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The drawbacks of eco-living.

By
James
on September 12, 2008 10:00 AM | | Comments (2)
Six weeks ago I gave a total stranger $2 over the internet, back when that was about £1. In exchange, he did me the drawing below based purely on the title of this item, and it arrived this week.

Information on how you too can get your $2 cartoon is here. Even with the decline in the value of the pound, I still think it's a great deal. And watch out for those bears.

ecoliving.gif

Blog tag.

By
James
on August 25, 2008 10:52 AM | | Comments (5)
dianaprivateeyecover.jpgI had a feeling this was coming my way. Iain Dale started a "where were you when?" game of tag, he tagged Tom Harris, he tagged STB, and here we are.

Princess Diana's death - 31 August 1997

I was working in St Andrews, and my boss rang me up and told me to come over with the papers. We had croissants and coffee and watched rolling news. I felt then as I feel now: it's sad when any parent of young children dies, but no more for Diana than anyone else. The Private Eye cover abides, though (click for larger image).

Margaret Thatcher's resignation - 22 November 1990

I was at home and my mother rang up to tell me we needed to organise a street party.

Attack on the twin towers - 11 September 2001

I was self-employed, and my pal Hamish came round. It looked like the gates of hell had opened up, and that we would see escalating response and counter-response. Now, of course, it seems clear that it was Al Qaeda's one truly ambitious "spectacular".

England's World Cup Semi Final v Germany in - 4 July 1990

This predates my interest in football, really. Subsequently I have grown to love watching England games, especially versus Portugal, Germany and Argentina.

President Kennedy's Assassination - 22 November 1963

Pass, for the same reason as STB.

Next!
Scottish Unionist (when he gets back)

Yet another gong.

By
James
on August 20, 2008 2:48 PM | | Comments (0)
doggycheekstretch.jpgIain Dale's list of the 20 best green blogs came out today. His lists are the Oscars of the blogging awards world, otherwise I wouldn't mention it. I'm delighted to get the #2 slot, behind the estimable Jim Jay's Daily (Maybe), and I promise not to mention any more awards anytime soon. I mean, does anyone other than the awardees really care?

Another prize.

By
James
on August 19, 2008 12:14 PM | | Comments (1)
Thumbnail image for sgprosette.jpgBlushingly, yet with great ego, I have to acknowledge this #1 ranking from Jim Jay, who compiled the Best Green Blogs of the year. He's also doing a readers' poll on that same page, in case any of you kind souls want to do the right thing.

Of punks and populists.

By
James
on August 6, 2008 10:51 AM | | Comments (2)

swinney.jpgLast night, in the space of three hours, this blog received comments from two unlikely sources. 

First, the bassist of short-lived punk band Nocturnal Vermin set out more of their history, what they're doing now, and confirmed their affection for John Swinney. 

Then one of the founders of the short-lived right-wing political party Scottish People's Alliance criticised Land Value Tax. 

I do love the internet at times like this, and to mark the occasion I'm going dig out Nocturnal Vermin's classic "John Swinney" for your listening pleasure. I originally posted it in February, and I fear it may become my audio equivalent of Private Eye's infamous pic.



Also, here's a review by Alan Cochrane of the Scottish People's Alliance's launch in 2003. Or at least of their catering.

First prize in the dressage.

By
James
on August 4, 2008 11:14 AM | | Comments (0)
sgprosette.jpg
Thanks to Jim for spotting my success - best environmental/green issues blog, according to the Witanagemot Club awards, where his excellent Daily (Maybe) also featured. Apologies to the Witanagemot Club for not having heard of them until then. At least I knew what the original Witanagemot was, though. 

Others on their list I like include STB, SNP Tactical Voting, J Arthur McNumpty, ASWAS, and the timewasters' friend, the Daily Mash. Once I work out how to force Movable Type to let me add proper links to this lot I will, I will. And thanks to the readers who nominated me, of course.

Just to be absolutely clear.

By
James
on July 25, 2008 9:17 PM | | Comments (0)
shoppedwillis.jpgIt has been suggested that my previous item about John Mason was insufficiently clear. 

Did I 'shop the extra fingers behind Margaret Curran's head? Yes, of course I did, and I'd assumed that was obvious.

However, it looked like what he wanted to do, it really did.

Patting ourselves on the back.

By
James
on July 22, 2008 11:03 AM | | Comments (0)
ferretheart.jpgSo everyone who's anyone who blogs here is doing the top ten thing for Iain Dale. I can't resist, especially after some were kind enough to rank my own blog.

Do vote for your own top ten here. Entries must all be UK-based political blogs, and two of these I've had to suggest that Iain include in his directory.

1. J Arthur Macnumpty - The most thoughtful analysis of Scottish politics. Just look at the historical sense here. The site also has useful sidebars, like who's in and who's out of the various leadership contests.
2. Peter Cranie - One of the best from our Green chums down south. Also managing Adrian Ramsay's Deputy Leader campaign, so he must be on the right track.
3. Kez Dugdale - Labour's most determined voice online. They're lucky to have her.
4. STB - Keeps them short and to the point, a good diverse mix of gossip and partisanship.
5. Douglas Fraser - An irregular blogger, and sadly soon to leave Scottish politics. 
6. George Monbiot - OK, it's sort of a blog. But it is 100% Monbiot must-read goodness.
7. Polling Report - All us anoraks love numbers, those bad bad numbers.
8. Political Betting - And betting is even worse numbers than polling.
9. Calum Cashley - Good polemic, hating Wendy and trams equally. Would rank higher if he didn't keep using that "Mouth Park" thing over and over.
10. Scottish Roundup - Makes us all feel read. Aww.

And to prove I'm not too partisan, here's a Liberal one. 

Bile and venom

By
James
on February 7, 2008 12:59 AM | | Comments (0)
Those are two things I'm not going to have here on this blog. The Herald's estimable Douglas Fraser and Robbie Dinwoodie have both recently talked about this problem.

Both the Scotsman and the Herald bravely (and optimistically) set up comment sections on their news stories, and were rewarded with the sound you might get if you jammed a thousand angry Nationalist supporters into a tiny box, then opened it up just a crack. 

I advised more than one of their activists during the election that they were only harming their own cause, but I think the horse has bolted for them now.

My policy is going to be this, not that I expect a massive flurry of comments. If you register in your own name, and get in touch to demonstrate that you are who you say you are, you will get to comment in your own name.
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