|
CAMPAIGNING FOR SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November
1926)
"Promoting all that is best in Scottish
Nationalism and all that is best in Scotland."
Content of the Flag in the Wind Web Site is the copyright of the Scots
Independent Newspaper.
[
Issue 291 - 30th December 2005] |
Compiled by Jim Lynch |
Lots of great information to
read and enjoy under our
Features Section:
Scots
Language | Scottish Food |
Dates in History |
Scot Wit and lots more
Wishing all our readers a Happy New Year.
It is my intention to
supply a skeleton Flag this week, with a cautionary tale from Bill Brown of
Thurso, which I have been meaning to use for some time.
There are also a
few press releases from the SNP, and a miscellaneous collection of
aphorisms.
William D Brown - Achscrabster
Thurso
It was a cold windy evening in January 2005 when I was installing a
modified bell hammer in the church tower in Thurso, Caithness. The bell was
high up in the tower, two floors above the clock itself, and accessed by
steep wooden stairs with handrails added here and there, seemingly as an
afterthought, and which featured a gap halfway down to add to the
insecurity. The cold wind whistled through the louvers on all four sides of
the tower, making me feel glad it would not be too long a job.
It
was getting dark just around 5pm with just enough light from one solitary
naked bulb high above me when without warning the light went out. Being in
a church all that I could be allowed was a mild expletive, “blast.” It must
be a fuse, but now almost finished I completed the job, groped around my
feet for my tools, and gingerly felt my way to the top of the first steep
flight of stairs and felt my way down.
I was now in the clock room, dimly illuminated by a single small window,
through which the streetlights cast a fitful light.
Below this lay yet another floor accessed by a rather more respectable
wooden stair, through which ran the trunking containing the clock weights
and cables, and the bell rope for the church bell. An arched stained glass
window graced this room, looking over Thurso’s centre and main street.
Down another flight of winding steps I felt my way, remembering to duck at
the point where the stonework above is set to smite the head of the unwary.
Here it was pitch dark for the gleam from the window was far behind, and
round the tight bend at the bottom to the door. It was locked! I was
trapped!
Well that should not be a problem if slightly annoying, for someone was
clearly in the church and would come and let me out. Starting with banging
the door with my hand, I was soon kicking it vigorously and making enough
noise to awaken the dead, which perhaps might not be too good an idea
bearing in mind where I was. I tried a tentative shoulder charge on the
door, followed by a heftier attempt, which told me the door was far too
solid to give way, held as it was by a bolt and padlock.
As it was futile to remain there I went to the floor above to consider the
options. A bell rope! If you want a door opened what better thing to do
but ring a bell. Someone is bound to come and soon too for it is a Thursday
and no reason for the bell to ring on such a day. Ding – Dong, great, it
will not be long now, and I will be going home soon for a hot meal I
thought. Half an hour later and still the bell tolled Ding – Dong, Ding –
Dong. I could not believe that no one would ignore such a noise. Still, at
least the exercise was keeping me warm.
I
desisted for a spell and explored a ladder leading to the roof space above
the church main hall. Perhaps there was another way down! Fortunately
there was a light switch for this space, and I went in, but found no other
way down. I returned to the bell rope for another quarter of an hour of
ringing, Ding – Dong, Ding – Dong. Surely, with a break in the ringing and
a renewal someone would arrive. It seemed at last I was saved when orange
flashing lights showed through the stained glass window. It must be the
fire brigade and soon I would be free. The lights moved away and I then
realised it was the flashers of a car turning at the road junction outside.
Despair returned.
Thinks were beginning to get serious for I did not fancy spending the night
in a freezing church tower, and who knows how long till someone would come
round. I eyed the cable trunking from the clock. There was a hole in the
side where a few planks of wood had been removed. I knew there was a small
hatch some 15 feet below, which might be latched shut. Could I squeeze into
the trunking and reach it? Could I burst the latch if it was closed? Could
I get back again if that failed?
There was only one way to find out, so down I went bracing my back against
the side and my feet against the opposite side in best mountaineering
style! Easier than I had thought, but I was still thankful when my feet met
the bottom, and joy, the door was open.
In ten minutes I was out of the church and in the car heading home to a
rather worried wife who had phoned my son to come and investigate, and whom
I met on the way. With explanations given and mirth all round the episode
ended happily.
I have not yet found who locked me in, but from now on my clock visits are
made taking the padlock and also the bolt with me.
Funny, it was only the week before that the beadle told me with a smile that
when he was young they sometimes used to lock people in the tower for a
prank.
I just wonder!
(We intended to publish Bill's picture,
but his email isn't working.)
The iron law of politics: if you don’t have
bandwagon jumpers, you don’t have a bandwagon.
Bampots do not know they are
bampots.
People are imperfect, but some are more
imperfect than others.
The
older one gets, the older one wants to be.
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he will
never be disappointed.
Even during
the Christmas
recess, our elected
representatives were
beavering away.
SNP Leader,
Alex Salmond MP, has
written to Scottish
Secretary Alistair
Darling, demanding
urgent clarification
about the Scots law
advice given for the
anti-terror Bill.
Mr
Salmond has received
a letter from the
Lord Advocate in
which he makes clear
that he was not
asked and did not
offer advice to the
Home Secretary on
ANY of the Scots Law
implications of the
Bill currently
before the
Westminster
Parliament.
Previously it had
been revealed by the
Home Secretary that
the Lord Advocate
had not been
consulted on the
question of 90 days
detention clause
which resulted in
the Government’s
first defeat in the
Commons. It has now
been confirmed that
there was no
consultation beyond
official level on
any aspect of the
Bill, including the
controversy on the
implications for
free speech and
civil liberties.
However the Lord
Advocate goes on to
suggest that this
was the job of the
Advocate General,
Lady Clark.
However, at Scottish
Questions in
November, the
Scotland Office was
unable to confirm
that the Advocate
General had been
asked for or had
offered her advice
to the Home Office.
Commenting Mr
Salmond said: “This
is a sorry state of
affairs for Scotland
and Scots Law. If
the Home Secretary
had not sought the
advice of the
Attorney General on
the terror bill,
then he would have
had to resign. The
UK has two distinct
and equal legal
systems, and the
fact the Home Office
did not ask for the
view of any Scottish
law officer on this
crucial piece of
legislation beggars
belief.
“However, it also
seems that the
Advocate General,
who is supposed to
speak for Scots law
in Westminster, was
asleep at her post.
“The Secretary of
State for Scotland
doesn’t know while
the First Minister
isn’t rated, leaving
the Lord Advocate to
pass the buck back
to the Advocate
General.
“The fact is that
Scots law has been
sidelined by the
Home Office and our
law officers were
silent bystanders.
What a sorry state
of affairs.
“The Scottish
Secretary needs to
clarify exactly what
happened over this
important piece of
legislation and to
guarantee a full
role for Scotland’s
law officers from
this point on.”
Chancellor
Gordon Brown has
been short-changing
Scotland by spending
all the Treasury’s
administration
budget in London.
Despite
representing a
Scottish
constituency, the
Chancellor has done
nothing to reverse
the centralisation
of spending and
staff in central
London, at the
expense of Scotland,
Wales, Northern
Ireland and the
English regions.
Parliamentary
answers to the SNP
reveal:
-
the core
Treasury
department
spends nothing
on salaries in
Scotland out of
a bill of £60.7m
– 100% is in
London
-
the department
as a whole
spends a mere
£0.4m on
salaries in
Scotland out of
a total salary
bill of £79m –
that’s 0.5% of
salaries in
Scotland and
90.8% in London
-
all £95m
administrative
costs for the
Treasury arise
in London
-
it’s entire
rates bill of
£1.71m is paid
to the City of
Westminster
Commenting, SNP
Leader Alex Salmond
said: “Scotland is
being massively
short-changed by a
London centric
Treasury. Despite a
£60 million wage
bill, Gordon Brown’s
core department does
not employ a single
person in Scotland
and every penny of
administration is
spent in London.
“We have long known
that London benefits
hugely from the jobs
and spending of UK
government
departments, but the
scale of preference
is shocking.
“I am astounded that
a Scottish
Chancellor has done
nothing to even
things out,
especially as it
costs more to base
an office in London.
“He should be making
sure Scotland shares
in the civil service
jobs and government
spending our taxes
pay for, rather than
having the majority
spent in one place.
“Gordon Brown has
got caught up in the
same old London
centred way of doing
things. He has
clearly forgotten
the folk back home.”
SNP Leader
Alex Salmond MP has
written to the new
Conservative Leader,
David Cameron asking
him to come clean
over whether or not
the Tory Party still
supports withdrawal
from the Common
Fisheries Policy.
In
his letter Mr
Salmond wrote:
“Dear David, I have
heard a number of
reports following
your recent Scottish
hustings meeting
suggesting you want
to backtrack on the
Conservative Party’s
previous position of
withdrawal from the
Common Fisheries
Policy.
“This is an issue of
great concern to
families and
communities across
Scotland and people
deserve to know your
view.
“Do you support
withdrawal from the
Common Fisheries
Policy and will this
continue to be the
position of the
Conservative Party?
I look forward to
hearing from you.”
Mr Salmond said:
"The Tories are all
at sea on the Common
Fisheries Policy. At
the Scottish
leadership husting
Mr Cameron refused
to confirm his
support for CFP
withdrawal.
“He refused to state
his position clearly
in the one press
comment he has given
to date and there
was a great deal of
backtracking from
the Tories during
last week's Commons
fisheries debate.
“This is an issue
that impacts on real
lives. A quarter of
a million people
have petitioned
parliament demanding
withdrawal and a
return to national
control.
"It is time Mr
Cameron came clean.
Is he selling out
the fishing industry
and signing up to
the CFP?"
SNP Leader,
Alex Salmond MP, has
called on the
Chancellor, Gordon
Brown, to show some
Christmas spirit and
change the rules to
allow the RNLI to
reclaim all its VAT.
Mr
Salmond has
highlighted the
position of the RNLI
who last year lost
£3.2 million in
irrecoverable VAT –
enough to run the
lifeboat station in
Peterhead,
Scotland’s biggest
white fish port, for
13 years. If the
RNLI did not provide
the service, the
government would be
legally bound to do
so.
The Treasury rules
mean that the RNLI
is zero-rated for
VAT on the
construction of a
lifeboat, but not on
the training of
crew; on the
construction of a
lifeboat station,
but not on repair
and maintenance.
Mr Salmond has
called on the
Treasury to change
the rules so that
every penny donated
by the public goes
to the charity
rather than being
siphoned off by the
Treasury in VAT.
Commenting Mr
Salmond said: “I
find it hard to
understand why
government wants to
take millions of
pounds from the RNLI
in VAT. If it wasn’t
for the work done by
the volunteer
lifeboat crews, the
government would
have to spend
millions providing a
rescue service. As
much as 3p in every
pound donated to the
RNLI this Christmas
will go in VAT, and
that is equivalent
to £3.2 milion last
year – money that
would be better
spent saving lives
at sea.
“Charities not only
face a huge tax bill
but also high
administrative
costs, trying to
work out when VAT is
due. The system is
riddled with
contradictions, and
it is the charities
who suffer.
“The Chancellor
should stop behaving
like a modern day
Scrooge and show
some Christmas
spirit. The RNLI
should get its lost
millions back.”
SNP Holyrood
leader Nicola
Sturgeon MSP, today
(Tuesday) warned
that an estimated
84,000 households in
Scotland will face
fuel poverty this
year due to price
hikes by energy
giants.
Scottish Gas,
Scottish Power,
Scottish and
Southern Energy,
Powergen, EDF Energy
and Npower have all
announced increases
in their gas and
electricity prices
this year by an
average of 14 per
cent.
 The
Fuel Poverty in
Scotland Report for
the Scottish House
Condition Survey
estimated that an
across-the-board
rise of five per
cent would increase
the number of
fuel-poor households
by 30,000. This
would mean that at
least an additional
84,000 Scots
households will face
fuel poverty this
winter which is set
to be one of the
coldest in years.
Ms Sturgeon said:
"It is unacceptable
that in energy-rich
Scotland, fuel
poverty will blight
around 84,000 Scots
households.
"Scotland has
massive energy
resources, yet due
to government
complacency we still
face severe
challenges to avoid
an energy gap in the
next decade.
"We simply cannot
afford to sleepwalk
into an energy
crisis of our own
making, and so we
need to develop a
plan now.
"The central heating
replacement
programme must be
accelerated for
people who can show
medical need, so
that they are not
just put to the back
of a growing a
queue. We must
prioritise those in
most need for help
under this scheme.
"The Scottish
Parliament must
demand the full
powers needed to
develop a National
Energy Policy. We
must act now to
ensure that excess
deaths are avoided
and the most
vulnerable groups in
our society are
protected."
Gordon & Carmen Wright
Second-hand, Fine & Rare
Scottish Books.
Regular
catalogues issued by email.
To subscribe, email us at:
Gordon.Wright11@btopenworld.com
 Gordon
Wright’s Scottish Photo
Library
Spanning forty-five years
and featuring a wide variety
of illustrations in colour
and black and white covering
all aspects of Scottish life
from Orkney to the Border
country. Thousands of
personality portraits.
Images for reproduction.
Prints for collectors.
Gordon.Wright11@btopenworld.com
WINDOWS SCREENSAVER
Download our Windows Screensaver here!
DATES IN
HISTORY
29
December 2004
16-year-old schoolboy Patrick Swan, Chirnside, became the youngest-ever
winner of the New Year Sprint at Musselburgh Racecourse. The 136th
running of the 100 metres race saw the 16-year-old storm through the
final and become the winner of the gold medal and £4,000 first prize.
30
December 1988
The Westminster Government announced that
it would give £150,000 to the Lockerbie air disaster appeal.
1
January 1783
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, the first in
Britain, was founded.
1
January 1996
As mopping up in homes across Scotland
after flooding from tens of thousands burst pipes, householders faced
water shortages and factories were urged to stay closed.
1
January 2005
Walter Smith officially took over as the
new Scotland football manager. In his first year in charge Scotland rose
from an all-time low of 86th to 60th place in the FIFA
rankings.
3
January 2005
An Edinburgh architect Dominic Stephenson,
27, was named as the first confirmed Scottish fatality of the Boxing Day
2004 Asian tsunami disaster. His girlfriend, Edinburgh-born Eileen Lee
was missing, feared dead.
See Dates in History in our
Features Section
SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS
I like to have quotations ready for every occasions - they
give one's ideas so pat and save one the trouble of finding
expression adequate to one's feeling.
Robert Burns
We continue our new Feature in this section
of the Flag - Scottish Quotations - statements in prose and verse
which reflect all aspects of Scottish life and outlook. The
quotations are not restricted to native Scots but include observations
from abroad which help us, in the words of our National Bard, Robert
Burns, "To see oursels as others see us!"
Mohammad
Ali
I’d heard of a man named Burns – supposed to be a poet;
But, if he was, how come I didn’t know it?
They told me his work was very, very neat,
So I replied: ‘But who did he ever beat?’
(On a visit to Burns Country 1965)
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875-1940)
You think a wall as solid as the earth separates civilisation from
barbarism. I tell you the division is a sheet of glass.
Alexander (Alex) Elliot Anderson Salmond
As a model democratic party for all of our 60 years, there has never
been, and never will be, a place for anti-English sentiment in the
ranks of the Scottish National Party.
(1994)
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
So long as we love we serve; so long as we are loved by others, I
would almost say that we are indispensable; and no man is useless
while he has a friend.
See
Scottish Quotations in our Features Section
SING
A SANG AT LEAST
(compiled by Peter D Wright)
"That I for poor auld
Scotland's sake
Some useful plan or book could make
Or sing a sang at least ........"
- Robert Burns
A GUID
NEW YEAR
Peter Livingstone
A guid new year to ane an' a'
An' mony may ye see,
An' during a' the years to come,
O happy may ye be.
An' may ye ne'er hae cause to mourn,
To sigh or shed a tear;
To ane an'a baith great an' sma'
A hearty guid New year.
Chorus
A guid New Year to ane an' a'
An' mony may ye see,
An' during a' the years to come,
O happy may ye be.
O time flies past, he winna wait,
My friend for you or me,
He works his wonders day by day,
And onward still doth flee.
O wha can tell when ilka ane,
I see sae happy here,
Will meet again and merry be
Anither guid New year.
Chorus
We twa ha'e baith been happy lang.
We ran about the braes.
In yon wee cot beneath the tree,
We spent our early days.
We ran about the burnie's side,
The spot will aye be dear,
An'those that used to meet us there,
We'll think on mony a year.
Chorus
Noo let us hope our years may be
As guid as they ha'e been,
And trust we ne'er again may see,
The sorrows we ha'e seen.
And let us wish that ane an'a'
Our friends baith far an' near,
May aye enjoy in times to come -
A hearty guid New year!
Chorus
Footnote: The anerlie sang A ken whilk walcomes the chappin o the Twal.
A Guid Noo Yeir ti aw Flag veesitors.
See the
SING A SANG AT LEAST in our
features section
SCOTTISH
FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
Hogmanay (31 December) and New Year's day (1 January) are so
closely associated with Scottish tradition that it may surprise Flag
visitors to learn that before 1600 the New Year officially started
in Scotland on March 25 (Lady Day). In 1599, James V1, King of
Scots, and his Privy Council resolved to bring Scotland into line
with other countries.
' The Kingis majestie and Lordis of his Secreit Counsall
undirstanding that in all utheris weill governit commouns welthis
and cuntreyis the first day of the yeir begynis yeirlie upoun the
first day of Januare, commounlie callit new yeiris day, and that
this realme onlie is different fra all utheris in the compt and
reckning of the yeiris .... his Majestie with the advise of the
Lordis of his Secreit Counsall statutis and ordanis that in all tyme
cuming the first day of the yeir sal begin yeirlie upoun the first
day of Januare ...'
from the
Register of the Privy Council, 17 December 1599
The change reflected the adoption of the Gregorian calendar by
European states in the 1580's and shows the Scots international
outlook. England did not change the official start of the legal year
to January 1 until 1752. The Privy Council was a powerful
legislative and administrative body, useful to the King because it
was more easily influenced and controlled than the Scottish
Parliament, The Three Estates. No celebration of a Scottish
Hogmanay would be complete without this weeks recipe. Black Bun is
a must! Black Bun is a rich and delicious fruit cake formerly eaten
on Twelve Night but nowadays served at Hogmanay. It should be made
several weeks before it is needed, like a Christmas Cake, so that it
can mature.
Ingredients:
For The Casing: 8 oz flour; 4 oz butter; 1/2 teasp. baking powder;
a little cold water; 1 beaten egg for finishing
For The Filling:
2 lb seedless raisons; 3 lb currants; 1/2 lb choped blanched
almonds; 3/4 lb flour; 1/2 lb sugar; 2 teasp. Jamaica pepper (
allspice ); 1 teasp. ground ginger; 1 teasp. ground cinnamon; 1/4
teasp. black pepper; 1 flat teasp. cream of tartar; 1 flat teasp.
baking powder; 1 tablesp. brandy; 1/4 pt milk
Method:
To make the casing - rub the butter into the flour, add baking
powder and mix to a stiff paste with water ( about 4 tablespoons ).
Put on to a floured board, and roll out to a thin sheet. Grease a
loaf tin 8 in by 4 in by 3 in and line with the pastry, keeping back
enough for the lid.
To Prepare The Filling - mix all the filling ingredients together
except the milk. Then add just enough milk to moisten the mixture.
Put it into the lined tin and put the pastry lid on top, damping the
edges well to make it stick. Prick all over with a fork, and with a
thin skewer make four holes right down to the bottom of the cake,
brush with beaten egg and cook in a slow ( 225 deg F ) oven for
about three hours. It will keep for a year in an airtight tin.
See our
Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section
A KIST O
FERLIES
A Keek at the Guid Scots
Tung
By Peter & Marilyn Wright
(Note: All words underlined in
this section are RealAudio links)
brent new: brand new
dram: glass of spirits ( usually whisky )
hogmanay: New Year's Eve
usquebae: whisky
wabsteid: website
droun the miller: Put too much water in whisky
Rise up guid-wyfe an shak yir feathers,
Dinna think that we ar beggers,
We ar bit bairns cum ti play,
Rise up an gie's our Hogmanay.
Bairn’s Hogmanay rhyme
COMPLETE POEMS
THE
AULD FARMER'S NEW-YEAR-MORNING SALUTATION TO HIS AULD MARE, MAGGIE
by Robert Burns
Click here to listen
to this in Real Audio read by Peter D Wright
On giving her the accustomed ripp of corn to hansel
in the New Year.
A Guid New-year I wish
thee, Maggie!
Hae, there's a ripp to thy auld baggie:
Tho' thou's howe-backit now, an' knaggie,
I've seen the day
Thou could hae gaen like ony staggie,
Out-owre the lay.
Tho' now thou's dowie,
stiff, an' crazy,
An' thy auld hide as white's a daisie,
I've seen thee dappl't, sleek an' glaizie,
A bonie gray:
He should been tight that daur't to raize thee,
Ance in a day.
Thou ance was i' the
foremost rank,
A filly buirdly, steeve, an' swank;
An' set weel down a shapely shank,
As e'er tread yird;
An' could hae flown out-owre a stank,
Like ony bird.
It's now some
nine-an'-twenty year,
Sin' thou was my guid-father's mear;
He gied me thee, o' tocher clear,
An' fifty mark;
Tho' it was sma', 'twas weel-won gear,
An' thou was stark.
When first I gaed to woo
my Jenny,
Ye then was trotting wi' your minnie:
Tho' ye was trickie, slee, an' funnie,
Ye ne'er was donsie;
But hamely, tawie, quiet, an' cannie,
An' unco sonsie.
That day, ye pranc'd wi'
muckle pride,
When ye bure hame my bonie bride:
An' sweet an' gracefu' she did ride,
Wi' maiden air!
Kyle-Stewart I could bragged wide
For sic a pair.
Tho' now ye dow but hoyte
and hobble,
An' wintle like a saumont coble,
That day, ye was a jinker noble,
For heels an' win'!
An' ran them till they a' did wauble,
Far, far, behin'!
When thou an' I were young
an' skeigh,
An' stable-meals at fairs were dreigh,
How thou wad prance, and snore, an' skreigh
An' tak the road!
Town's-bodies ran, an' stood abeigh,
An' ca't thee mad.
When thou was corn't, an'
I was mellow,
We took the road aye like a swallow:
At brooses thou had ne'er a fellow,
For pith an' speed;
But ev'ry tail thou pay't them hollowm
Whare'er thou gaed.
The sma', droop-rumpl't,
hunter cattle
Might aiblins waur't thee for a brattle;
But sax Scotch mile, thou try't their mettle,
An' gar't them whaizle:
Nae whip nor spur, but just a wattle
O' saugh or hazel.
Thou was a noble
fittie-lan',
As e'er in tug or tow was drawn!
Aft thee an' I, in aught hours' gaun,
In guid March-weather,
Hae turn'd sax rood beside our han',
For days thegither.
Thou never braing't, an'
fetch't, an' fliskit;
But thy auld tail thou wad hae whiskit,
An' spread abreed thy weel-fill'd brisket,
Wi' pith an' power;
Till sprittie knowes wad rair't an' riskit
An' slypet owre.
When frosts lay lang, an'
snaws were deep,
An' threaten'd labour back to keep,
I gied thy cog a wee bit heap
Aboon the timmer:
I ken'd my Maggie wad na sleep,
For that, or simmer.
In cart or car thou never
reestit;
The steyest brae thou wad hae fac't it;
Thou never lap, an' sten't, and breastit,
Then stood to blaw;
But just thy step a wee thing hastit,
Thou snoov't awa.
My pleugh is now thy bairn-time
a',
Four gallant brutes as e'er did draw;
Forbye sax mae I've sell't awa,
That thou hast nurst:
They drew me thretteen pund an' twa,
The vera warst.
Mony a sair daurk we twa
hae wrought,
An' wi' the weary warl' fought!
An' mony an anxious day, I thought
We wad be beat!
Yet here to crazy age we're brought,
Wi' something yet.
An' think na', my auld
trusty servan',
That now perhaps thou's less deservin,
An' thy auld days may end in starvin;
For my last fow,
A heapit stimpart, I'll reserve ane
Laid by for you.
We've worn to crazy years
thegither;
We'll toyte about wi' ane anither;
Wi' tentie care I'll flit thy tether
To some hain'd rig,
Whare ye may nobly rax your leather,
Wi' sma' fatigue.
See Scots Language in
our Features Section
for other poems, stories, songs, sayings, jokes and words in the Scots language
SCOT WIT
Enjoy a Scottish Joke every week and
listen to it as well
A Business Call
Andrew was a great hand at odd
jobs about the house. One day he found it necessary to call at the house
of his friend and neighbour on a small matter of business. His knock was
answered by his friend's wife.
"Is Wullie in ?" asked Andrew
"Ay he's in " was the reply
"Weill can I see him " continued the caller
"No ye canna see him " returned the wife
"But I want to see him on a bit of business " persisted Andrew
" Weill ye canna see him. He's deid ! " came the announcement at the door
" Wis it sudden ?" asked Andrew
"Ay vera sudden " he was informed
"Weill ", continued Andrew, "did he say oniething about a pat o green pent
afore he slippit awa ?"
AND
AS WE CONTINUE...
If you read our first issue of The Flag in the Wind you will know that
this is a weekly Internet commentary on the Scottish political scene; if you desire
further erudition click on Archives.
SOME OF OUR FEATURE
SECTIONS....
About Us
Our mission is to fight for an Independent Scotland and to promote its history,
heritage and culture. Learn all about us here.
The Scots Language
A great introduction to the Scots Language, produced by Peter and Marilyn Wright,
and added to each week both in text and RealAudio. Enjoy listening to words, poems and
stories told in a real Scots accent!
Scottish
Quotations
A variety of quotations in prose and verse
reflecting all aspects of Scottish life and outlook.
The Rebels Ceilidh Songbook
An excellent introduction to traditional songs from Scotland.
Sing A Sang At Least
Our collection of Scottish songs. A new song is added to the collection each week.
Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs
Enjoy our collections of recipes and our comments on them.
Notable
Dates in History
Each week we add three new notable dates in history building this into an historic
timeline for Scottish history.
Features
Lots more stories, recipes, historical articles and even whole books are added here on a
regular basis.
The Oliver Brown Award
An annual award given to an outstanding Scot(s) each year. Also included picture
galleries from the annual lunch.
THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY
The Scots Independent Newspaper is independent of the
Scottish National Party, but we support the Party in its drive for
Independence; while space precludes us commenting on all the issues raised
by the 27 MSPs, 5 MPS and 2 MEPs, also
the Party Office Bearers, we have provided a link to the
SNP Website.
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
The above was the title of a book written in the early Fifties by John
MacDonald MacCormick, one of the founder members of the Scottish National Party in 1934.
The sub-title was "The Story of the National Movement in Scotland". His comment
in the book said "It is perhaps in the symbols which men use that their deepest
sentiments are most readily expressed. Flags as well as straws show which way the wind is
blowing". A fuller account appears under
Features.
WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR
FEEDBACK
The Flag in the Wind would welcome your feedback on what you think of this
weekly service. Happy to receive any comments or suggestions. Simply email
webmaster@scotsindependent.org.
|
