Letters
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.
5 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.
7 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.
2 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.
3 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 commentsLetter: Cost-cutting can create Scots jobs
FREELANCERS are helping to create more local jobs, not take them away as suggested in “Website boss dismisses ‘threat’ to jobs” (Business, 13 May).
Letter: Further theories on cuckoo decline
IT MUST be a source of great satisfaction that we now know the destination of the Norfolk cuckoo in the northern winter, and indeed the routes taken to get there from Norfolk (News, 6 May). (In my latest book, Walter’s Wiggles: The Random Thoughts Of A Random Traveller, there is some useful speculation as to why the five known routes should differ.)
Letter: Fighting child refugees’ corner
IN ANNA Burnside’s otherwise insightful and sensitively written piece in Spectrum magazine, titled Gimme Shelter (6 May), it was not made clear that the Scottish Guardianship Service was conceived, developed and is run by the Scottish Refugee Council. We deliver the service in partnership with Aberlour Child Care Trust.
Letter: Alex Salmond has ego to be proud of
A CHALLENGE for Alexander McKay (Debate, 6 May): name any UK political leader more popular and successful than Alex Salmond. He talks of Salmond’s “ego” as if he should be ashamed of it. My dictionary defines it as “personal pride”.
15 commentsLetter: Historic record of Hibernian is on the move
PAUL Forsyth’s excellent piece “Derby Pioneers” (Sport, 13 May) doesn’t tell the whole story of the origins of Hibs.
Letter: Lords cash has a lot to answer for
SCOTLAND’S Labour boss Johann Lamont says “No one in Labour has a job for life” (News, 6 May). Presumably this includes those in the House of Lords? Therefore can we expect no more golden goodbyes for those often found wanting in the lower house or, worse, rejected by the electorate?
1 commentBubble bursting
ONCE again the bizarre Nationalist dream scenario writing of Duncan Hamilton leaves me perplexed (Insight, 6 May). I thought the point of having a party insider was to highlight differences inside a party to advance democratic debate – not just cross his fingers and hope for independence. But even if that is the point of his column, could he not get his facts right? Mr Brown was not prime minister in May 2007.
1 commentA yawning gap in information
THERE are many articles in Scotland on Sunday that feature a high standard of journalism; but it is most disappointing when there appears one decidedly the opposite. I refer to one titled ‘Why boredom at work is bad for your health’ (Appointments, 6 May). The disturbing part of it is not so much the content but the particular illustration chosen. It is that of an old photograph of former moderators and elders present at a General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Bloated sector
ASIDE of the apathy that surrounded the council elections was the reminder of the sheer number and duplication of local authorities. For a country of five million to have 32 separate bodies is typical of the bloated public sector in Scotland. The case for Ayrshire and Lothians to have three each, Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire to have two and the anachronism of tiny Moray and Clackmannanshire to have their own among others is all ripe for consolidation.
Scales unfairly tipped for many law graduates
IT WAS encouraging to see Scotland on Sunday (News, 6 May) cover the problems faced by graduates wanting to become lawyers in obtaining the required traineeship with a law firm.
Couples deserve a real choice
I TOO wondered if the Scotsman Publications have a humanist agenda following the Scotland on Sunday article (News, 29 April) advertising the weddings business branch of the Humanists Scotland. It was good to see you printing the pastor’s letter (Debate, 6 May), speaking for one of the other types of faith weddings currently on offer in Scotland.
Salmond’s ego is a fatal weakness
SINCE coming to office the First Minister has effortlessly dominated First Minister’s Questions. Lately, however, the invincible bubble seems to be bursting. His arguments justifying his relationship with two rich and powerful men are, to say the least, unconvincing.
12 commentsWe deserve both sides of debate
RARELY have I been so disappointed in your editorial stance as last week’s decision to give front-page billing to yet another weary, baseless and ultimately ludicrous anti-independence scare story (‘Independent Scotland a terror risk’, 29 April). On current form, Scotland is headed for a media-led crisis of national confidence so acute that, come autumn 2014, it will be a miracle if we have the courage to emerge from beneath our duvets, let alone vote for independence.
3 commentsWind power poll raises suspicions
THE poll in Scotland on Sunday (22 April) asked one simple question: “Do you agree with Donald Trump that wind farms are a blot on the Scottish landscape?” The result was, Yes 83 per cent, No 17 per cent.
19 commentsChristian services offer personal touch too
ONE wonders if the Scotsman publications have an agenda to promote humanist activities. Every three to six months one or more of the Scotsman’s publications has a half to whole page article on how dramatically humanist weddings, funerals, etc, are growing; this especially in relation to the supposed decline in religious weddings and funerals.
3 commentsEssential role in future NHS care
SCOTLAND on Sunday featured a story about how the contraceptive pill was now available without prescription in an innovative scheme in an Aberdeen pharmacy (News, 29 April). This is not the case. The service on offer in Aberdeen has been run in a small number of pharmacies across Scotland by pharmacists who have qualified as prescribers and who work in partnership with family planning clinics. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society supports such innovations. Pharmacists are ideally positioned to provide contraceptive services and we hope it becomes more widely available across Scotland.
1 commentValuable history lesson for Tories
THE report in Scotland on Sunday of Scottish Office Minister David Mundell may well hold the key to the Conservative Party’s demise here in Scotland (News, 15 April). Essentially he was saying that Scotland needed Westminster to trade successfully abroad.
9 commentsJoint Strike Fighter falls behind the times
IN THEIR article (Insight, 22 April) David Maddox and Tom Peterkin merely scratch the surface of the impending financial disaster that is the Joint Strike Fighter JSF 35. Already far more over budget than the Nimrods and behind schedule, its rising cost means that customer nations are slashing their order numbers, which means the development cost is being spread across fewer aircraft. As a “Tier 1” partner, Westminster is in this fiasco to the tune of around £2.5 billion for research and development, which means, allowing the usual proportion, Scottish taxpayers are contributing around £250 million to an aircraft which could be obsolete before it enters service.
1 commentPylon problems need research
YOUR item on the success of Dow Waste Management was both interesting and infuriating (Business, 22 April). It is wonderful that a company in Scotland has managed to produce fuel from waste such as can be sent to power stations in Europe. But is it not ridiculous that our government has apparently taken no notice of this home-grown fuel, which also helps dispose of waste. Instead, the government is wasting millions on windmills which are a very poor means of generating mainstream electricity.
9 commentsCharge Europe for Qatada costs
GERALD Warner is losing his bite: time was when he would have mercilessly disembowelled our spineless politicians for reducing our nation to an impotent sideshow (“Qatada carry-on shows Britain’s finished as a sovereign nation”, Insight, 22 April).
4 commentsWatch the birdie – and the figures
I WAS delighted to see such positive coverage of our innovative woodcock research in Scotland on Sunday (“Woodcock satnav on Speedy’s tail” News, 25 March).
Miscarriage support available
I REFER to your article “Miscarriage support set for online switch” (News, 15 March).
1 comment- Family mourn death of Glasgow ‘fight’ schoolboy
- Rangers takeover: Duff & Phelps threaten legal action against BBC
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Rangers administration: Fans fear Duff & Phelps claims could scare off Green
- Rangers takeover: triple penalty punishment enough, says Johnston
- Alistair Darling leads ‘No to independence’ fight over tea and biscuits
- Scottish independence: SNP flip-flops over Nato
- Scottish Independence: SNP ‘won’t be Yes campaign’s only voice’
- Scottish independence: Alex Salmond’s pledge to sign up 1m voters
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
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Weather for Edinburgh
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
