Scottish Council election - Hamilton players

[Angus McDonald]

Robin,

To forsee the future we could perhaps look at the past?

The Scottish Government have so far spent loads of dosh on Chess!! (Nice one!!)

That's loads of money on bringing ancient relics of dubious origin back to Scotland ( The political posturing obviously being important here) but nothing to support living and breathing talented juniors represent their country in prestigious International Events.

I guess our Nationalist candidate President has this matter in order and Junior Chess in Scotland can expect equal support to the ancient relics in the future. :-)

[robin moore]

Angus,

Dubious origin (of the Lewis chess pieces I assume?) No doubt about it. Money and tourists coming to Scotland through this? No doubt either. I do know through Paul's work that Mike Russell wants updated regularly on the chess front particularly in more rural communities and Nicola Sturgeon went to Greenwood Academy which has a no bad chess pedigree over the last thirty seven years or so (She opened the impressive rebuilt school). They are open to ideas, whether financially they are able to support them, that is a different matter,

Robin.

[David G Congalton]

Nicola Sturgeon went to Greenwood Academy

Some of us former Greenwood pupils would rather this fact were kept quiet.

[robin moore]

David,

I hope you are not implying that in your formative youth you snogged the deputy first minister behind the school bike shed?

Robin.

[Angus McDonald]

They are open to ideas, whether financially they are able to support them, that is a different matter,

Robin,

Here's an idea then. Ditch the single issue politics and all the waste associated to it and attempt to govern in the interests of the majority of the people who arn't nationalists

This would free up time, space and resources for them to stop thinking about helping the youth of Scotland and actually do it using Chess as an example of how they can invest in the young people of our Country.
As for tourists coming to Scotland to see the pieces. I know! Dyce airport was absolutely stowed oot when they were in Aberdeen.

Dougie, i.e. wrote a nice article in the Scotsman at the time Ian won the East of Scotland. Talking about the hopes of Scotland being in the talented youngsters of the Country. (apologies for any paraphrasing)
Our youngsters are no fools and they know who is actually supporting them.

Paul is ofcourse wiser than us both and keeps his Council. Often giving what he does say more subtance I guess. All the best to him and actually as 'Nationalists' go I quite like Mike Russell :-)

[David Deary]

They are open to ideas, whether financially they are able to support them, that is a different matter,

Here's an idea then. Ditch the single issue politics and all the waste associated to it and attempt to govern in the interests of the majority of the people who arn't nationalists

This would free up time, space and resources for them to stop thinking about helping the youth of Scotland and actually do it using Chess as an example of how they can invest in the young people of our Country.
As for tourists coming to Scotland to see the pieces. I know! Dyce airport was absolutely stowed oot when they were in Aberdeen.

Interesting... I am no Nationalist but I voted SNP at the last election and the prior election. I would have said scraping the graduate endowment which was effectively lumping more debt onto graduates who could ill afford it did a lot for the young in this country. It certainly saved me in excess of £2,000.

"Education is a right and not a privelege to be paid for" I've probably paraprased that but cannot remember the whole quote. Who said this? Oor ordinary Jack, sorry I mean Lord McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale. This was of course prior to bringing tuition fees to Scotland by the back door through the unfair graduate endowment.

I'll take solid governance from the SNP over the bumbling hypocritical fools of the Scottish Labour party any day of the week.

Now will anyone take the bait... :U

[robin moore]

Ditch the single issue politics and all the waste associated to it and attempt to govern in the interests of the majority of the people who arn't nationalists

Angus,

In our present democratic Scottish parliament voting system the nationalists have an overall majority. Of course that is not to say they received an overall majority of votes. However, they are doing their best to govern in the interests of everyone who voted,

Robin.

[Andrew McHarg]

They are open to ideas, whether financially they are able to support them, that is a different matter,

Robin,

Here's an idea then. Ditch the single issue politics and all the waste associated to it and attempt to govern in the interests of the majority of the people who arn't nationalists

This would free up time, space and resources for them to stop thinking about helping the youth of Scotland and actually do it using Chess as an example of how they can invest in the young people of our Country.
As for tourists coming to Scotland to see the pieces. I know! Dyce airport was absolutely stowed oot when they were in Aberdeen.

Isn't that the idea of independence though? The SNP see this as the best way of doing what is in the interests of the Scottish people, and since they got an overall majority in the Scottish parliament they are well within their right to follow through with it (the referendum - the only real way to know how many people want independence or not Angus).

Incidentally, far more wasteful are the nuclear weapons under our soil; the illegal wars overseas; the destruction of our public services by Westminster; the massive bonuses and tax cuts being given to the rich while the poor are squeezed ever more tightly. Independence will solve many of these things, freeing up money for other things (such as Chess?). You won't get that under Labour, Lib Dems or Conservatives. The Scottish versions of these parties only ever pander to their elite leaders in London, and so cannot possibly do what's entirely in the best interests of Scotland because they are generally more interested in doing what's in the best interests of themselves and/or the UK as a whole.

[Angus McDonald]

The main point I am making and will continue to make is that I am wholly unimpressed by the foot in the door salesman approach that to coin a phrase 'certain characters' who are directors of Chess Scotland are using in promoting their single party politics.

I'm confident that the membership of 'Chess' Scotland is made up of hundreds of individuals with different political allegiances.

I don't intend promoting my politics on this thread other than to respond to 'Nationalism' when it is thrust down my throat by directors of a non political organisation of which I am a member.

[Angus McDonald]

That includes Junior International Selectors who excercise some influence over the Juniors and subsequently the families they select from.