ElectricScotland

Bill Magee Business Leaders bottom lines revealed in Scottish digital audit A rebooted Scottish Digital Audit I compiled for Institute of Directors (Scotland) is crystal clear when it comes to the bottom line. The business leader who establishes a collaborative partnership, one giving equal status to team members and what's chosen from an array of apparently endless hi-tech developments, stands a far better chance of achieving a sound return/on-investment in these uncertain economic times.

Scotland has been urged to take strong notice of a cautionary tale from across the Irish Sea where an influx of data centres, it is claimed, represent a "hidden tax" as its neighbouring country's energy demands absorb over one fifth of Ireland's electricity last year, costing households millions in extra bills. Scotland is endowed with a centuries-old enthusiasm towards practically anything hinting at innovation.

The Ancient Celts From the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness (1) THEIR GENERAL HISTORY. Three or four centuries before Christ, when the history of Western Europe is slowly emerging from obscurity, we find a people, named the Celts, in possession of the vast extent of territory that stretches from the Adriatic and Upper Danube to the Western Ocean, and embraces the British Isles.

From the Lancet, December 20, 1902 Aberdeen is the principal centre for the Scotch beef trade and a great part of the Scotch beef sold at Smithfield to the London butchers comes from Aberdeen. Therefore the manner in which cattle are slaughtered and meat is inspected at Aberdeen is a matter of importance not only to the inhabitants of that town but also to the consumers of Scotch beef who live in London and elsewhere.

Some time ago a Highland friend favoured me with an account of Bliadhna nan Caorach; or “The Year of the Sheep,” which I wished him to give to the Gaelic Society. From native modesty or some other cause he however declined even to allow his name to be mentioned in connection with Bliadhna nan Caorach; hut at the same time suggested that I should use the information. Of this suggestion I gladly availed myself, and at once began to collect further information on the subject.

Proceeding still further northward, to a point a little beyond Loch-head, the traveller will there observe a small rivulet crossing the road on its way to join Loch Davan, tho twin lake to Loch Kinnord. From this point the old Roman road stretches away westward over Culbleen, and little more than a stone-throw along it from the puiblic road was fought the battle of Clulbleen on the early morning of St. Andrew's Day, 30th November, 1335.

In the early years of the last century smuggling was the staple industry in Glenisla, as well as in many other Highland districts. Small holdings and crofts abounded, but it would have been impossible for their occupants to have existed had they not grown a large proportion of barley, and converted it into the potent produce of the sma’-still.

THE night preceding the marriage there was held what was popularly known as "feet washing." The bridegroom's bachelor friends met at his house on the pretext of washing his feet for his wedding. A great deal of practical joking was indulged in; for example, soot, blacking etc., were mixed with the water and rubbed on the feet and even on the face of the expectant bridegroom.

The following examples of the folk-lore of the West of the County of Ross and Cromarty have been collected during the years 1900 to 1904. Many, perhaps most, of them can lay little claim to novelty, but they supply evidence of the inclusion of this district in their area of distribution. They have been gathered almost wholly in Lochcarron, Kenlochewe, and, more especially, Torridon and Little Lochbroom. The two latter places are among the less frequented and less known parts of the district.

At the Sign of the Owl From the Antiquary magazine At the recent annual meeting of the Scottish History Society, Lord Rosebery, in the course of his presidential address, made two interesting suggestions. In the first place, he said he thought they ought to try to elicit further information with regard to the history of the Highlands during that obscure time up to the Rebellion of 1745, when they had a history so distinctly their own. There was an interesting veil of darkness over that period.