Monthly Archives: January 2014

“Devo-Max” Cousin of Max Headroom.

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Grouse Beater

  What does “Devo-Max” mean in political terms? What is Devo-Max? Other than to limit sovereignty for the people of Scotland I have no idea. How many devolved powers add up to Devo-Max? Who knows? How many hairs constitute a … Continue reading →

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Essays in Betrayal 1

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Grouse Beater

Question: How do you demonstrate land you live and work on, and your forefathers before you for generations, belongs to you unless you have a piece of paper to prove it? Answer: Title Deeds. Lawyers for the rich The bona fide … Continue reading →

Posted in Scottish Independence Referendum | 1 Comment

Laughing at Ourselves

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Grouse Beater

  Scots are well able to laugh at themselves. Like Jews lampooning Jewish traditions and beliefs, the best jokes about Scots emanate from Scots. It helps us get through our daily vicissitudes. To my mind Billy Connolly was funniest when he … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Scottish Independence Referendum | 2 Comments

Braveheart Shmaveheart

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Grouse Beater

Braveheart, is an essential weapon in the arsenal of unionist derision. Massively popular worldwide, Braveheart won five Academy Awards and is shown on television regularly. The film arrived in time to coincide with a growing confidence in Scotland’s political ambitions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film review, Scottish Independence Referendum | 13 Comments

An Act of Union

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Grouse Beater

When it comes to expressing his country’s hopes Seamus Heaney was adept at using metaphor to explain the longings of a people, the act of sexual congress as good as any. Here is a stanza from his poem, “Act of … Continue reading →

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Car Culture: Driver Intolerance

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Grouse Beater

Your weekly look at what sucks in our car world, plus some good bits Driving around the city a lot, dodging potholes, death-defying pedestrians, reckless cyclists, labyrinthine one-way systems, speed bumps, washboard tarmac surfaces, and a plethora of road works, … Continue reading →

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The Path to Disaster

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Grouse Beater

A unionist will exhaust all possibilities until only common sense is left I wish I could have made my first essay a eulogy to my homeland’s best qualities, but the times are momentous and I am enraged. In the year of Scotland’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Scottish Independence Referendum | Tagged | 2 Comments