Njugle

One might equally say the museum is the gallow and the clickimin in the trapdoor, if that were the case.

Could be highly profitable, and much easier and likely to succeed than swinging a lantern fae da banks broo nowadays. Might not be a sustainable industry though. Then again piracy and kidnap is a growth industry in some parts......hmm

Notable that, as long as they stayed on the sands, they were doing the right thing using a beach like St Ninians and not damaging the dunes on one of the protected ones.

Draa him ahint dee as du geens.

I would pretty much entirely agree with that, and that is why I take issue against this perceived scottification that was being discussed, I don't think that is any more prevalent than say Californication, if you'll excuse the pre-exisiting pun. I'd contest in that post, Depooperit, the omission of the term Norskie. I've never heard a Scandinavian referred to as a foreigner, per se, where there is any knowledge of origin. You are more likely to hear of a Norskie boat being in the harbour, as opposed to a foreign boat, for example in the vernacular. However, language and nomenclature do not detract from the separation, physically and socioeconomically that Shetland has exhibited since....well, probably since it broke off of the American continent. I'm very much for the talking of dialect in schools (as well as English), as part of a modern education, in fact, it actually tends toward the UK-wide Curriculum for Excellence, touted as the future of education, as the practice of such would introduce an intergenerational, historical and a political learning opportunity in one theme. However, (again), if we are to be governed, should we be governed by representatives in Holyrood who think they understand our separation, or by representatives in Westminster who know they do not understand our separation?

In a short and fairly blunt way of steering the discussion maybe a bit away from merely the linguistic aspects of the debate, I'd have to say that rather than the scottification as discussed, I think that, as Shasel says, the assimilation in terms of popular culture is national and international, via TV and the internet. The young people I am in contact with most frequently speak a hybrid that draws from California as much as it draws from Scotland, in both word use and grammatical structure. I've never heard any recurrence of the word "wee", for instance, but the word "dude" is prevalent. As an idealogical vantage point, this only serves to emphasise that Shetland in contemporary times has a necessity to seek the best solution for its past, present and future identity, both economically and politically. This may well be the necessary impetus behind a requirement to not pretend to be a closely neighboured part of Scotland, and in fact a rocky outpost effectively equidistant from three disparate neighbours in the northwest Atlantic. Aligning with the UK rather than Holyrood would be a departure from any pretence that we share an identical political and socioeconomic realm with our brethren on mainland Scotland. We never really have and we never will, unless the islands are towed up the moray firth and a bridge is built.

That's just downright offensive after the anxiety he's been party to putting communities and staff through in Shetland, particularly in the Scalloway catchment area. Unbelievable. And given the ruthless necessity portrayed for making the savings through closing schools, where are these savings now to be found? Totally unbelievable.

I doubt it. Hmm, I think it reads that small scale angling would be permitted, just regulated, but I also thought it had been panned due to the difficulty in imposing such a regulation. Okay, I'll change my quote. There, fixed it.

It's true that if you spend aa your time looking backward derick, you tend to stumble intae unforeseen obstacles. However, Confucius say, if you let your neighbour use part o your gairden for ower lang, da day will come when your gairden is his gairden, and everything within it, while you have nowhere tae plant your tatties. Each region of the UK has a right to seek the best outcome for their own unique community. History, or no history. That may be good for Shetland, if achieved, or it may be terrible for Shetland if other regions excelled where we didn't. Especially with a town hall where he who shouts loudest is given any credibility over those around them and the biggest battles are fought while navel gazing and not by emissaries on distant shores. That's no reflection o anybody in particular, just the point that there's too much conflict here, and not enough defence of our particular realm elsewhere in Europe. If all the energy we put into arguing about bridges and schools (unbuilt or otherwise), was directed at self control we'd be a pretty fearsome lot. Just think, if the millions spent on the failed bridge had been spent on lobbying for an incremental fishing policy that meant the nearer you lived to your fishing grounds, the more quota you'd be allocated. Instead we are facing a Europe where licenses can be traded across borders. When this happens, it's game over. Europe will be fished by super trawlers and no-one, bar Tesco and Simon Cowell, will be able to afford to buy into it. Then we'll be able to fish for what we eat and not what we can sell and nothing more, as we look longingly from the shore at the Non-Shetland registered Altaire sized vessels towing aff da Bard for twatree whitings. One example, arbitrarily thrown in off the top of my head

If it's west it isn't. If it's east: WoooOOooooh!

What is it with skiers in this thread? Coincidence or some connection?

Garth is still listed in archaic form as yard or garden in the dictionary. There are a couple of Finniegerts around Shetland*, as you probably know. There's something in the back of my mind abut what the Finnie bit may refer to, but I'm damned if I can retrieve it! (*Isn't one of them haunted?)

It's already there, in the emoticons.

No luck so far. Good luck to anyone that stays up later. As the daylight faded, so did the geomagnetic storm. There's never a shortage of irony in aurora viewing.

I just know I'm going to regret this but: (It's just a smilie, by the way. Don't waste time clicking it. Or do... I don't mind. )

Hi Jim, and welcome to the forum. Hopefully some folk will have some good advice for you, but in the mean time have a look through this lot: http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4101&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=225 Cheers Njugle

Be warned, you are in for a late night and may need patience in abundance. To put it in perspective, the aurora were out at 4pm this afternoon. Daylight, and the simmer dim will last until perhaps midnight. Thereafter will be the best chance of seeing them, supposing that they are out at that time. 1.30am is about the darkest time, though not fully dark now, in proximity to midsummers. Here's hoping.

Moot perhaps, but worth remembering the last time this situation played out, Westminster voted to support Shetland remaining as part of the UK, distinct from an independent Scotland. Some local representatives subsequently backed down under lobbying from the then Secretary of State, and the independence move for Scotland never occurred, but the groundwork and precedent was set for Shetland to effectively separate from an independent Scotland. In retrospect, one would have to wonder why the Secretary of State for Scotland was worried about losing Shetland, if it were not a key part in the Scottish independence movement. Following the point through, if the priority is there, there may well have been more behind it that purely caring for our wellbeing. The other point in all this, is that if certain current elected members would refrain from endeavouring to embarrass Shetland in the eyes of the world for no apparent reason other than sensationalism, we would be in a much more stable position whichever way the national political wind blows. Thanks to their recent efforts, the idea that the SIC is unstable is widely available in the media, should anyone want to portray it that way. Hopefully Buchan can both stabilise the authority and reign in the errant individuals.

Hmm, wasn't aware of any such ruling in 1615, but a highly detailed act was passed on 7th November 1625, which describes the "great abomination and wickedness that is committed yearlie". and declares the "houssis to be utterlie demolished and downe cassin to the grounde".

With regard to prostitution, there is well documented evidence of prostitution in Shetland for 400yrs, particularly in Lerwick. Perhaps not continuously but, more so at any time there has been an increase in visiting incomers, there has been an upsurge in that particular cottage industry, along with other less scorned commerce. What has changed more in recent years is the reduction in community activity. Particularly in the "central belt" of Shetland. Dormitory settlement living and various other factors mean that folk live in an area that could be Shetland, but equally could be anywhere. It's a hard one to address, because the more folk become 'townified' the less it is seen as a problem and the more centralisation will occur, less rural shops, schools and amenities. None of it will be replaced when it's gone, or at least not until poverty and transport costs mean that people can no longer afford to go to Tescos for all their shopping and socialise in Lerwick whenever they choose. Then small shops may re-open, but so long as TV and the internet provide 'community' and entertainment, folk will live in a virtual annex, seeking only major events to draw them out to socialise. Some day Tescos may put on a live band at the weekend, a bit like those that played on the old Clair, then folk can really get it all in one place.

Shetlink is disallowing discussion of Holocaust denial at present, so I'm locking this thread. Apologies for the inconvenience. The thread may be reopened in due course.

Of course it is. That's the whole idea.

My laptop charger also makes the radio unlistenable, if in the same room. The same doesn't apply to any other charger I own. The laptop, with tft, also interferes with the radio signal, but to a much lesser degree. I've not looked into it specifically, but there is more to a laptop charger, or charging function, than merely a voltage drop and AC to DC change. For instance, a laptop charger doesn't work with a non sine wave inverter. Perhaps becasue it is clipping the signal, and the combination of clipped signals negates any continuous power supply......etc.

That one may be construed as just plain Mod mischief. It's a fair point GR. It also prevents me from reporting that there was a Blue moomin in the garden this morning..... .....there wasn't, of course, but there might have been.