26 May 2006

Every motorist should read

AN EMAIL I received which I feel every motorist should read.

I saw you,
hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line.
But, you didn't see me,
put an extra $10.00 in the collection plate last Sunday.

I saw you,
pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk.
But, you didn't see me,
playing Santa at the local mall.

I saw you,
change your mind about going into the restaurant.
But, you didn't see me,
attending a meeting to raise more money for the hurricane relief.

I saw you,
roll up your window and shake your head when I rode by.
But, you didn't see me,
riding behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.

I saw you,
frown at me when I smiled at your children.
But, you didn't see me,
when I took time off from work to run toys to the homeless.

I saw you,
stare at my long hair.
But, you didn't see me,
and my friends cut ten inches off for Locks of Love.

I saw you,
roll your eyes at our leather coats and gloves.
But, you didn't see me,
and my brothers donate our old coats and gloves to those that had none.

I saw you,
look in fright at my tattoos.
But, you didn't see me,
cry as my children were born and have their names written over and in my
heart.

I saw you,
change lanes while rushing off to go somewhere.
But, you didn't see me,
going home to be with my family.

I saw you,
complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be.
But, you didn't see me,
when you were changing the CD and drifted into my lane.

I saw you,
yelling at your kids in the car.
But, you didn't see me,
pat my child's hands, knowing he was safe behind me.

I saw you,
reading the newspaper or map as you drove down the road.
But, you didn't see me,
squeeze my wife's leg when she told me to take the next turn.

I saw you,
race down the road in the rain.
But, you didn't see me,
get soaked to the skin so my son could have the car to go on his date.

I saw you,
run the yellow light just to save a few minutes of time.
But, you didn't see me,
trying to turn right.

I saw you,
cut me off because you needed to be in the lane I was in.
But, you didn't see me,
leave the road.

I saw you,
waiting impatiently for my friends to pass.
But, you didn't see me.
I wasn't there.

I saw you,
go home to your family.
But, you didn't see me.
Because, I died that day you cut me off.

I was just a biker,.....
A person with friends and a family.
But, you didn't see me.

MAY IS MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS MONTH.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON FOR YOUR FRIENDS WHO RIDE OR WHO MAY HAVE KNOWN SOMEONE WHO DIED WHILE RIDING.

Karen Angus
karen.angus@btinternet.com



24 May 2006

Discount scheme subsidises BA

So, Tavish Scott, Scottish Government Transport Minister, is giving £11.2 million of tax payers money to British Airways (BA) and says this is a good deal. And, no doubt, BA agree. Pity that the Transport Minister has confused subsidising BA with subsidising islanders.

British Airways announced profits on Friday which have soared in 2005-06 despite whopping increases in fuel costs, profits going up by 19.1 percent to a pre-tax profit of £620m in the 12 months ending 31 March.

What is needed is not a scheme to subsidise BA but a scheme which encourages competition on routes like Shetland. If this scheme is to continue then BA should be forced to open up their books for Island flights to see how they justify such high prices because even with a 40% reduction, islanders will still be paying top dollar.

What is needed is a scheme to encourage competition. A number of years ago, Business Air briefly flew in and out of Shetland at lower prices than BA. BA cynically undercut Business Air until they had to withdraw and then BA bumped up their prices again. Rather than subsidising BA, Globespan, Ryan Air or similar airline companies should be brought in and subsidised to compete against BA.

The fact that the scheme does not work, application forms did not go out properly, completed forms are still to be entered into the system, cards and pin numbers are not yet issued when the scheme is up and running, is a further slap in the face for islanders.

Brian Nugent
Free Scotland Party
Schoolhouse
Hamnavoe
Burra, Shetland. ZE2 9LA
www.freescotlandparty.org




23 May 2006

Time justice was done

SUNDAY evening's BBC Panorama programme on the McKie fingerprint issue has raised this case to a new level.

The credibility of fingerprinting as an evidence source is now under question everywhere in the world. As was said on the programme, any defence lawyer worth their salt will raise the McKie case as an objection to fingerprint evidence.

The McKie case is no longer a Scottish, domestic issue, it is an international issue. The confusion can only be cleared up with a full public inquiry.

Was there an honest mistake or was there a cover-up? Playing silly, political games to cover the backs of the former justice minister, Liberal Democrat Jim Wallace, and the current justice minister, Labour's Cathy Jamieson, is no longer an option.

Justice is not being seen to be done in the McKie case, time that it was.

Yours sincerely

Brian Nugent
Free Scotland Party
www.freescotlandparty.org





20 May 2006

Alternative for Smyril cash

I'M NOT sure if this has occurred to the SIC or SDT, but the sums of money they have pumped into Smyril Line AS could more than likely have funded the purchase of a brand new smaller vessel. This vessel could have been used to alleviate capacity problems between Shetland and mainland Scotland during the summer months (perhaps a direct sailing to Rosyth, linking in with the Norröna timetable). The smaller vessel could then have been transferred to the Norröna's route in the winter, thereby freeing the Norröna to be sent out on cruise charter over the winter months.

Regards,
Martin Watt




20 May 2006

No air discount excuses

THIS IS all well and good but I question the use of the term "unprecedented number of applications." Surely they had figures for population in the areas designated for the discounts and already knew the numbers they would have to deal with?

Sometimes a simple "Sorry, we have made a ballsup!" would be easier to accept instead of namby pamby excuses.

Beth Gerrard
gerrard@sandgarth.freeserve.co.uk




19 May 2006

Why we need crofting bill

I AM writing in response to recent claims which question the purpose of the Crofting Reform Bill and the need for primary legislation to deliver change.

I want to make clear that without the creation of new laws virtually nothing in the Bill could be delivered through existing legislation.

There will be no new crofts created in Scotland without this Bill as existing legislation only allows for the reorganisation of existing croft land. The Forestry Commission would not be able to create woodland crofts from forest land. The current laws do not encourage landlords to free up land for new crofts because of the crofters' right to buy. It must be possible to forgo this right on new crofts.

Without new powers to tackle interposed leases crofters' ambitions to buy-out their crofting estates and benefit from their development will still be thwarted by landlords.

There would be no Proper Occupier amendment to dampen down croft values and speculation and no new powers for the Crofters Commission to address the neglect of croft land which, contrary to some ill-informed comments, are not currently available to them.

Diverse crofting communities would continue to endure the current one size fits all approach to regulation and small land holders on Arran would miss the opportunity to benefit from the extension of crofting tenure.

Crofting has sustained populations in rural communities for decades. My vision behind this Bill is to see the system strengthened and expanded so it can continue to do so for decades to come. Without this Bill that cannot happen.

Rhona Brankin
Deputy Rural Development Minister




16 May 2006

Good luck in Tamil Nadu

I READ Shetland News every day. Shetland means a lot to me, and I have been there more than 30 times.

The reason for contacting you is that I read about the couple from Tamil Nadu. We have an Indian woman from Tamil Nadu area living here. I told her about what is happening at the moment in Shetland. She asked me to pass on best wishes to the couple and to the people in Shetland that are doing so much for her people in India.

I also think that it is a very good idea to help a certain area in so many ways. It is not the same as giving money into a bank not knowing where it goes.

Best regards and good luck with the project.

Johanna Hansen
Landavegur 13
FO-100 Torshavn
oy5j@post.olivant.fo