Leslie Riddoch - Blossom - is at 7.30pm on Wednesday

[NickB]

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Perhaps one or two of you have seen the advertisement on P25 of the current Oban Times for Leslie Riddoch's 'Blossom' book tour event at Skippinish and, like me, noticed that no time is given.

Well, it's 7.30pm

The event includes a debating session on Scotland's future.

You can find out more about the book and the tour HERE

[longshanks]

Kindly move this thread to the What's On section of our forum, where it belongs.

Thankyou.

[NickB]

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In Blossom: What Scotland Needs To Flourish, Lesley Riddoch relates stories of Scots who’ve struggled against the odds to improve their communities – usually without help from any of the authorities.

She describes the tumultuous years leading to the pioneering community buyout on Eigg; the brave decision by housing coop pioneers in West Whitlawburn to take over their crumbling estate; the 20 year project by Perthshire ecologists to prove arid, sporting estates along the A9 could become verdant community woodland, the unconventional methods of obstetrician Mary Hepburn who manages to reach Scotland’s sickest, drug-using mothers, the story behind the Scotswoman paper and Harpies and Quines feminist magazine – and much more.

Weaving in comparisons with the Nordic nations, Riddoch contends that ordinary Scots have demonstrated their capacity to run Scotland time after time – yet continue to tolerate a remarkably elitist, top-down, centralised, “stand there till we fix you” society that will not change on its own whatever the vote on September 18th 2014.

“Blossom is an account of Scotland at the grassroots through the stories of people I've had the good fortune to know – the most stubborn, talented and resilient people on the planet. They've had to be. Some have transformed their parts of Scotland. Some have tried and failed. But all have something in common – they know what it takes for Scotland to blossom. We should know too.

So this book poses a question as important as the one Scots must answer on 18 September 2014. Why is Scotland still the most unequal society and sickest man (and woman) of Europe despite an abundance of natural resources and a long history of human capacity? Facts and figures are a vital part of any story. But they don't bring Scotland's dilemma alive. They don't explain why people with choices act as if they had none. They don't explain why Scots over the centuries have put on weight, not democratic muscle. They don't explain why cash and socialist tradition have failed to shift poverty. They don't explain why some Scots trash Scotland while others tiptoe round the place like it's only rented for the weekend.

Why don't ordinary Scots behave like the permanent, responsible owners of this beautiful country? Is it because we are not the owners – and never have been?!"

[Herby Dice]

Kindly move this thread to the What's On section of our forum, where it belongs.

Thankyou.

From the forum rules:
Decisions on what is acceptable or unacceptable rest solely with the people who manage the forum.

I interpret that to mean that decisions on whether threads should be moved also rest solely with those who manage the forum. Discussion ends.

[jimcee]

And there speaks the dictator

[Herby Dice]

And there speaks the dictator

Nobody ever said this was a democracy.

[NickB]

And there speaks the dictator

You think it more appropriate that a pseudonymous poster with a history of animosity towards the proprietor of this forum decides how it is run?

What moral code or guide drives you to this strange conclusion, Jim?

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If anyone is interested but unable to make the meeting, you can purchase Leslie's book on Amazon by clicking the link below:

[jimcee]

In reply to the promoter of the Riddoch book -
Firstly, Longshanks was quite right in pointing out that this intimation was really more in keeping with current happenings rather than a general discussion.
I do agree that the tone of his reply was rather preemptory and could have been couched in more liberal terms. Having said that, it would appear that these two protagonists are at loggerheads and will never resolve their differences.
As a final point on this particular subject, Herby Dice points out that in no way could this particular forum be described as democratic. This I find a disappointment , and as proof of the bias would cite the silence of Pentland Pirate, as opposed to the continued promotion of the Yes campaign by this most recent promotion of ms Riddoch's book and appearance in Oban. In the coming months (and there are many in the pipeline) we will, no doubt, have further propoganda in this forum from the Yes campaign, which is a shame really, as there is enough argy-bargy on the subject in the general media, to drive us all to distraction.

[NickB]

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Lesley Riddoch was in fact talking about the subject matter of her book, and not about the independence debate, which was scarcely mentioned.

The subject matter was relevant to the future of our country whatever the result of the referendum vote next year.

If you care to read the book summary and brief review I posted above you will see what it and the presentation are about.

If you can't be bothered then allow me to quote the most relevant bit:

Weaving in comparisons with the Nordic nations, Riddoch contends that ordinary Scots have demonstrated their capacity to run Scotland time after time – yet continue to tolerate a remarkably elitist, top-down, centralised, “stand there till we fix you” society that will not change on its own whatever the vote on September 18th 2014.

[Gandalf]

I agree with most of Jimcee’s points as well as supporting Longshanks’s suggestion but I would hesitate to voice any criticism of those who run the forum as I know that dissent here can invoke punishment. I feel I must defend Lesley Riddoch from the suggestion that her book lends support to the yes campaign though. I have always found her to be an honest and thorough journalist and while there is much in her book which will give succour those in favour of independence I believe that her approach is fairly even-handed. IMHO.

[NickB]

I agree with most of Jimcee’s points as well as supporting Longshanks’s suggestion but I would hesitate to voice any criticism of those who run the forum as I know that dissent here can invoke punishment. I feel I must defend Lesley Riddoch from the suggestion that her book lends support to the yes campaign though. I have always found her to be an honest and thorough journalist and while there is much in her book which will give succour those in favour of independence I believe that her approach is fairly even-handed. IMHO.

Did Jimcee make any points? I hadn't noticed.

I don't think Lesley Riddoch needs you to defend her, as no-one has so far made any comments about her or about her book on this thread, preferring instead to whinge and moan about the structure of the forum, the content of my posts and the death of a fictional character.

Can I please remind all three 'contributors' to this thread that off-topic remarks may be removed at the dictatorial whim of the evil moderator or fascist administrator and invite you to kindly address the subject matter of the topic or alternatively go and moan to someone who gives a damn.

[longshanks]

Actually, I rather fancy Lesley Riddoch. When is her book promo again ?

[jimcee]

Now that makes a pleasant change - we will be getting pin-ups next.
I was accused of our moderator of not making any points, so one or two that occur which are in keeping with the thread of "Blossom"
Firstly, there are numerous authors who appear in Oban to promoter their works from time to time.
However our moderator has chosen to highlight only one which quite frankly contains a bit of backhanded propoganda for the Yes campaign.
And to try and cover this by suggesting that Scots are quite capable of running their own affairs. Practically every group of people, the world over, consider they are perfectly able to do so, and this has been the cause of human conflict since man discovered the wheel - and in many cases currently, and likely henceforth, to involve considerable bloodshed.
At least the current shenanigans here are being conducted in a fairly civilised manner- so far.

[DonnieC]

STOP PRESS;

Just heard the lovely M/s Lesley Riddoch ( from now on to be known as "Blossom,") will be on Easdale Island 'in the spring!' My source did not say why, but, all will out, no doubt later.

See you there Shankers!

[longshanks]

STOP PRESS;

Just heard the lovely M/s Lesley Riddoch ( from now on to be known as "Blossom,") will be on Easdale Island 'in the spring!' My source did not say why, but, all will out, no doubt later.

See you there Shankers!

Count me in...................her lovely Belfast accent will make me all weak at the knees. I'd love to be able to call her Blossom.

I will, however, very politely ask her how much it will cost us taxpayers if she gets her dream of expropriating huge amounts of private property. It may, of course, cost us nothing if she follows the model practised in Russia and Cuba when they simply confiscated all rural land and houses. Hopefully she wants to follow the UK model of the two Land Reform Acts in Ireland; sadly it meant Ireland then lost its wonderful country houses as the inhabitants could not afford their upkeep without the income from the land they had to sell and they fell into irreparable neglect. Hey ho, you can't make an omelet without breaking an egg what, and Marxism may work one day, you never know.

Happy days.

[NickB]

And to try and cover this by suggesting that Scots are quite capable of running their own affairs.

Indeed. Sorry. Shocking.

What was I thinking of?

[jimcee]

These quotes that contributors put at the start of the postings before replying to them - unfortunately I have never mastered the art of this.
However they can take remarks out of context and give a different slant on the original.
Now I know that our moderator has spent sufficient time in this neck of the woods to suss out the feelings and capabilities of his neighbours (although some others from points South still think civilisation ceased after Watford).
And has formed the feeling that a bit of independance hereabouts might be what the doctor ordered.
However, this particular quote referred not to our moderator, but to Blossom, where he quoted that Ms. R said that the Scots were quite capable of conducting their own affairs.
A fair enough assertion, but being capable is not quite the same thing as being desirable or in their best interests.
My remarks are not intended to knock the YES campaign - only to try and put a balance to this debate which at the moment on this forum is out of kilter.

[NickB]

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Ms. R said that the Scots were quite capable of conducting their own affairs.
A fair enough assertion, but being capable is not quite the same thing as being desirable or in their best interests

Why any country capable of running its own affairs and (finally) finding itself in a position to be able to do so would want another country to run them on their behalf is a difficult one for me to grasp.

The logical conclusion is that they think their neighbour will do a better job.

To me this shows a shocking lack of national self-confidence, which takes us back to the themes of 'Blossom'.

I am saddened that rather than look at the issues raised in the book all people appear to want to do is start a slagging match about the referendum. If you had been at the event on Wednesday you would have seen Ms Riddoch gently but firmly putting in his place a very articulate gentleman who wanted to see everything through the prism of the independence debate. That is not what 'Blossom' is about. The issues it raises will be just as valid in 2015 whichever way the vote goes next year.

[Herby Dice]

Now I know that our moderator ......... has formed the feeling that a bit of independance hereabouts might be what the doctor ordered.

Not this moderator, who has formed no such opinion. You are confusing me with Nickb.

[longshanks]

My remarks are not intended to knock the YES campaign - only to try and put a balance to this debate which at the moment on this forum is out of kilter.

You are quite correct.

The problem here is that those of us who feel that it is in Scotland's peoples' best interests to stay members of the UK have learned from bitter experience (and PP learned the hard way) that expressing Better Together views on this forum only leads to abuse or worse.....even the random deletion of posts or threads or whole sections of our community forum.

Most have taken on board the moderator's confirmation that this community forum is not a democracy.

A group (Seil Supporting The Union Action Group) with which I am marginally involved decided sometime ago not to publicise our proposed events and activities for next September on here for that very reason and to rely on word of mouth instead.

Its such a shame seeing as the website was set up as a community site.