Category: Recommended

Bella Bathurst in the Guardian today: Smacks of petulance, not a respect for democracy

Post author By admin
Post date May 10, 2014
No Comments on Bella Bathurst in the Guardian today: Smacks of petulance, not a respect for democracy

Today in the Guardian, Bella Bathurst concludes:

“In all the different Scotlands, one image always recurs: that of a marriage. Just for the sake of it, let’s pretend that there’s this couple, Albion and Caledonia. They’ve been married for a long time – more than 300 years – and it’s been a productive but troubled relationship. Albion is happy with things as they are, but Caledonia wants to leave. Albion flirts with other countries and Caledonia feels bullied. When Caledonia threatens to walk out, Albion reminds her of all the things she’ll lose: the house, furniture, money, security, music, pictures. Which only makes Caledonia more determined to go. Her blood is up, she’s made plans, she’s sure she’ll get by somehow. All of us – English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, whether we have a vote in the referendum or not – get to be counsellors on this. So what chance would you give them?”

I had to read this three times to believe that this national newspaper would characterise the vote in Scotland on Independence like this. Smacks of petulance, not a respect for democracy.

Tags Bella Bathurst, Independence, Scotland

And The Next Thing is ... Dunans Castle Recommended

Making email newsletters more elastic and more cost effective: @elasticemail

Post author By admin
Post date April 30, 2014
No Comments on Making email newsletters more elastic and more cost effective: @elasticemail

So Scottishlaird.com has over 11,000 subscribers divided into three separate lists, and frankly we were growing tired of an ever-inflating monthly charge from our old supplier – a rather overgrown simian. Now, don’t get me wrong the service was excellent, the templates great and creating an html email a breeze to put together and design, but the cost was ridiculous.

So yesterday, in email dialogue with Julie from ACT around the mailing list for that charity, the contractor recommended Elastic Email. So me having the technicals, I gave the system a once over. So impressed was I, that I have converted our entire list to Elastic Email and dumped Mailchimp back down to the free account.

Why keep the free gorilla account? The wonderful integration between it and my e-commerce software – we’ll be using it to collect subscribers and then transfer them over to EE. Security-wise we’re fine, given that both companies are at the top of their game, but it is a bind to have to migrate users over ….

The only word of caution I’d give, is that EE isn’t quite as user-friendly as MC – but then I *think* that’s what you’d be paying extra for with when you go ape!

(… and all of this rather explains why there has been a hiatus on the email newsletter front with Scottish Laird – sorry!)

Tags Email, htmlemail, Ladies, Lairds, newsletters, ScottishLaird

And The Next Thing is ... Recommended

#RequiredReading: SF, Fantasy and a little bit of the old Medieval

Post author By admin
Post date April 28, 2014
No Comments on #RequiredReading: SF, Fantasy and a little bit of the old Medieval

In downtime I read avidly. Here’s a snapshot of the last six months or so:

Wool [and] Shift [and] Dust – Hugh Howey. The first is brilliant and the second and third necessary and involving extrapolations of the original idea.

11.22.63 [and] Under the Dome – Stephen King. Fell out of interest with King until I picked up the first, which like the second, is a superbly realised high concept novel. If you can get over the style these are classics.

American Gods – Neil Gaiman. Interesting take on the Gods imported to America by the European diaspora, at times compulsive.

Blood Song – Anthony Ryan & Emperor of Thorns – Mark Lawrence. A great trilogy in prospective with the first, and a sometimes excruciating finale to a great trilogy in the second. Really, really rate Mark Lawrence.

Revelation – C. J. Sansom. Shardlake is one of those persistent characters whose idiosyncracies stay with you long after the novel ends. Sansom hasn’t disappointed yet, although this time around I’d guessed the culprit long before the eponymous revelation.

Proxima [and] Flood – Stephen Baxter. One of my favourite all-time authors. The first is totally compulsive. The second a bleak warning about climate change – a must-read.

And The Next Thing is ... Recommended

In the presence of greatness: the album “Strangers” by Simone Felice is now #onmyplaylist

Post author By admin
Post date April 6, 2014
No Comments on In the presence of greatness: the album “Strangers” by Simone Felice is now #onmyplaylist

Simone Felice – Gettysburg

So its Alt. Country Folk. Lumineers provide some backing vocals. There’re some exquisite melodies. Great lyrics. Only half-way through. Superb!

Tags country, folk, melody, music, on my playlist, spotify

And The Next Thing is ... Dunans Castle Recommended

Cover finalised for the Conservation Plan of @DunansCastle, including Barcode, ISBN, blurb and fabulous panorama

Post author By admin
Post date April 2, 2014
No Comments on Cover finalised for the Conservation Plan of @DunansCastle, including Barcode, ISBN, blurb and fabulous panorama

Sometimes the simplest design is the most beguiling. In this case a panorama taken one early summer morning from the bridge towards the castle. With title, strap and author on the cover; title, author and Dunans Castle Ltd. logo on the spine; and blurb and barcode on the back, everything is pared back to the minimum.

The thinking is that the Conservation Plan represents the foundation point from which we are restoring and therefore should display the bridge and castle at their barest – although of course in a picturesque way – reflecting its “quite breathtaking … impact.” (Davies)

But aside from all the design niceties, we’re very, very grateful for the CreativIndieCovers website for the great free online barcode generator – just wonderful how the market throws up truly innovative answers to the questions one asks i.e. where can I generate a barcode free online? And before you ask why one should be able to generate a barcode artwork for free, the answer is that because the standard for deriving barcodes from ISBNs is free, and if I’d had to I’d have coded it myself – and also offered it free once I had.

Tags Barcodes, Conservation Plan, Cover, Dunans Castle, ISBN

And The Next Thing is ... Recommended

A superb collection of singles that (frankly) I have never heard, but wish I had before now. #FutureIslands #OnMyPlaylist

Post author By admin
Post date April 2, 2014
No Comments on A superb collection of singles that (frankly) I have never heard, but wish I had before now. #FutureIslands #OnMyPlaylist

Future Islands – Singles

So I am just older than I’d like to admit, but I am loving this bona fide eccentric (as Kitty Empire calls it in the Guardian)(and therein hangs an indicator if ever there did).

Tags Eccentic, Future Islands, Guardian, Kitty Empire, Pop

And The Next Thing is ... Recommended

Looked after beautifully @invercottage on #motheringsunday – the Rhubarb was stupendous!

Post author By admin
Post date March 30, 2014
No Comments on Looked after beautifully @invercottage on #motheringsunday – the Rhubarb was stupendous!

Inver Cottage, on the shores of Loch Fyne, and opposite old castle Lachlan is the best place to eat near us. Recommended for every occasion, and particularly when in the company of three lovely mothers who require a wonderful time.

Tags Inver, Inver Cottage, Mothering Sunday

And The Next Thing is ... Recommended

#OnMyPlaylist #TheBoss has made many albums and this is the one I keep going back to!

Post author By admin
Post date March 24, 2014
No Comments on #OnMyPlaylist #TheBoss has made many albums and this is the one I keep going back to!

Bruce Springsteen – The Rising

Genius and for me, one of the best musical responses to 9/11. I am (Also testing out a new twitter / Facebook posting combo – hope it works!)

Tags 9/11, albums, Bruce Springsteen, onmyplaylist, The Boss, The Rising

And The Next Thing is ... Recommended

#ScottishIndependence #VoteYes The Yes Campaign gathers momentum, even the Guardian is reporting it

Post author By admin
Post date March 21, 2014
No Comments on #ScottishIndependence #VoteYes The Yes Campaign gathers momentum, even the Guardian is reporting it

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/18/scottish-independence-scotland

In my view, Land Reform, community ownership of assets and independence are the right way to go. There’ll be uncertainty, there’ll be change, but if we wish to have a happy, vibrant, civilised country which makes its own decisions then it has to be a Yes.