And The Clocks Were Striking Thirteen

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

And so starts George Orwell's "1984".

On each landing, opposite the lift-shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.

Orwell was writing it exactly 60 years ago this year, and it was published in 1949.The book is as apt today as it was when I read it in 1984.

He had been appointed to a sub-committee of a sub-committee which had sprouted from one of the innumerable committees dealing with minor difficulties that arose in the compilation of the Eleventh Edition of the Newspeak Dictionary. They were engaged in producing something called an Interim Report, but what it was that they were reporting on he had never definitely found out. It was something to do with the question of whether commas should be placed inside brackets, or outside.

Following links from Wikipedia, there are copies from Australia and cartoon versions, even a radio play from 1949. I must re-read it before April this year. There was a good series on BBC2 recently about British Science Fiction. I think it came originally from BBC4. I used to read a lot of early sci-fi when I was travelling to/from school on the bus, but I think it was American early and "golden years" stories. Unlike tv programmes and fleeting media, I find that reading things stays more in my brain. But I'm sure that's just a sign of my age. But then again, what's the point in remembering tv programmes if you can't give a copy of the documentary to a mate - but you can point them to a book, or a film. We are losing information into the aether of marginal tv channels where the makers can generate extra revenue in the hope that we, the public, will follow. If the data is out there and we can't find it, then it might as well not exist and we should call the fire brigade.

There was a whole chain of separate departments dealing with proletarian literature, music, drama, and entertainment generally. Here were produced rubbishy newspapers containing almost nothing except sport, crime and astrology, sensational five-cent novelettes, films oozing with sex, and sentimental songs which were composed entirely by mechanical means

If you've never read the book, go to the library and get it. Go to a bookshop and buy it (maybe even from one of these cheap shops or charity shops). Or read the linked file text from Wikipedia. You won't regret it. Or you can get back to your entertainment, being happily advertised as "brain-dead tv".

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

Robert Burns, born 249 years ago; and with 11 months left to go until Christmas.

Here's an extract from the Bard:

"Look not alone on youthful prime,
Or manhood's active might;
Man then is useful to his kind,
Supported in his right:
But see him on the edge of life,
With cares and sorrows worn;
Then Age and Want-oh! ill-match'd pair-
Shew man was made to mourn.

 

Source and prose in full

Glenshee Traffic

After leaving Braemar yesterday, I stuck with Plan A, and headed up to Glenshee intending to get some action shots of the ski-ing and 'boarding. Heading south, every car park was packed, people were stopping in the road to look at the herds of deer in the glen. We pushed on through to the ski centre where it was even worse.

With no place to turn back, and just space for a single car to pass, we had to pass by The Cairnwell, and Glas Maol before eventually passing to The Spittal, turning round and passing through the tight squeeze again. Complete chaos with cars left haphazardly in car parks and at the side of the road.

An hour to 90 minutes later, we were back at Braemar, with no photos taken and a hope that the MRT vehicles that I'd seen (about 3) weren't needed. I can't imagine any hikers being so selfish to just abandon their car in the road so that they can go and enjoy themselves. I'll never bother heading that way when it is snowing. This sort of thing isn't for me.

Maplink

FMAO Cairngorms

-9'c on car thermostat. Brr. (maplink)

Creag Bhalg, near Mar Lodge 

Towards the Chest of Dee 

Moving to the Linn of Dee, we parked in the NTS car park, and walked a couple of kilometres along the Dee towards the sunlight.

River Dee, west of the Linn of Dee. Maplink 

Morning sunlight on the frozen River Dee

Flowing water, frozen water and melting water

Burn flowing down to the Dee

Frozen puddles and pools

New Alpkit jacket got a workout. I was toasty at -9'c with a Polartec 100 fleece and a "life is good" t-shirt. No wind, so no windchill to contend with. I've got to get more practice in blending layers with different colour balances.

Toasty

Today I have been mainly looking at website:

• Met office - British Isles: Infrared satellite animation
• Met office - Webcams
• The Kingshouse, near Glencoe
• Traffic Scotland "live eye views"

I would be going "brrr", but I got my new down jacket today. Toasty. I was going to get up Bennachie to take some photos, but someone had stolen the sky, so I didn't bother.

FMAO Ness

So I jumped in the car, and raced the afternoon sunlight to the top of the island. For some reason, the  main road heads to Port of Ness, rather than the top bit, the Butt of Lewis. I had missed it in the past, so was not being caught out this time. Maybe it is tactical, considering the history between the Morrisons of Ness and the MacLeods of Lewis. maplink

The sunlight was causing a problem, as the cliffs were in shadow, but it did give the opportunity to catch some sharp light on the rocks.

And maybe the most lonely-looking pigeon on the island?

We shifted positions further north of the lighthouse, but the best exposure was this one of the Moon-scape, where the sea has eroded the land away. We drove south to Eoropaidh. Maplink

I should have put money on the sun not setting in the sea - I would have won.

As we arrived, a chap who was leaving noted that it was like a picture-postcard. I bit back a reply "so...why aren't you staying for the sunset?". More photons for me.

The only tech stuff was a change in lens from 18-55mm to 55-200mm for some of the shots. No filters used, though I did do some post-production work on the images to enhance the colour levels. Originals available upon request.

FMAO Point

Before Noon, I headed down to Point to get some snaps.

Click on the above picture to get a full-size panorama of the Sutherland hills. The shots were taken near the old Tiumpan Head light house (map link). Assistance on splicing photographs from phong.com/tutorials/photostitch/

One of the hills can be seen in detail after I changed to the 200mm lens. As to its name, not until I get a chance to check my maps and books.

Shifted back to the Braigh for the last shot, before heading home to a cooked breakfast. Maplink - exposure includes the Shiants, and Lochs headlands to the right.

They Were Who We Are

"They Were Who We Are". I heard those words on Saturday night when listening to a Garrison Keillor podcast from Lake Wobegon (November 17, 2007). I was so taken by his turn of phrase that I listened to the podcast again.

Then I thought of the sort of post that would go with the phrase: "They Were Who We Are". This is it. Just a collection of links to places where you can see, hear and read about the past of Scotland and the UK. For free.

• BBC "A Nation on Film" archives.
• BBC "Scotland on Film" archives.
• BBC archive of history programmes.
• BFI from their creative archives licence.
• British Library Sound Archive -
• British Pathe Ltd - some free clips for view.
• Film Archive Forum provides information on various other sites.
• Films from the Home Front.
• Huntley Film Archives - some sample clips.
• Map collection from the NLS.
• Moving History - film and television archives. Links.
• National Archives - public information films, treasures and online exhibitions.
• The Open Video Project.
• School of Scottish Studies - listed by type.
• Scottish Screen Archive (from the National Library of Scotland).
• The Word on the Street - Scottish broadsides from 1650-1910.

I've ignored collections that are limited to educational institutes only. it should be obvious why I've done that.

"He who controls the past, controls the future" George Orwell. Look into your own past. It will help you in your own future. For some it will come as a disappointment to realise that you are as fickle or as steadfast as your ancestors. They too suffered and partied. Spoke about their hopes for the future. Had their dreams. Had their problems. Thought they were unique, and of an age that would never come again.

"They Were Who We Are"

Scottish Screen Archive

From the National Library of Scotland, a collection of old Scottish Films. There are just under 300 which have clips that you can view online.

I did an empty search with the box ticked to say only include those with clips. Bish bash bosh, 289 records found.

A clip of the 1937 Aberdeen vs Celtic Scottish Cup Final? Or a coach tour round the Highlands and Islands in 1939? All free. Some silent and/or black&white.

Requires Quicktime.

Scotland's Music Nr 5

Just watched the penultimate program in Phil Cunningham's "Scotland's Music" TV series.

Episode 5 was about celebration with clips on their website.

Paolo Nutini discussed why he liked Burns' original tune for "Auld Lang Syne". The Peatbog Faeries talked about reading the crowd. There was a retrospective on Jimmy Shand (especially the Bluebell Polka). A battle of the bands between east (Colin Dewar) and west coast (Fergie MacDonald. Heuch. I'm a west-coaster. I prefer this. Toes are tapping, and fingers drumming out the tune). Niel Gow's NE fiddling style, painted by Raeburn, celebrated in festival. Scott Skinner, Queen Victoria's Strathspey King.

A trip back in history through earlier courts to the effect of the Reformation on music. The use of the canntaireachd to pass on pipe music when it seen as illegal after the '45 (though they were never prescribed, an earlier programme said). And ends with Sir Harry Lauder. "Why would we give Harry Lauder a hard time?" Fine, fun tunes like this. Can anyone take The White Heather Club seriously? What is wrong with fun? Fiona Kennedy speaks about Scottish music on television, with her Dad, Calum at the forefront.

This links neatly to the modern scene: Sandi Thom and the Internet; the rise of festivals in Scotland. "The future's going to be incredible", says the presenter, who plays the set at Belladrum with his pal Aly Bain.

Just one more episode in this great series to watch.

School of Scottish Studies

Whilst looking researching (if that's what you call it) the previous post, I found this resource in the School of Scottish Studies: recordings of songs, music, folk tales and historical facts from all around Scotland.

Link to the Archive of recordings. Sorted by 'type'.

I'm off to listen to this one by Affleck Gray and the strange happenings at the Corrour Bothy; sleeping in caves in the Cairngorms in the 1920's. He was 87 when the recording was made. Link

Cunntas 06.12.07

BBC2 Alba's QnA session. I'm really enjoying these. The panel were asked about topics ranging from the Year of Highland Culture, naming a teddy bear, Trump's quest for a golf development, the knock-on effect on other developments being delayed for environmental concerns, house prices in Inverness and Oban, and finally, a great question linked to the "Highland Lives" project.

The question was: who would you present to the world in a project like that?

The panelists chose:

• Morag Macleod (link), formerly of the School of Scottish Studies.
• Alexander MacDonald (1) and Dr John MacInnes (link, 2)
• Murdo Macfarlane of Lewis (The Scotsman, Wikipedia)

As to Cunntas, you can catch some of the earlier episodes here.

On This Day in History

My namesake, Duncan, inherited the Scottish crown in 1034.

The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan

According to Shakespeare, he was murdered in his sleep by MacBeth. Boo, hiss.

Traffic Update

As the weather starts to get more wintry, I can't help but want to see what the rest of Scotland is like. Traffic Scotland have expanded the number of webcams available. They also have reports of incidents and road closures.

Don't forget the Met Office webcams, and this nice one featuring Buachaille Etive Mór, at the gateway to Glencoe (maplink and pronunciation).

Scotland's Music

There's a fine programme on BBC2 called "Scotland's Music with Phil Cunningham", with Phil Cunningham presenting a programme about music from Scotland. He delves into Scotland's past, meets people, and discusses the tunes and who wrote them.

In this week's episode he covered work. Which meant that he looked into waulking songs, with Anne Lorne Gillies and Capercaillie; shepherds (with a trip to Tibbie Shiel's Inn in Ettrick); fishing in Stonehaven and whaling in Peterhead; jute in Dundee, and travellers and Doric balladeers, "fit fit fits fit fit?"

So you get a better idea of aspects of Scottish people, history, the environment, oh, and some music too.

Being a modern media company, the BBC have a website where you can watch (and listen to) clips from the shows so far.

Something about Web2.0

From The Herald (6 Nov 07):

I can't report on it for the following reason:

© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Yup, if it was on paper, I could transcribe part of the document here. But not their webpage unless I email to the address listed. Does the word "ironic" cover this?

Read the article for yourself to discover what the "   " about the "    " is all about. It involves a former HM Inspector for Education, a trip to Finland, and the future of ICT in Scottish schools.

>>Originally linked in from the SQA Blog

Gone West, Life is Peaceful Here

In Ullapool early to catch the sunrise.

Ullapool - quiet at that time in the morning.

The ferry can be seen closing the distance.

I found these levers onboard. I wonder if it plays a sea-shanty too?

Point, on Lewis, comes into view.

Sgoth: a traditional Hebridean sailboat in Stornoway harbour. (multimedia)

All at Sea

My hiking gear is just so toasty that i can sit outside watching the interplay of light and sea. I saw one guy earlier reviewing his photos on his laptop. I'd rather be outdoors admiring nature. Sunshine on water. Wave crests. Clouds. Shoreline coming into view dappled with light. Right, seen Nature, now i'm off for a cuppa.

Culture of Blood

You know it's going to be a fun programme when it is entitled "Clan Macleod: Culture of Blood". BBC2 series continued, and the MacLeod's sponsorship of the arts, the love of feasts and the Kings of Scotland's politically aggravation of feuds between clans (e.g. us versus the MacDonalds at home and away) and later came the cleansing of the Gaelic culture.

But genetics seems to have a way of carrying cultural identity. Yesterday I was discussing swords and today I had one of my classes practicing with Audacity by recording Japanese poems. Heuch.

Sadly for me, they didn't cover the Lewis branch, so my people's exploits against the Fife Adventurers (and the Morrisons) were lost. Link

But I had been to St Clement's Church, tomb of Alisdair Crotach MacLeod, mentioned in the programme. Photos taken in the Summer (honest) of 2005.