tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post912712343281623171..comments2024-03-27T06:56:10.255+00:00Comments on Broad Oak Magazine: Scottish Independence: a suggestion to Craig MurrayUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-82546898327308067882018-11-01T12:37:05.615+00:002018-11-01T12:37:05.615+00:00JD comments:
You mentioned the possibility of irr...JD comments:<br /><br />You mentioned the possibility of irrigation of the Arabian desert but it wouldn't happen because of 'indolence' of the people. The desert arabs are not capable but the Persians most certainly are -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qanats_of_Gonabad<br /><br />Just as an aside, it was the Persians who produced stained glass for the European cathedrals. The real stuff in places like Chartres, not the coloured glass used elsewhere. I think I read that in Jean Gimpel's book about the cathedral builders or maybe another book about Chartres. The glass was used only in a brief 200 year period before the secret was lost or maybe the Persians got homesick?Sackersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17284329249862764601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-18771390569704169492018-11-01T09:20:06.382+00:002018-11-01T09:20:06.382+00:00Four years ago I wrote a short article which concl...Four years ago I wrote a short article which concluded briefly with the nightmare scenario that a botched Brexit could impel a future British government to crawl back to the EU. It was a brief nightmare moment then. But I had not then foreseen the incompetence of the Westminster government - a combination of arrogance and ignorance. Recently I was grumbling about this to a ( fairly junior) minister and was asked who I would prefer as party leader and PM. I could only reply " none of the above"<br /><br />The lack of principled, credible leadership is not confined to Holyrood.Edward Spaltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04168350315689612490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-64813146669462776962018-11-01T09:12:25.871+00:002018-11-01T09:12:25.871+00:00Four years ago I wrote a short article which concl...Four years ago I wrote a short article which concluded briefly with the nightmare scenario that a botched Brexit could impel a future British government to crawl back to the EU. It was a brief nightmare moment then. But I had not then foreseen the incompetence of the Westminster government - a combination of arrogance and ignorance. Recently I was grumbling to a ( fairly junior) minister and was asked who I would prefer as Conservative leader and PM? I could only reply " none of the above".<br /><br />I think the lack of principled, credible leadership is not confined to Holyrood.<br />Edward Spaltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04168350315689612490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-17391911119565170322018-11-01T07:03:52.079+00:002018-11-01T07:03:52.079+00:00It's like my scheme for the industrialisation ...It's like my scheme for the industrialisation of the Arabian peninsula using the vast aquifer under the desert, the unlimited potential for solar power, and the ideal location for exporting to Europe and Asia: works on paper, but when you try to get the people to cooperate...Sackersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17284329249862764601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-7423840952230546182018-11-01T07:01:10.546+00:002018-11-01T07:01:10.546+00:00JD comments:
A few random, off the cuff thoughts....JD comments:<br /><br />A few random, off the cuff thoughts.<br /><br />The Scots are far too independent as individuals to act collectively in creating and running an independent nation: by 'independent individually' I mean of independent mind. <br /><br />Robert Burns knew it -<br /><br />"Ye see yon birkie ca'd a lord,<br />Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that;<br />Tho' hundreds worship at his word,<br />He's but a coof for a' that.<br />For a' that, an' a' that,<br />His ribband, star, an' a' that,<br />The man o' independent mind<br />He looks an' laughs at a' that." <br /><br />Who among Scottish politicians has proved to be capable or deserving of leadership of an independent nation? Blair, Brown, Salmond, Sturgeon?<br />As individuals Scots have more than proved their abilities. Here's a random list (a few names missing and the political names should not be on it) http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/famscots.html<br /><br />But look at the Darien Scheme for example and it is clear that collectively we couldn't organise the proverbial intoxication in the proverbial brewery! The usual excuse for that fiasco is to blame the English. But the whole thing was dreamt up by William Paterson, a Scot who was one of the founders of the Bank of England and he was the driving force behind what was exclusively a Scottish adventure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darien_scheme<br /><br />Scottish Independence? It will not work because there is nobody capable of making it work. There is certainly nobody in what Billy Connolly calls "the pretendy wee Parliament" in Holyrood!Sackersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17284329249862764601noreply@blogger.com