Should Scotland be an independent country?

[Joe Hutch]

Did Boswell and Johnson share a bed as well as a tick collection as far as you know?

Twin beds:

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usebooks/boswell-hebrides/05-anoch-glenelg.html

'The room had some deals laid across the joists, as a kind of ceiling. There were two beds in the room, and a woman's gown was hung on a rope to make a curtain of separation between them. Joseph had sheets, which my wife had sent with us, laid on them. We had much hesitation, whether to undress, or lie down with our clothes on. I said at last. 'I'll plunge in! There will be less harbour for vermin about me, when I am stripped!' Dr Johnson said, he was like one hesitating whether to go into the cold bath. At last he resolved too.'

 

[TheDecameron]

Absolutely not i appreciate corrections and often add the links to enable debate and abuse.

You’re a UKIP martyr.

 

[misterdog]

Speaking of Gibraltar, they have the same problem as Ireland regarding 'the back stop' odd that the media has chosen to ignore them for so long.

Politics eh.

 

[TheDecameron]

Twin beds:

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usebooks/boswell-hebrides/05-anoch-glenelg.html

'The room had some deals laid across the joists, as a kind of ceiling. There were two beds in the room, and a woman's gown was hung on a rope to make a curtain of separation between them. Joseph had sheets, which my wife had sent with us, laid on them. We had much hesitation, whether to undress, or lie down with our clothes on. I said at last. 'I'll plunge in! There will be less harbour for vermin about me, when I am stripped!' Dr Johnson said, he was like one hesitating whether to go into the cold bath. At last he resolved too.'

Boswell was a fiend for detail. He just as scrupulously documented his cavorting with prostitutes. When I moved from Edinburgh to Chicago in my early twenties, I came across his diaries in the library and got hooked,

"Tuesday 10 May 1763
At the bottom of the Haymarket I picked up a strong, jolly young damsel, and taking her under the arm I conducted her to Westminster Bridge, and then in armour complete did I engage her upon this noble edifice. The whim of doing it there with the Thames rolling below us amused me much."

Usually he transliterated these bits into Greek in case his wife read them. “Under armour” referred to his pig gut préservatif. A much more interesting human than Johnson.

 

[Joe Hutch]

Boswell was a fiend for detail. He just as scrupulously documented his cavorting with prostitutes. When I moved from Edinburgh to Chicago in my early twenties, I came across his diaries in the library and got hooked,

"Tuesday 10 May 1763
At the bottom of the Haymarket I picked up a strong, jolly young damsel, and taking her under the arm I conducted her to Westminster Bridge, and then in armour complete did I engage her upon this noble edifice. The whim of doing it there with the Thames rolling below us amused me much."

Usually he transliterated these bits into Greek in case his wife read them. “Under armour” referred to his pig gut préservatif. A much more interesting human than Johnson.

But possibly less acceptable in the 'Me Too' era. I must admit to enjoying Johnson's knockabout style of debate.

 

[richardg]

When Brexit dies a death after Bojo fails to get his majority, what will the likes of Sturgeon, Swinson and Farage have left to hang onto, please? Good riddance to all 3 and Johnson. 4 good reasons there to change into a remainer.

 

[Seeker_UK]

makes you wonder why faslane isn't on the thames,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNB_Clyde

Faslane itself was chosen to host these vessels at the height of the Cold War because of its geographic position, which forms a bastion on the relatively secluded but deep and easily navigable Gare Loch and Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland. This position provides for rapid and stealthy access through the North Channel to the submarine patrolling areas in the North Atlantic, through the GIUK gap to the Norwegian Sea.

 

[richardg]

Speaking of Gibraltar, they have the same problem as Ireland regarding 'the back stop' odd that the media has chosen to ignore them for so long.

Politics eh.

But they have had quite rigorous passport and car checks there for years...

 

[misterdog]

Twin beds:

Preferred Twin Peaks.

 

[TheDecameron]

Preferred Twin Peaks.

Actually you’re on the money. Both of them were quite odd and the prospect of a road movie with the two of them schlepping round the Western Isles in the eighteenth century is fascinating. They wrote their own script and it survives to this day. Jon Canter wrote four plays for R4 where Boswell attempts imaginary interviews with Sigmund Freud, Maria Callas, Boris Johnson (!) and Harold Pinter. They’re hilarious but the Freud one is a tour de force where Boswell has the tables turned on him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0547mvp/episodes/guide

 

[HairyHaggis]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNB_Clyde

Quite. That old chestnut surfaces (sic) often enough in the defence (sic again) of the location.

 

[Seeker_UK]

...(sic)...(sic again)...

 

[misterdog]

I came across his diaries in the library and got hooked,

Fish get hooked also, even Pink ones.

 

[Joe]

. funny eh? makes you wonder why faslane isn't on the thames, no? i suspect we'd be very happy to hand it back.

We ? who are we ?

The jobs are up there because the unions up there fought tooth and nail to keep the jobs up there.

 

[ff1d1l]

We ? who are we ?

The jobs are up there because the unions up there fought tooth and nail to keep the jobs up there.

With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls

 

[Brian]

ok boomer

Boomer?

Not as abusive and angry as I expected, given previous form.

 

[HairyHaggis]

I rather think it does. Quite apposite (si...

 

[HairyHaggis]

We ? who are we ?

The jobs are up there because the unions up there fought tooth and nail to keep the jobs up there.

Who indeed? You really need to ask?

"up there " - up where? They're not "up" any where, they're... here alongside... si...

And do you really think that the "unions" have the sort of clout that could determine the location of the nation's nuclear deterrent and main weapons dump? Really?

Oy vey

 

[claire.foxx]

Boomer?

Not as abusive and angry as I expected, given previous form.

But are you crusty and white with a fluffy inside?

 

[Colin Barron]

Who indeed? You really need to ask?

"up there " - up where? They're not "up" any where, they're... here alongside... si...

And do you really think that the "unions" have the sort of clout that could determine the location of the nation's nuclear deterrent and main weapons dump? Really?

Oy vey

This leads us onto the question of what fiscal style of government could the Scots expect from their leaders when the achieve an independent.
I think someone commented on frugal Denmark doing quite nicely as a similar population size within the EU, and they say the happiest people in the world.
They could go for that model or would they go for a populist 'Greek' model when the opportunity of cheap EU money comes along.