The Daily Thistle
The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland
Wednesday 30th August 2017
"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Thick clouds hang over the town of Estepona, the weather person said partly cloudy, well we must have the cloud part .. the temperature is nice, 19c at 3.30am so Bella and I are not complaining, not that she does anyway, she leaves that to me… all the rain we have had these past few days have been like a magic wand being waved over the plants and greenery.. Flowers are blooming and the jasmine is heady with its scent.. but at the moment the thunder is starting to rumble again so Bella and I will turn quickly for home and water and coffee as is our custom…
RAP SUPERSTAR EMINEM REVEALS HE’S PLANNING TO QUIT THE US of A… TO MOVE TO SCOTLAND…. The music legend made the revelation at his huge gig in the city's Bellahouston Park — and hinted Donald Trump's presidency was behind the shock decision.
The rap superstar, 44, said he wanted to quit the States and had looked at pads in Glasgow. He made the announcement at his huge gig in the city’s Bellahouston Park — and hinted Donald Trump’s presidency was behind the shock decision. Wearing an anti-Trump T-shirt, the Forever singer told fans: “Scotland might have to be my new home, as right now things aren’t going so well in the States.
“Thank you so much for making us feel at home. We’re going to live here now.” Rapper pal Denaun Porter, 38, who performed with him on stage, added: “You know what we were doing earlier? “We were looking at houses. We’re about to move out here.”
Eminem — real name Marshall Mathers — has Scots roots on both sides of his family. He is a descendant of Edinburgh woman Ailsa McAllister, born in 1847.
SEA EAGLE LOST FOR 4 YEARS DISCOVERED WITH FAMILY IN SUTHERLAND…. She was a scruffy chick who blossomed into a thriving young bird, only to disappear below the radar. But four years after the last sighting of a rare sea eagle who charmed conservationists, she has reemerged from the wilderness. The bird, known as Shelly, was fitted with a satellite tag as a chick on Mull in 2010 as part of a pioneering project funded by Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural Research Ltd. Her every movement was tracked by RSPB Scotland Mull Eagle Watch, with a dedicated web page set up to document her travels. As Shelly grew, she began to embark on longer journeys from her nest in Tiroran, a community owned forest in the shadow of Ben More, wandering as far afield as Lewis. But one day in 2013, Roy Dennis, an eagle expert at the Highland Foundation for Widlife, noticed the movements picked up by her tag – which had been designed to last for five years –suddenly stopped. The tag itself was eventually recovered from Lewis, but there was no sign of Shelly, and those who had followed her adventures resigned themselves to the fact they would never know what happened to her. This summer, however, Iain Paterson, a photographer and keen birder, was visiting a remote sea loch in Sutherland when he spotted a sea eagle diving for fish. He captured the bird’s photograph, its blue and silver coloured leg ring - featuring the figures ‘C9 39’ - clearly visible in the picture. After passing on the authorities, RSPB Scotland discovered it was Shelly, many miles from her home, but thriving. Dave Sexton, the charity’s Mull officer, said: “I knew the blue and silver combo meant 2010 and my heart was racing as I looked back at the ringing and tagging records for that year. “I’d always wondered how Shelly was and where she might be. And there it was on the breeding summary: ‘C9 39; chick satellite tagged’. We’d found her.” Mr Sexton said Shelly, now seven, has “transformed” from the “rather scruffy brown chick” that nested in Mull. Mr Paterson has since reported that she has paired up with a male, and that this year they were raising two chicks. He said: “One thing I can say about Shelly is her elegance for such a big bird. When she picks up a fish there’s hardly a splash.”
DECISION IMMINENT ON HISTORIC OLD MAN OF STORR BID…. A Historic decision on whether a north Skye community organisation gets the green light to purchase land at one of the island’s most popular landmarks, the Old Man of Storr, is looming. Staffin Community Trust (SCT) will find out within the next fortnight if its bid to buy roadside ground at the Storr will be approved by the owner, Highland Council. SCT plans to build a new off-road car park, public toilets and provide interpretation/local business information at the site in a major development, which has attracted significant local and national support. Islanders have voiced concerns about road safety and sanitation at the site as visitor numbers have soared in recent years. There were 150,000 visitors to the Storr last year. Back in 2005, 63,000 visitors were recorded. SCT submitted an Asset Transfer Request (ATR) to the council in March – the first in the Highlands under new Community Empowerment legislation, which became law in January – and will find out if it has been accepted on 6 September. It comes as tourism pressures and concerns about the island’s infrastructure were highlighted across the national media following the unprecedented surge in visitor numbers.
TORY MP SAYS SORRY FOR ‘GYPSY TRAVELLER PROBLEMS’ COMMENTS…. A Conservative MP has apologised for saying his priority as prime minister would be to bring in ‘’tougher enforcement against gypsy travellers’’. Douglas Ross made the comments in an online interview when asked what he would do if he was prime minister for the day. He was criticised by opposition parties and human rights groups but said it was an issue within his Moray constituency, where land owners have faced court action and clean-up costs from camp sites. Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland on Friday, Mr Ross said he would pick another priority such as tackling global famine or eradicating cancer if asked the question again.
SCOTLANDER BLOGGERS TO VISIT 28 OUTLANDER LOCATIONS…. A GROUP of top Scottish bloggers is dealing with the effects of Outlander being off the screens - known as “droughtlander” - by taking on a challenge to travel hundreds of miles and visit 28 filming locations on VisitScotland’s Outlander map in the space of just 34 hours. The six Scotlanders – who between them boast a social media audience of more than 100,000 across eight platforms – will set off in pairs at 8am on Saturday. Claire Randall, played by Caitriona Balfe, and Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan. Picture: Supplied By 6pm the following day, they hope to have taken in the sites that feature in the time travel drama, the third series of which will be available on Amazon Prime Video on 11 September. A group of top Scottish bloggers is dealing with the effects of “droughtlander” by taking on a unique challenge – to travel hundreds of miles and visit nearly 30 filming locations on VisitScotland’s Outlander map in the space of just 34 hours. The six Scotlanders – who between them boast a social media audience of more than 100,000 across eight platforms – will set off in pairs at 8am on Saturday 26 August. By 6pm the following day, they hope to have taken in 28 sites that feature in the time travel drama, the third series of which will be available on Amazon Prime Video on 11 September. When they regroup at Doune Castle – the Historic Environment Scotland property near Stirling which doubles for the fictional Castle Leoch – the group will have clocked up more than 700 miles between them….Needless to say.. I haven’t been invited…
AIR AMBULANCE PARAMEDIC TO DO SKYDIVE FOR THREE CHARITIES…. AN air ambulance paramedic is facing a very different kind of ‘flying’ this weekend when he leaps out of an aircraft at 10,000ft. Craig McDonald, 45, a paramedic with Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), is facing his fears in order to skydive and raise funds for three causes close to his heart. Along with two fellow fundraisers, Craig is making the sponsored jump in aid of SCAA, Scotland’s only charity funded air ambulance, Hope For Justice, which rescues and restores victims of people trafficking, and Compassion, a child sponsorship charity helping youngsters in some of the most deprived areas of the world. Craig, who will be doing the jump on Saturday, said: “People think that because I’m an air ambulance paramedic I must be confident doing a skydive – but I’m just not that brave. In fact, I’m terrified. “The main difference is that when I’m flying with SCAA the helicopter always lands down gently and delivers me safely back to earth – I’m never expected to leap out and make my own way down at 120 miles per hour.” Craig has been a paramedic with SCAA for three years but is also a part-time Scottish Regional Development Manager with Hope For Justice and a long-term child sponsor with Compassion.
He added: “I see first hand the benefits all three charities bring to their specific causes, and funding is crucial to each of them.
On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,
Our look at Scotland today is of The Old Man of Storr, he’s always worth a visit…..photograph by Shaun Barr ...
A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Wednesday 30th August 2017 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…
All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in
Be safe out there…
Robert McAngus