL, two points behind Rangers who have maximum points after four games. Motherwell sit in third place, one point behind Celtic. At the foot of the table Inverness Caledonian Thistle still have no points, with Gretna only managing one point. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Hearts and Aberdeen are down near the foot of the table, with only two points each.
Queens Park now share the lead at the top with Raith Rovers - both teams have 9 points.
East Fife lead the Third Division, with East Stirling in second place, three points behind.
South Africa v Scotland Rugby International
The last time that Scotland hosted South Africa in a rugby international was in 2002 when Scotland achieved a convincing 21-6 win over the Springboks. The match on Saturday at Murrayfield (pictured here) was entirely different. Scotland took an early lead with a Chris Paterson penalty but that was to be the last points they put on the board. The Springboks quickly levelled the score before becoming almost rampant. scoring three tries to make the score 3-24 at half time. Scotland had more possession in the second half but failed to make any impression on a strong South African defence and the visitors increased their lead with a penalty, to make the final score 3-27 for South Africa.
South Africa v Scotland Football International
Five years ago in Hong Kong, when Scotland last played South Africa in a full international, Scotland lost 2-0. In those days, Berti Vogts was the Scottish manager and times have changed for the better since then.This week, it was the Scots who scored the only goal of the match, which was staged at Pittodrie, Aberdeen's football ground. Scotland did struggle initially to make any goal scoring chances and the visitors looked the more likely to get the ball in the back of the net. Scotland improved in the second half (a roasting from manager Alex Mcleish perhaps?) and Kris Boyd, on as a substitute, gave the home side the lead after 71 minutes. The result may help to improve Scotland's international rankings. The latest FIFA table shows that Scotland has drifted down by another place, to 23.
Stadium Plans for Hearts
This week, Heart of Midlothian Football Club announced that plans for a new 10,000 seat main stadium redevelopment, costing £51 million, are "at an advanced stage". The construction will include a new two-tier main stand, commercial space including a gym, hotel, restaurant (with a "city view") and residential accommodation. The club will demolish their current 4,500-capacity Main Stand (built in 1914) next summer, with a view to the new stand being open by the end of the 2009/2010 season. Total seating capacity in the stadium will be increased by 6,000 to 23,000. The project team has been working for two years on the redevelopment and artists' impressions showing how the new stadium will look have been made available. A detailed planning application to Edinburgh City Council is expected in October. The announcement will come as a "ray of hope" for fans who feared that the club would be run for the profit of Vladimir Romanov, the Lithuanian banking tycoon who owns the club. Funding for the development will be provided by his business empire - though it is argued that in the longer term the club will be profitable as a result of the investment now.
Celtic's Record Profit
Celtic Football Club's chairman, Brian Quinn, has announced a record annual pre-tax profit of £15 million, made possible by winning the domestic League and Cup double and a run to the last 16 in the European Champions League. Quinn admits that the results "will be hard to better." Clearly another good spell in the European Champions League is the key - the club made nearly £12 million from the competition last season. The good performances on the field have allowed manager Gordon Strachan the freedom to invest £8.9 million in new players last year and £14.4 million this season.
New Manager for Inverness
Charlie Christie took over as head coach of Inverness Caledonian Thistle in January 2006 and the club finished 8th out of the twelve in the SPL last season So far this season, the northernmost club in the SPL has yet to win a point after three games and they have conceded 9 goals. Much to the disappointment of the club's board, Christie decided this week that the pressures were too much and handed in his resignation. Former manager Craig Brewster, currently playing for Aberdeen, immediately became the hot favourite to become the new Inverness manager and, by the end of the week, the appointment had been confirmed. The new manager has a few days to perhaps target some new signings before the transfer window closes at the end of this month.
Seat on Rangers' Board for Fan
Rangers chairman Sir David Murray has promised that supporters will soon have their own representative on the club's board. Fans have been pressing for a number of years for an elected representative and proposals are now expected soon. Rangers Supporters' Trust followed this up by putting forward a Glasgow-based finance director of a share dealing company as their nominee. The club is also working on a "master plan" to transform Ibrox stadium and the surrounding area. Earlier plans to create a "super casino" have had to be shelved.