Scotophile Monday

Desperate Fishwives
The first comedy show for many years in the Doric dialect of the north-east of Scotland has been commissioned by BBC. The highly popular "Scotland the What?" ran for 26 years on radio from 1969. Now, Radio Scotland's new series is entitled "Desperate Fishwives" and it will re-inroduce listeners in other parts of the country to such phrases as "Ay ay," or "fit like?" and "Foo's ye daein?" Boys and girls are "louns and quines" and actors will be "spikin' intae yer lug" instead of speaking into your ear. Read more

Wildlife Conservation

In 1997, when a UK-wide "Biodiversity Action Plan" was launched for the first time, it identified 577 species in need of conservation and protection. The latest list, published this week, lists 1,149 species - nearly double that of ten years ago. While some of the additions are due to wider research, it highlights the declining state of much of the UK's wildlife. The Scottish Highlands are important refuges for many species, including red squirrels (pictured here), wildcats, pine martens and mountain hares. Read more

Polish Bar in Edinburgh

Dillon Doyle is as Irish as a four-leafed clover, so you might have expected him to open an Irish-themed bar in Edinburgh. But instead, he has created the first traditional Polish bar in the capital. Read more

Chinese Tartan

A specially designed Chinese tartan incorporates the white and blue of the Scottish flag and the red and yellow of the Chinese flag, with the yellow crossing the red in five places, symbolising the five stars on the Chinese flag. There are also green bands to symbolise the co-operation between botanists in Scotland and China - the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh are home to the biggest collection of Chinese plants outside China. Read more

This Week in Scottish History
September 2 1834 - Death of engineer, road, bridge and canal builder Thomas Telford. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.
September 3 1650 - Cromwell defeated Scots at Battle of Dunbar.
September 3 1745 - Prince Charles Edward Stuart proclaimed his father as King James VIII of Scotland at Perth.
September 3 1752 - With the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, September 3 1752 became 14 September. Crowds flocked the streets demanding "Give us back our 11 days."
September 3 1787 - Glasgow weavers riot after their wages are cut. Bricks were thrown at magistrates and soldiers then opened fire on the rioters, resulting in six being killed.
September 4 1241 - King Alexander III born at Roxburgh.
September 4 1962 - Last tramcar run in Glasgow (to Auchenshuggle).
September 4 1964 - Forth Road Bridge opened by the Queen. At 6,156 feet long and a centre span of 3300 feet, it was the longest in Europe at that time.
September 5 1750 - Poet Robert Fergusson born in Edinburgh.
September 6 1715 - The Earl of Mar unfurled the standard of the "Old Pretender" in Braemar at the start of the first Jacobite Uprising.
September 7 1306 - Sir Simon Fraser, the "Scottish Patriot", who fought alongside Wallace and Robert the Bruce, was executed by the English and his head displayed in London alongside that of Wallace.
September 7 1842 - Queen Victoria's first visit to Edinburgh.

Book Festival Sold Out

More than half the events at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) sold out completely, and 80% of all tickets were sold across 700 events staged this year. Read more

Drinking Hours Cut in Edinburgh

PUBS in Edinburgh are set to have their opening hours cut and a limit imposed on how many people can stand with their drinks. City chiefs want to slash weekday opening hours from 1am to midnight and at the same time force pubs to provide seats for at least 50 per cent of drinkers. Read more

Calls for International Celtic Fest to Replace "Boring" Mod

SCOTLAND's main Gaelic festival "bores the pants off everyone" and should be scrapped, according to a councillor in the Highlands. Ken MacLeod, an Inverness-based solicitor, wants the Royal National Mod abolished and replaced by an international Celtic festival based in the city.
The Mod was first held in 1892 and is now regarded as the second-biggest festival in Scotland, behind Edinburgh, attracting entrants from around the world. But Mr MacLeod said it was outdated and its format did little for the survival of the Gaelic language. Read more

Tat's The Way To Do It

THEIR kitsch gift shops have been lambasted and accused of ruining the Royal Mile. But today the Gold Brothers proudly defended their chain of "tartan tat" shops which are on the verge of making them millionaires. Read more

Scottish Recipe

Scotch Mist

Scottish Blog of the Week

A Dog's Life - Blog from the Sheltand Island of Burra

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