Current Affairs Air Security Delays Gradually Easing The disruption caused by the uncovering of an alleged plot to blow up a number of aircraft flying from the UK to North America continued to cause delays and cancellations this week. In Scotland, a large number of flights to Gatwick and Heathrow were not able to take off at the start of the week, but by Tuesday that had dropped to eight cancellations. As the week progressed, however, the number of flights called off reduced, though there was still confusion and delays at airport security checks due to passengers turning up with prohibited items. Restrictions were relaxed a bit at the beginning of the week, but hand luggage size allowed was still half of what it was before the emergency. Initially, that just caused more confusion with airport authorities delaying the change for 24 hours. Prestwick Airport, which has far fewer flights than at Edinburgh or Glasgow, reported that "most flights" were operating on time. It has emerged that as a result of the delays and confusion, many thousands of items of luggage had not been put on the same planes as the owners. The restrictions on hand luggage had meant that baggage handling systems were overwhelmed. As a result, the airlines were working feverishly to reunite the items - BA ran a cargo-only jumbo jet from Heathrow to North America carrying only luggage which had been left behind. Balado Golf Ball for Sale It's not often that the Ministry of Defence puts a golf ball up for sale, but as far as locals in Balado near Kinross are concerned, that is what the MoD announced this week. The "golf ball" in question is actually a large cold war communications facility which was constructed in 1985. The radar facilities were covered in a structure which looks just like the dimples on a golf ball. The iconic building is clearly visible from the main road to Kinross and is likely to be of interest to both housing developers and businesses. It is next door to the site of the annual T-in-The-Park pop festival - which could be either a positive or negative aspect for the new owner. Bar Beneath Knox Statue Creates Unholy Row It's enough to send John Knox, the fiery preacher and driver of the church Reformation in the 16th century, spinning in his grave. A bar, selling the demon drink, is to be opened beside the Church of Scotland's Assembly building, right underneath the nose of his statue, as it were. The church authorities are taking a more relaxed view than the man whose rigorous discipline produced a bleak and joyless legacy. While he would not have approved of a bar beside the building where the church leaders meet each year, he would probably be apoplectic at the humour of some of the comedians performing inside the Assembly Hall - some of them even offend broad-minded listeners. Sterling Exchange Rate Heads for US$2 The recent increase in UK base rates last week (to 4.75%) and signs of a spurt in economic growth here, has sent the value of the pound soaring against other currencies. The rise against the US dollar has been particularly marked - it reached a 15-month high of $1.91 last Friday and could go higher, according to analysts. Sterling last reached that level in September 1992. While that is good for Scots going abroad to Europe and the US, it also makes it more expensive for overseas tourists here. It also makes foreign imports cheaper - but makes life more difficult for UK exporters. Revamp for Renfrew Town Centre An investment plan to regenerate Renfrew town centre, costing four million pounds, is to get underway later this month. The aim is to make the town a "more pleasant" place to visit. The major changes aim to allow ease of travel for pedestrians and motorists and link the town centre to developments at Renfrew riverside. Renfrew town hall is to host a display from mid-August illustrating the key proposals. More Broadband Connections Attractive price offers, which include "free" broadband from some of the telecommunication companies, has resulted in the number of the higher speed connections soaring in the last year. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in June 73% of homes with online connections were using broadband - up from 54.4% in June last year. Dial-up now accounts for just 27% of the market. 48% of households in Scotland now have some form of Internet connection, but that is somewhat lower than the south-east of England, where 66% of homes are now online. Transformation for Grangemouth With a major dependence on oil refining and petrochemical industries, the coastal town of Grangemouth (located on the Firth of Forth about twenty miles west of Edinburgh) often has a satanic look about it, with the flares from the refining processes visible for miles around across the flat, surrounding countryside. Now Falkirk Council has published a £22 million project to transform the town centre, amid concerns that the present shopping precinct is restricting economic growth. The Council is working with the two major landowners in the town (which has a population of under 20,000) to develop a new shopping area and council services. Grangemouth became important in the 18th century as the eastern end of the Forth and Clyde canal. 40 years ago the then county council filled in the canal to create a new shopping centre; the canal has been recreated, though it no longer passes through the old part of the town. Silvery Tay Turns Muddy Brown "Behold the Tiber!" the vain Roman cried, Viewing the ample Tay from Baiglie's side; But where's the Scot that would vaunt repay, And hail the puny Tiber for the Tay?" When Sir Walter Scott wrote those boastful lines in "The Fair Maid of Perth", the river was already well known as the "Silvery Tay". Of course, that could refer as much to the silver salmon and trout as the colour of the water. But after a heavy rainfall last weekend and possibly a landslide some way up-river, the residents of Perth found that the water had turned a muddy brown. Some locals had never seen such a brown colour before. But anglers said that when the river and its tributaries have been at a low level for a long time, a heavy fall of rain washes down a lot of silt and other rubbish. Peat also makes a contribution in tributaries such as the rivers Isla and Ericht. Historical Affairs Upgrade for Fair Maid's House The 17th century "Fair Maid's House" in Perth is the oldest surviving house in the town and it became famous as the fictional home of Catherine Glover, heroine of Sir Walter Scott’s novel, The Fair Maid Of Perth. (The statue to the Fair Maid is seen in the illustration). The house, with the Glover motto "Grace and Peace" above the door, was used in recent years as a craft shop, but is currently lying empty. Now the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) has proposed basing a huge archive of maps there as part of a major refurbishment. The adjacent house, which once belonged to Lord John Murray (a younger brother of Lord George Murray, Bonnie Prince Charlie's general in the Jacobite uprising of 1745/46), is also part of the 1.6 million pounds project. The RSGS map archive is currently stored at Strathclyde University, but locating it in the Fair Maid's House in Perth would make it more accessible to the public. Entertainment Piping Live! Glasgow's festival of piping returns next week with the best in Scottish and International piping talent to celebrate the finest current and emerging piping music. Set to be even bigger and better than last year, Piping Live! 2006 will feature some of the biggest names in piping, as the best in Scottish and International piping talent arrives to perform in outdoor spaces and venues throughout Glasgow City Centre for this uniquely Scottish event. Next Saturday, the World Pipe Band Championship will take place again on Glasgow Green, with the top bands competing once again for the most coveted title. See also www.pipingfestival.co.uk Russian Tattoo Moscow's Red Square will turn tartan in September next year when over 400 pipers, drummers and dancers will re-enact their performances at the military tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. It is not to be a full Edinburgh Military Tattoo (as it was Australia last year and in New Zealand six years ago). But the show is expected to feature around ten Scottish pipe and drum bands and will be seen by at least 100 million TV viewers in Russia and the former Soviet republics. The show has the backing of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Russia has had an affinity with Scotland for a very long time - Robert Burns is popular there - and in recent years consumption of Scotch whisky has grown markedly. Kylie Minogue Havana Rumba! The audience at a late night Edinburgh Fringe show were astonished when pop mega-star Kylie Minogue jumped on the stage and began dancing with a group of Cuban salsa dancers in the finale of their show "Havana Rumba!" Initially, the audience didn't realise who it was - Kylie doesn't usually appear in a Cuban dance show. But she is supportive of the work of the director, Toby Gough. She later spent a day at Edinburgh Botanic Gardens with child performers from Sri Lanka, who are also being directed by Mr Gough.

September 2006

Current Affairs Scotland Signs Co-operation Agreement with Shandong This week the Scottish Executive finance and public services minister Tom McCabe signed a Co-operation Agreement with Shandong Province in China. It aims to deliver benefits in areas including trade, science, culture, education and tourism. Shandong, one of five priority regions for Scotland identified in the Executive's new China Strategy, is less than twice the size of Scotland in area, but has a population of 92 million. It is the 2nd largest regional economy in China. Shandong's GDP was $188bn in 2004 (Scotland's economy was worth around $150bn in 2004). Shandong's name literally means "mountains' east", which refers to the province's location east of the Taihang Mountains. The province is located in the lower reaches of the Yellow River (see red area on the map here). Scottish companies are reported to be "queuing up" to do more business with China as awareness increases of the opportunities available. Public Enquiry Into Power Line Upgrade It was announced this week that the proposed upgrade to the overhead electricity transmission line between Beauly and Denny will be referred to a public inquiry. The new pylons are to be 213 feet high (60 feet higher than the Statue of Liberty) and they would run for 136 miles across the Highlands of Scotland, including the Cairngorms National Park. A consultation exercise, which ended in April this year, generated 17,000 representations. The five Planning Authorities within whose boundaries the proposed development falls (Highland Council, Perth and Kinross Council, Stirling Council, Falkirk Council and Cairngorm National Park Authority) have all objected to the application. At the very least, the public enquiry will delay the implementation of the construction of the power line. The electricity generating companies argue it is essential to cope with the power which will be generated by renewable electricity schemes such as windfarms. Scottish Natural Heritage HQ Gets the Bird The new headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in Inverness won an environmental award last year, with its solar panels and use of rainfall to flush toilets. But the widespread use of glass, designed to make the building energy efficient, is causing an environmental problem of its own - wild birds are flying into the glass and being injured and killed. The Scottish Executive agency is looking at steps which can be taken to solve the problem. A simple solution is to fit blinds, though that may impact on energy efficiency. So other solutions, such as reflective strips and cardboard cutouts of birds of prey, are being considered. Since SNH treats all birds equally, they may even introduce real birds of prey to the area to act as a deterrent and maintain the natural food chain! Fancy Buying Glasgow School of Art? The Glasgow School of Art was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and was undoubtedly his masterwork. Built in two phases at the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries, the building clings to the side of a steep hill and there is a wealth of Mackintosh design detail in the building. It is still used as a school of art and the management have embarked on a multi-million pound upgrade. They have come up with a novel way of raising some of the finance - selling parts of the building to the public. Of course, the "owners" won't be able to take their goods away, but they will be able to have their ownership of a Mackintosh icon recorded for posterity in a new visitor centre. The plan is to "sell" thousands of parts, from bricks to windows to lamps and weather vane. Scottish Economy Growing "Robustly" The latest Royal Bank of Scotland "Purchasing Managers' Index" (PMI) suggests that the Scottish economy grew robustly again in August, despite the 0.25% rise in base interest rates announced by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee at the start of the month. There were relatively lower rises in input costs which helped its competitive performance. The manufacturing sector outpaced services for the second month in a row, buoyed by the strength of the recovery in the Euro zone. Manufacturing output grew for the ninth successive month, with growth in new orders recorded for the 38th consecutive month.There are cost pressures from rising energy costs, however, and wage costs are also rising faster than inflation. Scots' Diet Fails to Improve Over the last ten years the government has spent £100 million encouraging people to eat a healthier diet. We are constantly being told that the unhealthy fatty, carbohydrate diet, consumed by many Scots, is killing us. We are also told, for example that we should be eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and taking regular exercise. While some people have followed the advice, a report published this week shows that most of the healthy eating targets set in 1996 had not been met by 2005. Consumption of fruit and vegetables and oily fish is actually down slightly to 246g a day (far below the target of 400g), while sugar consumption has risen. Salt and fat reduction targets had also been missed. Poor diet is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, which is the main cause of death in Scotland and causes the premature death of about 21,000 people a year. Obesity is also soaring, with 22 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women now classed as obese. Royal Regiment of Scotland Recruitment Rises The new Royal Regiment of Scotland was formed six months ago, amid a lot of controversy, by merging such historic regiments as the Black Watch, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Royal Scots. Those who were opposed to the move predicted that it would have an adverse impact on recruitment. But figures published this week claim that the total number enlisting until September this year was 212, compared to 188 for the same period in 2005. The new regiment is made up of seven infantry battalions, who are in the forefront of action in Iraq and Afghanistan, so the increase in numbers is even more surprising. Critics are unconvinced by the figures, arguing that there has been a massive increase in recruitment advertising. Glasgow's Arc of Triumph The newest bridge over the river Clyde was officially open to traffic this week and Glasgow City Council announced the official name for the first time - Clyde Arc. But just as the Clyde Auditorium, a few hundred yards away, is always known locally as the "Armadillo" because of its unique design, the new crossing will probably still be known by its nickname - "Squinty Bridge" - so named because it crosses the river at an angle. It is the first new vehicle bridge across the river for over 30 years - the nearby "Bell's Bridge" which opened for the Garden Festival in 1988, is pedestrian only. Of course, civic pride in the new triumphal arch came before a fall. Within 24 hours, one of the filter lanes onto the bridge had to be closed due to a burst water main. The fault had actually occurred at the weekend, but Scottish Water delayed full repair work so that the official opening could go ahead on Monday. Historical Affairs Flodden Memorial Unveiled A new memorial to the Battle of Flodden was unveiled on 9 September, the 493rd anniversary of the bloodiest battle in Scottish history. The monument on the Tweed Green at Coldstream is in the shape of a Scottish broadsword, pointing towards the battlefield over the border in Northumberland. The accompanying plaque records the acts of mercy by the nuns at nearby Coldstream Priory, who brought many of the bodies from the battlefield to be buried on consecrated ground. The memorial was unveiled by a descendant of the abbess of the priory in 1513. The battle arose when King James IV of Scotland (who had signed a "Treaty of Everlasting Peace" between Scotland and England around ten years earlier, and had married Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of King Henry VII of England) invaded England in response to a plea for assistance by the King of France. King James (see illustration), the cream of Scotland's nobility and 10,000 men were lost in the battle. English casualties are estimated to have been as little as 1,500. Revamp for Old Music Hall The Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, on Glasgow's Trongate, is credited with giving Stan Laurel his first acting opportunity in 1906 and Hollywood legend Cary Grant performed there in 1920 as acrobat Archie Leach. It is only in recent years that its history has emerged and efforts were launched to save the derelict example of a Victorian music hall. It failed to win finance in the BBC2 "Restoration" series in 2003 but now £1.2 million is being put into the "Townscape Heritage Initiative" - a joint venture between Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, the city council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The theatre is on the edge of the so-called Merchant City in Glasgow, which aims to be a cultural hub and thriving cafe scene. Initial finance is in place to restore the exterior and shop frontage of the former theatre and talks are ongoing about bringing the upper floors back into use. Glasgow's Bells Ring Out for Clan Cameron When the Jacobites, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, were retreating from their thrust into England, the city of Glasgow and its merchants were openly hostile to the retreating army. The Highlanders were all set to sack the city when Cameron of Lochiel - known as the Gentle Lochiel - intervened and forced the commanders to think again. As a result, the city was spared. Glasgow was so grateful to the Cameron chieftain that the town magistrates decreed that every time the Lochiel or his descendants entered the city, the bells would be rung in his honour. That 260-year-old tradition was re-enacted this week. The Lord Provost was hosting a reception for the Clan in the City Chambers and the participants were greeted by the sound of bells from the Trongate Steeple and St George's Tron. Entertainment Edinburgh Festivals Have Bumper Sales The number and value of ticket sales for all the main Edinburgh festivals held in August this year broke box office records. The Edinburgh Fringe sold 1.5 million tickets, its sixth consecutive year of growth - they celebrated achieving sales of one million tickets only three years ago. The Book Festival had its most successful year (again), with more than 200,000 people attending. Two-thirds of tickets were sold before the festival started. The Edinburgh International Festival, which runs until the end of the week, said it was approaching ticket sales of £2.5m, an increase of 14% on last year. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo also sold out in record time, with all 220,000 tickets for its three-week run gone by February. Proclaimers Musical The songs of Auchtermuchty's famous duo of Craig and Charlie Reid (better known as the chart topping "The Proclaimers") are to be featured in a new musical which is to be premiered at Dundee Repertory Theatre next April. The musical, entitled "Sunshine on Leith" will open on the 20th anniversary of their first album, "This Is The Story." This stage show follows the same lines as "Mamma Mia" about the Swedish group Abba, and will tell a story using the band's music. The Reid twins are said to be "surprised and happy" to have the Rep producing a musical featuring their music. Highland Year of Culture Arts Programme Launched The programme for the Year of Highland Culture - also known as "Highland 2007" - was launched this week at a reception in the Scottish Parliament. Musicians and performers gathered at Holyrood with Scottish Executive ministers, Members of the Scottish Parliament and representatives of arts organisations to hear about the calendar of events covering culture, arts, heritage, language, sport, science and environment. New events are still being added to the programme. Highland 2007, supported financially by the Scottish Executive, arose as a "consolation prize" when Inverness failed to win the European Capital of Culture contest. For details of the programme so far, see www.highland2007.com.

October 2006

Current Affairs Airport Expansion "Master Plan" In July this year, a development "master plan" for Edinburgh airport was published. This week, it was the future of Glasgow airport to be spelt out by the British Airports Authority (BAA) who operate the facilities at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Glasgow currently deals with 8.8 million passengers a year, flying to 90 destinations around the world. By 2030, BAA expect the numbers to have trebled to 24 million passengers a year. To cope with that, the management plan to spend £290 million transforming the site, expanding still further the terminal and adding another runway. Glasgow airport dealt with a record 500,000 international passengers in September. That was out of a total number of travellers of over 890,000. Domestic travel is actually slowing down, as more people are able to fly direct to overseas destinations, rather than going first to airports in England, such as London or Manchester. 22% of Scots Take No Exercise Since shopping for long hours does not count as "exercise", it seems that many Scots are lazing their way to an earlier grave than necessary, by taking too little exercise. A survey of 2,000 Scots by the Scottish Executive shows that 65%, were not exercising enough; of those who did exercise, 27% did so once or twice a week; 7% once or twice a month; 9% less often than that. But 22% never exercised at all. Most of the people in the survey agreed that regular exercise was a "good thing" but then found excuses such as "lack of time" not to do so. Museum Drops Royal Title Even for locals, it was confusing to have the title "Royal Museum of Scotland" to refer to the original 1860s building and "Museum of Scotland" applied to the modern (1998) building next door. Apparently some visitors were so confused by the "Royal" title that they even thought that it was dedicated to displaying royal artefacts! Now the organisation has obtained permission from the Queen to drop the "Royal" from their title (a privilege accorded in 1904) and the two will now be the "National Museum of Scotland". The change has been marked by a major marketing make over, including a new logo - a stylised St Andrew's cross created from question and exclamation marks. Tower of Babel in Scottish Schools A study by a government language research agency has found that over 100 languages are currently spoken in Scotland's schools - and that doesn't include the Scottish dialects of English, some of which sound like a foreign language to Scots from other parts of the country... There are at least 12,000 pupils who speak languages such as Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Dutch, Farsi, Hebrew, and Hindi, with the number mushrooming in recent years as a result of increased labour mobility and asylum seekers coming to Scotland. Only a few of the languages are given resources to flourish, which the research agency points out is a waste of a valuable resource. The ability to speak a foreign language can be of economic benefit to companies trading abroad and in international relations. The Education Minister, Peter Peacock, has accepted that more needs to be done to support the diversity of languages in Scotland. There is currently provision for children of school age to study at least 21 community languages - but the rest are just ignored. Fishing Fleet Face Another Battle For many years now, fishery experts have recommended major cut-backs on the level of fishing in the North Sea. And every year, the fishing industry representatives have fought back, arguing that there are far more fish in the sea than the experts say, and convincing the bureaucrats in the European Union in Brussels that the cuts should not be as draconian as those initially suggested. It looks as though this year will be no different. The advisory committee of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) is recommending, for the fifth successive year, a moratorium on cod catches to save fragile stocks. Last year, despite a similar recommendation, the European fisheries minister, lobbied hard by the representatives of those countries with fishing fleets, agreed instead a quota of 26,500 tonnes. This year, fishermen are reporting "increased numbers of cod" in their North Sea fishing grounds. But ICES claims that there are still no clear signs of a recovery in depleted stocks. And sandeel stocks are also low - as many hungry seabirds can also testify. At least the experts are recommending increases in mackerel and herring landings - two of the mainstay catches of Scotland's white fish fleet. Aberdeen Monopoly Launched At the last minute, the makers of the Monopoly board game published this week decided that the limited Aberdeen edition will not have the "Go to Jail" penalty square replaced with "Go to Dundee", after protests from the City of Discovery. Aberdonians were asked to vote for which prominent sites in the city should be on the board and Marischal College has scooped the coveted Mayfair slot. The football stadium at Pittodrie played hard to win that accolade and at one stage the company thought they might have to throw the dice to decide the winner. Other locations include Union Street (3rd), Duthie Park (4th), Aberdeen Art Gallery, Provost Skene's House, the Tolbooth and the Beach Ballroom. Highest Retail Rents in Scotland A survey of rents being paid in the main retail streets in the UK shows that the most expensive properties in Scotland are in Buchanan Street in Glasgow where it now costs £250 per square foot per year for "Zone A". That's an increase of 8.7% since last year and has pushed values higher than even Princes Street in Edinburgh, where the retail property market has remained flat in the last twelve months. But retail stores are paying higher prices for shops in Birmingham and Manchester in England - and London's New Bond Street is the most expensive shopping street in Britain. Dram Good News Inspectors checking up to see that customers were not being given short measure in bars and hotels in Argyll found instead that 80% were actually serving drams that were too large. Some of the measures were as much as 60% over what they should have been, with the average 11.4% above the legal spirit measures. Historical Affairs Scotland's History: The Top Ten What were the most important historical events to shape Scotland? Getting agreement on that is as likely as another Jacobite uprising, but that didn't stop an appeal by the presenter of a BBC TV series to ask for nominations. The request produced responses from thousands of viewers and now BBC2 is to broadcast a series of three TV programmes in November, which will highlight the 30 most nominated subjects. The last programme will be transmitted on the evening of 30 November, St Andrews Day. Each programme will include a leading historian who will "champion" one of the most nominated subjects - including the Wars of Independence (which saved the Scottish state) and Robert Burns - "worth a thousand Bannockburns" according to one historian. In the last programme, a panel of seven historians will select the "top 10" things from Scotland's history that people who live in Scotland really should know about. Viewers are being given the chance to vote on these and the top viewers' choice will be announced at the end of the programme. It sounds like an entertaining romp through the last thousand years, but hopefully might stimulate some much-needed interest in the subject. Millionth Visitor for Urquhart Castle A new visitor centre opened at Urquhart Castle, on the shores of Loch Ness, in November 2001, aimed at improving access for the quarter of a million visitors (and their cars) who call at the ancient ruin each year. Recently, the millionth visitor since then passed through the gates, and the lucky tourists who did so were presented with a free Historic Scotland membership to mark the occasion. That will give them free access to all the organisation's properties for the next year. Before the creation of the visitor centre, people would spend an average of 45 minutes on the site. Now they stay for closer to 90 minutes. Urquhart Castle resisted the Jacobites in 1689, but was dismantled by the government a few years later in case the Jacobites returned (which they did, in 1715 and 1745). These days, despite its ruined appearance, it is one of the more popular tourist attractions in the area and it is the third most visited Historic Scotland property (after Edinburgh and Stirling castles). Photo by Vivien Devlin. Entertainment Enchanted Forest Moves to Edinburgh For the last few years, an amazing "Son et Lumière" event has taken place in late October in forest locations in Perthshire. The Enchanted Forest, hosted by the National Trust for Scotland, is a night-time journey through the woods that has attracted thousands of people to see an entire woodland transformed with state-of-the-art light and sound installations using different colours and tones inspired by the natural world. The attraction now runs for two weeks at Faskally woods, near Pitlochry. From October 20 to November 5, visitors can meander along pathways with trees covered in fairy-lights, giant geysers bursting into fountains, and the illusion of a deep red floating bridge. Now a taste of the Perthshire show has come to Edinburgh this week, with Forestry Commission Scotland’s HQ transformed by coloured lights projecting up into the trees and on to the large office block, transforming it into a stunning showcase of the event later this month in Faskally. For more information on the Enchanted Forest, see the Rampant Scotland Feature andwww.enchantedforest.org.uk

November 2006

Current Affairs Work Starting on Iconic Riverside Museum It's not just commercial buildings and houses in the Glasgow Harbour redevelopment project. Contracts for the preparatory work in creating an iconic museum, designed by the Iraqi-born architect, Zaha Hadid, were awarded this week. The single-span design, with its shimmering, wave-like roof, is meant to reflect the city's maritime past and will house a much enlarged Museum of Transport. It will also be the new home for the Clyde Maritime Trust and "Glenlee" Tall Ship. The present Museum of Transport, housed in part of the old Kelvin Hall, is already Scotland's third most popular free visitor attraction. It is experiencing a surge in attendance just now, as it is across the road from the refurbished Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum - which itself had a million people through its doors in the three months after it reopened in the summer. New Scottish Postage Stamps The Royal Mail is to issue a new series of miniature sheets of stamps focusing on each of the four countries of the United Kingdom. The set of stamps relating to Scotland will be issued on St Andrew's Day, 30th November 2006. The existing first class stamp showing the lion rampant will be joined by another showing the Saltire flag. In addition, there will be two large 72 pence stamps (three times the size of the standard postage stamp) illustrating St Andrew and Edinburgh Castle. China Drives Up Price of Whisky The laws of supply and demand have kicked in and the price of a bottle of blended Scotch whisky is set to rise by 10%. It seems that the reason is a surge in demand from China. Exports of whisky to there soared 86% last year, making 2005 one of the best years for whisky exports. And in the first six months of this year, sales to China are already up by 30% on last year's record volume. China joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001 and the import tariff on Scottish whisky has fallen from 65%t to 10% since then. Aspirational Chinese are keen to try international products - and have found innovative ways of enjoying Scotch - such as mixing it with chilled green tea. Each to their taste... The Scottish Whisky Association is predicting that China will rank among the ten most valuable export markets for whisky in 2006. But since it takes a number of years to gear up production, stocks are beginning to run low - hence the price hike. £100 Million Makeover for Dunfermline The centre of the Fife town of Dunfermline has certainly been in need of a major modernisation for some time. Now £100 million is being spent to try to improve the downmarket appearance. The bulldozers are already demolishing the bus station (no tears will be shed over that) so that the adjacent Kingsgate Centre can be expanded. A new bus station is to be constructed on the site of a former Co-Op retail store. The planners have fingers crossed (as well they might) that the two-year project to redevelop the town centre will breathe life back into the ancient capital and attract more shoppers. The illustration shows Dunfermline's Burgh Hall. Tartan Week 2007 in New York Once again the Scottish Executive is supporting Tartan Day celebrations in April in the US and once again the finance will be largely going into New York events, where it is thought the biggest impact can be made. Tartan Week 2007 will run from April 1 to 8 and there will be a sponsored 10k run through Central Park, a Scotland Village in Grand Central Station, "Tartan Bites" (a series of literary events in New York promoting contemporary Scottish literature) and "Dressed to Kilt" (a contemporary fashion show hosted by the US Friends of Scotland). Scottish Museums & Scottish Screen are presenting a film archive set to music, promoting Scottish genealogy and diaspora, while "Scotland Rocks New York" will have examples of Scotland's vibrant music scene in a contemporary music festival. The traditional Tartan Day Parade on 6th Avenue is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 14 in 2007. Graphic courtesy of Tunes of Glory. TV Viewers Shortchanged With the end of analogue TV services looming in a few years time, with the switchover to digital only transmissions, we are all being encouraged to look at gradually replacing old TV sets or obtaining "set-top-boxes" which can use the new technology. There are some areas of the Highlands where digital signals cannot yet reach. But these tend to be in the less densely populated parts of the country, often where mountains get in the way. So it comes as a surprise that the same lack of a digital service applies to the residents of Penicuik and surrounding villages, a popular and affluent area just south of Edinburgh. It means that they cannot access the additional digital channels now available through the "Freeview" service. While frankly many of these channels are not worth watching, there are additional services from the BBC such as News 24 and BBC3 and BBC4. These are paid for as part of the annual £180 licence fee paid to the BBC by every household that operates a TV set. Now a campaign has been started to obtain a reduction in the fee for those who cannot receive the digital part of the package. Currently, around 74% of homes in Scotland cannot receive the digital service. That percentage is reducing - but Penicuick, for example will not get a Freeview service until the analogue one is closed down - in 2010. Record Sales for "Seriously Bad" Tonic Wine Buckfast Tonic Wine has been singled out by the Scottish health minister because of its supposed links with anti-social behaviour in some of Scotland's poorest areas. The Scottish Executive justice minister, Cathy Jamieson, has also called for it to be taken off the shelves. But they say that even "bad" publicity is good for sales - and that has been the experience of "Buckie" or "commotion lotion" as it is sometimes called locally. Despite the total lack of formal advertising in Scotland, Buckfast sells 60% of its output in Scotland - and sales have boomed since the ministers drew attention to it. The 15% fortified wine is produced by the Benedictine monks at Buckfast Abbey, who earned £3.5 million from sales of £30 million last year. The monks have donated large sums to charity, including £500,000 to St Andrew's Hospice in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. The distributors argue that the product is a normal drink and that ministers are attacking it to cover up their failings in tackling the general alcohol drink problem in many sections of the population. Historical Affairs Appeal to Commemorate "Father of Radar" An international appeal has been launched to raise funds for a memorial to Sir Robert Watson-Watt, who developed the first radar detection systems. He was born in Brechin and had an early interest in radio waves and began to look into how aircraft could be detected by the distortion of radio signals. "Radar" was short for "radio detecting and ranging." The basic principles of radio-wave reflection and electromagnetic waves had been established by another Scot, James Clerk Maxwell. Watson-Watt became the superintendent of the radio division of the National Physics Laboratory in Teddington. In 1936 his radio stations were able to detect aircraft up to 70 miles away. A network of radar stations provided early warning of aircraft attacking over the English Channel. It was due to radar that the over-stretched resources of the RAF were able to be in the right place at the right time as Luftwaffe aircraft streamed over during the Battle of Britain from August to October 1940. Apart from a small plaque on the house where he was born in Brechin, his memory is below the horizon of any radar system. So the Watson-Watt Society of Brechin, established a few months ago, has kick-started the fund-raising campaign. "Singularly Unmatched by Even a Smidgen of Talent" A new collection of the works of the poet (of a sort) William Topaz McGonagall, including his play entitled Jack o’ the Cudgell (or the Hero of a Hundred flights) has been described by a Glasgow University academic as a "blunt instrument of a play" and McGonagall as "a writer of indefatigable ambition, singularly unmatched by even a smidgen of talent." But historians in Dundee (where he is regarded as "one of their own" as he lived there for a number of years) have leapt to his defence, arguing that despite his lack of a formal education he had tried to bring poetry (well, his brand of verse) to the masses. Outside of Dundee, McGonagall is generally regarded as "the world's worst poet" - and as such has amassed a large and loyal following, who enjoy the (unintended) humour of his works. JK Rowling even named Harry Potter's teacher Professor McGonagall in his honour - and I have to confess I am a fan of McGonagall too. Some of his admirers paid for a plaque to be placed in Greyfriar's Churchyard in Edinburgh (see illustration) where hi is buried, in an unmarked grave. Another of McGonagall's theatrical episodes involved him performing Shakespeare's Macbeth (as a one man show) and refusing to die at the end - until the audience dragged him off the stage. What a man! And Jack o' the Cudgel? Here's a taster of his genius: Pig-headed giant begone or I'll make you repent For my name is Jack and I hail from Kent. Entertainment Scotland's Top Visitor Attraction - By a Mile Before the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow closed for a major refurbishment in 2003, it regularly welcomed over a million visitors a year, making it the most popular, free tourist attraction in the country. Only Edinburgh Castle (which charges an entry fee) had more visitors, with 1.2 million last year. Usually when these projects are in the formative stages, optimistic estimates are given for what the new numbers through the doors will be - and the City of Glasgow seemed to be following the same route when it suggested they would double. But four months after the re-opening, a staggering 1.8 million people have toured the attraction and now the gallery management is talking of reaching nearly 4 million by the end of the first twelve months. The modernisation increased the public areas in the building by 35% and increased the number of items on display from 3,000 to 8,000. But it's not just these hard facts that are attracting folk to Kelvingrove. The slick presentation of exhibits and the buzz around the place (partly due of course to the large number of people milling around) make for an exciting experience - and not many museums and art galleries can achieve that. More Hits Than Misses The National Theatre of Scotland was launched one year ago with a budget of £7.5 million and since then it has toured 44 cities, towns and villages across Scotland, reached nearly 100,000 people and won 11 awards. As it celebrated its first birthday this week, its executive director said that it had created "more hits than misses". The stand-out successes have undoubtedly been "Black Watch", about soldiers from the historic regiment serving in Iraq, and the children's production "Wolves in the Walls". Venues have ranged from conventional theatres to drill halls, a tower block, a ferry and even Edinburgh airport. Growth Plan for Edinburgh Film Festival When the Edinburgh International Film Festival began in 1947 (as part of the main Edinburgh International Festival) it only showed documentaries. In the intervening years it has become the longest continually running film festival in the world (Cannes and Venice started earlier, but were interrupted in the late 1940s). It has grown considerably over the years, but now the organisers claim that it will have to quadruple in size if it is to compete on the international stage against rivals such as Berlin or Rotterdam. A more realistic aim is likely to be to double in five years. Critics of the plan have suggested that it attracted big stars for its 60th anniversary this year and that its large selection of films satisfied most of the audience. This year, the Edinburgh event sold 59,000 tickets (compared with 180,000 for the Berlin Film Festival - and the 1.5 million of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which also runs in August).

December 2006

Current Affairs The Train Departing from Platform 1 Will Cost You More Last August, First ScotRail announced an increase in fares of up to 10% on some journeys. The company claimed that it needed to increase fares to "ease congestion at its busiest times". Off-peak travel was indeed made cheaper at the same time. Now, the company is to impose an average rise of 4.3%, so some passengers will see an increase of 15% in just over four months - at a time when inflation is running at around 2.5%. Hospital Food "Not Good Enough" The Scottish Executive watchdog Audit Scotland is often critical of over-spending by government departments and agencies. However, this week it was effectively criticising hospitals across Scotland for not spending enough on meals for patients. The average cost of providing food for patients in National Health Hospitals was £2.34 a day. Many office workers, buying a sandwich for lunch, would spend more than that. Audit Scotland also pointed out that half of the country's health boards have not analysed the nutritional content of their hospital menus. As a result, many patients are suffering from malnutrition and delaying their recovery. Patients now have a bit more choice and vegetarian and religious preferences are often recognised. But many patients, particularly the elderly, do not get the assistance they need to eat the food that is provided. A Glass Act The Kibble Palace in Glasgow's Botanic Gardens reopened this week after a three-year, £7 million refurbishment. The ornate iron ribs of the huge Victorian glasshouse were painstakingly taken apart, cleaned, repainted and replaced and new glass windows inserted. Inside, there is a transformation, though many of the original ferns and other plants have been returned. Some, such as the Australasian tree ferns have been growing there for 120 years. New plants have been added, some donated by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, the Eden Centre in Cornwall and the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Eight attractive marble sculptures have also been cleaned and brought back to grace the building. A new internal lighting system has been installed. To avoid unsightly cables, the lights shine from ground level and bounce off reflective circular mirrors in the roof. In the late 19th century, John Kibble, a wealthy merchant, built a botanical glasshouse for his mansion beside Loch Long. He subsequently donated it to the City of Glasgow. It was dismantled and moved to the Botanic Gardens at his own expense in 1873. It has been an enduring attraction ever since. Billion Pound Golf Plans American property tycoon Donald Trump revealed this week that the projected cost of creating his "greatest golf course in the world" at Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire has soared to an estimated £1 billion. The 1,400-acre development now includes multiple championship golf courses, a five-star hotel, a golf academy and holiday homes. An outline planning application was lodged with Aberdeenshire Council on Monday and it is hoped that planning officials could make a decision by next June, with work on the site starting the following month. That would be an unprecedented speedy timetable , bearing in mind the usual planning approval timescales in Scotland for even small scale housing developments. But then, other building projects don't have the support of the Scottish First Minister. UK's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Power group E.ON has announced that it is to start the construction phase of its £325 million project to create the UK's largest offshore wind farm, six miles from the Scottish coast of Dumfries and Galloway, in the Solway Firth. The 180 megawatts Robin Rigg scheme, with its 60 turbines, received planning permission three years ago. But it has been a challenging project due to the water depth and distance from the shore and construction is now scheduled to begin early next year. E.ON already operates a smaller offshore wind farm off Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England. First, the Squinty Bridge - Now the Squiggly Bridge Glasgow seems to be developing a love affair with oddly designed bridges, which then get dubbed with an affectionate, descriptive name by the locals. First it was a bridge from Finnieston which ran diagonally across the river Clyde to Pacific Quay. That immediately became the "Squinty Bridge" - although Glasgow City Council belatedly gave it a formal title of "Clyde Arc". Now the design of dramatic new pedestrian bridge nearer the city centre, to link Broomielaw on the north side of the river to Tradeston, has been revealed. Originally, a scheme (named Neptune's Way) by top architect Lord Richard Rogers was being pursued, but the cost of that soared to over £60 million. Now a new design has emerged, from a Danish firm of architects, which snakes across the water - immediately prompting the name of "The Squiggly Bridge". The cost has been capped at between £3 million and £6 million. The crossing will be constructed by the same firm that built the Clyde Arc (or Squinty Bridge, if you prefer). Anyone Seen Noah's Ark? After breaking the rainfall records for Scotland in November, we might have hoped for a respite this month. But already the amount of rain in December is close to the previous record - and we are only half-way through the month. Day after day of heavy rain has been bad enough, but often it has often been accompanied by strong winds, with gusts of over 50mph and sometimes as high as 70mph this week. Inevitably, there has been flooding and structural damage in many parts of the country. Last weekend in Oban, on the west coast, torrential rain caused the roof of a supermarket to collapse while in Arbroath, in the east, the roof of another store was torn off by high winds. A river burst its banks at Milnathort, near Kinross and villagers trapped in their houses had to be rescued by the Fire Service. Kingussie High School in the Highlands had to be evacuated after a river burst its banks. A number of residents in the aptly named Riverside area of Stirling had to leave their homes due to floodwater from the river Forth. Council staff there worked round the clock to deal with what they described as the worst weather for 40 year. A number of roads in various parts of Scotland became impassable, while many others had small lakes for cars and lorries to plough through, creating spray for other vehicles - and passing pedestrians. Inevitably, some cars became stranded when the water turned out to be deeper than expected. In the countryside, acres of low-lying, waterlogged fields began to be covered in water several feet deep. As the days of relentless rain continued, the local media began reporting on the total amount of rain that had been falling on Glasgow (one of the worst affected areas) since the start of this month. By 14 December, 243.4mm (9.58 inches) had been recorded, with 70.4mm ( 2.77 inches) on Wednesday alone. The record for December is 261.2mm (10.28 inches) set in 1999. The weather outlook? Frequent showers... Bridge Over Troubled Name The smallest county in Scotland often punches above its weight and clamoured long and hard to ensure that a second crossing of the river Forth, near Kincardine should be built. Having achieved that aim, with its associated economic benefits, they staked their claim for the bridge to be named after the county, even though the northern end of the bridge technically lands in Fife, before the road swings into Clackmannan. The county council sought the support of their neighbours for the "Clackmannan Bridge" proposal - but Fife has responded with "Kingdom Bridge", arguing that the crossing is important to the "Kingdom of Fife" (as they like to be known) and that local people in the county had also fought hard for the new bridge. So far, there has been no reported comment from Falkirk Council, on the souther end of the bridge. In the end, it will be the Scottish Executive - after "wide consultation" as usual - who will have to exercise the judgement of Solomon. Historical Affairs Wars of Independence Triumph The BBC TV series on the most significant events in Scotland's history came to an end with the results of a poll of viewers' opinions on the "Top Ten" - and the Wars of Independence, in which William Wallace (illustrated here) and Robert the Bruce led the fight to oust the domination of England, came out on top. Viewers also placed highly the Declaration of Arbroath, the Enlightenment, the Reformation and the Highland Clearances. The viewers' list contrasted with that of a panel of eminent historians who included the First World War, the Scottish Empire and the 1707 Act of Union. The academics pointed out that the viewers had included only one historical episode after 1800 (the life of the scientist James Clerk Maxwell). Macbeth Requires a Good Spin Doctor Shakespeare gave Macbeth a reputation as a bloodthirsty nobleman who murdered his king in order to seize the crown of Scotland. As in Shakespeare, the real Macbeth was the commander-in-chief of King Duncan's army and he did kill Duncan in 1040 - but in a battle, rather than by murder. Unlike in Shakespeare, however, Macbeth was a powerful and successful monarch who ruled from 1040 to 1057. He was confident enough of his position to go on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1050 and is said to have been so generous that he "scattered alms like seed corn". Historians have shown that his reign was largely peaceful and prosperous and that Macbeth pulled the country together to help to shape modern Scotland. Now, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare's version of the Scottish king, the Dowager Countess of Cawdor, a descendant of Macbeth wants to rehabilitate her ancestor. She is calling for support for a statue to the maligned monarch outside of Cawdor Castle. She argues that it would help to set the record straight - and also act as a tourist attraction. Entertainment Take the High Road with Scotland on TV The Scottish Media Group (SMG), which operates the Scottish TV channel, launched an experimental TV service on the Web on St Andrews Day. Viewers from around the world will now have the opportunity to view classic programmes from STV's archives, ranging from the popular travel programme "Weir's Way" to the first-ever episode of the soap drama series "Take the High Road". (The list of available clips is on the right of the page). The daily STV news programme will be added shortly. SMG is using the trial to increase its understanding of what it means to broadcast over the web and to help the company gauge the interest of viewers in the Download-to-Own or Pay per View (PPV). Though market research on that isn't really needed - if it's free (as it is now) surfers will flock to it. See www.scotlandontv.tv . Launch Party for Highland 2007 Inverness will be celebrating the launch of Highland 2007 (a year of events focusing on the culture of the Highlands) with a large street party on 12 January. The date marks the traditional Old New Year in Scotland and the event will feature mass piped bands, a Gaelic choir and high-flying acrobats. The free launch party is expected to attract up to 15,000 spectators. His Majesty's Loudly Celebrates Century A spectacular fireworks display marked the 100th birthday of the well-loved His Majesty's Theatre last Sunday. Plans to wrap the theatre's prominent dome with a large birthday bow had to be called off because of the high winds. A small crowd braved the rain and gales to listen to a performance by Scots singer Fiona Kennedy - who described His Majesty's as "one of the most beautiful theatres in the whole UK." The crowd burst into "Happy Birthday" before the fireworks lit up the night sky.

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