Gwenifer Raymond: Tiny Desk Concert YouTube video by NPR Music

I know it's not for everyone, but Gwenifer Raymond is one of my favourite musicians. Now representing Wales globally. Totally unique.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ2E...

Drop your crime fighting Catholics

Ah, memories....

So sorry to hear about this. Let's hope they get identified and at the very least some of your property recovered.

(SCMP) - Japan and Nato are drawing closer together, with 30 representatives from the transatlantic security alliance’s member states set to visit Tokyo this month amid mounting concern over Washington’s reliability as a security partner.

@scmpnews.bsky.social
www.scmp.com/week-asia/po...

😯Satire is truly redundant in this age.

"The Vow" had to be the worst.

I am also voting SNP 1, Green 2.
I am not a massive fan of either party, but I believe it's the best option available.

Summer holidays under threat 'even if war in Middle East ends soon' Energy experts have warned airlines could face jet fuel shortages and may choose to withdraw services

"the closure of Grangemouth, Scotland’s only oil refinery, has left the UK in a vulnerable position".

news.stv.tv/scotland/sum...

Scotland and America - The Bottle Imp In 1781 John Witherspoon coined the word ‘Americanism,’ which he declared to be ‘exactly similar in its formation and signification to the word Scotticism.’ What could he have meant? Since Witherspoon...

A very interesting article.
"Admiration for Scottish thought did not, for many Americans, extend to admiring, or even liking, the Scots in their midst".
The 1st draft of the Declaration of Independence included a condemnation of "the Scotch" people.

www.thebottleimp.org.uk/2007/05/scot...

This sounds like guff, but I would like to hear more about the "SNP's Scarecrow wing". 😂

😂 Thank you! I am grateful for any optimism nowadays.
I am usually a genuinely happy chappy, but wow, our level of politics nowadays, world wide, it's not just awful, it's so predictable. Cheers!

I may be pessimistic, but I think that we will have our first Reform MSPs in Holyrood, and Flamingo Land will be a point of contention. The owner gave £186,000 to the Tories but now backs Reform. He will hope for some political muscle with his latest appeal.

Loch Lomond Flamingo Land resort developers to appeal latest rejection DEVELOPERS behind proposals for the Flamingo Land resort by Loch Lomond rejected by the Scottish Government are appealing the decision

It's no secret that the owner of Flamingo Land is a financial backer of Reform. Call me cynical, but I think they will just keep plugging away till Farage becomes PM and intervenes on their behalf.
www.thenational.scot/news/2598574...

So sorry to hear that Dawn. There are very many families that go through such painful suffering due to alcohol addiction. All the best to you.

Draft dodger calls Nato allies 'cowards'.

Really? That would make sense, as the US fleet (I presume) would have been diverted to Iran, but there are still two US warships listed by India as having taken part in the exercise, and the US Navy website seems to say they took part.
www.navy.mil/Press-Office...

2/2 With both the US Navy and the Iranian Navy taking part in the same exercise, they would have known of the Dena's whereabouts for weeks, due to the exercise. It was a very easy target indeed.
Has it breached international law?
I don't know, I am just very uneasy about it.

1/2 The circumstances behind the sinking of the Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, by a US sub seem vague.
The Dena had left an Indian naval exercise. There were 2 Indian naval events in Feb, and USA warships participated in both.
It seems that US Navy sank the Dena after the naval exercise had finished.

Capitol rioter pardoned by Trump given life sentence for molesting two children Andrew Paul Johnson, 45, of Florida among several January 6 defendants charged with new crimes

A get out of jail free card for a sex offender.
I wonder how many more of the Jan 6 rioters have new charges pending.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

SNP candidate steps down amid investigation into benefit claim Sally Donald is reportedly facing a probe by Social Security Scotland regarding alleged fraud

I guess Sally Donald will always be the "gravy bus girl".

I'm not convinced putting her forward as a candidate was a wise move, even before this current issue.
www.holyrood.com/news/view,sn...

Scottish Government rejects Flamingo Land plans for Loch Lomond The long-running saga has seen the controversial proposals scrapped and revived

I don't think Flamingo Land has gone away yet. The owner donated £162,500 to the Tories before switching his alliance to Reform. I would not be surprised if he called in favours in the event of a Reform govt.
news.stv.tv/west-central...

Happy birthday!

Keir Starmer Lives To Fight Another Day After Anas Sarwar Ambush Backfires The Scottish Labour leader's call for him to quit has ironically strengthened the prime minister.

Anas Sarwar's anti-Midas touch?
Keir Starmer Lives To Fight Another Day After Anas Sarwar Ambush Backfires | HuffPost www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...

I very seriously doubt any Labour MPs are "shocked" by Mandelson, as some are claiming.
If, back in the 90s, media people knew what he was about, (but were not free to discuss it after Hutton ruling), then I'm sure his own party knew more.

Well, yes, who actually decides what "news" the public get to see has always been a battlefront.

Many journalists will have a vested interest. Mandelson was instrumental in the BBC becoming neutered/a govt mouthpiece back in 2003. This had a knock on effect on investigative journalism as a whole. People have lived in fear of Mandelson for years. Some see this as "payback time".

Peter Mandelson's career has been subterfuge and personal gain. Forced to resign in 1998, forced to resign in 2001, expenses scandals, using influences for associates, pension controversy, yacht cruises with controversial oligarchs, and THEN someone gave him a peerage. Corruption personified.

Malcolm Offord, leader of Reform in Scotland, says we should be "rolling out the red carpet for Donald Trump".
I don't think Trump has any love for Scotland, but neither do Reform.
One thing Offord did say today I agree with; Scotland's future is either going to be under Reform or SNP.

I initially thought it was an AI spoof too.
But, I should not be surprised that Labour can offend Scottish people while attempting to patronise Scottish people, that's pretty much their track record.