soljey

Will the digital TV bods being doing test transmissions beforehand - or will it just be a case of here's BBC2 on analogue one minute & the next it's on digital causingfrantic fiddling about if mhyou hapopen to be in the middle of watching something. I assume that the dates of 5 & 12 May are when the analogue signals are switched OFF But that digital has been switched on before that. Anybody know?

The Tirrick & the Hirta to Burra; the Brenda to Bressay; Georgeson & Moore buses from Scalloway; no TV; Highlands & Islands film shows; the Scalloway open air paddling & swimming ppols; Scalloway shops like Nicolson's, the Hygeinic, Doble's cafe, the original Castle Cafe, Melody Corner, Lyla's, Mouat's Bakery, the shop on Meadowfield Road, the other shop on the corner above Blacksness, Hay & Co's shop at Blacksness; Trondra & Burra before the bridges; East Voe with only about half a dozen houses along it; Iceatlantic, Williamson's & TTF fish factories; the lobster pools at Da Point; when you couold get a bus from Scalloway at 0830, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1900, 2000 and back efrom Lerwick at 0900, 1030, 1300, 1430, 1700, 1930, 2230. And there were buses on Sunday!!

Well said Londog. I am NOT proposing a return to the 'old days'/ I am just illustrating what was once the (unacceptable) norm. A lot of the discussion on this thread and on the one on the Blueprint seem to be focussing purely on the financial aspects of the education system. But the deciding factor should be what is best for our children's education - and how can we most efficiently achieve that. Not, here's a cash figure - let's see what we can shoehorn into it. I am also a classroom teacher - in secondary.

Many of the so-called "classroom assistants" previously mentioned are in fact ASN auxiliaries. They assist the classroom teacher with Additional Support Needs pupils - many of whom may need one-to-one assistance. Many years ago - and I mean when I was a school pupil, these pupuils would have been shunted off to a "special school" or left to fall by the wayside and classed as being "thick".

Agree with what's already been said. We went there in 2008. Loved it. Beautiful clean country. Stayed in Bergen and along the Hardangerfjord; ttook boat trips along the Naeroyfjord and Hardangerfjord; train via Flam to Oslo; Oslo to Trondheim; Hurtigruten from Trondheim to Bergen. Yes, it's expensive but never did we feel we were being ripped off because we were visitors. In fact, we discovered accommodation costs were about the same - if not cheaper - as similar type hotels in the UK (they ain't cheap). Rememebr that you're going direct from Shetland. Think how much yuo could spend if you're going on a "cheaper" package holiday. By the time you've added in your travel costs between Shetland and say Glasgow or London PLUS accommodation for a night or two on the way out and the same on the weay back that can add a lot on to the supposedly cheap costs of the holiday. Apart from money take a digital camera with a large memory card. You'll take a lot of pics in what is truly a breathtaking country. And yuou're in a country where many people DO know where Shetland is and are genuinely intersted to know you're from there.

Didn't get through to the next round but dide make some good contacts for future gigs.

This is a plea if you're a Shetlander in Edinburgh - or know of any that are there. I'm taking part in a stand-up comedy competition. It's an audience vote thing - so the Central Belters will have all their mates there. So if any Shetlinkers are in Edinburgh this Saturday (6 Feb) - go along to the Meadow Bar, Buccleuch St at 8.00pm - and, hopefully, support me. As far as I know I'm the only Shetlander on the bill.

What is your source of information please? Being a staff member of a local school, just got the official word. They are closed tomorrow

Buying a paper (especially on Saturday or Sunday) and getting home and discovering that a big chunk is missing. Seems to happen a lot up here.

Just been on Radio Shetland that this is to happen.

Seems that the following buses have been cancelled tonight: 18:45 Departing Scatness to Lerwick 19:50 Departing Sumburgh Airport to Lerwick 21:05 Departing Lerwick to Scalloway and Hamnavoe 22:30 Departing Lerwick to Sumburgh The buses departing from Lerwick around 5pm will be leaving behind a gritter convoy.

SIC are advising their workers. "The weather conditions are making travel difficult today. The Police are advising people not to travel. The Roads Service are concentrating on keeping the main roads passable. Travel on side roads is difficult in some places. The Roads Service are making arrangements for a convoy system at 5 o’clock from Lerwick. The forecast does not indicate any improvement. Please make arrangements to ensure you can get home safely. If that means leaving work early to get home safely, please feel free to do so (and let your line manager know)."

Great night last night at the Garrison. Sandy Nelson, Mark Nelson & Raymond Mearns really brightened up a dreich January night - apart from 800 guys burning a boat! Raymond's facial expressions alone were hilarious.... Also good to see that this was event number 4 and the audience numbers are steadily growing for each gig.

Will there now be a newsletter that will go out to all oif the UK to counter the 'negative' reporting by the media.

The results of the consultation at the various schools is being made available on the SIC's website - at http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/InformalConsultationMeetings.asp Although at the moment only the meeting at Mid Yell has been published.

You think a Force 10 gale is "jist a bit o' a breeze"

Wearing a boiler suit, a toorie & yellow rubber boots is the height of sartorial elegance.

In Shetland as a whole, subject choice is not particularly limited. Go to any large school down south and they do not teach every Standard Grade/Higher/Advanced Higher/Access or Intermediate course. That would be totally unfeasible. There is no school whatever their size, wherever they are that doesn't have some timetabling issues. Being able to provide everything that pupils want to do would necessitate more classrooms and more teachers. The standard grades that the AHS provides are: Biology, Chemistry, Computing, English, Geography, History, French, German, Modern Studies, Music, PE, Physics, Teachnical and RMPS. I know of at least one Junior High that provides all of these apart from German & RMPS. Not bad!!! Using ICT to allow teachers to teach using video conferencing between schools if one thing, but if this means teachers travelling between schools it is a different matter. At the moment, a secondary teacher has say 8 different classes he/she teaches at say 3-4 periods for each class each week. Actually standing up in front of a class is only part of a teacher's job - granted the biggest part of it. Lessons have to be prepared, familiarisation with new books/equipment/software, units written, departmental/staff meetings conducted, training undertaken, work marked, classrooms set up for the next class/experiment/lesson - and so on. If a teacher is constantly having to drive back and forth between schools, the above time will be eaten into. Materials will have to be carted back and forth leading to them being lost or damaged. Creative and interesting classes for the children will not happen because the teacher has not been there to set up the class. It could lead to a narrowing of the subjects available - not a widening. Finally, much of the debate seems to have centred upon the financial aspects of education. Surely a model for the education for our bairns is the priority - then see how it can be most efficiatly carried out.

Only with the artists express permission. This is their livelihood after all.

More about it here: http://www.shetlandarts.org/stand-up-helly-aa-at-garrison/ Haven't seen Mark Nelson performing but I did see Raymond in Aberdeen in December. Laughed myself sore. Got my ticket already.

As well as the Fiery Sessions, there is another Stand Up Helly Aa - I've already bought my ticket. Sandy Nelson will be introducing Mark Nelson ( no relation as far as I know) and Raymond Mearns. Have met Mark but never seen him perform, however I did see Raymond perform at Snafu in Aberdeen in December and he had me literally cracking up with laughter...

Absoloutely agree - I really hate geting stuck behind drivers like you doing 40mph in the 20mph zone. Err, doesn't that eman that YOU are also doing 40 in a 20mph zone - and in fact are wanting to overtake??

One MOnth Off & it's on Intimacy

Been coming down the past coupla hours here in Da Ness - but rain not snow

i know.. its silly.. pointless. dont see why the teachers cant see sense... its gonna get really icy over night probably and its dangerous to drive... and yet they still expect parents to get there children to school and expect bus drivers to get us to school aswell... its dangerous!!! Er, it's not the teachers that say whether or not a school is to shut. They no more want to travel along icy roads than anyone else does. For them also the safety of the children is the most important thing!