Davie P

He could burn their flag while goose stepping around the Statue of Liberty in full Russian national dress and get off with it. Why they can't even force him to testify just beggars belief considering the charge.

An interesting article from the Sidney Morning Herald https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/from-camberwell-to-shetland-in-search-of-my-family-s-story-20200603-p54z5h.html

Here's Alistair Carmichael's opinion on Independence https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/independence-would-be-brexit-20-and-make-things-even-worse-lib-dem-mp-claims-3125931
[Spoiler alert: he's not in favour]

Yes indeed @Windwalker. One of the challenges is that referendums are not ‘native’ to the UK/devolved parliaments’ legislative systems in that they’re not particularly regularly used so have few legal precedents, and each time they are used they need the rules to be agreed beforehand.
Another challenge is that ‘democracy’ itself is a loosely defined principle rather than an off-the-shelf set of processes.
It all sets the scene for claims and counter claims that referendums, their results and subsequent processes are either democratic or undemocratic. It’s understandable that the public might see it like that (most people don’t have an interest in the finer points of legislative systems) but it’s shameful when politicians, who are elected and paid to understand legislative systems, manipulate and deceive the public regarding referendums - Brexit was a prime example of how to use a referendum to debase a legislative system and manipulate the public which has led directly to another referendum which may well lead to the demise of the union that Brexit sought to embolden. It’s almost poetic!

With respect, this is a rather simplistic political take on what is a complex economic relationship. From what you're saying, England is basically subsidising Scotland and (up till now) the EU. However, there are many factors to consider - spending per capita, cost of living, GDP, budget deficits - you name it. Some of this is know, but much of it is conjecture.
Similar arguments were made from Brexit, but the fact of the matter is that the true financial picture would only start to become clear once the divorce negations have taken place and the various and independent economies have (re)established. The true picture wouldn't be know for years.
I'm not sure I follow. Why/how are the SNP 'not keen' on Scotland's major industries?
...and have been in decline for many decades in many western countries, largely as a result of cheaper labour and production costs elsewhere in the world. It would be a push to blame the SNP for that.

Shetland aims high in wake of Brexit - an interesting article from The Herald I saw on the national sources news section. It’s quite a good summary of Shetland’s post Brexit economy

Shetland aims high in wake of Brexit - an interesting article from The Herald I saw on the national sources news section. It’s quite a good summary of Shetland’s post Brexit economy

This is a fascinating article if you're interested in the Shetland Bus or modern covert naval operations - https://warontherocks.com/2020/12/the-modern-shetland-bus-the-lure-of-covert-maritime-vessels-for-great-power-competition/

I noted that in this article from 7th Jan Grieg's Managing Director said they "had successfully sent salmon to both Ireland and mainland Europe this week.... We have experienced delays of up to 24 hours due to congestion in the ports but we expect these delays to ease in the coming weeks.”

@George. you've peppered this and many other threads with vague, inaccurate and often xenophobic posts about things being 'inflicted' on 'us' and how it is 'undemocratic' but have failed to offer any detail. You ignore questions directly posed to you about your accusations but you demand that other users justify their points. You're trolling, and it's tedious. You have also been warned and blocked several times so we're removing your repetitious posts and our fingers are hovering over the 'ban' button unless you back up your accusations with evidence or reasoning.
So in an effort to move on positively, please do provide some evidence or reasoning why joining the EEC or EU was undemocratic, why Westminster is undemocratic or what exactly Ted Heath, Anthony Eden, James VI or whoever else did that you don't like. Thanks in advance, the Shetlink admins.

They did and they called them the SNP

Really grim reading, the thing that irks me is all you hear about from opponents of independence is how much of a *basket-case economy Scotland has.* Every time I hear or read it I think to myself, that's not much of an advert for the Union. 307 years of Westminster control has, according to them, turned Scotland into a sad, poor little country living of handouts. If this is the case, why don't they train some chimps, put them in suits, give them the vast natural resources and highly educated/skilled people Scotland has and get them to do a better job.
Your link above is further proof of our gross mismanagement, a Tory party that Scotland has rejected for 65 years commit economic vandalism on a grand scale with a Brexit the vast majority in Scotland didn't want, bankrupting our businesses, inflicting more costs, putting people out of work  etc etc and they have the temerity to tell us we're too poor...
Cheeky so and so's!
*I think they've been cooking the books myself.

SSC planning application available here for comments, if anyone is so inclined:
https://pa.shetland.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=QMI5QYOAGFC00&activeTab=summary

Having followed many discussions for some time, it comes up, particularly with one individual, in addition whilst the word may not be mentioned the content says it all.
unfortunately all governments be it U.K. or SNP make false and misleading statements all the time, as far as I’m concerned I really don’t trust any of them. My worry is those who can’t see fault in certain parties and hit out at anyone who dares not to agree with their views, over powering the conversation, nit picking and therefore stiffening discussion. I’ve seen that on many forums including Shetlink.
For clarity the last sentence is not aimed at you or anyone in particular, it’s how I often feel and why I gave up posting earlier in the year. Dealing with COVID was enough hassle. 
 
Whilst I accept that government are constantly trying to score political points against each other, wouldn’t it be great if those in power would all work together to defeat this pandemic for the good of the population. Rant over.

This is a key point. A democracy goes beyond just votes. It requires the voting population to have access to accurate information and an understanding of what it is they are voting for. In my humble opinion, neither box was ticked for the Brexit referendum. It was a reasonable gauge of public opinion at that point in time perhaps.
However, I feel the discourse and subsequent election was influenced by the misinformation which came after the referendum along the lines that anyone who questioned Brexit, preached caution or spoke in opposition to the 'will of the people' was fundamentally undemocratic. In some instances Brexit supporters might as well have been chanting 'stop the steal'. This undoubtedly influenced the election which eventually pushed Brexit over the finish line.
So it was democratic in principle, but a debased version! Let's hope we learn from it.

^ Its not the only one. There are at least two similar stories fro the Ness that are still remembered. Both bridal parties, one belonging to Noss who went through ice on the Spiggie Loch, and another with Havra connections that did the same on the Vatster Loch at Bigton.
Unlike the Turnbulls, who in their day were deemed 'important' enough for a written record to be left, those at the Ness appear to have just been 'ordinary' folk, so unless in local oral history they've pretty much vanished in to the mists of time.
The 'problem' with some Shetland lochs and the ice on them is that some of the lochs are there principally due to natural springs feeding in to the loch bed, and due to the continuous movement in the water that creates where they exist, and, during a period of frost, that water being marginally warmer than the standing water's surface, any ice which forms is inevitably much thinner than elsewhere surrounding it.
Locals used to know where such springs were, if they existed, and what the depth of the water was likely to be in any given part of a loch, so could, if conditions permitted, go on the ice with relative safety. That knowledge has now been all but lost as folk don't walk any distance any longer, so shortcuts ove rice, when available are irrelevant.

Yes indeed @Windwalker. I'm quite interested in politics but I felt iill-equipped to make an informed decision on Brexit due to the amount of conflicting information in circulation, and most other people I spoke in any depth about it were in the same boat. TBH I was quite suspicious of folk's motives if they proclaimed to be absolutely sure one way or the other!
I did find it helpful to discuss it here on Shetlink though as there are many people with different views and discussion was often around the Shetland context, and I find it helpful to have my opinion challenged - all too often discussion happens in groups or media sources that have already made up their minds and it just attracts people with the same opinions, thus bolstering the single point of view.
At the end of the day, I suppose any vote comes down to (a) how satisfied you are with the status quo and (b) how willing you are to roll the dice in the hope something better will emerge if you vote for a change.

Completely agree. I can’t think of any vote I’ve made recently where I felt either side was providing sufficient information for myself to make a “well” educated decision. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut.

This is a key point. A democracy goes beyond just votes. It requires the voting population to have access to accurate information and an understanding of what it is they are voting for. In my humble opinion, neither box was ticked for the Brexit referendum. It was a reasonable gauge of public opinion at that point in time perhaps.
However, I feel the discourse and subsequent election was influenced by the misinformation which came after the referendum along the lines that anyone who questioned Brexit, preached caution or spoke in opposition to the 'will of the people' was fundamentally undemocratic. In some instances Brexit supporters might as well have been chanting 'stop the steal'. This undoubtedly influenced the election which eventually pushed Brexit over the finish line.
So it was democratic in principle, but a debased version! Let's hope we learn from it.

I agree that the tories attempts to bypass parliament was unacceptable. This was quite rightly dealt with by the high court. The final decision on the outcome was democratic. My general concern about democracy is to do with both Brexit and Scottish independence and continued unjustified quotes that they were undemocratic made on these pages. If folk want to make these statements, they should at least back them up.
For the record I have no more love for the Tories than I do for the SNP.

Not at all roachmill everyone is entitled to their views and to question the government. God help us when folk don’t.
My issue with not accepting democracy was aimed at those who keep saying it was not done democratically, whilst at the same time unwilling to provide any proof of that.  You go ahead and and stick to your views. Fill your boots.

@George. perhaps you could explain your point(s) about Westminster rather than just repeating it every few posts on every thread related to politics. Simply saying Westminster isn't democratic doesn't cut it.
In this instance, do you expect a democratically elected government to ask your permission before it negotiates trade agreements? Negotiating new trade agreements was one of the key pledges of both the Brexit referendum and subsequent general election. The government won both - ipso facto negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership is democratic.

This is an interesting article that was linked to from a Shetland Times letter (the letter was about kids walking on frozen lochs).
https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2009/11/08/history-the-turnbull-tragedies
A friend was telling me it was an oft-repeated story in their house when they were growing up.

According to the Guardian, this was the plan
"Downing Street briefed the Sun that the visit was “a rescue mission to save the UK” in the face of sustained opinion poll support for independence. It was also “a charm offensive” to a Scotland in which the prime minister’s ratings are terrible, and where many – including in his own party – see him as something of a liability."
I'm sure there's a joke to be had about 'charm' and 'offensive'...

I'm on Vodafone, and it seems to be a relatively good coverage (apart from in my house!)
My understanding is that the SIC have a corporate contract with Vodafone so that swung my decision. My hunch was that the SIC must have done the research/applied some pressure to make sure the service in rural areas is OK? However, my hunches have been wrong in the past!