Archives for March 2011

Ahead of this week's show, here's a wee preview from the interview.

Catch the full interview on Another Country this Friday, from 8pm

Kiki Dee, Elton John and Rosko: 01 Jan 1976

In a couple of weeks time, I'll be with you for an extra hour on Sunday mornings, as BBC Radio Scotland launches it's new series, Sunday Morning With... It's all very exciting and I trust you're going to keep me company as well. I'm hoping you can keep your suggestions for songs and music coming in - especially those that are a wee bit special for you - the ones with a story attached.

It can be funny, it can be sad or poignant and it can just be indicative of a period in your life that meant something to you. I have rather a long list, I'm afraid, but one song that always gladdens my heart is Elton John and Kiki Dee's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" which reached No 1 in the charts in the summer of 1976. For those of you who can remember way back then, it was one of the hottest summers on record - certainly the hottest I can remember - and I was working in Inverness at the time.

That song was played endlessly at discos, as they were called then, blaring out from car radios and shop stereos - and every time I hear it, I'm transported back to one of the best summers I can recall. The tar was melting in tiny bubbles on the road, dancing was the new sport and balmy summer nights stretched ahead of us like some wonderful adventure - even if there was another year of school to complete. Happy Days and I wouldn't change a thing about that time...and worryingly, it feels just like yesterday. That's one of my songs - what about you? What song takes you back - what piece of music has a special place in your heart? Let me know so I can include it in our new show.

Send me your songs and stories to sundaymorningwith@bbc.co.uk

BBC Scotland journalist Ian Hamilton joined Fred on last Friday's MacAulay and Co. to talk about his new one off documentary, Born To Lead. Ian lost his sight at a young age and the programme charts his journey as his old guide dog Moss goes into retiral and he has to find a replacement companion. Listen to the interview below.

The programme was shown, Monday night on BBC1 Scotland at 1930 and is available to watch again for the following 7 days in iPlayer.

You can also keep up-to-date with Ian and his new dog Renton through his blog or by following him on Twitter @IHamiltonbbc.

At last we seem to have shaken off winter and according to folklore at least, the first day spring arrived with a rare glimpse of sunshine on this week on the 21st March. Of the four seasons, spring has to be my favourite. The anticipation of what's to come; the flurry of activity in the garden, the green buds on the once dormant shrubs and those daffs and tulips bulbs bursting with promise of colour a plenty. A girl could get quite poetic this time of year, but thankfully I won't!

As we all know spring is a great time to take stock of your garden and plan for great things ahead. But for me springtime is also a great time to find all those tools I thought were lost to me forever. Each summer and autumn I lose countless pairs of gloves, secateurs and trowels among the greenery. I lay them down for just a moment, and within seconds they are mysteriously 'eaten' by the surrounding foliage and I know all searches will prove fruitless...last year I even lost a full size pick axe and garden fork! But enough of my troubles.

This week Carole Baxter and Sinclair Williamson join me in the Shed, and Sinclair will be giving top tips on pruning shrubs, and whipping those straggly evergreens into shape. And if it seems like early days for all this talk of pruning, you'll be shocked at the wondrous sights which will soon unfold in your garden. And it's not just the sight of our garden that is a thing of beauty, the great outdoors offers a veritable assault on all our senses.

When I was at college one of my main assignments was to list a data base of plants which appealed to each of the five senses. I took on the task with great gusto, researching through piles of books and the internet finding the best plants for the job. A few days into the project I realised what an almost impossible topic I'd chosen; every plant in the garden appeals to our senses. The sight, the smell, and touch of each plant is a such a joy. Take the Stachys byzantina, or lambs lugs as it's commonly known, unless you're holding a 3 day old kitten in your hand you won't find anything softer in the garden. And don't forget taste and sound too. Strawberries, once planted will soon multiply, filling your plot with fruit year after year. And the soft hush of tall grasses swaying gently in the summer breeze beats any other form of relaxation exercises.

If this doesn't make you yearn to get a bit of good clean dirt under your finger nails then we can come and give you a gently 'push'. We're calling on all listeners to get involved in our new 'Get Gardening Campaign'. If you're a new gardener and you don't know where to start, if you've moved from one end of the country to another and suddenly find yourself on unfamiliar turf, or if there's a stubborn patch of ground that's beaten you for the past 2 decades then get in touch and we'll see if we can help. Over the next few months our experts will be visiting listener's gardens up and down the country offering sound advice. So contact us via the usual means, you can email me or if you prefer to write the address is Beechgrove Potting Shed, BBC Radio Scotland, Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen A15 5ZT. And don't forget, you can call and put your gardening questions to Carole and Sinclair in the studio this Sunday.

Look forward to speaking to you all then...

Take care..

Theresa

x

Jamie MacDougall stands in for Billy Differ on this Sunday's Dress Circle and tells us about his stints presenting and performing in musical theatre below:

Something different for me this week, I've been in the studio recording Dress Circle, sitting in for my pal Billy Differ, and can I say, I hope you have as much of a ball listening to the show, as I had making it. It was quite an experience going from the world of Classics to the world of Musicals.

It may come as a bit of a surprise... but I love Musicals. I love all music on the stage, whether it's going to see the Am Dram clubs in Glasgow, or appearing myself. I did a few school musicals, and even ended up playing Tony in West Side Story with Carl Davis.

Actually, before Billy reached the heady heights of the musical theatre world that he enjoys today, he started as the house manager of the King's Theatre in Glasgow, and it was on that very stage that I appeared as a 10 year old playing the page boy in the Lyric Theatre Company's production of the Count of Luxemburg. 

I have to be honest that although I love this music, my knowledge was a bit rusty, no where near what Billy knows, that's for sure, but I love a challenge and I really enjoyed delving into some uncharted waters.

I most enjoyed listening to one of my favourite shows, Cabaret. A few years ago I saw it in Berlin, in German, in an original Spiegel Tent. It will easily be one of my most memorable theatrical experiences... so as Sally Bowles would say....'come here the music play'.

Listen to Dress Circle Sunday 1705 -1900 on BBC Radio Scotland.

There was the time I stood high on Ben Hiant in Ardnamurchan and watched a ferry ply its way to Mull over a marble sea. I couldn't for the life of me remember being anywhere in the world so beautiful.

Glancing down at those upturned boats of Holyrood I wondered if our parliament matched the grandeur of our capital. Can you remember an MSP contribution which held your attention, inspired or moved you in the past four years? If you can it may have been during a debate on a non-party issue like euthanasia and I bet there are few of them. Mostly it's jeering and braying and a series of studied attempts to do each other down. The daft thing is that a lot of that is for public consumption and in private most MSPs get on perfectly amiably. In other words they put on something of a show for us the voters and yet the acrimony is one of the things the public hate most.

At the end of the first nationalist administration we hear a thoughtful view of our government's efforts and limitations from Murray Pittock and Gerry Hassan.

We debate our involvement in Libya, whether it is the right thing to do and, if so, why stop at Libya and yet decline to intervene in Yemen or Bahrain? And is Gaddafi a legitimate target for attack? Menzies Campbell and John McDonnell join us.

Two retiring MSPs (in the employment sense) discuss the state of North Sea oil and the government's new tax regime. They are Chris Harvie and Ted Brocklebank and we have a report on micro banking in Bangladesh. We'll try to raise the level of debate and metaphorically take the view from Calton Hill. Join me tomorrow at 8.

Thursday's show was about the most boring film, or the one that seemed longest (150 hours long, Cinematon is being shown at the moment in France - the longest movie ever made).

Lord of the Rings, Da Vinci Code, Road to Perdition, the infamous The Brown Bunny - all were mentioned. But I loved this from Duncan Maclean of the Skye Film Club. A bar and two meals?

A few years ago in Sleat, Skye we screened the 1956 version of War and Peace in our local film club. The film was over 7 hours long and was only the second time it had ever been seen in Scotland. We started at 5pm, stopped three times for a bar and two meals and finished after 2am. It might not have been too boring, but you came out feeling like the end of a long-distance flight.

FRIDAY 25th MARCH

Concert

Glasgow - St Andrew's In The Square - Uni Big Band - 9pm - *FREE*

Scottish Country Dances

RSCDS Forres Branch - Forres - Dance - Frank Thomson and his Band

Linlithgow Scottish Country Dance Club - Linlithgow - 30th Anniversary Dance - Glengraig SCD Band

SATURDAY 26th MARCH

Accordion & Fiddle Club

Fife - Largo Ward Village Hall - Live Music - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

Class

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Concert

Glasgow - Whitecraigs Tennis Club - Hot Jazz with Alastair McDonald - 7:30pm

Aberdeen - The Music Hall - The Scottish Fiddle Orchestra

Scottish Country Dance

RSCDS West Lothian Branch - Broxburn - Day School and Dance - 3pm-5:30pm/7pm

RSCDS Glasgow Branch - Glasgow - Club Night

RSCDS St Andrews Branch - St Andrews - Half Day School and Dance - James Coutts Band

Edinburgh - Dunedin Dancers - Spring Dance/Spring Fling - Graeme Munro - 7:15pm - *Tickets £9/£7*

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Here are the four final articles for the series. Alistair Moffat and Colin Martin have each written two about Kelso Abbey and the other two come from South Clerk Street in Ediburgh.

ALISTAIR MOFFAT 2nd November.

Stunning day and we met Colin Martin, another archaeologists and looked around Kelso Abbey and talked about the great King David I and how he brought Flemings, Italians and French people to develop the medieval Scottish economy. It was also time to look at another disappearance. Across the Tweed from Kelso is the site of the medieval town of Roxburgh. It was where the Flemings and others developed wool markets, coins were first minted in Scotland and much else. But the near-continuous warfare of the later middle ages wiped out the town and now sheep graze on what looks like undulating fields. On a stunning day, Colin and I stood on Chalkheugh Terrace, above the Tweed, and looked over at another bit of Scotland's missing history.

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Understandably foreign news was dominating the agenda on this week's programme. The developing stories in Japan and in Libya have had blanket coverage, not just because of the terrible human tragedies unfolding, but because of the possible implications for us at home.

As we arrived on Sunday morning news of the latest air strikes on Benghazi were starting to filter through. Joining me in the studio, The Guardian's Severin Carrell, Lyndsay Moss of The Scotsman, and political columnist Iain MacWhirter. Iain remarked that the papers had already gone into full "war mode" with lots of gung ho coverage and talk of "our boys". But with Iraq casting a long shadow, talk is already turning to "What if it doesn't work?" How long will we be mired in this conflict and should we be involved at all?

The situation in Libya had pushed Japan off the front pages. Lyndsay felt the coverage of the radiation threat from the nuclear reactors had over-shadowed the human stories of the tens of thousands displaced and in desperate need after the earthquake and tsunami. This morning we heard an aid worker say that the aid agencies and the media were pulling out of some areas because of the threat of radiation.

And it was the nuclear question that was preoccupying many commentators here with many saying that the argument for nuclear power as safe and clean was all but lost.

Away from so much grim news, my special guest today had an uplifting and moving story to tell about his time spent with Martin Luther King. Clarence B Jones was Dr King's speechwriter on the famous "I have a dream" speech. Clarence himself is quite the orator and tells the story of how he turned down Dr King's request to work with him because he thought he was a crook! There's a longer version of the interview here. You can find out why he changed his mind.

A last word must go to Lyndsay Moss who's leaving us for a few weeks to prepare for her upcoming nuptials. Having wanted a quiet do, Lyndsay is finding preparations are beginning to rival that of Kate and Wills, in fact she even had to move her date so as not to be upstaged by theirs.

Her biggest headache at the moment is where to find the perfect wedding shoes. Apparently harder than you'd think. So anyone who knows where to get stylish, modestly priced ivory courts, not too high, let me know and I'll pass it on.

Have a great day Lyndsay.

FRIDAY 18th MARCH

CEILIDH & OLD TIMES DANCES

Cocksburnpath - Village Hall - Neil Hardie - Supper Dance - 8pm-midnight - *Tickets £6*

CONCERT

Glasgow - St Andrew's In The Square - Ceilidh - Kilter Ceilidh Band - 7pm - *Tickets £25*

FESTIVAL

Dunkeld - Niel Gow Festival

FIDDLERS RALLY

Strathbogie - Strathbogie Fiddlers - Huntly Stewarts Hall - 7pm

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE

RSCDS Ayr Branch - Troon - Roy Hendrie and his Band - Dance

Troon - Concert Hall - Roy Hendrie - Branch Dance - 7:30pm - *Tickets £7*

Inverness - Cauldeen School - John Renton - Branch Annual Dance - 8pm

Innerleithen - Primary School - Ian Slater - Innerleithen Club Dance

Peterhead - Palace Hotel - David Oswald - Dance - 8pm

RSCDS Annan - Annan - Victoria Hall - Marian Anderson - 7:30pm - *Tickets £8*

SATURDAY 19th MARCH

ACCORDION & FIDDLE CLUB

Fife - Largo Ward Village Hall - Live Music - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

Uist & Benbecula - Church Of Scotland Hall - 8pm

CEILIDH & OLD TIMES DANCES

East Kilbride - Calderwood Hall - Steven Carcary - Highlanders Spring Fling - 7:30-11:30pm - *Tickets £6*

Glasgow - Partick Burgh Hall - Mhairi Coutts - Highlanders Club - 8-11:30pm - *Tickets £7*

Largo Ward - Village Hall - Ian Cruickshanks - Weekly Dance - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

CLASS

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

CONCERT

Glasgow - Whitecraigs Tennis Club - Hot Jazz with Alastair McDonald - 7:30pm

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE

RSCDS Edinburgh/East Lothian/West Lothian Branches - Edinburgh - Joint Lothian Dance - Alistair Wood and his Band - 7:30pm-10:30pm - *Tickets £8*

Bridge Of Allan - Keir St Hall - Ian Thomson - Castle Club Dance - 7:30pm - *Tickets £6*

Braithwaite - Village Hall - George Meikle - Derwent SCD Club - 7:30pm

Ardrishaig - Village Hall - Sandy Nixon - Branch Supper Dance - 7:30pm - *Tickets £10*

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Over recent weeks I've been asking for your suggestions for songs connected to a variety of themes. Rivers, mountains, islands, to name but a few, and I've been delighted at, and enormously grateful for the response. Now as I mentioned on last weeks show, I'm really looking forward to the new Sunday morning programme format, which kicks off in a few weeks time, and which my Radio Scotland colleagues Sally Magnusson and Ricky Ross and I get turns to present.

I'll be starting things off with a full two hours of music and discussion, but I'm going to need your help. I'm looking for your favourite songs - your special pieces of music, and why they're so important to you, so I can include them in the programme. Maybe there's a story attached that you'd like to share with me and all our other Sunday morning listeners - it could be funny or it could be poignant, what matters is why it's so special to you. I'm sure they are many and varied and it would greatly add to our musical journey on a Sunday morning.

You can get in touch by post or you can e-mail and I very much look forward to your tales

In like a lion out like a lamb, that's March for you. This month we've had brilliant sunshine, torrential rain, gale force winds and snow. But there's one topic that sparks more controversy for gardeners than the weather - and that's urban foxes. Never has one subject polarised public opinion so much. For some, foxes are cute wildlife visitors, for others they're now't short of vermin, hell-bent on destroying your precious plot. For my part, I'm sitting firmly on the Pickett fence with this one. On the one hand, I love looking out to see my gorgeous deep red dog-fox casually strolling along the wall outside my kitchen window, but at 3am when he's screeching at the moon it's a different story.

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Where to start? We are on a war footing over Libya, facing a critical nuclear meltdown in Japan and Sarah Brown has written a book about living in Downing Street. How will we decide our priorities?

We've also had the extraordinary affair of Labour U-turns which have come thick and fast reversing previous policy positions on tuition fees (there won't now be any), council tax freezes (there will be one after all) and the bizarre statement that Labour won't close A and E facilities at Monklands Hospital (nobody is planning to).

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I think there's something very poignant in this story from Andy Scrimgeour about how concern for elderly relatives can lead you to compromise your love of rock'n'roll...

"In 1997 I had a couple of weeks in Canada visiting an elderly ex Dundee aunt who has resided in Ontario (Canada) for over 50 years.Whilst we were sitting in the Wayne Gretzky bar (VERY famous ice hockey player) in central Toronto, directly across the road from The Roadhouse - owned by that very famous blues player Jeff Healy, I realised that Jeff was playing that very night as he always did a thursday night slot in his own bar. I convinced my elderly aunt that she would just love the sound of Jeff - who was basically just like Bill Halley...and we manged to get in early and secure a seat right at the front.

As time wore on and Jeff and his band were late to come on..alas..we had to leave as my aunt needed her bed and it was 10.20 pm!!... We caught the bus back to the outskirts of Toronto, and I swore to return and experience Jeff in his hometown. Alas...he sadly passed away around a year later, so it will never happen. But I had seen him at the Perth Concert Hall the previous year. And fantastic he was."

Lindsay Pell from the music team has sent me this which was produced by Shona Pew.

Don't miss next week's Jazz House when regular guest Richard Michael takes on the challenge of explaining the History of Jazz Pianists in one hour! In this clip Richard is in full swing as he illustrates how all composers and jazz musicians borrow from each other to develop their own style.

The Jazz House is on BBC Radio Scotland every Wednesday, 2005-2200

I think the line is attributed to George Melly. Commenting on his wrinkles Mick Jagger defended them as laughter lines. "Nothing's that funny, Mick" quipped George. I thought of this when I compared these two photographs taken over a four year span.

Ricky with The Hold Steady's Craig Finn

The first was taken after The Hold Steady's performance at Connect Festival. Craig Finn - of it is he - it turns out was mightily hacked off at his then Tour Manager - and wasn't in the best of moods. Cut to this year when he was positively brimming with joy at the very thought of playing the ABC in Glasgow......

You'll get a good sense of that happy mood when you check into the AC this Friday. We chat to Craig about life in The Hold Steady and talk about Craig's world. It's in that world where the wonderful, strange often disturbing characters that inhabit the Hold Steady's songs live. Miss it at your peril.

We're going to bring you some great old and new music too. Hank Williams, Charlie Pride from days of old, new songs from K.D. Lang, R.E.M and Kimmie Rhodes and brand new songs from current favourites Sea of Bees. And of course, we will fully explore the treasure trove that is this.......

Enough? You can judge for yourself from Friday at 8 p.m on BBC Radio Scotland

Here's a blog from Euan McIlwraith ahead of this Saturday's Out of Doors.

Half past nine in the car park at the foot of Beinn Eighe and I was pretty nervous. I was joining the combined RAF and Torridon Mountain rescue teams as they climbed into one of the most difficult climbing regions of Scotland. The event was to lay a wreath at the site of a Lancaster Bomber which crashed into the side of the mountain 60 years ago.

Beinn Eighe Lancaster Bomber crash, 60th anniversary

The sky was closing in, the mountain clad in snow and the wind was rising. High above on the slopes some avalanches had already collapsed and the snow slab was unstable. Not the greatest conditions for some one like me who is, to be honest, less than mountain fit!

But my guides were the best in the country, Eoghain Maclean leader of the Torridon Mountain rescue team and David "heavy" Whalley now retired from the RAF and one of the best known mountaineers in Scotland.

Two and a half hours of hard walking and climbing they said. Four hours later of slogging through waist high snow and we still had a long way to go. A great bunch of guys and I could not help feeling I was holding them back!

Finally we crested the oxygen sucking entrance to Coire Mhic Fhearchair and one of the most dramatic sights in Scotland. Three massive buttresses dominate the sky line. A natural Cathedral set in a massive Amphitheatre. And the site of the crash.

On the 13th March 1951 at 1804hrs, Lancaster TX264 call sign 'D' Dog of 120 Squadron, converted for reconnaissance purposes, took off from RAF Kinloss, she never made it.

The subsequent rescue attempt was highly critisised at the time and led to the formation of modern day rescue teams. As the RAF men laid a wreath a Coastguard Helicopter made a respectful fly past.

By now the weather had closed in and there was not enough daylight to get off the mountain. The Coastguard Helicopter came in to take me off.

Quite simply it was one of the most dramatic and frightening things I have ever seen. 60 mile an hour winds, driving snow and a rock filled crater. It took 10 minute for the pilot to inch down between the rocks and battle against the wind which threatened to blow the machine off the exposed ridge at any minute.

At that point I was more than prepared to brave the walk out than to put the team and crew at risk. I honestly thought they would not make it!

Finally the helicopter settled and heart pounding I scurried through the blinding down draft of snow and ice into the aircraft.

10 minutes later I was set down in a field outside the Torridon Youth hostel. Exhausted, I begged a lift from the youth hostel manager who took us back to the departure site.

A brilliant but humbling day and nothing but respect for the guys of the Rescue teams who battle the elements to save lives, and to the crew of the rescue helicopter who showed amazing skill in taking us off the mountain.

Bit of a surprise to see that earlier in the week, this blog was one year old. There are now close to 500 posts on it and in that year we've seen regular contributions from Another Country with Ricky Ross, Cathy MacDonald, Derek Bateman, Tom Morton, Shereen, Robbie Shepherd's Take The Floor Events Diary, the Out of Doors team not to mention posts to support series such as The Scots: A Genetic Journey which is currently on air.

Taking a glance at the range of posts from throughout that year I was surprised to see things I'd forgotten; Tom Morton's photo from of ash in Shetland and Annie McGuire blogging about trying to fly back home. Fred MacAulay's and Dougie Vipond's Sport Relief to Children in Need, photos of Brian Taylor's Big Debate to the Festival Cafe at the Edinburgh Festival and the Royal Highland Show last summer, politics, photographs, videos, social media or info about changes in technology which affect the Radio Scotland website or listening to Radio Scotland programmes on the BBC iPlayer.

Last March on the first post of this blog I wrote that I'd try and make what you see online compliment what you can hear on air through photographs, videos, exclusive audio and extra info.

Well, we've had one year now and it would be great to hear any thoughts about what we could do better or if we're missing things which anyone would like to see more of - or less of. As ever, any thoughts, points or ideas are welcome.

The main story on Sunday's show was of course the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. My abiding image watching the footage this week was of the unstoppable wave engulfing a coastal town, dragging cars, boats, houses in the flotsam. There was a small white car on the road, trying desperately to out-run it. The camera cut away. I can only guess what happened to that car's terrified occupants and to the many thousands of others now "missing".

This morning's papers were full of horrifying pictures. Most poignant was a frightened child holding up his arms as he was tested for radiation following an explosion at the nearby nuclear plant.

Joining me in the studio today were journalist and political biographer David Torrance, STV's online editor Robert Dawson Scott, and writer Kirsty Scott. We watched more eye witness accounts and stories of miraculous escapes before we went on air. Kirsty felt that much of the coverage of the nuclear plant explosion was overly hysterical.

The tsunami has pushed the situation in Libya off the front pages. We discussed the British government's reaction to the events there and whether Foreign Secretary William Hague had "lost his mojo" as Jon Snow put it this week. David Torrance felt he'd never had it in the first place.

A country we haven't heard much about in the news lately is Iran. My special guest, Iranian American writer Hooman Majd offered some fascinating insights challenging many of our preconceptions about the country.

Shereen is broadcast every Sunday on BBC Radio Scotland, 0900-1000.

Tuesday was International Women's Day. A hundred years after the first events were held, to celebrate women for their many and varied achievements, we've doubtless seen a vast step forward in terms of womens rights, socially, politically and economically. But let's not get carried away with ourselves, - there's still a bit of a hike until we can stake a claim on our own spot at the top of the mountain of equality. But we've left some pretty good markers along the way - from the right to vote to an increase in the number of women who are now heading large corporations and having their voices heard in politics. From the classroom to the boardroom - sisters are doing it for themselves.

Cue for a song surely. This week I want to hear your suggestions of songs that celebrate women - from Billy Joel's "Always a Woman" to John Lennon's "Woman" to Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to have Fun". From classical to traditional - it could be the name of a reel or a waltz - from jazz to pop, send me your suggestions and if you'd like a dedication along with it, we'll include that in the show.

Over time that gave way to the slow-burning worry I have now and a knowledge that it is impossible for Scotland to win. If there were 20 Scots on the field we would lose. If we played the England Women we would lose. If the players abandoned the game and began snogging each other, it would be cancelled when England were three points ahead.

Believe me, Scotland cannot win at Twickenham. We should have won over the years and, if I remember right, in 1985 there were three Scots chasing a ball over the England line for a winning try and they all fluffed it. Then there was a draw in 1989. This match is pre-ordained by the rugby gods. How I wish I wasn't compelled to watch. But I can't ignore it and have to approach it in the same way I head for the dentist for root canal treatment. I tell myself to grow up and get it over with.

The record at Twickenham is so bad it can't be explained by rugby alone. Are the Scots beaten before they run on the park? Is inferiority built into our DNA? I remember an old school friend who played for Selkirk when they won the Hawick Sevens for the first time in living memory. He was so unused to winning, he said to himself in the final: We don't belong here. We're not supposed to win titles. But they did because they realised how stupid that was. Sport...eh? It's 10 per cent ability, 90 per cent attitude. Just like sports commentators.

My foreboding has been ameliorated by seismic events in the Pacific where there is another in a worrying regular series of earthquakes. We hope to speak to John McCloskey, Professor of Geophysics at the University of Ulster, who has warned us in the past of where and when massive quakes will come. Goodness knows what the picture will be from California to Indonesia and Honolulu by the morning.

There was an unholy collision this week between stonking bonuses for bankers (again) including the boss of nationalised RBS and the Hutton report on public sector pensions. Am I the only one looking from one to the other and trying to make sense of this juxtaposition. Who is paying for our financial woes - them or us? We'll debate. I'm also hoping to catch up with David Pratt of the Sunday Herald if he can line up his satellite phone from Libya. It is becoming a cauldron of violence down there so we'll also take a look at the EU's response... not exactly been rapid, has it?

It should all take my mind off Twickenham where I firmly believe Scotland will run out convincing winners. Join me at 8.

The BBC News Asia-Pacific site is keeping us up-to-date with the latest developments after the tsunami in north-eastern Japan. It's all right here.

You may remember how last week Beechgrove Potting Shed expert Nicola Singleton gave me a list of jobs to get on with to get the garden ready for spring. On Monday I decided it was high time I got stuck in if I had any chance of getting everything done. The weather was perfect, blue skies and sunshine, positively balmy, and I couldn't wait to get outside. It was my first 'footer' about the garden this year and it felt fabulous. Once I started tugging at the faded perennials (which admittedly should have been cleared at the end of autumn!) cutting back the straggly evergreens and raking up all the dead leaves there was no stopping me, I was a woman on a mission and ready for action; heaven help any weed that dared get in my way.

Last Sunday was the first programme of the New Year, and David Mitchell from the Royal Botanics in Edinburgh said this was the perfect time to plan your garden for the forthcoming year. And once I started with the initial clearing I could see what David was talking about. With everything looking a bit bare and bedraggled, it's easy to see where you would like a bit of colour, visualise the perfect spot for that fruit tree, or just plan that magnificent garden you've always dreamed of. It doesn't matter if it never really makes fruition - part of the fun is in the fantasy.

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This week on The AC you're going to hear to acts in polar positions on their life journeys. Firstly we'll welcome The Secret Sisters.

The Secret Sisters and Ricky Ross at BBC Radio Scotland, March 2011

The sisters are from Muscle Shoals, Alabama and their career has got off to a flying start due, in part, to some healthy associations. Jack White digs them and T Bone Burnett has exec produced their debut record. Interestingly too that their album is not all new songs but picks a path through the last 60 years of country music. There are nods to Hank Williams, George Jones and Nancy Sinatra. What is fresh and new is their voices and locked-in sibling harmonies. You can have a sneak preview here too.

At the other end of the scale we have reached Time Out Of Mind on our long rewind through Bob Dylan's studio albums.

Impossible to say how important this record was but, for me, it was the album which set up this long great run he's been on. The confidence in his own sound, the heart breaking love songs and the reconnection with great roots music are all present here. (Next week we'll see where that reconnection began to take shape) To celebrate the album we'll chat to Mark Howard who, as (producer) Daniel Lanois' engineer, recorded the whole record. There are some great stories on this one - so make yourselves comfortable.

That's Mark in the foreground with Dan Lanois behind and someone called "Shakey!"

There's so much more.... We will look again at the soundtrack to Robert Altman's Nashville, we will hear some great new things from R.E.M., Alison Krauss and Union Station and another new song from Hayes Carll.(He of KMAG YOYO fame!) I also discoverd a new band this week and want to play a track from their new album. Essentially a solo artist called Julie Ann Beas, she goes under the moniker, Sea of Bees...and it is really great. She's coming this way soon too.

It's all from 5 past 8 on Friday night and 10 on Sunday, on BBC Radio Scotland.

This, just in, from Susan Calman;

SC

Hello! I've been sitting in for Fred this week on MacAulay and Co and it has been fantastic so far. Whenever I get the call to get in the hot seat I jump at the chance to do what is fast becoming my favourite ever job. I got into a taxi on Tuesday afternoon and my driver asked me if I had fun presenting the show because it sounded like I did. He was concerned that perhaps it was forced merriment he was hearing. It's not. Anyone who heard my and Anna's performance on the Kazoo on Tuesday will know that we could not pretend to have fun whilst making that much noise.

Susan Calman

On Monday I chatted with Dan Clark, star of BBC3's "How not to live your life" who I shared a romantic moment with when filming said sitcom last year. To be fair I think I enjoyed our kiss much more than he did! Dan is up in March for the Glasgow Comedy Festival which starts soon and, as he films in Glasgow for 3 months every year he is very much looking forward to coming back to his second home. Add to that some lovely texts and e mails in response to the listener question "what are you looking at right now" meant we were off to a flying start to the week.

Tuesday is always a favourite show for me as Jacqueline O'Donnell pops in with some delicious food to try. I met her a couple of weeks ago and impressed upon her the importance of bringing food I like because the last time she was on the show she attempted to make me eat oysters. She didn't succeed and instead the brave Karen Mackenzie consumed them. We narrowed down my food loves to one ingredient, cream, and she promised me she would make me happy. Imagine my distress when I found out that instead of delicious cream she was using spring greens! She did redeem herself though by bringing in a large bowl of whipped cream for me to digest whilst she explained how delicious vegetables are. I'm not convinced.

We also chatted about the very thing I am doing now. Blogging! An internet journal about whatever you want to write about. The BBC Radio Scotland website has lots of great blogs from presenters about politics, gardening and entertainment. Try and do one yourself, and if you want some handy tips listen to Tuesdays show on the iplayer.

One of my favourite comedians is on Thursday's show - Kevin Bridges. He is a huge star now but I remember driving round the country with him doing gigs to ten or so people at a time. It is lovely seeing someone that you started out with doing so well and he remains a thoroughly nice chap as well.

We'll round it all off on Friday with the five things you didn't know last week keeping you up to date with the key news stories from around the country. But if you need to know what's hot and what's not before that Beverly Lyons is on the show tomorrow with an essential guide to being down with the kids.

I hope you enjoy listening to the show as much as I enjoy presenting it. Keep emailing, calling and texting into us. Speak to you soon!

MacAulay and Co - weekdays 1030-1200

This week's Take The Floor events guide, featuring the ceilidh dances, traditional and folk music events happening throughout Scotland over the next seven days.

Take the Floor, Troon Concert Hall, 20 Feb 2011: Group shot with Robbie Shepherd, Lorne MacDougall Trio with David Foley and Innes Watson, Ian Muir SDB, Alistair Ogilvy and Darcy Carson.

Scottish Country Dance

RSCDS Aberdeen Branch - Aberdeen - Spring Dance - Susan MacFadyen and her Band - 8pm-midnight

Clydebank & District Highland Association - Old Kirkpatrick - Napier Hall - Ceilidh - *Tickets £5*

SATURDAY 12th MARCH

Accordion & Fiddle Club

Fife - Largo Ward Village Hall - Live Music - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

Edinburgh - Edinburgh Highland RSS - Columba's Church - 7pm - *Tickets £8/£6*

Sutherland - Rogart Village Hall - Graeme Mitchell

Class

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Concert

Glasgow - Whitecraigs Tennis Club - Hot Jazz with Alastair McDonald - 7:30pm

Edinburgh - Edinburgh Highland RSS - Blackhall St Columba's Church - 7pm - * Tickets £8/£6*

Strathpeffer - Square Wheels House Concert - Southern Tenant Folk Union

Paisley Highlanders - Elderslie Village Hall - Stoddart Square - Anne Bone McLean - 7:30-11:15pm -

Scottish Country Dance

RSCDS West Lothian Branch - Uphall - Dance

Edinburgh - Trinity SCD Club - Club Night - Edinburgh Academy Jnr School - Glencraig - 7:30pm-10:30pm - *Tickets £8/£6*

Beauly - Phipps Hall - Frank Thompson's Band - 7:30pm - *Tickets £5.50*

SUNDAY 13th MARCH

Accordion & Fiddle Club

Biggar - Biggar Bowling Club - Ian Kirkpatrick SDB - 7pm

Concert

Forfar - Reid Hall - Andy Kain, Liam Stewart, Eddie Rose, Craig Paton, Bryce Johnstone, Bill Ewan, Malcolm Ross and Bill Gray for Forfar Athletic Football Club - 7:15pm - *Tickets £12/£10*

Scottish Country Dance

Fife - Old Parish Church Hall - Kirk Wynd - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 2-5pm - *Tickets £3*

East Kilbride - Girl Guide Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Take the Floor: Troon Concert Hall, 20th Feb 2011

MONDAY 14th MARCH

Accordion & Fiddle Club

Pitlochry, Recreational Grounds (Town Hall if wet) - Highland Nights

Class

St Andrews, SCD Club - live music from Dierdre Adamson on Accordion (learners welcome) - 7:30pm

Scottish Country Dance

Dumbarton - St Patrick's Hall - Strathleven Place - Ceilidh & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm

St Andrews SCD Club - Kirriemuir - St Andrews Church - Glamis Road - Dierdre Adamson - 7:30pm

TUESDAY 15th MARCH

Accordion & Fiddle Club

Humbie - Village Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time Club & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Perth & District - Perth - Salutation Hotel - South Street - Graham Geddes & His Band - 8pm

Castle Douglas - Urr Valley Hotel - Willie McFarlane - 7:30pm

Livingston - Whitburn - Hilcroft Hotel - Richard Smith Trio

Mauchline - Mauchilne & District KFC Supporters Club - Roy Hendrie

Wick - MacKay's Hotel - Steven Carcary Trio

Class

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Scots Song - suitable for beginners - 2pm

Folk Club

Leith Folk Club - Rura - *Tickets £6*

Fiddlers Rally

Huntly - Stewart Hall - Strathbogie Fiddlers

Scottish Country Dance

Westerton Summer Dancing - Bearsden, Westerton Village Hall, Maxwell Avenue, Westerton - Musicians John Renton and Rickie Francie - 7:30-10:30pm

WEDNESDAY 16th MARCH

Accordion & Fiddle Club

Dunblane - Victoria Hall - Ian Muir SDB - 7:15pm - *Tickets £3*

Teviotdale - Hawick - Riverside Inn - Glencraig SDB

Class

Fife - Kenoway Community School - Accordion Class - George Lawrie - 7-9pm - *Tickets £5.60/half price first lesson*

Concert

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £5*

Midlem - Village Hall - Live Music - Old Time Class (GB Scott) - 8-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Scottish Country Dance

Carnoustie Scottish Country Dance Club - Carnoustie, Beach Hall, Links Parade - Various Bands - 8-11pm

Newtongrange - Dean Tavern - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

THURSDAY 17th MARCH

Accordion & Fiddle Club

Coalburn - Coalburn Miners Welfare - Ian Holmes Trio - 7:30pm

Ladybank - Ladybank Tavern - Alexander Lindsay

Tynedale - Hexham Ex-Service Club - Brian Griffin

Class

Penicuick - Town Hall - Ceilidh Class - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £2.90/£1.50*

Concert

Glasgow - St Andrew's In The Square - Live At The Star - Anarkali - 8pm - *Tickets £8/£6*

Scottish Country Dance

RSCDS - Alva, Summer Dance, Cochrane Hall, West Stirling Street - various musicians - 7:30-10:30pm

11th - 12th MARCH

RSCDS ARGYLL BRANCH -

50th Weekend School - Marian Anderson and her Band and David Cunningham and his Band

8TH - 20TH MARCH

NIEL GOW FESTIVAL - Niel Gow Festival in Dunkeld

Take the Floor: Troon Concert Hall, 20th Feb 2011

Take The Floor is on BBC Radio Scotland every Saturday 1905-2100

Here's the latest updates from Alastair and Norman Atkinson to accompany episode four of The Scots; A Genetic Journey.

ALISTAIR MOFFAT

November 2nd to Lindisfarne, magical tidal island off the North Sea coast of Northumberland. It was the first place the Vikings attacked in 793 and on an incredibly windy day, when Martin did his best to hang on to the mic, we recorded something on that event. Lindisfarne is a wonderful place and I could easily live there, cut off from the rest of the world once a day, twice if you are lucky.

NORMAN ATKINSON - ABERLEMNO

I first visited the Aberlemno stones in 1963, and the kirkyard slab with its depiction of a battle caught my imagination!

Amerlemno stone

The Scots; A Genetic Journey is broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland, Wednesdays, 1530-1600

This week's hot topic was the fallout from last week's Old Firm match, still making the front pages four days later.

In the studio with me were The Big Issue's Paul McNamee, Daily Record Political Editor Magnus Gardham, and Scotland on Sunday's Chief Sports Writer Tom English. Tom had written about it in his column and felt it was all a bit of an over reaction. According to him things are no worse this week than they have been for a long time and he was very cynical about whether the summit, called by Alex Salmond, will achieve anything.

As someone who doesn't follow football I find it extraordinary, not to say a little depressing, that football pundits can talk of "only" thirty four arrests as if that's okay. Over reaction or not, it's at least got us talking again about the social consequences of the Old Firm spectacle and whether increased drunkenness, violence and domestic abuse are a price worth paying.

This week's special guest was Alan McGee, the founder of Creation Records who'll be forever known as the man who discovered Oasis. But it wasn't just his stars who led the rock n roll lifestyle. Alan partied hard too. Drug addiction took hold and it nearly killed him. He told me about all the highs and lows and how he got himself clean.

You can listen to the extended interview here. See you next week.

Shereen is broadcast every Sunday on BBC Radio Scotland, 0900-1000.

Last week I was looking for your suggestions of songs about islands, and thanks to one of our listeners, I am now on the look out for songs about rivers. What is it about rivers that inspire musicians and songwriters to compose classics like Mercer and Mancini's "Moon River" or the gorgeous "Shenandoah" which no-one does better than Van Morrison and the Chieftains and is about the Missouri River.

If you like Boney M, how about "By the Rivers of Babylon" or if your preference is classical, what about "The Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss or if you're deeply patriotic what about "The Song of the Clyde". Bruce Springsteen's "The River" is a popular choice, but a very old favourite of mine is a Gaelic song which Calum Kennedy used to sing called "Loch Maree". The music and the words always remind me of my first sighting of Loch Maree - in a gorgeous corner of Scotland - in the middle of one sunny summer. How many of you will go for Joni Mitchell's wonderful but sad Christmas song "The River"?

Send me your suggestions and especially your favourites.

Some of us used to think of cartoons when we heard the name Calman. Mel Calman drew the "Little Man", the everyman geezer who made wry asides about the news or was the victim of someone's wisecrack (often Missus Little Man). He appeared in the Daily Express for years and held down a live slot on the ground-breaking news magazine show Tonight on the BBC. Tonight was the first accessible news analysis programme on telly in the fifties and early sixties with emerging talent like Cliff Michelmore, Fyfe Robertson, Alan Wicker, Julian Pettifer and Brian Redhead who all became household names. My mum's favourite was a handsome and urbane fellow called Derek Hart. She liked him so much she called her son after him...and that's how I got my name. Did she know I would one day become a broadcaster with the BBC and that I too would be handsome and urbane (please refer this for factual checking - editor).

Anyway, all that to say that Calman nowadays brings to mind the complex constitutional inquiry by Sir Kenneth Calman, who is not that different physically from the Little Man when you think of a small, slightly rotund genial chap with a bald pate. Sir Kenneth doesn't really do wisecracks though judging by his esoteric report. And this week the Holyrood committee scrutinising the Westminster Scotland Bill produced its findings. It turned out to be Calman Plus with a raft of new, more powerful measures on borrowing and taxing and generally treating Edinburgh more like a sovereign parliament than a regional legislature. The SNP members dissented because they think the financial measures will damage Scotland but secretly they must be chortling into their Highland Spring. The Unionist alliance is proposing measures way beyond anything Alex Salmond can achieve without an overall majority and you could argue we are now skating down Tam Dalyell's famous slippery slope. In five years time after a period of heavy economic restraint by Westminster and a barrage of anti-London bashing by whichever one of SNP or Labour wins in May, will more Scots think to themselves: Why don't we just go for independence? After all, there must be a limit to how far the Unionist parties can stretch the argument by saying Scotland needs more of this power and more of that before the we reach a breaking point.

And yet, as David Murray's support for Alex Salmond indicates, for many Scots you vote SNP because it wins the concessions that actually strengthen the Union. Take your pick. We'll discuss with Iain McWhirter and academic Nicola McEwan. The polls have been giving conflicting messages so we'll discuss the intricacies of opinion poll methodology with Professor John Curtice...you may want to pull the duvet over your head during that.

Do you recall being told that our oil was running out and that you can't base an economy on something as volatile as oil and gas - a point that has escaped Saudi Arabia? Well the jeremiahs are wrong. All the signs are that the North Sea is undergoing something of a boom in output, jobs and commercial interest. How so and what does it tell us? We'll investigate.

And as we try to maintain our status as a global player while cutting the defence budget, is it wise to reduce the BBC World Service? I did a tour of the United States 20 years ago with journalists from 20-odd developing countries and everyone of them knew and respected the World Service. They couldn't trust their own media and didn't trust the editorialising of Voice of America. One of the latest cuts is the Portuguese service to Africa which serves, among others, Mozambique. We speak to Joe Hanlon of the Open University who knows the country well.

So that's Tonight, the World Service and Newsweek all in the same blog. It makes me feel proud to be in such exalted company but I suspect that Calman (deceased 1994) would have turned out a cartoon saying it's like comparing Panorama and Cbeebies. Join me tomorrow at 8.

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FRIDAY 4th MARCH

**Scottish Country Dances**

Blairgowrie Scottish Country Dance Band - Blairgowrie - Annual Dance - Colin Dewar and his Band

RSCDS Glasgow Branch - Glasgow - Luke Brady and his Band

RSCDS East Lothian Branch - Prestonpans - Dance - Robin Hamilton - 7:30pm - *Tickets £6*

SATURDAY 5th MARCH

**Accordion & Fiddle Clubs**

Uist & Benbecula - Benbecula - Church Of Scotland - 8pm

**Scottish Country Dances**

RSCDS Kirkcaldy Branch - Glenrothes - 81st Annual Ball - Jim Lindsay and his Band - 7:30pm - *Tickets £6*

RSCDS West Lothian Branch - Livingston - Children's Festival - 2pm-4pm - *Tickets £1*

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Theresa Talbot who presents the new series of The Beechgrove Potting Shed sent me a few words ahead of the programme on Sunday.

Theresa Talbot

Bruised. Battered. Bewildered. I think we all feel in need of a little tender loving care after the long cold winter, and our gardens are no exception. The bitterly cold weather, torrential rains and heavy snow have taken their toll on most of our precious plots, and that's why I'm itching to start the brand new series of The Beechgrove Potting Shed this Sunday 6th March. The programme will be jam-packed full of helpful advice on how to get your garden into tip top condition for spring.

Nicola Singleton is one of our regular expert guests in The Shed, and she popped down to Glasgow this week to cast her eye over my own city garden, which really is looking terribly dejected and neglected. But the ever positive Nicola refused to be beaten by my lopsided hedge, the flowering Camellia which doesn't (flower that is!) and the climbing rose that quite frankly looks as though it needs a stair-lift to get it even a few inches off the ground. But even in the bleak aftermath of winter, there's much to look forward to: the delicate crisp white snow drops are making way for the mouth watering crocuses, and as we scraped back some of the dead foliage in the borders, we could see the tips of the Peony roses breaking through the soil, ready to burst into colour with their magnificent blood-red blooms come May. Oh, I'm there already!!! But back to the job in hand. According to Nicola, most of my problems can be sorted fairly quickly with a good clean up, cutting back any old scraggy evergreens; clearing the borders of dead leaves and making sure any weeds that dare to make an appearance are dealt with quickly.

After that it's plain sailing apparently. Nicola's given me a list of jobs to tackle which you can listen to this Sunday, and follow my progress as the months wear on. But don't get too relaxed as you're next! We're calling on new gardeners to get in touch and let our experts come and get their hands dirty on your plot. So if you don't have a clue and could do with some sound advice then stick the kettle on and we'll pop round to help you get started as part of our new 'Get Gardening' slot. Although I must warn you, once you get bitten by the gardening bug it'll turn into a mild obsession. But what a way to get fit, get outdoors and stay healthy.

You can contact us by email us. And do get in touch if you think your school, community centre or local allotment has an interesting story to tell. We just love hearing from you. Regulars to the programme will know it's not just the experts who are happy to part their knowledge and wisdom of all things green. Our listeners are a veritable mine of information, and each week will often call in to share their top tips, or even solve a problem which has stumped the panellists the previous programme! Last season I was amazed at what we covered in The Shed; everything from growing sweet-corn in The Shetland Islands to the secret of keeping exotic Orchids, and I'm sure this series will be no exception. I look forward to hearing from you on Sunday, when Carole Baxter and David Mitchell will be on hand to guide us into spring.

Speak soon......Theresa x

The Beechgrove Potting Shed with Theresa Talbot returns to BBC Radio Scotland from Sunday 6 March

A few weeks ago I went into the BBC's HQ on a frosty January morning to meet up with a man who is legend enough not to have to turn up for such prosaic promotional duties. As I parked my car and looked east I was aware of a familiar looking stetsoned silhouette coming towards me, Gary Cooper-like, across the asphalt. It was early and he was tired but Marty Stuart has arrived, guitar in hand ready to entertain.

Marty Stuart and Ricky Ross. Photograph taken outside BBC Scotland, January 2011

There are two spellings of Stuart as my old friend, the late Jimmy Stewart from Carnoustie once explained. There's the "tinkie" Stewart and the "Royal" Stuart. Once you hear the full conversation Marty and I had that Saturday I think you will feel you have been in the presence of Country Royalty. Marty's life is remarkable: A child prodigy in his first professional band at 13, he joined Johnny Cash's backing group at 21 and soon became another member of the extended Cash family when he married Rosanne's sister a few years later. I'm not an expert on country music but my good friends Karen Miller and Paul Fenn tell me that if there's one show you want to see in Music City it's the Marty Stuart band. Marty finally brought the band to Glasgow for Celtic Connections and we hooked up the day they tore it up at The Arches. I was on air that night but all the stories I heard were of a triumphant gig. If all this comes as news then please join me on Friday night as I do believe you might find you want to hear more of the wonderful Mr Stuart. If you already know and love Marty you'll be delighted to know he was on top form.

We're also going to tell you exciting news about The Another Country Movie Club. We have a couple of big nights ahead of us this spring which will give us all a chance to meet up, say hello and enjoy some wonderful music.

More.......you want more? I have new things from Buddy Miller (yes!), more from the really great new Lucinda Williams album, The Low Anthem and Jessica Lea Mayfield.

I will also introduce you to a lovely record on Rounder by Nathaniel Rateliff. We'll do all of that in 2 hours you know...just watch. (actually, listen!)

Before I go I'd like to thank you for listening to my show with Vic last week. It was an honour to have Sir Vic Galloway in my seat and slightly scary to have to take his place the previous Monday. I hope you all heard some music you might not otherwise have heard. Personally I was so pleased to hear The Ballad of El Goodo coming out of the radio, so thank you Vic.

Another Country is on BBC Radio Scotland every Friday from 2005-2200

This is a cracker, from an anonymous 'lawyer'. We were talking about ridiculous lawsuits...

First up I'm a lawyer so please don't mention my name otherwise someone might get upset about my mentioning these:

1) I once entered Edinburgh Sheriff court in time to see two of my colleagues arguing over custody of a dog

2) Far more ridiculously, I once acted for my old University (not named for legal reasons) in pursuing an individual to try to stop him airing his sincerely held belief that the principal, the university and all sort of other officials had conspired with Satan to deny him his MSc. The Court of Session judges were scrupulously fair in allowing him his day in court (actually several weeks in court) during which time I had to sit through all sorts of outlandish "evidence". At one point the court reporter came in as the said party litigant was grilling the Principal of the Uni as to whether or not he had hypnotised the entire court using his satanic powers. He tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "what the ***k is going on in here???"

Fun times

To support episode 3 of the programme Alistair Moffat, Tim Clarkson and John Harrison have written the articles below for the blog, which they wrote at the time of recording last year.

Alistair Moffat

To Dumbarton Rock on Tuesday 26th October in a gale! Martin the sound engineer did a superb job, even hanging on to the metal wire attached to a flagpost at one point to stop it rattling while all the time recording an interview right at the top of the rock in high winds and sleet. I think Martin may be made of wire.

Martin the sound engineer hanging on to the metal wire attached to a flagpost at one point to stop it rattling!

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I was speaking with a producer on the Call Kaye programme yesterday and was more than a little surprised to hear that the programme has been on air for a year already - it launched on March 1 2010.

At the time we made a short film of Kaye asking her to introduce the show, and yesterday I asked the programme producer to see if Kaye could write us a few words for the blog about her first year. Here's what she said:

Kaye Adams

It might have been just another twelve months for you but it's been one heck of a learning curve for me. Before I started on Call Kaye a year ago, I'd mainly worked in television and radio took a bit of getting used to. The main difference I think it the immediacy and unpredictability of radio. In telly, things have to be a bit more planned and pre-arranged. Thankfully, I've come to love that aspect of radio. I always get a buzz when I see a name flashing on my board not knowing quite what the person is going to say. I hope I am getting better, I am certainly enjoying it enormously. Keep the calls coming!

Call Kaye is on BBC Radio Scotland, weekdays 0850-1030