Current Affairs Death of Holyrood Architect Enric Miralles, the visionary Spanish architect of the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood, died in Barcelona this week. He was convalescing after an operation for a brain tumour. He was only 45. Mr Miralles was chosen unanimously by the selection panel from a number of contestants in a design competition for the future home of the Scottish Parliament. Donald Dewar, the First Minister (who is recovering from a heart operation) and Sir David Steel, the Presiding Officer, were amongst those who paid tribute to the architect's work. Officials at the Scottish Executive emphasised that most of the design work had been completed earlier this year and that the tragic death will not affect the building programme. Arise Sir Sean! The Queen Knights Agent 007 Sean Connery was in residence at his favourite hotel, the Caledonian, this week. He must have felt very much at home; after all, in his youth, he did a milk round in Fountainbridge, not far away. Sean was in the city of his birth for a very special reason. At long last, on Wednesday, he received his knighthood from the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and officially become "Sir Sean". After his investiture (where he wore formal Highland dress, including a kilt in McLean of Duart tartan) he said "It is one of the proudest days of my life. I think it is a great honour for Scotland." Although he was not nervous, he said he was moved by the occasion. In other words, stirred, not shaken. To mark his 70th birthday on 24 August, there will be open-air screenings in Princes Street Gardens of his best-known Bond films, including Dr No and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, as part of the 54th Edinburgh International Festival. Majority of Population Now Have a Mobile Phone Stronger than expected sales figures for mobile phones this year has meant that the industry has passed a new milestone - more than 50% of the total population has one of these devices. Since "total population" includes babies etc, the percentage of adults is even higher. Though as the age gets lower all the time at which youngsters at school are getting today's "must have" fashion statement, the section of the population excluded is getting smaller all the time. Red-Headed Research Scientists at Edinburgh University are to investigate why there are so many red-heads in Scotland, Ireland and Wales and whether natural selection confers any benefits on those with a russet hair colour. There are theories that the paler skin of red-haired people meant that they fared better in areas where sunlight was in short supply. An estimated 6% to 10% of Scots and Irish have some degree of red hair, a level not seen anywhere else in the world. Licenced to Drink The number of premises in Glasgow licensed to sell alcohol rose by 25% last year. Even so, Glasgow has one of the lowest number of licensed premises per head of the population anywhere in Scotland. Glasgow has 28 licences per 10,000 people while Edinburgh has 42 per 10,000 and Argyll and Bute has 79. The illustration is of the Scotia Bar in Glasgow, reputed to be the oldest bar in the city. Tyson Fight Lasts 38 Seconds Fight fans turned up at Hampden Park stadium to see Mike Tyson demolish Lou Savaresi in all of 38 seconds. The referee was also knocked down as he tried to stop the fight and Tyson ignored him. With ringside seats costing 500 pounds (US$750), and with heavy showers of rain before the fight, spectators were feeling hard done by. And the promoter, Frank Warren was none too happy either. Despite earlier optimistic claims, only 15,000 seats were sold in a stadium which could have accommodated 50,000. Ban on Hosepipes as West of Scotland Dries Out West of Scotland Water has appealed to consumers to use water carefully over the next few months. Rainfall was above average in many parts of Scotland and the UK (with flooding in the south-east of England). But in parts of the west of Scotland rainfall was well below average in April and May. Reservoirs are holding 20% less water than at this time last year. If dry weather continues, it may be necessary to ban the use of hosepipes for washing cars or watering gardens. There has not been such a ban for 16 years. Firth of Clyde Action Plan Launched A plan which aims to promote appropriate and sustainable development for the Clyde estuary was launched this week. It tries to strike a balance between demands from industry, recreation, national heritage and wildlife. It has been created after input over the last five years from a large number of organisations and individuals. There are 62 proposals for the management of the stretch of water which runs from the centre of Glasgow to the Mull of Kintyre in the west and Loch Ryan in the south. There are also a number of sea lochs and the islands of Bute, Arran and the Cumbraes. The illustration is of the "Tail of the Bank" at Gourock where the river takes a left turn into the Firth of Clyde. Scots Love Affair With Fish and Chips A survey published last week shows that 70% of Scots visited a fish and chip (french fries in some parts of the world) shop in the previous three months, compared with 59% in London. In the south, increasing numbers of ethnic takeaway food shops (selling anything from sushi to Thai cuisine) has resulted in a decline in the traditional "fish supper" but not in Scotland. While Chinese and Indian foods and italian pizzas have made considerable inroads into the Scottish takeaway markets, some food experts suggest that the continued popularity of fish and chips is just because the fish is so much better in Scotland. (And before you ask, my last fish supper was bought last week in Auchterarder, on my way back from Glamis castle from a shop which claims to be in the "Gourmet Guide to Fish and Chips"). Top Tourist Attractions While places like Edinburgh Castle top the league table for tourist attractions which charge an entry fee, there is a different list for those which have free access. Kelvingrove Art Gallery (pictured here) has once again come out top in that list with over a million visitors. That makes it the most popular free attraction in the UK outside of London. Across the road from Kelvingrove is the Museum of Transport which has over 600,000 visitors, putting it in second place. The other top attractions (in order of visitor numbers) are: Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh Royal Scots Regimental Museum, Edinburgh Museum of Modern Art, Glasgow National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, Glasgow Antartex Village, Alexandria New Lanark Village Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre Queen Mother's 100 Scottish Years In a message read at the spectacular pageant on Edinburgh Castle Esplanade this week, which marked the Queen Mother's 100th birthday on 4 August, the Queen Mum referred to her family's 600 years in Scotland. In 1376, Sir John Lyon, whose ancestry may even have originated in earlier Celtic times, married Princess Joanna, the widowed daughter of King Robert II. Sir John was granted the feudal barony of Glamis and the family has lived there ever since. Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, who was to marry the future King George VI, spent much of her childhood at Glamis and in 1930, Princess Margaret Rose was born at Glamis Castle, the first royal baby in direct line to the throne to have been born in Scotland for 300 years. You can read here an illustrated biography of the Queen Mother - with a Scottish slant. Historical Affairs Siege of Caerlaverock Castle Historic Scotland have organised a re-enactment of the famous siege of Caerlaverock castle by King Edward I (the "Hammer of the Scots") when he invaded Scotland in 1300. 200 performers will recreate the noise and colour of the occasion. Hopefully, the siege engines will not do any more damage. Survey of Culloden Battlefield The first intensive archaeological survey of the Culloden battlefield got under way this week. Radar and electronic detectors will be used to establish the precise distribution of the troops. Historians views are sometimes overturned by such investigations but as there are good eye-witness accounts of the defeat of the Jacobites and Prince Charles Edward Stewart (illustrated here), this is unlikely here. As the leader of the survey work says "Prince Charlie will still have lost by the time we have finished, much as we would have liked to reverse the decision..." Viking Skeletons in Your Gene Cupboard? Scientists from University College London are looking for volunteers from areas of Scotland where Vikings may have settled 1000 years ago. Using genetic analysis, the researchers want to establish the extent to which the Norse visitors infiltrated Scotland. They are looking for inhabitants of areas where it is known the Vikings settled, such as Stornoway, Durness, Stonehaven, Kirkwall, Lerwick and Oban to give DNA samples via mouth swabs. This will allow them to determine the extent to which the Vikings brought their families or settled down with the indigenous population. The results of the study are to be published as part of a new BBC series "The Blood of the Vikings" to be shown next year. Museum of Flight Takes Off 40,000 spectators turned up for the launch of the Air Week at the Museum of Flight at East Fortune in East Lothian which commemorates 70 years of aviation history. A Spitfire landed at the airfileld for the first time since 1945 and many other aircraft were on display in the hangars and in the static park outside. The illustration is of a "Blue Steel" rocket which was intended as a stand-off bomb for the RAF "V-Bomber" force. World Heritage Status for New Lanark? The restored 18th century mill village of New Lanark is the only Scottish location being put forward this year by the UK government's culture secretary to UNESCO for consideration as a World Heritage site. Over 50 million pounds have been spent over the last 25 years restoring the village and it is now a popular tourist attraction with over 400,000 visitors every year. There are restored mill workers' homes, a working textile mill and a village store. Nearby is the Corra Linn waterfall on the river Clyde which cascades 85 feet, making it one of the largest waterfalls in the UK. The village was built for David Dale, an entrepreneur but later became known for Robert Owen's experiments in social and educational reforms. It had the world's first nursery school and the basis for the co-operative movement was established there. Entertainment Robbie Causes Telephone System Crash Glasgow City Council's telephone system crashed and was out of action for three hours when tickets for the concert starring Robbie Williams went on sale this week. It was a repeat of the farcical breakdown when the Candleriggs Ticket Centre tried to cope with the sale of tickets for the Scotland v England football match last year. The concert, at the Scottish Exhibition and Concert Centre, takes place on October 16 and 17. When the system recovered, the 18,000 tickets were sold within five hours. Aberdeen On Breadline As Boss Removes Toaster Like many provincial clubs, Aberdeen Football Club are short of cash these days and cannot compete in the market to buy million-pound players. But the club's chief executive surprised the remaining players by announcing that the machine for toasting bread in their dressing room was to be removed this week and that the players will now have to pay for their own cups of tea and coffee. Needless to say, the players found the moves hard to swallow and they had faces as red as their jerseys. And the move immediately ignited all the old jokes about tight-fisted Aberdonians. But the club boss was adamant that they would have to run the club within their means or go bankrupt. The club lost 1.8 million pounds in the last six months of 1999. There was a crumb of comfort later in the week, however. The tabloid Daily Record newspaper calculated that the annual saving from removing the toaster would be just over six pounds a year. So the paper had a scoop story by presenting the club with a large, new toaster (emblazoned with the Daily Record logo), a toast rack and ten pounds to cover running costs. Unfortunately, the club owner (reputed to be worth 55 million pounds) was not able to take in the newspaper's gifts himself - he was getting toasted by the sun in Spain. Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright As expected, Tiger Woods won the Open Golf Championship at St Andrews last Sunday. He was eight strokes ahead of his nearest challenger, with an 19-under par score of 269. His winning margin was the largest in the modern era of the Championship. He also became the youngest golfer to achieve the "Grand Slam" of golf by winning all four major golf championships (The Open, US Open and PGA Championships and the Masters), following in the footsteps of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. The attendance record for the Open was smashed with a total of 230,000 spectators over five days, compared with the previous record of 208,000 set in 1990, also at St Andrews.

Current Affairs UK Chancellor's "Secret" Wedding Gordon Brown, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer and MP for Dunfermline East, surprised the media on Wednesday night by announcing that he was to marry his girl friend, Sarah Macauley the next day in his home town of North Queensferry in Fife. No further details were given and the press corps, some travelling from London, assembled in the town without knowing where the wedding was to take place. The local minister confirmed that she was to carry out the ceremony so cameras were duly set up outside her church. But nobody turned up. Eventually, a message was delivered to the waiting media. The 49-year-old Chancellor was being married in his home, overlooking the estuary of the river Forth, a few miles away. Reporters and cameramen scrambled to get there to find that the small private ceremony was taking place behind drawn curtains. The happy couple emerged later for an informal photo-call. Resulting news reports of the wedding were tinged with the media's frustration but perhaps the best headline was in the Scotsman: "Large measures of Gordon's grin seen all round as Brown loses his single currency". Bird That Never Flew At a recent flower show at Hampton Court Palace, the exhibit created by the City of Glasgow won a Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medal. The floral arrangement has now been set up in Glasgow's George Square to let the local citizens see it. Adorned with specially-commissioned metal sculptures by a local artist, illustrating a tree, a bird, a fish with a ring in its mouth and a bell, all symbols from the Glasgow coat of arms. It also depicts in flowers and stone a Celtic Knot design. National Garden Gets Go-Ahead The project to create a National Garden got the go-ahead this week from Perth and Kinross Planning Department. It is to be built near the M90 motorway on the outskirts of Perth and will incorporate a tartan museum, whisky centre and a four-star hotel. The idea has been around for a long time and Jim McColl, a presenter of the BBC show "Beechgrove Garden" is involved. Leading horticultural firms will be represented and there will be workshops and master classes for amateur garden enthusiasts. Perth already boasts two lovely gardens, Branklyn and Bell's (pictured here). Education Authority Fails to Get Pass Mark This week should have been when the 140,000 candidates were told how they had performed in the exams which decide whether or not they will go to university or whether they have the grades to allow them a chance of their preferred course. But the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA), struggling with a new computer system, has thrown the process into confusion. At first, it was suggested that only about 1,000 pupils would have "incomplete" certificates with some missing results. Then many of the letters did not get sent out in time to arrive on the due date. But when some pupils got their results, it was clear that they were riddled with errors - some pupils were given passes in subjects they had not even sat, causing a massive lack of confidence in the certificates received by all pupils. The universities (Glasgow University is illustrated above) also expressed their concern and said that until the SQA could guarantee the information on pupils' grades, they could not confirm places on their courses starting later this year. By the end of the week, the Chief Executive of the SQA had resigned. On the other hand, the Education Minister, Sam Galbraith, steadfastly maintained that he was not a resigning. Prince William for St Andrews As the results of the "A-level" exams were announced in England this week, it was revealed that Prince William has applied and been accepted for a degree course in Art History at St Andrews University. The illustration here is of St Andrews Cathedral. Prince William achieved above the minimum level required but will start in 2001, after taking a year out from studies. He is currently in Belize in Central America and is heading for Australia. St Andrews is Scotland's oldest university, founded in 1412, and it already attracts a large number of students from England. The town of St Andrews has a population of only around 11,000 so during term time the 5,000 students - and their boisterous merry-making - make a major impact. His maternal grandmother, Frances Shand Kydd, has a home in Falkland, 14 miles away. The Princes' housemaster at Eton College, who comforted him after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, is a graduate of St Andrews and may have been an influence on his choice. There was a sudden increase in the numbers applying for the Arts History course after the announcement. Gourmet Fried Mars Bar Nutritionists have winced for years at the Mars chocolate bars being covered in batter and deep fried in fish and chip (french fries) shops in Scotland - particularly in Glasgow. But now a four-star restaurant in Edinburgh has put its own version of deep-fried Mars Bars on the menu as a delicacy - and it is proving to be popular. The chef at Channings Restaurant had been challenged to come up with a novel dessert for a VIP Burns Supper earlier this year. He covers the chocolate bar in filot pastry and then fries it like a spring roll, serving it with a sorbet flavoured with Irn-Bru or whisky. Nobody has counted the number of calories in each of his creations but everyone who tries it says it tastes delicious! Historical Affairs Robert W Service On Friday 1st September this year the Robert Service Millennium Dinner is to take place on the lawns of the Montgreenan Mansion House Hotel, Kilwinning, Ayrshire. This will mirror similar functions that have taken place in Whitehorse in the Yukon for the last six years to commemorate the poet Robert W Service. Service was born in England but was raised by relatives in Kilwinning where he showed early signs of a gift for writing poetry. Service emigrated to North America and, while in the Yukon, was encouraged to write more poetry. He earned a lot more money for this than that other Ayrshire Bard, Robert Burns - "Dangerous Dan McGrew" alone provided "pay dirt" of half a million dollars! The Kilwinning function will be attended by the Commanding Officer of ‘M’ Division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Yukon Territories could fit the whole of the UK into a corner. Wallace Betrayal Remembered 200 members of the Society of William Wallace gathered last Saturday at the memorial cross in Glasgow where William Wallace was captured by the English, on 5 August 1305, after being betrayed by Sir John Stewart of Menteith. The Society unveiled a plaque on the 100-year-old Celtic cross which marks the site of a barn at Ralph Raa's Toun (later becoming the Robroyston district of Glasgow) where the Scottish hero had been in hiding. Wallace had come to Glasgow to meet Robert Wishart, the Bishop of Glasgow in the area of Glasgow now known as Bishopbriggs. After his capture, he was paraded in chains through a number of English towns before being executed on 23 August 1305. McFarlane Fountain Flows Again An imposing 40ft tall, blue and gold fountain in Alexandra Park in Glasgow, which has been dry since 1990, has been restored and is once again providing an attractive feature in this east end park. It was built in Glasgow's Saracen Foundry in 1901 for an international exhibition and incorporates life-size figures representing the arts, literature, science and commerce. It is the first of five fountains being renovated in the city including the Doulton Fountain in Glasgow Green (which is in a sorry state) and the Stewart Memorial Fountain in Kelvingrove Park. There will also be a new water feature and Italian-style piazza in the refurbished St Enoch Square in the centre of the city. 1500th Anniversary of Scotland? Although the records from 1500 years ago are a bit hazy, the Mid Argyll Gaelic Partnership are celebrating the establishment of the ancient kingdom of Dalriada in Argyll. The Scotti who settled there eventually overcame the Picts who had previously ruled over much of the Highlands and parts of the Lowlands in Angus and Fife. The capital of Dalriada was at Dunadd where a fort was established and the kings were proclaimed. In the 9th century, Kenneth mac Alpin became king of the combined Scots and Picts and moved his centre of government eastwards to Perthshire and also incorporated the kingdom of Strathclyde, creating modern Scotland. Entertainment A Walk With Burns As part of the pre-production publicity for the movie about Robert Burns and "Clarinda" (Mrs Agnes Maclehose, a respectable Edinburgh lady) a D.V.D and Video "A Walk With Burns" will be filmed in October for release early in November. It will star James Cosmo and will have a sound track written by some of the biggest names in the music industry. This is the first time someone has actually performed/recited Burns' work from the exact location. For example "Epitaph To My Father" will be from the grave side of his father, William Burness. The graphic of Burns and Johnny Depp is by kind permission of Clarinda the Movie. Millennium Piping Festival An estimated 10,000 pipers and drummers from all over the world (that's an estimated 45.5 miles of kilt) marched in Edinburgh on Saturday to break a few records and raise lots of money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The parade marched down from the castle and along Princes Street - straight into the Guinness Book of Records as the largest ever pipe band. The organiser of the event already has a track record in this type of event - he set up "Pipes and Drums for Scotland" in 1995 at which 5,000 pipers turned up. See the Piping Festival Web site for more details. World Pipe Band Championships The skirl of the pipes were heard sounding out in the streets of Glasgow on Friday as hundreds of musicians "Beat the Retreat" from Blythswood Square to George Square, as a prelude to the 53rd annual World Pipe Band Championships on Saturday. An estimated 7,260 members of 242 pipe bands from across the world gathered in seven arenas in Glasgow Green on Saturday to participate in the event. The overcast skies and occasional drizzle did not dampen the colourful kilts and the enthusiastic crowds who followed their favourite bands as they practiced before entering the arena. The illustration here is of one of the bands getting ready for their performance this afternoon (Saturday).

Current Affairs Scotland on the Brink of Disaster Over the last week Scotland and the rest of Britain has been in the grip of a crisis which Donald Dewar, the Scottish First Minister, described as taking the country "to the brink". Lorry drivers, farmers and some private individuals started picketing oil terminals last weekend, protesting at the high price of fuel. After 24-hours of panic buying by motorists on Monday and Tuesday, over 90% of the pumps across the country were dry. Further chaos was caused by truck drivers and farmers travelling in convoys at 5mph on trunk roads and into the major cities. Over the following days, as the fuel shortage began to bite, non-urgent operations were being canceled in hospitals, buses were being curtailed, bread and milk was running short and towards the end of the week supermarkets saw sales rocket as the public stocked up in case the situation continued. Staff everywhere were finding it increasingly difficult to get to work. Fortunately, the demonstrators called off their pickets on Thursday (with the threat to the government that they would be back in 60 days if there is not an adequate response in the budget statement in November). The tankers started to roll again but motorists immediately formed lengthy queues whenever a garage took delivery of fuel. It is expected that it will be the end of next week before the situation returns to normal. Despite the disruption, which affected nearly everyone in the country, there was a large majority in support of the action which had been taken. Most people believe that the government has not been listening to their growing disquiet about rising fuel prices the UK has the highest prices in Europe due to taxation. The only people who disagreed were the environmentalists who say we should all use our cars less. The protests were largely spontaneous although once they started, mobile phones played a large role in keeping those involved in touch with one another. Inflation Below Target for 17th Consecutive Month The government target for inflation in the UK is 2.5% and the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England adjust base interest rates so as to meet that target. For the 17th consecutive month, inflation rates have been well below this figure. Last month inflation was down to 1.9%, (excluding mortgage payments). The internationally recognised harmonised index of consumer prices for the UK is just 0.6%, the lowest in the European Union. UK Base Interest Rate is 6%. Number Unemployed at 24-year Low The number of people out of work and claiming benefits in Scotland fell by 2,300 last month to reach a 24-year low of 111,300. Even so, Scotland has the highest unemployment rate of all the UK regions. The number of people in work from May to July was 2,374,000, 57,000 more than the same period last year. Best Rail Route in Britain The rail service between Edinburgh and Glasgow has won the title "Best Rail Route in Britain" at the National Rail Awards this week. The increased frequency (every 15 minutes), comfortable new 100mph TurboStar trains (pictured here) and a 96% punctuality rate all helped to win the title. Both Queen Street Station in Glasgow and Waverley Station in Edinburgh have also had a facelift, contributing to passenger comfort. However, the "Best Station in Scotland" title went to Glasgow Central Station. Heather Honey Price Buzzes Up Because the weather was dry in July, a crucial time in its growing season, the amount of nectar heather plants produced this year was well below average. As a result, the quantity of heather honey has dropped, forcing up the price to ten pounds a pound. Heather honey is much in demand by connoisseurs. Those who can make do with honey from plants such as Rosebay Willowherb are in clover, however, as the crop this year was good. Couch Potatoes A survey of eating habits in the UK has shown that nearly half of the people of Scotland have their evening meals watching TV rather than round the dinner table. This is a higher percentage than anywhere else in Britain. And Scots are more likely to have a snack between meals too. And while 27% of Scots said that they had a snack of fruit, this was lower than the UK national average of 30%. Harvest of Woe Reports from around Scotland on this year's harvest say it is verging on disastrous in many areas. Grain in Perthshire, Angus and Fife has largely been gathered, but in Lothians and the Borders nearly 40% of the winter wheat crop is still in the fields. Thanks to new strains of wheat most of it is at least still standing, but rain is causing the crop to deteriorate. In the Borders, there has been rain on 32 out of the last 55 days and in the last ten days, eight have had some rain. In the three months to August there has been the same amount of rain the Borders would expect in a year. When the combine harvesters do go out they frequently get bogged down in mud. And grain which has been harvested contains up to 30% moisture which means more having to be spent on drying it out. Salmon Catches at All Time Low The number of wild salmon caught in Scottish rivers last year was the lowest ever recorded and fishermen report that this year is likely to be even worse. The number caught last year was just over 55,000 which was 40% less than in 1998. Climate change, pollution and overfishing in earlier years have all been blamed for the decline. Numbers of sea trout were also down to just below 35,000. The number of smolts or young fish is still relatively high but mature fish are just not returning to the rivers. Historical Affairs Plan to Re-roof Linlithgow Palace A plan is being advanced to replace the roof on Linlithgow Palace so that its Long Gallery can once again be used for lavish entertainment. The Palace was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots and with its loch-side location it is a popular tourist attraction. The roof was destroyed 250 years ago when the Duke of Cumberland's troops, who were in pursuit of the Jacobite forces of Bonnie Prince Charlie, set it ablaze as they left. Local Members of Parliament and local councillors are pushing Historic Scotland, who look after the building, to consider the proposal seriously. Making a Tourist Attraction of the Romans Plans to create more interest in the Antonine Wall in central Scotland were unveiled this week. Unlike the stone-built Hadrian's Wall across the north of England, the Antonine Wall was built of turf (ten feet high) on a stone base. Little has survived although the foundations of some of the stone forts and bath houses are still visible. But there are many Roman artifacts and the plan is to create a heritage centre displaying these, set up a supervised archaeological dig and reconstruct a Roman watchtower. There is also a well preserved Roman bathhouse and an excavated portion of the Antonine Wall in Bearsden, on the outskirts of Glasgow. The Romans were in Scotland from 79AD and advanced on land as far north as the Moray Firth, north of present day Moray Firth. But they then retreated behind Hadrian's Wall. Later, the Antonine Wall was constructed in 142-143AD as the Romans pushed north again. It stretched for 37 miles between the rivers Forth in the east and Clyde in the west. The wall was abandoned by the Romans 15/20 years later. Battle of Britain Remembered Over the last few weeks there have been a number of events and TV programmes commemorating the Battle of Britain, fought in the skies above southern England in August and September 60 years ago. Fighter Command was led by Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding, a Scot. Number 603 Squadron, the City of Edinburgh, with its motto "Gin ye Daur" (If You Dare) were in the thick of the fighting with their Spitfires and became the top-scoring Squadron in the RAF during the conflict. However, they also suffered heavy loses amongst their young pilots. The aircraft illustrated here is a Spitfire, parked as "gate guardian" at RAF Leuchars in Fife. Entertainment Glasgow Science Centre Construction work on the IMAX large screen cinema at Pacific Quay in Glasgow is almost completed and will be available for public viewing from October 14. It boasts Scotland's largest cinema screen, larger than a five storey building. The first films to be shown will be "Dolphins" shot on and under the sea and "Blue Planet" showing the Earth from space. The Glasgow Science Centre nearby is also well advanced. It has individual floors dealing with exploration and discovery, creativity and innovation, and issues and impacts. It includes 500 hands-on exhibits, Scotland's largest planetarium, areas on Space and the Planets and lots more. The Glasgow Tower is also part of this development. It is 328 feet high and will be the only tower in the world that rotates 360 degrees, giving a superb bird's eye view of Glasgow and down the river Clyde. The Glasgow Tower has 521 steps in its staircase - but most visitors will use the rack-and-pinion lifts, which will take two and a half minutes to reach the viewing cabin at the top. Laird of Candacraig Entertains As in 1999, the Laird of Candacraig in Aberdeenshire (better known perhaps as Billy Connolly the actor and entertainer) invited a group of his friends to attend the Lonach Gathering. So Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Judy Dench and others stayed at the 15-bedroom Candacraig Castle as Billy's guests and, fitted out in Highland dress, attended the games on Saturday. Robin Williams really entered into the spirit of the occasion and ran in a gruelling four mile hill race. Steve Martin and Billy Connolly were not in training for a race when they stopped on the way back from the games and had a traditional fish and chip supper. Steve Martin, ignoring the rain, insisted on wearing sun glasses. Before the start of the games the "Men of Lonach" had marched behind a pipe band stopping at various houses in the area, including Candacraig, where they were given a traditional dram with which to toast their patrons.

October 2000

Current Affairs Donald Dewar, Father of a Nation, 1937-2000 All of Scotland was shocked this week by the sudden death of Donald Dewar, the First Minister and head of the government in Scotland. He had seemed to be recovering well from a heart valve operation earlier this year and had returned to a punishing work schedule after three months of convalescing. But on Tuesday, a few hours after he had a heavy fall on the steps of his official residence in Edinburgh, he said that he was feeling unwell and was persuaded to go for a check-up at the hospital. He was diagnosed as having suffered a massive brain haemorrhage and, after a spell on a life support system, died in the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh on Wednesday. The life support machine was switched off only after his children had arrived from their homes in London and Brussels. Politicians these days don't get much affection and respect but Donald Dewar earned both of these, in abundance. It is unusual to see hardened political journalists with tears in their eyes, but the loss of a well loved, decent man, has been felt by everyone. My own tribute to this modest, cultured, "man of the people" who brought the dream of a Scottish Parliament back to a reality after nearly 300 years, can be found at this Web Page. Sunday Ferry Row Revived The controversy over whether or not there should be a ferry service to Lewis and Harris was renewed this week when the chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) offered to pay for a local referendum on the issue. An opinion poll earlier this year indicated 60% of the residents in favour of Sunday air and ferry services on the islands, where there has long been a powerful lobby in favour of maintaining the Sabbath. HIE believe that providing an easier and more frequent service is essential in order to encourage inward investment and retain the younger population in the Hebrides. The HIE chairman has suggested that while the referendum would be based on the electoral roll, another parallel exercise should be carried out to establish the views of secondary school pupils, whose futures are at stake. It has been highlighted that the bridge to Skye and an improved ferry service to Mull have reversed the trend of depopulation on these islands. Axe Poised Over Beech Trees Plans by Argyll and Bute Council to cut down a row of oak and beech trees in Inveraray, to relieve congestion in the town, have been held up by a pressure group "Friends of Inveraray". They want the avenue of trees (behind the arches in the illustration here) restored and maintained, Currently, the open spaces between the trees is used as the main off-street car park in the town. But it is rutted and full of pools of water and the council want to level the site and plant smaller trees in a tarmac car park. The Council maintains that there is strong support for the plan in the busy tourist town. If the Council wish to proceed, however, it is likely that the final decision will have to be referred to the First minister in Edinburgh. Train Delays Getting Worse There has been an increase in the number of trains on the inter-city routes to and from Edinburgh and the south which fail to arrive within ten minutes of the scheduled time. Latest figures show that only 73% of trains operated by Virgin Cross Country were on time. The average figure for all the companies serving Edinburgh was 77% of trains on time - 9% down on last year. The companies blame late delivery of new rolling stock and engineering works on the tracks. They also point out that April, May and September were the wettest months since records began and that the heavy rain caused track circuit failures. New First Minister With the combined backing of Labour and Liberal Democrat Scottish Members of Parliament, Henry McLeish was elected as the new First Minister. While the result was a foregone conclusion, John Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party, David McLetchie the Conservative Party leader and Dennis Canavan (Independent) stood against him. In an emotional acceptance speech, Mr McLeish's voice was often close to breaking point as he said that he wanted to pursue social justice and tackle poverty. He promised he would not let Scotland down. Following the election, the Queen made a special journey to Edinburgh to hand over his official letters of appointment and the Great Seal of Scotland which is used on state documents. Historical Affairs Winter Gardens Reopen In 1891 a "Winter Garden" was added to the People's Palace Museum on Glasgow Green, a parkland area near the heart of the city. The iron and glass building was said to have been designed to represent the inverted hull of Lord Nelson's flagship, The Victory. It became filled with tropical plants and for many years was a popular attraction in the city and a welcome escape from inclement weather. But by the 1960s, with rising costs and the metalwork deteriorating, it was in danger of being pulled down as an "economy" measure by the City Council. There was a public outcry (the People's Palace is a museum for and about the people of Glasgow and is dear to the hearts of many) and the building was saved.. Then, in January 1998, it was nearly lost again when arsonists set it ablaze, buckling the iron supports. But with assistance from the Heritage Lottery fund, plus money from insurance, the splendid building has been totally revamped at a cost of three million pounds and it opened again last weekend. It is a popular venue for weddings (there are large open areas as well as all those tropical plants) but it is well used all the time as a refuge from that Glasgow weather! Entertainment Grand Prix Garage in Museum A replica of the garage used by Jackie Stewart's Formula 1 Grand Prix racing team has been created in the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. In addition to models of Stewart himself, the car driven by Johnny Herbert when he won the Monaco Grand Prix last year is also on display. Jackie Stewart himself won the Formula 1 world championship three times. The Stewart family (son Paul was part of the team) sold the Stewart Racing Team to Ford in June 1999 for 100 million pounds and the team was renamed Jaguar. The display in the Museum will be on show for the next year. Logan as Lauder The veteran actor Jimmy Logan is getting rave reviews for his one-man show on the life of Sir Harry Lauder at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Jimmy Logan is now aged 73 but he has been giving a polished performance which some critics say is one his best-ever. And it's not all cheerful songs - there is not a dry eye in the house at the end of the first half when "Harry Lauder" receives the telegram which tells him that his son has been killed during the First World War. It was following this event that Lauder wrote "Keep Right on to the End of the Road". Photograph is courtesy of the Scottish Theatre Archive.

November 2000

Current Affairs No Guarantees on Cost of Holyrood Parliament Building During a grilling of officials by the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee, it emerged that while the cost of 195 million pounds for the new Parliament Building being constructed at Holyrood was "a very serious target" there was no guarantee that it would be met. It was also noted that the 195 million pounds was at March 1998 prices - with no allowance for inflation. In addition, road realignment and landscaping were outside of the budget. It is now clear that even if the building work is completed by the revised target date of December 2002, it will be some months before the MSPs will be able to move in, as fitting out would have to take place. World Trade Centre for Edinburgh's Waterfront? The company which is set to transform acres of derelict industrial land in Granton, a district of Edinburgh which fronts the estuary of the river Forth, has revealed an ambitious plan to create a World Trade Centre as part of the development. They have made a successful bid to the association's general assembly in Boston. A 200,000 square feet building costing 25/35 million pounds will employ 1,300 people. World Trade Centres in other parts of the world have been very successful as engines of regeneration and would provide a huge range of trading opportunities for Edinburgh and Scotland. If it all goes according to plan, it could be operational in 2004. There are 315 World Trade Centres in 97 countries throughout the world. Railway Delays Until Easter The emergency examination of railway lines, which is being undertaken after a train had been derailed in England because of a broken rail, has revealed that 170 miles of track in the UK needs to be replaced. Emergency repairs and a major replacement programme will be required. Speed restrictions on a number of stretches of the rail network will continue until the work is completed, causing long delays until at least next Easter. Gaelic Glossary for Parliament What is the Gaelic for "Presiding Officer" in the Scottish Parliament? Gaelic scholars have been asked to produce a glossary of 5,000 entries for use in the new organisation. This will help not just the Parliament but other organisations to standardise on the terms. The Minister for Gaelic calls the Presiding Officer "Ceann comhairle" (head of the council) while the BBC use "Oifigear-stiuridh" (directing officer) and Radio nan Gaidheal (Gaelic Radio) prefers "Oifgear-riaghlaidh" (managing officer). A guide to pronunciation might help too... Historical Affairs Glasgow's Oldest House Reopens Provand's Lordship was built in 1471 in the reign of King James III, by Bishop Andrew Muirhead, as the Preceptor's House of the Hospital of St Nicholas, beside Glasgow Cathedral. The priest who lived there served the parish of Provan and the house became known as the Provand's Lordship. Various businesses have utilised the premises since then - including an alehouse and a hangman who plied his trade in the 18th century. It was taken over by a preservation society early in the 20th century and became a popular tourist attraction with displays of old Glasgow and antique furniture. But two years ago structural cracks were found and the building had to close for major renovation. It reopened this week. Entertainment Micawber in Edinburgh Office workers in the centre of Edinburgh have been taking advantage of breaks in filming of a TV adaptation of the Dickens novel "Micawber" to wander along one of the city's Georgian streets which has been made to look like a Victorian London thoroughfare. William Street is one of many streets in Edinburgh's "New Town" (new in the late 18th and early 19th centuries) which have been preserved so that it looks much as it did 200 years ago. And of course, the set designers have added a few extra touches like chestnut sellers, glowing braziers - and lots of muck and straw littering the streets. The four part drama stars David Jason as Mr Micawber (who befriended David Copperfield in the Dickens' stories). Scotland's Tallest Structure Members of the press were allowed to the top of Scotland's highest building for the first time this week. The slender, silver coloured, Glasgow Tower is 340 feet (103 metres) to the viewing cabin and a mast adds another 80 feet (25 metres) to the height. It is the only tower in the world which rotates 360 degrees. When it is completed next spring, there will be a glass lift to take spectators to the viewing platform which will have space for up to 30 spectators. But as the lifts are not yet operational, the media reporters had to climb the stairs to the top - all 480 steps. They said that the view from the top was worth the effort. But photography is not being allowed until next spring, so we just have to take their word for it. There are hopes that the Glasgow tower will become an icon for Glasgow like the Eiffel Tower in France. The Scottish Colourists 1900-1930 There has been increasing interest again in the art works of a group of Scottish artists who were well known in their heyday early in the 20th century. Known as the "Scottish Colourists" (John Duncan Fergusson, Samuel John Peploe, Francis Campbell Boileau and George Leslie Hunter) they were all friends but usually worked separately. Their vivid use of colour and fluid painting, particularly of sultry French Riviera people and scenes, gained them a reputation, but their popularity waned before WW2. There has been a recent TV documentary on their work and a major exhibition, with 70 of their most significant works from private and public collections, has opened at the Dean Gallery, Edinburgh, following a successful showing at the London Royal Academy of Arts over the summer. There is now a gallery devoted to the works of John Duncan Ferguson - who was also sculptor as well as a painter. The illustration here is one of his works outside the gallery. Flora MacDonald Heads for Hollywood Peter Broughan, who produced the film "Rob Roy" is planning a film on the life of Flora MacDonald. She helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from South Uist to Skye after his defeat at the battle of Culloden in 1746. He says it will be a "female Braveheart" telling of the bravery of the Highland heroine. Being Hollywood, it will also touch on the speculation that there was a romance between the Prince and the 24-year-old girl. Flora is buried on Skye, north of Portree. Her shroud is said to have been a sheet on which the Prince slept during his spell on South Uist.

Current Affairs Parliament Will Be Clad in Scottish Granite An order for 1,000 tonnes of grey granite from Kemnay in Aberdeenshire is understood to have been placed by the builders of the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood. There had been fears that the contract would be placed India, Spain, China or Sardinia. There were concerns that cheaper material would be obtained from mines in India or China where workers, including children, are paid a fraction of the wages of Scottish quarrymen. Politicians Disrupt Pre-Christmas TV Schedules An hour-long programme on Tuesday in which the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, answered questions from a studio audience and from telephone callers, resulted in opposition parties claiming that it gave the Labour Party an advantage in the run-up to the Falkirk West by-election. They demanded equal air time and the Independent Television Commission agreed with them. Conservatives and Scottish Nationalists hailed it as a victory though whether TV viewers, denied prime-time soaps and Christmas specials, will look kindly on them is another matter. The ruling will only apply in Scotland and already the three main parties are backtracking, saying that the public would be bored by three more hour-long political programmes and that a joint show at peak times may be an appropriate compromise. But a complication is that the Scottish Socialist Party (with one member in the Scottish Parliament) is demanding equal air time. There has been no announcement yet from the Green Party. Inverness - Scotland's First City for 100 Years A number of towns in Scotland and England have competed fiercely to be designated as a "city" as part of the millennium celebrations during 2000. There is no special benefit in being named a "city" - just the status of being among the "big boys". But Ayr, Inverness, Paisley and Stirling along with a number of English towns put forward their case for the Queen to award this designation to them. They believe that it will enhance their status and increase tourism. It now appears that Inverness has been successful in its bid, along with the English towns of Wolverhampton, and Brighton and Hove. Inverness, sometimes referred to as the "Capital of the Highlands" has frequently won the title of Tourism Town of the Year and Beautiful Scotland in Bloom awards. The last time a town was given a royal charter, designating it as a city, was Dundee, in 1889. Historical Affairs University Celebrates 550th Birthday Glasgow University is kicking off a year-long celebration of its 550 years as an academic institution with a glittering ball on 6 January - the eve of the anniversary of the university's foundation. Later in January there will be a torchlight procession from Glasgow Cathedral - mirroring a similar event in 1951 when it celebrated its 500th birthday. The university was originally located on High Street, near the cathedral before it moved further west to its present location on Gilmorehill. Later in the year there will be a performance of Verdi's Requiem by the university's orchestra and choral society. In July there will be a weekend of music, dance, street theatre, sports and architectural tours. As part of the celebrations, one of the staff members is undertaking a run from Rome to Glasgow, along the route taken by the messenger from the Pope which granted permission for a university to be built in Glasgow. Black Watch Photo Archive The first Scottish Regiment to wear the kilt has produced a new illustrated book on its 260-year history, containing many photographs from its archives. The Black Watch regiment was formed in 1740 - five years before the Jacobite Uprising of Bonnie Prince Charlie. The earliest photograph of the regiment was taken in 1852 when they were in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Black Watch stopped the traffic in Washington in the days of President Kennedy when they played on the lawn of the White House. A few weeks later the Pipe Major and eight pipers led the President's funeral cortège to Washington Cathedral. The book of Black Watch history and photographs is available from the Regimental HQ at Balhousie Castle, Perth PH1 5HR. Entertainment Ferris Wheel "Unsafe" A centrepiece of Edinburgh's Festive Season celebrations will have to be dismantled because of safety fears. The 112 feet high Ferris wheel was constructed in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens, close by the Scott Monument. But an inspection by the city's Health and Safety Executive revealed that there was a danger of the gondolas overhanging a lane of Princes Street and being struck by passing, high-sided vehicles. To be fair, the vehicles would have to be extremely high, but there was also concern that objects could be dropped from the gondolas onto pedestrians in the street below. The organisers are busy looking at alternative sites but whatever happens the structure is going to have to be dismantled first. Meantime the construction of the ice rink for the "Winter Wonderland" in the gardens is proceeding. Radio Scotland on the Web The BBC has recently been building up a major presence and content on the Web -and Scotland has not been overlooked in this - there are short, daily RealVideo clips from the BBC Scotland TV news programmes. But starting on Hogmanay, 31 December, they are planning to "broadcast" radio programmes in the Net. It remains to be seen how much content they will have but at least these days audio broadcasts on the Web can be received without breaking up too much. Of course, some lucky people can now get Radio Scotland and other radio channels on Sky Digital as part of the package of free BBC channels - and programmes can be recorded on video tape if the times don't suit. Carreras Opens Usher Hall The official re-opening of the refurbished Usher Hall in Edinburgh was launched with a charity concert given by José Carreras. The concert came about as a result of a letter to the Spanish tenor from a Scotswoman from West Lothian, Betsy Stirling, who lost her husband when he died of leukaemia. Carreras, who won his own battle against the disease following a bone marrow transplant, accepted the invitation. The sellout concert raised 312,000 pounds for leukaemia research - the largest amount ever raised in Scotland in a single charity concert. Scottish opera singer Lisa Milne had her dreams come true when she was asked to sing the duets with Carreras after he had heard her sing on tapes which she had sent to him. Lisa is under contract with Scottish Opera and recently received an honorary doctorate in music from the university in her home town, Aberdeen. Madonna in the Cathedral The sleepy town of Dornoch is taking the marriage of pop star Madonna, officiated by its local minister, all in its stride. After all, the minister is not known as "Holy Spice" for nothing! Nobody can accuse the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board (HOST is their acronym) of being slow to capitalise on an opportunity. Within days of the revelation that Madonna and her boyfriend Guy Ritchie were to marry in the small town of Dornoch on 22 December, HOST had created a new Web site at Highland Wedding giving advice on how other romantic couples could follow in the footsteps of the pop mega-star. Of course, not many brides-to-be can hold their wedding reception at the exclusive Skibo Castle but Dornoch Cathedral and the local minister are more readily available. Of course, the Tourist Board site highlights many other potential locations for a Highland Wedding.

This Review of Scotland in 2000 does not contain the usual "magazine" section of the weekly Newsletter. However, if you wish to see the collection of many of these articles, you can do so via the links below.