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To see what we've added to the Electric Scotland site view our What's New page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/whatsnew.htm
To see what we've added to the Electric Canadian site view our What's New page at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/whatsnew.htm
For the latest news from Scotland see our ScotNews feed at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/
Electric Scotland News
Well we've only got another couple of weeks to go on the testing of our site design options with Ezoic. At this time it looks like the original design worked well for most but the one consistent comment I've had is that the drop down menu system seemed to be a hit. That being the case I suspect that we'll pretty well stick with the same design but replace the large menu with a drop down horizontal menu bar.
So unless things change in the next couple of weeks we'll be dropping Ezoic and going back to doing our own thing and I suspect the speed of the site and our own community will also improve.
-----
This week I spent a lot of time researching the Tourism market in Canada and I created a YouTube video to explain my findings. You can study some of the research and watch the video at http://www.electriccanadian.com/transport/tourism.htm
I have a few more phone calls to make but pretty well completed this work which took quite some time I have to say.
-----
Due to my eyesight issues and publishing issues I'm making more use of pdf files. When we get back to doing our own thing I'll be able to get back to using my Front Page program again which for me is way faster than editing code as I have to do at the moment.
------
I'd also like to get some feedback on how I add content to the site. Like for some time now I tend to add a chapter per day when adding books to the site. This was due to feedback from yourselves saying you simply didn't have the time to read everything I put up. However it's been quite some time now since I made that change and just want to check if your are still ok with that or would prefer for me to go to adding full books instead?
Electric Canadian
The Scots Canadian Newsletter
I got in a copy of the Fall 2014 issue which you can view at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...s_canadian.htm
A video journey around BC
Happened to find this series of 6 videos and thought it would make an interesting introduction. You can view these athttp://www.electriccanadian.com/history/bc/video_bc.htm
First Nations
Added a few videos to our First Nations page at http://www.electriccanadian.com/history/first/index.htm
Grand Priory of Canada of the Knights Templar (OSMTH)
Added the October 2014 newsletter which can be viewed at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/Reli...terOct2014.pdf
I might add that OSMTH are an NGO of the United Nations and do important work for them especially on matters to do with the Middle East.
Pulse Industry in Canada
A huge success story for Canada and you can read about it at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...ure/pulses.htm
A History of the County of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
By Rev. J. R. Campbell (1876)
Getting this book up and now on Chapter VIII.
You can read this book at http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...outh/index.htm
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks issue was compiled by Margaret Hamilton where she has an article on "Moving on".
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org and there is a Synopsis this week.
Electric Scotland
Enigma Machine
Added puzzle 83.
An alternative to your crossword puzzle and created by a Scots Canadian, Doug Ross.
You can join with others in our community trying to complete these at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/foru...le-amp-Whistle
You can get to the puzzles at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/enigma/
Glimpses of Church and Social Life in the Highlands in Olden Times
By Alexander MacPherson, FSA Scot. (1893).
Have now completed this book. You can read the final chapters and the interesting Appendix at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pses/index.htm
Songs of Scotland
Added pages 252 to 301 to the 4th Volume which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/music/cunningham/
Henry Dryerre
Added two more Worthies, Bailie Clark and Tam Cramb which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/dryerre/
I keep saying these make a good read and the one on Tam Cramb tells us of the Dancing Master and gives us another insight into how folks enjoyed themselves many years ago. Here is how the account starts...
Like many other old and interesting institutions, the itinerant dancing master, with all the sociality and merry-making which his coming always occasioned, is fast becoming a thing of the past. It is only now and again one hears of classes being taken up during the winter months in those outlying districts of Stormont and Strathmore with which we are more immediately concerned here—where in former times numerous “anceys,” as they were called, were wont to appear as regularly as the dark nights set in, get the use of a room in some cottage, or the schoolroom, or, best of all, some granary, and have a flourishing academy for initiation into all the mysteries of the poetry of motion in no time. Every little village or hamlet had also its own pet fiddler, and fiddlers in those days were of no account if they were not equally well up in dancing—which, in many cases, did not amount to much after all; for it must be confessed it was a toss up sometimes whether it was the fiddling or the dancing that they knew least about. But young people were not so very particular thirty or forty years ago, and the player who could command with perhaps a country dance or two and a set of quadrilles and lancers thrown in.
Highland Rambles
And Long Legends to Shorten the Way by Thomas Dick Lauder (1837).
Have now posted up two more articles from this book "A Stranger Appears" and "Legend of the Floating Islet". The article on "A Stranger Appears" is about how when talking away they were joined by a stranger who just happened to be a teacher and he goes onto correct the story of John MacPherson on whom they had been talking about. Amazing how you meet interesting characters as your rambles about the Highlands.
You can read these articles at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...uder/index.htm
The Life of John Wilson
For Fifty Year Philanthropist and Scholar in the East by George Smith (1879).
Considering there must have been a hundred thousand Scots in India and likely many more than that it's interesting to find out about India from a Scottish perspective.
As you may know curry is the number one take out meal in Scotland and of course we got this due to all the returning soldiers and administrators who enjoyed it while in India.
You can read this book as we get it up at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/johnwilson/
Across Patagonia
By Lady Florence Dixie (1880).
This book reveals yet more Scots who travelled all over the world and here we follow the good lady along with Lord Queensberry and Lord James Douglas, her two brothers, her husband, and a friend, Mr. J. Beerbohm, whose book, Wanderings in Patagonia, had just been published when they left England.
You can download this book in pdf format at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...th_america.htm
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland
By Daniel Wilson
Have added this book as an additional resource to our Prehistoric Scotland page which you can get to at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...oric/index.htm
Tea-Cup Reading and Fortune Telling by Tea Leaves
By A Highland Seer
Now I have to say this was a real find. My mother could read tea leaves and she also knew all the old sayings like what it meant if you dropped a tea spoon.
It is somewhat curious that among the great number of books on occult science and all forms of divination which have been published in the English language there should be none dealing exclusively with the Tea-cup Reading and the Art of Telling Fortunes by the Tea-leaves: notwithstanding that it is one of the most common forms of divination practised by the peasants of Scotland and by village fortune-tellers in all parts of this country. In many of the cheaper handbooks to Fortune-telling by Cards or in other ways only brief references to the Tea-cup method are given; but only too evidently by writers who are merely acquainted with it by hearsay and have not made a study of it for themselves.This is probably because the Reading of the Tea-cups affords but little opportunity to the Seer of extracting money from credulous folk; a reason why it was never adopted by the gypsy soothsayers, who preferred the more obviously lucrative methods of crossing the palm with gold or silver, or of charging a fee for manipulating a pack of playing-cards.Reading the Cup is essentially a domestic form of Fortune-telling to be practised at home, and with success by anyone who will take the trouble to master the simple rules laid down in these pages: and it is in the hope that it will provide a basis for much innocent and inexpensive amusement and recreation round the tea-table at home, as well as for a more serious study of an interesting subject, that this little guide-book to the science is confidently offered to the public.
All this can be learnt at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../tealeaves.htm
The History of the Scottish Society of Indianapolis (1983-2014)
By Carson C. Smith, FSA Scot
Got this article in and converted it to a pdf document and it can be downloaded at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...es/SSI2014.pdf
The Border Papers
Calendar of Letters and Papers relating to the Affairs of the Borders of England and Scotland preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office London. Edited by Joseph Bain in 2 volumes and added to the foot of the page at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/records/bain/
The Border History of England and Scotland
Deduced from the earliest times to the Union of the Two Crowns By Mr George Ridpath.
A good addition to add to the previous publication and this can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/records/bain/
Bygone Glasgow
Sketches of Vanished Corners in the City and Suburbs by David Sall (1896) (pdf). Added this to the foot of our Glasgow page at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/
Camp and Barrack Room
Or The British Army as it is by A Late Staff Sergeant of the 13th Light Infantry (1846) (pdf). Added to the foot of our Scottish Regiments page at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/scotreg/
Scottish Independence
Did an update on this section of the site to reflect the result and you can view this at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/independence/index.htm
Memoir of Cosmo Innes
I found this pdf book about him and added it to his page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...nnes_cosmo.htm
Memoir of Colonel John Allan
An Officer of the Revolution by George H. Allan (1867) (pdf).
This is yet another Scot who did great service in the American battle for Independence and as the author says he deserves to be remembered. You can read this at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...allan_john.pdf
And Finally...
Some more stories from The Book of Scottish Anecdote...
SUNDAY AS A MARKET DAY
The holding of markets on Sunday was a custom which originated at a very remote period; and from the long time the practice continued, it had doubtless been found convenient both for exposer and purchaser. Indeed the same course was carried on even after the Refomation; and it was not until the year 1593 that Parliament thought of legislating upon the point, when an Act was passed "to discharge, remove, and put away all fairis and marcattis haldin on Sondays;" but the people were so much prejudiced in favour of the custom, that nearly a century elapsed before the terms of the Act were even generally complied with.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME ARMSTRONG
The name of Armstrong is that of a famous border family, which, with its various branches, chiefly inhabited Liddesdale. According to tradition, the original name was Fairbairn, and belonged to the armour-bearer of an ancient king of Scotland, who having his horse killed under him in battle, was straightway remounted by Fairbairn on his own horse. For this timely assistance the king amply rewarded him with lands on the borders, and in allusion to the manner in which so important a service was performed, Fairbairn having taken the king by the thigh, and let him at once on the saddle, his royal master gave him the name of Armstrong, and assigned him for crest "an armed hand and arm, in the hand a leg and foot in armour, couped at the thigh, all proper."
PRUDENT DRINKERS
An English officer being promoted to the command of a Scots regiment, became desirous of insuring his life, and appeared at the board of an insurance office for that purpose. A question being put to him, whether he was temperate or free in his manner of living, he replied - "Gentlemen. you may be perfectly easy on that score, now that I belong to a Scotch regiment: our officers never get drunk at their own expense."
A COMPLIMENT TO A HIGHLAND REGIMENT
When the 78th Highlanders were about to leave Brussels, after having been stationed there for some time, the following complimentary declaration was publicly made by the mayor of the city:- "As Mayor of Brussels, I have pleasure in declaring that the Scotch Highlanders, who are garrisoned in this city during the years 1814 and 1815, called forth the attachment and esteem of all by the mildness and suavity of their manners, and excellent conduct, insomuch that a representation was made to me by the inhabitants, requesting me to endeavour to detain the seventy-eighth regiment of Scotsmen in the town and to prevent their being replaced by other troops."
That's it for this week and hope you all enjoy your weekend.
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com/whatsnew.htm
To see what we've added to the Electric Canadian site view our What's New page at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/whatsnew.htm
For the latest news from Scotland see our ScotNews feed at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/
Electric Scotland News
Well we've only got another couple of weeks to go on the testing of our site design options with Ezoic. At this time it looks like the original design worked well for most but the one consistent comment I've had is that the drop down menu system seemed to be a hit. That being the case I suspect that we'll pretty well stick with the same design but replace the large menu with a drop down horizontal menu bar.
So unless things change in the next couple of weeks we'll be dropping Ezoic and going back to doing our own thing and I suspect the speed of the site and our own community will also improve.
-----
This week I spent a lot of time researching the Tourism market in Canada and I created a YouTube video to explain my findings. You can study some of the research and watch the video at http://www.electriccanadian.com/transport/tourism.htm
I have a few more phone calls to make but pretty well completed this work which took quite some time I have to say.
-----
Due to my eyesight issues and publishing issues I'm making more use of pdf files. When we get back to doing our own thing I'll be able to get back to using my Front Page program again which for me is way faster than editing code as I have to do at the moment.
------
I'd also like to get some feedback on how I add content to the site. Like for some time now I tend to add a chapter per day when adding books to the site. This was due to feedback from yourselves saying you simply didn't have the time to read everything I put up. However it's been quite some time now since I made that change and just want to check if your are still ok with that or would prefer for me to go to adding full books instead?
Electric Canadian
The Scots Canadian Newsletter
I got in a copy of the Fall 2014 issue which you can view at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...s_canadian.htm
A video journey around BC
Happened to find this series of 6 videos and thought it would make an interesting introduction. You can view these athttp://www.electriccanadian.com/history/bc/video_bc.htm
First Nations
Added a few videos to our First Nations page at http://www.electriccanadian.com/history/first/index.htm
Grand Priory of Canada of the Knights Templar (OSMTH)
Added the October 2014 newsletter which can be viewed at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/Reli...terOct2014.pdf
I might add that OSMTH are an NGO of the United Nations and do important work for them especially on matters to do with the Middle East.
Pulse Industry in Canada
A huge success story for Canada and you can read about it at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...ure/pulses.htm
A History of the County of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
By Rev. J. R. Campbell (1876)
Getting this book up and now on Chapter VIII.
You can read this book at http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...outh/index.htm
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks issue was compiled by Margaret Hamilton where she has an article on "Moving on".
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org and there is a Synopsis this week.
Electric Scotland
Enigma Machine
Added puzzle 83.
An alternative to your crossword puzzle and created by a Scots Canadian, Doug Ross.
You can join with others in our community trying to complete these at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/foru...le-amp-Whistle
You can get to the puzzles at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/enigma/
Glimpses of Church and Social Life in the Highlands in Olden Times
By Alexander MacPherson, FSA Scot. (1893).
Have now completed this book. You can read the final chapters and the interesting Appendix at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pses/index.htm
Songs of Scotland
Added pages 252 to 301 to the 4th Volume which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/music/cunningham/
Henry Dryerre
Added two more Worthies, Bailie Clark and Tam Cramb which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/dryerre/
I keep saying these make a good read and the one on Tam Cramb tells us of the Dancing Master and gives us another insight into how folks enjoyed themselves many years ago. Here is how the account starts...
Like many other old and interesting institutions, the itinerant dancing master, with all the sociality and merry-making which his coming always occasioned, is fast becoming a thing of the past. It is only now and again one hears of classes being taken up during the winter months in those outlying districts of Stormont and Strathmore with which we are more immediately concerned here—where in former times numerous “anceys,” as they were called, were wont to appear as regularly as the dark nights set in, get the use of a room in some cottage, or the schoolroom, or, best of all, some granary, and have a flourishing academy for initiation into all the mysteries of the poetry of motion in no time. Every little village or hamlet had also its own pet fiddler, and fiddlers in those days were of no account if they were not equally well up in dancing—which, in many cases, did not amount to much after all; for it must be confessed it was a toss up sometimes whether it was the fiddling or the dancing that they knew least about. But young people were not so very particular thirty or forty years ago, and the player who could command with perhaps a country dance or two and a set of quadrilles and lancers thrown in.
Highland Rambles
And Long Legends to Shorten the Way by Thomas Dick Lauder (1837).
Have now posted up two more articles from this book "A Stranger Appears" and "Legend of the Floating Islet". The article on "A Stranger Appears" is about how when talking away they were joined by a stranger who just happened to be a teacher and he goes onto correct the story of John MacPherson on whom they had been talking about. Amazing how you meet interesting characters as your rambles about the Highlands.
You can read these articles at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...uder/index.htm
The Life of John Wilson
For Fifty Year Philanthropist and Scholar in the East by George Smith (1879).
Considering there must have been a hundred thousand Scots in India and likely many more than that it's interesting to find out about India from a Scottish perspective.
As you may know curry is the number one take out meal in Scotland and of course we got this due to all the returning soldiers and administrators who enjoyed it while in India.
You can read this book as we get it up at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/johnwilson/
Across Patagonia
By Lady Florence Dixie (1880).
This book reveals yet more Scots who travelled all over the world and here we follow the good lady along with Lord Queensberry and Lord James Douglas, her two brothers, her husband, and a friend, Mr. J. Beerbohm, whose book, Wanderings in Patagonia, had just been published when they left England.
You can download this book in pdf format at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...th_america.htm
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland
By Daniel Wilson
Have added this book as an additional resource to our Prehistoric Scotland page which you can get to at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...oric/index.htm
Tea-Cup Reading and Fortune Telling by Tea Leaves
By A Highland Seer
Now I have to say this was a real find. My mother could read tea leaves and she also knew all the old sayings like what it meant if you dropped a tea spoon.
It is somewhat curious that among the great number of books on occult science and all forms of divination which have been published in the English language there should be none dealing exclusively with the Tea-cup Reading and the Art of Telling Fortunes by the Tea-leaves: notwithstanding that it is one of the most common forms of divination practised by the peasants of Scotland and by village fortune-tellers in all parts of this country. In many of the cheaper handbooks to Fortune-telling by Cards or in other ways only brief references to the Tea-cup method are given; but only too evidently by writers who are merely acquainted with it by hearsay and have not made a study of it for themselves.This is probably because the Reading of the Tea-cups affords but little opportunity to the Seer of extracting money from credulous folk; a reason why it was never adopted by the gypsy soothsayers, who preferred the more obviously lucrative methods of crossing the palm with gold or silver, or of charging a fee for manipulating a pack of playing-cards.Reading the Cup is essentially a domestic form of Fortune-telling to be practised at home, and with success by anyone who will take the trouble to master the simple rules laid down in these pages: and it is in the hope that it will provide a basis for much innocent and inexpensive amusement and recreation round the tea-table at home, as well as for a more serious study of an interesting subject, that this little guide-book to the science is confidently offered to the public.
All this can be learnt at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../tealeaves.htm
The History of the Scottish Society of Indianapolis (1983-2014)
By Carson C. Smith, FSA Scot
Got this article in and converted it to a pdf document and it can be downloaded at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...es/SSI2014.pdf
The Border Papers
Calendar of Letters and Papers relating to the Affairs of the Borders of England and Scotland preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office London. Edited by Joseph Bain in 2 volumes and added to the foot of the page at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/records/bain/
The Border History of England and Scotland
Deduced from the earliest times to the Union of the Two Crowns By Mr George Ridpath.
A good addition to add to the previous publication and this can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/records/bain/
Bygone Glasgow
Sketches of Vanished Corners in the City and Suburbs by David Sall (1896) (pdf). Added this to the foot of our Glasgow page at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/
Camp and Barrack Room
Or The British Army as it is by A Late Staff Sergeant of the 13th Light Infantry (1846) (pdf). Added to the foot of our Scottish Regiments page at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/scotreg/
Scottish Independence
Did an update on this section of the site to reflect the result and you can view this at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/independence/index.htm
Memoir of Cosmo Innes
I found this pdf book about him and added it to his page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...nnes_cosmo.htm
Memoir of Colonel John Allan
An Officer of the Revolution by George H. Allan (1867) (pdf).
This is yet another Scot who did great service in the American battle for Independence and as the author says he deserves to be remembered. You can read this at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...allan_john.pdf
And Finally...
Some more stories from The Book of Scottish Anecdote...
SUNDAY AS A MARKET DAY
The holding of markets on Sunday was a custom which originated at a very remote period; and from the long time the practice continued, it had doubtless been found convenient both for exposer and purchaser. Indeed the same course was carried on even after the Refomation; and it was not until the year 1593 that Parliament thought of legislating upon the point, when an Act was passed "to discharge, remove, and put away all fairis and marcattis haldin on Sondays;" but the people were so much prejudiced in favour of the custom, that nearly a century elapsed before the terms of the Act were even generally complied with.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME ARMSTRONG
The name of Armstrong is that of a famous border family, which, with its various branches, chiefly inhabited Liddesdale. According to tradition, the original name was Fairbairn, and belonged to the armour-bearer of an ancient king of Scotland, who having his horse killed under him in battle, was straightway remounted by Fairbairn on his own horse. For this timely assistance the king amply rewarded him with lands on the borders, and in allusion to the manner in which so important a service was performed, Fairbairn having taken the king by the thigh, and let him at once on the saddle, his royal master gave him the name of Armstrong, and assigned him for crest "an armed hand and arm, in the hand a leg and foot in armour, couped at the thigh, all proper."
PRUDENT DRINKERS
An English officer being promoted to the command of a Scots regiment, became desirous of insuring his life, and appeared at the board of an insurance office for that purpose. A question being put to him, whether he was temperate or free in his manner of living, he replied - "Gentlemen. you may be perfectly easy on that score, now that I belong to a Scotch regiment: our officers never get drunk at their own expense."
A COMPLIMENT TO A HIGHLAND REGIMENT
When the 78th Highlanders were about to leave Brussels, after having been stationed there for some time, the following complimentary declaration was publicly made by the mayor of the city:- "As Mayor of Brussels, I have pleasure in declaring that the Scotch Highlanders, who are garrisoned in this city during the years 1814 and 1815, called forth the attachment and esteem of all by the mildness and suavity of their manners, and excellent conduct, insomuch that a representation was made to me by the inhabitants, requesting me to endeavour to detain the seventy-eighth regiment of Scotsmen in the town and to prevent their being replaced by other troops."
That's it for this week and hope you all enjoy your weekend.
Alastair