What is a shire?

[DavidWW]

BBC TV, supposedly the national broadcaster, discussion earlier in the week of the England vs France rugby match just started (with France scoring a try after 1 minute !!!) "....and England meet France in Paris this Sunday to decide the 6 Nations Championship".

Interesting, as 4 teams were equal on points prior to Saturday's matches, - England, France, Ireland, and Scotland, - but no mention of the Ireland vs Scotland match , and Ireland are now in pole position !!

David

Later : Final result too embarrassing for England to post the score here
dww

[AnneM]

Malcolm

Your chagrin at having to pay tuition fees is understandable, (though there are arguments for the English system actually being fairer which one can take or leave). However these same Scottish MPs of whom you complain would probably be only too happy to inflict the same on their constituents except that they can't do it. The matter is decided by MSPs not MPs who are by definition not the same people and who are part of a two party administration resulting from a system of PR. I am expressing absolutely no view on whether that is right or wrong-- only stating the situation as it stands.

Perhaps you could encourage your younger children to go to Scottish Universities where at least for the time being there will be no top up fees! There is some doubt about the long term viability of funding of Universities within the Scottish system. Again I'm expressing no view on the issue.

The US contingent will think we are mad.

Anne

[Malcolm]

Anne
I wasn’t complaining, simply adding balance from “the southern half of Great Britain” to DWW’s bias which I see now extends to the BBC’s coverage of the Rugby. Whatever next! Everybody with open eyes (and ears) knows that the six nation’s tournament would not be settled in Paris in England’s favour even if they had won.
I know a little about the political situation in Scotland but whoever votes for what and where doesn’t change the existing imbalance. It’s a nice idea to send the dustbin lids to Scottish Universities but even if were possible it wouldn’t and shouldn’t relieve us the costs.
I too was wondering what Alice may be thinking of this.
MM

[DavidWW]

And then there's the course that BBC staff at BBC TV News in London are having to be sent on to learn that Scotland is a different country in its own right with its own separate systems of law, education, church, to name but a few, so that they can ensure that, on the 6 pm half hour national news programme that it is pointed out during the several minutes regularly devoted to various government and other intitiatives, that it's made clear that they apply only to England & Wales.

Me biased?, never! I'm just a Scot and proud of it, and not slow in complaining about the English centuries long hegemony. If it's anything it's not bias but just amusement that it still continues. Sad, actually, as was the discussion on the automatic right of the English rugby team to win the Six Nations Championship by BBC rugby pundits. But then I forget, - they're world champions, or was that 1966

It's a sair fecht when a perfectly correct and ratiuonal explanation of the non-Scottish nature of the word "shire" leads to such an accusation, and the way that it was imposed in Scotland, actually by Scots!!, as I made clear, but then I'm maybe joking, or maybe not?

David

[Malcolm]

DWW
I take it by your tone that you are not joking. I should point out that that the Rugby World Cup was won by England as late as 2003. It was the Football world cup that was won in 1966. I thought you might like to know that.
Hegemony you say. If such hegemonism (MS doesn’t like that) were true, why would the BBC Scotland exist other than to promote Scottish issues, its people, its culture, ambitions, hopes and dreams.
When you question why an issue should go this way I suggest you go back to the first post, follow through, and then look to yourself.
Parochialism is ok providing it’s Scottish.
Are you still there Alice?
MM

[DavidWW]

DWW
I take it by your tone that you are not joking. I should point out that that the Rugby World Cup was won by England as late as 2003. It was the Football world cup that was won in 1966. I thought you might like to know that.
Hegemony you say. If such hegemonism (MS doesn’t like that) were true, why would the BBC Scotland exist other than to promote Scottish issues, its people, its culture, ambitions, hopes and dreams.
When you question why an issue should go this way I suggest you go back to the first post, follow through, and then look to yourself.
Parochialism is ok providing it’s Scottish.
Are you still there Alice?
MM

Answered via a PM for obvious reasons.

David

[JustJean]

Goad I go out for the afternoon and evening and come home to WW3 I had no idea my simple reference above to:

"...and also understanding that Scotland got redefined by their English neighbors at some point. (I'm sure someone will be along and fill us in on this!) "

could be the camel breaking straw I'll jist retract it then!!

Peace shalom and all that.....
Jean

[joette]

Hi Malcolm I do agree that London in particular is a great big melting pot& that we are tolerant of sometimes too tolerant of other religious/culture differences but that is another discussion!!.
NO what I find distressing & upsetting is that when I express a partiallty for my homeland I am accused of being "parochial" & have on occasions been asked to return(none too politely) from whence I came!
I am fed-up with eg the AM news on BBC-lets remember we all pay the same license fee,not even one minute coverage of the shooting&killing in Glasgow? of four men,I know how badly England did in the Rugbyyesterday but Scotland?no mention!
WE ARE DIFFERENT.We want the right to express ourselves as so without apology to or feeling like we are betraying our Britishness.If I hear the Monarch described as the Queen of England again or how "England" won the War I will scream.
I was very much the Scottish Nationalist until I came South.I want to be part of Britain but one which allows us to express ourselves in whichever way the majority chooses without infringing on others rights.
If Yorkshire wants to do the same go for it & there is more to expressing my Scottishness than Stripping the Willow!

[Laura]

Can someone born in England become a Scottish citizen?

[Russell]

Laura

Scots assimilate wherever they go and when folks come to our shores, provided they don't try to change us, they are welcomed and can stay until the next generation become Scots by right!

My brother stays on a small island off the west coast of Scotland and at least 50% of the population are from other parts of the world. Thay have all settled comfortably and enjoy a ceilidh although they asked for some instruction in the art of Scottish country dancing. Funnily enough they never needed instuction in how to enjoy their malt whisky!!

The short answer is yes! They will not gat a certificate but they will receive public approbation from the locals.

All we want is parity and fairness. we can accept defeat (in sport and other things ) gracefully which some other nations appear unable to do

Russell