Scarlet Pimple

"Yep, out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, Festus, come forth words of wisdom" Well, If I am right, Caley Boy, please stop havering and check out Buckett's post two steps up which is excellent. I.e . look, listen and learn. Then give him a "like" for insight and effort. And try to respond to the issue rather than dissecting poor feeble, brow-beaten, penniless pensioners who can't fight back. Remember to be nice on the way up to those you may meet when coming down. Grrrrrrr! "Festus, are you there , help me up on old Dobbin will ya. Gotta meet up with George Armstrong Custer at 7.p.m.for a blether before he moves on to the Little Bighorn for some kind of a skirmish with some warring Blackfoot injuns. Yep, Life gets tedious don' it."

Thee seems to be quite a lot of criticism of the Board in these posts, mostly pleading rather than downing however. But are these Board Members rich or what? Are they in it for the glory or to boost the revenue of their possible business ventures--or what? . If they have funds then it is reasonable to at least expect some financial response from them with regard to exactly what they are putting back into the club for the privilege of occupying the position they wanted and now occupy? If they are penniless and don't want to invest a nickel then perhaps we should be suggesting a change of the Board member composition ! The only alternative is, as always, to take out a large loan from the bank which, of course, must then be paid back from income on a regular basis, not to mention the fact that the bank will probably not advance large loans without the protection of additional security. If the loans defaulted and the worst happens then the club would need to be placed into Administration if calling in the funds that had been advanced to the club could not be paid back, even serviced (interest payments), and then what? A firesale of residual assets, no less. And then the probable demise of Inverness Caledonian Thistle to boot unless the Prince of Thieves rode into town on his white charger and bailed the whole shebang out with,..what though? The way out? Well, for starters the club should perhaps concentrate their financial direction on club promotions, the offering offering of small gifts or rewards , or a small legal lottery with accompanying good rewards and so on. The club should now be embarking on a critical and continuous club promotion to garner more funds . Then spend money on direct promotion of the actual ,frankly pretty good, record to date of the performances of the young lads and how well they are holding their own and strutting their stuff. A little bit of hyperbole would not go amiss either to bring in the fans and newbies. If the stand at home is half empty then fill it at any cost just to improve the atmosphere of togetherness and welcome young boys and girls with special gifts that won't cost a fortune but will impress them no end. Also, once they are in the door, entertain them at half time with, golly gosh, even a clown on steroids for goodness sake ….remember Daddy (and maybe Mum also) has to come to the park if the wean is to enjoy the show., right? This is entertainment, lads and lasses, nothing else, Make it a family affair. It's showbusiness and the show must go on if the punters are going to spend their money. Nowadays we must cater to all the family and make it a day out, or close to that. EVEN a pipe band at half time coming into the stadium in full regalia will attract a few more people (especially if the nutters in Glasgow introduce Summer Football). I was not a young man when I took over a run-down office and window cleaning business in North Vancouver, British Columbia, away back in 1979. I gave myself a year as a trial period but stayed 29. I delivered leaflets round doors asking for business and within 5 years had quadrupled the business. Mind you, I worked very hard setting high standards of workmanship and loved being self-employed. Talking is fine but action carries the ribbon of success. Go for it--or remain standing where you are now! Suit yourself. Either moan -- or act! Approach the Board with suggestions and demand that they come out into the open for regular discussions then be sure to offer your services to help the club get more money into their coffers. I rest my case , M'Lud.

Na! NA! Kingsmills, I did not say or infer that I was any kind of knowledgeable or expert commentator on your political matters. We sometimes have difficulty here in Canada in fathoming out what the best route it would be for our own Governments (local and Federal) to follow for the benefit of this vast country with all it's resources. But we have found that rarely do any of the politicians we have really care that much about the people who elected them. Basically they are mostly in it for themselves, the huge salaries and benefits, the lovely pensions when they retire etc, etc. In Ukraine , for example, the so called elected officials' are feuding daily with each other, scrambling over seats to get into the incredible physical punch-ups that occur there. Apparently they are all thugs to begin with or they would have not been elected at all..... What I was simply inferring, perhaps, is that from a distance it does seem as if the whole turmoil -ridden process is not going to solve the issue. The party in power is desperate to stay in power and I don't think they are significantly motivated by anything else. Has a joint political plebiscite from all the parties at Westminster ever been considered as a possible way to attempt to solve this huge issue for the benefit of ALL British residents, regardless of their political stripe? Is it not so serious that reverberations from the outcome will affect many future generations. The present dichotomy involving the major political figures of your Parliament does not seem to be achieving very much or am I wrong? Over and out.

Is whisky, food is good, like "pud" Don't be nasty to me 'cos it could be rude..... dude.

Well, looking at my television at the BBC World News every day, I come to the conclusion that the whole thing appears to be an unfortunate shambles. Boris Johnson looks and acts like a figure out of a comic book and his views seem to get more and more ridiculously frenetic and non-calm, not to mention destructive and self-serving, than ever. I have to say , however, that regardless of whether she is right or wrong, I have to admire the tenacity and courage , not to mention the dogged and unfailingly polite and calm attitudes of P.M.May . She's the clock that is taking a daily licking but keeps on ticking. Where will it all end? Can Scotland ever become independent with a dwindling population, no coal, no oil and even if Scottish Whisky is making millions by way of growing export sales around the world, what else does it have now to attract industry and jobs and a burgeoning economy?....Offshore wind turbines? Skiing in the Cairngorm mountains? Nice one Cyril except that once these structures etc. are built and operational what then? Isn't your fishing going down the tubes? If so, then it's not alone because over-fishing all over the world seems to have had a major negative effect on the remaining fish stocks.. Conservation efforts are now being made by the Canadian Government to attempt to stop the incoming hump-back whales going extinct....so much so that the countless large ships that enter the Pacific port of Vancouver now must adhere to recently-introduced regulations for them to reduce their speed and the associated underwater engine noise which discombobulates the progress of the whales by making them lose touch with their respective pods , babies, etc. Sure hope you can work out a compromise with the Europeans though over Brexit.

Pay at the Gate should be a "no-brainer". Any club who have space to offer and is willing to take your money any way they can is run on common sense and smart business practice. Grass banking? great so long as it is not wet and unless you carry a plastic cape that you can use. Good luck to all. Caley Thistle will win this one hands down...not though complacency which in itself could prove fatal and fateful, but because they have the training and skill to complete the job and then get a money'd tie for their efforts.

Well, Roarer, I seem to have gotten a smile out of him anyway. Much better than a miserable, moping, meaningless scowl , eh? We gotta stick together , man. And he knows that help is always on the way.....

Now, now, Caleyboy be nice! …….I'm relying on up-and-coming smart guys like you to keep me on the right path as I continue to go downhill fast. I have, I see, about 3 times the number of posts that you have accomplished so there must be a grain of truth or wisdom in at least some of them. If you can find one of those for me just let me know. Anyway, dinna fash yersel, you'll be a man before yer mither, I have no doubt. Your advice is sound and now I must retire into my shell and reflect, change and just fade away...…….. into the dreaded obscurity of "end-of-days ":. AAAARGGGHHHH

Understand the fans' desire to try out the young 'uns in the first team but I hope for only short periods at a time. I mean, maybe 45 minutes for the first game and then take it from there. Ease them in like until their confidence and desire for more starts to soar!. It appears as if we have a great young team though. You will have to bring In more "Roddy's" though since they are conscientious and reliable and have that winning spirit. Yesss..!

Caley D summed it up perfectly . And he is right. He attacked a woman, who probably was never ever a physical match for him for one thing. Then he threw a blunt object at her with a probably spikey heel attached to it .Which could have blinded her at worst or done a lot of other damage to her body, face etc. and it appears that this was done with some force. Which was a cruel and unusual retort. And did he not also push her around at some point? A shouting match is one thing (sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you ) but this kind of violence towards a woman is totally unacceptable and is evidence, as it seems, to latent rage within his being that could break out I, and at, any circumstance that displeased him. If he does not get a jail sentence he will be lucky and should reflect deeply on the necessity for him to control his emotions. OR learn to walk away and try again at resolving the matter at a later date. The club Board considered the matter carefully and also probably took legal advice. So all power to their elbows.

Understanding why he acted in the aggressive and injurious way reported as above does not excuse his actions. Sometimes the actions which occur at the time and date of the incident are merely a continuation of previous spats which have never been adequately resolved. Not only that but what actions of his in the past, immediate or otherwise, had made the woman so angry as to chose to fight with him verbally to such an extent that disagreement escalated into violence? He apparently had the option of not pursuing the matter from the first exchanges. Presumably he could have phoned the young woman at a later time to try to iron out the issue(s) and allowed time for reflection by two parties so that a rational and considered discussion might have taken place. But he chose to proceed at the scene and is clearly a very fit young man who is much more able to defend himself against attack than she is....and he acted violently, apparently at least. If an issue between them as passionate as this cannot be resolved by discussion then they must allow things to calm down before trying again. By assaulting her he obviously lost control not only of his senses but also of his physical actions. Which does indicate that he seems to have a latent penchant for violence somewhere lurking in his heart. Men who assault women probably have other issues bearing down on their emotional bodies and therefore assault is merely an outlet for their hidden general frustration. The club's reputation here is at stake. If they ignore the incident and take no action they might be seen to be avoiding responsibility for their own actions in not deciding to part company with a player whose actions really cannot, apparently, be condoned and which might, at a future date, bring the reputation of the club as an entity, whose standards of conduct are on a very high level, into disrepute. Therefore my feeling is that a warning probably would not solve his inner emotions and the club IMHO should terminate the contract with immediate effect.

Now that was a terrific game (viewing highlights). There is not much wrong with these young players. Lots of encouragement and a little critical guidance is all that is required now. and ICT will be world-beaters. The speed of the game has increased exponentially (I don't really know what that last word means but It sounds good eh?) .However the boys must train very hard so that they can sustain the pace for 90 minutes,. This is imperative :---- This year, after a rather dismal showing last year, the Vancouver Canucks ice hockey team have decided to go with youth--speed, skill and endurance and they have they been active in bringing in the best players from around the world. The Colorado Avalanche are no slouches and have great skill and experience and they were the visitors to Vancouver. The final score was 7-6 in f/o the Canucks. It was also probably the fastest, most hotly-contested match I have ever seen to date. What a game!! What goals! and what skill and intensity was on display . No wonder the roof nearly came off when, in overtime, the Canucks managed to beat the clock by one minute and score the winner. 25,000 fans going mad and both teams walked off the ice as friends despite some very hard hits during the game. Just a thought.

You know, Caley D, your statement about your weight challenge above, is one of the best posts I have seen or read recently. It's inspirational because it shows that no matter how tough things may seem you have to just keep on trucking and if, in your heart, you know that you are the one who must make a change to happen then even a limited amount of encouragement is very welcome and is also inspiring. It was apparent in my life from way-back that I, and only I, could make the necessary changes, or put in the necessary work that would be required to accomplish this goal of change and improvement. So I persevered and when I fell down and someone offered a word of upliftment or help I accepted it gracefully but used my own legs to get back on my feet and my own drive to press on. However, that is my looking back with hindsight and not every youngster can take the necessary steps to beat the odds and forge ahead on his or her own. When I was young my mother took me to visit an older lady friend on Lochalsh Road and during the conversation at the door the lady made a nice remark about my appearance and mother replied "yes, he's not backward at coming forward either". I squirmed a bit because I truly did not see what she was implying. It's true that I like to engage people in conversation because I need to continually learn things from them, even at age 80 plus, and it's also an antidote to boredom. Ask and you shall receive, sit quietly in a corner and rarely will you be noticed or troubled and so It's your choice in life. Had I been the non-restless type then I would not be here in Canada marvelling at what I see around me and learning things that I could never learn elsewhere. Our team is young and needs guidance and upliftment and a helping hand as they mature. Primarily they need positive criticism , not negative put-downs and sneering. Some guys possibly need to be dropped but only after a significant warning. Where they can't comply then the Manager must offer additional help and training and take a vital interest in the lad because he will then be aware that the Manager and others care about his progress and value his contribution to the club.

Women doctors are not as gentle as you may think. Her finger this time around was a big surprise. Very businesslike as if she was afraid that it would drop out if she slowed up on the entry test. Smile?. And made me gasp so she healed my brain wound by saying "Sorrrry". Then I panicked and ran out the door without my pants and the waiting female patients gasped and squawked so I ran back in the door again and it was me that then sheepishly said …"Sorrrry". Oh My! Well, guys, you can't take life too seriously now can you?

If ICT protests vigorously do you think they might consider just bringing it back to Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. Makes perfect sense rather then postponing it for goodness sake, at least IMHO. And maybe the other team's financial cut might even be higher so why not? I wonder what our Board is thinking? Perhaps some fan can ask them...……..?

Agreed. The kind of abuse we are discussing on here is counterproductive, if for no other reason than the simple fact of life being that we all make mistakes.And more readily as we grow older, by the way. No one is perfect but with football their gaffes can stand out in an unnecessarily bad way. What's with all the abuse then and how does the abuser think that that will help him be better? In the case of a strong-character player It might, but generally speaking, it just adds to the burden of guilt he may well be feeling. And that is NOT nice or uplifting. Most players, as has been stated, are acutely aware that things are not going well , especially if they are the ones making mistakes. But encouragement is a great uplifter because it's saying to the players .."better luck next time old chap , currently all is forgiven, just go and play to your potential."

I did not enjoy the gloved finger thing, this time done by my female Doctor and then she did it again which hurt like h... ll. Then she said "but I don't think you have cancer, but refused to allow me to go and get the blood test for the psa.", which really puzzled me since my past several blood tests showed good readings....…… Oh my! So now it's off to see the Urologist in February 2019.--that's in 3 months more so I wonder if it will be more painful when I see him. However I'm now committed so that's it. And I will again ask for permission to get a PSA. Thanks for that info gentlemen.

The constant challenge is that the game is all about money and not as much about entertainment and/or just football. It has become so dedicated to this precept now that a reverse change appears to be completely out of the question. Not to say at all that from time immemorial money has been the main reason for presenting "games" e.g. Gladiators were murdered in the Roman arena for the delight of the PAYING citizen and because the "owners" of these fighters wanted more and more money. These parachute, end of season type of supportive payments are in reality just a sop to the game. They keep lower teams in business to some extent and it is from these lower level teams that budding high quality players get their chances for success. Except that they are essentially being used at the lower levels not for THEIR benefit but for the future financial benefit of the upper level teams' owners. Wil it ever change? Not much chance of that since society has evolved for individual enrichment but not necessarily for the well-being of the average man./woman in the street. It's all about temporary hard cash (whilst you are alive on this planet) and NOT for spiritual enrichment. So enjoy your life and move on to something else because if all you can do to hope for change is to moan about it I fear that you may well become very disillusioned. And that, IMHO, dear friends, is why Jolly Justin Trudeau , Prime Minister of Canada, has legalised pot so that the majority of people can assuage their inner sense of hopelessness without having to worry too much about emotional fulfilment.

Scott. I am very sorry to hear the bad news . My wife's father died in Ukraine from cancer so it probably runs in the family. She now has it too and for the past two years I have travelled several thousand miles by car to the cancer hospital for chemotherapy treatments--to date at least 22 , each of at least 3 hours, and to at least 5 other hospitals in British Columbia for operations for the removal of several internal organs , and endless consultations. She has two more rounds to go this time. After the previous 18 Chemo treatments and a CAT scan the oncologist told her she was clear but then it came back in the liver and lungs and so he told her that all he could do was give her 6 more chemotherapy treatments and if that did not work it probably was the knacker's yard for her. But she is a fighter and is dealing with it in a determined and masterful way . She goes for walks almost every day and keeps active because, she says, that doing this tells the body that it must co-operate and provide the strength and endurance needed to force the immune system to co-operate and rev up. She has also taught herself by reading books which foods, vitamins, etc. to absorb in order to to strengthen her immune system, The oncologist says that there can be no more operations because these previous ones have had the effect of downing the immune system!! She is remaining very active and is willing to travel distances to meet up with, and enjoy the company of several friends. Simply put she is not allowing it to get her down and has chosen to lead her normal active life. Plus, believe it or not, she has taken up dance classes for salsa and some other type of dancing. I am very sorry to hear about your situation. Whatever you do don't go near a local hospital described as a "Research" hospital. Vancouver General does this and the experimentation they are doing in there on these ill and hapless patients without their knowledge or permission is nauseating. It's a terrible experience for patient and loved ones and I wish you all the very best in your fight to beat it. Kindest regards Roderick Rhodes (aka Scarlet )

The world is getting smaller daily and kids are now in possession of electronic devices that now they just can't do without. They don't even read comics or the Inverness Courier these days. They can see any sport they like on the telly and so forth and so on. which discourages them from the exhaustion that may result from moving to get out of their chair just to go down to the football stadium in often very nasty weather to watch the more energetic lads get the odd kick of the ball. To suggest that it would be exciting for them to walk down the road a mile or so to the Stadium and stand on the windy high Terracing, like I did at Hib's ground every other Saturday for years...…..but never telling them that truly in them thar days there was not much else for a man to do on a Saturday afternoon in the Winter...…. is never going to be an option that they will take seriously IMHO unless they have an initially large incentive to actually attend games. Which would be what...? The huge effect of T .V, and cell phones and rapidly-advancing technology and gaming etc., etc, online contacts has worked their magic and it's nearly a lost cause. AND I just don't think that Scottish footie promoters have got enough ball rolling to now ever crack the puzzle, Complacency on their part may be present but lack of money and a refusal to embrace change and adapt to the successful ways of other world-wide stadia events is gonna kill them. It's too much of a challenge good friends and there just is not , apparently, the thirst for success and the dynamism present in their bones to overcome the changes creeping up and over them. North America is razz ma tazz, banging marching bands and and lovely young dancing girls trying to thrill the punters etc.at sports events whereas Scotland doesn't seem to have anything to offer the punters at half time. "Same old" nowadays just can't cut it, at least IMHO, because changes are too rapid for them to ever catch up when the opportunity to seize the nettle by the whiskers drifts past their windows. The solution? Frankly I don't think there ever will be one on a scale grand enough to make that much , or even any, difference to the clubs on the lower financial levels. Life and the progress of events is mostly all about money and so, without substantial investment being made, apparently the edge of the precipice is always going to loom large for the majority of wee clubs. And in about an hour's time I will be watching the Canucks on T,V, playing at home in Vancouver, and I know that there will be very fast ice hockey with often brilliant skating from very fit youngsters, lots of physical contact...some brutal spills and thrills and hopefully a barrow load of goals and all played in front of big crowds baying and cheering most of the time determined to get their money's worth. To be truthful.....it's catching. Especially when you are sitting in a warm room with, er, a small nightcap in your hand. But no (now legal) marijuana anywhere near me. " My name is Vyshinski, Vyshinski with a hyphen, what's yours, eh?" " Waal, buddy, whusky, whusky with a siphon will do me fine." And why not because the Whitecaps have now sacked their Manager and many of his assistants and hangers on , so where do they go now?

Agreed. Quite remarkable.

Caleyboy. please give us a few pointers as to where you think the league can improve the set-up then? IMHO, regardless, these changes would have to be radical to persuade the spectators/supporters in Winter to leave their warm houses and T V sets and come down in droves to the Caledonian Stadium. So, they need to be offered better fare than currently being experienced, }-- (1) J R needs to find a way to get the forwards to score more goals . (2 )And then the provision of food (even a hot meal) must be improved and offered. The punters need to feel that they are uniquely important. And sure they are because without them this club would fold. Period. I said...………………….. SPECIAL ! ! And if that means free sweeties for the kids (who also are future Caley supporters) or a soft seat for tired dad, who may suffer from haemorrhoids, to sit on free of charge then he must be made to feel like he is needed and WANTED. Give HIM a heated seat and he will be coming back for life! The one thing that might persuade the punters to arrive would be a guaranteed seat in a sheltered stand without paying extra. Or, simply put, make a radical change in the offered pricing structure. E.G. State one moderate price for all and it's up to you where you go--sit or stand. Now what would the club lose in a situation like that? They sure as heck would not lose goodwill and they would hopefully gain more regular clients for the future stability of the club. It's a business first and a jolly place to be second. The fans would be laughing all the way to the stadium and surely be coming back for the next home match. So, it means a few extra shillings for the fan but this would mean a much better and happier atmosphere and , after all, it's A DAY OUT, FOLKS, NOT A WAKE! When people sit on a seat no damage to the seat usually happens but the emotional body of the fan changes radically and positively. You then become SP - ECIAL. And then a politely worded letter should be sent to each of the Directors requesting that they consider putting a shareholder's loan into the club to allow for the above development to happen. I said a loan, not a gift, such that it means that they surely would have to take a much greater interest in how this club was run. And, if that worked for them, then a repayment programme could be instituted to return their loans over a specified period....longer rather than the short term because these loans would be there to allow for development and progress to occur and that rarely happens over one season. Correct? If you cannot get these Directors to became personally engaged in the nitty -gritty of the progress of this club then what, ladies & gentlemen of the jury , are they doing in powerful positions within the structure of the club and remaining, apparently, more than a little divorced from the the financial realities of the club's progress and , equally important, from the realities of what faces the fans every other week . If the club continues to struggle to survive, let alone make significant progress, there must be a good reason put forward as to why their feet cannot be put to the fire because I smell danger here! Unless they all as a group think this is nothing but a sinecure for their sole progress and comfort. It is not and they have responsibilities which, apparently, are currently unknown to the fans due to lack of communication. Comments please?

What a great bunch of clean-cut and fit looking lads! We sure are lucky to have them for J. Robertson and the junior team's coach to work on and assist so that they can take their places probably in the1st team one day. Ice hockey in the really ambitious teams in Canada is also going the same or similar ways. Going for youth and talent, and speed + fitness. By the way, last night I was watching the current premier team in the National Hockey League in North America, the Washington Capitals, down the Canucks in Vancouver 5-2. on the TV in front of a biased 25,000 or so spectators. Watching their skill and positional deployment was very enlightening. A clever and fast team, very well trained, and contained the Canucks with ease. Last year they won the top tournament in the NHL the Stanley Cup.The Canucks, believe it or not, also came within an ace of winning the cup only a few years ago in an electrifying last game in Vancouver. That Final went to 7 games to get a winner. Fast and furious, ladies and gents, leaves the crowd gasping with excitement.

This last one, 2nd Row, -- no. But the one you posted above is as close as I can remember. Looking really good! It has the sloping back I think and the flutes are in the right places without extra embellishments. Yep, I'll go for that. You would not be able to estimate the year manufactured and the mileage on it though -- or would you? See what we can do when we all pull together. We should call ourselves the Caley Cute Car Team. Or, better still, The Cute Caley Carriage team respecting the ancient lineage of these vehicles. I now remember that Dad also had a light green Ford Prefect for a short time. That was a really cute car as well. Brings back memories of a slower time doesn't it? You know, we have all the mod cons now but a very crowded and fast pace of life. These days were simpler & less complicated and we all appreciated what we had and could afford to a much higher degree as I recall.

No one should castigate OFW for wanting the club to stick to the terms of the contract. A contract is a contract is a contract as the saying goes. What if the situation was on his side and ICT wanted out? Would that justify their getting out of the contract? No. The player does have day to day expenses himself: e,g. accommodation, food and maybe many other obligations, some of which may in turn be the subject of a contract. The third point I would like to make is that the club is a bigger financial entity than the player and so must protect their interest by making sure the contract is fair to both parties. If not, why offer the contract to the player in the first place? If the player, also, has doubts about signing on the terms presented maybe he should have consulted with a lawyer first to protect his own interests.