Otters in Scotland = 90% of the UK Otter population.
Scotland and Otters - Terry Nutkins lost his fingers trying to tell us how important these mammals are. Here are Lewis & Isla from the Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary nr Oban Argyll.
[NB the hibernation question in this vid - asked in the middle of December in the snow, you decide].
Strange Whirlpool suck's down crab!
How Do Whirlpools Begin?
When flowing water hits against any kind of barrier, it twists away and spins around rapidly with great force. This creates a whirlpool. Whirlpools can occur in a small area where a piece of land juts out into a river, causing the water to swirl around.
They can also occur in the middle of the ocean when one current meets an opposing current, as when an incoming tide hits the ebb current of the last tide. Strong winds can also whip up the water into whirlpools.
The Maelstrom, a whirlpool off the coast of Norway, is one of the most famous, although writers such as Jules Verne, in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Edgar Allan Poe, in A Descent into the Maelstrom, have exaggerated its power. The Maelstrom is formed by the current hitting rocks and opposing tides.
In the United States, the Whirlpool Rapids of the Niagara River, between New York State and Canada, have such a violent current that they have actually carved a round basin out of the surrounding rock.
Learn more here
Edinburgh 2012 Scots March to Demand Independence from the UK - entire march-off from the Meadows
2012 independence demonstration - thousands of Scots marched for independence on 22 Sept '12. This is a video of the entire march-off leaving the Meadows, a green in a university area in Edinburgh. Pipers headed the march playing Scotland the Brave. Many people carried or wore Scottish saltire flags, some carried yellow flags with lion rampants. There were groups of pro-independence activists from several other countries coming out in solidarity with the Scots and to draw attention to their cause. Lots of different flags were flown including Basque flags, Catalonian flags, Venetian flags and Flemish flags, with the Venetian group chanting San Marco. There were lots of different groups with different political opinions and different reasons for wanting independence e.g. those who want to withdraw from NATO and save the resources for something constructive such as building up the new nation after independence, those who want to end persecution or discrimination at the hands of their respective colonising governments, those who want to utilise their natural resources such as oil in Scotland to fund services instead of having to suffer austerity measures and cuts as a result of their money being siphoned off to the capitals of their colonisers to bail out bankers and corporations and let off their tax-dodging billionaire personal benefactors with corporate tax avoidance and evasion. Some people got into the cultural spirit and dressed up in traditional costume. Many people wore kilts and some carried objects symbolic of Scottish culture such as animals native to Scotland and one wore a green Nessie (Loch Ness monster) head-dress costume. Several people wore costumes reminiscent of famous historical movies such as Braveheart. Some people had leather warriors costumes or chain mail with a helmet and were equipped with a large yellow shield with lion rampant or a bow and arrow. Different political parties were represented on the march and there were groups for independence for Northern Ireland, anti-cuts activists, pensioners groups and many more.
There were many varied banners and placards e.g. a pro-independence for Northern Ireland banner of the James Connolly Society Edinburgh with the slogan let us rise. There was a Basque solidarity banner followed by several marchers with Basque flags, some with the Basque Country's name in Basque language Euskal Herria on them. There were saltire flags with various slogans like rise and be a nation again end London rule or with place names such as Callander or Ayr on them or showing solidarity to occupied nations such as Palestine with a miniature Palestinian flag in the corner of one saltire. There was a banner advertising the upcoming radical independence conference on Nov 14th 2012 as many people on the left feel that independence will be useless unless it involves real change, not just keeping the status quo doing what the bankers and corporations want and keeping the monarchy and NATO, but an independence that will involve spending the country's rich resources on services that will benefit the majority of Scots. Various political parties such as SSP, Greens, SNP and Solidarity were there with their banners. There was a pensioners for independence banner, a women for independence, independence for women banner, a youth and students banner, fringed red and gold Veneto flags, Flemish yellow flags with black lion rampants and a Padania is not Italy banner. Various placards or flags had Yes and place names such as Oban for independence or Yes Alexandria or Edinburgh Pentlands yes Pentlands, yes Scotland Aberdeenshire or Tayport marching for independence. There was a green Scotland placard and a no to Nato placard. There was also a trade unionists banner for a Scottish workers republic with a red flag and saltire illustration. There were Yes Scotland banners and lots of placards simply reading Yes and one placard reading Yes the future is in your hands, another showing the red lion rampant and a mouse with the words which are you? One demonstrator shouted free Scotland! and there were various other chants and shouts including we are marching for independence to the tune of bella ciao. It took 24 minutes for the front to the back of the demonstration just to start moving off, such were the numbers on the demo.
スコットランド Σκωτία ஸ்காட்லாந்து შოტლანდიაში Шотландия 蘇格蘭 સ્કોટલેન્ડ Շոտլանդիա স্কটলণ্ডদেশ Шатландыя สก็อต स्कॉटलैंड 苏格兰 స్కాట్లాండ్ 스코틀랜드 ಸ್ಕಾಟ್ಲೆಂಡ್ Шкотска
Fishing for giant skate
Fishing from a hired orkney 4 seat boat in loch sunart i caught 2 giant skate one was a female 156lbs and a male slightly smaller both caught with a 20lb class abu rod and 25lb nylon mackeral flapper bait both fish were released 50 min tussle with both fish
2019 Asian American Literature Festival
Four events at the Library of Congress celebrated Asian American literature during a three-day city-wide festival. Novelist Monique Truong gave a personal tour of Asian American literature through a mix of social/intellectual history, anecdotes and short readings by writers both celebrated and overlooked. Poets Jennifer Chang and Cathy Park Hong uncovered the work of lesser-known senior poets who importantly shaped Asian American literary culture. Mini-lectures were followed by readings of poets' work inspired by these secret histories. Poet Arthur Sze gave a personal tour of Asian American literature through a mix of social/intellectual history, anecdotes and short readings by writers both celebrated and overlooked. Poets Kazim Ali and Ching-In Chen uncovered the work of lesser-known senior poets who importantly shaped Asian American literary culture. Mini-lectures will be followed by readings of poets' work inspired by these secret histories.
For transcript and more information, visit