tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86320883952992922832024-02-01T22:30:00.745-08:00forviemediaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-11770045335980787932018-05-10T01:08:00.000-07:002018-05-10T01:08:01.389-07:00Clochemerle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Clochemerle</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> is a farcical novel by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Chevallier" title="Gabriel Chevallier"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;">Gabriel
Chevallier</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, first published </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1934_in_literature" title="1934 in literature"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;">in 1934</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> and set in a
secluded French village called Clochemerle, situated in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaujolais_(province)" title="Beaujolais (province)"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;">Beaujolais</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> region.
It satirises the conflicts between Catholics and Republicans in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Third_Republic" title="French Third Republic"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;">French Third
Republic</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, telling the story of the installation of a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urinal" title="Urinal"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;">urinal</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> in the village square.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The characters are harmlessly
hypocritical and one-dimensional caricatures, motivated by avarice, hatred,
revenge, bitterness, devotions, sexism and other powerful emotions: the first two
villagers introduced are typical - a scheming Mayor </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Barthélemy </span><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Piechut and the schoolmaster Ernest Tafardel, a child of the French
Revolution, who spend the first chapter discussing the urinal and its proposed site
at the top of a blind alley by the church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The novel catalogues a series of disasters that befall this village during 1923. The storyline is a</span><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">vehicle
for Chevalier to display his characters’ thoughts. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The pissoir is opened to the
public and there is a steady stream of visitors, but it becomes a hang-out for local
teenagers who lark about there. </span><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> jealous and bitter old maid </span><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">- </span><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: #666666; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Justine Putet, an energetic user of rosaries - </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">agitates
against the urinal</span><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.
W</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">henever something
bad happens, such as when a girl gets pregnant, Putet’s the first to blame the
corrupting influence of the urinal</span><span style="color: #333333;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">Clochemerle</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
becomes divided into Urinophobes and Urinophiles. There’s a fight in the
church, troops are summoned, folk get injured and a freak storm ruins the grape
harvest, the crop which all in the town depend on for their livelihoods. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The work has been translated in various editions and
adapted into film and television series, notably </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clochemerle_(TV_series)" title="Clochemerle (TV series)"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;">by the BBC in
1972</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> when </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">it was scripted by Galton & Simpson,
most famous in the UK for writing Hancock’s
Half Hour and Steptoe
and Son. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> The series was narrated by</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Peter
Ustinov, and starred Cyril Cusack (Mayor Piéchut), Kenneth Griffith (Tafardel),
Roy Dotrice (Curé Ponosse), Wendy Hiller (Justine Putet)), Catherine Rouvel
(Judith Toumignon), Cyd Hayman (Adèle Torbayon), Micheline Presle (Baronesse
Courtebiche), James Wardroper (Claudius Brodequin), Bernard Bresslaw
(Nicholas), Nigel Green (Captain Tardinaux) and Dennis Price (Alexis Luvelat).</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9c1lZ6ONlE">Letopfilms 1 hour 36 minutes</a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-35740703566634591492018-05-10T00:56:00.003-07:002018-05-10T00:56:46.101-07:00Commoners Choir<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.commonerschoir.com/gigs.php" title="gigs"><span style="color: #e61717; font-family: "IM Fell English SC","serif"; letter-spacing: 1.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase; text-underline: none;">GIGS</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.commonerschoir.com/manifesto.php" title="MANIFESTO"><span style="color: #e61717; font-family: "IM Fell English SC","serif"; letter-spacing: 1.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase; text-underline: none;">MANIFESTO</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Commoners Choir is dedicated to singing about the world
around us, its inequalities and injustices, and - with in 4-part vocal harmony
- opposition to such injustices. Commoners Choir reclaims the fun of making a
big noise together without lugging round a van full of instruments and
amplifiers. Based in West Yorkshire, the choir gathers and sings wherever it
seems fitting.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=ysrMFS0ODaE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=ysrMFS0ODaE</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTnG8YIf940">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTnG8YIf940</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.commonerschoir.com/">http://www.commonerschoir.com</a></div>
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<u>Related/research/of interest<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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<a href="http://www.gallowaygazette.co.uk/whats-on/rich-musical-mix-at-book-festival-1-4559451">http://www.gallowaygazette.co.uk/whats-on/rich-musical-mix-at-book-festival-1-4559451</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/30/tory-delegates-to-party-conference-targeted-by-fascists">https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/30/tory-delegates-to-party-conference-targeted-by-fascists</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/commonerschoir/"><span style="font-family: "Dosis","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">https://www.facebook.com/commonerschoir/</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Dosis","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/01/chumbawamba-radical-choir-commoners-political-activism">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/01/chumbawamba-radical-choir-commoners-political-activism</a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-4988085076096274712017-11-22T20:17:00.001-08:002017-11-22T20:17:52.670-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Billy MacKenzie: '</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Voice of an angel'</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Billy </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">MacKenzie (27th March 1957 – 22nd January
1997) was a singer best known as a founder member of The Associates, the band
he formed in Dundee with guitarist Alan Rankine. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Given
his prodigious multi-octave range, once heard, it was impossible to forget the Scottish
vocalist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The
band experimented with unorthodox instrumentation and recording techniques,
including sounds amplified through the tube of a vacuum cleaner on the track
"Kitchen Person" in 1981. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">"Party
Fears Two", "Club Country" and "18 Carat Love Affair"
remain some of the most distinctive singles to come out of Britain in the early
Eighties. The band experimented with unorthodox instrumentation and recording
techniques, including sounds amplified through the tube of a vacuum cleaner on
the track "Kitchen Person" in 1981. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Artists
who have covered "Party Fears Two" include the Divine Comedy, Dan Bryk,
King Creosote and Heaven 17. The Associates released their most commercially
successful album, Sulk, in 1982. Martha Ladly of Martha and the Muffins
contributed backing vocals and keyboards.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGtw9_XeIss">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGtw9_XeIss</a>] ’Party Fears Two’ from 1982 on
Top of the Pops. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKGILVilIlI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKGILVilIlI</a> Dundee repertory theatre's
trailer for 'Balgay Hill', a play based on a biography of Billy, 'The Glamour
Chase' by Tom Doyle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BypoD0PprNA]" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Billy interviewed on the Tube</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.billymackenzie.com/rcinterview.htm">http://www.billymackenzie.com/rcinterview.htm</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">In July1994 Billy
gave one of his last formal interviews. Gilbert Blecken asked the questions</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-41644350376794043262017-10-23T04:18:00.000-07:002017-10-23T04:19:04.854-07:00Public Service Broadcasting: 'They gave me a lamp'<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXP3NP_-0_cEmeW4efdzFoGYiKmKh7Ak5jL_2nOiXcxps0MFfl7dvY-mGVohKj6ikG2v-1MnsSvoNHLqDOHvL2AhyphenhyphentdoaNcpA7Kfah62cVlSlzJPl0RyuICzjkfVyCXhByxrkYsbg7-w/s1600/PSB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXP3NP_-0_cEmeW4efdzFoGYiKmKh7Ak5jL_2nOiXcxps0MFfl7dvY-mGVohKj6ikG2v-1MnsSvoNHLqDOHvL2AhyphenhyphentdoaNcpA7Kfah62cVlSlzJPl0RyuICzjkfVyCXhByxrkYsbg7-w/s640/PSB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/events/true-north-public-service-broadcasting">http://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/events/true-north-public-service-broadcasting</a> Aberdeen Performing Arts presented Public
Service Broadcasting and other acts performing at True North, a music festival
that took place between 7th-10th September in venues across Aberdeen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">______________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://publicservicebroadcasting.net/">http://publicservicebroadcasting.net</a> Public Service Broadcasting website<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PUBLICSERVICEBROADCASTING">https://www.facebook.com/PUBLICSERVICEBROADCASTING</a> Public Service Broadcasting on Facebook<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/PSB_HQ">https://twitter.com/PSB_HQ</a> Tweet <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/psb_hq">https://www.instagram.com/psb_hq</a> Instagram<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Public Service
Broadcasting (PSB) is the corduroy-clad brainchild of London-based J.
Willgoose. Entertaining, Informative and educational, PSB’s spell-binding live
transmissions see them weave samples from old public information films, archive
footage and propaganda material around live drums, guitar, banjo and
electronics: they beam our past back at us through vintage TV sets and
state-of-the-art video projection devices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">After two years up in the
stratosphere with the hugely successful ‘The Race for Space’, tracks from which
featured frequently on the playlist for their Aberdeen performance in His
Majesty's Theatre (HMT), PSB are returning to Earth. On their new album 'Every
Valley', we are taken on a journey down the mineshafts of the South Wales
valleys. Although 'Every Valley' is the story of just one industry, the tales
of a disenfranchised working class in this age of agitation and turmoil could
not be more relevant. Although the concept is localised and historical,
Willgoose hopes the story is "applicable to industries all over the
western world and possibly beyond, in the way that the Industrial Revolution generated
these communities that were so dependent on one particular industry. What
happens to that community when you remove that industry from it? Where does
that leave us now?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I felt that the noise
level in HMT was oppressive; the lack of leg-room, the heat and dry ice made
the gig a rather uncomfortable experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2LM2JBiJC_TDPRo3cJ4xLUiBe-I1GOzApOosXPQpbfkJ_TLv-GmVtUo6TGIwvcka4h3B0tFwAA283i-hh0N2nlbRtrJdDDWiAyVSyzRAtOPk90C5pgFQdLcR5c92lE9_FxcEohe-Ba4/s1600/Public+Service+Broadcasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="766" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2LM2JBiJC_TDPRo3cJ4xLUiBe-I1GOzApOosXPQpbfkJ_TLv-GmVtUo6TGIwvcka4h3B0tFwAA283i-hh0N2nlbRtrJdDDWiAyVSyzRAtOPk90C5pgFQdLcR5c92lE9_FxcEohe-Ba4/s640/Public+Service+Broadcasting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">'Every Valley' was the top
selling album in indie record stores in July.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://aberdeenvoice.com/2017/09/directions-point-true-north-review">https://aberdeenvoice.com/2017/09/directions-point-true-north-review</a> All Directions Point To True North – reviews
and photography by Craig Chisholm in Aberdeen Voice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/psbhq">https://soundcloud.com/psbhq</a> Soundcloud<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWvK7Uffmts">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWvK7Uffmts</a> YouTube; 'They gave me a lamp'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-47100296898373175482017-08-28T06:06:00.000-07:002017-08-28T06:06:03.322-07:00Cooking the Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">400 years of food and drink.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">‘Lifting the Lid’, a new touring display from the National Library of
Scotland, opened on June 5th 2017 at the Sir Duncan Rice Library in Old Aberdeen (pictured below). This free display runs until August 20th and tells the story of
food and drink in Scotland. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Discover how the introduction of new ingredients and methods of cooking
have changed and developed our tastes over the years. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Scotland has a diverse natural larder with plentiful supplies of fish,
game, cereals and fruit. This display celebrates Scotland’s changing
relationship with food and drink and explores the myths and traditions
associated with its people's diet.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15pt;">Subjects include "Desserts & Baking", "Fish & Shellfish", "Oatmeal & Bread", "Soups & Broths", "Jams & Preserves",</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15pt;"> "Quaking pudding", "C</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15pt;">akes shaped and decorated to look like a piece of fruit, and</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15pt;"> "Entremets pie"</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15pt;">. There's an activity cart and games to have a go at, and a film reel featuring a menu of foodie films from the Scottish Screen Archive.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Accompanying 'Lifting the Lid' is 'Cooking the Books', a University of
Aberdeen exhibition showcasing a selection of cookery books and food-related
pamphlets from the Special Collections.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15pt;"><a href="https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/events/11641">https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/events/11641</a></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Modern recipe books regularly top the non-fiction bestseller lists.
Their authors, the celebrity chefs, are household names.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">This exhibition showcases a selection of cookery books and food-related
pamphlets from the University of Aberdeen's Special Collections. They date
mainly from the 1800s, when a fashion and a passion for food was fed by the
dramatic increase in book publishing. The names of the cooks may not be
familiar, but their books sold like hot cakes.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">On a summer menu are starters of acorn bread and viper broth, and main
courses of ragooed larks and venison pasty. There are
showstoppers by Joseph Bell, Royal Confectioner, and the truth behind the
blackbirds baked into a pie.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Some curious items include the designs for a
pressure cooker from 1681; the first printed recipe for the potato crisp; and a
miniature cookbook containing over 800 pages of pies, jellies and puddings. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">There are cautionary tales too, not just if you're a lark or a blackbird. The sad demise of the lady who ate poisonous
pickles is recounted by Fredrick Accum, and Launcelot Sturgeon considers the
consequences of an irresistible sauce.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">'Cooking the Books' invites visitors to try more of the Rowett
Institute’s nutritional reinventions of classic Scottish dishes such as Clootie
dumpling, Rumbledethumps and Cullen Skink. The exhibition</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15pt;"> pays homage to Aberdeen’s signature bake, the rowie, our buttery. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><a href="https://lenathehyena.wordpress.com/category/aberdeen-city-council">https://lenathehyena.wordpress.com/category/aberdeen-city-council</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">'Threat
to Aberdeen’s morning delicacy' ran a headline in the local press on 27th
August 1917. Rowie post on Lena's blog.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-6061804690184098942017-06-23T08:07:00.001-07:002017-06-23T08:07:35.696-07:00Combs and Crombie coats - two success stories from Aberdeen's industrial past<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eSkL_Kg-oxDcRsD4sstEwgz8yKfM6kbAI3JkIapo86nC5tvd9eH6fWH2azE1cziuU9_ENi3rUrg7mHenBIQZDnW5GlWWodQUE7ixZpaFuAapWYZFzkdDUQaXlKZAtuYIbLceJPfssuY/s1600/comb+works.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eSkL_Kg-oxDcRsD4sstEwgz8yKfM6kbAI3JkIapo86nC5tvd9eH6fWH2azE1cziuU9_ENi3rUrg7mHenBIQZDnW5GlWWodQUE7ixZpaFuAapWYZFzkdDUQaXlKZAtuYIbLceJPfssuY/s640/comb+works.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Tourism
and energy are the mainstays of North-East Scotland's business life; fishing
and farming remain important industries. There have been many others.
Established in 1136 at the Dee's mouth, Aberdeen harbour is the longest
existing business in Britain. The Shore Porters Society was set up in 1498, six
years after Columbus discovered America. Our quarries earned export income and
provided the stone for Granite City's monuments, bridges and buildings. Closed
since 1971, Rubislaw Quarry was once the largest man-made hole in Europe.
Marischal College is the world's second largest granite building after Madrid's
El Escorial Palace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Ship-building
and textiles were prominent industries - I can recall the sound of hooters and
the sight of workers as they poured from Hall Russell’s York Place shipyard,
and Richards linen and jute manufactory at the Broadford Works on Maberley
Street, once the city's largest single employer. Both are now closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This
short article concentrates on the Comb Works and the manufacture of Crombie
coats, two stories from Aberdeen's industrial past. I've lumped them together
not only because it makes for a good alliterative title, but also because the
conflation reveals some similarities with the history and success of both
industries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The
production of combs in Aberdeen was introduced in 1788, the year of Byron's
birth. John Stewart scaled up Aberdeen Comb Works on Hutcheon Street from 1830,
growing the business through the use of new steam-powered machinery. By 1851
the works was the largest comb factory in the UK, possibly in the world. For a
tortoise shell effect, some combs had to be hand-made. 730,000 ox horns, four
million hooves, sea-tortoise shell, wood, whalebone and ivory were imported
through Aberdeen docks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1UfN_6IE43-avax4OEBMKaog1MWpGeZDS-Nb2mmBCVGtl9EhVwwnhv5ye9ixgOXGVvVLUhc8RHWYCPGHWffFQG-iYSJWqVb3aJDuJmLwlbGIpNDzJthIzg9Aqc8KzxokkjCyINZi9UE/s1600/Crombie+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1UfN_6IE43-avax4OEBMKaog1MWpGeZDS-Nb2mmBCVGtl9EhVwwnhv5ye9ixgOXGVvVLUhc8RHWYCPGHWffFQG-iYSJWqVb3aJDuJmLwlbGIpNDzJthIzg9Aqc8KzxokkjCyINZi9UE/s640/Crombie+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As the
Comb Works flourished, the seeds were being sown for high-quality woollen
production beside Aberdeen's other river, the Don. Weaver John Crombie had
taken over Cothal Mills at Fintray in 1805, the year of the Battle of
Trafalgar. A waterfall saved him the expense of steam-driven machinery: the
locals donated piss and blood which made a good scouring mixture for the
material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU84VHQM7Vn-VBF4BZ2jWtgf09qSqVAsy13hHMwHK1AVRLJZDZOEkN9B_owgwjCZ5Ipqv-t4zOrY-68NQh9mIC4mxxGBMMk8u5GHcPewIW8tSEWW0O8hoBx9m2M1FjoZ_XRqEMAmPmUmE/s1600/Crombie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU84VHQM7Vn-VBF4BZ2jWtgf09qSqVAsy13hHMwHK1AVRLJZDZOEkN9B_owgwjCZ5Ipqv-t4zOrY-68NQh9mIC4mxxGBMMk8u5GHcPewIW8tSEWW0O8hoBx9m2M1FjoZ_XRqEMAmPmUmE/s200/Crombie+2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">In 1859 J & J Crombie moved to Grandholm Mill, where the waterwheel was the largest in the world. Over the years the firm produced uniforms and coats. An early example of cool branding, spies, tsars and mods adopted the Crombie coat.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGD_q0o4L8v7B-soB7o_r5I8yXFnJT9DaTsK_40LA50kOIsVrxWiETtlbA0nM1XVvr8SmVNTsoextZ7a4OBBO0tEJEiQi8frpzFXQB06SqrHhFACeWK0_Mx4rLO8EM78P9oktiCWBbsw/s1600/Crombie+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1600" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGD_q0o4L8v7B-soB7o_r5I8yXFnJT9DaTsK_40LA50kOIsVrxWiETtlbA0nM1XVvr8SmVNTsoextZ7a4OBBO0tEJEiQi8frpzFXQB06SqrHhFACeWK0_Mx4rLO8EM78P9oktiCWBbsw/s200/Crombie+1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Devotees of note include Sir Thomas Glover, Cary Grant, the Beatles, Mikhail Gorbachev, John F Kennedy and Doctor Who. </span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The founding family sold its interest in the company in 1928. Grandholm Mill closed in 1990. The building is now in business and residential use, and houses a fusion restaurant, the Spice Mill.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Reader Sue Edwards recalls a visit to Grandholm Mill in the 1970's. She was given two bottles of spinning oil for her handspinning; she suspects that it was whale oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Related/of
interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="http://collieston.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/place-names-pronunciations-weird-rude.html">http://collieston.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/place-names-pronunciations-weird-rude.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Street
names in Aberdeen reflect past trading - commodities, artisans and
countries. Candlemakers' Lane, Wrights'
and Coopers' Place, Cotton Street, Flourmill Lane, Virginia Street, Baltic
Place, Jamaica Street and Patagonia Court spring to mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="https://lenathehyena.wordpress.com/2017/04/28">https://lenathehyena.wordpress.com/2017/04/28</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> “Up Fittie, down with the Hun” - xenophobia
and trade. Post-war trawling and granite. This article by Textor guesting on
lenathehyena's blog describes fishing riots in Aberdeen and workers' unrest
within the granite industry during the 1920s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.katesteenhauer.com/section590165.html">http://www.katesteenhauer.com/section590165.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Darg and
drams is the culmination of Kate Steenhauer's artistic explorations at the
shipyards, heliport and hangars of Aberdeen, the Oil Capital of Europe, where
workers grump and joke in muted tones at 'red-eye time'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">In the
barns where whisky casks are made; a trade associated with traditional skills
and craftsmanship. At Knockando Woolmill where woollen textiles are created on
Victorian machinery. In Thainstone Mart, where the ringmaster auctions
livestock by circling them before a captive audience. In the pubs where music
carries the locals into the early hours after a long week of grafting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-11154218256769838212017-05-08T07:50:00.003-07:002017-05-08T07:50:36.329-07:00The Crucible<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhnuqTIpij4cpTQpF0Y_e3X7WJBYa-uPDyhlf0CXMbjEn94p4csfUpxC-wD9vZD8virDb1ZpbTWsujRcmKnWLQA4fWtEw35f0ek1oCECV7QVQay5NYEdefYilDUaXyfHcLGHE38z8D3o/s1600/HMT+The+Crucible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhnuqTIpij4cpTQpF0Y_e3X7WJBYa-uPDyhlf0CXMbjEn94p4csfUpxC-wD9vZD8virDb1ZpbTWsujRcmKnWLQA4fWtEw35f0ek1oCECV7QVQay5NYEdefYilDUaXyfHcLGHE38z8D3o/s320/HMT+The+Crucible.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1692,
when a group of young girls are discovered dancing in the woods trying to stoke
up spirits, the God-fearing people of a small New England town are told that
the Devil and witchcraft is in their midst and must be rooted out at all costs.
The town is quickly caught up in an unstoppable flow of paranoia, indictment
and manipulation as personal grievances collide with lust and superstition,
creating a crucible where no person is safe from their suspicious neighbours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Crucible serves as a stark, chilling reminder of the frailty of reason in
the face of hysteria and the terrifying power of false accusations. The play is
a scorching indictment of fanaticism, a powerful central work of American
drama.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.selladoor.com/productions/the-crucible The Crucible by Arthur Miller: Selladoor Worldwide
Productions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tekgKN_6HIY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tekgKN_6HIY</a> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">YouTube clip</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ARTHUR
MIlLLER was born in Harlem, New York on the 17th October 1915 to parents of
Jewish and Polish heritage. His father owned a successful coat manufacturing
business but the family lost almost everything in the Wall Street Crash of 1929
and had to move from Manhattan to Brooklyn. After graduating from high school,
Miller took up a number of odd jobs so he could attend Michigan University,
where he wrote for the student paper. His first play, No Villain, won an award.
Inspired by his teacher Kenneth Rowe, Miller moved back East to begin his
career as a playwright.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Miller
married college sweetheart, Mary Slattery; they divorced in 1956. Less than a
month later, Miller married Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe. Their marriage
lasted four years; Monroe struggled with drug addiction, and they divorced in
1961. Monroe died the following year. It was widely rumoured that Miller’s play
After The Fall was inspired by their relationship – a rumour he denied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">McCARTHYISM<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Crucible
was written when Senator Joseph McCarthy was running a campaign against
Communism in an attempt to suppress socialist actions. Fear of 'the enemy' was
high thanks to the Cold War. His expression of strong anti-communist sentiment
in the public sphere ignited an intense fear among the population of the United
States. Specialist committees such as the House of Un-American Activities were
established to root out members and supporters of the Communist Party and their
sympathisers. The actions of these committees were controversial, with those
being investigated encouraged to accuse others to avoid their own punishment.
This resulted in many giving false accusations to save their own skin. Many
people in the entertainment industry were accused. In 1956 the House of
Un-American Activities called Miller before the committee, having refused to
renew his passport. It was believed that The Crucible had a lot to do with
this, as his story of the Salem witch trials presented an allegory of the
McCarthyism that the committee were practising. Miller refused to assist the
committee and inform on individuals, so he was held in contempt of Congress.
The ruling was overturned two years later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">THE SALEM
WITCH TRIALS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Crucible
is based on actual events in the town of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, where a
group of young girls fell ill with seizures and hallucinations after being
discovered dancing in the woods to conjure spirits.. Due to the highly
religious nature of society at the time, any strange or unexplained occurrences
would be attributed to the Devil; these unexplained illnesses were the same.
This fear was only strengthened when the girls began accusing members of the
Salem community of witchcraft. Mass hysteria spread and accusation came from
more and more people who feared the finger being pointed at them. In only a few
weeks, large numbers of people had been jailed and when hysteria had run its
course, fourteen women and six men had been hanged for 'their crimes'. Five
others died in prison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Miller’s
approach to the facts was fairly loose. The central relationship between
Abigail and John Proctor (who were actually aged 11 and 60 at the time) was
entirely fabricated, and many characters were conflated for effect. The central
romance gave Miller the opportunity for a dramatic driving force behind the
plot’s development and created a tragic hero in John Proctor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">REPUTATION<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A theocratic
town, religion rules in Salem: public and private moralities are one and the
same thing. Reputation based on such principles is important to the residents;
it helps to fuel hysteria, fear of guilt by association. Rumour becomes power
as members of the community fight to drive suspicion away from their own front
door. The Reverend Parris’ proximity to the girls, and his daughter’s illness,
leaves him in fear for his reputation. The actions of John Proctor are also
driven by his desire to protect his reputation. He misses an opportunity to
stop the girl’s accusations for fear of tarnishing his name, meeting his fate
through not wanting to sign a false confession saying:-“<b>I have given you my
soul; leave me my name</b>.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">POWER<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are
several characters in the play who are empowered by the Salem Witch trials, who
benefit from them. These people would otherwise be marginalised in society.
With few options in life, women would have been subordinate to men at the time,
working as servants until old enough to be married off and become wives and
mothers. A number of these girls and women are outcast for other reasons.
Tituba is a black slave: Abigail is an orphan who has an affair with a married
man. Having ignited her love and lust, John Proctor ends their affair, leaving
Abigail jealous and looking for revenge. The Putnams lose seven of their eight
children and are looking for someone to blame. By aligning their views with
those of God, the accusers give themselves credibility and more power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">McCarthy's
witch-hunts of the 1950s produced mass hysteria, as the nation’s collective
fear of communism during the Cold War led to a climate of suspicion, fear and
accusations. The rules of everyday life were suspended, allowing people to hide
their selfish acts under the guise of righteousness. Such conditions ensure
that those who can benefit from 'righteousness' will thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mass
hysteria is characterised by anxiety, loss of logic, jealousy, irrational
behaviour or inexplicable symptoms of illness. It is seen to occur among the
disenfranchised of society, such as the young or women. Central to the trials,
we see a group of young women on the edge of society showing symptoms of mass
hysteria that spread throughout a town, leading to accusations on a huge scale
and destroying the community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">'It's
perceived wisdom; it's common sense'. In an epoch of Cold War scare tactics,
aka 'Reds under the beds', fake news, lies, Russian/Trump US election
collusion, CIA hacking (Vault 7: Wikileaks), the Democratic National Committee
discrediting Bernie Sanders, the baiting of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK, smears,
threats and other mainstream media projects fostering fragmentation, ignorance, delusion and fear -
in short, a climate of neo-McCarthyism - the Crucible remains a vital
production, now more than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-62882037856491881102017-03-08T19:59:00.000-08:002017-03-08T20:02:25.959-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rvjdPhVyff_Jlf13cAO_53vaQ26GZUsQYBBrXlzourgqQazHxlj5UJnJ_Spkv_tC3Q2TGMGyKg9loXGywgHcVXL3JOpWwxjrb-GFo5vIsNqdZKvyV9wgfXZ_k42oOwr8DrgwTLxw8IU/s1600/Crazy+Diamond.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rvjdPhVyff_Jlf13cAO_53vaQ26GZUsQYBBrXlzourgqQazHxlj5UJnJ_Spkv_tC3Q2TGMGyKg9loXGywgHcVXL3JOpWwxjrb-GFo5vIsNqdZKvyV9wgfXZ_k42oOwr8DrgwTLxw8IU/s400/Crazy+Diamond.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">'One thinks of it all as a dream' is
a play written by Alan Bissett and directed by Sacha Kyle. It charts the 1967
release of Pink Floyd’s début album, 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn', and the
erratic behaviour of frontman Syd Barrett. Is he having a drug-induced
breakdown or is he playing an elaborate joke on the band and the music
industry?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Roger 'Syd' Barrett was the principal
songwriter for 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn', an absolute masterpiece. He
wrote a handful of classic singles that helped define the psychedelic age.
However he was happiest when sketching, painting. Unlike some of his peers – Jimi,
Jim, Brian, Janis – he survived that
era, though he was hardly undamaged. Syd died in 2006 aged 60.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The play takes the form of vignetted,
dream-like sequences; it almost lapses into pantomime mode. I tried LSD - it
was nothing like the play's interpretation. I caught Floyd live a couple of
times at festivals back then – later, that and the fact I once spent a weekend
in Roger Waters' Mum’s house, made my pals who were aficionados of the band a bittie jealous. These fan(atic)s hibernated when a Floyd LP was released, then emerged
in a trance to carry the album around plaguing others - "Play it, play it!" - like or not.
I told them Pink Floyd was a great singles band, that their 'Relics' LP was
mostly shite, that I was totally rat-arsed during my late teens and beyond,
that I can recall. This confirmed what they suspected - I was the one with
problems, a wayward idiot winding them up, a guff who went off to festivals
wearing beads, rode a motorbike and danced to PP Arnold with the Small Faces,
fave act of the Mods. My pals named a syndrome after me: 'Confused' became my
nickname.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In <b>'One thinks of it all as a
dream'</b>, acid guru and Scottish psychiatrist R.D. Laing makes an appearance. “How do you know it’s Syd who has the problem?” he asks Roger Waters. It's a good question. </span><br />
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeWJLI8UUVOHTNoWFs5v2Iz3PVhwPax99vWbWKOQOtJlTs2k96ovPE4mG162nxE0b7TU8rCWF60O-6q_t-Vzqla7rWriXncEP_fDCzEpUQXCPxFXScMQjWDAm4mvM3hsUn9e4UDo1JPY/s1600/Scottish+Mental+Health+Arts+%2526+Film+Festival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeWJLI8UUVOHTNoWFs5v2Iz3PVhwPax99vWbWKOQOtJlTs2k96ovPE4mG162nxE0b7TU8rCWF60O-6q_t-Vzqla7rWriXncEP_fDCzEpUQXCPxFXScMQjWDAm4mvM3hsUn9e4UDo1JPY/s400/Scottish+Mental+Health+Arts+%2526+Film+Festival.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This poignant play was commissioned
by the Mental Health Foundation for the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film
Festival. Co-produced with A Play, A Pie and A Pint, Traverse Theatre, Òran Mór
and Aberdeen Performing Arts, the hour-long production manages to paint a vivid
portrait of a transformational period in pop music, studying as a focal point
one of its most enigmatic, complex characters. It stars Euan Cuthbertson as Syd
Barrett.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One thinks of it all as a
dream' was performed at the splendid Lemon Tree venue. A Play, A Pie and a
Pint is great value (£11 on this occasion); the format has whetted the appetite
of Aberdeen's culture vultures - there were queues and the Lemon Tree was
packed for the matinee performance on November 4th 2016. The audience was
principally of a certain vintage: I didn’t spot anyone having acid flashbacks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alan Bissett is a playwright,
novelist and performer who grew up in Falkirk, where he has a street named
after him. He won the Glenfiddich Scottish Writer of the Year award in 2011.
Alan and Sacha Kyle are one of Scotland’s most acclaimed writer-director teams,
creators of Edinburgh Festival Fringe hits such as The Moira Monologues, The
Pure, The Dead and the Brilliant and Ban this Filth! Sacha's recent credits
include Turbo Folk and What the F**kirk?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Related
reading: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.sachakyle.com/"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.sachakyle.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
Sacha's website<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/alan-bissett/david-maclennan-portrait-of-life-in-theatre"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/alan-bissett/david-maclennan-portrait-of-life-in-theatre</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
Alan Bissett article - 'Portrait of a life in theatre'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-35229625747317026802017-03-08T07:51:00.001-08:002017-03-08T07:54:13.745-08:00We don’t do TalkTalk anymore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaVdYiEm0IX-lCuIxyjtAZ6UToQq_bKf2VfxdAER-UX8DfqdKzOPGGtJELsZakGEW4iSt5e-UkxiQ0K25ysW2kyNU_G4uJFsT9yfoGFqo2jiISQ-LK_5Z1RwtRIPpOe7g4Cl8phUBzeo/s1600/Talk+Talk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaVdYiEm0IX-lCuIxyjtAZ6UToQq_bKf2VfxdAER-UX8DfqdKzOPGGtJELsZakGEW4iSt5e-UkxiQ0K25ysW2kyNU_G4uJFsT9yfoGFqo2jiISQ-LK_5Z1RwtRIPpOe7g4Cl8phUBzeo/s400/Talk+Talk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Telecoms company TalkTalk has been issued with a record
£400,000 fine by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for security
failings that allowed a cyber attacker to access customer data “with ease”. The
ICO’s in-depth investigation found that an attack on the company last October
could have been prevented if TalkTalk had taken basic steps to protect
information.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The ICO gave TalkTalk a £80,000 discount when it paid the
fine early. The cost of each TalkTalk sponsored X-Factor TV prog is over £1
million, or 2 x a maximum ICO fine.</div>
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<b>This company is unresponsive. Avoid TalkTalk at all costs </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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TalkTalk is the worst organisation I've had the misfortune
to deal with; 'unresponsive' doesn't even start to describe the company.
'Organisation' is a misnomer, and there's fierce competition for the
distinction of 'worst'. Over the past forty years I've encountered and
castigated some terrible outfits - His Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC),
the Department of Work and Pensions, Poll Tax, Council Tax and Appeal tribunals,
British Telecom, Amstrad, Stagecoach/Bluebird, Citilink, the Coal Board,
intransigent employers and oil companies, to name but a few. However, hands
down, TalkTalk have the X-Factor when it comes to appalling service. When I
posted a precis of my experiences to Trustpilot, it ran alongside ove<b>r two thousand </b>similar sorry tales. I had 72
unresolved outstanding incident reports when, with the help of Aberdeenshire
Council Trading Standards, I was taking TalkTalk to court under the Supply of
Goods Act (1984). Then in April 2016 TalkTalk dumped me unceremoniously - along
with 105,000 other customers - because they couldn't provide us with a
satisfactory service.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While preparing my court case in October 2015, I issued
TalkTalk with a Data Protection Act request to release all of the data that
they held regarding my account. My timing could not have been worse: the very
next day, using schoolboy techniques, a teenager in Northern Ireland struck
(loc. cid.). In light of the exuberance of youth and in his possible defence,
this young hacker was maybe just trying to get a response - hacking appears to
be the only, most effective way to elicit a reaction or access any information
from TalkTalk. In my case the company didn't even bother replying to Trading
Standards. A computer message:- 'TalkTalk is unresponsive: wait forever or kill
it.'</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The legacy of my time with TalkTalk is the calls from the
scam merchants who have read, stolen or bought his or other hacked information,
who persist in cold-calling purporting to be from TalkTalk, claiming I have a
problem with computer speed and Windows. During a decade of non-contact
TalkTalk never phoned me, so I know they're not in contact now; I'm no longer
that valued customer, not that I ever was.</div>
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<br /></div>
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'You're not from TalkTalk, not officially anyway. The only
way you could know anything about my computers is if you've planted a virus,
which ironically is what you're trying to do," I tell these scammers.
"My computers are not running slowly, chiefly because I'm well shot of
TalkTalk; my new provider supplies fibre optic Broadband. The only problems I
have are your far-fetched, nuisance phone calls, and the fact that, for
logistical reasons, I must continue to access and copy my Tiscali mail through
TalkTalk's useless slow email system, which I've discovered was not covered by
my contract, therefore I cannot complain, or take the company to court. I'm a
Mac user, by the way. Over. Out. Bye.' <a href="http://collieston.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/pc-solutions-its-scam.html">forviemedia blog - July 2013. PC Solutions - a scam</a></div>
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Based in India, the perpetrators either work for TalkTalk -
a thankless existence overshadowed by constant job insecurity, or they have
access to stolen data. Indian call-centre workers, who have often fallen under
the control of criminal gangmasters, have been prosecuted; it's just the tip of
an iceberg. Often educated to degree level, call-centre workers in Asia are
paid comparatively well. The temptation is to earn more, before their workplace
closes when, like BT, TalkTalk move ops out of their country. The result will
be hardship for their families, possibly destitution.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The purpose of these malicious calls is to trick folk into
handing over control of their computers, usually via Event Viewer and Talk Host
Window. They'll instruct you to press the Windows button on your computer and
to enter the letter R, then ask you to type in EVENTVWR. You're likely to be
asked to go to a website such as TeamViewer, LogMeIn, AnyDesk, King Viewer or
AMMMY. They’ll then ask you to download a piece of software that’ll give them
remote access to your computer. This gets installed and the scammers ask you to
provide an ID code - they now have control of your computer. They might claim
you’re due a refund as a goodwill gesture (for the trouble you’ve been
experiencing, really) and ask you to log in to your online bank account. It’ll
seem that you’ve been refunded too much money and you’ll be asked to return the
difference through Western Union or MoneyGram. They will be transferring money
out of your account that you’ll be unlikely to see again. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even if you avoid the fiscal cons, your details are still
out there, to be sold for marketing, fraudulent and identity theft purposes,
for instance. Antivirus security, like Symantec and Norton, contain critical
vulnerabilities. Cloud storage is suspect. Once exfiltrated, any data can be
stored as a beachhead for infrastructure attacks in the future. Millions of IP
addresses can be used. The massive distributed denial of service attack that
closed half the Internet on October 21st 2016 was down to botnets, log-ins for
kettles, using known default passwords. Sorry, I'll read and write again. Yes,
kettles. Smart kettles. If my neighbours fitted their cats with a smart collar,
I could hack in and keep them out of my (German Shepherd's) garden.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Smart electricity meters are dangerously insecure. Thieves
can detect expensive electronics: utility bills could be changed. A single line
of malicious code might cut power to a property or cause overloads leading to
exploding meters and fires. Now is the winter of your disconnection. </div>
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From miniscule to mega, no organisation is immune when it comes
to cyber attacks. At present Aberdeen City Council are trying to suppress
details of a recent Ransomware demand. Then a group called Team System DZ took
over the authority's homepage for more than two-and-a-half hours on 28th
January 2017. During that time, the homepage carried the message "security
stupidity". The English Scots For Yes website is back online after a
sophisticated' hack wiped out the entire site (including its map) at server
level. Revelations about algorithm and search engine manipulation abound,
casting companies and even the largest of organisations as masters of
chichanery and incompetence. It's been known for years that tax evader Google
has been hacked by - alongside other 'Davids versus Googliath' - a Donald Trump
fan from St Petersburgh, using spambots and malicious spyware to distort Google
Analytics. Using the latest technologies, Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear hacked the
network of the Democratic National Committee during the US presidential
campaign, not working in pursuit of financial interests, instead concentrating
on politically relevant information that is in line with Russian aims. Both
groups have also hacked government institutions, technology and energy
companies and research institutions in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. In
February 2016 the Bangladesh Bank was hit by the biggest bank robbery in
history when thieves got away with $101m online. In June 2015, the US Office of
Personnel Management revealed that hackers had stolen the social security
numbers, names, dates and places of birth and addresses of 21.5 million people
from its computer systems. More than <b>one billion Yahoo accounts </b>- names,
phone numbers, hashed passwords, e-mail addresses, dates of birth, encrypted or
unencrypted security questions and answers - have been stolen in data breaches.
The personal details of 36million Ashley Madison customers were stolen in a
deceptively simple 2015 hack: the infidelity site boasted the slogan, 'Life is
short. Have an affair'. Use Ashley Madison. Get divorced.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
'A three-hour outage in an obscure, if tremendously
profitable, wing of online retailer Amazon resulted not only in websites such
as Medium and Business Insider failing, but also in people unable to turn on
their lights. This outage affected Amazon Web Services, an Amazon subsidiary
that provides cloud computing services to other businesses. If you’ve ever been
told something is stored or runs “in the cloud”, the likelihood is that it was
in servers owned by Amazon – or by similar services provided by its two main
competitors, Microsoft and Google. Smart home owners reported losing control of
their houses after the jury-rigged system they used to control
internet-connected locks and light bulbs failed.' Alex Hern; 1st March, writing
in the Guardian.</div>
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Wi-Fi codes and router default passwords have been stolen
from TalkTalk customers in the latest cyber attack on the company. The malware
used is a modification of the Mirai worm. TalkTalk customer security just gets
more and more risky. Change the default password on your router or you'll remain vulnerable, if you must entrust your
personal details to useless custodians like TalkTalk.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Back to the nuisance callers.. To date I've had fun playing
tunes as the phoning phonies fiddle; I've furnished the more gullible cold-callers
with the sort code and bank account number for HMRC and I've redirected calls
to the local police station and Police Scotland. I've taught them to pronounce
router as <i>rooter</i> not <i>router</i>, so victims won't suspect they're
taking part in a <i>rout</i>. I've given the dog the phone when they call and he runs
around the office panting excitedly, heavy breathing down the line. {I put the
kettle on - it doesn't whistle when the water boils; it sings out a default
password.} I thought I was being inventive, then on a forum I read of a riotous
household in Wales who have formed a family choir to sing 'Fraudsters,
fraudsters, fraudsters!' (in Welsh, I hope) down the phone until these callers
hang up.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
However I fear that the gangsters are now using my landline
for training purposes. I'm getting four unsolicited calls a day, including
silent ones that could be genuine; I'm used to unresponsive behaviour, silence
being TalkTalk's trademark. I can't even escape corporate references by
blocking calls, to sort emails in peace or watch TV. When the vacuous X-Factor
isn't being promoted, TalkTalk's latest ad, 'Working from home' (sic), features
a wide-boy tradesman on the phone, telling lies to a potential customer. I
could not have scripted it better myself.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Recommended:<a href="http://fleurtelecom.co.uk/"> Fleur Telecom</a> </div>
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-42081154651448655392017-03-08T07:29:00.002-08:002017-03-08T19:51:19.778-08:00Utopia – a search for Scotland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmdY_jpxheZkPSsUEGZaIWRNskXZt-l0Xek8uZ2UfEV-YSCu9YuCRcNO9jNGP8QTEuPbmta3ZcHhyphenhyphen-fyfKd6ggWkscmH55AAbZ26EJGfvBZpiXOumBZ2ihWyFDuJZaWTMAJFtFTvuav0/s1600/Inveramsay+Station+image+BobSmith+Utopia+SR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmdY_jpxheZkPSsUEGZaIWRNskXZt-l0Xek8uZ2UfEV-YSCu9YuCRcNO9jNGP8QTEuPbmta3ZcHhyphenhyphen-fyfKd6ggWkscmH55AAbZ26EJGfvBZpiXOumBZ2ihWyFDuJZaWTMAJFtFTvuav0/s640/Inveramsay+Station+image+BobSmith+Utopia+SR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Inveramsay Station image: Bob Smith, Scottish Review</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Strapline<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
In 1978 I was fortunate to meet and interview radical
educationist and writer Robert Fraser MacKenzie. He spoke of his childhood in
Aberdeenshire. He and Alan Law, the Inveramsay railway clerk, were born in the Garioch;
both were steeped in railway life.</div>
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In his classic book, 'A Search for Scotland', R.F. MacKenzie
(1910-1987) recalled a two-roomed shack on a remote station platform in
Aberdeenshire in the 1920s. Two young men - the clerk and a shunter friend - had
established a place of study and discussion on the platform. <b>They called the
shack 'Utopia'</b></div>
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Robert Fraser MacKenzie (1910-1987) and Alan Law, a railway
clerk, were born in the Garioch; both were steeped in railway life. In his
classic book 'A Search for Scotland', Robert MacKenzie recalled Inveramsay, a
remote railway station in rural Aberdeenshire in the 1920s. Alan and his
shunter colleague had converted part of a shack on the platform.</div>
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The two railway workers had established a wee pocket of
study and discussion, a place where the young people of Inveramsay and beyond
could meet to talk long into the night. The
railway clerk, conducting enquiries into the nature of life and society, takes
up only a few pages of 'A search for
Scotland', but his experiences in the shack had a profound impact on University
student Robert.</div>
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Alan Law had left school at fourteen. At seventeen he started
reading voraciously, everything he could feast his eyes on, often buying second-hand books from Aberdeen's New Market.
1920's North-East Scotland boasted other enquirers - James Leslie
Mitchell/Lewis Grassic Gibbon was asking similar questions in the Mearns at the
time, transferring enquiries from religion to socialism. Alan had stopped
saluting local worthies when he met them on the road or at the station.
Cycling, he and Robert visited churches far and wide on spring and summer
evenings, seeking knowledge, answers and salvation, looking for a way of life
that would command their allegiance. From the kirk folk all they got was hymns,
homilies and epistles.</div>
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Unsuspecting ministers of the kirk entered the shack for
warmth, unaware that Alan, his shunter colleague and Robert had been reading
and discussing Shaw's 'Androcles and the Lion' before they had invited
passengers in from the cold. They were even harder when it came to dealing with
politicians. Alan introduced Robert to Well's 'Outline of History', not a book
he had encountered at Aberdeen University. They devoured More's 'Utopia'. 2017
marks the 500th anniversary of its publication. Scottish history doesn't always
focus on the perspective of time. Perhaps simplistically, Robert came to
believe that we all start as questioners, then education, upbringing and peer
pressures crush down upon us to channel most folk into conformity.</div>
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I spent a few hours with radical educationist R.F. MacKenzie
after his 1974 sacking from his school, Summerhill Academy in Mastrick,
Aberdeen. My fellow Aberdeen Trades Council delegates were teachers there when he was
headmaster: efforts to establish a National Union of School Students branch at
Summerhill had floundered. Robert spoke of his upbringing in Aberdeenshire, in
the course of which he mentioned Utopia. He also addressed a meeting of the
Aberdeen Young Communist League. </div>
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Kenneth Roy met and interviewed Robert a decade later; part of his his
account in Scottish Review can be read below. </div>
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'MacKenzie recalled the shack at Inveramsay because he
was wondering - in the final months of his life, as he wrote the book at the
time I met and interviewed him - what happened to the spirit of independent
inquiry of the young railway workers, their outburst of thought and
questioning, their fierce desire for the knowledge and understanding that would
give meaning to their lives. There is an answer of sorts. It is to be found in
the post-war scheme of further and higher education. What need of Utopia on a
station platform when Utopia is everywhere – education as a commodity,
plentiful as tap water? Yet, for many young Scots, perhaps a majority, the
factory system of education has failed to be deeply satisfying. MacKenzie knew
it from his own experience as a teacher. Some of us experienced it as
consumers, as we are now called. When another Scottish radical, Jimmy Reid,
astonished the world with his Glasgow rectorial address in 1972, he chose as
his theme alienation; the alienation of young people in particular.' The shack at the end of the road to nowhere' - Kenneth Roy
writing in Scottish Review</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Peter Murphy's Doric poem, 'Farewell to R.F. MacKenzie', sums up his experiment, experiences and the outcome. <a href="http://www.scotedreview.org.uk/media/scottish-educational-review/articles/242.pdf">http://www.scotedreview.org.uk/media/scottish-educational-review/articles/242.pdf</a></div>
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Whit’s that? They’ve gi’en him the sack?</div>
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Nae afore time! Gi’es mair o’ yer crack!</div>
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Nae man deserved better tae get the shuv…</div>
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Gangin’ aboot sayin’ skweels are places for luv!</div>
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Whit next? A’ they young anes need nooadays</div>
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Is a gweed skelp, nane o’ yer sympathy an’ praise,</div>
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An’ sic like trash. A’body kens whit skweels are for!</div>
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Ye’re there tae learn an’ dae whit yer telt</div>
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Nane o’ this speakin’ back… that deserves the belt!</div>
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Teachers hae enough tae dae in the classroom,</div>
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Withoot fowk haverin’ oan aboot the impendin’ doom</div>
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O’ Scottish education near deid frae a glut o’ exams…</div>
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Whaur wid oor lads o’ pairts , oor Jeans an’ Tams</div>
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Be without their O Grades an’ Highers as weel?</div>
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Na,na, oor kids dinna want a holiday camp,they want a
skweel!</div>
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Ach weel, maybe things’ll quieten doon noo in the Lang
Stracht</div>
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Noo that mannie wi’ the daft notions been sacked!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-85639364559799574302017-02-20T05:08:00.001-08:002017-02-20T05:08:26.878-08:00Rock against Racism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTC5uh5GbRB__vCziZROc8YvXbrmBJWuBBC3rf9lOpp0q00MceUDb02Mjrmar-8FRsb6w4mm3OtbqdfmEcFqYSYwciwxNmnz-UyfeLYbzXvi8Smzmijl7Xu5TVg52kc_F_QfiMwXRJKI/s1600/Rock-Against-Racism-coventry-specials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTC5uh5GbRB__vCziZROc8YvXbrmBJWuBBC3rf9lOpp0q00MceUDb02Mjrmar-8FRsb6w4mm3OtbqdfmEcFqYSYwciwxNmnz-UyfeLYbzXvi8Smzmijl7Xu5TVg52kc_F_QfiMwXRJKI/s400/Rock-Against-Racism-coventry-specials.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Remembering Rock Against Racism—how music helped to
fight the National Front</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Photograph: the crowd at a Rock Against Racism concert in
Coventry, 1981 &copy: John Sturrock<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/43782/Remembering+Rock+Against+Racism+how+music+helped+to+fight+the+Nazis">https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/43782/Remembering+Rock+Against+Racism+how+music+helped+to+fight+the+Nazis</a> </span><span style="color: #333333;">In
a recent Socialist Worker article, Sadie Robinson examines how music helped to
fight the National Front.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Rock Against Racism (RAR) was formed 40 years ago. A new book, Reminiscences of RAR, gives voice to some of those involved<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>The Anti Nazi League
confronted the fascist National Front (NF) on the streets. The NF and Nazi
movement was developing at a frightening time and pace. In late 1970s Britain
fascists were organising— racism was widespread.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Activist Jack
Robertson recalls:- “Everywhere you went there were NF stickers and slogans.
Encouraged by Enoch Powell’s inflammatory “Rivers of Blood” rhetoric,
the Front had started to get big votes. Racist murders became a regular
occurrence.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>A mass movement
helped to burst the NF bubble. RAR gigs brought together black and white
musicians: it used local, lesser-known bands and mixed punk with reggae
artists. RAR tapped into a mood across Britain as people rushed to get
involved. The message was that anyone could set up a RAR group and start
organising. In 1978 a huge anti-Nazi march to Victoria Park, East London, saw
80,000 people demonstrate against the NF before attending a RAR gig headlined
by The Clash.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-14994185436009287662016-12-03T04:38:00.001-08:002016-12-03T05:12:49.279-08:00Aberdeen Harbour – the oldest existing business in Britain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIPwNc556lL_vDdYPfVM6uYfnzLugM1VvuD7cTxxk7WuWiZSp__ihdpiXnKISU5KpHxwg8j5xLdQD4zo2uL8XbobivQqIScM3dvHZRqMDKpsu03SVho70Tbht9Nnfkmt1AvQjUqbD0zs/s1600/Aberdeen+harbour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIPwNc556lL_vDdYPfVM6uYfnzLugM1VvuD7cTxxk7WuWiZSp__ihdpiXnKISU5KpHxwg8j5xLdQD4zo2uL8XbobivQqIScM3dvHZRqMDKpsu03SVho70Tbht9Nnfkmt1AvQjUqbD0zs/s640/Aberdeen+harbour.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><b>Synopsis/keywords</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Harbour and Roundhouse/Watchtower photographs; Roundhouse clock; webcams feed;
Northlink ferry; thousands of people gathered at the harbour on July 1st, 1909 to witness escapologist Harry Houdini dive into the chilly water; controversy dogs Nigg Bay development; supply boats photo; links to Aberdeen Harbour official site, map and harbour/Footdee/Tall Ships photos in the forviemedia Aberdeen gallery, an article on 'The Thermopylae' in our blogspot; and a YouTube clip,'The Leaving', showing the supply vessel Stril
Odin departing Aberdeen harbour ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSN62Ay7xGza4nTze2OcCrt_Pdztgc2-MK7WuAA64zF47_ptWsH9Oe-TWePEcqRUMdrGZ9Tvf-MpZjFoVhyOpKplqGfLFX_eV-QtqE3xFQDqVPD9rvXPT3bKS5wr9XaIJnD1zh13TKfm8/s1600/Roundhouse+and+the+Watchtower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSN62Ay7xGza4nTze2OcCrt_Pdztgc2-MK7WuAA64zF47_ptWsH9Oe-TWePEcqRUMdrGZ9Tvf-MpZjFoVhyOpKplqGfLFX_eV-QtqE3xFQDqVPD9rvXPT3bKS5wr9XaIJnD1zh13TKfm8/s400/Roundhouse+and+the+Watchtower.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ABERDEEN HARBOUR</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">the oldest existing business in Britain</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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First established as a business in 1136 by King David 1st of
Scotland, Aberdeen Harbour is the oldest existing business in Britain. North
Sea Oil & Gas is the most recent of a series of industries accommodated by
the port. Fishing, shipbuilding, textiles and global granite transportation
have all relied on the facilities of this essential North Sea gateway.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgA7IIBm6NM-B-dna1cZ63Gm1q3HmjLhXqpOeZeyebK1m6IaWtitjg9Q72GRN0fs3X-3O7uQejB4qrkMWn6iK-VLJFzUKsUYY0JA1Ka76LAYWH63242WNxondoqa7pCf-1mUqbXT48uo/s1600/Roundhouse+clock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgA7IIBm6NM-B-dna1cZ63Gm1q3HmjLhXqpOeZeyebK1m6IaWtitjg9Q72GRN0fs3X-3O7uQejB4qrkMWn6iK-VLJFzUKsUYY0JA1Ka76LAYWH63242WNxondoqa7pCf-1mUqbXT48uo/s320/Roundhouse+clock.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.seacroftmarine.com/webcam">http://www.seacroftmarine.com/webcam</a> Roundhouse
webcams - live feed</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKTOTkVOCgJvh4LtAXFsidfWTaPREOlbthRbqQwgRB2C1ZP4uFlD_C6_5H25FduRCia1Zj6INe5HBL13EV3O_WCRjnmYovQ_URu71Ys6AMJJtrtXPmhyphenhyphenJF1fedtf8tdLuX41Dmq7o2hw/s1600/Northllink+ferry001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKTOTkVOCgJvh4LtAXFsidfWTaPREOlbthRbqQwgRB2C1ZP4uFlD_C6_5H25FduRCia1Zj6INe5HBL13EV3O_WCRjnmYovQ_URu71Ys6AMJJtrtXPmhyphenhyphenJF1fedtf8tdLuX41Dmq7o2hw/s320/Northllink+ferry001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thousands gathered at the Harbour on July 1st, 1909 to
witness the magician and escapologist Harry Houdini dive into the chilly water
whilst chained and handcuffed. He was certainly not the first man to be chained
and handcuffed in the harbour precincts. A cold
and watery demise appeared inevitable for Houdini who was already a household
name thanks to his death-defying feats. The minutes spent underwater only led
to the assumption that the Granite City would become synonymous for claiming
the life of Houdini. Then suddenly, he resurfaced, triumphant and free from his
shackles. Needless to say, these exploits ensured that his shows at the nearby
Palace Theatre in Bridge Place were a huge success.</div>
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Councillors have granted planning permission in principle
for the onshore aspects of a £320 million harbour expansion into Nigg Bay, to
the south of the city. The application sought consent for construction of the
inland infrastructure including the realignment of roads and temporary
construction sites.</div>
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<a href="http://aberdeenvoice.com/2015/12/48644">http://aberdeenvoice.com/2015/12/48644 </a> Residents’
group Bay of Nigg, Torry: Our Concerns is protesting against the plans.
The group has concerns over air and light pollution, increased road traffic and
noise.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBXo6wWJ0Vh8_7_QWpJn5SzbyZ49XI18gUZmJ5H0bNR2ybLE1EsAtdKdEg5o-NkEO32EvU7N5_lpX4DLvkU7IG6tVba0J71t1t-V-lJDMoEn-lngNV61M7j_XfmqOO9IcRwkzKkZzIIo/s1600/Supply+boats%252C+Aberdeen+harbour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBXo6wWJ0Vh8_7_QWpJn5SzbyZ49XI18gUZmJ5H0bNR2ybLE1EsAtdKdEg5o-NkEO32EvU7N5_lpX4DLvkU7IG6tVba0J71t1t-V-lJDMoEn-lngNV61M7j_XfmqOO9IcRwkzKkZzIIo/s320/Supply+boats%252C+Aberdeen+harbour.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of interest/related, research and credits due to..</div>
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<a href="http://www.aberdeen-harbour.co.uk/">www.aberdeen-harbour.co.uk </a> Aberdeen Harbour
official site</div>
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<a href="http://www.forviemedia.co.uk/gallery_692260.html">http://www.forviemedia.co.uk/gallery_692260.html</a> Map, more pictures of the
harbour (and Fittee) in the forviemedia Aberdeen gallery</div>
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<a href="https://chrisramsey2013.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/the-thermopylae">https://chrisramsey2013.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/the-thermopylae</a> 'The
Thermopylae': the Great Clipper Race. Forviemedia blogspot</div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZ1R6k9X3s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZ1R6k9X3s</a> 'The
Leaving': the supply vessel Stril Odin departing Aberdeen harbour, YouTube
clipAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-61684355941322072352016-12-02T07:32:00.005-08:002016-12-02T08:35:43.288-08:00Shed uploads<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMMdlgGUucoFRWj4FfdPeXH_EwhGbEopRgIwF4MicuTdss9VVh8S1cdjEETU7V270aFabQ6iRn9OtkPCEmKJdmWHKGomiKEhliUH1f3LlUpkmJoM3vNFCElZhFcYcy2oJMx9D4AO_dEo/s1600/Fittee+outhouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMMdlgGUucoFRWj4FfdPeXH_EwhGbEopRgIwF4MicuTdss9VVh8S1cdjEETU7V270aFabQ6iRn9OtkPCEmKJdmWHKGomiKEhliUH1f3LlUpkmJoM3vNFCElZhFcYcy2oJMx9D4AO_dEo/s200/Fittee+outhouse.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
2016’s West End festival
in Glasgow included the Ideal Hut Show in the Botanic Gardens. Contemporary
artists, leading architects and designers from Scotland and overseas
transformed eighteen standard garden sheds. The show included a Tartan Hut and
Doctor Who’s Tardis.<br />
Pictured left: Fittee shed in Aberdeen<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-LYfrtExttU1qtF3htf45HCTV_K1wP7N8mNdn0XFoCHi-5bkQdovpeGPHGkUVY15dnsgKdcPtpQzavuOoTE5mYJNGUa8nR_DKoNqMq7UmSiumt4w1Nk_PsbW-Lmfw7Gfozu6KVs7fzM/s1600/The+Bothy+Shed%252C+Fittee+-+web+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-LYfrtExttU1qtF3htf45HCTV_K1wP7N8mNdn0XFoCHi-5bkQdovpeGPHGkUVY15dnsgKdcPtpQzavuOoTE5mYJNGUa8nR_DKoNqMq7UmSiumt4w1Nk_PsbW-Lmfw7Gfozu6KVs7fzM/s200/The+Bothy+Shed%252C+Fittee+-+web+copy.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Amongst the 32 short-listed
finalists in the annual Shed of the Year competition were the Wild West-themed Tranquillity Saloon in Aberdeenshire, where a
local re-enactment group gather to socialise, and a renovated
wheelhouse from one of the last boats to be commercially built in the county of
Caithness. Dun 25 Bunker, a restored three man nuclear bunker owned by Jim
Sherrit from Brechin, was the third Scottish contender. A love shack and a converted campervan also made the
shortlist.<br />
<br />
Pictured above and below: more outhouses in Footdee.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3V_4plUotu2oPP1nknalU8b0nyQkTq0R8AqYycvCM1k4qTa0_FFu9BVXFh7hcaMVlRjg822smFjWgrA8sDv7SEbFr7iDuTr9jSanfJss_B_fxxYl76OsCTZX5GyrSS9lb6XbrFrMoXM/s1600/Fittee+shed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3V_4plUotu2oPP1nknalU8b0nyQkTq0R8AqYycvCM1k4qTa0_FFu9BVXFh7hcaMVlRjg822smFjWgrA8sDv7SEbFr7iDuTr9jSanfJss_B_fxxYl76OsCTZX5GyrSS9lb6XbrFrMoXM/s200/Fittee+shed.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
A chicken coop transformed
into a working gin distillery on the Inshriach estate in the Cairngorms
National Park won the coveted title in 2015. Its site was chosen because of the
abundance of juniper berries nearby. <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13420402">http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13420402</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzoGcfkC0UvZIoUqNzbOeFMBblsLi_rUR6JQaOLOZX77ZqWv73sWWD00bbvJ2Uh6XTm94tEfFIca-UhK1TgvuIP-IxkuzpkwVa5kaL2qjnNAct9aiOxte3ziLYLe6Vap1cjecKwCywU0/s1600/Shed+Port+Erroll.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzoGcfkC0UvZIoUqNzbOeFMBblsLi_rUR6JQaOLOZX77ZqWv73sWWD00bbvJ2Uh6XTm94tEfFIca-UhK1TgvuIP-IxkuzpkwVa5kaL2qjnNAct9aiOxte3ziLYLe6Vap1cjecKwCywU0/s200/Shed+Port+Erroll.JPG" width="140" /></a></div>
Channel 4 TV's 'Amazing
Spaces: Shed of theYear' competition has ended. 2016 category winners included
a rotating shed, a working forge, an Anglo-Saxon longhouse, a Cornish cabin and
a haunted chapel. The winner was judged to be the fairytale 'West Wing', an
eco--retreat built for £1500.<br />
Picured left: shed in Port Erroll, Cruden Bay.</div>
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Of interest/related; <a href="http://www.reforestingscotland.org/">http://www.reforestingscotland.org</a> Reforesting Scotland’s A
Thousand Huts initiates hut developments and produces guidance papers on
planning issues. The campaign provides building standards and advises on pilot
projects.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeZRzStX6ntFCk9I0QjCERA-k-62L9T47TawWAQMkI2cLSmsg5NFcjxNgHMqA4ARKf-3dpVsD4Jpl3bMTN_ww05VEu12MFJvo9JLkh9KbSw26bXzlYBiW7J294CkhycINwEr044v-nHk/s1600/Rust+never+sleeps.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="545" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeZRzStX6ntFCk9I0QjCERA-k-62L9T47TawWAQMkI2cLSmsg5NFcjxNgHMqA4ARKf-3dpVsD4Jpl3bMTN_ww05VEu12MFJvo9JLkh9KbSw26bXzlYBiW7J294CkhycINwEr044v-nHk/s640/Rust+never+sleeps.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pictured above: 'Rust never sleeps', a container door in Port Erroll, used as website wallpaper.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0wyTqll0HnYCl3Re5H8TEE1156PslapeMpeh4MIVG7RyYQtK9a9mZRa1M58D_EgIG1E1IcpdWPFTEUPWeEIMpP1UI817_RmJz9jWX2vdb7HTLaNgEgzSdBXGmS0hx1jM6lIpk2VZqus/s1600/Smallest+pub%252C+Cleethorpes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0wyTqll0HnYCl3Re5H8TEE1156PslapeMpeh4MIVG7RyYQtK9a9mZRa1M58D_EgIG1E1IcpdWPFTEUPWeEIMpP1UI817_RmJz9jWX2vdb7HTLaNgEgzSdBXGmS0hx1jM6lIpk2VZqus/s400/Smallest+pub%252C+Cleethorpes.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3648/the-big-plot-how-campaigners-have-put-allotments-on-the-agenda">https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3648/the-big-plot-how-campaigners-have-put-allotments-on-the-agenda</a><a href="http://www.andywightman.com/about">http://www.andywightman.com/about</a> Land Matters<br />
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<a href="http://ellonanddistrictmensshed.blogspot.co.uk/">http://ellonanddistrictmensshed.blogspot.co.uk</a> Ellon Mens Shed</div>
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<a href="http://aberdeenvoice.com/2016/10/mp-praises-staff-volunteers-portsoy-boathouse">http://aberdeenvoice.com/2016/10/mp-praises-staff-volunteers-portsoy-boathouse</a> Portsoy Boatshed<br />
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Pictured left: the Signal Inn, Cleethorpes which lays claim to being the world's smallest pub</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-76828739753439756832016-11-23T05:51:00.000-08:002016-11-23T05:51:07.712-08:00Gold salvage, HMS Edinburgh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdVXMOjpWmxl2JTED4DMlpFnSmkiA8_OPJWXvKuiL9N_h6hpZsW5EE8Jw1M5QL3XVePZyQ3XIgEw-ll_KmppOgtEnrphJAeaXlzhhoIuNOMWbGcMpRsPhKVriYAP0DP0SLrtUhAH2iEg/s1600/HMS+Edinburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdVXMOjpWmxl2JTED4DMlpFnSmkiA8_OPJWXvKuiL9N_h6hpZsW5EE8Jw1M5QL3XVePZyQ3XIgEw-ll_KmppOgtEnrphJAeaXlzhhoIuNOMWbGcMpRsPhKVriYAP0DP0SLrtUhAH2iEg/s400/HMS+Edinburgh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The photograph above shows HMS Edinburgh leaving Swan Hunter's
shipyard after her launch.</div>
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May 2nd, 1942: early morning.</div>
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The heavy cruiser HMS
Edinburgh lies in her death throes in the icy Barents Sea north of Murmansk
after a running battle with a U-boat and German destroyers. Of her 850 crew all
but 57 lying dead aboard are saved; minutes later a torpedo from a destroyer in
Edinburgh’s QP11 convoy delivers the coup de grace. Down with her dead she
takes five tonnes of Russian gold, Stalin’s payment for weaponry and equipment.</div>
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An official war grave, HMS Edinburgh lay well-preserved and
undisturbed for 40 years entombed in 240M of water. In 1981, using the latest
underwater technology, the gold was salvaged. The bars were worth £50 million.
In the planning, preparation and execution of the operation, considerable care
was given by all concerned to preserve the war grave status of the wreck.</div>
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The dive support ship for the gold salvage in 1981 was Offshore
Supply Association’s (OSA) Stephaniturm,
built in 1978, 70M long, 1400 ton and equipped with main, decompression and
emergency second chambers, dive bell, gas recovery systems, medical facilities,
sonar, satellite navigation and pingers. The consortium undertaking the salvage
comprised Wharton & Williams (2W), a major dive company in Dyce, Jessop Marine,
OSA and Racal-Decca.</div>
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I worked on the Stephaniturm for 2W throughout 1980. I have
vivid recollections of sitting out hurricane-force winds off Shetland in
November of that year, just me and the German skipper grasping on to rails on
the ship's bridge in the middle of the night listening as Maydays from stricken
fishing vessels squawked from the emergency channels, a dark night in
the annals of the North Sea.</div>
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By the time the vessel departed Peterhead for the Barents
Sea ten months later, many non-essential dive crew members (like myself, ha ha)
had made space for Soviet observers, MOD officials, a pair of troublesome
Sunday Times journalists and specialists in survey and salvage.</div>
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The first arc with the cutting gear was struck on August 7<sup>th</sup>
1981. Two days later, a rusting piece of armour plate was cut away and the
divers sent it up in a basket to be examined by everyone onboard the
Stephaniturm, topside personnel’s first physical contact with the wreck and
confirmation that things were moving on well 800M below. The plate was stowed
away and later incorporated into the new HMS Edinburgh, a modern destroyer being
built for the Royal Navy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapqJf_0LPlSYoP_9JaVAOgKhfdFT-Mdx4D4qmu2_1CPzTAWOZe3DzOT5F3tzgcNXLz1MWJOaGTqxdJWah4g1mZmsjwac-QpXGzIZh-aMopUKB5SqSPVRbuVYnu4uzlXFFwgrQY1DBtXQ/s1600/ns011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapqJf_0LPlSYoP_9JaVAOgKhfdFT-Mdx4D4qmu2_1CPzTAWOZe3DzOT5F3tzgcNXLz1MWJOaGTqxdJWah4g1mZmsjwac-QpXGzIZh-aMopUKB5SqSPVRbuVYnu4uzlXFFwgrQY1DBtXQ/s320/ns011.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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The image above (© forviemedia) I grabbed via a Remote
Operated Vehicle looking up into a diving bell.</div>
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Research:-</div>
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<a href="http://www.hmsedinburgh.co.uk/salvage4.php">http://www.hmsedinburgh.co.uk/salvage4.php</a> Gold salvage, HMS Edinburgh</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/shipwreckhunter/hms-edinburgh-gold-salvage-under-extreme-conditions-/700480963300754/">https://www.facebook.com/notes/shipwreckhunter/hms-edinburgh-gold-salvage-under-extreme-conditions-/700480963300754/</a></div>
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Reading:- </div>
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‘Goldfinder‘ - Keith Jessop'. After the 1981 salvage
operation, Keith Jessop was cleared in a trial at the Old Bailey of conspiring
to break the Official Secrets Act. </div>
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Watching:-</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jdgleSNrJs">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jdgleSNrJs</a> YouTube: ‘Gold from the Deep’ - documentary
film</div>
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<a href="http://www.hmsedinburgh.co.uk/file_downloads/salvage_of_the_century.pdf">http://www.hmsedinburgh.co.uk/file_downloads/salvage_of_the_century.pdf</a> ‘Gold from the Deep’ - 1981 BBC documentary</div>
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Footnote:- In August 1986 2W deployed its Deepwater 2 vessel
and made a second successful salvage on HMS Edinburgh, recovering 29 gold bars
worth £3.5 million from the wreck. Five bars remain missing. Following this
salvage, the consortium was forced to forfeit disputed interest payments and
pay 15% VAT on all the bullion. Rik Wharton called the behaviour of the British
government, the Inland Revenue, and Customs and Excise “petty and dishonest”.
He castigated the Thatcher regime and the Civil Service for being "mean,
greedy, venal and jealous".</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-87084561228979988902016-11-22T01:02:00.000-08:002016-11-22T02:05:21.087-08:00Scotland - the promised land<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5riUdJH6yN3U0QODKkpyh9JFQ71Pu-IUH6siifpPjjW5jH4_b8u0n_W-QFGS9Ow19d60S23PkLM-06_3KfJOEzzcGVu7Pwtg8F0bKVcvjUYZeFIYzaiw7Dpy84gua-2ilb9qXlJhv3M/s1600/Hugh+MacDiarmid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5riUdJH6yN3U0QODKkpyh9JFQ71Pu-IUH6siifpPjjW5jH4_b8u0n_W-QFGS9Ow19d60S23PkLM-06_3KfJOEzzcGVu7Pwtg8F0bKVcvjUYZeFIYzaiw7Dpy84gua-2ilb9qXlJhv3M/s400/Hugh+MacDiarmid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Scotland: the promised land<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Cultural
Revolution: in the wake of the Great War, two visions of Scotland emerged - a
nationalist cultural resurgence led by a band of writers and a popular revival
that appealed to the masses.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The final
film in this series examines the struggle between these two ideologies,
charting the remarkable transformation of those who helped give birth to the
modern Scotland we know today. 'Scotland the promised land: the cultural
revolution' is available from the BBC store.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/products/59003"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/products/59003</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">How the
kailyard segued into the cultural renaissance, driven by poet Hugh MacDiarmid
(pictured) and others. Learn about the role played by the Angus port of
Montrose in this intellectual revolution.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">'1919, and
the Great War was over; there was a sense of relief. Folk flocked to the
country's music halls and theatres for their entertainment. It was a golden age
of Scottish variety. Wherever it was, music hall was always local or regional
in character, a peoples' theatre. In Scotland it had a national dimension, a
distinct character of its own; tartan, kitsch and escapist. It was an invented
version of Scotland that found its way into all sorts of productions. Scottish
pantomimes had a scene added called the 'Highland Glen', whereby the audience
were suddenly transported to a Highland glen. It was an excuse for Scots dancing,
a celebration of identity in costume and songs. One of the most popular
performers of the time was Tommy Lorne. Part clown, part comic, he was the
leading pantomime star of his generation. Lorne wore white make-up and white
gloves worn over long expressive hands. He took Highland fantasy to new
heights, depicting a surreal, almost grotesque version of Scotland. His
portrayal wasn't to everyone's taste. By the 1920s, Scotland’s identity,
culture and voice were fast disappearing, eclipsed by her imperial English
neighbour. In music halls up and down the country, Scotland had been reduced to
a tartan caricature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A group of
resistance fighters were attempting to change Scotland, to rescue her from this
invasion from south of the border, this occupying force. A small army of
writers and artists plotted a revolution that would revive Scotland's
disappearing culture and allow her true voice to be heard. They would fight
with polemic, thoughts, imagery and words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Christopher
Murray Grieve was 27 years old when he left
the Royal Army Medical Corps. At the front, he had witnessed the deaths and
suffering of his fellow Scots. But at home, his countrymen were reduced to a
laughing stock: Scotland had become a figure of fun. After the war Grieve and
his wife Peggy settled in Montrose, a harbour town on the Angus coast. Grieve
took a job as a reporter on the local paper, the Montrose Review. He covered
the unveiling of the town's war memorial: to some, the memorial was a tribute
to those who had fallen for King, country and Empire. But to Grieve, it was a
reminder of wholesale slaughter in the trenches, of comrades needlessly ordered
to their deaths by the British ruling class. To Grieve, nothing less than a
revolution could prevent this from ever happening again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Welwyn
Garden City, a new town outside London, exiled Scot and former newspaper
reporter in Aberdeen, James Leslie Mitchell is typing the final chapter of his
seventh novel. Mitchell was a Mearns loon who used the pen-name Lewis Grassic
Gibbon. The novel was titled <i>'Sunset Song'. </i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This young
novelist was part of a small army of writers who were attempting to change
Scotland, to rescue her from an invasion from south of the border. Rather than
military, these occupying forces were cultural. By the 1920s, Scotland’s
identity, culture and voice were fast disappearing, eclipsed by her imperial
English neighbour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was 1931,
and Mitchell was to die of peritonitis caused by a perforated ulcer in 1935,
tragically young at the age of 33. With a growing family to support, he vowed
that <i>Sunset Song </i>would be his last attempt at writing the great Scottish novel. Contained in the manuscript
is a story of loss, the memories of a Scottish childhood and a generation of
young men wiped out by the Great War.'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There's a
host of further links, features and reviews about Sunset Song and Lewis Grassic
Gibbon on the forviemedia site. There's also articles that explore the lives
and work of Hamish Henderson and a feature on our third Makar, Jackie Kay, in Blogs. In addition
I found the following links to be informative and of interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thenational.scot/culture/alan-riach-hugh-macdiarmids-satirical-to-and-fro-with-glasgow-university-undergraduates.17466"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.thenational.scot/culture/alan-riach-hugh-macdiarmids-satirical-to-and-fro-with-glasgow-university-undergraduates.17466</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alan Riach:
Hugh MacDiarmid's satirical to and fro with Glasgow University undergraduates<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/culture/hugh-macdiarmid-our-greatest-poet-who-saw-scotland-on-an-infinite-level.20052">http://www.thenational.scot/culture/hugh-macdiarmid-our-greatest-poet-who-saw-scotland-on-an-infinite-level.20052</a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">'Hugh
MacDiarmid: Our greatest poet who saw Scotland on an infinite level' - Harry
Reid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.thenational.scot/news/revealed-how-friendship-blossomed-between-firebrand-hugh-macdiarmid-and-mary-poppins-writer-pl-travers.22847"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.thenational.scot/news/revealed-how-friendship-blossomed-between-firebrand-hugh-macdiarmid-and-mary-poppins-writer-pl-travers.22847</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">'How
friendship blossomed between firebrand Hugh MacDiarmid and Mary Poppins writer
PL Travers' - Martin Hannan article in the National<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/news/exclusive-poets-lost-plea-for-nation-to-be-confident-and-self-aware-unearthed-after-70-years.17796">http://www.thenational.scot/news/exclusive-poets-lost-plea-for-nation-to-be-confident-and-self-aware-unearthed-after-70-years.17796</a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">'Poet's lost
plea for nation to be confident and self-aware unearthed after 70 years' -
Kathleen Nutt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/news/living-mountain-author-nan-shepherd-is-chosen-as-face-of-5-note.16726">http://www.thenational.scot/news/living-mountain-author-nan-shepherd-is-chosen-as-face-of-5-note.16726</a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nan Shepherd<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/culture/scotland-the-promised-land-part-i-unanswered-questions-unfulfilled-potential.20516">http://www.thenational.scot/culture/scotland-the-promised-land-part-i-unanswered-questions-unfulfilled-potential.20516</a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">'Unanswered
questions, unfulfilled potential' - Alan Riach<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/comment/alan-riach-igniting-the-creative-spirit-a-television-series-that-left-its-mark.20779">http://www.thenational.scot/comment/alan-riach-igniting-the-creative-spirit-a-television-series-that-left-its-mark.20779</a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Igniting the
creative spirit ... a television series that left its mark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.wallprojectsltd.com/">http://www.wallprojectsltd.com</a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wall
Projects, Montrose: news from the Angus port in 2016. Based in the Old Ropeworks, Wall Projects is
the labour of love of artist Kim Canale, who moved back to her hometown with a
mission to bring contemporary art to North-East Scotland. Driven by the
philosophy that “not all roads lead to Glasgow and Edinburgh”, Kim supports
emerging talent while showcasing artists who are at the top of their game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-53188623368584132902016-11-22T00:44:00.004-08:002016-11-22T00:53:42.133-08:00Hamish Henderson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjKtnB2LwoSC0DOmrJoTw-YEmy0h07LcXpfCuELQXhnoq8jHdPDwttOiNRV_zpMcnIvutHzeDMXZMpEUQaQ8-kNPMAH-t7NNFmuV3Z3aCPW4VEd2tBTlyatR3odRsULKkSLtLazGv2rY/s1600/Hamish+Henderson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjKtnB2LwoSC0DOmrJoTw-YEmy0h07LcXpfCuELQXhnoq8jHdPDwttOiNRV_zpMcnIvutHzeDMXZMpEUQaQ8-kNPMAH-t7NNFmuV3Z3aCPW4VEd2tBTlyatR3odRsULKkSLtLazGv2rY/s640/Hamish+Henderson.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Image: <a href="http://calumimaclean.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/when-hamish-henderson-met-calum-maclean.html"><i>http://calumimaclean.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/when-hamish-henderson-met-calum-maclean.html</i></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="background: #fafafa; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hamish Henderson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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From illegitimacy, a childhood in rural Perthshire, a spell
in an orphanage from age 12, a scholarship to London, the study of modern
languages at Cambridge University; to anti-fascist activism and exploits,
helping Jews as a Quaker courier in pre-war Germany, life as a soldier in Italy
during WWII, a war hero and poet..</div>
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A Communist and
Italianophile, he was first to translate theorist Antonio Gramsci ‘s <i>Prison
Letters</i> into English. He received the Somerset Maugham Award for his poem
<i>Elegies for the Dead in Cyrenaica </i>in 1949. A linguist, musicologist, singer and
folk song collector, he is the author of the anti-imperialist song <i>Freedom Come
All Ye</i>; he wrote the lyrics for<i> John Maclean's March</i>. He highlighted land
ownership issues for the soldiers returning from war in the eulogy <i>Men of
Knoydart.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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A makar, one of the founders of the Edinburgh Festival
Fringe, instrumental in creating the People’s Festival Ceilidhs in the early
1950s, founder of Edinburgh University's School of Scottish Studies and its
folk society, vital repositories of our culture. There is a bust of Hamish in
the Sandy Bells pub in Edinburgh, and there is still a Hamish Henderson folk
club in Rome. Pino Mereu is the club's founder: a partisan, his father fought
alongside Hamish.</div>
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Fourteen years in the making, <i>Hamish</i> is a new
ground-breaking documentary exploring the life of Hamish Henderson. The film
manages to capture and convey all of the fragments, activities and exploits of this exceptional, inspirational character. Hamish is a collage
of archive footage and interviews with friends and relatives; a suitably
kaleidoscopic tribute to a multifaceted man, as seen through a hundred pairs of
loving eyes.</div>
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Hamish gives a sense of his complexity and contradictions -
a pacifist who took up arms against fascism, a childlike father of two
daughters, poet and Communist, a private school scholar living in an
orphanage, an internationalist and advocate of independence, a singer, academic
and drinker. Interviewees in the film seemed unwilling to criticise the drink
problem across Scotland's folk scene, but they smile at mention of his
bisexuality. One of the important interviewees in the film is his widow,
Kätzel. Others include Tim Neat, his biographer, writer and poet George Gunn
and founder member of the 7:84 theatre company, Gaelic singer Dolina MacLennan.
Novelist Kevin MacNeil was co-writer and conducted the Gaelic interviews.
Composer Jim Sutherland wrote the score. Produced by Bees Nees Media, Hamish was
broadcast on BBC Alba in September 2016.</div>
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With his flair for languages and organisation, quirky
nature, talents and famous charm, Hamish excelled in many eclectic fields; his
keen mind adapted and shone through whenever he tuned into a project. His
thorough work as a political strategist has contributed in no small way to much
of the success of the Scottish left today. Like his friend Tom Nairn, he can be
seen as one of the great Scottish political theorists of the 20th century, as
well as a great cultural figure. Gramsci told us that they are one and the
same.</div>
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<a href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/adam-ramsay/hamish-henderson-folk-culture-and-building-of-scottish-left-wing-identity">https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/adam-ramsay/hamish-henderson-folk-culture-and-building-of-scottish-left-wing-identity</a></div>
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Condensed and edited - a post by Green Party member Adam
Ramsay, writing on the openDemocracyUK website</div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/HamishMovie">www.facebook.com/HamishMovie</a></div>
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Hamish The Movie: Facebook page</div>
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<a href="http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/04/07/play-me-something">http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/04/07/play-me-something</a></div>
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Director Timothy Neat's Play Me Something. 'At The Glad Cafe in Glasgow on May 4th, there was a rare
screening of Play Me Something, a hidden gem of Scottish cinema and winner of
the Europa prize at the Berlin Film Festival in 1989, the year of its release.
The film is set on the Isle of Barra in the waiting-room of the island’s
airport, and features the writer and artist John Berger as a mysterious,
Orpheus-like character, who enchants the waiting travellers with a tale set in
Venice of love, politics and the clash between tradition and modernity.
Alongside Berger, there’s a fine ensemble of actors and performers, including
Tilda Swinton, Liz Lochhead, folklorist Margaret Bennett and Hamish Henderson –
who plays a kind of Hebridean Prospero, riding magisterially across the sands
on his horse and cart.'</div>
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'Hamish Henderson's work with the travelling people of
Scotland is often regarded as his greatest achievement. He lived with them for
months at a time, collecting ballads, songs and stories long ignored by more
snobbish collectors. He collected a wealth of oral culture and provided public
platforms for Scotland’s traditional and revivalist singers, bringing singers
like Jeannie Robertson and Flora MacNeil to public attention. “He showed the
world, particularly the academic world, that Scottish traditional culture was
still vigorous and fermenting,” says obituary writer and friend, Raymond Ross.</div>
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His socialist politics did not endear himself to the
establishment. He was banned from state radio for ten years. In 1983 he
rejected an OBE in protest at the nuclear policy of the Thatcher government. He
was voted Scot of the Year by listeners to BBC Radio Scotland. A tireless
activist in the anti-apartheid movement and CND, he also campaigned for the
opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, dying three years later aged
eighty-two.' </div>
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<a href="http://www.thenational.scot/culture/new-film-pays-tribute-to-hamish-henderson---father-of-the-folk-revival.14025">http://www.thenational.scot/culture/new-film-pays-tribute-to-hamish-henderson---father-of-the-folk-revival.14025</a></div>
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Edited article by Nan Spowart, writing in the National
newspaper</div>
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<a href="http://www.thenational.scot/culture/folk-film-festival-examines-different-aspects-of-the-working-class-experience-in-cinema.16210">http://www.thenational.scot/culture/folk-film-festival-examines-different-aspects-of-the-working-class-experience-in-cinema.16210</a></div>
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Folk film festival examines different aspects of the
working-class experience in cinema </div>
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<a href="http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/04/25/nowt-so-queer-as-folk">http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/04/25/nowt-so-queer-as-folk</a></div>
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Nowt so queer as folk: Jamie Chambers</div>
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<a href="http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2015/04/27/folk-film-gathering">http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2015/04/27/folk-film-gathering</a></div>
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Folk film gathering: Jamie Chambers</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-82731693212009856442016-10-02T23:07:00.000-07:002016-10-02T23:08:07.627-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYUQtS6uTeasnTfx4yAW5duMtk6hYIweJ9-KtvUqnyTsqKSCe2b2HktATEQDDI1nSoGOok1KKSmBuM6M6opW_WDj8zG-VgKYBD2cEOEVADlsbO_NjjyBdiB3LtAu7bjBsimqeRuWOyBs/s1600/denture+queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYUQtS6uTeasnTfx4yAW5duMtk6hYIweJ9-KtvUqnyTsqKSCe2b2HktATEQDDI1nSoGOok1KKSmBuM6M6opW_WDj8zG-VgKYBD2cEOEVADlsbO_NjjyBdiB3LtAu7bjBsimqeRuWOyBs/s320/denture+queen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Denture Queen - song titles that change as we age<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Procol Harum: "A whiter shade of hair"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Troggs: "Bald thing"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Johnny Nash: "I can't see clearly
now"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Herman's Hermits: "Mrs. Brown you've got a
lovely walker"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Rolling Stones: "You can't always pee when
you want"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Commodores: "Once, twice, three trips to
the bathroom"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Bad prune
rising"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Marvin Gaye: "I heard it through the grape
nuts"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Metallica - "Nothing ulcer matters"</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Simon & Garfunkel: "The sound of
tinnitus" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Abba: "Denture Queen"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Who: "Talkin' about my
medication"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Slits: "Revenge of the pensioner
slits"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Verve: “The drugs work”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Roberta Flack: "The first time ever I forgot
your face"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Jaggs: "I've got my PIN number,
written on the back of my hand"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Zombies: “He’s not all there”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Wham: “Don’t wake me up before you go go”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Moody Blues: “Don’t go now’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Leo Sayer: "You make me feel like
napping"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Pink Floyd: “Wake up, you crazy diamond”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Animals: “We’ve got to get out of this care
home”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Doors: “Light my pyre”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">The Streets: “Wish I’d gone to church”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Blue Oyster Cult: “Fear of the reaper”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">More contributions will be credited and
welcome. In the interests of 'good taste', I've edited out Leonard Cohen's
"No lung, Marianne", because Marianne died this year.
"Blue" by Joni Mitchell was discounted because Joni's also
heading for the Rainbow Bridge; anyway the titles are supposed to be changed - play by the rules. Thanks to Steve Booth from Aberdeen for
sharing on Faceboak an original list of song titles changed by ageing issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Black humour in a similar '(You're so varicose)
vein', to quote Carly Simon:-</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><o:p>
</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><a href="http://collieston.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/funeral-songs-ultimate-box-set.html">http://collieston.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/funeral-songs-ultimate-box-set.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">Funeral
songs – the ultimate box set<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-75363121347054543892016-07-24T02:11:00.001-07:002016-07-24T02:20:42.120-07:00Jackie Kay, Scotland's new Makar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0qvQ_ECvuoEk7LnqWe1qjh1WMVG40lFmjBkrocMlVD6XuXniQb3N-YDYtHf2l3Q7NY49J75w-7-ehyphenhyphenDtliQ5OqmJKyO9qf4JRrKUV9157bFt8DcFgvY368AeI1u_wFKwOH-XXg1Vkbo/s1600/Jackie+Kay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0qvQ_ECvuoEk7LnqWe1qjh1WMVG40lFmjBkrocMlVD6XuXniQb3N-YDYtHf2l3Q7NY49J75w-7-ehyphenhyphenDtliQ5OqmJKyO9qf4JRrKUV9157bFt8DcFgvY368AeI1u_wFKwOH-XXg1Vkbo/s320/Jackie+Kay.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Jackie Kay is a poet and novelist. Her many awards include the Guardian
Fiction Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award and the Scottish Book of the Year
Award. Her books include the novel Trumpet; her memoir Red Dust Road; Reality,
Reality (short stories); and the poetry collections, Fiere and The Maw Broon
Monologues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">On March 15th 2016, it was announced that Jackie Kay is to be Scotland's
next Makar, our official national poet. The position of national laureate,
entitled the Scots Makar, was established by the Scottish Parliament in 2004.
That year Edwin Morgan received the honour to become Scotland's first Makar. He
was succeeded in 2011 by Liz Lochhead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/news/new-makar-jackie-kays-vow-to-get-scots-talking.15109">http://www.thenational.scot/news/new-makar-jackie-kays-vow-to-get-scots-talking.15109</a></span><span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">'A poem is a little moment of belief'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"Scotland has shown that it can be a player on the world stage and has shown the world that it can do different things. I’m really looking forward to engaging politically and socially in all sorts of different ways to make poetry have an active and exciting role in our national conversation.”</div>
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<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">‘Between the Dee and the Don’</span></div>
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<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "indy serif" , "serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">I will stand not in the past or in
the future<br />
not in the foreground or the background;<br />
not as the first child or the last child.<br />
I will stand alone in the middle ground.<br />
I was conceived between the Dee and the Don.<br />
I was born in the city of crag and stone.<br />
I am not a daughter to one father.<br />
I am not a sister to one brother.<br />
I am light and dark.<br />
I am father and mother.<br />
I was conceived between the Dee and the Don.<br />
I was born in the city of crag and stone.<br />
I am not forgiving and I am not cruel.<br />
I will not go against one side.<br />
I am not wise or a fool.<br />
I was not born yesterday.<br />
I was conceived between the Dee and the Don.<br />
I was born in the city of crag and stone.<br />
I can say tomorrow is another day tomorrow.<br />
I come from the old world and the new.<br />
I live between laughter and sorrow.<br />
I live between the land and the sea.<br />
I was conceived between the Dee and the Don.<br />
I was born in the city of crag and stone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "indy serif" , "serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;">from ‘Fiere’ (London: Picador, 2011)</span><span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "indy serif" , "serif"; font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jackie was conceived in Aberdeen and born in Edinburgh.
After adoption by Helen and John Kay, she was brought up in Bishopbriggs,
Glasgow. Her first book, The Adoption Papers (Bloodaxe 1991), won the Forward
Prize, a Saltire prize and a Scottish Arts Council Prize. She was made a fellow
of the Royal Society of Literature in 2002. Her book of stories Wish I Was Here
won the Decibel British Book Award. She also writes for children and her Red
Cherry Red (Bloomsbury) won the CLYPE award. She has written extensively for
stage and television. Her most recent play Manchester Lines (produced by
Manchester Library Theatre) was a great success. She is currently working on a
new novel, Bystander. She is Chancellor at the University of Salford and
Professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/profile/jackiekay">http://www.theguardian.com/profile/jackiekay</a></div>
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Trumpet was published in 1998. Legendary jazz trumpet player
Joss Moody dies at the beginning of the novel. The coroner discovers that he
has breasts and a vagina. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jan/16/rereading-trumpet-jackie-kay-ali-smith">http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jan/16/rereading-trumpet-jackie-kay-ali-smith</a></div>
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The reason Joss lived
life in such a way remains a mystery; Jackie avoids any stereotyping. Instead
she highlights a passionate person with secrets, someone who didn't easily fit
into either of two distinct forms - masculine and feminine. Much of Jackie's
work explores what it means to be human and the complexities of identity. Jackie
drew inspiration from the real-life story of <i>Billy Tipton</i> in the writing of Trumpet. </div>
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On 2nd September 2015 Jackie presented readings from her
books at the lunchtime Culture Club in Aberdeen. Jackie is a consummate
performer who could easily have found success if she had pursued teenage plans
to become an actress. She gets her warm spirit, humour and modesty in part from
Helen and John, her Mum and Dad, those proud parents in the Scottish Poetry
Library when her national laureate appointment was announced. The baby whom
they had brought home in a basket in 1962 had become Scots Makar in 2016.
Knowing them all, I imagine that they were all pretty ambivalent when Jackie
was awarded the MBE in 2006. </div>
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Jackie's talk in Aberdeen was peppered with past examples of
less than flattering reactions to her work, which provoked mirth from her fans
in Aberdeen's Music Hall - 'F you, Jackie, with your shite poetry' and 'You
made my High School education unbearable'. On one occasion at a talk, she
invited questions from the audience to be asked how much she weighed! After the Culture Club, Jackie signed books,
got tagged in photos and met her fans. </div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>'LUCOZADE'<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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'My mum is on a high bed next to sad chrysanthemums.</div>
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‘Don’t bring flowers, they only wilt and die.’</div>
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I am scared my mum is going to die</div>
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on the bed next to the sad chrysanthemums.</div>
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She nods off and her eyes go back in her head.</div>
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Next to her bed is a bottle of Lucozade.</div>
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‘Orange nostalgia, that’s what that is,’ she says.</div>
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‘Don’t bring Lucozade either,’ then fades.</div>
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‘The whole day was a blur, a swarm of eyes.</div>
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Those doctors with their white lies.</div>
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Did you think you could cheer me up with a Woman’s Own?</div>
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Don’t bring magazines, too much about size.’</div>
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My mum wakes up, groggy and low.</div>
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‘What I want to know,’ she says,’ is this:</div>
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where’s the big brandy, the generous gin, the Bloody Mary,</div>
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the biscuit tin, the chocolate gingers, the dirty big
meringue?’</div>
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I am sixteen; I’ve never tasted a Bloody Mary.</div>
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‘Tell your father to bring a luxury,’ says she.</div>
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‘Grapes have no imagination, they’re just green.</div>
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Tell him: stop the neighbours coming.’</div>
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I clear her cupboard in Ward 10B, Stobhill Hospital.</div>
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I leave, bags full, Lucozade, grapes, oranges,</div>
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sad chrysanthemums under my arms,</div>
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weighted down. I turn round, wave with her flowers.</div>
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My mother, on her high hospital bed, waves back.</div>
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Her face is light and radiant, dandelion hours.</div>
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Her sheets billow and whirl. She is beautiful. </div>
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Next to her the empty table is divine.</div>
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I carry the orange nostalgia home singing an old song.'</div>
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<b>***<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2016/feb/02/mum-nhs-hospital-wards-staff">http://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2016/feb/02/mum-nhs-hospital-wards-staff</a></div>
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<br />
'No one looks at the whole of me,’ my mum says. How the NHS
is breaking apart' Her Mum's local
hospital was once state of the art, but now it creaks, with over-full wards and
over-worked staff.</div>
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'The dead don't go till you do, loved ones.</div>
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The dead are still here holding our hands.'</div>
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From ‘Darling: New and Selected Poems ‘(Bloodaxe Books,
2007)</div>
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<b>'A CARAVAN FOR CALAIS'<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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'So no room at the Inn,</div>
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No snowy winter chalet.</div>
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No holiday in Chamonix,</div>
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Just a caravan for Calais.</div>
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A tin roof in the wind,</div>
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A safe chamber on Christmas day,</div>
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A shelter from the melee,</div>
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A caravan for Calais.</div>
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Away from the din,</div>
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Above the flooding malaise,</div>
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Safe from the night raids</div>
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In a caravan for Calais.</div>
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The world’s kith and kin,</div>
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Stowed-away in lorries.</div>
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No rest for the weary -</div>
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But a caravan for Calais.'</div>
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I found the following links to be relevant and of interest.</div>
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<a href="http://www.thenational.scot/culture/profile-the-14-18-now-world-war-i-project.12636">http://www.thenational.scot/culture/profile-the-14-18-now-world-war-i-project.12636</a></div>
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World War I project - a collaboration titled 'Fierce Light'</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://asls.arts.gla.ac.uk/SWE/TBI/TBIIssue15/KayInterview.html">http://asls.arts.gla.ac.uk/SWE/TBI/TBIIssue15/KayInterview.html</a></div>
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Interview by JP O'Malley in the Bottle Imp</div>
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<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/7800799/Jackie-Kay-Interview.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/7800799/Jackie-Kay-Interview.html</a></div>
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2010 interview with Helen Brown: 'Red Dust Road'</div>
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<a href="http://www.kaleidoscot.com/the-literary-life-of-jackie-kay-6299">http://www.kaleidoscot.com/the-literary-life-of-jackie-kay-6299</a></div>
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'The literary life of Jackie Kay' - Kevin Crowe writes in
KaleidoScot</div>
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<a href="http://www.thenational.scot/comment/alan-riach-it-is-hard-to-imagine-a-better-choice-of-makar.15112">http://www.thenational.scot/comment/alan-riach-it-is-hard-to-imagine-a-better-choice-of-makar.15112</a> Alan Riach: It is hard to imagine a better choice of
Makar </div>
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“Her further books – Other Lovers (1993), Off Colour (1998),
Life Mask (2005), Darling (2007), Fiere (2011) and Reality, Reality (2012) –
take her in all sorts of directions: public and personal, exploring politics
and language, geography and history, motherhood, falling in love, racism,
prejudice, pride, popular culture, Shakespeare, Scotland and Africa.'</div>
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<a href="https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3701/jackie-kay-scotland-s-new-makar-standing-up-for-poetry">https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3701/jackie-kay-scotland-s-new-makar-standing-up-for-poetry</a> 'Scotland’s new Makar - standing up for poetry' - Anni
Donaldson</div>
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<a href="http://www.thenational.scot/culture/not-a-hint-of-schmaltz-as-new-makar-jackie-kay-expresses-a-love-of-love.15294">http://www.thenational.scot/culture/not-a-hint-of-schmaltz-as-new-makar-jackie-kay-expresses-a-love-of-love.15294</a></div>
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'Not a hint of schmaltz as new Makar Jackie Kay expresses a
love of love': Alan Taylor</div>
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<a href="http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poets/jackie-kay">http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poets/jackie-kay</a> Scottish Poetry Library</div>
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<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/21/carol-ann-duffy-jackie-kay-gillian-clarke-imtiaz-dharker-poets-on-the-road">http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/21/carol-ann-duffy-jackie-kay-gillian-clarke-imtiaz-dharker-poets-on-the-road</a> 'No drugs on the bus': Carol Ann Duffy takes a road trip<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jun/20/five-poets-go-on-tour-carol-ann-duffys-travel-diary-begins">https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jun/20/five-poets-go-on-tour-carol-ann-duffys-travel-diary-begins</a> Five poets go on tour</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-92032762166294045282016-05-19T02:16:00.000-07:002016-05-19T02:16:00.525-07:00Visions of Johanna: Ellon's illustrious Johanna Basford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyD44Zx2Wyfn2BmxAosAE9BPOVzqoJgtsqGYKIvv-XatVAWezY3FYOSMB0A-CQZxSNcZtmgSLITao_7OmEhgm4xnDo-6S5NDQxcxpv6BnYmrMUHwG-TKdiWyoQM-EgskaofKR-jTNM9Y0/s1600/Basford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="531" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyD44Zx2Wyfn2BmxAosAE9BPOVzqoJgtsqGYKIvv-XatVAWezY3FYOSMB0A-CQZxSNcZtmgSLITao_7OmEhgm4xnDo-6S5NDQxcxpv6BnYmrMUHwG-TKdiWyoQM-EgskaofKR-jTNM9Y0/s640/Basford.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photograph: Johanna Basford|Laurence King Publishing</div>
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<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/27/secret-garden-colouring-in-book-sells-3m-copies-in-china?CMP=EMCBKSEML3964">http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/27/secret-garden-colouring-in-book-sells-3m-copies-in-china?CMP=EMCBKSEML3964</a> Secret
Garden colouring-in book sells 3 million copies in China.</div>
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<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelzarrell/this-woman-created-gorgeous-coloring-books-for-adults-and-so?utm_term=.hdLa4QvAl#.pm2xqNW8P">http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelzarrell/this-woman-created-gorgeous-coloring-books-for-adults-and-so?utm_term=.hdLa4QvAl#.pm2xqNW8P</a> Buzzfeed
feature.</div>
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'I'm an illustrator and ink evangelist who prefers pens and
pencils to pixels. I create intricate, hand-drawn illustrations predominately
in black-and-white.' <o:p> </o:p><a href="http://www.johannabasford.com/">www.johannabasford.com</a> Johanna's website.</div>
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Inky treasure hunt colouring book for grown-ups.. Tumble
down the rabbit hole and find yourself in a black-and-white wonderland. These
interactive activity books are global bestsellers. Take a ramble through
gardens and forests.</div>
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Laurence King Publishing say that Secret Garden has sold 6.8million copies around the world, with 3million sold in China, where it was published on June 1st 2015. It became the bestseller with the fewest words - only 264 Chinese characters - according to Hinabook, its first Chinese publisher. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/27/secret-garden-colouring-in-book-sells-3m-copies-in-china?CMP=EMCBKSEML3964">http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/27/secret-garden-colouring-in-book-sells-3m-copies-in-china?CMP=EMCBKSEML3964</a> Secret Garden adult colouring-in book sells 3million copies in China. Read on for more Chinese reactions to Johanna's work.</div>
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Secret Garden has also been a major hit in Brazil, where it has sold just over 1.1million copies, with 650,421 copies sold in the US, half a million in South Korea, and 477,658 in the UK to date.</div>
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Enchanted Forest took colorists through a forest to discover what lies in the castle. It features hidden objects and fun mazes. Beginning at the entrance to a fairy-tale forest, the journey progresses through highly embellished woods and through intricate flora. Castles, treasure chests and other magical elements add a fairy tale narrative to the designs. Special features include a gate-folded two-page spread, and a colorable jacket.</div>
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Johanna's work has roots in the flora and fauna that
surrounded her when she was growing up on her parents' farm near Ellon. Following the success of Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, her 2015 book was titled Lost Ocean: an inky
adventure & colouring book. It contains 80 pages bound in a softcover. Lost Ocean will make you feel as though you have entered an enchanting underwater world hidden in the depths of the sea. This interactive book will take you on a journey beneath the waves through intricate pen and ink illustrations. Visit coral reefs and barnacle-studded shipwrecks where you'll encounter pirate treasure, exotic fish, curious octopi, delicately penned seahorses, mermaids, coral reefs and tangles of seaweed.</div>
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Johanna studied Textile Design at Duncan of Jordanstone
College of Art and Design in Dundee. Her
work is inspired by childhood holidays on the Isle of Arran on the West Coast
of Scotland and her gardener grandfather's library of botanical reference
books, with roots in the flora and fauna that surrounded her when she was
growing up in rural North-East Scotland.
Johanna still lives in Aberdeenshire with her husband (James Watt, Brewdog
founder), baby daughter and dog Simcoe. </div>
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Her magical illustrations have captured
the hearts of people across the globe. Her books have been translated into 24
languages. 'I get emails from people saying that they wait till the kids go to bed, then get their books out and had a sneaky colouring session!' </div>
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<a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/she-sparked-global-craze-for-adult-colouring-books">http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/she-sparked-global-craze-for-adult-colouring-books</a></div>
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Global
craze. Singapore Lifestyle mag interview.</div>
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'I think everyone has a creative spark; they just need the
opportunity to let it flourish.' </div>
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Johanna advises that one of the best pencils for
colouring-in is the Staedtler Ergo Soft Triangular Coloured. “Most artist’s
quality coloured pencils work well; I like these ones in particular for their
soft blendable colours and the nice hand feel of the triangular barrel. Derwent
also do a great selection. Coloured pencils have zero risk or smudging or
bleeding, so the safest option if you have ink anxiety. Unlike with pens, you can
blend and gradient pencils to create some really beautiful effects. Keep a
sharpener to hand to assist with those intricate bits.”</div>
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<a href="https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/342484746641318209">https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/342484746641318209</a> Pinterest</div>
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Johanna also swears by little grey pens called
Staedtler Pigment Liners. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/gallery/2015/apr/26/how-to-draw-an-enchanted-forest-castle">http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/gallery/2015/apr/26/how-to-draw-an-enchanted-forest-castle</a> How
to draw .. an enchanted forest'- Johanna Basford. Guardian article from April 2015</div>
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Forget the old jokes about readers needing crayons.
Colorists learn the importance of gradient ramp, color matching and light
sensation. Each painting is a unique work of art, respite from a modern world
in front of a screen. Psychiatrist Carl Jung prescribed colouring to his
patients to relieve anxiety. According to the Irish Independent, Cork-based
psychologist Sally O'Reilly is delighted about the current craze for colouring
in. She used art tools for expression and therapy when she worked with bereaved
children at Barnardos, but found she missed working with art when she left the
job. "It helps people to wind down, it's contemplative, evocative of
childhood and almost meditative. I've since invested in markers, crayons and
sketch pads, which I have at home and in my office. Regardless of whether or
not you're artistic, engaging with colour and images can be enormously
therapeutic."</div>
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Many of Johanna's Chinese readers describe her book as 'a
pressure-reducing valve'. "There is something mysterious about coloring in
that lets me slow down from the fast life and forget about some daily
routines," says Li Yaming, a 34-year-old middle school teacher in
Guangzhou, Guangdong province. "Every reader is actually a 'co-author' of
the book, or a gardener, when we participate in the 'gardening' process with
Johanna. In the participative reading, I feel I walk into a secret garden, and
I become its owner when the whole coloring in is complete."</div>
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"The graphic patterns of plants and animals put me into
nature, awaken my childhood memories, and intrigue my passion to explore the
beauty of the world," says Wen Wen, a real-estate sales agent in Harbin,
Heilongjiang province. Characterizing her life as stressful, the 30-year-old
Wen adds: "That's why Secret Garden is more than a book to me. I am simply
addicted to it. Coloring in is a creative process that concentrates my spirit
and calms my nerves."</div>
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<a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/culture/2015-10/05/c_134685155_2.htm">http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/culture/2015-10/05/c_134685155_2.htm</a></div>
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Chinese
reaction to Johanna's work, the nostalgia factor, plus a warning about eyesight
problems and a lack of exercise!</div>
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<a href="http://myfiles.party/related/johanna-basford-coloring-book">http://myfiles.party/related/johanna-basford-coloring-book</a> Myfiles.party</div>
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<a href="http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/why-adults-are-taking-to-colouring/article7792537.ece">http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/why-adults-are-taking-to-colouring/article7792537.ece</a></div>
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Artists
without borders: why adults are taking to colouring. Apoorva Sripathi's article
in The Hindu</div>
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Millie Marotta was Britain's biggest-selling author in 2015.
The top 100 best-selling list currently includes 10 colouring-in books for
grown-ups. On 5th November 2015, Warner Brothers launched a book themed on
Harry Potter. Other themed books include the original illustrations for Alice
in Wonderland, Dr Who, Game of Thrones, Tolkein's World and Sherlock, the BBC
drama series.</div>
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Johanna Basford is set to publish two new colouring books in
2016. The two new "inky imagined worlds" are Magical Jungle and
Johanna's Christmas.</div>
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Magical Jungle offers a world of flora and fauna wherein
lies "an exotic rain forest teeming with creatures large and small",
including "speckled tree frogs and dainty hummingbirds, prowling tigers
and curious monkeys". Johanna's Christmas includes "flurries of
delicate snowflakes, to deliciously decorated gingerbread houses and
reindeer-led sleighs" as a celebration of the holiday season. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-23060977750168470222016-05-18T21:41:00.002-07:002017-07-16T02:52:00.174-07:00Place names, pronunciations, the weird, rude and ironic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>'In Scotland, we have
a special affection fur wer words'.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>This extends to our
North-East place-names.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Lost in translation ...<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://commonspace.scot/articles/1540/katie-gallogly-swan-are-you-lot-hawdin-yer-wheesht">https://commonspace.scot/articles/1540/katie-gallogly-swan-are-you-lot-hawdin-yer-wheesht</a></b></div>
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<b>'There’s nae lack of
insults - ya bawbag, eejit, tumshie, numpty, feartie, fud, galoot, heidbanger,
zoomer, nyaff, roaster, and dare to say it, teuchter. We’ve nae problems in
expressing our general disgust when something’s boggin, clatty, gantin,
hoachin, loupin, maukit, minging, boufin, howlin, honkin, or if it quite
simply, geez ye the dry boak. Similarly our contemplations on the post-dram
experience is impressive, whether we’re steamin, fleein, pished, hammered,
blootered, blottoed, goosed, guttered, rubber, para, or mad wae it.'</b></div>
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<b>{I got an email from
a proof-reader recently telling me that their wonderful app had detected
several typos on this blog: most of the words above were listed as
examples. Ed.}<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/2402/mind-your-language-scottish-government-to-step-up-promotion-of-scots">https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/2402/mind-your-language-scottish-government-to-step-up-promotion-of-scots</a></b></div>
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<b>'Mind
your language: Scottish Government to step up promotion of Scots' - David
Jamieson<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/comment/anne-donovan-mingin-mawkit-and-some-magic-words-fur-weather.13874">http://www.thenational.scot/comment/anne-donovan-mingin-mawkit-and-some-magic-words-fur-weather.13874</a></b></div>
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<b>Anne Donovan: Mingin, mawkit, smeddum, uncos, garbs and some magic words fur weather<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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https://forvo.com/<br />
<a href="https://forvo.com/">https://forvo.com/</a><br />
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<b> </b><b>Our North-East of Scotland place-names and pronunciations can cause confusion, with no shortage to offer as examples. The Romans invaded Britain in 43AD. Forty years later they marched on ancient Caledonian granaries, full from the harvest. This action led to the first recorded battle of Scotland's colourful past - with Iron Age Picts at Mons Graupius. The battle may have taken place on the slopes of Bennachie. </b></div>
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<b>As names often are, the entire region of Grampian is
the result of a mistake. In 1476 a typesetter was producing a printed edition
of Tacitus's biography of his father-in-law, the Roman Governor Agricola,
whereby he misspelt Graupians as Grampians. The region has kept the 'Grampian'
spelling ever since. The Grampians is also the name of the main belt of
mountains across Scotland, ending at its most westerly point with Ben Nevis. </b><b><a href="http://www.forviemedia.co.uk/gallery_604252.html">http://www.forviemedia.co.uk/gallery_604252.html</a></b></div>
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<b>Places have been
established worldwide by colonists naming new settlements after a picturesque
corner of home. Take the Canadian metropolis of Calgary - the
original consists of a small village on the island of Mull off the west of
Scotland. Moscow is a hamlet in East Ayrshire.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>On to North-East
place-names. Cairnbulg becomes Belger and Premnay is Auchleven, Gardenstown and
neighbour Crovie on the Moray Firth</b><b> are called Gamrie and
Crivie.</b></div>
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<b>Not to be confused with
Crichie (Stuartfield on SatNavs and Ordnance Survey), Geerie (Gairioch),
Finechty (Findochty), Fing in or Finan (Finzean), Fishie (Fetterangus) and
Fittie (Footdee in Aberdeen).</b></div>
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<b>Fraserburgh and Peterhead are known as the Broch and
the Bloo Toon respectively. Some good folk of Garthdee delight in upsetting
their posh neighbours by referring to their own suburb as East Cults. Going
west up the Dee, you'll find the abandoned, well-named Shakkin’ Briggie which
crosses the river to Ardoe from Cults.</b></div>
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<b>It's no easier for
strangers and tourists when the locals pronounce Culter as Cooter, while Cults
is never called Coots; then there's Bankry (Banchory), Abine (Aboyne), Stran
(Strachan), Creemin (Crimond) and Finnyfaul (Whinnyfold). The Turra cow is
famous but don't go looking for anything other than Turriff on a map. Both Loch
and Glen Muick are pronounced Mick, so that's easy enough. Rosehearty becomes
Rizzarty, Banff sounds like a muffled, unwanted explosion (Bumpf), and if you
think Maggieknockater (a village near Craigellachie in Banffshire) getting
abbreviated to Mathgan is a blessing, check out the Gaelic - try saying Magh an Fhucadair phonetically,
then wait for muffled laughter from those with the Gaelic nearby. By the way,
Avoch shortens to 'och'.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Place names bear
witness to perverse memories. A remote house near Alford, where swingers'
parties were held, as disclosed at the famous Garvie murder trial of 1968, is
still known as Kinky Cottage. To this day folk yell 'Dinnae shop there!'
outside the Union Street building in Aberdeen that in 1964 housed William Low's
supermarket, where the contaminated corned beef from Argentina which sparked a
typhoid epidemic was sold. I thought that my pal Shoogie had been indulging in
mindbendng substances when he said he'd bought a sarnie from 'Typhoid' and
pointed at the building, until it transpired that he had pet names for many
landmarks in the city. For example, he called a nearby pub Banished, because
Siouxsie and the Banshees split up there in September 1979, when it was The
Other Record Shop. The band was appearing for fans at the record store, their
last gig together, as it happened. "At the Capitol Theatre that night,
Siouxsie sang 'Lord's Prayer' with the Cure," Shoogie remembers fondly.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Street names in
Aberdeen reflect past trading - commodities, artisans and
countries:- Candlemakers' Lane, Wrights' and Coopers' Place, Cotton Street,
Flourmill Lane, Virginia Street, Baltic Place, Jamaica Street and Patagonia
Court spring to mind.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I'll end with some
examples of intriguing place-names, so look out for signposts to Knock and
Glass. There's at least two Twatts in Scotland, one on Orkney and the other on
Shetland. The Perthshire village of Dull is twinned with Boring in Oregon. Many places disappoint, not fulfilling the promise that their names
suggest. It was easy to find and leave Lost, for example, and I didn't go
missing in the mist when I went to what is written as Aberchirder on maps of
the Grampian area, but it is for some reason called Foggieloan by all and
sundry. I once spent a fruitless few hours in Tarty. I can't even begin to
describe what happened when I visited Backside and Brokenwind.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Additions,
corrections and explanations are welcome. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.northsound1.com/local/12-great-doric-words-and-their-meaning">http://www.northsound1.com/local/12-great-doric-words-and-their-meaning</a></b></div>
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<b>12
great Doric words and their meaning<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/17-funniest-doric-expressions-use">http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/17-funniest-doric-expressions-use</a></b></div>
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<b>Seventeen
funny Doric expressions<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://commonspace.scot/articles/2046/review-butterfly-rammy-the-book">https://commonspace.scot/articles/2046/review-butterfly-rammy-the-book</a></b></div>
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<b>Butterfly
Rammy book review<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.thenational.scot/news/gaelic-blunder-causes-blushes-as-visitors-to-rothesay-are-welcomed-to-penis-island.6748">http://www.thenational.scot/news/gaelic-blunder-causes-blushes-as-visitors-to-rothesay-are-welcomed-to-penis-island.6748</a></b></div>
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<b>Gaelic
blunder causes blushes as visitors to Rothesay are welcomed to Penis
Island</b></div>
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<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Balls">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Balls</a></b></div>
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<b>Q. "Where did you go on
holiday this year?" A. "Sandy Balls"<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-86014092381448014032016-03-14T07:24:00.000-07:002016-03-14T07:24:41.801-07:00Haddo Estate elms supplied for Victory's keel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wNF1MAHLWiOErG6gm-uFa42h4L2nGloXR28CEwnHvdOnNIwF8Ex8O4wcnBc3tsESDORGVq9XlzK_VQXwLLvfpJ2xNyBtuFvHqieunIZT13Lgco5w5pFpobACBzR0G7XPw9jwojGuUXM/s1600/Biomass+Haddo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wNF1MAHLWiOErG6gm-uFa42h4L2nGloXR28CEwnHvdOnNIwF8Ex8O4wcnBc3tsESDORGVq9XlzK_VQXwLLvfpJ2xNyBtuFvHqieunIZT13Lgco5w5pFpobACBzR0G7XPw9jwojGuUXM/s400/Biomass+Haddo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Haddo Estate elms supplied for
Victory’s keel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Strapline</div>
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.. Among other environmentally friendly projects at Haddo
are biomass boilers. The Cottonhillock scheme (pictured) is incorporated into a
housing development in nearby Methlick. </div>
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Lord Aberdeen of the Haddo Estate has donated five elm trees
to help HMS Victory remain sustainable for centuries to come. The elms will be
inspected to see if they are suitable to refurbish Victory's keel below the
waterline</div>
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The Haddo Estate near Ellon in Aberdeenshire is a leader in
sustainable development. The Estate Farm has implemented several
agri-environmental schemes. Kelly sawmill boasts a generator powered by water
driven down a channel where an Archimedes’ screw is installed: thereby the
sawmill feeds hydroelectricity directly into the National Grid. Among other
environmentally friendly projects are biomass boilers. The scheme pictured is
incorporated into the Cottonhillock housing development in nearby Methlick. Hot
water and heating for the affordable homes are provided by a woodchip boiler
via a district heating main. </div>
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<a href="http://www.formartines.com/">http://www.formartines.com</a> Formartine’s shop and
restaurant epitomise Haddo’s green credentials. Local, seasonal produce
is available throughout the year, and you might get served by Formartine's
affable co-proprietors John Cooper, who runs The Methlick Smokehouse, or Lord
Aberdeen of the Haddo Estate. Formartine's innovative building design uses
granite from the original site and it is clad in Scotlarch. A heat recovery
system recycles existing waste providing all heating and hot water. Renewable
energy for electricity gives Formartine's a zero-rated carbon emission status.</div>
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As a contribution to a conservation project that will
continue for fifteen years, Lord Aberdeen has donated five elm trees to help
sustain HMS Victory for centuries to come. Launched in 1767, Nelson’s flagship
is docked at Portsmouth Historic Naval Dockyard in Hampshire. The Haddo Estate
elms will be inspected to determine if they are suitable for refurbishing
Victory's keel below the waterline, one of the oldest parts of the vessel. If
unsuitable, the wood will be used to make new gun carriages. Scottish industry
provided timber, sails, ropes, iron cannons and balls for Nelson's twenty-seven
wooden ships at the Battle of Trafalgar. Nine of the British fleet hailed from
Scotland.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-22700801269786675592016-03-05T02:37:00.001-08:002016-03-05T02:41:12.668-08:00Pilgrimer: A Re-imagining of Joni Mitchell's 'Hejira'<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One of many concerts at Celtic Connections 2016</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX3dUxuWYzDpwlYOmIAz3x2KlPhVZTgcGoIagP3n3thluk63ejR3nOezisDm0GKt32nCIIqxYLxwZps2pVeNLS7FIe6Q_tqExVj9WwBYrT4iw_ds-A7CsB2W7MXB4NbXpvP0bXUI5zrI/s1600/Joni+Mitchell+Celtic+Connections.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX3dUxuWYzDpwlYOmIAz3x2KlPhVZTgcGoIagP3n3thluk63ejR3nOezisDm0GKt32nCIIqxYLxwZps2pVeNLS7FIe6Q_tqExVj9WwBYrT4iw_ds-A7CsB2W7MXB4NbXpvP0bXUI5zrI/s320/Joni+Mitchell+Celtic+Connections.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the 16th January in Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall, Pilgrimer was premièred by a stellar cast including Dick Gaughan, Olivia Chaney and Grammy-winning US guitarist Larry Carlton, who played on Joni Mitchell's original 'Hejira' album. Released in 1976, 'Hejira' incorporated Joni's influences - rock, folk and jazz.</div>
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Joni's greatest hits were re-interpreted in the second half of the concert. Musicians and singers included Rod Paterson, Rose Cousins, Annie Grace and Scottish Album of the Year award winner Kathryn Joseph, who performed a stunning version of 'Both Sides Now'. Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis sang 'Cactus Tree' and 'River' in English. Musical curators for the evening were Karine Polwart and her brother Steven, with string arrangements from award-winning composer Pippa Murphy.</div>
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Hejira reflects migration, Pilgrimer re-imagines Joni Mitchell’s meandering classic
album. The Arabic title denotes the prophet Muhammad’s
flight from Mecca to Medina in 622 to escape persecution, in fact any flight
from danger or hostility. Largely conceived while Joni was travelling alone,
Hejira meditates wistfully on what one track calls ‘The Refuge of the Road'
with its flipsides of freedom and loneliness.</div>
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By the novelist, poet and Scots
language champion James Robertson, who has long drawn inspiration from
Mitchell’s canon, Pilgrimer boldly adapts the album into both Scots and a
Scottish setting. James was encouraged by Donald Shaw, the Celtic Connections
director, who wanted to bring more spoken word into the festival. The reworking
might be considered risky, especially topical jokes (Forth Road Bridge) and
substituting St Columba for Amelia Earhart and Dundee for Memphis. Joni's
lawyers are proving less than helpful regarding copyright and reproduction issues. </div>
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<a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/lesley-riddoch-joni-mitchell-made-in-the-mither-tongue-1-4003564">http://www.scotsman.com/news/lesley-riddoch-joni-mitchell-made-in-the-mither-tongue-1-4003564</a> Lesley Riddoch: Joni Mitchell made in the Mither Tongue</div>
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<a href="http://www.glasgowwestend.co.uk/re-imagining-joni-mitchells-hejira">http://www.glasgowwestend.co.uk/re-imagining-joni-mitchells-hejira</a></div>
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Review
by Pat Byrne</div>
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<a href="https://www.list.co.uk/article/78030-gig-review-pilgrimer">https://www.list.co.uk/article/78030-gig-review-pilgrimer</a></div>
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The List. 25th
January. Nicola Meighan review</div>
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<a href="https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3328/celtic-connections-review-songs-of-separation">https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3328/celtic-connections-review-songs-of-separation</a></div>
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'Sons
of Separation' - Anni Donaldson</div>
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<a href="http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/02/01/back-to-the-roots-of-celtic-connections">http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/02/01/back-to-the-roots-of-celtic-connections</a></div>
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'Back
to the roots of Celtic Connections' - Jen Stout</div>
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<a href="http://pkimage.co.uk/">http://pkimage.co.uk</a></div>
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Celtic Connections
photography by Pauline Keightley </div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyj5Be5ovas">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyj5Be5ovas</a></div>
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Joni
Mitchell 'Hejira': June 15th 1986. YouTube video</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-31470907141523142182016-02-16T23:58:00.003-08:002016-02-22T07:33:27.650-08:00City of Ghosts: a dialogue with George Washington Wilson. Sound and vision, movement and silence..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzGdMVeBSW5G1-G82MDchrtESO6ijfcch1Dhyphenhyphen9iZ1TmwZn0vxHVdapRNiWCxQQmWdEoPG-I2KQ-h_IC50-AUW5Gj_L3mMmxXiz_k06l2GSIUCzPdzMYFccK2TpKI2QsLhzvV8z8eK_wI/s1600/Perivolaris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzGdMVeBSW5G1-G82MDchrtESO6ijfcch1Dhyphenhyphen9iZ1TmwZn0vxHVdapRNiWCxQQmWdEoPG-I2KQ-h_IC50-AUW5Gj_L3mMmxXiz_k06l2GSIUCzPdzMYFccK2TpKI2QsLhzvV8z8eK_wI/s320/Perivolaris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rose
Street, Aberdeen, with Thistle Court in the background: © John Perivolaris</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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The Cities of Ghosts exhibition ran in the Sir Duncan Rice
Library at Aberdeen University in Old Aberdeen until 21st February 2016.</div>
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Victorian photographer George Washington Wilson (1823-1893)
captured images of Aberdeen and North-East Scotland; parts of England, Wales
and Northern Ireland; Gibraltar, Morocco and the South of Spain; and colonial
South Africa and Australia. He was a pioneer of street photography, and saw the
city as a rush of speed and movement, a place for the living. Street
photography would become one of the most important modes of communication in
the twentieth century. Two of the medium's well-known practitioners were Henri
Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank. Its hallmarks were chance, spontaneity and
randomness.</div>
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The sounds and images in City of Ghosts capture how different
rhythms merge, mesh, echo and conflict with each other. Independent documentary maker and fine-art photographer John
Perivolaris has paid homage to Washington Wilson’s work by creating and
exhibiting a new suite of fifteen commissioned photographs showing comparable
vistas to those taken in Aberdeen over a century ago, resonating with the past
- part tradition, part interrogation. John's contemporary images were captured
on analogue cameras and processed with master printer David Champion using
silver bromide techniques and materials. Set against a selection of
reproductions from Wilson’s glass plate negatives and a soundscape created by
Professor Pete Stollery, Chair of Music at Aberdeen University, the exhibition
establishes a dialogue between the city past and present.</div>
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<a href="http://www.forviemedia.co.uk/_photo_13838916.html">http://www.forviemedia.co.uk/_photo_13838916.html</a></div>
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Marischal College in early 20th century. Image from George Washington Wilson & Co.
glass plate in the University of Aberdeen's Special Collections Centre. (MS
3792 A0316). </div>
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Conversations raised by City of Ghosts include the role of
photography in representing cities, our perception of city life and the
dialogue between vision and sound. Stillness, slowness and observation serve as
the foundations for Perivolaris's photos: he carefully scouts locations and
pays attention to the built forms of the city and how they combine to create
urban environments. His deliberate slowing of pace contrasts to our sense of
the accelerated nature of city life, a phenomenon felt particularly with the rapid
modernisation of the industrial age.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-26121150283644067662016-01-20T06:24:00.002-08:002016-01-20T06:26:15.168-08:00David Bowie 1947 – 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilj73TkNwfg-mZqd6v4Rna_0VCW6d-mrPKHLG77ZZh_ndtK779uOVQ3Cn53D5TUoB934kJ5kMlOSo1eka8D9yfMQmBHtE_Sy57CVGUtN3n_rAaVciUYhfeLc60QauSvWeXStK5H7yOAeQ/s1600/Bowie+1973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilj73TkNwfg-mZqd6v4Rna_0VCW6d-mrPKHLG77ZZh_ndtK779uOVQ3Cn53D5TUoB934kJ5kMlOSo1eka8D9yfMQmBHtE_Sy57CVGUtN3n_rAaVciUYhfeLc60QauSvWeXStK5H7yOAeQ/s1600/Bowie+1973.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPUvyKq_fAcHsvva7qv6w2WaR6MCM6x6OlxAMtnAzKXctF7EXoBAl1-7dgCAvqMDrCX_ZXC15LcBWsuJyg5C_I5rfIoCgKmCQMl2QBWrvTXoAn6fzAQ3NSt-4Zb9WjbLsIVj3-AayBZM/s1600/David+Bowie+1973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPUvyKq_fAcHsvva7qv6w2WaR6MCM6x6OlxAMtnAzKXctF7EXoBAl1-7dgCAvqMDrCX_ZXC15LcBWsuJyg5C_I5rfIoCgKmCQMl2QBWrvTXoAn6fzAQ3NSt-4Zb9WjbLsIVj3-AayBZM/s320/David+Bowie+1973.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #1a1818; color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">After battling cancer
for 18 months, David Bowie died on January 10th. His 25th studio album
'Blackstar' was released on his 69th birthday on January 8th, when I uploaded
his poignant new single 'Lazarus' to my YouTube channel:-</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;">'I've got drama</span><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;">Can't be stolen</span><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;">Everybody knows me now</span><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;">Oh, I'll be free</span><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;">Just like that bluebird</span><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;">Oh, I'll be free</span><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;">Ain't that just like me?'</span><br />
<span style="background: #1A1818;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: #1A1818;">I first saw Bowie perform at Glastonbury in
1971. The photo (left) captures Bowie and Mick Ronson at Aberdeen's Music Hall
in 1973 © forviemedia. My favourite tracks are 'Wild is the Wind'; 'Heroes';
'Scary Monsters'.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: #1A1818;">Major Tim Peake @astro_timpeake, 11th January
2016 on Twitter. 'Saddened to hear David Bowie has lost his battle – his music
was an inspiration to many.'</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/live/2016/jan/11/david-bowie-dies-of-cancer-aged-69-reports">http://www.theguardian.com/music/live/2016/jan/11/david-bowie-dies-of-cancer-aged-69-reports</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088147496369424774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632088395299292283.post-1873127605054011772016-01-04T06:11:00.003-08:002016-02-22T07:37:03.047-08:00'Old Pretender, Peterhead Tricentenary' by Stephen Calder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">James Francis Edward Stuart
(King James VIII) landed at Peterhead late on the night of 22nd December 1715,
suffering from seasickness and fevers after having travelled seven days by sea
from Dunkirk in a well-armed vessel laden with a cargo of brandy. He arrived
with six others including James Francis Fitzjames Stuart (1696-1738), grandson
of King James VII, and Lieutenant Allan Cameron, who was sent to Perth with the
news of their arrival.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The Old Pretender was
twenty-seven years old; this was the first time he had set foot in Britain
since his father was driven into exile in 1688 when James was six months old.
He had lived at the Scots Court at Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris under the protection
of the French King Louis XIV.</span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 11.6pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">At first the small boat
crept along the shore and attempted to enter the River Ugie, presumably to get
as near as possible to Inverugie Castle, but “the night was wet and late the
tide” so they instead landed at the old pier of Port Henry Haven. The
unexpected visitors were graciously received at the harbour by the Earl
Marischal’s representative – the Baron Bailie Thomas Arbuthnot. By all accounts
they were “habited like sea-officers and passed for Friends of the Pretender,
going to Perth for his Service”. The vessel was dispatched back to France with
the news of James’s safe arrival.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">They stayed the night at
what is now Park Lane, near the Longate – at the house of the Baron Bailie’s
brother-in-law, Captain James Park, merchant and ship owner. Some sources
suggest Captain Park was the son-in-law of the Baron Bailie, who was 34 at this
time. This seems unlikely. James Park married Janet Arbuthnot, sister of the
Baron Bailie in 1714. According to an anecdote, the mother of Dr William Bruce,
an old naval surgeon, who was related to the Arbuthnots and a staunch Jacobite,
was devoured with a desire to see the King. She put on a servant’s mob-cap and
apron, carried into the parlour a cup of chocolate, and saw James “standing
with his cocked hat pulled over his eyes in deep despondency before the fire”.
It must have seemed quite a contrast to his usual comforts at the Scots Court
at St Germain in Paris. James barely had time to write a short letter dated
“Peterhead, December 22nd 1715”, to say “I am, at last, thank God, in my own
ancient kingdom as the bearer will tell you with all the particulars of my
passage. I am weary and won’t delay a moment the bearer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">A local song which
commemorated the landing of the King at Peterhead was sung for many years after
this event.</span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 11.6pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">“King James is land’t at
Peterhead, an honour great to us indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The night was wet and late
the tide, he couldna unto Ugie ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">He slept a night in our
good town, upon a good saft bed o’ down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">In the morning when he
raise, the Marischal’s bailie brushed his claithes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">He’s
come to set auld Scotland free from cursed Hanover tyranny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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1692 Glencoe Massacre; Game of Crowns; decode secret
messages; songs; interactive timeline; key events; explore Jacobite-related
items - National Library of Scotland</div>
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