Weeze

I have gone for a much more thread appropriate one -the view over Whitby harbour

robin1234

Yup there's another sure winner!
What a pity Scotland was recently robbed of its bid for independence. Scotland could have signed a trade agreement with Transdneistra .. Sod those imperialistic Moldovans!

RoadWarriorFromLP

To be fair, it seems that the supporters were primarily lower-income younger people who are getting the short end of the stick.

I don't know how much of this sentiment from the voters is (misplaced?) nationalism, and how much of it is a cry for help and better living standards. Occupy Scotland, as it were.

Hotscot

Short end of the stick? Better living standards?

Impressionable minds and pie in the sky promises more like. I do go back a lot.

Pulaski

The problem I have understanding the mentality of most pro-independence Scots is that they seem to sincerely believe that the UK government has some benefit to gain by "keeping them down", when from a purely economic standpoint there is nothing they (the government) would like more is for "the poor down-trodden Scots" to become well paid productive members of society who need less in welfare payments, pay income tax and buy consumer goods thereby expanding the economy, and of course paying VAT too.

That is a disconnect that I can't fathom, and may be an unsolvable problem despite being an utterly irrational belief.

scrubbedexpat099

In an era of decline there will be political decisions that will impact those areas that decline quicker than others.

Hotscot

Grass is greener.
We see it a lot here of course...

Sally Redux

This appears to be the line taken by the socialist party that has brainwashed my brother. England has nothing to offer the Scots except BedroomTax.

neilcumming

Just having a wee of bit fun.

Pulaski

You should get out more.
It must be bad if you think he's been brainwash by the socialists!

Sally Redux

Agreed!

neilcumming

Im here in Mexico for the next 6 months Mr. Pulaski and there are only so many beaches,cenotes etc that one can visit
I was using Capt. Cook as an example of how things were done and got done.In recent times the UK hasnt had that,there has been no vision,its been poor .Re India,HK and China a different view on how things could have been and what does this relate to Scotland,Scotland hepled build this empire/commonwealth.

Hotscot

It's a whole different world now in regards to empire building.

In any case, individual businesses are welcome to sell themselves and develop their own markets anywhere in the world.

Additionally the Scottish Development Agency is often present at many of the scientific trade shows that I frequent here in the US.

Pulaski

So have I got this right? If we'd started in a different place and gone in a different direction we wouldn't be where we are today.

It doesn't matter how true that is, what the UK should or could have done decades ago has absolutely NO bearing on how to get from where the UK is today to where it would like to be in future.

dunroving

I just had some visitors staying for a couple of days, to see the Ryder Cup (I didn't go; can't stand golf). They came back from yesterday's play saying that Alex Salmond got a very frosty reception from the crowd when he presented the cup. Despite the fact that many people voted for the SNP and seem top agree with his politics, he isn't a particularly popular bloke.

According to them, he looked like he was going to give a bit of a speech but when the crowd booed him (or whatever they did), he hastily handed over the cup and made his exit.

I looked for it on Youtube to see if they were representing the situation accurately, but couldn't find it. Apparently, though, he .