Letters
Double speak
Alex Salmond seems to present a contradiction between his words and his government’s actions.
1 commentProper grammar
Grammatical standards have slumped in the face of today’s view that it matters not how anything is said as long as it’s understood.
Banner banned
The Olympic rules say that only the flag of competing countries can be flown at Olympic venues.
Food for thought
Stephen Jardine must agree that the educational benefits of taking children to proper restaurants from an early age must not be overlooked (Comment, 26 May). Experience and habits formed early in life are the most enduring.
Beyond belief
With disbelief I watch, Alistair Darling, Labour’s last Chancellor of the Exchequer, having the gall to berate the Scots and Alex Salmond, in particular, for pulling the trigger on the starting pistol on the campaign to seek independence.
Lost opportunity
Gordon Casely (Letters, 26 May) is right to highlight the woeful inadequacy of the diesel trains used by ScotRail for long-distance journeys.
Nul points
Yet again Britain is humiliated at Eurovision. The time has come for the BBC to stop the bleat that every nation hates us and all the voting is political for that is simplistic nonsense.
Action is needed
In THE latest outrage in Syria there have been over 90 killed including 32 children in a residential area, in what can only be described as a massacre.
Yes camp fails to follow its own line
So, THE much-heralded great launch of the SNP’s Break-Up-the-UK campaign was by all accounts an amateurish flop. That appears to the verdict of your commentators, your cartoonist (26 May) and most other media comments.
Come what May
The Home Office is planning for a possible large increase in immigration from Greece and other European Union nations. (Your report 26 May).
Sound as a pound
Gerry Hassan derides “three decades of market fundamentalism across the West” (Opinion, 26 May).
Grim progress
Craig Brown’s General Assembly article (your report, 26 May) regarding the high cost of insuring churches sheds a spotlight on one of the many problems regarding buildings which generally were built using the technology and to meet the needs of around 150 years ago.
Anti-English bile shames Scotland
RE “ANTI-bigotry law fails to protect England fans” (News, 20 May). This article and the moronic comments that followed on from it should shame Scotland. I thought about joining in and asking why the majority of the comments were so anti-English but realised it would only provoke them even more.
10 commentsStunt satisfies Salmond’s ego
WE ALL know that Alex Salmond is addicted to cavorting with high profile people, whether shamelessly cosying up to Rupert Murdoch and Donald Trump, or sending unsolicited letters of support to Fred Goodwin and backing his bank’s disastrous takeover bid for ABN Amro.
9 commentsDeclawing of the Celtic Tiger
THE forthcoming referendum in the Republic of Ireland is a dreadful choice for its electorate. Faced with the possibility of a second EU/IMF bailout, unemployment at double the rate of the UK, thousands of young people emigrating every day and stuck in the same currency as Greece and Germany, you do have to wonder what on earth the good people of Ireland did to deserve the Celtic Tiger illusion that has brought all this pain.
3 commentsLamont’s contribution to debate ‘dispiriting’
JOHANN Lamont’s piece in Scotland on Sunday (Insight, 20 May) was both revealing and dispiriting. Revealing in that it illustrated her inability to approach the referendum debate with an open mind, as suggested by her reference to “a two-and-a-half-year debate on something I believe most of us have made up our minds on.” I believe it is reasonable to expect our political leaders to set aside preconceived party positions and engage constructively and respectfully in a debate about the most important decision the Scottish people will ever be asked to take. My own emotional tendency at present would be to vote “yes” in the referendum, but I recognise that my head may rule my heart when all of the hard facts have been debated. Ms Lamont’s rather Old Labour tone is unhelpful.
3 commentsNuclear is most efficient energy
POLLY Higgins (Spectrum, 20 May) is on thin ice in calling for an international tribunal on crimes against the environment. She simultaneously enthuses that in Scotland “there has been a commitment not to advance with nuclear” and that “government has committed to reducing carbon emissions”. Such confusion is unfortunately typical of the increasingly vocal but technically naïve views of mainstream environmental thinkers.
11 commentsFood for thought in dairy facts
IN HIS latest restaurant review, Richard Bath comments about his starter, which consisted of beetroot, cheese filling and pine nuts, that it was “so healthy it made me feel virtuous” (Spectrum, 6 May).
Simple way to reduce fuel bills
THE media coverage resulting from last week’s draft Energy Bill, announced by energy minister Ed Davey on Tuesday, was predictable. It focused on the need to “keep the UK’s lights on”, as if the Winter of Discontent of yore would become a permanent feature as we travel further into the 21st century.
2 comments‘Brainwashing’ over renewables
I HAVE just had sight of a free “Onshore Wind Energy Seminar Series” designed exclusively for local authority planners, councillors and representatives from statutory agencies and local interest groups.
2 commentsLetters:
SOME council tax payers may be unhappy with councillors and officials being issued with free Apple iPads as reported in the News (May 22).
Letter: Minority report
THIS week Edinburgh saw the annual assembly of the Church of Scotland.
4 commentsLetter: Hunger genes
TO ADD to Katie Grant’s points on obesity in Scotland (Perspective, 25 May), the 1970s probably marked the first time that everyone in Britain had enough to eat. Food shortages were widespread during the Second World War, and rationing continued into the mid-1950s.
3 commentsLetter: Grand parents
AS JOHN Deighan, of the Catholic Parliamentary Office, wrote (Letters, 25 May) “there is a concern for children when the relationship of their mother and father has broken down”.
11 commentsLetter: Blind justice
Brian Wilson’s robust defence of the Scottish legal system in the context of the Lockerbie verdict (Perspective, 23 May) reflects a heady mixture of novel, curious and ultimately untenable theories as to why the verdict is “unassailable”:
3 commentsLetters: Broken English
ANNE Hamilton (Letters, 24 May) bemoans the fact that doors remain closed to young people “who can only express themselves in their mother tongue”.
3 commentsLetter: Wrong target
THE Scottish Government is in real danger of forcing wide-ranging and unnecessary legislation on low-powered airguns on law-abiding shooters due to the criminal actions of one individual (your report, 25 May).
1 commentLetter: Theatrical exit
So Vicky Featherstone has quit the National Theatre of Scotland to go to the Royal Court.
Letter: Diesel challenge
BURIED in paragraph 106 of this week’s long-awaited report by the Scottish Parliament infrastructure and capital investment committee into Scotland’s railways there is this information: “Passengers’ View Scotland noted that ScotRail had long accepted that diesel multiple units were not suitable for longer journeys, but that nothing had yet been done to resolve the problem.”
1 commentLetter: Union Flag blues
PLEASE could someone explain what would happen to the Union Flag if Scotland votes in favour of independence? I think the blue and white of the Saltire would be sadly missed.
5 commentsLetters: ‘Dinosaur’ policy disregards real issues
THE ongoing debate about the pros and cons of Scottish independence continues, as the Scottish Government officially launches its referendum campaign.
3 comments
Letters: Let’s Guarantee no repeat of history for young people
THE Evening News is to be congratulated for giving such prominence to the blight of unemployment among young people (May 23). We have been here before.
9 commentsSocial justice
Where does David Cameron find the evidence that, according to the European Commission, a financial transaction tax (FTT) would cost “hundreds of thousands of jobs”, that “you end up putting up the costs of people’s insurance policies, putting up the cost of people’s pension policies, and actually driving all that activity offshore”, and that “it as a good way of taking a lot of tax out of the UK and spending it in Europe”?
4 commentsEurope’s folly
It WAS heartening to read your thoughtful editorial on Greek membership of the euro (24 May). However, I am very doubtful that disaster will be avoided.
3 commentsTeaching targets
In his evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s education committee, Brian McAlinden expressed the view that putting teachers on five-year contracts would improve their performance (your report, 24 May).
6 commentsLost school days
One person who would probably agree with Arnold Clark’s negative assessment of the suitability of Scottish youngsters for employment might be Frank Field, MP.
1 commentStalker justice
Whenever I hear about a court taking seriously a stalking case (your report, 24 May), I breathe a sigh of relief.
Future of defence
While I have the highest respect for Professor Trevor Salmon, his argument that an independent Scotland would somehow be excluded from selling arms to Nato countries cuts little ice (your report, 23 May).
3 commentsJoined-up thought
While agreeing with much of what Dr Mary Brown says in relation to the importance of correct grammar (Letters, 24 May) and acknowledging her enthusiasm for promoting it, I think her suggestion that “and” is a preposition is surely wrong.
12 commentsBeauty parade
I was disappointed with the lack of clarity in your business section (23 May). In your very informative article on equity purchase in Formula 1, it was not made clear whether the attractive young lady with the plunging neck-line in the accompanying photograph was a driver, a mechanic or a team executive.
3 commentsSame-sex parents
Tim Hopkins (Letters, 23 May) is rather selective in his advocacy of same-sex parenting. The notion that the lack of a father or mother makes no difference to a child is a view held by very few people in our society.
29 commentsDon’t back Baku
As the great British public sits down to “enjoy” this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, Azerbaijan, and cheer on Englebert Humperdink singing Love Will Set You Free, I would ask that they contemplate those citizens in Azerbaijan who have not, and are not likely to be, “set free”. These are those who have been illegally imprisoned, attacked, harassed or threatened by the Azerbaijani authorities.
Independence campaign will be flawed
The SNP will today launch its campaign to create a new entity within the European Union. To some, it will herald a campaign to restore ancient rights to Scotland and, to others, it will signal the beginning of a fight to retain the Union that has enriched Scotland and the rest of Britain, both financially and culturally.
12 comments
Letters: Lower the kerbs and raise mobility for scooter users
Having been recently reduced to getting out and about Edinburgh via an electric powered mobility scooter (through bad health and old age), I see the world in an entirely different light.
1 commentPayday loan laws
The Kirk is calling for greater regulation of payday loans and the interest rates they charge (your report, 22 May). It echoes a call by Dame Anne Begg MP to the Westminster government. Why do both find there is “little political appetite” for putting a cap on interest rates?
1 commentHome-grown hit
In view of Scotland’s outstanding literary heritage, it was sad not to see a Scottish author included in our country’s list of top ten novels (your report, 22 May). However, let us take heart as others in the UK are eager to celebrate Scottish fiction: the UK list includes The Wind in the Willows. Kenneth Grahame’s story may seem very English in content, but let’s remember that he was a Scottish author, born in our capital city.
1 commentSpelling it out
Totes respect 2 Emma Cowing for dumping her boyfriend who couldn’t spell (Perspective, 23 May). Recently I was in a branch of a well-known bookshop where I spotted an obvious grammatical error in a notice. When I pointed it out to a member of staff he said it must be correct as “I done English at uni.”
8 commentsNato’s not for independent Scotland
As A campaigning party the SNP has always had to rely on winning votes with broad populist statements.
6 commentsWorkplace crisis
What a damning, if not frightening, indictment by the Arnold Clark car dealership group (your report, 22 May) that after interviewing more than 2,200 young people for its apprenticeship scheme, more than 80 per cent were deemed to be unsuitable for employment, not just as apprentices, but for “employment of any kind”.
1 comment- Scottish independence: I don’t want ‘separatism’ says Sir Tom Farmer
- Craig Levein insists Scotland will recover from US thrashing
- USA 5 - 1 Scotland: Donovan grabs hattrick as Scots routed in Florida
- Rangers administration: End game nears for fallen icon
- Rangers administration: Duff & Phelps ‘hopeful’ that Taxman will agree to CVA
- Scottish independence: I don’t want ‘separatism’ says Sir Tom Farmer
- Scottish independence: Labour voters ‘will deliver independence’
- Rangers administration: End game nears for fallen icon
- Leaders: Blurred vision on independence
- Rangers administration: Duff & Phelps ‘hopeful’ that Taxman will agree to CVA
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Weather for Edinburgh
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
