The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Sunday 30th September 2018

The Final Publication….

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Today will be the final publication of The Daily Thistle. Ever since I started writing the Thistle, I have had problems with Facebook, who seem to consider this newsletter about what is/was happening in Scotland to be Spam, and as a result, every five days or so I get restricted and cannot share the news with other groups and pages that I am a member of.

This restricting and blocking has coincided with Facebook asking me to “Boost” the publication by paying money to do so, I reject their offer and low and behold I am restricted and or blocked from sharing. I thought “Sharing” was a fundamental and core part of Facebook’s philosophy, but, it seems “Sharing”  is only possible if you pay for it. One of the most recent Facebook Boost requests…

Boost Your Post for €17 "The Daily Thistle..." is one of your most engaging posts. Boost it to get more reactions, comments, and shares.

This is while it has just restricted me from sharing….

So this month I have decided to stop writing on Facebook and seek another medium to express my thoughts upon. Thank You for all your kinds words and comments, it has been a lot of fun, unfortunately the Facebook problems have outweighed the good times..

To pay homage to The Daily Thistle, I thought we could look back at some of the news articles that made us laugh, got me into trouble and made The Daily Thistle a great blog…

MONDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2017…. PENSIONER’S GIANT COCK HAS BECOME A TOURIST ATTRACTION IN FIFE…  Jim Hughes has erected a 14 foot rooster in his front garden. A Scottish pensioner’s home has become a local tourist attraction after he erected a 14 foot (4.25 metre) cockerel in his front garden. 73-year-old Jim Hughes pruned an ivy-covered tree into the shape of a male chicken outside his home in East Wemyss, and even added a beak and a comb to make it look even more cock-like. “Originally, it was an old cherry blossom tree,” Hughes told Fife Today. It got that big that I was worried it would be blown over and hit a car.” ”It’s in the front garden and looks out into the street. Since then, quite a few people have been stopping to take photographs,” he added. “I call it Jock. And it’s crowing for independence.” Jim isn’t the only keen horticulturalist making headlines with bizarre topiary. Back in February, tree surgeon Chris Bishop rose to fame after pruning an 18 foot (5.5 metre) tree on his property into a giant penis. Worcestershire resident Chris spent three years growing out the Cypress tree before he was able to trim it to look like a huge gentleman’s sausage. The green-fingered 43-year-old told Caters: “No-one’s commented when I’ve been out in the garden, people have just looked at it and walked past. I think it’s because they’re trying to work out whether it’s just their dirty minds.” Despite protests from angry neighbours, Chris says he plans to grow the foliage out even more so he can add a pair of testicles to the sculpture.

MONDAY 30TH APRIL 2018…. SCOTS HAVE AN AVERAGE OF 21,000 COUSINS, STUDY FINDS…. The average UK adult has more than 16,000 living relatives, with most completely unknown to them, a study suggests. Research by family history firm Ancestry found that the average person is related to 16,895 eighth cousins. The company said: “Based on this, if you went to see a football match at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium, you’d potentially be sat in a crowd containing two long-lost cousins.” People in Scotland have the most living connections, typically with an average of 21,000 cousins, followed by residents of the North West, with more than 20,000. Regions across the south of England tend to have significantly fewer cousin connections, said the report. Russell James, of AncestryDNA, said: “We’ve come a long way since the double helix was discovered in 1953 and the fact that we’re now able to use that pioneering science in our own homes to enrich our lives and make new connections with relatives we never knew existed is remarkable. “Even in the fast-moving modern world, family remains a priority in life for most and while Ancestry wouldn’t necessarily expect Brits to contact all 16,000 of their cousins, it might be that striking up a relationship with even a few could end up being a life-changing experience - and it all starts with your DNA.”

MONDAY 7TH MAY 2018…. ARCTIC WALRUS 'WALLY' SPOTTED ON ISLE OF HARRIS….It is the same animal that was seen in North Ronaldsay and Sanday, in Orkney, at Armadale in Sutherland, and Dunnet Head in Caithness in March. The last time a walrus had been spotted on the Scottish mainland was in 1954. The walrus, nicknamed Wally, is also believed to be same the walrus that was sighted recently on the Isle of Skye . Marine wildlife charity British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) has asked that people keep their distance from the walrus to avoid disturbing it. BDMLR has been monitoring wandering Wally. A spokesman said: "It has lost a bit of weight. "We are monitoring its welfare as when it is spotted. "Its survival really depends on available food - walruses are also bottom feeders - but unconfirmed reports suggest it is feeding, so hopefully it will do okay."

TUESDAY 16TH AUGUST 2015…. For those people who wrote to me and said I wish I could move to Scotland, here’s your chance, because the house once owned by the creator of Scotland’s best-loved cartoon character, ‘Oor Wullie’, is on the market for just under £500,000. Hillbank House in Blairgowrie, Perthshire was home to Oor Wullie’s ‘father’, Robert Low, for over 30 years. It is said Mr Low was inspired to create the famous cartoon character after watching his own son play with friends. With the help of artist, Dudley Watkins, his idea was brought to life and his antics are still enjoyed by people across Scotland today, more than 80 years after ‘Oor Wullie’ first appeared. Mr Low owned the five-bedroom, Georgian ‘B’ listed house between 1954 and 1985, which is accessed through wrought-iron gates which lead to a private driveway. The stone-built house is a far cry from the modest surroundings his fictional character was used to and comes with five bedrooms and three public rooms… So if you’re feeling like a move, I suggest to do so quickly…

SATURDAY 21ST JULY 2018…. TWO KIDS ARE SAILING A TOY BOAT AROUND THE WORLD, AND THEY’RE TRACKING ITS JOURNEY ONLINE…. In May 2017, two brothers from Scotland, Ollie and Harry Ferguson, embarked on an adventure. The HMS Adventure, to be precise. The boys, who were just 8 and 5 years old at the time, launched a Playmobil toy pirate ship from the Scottish town of Peterhead, bearing a message that asked anyone who found the boat to send it back onto the high seas. Equipped with a tracking device and a counterweight that helps the boat stay right-side up, it traveled to Denmark and Sweden, aided on its journey by kind strangers who found it and returned it to sea. A Norwegian full-rigged ship, the Christian Radich, carried Adventure 3,000 miles south to the southern Atlantic Ocean. The boat then caught a ride on a Norwegian ship to the southern Atlantic Ocean, where it continues sailing today. Almost one year later, as of this writing, HMS Adventure is sailing off the coast of Venezuela (you can track it here https://yb.tl/a ) This is just one of the many adventures—500, in fact—that the Ferguson boys are undertaking with their parents. Some of the others on their list include sending Lego men and a GoPro into space, magnet fishing, riding a tractor, and unearthing a fossil. But their favorite so far, their dad told me, has been reenacting a medieval battle and getting pretend-crowned kings of Scotland. The HMS Adventure, along with the boys’ other exploits, is a remarkable demonstration of creativity, curiosity, and ingenuity from young kids. In just four years—albeit with some grownup assistance—they’ve accomplished 239 of the 500 adventures on the list, and they intend to keep going until the oldest of the two boys turns 18.

MONDAY 17TH AUGUST 2014…. Finally.. and lets finish on some happy news A courageous Moray youngster will rejoin her classmates at primary school today after overcoming cancer and receiving a life-saving heart transplant. Ehryn Andrews managed to conquer a rare form of bone cancer, but the treatment, combined with Sepsis – a life-threatening immune system disorder – irreparably damaged her heart. Last August, she underwent an eight-hour operation to replace the vital organ…And the inspirational seven-year-old is now restored to health and has been excitedly preparing for the new school term. Ehryn began classes at Greenwards Primary School in Elgin two years ago, but her education was thrown off course when she fell ill just two months into the term. She was only able to make sporadic appearances at school while undergoing treatment for her illnesses, and rejoined her friends in P2 after the October holidays last year. Her mum, Lyanne Andrews, explained that Ehryn spent yesterday getting her school supplies ready. She added: “Ehryn is really excited about going back and she can’t wait to see more of her friends. It will be special to see her return to school at the start of the term where she is supposed to be… My best wishes are with Ehryn and I hope she continues to recover and enjoy her class’s at school… (I checked and she is doing very well at school 2018)

And on that note I think another cup of excellent Colombian coffee is in order.. it’s 4.30 am and The Daily Thistle is officially done..

Our look at Scotland today is by Gerry Clifford who was watching the sunset from Connel, looking across Loch Etive to North Connel.

A Sincere Thank You for your company over the years, it has been so much fun, but as I said, I will not be held ransom…

As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Sunday 30th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog called Bella, go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain #Final_Issue

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Sunday 30th September 2018

The Final Publication

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  Today will be the final publication of The Daily Tulip. Ever since I started writing the Tulip, I have had problems with Facebook, who seem to consider this newsletter about what is/was happening around the world to be Spam, and as a result, every five days or so I get restricted and cannot share the news with other groups and pages that I am a member of.

This restricting and blocking has coincided with Facebook asking me to “Boost” the publication by paying money to do so, I reject their offer, and low and behold, I am restricted and or blocked from sharing. I have always thought “Sharing” was a fundamental and core part of Facebook’s philosophy, but, it seems “Sharing”  is only possible if you pay for it.

So this month I have decided to stop writing on Facebook and seek another medium to express my thoughts on.

Thank You for all your kinds words and comments, it has been a lot of fun, unfortunately the Facebook problems have outweighed the good times..

As this is the last issue of The Daily Tulip, I thought that we could look back at some of the news events over the years that have put a smile on our collective faces….

FRIDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER 2015…. Well what do a Pigs Head, David Cameron and Oxford have in common I ask you Gentle Reader??? Well it seems that during the 1980’s when David Cameron (Call me Dave) the former PM of the United Kingdom attended Oxford from what I have been able to glean from news sites all over the world is that at Oxford two life styles existed, the ones that wore “Donkey” jackets and supported the miners and a group that wanted to relive Brideshead.. they of course were the “Filthy Rich” but to quote “Dave” ‘The atmosphere among those of us who wanted to live the Brideshead life was really quite pleasant. There were cocktail parties in the Master’s [head of college] Garden . . . and we could all play at being Sebastian Flyte.’…. But it seems Cameron went a great deal further. He also got involved in the notorious Oxford dining society, the Piers Gaveston, named after the lover of Edward II, which specializes in bizarre rituals and sexual excess….. A distinguished Oxford contemporary claims Cameron once took part in an outrageous initiation ceremony at a Piers Gaveston event, involving a dead pig. His extraordinary suggestion is that the future PM inserted a private part of his anatomy into the animal’s mouth… (Maybe that’s where the expression “Dick Head” came from??)… The late Count Gottfried von Bismarck, an Oxford contemporary of Cameron’s, reportedly threw dinner parties featuring the heads of pigs. (He later became notorious after Olivia Channon, daughter of a Tory minister, died of a heroin overdose in his Christ Church bedroom.)…Meanwhile, Cameron had joined yet another dubious society — the notorious Bullingdon Club — a riotous drinking club for a highly select band of the super-rich…..  The bespoke uniform, of navy tailcoats, mustard-coloured waistcoats and sky-blue bow ties, could run to thousands of pounds, putting membership beyond the reach of ordinary students….So I ask how much significance should be attached to Cameron’s decision to join the Bullingdon Club?... One Tory colleague thinks that the answer is ‘considerable’. The MP concerned was once asked to join the club himself, but attended just one gathering before walking out in disgust…. ‘What it basically involved was getting drunk and standing on restaurant tables, shouting about “f***ing plebs”,’ he says. ‘It was all about despising poor people.’ … I don’t think that attitude has left our former PM he still looks down on the “Huddled Mass” and truthfully doesn’t give a Dam about the average person.. he’s a sort of Margret Thatcher in men’s clothes… he makes Jeremy Corbyn look normal….  

WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY 2016…It looks like Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has taken a bit to the tune of $1B in Apple, so It’s no longer forbidden fruit. Famously averse to tech stocks, Warren Buffett has gambled big on the Cupertino-based computing giant — news that saw the iPhone maker’s shares jump 3.5 percent to $93.65 yesterday. Long a fan of predictable, slow-earning stocks, Buffet’s investment, some analysts say, reflects that Apple is no longer a tech-only firm attracting growth and high-risk investors. And with Buffet also reportedly backing a bid to buy Yahoo, it looks like the legendary value investor has finally gotten online.. Buffett must have seen the "Core" value of Apple.....avoided the "Serpent" and taken a bite...

SUNDAY 5TH APRIL 2015…. Staying in the Garden of Eden, and why not I ask myself, It isn’t brain surgery, but still … Massachusetts General Hospital surgeons, who completed the nation’s first genitourinary reconstructive transplant last week, aren’t feeling cocky but are “cautiously optimistic” about the outcome. Patient Thomas Manning, 64, who lost his penis to cancer in 2012, reported little pain and hoped his success would encourage other men stigmatized by similar amputations. The organ, from a deceased donor, could take months to become as functional as the world’s first successfully transplanted penis, which helped father a child after being attached in South Africa in 2014.

SUNDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 2016…. “This is Nut’s”….. An English train company announced possible delays after an escaped pet squirrel became trapped on one of its trains. Southeastern railway provided an update via its Twitter account, warning of potential delays from Orpington Kent on Tuesday. "Trains from Orpington may be delayed due to a pet squirrel being stuck behind a grill on a train," the railway said. The railway explained the squirrel had gotten trapped in a vent underneath the seat as the owners attempted to coax it out. The squirrel's owners refused to leave the train until they had their pet, forcing the operators to divert the train back to Victoria to avoid further delays, according to ITV. Ultimately the owners were able to safely lure the squirrel out of the grill and the train continued on its way.

TUESDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2013…. And finally, An alarming report released Monday by the National Audubon Society revealed that, during their lifetimes, nearly four of every five female birds will be sexually harassed by complete strangers lewdly exposing their colorful plumage. “We knew that male birds sitting on branches in groups and making obscene calls to passing females was a nearly ubiquitous phenomenon, but the frequency with which unsuspecting avians of egg-producing age are subjected to lurid flourishes of multicolor tail feathers is really quite shocking,” said Katie Ulster, an ornithologist at Columbia University who headed up the survey, which also found that 48 percent of female birds exposed to such unsolicited displays of plumage had barely reached sexual maturity. “Unfortunately, incidences of a young sage grouse or a bird-of-paradise being followed back to her nest, hearing a sudden whistle, and then turning around only to see an array of garish plumes flapping wildly right in her face are all too common.” The report also published the disturbing findings that, after enduring such behavior, many female birds will often mate with their abusers for life

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look back at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are is called a Tulipa "Kandy Cane" and it's an historically old genius of Tulip dating back to 1785 and has not been modified since then, unlike Mr. Thomas Manning.....

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments over the years. I will miss the interaction with You, the reader, and before tears start to fall, as is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Sunday 30th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog called Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee #Final_Issue

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Saturday 29th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. The heavens are full of twinkling lights this morning.. Stars for as far as you can see, a thick belt much like a rope stretches across the sky, the "Milky Way" in all its glory... what an amazing sight.. I watch with awe as a meteor strikes the Earth's atmosphere at 35,000 mph and start to heat becoming incandescent as it descends towards the planet.. then as fast as it came, it vanishes from sight, burnt to nothing but gas  …..

NEW DOG CAFE SET TO OPEN IN EDINBURGH…. Cafe Voltaire, a hangout space part of Cabaret Voltaire on Blair Street, will host a new event on Sundays from 12pm-6pm aimed specifically at dogs, and their owners. Brainchild of dog-lover Abi Meek, the weekly Dug Cafe will welcome anyone who wants to relax in a carefree canine environment, with proceeds of special events going to charity, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. She said: “I am a dog owner myself and discovered that plenty of premises in Edinburgh are dog-friendly however, finding somewhere that is set up especially for dogs are few and far between. “Creating a relaxing environment for every breed of dog to socialise seemed perfect for Cafe Voltaire, which is an extremely cosy and quirky space serving up coffees, cake and cocktails.” Abi said the spacious cafe will be kitted out with relaxing areas full of toys and comfortable beanbags where people and dogs can lounge, play and even sleep. “As the venue is heavily music-orientated we will be playing soft soul and chill-out music to complete the vibe,” Abi explained. “Following on in the evening there will be live acoustic music being played until the late hours of the evening. A complete dog menu will also be on offer featuring pupacinos, dog beer, pupcakes and doggy pizza. Humans are well catered for with cakes, coffees, pizza and alcohol. “There will also be photo opportunities and dog competitions being held in order to raise money for the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home as well as a pre-loved toy donation bucket so other dogs can enjoy them.”

NAVY VETERANS’ SHOCK AT BEING BOOTED OUT OF SCOTTISH WETHERSPOON’S…. A group of Royal Navy veterans were left disgusted after being kicked out of an Edinburgh Wetherspoon pub during a reunion event. Around 25 communication veterans who served around the world on HMS Ark Royal (RO9) travelled to the Capital from all corners of the UK to catch up with lost shipmates, some of whom have not seen one another for more than 40 years. The group decided to meet at The Standing Order on George Street for a day of reminiscing, food and drink with people arriving from lunchtime. But the veterans were astounded when security staff ordered them to leave the premises at around 10.30pm claiming one member of the team giving the reason that “you’ve been here a long time”. Meanwhile other members of the group were refused re-entry. Alan Willis, 62, who attended from south London, said: “We were all absolutely astounded. We are extremely disappointed we were ejected from the pub and the reasons still are not clear. “One bouncer stated ‘you have to leave because you’ve been here a long time’ while another guy said ‘you may have had too much to drink’. “At no time was there any rowdy behaviour, no drunkenness, no foul language, no abusive behaviour, no loud voices or shouting, no upset, anger or disagreements and certainly no complaints from other users of the pub. We are just a bunch of 60+ year-old veterans spending in excess of £100+ per round on drinks and food.” The baffled veterans, some serving in the Falklands and Northern Ireland, regrouped at a nearby pub and felt there was a lack of respect to those who fought for their country.

TOURISTS RISK ERODING ISLAND BEAUTY SPOTS AS THEY CREATE PERFECT INSTAGRAM PICTURES…. Tourists visiting island beauty spots are putting them at risk of erosion by building rock formations – so they can post snaps on Instagram, conservationists have said. Stacked pyramids of stones have appeared on Unesco-listed beaches on Orkney, and at the Fairy Glen on the Isle of Skye – which recently featured in the blockbuster film The BFG. Stone stacking, which enthusiasts describe as “meditative” and “artistic”, can also be seen on Iona, Inner Hebrides. The trend has prompted concerns by residents and environmentalists that they could speed up erosion and destroy the habitat of wildlife living on the islands. Dog-walker Claire Irons, 53, spotted at least 50 of the rock formations at the Fairy Glen on Uig, Isle of Skye. The area earned its name due to a distinctive group of round grassy hills, with ponds between them. It is just not right – people should go there just to see the surroundings, not to build a pile of stones. It is causing an erosion problem CLAIRE IRONS Concerned the rocks might topple and crush her Border terrier, Treacle, Mrs Irons confronted tourists and told them to stop – but was told she was spoiling their fun. Mrs Irons said: “It’s the first time I’ve noticed it, we don’t tend to go up that way in summer. “There’s normally so many tourists around. “When I went up on a dog walk, I was amazed – you couldn’t walk on the path. “It is tourists rather than locals who do it.” Having lived on the island for five years, Mrs Irons said she was concerned that the structure of stone walls was being destroyed by tour groups. Mrs Irons added: “It is causing an erosion problem, the rocks are being taken from the surroundings and being taken from walls. It is a whole geological area. “They tend to go to the coastal bit, that’s where the rock formations are. “It is just not right – people should go there just to see the surroundings, not to build a pile of stones. “It is on a croft, where sheep graze. “I could be a bit cynical and suggest they go in on minibus tours and they need something to do.” The dog owner was concerned that a rock could topple and hit her seven-and-a-half-year-old Border terrier. She said: “Since the BFG was filmed here it has been on the film trail. “People come to Skye and they have got a list of things to do – one of them is to follow the ‘Fairy Glen’. “It’s free, that’s why people go there. “It’s been promoted more – when I first came here it wasn’t on the map. “It has crept up in the past three years.” Founder of environmental campaign group Blue Planet Society, John Hourston, believes social media including Instagram and Facebook is fuelling the problem. Mr Hourston said: “When I saw the photograph I was astounded – this is a new level. For that to be on the Isle of Skye, which you associate with isolation, is absolutely shocking. Without a doubt it is having an impact on ecology. “The photo epitomises the desecration of the natural environment. “We are talking about a base of people, backpackers and adventurers, who should have a concept of ‘leave no trace’. “The overpowering urge is to prove they’ve been there on Instagram or social media.” He said the problem was not isolated to Skye but seemed to be prevalent in Scotland, including Orkney where new structures were popping up beside neolithic formations. The beach at Skara Brae, designated a Unesco World Heritage Site.

ABERDONIANS CANNOT BOARD ABERDONIAN IN ABERDEEN…. Rail passengers in Aberdeen will not be able to board the Aberdonian steam train named after their city. A new service between Edinburgh and the city launches in March next year, but all journeys will start and finish in the capital. A new steam train service between Edinburgh and the North-east launches in March next year. Picture: Ian Georgeson North-east Labour MSP, Lewis Macdonaldsaid yesterday: “I am sure The Aberdonian steam train will be a great success, but it’s a pity that, under current plans, passengers can’t get on board in Aberdeen. I hope the operators of the new service will be able to issue single tickets both ways, as well as a return excursion from Edinburgh, so that Aberdonians can travel with The Aberdonian without having to go to Edinburgh first.” The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, which will operate the services, admitted that anybody who wants to use the trains will have to make their way to Edinburgh to get on board. And once they have been on the return trip, they will have to make their way back to Aberdeen. Five trains will run in 2019, with the potential for expansion in the following years, and the scheme has the support of Network Rail. The initiative has been assisted by the installation of a new £86,000 turntable in Aberdeen by the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust. But its chairman, Jon Tyler, admitted yesterday there was still plenty of work to be done before services could be run from the city. He said: “I suppose it’s just a case of demand. If a charter train could be linked into an existing itinerary, say for the proposed cruise ship visits [to the new Aberdeen Harbour], it might be possible to do it in the future. “What you have to remember is that all the main steam locomotives and rolling stock are based down south, so they would need to make extra journeys at the beginning and end if these were to start from Aberdeen.

EMPTY DUNDEE FACTORY SET TO BECOME NEW COMIC MUSEUM…. For more than a half a century it was where millions of Beano, Dandy, The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals were made. Now a vast empty printworks in Dundee is set to become home to a comic museum under plans for a £17.5 million transformation over the next decade. The present empty site where the comics and annuals were produced. Picture: Contributed Live music events, visual art exhibitions, theatre productions, festivals and conferences would also be staged in the historic West Ward Works. Work is set to get under way within months on the first phase of a project expected to create 1,100 jobs and boost Dundee’s economy by more than £50m over ten years. The project’s backers hope it will be one of the biggest cultural projects to benefit from support from a ‘Tay Cities Deal’ between the UK and Scottish governments, which is hoped to be approved within the next few months. Under a proposed timetable for the project, the first permanent occupants could be in by early next year and the first major phase of work completed by 2020. Workshops, studios and offices for artists, cultural organisations, videogame developers and other creative industries are planned as part of the development. It is thought up to 300 people could end up working in the building, which is close to both the Verdant Works – the award-winning attraction celebrating the city’s history of textile production – and Dundee University’s main campus. The two-storey comic museum at West Ward Works would showcase highlights from the archives of publishers DC Thomson, which still owns the building. Other permanent features would include a civic square, “monumental sculptures” and a permanent cafe-bar and restaurant. A charitable trust was set up last year to pursue the plans for West Ward Works, which operated from 1949 to 2010. Project director David Cook said: “The V&A is fantastic and has already had a huge impact on Dundee, but it’s the start, not the end of a process. This is really about what happens next and we hope it will be very much seen as something complementary to the V&A. We’ve spent the last year working on an architectural masterplan and a ten-year vision for the building. “The main focus of West Ward Works will be as a cultural hub. As well as the comic museum, one side of the building will have space for major exhibitions, live music, festivals, events and conferences. The other will be a working and making campus. “The comic centre would explore Dundee’s role in the story of the comic book, including the titles produced in the city and the people who worked on them. It was originally proposed for the waterfront, but this is now the preferred location.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of Dogs enjoying their pupacinos at Edinburgh’s new dog café…. What’s that Bella You want to go….

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Saturday 29th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Saturday 29th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  Thank you for the hundreds of messages and comments offering support they are appreciated greatly.. after some of the accolades I feel more like Robbie Burns than Robbie McAngus.. I am no further from unravelling the mystery of my blocking than I was yesterday, the big trouble is, a machine makes to decision to block not a person, not a human it’s all based on an Algorithm “a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.” Which is all well and good, but it does nothing for me…I don’t even know what rule I broke, so fixing it’s downright impossible.. I think it’s coming to that time for a decision… But enough of that, it’s a little cloudy this morning and with a wind blowing from the east it feels a little cool, enough for a jacket for me.. Bella doesn’t care she’s enjoying being with me…. Hope you are too?

MDMA MAKES OCTOPUSES MORE SOCIAL…. They’re feeling it. Although wildly different from humans, the cephalopods apparently respond to the drug in a very similar way. After exposing seven octopuses to ecstasy, scientists from Johns Hopkins University found they became more social — leading the researchers to realize the creatures process mood-controlling seratonin the same way as humans despite their brains having completely different architecture. “We weren’t expecting … quite so much overlap,” said the study’s co-author, who also reported anecdotally that one MDMA-dosed octopus did flips and another appeared to be doing “water ballet.”

MASS BEEF RECALL ORDERED AMID E. COLI FEARS…. After one person died and 17 fell ill as a result of E. coli contamination, Cargill, the world’s third-largest meat company, has recalled nearly 133,000 pounds of beef. Last month the Colorado-based producer alerted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the possible contamination, prompting an investigation that found 12 of its product lines were affected. It’s the second time this summer — it recalled 25,000 pounds of beef in August — that Cargill has pulled its product from store shelves. The USDA has released a public warning.

AUSTRALIA EMU VIDEO: MAN ARRESTED OVER 'HORRIFIC CRUELTY'…. An Australian man has been arrested over a video that allegedly showed him deliberately driving his car into several emus. The footage caused outrage after surfacing online earlier this week. It prompted a nationwide effort to find the perpetrator. On Friday, police in Victoria said a 20-year-old man faced several charges of animal cruelty. Animal welfare authorities condemned the incident as "horrific". In the video, the driver is heard cheering as he strikes the birds on a dirt road with his car. "This is great - I've got that one too, and that one," he says. Police said the footage, which shows the driver's face, was filmed in Cowangie, a town about 500km (300 miles) north-west of Melbourne. The RSPCA said: "[We] unequivocally condemn this type of behaviour, as it clearly shows a disregard for the lives of vulnerable native animals." Under Victorian law, people convicted of animal cruelty face up to two years in jail and a fine of A$74,620 (£41,000; $54,000). The man will face a court hearing in November.

CHURCH PROTESTS HALT GEORGIA CANNABIS LAW…. Georgia's government has halted moves to legalise medical marijuana cultivation after protests led by the country's powerful Orthodox church. Parliament speaker Irakli Kobakhidze told reporters the authorities would not take any "hasty decisions" but rather try to get its message across to the public, the civil.ge news site reports. "False information is being spread, so we need to pay particular attention to informing the public, and then take the decision together," he said, adding that opponents of the cannabis bill had "misled" Georgians into thinking it meant all drug restrictions would simply be dropped. The interior ministry confirmed earlier this month that it wanted to approve the cultivation of medical cannabis strictly for export, emphasising that the sale of marijuana in Georgia itself "will remain a criminal offence", IPN news agency reported. The row over the seemingly-innocuous bill blew up in the wake of a dramatic summer of protests over police drug raids that activists said targeted gay-friendly night clubs in the capital Tbilisi. The libertarian New Political Centre Girchi party launched a legal challenge to the drugs laws on the back of the protests, and the Constitutional Court effectively decriminalised cannabis for personal use.

CHINESE CITY DEBUTS 'BUS-POOLING' SERVICE…. The Chinese capital Beijing is hoping to put an end to the frustrations of disgruntled bus passengers complaining about long waiting times, by introducing "public bus-pooling" to the city. According to the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper, the local public transport authority is setting up a "quasi door-to-door" bus service, that will enable passengers to go online and detail what their individual needs are for a bus journey. It says that it will focus on serving large, residential communities, with the aim of providing bus routes more catered to where there are large groups of people, rather than serving existing stops and making people sit through a pre-defined route. It is also hoping to make the service safe by helping passengers find others to travel with, should they be concerned about making journeys alone. Beijing Youth Daily says: "in future, the public will expect buses to arrive like a car, and that they will meet the personalised needs of passengers".

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are certainly up to and far past our usual stand of excellence….by the way it's called Blue Mysterioso ......

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Saturday 29th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – Historical News From Scotland

Friday 28th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Well, It's cut and paste weather for the next five days at least, 16c at night and 26/8c day with blue, blue skies and not a cloud in sight.. which means the early morning walk is done under a heaven full of twinkling stars and other heavenly bodies.. Bella and I love this time of the year, not too hot and not too cold..

28 September 1928: Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin.

28 September 1396: The Battle of the Inch, or the Battle of the Clans, is organised on Perth's North Inch by King Robert III in an effort to end a long standing feud between the Kay and Chattan Clans.

29 September 1952  John Cobb made an attempt at the world water-speed record on Loch Ness which ended in tragedy as the boat crashed and Cobb was killed.

On this day in history George Buchanan died in Edinburgh in 1582 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, he lived from February 1506 to 28 September 1582. He was a historian and scholar who was persecuted for his Protestant views.

George Buchanan, a Gael from Kilearn, was one of Europe's most brilliant Renaissance scholars. He worked and travelled across the continent and was ‘the’ Latin poet and philosopher of his age. On the return of Mary, Queen of Scots, he acted as her court poet, but he was also a convinced Calvinist and a moderator of the Church of Scotland.

Through his books Buchanan came up with a very radical justification for the overthrow of Mary, Queen of Scots. He asserted that the ancient Gaelic Kings of Scotland had been elected and not divinely appointed. Hence they were subject to the law of Scotland and not above it. So, if a monarch broke his or her contract with the people and became a tyrant, then in law, the people, by which he meant the Scots nobility, were entitled to depose that monarch. In Buchanan's view, Mary had broken her contract and had been legally deposed, but, just in case this argument failed to convince the people, he also started the myth of Mary’s promiscuous love-life and accused her of being a whore.

Buchanan’s ideas would go on to form the basis of the covenanting revolution of the 17th century, but for decades these ideas were eclipsed by those of his illustrious protégé, King James VI of Scotland. Buchanan was appointed tutor to the young James VI in the hope that he would create a godly prince who would obey the congregation and serve the Protestant church. James went on to share his tutor's enthusiasm for Latin and Protestantism, but he rejected any idea of his kingship being subject to the law.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of fishing boats in the harbour in Helmsdale, Sutherland , Scotland the area of Scotland my family are from ....

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Friday 28th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – Archeological News From Around The World

Friday 28th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  Please share still restricted… End of the week is upon us, looking forward to the week end, and hopefully the beach, it’s not been the weather to lay in the sun as the winds have been blowing a bit, and when it does that, the sand gets into places you never knew you had and it’s a devil of a job getting it out…..

MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGISTS SEEK HMS ENDEAVOUR NEAR RHODE ISLAND….  NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND—Marine archaeologists investigating shipwrecks off the coast of Rhode Island say they may have found HMS Endeavour, according to a report in The Guardian. Known as the ship in which Captain James Cook traveled to Australia in 1770, Endeavour later served as a prison ship for Americans captured by the British during the War of Independence, and was eventually scuttled with 12 other vessels in 1778 to build a blockade before the Battle of Rhode Island. Kevin Sumption, director of the Australian National Maritime Museum, said divers are gathering samples of timber from five shipwrecks at one site in the Atlantic. At least one of the wrecks is said to be the size of Endeavour’s hull. “Most of the ships that were scuttled in Newport in August 1778 were built of American or Indian timbers [but] the Endeavour was built in the north of England of predominately oak,” Sumption added. If the tests show that one of the vessels was constructed in England, excavation around the wreckage site could produce further evidence of the ships’ identities, such as materials known to have been used on a prison ship.

ROMAN CEMETERY UNEARTHED IN ENGLAND…. NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND—BBC News reports that a 2,000-year-old Roman cemetery has been found at the site of a housing development in England’s North Lincolnshire. More than 60 skeletons, pottery, and other grave goods have been recovered, according to Natasha Powers of Allen Archaeology. The cemetery is thought to have served a town situated near Ermine Street, which connected the cities of London and York. A second-century villa complete with a mosaic floor was uncovered in the town. “We knew there was a Roman settlement but we didn’t know about the cemetery,” Powers said.

NEOLITHIC HUMAN REMAINS DISCOVERED IN CENTRAL VIETNAM…. HÀ NÔI, VIETNAM—Viet Nam News reports that additional 7,000-year-old human remains were discovered in the Krông Nô volcanic cave system in Vietnam’s central highlands. The bones of two adults and one child, who was about four years old at the time of death, had been surrounded by bones from ten other bodies. Pieces of ceramics, stone tools, and animal bones were also recovered. “This finding is the first of its kind in the area,” said Nguyên Trung Minh of Vietnam’s National Museum of Nature. According to Nguyên Lân Cu’ò’ng of the Viet Nam Archaeology Association, human remains are not well preserved in the region’s red basalt soil. “It seems the early people who lived in this cave system ate snails and mussels, the shells of which contain a lot of calcium that has changed the makeup of the environment inside the caves,” he explained.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF PAST CHILD LABOR PRACTICES…. VIENNA, AUSTRIA—According to a report in Nature, scientists have been looking for evidence of child labor in the archaeological record. Hans Reschreiter of the Natural History Museum of Vienna said that a child-sized leather cap dated to between 1000 and 1300 B.C. and very small mining picks have been found in salt mines in Hallstatt, Austria. This pushes back the known presence of children in the mines by at least 200 years. Reschreiter and his colleagues will test human excrement found in the mine for hormones that younger children would lack for further evidence of their presence in the mines. In France, archaeologist Mélie Le Roy of the Mediterranean Laboratory of Prehistory–UMR 7269 has found three human baby teeth from two children who were younger than ten at the time of death sometime between 2100 and 3500 B.C. The teeth are marked with grooves usually formed by repeatedly using them as tools for holding plant or animal materials while softening them. Small fingerprints from eight through 13-year-olds have been found on more than ten percent the bricks and tiles of a medieval Lithuanian castle by archaeologist Povilas Blaževičius of the National Museum of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in Vilnius. Archaeologist Steven Dorland of the University of Toronto has found child-sized fingernail marks in fifteenth-century pottery fragments in southern Canada. Even their misshapen pots had been fired, he said. “It shows children in those societies had a certain level of social value.”

BONES OF TWO NEANDERTHALS FOUND IN NORTHERN IRAQ…. ERBIL, IRAQ—Kurdistan 24 reports that the remains of two additional Neanderthals have been found in Shanidar Cave, where the fossils of 10 Neanderthal individuals have been unearthed since the 1950s. “What we have here is the skull of a Neanderthal adult,” said British paleoanthropologist Emma Pomeroy, who is working with an international team of scientists at the site. “It’s been quite badly squashed by the stones and all the soil on top of it, but it’s actually fairly complete.” The individual’s lower jaw, upper jaw, teeth, and eye sockets are visible on the partially excavated bone. The other individual is underneath the first, and Pomeroy added that it appears that a rock was put on top of the burials. Other burials may be found in the area. “We hope to build a strong picture of how they lived here, what their life was like, and what they did when members of their group died,” she said.

ANCIENT GOLD AND PEARLS DISCOVERED ON DANISH ISLAND…. HJARNØ, DENMARK—The Copenhagen Post reports that a metal detectorist discovered a collection of gold and pearl artifacts on a small island off the east coast of Jutland. Dated to about A.D. 500, the jewelry may have been hidden from the Romans, according to Mads Ravn of the Vejle Museum. “They’ve probably been down there on a mission to plunder, so our little find is a reminder of a turbulent period in world history when gold spoke its own, very clear language,” he said. A volcanic eruption in El Salvador and the resulting ash cloud and climate change could have also prompted the burial of the treasure as an offering to the gods, Ravn added.

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the “Old” news from around the world this, morning, I managed to dig up for you … …

Our Tulips today are hot!  Hot Pink in colour and Hot in style...

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Friday 28th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Thursday 27th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader…. The wind has been blowing strong most of the night, so when Bella and I went out this morning at 3.30am a jacket was needed, the night sky was crystal clear with millions of stars and planets visible.. what a fantastic sight, I am constantly amazed by the wonders of nature as I walk in the early morning… it was so clear today that I could see the lights twinkling in Morocco and reminded me exactly how close Africa is to Europe … Walk completed back to the comfort of our home and coffee.. so let’s explore and see what I can read and share with you..

RUGBY WORLD CUP: COVER UP YOUR TATTOOS IN JAPAN, PLAYERS TOLD….Tattooed rugby players will be asked to cover up during next year's World Cup in Japan to avoid offending people, the sport's governing body has said. In Japan, tattoos have long been associated with the notorious yakuza crime syndicates and inked tourists can find themselves barred from traditional communal hot springs, or onsens. Players are being asked to wear vests when using gyms or pools. Tattoos are common among players, especially Pacific Islanders. But tournament director Alan Gilpin said there had been no objections from teams. "When we raised it with the teams a year or so ago, we were probably expecting a frustrated reaction from them, but there hasn't been at all," he said. "We have done a lot in the last year or so with the teams to get them to understand that. "The idea of putting a rash-vest [shirt used for watersports] on in the pool or in a gym, they will buy into as they want to respect the Japanese culture. We'll position it as self-policing." The New Zealand All Blacks have confirmed that their players - many of whom sport full or half-sleeve tattoos - will comply. "When any of our teams tour we endeavour to be respectful of the local customs and culture, and this will be no different when we visit Japan both this year and next year," New Zealand Rugby chief rugby officer Nigel Cass told news website Stuff.

INDIA MAN HELD FOR 'INHUMANE TORTURE' OF SISTER…. A man has been arrested in India's capital accused of locking up and torturing his sister for two years. Police and officials from the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) broke into his house and rescued her in a dramatic operation on Tuesday. The woman, whose name was not given, had been starved and was so emaciated that she could not walk, talk or even recognise people, officials said. "She is 50 years old, but she looks 90," DCW chief Swati Maliwal said. "When we rescued her from the terrace, she was lying in her excreta. Her starvation is so extreme that she was unable to look after her basic needs." Ms Maliwal said she personally accompanied an investigating team to the house but they had not been allowed to enter by the man and his wife, who turned abusive. They called the police to help, but they were still not allowed to enter. "The police then climbed to the terrace through the neighbouring house and found the woman in extremely poor condition," deputy commissioner of police Rajneesh Gupta told the BBC. They then arrested the man and his wife for complicity in the crime. Police say they are investigating why the couple had been torturing the woman.

SOUTH AFRICA GANGS 'THREATEN' RARE SEA SNAIL EXISTENCE…. Poachers linked to South African drug gangs are threatening the existence of a species of abalone, a sea snail that is highly prized by restaurants in China, a new report says. Stocks of abalone are declining at an unprecedented rate, according to research by conservation group Traffic. The affected abalone species, Haliotis midae, is only found in the waters off the coast of South Africa. Traffic wants it to be put on the global list of endangered species. About 96 million abalone are thought to have been poached since 2000. Abalone are large and round, and cling to rocks in the shallow, shark-infested waters off Cape Town. Every year some 2,000 tonnes of abalone flesh are dried, and smuggled abroad, mostly by air to Hong Kong and beyond, where they are re-hydrated and served as a gastronomic treat. South African police have managed to seize some of the illegally sourced abalone. South Africa has a number of measures in place to protect abalone, but once they are taken out of the country there are no measures in place to prevent its export from the continent. The country has been losing an estimated $42m (£31m) per annum through the rampant illegal harvesting of the mollusc, Traffic found. It says that up to 43% of the illegally harvested abalone was traded through a number of non-abalone-producing sub-Saharan African countries to Hong Kong between 2000 and 2016.

SUGE KNIGHT TRIAL: RAP MOGUL PLEADS NO CONTEST OVER HIT-AND-RUN DEATH…. Former US rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight has pleaded no contest to a voluntary manslaughter charge over a hit-and-run incident in 2015. The Death Row Records founder made the plea to avoid charges of murdering one man and attempting to murder a second with his pick-up truck in Los Angeles. He will be formally sentenced to 28 years in prison in October. His record label helped launch the careers of artists including Dr Dre, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg. Under Californian state law, a no contest plea is the legal equivalent of a guilty plea. As part of the agreement, the murder charges against Knight, 53, will be dismissed by prosecutors, along with separate criminal cases charging him with robbery and making criminal threats. The deal, in which Knight admitted using a "deadly and dangerous weapon" when he ran down two men with his vehicle, calls for him to serve 22 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter with a further six years added because of the US "three-strikes" law relating to repeated violations. Had Knight been found guilty of murder as originally charged, he would have faced life in prison, prosecutors said.

MORE FAKE DIPLOMA CLAIMS FOR SPANISH UNIVERSITY…. The university already faces claims of awarding fraudulent master's degrees to two Popular Party (PP) politicians. A Spanish university is being investigated for allegedly giving away diplomas to hundreds of Italian nationals. King Juan Carlos University in Madrid reportedly granted law diplomas to around 500 Italians with limited Spanish language skills. The university already faces claims of awarding fraudulent master's degrees to two Popular Party (PP) politicians. A court spokesman said the latest probe was at a "very early stage." According to Eldiario.es, the students took trips to take their exams which coincided with Real Madrid matches. The newspaper also said the diplomas allowed the students to practise law all over the European Union, including in Italy, where they would otherwise be required to complete an expensive master's degree. King Juan Carlos University has yet to respond to the BBC's request for comment. Cristina Cifuentes, former head of the Madrid region, and ex-health minister Carmen Monton both resigned over allegations the university had awarded them master's degrees without them completing the work. Since that scandal broke, the university has closed its Institute of Public Law and suspended its former director. Its former chancellor, Fernando Suarez, has been accused of plagiarism but claims he is the victim of defamation and harassment.

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are as always fantastic!

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Thursday 27th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Thursday 27th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Bleak weather has come to the Costa del Sol this morning, … Thick heavy clouds are boiling above Bella and my head as we venture out for our morning walk.. rain looks imminent… but to be honest, I don’t mind, life is like that, sometimes it rains sometimes the sun shines…we just have to learn to accept what we are given and make the best of it, sometimes the lemons taste good….

RAF TYPHOON FIGHTER JETS INTERCEPT RUSSIAN BOMBERS…. RAF fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian bombers near UK airspace. Typhoon fighter aircraft were dispatched from RAF Lossiemouth to monitor two Russian planes approaching UK airspace. The Russian Blackjacks long-range bombers were not talking to air traffic control, making them a "hazard" to all other aviation. The jets were monitored passing through a variety of international airspace before they were intercepted by the RAF over the North Sea. They were then escorted north, out of the UK's area of interest. RAF fighter jets have intercepted Russian aircraft over 100 times in the last ten years. The Moray airbase is home to one of the UK's two quick reaction squadrons, which are permanently on alert and ready to fly in minutes. More than half of 179 launches from RAF bases at Lossiemouth and Coningsby between 2005 and 2015 were in response to Russian aircraft, according to Ministry of Defence figures. The number of launches rose dramatically in 2007 after Russian President Vladamir Putin reinstated a policy of carrying out regular long-range patrols in European airspace. Russian aircraft are not thought to have entered UK airspace during any of the most recent incidents. Defence secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Russian bombers probing UK airspace is another reminder of the very serious military challenge that Russia poses us today. "We will not hesitate to continually defend our skies from acts of aggression. Once again the rapid reactions of our RAF have demonstrated how vital our Armed Forces are in protecting Britain."

THIEVES USE STOLEN FORKLIFT TO RIP ATM FROM SHOP WALL…. Three people wearing balaclavas targeted a Co-op in Dumfries and Galloway on Thursday. The alarm was raised after three people wearing balaclavas targeted the Co-op on Annan Road, Gretna, at 2.45am on Thursday. The trio used an industrial Manitou forklift to forcibly remove the machine from the outside wall of the store causing extensive damage to the building. It is understood the forklift was stolen from a nearby farm prior to the incident. The suspects made off from the scene in a stolen silver Vauxhall Vectra, which had been adapted to fit the ATM in the boot, heading along Surrone Road onto Loanwath Road. The ATM is believed to contain a five figure sum of cash. Chief Inspector Colin Burnie said: "Enquiries are at an early stage to trace the individuals involved in this reckless incident and I am appealing for members of the public to come forward with any information that could assist our investigation. "Detectives are currently carrying out extensive enquiries including examining CCTV and speaking to local residents. "I would ask anyone living in the area who saw or heard anything suspicious, and is yet to speak to police, to please get in touch. "I would appeal to anyone who saw a forklift or a silver Vectra car in the area in the early hours of this morning to please get in touch. "I would also ask any motorists with dashcams, or residents with CCTV, to check in case they have captured any footage which could be of significance." Anyone with information is asked to contact 101.

THE BODY OF A MAN HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN A GARDEN IN ABERDEENSHIRE…. John Thomson was found dead outside a house on the outskirts of Sauchen. Detectives were alerted alerted following the discovery of the 65-year-old at 2.35pm on Sunday. Mr Thomson had been at an event in Thainstone, Inverurie, before he died. On Monday night Police Scotland confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious. Detective Inspector David Howieson said: "Inquiries remain ongoing however at present we are content there is nothing to suggest any suspicious circumstances.  "We are grateful to the community for its support whilst enquiries are carried out and thankful to those members of the public who have contacted Police to provide information."

EDINBURGH'S HOGMANAY TO CELEBRATE TIES WITH EUROPE…. This year's theme has been announced as the UK prepares to leave the EU in 2019. Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations will celebrate the ties between Scotland and the continent as the UK prepares to leave the EU in 2019. Franz Ferdinand and Capercaillie are among the Scottish bands performing alongside European acts including French performance artists Compagnie Transe Express. Youngsters will also play a key part in the festivities to mark Scotland's Year of Young People 2018 drawing to a close. The three-day festival opens on December 30 with a traditional torchlight procession through the city. This year's procession will be led by pipe and drum bands and will culminate in a "stunning" visual moment in Holyrood Park, where the procession will form the outline of Scotland lit by torches. On December 31, bands, DJs, street performers, dancers, acrobats, disco divas and fire eaters from Scotland and mainland Europe will be performing at the street party, which starts at 7.30pm. Franz Ferdinand will headline the Concert in the Gardens at the foot of Castle Rock, supported by Metronomy and Free Love, while some of the country's top ceilidh bands will play at Ceilidh under the Castle. Scots singer-songwriter Gerry Cinnamon will headline the Waverley stage, with Judge Jules headlining the DJ stage on Castle Street while Elephant Sessions will perform at South St David Street. At midnight, German band Meute will provide the soundtrack to the fireworks display from Edinburgh Castle. The McEwan Hall will be a Hogmanay venue for the first time, hosting three major concerts - Symphonic Ibiza on December 30 and Capercaillie and Carlos Nunez with special guests on January 1. Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, directors of the Hogmanay, said: "Edinburgh's Hogmanay is all about inviting the world to come on in and celebrate the end of one year and the start of a new, and as we move from 2018 to 2019 there's no better time to celebrate Scotland's cultural ties with Europe. He added: "We're confident that Edinburgh's Hogmanay offers something for everyone." "It's appropriate that this year we have chosen to say loudly and proudly to our European friends - 'we love you!"'

MORE THAN 30 SHEEP STOLEN FROM ISLE OF SKYE LAND…. The livestock was taken sometime in the past six weeks. The theft took place sometime within the past six weeks from an open hill ground on the Trotternish Ridge. The sheep all vary in age and were marked with black paint on their shoulders. Constable Katherine Tindall said: "We are asking that crofters in the Trotternish area check their land and also to report any suspicious activity including unfamiliar vehicles with animal trailers in the area. This comes as 50 sheep were stolen from a farm in Moray between Tuesday and Wednesday. "Rural crime be it the theft of animals, machinery or damage to property hits hard at the heart of small communities and by all being vigilant we can make the area a hostile place for those intent on committing such crime. "Anyone with information is asked to contact 101."

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is by John Sinclair and his wife who were on the north of Iona when they spotted the dark clouds sweep over Mull.

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Thursday 27th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Wednesday 26th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. what a beautiful early morning, heaven full of stars, empty streets and walking with my Bella.. I can see the hint of a sunrise on the western horizon soon at 4am it will be early dawn, so it's best to take advantage of the darkness now, that way I can look at the stars and look back in time……

BOOZE LABEL WARNINGS 'YEARS OUT OF DATE'…. AHA wants consumers to be able to see clear warnings and health information on alcohol products. Fewer than 10% of alcoholic drinks carry up to date health warnings, according to campaigners. A new study claims multi-national alcohol companies are choosing to ignore advice to display important health information on products. One charity claims a pint of milk is required to show more information than a bottle of wine. Pressure is growing on alcohol producers to display better warnings about the dangers of alcohol to health. The Alcohol Health Alliance, a coalition of 50 organisations, found fewer than 10% of 300 products they surveyed carried the safe drink guidelines of 14 units a week. This came into effect two-and-a-half years ago, but some products carried the old limits and most carried no warnings of the risk of disease from drinking. On Thursday the chief executive of one Scottish alcohol charity raised the issue at the AGM of the drinks giant Diageo. Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland said: "It is notable that the global multi-national producers do not seem to have made any effort to update their labelling to communicate the current low-risk drinking guidelines, while some smaller independent producers have done so. "The Alcohol Health Alliance surveyed more than 100 Diageo products and not one of them included the current guidelines of 14 units a week. "Referring people to industry-funded websites is not good enough. We need reliable health information directly on bottles, cans and menus, where it can usefully inform our decisions. At the moment more information is required on a pint of milk than on a bottle of wine. The public deserves better and industry clearly won't do this voluntarily; it's time for government to act." The Portman group, which represents drinks producers, said bottle labels direct consumers to a website containing up to date health information.

NEW SALTIRE GRAPHIC NOVEL AT GLASGOW COMIC CON…. The latest graphic novel about a comic book character dubbed "Scotland's first superhero" is to be launched at the largest Scottish comic con. Saltire is a creation of Glaswegian John Ferguson. The comics are published by St Andrews' Diamondsteel Comics. First printed more than two years ago, the comics follow Saltire's encounters with Saxons, Romans, Highland clan warriors and also supernatural beings. The new graphic novel will be unveiled at the weekend's Glasgow Comic Con. Set in a mythological Scotland, the Saltire stories are inspired by historical events and real places. Some of the characters have been inspired by historical events and figures, including the mysterious disappearance of the Roman auxiliary legion the 9th Hispana in Scotland in AD 120 and the Hebrides' medieval Lord of the Isles. Ferguson, who will also discuss his character as a guest at The Lakes International Arts Festival in Cumbria next month, said: "It's been over two years since our last title so I'm looking forward to seeing all the fans and finally getting the book out there. "We believe this book is as good, if not better, than its predecessor so hopefully the fans reaction is just as enthusiastic. Comic Con will be our first chance to find out." He added: "Superheroes are a big part of mainstream culture these days and our Scottish protagonist creates a lot of enthusiasm so we're excited to bring him back."

GENTLE GIANTS PROVE TO BE FAST AND AGILE….. A team of scientists have discovered that basking sharks, the world's second largest fish, can jump as fast and as high out of water as great whites. The researchers said plankton-eating basking sharks had a reputation for being "slow and languid", while their cousin was "famously powerful". In their new study, the scientists recorded a basking shark that achieved a top speed of 5.1 metres per second. Other research has suggested the sharks likely breach while feeding. Every summer basking sharks gather in large numbers around small islands between Skye and Mull, off Scotland's west coast. They later migrate south to waters around Madeira and the Canary Islands off west Africa. The new research was led by Queen's University Belfast and London's University of Roehampton and published in the Journal Biology Letters. During its study, the team recorded a basking shark accelerate from a depth of 28m (92ft) to the surface with 10 beats of its tail over a period of about nine seconds. The animal broke through the surface at almost 90 degrees and was clear the water for one second, peaking at a height of 1.2m (4ft) above the surface. To achieve this breach, the basking shark exhibited a six fold increase in tail beat frequency and attained a top speed of about 5.1 m/s.,This is more than twice as fast as the average competitor in the Olympic men's 50m freestyle swim, the team said.

WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL KICKS OFF 20TH EDITION…. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is a special guest on the first day of proceedings in Wigtown. The line-up of guests includes fiction writers, poets, broadcasters, philosophers and historians. Among the highlights this year are talks from Susan Calman, Sally Magnusson, Ann Cleeves, Clare Balding, Andy Stanton and Louis de Bernieres. Advanced ticket sales have reached record levels and already exceeded the total sold by the end of last year's event. Organisers attributed the success to the first minister's visit, media coverage of the 20th anniversary and a VisitScotland campaign to promote the region. The festival runs until 30 September.

MAN ADMITS BARE-CHESTED CHAINSAW ATTACK AT GOLF CLUB…. The incident happened at Caird Park Golf Club in Dundee. A bare-chested man smiled as he attacked a complete stranger with a chainsaw at a golf club. Joe Brown, 45, approached Arthur Innes, 61, as he prepared to play golf with two friends at Caird Park Golf Club in Dundee. The High Court in Glasgow heard Brown scraped the chainsaw down the right side of his victim's head and the top of his right shoulder. Brown admitted attempting to murder Mr Innes on 2 May. The father-of-three was only wearing a pair of jeans when he approached Mr Innes and his friends Ian Martin, 61, and Matthew Waterson, 71, with the chainsaw in his hands. At the time of the attack, which happened about 14:00, the men were getting their golf clubs out of their cars. Brown walked up to Mr Martin said: "Madness is in the eyes, madness is in the eyes." Mr Martin, who backed away, said the accused was smiling and his eyes were bulging out of his head. He was wearing no top and no shoes. Seconds later Brown pulled the chainsaw cord and it started immediately. Mr Innes was wedged between cars in the car park and could not escape. Brown raised the chainsaw and brought it down towards his victim, who put up his arm to protect himself and was struck on the upper arm. Prosecutor Owen Mullan said: "The accused against struck Mr Innes with the chainsaw, scraping it down the right side of his head and the top of his right shoulder. "As the accused did this Mr Innes turned to face him, put his head down and barged into him, forcing him backwards." The court heard the accused then ran off after dropping the chainsaw. Doctors who treated Mr Innes at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee said he was lucky the wounds were not deeper. He suffered a significant scar to his arm and another lesser scar to his head. Almost two hours later, at 15:50 the accused approached Andrew Hay, who was on his mobile phone, at the Kingsway and said: "I'm asking you for help." He then punched Mr Hay and pushed him to the ground before running off. Minutes later Brown, who was wearing no top and no shoes, walked out into the carriageway. Driver Callum MacKay managed to stop his car a foot from Brown who started shouting at him and laughing. Brown was found collapsed outside the back door of grandmother Michelle Hunter, who thought he may be having a breakdown. He told her: "I'm a bad man. "I attacked someone with a chainsaw on the golf course." When police arrived Brown said: "I didn't mean to do it" and asked: "Have I badly hurt him?" Brown then said: "I want to stay on my knees and pray for the guy I hurt. If I've hurt somebody I won't live with myself." A cannabis farm was later found in the accused's home in Graham Court, Dalclaverhouse, Dundee. Officers also recovered 36 Ecstasy tablets and 34g of cocaine. In court, Brown, who is a prisoner at Perth, pleaded guilty to the assaults, attempted murder, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession of the other drugs. Mr Renucci told the court psychiatric reports were prepared and the conclusion was that most of his behaviour was attributed to his drug misuse. Judge Lord Matthews called for a background report on Brown and will sentence him next month.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of Warrior Saltire in action….

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Wednesday 26th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Wednesday 26th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  “Hump Day” the middle of the week, seems like only a couple of days ago the week started…  Please share as I am still Blocked/Restricted…..  Well high winds greeted Bella and I this morning as we set out on our constitutional walk.. for the first time in a long time I thought I should be wearing a jacket as the wind was cool blowing from the North West rather than the normal South East, leaves and detritus swirled down the alleys and side streets of the town and the waves could be heard breaking on the nearby beach while sand in clouds blew out to sea… quite spectacular at 4.30am ..Walk completed, good to be back in the comfort of home, so let’s take a look at what the world has to offer us today…

MAINE RESTAURANT SEDATES LOBSTERS WITH MARIJUANA…. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that lobsters are able to feel pain when boiled. A US restaurant is using marijuana to sedate lobsters before killing them. Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound, a restaurant in Maine, says the process is more humane as it lessens their pain before death. Lobsters are often cooked by being dropped into a pot of boiling water, seen as cruel by some. There is growing evidence the crustaceans feel pain. Customers at the restaurant can choose whether they want the marijuana-sedated lobster or not. A growing body of scientific findings suggest that not only lobsters but other invertebrates, such as crayfish and crabs, are able to feel pain. In January, Switzerland decided that lobsters must be stunned before boiling. The owner of Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound, Charlotte Gill, says eating the sedated lobster will not make customers high and using marijuana leads to better quality meat, as the animal is more relaxed when it dies. "If we're going to take a life we have a responsibility to do it as humanely as possible," Ms Gill told local newspaper Mount Desert Islander. "The difference it makes within the meat itself is unbelievable." Marijuana is legal in Maine and Ms Gill has a license to grow and supply it for medical purposes. Marijuana laws in the US vary from state to state. Nine states and Washington DC have legalised the drug.

ACLU FILES GENDER DISCRIMINATION CHARGES AGAINST FACEBOOK…. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the social network of allowing recruiters to target job ads according to gender. The complaint, which also cites 10 other companies, says Facebook allowed advertisers to exclude potential female and non-binary applicants from seeing job ads for typically male-dominated positions, such as auto repair and moving services. Facebook, which has previously been rebuked for allowing advertisers to exclude users based on ethnicity and disability, pledged to remove 5,000 ad-targeting options in August.

'POP UP LIFEBOAT' MADE IN WALES IS SAVING LIVES IN JAPAN…. A pop up lifeboat made in Wales has been saving lives on the other side of the world. Created by Robin Jenkins, the Atlantic Pacific Lifeboat in a Box was built by UWC Atlantic College students. The organisation identifies places with high drowning rates and supplies rescue boats, mobile lifeboat stations and volunteer crews. "It's an unlikely but ingenious solution to a global problem," Mr Jenkins said. The first Atlantic Pacific Lifeboat in a Box was sent to Kamaishi, Japan, in August 2015. The lifeboat called Hahn 001, and now renamed Wales Go, was designed and constructed by UWC (United World College) students in the Vale of Glamorgan, as part of their International Baccalaureate Diploma. It is a self-contained unit which can be delivered to any location in the world to operate immediately as a lifeboat station. Inside is a bespoke lifeboat, a workshop for maintaining and fixing the lifeboat and a crew room, where crew can change and shelter from the weather. Every Lifeboat in a Box is specifically designed for the community that will receive it. Jack Kenny, who is studying at the college, said he hoped to go on to work as part of the rescue crew from Atlantic Pacific, having worked with them for the last year. "[Last year, we did one of three tasks including design and construction of the boats, the shipping container station, or the research and development of future AP sites," he said. "We utilised a mould of a pre-existing boat and as we progressed, we identified ways in which we could make the boat better, more efficient, and more practical in the tasks it needed to complete." Mr Jenkins set up the organisation following the 2011 tsunami in Japan. "This is a project that we hope to grow around the world, delivering containers and training to areas that are most vulnerable to disaster, so that when the unbearable strikes, there is something to help. "Lifeboat in a Box is an unlikely but ingenious solution to a global problem, providing crucial facilities for communities to rescue, not only tsunami survivors but also anyone in trouble at sea."

SCIENTISTS FIND EVIDENCE OF FOUR PERSONALITY TYPES…. A Northwestern University study involving 1.5 million survey responses suggests people fall into one of four “personality clusters” — average, reserved, self-centered and role model. Those archetypes are based on specific combinations of five character traits: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. Researchers say most people are “average,” meaning they’re fairly agreeable and extroverted, though they also admit not everyone fits neatly into one category and that traits develop with age. The scope of the study has won over many scientists who had previously been skeptical of personality tests.

AUSTRALIA STRAWBERRY SCARE: WOOLWORTHS HALTS SEWING NEEDLE SALES….  Australian supermarket giant Woolworths has temporarily removed sewing needles from its shelves as the country faces a strawberry safety scare. Last week, Australians were warned to cut fresh strawberries before biting into them after several people found sewing needles hidden inside the fruit. Several strawberry brands have been pulled from stores across the country. A country-wide investigation into the scare has since been launched amid growing public alarm. The government has also said it will introduce stricter criminal penalties for anyone found to have been tampering with food. Strawberries Australia Inc, the country's largest industry body for strawberry growers, declined to comment on the move by Woolworths. But many of Australia's strawberry farmers remain frustrated and angry at what they say has been a huge overreaction to the scandal. Woolworths said the safety of its customers was its top priority and that pulling sewing needles from its shelves was a safety measure. "We've taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale in our stores across the country," the supermarket told the BBC, but did not say how long the move would last. Sydney-based brand expert Paul Nelson said Woolworths' action could be seen as something of a "knee jerk reaction" to the crisis. They could be "trying to do their bit" to support farmers struggling with the fallout by taking needles of the shelves, he said, but "cynically, you could also argue they want to be a part of the conversation and want to appear to be assisting".

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are illuminating the page…

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Wednesday 26th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Tuesday 25th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. And what are you doing up at this time of the night, ?? Me? I have a dog to walk and stories to tell is my excuse.. Yesterday the family and I went to Gibraltar for the afternoon, it’s about 60 kilometers from Estepona, the tourists have gone, so we kind of had the place to ourselves, lots of shops and cafes were open, so we wandered from point to point and caught a bus if we needed to go "far" of course,nothing is "far" on Gibraltar ... it was just the change of pace and perfect for a good walk.....Well while I've been talking the coffee has brewed, Bella's drunk her water, and I've read the news so would you like me to share it with you...?

SMALL HAMSTER CAGE HOLDING 18 RATS FOUND DUMPED IN PARK…. The Scottish SPCA has appealed for information after the rodents were found. The Scottish SPCA was alerted after the police discovered the rats in a hamster carrier Animal rescue Officer Sarah Parker said: "The poor rats had been in the small cage for some time as it was covered in both faeces and urine. "Thankfully they were found by someone who would help as there was no food available for them and they could have easily been attacked by a predator. She added: "All 18 rats are now at our centre in Lanarkshire where they'll be named and remain in our care until we can find them a loving forever home." Abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. Anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life. Anyone with information is being urged to contact the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.

MAN DIES AFTER BEING 'ATTACKED' IN WOODS BEHIND LIDL…. Emergency services were called to Gorgie/Dalry Community Park in Edinburgh. A 48-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have arrested a man, 50, in connection with the alleged incident. Officers have cordoned off part of the woods as well as the Grassmarket while investigations are carried out. A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Police in Edinburgh are investigating after a man was found with serious injuries in the wooded area at the Gorgie/Dalry Community Park, behind the Lidl supermarket, at around 2am on Thursday. "The Scottish Ambulance Service also attended and pronounced the 48-year-old dead at the scene. "A 50-year-old man has been arrested in connection with this incident and enquiries are continuing."

TAXI DRIVERS HELD UP WITH REMOTE CONTROL DISGUISED AS KNIFE…. A robber held up two taxi drivers while armed with a fake knife made from a remote control wrapped in tin foil. Scott Taylor, who admitted arming himself with the phoney weapon and demanding cash from two drivers, has been sentenced to 20 months behind bars for the offences committed earlier this year. During the first robbery he apologised to the driver before making off with £30 but was foiled in the second when his female victim told him to "f*** off". Fiscal depute Saima Rasheed told Dundee Sheriff Court that when he was caught Taylor told police he had shaped tin foil round a remote control to make it look like a knife. She added: "He said it was never his intention to harm anyone." In the first incident Taylor was picked up at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and asked to be taken to a city centre pub. But just after leaving the hospital Taylor had driver David McManus pull over while he went to get money and a key. Moments later he re-entered the cab and pulled what appears to be a knife from his hold-all and held it to Mr McManus's stomach before demanding cash. As he made off with the £30 Taylor said: "That'll do. I'm sorry, I've just been sanctioned, I've not eaten for three days." "That'll do. I'm sorry, I've just been sanctioned, I've not eaten for three days." Scott Taylor after robbing a taxi driver of £30. Two days later, Taylor targeted Lynne Cowan after calling for a taxi to pick him up at an address in Dundee's Dee Gardens under a fake name. Taylor got in the taxi and said he wanted to go to Fintry. He then pulled out his fake weapon and demanded money, but because he was the first fare of her shift Miss Cowan said she didn't have any. When he again made his demand she told him to "f*** off" and he ran away. Taylor, 33, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to robbing David McManus on May 31 and attempting to rob Lynne Cowan on June 2 in the Charleston area of Dundee Defence solicitor Mike Short said Taylor had been in a desperate situation when he carried out the attacks. He said: "He had addiction problems and was constantly being threatened. "He was in debt - though the debt was not his. "He is embarrassed by his behaviour and has managed to rid himself of his drug addiction in custody." Sheriff Alastair Carmichael jailed Taylor for 20 months.

GRETNA CO-OP CASH MACHINE RAID INVESTIGATED…. Police are investigating a raid on a cash machine at a supermarket in Gretna. A farm vehicle appears to have been used to target the ATM at the front of the Co-op store. The alarm was raised at about 02:45 and the area has been cordoned off as investigations continue. Police Scotland said inquiries were ongoing and has appealed to anyone who saw anything in the area to come forward with information.

VOLUNTEERS TRIED TO RESCUE WHALE NEAR ARDERSIER…. A young minke whale has died after stranding on a shore of the Inner Moray Firth near Inverness on Tuesday night. Twenty volunteers from British Divers Marine Life Rescue were among those who tried to refloat the animal after it got into difficulty close to Ardersier. The Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme is to carry out a necropsy. Charlie Phillips, of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, said the whale appeared to be thin and in poor condition. Soldiers from Fort George, near Ardersier, and coastguard officers helped in work to remove the animal from the shoreline. Common minke whales are found in oceans all over the world, and adult females can grow to more than 10m (33ft) in length.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of the Old man of Storr in the winter time...

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Tuesday 25th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Monday 17th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. The Start of another week, although at 3.30am you wouldn’t think so, the streets are empty and quiet, only the sound of Bella’s tags clinking together and my feet break the silence.. even the Police car that passed a moment ago is electric and they are almost inaudible as they slip by in the darkness. A Seagull calls out somewhere high above us and a companion answers the call,  a feral cat starts to climb through the gap in the railing that surround the park, and then thinks better of it when it sees Bella or was it me, that made it slink back into the cover of the bushes, we turn for home, time to eat, drink, but at this time of the morning, I will leave “Merry” out of it….

CROMARTY CINEMA PLAN GETS GO-AHEAD…. Plans for a tiny cinema for Cromarty have been approved by Highland councillors. It would be one of the few facilities of its kind in the Highlands and have seating for just 30 to 35 people. The cinema would be built in a yard at the northern tip of the small village on the Cromarty Firth. Cromarty Estate and Cromarty and Resolis Film Society jointly sought planning permission for the project. A meeting of Highland Council's north planning applications committee approved the cinema plan. The Black Isle area already has a small cinema at The Muir Hub, in Muir of Ord. Run by volunteers, it has been open since 2017.

EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL SUSPENDS NEW 20MPH ZONE BIDS…. No new bids for 20mph zones will be accepted by East Lothian Council after it ordered a moratorium on any future speed restriction trials. The move comes as proposals to reduce the speed limit nationally from 30mph to 20mph on residential roads are to be considered by the Scottish government. The council said it had introduced a suspension until a decision had been taken at a national level. Two trials currently being held in Dunbar and East Linton will continue. An East Lothian Council spokesman said: "These are under an 18-month experimental order and any further action will be advised by the success or otherwise of the trial period. "Any requests for new 20mph areas whether permanent or trial will not be actioned at the moment. "East Lothian Council has a moratorium on further 20mph limits until the Scottish government decision is announced." Mark Ruskell, Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, has been progressing his Proposed Restricted Roads (20mph Limit) (Scotland) Bill through the Scottish Parliament. The proposed bill has cross-party support from 12 SNP, seven Labour, five Green Party and one Liberal-Democrat MSP.

TOWN'S DRAINS 'PLACED ON DIET' TO TACKLE GREASY FATBERGS…. 'Fatbergs' are a headache for utility companies, including Scottish Water. A town's drains are to be starved of grease and oil in a bid to tackle the menace of so-called fatbergs. A pilot scheme in St Andrews will see experts advising every food business how to dispose of waste correctly. The new campaign is led by Scottish Water which attends an average of 95 blockages every day in Scotland at a cost of £6.5m a year. The deposits are caused by fat, oil and grease being flushed unfiltered down sinks and clogging up the sewer system. The Fat Free Sewer project - the first of its kind in Scotland - will see every food service establishment in the Fife town visited by waste management experts. Mike Will, waste water operations general manager at Scottish Water, said fatbergs were a real headache for the utility. He said: "The consequences on the environment can be huge - it can cause flooding to properties and roads and pollute rivers, as well as impacting valuable assets such as bathing waters. "Currently Scottish Water visits food service establishments on a reactive basis, once blockages have occurred. "In some cases these are one-off events, but sometimes we do get called to the same locations." Mr Will said: "We are effectively attempting to put St Andrews' drains on a diet." St Andrews was picked for the six-month pilot project as it has more than 100 food establishments in close proximity. If the project succeeds in cutting blockages due to Fog (fat, oil and grease) it is set to be rolled out to other parts of Scotland.

WOMAN AIRLIFTED AFTER HORSE FALL AT BEACH…. A woman has been airlifted to hospital after falling from a horse in Aberdeenshire. The incident happened on a beach at Foveran Links near Newburgh at about 20:00 on Tuesday. Coastguard teams, two lifeboats and a specialist ambulance crew were sent to the scene. The 32-year-old woman was transferred by Coastguard helicopter to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Her condition is not yet known. A Coastguard spokesman said rescuers worked well together to find, stabilise and transfer the casualty.

LOCH KEN STOCKS 'HEALTHY' DESPITE CRAYFISH INVASION…. A study of the impact of an invasion of non-native crayfish on a south of Scotland loch has found fish stocks in its waters remain "healthy". Repeated concerns have been raised about the situation in Loch Ken in recent years. However, the study found stocks remained strong despite the presence of North American signal crayfish. The report's author said it was "encouraging" to see how healthy the fish population in the waters remained. As well as stock levels, the study - commissioned by the Galloway Glens Partnership - looked at the importance of angling on the loch and the impact of the crayfish.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is by Paul Hastie who discovered this "body" lying on Elie beach in Fife.

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Monday 17th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Monday 17th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  Gusty winds greeted Bella and I this morning as we left the house for the morning walk.. strong winds off the Atlantic hurried clouds across the night sky obliterating the moon and stars and left us with only the street lamp lite for company.. but nevertheless we, as always. enjoyed our moment in the early morning on the Costa del Sol… back at the house coffee in cup and thoughts in order.. ”Who said that will make a change!” and the news groups open so let’s take a look at the things that caught my fancy… The First post serves as a warning to all the Seniors here and there are quite a few, no matter how cleaver you think you are, there is always someone a little sharper….

FRAUD RINGLEADER JAILED OVER 'BOILER ROOM' SCAM…. A "boiler room" fraud ringleader has been sentenced to a total of 13 years in jail after being found guilty of conspiring with five others to con 170 investors out of £2.8m. Michael Nascimento ran a call centre where investors were told their money would go into shares in businesses such as a property development in Madeira. Instead he spent it on Arsenal tickets, school fees and a trip to Thorpe Park. One victim was conned while coping with depression while her mother had cancer. Nascimento, a former boxer, was convicted of this boiler fraud along with five others: Charanjit Sandhu, Hugh Edwards, Stuart Rea and Jeannine Lewis, who last week received sentences of between two-and-a-half and five-and-a-half years. Another, Ryan Parker, was given a two-year suspended sentence. According to investigators at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the victim whose mother was struggling with cancer was befriended by the "salesman" of this boiler room fraud, Charanjit Sandhu. She was conned into parting with £16,000, her life savings. Then she felt "bullied" into taking out an overdraft to hand over a further £2,500. CCTV footage of the group's activities - and part of its cash pile - was seen by the FCA Another, a sophisticated financial services professional, invested £922,795. He had been asked to fly to Madeira to see the land owned by the companies and was shown around by the ringleader of the fraud, Michael Nascimento. Nascimento had arranged to be called by friends frequently during the visit in order to appear to be a well-known business man in Madeira. What he didn't let on was that the beautiful coastal land he was showing was far from the rough hillside plot with no planning permission that his companies had actually purchased.

SKRIPAL CASE: RUSSIAN 'SPIES' TARGETED SWISS CHEMICAL WEAPONS LAB…. Two Russian men were arrested earlier this year on suspicion of spying on a Swiss laboratory investigating the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a newspaper investigation has claimed. Swiss publication Tages Anzeiger and Dutch paper NRC said they were arrested in the Netherlands earlier this year. The Swiss lab analysed samples from the poisoning of the former Russian double agent in the UK. It has also dealt with suspected chemical weapons from the war in Syria. The two men were expelled from The Netherlands shortly after their arrest, which had not been reported until now. A spokeswoman for Swiss intelligence told the BBC that the agency had been actively involved in "the case of the Russian spies", without mentioning the laboratory at Spiez, near Bern. But Tages Anzeiger said the Swiss intelligence agency had confirmed the findings of its joint investigation with NRC. The report says the two men had equipment that could have been used to break into the laboratory's computer systems, and also alleged that they worked for Russian intelligence. Britain has said that two Russian intelligence officers carried out the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March. Both survived, but local resident Dawn Sturgess died after exposure to the same nerve agent months later. NRC said the two alleged spies targeting the Swiss lab were not the same men accused of the poisoning.

STRAWBERRY NEEDLE SCARE: CONTAMINATION AFFECTS SIX BRANDS IN AUSTRALIA…. Australians have been warned to cut fresh strawberries before biting into them after several people found sewing needles hidden inside the fruit. Contaminated punnets have been reported in supermarkets in the states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. One man was taken to hospital after eating a strawberry with a needle inside. A nine-year old boy bit into a contaminated fruit but did not swallow. Several brands of strawberries have been withdrawn. These include Donnybrook strawberries and those sold by the Woolworths Group under the Berry Obsession and Berry Licious names. Health officials have urged people purchasing the fruit to be cautious. The warnings came after a contaminated punnet was reported by Joshua Gane, who wrote in a Facebook post that a 21-year-old friend had suffered "severe abdominal pain". "Until advised, consumers should cut up strawberries before consuming them," Queensland Health later said in a statement posted on Twitter. Jennifer Rowling of the Queensland Strawberry Growers' Association said she believed the strawberries had been "interfered with". She referred to the problem as "an isolated incident" and "sabotage". Australia's strawberry industry is worth some A$130m ($94m; £70m) a year and there are concerns that such incidents could have a lasting detrimental impact on sales.

MUMMIFIED ICE AGE WOLF PUP AND CARIBOU FOUND IN NORTHERN CANADA…. The rare remains of an ice-age wolf pup and a caribou will offer insights about life in Canada's far north more than 50,000 years ago, scientists say. The creatures were discovered with intact hair, skin, and muscle tissue. They were found in 2016 by miners near Dawson City in the Yukon territory, and handed over to palaeontologists for research and analysis. They are among the oldest mummified mammal soft tissue in the world, palaeontologist Grant Zazula said. The wolf pup is estimated to have been about eight weeks old when it died. "It's beautiful, the fur, it's got the cute little paws and tail and the curled upper lip showing its teeth. It's spectacular," Mr Zazula told the Canadian Press news agency on Thursday. The caribou too had its hair intact. The caribou remains include the torso, head, and front limbs. Both specimens are currently on display in Dawson City and will eventually be sent to the Canadian Conservation Institute near Ottawa. They are expected to help scientists understand how they lived in the environment they inhabited. Other creatures who roamed the region from that era, such as the woolly mammoth and even a species of camel, are extinct. But distant descendants of both the wolf pup and caribou can still be found wandering the Yukon.

EU APPROVES CONTROVERSIAL INTERNET COPYRIGHT LAW…. The European Parliament has voted in favor of the Copyright Directive, a new law designed to protect creative industries — but which critics say could have a “catastrophic” effect on the internet. It would force companies like Google to pay publishers every time they link to a story, and require platforms like Facebook to proactively stop users from sharing unlicensed copyrighted material. Critics, including Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and World Wide Web creator Tim Berners-Lee, say it amounts to widespread censorship. The law is expected to get final approval in January.

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are spectacular……

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Monday 17th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Saturday 15th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. No rain at the moment, but the its forecast, but typical of living on the coast of southern Spain near the Straights of Gibraltar, the weather can change in a moment, take earlier this week for an example, it rained in Estepona, but not 5 kilometers down the coast, and when I talk of the weather, its usually from the perspective of between 3 and 4 am so when people who live locally get up at 7am or later, the weather pattern has changed, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad…….

NINE FIRE ENGINES ARE CURRENTLY TACKLING THE BLAZE AT THE HILLTOWN INDOOR MARKET…. This is the third major fire in Dundee in three days. The fire is in the roof of the building and is currently spreading to the gym, Fit4less, next door. A spokeswoman for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said more than 60 firefighters are currently fighting to control the flames from spreading any further. She said: "We were called at about 6.15pm to a fire at the Hilltown Indoor Market building. "We currently have nine appliances in attendance. "The fire is currently in the roof and is spreading to Fit4less next door." The 48-year-old videographer and photographer said: "On the day after a fire in one of our high schools, to see smoke on the Dundee skyline, close to the opening of the V&A museum is horrific. "There's smoke, it's a clear sky, you can really see it from far away, the stink is horrendous. "A building fell down, looked like the fire brigade were hosing it down. The flames are mental, it looks like the whole building's on fire." Thistle Street, Main Street, Dens Road and Isla Street have currently been closed off to the public while the fire is ongoing. A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "There are presently road closures at Thistle Street, Main Street, Dens Road and Isla Street. "The public are advised to avoid the area until further notice." The spokesman added the building had "more or less collapsed".

THREE ORPHANED RED SQUIRRELS HAVE BEEN RESCUED AFTER THEIR NEST FELL FROM A TREE…. The three siblings, Boromir, Gandalf and Fili, are being hand-reared by the Scottish SPCA after being found by a member of the public in Stirling. The trio will be weaned and then moved to an outdoor aviary to develop the skills needed to survive in the wild. Centre manager, Colin Sneddon, said: "Boromir, Gandalf and Fili arrived in our care just over three weeks ago and have been getting on really well. "The trio are being hand-reared by our expert centre staff and they will soon be weaned, and then moved into one of our outdoor aviaries to develop the skills necessary to survive in the wild. "Once Boromir, Gandalf and Fili have fully recovered, they'll be released back into the wild at a supported release site." Mr Sneddon advised the public to take care when cutting down trees and trimming hedges, as nesting season for both squirrels and birds is well underway. "We urge people to take care when cutting down trees/trimming hedges", he said. "It's best to check for nests first to avoid any accidents."

A FLOCK OF BABY FLAMINGOS IS BEING HAND-REARED IN SCOTLAND…. The nine tiny chicks, which were hatched at Chester Zoo, eat a liquid diet every two hours, fed to them with a syringe. Enthusiasts Mark Haillay and Owen Joiner are behind the project to create a new flamboyance of Chilean flamingos, which is a feat said to be "virtually unheard of". They are being cared for in Oxton in the Scottish Borders, as part of project Bird Gardens Scotland. "It's an incredible moment when you first hear a flamingo egg grunt at you and you know that within 48 hours there will be a chick asleep, resting after its epic journey from inside the egg out into the world," Mr Haillay said. "It's very exciting to think these little balls of grey fluff will grow to be majestic flamingos." The eggs took 30 days to develop, before hatching into healthy flamingo chicks. "Rearing flaminglings is hard work - it takes the energy of both parent flamingos to rear just one chick," he added. "We're hoping to rear more than ten chicks each year from surplus eggs." The birds have not yet been named, but donors can pledge £500 to choose one for them. Mr Joiner said: "The lovely thing is that the rearing facility, or the Baby Barn as it will be known, was built with the help of people from across Scotland and around the world. "The materials for this specialised facility were paid for through a Crowdfunder campaign and the barn was built by volunteers." "Now there is a kitchen and a dry rearing room for grouse chicks and rare pheasants," Mr Joiner continued. "There is a wet rearing room for chicks of the rare ducks, geese and swans we work with through the summer months, and then for flamingos in the autumn and their first winter. "After that they will move to the flamingo house and pond in the grounds." He added: "Working with birds that are threatened or endangered because of various issues in the wild is our life-time's work. "Being able to create a new flock of Chilean flamingos is virtually unheard of. "This is very special and we're grateful to the Borders community for supporting us in our efforts to help preserve the future of threatened bird species."

A POLICE CAR HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A TWO-VEHICLE CRASH IN ROSS-SHIRE…. The marked emergency vehicle was responding to another incident when it was involved in a collision with a black Mazda on the A9 at Delny. Three people were involved in the crash at around 3pm on Monday, which police described as "serious". A male police officer and a man and woman were cut free from vehicles and airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary by coastguard helicopter. Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The road was closed between Invergordon and Kildary while emergency services dealt with the incident.

TWO SEVERELY EMACIATED DOGS ARE BEING CARED FOR AFTER THEY WERE FOUND ABANDONED IN EDINBURGH…. The Staffordshire bull terriers were taken in by the Scottish SPCA on August 23. Inspectors were alerted after a man was apparently seen dropping the dogs leashes and running off, leaving them alone in a street in the south of the city. An investigation is now under way in a bid to find their owner. Inspector June Chalcroft said, "The dogs were very emaciated, with every rib and spinal bone showing, and we're interested in finding out how they came to be in that way. "The dogs are now in our care, and the duo will now be put on a weight gain diet and we're hopeful they will make a full recovery. "Dogs do not become this underweight overnight and we are therefore treating this as a case of suspected cruelty. "We would appeal to anyone who knows who may have owned or looked after these dogs to come forward." Abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. Penalties can include a ban on keeping animals. Anyone with information is being urged to contact the Scottish SPCA's animal helpline on 03000 999 999.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of grown Flamingo’s looking amazing…..

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Saturday 15th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain #Flamingos

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Saturday 15th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  The thunder that shook the town yesterday in nothing but a memory and this morning the weather is perfect, gentle breeze blowing across the Mediterranean, crystal clear skies filled with a mired of twinkling lights guiding Bella and I on our walk this morning… save for the rustling of the Palm Trees and church bells ringing in the far distance we are alone .. Schools starts next week and children and parents alike are catching the last morning lay in.. Tourist in their droves caught the planes home yesterday to do exactly the same thing, so the little town in quiet and my four legged friend and I can enjoy the silence and solitude for a moment… so as I sit in front of the computer this morning enjoying the coffee, lets break the silence and start tapping on the keyboard and produce for you The Daily Tulip a compilation of my thought, my comments, my opinions.. some readers enjoy, some reader dislike my opinions.. some reader share the thoughts and foolishness with friends, but The Daily Tulip is read, and that has always been my intent, to share, teach, educate and above all stimulate your minds whatever your standing on what I write.. I’m Robert McAngus and this is The Daily Tulip…

NORTH CAROLINA FACES PIG MANURE NIGHTMARE…. Will it hit the fan? Home to 9 million pigs across 2,300 farms creating 10 billion pounds of waste annually, the Tar Heel State faces a messy problem as Hurricane Florence nears: The “manure lagoons” that hold the waste are in the storm’s path. Lagoons hit by past hurricanes have flooded, flushing their contents into estuaries and sparking algae blooms and fish deaths. Hog farmers have been urged to prepare accordingly — especially since forecasters say Florence could bring 15 more inches of rainfall than lagoons can handle.

BILL COSBY SEEKS TO REMOVE JUDGE IN RAPE CASE…. Two weeks before his sentencing on three counts of sexual assault, the disgraced comedian wants Judge Steven O’Neill to recuse himself so a new judge can consider one of Cosby’s previous failed attempts to get the case dismissed. The 81-year-old’s legal team — his third — was reportedly tipped off by a gossip site that O’Neill had a personal grudge against Bruce Castor, the former district attorney. During the trial, O’Neill rejected Castor’s testimony about why he didn’t choose to prosecute Cosby back in 2006.

CHAMPAGNE IN SPACE: HIGH-TECH BOTTLE GETS TEST FLIGHT…. Future space tourists may be sipping champagne in orbit if a uniquely designed twin-chambered bottle with "egg cup" glasses proves a success. On Wednesday, a specially equipped aircraft will take off from the heart of the French champagne region to test the novel way of dispensing bubbly. The plane will make a series of steep climbs before plunging down to create 20-second intervals of weightlessness. The new bottle design was commissioned by the Mumm champagne house. Journalists from several countries were invited to try the champagne during Wednesday's flight on board the Airbus Zero-G plane. The wine, which sits in the upper portion of the bottle, is released with a finger-controlled valve that uses the champagne's own carbon dioxide to eject small amounts as foam. The journalists then get to consume the wine by scooping it out of the air using small long-stemmed glasses "They won't have to be performing any professional tasks on board, so they'll probably be able to drink a bit of alcohol," said astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy, who heads the company which operates the Airbus Zero-G, ahead on the flight. The Mumm team say they hope it will be seen as a more elegant solution than consuming drink through a straw.

METEOROLOGISTS PREDICT EL NINO EVENT THIS YEAR…. A storm’s a-brewin. According to the World Meteorological Organization, there’s a 70 percent chance of the potentially destructive weather event forming by year’s end. An El Niño system is created by increased warming in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which can lead to drought in some regions but heavy rain in others. This year is likely to be one of the warmest on record, the organization noted, although it predicts a 2018 El Niño — while having “considerable impacts” — won’t be as powerful as those observed in 2015 and 2016.

INDIA THIEVES 'ATE FROM STOLEN GOLD LUNCHBOX'…. Thieves who stole a gold, diamond-studded lunchbox that belonged to a former royal family were using it to eat their meals, Indian police say. The lunchbox, stolen last week, was recovered along with a ruby and gold teacup, saucer and teaspoon. Two men from the southern city of Hyderabad have been arrested. The items, valued at $7m (£5.4m), once belonged to Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam (king) of Hyderabad and once the richest man in the world. Police allege the two men had fled to the western city of Mumbai in the hopes of finding a buyer for the stolen goods where they lived a "fancy life" in a five-star hotel for a few days. However, they were unable to find a buyer and returned to Hyderabad where they were arrested after a massive manhunt. Officers had initially struggled to identify the robbers because they had turned off all 32 CCTV camera's in the Nizam's palace. However, a camera near the palace captured the two men on a motorbike. Police say they found the motorbike a few days later and that helped them identify the pair.

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are almost as beautiful as the Bride....

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Saturday 15th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – Historical and Archeological News From Scotland

Friday 14th September 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Heavy rain is falling this morning, pounding hard against the pavement, drumming against the shop windows, and creating rivers of water as it cascades down the street, this is a short walk, on a “Needs” basis only, the reality is I wouldn’t be going out if it wasn’t for Bella… quickly we cross the street and get some protection from the trees, who in turn are groaning as the wind buffets and rocks the branches, seemingly attempting to remove every leaf. Bella as if understanding performs her needs quickly, and turns pulling me back towards the house…

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…14 September 1715: The Jacobite forces commanded by John Erskine, 23rd Earl of Mar, take Perth.   John Erskine, 23rd Earl of Mar, lived from 1675 to May 1732. An important landowner and politician, he played an key role in the Act of Union between Scotland and England in 1707; then led the Jacobite cause in the 1715 uprising. His frequent changes of sides led to him being known as "Bobbing John", and to his losing the trust of just about everyone.

On 13 November 1715, a large part of Mar's army advancing from Perth met a much smaller government army under John Campbell, the 2nd Duke of Argyll at the Battle of Sheriffmuir, north of Dunblane. Mar's forces probably just about won on the day, but he failed to take advantage of the open road that now lay to the south, and withdrew. Meanwhile, James Stuart was only able to reach Scotland on 22 December, when he landed at Peterhead: he was too late, the uprising was all but over. The Jacobites abandoned Perth on 31 January 1716, and on 4 February James Stuart and John Erskine, 23rd Earl of Mar, sailed out of Montrose, bound for France. Neither would ever return.

Mar tried hard to raise foreign support for the Jacobite cause, but in 1721 it emerged he was receiving a pension of £3500 per year from George I, and the Jacobites ceased to trust him. Many thought he had a hand in betraying to George a plot involving Bishop Francis Atterbury, in which the Hanoverian royal family would be taken prisoner, and James proclaimed King in London. Mar subsequently cut his links with the Jacobites, spending the rest of his life in Paris and in Aix-la-Chapelle, where he died in May 1732.

'SIGNIFICANT AND REPRESENTATIVE' PORTION OF THE GALLOWAY HOARD TO BE DISPLAYED AT KIRKCUDBRIGHT ON A LONG-TERM BASIS…. National Museums Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council have agreed the terms of a 25-year Partnership Agreement which will enable the organisations to work together across a number of areas, including future displays of the Galloway Hoard at the newly opened Kirkcudbright Galleries. As part of the Partnership Agreement Kirkcudbright Galleries will also become a venue for National Museums Scotland’s touring exhibitions from the national collections. In addition to lending the Hoard itself, National Museums will support the display through loans of relevant additional material from the national collections. The Partnership will also involve National Museums Scotland sharing digital assets (for example 3D scans and digital photography), educational resources, and research outcomes related to the Hoard with the Council.

LEIF ERIKSON BUST UNVEILED ON THE ISLE OF LEWIS…. Connections between Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, the first recorded European to reach North America, and the Scottish island of Lewis have been celebrated by the Leif Erikson International Foundation, who have this week unveiled a bust of the explorer at Uig. The two-foot-high bronze bust was donated to the community of Uig, on the island of Lewis. Uig was chosen for its Scandinavian connections - as the location where the Lewis chess set (possibly from Trondheim) was discovered, and is believed to been a likely Viking settlement. The Foundation believes Erikson may have spent the summer in Uig after being blown off-course during a sea journey to Norway.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the old news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of the crofters wife, milking the cow on the Isle Of Skye Scotland circa 1920's

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Friday 14th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – Archeological News From Around The World

Friday 14th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  As Bella and I walked this morning, clouds scudded west across the heavens and rain is falling with a vengeance. Seeing the clouds move so quickly across the heavens, makes me think about Hurricane Florence - the most powerful storm to threaten the Carolinas in nearly three decades, and which is expected to strengthen, say forecasters. Officials warn there is a chance of "life-threatening inundation from rising water" over the next 48 hours as Florence heads for the US East Coast. With sustained winds of about 140mph (225km/h), the weather system is currently a category four storm. That storm, Hurricane Florence, is so large it’s affecting the weather pattern here in Spain. The rotation of Florence is so fast that it is sucking the moisture from Europe and building an even bigger storm.. To all those people in the general area of the storm we wish you well and our thoughts are with you…

ANCIENT HUMAN REMAINS DISCOVERED IN TEXAS…. FRIO COUNTY, TEXAS—Texas Public Radio reports that Native American remains estimated to be about 1,000 years old were discovered by a bridge inspector this summer at an undisclosed location. “Initially, it was thought to be a cold case of some sorts, so obviously law enforcement got involved,” said Hernan Rozemberg, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation. The department’s archaeologists, assisted by scientists from Texas State University, examined the burial without disturbing it, and said the man had been buried resting partially on his left side with his knees drawn up. A projectile point was also spotted at the site. State transportation officials are now consulting with local Native American groups about the remains.

REPURPOSED MEDIEVAL SARCOPHAGUS FOUND IN ENGLAND…. LINCOLN, ENGLAND—A medieval sarcophagus dating to the twelfth or thirteenth century has been uncovered at a construction site in England’s East Midlands, according to a Lincolnshire Live report. The sarcophagus was designed to be wider at one end, in order to support a pillow or headdress. A hole in its center would have allowed fluids to drain away from the body. Found next to the stone foundation of a fifteenth-century building, the sarcophagus was surrounded by stones and set level with a cobbled surface. It had probably been moved to the site to serve as a trough for feeding animals, or to process wool or leather

BABY TEETH OFFER WINDOW TO HEALTH OF ANGLO SAXONS…. BRADFORD, ENGLAND—UPI reports that scientists led by Julia Beaumont of the University of Bradford analyzed the baby teeth of more than 1,000 Anglo-Saxon children who lived in the Raunds Furnells settlement, a tenth-century site in England’s East Midlands, to see whether evidence of malnourishment could be detected in the remains. They then compared the teeth of children who survived from conception to at least 1,000 days after with those who did not. The researchers found that nutritional stress slowed bone growth, but the dentine in teeth continued to grow, thus providing a more comprehensive understanding of the child’s diet and health status. Teeth will record high levels of nitrogen, indicating the child was starving, even when bone growth has stopped, Beaumont said. The study could help scientists evaluate risk factors affecting the health of living children, she added.

FIRST WORLD WAR TRAINING TRENCH FOUND IN IRELAND…. SPIKE ISLAND, IRELAND—The Irish Examiner reports that archaeologists led by Barra O’Donnabhain of University College Cork have found a trench used by the British military to train World War I–era soldiers on Spike Island, home of a nineteenth-century prison, in Cork Harbor. The prison, built in 1847 during the Great Famine and closed in 1883, was once the world’s largest. Two corroded grenades were recovered from the bottom of the chest-deep military trench, which had been carved through the convict cemetery. Soldiers who trained on Spike Island were sent into battle on the Western Front and Gallipoli. The British eventually handed the island over to the Irish state in 1938.

POT OF MEDIEVAL LOOT DISCOVERED IN BULGARIA….SOFIA, BULGARIA—A fourteenth-century A.D. pot containing nearly 1,000 gold, silver, and bronze coins and artifacts such as buckles, earrings, rings, and buttons was discovered in the medieval Kaliakra Cape Fortress, which is located on Bulgaria’s northern Black Sea coast, according to an Archaeology in Bulgaria report. Archaeologist Boni Petrunova of Bulgaria’s National Museum of History said the small, light coins reflect the decline of the Second Bulgarian Empire and Byzantium. For example, the 20 hyperpyrons, or late Byzantine gold coins, in the collection had been clipped, or made smaller by shaving metal from their circumference, to such an extent that it was difficult to identify them. Eight Venetian gold coins dating to the mid-fourteenth century were also found in the pot, along with a few coins from Wallachia, a Bulgarian ally to the north, and a single Tatar coin, all of which may have flown through local markets. The objects are thought to have been looted by a Tatar leader who quickly hid his treasure during one of the last Mongol invasions of the region, since there were still threads attached to the buttons, suggesting they had been ripped off a lavish garment in a hurry.

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are laying in the rain...

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Friday 14th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee