Public Art at St John’s at the West End

I like this bit of public art from St John’s at the West End of Princes Street. Digging at Identity Cards, the problem of Palestine (not many visitors to Bethlehem this year I hear) and a wee bit of Christianity for good measure.

Cabogganing at Hillend

Yesterday we reinvented the legendary extream sport of cabogganing (kabogganing?). A cross between canoeing and tabogganing we squashed 4 people and a canoe into a car and took a joyride up to hillend ski centre in the dead of night to make best use of the empty slopes. It works very well and makes for a much better sport than skiing which I have never understood. More photos here.

Skyride at Ratho Adventure Centre

For my birthday my family went to the Ratho Adventure Centre a very impressive and large climbing centre built on two sides of a quarry. Sadly they don’t actually let you in to do any climbing unless you can pass a test, possibly why they’re going bust. This skyride assault course is fun though.

Politics

In a piece to camera on last night’s ITV News Tony Blair said the that Turkey being a muslim country is not reason not to let it enter the EU. The only person who thinks this is a significant factor is the pope, not a big presence on the political stage these last few centuries. Maybe Turkey’s treatment of Kurds, govermental ties with the military and indepencence of the judiciary, inability to help in uniting Cyprus and woman’s rights could be a bigger factor in Tony Blair’s mind. Or maybe he just wants an EU country close enough to bomb Iran or Iraq from.

Newspapers were recently suggesting David Blunket as the next prime minister. Now he’s resigned after abusing his position to fiddle with someone’s visa. The newspapers are interested in his affair but I would say the indefinite detention of foreigners without charge or trial should be a better reason for sacking him. Fortunately the law lords seem to understand the concept of justice. The Scotsman then call this a “headache” for the new Home Secretary rather than a significant win for human rights.

I went to the new Scottish Parliament building yesterday. Very fancy building, lots of strange angles and nifty bits. Absolute nightmare to find your way around however, a few signposts wouldn’t hurt. And too much concrete, concrete walls and ceilings look unfinished, not classy. The debate was on tourism but none of the 10 members who had bothered to turn up had very much interesting to say so I went away again.