Alex MacLeod

No Charles, instead we'll all whinge about the means of paying for the Tory U-turn. 5% cut in Scotlands funding and this http://www.thenational.scot/politics/axing-1bn-carbon-capture-contest-threat-to-600-jobs-and-environment.10468 Isn't it also strange that the claimed billions in losses from North Sea revenues would have had such drastic effects on Scotlands wealth if independent yet have no effect, and are never mentioned, in UK budgets?

On 11/24/2015, 12:11:52, Alex MacLeod said:

Todays Courier. http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Caley-Thistle-squad-rally-behind-Dani-Lopez-amid-claims-he-was-punched-24112015.htm  I'm inclined to think that, assuming he was provoked, and I don't condone spitting, perhaps his suspension and a club fine, along with a public apology from Dani should be enough punishment.

As to his qualities, I haven't seen him play other than on TV but wonder if he's just struggling with the pace of Scottish game and the fact he's not had a lot of game time, either at ICT or his loan spells south of border. I seem to remember Juanjo struggling when he came first and he had had some experience with Hearts.

I'd like to see the club sort things out quickly and, with players coming back from injury, get back to the happy dressing room.

Did those concerned read my post http://www.ictfc.com/news/team-news/1664-dani-lopez-update

Correct outcome methinks. Time to draw line and move on

I notice Charles, that you choose not to highlight Labour MP Marie Rimmer, who still represents her position in that party and in parliament and who is today appearing at Glasgow Sherrif Court on assault charges.

A lot of people get knickers in a twist and second guess or invent reasons why contracts have not been settled. Here's another possibility. Hughes is happy with renumeration and length of offer but needs to know who he can keep and who he can sign from outside. Club cant really make a decision on that till after AGM when accounts are approved, hence the next two weeks statement, so dont actually know what finances they have available. Yes there was a profit made but costings need to be worked out and budgets approved for the next spell.

I never see v Celtic as an important game. Mostly they win but they are beatable so what I'd like to see is an attack minded team on the pitch. Go at them. They still have a dodgy defence and they struggle with balls over the top so just go for it and see how it turns out.

I have just purchased tickets from ICT online shop. I believe they may also be on sale at ICT ticket office. I also think it likely they're will be cash gates at Tynie

Todays Courier. http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Caley-Thistle-squad-rally-behind-Dani-Lopez-amid-claims-he-was-punched-24112015.htm  I'm inclined to think that, assuming he was provoked, and I don't condone spitting, perhaps his suspension and a club fine, along with a public apology from Dani should be enough punishment.

As to his qualities, I haven't seen him play other than on TV but wonder if he's just struggling with the pace of Scottish game and the fact he's not had a lot of game time, either at ICT or his loan spells south of border. I seem to remember Juanjo struggling when he came first and he had had some experience with Hearts.

I'd like to see the club sort things out quickly and, with players coming back from injury, get back to the happy dressing room.

3 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

The drastic thing that has happened is that Longannet is to close early next year.  That will remove a massive amount of Scotland's generating capacity and with the SNP strongly against replacing the aging nuclear stations, it is clear that Scotland will face a real problem in a few years time.  It is great that the government have a positive approach to renewables but renewables are highly dependent on the weather and cannot give the guaranteed base load that nuclear and fossil fuels can.  We therefore urgently need a more coordinated energy strategy.  Scotland is currently a net exporter of electricity as a result of the investments by previous UK governments.  The SNP's lack of a realistic energy strategy will mean we will soon be a net importer of electricity.  For such an energy rich country, that really is quite shameful.

Not completely true DD. Longannet lost contract to supply National Grid in favour of Peterhead. Yes there is a reduction in generating capacity but we still have more capacity than requirement. Power stations do not generate at maximum constantly simply because theres no way of storing and, instead, balance output on demand.

It might actually surprise you the strategy thats in place for electricity generation. There are a few new hydro projects in the offing including a couple of large scale pumped storage units at Invermoriston and Loch Lochy. Pumped storage facilities are not weather dependant simply because they allow water from a high storage point to drive turbines and then collect in lower  storage area. During off peak times the water is pumped back up to the high storage point.

Laurence, this publication, unless something drastic has happened to Scotlands electricity generation in recent months, suggests your point 3 to be absolute drivel. http://www.4coffshore.com/windfarms/scotland-exports-28%2525-electricity-nid1098.html

Point 2. See para 4. in this publication http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/news/steel-suppliers-announced-new-forth-crossing

Scottish steel did not bid because they dont have capacity for amount of steel required, a legacy of Thatchers hatchet. Even if the existing steelworks are saved from closure they will never be able to supply at competitive rates and in vast amounts due to the closing of the coal mines and coking facilities, again a legacy of Thatcher, and the need to import all required iron ore and coke.

And of course Scotland was the only country to ban GM

Some people, especially those who keep harping on about oil price, are missing the point. The point I'm trying to make is that there is a lot of prosperous developments in Scotland. GTA was used as an example but the gaming industry in Scotland, which accounts for 25% of all UK gaming hubs, is highly successful and rapidly expanding, whereas the oil is depleting and, although we gross a reasonable income from oil we also put a lot of that income back into the NS in way of subsidies and tax breaks for ageing facilities.

GTA5 is estimated to gross in excess of $2 billion. Thats only one of the hundreds of successful games being developed across the UK. Believing CB's constant gripe then NS revenues are going to plummet so yes earnings from GTA will exceed those of oil.

Of course none of that really matters because there wont be another independance vote. Instead we'll be dragged out of europe and become an insular group of islands struggling to trade with the world.

Source here..........http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2014/05/13/grand-theft-auto-5-has-sold-nearly-2-billion-at-retail/

Clubs accounts are up to 15th May so do not include anything earned since then so Christie money not included.

Looking at the article it appears Celtic had planned to take him back inJanuary anyway:-

Deila wants to make sure Christie is fit by the turn of the year, so he can decide if the youngster is ready to kick off his Hoops career.

The Norwegian had already planned to bring his £500,000 signing down from the Highlands to train with his squad, get to know his new team-mates and bed him in before the end of the season.

If thats the case then I wish him every success for the future

Wow!!! DD doesn't follow the Tory line that say's immigrant's are sponging of our society and only coming here for the freebies. The SNP has known that for years and fights for the rights and freedom of all within EEC who choose to settle in our country. And we dont peddle doom and gloom. We know our country is great and prosperous but we also know it could be greater and more prosperous is we had control over our own health and wellbeing.

Charles doesn't think we can cope financially because he see's only the price of oil as our income. Did you know that the computer game Grand Theft Auto generated more income for Scotland in the last few years than oil has done at its highest price. We are a country that exports a hell of a lot more than oil and which generates a vast income for the UK treasury. That's the only reason they want to cling on to us.

There's none more narrow minded than Mr Bannerman. Charles are you responsible for the educating of Kezia Dugdale. She's another who cant talk about future or party manifesto cos she's too busy slagging of the party who are doing a very good job of running the Scottish Parliament. The same party who'll run it for another four years at least.

If we're bandying quotes around then I prefer this one taken from the facebook page of Alan Bissett, Playwriter from Falkirk

On the advice of USDAW, the retail workers union, the SNP, Labour and 20 Tory rebels oppose the bill that would allow large retailers, Tesco, Asda, etc to open longer than 6 hours on a sunday. USDAW believe that the additional hours will be paid for by changes to wage structure for all staff across the UK.

From Angus Robertson:- "We're not opposed to Sunday trading, it is a good thing, but the Government should not do this on the back of workers. At the present time there is a premium for working on Sundays and if we were to see Sunday turning into just another day the large multiples would be tempted to try and squeeze the pay rates on a Sunday to bring it in line with the rest of the week.

From Labour:-

Bill Esterson, Labour’s shadow minister for small business, said: “We know that shopping habits are changing, not least with internet shopping, but we have been consistent in raising the concerns of small businesses, retail workers and families in speaking out against the Tories who are seeking to make sweeping changes to Sunday trading laws through legislative sleight of hand when there is little appetite for such a change and which was not in the Tory manifesto at the recent general election.

“We welcome that, after months of indecision and delay, the SNP have finally come to a firm position on this issue. This just goes to show that the best way to defend workers' rights and conditions is to maintain unity and work together across the UK."

Well done DD on your attempt to discredit the SNP on this but opposition to this bill is to safeguard wages across the country. My understanding is that the giant supermarkets, who are the ones wanting the extended hours intend to balance their books by making sunday working the same as any other day. i.e. No double time payments etc.

The full telegraph article containing above quotes can be read here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11985574/Sunday-trading-law-proposals-face-defeat-at-hands-of-SNP.html

That'll be the Scottish government who are building new schools. The government who built the only new hospital in UK in recent times and who are looking into a new hospital to replace the Belford in Fort William. The government who a couple of days ago announced that the £25 million left over from Commonwealth games would go to SNHS. The government who got rid of all the fat cat chief constables and their hangers on around the country and replaced them with policemen on the ground.

If the people of Scotland, who are not stupid and not blinded by lies and spin, decide that the current administration is not doing the best for the people of Scotland I'm quite sure they'll make it known come next May.

We cant leave the UK without another referendum and we cant hold a referendum as the temporary power allowing a Scottish Government to call one has expired and will not be included in new powers from WM.

Maybe the agents holding out cause he wants Kenny's job http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ill-turn-back-families-parents-5922396

Would probably be cheaper to pay for your travel than your extras

Danny now on five yellows

Story here http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34756439

So Hearach are you suggesting buses should be ordered and paid for regardless of whether they are filled? If I was living in Inverness area I'd be happy to pay £15 return for away travel. As it is I dont live there and usually have to pay a lot more than that for home and away travel. The problem here is, as Davie say's, people dont seemto want to travel for one reason or another and I'm inclined to think its not the bus cost that puts them of but other reasons only known to the folk who've stopped travelling.

I had a look at a couple of self drive hire companies and it appears the average to hire a 17 seater minibus is around £200 a day. Add to that the cost of fuel at around 15/20 mpg and the cost per person becomes a good deal more than current asking price. These can be driven by anyone with D1 classification licence.