Violence in the Snow

Taken at the end of March near Lake Bohinj, Balders and HC and some snow-based violence. Just had lunch at the fantastic Gostilna Rupa where I ate what was roughly a farm on a plate accompanied by potatoes and raw onions. Awesome. Oh and the scenery was quite nice that day as the pics below show...

Balders in the news. Iraq, 2006

Looking through old emails i found this one from the wee brother. Read the link first...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4817582.stm
Dear All,
I am now very famous and expect to be treated as such when I return home. I want the best tables at the swankiest nite spots in Bridge of Allan and the adoration of millions of fans.
The bbc article above describes an operation which bears a slight similarity to one I was on, with the following changes:
1. The "crowd of 50" which was "beseiging" us was actually a small number of kids, although they were quite scary.
2. I did ask for the fast air to demonstrate their presence to deter the gunman. Although I asked them to hold at 4000 feet to show their presence rather than 40 feet for shock effect.
3. Anyone who knows me will recognise that the quote is at best adapted. I am never that eloquent or succinct, although the bare bones are true enough.
4. As far as I remember only two rounds were fired, which hit the turret hatch (about four inches away from the chest) of my Warrior Sergeant Major who was leaving the army after 22 years service four days after the incident. I'm not sure whether he was lucky or unlucky.
The RAF chaps from Lossiemouth apparently submitted the article to the RAF internal paper with a doctored photo of the pilot (belly extended and features edited) for a laugh. This was then picked up by people in the UK and sent on to the media. The same story features in The Scottish Sun.
By the way, the GOC (top British General) appartently phoned the Battlegroup to ask what the bloddy hell was going on!! This all happened about three weeks ago.
See you soon,
Alex

Rangers & Celtic - how little has changed!

Found this in an old email, thought it was quite amusingly written...Looking forward to the old firm game tonight for more of the same!

GLASGOW OBSERVER: 1 NOVEMBER 1924."On the terracing at the Dalmornock end on Saturday there was congregated a gang, thousands strong, including the dregs and scourings of filthy slumdom, unwashed yahoos, jailbirds, night hawks, won't-works, 'burroo barnacles', and pavement pirates, all, or nearly all, in the scarecrow stage of verminous trampdom.

This ragged army of insantitary pests was lavishly provided with orange and blue remnants, and these were flaunted in challenge as the football tide flowed this way or that. Practically with out cessation for ninety minutes or more, the vagabond scum kept up a strident howl of the 'Boyne Water' chorus.

Nothing so designedly provoking, so maliciously insulting, or so beastially ignorant has ever been witnessed even in the wildest exhibitions of Glasgow Orange bigotry.....Blatantly filthy language of the lowest criminal type assailed the shocked ears of decent onlookers. There was no getting away from it, chanted as it was by thousands of voices in bedlamite yells."

I like this from the Guardian, the diary of a Massai Warrior in London... I think I'd get on with these chaps.

Diary of Maasai Warrior in London: "The marathon is easy. There are no lions"

Six Maasai warriors ran in the London Marathon today. 24-year-old Isaya Maasai, is their chief, and you can read his diary at the Guardian website.

The horses that go around were amazing and we couldn't believe how fast. We rode a real horse for the first time too. It is amazing that people can talk to them, tell them where to go and they do it.

I miss meat and blood very much. Not vegetables because they are food for a woman. There is milk here but blood is better because it gives energy. English tea with sugar is good and we tried Coco Pops, but the nicest food is croissants.

Link

WaveForms

I took these images from the ferry connecting Croatian islands of Cres and Krk, and stitched them together quite quicky using windows moviemaker. A bit rough, but I'm quite pleased with the effect.

Thanks to FourTet for the (unauthorised) use of their tune, and apologies for the ugly fade out at the end.

Pivka Barracks

On the way home from the coast today, i decided on the spur of the moment to have a closer look at a place that had always fascinated me, the derelict barracks at Pivka, nr Postojna. I took the photos below using my old basic olympus point and shoot digital, but i'm quite pleased with the results - especially as i was cacking myself! They're in the process of turning the place into a museum, which is great news!

More Slovenglish

dis is gret aj lajk

Snakehips gets a bit hot under the accordian...

The background to this being the confirmation of dates for the Lights Party a couple of years ago, based it would seem on quite wrong criteria. And who can argue? Anyway, it's a very good rant!

"Alan,

Hurt and betrayal (and solving world peace) have prevented me from answering earlier. My lights experience includes:-

• Providing (often uninvited) musical back up in the early days in Ruthven;
• Swaying on the table in Ruthven with Lou (before a fag burnt her catsuit);
• Telling Tam Cowan that he would go down a storm and that it wasn't a rugby club disco gone wrong;
• Agreeing with Ali Abassi when he said I produced the best ceilidh sound he had ever heard. And he had heard some top stars;
• Telling the heartbreak he didn't look a twat in whatever costume he was in;
• Calming you down in 2003 when no-one was there by 9pm cos there was the final of Stars in your Eyes;
• Playing Donald Iain Rankine so beautifully on the old Moreschi that it made the lovely Planet fall in love with the first man she saw;
• Keeping the caretaker onside;
• Finding George in 2001 (when he still answered my calls) so that he would come and piece the PA together.

And it has come to this. The lights date is now decided on the basis of the GF and Crikey's availability. You don't book the organ grinder on the basis of the monkey's attendence my boy. I understand the all round importance of the GF but to check out the bikester before the international genius that is Logie? Crikey turned down HP's wedding because of a head cold.And who are "these other musicians you have waiting in the wings?"

And- why why why oh why does it have to coincide with a visit to the mother in law.

And happy wedding anniversary..... And love and peace to you all.

Serp"

The CraigMaddy Tattoo - Bagpiping fact into news

Another one from the archives, this is Tam's wonderful response to Henry's report of our piping after Lucy and Colin's wedding.

"Tam

Reports of an emotional performance from the diamond highlanders at the weekend. The set was as follows (sorry Tam): Green Hills (R Logie on harmonies), Battle's O'er; Scotland the Brave, Rowan Tree (R Logie on harmonies and comedy falling over); Lone Piper (A Graham) - Amazing Grace; Highland Cathedral

Getting ready for the worlds..."

HP________________________________

"Stop it lads. Just the thought of such a fine body of men brought up in the finest traditions of our great Highland instrument is making me emotional - exiled as I am in this troubled and barbaric land.

Imagining the sound and spectacle of Pipe Cpl Logie extracting exquisite harmonies from his primitive yet noble pipe before collapsing overcome with the beauty of the music makes me want to wrench my claymore from the thatch.

A terrible homesickness engulfs me as I reflect on the nimble fingers of Alan McCrimmon Graham dancing over the chanter during his sweet rendition of that ancient Hebridean melody that only the most masterly of musicians can express with true feeling and pathos.

Bet it sounded shite."

Tam

Vadar Plays the Blues

Oh god I'd forgotten about this one - this is an absolute belter.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=18560309

Enjoy.

Going back through the mists of time to the last Lights Party...

Found this little gem in my inbox.

Tragically without a drummer the Scrotes were shadows of their former selves despite the meaty presence of Henry "The Ox" Peterkin on bass guitar (well, acoustic guitar, but we've never had a bassist, so we pretended).

Still, the flyer was good...

FW: Great little exchange between Snakehips and Heartbeat...

 

Boys.

Partridge had Monkey Tennis, Arm Wrestling with Chas n Dave, and 
Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank.

I'm about to start work on Extreme Fishing with Robson Green.

And a big part of me wishes I'd made that up.

Ross,

A complaint about civil servants when they exit from the rarefied atmosphere of delivering policy advice is that they write in a crisp/succinct manner which is dull to read. Fair enough. But what the f@@@ does this mean outside the coke filled world of journalism?

Sandy

 

 

Bratislava Portrait by "Mr Alan"

Actually this is not by the mysterious, possibly fictional, Bratislava "fixer" known to us only as "Mr Alan", but by Dan Hillier.

Christ in the Carwash

Music by the rather good sufjan stevens (shame about the shite recording quality of my mobile phone)

Slovenglish

I love this, the way my colleague Tina writes English: "Veri mač tenkju logi so kajnd juar" (translation, "Very much thank you, Logie, so kind you are")