http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/blogs/ Latest from the online edition en-gb Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:53:10 +0000 Copyright (C) 2010 Clyde and Forth Press Ltd http://www.clydeandforthmedia.co.uk/feeds/ 12 http://www.clydeandforthmedia.co.uk/furniture/dp_logo_500x75.png http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/blogs/ My vision of Dante's inferno would have to be a karaoke bar. There isn't enough alcohol in Scotland to ever make me stand up and sing like 'Ole Blue Eyes'. I'm always Mr. Designated Driver when I go out and I recently had to sit through Karaoke Night without the benefit of alcohol to get me through the evening. I've now added karaoke to my list of things never to do. I keep a Bucket List in reverse. The things I don't want to do before I expire. I also have a mental list of places I never want to visit. I live an organized life…. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/11/398033-okay-karaoke/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/11/398033-okay-karaoke/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:05:17 +0000 Opinion Very little surprises me in today's world but the breaking scandal on the misuse of funds generated from the Live Aid Concert did. Tribalism, feudalism, coup d'etat and 'Presidents for Life' were the post-colonial legacy of many African countries. Few African nations adopted or maintained democracy after the departure of the colonial Europeans. I think it would be naïve for anyone to consider that much of the money went to feeding the poor. A rather pathetic chapter in a never ending area of conflict. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/04/397793-smoke-free-blog/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/03/04/397793-smoke-free-blog/ Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:13:39 +0000 Opinion I always respect anyone who can go to a Starbucks or Mocha Joe's and confidently order one of the exotic coffees on the menu. I don't speak Fritalian and I take a shot in the dark (that's a pun) every time I attempt to order one of the foreign sounding java's. I do admit I am intimidated by some of the odd sounding coffee concoctions. Macchiato, Mocha's, Caffe Latte Tostatura and Americano. Call me old fashioned, but if you can't pronounce it, you shouldn't drink it…. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/26/397584-cup-ojava-please/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/26/397584-cup-ojava-please/ Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:23:26 +0000 Opinion Doodling through youtube.com I came across a video series by a fellow Fife resident who goes by user name 'uptowndisco2'. I have to mention this gentleman as he has a rather unusual hobby in that he tours Fife area on his motorcycle and documents, very amusingly, his travels, using a professional helmet mounted video camera. I got to take a couple of virtual tours of Rosyth and I have to admire the guy for taking the time to create these productions. I have always wanted to ride a motorbike but I don't have the coordination and got tired of falling over a lot. Great job Mr. Bill… http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/16/397120-doodling-uptown/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/16/397120-doodling-uptown/ Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:08:07 +0000 Opinion Valentine's Day is almost here and like most men I'm under tremendous pressure. Chocolates, flowers and dinner just don't cut it year after year and it is difficult to come up with a new way to please your loved one. I only have a few days left to come up with a unique and special Valentine gift. Every year I go through the same anxiety and every year I come up with the same gift. Will I change? Possibly not. This year though I am going to make a real effort…. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/12/396993-valentines-day/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/12/396993-valentines-day/ Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:40:15 +0000 Opinion Scots are very far flung, or should be, as an Englishman once remarked. Far flung meaning of course there aren't many countries in the world where you won't find a Scotsman. We seem to take delight in straying far from home in some obscure and exotic places. Political, social and economic changes resulted in emigration of Scots all over the globe. I always take a special pleasure in meeting a fellow Scot no matter where I go. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/05/396747-shanghaid-in-shanghai/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/02/05/396747-shanghaid-in-shanghai/ Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:29:21 +0000 Opinion It was just a matter of time. Bowing to International and Foreign Office pressure, the embargo on Scottish Haggis has been lifted here in the US after twenty one years. Banned since 1989 as part of the mad cow disease outbreak. As in prohibition era times when we had 'Rum Runners' plying their trade off the New England coast, the haggis smugglers are now out of business. The days of high speed Dag Hammer speed boats transporting bootleg and counterfeit haggis from Canada and the Caribbean will soon be a thing of the past. Haggis Smugglers, just like the Rum Runners of the 1930s, will have to go legit. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Haggis (ATFH) of course will have to be closed. Sad to see the end of an era, but I don't think I will miss bathtub haggis. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/29/396503-bootleg-haggis/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/29/396503-bootleg-haggis/ Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:26:17 +0000 Opinion I've just watched the video production 'We're for Fife' and I think it does have potential. It was a little thoughtless however to have American singers perform the production. I'm not sure what Flying Officer Biggles and his aircraft were doing in the video, but it looked good. I really did like the video scenery and having repetitious models didn't bother me. You can never have too many blondes. The Kingdom is a very beautiful place and deserves advertising exposure. I conducted a random 'Across the Pond Poll' of the Fife promo video. Four of my readers are very much for it, three thought it a little tacky and one abstained as she doesn't know where Fife is… On a five thousand pound budget I wasn't expecting a Quentin Tarantino blockbuster and I think it does the job… barely. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/22/396252-and-the-winner-is/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/22/396252-and-the-winner-is/ Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:36:35 +0000 Opinion Christmas is over. We're well into January. What this actually means, finally, is some decent telly. But forget the return of 24 and Lost, the most unmissable US show of the next few weeks is Leverage. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/19/388374-got-leverage/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/19/388374-got-leverage/ Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:06:04 +0000 Opinion As a former sailor I am really starting to get a little ticked at the Somalia pirates who keep hijacking our ships in the Gulf of Aden. None of the commercial shipping which pass through this region appear to be armed and if you look at the makeup of the crews it is understandable why they are not allowed firearms. When I say makeup, I mean the origin of the crew, not the stuff you put on your face. Many of the sailors on board these ships have more in common with the pirates than with their country of registry. German owned tanker, registered in Liberia with an Indonesian crew en-route to Halifax, NS. Not all the ships of course have this type of crew but they do make the easiest targets. What happened to the Merchant Marine? Some of these ships are pretty disgusting rust buckets and I think the pirates may be doing us a favour in some cases. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/15/396028-taxing-times-are-here/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/15/396028-taxing-times-are-here/ Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:03:16 +0000 Opinion I still follow articles and discussions on The Forth Bridge. Zero outbursts of enthusiasm over The Frunnel but I am optimistic. Sailors who serve on board a ship's maiden voyage are termed 'Plank Owners' and they are entitled to a piece of planking when the ship eventually is scheduled to be scrapped. Like a lot of Rosyth residents who were at the original opening in 1964 of the Forth Bridge, I was one of the first residents to walk over the bridge. I think that makes me a Bridge Plank Owner. From what I have read the Bridge desperately needs all the planks it has and I will wait until it closes before I unbolt my chunk of planking. The true noteworthy people of course are the workers who constructed the bridge, several of whom died and they do deserve a memorial. I was ten years old when the bridge opened and I assumed it would last longer than me. Ferry service linking North & South Queensferry is impractical and in rush hour would resemble the Dunkirk evacuation. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/08/395788-free-beer-at-cleos/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2010/01/08/395788-free-beer-at-cleos/ Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:03:43 +0000 Opinion Hello New Year: Rather than make more New Year resolutions, this year I have decided to recycle the ones I made last year. Those resolutions were dead in the water by mid-Jan, so this year should be a breeze when it comes to fulfilling resolutions and also it is nice to go green for a change. If I keep my expectations low, I am rarely disappointed. I do think New Year resolutions are admirable but it would be a first for me if I ever managed to accomplish one. Seeing the Old Year out and welcoming the New Year, always gives me time for a nostalgic pause and reflect on the past year. That usually lasts about five minutes before the champagne kicks in and it's time to do it all over again….. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/31/395551-hello-new-year/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/31/395551-hello-new-year/ Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:14:20 +0000 Opinion Christmas Day 2009. As a former British soldier and later a US Navy Sailor I spent many a Christmas far from home. I've spent holidays standing Guard duty, Mate of the Day and patrolled the streets of Londonderry during my time in uniform. Christmas away from home can be lonely. Would I do it again?, (definitely) and do I have any regrets? (none). I think I am one of the luckiest people in the World to have been able to serve two countries in my life, doing what I always enjoyed. This is the time of year when I think about our young men and women serving their country far from home, in harms way, and I wish them all a safe and speedy return. "Fair winds and following seas" - Traditional Naval Blessing http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/24/395431-christmas-across-the-pond/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/24/395431-christmas-across-the-pond/ Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:45:44 +0000 Opinion Christmas Day 2009 As a former British soldier and later a US Navy Sailor I spent many a Christmas far from home. I've spent holidays standing Guard duty, Mate of the Day and patrolled the streets of Londonderry during my time in uniform. Christmas away from home can be lonely. Would I do it again?, (definitely) and do I have any regrets? (none). I think I am one of the luckiest people in the World to have been able to serve two countries in my life, doing what I always enjoyed. This is the time of year when I think about our young men and women serving their country far from home, in harms way, and I wish them all a safe and speedy return. "Fair winds and following seas" - Traditional Naval Blessing http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/24/395429-christmas-across-the-pond/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/24/395429-christmas-across-the-pond/ Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:16:25 +0000 Opinion I watch History, National Geographic and Who-Dun-it channels here in Metropolitan Washington and I do get overwhelmed by having four hundred channels to select from. I limit my watching to just four, the BBC of course being one of them. I watched a documentary recently, on Geological formations in Scotland (Fife coastal area) which were discovered in the early 1800s, which maintains that at one time Scotland was a part of N. America. I gave some thought to this discovery and totally disagree. My theory is that N. America was at one time a Part of Scotland (not vice versa). Well, that is my contribution to science and I hope I have set the geological record straight. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/18/395247-geological-record/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/18/395247-geological-record/ Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:15:36 +0000 Opinion Welcome to my Blog from "Across the Pond". The Pond being The Atlantic of course and my name is William Young and I grew up in 16 Burnside Crescent, Rosyth. I live in the Washington DC area and most of my family are still in Fife, although I do have sisters in New Jersey and Australia. I have an older brother who is a Rosyth resident and he really loves the town. I don't have any radical political points of view and have never voted. I attend Church on a regular basis (every Christmas) and consider myself a liberal or perhaps a moderate. (I fluctuate, which is why I never voted). I'm currently retired from The World's Most Exclusive Yacht Club (US Navy) after twenty years and almost six years in the British Army. My avatar is me when I was Sailor of the Year at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland - all I got was a free parking space for a year and the cool photo of me. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/11/395044-from-across-the-pond/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/12/11/395044-from-across-the-pond/ Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:23:35 +0000 Opinion Not usually my kind of geekdom, but we've got tickets to the hottest gig in town - Dundee rockers The Law are playing King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow on Friday and you can win a pair of tickets right now courtesy of the Press. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/10/19/393054-win-gig-tickets-for-thursday-night/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/10/19/393054-win-gig-tickets-for-thursday-night/ Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:36:35 +0000 Opinion This week, James dials a random number for help after panicking about his latest bizarre crisis. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/07/13/389496-silly-blogger-the-box-of-delights--/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/07/13/389496-silly-blogger-the-box-of-delights--/ Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:09:42 +0000 Opinion This week: James panics and phones a random number for help following his latest bizarre crisis http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/07/02/389130-silly-blogger-the-box-of-delights/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/07/02/389130-silly-blogger-the-box-of-delights/ Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:42:56 +0000 Opinion Hello once again!! I can"t believe how many people have heard about my blog!! I know I haven"t done a blog in quite along time now so this one will include a bit of March and April. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/06/29/388970-popsis-blog/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/06/29/388970-popsis-blog/ Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:25:52 +0000 Opinion This week: absent-minded James leaves his face on the Cairneyhill to Dunfermline bus http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/06/29/388969-silly-blogger--has-anyone-seen-my-face/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/06/29/388969-silly-blogger--has-anyone-seen-my-face/ Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:58:09 +0000 Opinion Hi, my name is Popsi. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/03/03/34648-popsis-blog/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/03/03/34648-popsis-blog/ Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:00:00 +0000 Opinion '2008 started as the worst year of my life and finished as the best year of my life with the way it has changed.' http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/03/02/34590-before-i-go/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/03/02/34590-before-i-go/ Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:30:00 +0000 Opinion How can it be that we're gearing up for the end of Being Human season one already? And what kind of a world is it in which we live where American series do 22 episodes in a run and we get six? Pah. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/02/17/36095-geek-chic-on-the-beeb/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/02/17/36095-geek-chic-on-the-beeb/ Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:30:00 +0000 Opinion http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/02/09/33824-up-for-the-cup/ http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/opinion/roundup/articles/2009/02/09/33824-up-for-the-cup/ Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:30:00 +0000 Opinion