viblir

Epsom like you I also attended the Anderson and got a great education, but remember we did it at the end of 3rd year, not thrown into the scrum at the end of Primary 7.

Now the position on Scalloway Secondary is finalised. We fought the fight as a dignified community, articulate, reasoned and passionate, where the council presented a weak, inaccurate and as I saw it, poorly presented case. Money won, the community lost. Good or bad the decision is finalised and approved by the Government. 4 questions: Anybody prepared to guess how long it will be before the Burra and Tingwall schools are closing to fill the empty classes in Scalloway? As part of the “savings†being made, how many positions in the advisory staff or any of the other education mandarins in Hayfield house will go? If any! How long do you think it will be before our beloved councillors are again clambering for a new Anderson as the current one is overcrowded? They’ve been a bit quite on that one for a while. Do I feel bitter? Yes!

Gay holidays?....... I'm all for happy holidays!

Good God! What a load of sanctimonious tosh. Up Helly Aa and all the other fire festivals exist on a mixture of satire, smut and political incorectivness (is this a word?) Having a child at Scalloway school, being a member of a squad in the Lerwick Up Helly Aa and the Scalloway Fire Festival, I think I can speak from all perspectives. If folk restricted themselves to trying to enjoy themselves rather than trawling the media to find offence, life might be a little lighter. The parodies of both our councillors and Lerwick in the Scalloway fire festival far outweigh any perceived slight from the Lerwick UHA bill. But to know that you would have had to climb out from behind you keybords and haul yourselves off your ivory towers and go out and mix with the uncoth masses. Rant over

Agree with Com Cabs as being reliable but in my experiance calling 10 mins prior to you needing the taxi is too late, the morning rush is already underway. Call the night before and book the taxi.

s/gulper My inlaws have used this service a number of times in the past couple of years, great. The booking was easy through Sumburgh and they ensured the Aberdeen end was set up as well. For once a service that has got better

Re the student tuition fees: My opinion: I think, the qualifications that the country needs should be on a grant basis, Sciences, technology etc, other courses that are not "required" should continue on the loan basis. This list of required qualifications should be reviewed annually and once your course has started you carry on, on the same basis. There appears to be a greater number of young folk attending university from my day, which was grant funded. My now wife received her tuition fees only, living costs were borne by her and her family others on her course received full grant to cover all costs but this was means tested. I went to Inverness Technical collage (now the University of the Highlands and Islands) as an apprentice and received vocational training, paid for by my Employer, others on my course financed by various training boards had to find an employer willing to finance them to continue past the 1st Year.

Broadband has been offline from at least 6pm up until 10pm here in Gott. Now back on back to normal

Spoke to Plusnet support last night, they aske us to run 3 BT speed checks (www.speedchecker.bt.com) this information is stored on the BT server and is avalible to both BT and Plus net support. Ran checks last night and this morning ranging from 99kbps last night to 22 this morning. This morning Plusnet support has confirmed the DSL signle is sound and is raising a case with BT, due to the slow data exchange.

Last night 66kbps connection - useless Spoke to Plus-Net technical support this lunch time, he reconed my connection was to a "frame" that had problems, he suggested I turn off my router for 1/2 an hour, this would force it to reconnect / link to another "frame" without problems. Plus-Net piggybacks on BT so might be worth a try

I'll answer my own question, after some more digging about: May 16, 1774 Edinburgh Evening Courant On Monday last arrived at Leith, the Batchelor of ditto, Capt. Ramage, from Zetland. She failed from Thurso in Caithness on the 14th September with 280 emigrants, for North Carolina; but meeting with high and contrary winds was put back to Stromness. Some days thereafter setting out again they got as far as the Butt of the Lewis, when the wind turning against them, and blowing furiously, their long boat was staved, one of the rudder-bands broken, and their pumps choaked; however, after some days of great distress, and eminent danger of being wrecked on the west side of Zetland, they got into Vaila Sound on the 3d October.—Most of the passengers being poor people, who had sold all their effects to pay their freight, and the shipmaster not being obliged to maintain them on shore, were now in danger of starving, but fortunately for them the Vice Admiral-depute was present at their arrival, and a witness to their distress: Moved with compassion he wrote to the gentlemen and clergy of the country, representing their pitiful situation, and forthwith liberal contributions of money, meal and potatoes, were sent from all corners. On the 24th October the ship being repaired and ready to sail, she was driven from her anchors in a high gale, her bottom damaged, and two of her anchors broken: All possibility of proceeding on the voyage for some time being now taken away, the poor people were dispersed through the different parishes of that country: They were kindly received and liberally maintained for upwards of six months by those hospitable islanders. The ship was found insufficient to proceed, and has come to Leith to be repaired; and as her timbers are broken, it will take some weeks before they are in a condition to go to sea again. The passengers are still in the same destitute situation: About 200 of them who have nothing to maintain themselves on, are just now reduced to the greatest extremity, and unless some speedy relief is afforded them they must certainly perish. Many of them are able and willing to work, but cannot find employment. The Rev. Messrs Scot Johnston, and Logan, ministers of Leith, and Mr. William Taylor merchant in the Luckenbooths, Edinburgh, have with becoming zeal interested themselves in this really piteous case, and have raised, and still are raising, such charity as any well disposed person may chuse to give on the occasion. December 19, 1774 Edinburgh Evening Courant For EDENTON, North-Carolina, The BATCHELOR of Dysart, george barclay, Master, a good vessel, (has excellent accommodation for passengers) now lying in Leith harbour, and is ready to take in goods, will be clear to sail by the 10th January 1775. For freight or passage apply to Jamieson and Carmichael merchants, Exchange, Edinburgh, or the master at Dysart. N.B. At the above Jamieson and Carmichael’s ship may be had, Broad Cloths, Hunters ditto, Shalloons, Gorderels, Futrians, Flannels, Hats, Stockings, and all kinds of furniture for mens apparel, upon the lowest terms. Source http://www.ncpublications.com/colonial/Newspapers/subjects/Imm.htm

Can anyone out there give any info on the wreck of The Bachelor, wrecked around Valla Sound en rout to Willminton America from Leith with imigrants in the 18th Century (maybe) this is verbal history we are trying to nail down.

Dearest Posi don I attended the Anderson Educational Institute, nuf said?

where did the AHS get the details and adresses of scalloway school pupils as far as im aware these details are confidendencial?

Kitty Many thanks for correcting my error, The work that All Shetland schools do with children with Special needs is one of the things that Seperates the Education Shetland provides from the rest of the UK.

Folks A reminder Sunday 10th October is the deadline, send one response per person, multiple names on one return will only be counted as 1 response. from the Save Scalloway School website http://www.savescallowayschool.org/ Send your response by Sunday 10 October 2010 to: Blueprint for Education Schools Service Hayfield House Hayfield Lane Lerwick ZE1 0QD Or email: blueprintforeducation@shetland.gov.uk Not sure what to write? You can still make a contribution by filling in our quick response form. It is also available on this website and you can simply attach it to the above email: Cick here to download Quick Response Form http://www.savescallowayschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/final-quick-response-form.doc

kitty We also received the brochure, it was a glossy 50 page production, and as parents of a S4 pupil at Scalloway are gobsmacked at the potential cost of such an exercise. How much has it cost to produce such a document, send it to all the parents of the Anderson and have enough left over to send them out to the parents of Scalloway pupils as well? Maybe the same folk who are telling us the need to save money mean the loss of Scalloway Secondary school should look to savings to be made in other areas first! By the way who funded the XL club excursion to New York and Unst as mentioned in the glossy A4 booklet. My understanding is that this is where the disruptive pupils are sent. Such a good way to encourage a child to knuckle down a get some work done, Be a pain in the ass in class and dick around and get a free holiday to New York or work hard try your best and be one of the crowd. Please feel free to have a go at my slightly historic attitude to modern teaching techniques and or any error I might have in my understanding.

EM Please find the myth as per the Councils consultation document for the new AHS page 8 It is recognised that the current Anderson High School does not fully meet modern educational and building standards in the following areas: • disabled access is restricted in some areas of the site; • the maintenance liability is high, due to the lifespan and condition of the current building; • the school had to close unexpectedly, on a number of occasions, as a result of health and safety issues concerning plumbing and electrical problems. This causes disruption to the pupils’ learning as well as transport and childcare difficulties. It also causes problems for the Hall of Residence, where the heating and electrical systems are linked to the school, and pupils are being sent to another building with the same problems as the school; • dining room space is limited (so the school will have difficulty in meeting new healthy eating legislation); • the Hall of Residence is used to provide meals as lunchtime and their dining room space is limited and operating at near capacity; • circulation and information gathering spaces (to acknowledge the local weather conditions) is insufficient and not suitable for pupil’s needs. The council needs to make it's mind up, is the building at the Knab fit to house the additional Scalloway bairns or it's unfit to house the existing AHS pupils?? Which one is it??

Following parents night in the Scalloway Secondary School earlier this week. I was struck at how enthusiastic the, relatively young, staff are and how successful they are at helping develop the pupils to deliver the best they were capable of. My wife and I attend the AHS and received a first rate education, our eldest attend the AHS in 5th year and was successful with her courses, hopefully our youngest will go there for her 5th year too, so I have no bone to pick with the Anderson. I do feel however that the SIC are willing to close this happy school and break up this team of dedicated, successful teachers due solely to the cowardice of our councillors and paid officials. Who by their own words are going for the least unpopular (Shetland wide) target to cut. The council has singularly failed to justify this proposed closure on educational grounds, had they started from the beginning by saying it was the money and nothing else they might have hade a bit more credibility. However last week at the public meetings, the list of financial gains presented in the consultation proposal were systematically picked apart. So there is apparently no tangible benefit beyond the council being able to be seen to being “doing something.†The whole document was reeking of poor presentation, lack of depth and an almost contempt for its audience, if this is the type of document our elected representatives accept on a regular basis, it is no wonder the quality of their decision making can be called into question so regularly. There is a consultation process going on and that is stipulated in Law, the council appear to be is following it to the letter, not the spirit, this is a process meant to aid decision, A Councillor touring the Scalloway Secondary recently told the pupils the school was going to close, “done dealâ€, some consultation!

The whole proposal has a very amaturish feel about it. Not one of the "facts" in it has stood examination. Its about money pure and simple, they are after a cut that will, they hope, piss off the least number of people. One thinks of the hayfield house legions of officals and the saying of "Turkeys in charge of the christmas menu" comes to mind.

MuckleJoannie We also were at the meeting. I agree with you that the SIC team put up a poor performance. However I disagree with you about the criticism being unjust. The points made by the parents, children and comunity members were on the whole succinct, rational and well constructed, very much unlike the council performance throughout this whole affair. The questions asked were also to the point and by and large un answered by the council team.

My experience, of these type of activist, leads me to think it a little naive to think that any Greenpeace activist will listen to any argument other than the approved party line. Let alone consider that they might have faults in their argument.

By questioning if Shetland is Gay friendly, does this implies that this particular sexual preference requires different conditions from the general herd? By setting up a separate web site for non-heterosexuals, is it not generating division where there was none before? By all means come to Shetland and be part of our community but please leave your divisive preduces along the way, they are not welcome!

Now Crystal Clear is shut, does anybody know where I can get shoes repaired?

Geordie Robertson's at the hill head was able to match the price from one of the cheepest sites, OK the site wanted an extra £15 for delivery to Shetland. But heres to Geordie Roberston's, Local, good service, good prices. Usually on a purchase like this if I can find a local supplier within £10 - £20 of the internet price I go local. I's good to get the personal touch, good to be able to ask questions and good to have someone to shout at if it goes wrong.