Chaos in Scotland.

[Boac]

I wonder how many 'institutions' would come out clean from such an inspection?

[OFSO]

My previous (international governmental) employer would. You paid out of your own pocket and claimed subsequently. And had to make a very good case for getting paid!

[Boac]

I would expect nothing less for any organisation you were involved with, of course!

[barkingmad]

Hot on the heels of the recent revelations of profligate expenditure of taxpayers’ dosh on pampering Wee Krankie and her retinue we now have the grim analysis of the measures imposed by the Jockistan Stasi failing to even succeed as well as the “reckless behaviour” of the BoJo administration south of the Border;

https://dailysceptic.org/2023/08/09/the ... -vaccines/

No wonder Humza Youseless has that haunted condemned look, but as he was presumably a volunteer for the task of accepting the poisoned chalice then I lack my normal empathy/sympathy for this politician!

Meanwhile in the (Blair-devolved) Viet-Taff occupied territory of Wales, there might be a collective sigh of relief at the declaration by Mark Drakeford that he will not be standing at the next General Election.

So one by one some of the least popular authoritarian leaders during the ‘plague’ are throwing in the towel before the stench of maladministration envelops them.

Can we hope for similar ship-jumping to take place across the pond in the land of freedom, cupcakes, democracy and mom’s apple pie as well as their Northern neighbour?

Though the Canajuns’ administration is still trousering all the dosh which flows from Canada’s alleged documented connections with BigHarma, so I doubt we will see Justin Turd’eau stepping down anytime soon, but one can live in hope?

[barkingmad]

As Humza Youseless charges onwards towards electoral wipeout (hopefully) continuing the mad zealotry of the departed Krankie, now I’m worrit that as a “grumpy old man” when north of the Border, will I be arrested for a non-crime hate offence or whichever draconian bollocks they’ve signed into law;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... crime.html

Or have I interpreted it wrongly and I need to call someone else a G O M before I might have my collar felt?

Against such a background of legislative and sociological insanity is it any wonder the yoof of today are increasingly presenting to their GPS with mental problems?

[bob2s]

^^^^ Where is the fightback against this bloody lunacy, or are people just buckling under the pressure of all this leftist woke BS

[Rossian]

As one living in Scotland, nobody I know believes any of this shite. It IS the daily mail after all. However this AM I'm off to my Mens Shed to be with all the other Old Farts (or even worse Boring Old Farts). I shall canvass opinions and maybe report back later if I uncover any signs of a Grey uprising.

The Ancient Mariner

[Rossian]

In the Men's Shed nobody had even heard of the proposed bill but all were agreed that if it was in the Mail it was probably click-bait BS. We had a man from head office come on a "get to know you" visit floating out the approved line and was on the end of a good deal of short shrift. I don't think he completely enjoyed his day out.

The Ancient Mariner

[OFSO]

So if I refer to someone as a boring old fart, 'boring' is a legitimate opinion, 'old' is committing a crime, and 'fart' depends on what the person ate or drank recently and the degree of control he has over his anal sphincter.

[Rossian]

....."control over his anal sphincter" - for one of our '60s members that is a problem and they tend to be foul. The Italian version is "una loffa" literally a "sigh" but in the silent but deadly category. They have seven words to describe the different farts. Not many people know that.

The Ancient Mariner

[OFSO]

Nor do many know that the Italian word for suppository is innuendo.

[PHXPhlyer]

Will any of our correspondents in Scotland participate in this search?

Loch Ness monster fans prepare for biggest creature hunt for 50 years

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/loch ... index.html

Amateur sleuths with a taste for the supernatural will be glued to their screens next weekend in a bid to try and discover the truth behind Scotland’s biggest mystery.

“Monster hunters” from as far away as Japan and New Zealand will be tuning in to livestreams of Scotland’s Loch Ness in the hope of settling a longstanding debate as to whether or not the famed monster, affectionately named Nessie, actually exists.

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster dates back to ancient times, though the story really gathered momentum after 1933 when sightings of a “dragon or prehistoric monster” were reported in the Scottish press.

The news spurred a host of investigations, much of which has since been discredited as a hoax.

Paul Nixon, manager of the Loch Ness Centre, told CNN in an phone interview that about 100 volunteers will be looking out for signs of life on the banks of the loch itself, while about the same number again will be surveying the site remotely.

Volunteers, who can still sign up to participate online, will have to keep their eyes peeled as they focus on footage taken from four webcams at strategic points around the lake.

“The volunteers are going to be watching the water,” said Nixon. “If they spot something, hopefully they will film it and then submit it to our online portal.”

Loch Ness is one of the largest bodies of water in the British Isles, at 22 miles in length and more than 750 feet deep.

The center, which reopened earlier this year following a $1.9 million refurbishment project, sits on the site of the old Drumnadrochit Hotel, where 90 years ago its then manageress Aldie Mackay reported seeing a “water beast.”

Now the interactive attraction has joined forces with Loch Ness Exploration (LNE), an independent and voluntary research team, to scour the waters like never before in the hope of uncovering some answers.

Each morning volunteers will be briefed by Alan McKenna, LNE’s founder, on what to look out for, including signs of “red herrings” and other marine movements that can be disregarded.

Organizers say it is the biggest “surface watch” since the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau (LNIB) studied the Loch in 1972, when volunteers were also on the lookout for the mythical beast – but without the hi tech equipment.

Dubbed “the quest,” the event will involve surveying equipment that has never previously been used there, such as thermal drones to produce images from the air using infrared cameras and a hydrophone to detect acoustic signals under water.

Nixon said: “What’s different about our search this time is that obviously our volunteers will be armed with mobile phones and will be able to capture any movement more accurately and more regularly.”

McKenna said in a press release: “Since starting LNE, it’s always been our goal to record, study and analyze all manner of natural behavior and phenomena that may be more challenging to explain.”

Appealing to budding monster hunters to sign up, he added: “It’s our hope to inspire a new generation of Loch Ness enthusiasts and by joining this large scale surface watch, you’ll have a real opportunity to personally contribute towards this fascinating mystery that has captivated so many people from around the world.”

Nixon said that once the weekend is over, the sightings will be collated and analyzed and the findings made public.

He said: “I think there’s a very strong possibility that something will be spotted this weekend but then, of course, it raises the question as to what it will be.

“We will certainly have enough eyes on the water – we just need some good spotting conditions,” he added.

PP

[Rossian]

.....or, they could borrow a P-8 from Lossie to lay a line of passive buoys down the middle of the loch and one controllable active buoy to give the occasional "ping" to ginger it up a bit.
Someone must have a complete bottom contour profile of the loch to aid placement of the sensors. Allegedly it is VERY deep.
Back in the day I tried to persuade one of my captains that we could pop a few buoys in the loch during a pilot trainer and we could monitor them while the flight deck got on with the boring flightdeck stuff. He didn't rise to the bait. Sigh.

The Ancient Mariner

[llondel]

Allegedly it is VERY deep.

I think some of the Scottish lochs go down 800ft.

[John Hill]

Allegedly it is VERY deep.

I think some of the Scottish lochs go down 800ft.

Thats cool!


However ....

https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/u ... 201009.jpg

Lake Hauroko is about 1,510 feet deep. No doubt it has a resident taniwha.

[llondel]

I think some of the Scottish lochs go down 800ft.

https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/u ... 201009.jpg

Lake Hauroko is about 1,510 feet deep. No doubt it has a resident taniwha.

I looked it up.

Loch Ness only makes it to 745ft depth, but Loch Morar goes down to 1020ft.

[G-CPTN]

Shirley you would use the Lampton Worm on a hook as bait?

[tango15]

Whether there is (was) a monster or not is one thing, but having driven down the A82 on a number of occasions, in all weathers, there is definitely an eerieness about it that doesn't seem to be present at other lochs in the area. I imagine this simply adds to the mystique.

[Rossian]

I may have scared it on one occasion when in a Jaguar, having crested the ridge on the east side I inadvertently slipped down to 100 ft (sideways) almost and didn't recover until we whistled over Fort Augustus at the right height. The QFI in the front seat was very understanding.

The Ancient Mariner

[FD2]

Rishi Sunak reported to police over Nicola Sturgeon joke

The general secretary of Alex Salmond’s Alba Party alleged that the Prime Minister committed contempt of court
By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor 4 October 2023 • 8:17pm

Rishi Sunak has been reported to police in Scotland for joking during his Tory conference speech that Nicola Sturgeon could go to prison.

Chris McEleny, the general secretary of Alex Salmond’s Alba Party, made a complaint to Police Scotland alleging that the Prime Minister had committed contempt of court.

Although Ms Sturgeon has not been charged with any offences, he pointed out contempt proceedings in Scotland start after an individual has been arrested.

In June Ms Sturgeon was interviewed as a “suspect” by detectives investigating the SNP’s finances. She was later released without charge pending further investigations and has since denied any wrongdoing.

The Prime Minister used his keynote speech to the Tory conference to state that the Union was “the strongest it has been in a quarter of a century”.
tmg.video.placeholder.alt Ya7INY7R9rU

He then delivered the jibe about the police investigation into the SNP’s finances, prompting widespread hilarity from conference delegates.

“Nicola Sturgeon wanted to go down in the history books as the woman who broke up our country but it now looks like she may go down for very different reasons,” Mr Sunak said.

“We are a remarkable combination of four nations with a proud history, and that history should give us enormous confidence in our future.”

But Mr McEleny said: “The Prime Minister is commenting on, and making an assumption about a live Police Scotland investigation.

“In Scotland contempt applies from arrest, not from charging. Operation Branchform is investigating serious matters of the utmost importance.”

He added: “It is too important a matter to allow interference from the Prime Minister in this act of contempt when many people await the facts of Police Scotland’s investigation.”

Support for the SNP has been in a tailspin since Ms Sturgeon’s sudden resignation in February and the high-profile police investigation into the party’s finances.

Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon’s husband and the SNP’s former chief executive, has been arrested along with Colin Beattie, the party’s former treasurer. They are also released without charge pending further investigation.

Police searched the home Ms Sturgeon shares with Mr Murrell, erecting a large evidence tent outside, and confiscated a luxury motorhome from outside his elderly mother’s home.
Plan to upgrade A75

Mr Sunak also used his speech to pledge that some of the £36 billion saved from cancelling the northern leg of HS2 would be used to upgrade a key road linking Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister said improvements to the A75 between Gretna and the Scottish port of Cairnryan, where ferry crossings depart for Northern Ireland, would “connect our Union”.

The heavily congested and slow route in south-west Scotland was identified as a priority in Sir Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review.

Mhairi Black, the SNP’s deputy Westminster leader, said: “Rishi Sunak’s speech underlines that no promise made by the Tories can ever be taken seriously.

“During their time in power, the Tories’ have failed time and time again to deliver on Scotland’s priorities - while simultaneously crashing the economy, fuelling a cost of living crisis, and plunging tens of thousands of families across the UK into poverty.”

That seems to have hit the spot - Sunak does something right for a change. With apologies to P G Wodehouse, 'It has never been difficult to distinguish between a useless SNP apparatchik with a grievance and a ray of sunshine".