30 June 2007
Nice skirt.
Retorts for those calling a 'kilt' a 'skirt'....
1) Thanks for noticing. I get compliments from all the ladies.
2) It seems like most of the ladies here are wearing pants. So, why are you dressed as a woman?
3) Maybe you are so accustomed to seeing your father in your mom's clothing that you jump to conclusions. Sorry - it's a kilt, not a skirt.
4) It's a kilt, and your wife/mother/sister/girlfriend seems to like it just fine.
5) It's called a kilt. Men wear them. If I were your type, I would be wearing a skirt.
6) Women wear skirts, men wear kilts. Please tell me you know the difference between men and a women.
7) I knew there would be one fool here who didn't know a kilt when he saw one. I guess that would be you.
8) It takes a really secure man to wear a kilt. I'm quite certain you don't qualify.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
28 June 2007
Banshee
In Scottish mythology, banshees, 'ban sith', were palid, emaciated spirits dressed in burial shrouds or robes and were harbingers of bad tidings - usually an impending death.
A banshee's long hair flowed down over her slender shoulders. The folds of her garment flapped in the wind as she wandered moors, ruins, or deserted battlefields.
The night before a battle, she may be seen washing blood from the clothes of soliders who will be killed. In this form she is known also as the 'bean-nighe' (washing woman). It is claimed such a sighting was made the night before the Battle of Culloden.
Banshees often were attached to specific clans and would appear at night to warn of a family member's death with a mournful wailing, or "keening".
www.memphisbagpipes.com
26 June 2007
Sporran Wearers May Need License
BBC Scotland - 24 June 2007
The laws are designed to protect endangered species like badgers and otters, whose fur used to be favoured by sporran makers.
The legislation applies to animals killed after 1994.
Applicants must prove that the animal was killed lawfully before they will be able to get a licence.
The conservation regulations were designed to close a number of loopholes and bring Scotland into line with other EU members.
They also apply to other vulnerable animals like deer, wildcats, hedgehogs, bats, lynx, moles, seals, whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
The regulations require anyone who owns any part of a protected animal to obtain a licence.
The maximum penalties for breaking the law are a fine of £5,000 and six months in prison.
Hamish Husband, spokesman for the Association of Tartan Army Clubs, said the legislation could affect fans who follow their national football team.
"Are the police going to take DNA samples from the sporran of every kilted supporter who walks into Hampden?" he asked.
"If that's the case we will need to look into obtaining a licence to cover the entire Tartan Army."
The new rules will also cover fishing flies made from animal hair.
A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said the new rules had been put in place to bring Scotland into line with existing European legislation designed to protect vulnerable species.
"The licence will allow people who possess artefacts made from these species in circumstances compliant with earlier laws to keep them," she said.
"This could be family heirlooms of various descriptions.
"Having a licence for such an artefact, proving it was obtained legally, will ensure they will not be prosecuted or have it taken from them under the new regulations."
http://www.memphisbagpipes.com/
22 June 2007
Famous Scots: William McGonagall
Each January, Scots across the world join together in order to celebrate the works of the greatest Scottish poet, Robert Burns. During such gatherings, the words of the great man are read out aloud for all to appreciate, however, there is little mentioned about William Topaz McGonagall – the “Bard of Dundee”.
William Topaz McGonagall was born in Edinburgh to poor Irish parents in March 1825. One of five children, his father worked as a handloom weaver. The family moved to Dundee when William was still a boy.
William took up the family trade, and in 1846 married Jean King. It was about this time that he also began to participate in amateur theater productions, including Shakespearean plays. It was perhaps the influence of the Great Bard himself that captured William’s imagination and set him off on his love of poetry.
One of William’s earliest works was dedicated to the new railway bridge that had just opened over the Tay River in Dundee in 1877. By McGonagall's own account, the poem was '...received with eclat and [he] was pronounced by the Press the Poet Laureate of the Tay Bridge...'.
When the same bridge blew down just a year later, William, undeterred, penned a poem about the disaster. To this day it is still regarded as his most famous work. The Tay Bridge Disaster recounts the events of the evening of 28 December 1879, when, during a severe gale, the bridge collapsed as a train was passing over it. In the work William compiled such memorable lines as:
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.
McGonagall didn’t let the fact that 75 people perished that night interfere with his poem. But only a true master could have thought of conveying the shock of the people of Dundee with immortal lines like:
And the cry rang out all round the town,
Good heavens! The Tay Bridge has blown down.
William also campaigned against excessive drinking, but strangely chose to appear in pubs and bars to deliver his sobering poems and speeches. Surprisingly these proved very popular, the good folk of Dundee possibly recognising that McGonagall was "so giftedly bad he backed unwittingly into genius".
However, Wm. McGonagall did achieve a degree of local renown around Dundee as a thespian, chewing up the scenery in the role of Macbeth and appearing in other Shakespearean tragedies. The theater where he was to perform would only let him deliver the title role in Macbeth if he paid for the privilege. The audience certainly got what they expected when the play which should have ended with Macbeth's death at the hands of MacDuff didn’t. William believed the actor playing Macduff was trying to upstage him, and therefore refused to die.
Although McGonagall managed to eke out a living as an actor, his first love was his poetry. Unfortunately, when he gave public readings of his own work, the results could be frightening. Contemporary newspapers described how the “poet” was greeted with hoots of derision and showers of missiles when he appeared for a reading at a circus in Paisley.
Reading between the lines, one suspects that McGonagall may have been the only person at the reading who was not in on the joke. It seems entirely within the realm of possibility that the circus had employed him as an unwitting clown whose bombastic readings of his own ridiculous writing presented a hilarious caricature of a self-important man of letters.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
20 June 2007
Irn-Bru Sales Are Up
AG Barr, the company that makes Irn-Bru, the orange-colored carbonated drink that challenges Coke for dominance of the Scottish soft drink market.
Irn-Bru has reported that sales rose by 11% in the quarter to the end of April. The above normal temperatures in April and a mild winter had an unexpected impact on the sale of soft drinks.
IRN-BRU (pronounced "iron brew") was introduced in 1901 and became Scotland's other 'national drink'. Its popularity is increasing worldwide.
Irn-Bru has a citrus flavor with a hint of bubble-gum and is made with cane sugar, not the sticky sweet corn syrup. I find it a wonderful alternative to our popular cola drinks.
There is no point in trying to convince you that you'll like it - just drink a bottle and learn for yourself. It is addictive. And finally, it is available in the US.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
18 June 2007
Shrek's Tartan
A Borders weaving firm has created a unique Shrek tartan for the ogre with a Scottish accent.
Selkirk-based Lochcarron of Scotland produced a giant kilt in "muted browns and acid greens" to mark the launch of Shrek the Third later this month.
Actor Mike Myers lent his Scottish accent to the amiable ogre when he first appeared in the animated film Shrek in 2001.
VisitScotland developed the idea of a specially designed Shrek tartan, which resulted in an oversized kilt being made for the costumed character himself.
At 7ft tall and with a 102" waist, this was no ordinary kilt. Lochcarron of Scotland agreed to accept the challenge and weavers at the mill worked overtime to meet the deadline to create the oversized bolt of green & brown tartan.
VisitScotland hopes to use the stunt as a way of promoting Scotland and how people can trace their own history and possible Scottish roots, as well as provide a bit of Scottish flavor during the film's press day, where Shrek will appear with the authorized Shrek tartan in the presence of Mike Myers.
Jenni Steele, Senior PR Manager at VisitScotland said, "Creating the Shrek kilt has really been a fun project to be involved with, as it's not everyday you get to work with 7ft film characters!"
"We wanted to highlight just how diverse Scotland's heritage can be and if Shrek can have a tartan, so can anyone!"
David Ogilvie, Managing Director of Lochcarron added, "Clearly this was no ordinary brief for Lochcarron. The team rose to the occasion and our designer chose muted browns and acid greens to reflect Shrek's character and status."
"It was then off to the mill where our weavers quickly despatched the 10 metres of cloth required for his kilt and plaid."
www.memphisbagpipes.com
16 June 2007
The Most Masculine Garment
Kilt-wearers are bonded by their praise of the garment’s comfort & practicality. Curiously then, why do women find trousers more comfortable than skirts? Why do females wear slacks whenever circumstances permit?
At first glance this observation contradicts the obvious comfort of wrap-around garments. Upon closer examination, one sees that’s hardly the case. Kilts have distinct advantages over female skirts...
- Women complain that skirts are confining and inconvenient. Usually this refers to straight, tight skirts, or lengthy skirts that inhibit physical movement. A kilt is the ideal length for masculine activity and has sufficient pleats to allow legs unrestricted use.
- Women's skirts generally require the added discomfort of elevated heels and pantyhose. Not with the kilt - it is worn with comfortable shoes and socks.
- Social standards dictate that women wearing skirts shave their legs. Conversely, men that wear kilts are strongly discouraged from doing so.
- Women in shortened skirts must worry about keeping together or crossing their legs when they sit. In contrast, a kilt has more than enough fabric allowing a man to comfortably spread his legs apart and the front comes down between them. The sporran also helps to hold it down and provide additional coverage.
- Women complain that skirts are cold in the winter, whereas a typical kilt worn with woolen kilt hose is sufficiently warm on frigid days.
Fundamental human anatomy explains why trousers are more comfortable on a woman than a man. One of more unpleasant features about trousers is the manner in which the seams and zipper converge at the crotch - the location where men need the most room. As all men know, this results in varying degrees of confinement, friction, and chafing. They have learned to accept this as the price of wearing trousers.
After wearing a kilt regularly, a man becomes acutely aware how uncomfortable trousers are. Women, because of their differing anatomy, don't suffer the same constriction in the crotch that men suffer. Women are far more physically pre-adapted to trouser wear.
Consequently, it is perfectly sensible for men to adopt kilts into their wardrobes and let women wear the trousers. With all the feminine adoration directed to kilted men, there is no need to fear that our masculinity will be called into question.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
14 June 2007
More Flights
The British Airport Authority has released information indicating airline travel between the US and Scotland increased 28% in 2006. As a result, the number of direct flights will be increased for the 2007 summer tourist season.
Continental Airlines offers the most with 25 weekly flights leaving Newark, NJ to Edinburgh or Glasgow (my preference is Edinburgh). Delta just celebrated its one year anniversary of the Atlanta-Edinburgh service.
FlyGlobespan started service from Orlando in 2006 is adding a Boston-Glasgow flight this year. And US Airways offers Philadelphia departures through 27 October 2007.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
12 June 2007
Nessie Footage Again
A gentleman from Yorkshire has claimed that he has shot video of a black object, approximately 45 feet long, swimming about 6 mph in a straight line across Loch Ness.
Described by a marine biologist and "Nessie" watcher as "some of the best footage ever seen", the video is undergoing analysis. There have been over 4,000 incidents in which the Loch Ness monster has been sighted.
While many may consider this latest video footage to be the "best yet", I've witnessed similar phenomena myself on Loch Ness and it sure didn't appear to be some plesiosaur-like creature.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
08 June 2007
"Lego" House for Sale
A 98 year old mansion has gone on the market with an unusual selling feature: the new owner will have to assemble it stone by stone.
Brettanby House is a seven bedroom mansion which was built in the Highland town Elgin for businessman Alexander MacDonald in 1909. It was scheduled to be demolished to make room for a new housing development.
The building remained a private residence until the 1960's when it became the Bishopmill Hotel, one of Elgin's popular nightspots.
But Bob Milton, the developer behind the plan, revealed yesterday that he had brought in workmen to dismantle the structure, piece by piece, rather than flatten it by bulldozers.
Workers spent 10 weeks picking the mansion apart, from roof tiles down. Thousands of high-quality sandstone blocks used in its construction have been numbered and put into storage awaiting a buyer to take the materials and rebuild the house on a new location.
Milton, a Fochabers-based property developer, said he decided to save the building as the ultimate kit home when he realised its original quality. "It will be relatively easy to put it together. It's like a giant Lego set."
Milton added, “I could have demolished the mansion because it wasn’t a listed building. But I didn’t want to see it go. I decided instead to take it down stone by stone because I knew it was a building of great detail and interest. It would have been sacrilege not to preserve as much of the old mansion as possible."
“It's a cracking building and will make a lovely home for someone."
www.memphisbagpipes.com
06 June 2007
Royal Regiment Contracts
The UK Ministry of Defence announced three months ago that the new Royal Regiment of Scotland will be supplied kilts manufactured by Glenisla Kilts of Motherwell. Fabric shall be supplied by Robert Noble of Peebles.
Contracts for sporrans, trews, and jackets were awarded to English firms. Five thousand horsehair sporrans are to be made by Ammo & Co in Birmingham, England, though the items will be assembled in Perthshire, Scotland.
Leeds, England based Turner Virr & Co has the contract for 5,000 trews and jackets.
Disappointment in Scotland was expressed that Scottish firms weren’t awarded all contracts, however, a spokesman for the MoD defended the decision, “This is not a Scottish army. It’s British manufacturers making items for the British army.”
The Royal Regiment came into existence last year as part of a re-organization of the British Army. It is made up of five regular and two territorial battalions.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
04 June 2007
MacBond. James MacBond.
In 1783, Francis MacNab of MacNab donated this particular curiosity to the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland.
It is described as a firearm concealed within the cantle of a gentleman's sporran.
The device is an adapted pistol flintlock mechanism capable of discharging multiple small caliber shots with a touch of the clasp.
Whether it was to protect the contents of the sporran, or to serve as a covert defense weapon is not clear.
When SIr Walter Scott saw it, he incorporated it into his novel Rob Roy: "'I advise no man to attempt opening my sporran 'til he has my secret,' said Rob Roy."
The sporran gun is currently on display in the "Fonn's Duthchas: Land & Legacy" traveling exhibition.
Maxwell Smart would've loved it almost as much as the telephone secreted in his ghillie brogue.
www.memphisbagpipes.com
02 June 2007
Haggis Champ
Every 2nd year, a competition has been organized to find the producer of the best haggis.
This year's winner, Alan Elliot, is from Northern Ireland, though he does run a butcher's shop in Dalbeattie in Dumfries & Galloway. He's also the youngest to win the title.
When Elliot took over that business in 2004, he "totally re-invented" the haggis recipe, making a number of changes. Prior to that, he'd never made the Scots delicacy.
Elliot's latest version was submitted to this year's competition and it took top honors.
http://www.memphisbagpipes.com/
