Laurence

I'm beginning to thnk I am

Persona Non Grata

Dear Mr William Banks,

Scotland faces an immense decision in the 2014 referendum on independence. It is a decision which will impact upon the Scottish business community and could, in the case of separation, significantly alter the way Scotland does business with our partners in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the rest of the world.
 
I recently joined the Board of Directors at Better Together – the campaign making the positive case for Scotland remaining within the UK – because, as someone working in the business community, I understand the genuine concerns of entrepreneurs, investors and employees regarding the uncertainty of separation and the irreversible change it will mean for their livelihoods.
 
This decision about our country’s future demands a serious debate and in the months ahead it will be crucial for Scottish businesses to make their voices heard. We would therefore like to invite you to complete our short online survey.
 
 
Scottish businesses make a vital contribution to our society both socially and economically and we can and should be proud of the Scots’ entrepreneurial spirit. It is something to be celebrated, as is our trading relationship with our UK partners. For 300 years the Scottish business community has shared the risks and rewards of being part of the oldest and most successful single market in the world. We benefit from the stability of Sterling as our currency and from our place within the European Union  – why would we want to build barriers for business, risk changing our currency or jeopardise our negotiated terms in the EU? 
 
Scotland is stronger in partnership with the UK. Almost every country in the world is struggling in difficult economic times but within the UK 6 million Scots enjoy the financial security of 60 million people paying into our economy – particularly important when events like the global banking crisis threaten our businesses, mortgages and jobs. We are currently part of the 6^th largest economy in the world, making us better able to compete as part of a larger, more influential state in an increasingly global economy.
 
But separation would turn Scotland’s largest trading partner – the rest of the UK – into our competitor, and at a time of economic fragility the last thing Scottish business needs is more barriers to trade. 
 
Many business leaders have already expressed their concern about what separation could mean for the future of their companies and their employees and are wondering whether all the new rules and regulations that would come with setting up a new country are worth all the aggravation.
There is so much uncertainty about what the business landscape would look like in an independent Scotland; about taxation structure and how it would be implemented, whether new operating and trading regulations would mean more red tape and bureaucracy, and crucially on currency, whether Scotland would be able to keep the pound, change to the euro or adopt a new currency. These are just some of the many issues facing sole traders, small and medium enterprises and large corporations in the industrial, commercial and business sectors across Scotland.
 
It is right that the Scottish business community demand answers to the serious and  genuine questions the referendum debate raises and Better Together are keen to engage with businesses of every size and across every sector in Scotland. Please share your views,send us your questions and get involved in the debate. Scotland’s future is too important for you not to have a say. It should only take a few moments of your time.
 
You wouldn’t make decisions about your business without knowing all the facts - make sure you know what separation will mean for your business and your future.
 
We hope to hear from you soon.
 
Kind regards,
 
  Phil


Phil Anderton
Director

Better Together
t:  01412256288
e: info@bettertogether.net
 
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Was it absolutely necessary to rake up this thread after it being dormant for so long or is it just another one suited to your s**tstirring nature.

I can agree that it wasn't absolutely necessary

But what is absolutely necessary?

I thought the idea of this forum was to talk about things that interest us

If we are to be restriced to absolutely nessary, we might as well all give up.

AS my Dad rightly said

Civility costs nothing

Many thanks for all those remarkably intelligent answers, it is very gratifying that such supremely articulate and able people are using this web site.

Where would we be without your most heartfelt input. It says a lot for the Scottish education system that it is producing such able fellows.

 

Laurence... do you not get it or something? The message from just about everybody who has replied to this thread is that they couldn't give a toss about any of these overprivileged nonentities who acquired their vacuous labels in the manner which I described in post #4.

Inverness has no need whatsoever for an "earl" or a "duchess" and even less need to shoulder its share of the financial liability of keeping these pathetic scroungers. And the only constables that were of any value at all to Inverness Castle were when the Police Station was based there.

So if you ask stupid questions - expect stupid answers.

It takes one to know one Charlie  baby

Thanks Rival the recovery is virtually complete the last letter fron Raigmore said I need not go to clinic any more just do blood tests.

my boyhood team Bury on Sky tonights performance nearly sent me into recession though. Wonder goal they scored too. Calley should sign that Shumacher

I first watched them in 1949 and they are driving me round the bend these days.

More than Calley who are my team now.

Answers

Question 1

When was the last person hanged in Scotland for alleged witchcraft       Ans a) 1728

a) 1728 b) 1803 c 1829

Question 2

Which Poet opened the first circulating library in Scotland

a) Robert Buns b) Allan Ramsey c) George Mackay Brown                            Ans b)  Allan Ramsey
Question 3

Which Italian designer Store openned a branch in Ediburgh in 2004

a) Gucci b) Valvona and Crolla c) Arman1                                                          Ans c)  Armani

 

Question 4

Bronze Age early settlers in Scotland were known as

a) Mug People b) Quaich People c) Beaker People      Ans c) The Beaker People

Question 5


According to Robert Burns what was " wee modest and crimson tipped"  Ans a) daisy

a) daisy b) daffodil c) thistle

Question 6

When did the Scottish Parliament pass the first Scottish Education Act    Ans c) 1496

a)1999 b) 1696 c) 1496

Question 7

Who opperates the airfield in the Fair Isle ?

a) Logan Airlines b) National Trust for Scotland c) Caledonian Mac Brayne       Ans b) National Trust Scotland

Question 8

What did King James V1 forbid in Scotland ?

a) Football b) Dancing c) The Name MacGregor                                                      Ans c)  The Name MacGregor

Question 9

What was the Licensed plate of the first car registered in Scotland ?

a) SC1 b) S1 c) ALBA 1                                                                                                     Ans b) S1

Question 10

Which University Town had the First Medical School in the United Kingdom ?   Ans a) Aberdeen

a) Aberdeen b) Edinburgh c Glasgow


Answers in a day or so

Try to answer without research if possible

Answers in a day or so according to interest if any

Haggis anf Frogs legs -  yummy

1 IHE

2 Mrs IHE

3. Granville Paterson

I think you are an exception to the above , A master of inverted snobbery I feel

By the way are you a prison Officer ?

Many thanks for all those remarkably intelligent answers, it is very gratifying that such supremely articulate and able people are using this web site.

Where would we be without your most heartfelt input. It says a lot for the Scottish education system that it is producing such able fellows.

a) Prince Andrew Duke of York

b) Cecilia Underwood, 1st Duchess of Inverness (née Lady Cecilia Letitia Gore; c. 1785 – 1 August 1873) was the second wife of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, sixth son of King George III. As their marriage was in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772, it was considered legally void, and she could not be styled either as the Duchess of Sussex or a Princess. She was created Duchess of Inverness, in her own right, by Queen Victoria, on 10 April 1840.

c) The Duke of Gordon

H eh up lad thah nose, if tha wanna talk - talk Lanky - all ha no - nobbut just

Translates as ( look here young man if you want to speak dialect , use my Lancashire vocabulary because that is all I know. nothing else)

Vinny would have gone in to the stands and tawtted the cnuts !!

The fans used to sing at Kineer , Joey Joey give us a wave?. If he didn't , They sang " You fat bar steward " , or similar

I wonder how Butcher would react to that?

Question 1

When was the last person hanged in Scotland for alleged witchcraft

a) 1728 b) 1803 c 1829

Question 2

Which Poet opened the first circulating library in Scotland

a) Robert Buns b) Allan Ramsey c) George Mackay Brown

Question 3

Which Italian designer Store openned a branch in Ediburgh in 2004

a) Gucci b) Valvona and Crolla c) Arman1

Question 4

Bronze Age early settlers in Scotland were known as

a) Mug People b) Quaich People c) Beaker People

Question 5

According to Robert Burns what was " wee modest and crimson tipped"

a) daisy b) daffodil c) thistle

Question 6

When did the Scottish Parliament pass the first Scottish Education Act

a)1999 b) 1696 c) 1496

Question 7

Who opperates the airfield in the Fair Isle ?

a) Logan Airlines b) National Trust for Scotland c) Caledonian Mac Brayne

Question 8

What did King James V1 forbid in Scotland ?

a) Football b) Dancing c) The Name MacGregor

Question 9

What was the Licensed plate of the first car registered in Scotland ?

a) SC1 b) S1 c) ALBA 1

Question 10

Which University Town had the First Medical School in the United Kingdom ?

a) Aberdeen b) Edinburgh c Glasgow

Answers in a day or so

Try to answer without research if possible

Answers in a day or so according to interest if any

Whether it has been mentioned before is irrelevant

I was reporting an incident in Ormskirk and my amazement at finding out that it perfectly legal to reject currency of what ever colour if the vendour felt like it

The discussion materialised without personnal reading the link.

If we are to be restricted to items never mentioned before , we might as well close the forum down

Whe comparing players you have to ask yourself a simple question

" If you were the manager of both players which one would you write first on the team sheet " ?

 

Answer VanPersie

 

Barcelona stop Ronaldo everytime, the fullback closes him down, the centre half Pique clatters into him.

On yesterdays performance you are dead right

United's Spanish keeper ( like ours) saved the day,

When you get to my age and you are recovering from cancer , and you are faced with driving up the A9 in the cold and wet with dogey eye sight you will know?

Why do people boo ?

Because they hurt inside

Look at Chelsea, Villa, City , Celtic , all disapointed all feel let down. Is it any differenat at our gaff?

Expectations are built up and not realised . Booing is a sign of expected success not realised

Don't take away fans rights to be emotional.

If I had my way, those sitting in the areas designated for home support who then abuse the home team and management on a match day should be removed by the stewards and dumped into the areas designated for the away support.  The only people who benefit from their ill considered behaviour is the away team so they might as well sit there.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but in my view, this is the place to express it.  I certainly don't agree with everything the manager does and have been very critical of him at times.  But at least on the website you can make your point in a civilised way and debate the issues.  Offering constructive criticism is actually a supportive thing to do because it allows those that the criticism is aimed at to consider a different point of view. 

 

And just a brief word on booing.  Someone said on another thread that the booing of Philip Roberts when he came on a sub was more to do with expressing displeasure at the fact that a substitution was being made at all.  Some will saying that booing at the end of the game on Wednesday was directed at the referee. What complete b*llocks.  When you are on the park and hear booing, that's all you hear.  You don't get a little message with it saying that it is directed at someone else.  It's ignorant and only serves to anger those who we should be supporting. 

 

No doubt there are those who will say that we pay good money to be entertained and if those being paid don't deliver the goods then we have every right to boo.  I understand that point of view but what purpose does it serve?  Will it help them play better next time?  No.  Will it encourage them to stay at the club? No.  If the performance doesn't warrant staying to cheer them of the park then just stay silent.  The lack of applause will make it clear to them that they've let the fans down - that's quite enough without having abuse hurled at them.

I am torn between thinking it's free country ,

And I don't like booing our team or manager

But I will defend a person's right  to show his displeasure at the manager, team, or players, if s/he wants to.

Otherwise censership creeps in and we might as well live in China.

Just my view - I can understand people thinking they are spoiling moral, and other fans pleasure, but they have paid to get in. Real Madrid fans wave white hankies to indicate they have had enough.

When I watched Wimbledon, in the Vinny Jones era , I only encountered booing once, when it was a draw at half time as the players walked off ( against Barnsley) , The team came out second half and scored 4. It can work.

Since my trip to Raigmore I won't 

Question

Who is Earl of Inverness ?

Question

Who was Duchess of Inverness ( In her own right ,) >

Question

Who is the Hereditary Constable of Inverness Castle ?

Just wondered if anyone knows off hand i e  not by research

Answers in a day or two.

Why not ?

 I think we`ll call our currency Scottish pounds !!

 

And anyway who supplies the current  Scottish bank notes that we use?? ( & are refused in England).

 

Surely we can use these..........

Why not ?   The Bank of England is responsible  for all sterling issue, that's why.

There is really no such thing as Scottish or indeed English pounds. The bank of England was Nationalised to prevent failure of any bank within it's jurisdiction. Which could be as far away as Gibralter.

There's another thread about this on here somewhere....

 

If you do your homework properly, you'll find out that English Notes are not actually "legal tender" either.

I don't take your reprimand of not doing my home work , if you look at the forum  I linked, that base is covered. Do your reshearch and don't preach.

My wife recently went into W H Smiths of Ormskirk Lancashire  to buy stuff for her Sister in Law's Funeral cards and that for the service and the wake.

 

. . . . 

She was forced to use a credit card

 

No, she wasn't.

Scots law of contract (which is not dissimilar from English law) has a simple path to a legal transaction - the person owning the goods offers them for a price, the person wishing to take them tenders a price (does not have to be the same) and offers a method of payment, the seller then agrees the detail and the goods / service is provided. The transaction is only complete when the goods / service is delivered and the payment is cleared. Easy-peasy.

In this case, the offer has been made but the method of payment has been refused. No transaction takes place. The customer is free to either negotiate an alternative method of payment or seek another seller who is more willing to accept their tender.

No one is forced to do anything in any of these scenarios. The only time that would become an issue is if the goods / service has been delivered and the payment is not forthcoming or proves to be valueless, or the goods / service was defective in some way after payment has been received and the seller refuses to make suitable amends. At which point force (through legal measures) may be necessary to satisfy the injured party.

Knew that university education would be useful some day! :-D

I didn't use the word forced in the literal sense

I was just sugesting in order to expedite the transaction she used her credit card

No need to get Bolshi about it

It shows if Scotland did break away they will need a validated currency, its unlikely the Bank of England would support the currency of a foreign country.

Whe comparing players you have to ask yourself a simple question

" If you were the manager of both players which one would you write first on the team sheet " ?

 

Answer VanPersie

 

Barcelona stop Ronaldo everytime, the fullback closes him down, the centre half Pique clatters into him.

Nah i'm sure i'd rather have Ronaldo, he's one of the greatest ever.  Van Persie is excellent but he's not in that category.

On yesterdays performance you are dead right

United's Spanish keeper ( like ours) saved the day,

 

 

Quite surprised at the outraged tone of the first few replies to the OP. Stereo-typical chip-on-the-shoulder jocks???

 

A pretty fair and honest article in my opinion, with a wee bit of humour thrown in. Quite possibly written by the OP.

Because some of what he/she puts into that article is written to put Inverness folk down. Inverness is nearer Faroes than London. Whats the relevence of that. Newcastle is nearer to Inverness than it is to London as the crow flies. Inverness is the most remote city? How do you interperate 'remote'. To me 'remote' is somewhere very difficult to get to. "Due to its location and the sparseness of the population" What because its location is north east Scotland and not Essex? A small city with a population in excess of 60,000 can hardly be termed sparse. Sparse is the population of Wester Ross or Lochaber even. Cant really describe the city of Inverness as sparse.

The use of certain words and phrases are there to belittle the city of Inverness. Nothing to do with Whisky battlefields and monsters. The attempt is to belittle the city.

That's some chip Alex..................live and let live. It's all in the interpretation.........and the size of the chip.  Are you still upset about Culloden?

No chips on me mate...........as for Culloden, they got what they deserved. Had they not been so stupid as to listen to yon traitor Campbell they'd have continued the march from Derby and taken London. Incidently I'm 3/4 MacDonald 1/4 MacLeod.

Would life for the ordinary people been any better with an Italian Catholic as monarch, and how long before the prodestant army went in and and a full scale  civil war ensued. Not long I think.

You have to remember that the government in those days was in charge not the sovereign. I have no crystal ball but if the Jackobites had not turned back  I thhink a sorrier mess would have ensued. Not least a French occupying force would have landed. Bon Jour  and all that