Being Scottish

[f4f3]

... is something I don't generally think about. I just am, right? Some things kick up my awareness, though, and they're not always what you'd expect. There was some very strange coverage of Andy Murray's progression at Wimbledon this week. Progression is the right word - he's a young player trying to establish himself in the top 10, and he making it to his first grand slam quarter final this week was a big step. That's a good sign, and worth some congratulation. He was then roundly beaten by one of the top two in the world, which you'd expect - I'm hoping for a Nadal - Federer final, and really can't call it, which I wouldn't have been saying last year.
The media, and the crowds, didn't really seem to know how to react to Murray. His Scottish-ness seemed very important, in a way that Henman's Englishness wasn't, or even Rudeski's Canadian roots. Very strange.
So that was one thing that made me feel Scottish. The other was listening to Radio Scotland on my way out to work this morning. You may not have noticed, but the leader of the Lib-Dems in Scotland has resigned (leaving two out of the main four parties leaderless at the moment). The BBC's politics correspondent was asked what plank one of the contenders to replace him was running on (can you run on a plank? Sounds dodgy).

"He appeals to those who feel the party has become a bit Utilitarian in its response to Libertarian issues," was the answer. I can't remember when or if I've heard JS Mill invoked on a main bulletien before, and it's a good example that dumbing down hasn't won up here.

Labour have set a date for the Glasgow East by-election, the end of this month. Strange timing, really, since that's in Glasgow's main holdiay fortnight, but if they don't have it then, it will have to wait until Parliament reconvenes. Looks like I'll be digging out my bus pass and doing some canvassing in Carantyne. I can't think of a worse time in the last 20 years to be a Labour candidate in Glasgow. Ah well, that just leaves me with fewer excuses for not helping out...

Comments

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

can you run on a plank?

Usually it's the planks that are running

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Not cabbages?

[zantic.livejournal.com]

You can run on a plank. It's just that it take somewhat less time to do than walking it... =P

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

There's a nice footnote in "Flashman and the Redskins" about a speculative origin of the term "Running for office" in the election of wagon train captains.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

There's a Billy Connolly song, 'Three Men Fae Carantyne' (and a bottle of wine and 12 woodbine, went tae join the parish...)

Not relevant or anything, i'm just waving from the back.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

and a big black greyhoond dug called boab, fae up oor close, alang oor street, and a lassie called Senga that works in the dairy, she;s been skelly ever since a Milanda boay hit her in the heid wi a breid board...

*is pished*