Monthly Archives: July 2012

A glimpse of the new Nicolson

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The new Nicolson Institute in Stornoway was handed over by the Irish contractors to the Scottish facilities manager on Monday ahead of the new school term on August 16.

With a school roll of 1,100 pupils, the new Nicolson Institute is the largest secondary school in the islands and is adjacent to the existing site on Springfield Road in  Stornoway.

While the old school consisted of several buildings spread over a large, disjointed campus, the new school, a snip at a capital construction cost of £29 million, is a single new-build providing more than 13,500 sq metres of floor space. The campus also includes the retained C-listed Pentland Building and the B-listed Matheson Hall which have been extensively upgraded and refurbished to provide Craft Design and Technology and Information and Communication Technology facilities  – the ICT hub will also provide centralised services to all schools in the Western Isles.

A second phase of works, to demolish the old school and build a bus and car park as well as a full-size grass pitch, will begin in mid-August for completion in January 2013.

The new Nicolson Institute is the fifth of the six schools in the £125 million Western Isles Schools Project (WISP) to be handed over on time and budget following Point, Balivanich and West Side Primary Schools as well as the first phase of the Sir E Scott School in Tarbert.

Councillor Norman A MacDonald, the comhairle convener and chair of Sgoiltean Ùra, said: “We are delighted that FMP [the main contractor] have maintained their 100% success rate in the delivery of the new schools. All of the schools have been delivered on time and on budget and is a testament to their collaborative working methods and demonstrates that even in remote locations such as the Western Isles, joint project delivery and a desire to succeed can deliver real achievements.”

Cllr Angus Campbell, the leader of the comhairle, added: “The new Nicolson Institute is the largest single part of the hugely successful new schools programme. I am confident that these new schools will demonstrate that putting quality education in quality buildings will allow us to enhance our tremendous record of the highest educational attainment right across these islands.”

Sgoiltean Ùra is the Special Purpose Vehicle established to design, procure, build and maintain the schools on behalf of the comhairle. Faithful + Gould are retained by Sgoiltean Ùra to provide project management and cost consultancy advice. FMP is a joint venture entity comprising three Irish contractors Farrans, H&J Martin and Patton. Stirling-based FES FM Ltd is the facilities management contractor which will maintain all the WISP schools until 2039.

The design team comprises 3DReid (Architects), Goodson (Civil and Structural), Wallace Whittle (M&E) and TGP Landscape Architects.

Hallelujah. Equality is being won despite the deluded religious lobby

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We should all thank the Scottish Government today for standing up for fairness and equality and against discrimination and bigotry by moving to allow marriage for all despite the squeals of anti-democratic mobs of sour-faced homophobes who care little for freedom and less for the truth.

If they bothered to read their Bibles these so-called Christians would know the prophet they claim to follow had nothing to say on same-sex relationships and that only scribes, anxious to do the bidding of their own political masters, were ordered to pad out the good book with bile.

This is  also a day to remember how many Scottish churches also supported slavery “because it was mentioned in the bible”. A ghastly truth and symptom of how evangelicals can lose their way in a morass of dogma and bigotry, it is so stark that some of them are prepared to lie to hide it. True freedoms for the human race are often won despite Christian churches, not because of them.

I dread to think, if he returned today, what Jesus Christ would make of the deluded hate-mongers who so blithely – and so wickedly – claim to be the ones who are following his example in their own lives.

Richard Dawkins to speak at Stornoway book festival

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Prof Richard Dawkins. Pic by Murdo Macleod.

Perhaps no book has quite so forthrightly, fearlessly and ‘scientifically’ challenged established religion and belief in a supernatural God as The God Delusion.

When published, it electrified the debate to the extent that, quite improbably, it directly led to a 120% increase in sales of the Bible on Amazon.

It can also be said that The God Delusion by Professor Richard Dawkins created a new genre of pro-religion books that have responded in a number of ways to the author’s central argument that belief in God is both irrational and profoundly harmful to society.

It has been announced that Prof Dawkins is to speak at the Faclan book festival on November 2 in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, a community often described as the last bastion of fundamentalist presbyterianism.

OHCG encouraged by Scottish Government Ferry fares pledge

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The Outer Hebrides Commerce Group has welcomed the commitment from Scottish Transport Minister, Keith Brown MSP, to work with them and help inform future Ministerial decisions regarding ferry fare pricing policy. After months of publicly bruising exchanges, the Minister requested a meeting with the Group – and they parted, having agreed to sign up to a study that will accurately reflect the benefit of reduced ferry fares.

OHCG chairman Calum Campbell, of Polybox Ltd said: “Clearly, there is at last, an appreciation by the SNP Government that massive ferry fare increases depress an already struggling economy. We have had to endure one 50% increase, but today we pledged to work with Government to prevent a further 50% increase next April. We are pleased that Mr Brown signed up to a proper examination of the benefits of reduced ferry fares. The six month study will determine exactly how island businesses and families benefited from cheaper ferry travel. Sadly, the last study commissioned by the SNP Government was error ridden, and misinformed the Government. We already have the support of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to assemble the information required, and we will demonstrate that another 50% increase will be disastrous for our island families and businesses”.

David Wood from Woody’s Express also attended the meeting at the Comhairle offices today. He said: “Mr Brown’s request to meet with us was welcome and conciliatory. Prior to this year’s 50% increase in fares, our views were being dismissed and rubbished. But today, Keith Brown came to the islands, and appeared to genuinely listen to our group, comprising business representatives from Barra to the Butt. We’d hope that in January next year that the Minister will be able to conclude that he must halt the 50% increase due to be implemented next April. We also welcome his commitment to simplify the complicated and discriminatory ferry fares structures that currently exists for commercial traffic. We were very pleased to hear that he wants all hauliers to benefit from a new and easily understood pricing regime. We will work with the SNP Government and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to inform a properly conducted study”.

In attendance were:

Calum Campbell, Chairperson OHCG, Polybox Ltd
Gail Robertson, Co-ordinator OHCG, DJ Buchanan Haulage
David Wood, Woody’s Express
Duncan MacInnes, WIFA
Alasdair Morrison, Harris Tweed Hebrides
Hector MacDonald, Hebrides Haulage
Shonnie MacRitchie, County Hotel
Shonnie MacLennan, John MacLennan Contractors Ltd
Angus Campbell, Leader Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Norman MacDonald, Convenor, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Transport minister will meet RET campaigners

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Transport minister Keith Brown is due to meet the Outer Hebrides Commerce Group (OHCG) on Tuesday.

Polybox boss Calum Campbellm, the chairman of OHCG, welcomed the opportunity to present to the minister in straightforward terms, the negative impact the 50% increase in commercial fares is having on the islands’ economy.
“We also hope that the SNP Government won’t proceed with their plans to add another 50% to ferry fares in eight months time. We need the Government to support our islands during one of the worst recessions in living memory.”

Woody’s Express boss David Wood, another member of OHCG, is still concerned that the SNP Government didn’t listen to their pleas before implementing what he called the “first massive increase” of 50% last April.
“We do hope that Keith Brown will be in listening mode and will pay attention to the detail our group is going to present to him. We are pleased to have the opportunity to inform Keith Brown – we now need him and the SNP Government to act, and drop their reckless plans for another massive ferry hike in March next year.”

Fishing suspended because Garynahine salmon are stressed

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FISHING has been suspended on one of Scotland’s top salmon rivers – because the fish are stressed.


Start the video then click the arrow below to start the audio.

A combination of a lack of rain and low tides has forced Garynahine Estate in the Western Isles to ban anglers until further notice because dozens of fish are trapped in the sea pool on the famed salmon river.
They are now thought to be in a state of severe agitation because, being stuck in salt water, they are suffering from sea lice which would normally drop off soon after they reached the river and fresh water.
Donnie Whiteford, the estate’s gamekeeper, confirmed that after discussions with estate owner Dougie McGilvray, boss of Inverness crane firm Weldex, there was now a ban in place till further notice.
“At this time of year we would normally have four to six rods on the river but it would not be right to fish now. Because of low tides, the fish cannot go back to sea and because of the drought as we have had no significant rain for more than three months, they cannot go upriver either,” he said.
“Fishing was permitted in the sea pool until Tuesday but then the tide stopped coming in. Everything is on hold until next week when the tides will rise again.”
The salmon are now stuck with nowhere to go. They are stressed not only because of the sea lice attached to them but because they cannot escape into flowing water when they see movement on the bank or when a line comes over and a fly lands in the water close to them. Mr Whiteford explained that there is also little oxygen in the water because it is not flowing which also must be a great cause of stress for the stranded salmon.
The water crisis is a blow for the estate as fishing at Garynahine has been improving steadily during the last 15 years. It now has a five-year average well above 100, with most of the fish caught from late-July onwards.
Passing drivers and onlookers have marvelled at the sight of salmon jumping in the pool in the last few days thinking they were leaping in the summer sunshine. Few realise that the salmon are undoubtedly jumping in their sheer frustration and agony at being stuck in the pool with lice and in a pool of increasingly stale sea water.
Despite apparent dark rainclouds over the Isle of Lewis on Friday, there was only the occasional light shower which had no effect on the island’s many rivers.
Now Donnie Whiteford hopes that the weather will change before the bigger parties of guests arrive which have paid for fishing from August onwards.
“So far, we have only had to cancel a few day ticket bookings but we do not have big parties here until August. If there is no rain until then, we will have a lot of unhappy guests.”
At neighbouring Grimersta Estate, manager Simon Scott said they were lucky as their sea pool is slow to fill and fish can still get in and back out to sea. His salmon are also getting to the lochs as well but we have to be very careful how we fish so we don’t stress them.
“Thankfully, we don’t have a welfare issue. If this drought continues there is little we can do – moving stocks is not really feasible unless we get some trapped in a small pool. This is a bit of an unusual situation.”
A Scottish Water spokesman denied suggestions locally that were were only a few days’ water supplies left in the Stornoway area. However, they have repeated their advice to islanders not to use water wastefully or to fill baths or tubs. He said: “Stockpiling will only make the situation worse for everyone.”
Rain is forecast in the islands for the weekend but it is not expected to be heavy enough to make a difference to river conditions.

If you look for them, you could find a superhero anywhere. I thought I was one

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He may not have won the Grand Slam but the whole nation has now united, reached for the man-size tissues and taken Andy Murray to its heart because he is officially a big Jessie.

In a superb piece of cheesey theatre, he showed he can rise to any challenge – especially when it comes to proving he is not an unfeeling machine driven by a ruthless desire to win at all costs.

What on earth can you do when someone on national radio accuses you of looking like a grumpy baby eagle the very morning you are due to play the match of your life? Answer – just stand there and whimper like a babby with an over-full nappy for almost five minutes, that’s what.

Way to go. Bawl for us, Andy. Yay. See, he’s not grumpy. He’s lovely. LOL.
To be honest, I too would have fallen for the hype if I hadn’t been watching the moist moment with one of my dearest neighbours. Everyone on the street calls her Angry Annie. I can say that as she is unlikely to read this because she is the last person to fork out a few pence for any newspaper.

In truth, she is not angry but just sceptical about just about everything in everyday life. Angry Annie doesn’t believe Andy Murray is anything but a robot, she doesn’t believe the workmen who say they will come on a certain day to do work on her house and she doesn’t believe anything that comes out of any politician’s mouth.

She is sceptical alright. Sneering loudly as the torrent of teardrops gushed down the Murray cheeks, fertilising the hallowed turf of south-west London, our Annie, faster than a Tom Cruise divorce settlement, declared it was all for show.
I would, of course, have agreed with her had I not been wiping my own watery peepers with my sleeve. How is it that I always get a wee bit of grit in my eye when someone is speaking very emotionally and pathetically on the box?

Despite Angry Annie’s antagonism to the anticlimactic antics of another antisuperhero, everyone else wept and wiped. He will be our superhero. One day. I figure that Annie’s cold heart will warm to him when he does pull it off and is indeed crowned King of Wimbledon. Hopefully, it won’t be too long. I would order the extra-strong double-ply now, Annie.

Andy is not the only superhero hitting the headlines. Another superhero, we are told, is Professor Peter Higgs. He is the guy credited with first confirming the existence of the so-called God particle which holds the key to the secret of the universe. Never one to take much at face value, although I cannot claim to be as sceptical as Angry Annie over the wall, I decided to delve deeper into this.

For the last week I have been up to my oxters in quarks, leptons, force carriers and colliders to try and get a handle on the God particle and find out where the rest of them have been hidden all this time. My search has not gone well. I was sure I would find a trove under the floorboards in the Free Church (Continuing) but, no, no God particles were to be found there.

The Free Church itself? Nope. In that case, there’s no point in poking about under the Church of Scotland or the Epicopalians. No chance. If you see any of these particles rolling about the pews this Sunday, be sure and let me know.

Talking of superheroes, I have been a very brave boy myself. I ended up in hospital at the weekend after developing a certain nasty and rather painful condition. I can’t even spell it but the surgeon assured me that I would have a lot of what the late rugby commentator Eddie Waring used to call an “up and under” before I am free of the blasted thing. Ooer, I can’t wait.

The staff in the Acute Assessment Area of Western Isles Hospital were attentive too. They plonked me in the Acute Assessment Area in a hi-tech bed with a special in-built function to make sure I was wide awake before the surgeon did his rounds. Without warning, at precisely 8.20am, the entire bed see-sawed wildly, banging my head against the wall and leaving me with my legs flailing in the air.

Even now, I am still not completely well and I still feel wobbly after that. Well, it’s been a long time since I have taken part in such dramatic acrobatics in any bed. It took a lot out of me and I now need a lot of help doing even basic things.
Thankfully, Mrs X has been very supportive. The light of my life has even taken to calling me Spiderman.

Spiderman? That will be because she thinks of me as her own wee brave superhero. That’s nice. She is shouting something now. “I called you a spider, man. That’s because you can’t even get out of the flippin’ bath, man.”

Have Sky TV added “free” packages to your account without telling you?

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Have you checked your Sky TV bill? Are you one of the many people who has had packages added without their knowledge. I am involved in an investigation into this and would appreciate your stories.

http://www.iaindale.com/posts/strange-goings-on-at-sky?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

What you must do if you find your skin is flaking all the way down your legs

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Whether you are looking for the current time in Timbuktu, the molecular structure of diamonds or be gobsmacked by the Free Church’s new Facebook page, it is all there waiting for you on the internet.

A font of all knowledge, it is there to keep us right, to amuse us, to transfer our funds and to order these potions for all these embarrassing conditions that we don’t want chemist staff or anyone to know we have.

Buying certain products makes even me blush. That halitosis spray, for instance. I was mortified when I handed over the cash for that. Of course, I said it was for Mrs X. No way was I going to let John in top Stornoway pharmacy Kenny Froggan, Chemists, think I had stinky breath.

Some people get really embarrassed about medical conditions. Some are too timid to go into a chemist to buy dandruff shampoo. Goodness knows what they would be like if they had my trapped wind. I had another delicate condition too that caused me piles of problems. However, the ointment is helping.

So when a man who lives not far from me noticed that he had nasty-looking dry, flaking skin circles down the side of his leg, he did what everyone else does. He googled it. It didn’t look good. All the guides to symptoms were pretty much of the same view. It looked like a condition called discoid eczema. It could mean months of treatment with antihistamines and steroids. The poor fellow was at his wits’ end.

Still in deep shock from seeing the pictures of the fate that awaited him, he summoned a helpful neighbour to show him his withered thigh with the dry skin curling and falling off like rats off a sinking ship. Yuck.

“Nonsense,” said the man from next door. “I know what that is. That’s ringworm. That could quickly spread and you will soon look like a monster from a horror film. You’d better get that seen to straight away.” Within minutes, our man was traipsing up to the health centre on Springfield Road where Dr Anne Finlayson agreed it was like nothing she had ever seen before.

She asked him about his diet. Did he, for example, eat a lot of sweets and when, she asked. He liked fruit pastilles and had some last night.  “And did you have the fruit pastilles in bed?” inquired the kindly GP.  Indeed he had. Hang on. How did the doctor know that? “Because those are not patches of dry skin on your leg. Those are the remains of fruit pastilles. You must have slept on them.”

Being a very kind fellow myself, I have not named the relieved patient so I think that’s another favour I’m owed.  I myself also went on the internet when Mrs X was encouraging me to cook. I thought I’d make a spaghetti bolognese for tea. Google found a recipe with a photo that looked tongue-drippingly tasty.

However, food photos always look fantastic. You have no way of knowing if that is how that recipe will turn out or whether they have just used a photo of a creation by Gino D’Acampo, that Italian fellow that Mrs X currently coddles her eggs over.  There must have been something wrong with the recipe because despite all the time and effort I devoted to it, it turned out the opposite of wonderful and delicious.

Somehow I must have burnt the bottom of the pan when I was cooking the mince and everything tasted of charcoal. The spaghetti itself went wrong too. It went into a lump and I didn’t notice at first. I then tried to pull it apart but it was too late and it came out in sticky lumps that were doughy in the middle. Not nice.

Having made it, I of course declared it scrumptious and invited the family to tuck in. Ach, they won’t notice. Sadly, they both gave up in less than 60 seconds and opted instead for the gastronomic delight that is beans on toast. Manfully, I kept on shovelling the morass of stiff pasta and frazzled black beef into my gob. I couldn’t let them see that I too had concluded it was inedible. Pride was at stake.

There were consequences. On the loo all night, I must have used a fortnight’s worth of tuggable, huggable softness in the one, albeit very long, sitting.
That unfortunate episode explains why this week I agreed to take some basic lessons in cookery from Mrs X. It was nothing fancy – she just agreed to show me how to make bangers and mash.

Patiently, she demonstrated how to prepare, boil and mash the spuds and then how to make perfect sausages. Just when she was doing that, the daughter came in and overheard some of her instructions. “Mum. Did you say ‘prick with a fork’?” I heard her ask. “That’s right,” says Mrs X. “I’m teaching your dad how to cook sausages.”

“Oh, right,” came the reply. “I thought you were still on about him pretending to enjoy that awful spaghetti.”

Ferry Isle of Lewis bust AGAIN

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CALMAC STATEMENT – Wednesday evening

As a result of work carried out on the MV Isle of Lewis last night (Tue), a further technical issue (a minor cylinder head gas leak) has arisen which, although less serious, cannot be left to go unchecked. We have been keen to avoid losing any further sailings today so it is our intention to carry out the work overnight.

Unfortunately, she has been unable to make up the time lost this morning as hoped and she is currently scheduled to arrive in Stornoway around 3 a.m. at which stage work will begin. This means that the first sailing in the morning may be delayed by up to 2 hours but we feel this is preferable to further cancellations. Every effort will be made to minimise the time taken but we want to ensure adequate time is allocated to avoid any further problems.

We are continuing to work with the engine manufacturer and other specialists to establish what the cause of these problems is. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.