JustMe

This should show the age of Loganair's fleet  http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Loganair.htm

At the moment broadband in Yell is rubbish..........or it was when I left earlier in the year.  And power cuts are rather frequent.  Neither good for a connected life.  But there is a project to improve broadband in the whole of the north of Shetland and the power supply is slowly getting better.  Only one pub on Yell but there are places like the boating club and country halls which have bars.  Pluses include a good enough bus service to and from Lerwick and a great health centre including dentist.  Winters are indeed long and dark but in the summer forget darkness.......there isn't any.  Pretty good shops all over Yell but so far Tesco do not deliver.  Schools are of course excellent. 

And indeed if you look at other parts of Shetlink you will see that getting things delivered to Shetland is a problem.  Some companies just refuse to deliver while others add big surcharges and there is a growing list of things that companies like Amazon will not deliver.  That said people manage. 

Goes without saying that scenery and wildlife are great all over Shetland but some sports are topsy turvey.  Cricket is played in the winter--indoors--and football in the summer.  Although there are a few all weather pitches.  Swimming pools all over the place.  Take away food?........well basically forget it in Yell except that the halls do have fish and chip nights and there is a travelling Chinese which makes a change.  Any questions just ask...........and you will either love it or hate it..........that applies to Yell or Shetland generally.

I've been having nuisance phone calls for at least 15 years now, if not longer.

 

* Double-glazing

* Conservatories

* Would you like to sponsor X charity?

* Have you had an accident in the last 6 years?

* Time is running out for you to claim back on those bank charges.

* I'm calling in connection with the electricity/gas supplied to your property.

* I'm calling in connection with the telephone account.  Who is your current provider?

 

Not once have I had anyone say they are from Microsoft.

 

Do we seriously need warnings about spammers and scammers, given the length of time they've been around?

Yes I think people in Shetland and probably most of the UK do need warning about whatever scams are going around.  And anyway some of the calls you mention are not really scams but tele-sales. 

All calls are screened here as we get numerous calls a day from scammers, would rather get rid of the phone but it's needed to have the internet.

 

Thanks for the heads up, think everyone should be more careful. 

Well you need the line for the internet but you do not have to connect a phone if you do not want to or alternatively can have an answering device with the ringer turned off.

I for one would be happy to have a slow meander down the street exploring the shops (and spending cash) if I didn't feel my two small children were about to get mown down at any moment... as it is I tend to get in and get out asap. 

My aim if I win enough on the lottery is to hire some large but friendly guys, a lawyer to check that what we do is legal and then get them to walk up the street very very slowly blocking all illegal traffic but of course giving way to disabled badge holders although slightly reluctantly in some cases.

One of the people this has happened to had a cabin, but had a bottle of wine confiscated from their hand luggage at the scanner before they got onboard and returned in the morning.

Of course you wouldn't drink your own alcohol in the bar areas! but in the cabin you've paid through the nose for it shouldn't be a problem.

And why is it only foot passengers that are being targeted? if you come in by car you can take whatever you like onboard! even if you don't have a cabin.

Were they a Petrofac worker or similar.  I think I would make strong protests to Northlink and my MP/MSP if that happened to me.

Is this alcohol check not just applied to gas plant workers?.  Certainly I have seen "confiscated" alcohol at the search point while my bag containing booze for the crossing went through twice.  Understandable rule says that people must not drink their own booze in the bar but I think Petrofac rules say their workers must not carry drink onto the ferry.  Remember Petrofac security are on duty at the bar these days after a few who drunk to excess spoiled it for the rest.

To be fair to the check-in staff the Captain on the day is in charge and he has the final say.  Check-in closes at a set time after which the duty staff would have to get the Captain's permission to hang on for a little bit longer.  And this certainly pre-dates Serco or even Northlink.  Much the same at airports where the pilot has the final say about allowing late arrivals to board.  Indeed train doors are closed up to 40 seconds before departure and at my local bus stations the driver is not allowed to open the doors once they are closed for departure.  Hard life being a traveller but those are the rules.  Yes perhaps a pity in this case but it would be interesting to hear from check-in staff at Aberdeen (and Lerwick) just how often they get a call from someone who would be "a couple of minutes late".

I wonder if this is a simple thing about money.  Noticed the boat almost always leaves around 10 minutes before departure time and I can only think that if the dockers (all right "un-dockers"" are not free of their duties by the hour do they get another hours pay.  In which case why not change the departure times to 10 minutes earlier.

This guy is meant to be heading to Shetland.  Possibly a brave decision but we should wish him well. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-33708301

Yes that was also highly illegal and the driver certainly ought to be spoken to by Police Scotland.

Sorry peerievan, prisoners have rights these days and of course prisoners on remand, unless they have plead guilty and are awaiting sentence, are innocent until proved guilty.  Why cannot interim hearings be heard by video link?.  Would save money and seems to be used south of Hadrian's Wall.

Ghostie, a local prison for relatively short sentences plus remand prisoners makes a good bit of sense.  Even if it was run by G4S.

As an aside to this since Her Majesty is, among other things, "Defender of The Faith" and there would seem to be only one faith for her to defend, how can it be right that atheists or people of other religions be allowed to take a seat in Her Majesty's Parliament.  Surely Defending The Faith ought to extend to keeping heretical non-believers out of Parliament.

Did I vote for A.C.?..........well yes I did.  To be honest I did look at Danus and what sort of MP he might be including listening to speeches and reading leaflets but in the end I decided that A.C. and the Lib Dems were the best combination to represent Shetland.  Would I have voted the same way if I had been aware of the story of what the First Minister had allegedly said to some French person?.  Well yes actually.  And if I had been aware that A.C. was slightly economical with the truth about his part in this would I have voted for him?.  Of course.........all politicians (and indeed all lawyers) are economical with the truth from time to time and the option of voting for "no government" was not available to me. 

Do I believe the story about what the First Minister allegedly said to the French person.  Well maybe she did say something like that perhaps partly in jest.  Or perhaps she believes that five more years of Tory rule are the best way for Scotland to gain real independence.

Should we criticise Danus for standing for various parties over the years.  Hell no!.  I have cast my vote for Tory, Lib Dem, Labour, Green and SNP over the years (probably some independents as well) perhaps because I changed and perhaps because they changed.  So he went to Eton!.  Well frankly so what?.  Am sure I can think of better schools.  And a Clan Chief.........guess that is something you are born into with little choice in the matter.

And I am prepared to congratulate Danus on making such inroads into a safe Lib Dem seat.  But at the end of the day slightly more people wanted to stay with the Lib Dems than go to the SNP.  That is politics.

Nothing has yet convinced me that Alastair should apply for the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds and if you do not know what that means then go back to bed.  He may have made a somewhat silly comment but he is not the first and he will most certainly not me the last parliamentary candidate to do that.  As for the substantive issue of "did the First Minister express a preference for a Tory PM I frankly do not know nor care.  Suspect that if she did it was in jest.  And as for Danus Skene I think he deserves credit for fighting a good fight but in the end he lost.

OK so SIC and Hjaltland.  I know of single people being housed in one bedroom homes (I.E. not bedsits) by both.  And to expand a bit I am talking of both younger people and seniors.  It happens and there is no denying it. That said neither organisation can offer a home to anyone if they have no vacant properties. 

Ah yes Paul, but what happens if the interest rates go into double figures.  Maybe even into the 20%+ level.  And frankly this country is rich enough to build homes for everyone.  Decent single bedsits for the young folk and upwards to multi bedroomed houses for those who need them. 

And what is this government planning to do with housing benefit for young people?.   Cut it out!.  What happens to young people who get kicked out of home and cannot get a job.  Maybe just a big bust up with parents that was not the young persons fault.  And no job because they have nothing to offer an employer that a younger person on a lower minimum wage could offer.  Or because they did something silly and have a criminal record.  And no I was not thinking of your son there although that might also apply.  Really is about time this country started to care for the young and the weak.  Reasonably good care for the old at the moment but young people without care when they need it might not get old.

As for council and housing association homes in Shetland I guess we all know of some strange things going on as well as the presumably well intentioned policy of housing druggies and ex-cons.  Yes I agree they do need homes like anyone else but maybe there is a case for finding a way that working people kicked out of privately rented homes so the landlords can get more money from company lets can get a bit more priority.  

Seems to me that stopping the protests pending the outcome of the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner's enquiry into the facts of the case as well as waiting for the outcome of the legal challenge to the election result is a wise decision.  And if both those rule in AC's favour than that really ought to be the end of the matter.

Made my decision.  I am happy for Alastair to serve his term as an MP since I do not believe any transgression was great enough to stop him.  But I do expect him to stick with his pledge that this was his last term and in the event that he is persuaded to apply for the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds I do hope he does not stand again.

Will be up to the Lib Dems and the SNP to decide on their candidates and I predict a certain amount of tactical voting but may the best man (or woman) win. 

OK so this  http://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/on-board/travelling-with-pets/ shows the luxurious pet accommodation on the ferries.  And generally speaking you cannot get to your dog during the voyage.  Of course dogs can fly.  No I do not mean they grow wings but in a suitable container they can travel on the same plane as you in the baggage hold.  Stressful sure but better than 12 hours + on the ferry.  But better still if the poor dog stayed with a friend while you visited.

Coach or train to Aberdeen and travel on the ferry in a reclining seat (or on the floor) is the cheapest option mostly but a through ticket with Flybe might be as good.  I say a through ticket as if you mix airlines and one flight is delayed or cancelled then hard luck about the other bit.

But especially at the moment with lots of workers employed at the gas plant site moving here might be a problem.  Renting is expensive and house prices have soared in recent years except perhaps on the more remote isles.  Me thinks a lot more research could benefit you.  But yes it is a great place to live.

This morning I was intending to write that in my opinion Alastair Carmichael should, for the sake of his own peace of mind if for no other reason, apply for the Stewardship of The Chiltern Hundreds and of course not to stand in the subsequent by-election.  That was until I finally reached page 9 of this week's Shetland Times where I noticed that it seems that the First Minister when talking to a French diplomat probably did express a preference for Prime Minister Cameron to an alternative.  Be this something she said in jest or because she thought her party could be a more vigorous opposition against a Tory government I know not.

For me this changes things.  If A.C. authorised the release of a memo that told the truth then all he has done is deny that he authorised it then plenty of previous and existing MPs have done similar things without being hounded out of office.

So my message to the SNP is to accept that their candidate fought a good fight but lost out to the incumbent MP and to turn their attentions go the Scottish Parliament elections next year.  Will they choose Danus or someone else for what must now feel like a winnable seat to them.

Of course the simple answer is to have the system where the constituents can have their MP "recalled" if a sufficient percentage demand it.  Surely it is only fair that the electorate can claim an MP is not living up to expectations.

This is a very fair question and I fear there is no easy answer.  In an ideal world all employees would tell the truth at all times but if, just as an example, my employer wants me to tell a customer that his order was sent yesterday when I know the item only arrived today and is still sitting in the despatch area should I feel guilty telling the same employer that I was held up in heavy traffic on the ring road when in fact I just took a longer lunch break.

Yes I have told lots of lies to employers and customers and I guess the only thing I can say in my defence is that generally I worked quite hard for my employers and on the whole I cared for customers and the majority of lies did no great harm to anyone.

As for elected representatives telling lies I believe it is a matter of what lie they tell to who.  If a Faeroe newspaper reporter was to ask a member of the Scottish, Danish or Icelandic government if there was any truth in the story that Faeroe was going to be invaded tomorrow would we really expect that member of those governments to admit that this would happen.  And ahead of the budget would it be fair to expect any chancellor or finance minister to admit that VAT was going to jump 10% tomorrow.  Complicated world.   

To put it simply, he lied, and while some say "they all do" well maybe thats true but if your vote was based on a on a false prospectus then that's unfair to all voters. What if another politician shot out the same actions, who would be complaining then? Lets be FAIR and vote again on a level playing field. If he was honest he would resign and put it to the people, so why isn't he? 

My vote went to Alastair as someone I thought would be a good person  to represent Orkney and Shetland regardless of party.  Actually it was close as I thought Danus would also be good.  But we have a result and I do think we should accept Alastair at least for the moment.