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For the latest news from Scotland see our ScotNews feed at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/
Electric Scotland News
Mind that next week we'll be celebrating Tartan Day and of course in New York you'll have Tartan Week. This celebration covers both Canada and the USA so do check to see what's on in your own area.
Tartan Day was first established in Canada and the model was used to get the day recognised in America. The idea was to celebrate the Canadian and Americans of Scots descent that did great work for their new countries. It was never intended to celebrate Scotland as such but the Scots have tried to claim this for themselves.
And of course momentous happenings in Britain and Scotland this week with Britain delivering the format Article 50 to the EU and Scotland voting for another independence referendum which May has said "not now".
Pretty well every poll I have seen says that the majority of Scots don't want another referendum at least until after the Brexit process has been decided.
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in newspapers such as the Guardian, Scotsman, Courier, etc. you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish.
Damning school inspection report shows change needed
A damning inspection report into schooling provision in Scotland underlines the need for radical measures to overhaul the system
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politic...eded-1-4402219
Joan McAlpine, GERS Denier
On Wednesday (22/03/2017), SNP MSP Joan McAlpine used her column in the Daily Record to attempt to cast doubt on her own Scottish Government’s GERS figures
Read more at:
http://chokkablog.blogspot.ca/2017/0...rs-denier.html
Salmond’s economist turns on Sturgeon
The former Royal Bank of Scotland boss who played a key role in the last Scottish independence referendum campaign has broken ranks with Nicola Sturgeon, warning that a separate Scotland should not join the European Union.
Read more at:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sc...118918_1549541
Dyson enormously optimistic about post-Brexit trade
Sir James Dyson has said UK business success lies beyond Europe because that is where the fastest growth lies.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-39400795
SNP government is turning on its own figures
If you thought you have been saved from an independence referendum campaign think again. As ever, truth is the first casualty.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...ures-1-4403947
Iain Duncan Smith
My personal journey to Brexit
Read more at:
http://www.conservativehome.com/thec...to-brexit.html
Ecurie Ecosse plots historic return to Le Mans
ICONIC Scots racing team Ecurie Ecosse has confirmed a 2017 return to the Le Mans circuit where they registered a brace of famous victories precisely 60 years ago.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/ecurie-...mans-1-4405723
UK government signals it will block second Scottish independence referendum until 2020s
Mundell implied that the government would not talk to the Scottish government about a referendum until, not just Brexit, but until the transitional period was over too. That would put back a referendum until into the 2020s.
Read more at:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...-politics-live
Article 50: May signs letter that will trigger Brexit
Theresa May has signed the letter that will formally begin the UK's departure from the European Union.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39422353
How the state makes a bad parent in Scotland
An open letter to the Scottish parliament.
Read more at:
http://www.scottishreview.net/MaggieMellon205a.html
Brexit
The UK's letter triggering Article 50
Read it at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39431070
Who were the nine tribes of ancient Scotland?
Romans identified nine major tribes after arriving in what is now Scotland in AD79.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/who-wer...land-1-4254251
Principle of referendum must not over-ride everything else
Nicola Sturgeon has a responsibility to ensure that her pursuit of a referendum does not hinder efforts in key areas such as the economy and education.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...else-1-4405864
45 Commando parade through streets of Arbroath
The Freedom Parade involved around 350 personnel together with a marching band and marked 45 years of shared history between 45 Commando and Angus.
Read more at:
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news...s-of-arbroath/
Scrap £180m farm payments system, urges NFUS president
If the IT system was a tractor, it would have been returned to the dealer for a refund, said NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/business/com...dent-1-4407337
Let’s give David Davis the maximum support
We’ve finally done it.
Read more at:
http://brexitcentral.com/article-50-...ximum-support/
Electric Canadian
Chronicles of Canada
Added Volume 24: The Struggle for Political Freedom: The Family Compact.
I might add that I've found text copies of these volumes so have added a link to them on the page. I also found a page where you can get audio copies so have placed a link to these as well.
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...cles/index.htm
D. C. Beard
Author of many books on bush craft for the Boy Scouts of America. I thought I'd bring you a few of them as having found them I enjoyed them and so hope you do as well.
Added another book, "New Ideas for Work and Play - What a Girl can make or do" in which you get to read about what girls can make with hammer and saw and lots more which you can read at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/pioneering/beard/
A York Pioneer Looking Back
By E M. Morphy in which is also recorded the evils of whisky.
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/pioneering/yorkpion.pdf
Conrad Black
I've always had a lot of time for Conrad Black and so as he writes from Canada on a number of issues of interest from around the world I'm intending to include links to his writings for you to view. This week there are two articles...
An erosion of our humanity
http://www.conradmblack.com/1279/an-...f-our-humanity
Coming Back from the Health-Care Debacle
http://www.conradmblack.com/1280/com...h-care-debacle
Electric Scotland
The Forfar Directory and Year Book
A most interesting publication with lots of wee stories and articles. I have now added the 1898 edition which you can read at:http://www.electricscotland.com/history/forfar/direct/
These stories start around half way down the publication and this is a wee part of one article on "Wise sayings are worth remembering"...
WHILST thou livest. whilst it is in thy power, be good.
-
Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great.
-
Envy is destroyed by true friendship, and coquetry by true love.
-
Happiness is a good deal like butter in one respect—it goes further when spread on thin.
-
The mark of extraordinary merit is to see those most envious of it constrained to praise.
-
Give work rather than alms to the poor. The former drives out indolence, the latter industry.
-
Flattery is a fort of bad money to which our vanity gives currency.
-
It is only necessary to grow old to become more indulgent. I see no fault committed that I have not committed myself.
James Earl Hamilton Marsden
Added this good biographical summary to our Hamilton page in the Scottish Nation.
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...on/marsden.pdf
Memoirs of Sir Ewen Cameron of Locheill
With an Introductary Account of the History and Antiquities of that family and of the Neighbouring Clans.
Added a link to this book from our Cameron of Locheill page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter05.htm
An index, drawn up about the year 1629
Many records of charters, granted by the different sovereigns of Scotland between the years 1309 and 1413, most of which records have been long missing.
More for researchers as there are many pages in the old Scots language and Latin. However a scan through this book can provide you some wee gems. You can read this at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/book...dexdrawnup.pdf
Muirhead, Ian Adair
Added this Distinguished and learned minister and historian to out Significant Scots section at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...irhead_ian.htm
Memorials of Angus and Mearns
An account, historical, antiquarian, and traditionary by Andrew Jervise (1885). Added links to this 2 volume book at the foot of our Forfar page at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/forfar/
Industrial Edinburgh
A Book issued by The Edinburgh Society for the Promotion of Trade In furtherance of the Movement In favour of Developing New Industries and Extending Existing Industries In Edinburgh, Leith, and The Lothians Edited by Thos. Stephenson, F.R.S. (1921) (pdf)
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/industrial
Clan MacKenzie of Canada
Got in a copy of their December 2013 newsletter and also the one for June 2014 which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/mack...newsletter.htm
We will be getting more of these in over the coming weeks.
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Got in section 1 of the April 2017 issue which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/bnft/index.htm
The Story
A few wee stories this week...
Master and Maid.
"Have you never observed," says Sydney Smith, "what a dislike servants have to anything cheap? They hate saving their master's money. I tried this experiment with great success the other day.
Finding we consumed a great deal of soap, 1 sat down in my thinkingchair and took the soap question into consideration, and I found reason to suspect that we were using a very expensive article when a much cheaper one would serve the purpose better. I ordered half-a-dozen pounds of both sorts, but took the precaution of changing the papers on which the prices were marked before giving them into the hands of Betty.
"'Well, Betty, which soap do you find washes best?'"
'Oh, please sir, the dearest in the blue paper! It makes a lather as well again as the other.'"
'Well, Betty, you shall always have it then!'
"Thus the unsuspecting Betty saved me some pounds a year, and washed the clothes better."
How to Preserve Health
An octogenarian physician being asked how he had preserved his health so well, replied, "I live by my prescriptions; I never take them."
A Boy's Evidence.
A boy about twelve years old was an important witness in a lawsuit. One of the lawyers, after cross-questioning him severely, said: "Your father has been talking to you and telling you how to give evidence, hasn't he?"
"Yes," said the boy.
"Now," said the lawyer, "just tell us what your father told you."
"Well," said the boy, modestly, "father told me that the lawyers would try and puzzle me when I spoke, but if I would just be careful and tell the truth I could tell the same thing every time."
How Old Are You?
The age of a person and the month in which he was born may be discovered as follows:—
First you ask him to go to the other end of the room, to prevent your seeing what he is going to write. Then ask him to put down the number of the month in which he was born, and multiply it by 2, then add 5 to the sum, and multiply the latter by 50, add his age to the quotient, then deduct 365, and add 115 to the difference.
Suppose he is 49 years of age, and was born in February, the computation might stand thus:
2 x 2 = 4, + 5 = 9, x 50 = 450, + 49 = 499*. —365 = 134, + 115 = 249; the last two figures indicate the age, viz., 49, and the first figure, 2, February, the second month of the year. You simply ask the person to state the result of the calculation, and then declare that he was born in February and is forty-nine years of age.
And that's it for this week and I hope you all have a good weekend.
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com/
Electric Scotland News
Mind that next week we'll be celebrating Tartan Day and of course in New York you'll have Tartan Week. This celebration covers both Canada and the USA so do check to see what's on in your own area.
Tartan Day was first established in Canada and the model was used to get the day recognised in America. The idea was to celebrate the Canadian and Americans of Scots descent that did great work for their new countries. It was never intended to celebrate Scotland as such but the Scots have tried to claim this for themselves.
And of course momentous happenings in Britain and Scotland this week with Britain delivering the format Article 50 to the EU and Scotland voting for another independence referendum which May has said "not now".
Pretty well every poll I have seen says that the majority of Scots don't want another referendum at least until after the Brexit process has been decided.
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in newspapers such as the Guardian, Scotsman, Courier, etc. you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish.
Damning school inspection report shows change needed
A damning inspection report into schooling provision in Scotland underlines the need for radical measures to overhaul the system
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politic...eded-1-4402219
Joan McAlpine, GERS Denier
On Wednesday (22/03/2017), SNP MSP Joan McAlpine used her column in the Daily Record to attempt to cast doubt on her own Scottish Government’s GERS figures
Read more at:
http://chokkablog.blogspot.ca/2017/0...rs-denier.html
Salmond’s economist turns on Sturgeon
The former Royal Bank of Scotland boss who played a key role in the last Scottish independence referendum campaign has broken ranks with Nicola Sturgeon, warning that a separate Scotland should not join the European Union.
Read more at:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sc...118918_1549541
Dyson enormously optimistic about post-Brexit trade
Sir James Dyson has said UK business success lies beyond Europe because that is where the fastest growth lies.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-39400795
SNP government is turning on its own figures
If you thought you have been saved from an independence referendum campaign think again. As ever, truth is the first casualty.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...ures-1-4403947
Iain Duncan Smith
My personal journey to Brexit
Read more at:
http://www.conservativehome.com/thec...to-brexit.html
Ecurie Ecosse plots historic return to Le Mans
ICONIC Scots racing team Ecurie Ecosse has confirmed a 2017 return to the Le Mans circuit where they registered a brace of famous victories precisely 60 years ago.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/ecurie-...mans-1-4405723
UK government signals it will block second Scottish independence referendum until 2020s
Mundell implied that the government would not talk to the Scottish government about a referendum until, not just Brexit, but until the transitional period was over too. That would put back a referendum until into the 2020s.
Read more at:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...-politics-live
Article 50: May signs letter that will trigger Brexit
Theresa May has signed the letter that will formally begin the UK's departure from the European Union.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39422353
How the state makes a bad parent in Scotland
An open letter to the Scottish parliament.
Read more at:
http://www.scottishreview.net/MaggieMellon205a.html
Brexit
The UK's letter triggering Article 50
Read it at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39431070
Who were the nine tribes of ancient Scotland?
Romans identified nine major tribes after arriving in what is now Scotland in AD79.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/who-wer...land-1-4254251
Principle of referendum must not over-ride everything else
Nicola Sturgeon has a responsibility to ensure that her pursuit of a referendum does not hinder efforts in key areas such as the economy and education.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...else-1-4405864
45 Commando parade through streets of Arbroath
The Freedom Parade involved around 350 personnel together with a marching band and marked 45 years of shared history between 45 Commando and Angus.
Read more at:
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news...s-of-arbroath/
Scrap £180m farm payments system, urges NFUS president
If the IT system was a tractor, it would have been returned to the dealer for a refund, said NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/business/com...dent-1-4407337
Let’s give David Davis the maximum support
We’ve finally done it.
Read more at:
http://brexitcentral.com/article-50-...ximum-support/
Electric Canadian
Chronicles of Canada
Added Volume 24: The Struggle for Political Freedom: The Family Compact.
I might add that I've found text copies of these volumes so have added a link to them on the page. I also found a page where you can get audio copies so have placed a link to these as well.
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...cles/index.htm
D. C. Beard
Author of many books on bush craft for the Boy Scouts of America. I thought I'd bring you a few of them as having found them I enjoyed them and so hope you do as well.
Added another book, "New Ideas for Work and Play - What a Girl can make or do" in which you get to read about what girls can make with hammer and saw and lots more which you can read at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/pioneering/beard/
A York Pioneer Looking Back
By E M. Morphy in which is also recorded the evils of whisky.
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/pioneering/yorkpion.pdf
Conrad Black
I've always had a lot of time for Conrad Black and so as he writes from Canada on a number of issues of interest from around the world I'm intending to include links to his writings for you to view. This week there are two articles...
An erosion of our humanity
http://www.conradmblack.com/1279/an-...f-our-humanity
Coming Back from the Health-Care Debacle
http://www.conradmblack.com/1280/com...h-care-debacle
Electric Scotland
The Forfar Directory and Year Book
A most interesting publication with lots of wee stories and articles. I have now added the 1898 edition which you can read at:http://www.electricscotland.com/history/forfar/direct/
These stories start around half way down the publication and this is a wee part of one article on "Wise sayings are worth remembering"...
WHILST thou livest. whilst it is in thy power, be good.
-
Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great.
-
Envy is destroyed by true friendship, and coquetry by true love.
-
Happiness is a good deal like butter in one respect—it goes further when spread on thin.
-
The mark of extraordinary merit is to see those most envious of it constrained to praise.
-
Give work rather than alms to the poor. The former drives out indolence, the latter industry.
-
Flattery is a fort of bad money to which our vanity gives currency.
-
It is only necessary to grow old to become more indulgent. I see no fault committed that I have not committed myself.
James Earl Hamilton Marsden
Added this good biographical summary to our Hamilton page in the Scottish Nation.
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...on/marsden.pdf
Memoirs of Sir Ewen Cameron of Locheill
With an Introductary Account of the History and Antiquities of that family and of the Neighbouring Clans.
Added a link to this book from our Cameron of Locheill page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter05.htm
An index, drawn up about the year 1629
Many records of charters, granted by the different sovereigns of Scotland between the years 1309 and 1413, most of which records have been long missing.
More for researchers as there are many pages in the old Scots language and Latin. However a scan through this book can provide you some wee gems. You can read this at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/book...dexdrawnup.pdf
Muirhead, Ian Adair
Added this Distinguished and learned minister and historian to out Significant Scots section at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...irhead_ian.htm
Memorials of Angus and Mearns
An account, historical, antiquarian, and traditionary by Andrew Jervise (1885). Added links to this 2 volume book at the foot of our Forfar page at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/forfar/
Industrial Edinburgh
A Book issued by The Edinburgh Society for the Promotion of Trade In furtherance of the Movement In favour of Developing New Industries and Extending Existing Industries In Edinburgh, Leith, and The Lothians Edited by Thos. Stephenson, F.R.S. (1921) (pdf)
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/industrial
Clan MacKenzie of Canada
Got in a copy of their December 2013 newsletter and also the one for June 2014 which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/mack...newsletter.htm
We will be getting more of these in over the coming weeks.
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Got in section 1 of the April 2017 issue which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/bnft/index.htm
The Story
A few wee stories this week...
Master and Maid.
"Have you never observed," says Sydney Smith, "what a dislike servants have to anything cheap? They hate saving their master's money. I tried this experiment with great success the other day.
Finding we consumed a great deal of soap, 1 sat down in my thinkingchair and took the soap question into consideration, and I found reason to suspect that we were using a very expensive article when a much cheaper one would serve the purpose better. I ordered half-a-dozen pounds of both sorts, but took the precaution of changing the papers on which the prices were marked before giving them into the hands of Betty.
"'Well, Betty, which soap do you find washes best?'"
'Oh, please sir, the dearest in the blue paper! It makes a lather as well again as the other.'"
'Well, Betty, you shall always have it then!'
"Thus the unsuspecting Betty saved me some pounds a year, and washed the clothes better."
How to Preserve Health
An octogenarian physician being asked how he had preserved his health so well, replied, "I live by my prescriptions; I never take them."
A Boy's Evidence.
A boy about twelve years old was an important witness in a lawsuit. One of the lawyers, after cross-questioning him severely, said: "Your father has been talking to you and telling you how to give evidence, hasn't he?"
"Yes," said the boy.
"Now," said the lawyer, "just tell us what your father told you."
"Well," said the boy, modestly, "father told me that the lawyers would try and puzzle me when I spoke, but if I would just be careful and tell the truth I could tell the same thing every time."
How Old Are You?
The age of a person and the month in which he was born may be discovered as follows:—
First you ask him to go to the other end of the room, to prevent your seeing what he is going to write. Then ask him to put down the number of the month in which he was born, and multiply it by 2, then add 5 to the sum, and multiply the latter by 50, add his age to the quotient, then deduct 365, and add 115 to the difference.
Suppose he is 49 years of age, and was born in February, the computation might stand thus:
2 x 2 = 4, + 5 = 9, x 50 = 450, + 49 = 499*. —365 = 134, + 115 = 249; the last two figures indicate the age, viz., 49, and the first figure, 2, February, the second month of the year. You simply ask the person to state the result of the calculation, and then declare that he was born in February and is forty-nine years of age.
And that's it for this week and I hope you all have a good weekend.
Alastair
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