Calcutta Cup 2010

Today is the day.

As I’m writing this, at 8.35 on the morning of the big game, I have a nervous expectation that we will win.

We went to see Scotland Under 20’s last night at Firhill and we lost by a huge margin to the England Under 20’s . It doesn’t in one sense bode well that we lost but its a different team today anda different game with bigger things at stake:

1. We’ve not won a single game in this year’s 6 Nations – not even against Italy
2. Some of our best players are still injured and although there are other good players who will take their place, it does slightly weaken the team, mentally if not physically.

But we’re going to have a great day out regardless and no doubt we will be commiserating or congratulating by 7pm tonight

Good luck Scotland

JohnF

Le XV au top

Allex les bleus.

In a sense that ought to have been OUR cry yesterday at Murrayfield. But it was not to be. We were subjugated by the French twice – first they beat us by a mere 9 points but they were painfully lost, secondly by having to wear our away strips at home while the French got to wear their home strips.

I’ve no doubt there is some rule of engagement which allowed this to happen. I hope we just didn’t give in. For that would not be a’ l’esprit du jeu.

And WE (we as in our group of supporters) achieved something totally unique yesterday – we were in Row Z in the East stand. The very back row. And despite the overall coldness, it was toasty up there.

Murrayfield yesterday felt like it belonged to the French: not only could we not get out at the end because of the multitudes waiting to see their team as they WALKED round the pitch, but the sound, as they chanted “allez les bleus”, seemed like they were the only ones there. The Scots tried valiantly to start their anthem but it never got anywhere.

It is true to say that the French anthem is positive and upbeat and pushing forward while ours is depressing and inward looking. How much more encouraging to sing in la marseillaise, “Aux armes citoyens” than “we CAN still rise now and be a nation again”. It feels like we’ve still got lots to do rather than the sense of a post revolutionary France where it’s been done and we’re still using  our strength to conquer.

Flower of Scotland certainly suits the occasion, though I would rather it didn’t.

Can we beat England?

If we think like the French we might:

Aux armes, citoyens, Formez vos bataillons, Marchons, marchons ! Qu’un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons !

To arms, citizens! Form your battalions Let us march, Let us march! That our fields may run red; steeped in tainted blood.

JeanF

Scotland vs Australia 9-8

There was actually a sort of strange inevitability about today, Saturday 21st November 2009. For one thing Scotland were to play Australia who are at number 3 in the IRB rankings and Scotland have just crept up to ninth after last week’s defeat of Fiji. Who knows how yesterday will affect this again?

We had already decided we were going to try Illegal Jacks for food today and as we arrived in Edinburgh took the Western Approach Road that would bring us out near to Jacks. We found it and decided our eating plan: Pearces in Leith Walk for a snacketto and Jacks after the game.

Pearces is an old fashioned kind of pub near the top of the Walk definitely a 30-40’s bar and today it said on the outside, no football colours. Mainly because the Jambos were playing I guess and me in my Scotland top too. But this is Rugby football: not association football as played by the louts of Scotland. We had a great starter that we all ravenously tore into – a smorgasbord (literally) of smoked salmon, prosciutto, olives and cheese etc – we do believe in looking after ourselves. Oh, and Guinness for me – medicinal reasons before you ask.

We set off to the stadium still filled with an expectation that didn’t dare to be spoken of – could we win?

By now it was pitch black and as we crossed under the railway bridge at Murrayfield, it began to feel the different excitement of a night game. It felt like a 6 Nations match – the crowds were huge and I felt at home again. Our seats again in the East were facing into the 22 zone and for at least one half we would see the action close up. Little could I have expected what!

The stadium lights went out – totally – and we gradually got a little light as the bands arrived. Australia arrived in almost total darkness and when even before Scotland came in, seeing them on the large screens coming into the tunnel from the dressing room, the crowd went wild. On setting foot in the stadium the pyrotechnics we see usually only at 6 Nations burst into action, the crowd totally wild. Shortly afterwards the lights began to come on and we settled down to watch the game. We saw little of the first half as Australia camped themselves in the Scotland half and kept being held back and pushed back. It was the same for the second half but Scotland were doing the pushing until the fateful last 5 minutes.

After the Aussies scored their try we knew what this would mean – conversion was the end of a valiant effort and of course Matt Giteau  didn’t convert the try as we now all know but at the time until the ref blew the whistle for full-time we were all stunned until we realised that he had missed (again).

Emotion. Pure and Raw emotion was the result as the crowd – already on its feet –  erupted and the proclaimers “500 miles” was played and the crowd sang over and over again.

It was with a sense of disbelief that we went on to get food and somehow become used to the idea of who we had beaten.

When eventually we got home at about 10.30, I was speechless and just drained.

So despite all of the negative stuff that went through my mind today – why can’t people arrive on time for the game?  why do they leave before the end? where were all these supporters last week for the Fiji game? If we as Scotland supporters support them only at the sexy games, how can we say that we support them at all? – I managed to just be happy that we had won.

As they say in all of the best childrens’ stories and they went to bed, tired but happy. I now know how that feels.

but

WE WON!

WE BEAT AUSTRALIA!

JohnF

The rise of the brainless tax collectors

I went to Perth today. Perth Scotland.

I was going to learn about Capital Gains Tax at the feet of Professor Alex McDougall – an excellent speaker who just gives it to you straight. There’s no other way to take tax – unlike whisky, it is not mollified by a drop of water. As I headed into the world of the tax collectors, I switched from Radio 4 to Radio 3, increasing audience numbers  by 50% I guess. I didn’t really want to listen to last night’s episode of The Archers (again, I hasten to add) and the afternoon play didn’t sound sufficiently intriguing to make that my material for the remainder of my journey.

Within minutes I was transported back to 1803, recognising almost instantly Beethoven’s 3rd Piano Concerto, which I had heard at the SCO not two weeks ago.

It seemed right for the landscape. Looking beyond the cone universe called the A80 – how many thousands are there? who makes them and how much are the shares? – I could see the gently rolling end of the Campsie Fells as the Mavis Valley came to an end and headed towards Falkirk. Beethoven was right for the moment.

And there they were tall, ungainly tax collectors standing like two eyed triffids, camouflaged in bright yellow so as to blend with the scenery, so that they might not be seen. A job they do better at night I must say when you just can’t see them at all.

They represent all that is good about Britain, stealth tax in action. They are watching you all the time so that you must watch your speedometer instead of focussing on the road: at the cone hazards, the constantly changing lane layouts like the staircases at Hogwarts; the huge trucks waiting to pounce from their works exits into the main carriageway at 2 miles an hour.

Having left the hive of activity that will keep many people employed for years to come, I headed into beautiful Perthshire. And it was today. The sun brightened the russet leaves and in between the clouds there was a wisp of a rainbow – typical, forgot my camera again –  as I passed places and road-ends with mystical sounding names like Findo Gask, Dunning and Bardrill.

The seminar was excellent and my Capital Gains Tax knowledge is now replenished and I am ready to take on the world.

Provided it is cone free…

JohnF

Welcome to Pizza Hut #2

Yesterday  was Rugby in Edinburgh and we won! Just so we can get that straight at the start.

But on the way to the Rugby we stopped off for some lunch and in case you hadn’t already guessed it, it was at Pizza Hut. For the avoidance of doubt, the branch at the Omni centre just next to the Playhouse Theatre in Leith Walk where We will Rock you is playing, the Queen musical.

Anyway, we arrived at just about 12.45 and I was surprised to see the restaurant with empty tables although not too many. But we just walked straight in and asked for a table for three, which we got instantly. Once seated, our server – who turned out later to be the manager – said our waitperson had to deal with another couple of tables before us. I spotted the said waitperson at the end of our section, playing with her computer terminal. By that I mean she was variously pushing the screen and coloured lights would go on or off accordingly. Anyway she stood there for about 5 minutes and about 5 minutes after that she shows up at our table. We gave her our order and I let her know that we needed to be away from here in about 30 minutes – rugby’s on you know – I said. Now that was a sort of superfluous comment as I was wearing the Scotland strip but not everyone is as clever as me.

“I don’t know if we can do that she said – you’re having starters”.

[OMG I thought to myself – STARTERS – I hadn’t realise that tomato and mozzarella salad needed Gordon Ramsay and 30 minutes preparation time]

“Please try”, I suggested having momentarily regained my composure, “I’m sure you can do it if you try.”

No reply. She went away.

Drinks arrived.

20 minutes later I asked to see the manager – we had now been in the restaurant for 30 minutes.

He arrived and I stood up. Not through respect but because I wasn’t going to be talked down to (get it?) .

He then proceeded to give me a row for not having told him when we arrived that we had a deadline. Can you believe it?

I remonstrated with him in loud tones – no one told me when I arrived , I said that there was a 20 minute delay on food. He then offered me to box up our pizzas so we could take them with us. [I didn’t come in for a carry out!].

1 minute after I had despatched him, our starters arrived – the others starters were luke warm – apparently they were ready but because we were speaking to the manager, they held them back in the kitchen   HDFHIKTD_(^(^%£PI({NM UP *MI(^. Unprintable expletive.

Just then our pizzas arrived and we were done by 1.30

We left without any words of apology from the service team or its manager. Clearly we were rugby louts and didn’t merit better treatment although we had not had a drink and I am a respectable 50+ and was accompanied by my two daughters

There is no possible justification for this kind of behaviour by Pizza Hut staff

Thin & crispy is the best description of the manager’s attitude I can manage!

JohnF

Scotland vs Fiji

We should have won this game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We did!

Thanks to Graeme Morrison and Johnny Beattie who scored the tries and Moray Low who was man of the match. A good 23-10 to Scotland.

New strip and new manager.

But we had to beat Fiji. They are a strong and physical team but we had to beat them.

We sat in the east stand at Murrayfield actually, although mentally I think the West stand is better – maybe because that’s where the Royal Box is, that’s the way the players face when the anthems are sung – but in fact the east stand is amazing even in the upper tier, you feel closer to the pitch. It is a structural thing with how the stand has been designed but I would go back to the East any day.

We had a running commentary behind us. An old stager who clearly sees it as impossible to get Scotland vs England tickets for the 6 nations matches (I have a secret friend who gets me mine!) insisted on reporting every decision by the ref to his friend. Maybe his friend was new to the game, in which case, welcome to you. I was that friend about two years ago and waited till the interval before I asked my “daft” questions.

Chris White is great, fair IRB ref and I am always delighted to see him take charge because I know that I don’t need to complain continually about his decisions like I need to with Magners and Heineken refs at Glasgow.

I’m looking forward to Australia next week – I believe we could win.

Just a pity the stadium was so empty – maybe the supporters didn’t think Fiji was worth seeing, but it’s the team you want to support. Just because Fiji is not a sexy team doesn’t mean you shouldn’t support Scotland. You should: in whatever they do. How else will they keep their self belief and confirm that the nation is behind them.

It’s not like ticket prices were high, you could get an adult ticket for £20…….

Maybe it’s Edinburgh – no one seems to  think it’s OK to shout support for the team either. Thankfully being from the West, I have no such inhibitions and shouted my head off. At least in the rest of the stadium, the North stand did their bit!

JohnF

Rain!

Coming from Scotland, rain is hardly a new concept.

It’s not even a new concept for Florida. In the height of summer we’ve experienced thunderstorms that were of earth shattering intensity and an accompanying rainstorm that would certainly have washed away any hair wax or gel a poor oldie like me had put on to try to look more “spiky”.

Floridians are organised for thunderstorms. All of the theme parks either share of have their own storm ‘copters and, as the dark indigo clouds gather in the middle of the afternoons in July you know what’s coming. Coasters don’t generally run in the rain in Orlando because usually, rain is associated with thunder and electrical storms which ARE dangerous here. The sound you dread in a queue is not the sharp peal of thunder or the whip-like crack of the lightning, echoing round the buildings and rebounding from the steel coasters, the sound you hate most is the dull tones of the tannoy informing you of the “inclement weather” which invariably takes a further 20 minutes to break. You eventually become inured to the enforced delay. Some people leave the queue in the hope of finding some other activity that doesn’t involve or require electricity, most simply wait and adopt a more relaxed stance, knowing that their “doom” has been deferred by an hour or so.

Rain, when it does fall in Orlando, lasts a very short while. It rains for about 15 minutes and the ground is dry usually within about 10 minutes as the cloud evaporates and the blue South Atlantic skies and intimidating sunshine return as if nothing had occurred.

It was with sharp contrast then that we were enjoying our day out, on the way to the largest Mall for a little (more) therapy when the storm unleashed its power. The rain fell from the sky like it was actually falling from a bucket; great lumps of water. The storm drains on the roads are massive compared to our stanks but they didn’t cope well with the deluge and before long the small canals that used to be the roads were almost tidal as the trucks and cars drove along at a fair speed, almost oblivious of the water.

Eventually, having arrived at our destination, and the rain was still pouring down, we stopped in a car space and switched everything off. The rain didn’t go off. It abated a little and seeing my advantage rushed form the car the few hundred yards to the shop entrance. I got wet but the call of nature that urged me from the car was too strong and the prospect of a different kind of dampness was worse than getting soaked by the rain!

Once inside the safety of J C Penney’s, I was dry in minutes and the call of nature satisfied.

Shopping here we go – again….

 

JohnF

Scotland the Brave – Land of the free

The problem with flying the “right” way round the world is that you waken at crazy times in the morning and today was no exception. At 6 am it was still dark but already the thread of white light was heading East on the I-4. Our hotel bedroom was on the 14th floor of the Rosen Centre  and looked East, into the face of the multitude of people heading to Orlando to work.

Florida is a flat state.

I guess there must be some “undulations” here and there but you can literally see for miles and I wonder how it would fare in the global warming scenario with the seas rising – Florida could disappear I guess, leaving just the roller coasters and the Seaworld tower visible, and the Stars & Stripes at its top standing proud.

The Seaworld tower stands between our hotel and the I-4 and the flag is floodlit in hours of darkness. Maybe there is a breeze of sorts out there at 130 feet because the flag hangs at an angle of about 45 degrees. The American flag seems always to hang at about that angle. All over the state (well at least the bit we’ve seen) wherever the flag flies – and that’s just about anywhere there is a space [beside the freeway, in private gardens, in Industrial estates as well as on public buildings]. The Americans seem less afraid of their flag than we do. Maybe that’s because our flags have been hijacked by political interests?

The Stars & Stripes is something America and Americans are proud of. I don’t feel that is a cheesey thing to say: it seems real natural. How many britons would actually admit to being proud of their flag? The armed forces salute it certainly but the biggest problem with our flag is that it is a mixture of four different emblems so although it belongs to all of us as we are all part of it, it represents none of us. Whether you are a unionist or a devolutionist probably drives your opinion on this more than anything else.  We should fly the flag more and help to lose its political overtones.

Be proud of your national flag and fly it – not just when Scotland are playing at Hampden

JohnF

Microgeneration

I’m going to be controversial now. Just so you know. So look away now if you don’t think you can handle this….

These are wind turbines. I know you knew that. There are loads of other microgeneration technologies including what we used to call solar panels (now solar photovoltaic panels).

Earlier this week I thought it might be an idea to start generating my own residential electricity and save my self some money and (of course) try to reduce my carbon footprint.

So I started to trawl through the internet.

Always start with the Planning department of the Council. I phoned them, the duty guy was “out”, I left a message and I’m still waiting for a reply. In the meantime and without his valuable help, I’ve discovered that in Scotland microgeneration is not (yet) “permitted development” tho’ it is in England & Wales (I think that means you can do it and you don’t need permission as long as you’re within certain limits). So already we’ve got the costs of drawings and a planning application to start with.

Next, the costs of the equipment. Good news here! There are grants of up to 30% for the equipment to a max of £2500. Until you discover that these baby’s are expensive a decent sized photovoltaic set of units could easily set you back £20k with £2.5k off as a grant that leaves you out of pocket by £17.5k

So, if we go ahead (hypothetically) at £17.5k and the kit has a life of 25 years that means at its simplest that we’ll be paying £220 per month for 10 years just to pay back the capital and interest at a flat rate of 5%.

OK so now how much is it going to save me in fuel costs – carbon wasting, fuel costs? How much fuel can I sell back to the grid? Much more difficult to assess and be sure of – for wind turbines, you need wind surprisingly. Where we stay there is only an average wind speed of 3.6mph and you need between 4 – 6 to generate power satisfactorily.

Quite frankly, it’s too much trouble and it’s going to either cost me to do this (even if the City and my neighbours permitted it) or else its going to save me so little in the whole scheme of things that financially it isn’t worth the effort. The environment is worth it but I don’t have £20k to invest directly so maybe some sort of community wind farm – but whose back garden gets the turbines?

NIMBY!

JohnF

PS Am I a cynic? Maybe… Prove to me there’s a way to do it!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s….

We headed down to Ayrshire yesterday.

We’ve had our caravan at Craig Tara for as long as I can remember now and we’ve pretty much decided to move it. Craig Tara is great for kids and those who want a beer drinking, nightclub-by, dancing and partying sort of holiday. Hang on though, I’m not saying that everyone who stays there does any or all of those things but that’s the kind of facilities that they offer and which we end up paying for as part of the annual site fees whether you want it or not.

We don’t, so we’re thinking of moving. We love Ayrshire now so we want to stay in the “shire” by the sea and we’ve found what could be the ideal spot – no holiday lettings; friends and family only. I’m not telling you what it’s called – I don’t want you getting there first! I promise though, when we move to let you into the secret.

Anyhow, on the way back up to Saltcoats to get a new bed for Moscow, our Big Black Daft Russian Terrier, we noticed, as we passed the big roundabout at Ayr on the A77, cars stopped in every lay-by, people out standing on the grass verge in our beautiful summer rain. Every slip road, country lane, every nook and cranny was filled with cars and people looking to the sky.

Maybe Airforce 1 is due to land at Prestwick (or as it’s known, Glasgow Prestwick International) Airport? Maybe the alien invasion is starting? Maybe our troops are coming home from Afghanistan?

We eventually pulled in at the next big roundabout and Maureen, my wife, got out and asked a person standing with his eyes, ears and binoculars all trained at the grey, low cloud that was Ayrshire on Saturday, 5^th September 2009.

“We’re waiting for the new Airbus 380. 500 seater. Can you imagine it”, he said, “a 500 seater?”

I couldn’t. But I didn’t have to wait too long: it flew over us a few minutes later what seemed like just 500 feet up in the air, did a major left hand turn over the airport and another loop round before flying off towards Northern Ireland. I think it had escaped from the Airshow at Portrush we’d heard about on the BBC Ulster travel report earlier that day. Since you missed it, here’s it’s picture in Emirates colours we saw it in Airbus colours.

500 seater, you know….!

JohnF