Degeneration

The huge changes in transport especially those driving have, it is claimed, altered the way we interact. Road rage incidents, even minor ones, if replicated by those who are walking, would largely be avoided as we behave face to face in a different way whereas in a car we tend to dehumanise the other.
The Internet is quite extraordinary in the way it is revolutionising the way we interact for good or ill. Having spent a day off today with a large part of the time on the Internet, especially Facebook, I discern something similar to Road Rage. I am afraid my opinion of you humans has declined somewhat with Facebook revealing such ignorance, racism, bigotry etc that it is easy to become depressed. I suppose it dehumanises the other in the same way car travelling does. However as a seal I can't be dehumanised, thank goodness...

End of an era

The picture above is of Spanish Republicans shooting at a statue of Christ during the Spanish Civil War. I'm prompted to write on this subject as the death is announced of Thomas Watters, at 99, the last Scottish volunteer from the International Brigade. I suppose, at some stage of my life I instinctively felt some allegiance to such a cause. And, I would imagine if I were born into a Spanish family at such a time when my life chances were diminished by a stultifying church and state I would have become more hardened. Who is to say? But the sheer violence and inhumanity of that conflict , on both sides, jars. The thousands of clergy murdered by Republicans and , more brutally, their family members, as guilt by association is testament to a view that a healthy studied indifference to solutions to problems by war and violence is wise.
In Glasgow there is a statue to Dolores Ibárruri, a leader of the Republicans who, until her death remained a staunch supporter of the old Soviet regime. Perhaps someone should paint her hands red in protest.
It may be a counsel of despair that I cannot fully mourn, without reservation,  someone who gave up so much to fight in a war he saw as advancing the cause of humanity, especially with our myopic culture making such a statement now incredible but there you go perhaps indifference has its value.

Something Fishy

Despite my marine origins I have never really liked fish and am now a vegetarian. However veggie sushi is available and I tried it for the first time last night. Went out with my dear friend Janine to what is, by common assent, Pumpherston's third best restaurant. Did not really enjoy it but glad I tried it.
Big splash today is the possible referendum date, announced by the new Sun on Sunday: 18 October. This is Feast of St Luke, cannot find much of a connection other than one side or another may need medical help the next day. However it is also the anniversary of the Battle of Assandun where Edmund Ironside was defeated by Canute( a much misunderstood man, the waves story being one such misunderstanding). I await the first Unionist complaint that Alex Salmond is commemorating a Saxon/English defeat.
Oh well football on now, what to watch, Inverness v Rangers or Arsenal v Spurs. Poor quality football combined with sectarian/racist chants or two great teams? Not much of a choice really. Spurs have just scored,a lucky goal, off to watch!

More open at least

With the debate about independence accelerating yesterday's news that new Royal Navy ships will be built in Korea was a little amusing( though not for the shipyard workers here) especially after a run of scare stories about defence contacts being lost post independence.
However I was thinking about our age at least being mpre open and accountable than before. The 1975 McCrone Report into North Sea oil was buried under the 30 year rule as its conclusions would have bolstered the nascent independence movement then. Plus ca change? Well I remain distrutful of British Government prouncements ( who wouldn't?) but at least now with leaks, internet etc etc Scots are less likely to be hoodwinked again.
However my main concern now, I am ashamed to admit, are the stories in River City, I hope they don't decline into the Eastenders miasma of depression, I need to be a cheer seal.

More drink

Swam to Edinburgh again today to meet two old friends, Lyn and Gordon(ex civil servants like myself). Went to the Au Bar and had lots of pints. However am now a little more sober and, in consequence, able to post. Like many over 60's I meet they are against independence for Scotland but, for reasons they alone can divest, in a pretty nebulous way. Although younger humans are far more agreeable to independence this group is vital( if alone for the reason of their willingness to vote). They are intelligent people so harassing them will not work. I know many in the independence movement feel that generation will move on as previous Tory voting ones have disappeared. I'm not so sure which makes me more firm in my opinion that independence will not be achieved until referendum number three. At any rate thanks for a great afternoon Lyn and Gordon.

A death alone

The body of a man who died three years ago was not discovered until one of his neighbour's heard a radio playing in his apartment. The grim discovery in an apartment block in the eastern city of Strasbourg was made at the weekend after the neighbour called police about the radio which had been at full blast, day and night, for two weeks. When police entered the apartment, they found it filled with pigeons which had got in through a window. They believe one of them had switched on the radio by sitting on it.

The man's death had not been alerted to any authorities as his rent had continued to be paid by direct debit from his bank account.

"People don't really known each other much," said one resident.
The above story is not uncommon. A similar situation was reported in Edinburgh very recently. However the irony of a pigeon being the catalyst is rather pathetic, I am reminded of the dove released by Noah to find new life. Although these tragedies are complex I feel that a sense of community requires more than the family, religious, tribal, racial or other tight/exclusive categories.
A territorial identification of community means that we can begin to forge a relationship with others on our literal doorstep- we are then community. As long as this identification is a civic and not ethnic(tribal) one i.e. Scots here are Scots no matter their background , we can relate to our neighbours as members of a community(Scots). And the other necessary side of this equation--- that those who leave Scotland cannot cling to it. No more kilt wearing Cockney/Californian etc etc Scots, please. Join your new community, after all I'm sure the choice to leave was not forced on you.

England's future

Are the people doon sooth waking up to the implications of Scotland becoming a nation again? There are various signs in the media of an exploration of how these islands' future might look. My lightweight contribution is to set up a Facebook paged named" Scots for English Independence". I am a total Anglophile and supporter of Scottish Independence so it is natural I take an interest in England's future, although, despite my grandfather being born in London, I do not take the view that I should be entitled to a vote in English elections including the upcoming mayoral one ( unlike some ex-pat Scots, a group becoming, more and more, to those Scots who actually live here as irritating as some kilt wearing American- Scots). Of course seals have no natural territories other than what nature affords us but I hope, one day, to swim to an England reborn.

Silkie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iZLQGhDMR0&feature=related

Those who know about these things will know that my experience is not unique. This link shows that, in Scots culture, or rather Northern Scots culture- Orkney and Shetland ( if Scots is appropriate!) with their distinctive mythology my existence follows an ancient pattern, that of the Silkie. Sorry if the words are difficult but well worth a listen.
Today I visited an exhibition of Alisdair Gray's art in Linlithgow followed by excessive drinks in The Old Post Office and The Auld Hole in the Wa' on the High Street. Back home now.

More icons

This is Dom Dyfrig Harris, monk of Belmont Abbey, Hereford who died last week at the age of 63. When this seal had been living in Scotland for some time he decided to become a monk joining the English Benedictines of Belmont. Six months later, after much thought, I left. But I still have an enormous interest in monasticism and its history. Dom Dyfrig was quite unlike how a monk may appear to the public, he was so affable and engaging. During my time he was recovering his health by painting icons and I got to know him a little as I was tasked to paint some rooms nearby: the more prosaic end of painting to his heavenly. He was animated by Eastern Byzantine traditions and became what is know as a bi-ritual priest celebrating the Ukrainian Catholic liturgy all over the West of England. I still maintain that, far from cutting oneself off, this form of living not only offers an encounter with the divine but also can promote a sense of oneness with all humanity  and even all creation. Living in a community can be difficult and I remember his slow responses at services annoying another monk. This, I found, a little amusing to say the least. In a quiet, spartan life the smallest things may take on great meaning. Should I ever be sent to prison this training will be useful.
Dyfrig, his monastic name, was an early Welsh saint born in Madely( of the famous shrine), Herefordshire, which shows the high Celtic tidemark of history with much of the area having Celtic roots ( now the opposite population movements further encroach on the Welsh speaking areas). For anyone not familiar with this area, also known as The Marches, a trip is well worth the effort.
Rest in Peace Dyfrig.   

Honesty

Sometimes honesty is to be called for. I was thinking about my time here on land and enjoying what television has to offer. But then is then and now is now. The television available now is so much more diverse and interesting although the proliferation of channels means that a common culture, which had relied latterly so much on TV programmes, is diminished. The days of half of the UK watching Morecambe and Wise are gone.
The honesty in the title is this: If I were to be totally honest the political decision which has led to the most amount of happiness for me personally, has to be the 1990 Broadcasting Act whereby the airwaves were deregulated and , leading through the parted Red Sea, was SKY and its wonderful sports coverage. Not for me the birth of a child, passing exam or any other milestone. The arrival of the Sky TV van remains the happiest point in my life. And, ultimately I have to thank John Major's Government. Thank you, John.

RSPCA Syndrome

Although half asleep today I did manage to overhear  some people complaining about the inordinate amount of coverage given to the snowfall in the south of England. I suppose, superficially, they have a point; but do they? England accounts for the vast majority of the U.K's population so, of course, there will be a bias in the media's coverage. As a young person- many years ago- we were all versed with obscure London suburbs( we knew Golders Green would be short on bacon rolls) but mention of , even fairly large Scottish towns was rare and often a little funny( pronounce Kirkcaldy please Mr Newsreader!). Today the BBC is much better at announcing that any new initiative or legislation applies solely to England( in contrast to Sky).But really what should Scots expect if they agree to an incorporating Union?
Some time ago the SSPCA took to reminding Scots no money left to the RSPCA gets spent here. Many were unaware, why?- the pervasive media assuming R.S. Thomas' mask of Britishness. However there is not malice aforethought here. It is only natural for the largest group to assume ownership of the whole. So, I'm afraid, dear fellow Scots, the answer to the problem is in your own hands..

Celestial Independence

This portrait, which judging from the mosaic seems to be from St Paul's Outside The Walls in Rome, is of Pope Celestine the Third. A Roman insider (he was an Orsini) he proved to be a Pope whose outlook stretched far beyond the Lateran. In a precursor to the awful events of the reign of Henry the Eighth in England he took a particularly hard line on Alfonso the Ninth of Leon as his marriage to Teresa of Portugal was a little too much in the family( I forget the relationship).
His relationship to Scotland? He confirmed an earlier Bull confirming that the diocese of Glasgow was a "Special Daughter of the Church", France was the original "daughter". However the confirmation was extended to the whole Church in Scotland and was a definitive declaration that Scotland was a nation in its own right, the predator being the English Province of York. This has never altered and even today the Catholic Hierarchy are totally separate from that of England and Wales.
The reason for this ramble is that there are reports of yet another Christian Democratic Party being launched in Scotland with the backing of the composer James McMillan. Perhaps it is too arcane to emphasis the continuity of the past but surely its rather tired and backward looking attitude to independence needs some context. The party has (some) laudable aims but the attack on what is sees as the narrowness of "nationalism" is all too dreary. Our upcoming choice is between too nationalisms- Scottish and British. It is odd that the latter is simply not seen as what it is.
A progressive society will be enhanced by independence, the two are linked. It will not be prefect but a more socially just, nuclear free, Scotland should appeal, surely, to those who profess to be Christians. Although I would hesitate that old Celestine would be against nuclear weapons- I sure the Moors would have blasted to Hell/Paradise had he had them!  

Loser

My interest in bowls is waning , at the same rate as my growing interest in the bar. Tonight's league match saw us come up against four talented women. And, of course, we lost heavily. I have to be honest- when I took up this sport the gender segregation was strict with only occasional mixing in Open tournaments. Things have thankfully changed now but my early upbringing still means there is a slither of guilt at playing with vigour against women. Terrible, I know but I am older I suppose. Well,I suppose that's a terrible confession in this day and age.

Sport and faith

I suppose, in supporting Hibs, faith is a requirement to avoid the loss of sanity. You will note the continued theme of harps is appearing again today. I propose tonight no essay on the relationship between faith and sport( over in the West where I have been swimming of late the mixture is one of volatility with outbreaks of such vileness it makes me wonder why I washed up here). However my thought was that when Hibs were founded in 1875 all players had to be practising Catholics. Difficult to enforce then as the early history relates but imagine trying to get 11 players together now with such a requirement!