Letters 2025 - underlining indicates deletion by editor; square brackets indicate insertion.
To The Scotsman (20 Jan 26)
You explain that the Digital Assets (Scotland) Bill defines a digital asset is 'something which is rivalrous' ('MSPs back Digital Assets Bill', 17 January). I'm sure that I can't be alone in reaching for a dictionary: apparently 'rivalrous' means 'a person or thing equal to another in quality' (COD). I'm none the wiser. Surely 'a digital asset' has to involve digits, ie numbers.
To The Scotsman (17 Jan 26) not published
As Alexander McKay points out (letter, 16 January), every wind turbine needs a reliable back-up, fossil fuel or nuclear. That's because wind power is irregular and unreliable. Logic then suggests that all generation should be from fossil fuel (gas) or nuclear and that renewable generation is useless. Why generation electricity from an unreliable source when reliable ones are available? Because we can? That's not a good reason. Electricity demand is fairly constant and so requires a fairly constant supply. It's not possible to match a constant demand to a variable supply. Renewable generation is a parasitical burden on the system and should be abandoned.
To The Scotsman (24 Dec 25) not published
Christmas purports to celebrate the birth of Christ. In fact no one knows when Jesus was born (or where). The gospel Birth Narratives were created to give Jesus a background and origin commensurate with later beliefs.
It was the Early Church that set his origin in Bethlehem to align it with Micah 5:2 (a verse forecasting that the 'ruler of Israel' would come from that city) and timed it to replace pagan solstitial celebrations. This meant that pagans could not celebrate the return of the Sun without appearing, inadvertently, to celebrate Christ's birth.
Consequently the commercialisation of Christmas does not bother me: it has nothing to do with Jesus. Also, as an atheist, I have no religious interest.
To The Sunday Times (23 Dec 25)
You reported (News Review, 21 December) that a Jewish person (Simon?) avoids wearing anything that would identify him as Jewish in Leith (Edinburgh).
The creator of Esperanto, Ludovic Zamenhof, himself a Jew who lived in a divided Polish society, urged Jews to be 'a Jew in the house but a man in the street' (pace women). In other words, 'keep one's religion private and don't display it to the world'. As a Gentile atheist, I think that is good advice.
To The Scotsman (15 Dec 25) not published
William Loneski (Letters, 15 December) describes the Earth tilting towards the Sun. In fact the tilt of the axis of the Earth from the vertical (its obliquity) changes very little. However, as the Earth orbits the Sun, different hemispheres are exposed to the Sun's radiation, resulting to the seasons.
To The Scotsman (8 Dec 25) published but edited
Peter Hopkins (letter, 6 December) is naive to believe the story of Jesus' parents having to go to Bethlehem for a Roman taxation (they lived far away in Galilee). Luke used the taxation, which only involved land owners anyway, as a device to have Jesus born in Bethlehem, so as to fulfil the prophecy of Micah 5:2 ('from Bethlehem will come a ruler for Israel').
The taxation would not have required such a chaotic mass movement. Jesus came from Galilee, probably Capernaum.
To New Scientist (1 Dec 25)
Ciaran Gilligan-Lee claimed that the Earth orbits the sun because 'it is tugged by gravity' ('Fixing quantum theory's fatal flaw', 29 November).
That idea has long been replaced by the belief that the Earth is following a geodesic path around the sun's gravity well.
To The Scotsman (29 Nov 25)
Your report on migration ('Net migration drop "step in the right direction"- PM Starmer' 28 November) makes no sense until one realises that you refer to immigration to the UK. Unfortunately, you don't make that clear. A report on migration without reference to the direction or even the countries involved is useless.
To The Scotsman (?) published 27 Nov 25
[Regarding Charles Lowson's letter (26 November)] reform of the House of Lords (Charles Lowson's letter, 25 November) should be based on the structure of the Irish Senate, which consists of a mixture of members chosen by various methods. Of the 60 Senators, 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach, 6 are elected from universities and 43 are elected from 5 special panels of nominees.
The [House of Lords] has too may members (850) and is politically unrepresentative. Is the UK prepared to learn from the Irish?
To The Scotsman (21 Oct 25) published 23 Oct 25?
Some people just won't take 'no for an answer' (e.g The Chinook Justice Campaign, your report on 20 October). A helicopter flying blind in fog crashes into rising ground. The only mystery is why the pilots didn't know the high ground was ahead of them; clearly they thought they were somewhere else.The obvious explanation is a navigational error. So why this explanation was later rejected without it being replaced by an alternative mystifies me. No fault was ever found with the helicopter.
It appears that calls for another public inquiry will go on till the end of time as some people seem determined get the answer they want. (A public inquiry was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996)
To The Scotsman (6 Oct 25) not published
It's sad that some people believe this nonsense (''You killed Jesus...'...', SoS 5 October). Surely everyone knows that Jesus was executed by the Romans. However, they probably don't know that that's what he wanted. As a Pharisee he believed in bodily resurrection and wanted to prove it. That's why he arranged to be betrayed and arrested. He thought he had a way to survive the ordeal but fate intervened as a suspicious Roman guard speared him.
To The Scotsman (10 Sep 25) not published
In a caption to a photograph of. inter alia, Sir Keir Starmer's wife, you describe the latter as 'Lady Victoria'. Since she has no title in her own right, she can only be described as 'Lady Starmer', or 'Victoria, Lady Starmer'. Please observe the usual etiquette.
To The Scotsman (6 Sep 25) published 8 Sep 25
Alistair Carmichael describes compulsory ID cards as 'illiberal' ('English flag fiasco reveals Starmer's lack of principle', 5 September).
Generally, most countries in the world issue identity cards, with less than 10 countries worldwide not issuing them, mostly confined to the anglosphere, microstates and unrecognised states. As of 1996, identity cards were compulsory in over 100 countries. The UK is just one of six OECD countries not to use an ID scheme. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair has called for digital ID to boost government efficiency.
In Canada, run by a liberal government, although there is no ID card system, various forms of identification serve similar purposes, such as passports and provincial driver's licenses.
Liberalism is all very well but has limits. At all times the government needs to know the identity of every citizen. If anyone objects to this, one must suspect them of subversion.
To The Scotsman (5 Sep 25) published 6 Sep 25
Elaine Pomeransky (Letters, 5 September) anachronistically described Scotland's patron saint (Andrew) as an 'Israeli'! From what little we know of St Andrew, he was a Galilean fisherman recruited by Jesus. At the time, Galiliee was a Roman province; Israel did not exist. Consequently modern Israel can have no interest in the matter and Ms Pomeransky is messing with history.
To The Scotsman (31 Aug 25) published 2 Sep 25
Apparently, John Birkett (Letters, 30 August) was told by Scottish Water and SEPA to save water by, inter alia, 'not to fill the kettle full for only one cup of tea, etc.' However, this does not save water; it only saves electricity. What water is not needed for one cup stays in the kettle and can be available for further cups.
To The Scotsman (26 Aug 25) not published
The Middle East used to mean the sub-continent (India etc), China was in the Far East and the Levant was in the Near East. Now, Israel e.g. has moved to the Middle East. So where is the Near East now? Italy?
To The Scotsman (25 Aug 25) not published
George Rennie (Letters, 25 August) claims that the 'evidence for God's existence' is 'the beauty of creation and the moral law within us'. What nebulous reasoning. I also wonder which God he had in mind (see Exod: 20:3).
Beauty is 'in the eye of the beholder' and not an objective characteristic. One person may see the universe as 'beautiful' while another may see it as an awesome expanse full of fire and fury.
As for 'moral law', this is no more than an instinctive feeling about right and wrong (pace the Ten Commandments). Today morality is codified in our state laws.
To The Scotman (25 Aug 25) not published
You report that former Defence Secretary Liam Fox is committed to a full investigation into the 1994 Chinook crash (23 August). However an inquiry presided over by a sheriff, was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996. This could not come to a conclusion. I pointed this out in my letter of 14 June. Is he unaware of that? What difference does he think that a new investigation will make? The accident was clearly a case of pilot error, flying without visibility into the ground (it's called 'Controlled Flight Into Terrain, CFIT). It happens when pilots either don't know where they are or think they are somewhere else. I sense a wish to keep asking questions until one gets the answer one wants.
To The Scotsman (21 Aug 25) published 25 Aug 25.
Ian Petrie (Letters, 19 August) claimed that someone 'famously' once said that 'if you believe in nothing then you will believe in anything'. The context was religious faith.
Perhaps he was thinking of G K Chesterton, who wrote that ‘When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.’ Chesterton was mistaken: religious belief is merely a superstition, a belief in the supernatural. Rejecting it does not imply believe in anything; it implies belief only in those thing for which there is evidence.
Since 'nothing' cannot exist, it seems impossible to believe in it. As an atheist, I do not 'believe in anything'; I am selective in what I believe, preferring evidence for the foundation ('rock') for my beliefs.
To The Scotsman (20 Aug 25) not published
People, esp the media, seem confused about the term 'The Middle East'. Historically the term was Britain's term for the subcontinent, while Far East meant China and Japan. The Near East meant the Levant (Israel etc). If Israel is now in the 'Middle East', where is the 'Near East', Italy?
To The Scotsman (8 Aug 25) not published
You report that President Truman declared that force used to end the war with Japan was the same force that powered the Sun ('Scotsman reported on power of atomic bomb 80 years ago', 7 August).
Evidently he was either misinformed or misunderstood what he was told. The Sun and all stars derive their energy from nuclear fusion, where atoms combine. The energy in the bomb used against Japan came from nuclear fission, where atoms are split in a chain reaction.
To The Times (3 Aug 25) published?
You refer to '...historic child sex allegations' (2 Aug 25). Do you not know the difference between 'historic' and 'historical'? Then shame on you. In this case it should be 'historical'.
To The Scotsman (28 Jul 25) not published
I have to query Dr Gavin Miller's belief that we should do more to preserve and celebrate the 'bizarre history' of UFOs in Scotland (SoS, 27 July). Why do so any more than 'preserving' accounts of fairies or the Loch Ness Monster? All these cases have no objective evidence, albeit they may have a stimulus.
Dr Miller is baffled by Robert Taylor's report. Perhaps that's because he had not investigated it as thoroughly as I have. I gave a full account of the incident in my book 'The UFO Mystery Solved' (1994, now out of print). Does he know that Robert collapsed after seeing bizarre objects and noticing a strong, acrid smell? When he came to, it's thought a few minutes later, the strange objects had vanished. He then found that he had lost his voice (he tried to speak to his dog), he was very thirsty and had a headache.
All these symptoms are characteristic of a stroke, although I was told that later examination of him showed no evidence of a stroke. However, aura associated with a stroke is fairly common. The patient may see flashing lights, have a sensation of pins and needles and feel dizzy or unsteady.
Which is more likely? That Robert saw and alien spaceship or that he suffered a stroke?
To The Scotsman (26 Jul 25) not published
Archibald A Lawrie asks how people will manage without the electricity from Sizewell C power station should it be bombed by Russia in a nuclear war. (Letter, 25 July). In that circumstance, they will have more to worry about than lack of electricity; their concern will be survival.
Mr Lawrie's fanciful scenario is totally unrealistic. Nothing could cause Russia to attack the UK for building a power station. It's Mr Lawrie who needs to show some 'prudent sense'.
To The Sunday Times (14 Jul 25) not published
Ben Spencer asks 'Where are all the deeply devout religious scientists?', 13 July). Since religion is a superstition, you can't expect a scientist to hold religious views. However some manage to maintain a religious belief by compartmentalising their beliefs so that they don't interact (e.g religion on Sunday; science on Monday). To some scientists, religion is a cultural issue and separate from their daily work.
To The Scotsman (13 Jul 25) not published
We tried watching Rebus ('Award-winning BBC adaptation of Ian Rankin's Rebus back for second series', 12 July) but gave up on account of the ubiquitous bad language. Is it supposed to be 'family viewing'? Not for my family.
To The Scotsman (12 Jul 25) not published
You report that, addressing the 'small boats' problem, (French) President Macron claimed that 'There is no silver bullet here' (''Macron blames Brexit for small boats as deal set out', 11 July).
However it's nothing to do with Brexit. It's the fact that the UK no longer requires residents to have ID cards such as those required in France. ID cards are compulsory on over 100 countries; less than 10 countries worldwide do not issue them, mostly confined to the anglosphere, microstates and unrecognised states.
The requirement for an ID card in the UK was introduced in 1939 at the start of the Second World War and it was only repealed in 2011. The fact that the UK does not require residents to have such identification is a major 'pull factors' bringing migrants here.
So lets 'bite the bullet' and reintroduce them. Simples!
To The Scotsman (8 Jul 25) not published
Clearly Joel Hornby, the son of one of the victim of the crash of an RAF Chinook on the Mull of Kintyre, hasn't been paying attention ('Crash victim's son demands answers', 7 July).
You report that he demands a public inquiry into the disaster. However, such an inquiry, presided over by a sheriff (a Scottish judge), was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996. This could not come to a conclusion. I pointed this out in my letter of 14 June. Is he unaware of that? What difference does he think a judicial review will make? The accident was clearly a case of pilot error, flying without visibility into the ground (it's called 'Controlled Flight Into Terrain, CFIT). It happens when pilots either don't know where they are or think they are somewhere else. I sense a wish to keep asking questions until one gets the answer one wants.
To The Sunday Times (7 Jul 25)
Tom Calver, in his article ('Go figure', 6 July) claims that there are 'no simple solutions' to the reform of Council tax. However, there is a simple alternative: land value tax.
This is a levy on the value of land regardless of what is built on it. This is a progressive tax because the tax burden falls on land owners. It has been described as 'the perfect tax' as its economic efficiency has been accepted since the eighteenth century. Economists since Adam Smith have advocated it because it does not hurt economic activity; instead it encourages development without subsidies.
A low-rate land value tax is currently implemented throughout Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Singapore, and Taiwan; it has also been applied to lesser extents in parts of Australia, Germany, Mexico and the United States (e.g., Pennsylvania). The UK should adopt it now.
To The Scotsman (5 Jul 25) published 8 Jul 25
Reports of the seeing the Loch Ness Monster are surely 'based on some underlying physical reality' (Second leader, 4 July). But if not Nessie then what?
I have examined very many reports and have come to the conclusion that boat wakes are the usual culprit. There is a phenomenon peculiar to long and deep narrow lakes used by heavy vessels. All sizeable vessels create a wakes in deep water if travelling at a constant speed. Firstly a disturbance created by the screw propellers, trailing in line behind the vessel. Secondly a wake created by the bows, spreading out both sides at a particular angle. This is known as the Kelvin wake and is always at an angle to the direction of the vessel of 19.5 degrees. On a calm surface {'Nessie weather'), boat traffic creates wakes that will travel a long way and may even be reflected from the shore line, sometimes interfering with the wake itself and/or the screw wake, to created a lump of water than can seem animated.
One of the major causes of Nessie-like wakes on Loch Ness was British Waterways’ converted ice-breaker tug Scot II, which operated on the Caledonian Canal from 1931. From 1960 to 1991 it carried tourists on cruises according to a strict timetable. It is no longer on the Canal.
To The Scotsman (18 Jun 25) published 25 Jun 25
In 2018, former Conservative Home Secretary Ken Clarke claimed that it is impossible to control illegal migration without an identity card system. Former Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson agreed.
There have been periodic calls for the return of identity cards since they were last scrapped by the Coalition Government in 2011. Lord Blunkett endorsed their return. Even this month he argued that since our digital fingerprints are everywhere, giving a national identity card to every citizen is a no-brainer.
The UK, Ireland and Denmark are the only European countries without ID cards. They are optional in nine EU countries and mandatory in another 16. Reports suggest that our lack of ID cards is a major encouragement to migrants.
Instead of worrying about illegal immigration, the Labour government should make ID cards mandatory immediately.
To The Sunday Times (16 Jun 25)
Caroline Wheeler and Rosamund Urwin ('Apology after transgender barrister is directed to Commons ladies loo', 15 June) quote Kate Harris, a women's rights campaigner, as claiming that she was in 'the mother of parliaments' (Westminster). Harris was wrong.
The phrase was coined by MP John Bright in 1865 when he described England [sic] as 'the mother of parliaments' because it gives birth to successive parliaments. In no sense is Westminster the mother of other parliaments, but it is the child of the UK state, being born again at each general election. It is the UK that is the 'mother', not Westminster.
To The Scotsman (11 Jun 25) published 14 Jun 25
I fail to understand why the families of those who died in the Mull of Kintyre helicopter crash consider the MoD's description of it as an 'accident' as 'dishonest, deceitful and disingenuous' (your report, 24 Hours, 11 June). What do they know that everyone else doesn't know? Pilots do not fly their aircraft into the ground willingly but may do so when they are disorientated and have little visibility, as in this case. It was before the introduction of GPS.
They call for a public inquiry, yet such an inquiry was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996. Is this a case of continually asking a question until one gets the answer one wants?
To The Scotsman (5 Jun 25) not published
Why the obsession with wind power? ('Public need to 'catch up' in drive for wind power', Net Zero 3 June). It's only about 33 per cent efficient, a blot on the landscape and unnecessary--non-polluting nuclear power can supply all the electricity we need. In addition the grid layout has to be altered to accommodate diverse generation.
We do not need erratic generation from mediaeval methods.
To The Scotsman (2 Jun 25) not published
Although the Ministry of Defence did not order a public inquiry ('Chinook victims' families launch legal action', 2 June), there was a 'public inquiry' at which the Ministry of Defence was represented: a Fatal Accident Inquiry held as required under Scottish law in Paisley from 8 January to 2 February 1996.
Unfortunately this FAI came to no conclusion and I can't see another public inquiry making a difference. Attempts to find fault with the helicopter have always failed.
The simplest explanation (qv Occam's Razor) is pilot error. Naturally the pilots' families want the pilots to be exonerated but that flies in the face of the evidence. The aircraft flew in fog into a hillside (it's call CFIT, 'controlled flight into terrain'). Anyone can see that this means that the pilots did not know that high ground lay ahead of them.They must have thought that they were elsewhere over the sea. The relevant question here is why they thought that. I claim that they misidentified a waypoint.
To The Times (1 Jun 25)
Your headline "Bomber Harris' finds new aviary home with falconer' (31 May) resonates with the famous 'Bomber Harris' of WW2. Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet, commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press and often within the RAF as "Butcher" or "Butch" Harris, was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) RAF Bomber Command during the height of the Anglo-American strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
To The Scotrsman (30 May 25) not published
CFIT is an aeronautical acronym standing for 'controlled flight into terrain'. It is apt in the case of the RAF Chinook which collided with the Mull of Kintyre in June 1994. Despite claims otherwise, there is no evidence that there was anything wrong with the aircraft.
That leaves pilot error, a conclusion rejected by many, especially the pilots' families. Nevertheless, at a time before GPS, it remains the only explanation. Claims that experienced SAS pilots could never have made a mistake need to be rejected.
En route from Northern Ireland to Scotland, the crew were looking for their first waypoint, a stage for a turn onto another course. That waypoint was intended to be the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse. Unfortunately, in poor visibility, the crew mistook a foghorn station for the lighthouse (both white blobs on the coast), which put them on a course inland instead of over the sea.
Still with poor visibility, they continued on a course that eventually led to the crash. Their confidence was misplaced.
To The Sunday Times (26 May 25) not published
You claim that the 1994 Chinook accident has 'never been properly explained' (your report 25 May). Not officially no, but I explained it in my book Chinook Crash (Pen & Sword Aviation, 2004; later issued as a paperback in 2024).
I show that the accident was caused by pilot error. Flying blind because of fog and without GPS, the crew misidentified their first waypoint. They set course for a fog warning station thinking it was the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse (both buildings show as white blobs on the coast). This put them about a kilometre off course and heading for high ground when they thought they were over the sea.
To The Scotsman (28 May 25) not published
You are right that the UK needs to reduce its reliance on gas to generate electricity (strap line to main leader on 24 May). But not to bring down energy bills (it's unlikely to do so); to stop the release of CO2 which adds to global warming (GW). Not that the UK alone can have any measurable effect on GW. CO2 is still emitted by every vehicle powered by fossil fuel an every house boiler the world over.
The world population is addicted to burning fossil fuels and will eventually reap the whirlwind in dangerous climatic conditions. I can't see this extravagance stopping. Well not until the world will becomes uninhabitable--and then what. The end of life on Earth except some insects. Not with a bang but with a whimper.
To The Scotsman (16 May 25) not published
In Britain we live in what is called 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. Do you wonder which kingdoms are referred to as 'United'? It's nor England and Scotland. It's the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, the latter when it was a British dominion. However, since 1922, when the Irish Free State was created, the Kingdom of Ireland has been reduced to the Ulster province we call Northern Ireland. Because the latter is not a kingdom, the UK's title is out-of-date and misleading. Northern Ireland is not and has never been a 'kingdom'. The true title now should be 'The Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ditch the 'UK' and use 'GB'.
To The Scotsman (13 May 25) not published
You report that the Pope complained that a lack of faith is 'often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life' etc. (Your report on 10 May).
However life has no meaning; it's the natural product of evolution. In the words of a First World War song, 'We're here because we're here'. Trying to give life meaning amounts to superstition.
The Pope also complained that Jesus is misunderstood. He's mainly misunderstood by the Catholic Church, which has never shown any interest in the historical Jesus. There are very many books on the life of Jesus, not one by a Catholic.
To The Scotsman (10 May 25) not published
I appears that Andrew HN Gay does not believe in 'global warming' (anthropogenic climate change) (Letter, 10 May). He calls it 'climate madness'.
However, the evidence for change is clear. Since Antarctic ice traps air molecules from previous times, measurement of that ancient air shows how the climate has warmed. Areas such as Greenland and the Arctic have seen thinning of ice sheets. In September 2020, Arctic sea ice reached its minimum extent for that year at 3.74 million square kilometres. According to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), this is the second lowest since the 42-year record taken by satellites.The latest findings reinforce a trend that could see the Arctic losing all of its ice cover in the summer months within decades. Glaciers are melting, vegetation is evolving to adapt to warmer conditions and the oceans are acidifying due to the absorption of more CO2. From 1850 to 2020, the world has warmed by 1.2C and 2016 and 2020 were the warmest years on record.
To The Times (5 May 25) published?
In Comment on 3 May, there was a reference to a 'power cut'. My father, who worked in the electricity supply industry, railed against this term as it implied that the industry had cut the supply when, in fact, there has been a breakdown somewhere, not in the supply but in the distribution network. I don't think he ever described it as an outage.
To The Scotsman (3 May 25)
I've noticed an increasing misuse of the word 'multiple' (3 times on p19 of 2 May). The misusers seem to think it means 'many'. In fact it means 'having or involving several parts or elements, as in 'multiple rocket launcher'. Could you encourage everyone to use the word correctly? This misuse is degrading the English language.
To The Sunday Times (28 Apr 25) published edited 4 May 25
You[re leading article states that the church's] claim that the central tenets of Christianity 'underpin our unwritten constitution and legal system' (Leader, 27 April). However, since those tenets are 'belief in God, Jesus Christ as the Son of God and mankind's saviour, the Holy Spirit, the Bible as the Word of God and salvation through Christ alone', you are mistaken. None of that has any relevance to our 'unwritten constitution', whatever that is, nor is it reflected in our legal system.
To The Scotsman (16 Apr 25) not published
Religion is no more than superstition (a belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural or attributed to fate or magic). Christianity (re Murdo Fraser's article 16 April) is no exception. The belief that Jesus was resurrected is no more than a belief; the fact that he believed in it and predicted it doesn't make is true. As a Pharisee, he wanted to show the reality of resurrection (to thwart Saducean beliefs and to prove them wrong) and expected to survive crucifixion (something he arranged). He took a drug that he thought created temporary death, but the efficiency of the Roman execution squad thwarted his plan (a guard speared him). The belief that he survived is a delusion as is the belief in the existence of God (who he?).
Mr Fraser can't believe that the world is the product of chance, but science has shown that it is. Humanity is the natural product of evolution working on the many life-forms on this planet. As the First World War song goes: 'We're here because we're here'. I recommend David Waltham's book 'Lucky Planet--Why Earth is Exceptional and what that means for life in the universe (2014)'.
To The Scotsman (14 Apr 25) not published
Dale Miller (Insider, 12 April) referred to 'warm April temperatures'. This is a category error; one can't warm a temperature (it's not a physical object). He means 'high temperatures'.
To The Scotsman (9 Apr 25) not published
You continue to refer to the wives of knights with their given name, e.g. 'Lady Helen [Stewart]' yesterday. This is a breach of etiquette. Unless a woman has a title in her own right, she should be referred to merely as 'Lady [surname of husband]. In this case Helen Stewart can only be referred to as 'Lady Stewart'. I have noted several other breaches over the years.
To The Scotsman (3 Apr 25) not published
Michael Baird and you welcomed Philip Rycroft's statement that the extraction of oil and gas is 'an absolute no-brainer' and condemned those who opposed it (2 April).
Extraction is not the problem. Critics agree that 'we need fossil fuels to manufacture hundreds of everyday items and medicines'. The problem is burning fossil fuels, as it damages the climate and is leading to global warming. It is doing huge damage to Earth's atmosphere and will lead to an overheated and probably uninhabitable world. Mr Baird ignored this aspect.
To The Scotsman (28 Mar 25) not published
Cat Parkinson's photograph (p3 yesterday) cannot have been looking north as there is clearly a planet visible. Planets can only be seen to the south. Is the aurora visible in a southerly direction?
To The Scotsman (22 Mar 25) not published
You report that Prince William told Ukrainian refugees that they had 'a very good spirit. very good souls' (2nd leader yesterday). The Royal Family is not like its subjects; it floats above us in a superior plane, yet apparently a superstitious one. William's remarks confirm this. One would have expected the younger royals to have thrown off the reactionary views of their elders. It is disappointing to find that this is not the case.
To The Scotsman (4 Mar 25) not published
Why do so many people mispronounce ordinary English words. I have a list of 25 such words. Recently I noted 'respiratory', where the emphasis should be on the first syllable.
Most of these 'wrong' pronunciations appear to be due to reluctance to emphasise the first syllable of a word. But some are then caught out by words where the emphasis should be on the second syllable, e.g. 'resource' (mispronounced as 're-source'). Is it ignorance or laziness?
To The Scotsman (26 Feb 25) not published
Ash Sheikh of Muir Homes claims that 'New-build homes meet the needs of today's buyers' (Opinion, 25 February). Not at all; they meet what buyers seem to want: houses that look as if they were built decades, even centuries, ago. It seems that people perversely want the most modern cars but the most ancient houses. The house illustrated in Mr Sheikh's article is an example of nostalgic design. What they need are modern homes designed by architects in tune with the 21st century.
To The Scotsman (21 Feb 25) not published
Neil Anderson (Letter, 20 February) claimed that renewables are the cheapest form of electricity generation. However, it depends on the type of generation and its reliability. Hydro is cheap but it is unreliable. Offshore wind, costing over five times as much as hydro, is also unreliable. Gas generation is reliable, but is over three times as expensive as hydro. Compare that with reliable nuclear generation which is half the cost of offshore wind and even cheaper than gas.
To The Scotsman (14 Feb 25) not published
You explain that one reason for the SNP's reluctance to abandon council tax and replace it with (say) land value tax (LVT), is that, desirable as it is, such a step needs to offered as an inducement for independence (Leader, 12 February): any improvement now would undermine that inducement. Understandable but despicable ('we could improve things but only if we get independence'). I would rather vote for a unionist party that offered LVT. But there doesn't seem to be one (it used to be Green Party policy).
In fact, council tax is a minor (19%) component of local council funding; most (66%) comes from Scottish Government Grant.
To The Scotsman (8 Feb 2025) published 10 Feb 25
You note that the SNP is 'trapped in the 1970s' over nuclear opposition' (7 February) but I never hear an explanation for the SNP's stance on the matter. There must be a reason for their opposition, but what is it? Is it just unreasoned prejudice or Is it technical ignorance?
To The Scotsman (3 Feb 25) not published
Ian Petrie (Letters, 1 February) hopes that, somewhere in the universe there are beings more intelligent than us and that we can't be 'as good as it gets'. In fact we probably are the most advanced intelligence that has evolved in this universe. There are no signs of other intelligences anywhere else. Unfortunately 'intelligence' comes with knowledge, even how to destroy ourselves.
You explain that the Digital Assets (Scotland) Bill defines a digital asset is 'something which is rivalrous' ('MSPs back Digital Assets Bill', 17 January). I'm sure that I can't be alone in reaching for a dictionary: apparently 'rivalrous' means 'a person or thing equal to another in quality' (COD). I'm none the wiser. Surely 'a digital asset' has to involve digits, ie numbers.
To The Scotsman (17 Jan 26) not published
As Alexander McKay points out (letter, 16 January), every wind turbine needs a reliable back-up, fossil fuel or nuclear. That's because wind power is irregular and unreliable. Logic then suggests that all generation should be from fossil fuel (gas) or nuclear and that renewable generation is useless. Why generation electricity from an unreliable source when reliable ones are available? Because we can? That's not a good reason. Electricity demand is fairly constant and so requires a fairly constant supply. It's not possible to match a constant demand to a variable supply. Renewable generation is a parasitical burden on the system and should be abandoned.
To The Scotsman (24 Dec 25) not published
Christmas purports to celebrate the birth of Christ. In fact no one knows when Jesus was born (or where). The gospel Birth Narratives were created to give Jesus a background and origin commensurate with later beliefs.
It was the Early Church that set his origin in Bethlehem to align it with Micah 5:2 (a verse forecasting that the 'ruler of Israel' would come from that city) and timed it to replace pagan solstitial celebrations. This meant that pagans could not celebrate the return of the Sun without appearing, inadvertently, to celebrate Christ's birth.
Consequently the commercialisation of Christmas does not bother me: it has nothing to do with Jesus. Also, as an atheist, I have no religious interest.
To The Sunday Times (23 Dec 25)
You reported (News Review, 21 December) that a Jewish person (Simon?) avoids wearing anything that would identify him as Jewish in Leith (Edinburgh).
The creator of Esperanto, Ludovic Zamenhof, himself a Jew who lived in a divided Polish society, urged Jews to be 'a Jew in the house but a man in the street' (pace women). In other words, 'keep one's religion private and don't display it to the world'. As a Gentile atheist, I think that is good advice.
To The Scotsman (15 Dec 25) not published
William Loneski (Letters, 15 December) describes the Earth tilting towards the Sun. In fact the tilt of the axis of the Earth from the vertical (its obliquity) changes very little. However, as the Earth orbits the Sun, different hemispheres are exposed to the Sun's radiation, resulting to the seasons.
To The Scotsman (8 Dec 25) published but edited
Peter Hopkins (letter, 6 December) is naive to believe the story of Jesus' parents having to go to Bethlehem for a Roman taxation (they lived far away in Galilee). Luke used the taxation, which only involved land owners anyway, as a device to have Jesus born in Bethlehem, so as to fulfil the prophecy of Micah 5:2 ('from Bethlehem will come a ruler for Israel').
The taxation would not have required such a chaotic mass movement. Jesus came from Galilee, probably Capernaum.
To New Scientist (1 Dec 25)
Ciaran Gilligan-Lee claimed that the Earth orbits the sun because 'it is tugged by gravity' ('Fixing quantum theory's fatal flaw', 29 November).
That idea has long been replaced by the belief that the Earth is following a geodesic path around the sun's gravity well.
To The Scotsman (29 Nov 25)
Your report on migration ('Net migration drop "step in the right direction"- PM Starmer' 28 November) makes no sense until one realises that you refer to immigration to the UK. Unfortunately, you don't make that clear. A report on migration without reference to the direction or even the countries involved is useless.
To The Scotsman (?) published 27 Nov 25
[Regarding Charles Lowson's letter (26 November)] reform of the House of Lords (Charles Lowson's letter, 25 November) should be based on the structure of the Irish Senate, which consists of a mixture of members chosen by various methods. Of the 60 Senators, 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach, 6 are elected from universities and 43 are elected from 5 special panels of nominees.
The [House of Lords] has too may members (850) and is politically unrepresentative. Is the UK prepared to learn from the Irish?
To The Scotsman (21 Oct 25) published 23 Oct 25?
Some people just won't take 'no for an answer' (e.g The Chinook Justice Campaign, your report on 20 October). A helicopter flying blind in fog crashes into rising ground. The only mystery is why the pilots didn't know the high ground was ahead of them; clearly they thought they were somewhere else.The obvious explanation is a navigational error. So why this explanation was later rejected without it being replaced by an alternative mystifies me. No fault was ever found with the helicopter.
It appears that calls for another public inquiry will go on till the end of time as some people seem determined get the answer they want. (A public inquiry was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996)
To The Scotsman (6 Oct 25) not published
It's sad that some people believe this nonsense (''You killed Jesus...'...', SoS 5 October). Surely everyone knows that Jesus was executed by the Romans. However, they probably don't know that that's what he wanted. As a Pharisee he believed in bodily resurrection and wanted to prove it. That's why he arranged to be betrayed and arrested. He thought he had a way to survive the ordeal but fate intervened as a suspicious Roman guard speared him.
To The Scotsman (10 Sep 25) not published
In a caption to a photograph of. inter alia, Sir Keir Starmer's wife, you describe the latter as 'Lady Victoria'. Since she has no title in her own right, she can only be described as 'Lady Starmer', or 'Victoria, Lady Starmer'. Please observe the usual etiquette.
To The Scotsman (6 Sep 25) published 8 Sep 25
Alistair Carmichael describes compulsory ID cards as 'illiberal' ('English flag fiasco reveals Starmer's lack of principle', 5 September).
Generally, most countries in the world issue identity cards, with less than 10 countries worldwide not issuing them, mostly confined to the anglosphere, microstates and unrecognised states. As of 1996, identity cards were compulsory in over 100 countries. The UK is just one of six OECD countries not to use an ID scheme. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair has called for digital ID to boost government efficiency.
In Canada, run by a liberal government, although there is no ID card system, various forms of identification serve similar purposes, such as passports and provincial driver's licenses.
Liberalism is all very well but has limits. At all times the government needs to know the identity of every citizen. If anyone objects to this, one must suspect them of subversion.
To The Scotsman (5 Sep 25) published 6 Sep 25
Elaine Pomeransky (Letters, 5 September) anachronistically described Scotland's patron saint (Andrew) as an 'Israeli'! From what little we know of St Andrew, he was a Galilean fisherman recruited by Jesus. At the time, Galiliee was a Roman province; Israel did not exist. Consequently modern Israel can have no interest in the matter and Ms Pomeransky is messing with history.
To The Scotsman (31 Aug 25) published 2 Sep 25
Apparently, John Birkett (Letters, 30 August) was told by Scottish Water and SEPA to save water by, inter alia, 'not to fill the kettle full for only one cup of tea, etc.' However, this does not save water; it only saves electricity. What water is not needed for one cup stays in the kettle and can be available for further cups.
To The Scotsman (26 Aug 25) not published
The Middle East used to mean the sub-continent (India etc), China was in the Far East and the Levant was in the Near East. Now, Israel e.g. has moved to the Middle East. So where is the Near East now? Italy?
To The Scotsman (25 Aug 25) not published
George Rennie (Letters, 25 August) claims that the 'evidence for God's existence' is 'the beauty of creation and the moral law within us'. What nebulous reasoning. I also wonder which God he had in mind (see Exod: 20:3).
Beauty is 'in the eye of the beholder' and not an objective characteristic. One person may see the universe as 'beautiful' while another may see it as an awesome expanse full of fire and fury.
As for 'moral law', this is no more than an instinctive feeling about right and wrong (pace the Ten Commandments). Today morality is codified in our state laws.
To The Scotman (25 Aug 25) not published
You report that former Defence Secretary Liam Fox is committed to a full investigation into the 1994 Chinook crash (23 August). However an inquiry presided over by a sheriff, was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996. This could not come to a conclusion. I pointed this out in my letter of 14 June. Is he unaware of that? What difference does he think that a new investigation will make? The accident was clearly a case of pilot error, flying without visibility into the ground (it's called 'Controlled Flight Into Terrain, CFIT). It happens when pilots either don't know where they are or think they are somewhere else. I sense a wish to keep asking questions until one gets the answer one wants.
To The Scotsman (21 Aug 25) published 25 Aug 25.
Ian Petrie (Letters, 19 August) claimed that someone 'famously' once said that 'if you believe in nothing then you will believe in anything'. The context was religious faith.
Perhaps he was thinking of G K Chesterton, who wrote that ‘When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.’ Chesterton was mistaken: religious belief is merely a superstition, a belief in the supernatural. Rejecting it does not imply believe in anything; it implies belief only in those thing for which there is evidence.
Since 'nothing' cannot exist, it seems impossible to believe in it. As an atheist, I do not 'believe in anything'; I am selective in what I believe, preferring evidence for the foundation ('rock') for my beliefs.
To The Scotsman (20 Aug 25) not published
People, esp the media, seem confused about the term 'The Middle East'. Historically the term was Britain's term for the subcontinent, while Far East meant China and Japan. The Near East meant the Levant (Israel etc). If Israel is now in the 'Middle East', where is the 'Near East', Italy?
To The Scotsman (8 Aug 25) not published
You report that President Truman declared that force used to end the war with Japan was the same force that powered the Sun ('Scotsman reported on power of atomic bomb 80 years ago', 7 August).
Evidently he was either misinformed or misunderstood what he was told. The Sun and all stars derive their energy from nuclear fusion, where atoms combine. The energy in the bomb used against Japan came from nuclear fission, where atoms are split in a chain reaction.
To The Times (3 Aug 25) published?
You refer to '...historic child sex allegations' (2 Aug 25). Do you not know the difference between 'historic' and 'historical'? Then shame on you. In this case it should be 'historical'.
To The Scotsman (28 Jul 25) not published
I have to query Dr Gavin Miller's belief that we should do more to preserve and celebrate the 'bizarre history' of UFOs in Scotland (SoS, 27 July). Why do so any more than 'preserving' accounts of fairies or the Loch Ness Monster? All these cases have no objective evidence, albeit they may have a stimulus.
Dr Miller is baffled by Robert Taylor's report. Perhaps that's because he had not investigated it as thoroughly as I have. I gave a full account of the incident in my book 'The UFO Mystery Solved' (1994, now out of print). Does he know that Robert collapsed after seeing bizarre objects and noticing a strong, acrid smell? When he came to, it's thought a few minutes later, the strange objects had vanished. He then found that he had lost his voice (he tried to speak to his dog), he was very thirsty and had a headache.
All these symptoms are characteristic of a stroke, although I was told that later examination of him showed no evidence of a stroke. However, aura associated with a stroke is fairly common. The patient may see flashing lights, have a sensation of pins and needles and feel dizzy or unsteady.
Which is more likely? That Robert saw and alien spaceship or that he suffered a stroke?
To The Scotsman (26 Jul 25) not published
Archibald A Lawrie asks how people will manage without the electricity from Sizewell C power station should it be bombed by Russia in a nuclear war. (Letter, 25 July). In that circumstance, they will have more to worry about than lack of electricity; their concern will be survival.
Mr Lawrie's fanciful scenario is totally unrealistic. Nothing could cause Russia to attack the UK for building a power station. It's Mr Lawrie who needs to show some 'prudent sense'.
To The Sunday Times (14 Jul 25) not published
Ben Spencer asks 'Where are all the deeply devout religious scientists?', 13 July). Since religion is a superstition, you can't expect a scientist to hold religious views. However some manage to maintain a religious belief by compartmentalising their beliefs so that they don't interact (e.g religion on Sunday; science on Monday). To some scientists, religion is a cultural issue and separate from their daily work.
To The Scotsman (13 Jul 25) not published
We tried watching Rebus ('Award-winning BBC adaptation of Ian Rankin's Rebus back for second series', 12 July) but gave up on account of the ubiquitous bad language. Is it supposed to be 'family viewing'? Not for my family.
To The Scotsman (12 Jul 25) not published
You report that, addressing the 'small boats' problem, (French) President Macron claimed that 'There is no silver bullet here' (''Macron blames Brexit for small boats as deal set out', 11 July).
However it's nothing to do with Brexit. It's the fact that the UK no longer requires residents to have ID cards such as those required in France. ID cards are compulsory on over 100 countries; less than 10 countries worldwide do not issue them, mostly confined to the anglosphere, microstates and unrecognised states.
The requirement for an ID card in the UK was introduced in 1939 at the start of the Second World War and it was only repealed in 2011. The fact that the UK does not require residents to have such identification is a major 'pull factors' bringing migrants here.
So lets 'bite the bullet' and reintroduce them. Simples!
To The Scotsman (8 Jul 25) not published
Clearly Joel Hornby, the son of one of the victim of the crash of an RAF Chinook on the Mull of Kintyre, hasn't been paying attention ('Crash victim's son demands answers', 7 July).
You report that he demands a public inquiry into the disaster. However, such an inquiry, presided over by a sheriff (a Scottish judge), was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996. This could not come to a conclusion. I pointed this out in my letter of 14 June. Is he unaware of that? What difference does he think a judicial review will make? The accident was clearly a case of pilot error, flying without visibility into the ground (it's called 'Controlled Flight Into Terrain, CFIT). It happens when pilots either don't know where they are or think they are somewhere else. I sense a wish to keep asking questions until one gets the answer one wants.
To The Sunday Times (7 Jul 25)
Tom Calver, in his article ('Go figure', 6 July) claims that there are 'no simple solutions' to the reform of Council tax. However, there is a simple alternative: land value tax.
This is a levy on the value of land regardless of what is built on it. This is a progressive tax because the tax burden falls on land owners. It has been described as 'the perfect tax' as its economic efficiency has been accepted since the eighteenth century. Economists since Adam Smith have advocated it because it does not hurt economic activity; instead it encourages development without subsidies.
A low-rate land value tax is currently implemented throughout Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Singapore, and Taiwan; it has also been applied to lesser extents in parts of Australia, Germany, Mexico and the United States (e.g., Pennsylvania). The UK should adopt it now.
To The Scotsman (5 Jul 25) published 8 Jul 25
Reports of the seeing the Loch Ness Monster are surely 'based on some underlying physical reality' (Second leader, 4 July). But if not Nessie then what?
I have examined very many reports and have come to the conclusion that boat wakes are the usual culprit. There is a phenomenon peculiar to long and deep narrow lakes used by heavy vessels. All sizeable vessels create a wakes in deep water if travelling at a constant speed. Firstly a disturbance created by the screw propellers, trailing in line behind the vessel. Secondly a wake created by the bows, spreading out both sides at a particular angle. This is known as the Kelvin wake and is always at an angle to the direction of the vessel of 19.5 degrees. On a calm surface {'Nessie weather'), boat traffic creates wakes that will travel a long way and may even be reflected from the shore line, sometimes interfering with the wake itself and/or the screw wake, to created a lump of water than can seem animated.
One of the major causes of Nessie-like wakes on Loch Ness was British Waterways’ converted ice-breaker tug Scot II, which operated on the Caledonian Canal from 1931. From 1960 to 1991 it carried tourists on cruises according to a strict timetable. It is no longer on the Canal.
To The Scotsman (18 Jun 25) published 25 Jun 25
In 2018, former Conservative Home Secretary Ken Clarke claimed that it is impossible to control illegal migration without an identity card system. Former Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson agreed.
There have been periodic calls for the return of identity cards since they were last scrapped by the Coalition Government in 2011. Lord Blunkett endorsed their return. Even this month he argued that since our digital fingerprints are everywhere, giving a national identity card to every citizen is a no-brainer.
The UK, Ireland and Denmark are the only European countries without ID cards. They are optional in nine EU countries and mandatory in another 16. Reports suggest that our lack of ID cards is a major encouragement to migrants.
Instead of worrying about illegal immigration, the Labour government should make ID cards mandatory immediately.
To The Sunday Times (16 Jun 25)
Caroline Wheeler and Rosamund Urwin ('Apology after transgender barrister is directed to Commons ladies loo', 15 June) quote Kate Harris, a women's rights campaigner, as claiming that she was in 'the mother of parliaments' (Westminster). Harris was wrong.
The phrase was coined by MP John Bright in 1865 when he described England [sic] as 'the mother of parliaments' because it gives birth to successive parliaments. In no sense is Westminster the mother of other parliaments, but it is the child of the UK state, being born again at each general election. It is the UK that is the 'mother', not Westminster.
To The Scotsman (11 Jun 25) published 14 Jun 25
I fail to understand why the families of those who died in the Mull of Kintyre helicopter crash consider the MoD's description of it as an 'accident' as 'dishonest, deceitful and disingenuous' (your report, 24 Hours, 11 June). What do they know that everyone else doesn't know? Pilots do not fly their aircraft into the ground willingly but may do so when they are disorientated and have little visibility, as in this case. It was before the introduction of GPS.
They call for a public inquiry, yet such an inquiry was held in Paisley Sheriff Court over 18 days in January and February 1996. Is this a case of continually asking a question until one gets the answer one wants?
To The Scotsman (5 Jun 25) not published
Why the obsession with wind power? ('Public need to 'catch up' in drive for wind power', Net Zero 3 June). It's only about 33 per cent efficient, a blot on the landscape and unnecessary--non-polluting nuclear power can supply all the electricity we need. In addition the grid layout has to be altered to accommodate diverse generation.
We do not need erratic generation from mediaeval methods.
To The Scotsman (2 Jun 25) not published
Although the Ministry of Defence did not order a public inquiry ('Chinook victims' families launch legal action', 2 June), there was a 'public inquiry' at which the Ministry of Defence was represented: a Fatal Accident Inquiry held as required under Scottish law in Paisley from 8 January to 2 February 1996.
Unfortunately this FAI came to no conclusion and I can't see another public inquiry making a difference. Attempts to find fault with the helicopter have always failed.
The simplest explanation (qv Occam's Razor) is pilot error. Naturally the pilots' families want the pilots to be exonerated but that flies in the face of the evidence. The aircraft flew in fog into a hillside (it's call CFIT, 'controlled flight into terrain'). Anyone can see that this means that the pilots did not know that high ground lay ahead of them.They must have thought that they were elsewhere over the sea. The relevant question here is why they thought that. I claim that they misidentified a waypoint.
To The Times (1 Jun 25)
Your headline "Bomber Harris' finds new aviary home with falconer' (31 May) resonates with the famous 'Bomber Harris' of WW2. Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet, commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press and often within the RAF as "Butcher" or "Butch" Harris, was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) RAF Bomber Command during the height of the Anglo-American strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
To The Scotrsman (30 May 25) not published
CFIT is an aeronautical acronym standing for 'controlled flight into terrain'. It is apt in the case of the RAF Chinook which collided with the Mull of Kintyre in June 1994. Despite claims otherwise, there is no evidence that there was anything wrong with the aircraft.
That leaves pilot error, a conclusion rejected by many, especially the pilots' families. Nevertheless, at a time before GPS, it remains the only explanation. Claims that experienced SAS pilots could never have made a mistake need to be rejected.
En route from Northern Ireland to Scotland, the crew were looking for their first waypoint, a stage for a turn onto another course. That waypoint was intended to be the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse. Unfortunately, in poor visibility, the crew mistook a foghorn station for the lighthouse (both white blobs on the coast), which put them on a course inland instead of over the sea.
Still with poor visibility, they continued on a course that eventually led to the crash. Their confidence was misplaced.
To The Sunday Times (26 May 25) not published
You claim that the 1994 Chinook accident has 'never been properly explained' (your report 25 May). Not officially no, but I explained it in my book Chinook Crash (Pen & Sword Aviation, 2004; later issued as a paperback in 2024).
I show that the accident was caused by pilot error. Flying blind because of fog and without GPS, the crew misidentified their first waypoint. They set course for a fog warning station thinking it was the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse (both buildings show as white blobs on the coast). This put them about a kilometre off course and heading for high ground when they thought they were over the sea.
To The Scotsman (28 May 25) not published
You are right that the UK needs to reduce its reliance on gas to generate electricity (strap line to main leader on 24 May). But not to bring down energy bills (it's unlikely to do so); to stop the release of CO2 which adds to global warming (GW). Not that the UK alone can have any measurable effect on GW. CO2 is still emitted by every vehicle powered by fossil fuel an every house boiler the world over.
The world population is addicted to burning fossil fuels and will eventually reap the whirlwind in dangerous climatic conditions. I can't see this extravagance stopping. Well not until the world will becomes uninhabitable--and then what. The end of life on Earth except some insects. Not with a bang but with a whimper.
To The Scotsman (16 May 25) not published
In Britain we live in what is called 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. Do you wonder which kingdoms are referred to as 'United'? It's nor England and Scotland. It's the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, the latter when it was a British dominion. However, since 1922, when the Irish Free State was created, the Kingdom of Ireland has been reduced to the Ulster province we call Northern Ireland. Because the latter is not a kingdom, the UK's title is out-of-date and misleading. Northern Ireland is not and has never been a 'kingdom'. The true title now should be 'The Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ditch the 'UK' and use 'GB'.
To The Scotsman (13 May 25) not published
You report that the Pope complained that a lack of faith is 'often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life' etc. (Your report on 10 May).
However life has no meaning; it's the natural product of evolution. In the words of a First World War song, 'We're here because we're here'. Trying to give life meaning amounts to superstition.
The Pope also complained that Jesus is misunderstood. He's mainly misunderstood by the Catholic Church, which has never shown any interest in the historical Jesus. There are very many books on the life of Jesus, not one by a Catholic.
To The Scotsman (10 May 25) not published
I appears that Andrew HN Gay does not believe in 'global warming' (anthropogenic climate change) (Letter, 10 May). He calls it 'climate madness'.
However, the evidence for change is clear. Since Antarctic ice traps air molecules from previous times, measurement of that ancient air shows how the climate has warmed. Areas such as Greenland and the Arctic have seen thinning of ice sheets. In September 2020, Arctic sea ice reached its minimum extent for that year at 3.74 million square kilometres. According to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), this is the second lowest since the 42-year record taken by satellites.The latest findings reinforce a trend that could see the Arctic losing all of its ice cover in the summer months within decades. Glaciers are melting, vegetation is evolving to adapt to warmer conditions and the oceans are acidifying due to the absorption of more CO2. From 1850 to 2020, the world has warmed by 1.2C and 2016 and 2020 were the warmest years on record.
To The Times (5 May 25) published?
In Comment on 3 May, there was a reference to a 'power cut'. My father, who worked in the electricity supply industry, railed against this term as it implied that the industry had cut the supply when, in fact, there has been a breakdown somewhere, not in the supply but in the distribution network. I don't think he ever described it as an outage.
To The Scotsman (3 May 25)
I've noticed an increasing misuse of the word 'multiple' (3 times on p19 of 2 May). The misusers seem to think it means 'many'. In fact it means 'having or involving several parts or elements, as in 'multiple rocket launcher'. Could you encourage everyone to use the word correctly? This misuse is degrading the English language.
To The Sunday Times (28 Apr 25) published edited 4 May 25
You[re leading article states that the church's] claim that the central tenets of Christianity 'underpin our unwritten constitution and legal system' (Leader, 27 April). However, since those tenets are 'belief in God, Jesus Christ as the Son of God and mankind's saviour, the Holy Spirit, the Bible as the Word of God and salvation through Christ alone', you are mistaken. None of that has any relevance to our 'unwritten constitution', whatever that is, nor is it reflected in our legal system.
To The Scotsman (16 Apr 25) not published
Religion is no more than superstition (a belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural or attributed to fate or magic). Christianity (re Murdo Fraser's article 16 April) is no exception. The belief that Jesus was resurrected is no more than a belief; the fact that he believed in it and predicted it doesn't make is true. As a Pharisee, he wanted to show the reality of resurrection (to thwart Saducean beliefs and to prove them wrong) and expected to survive crucifixion (something he arranged). He took a drug that he thought created temporary death, but the efficiency of the Roman execution squad thwarted his plan (a guard speared him). The belief that he survived is a delusion as is the belief in the existence of God (who he?).
Mr Fraser can't believe that the world is the product of chance, but science has shown that it is. Humanity is the natural product of evolution working on the many life-forms on this planet. As the First World War song goes: 'We're here because we're here'. I recommend David Waltham's book 'Lucky Planet--Why Earth is Exceptional and what that means for life in the universe (2014)'.
To The Scotsman (14 Apr 25) not published
Dale Miller (Insider, 12 April) referred to 'warm April temperatures'. This is a category error; one can't warm a temperature (it's not a physical object). He means 'high temperatures'.
To The Scotsman (9 Apr 25) not published
You continue to refer to the wives of knights with their given name, e.g. 'Lady Helen [Stewart]' yesterday. This is a breach of etiquette. Unless a woman has a title in her own right, she should be referred to merely as 'Lady [surname of husband]. In this case Helen Stewart can only be referred to as 'Lady Stewart'. I have noted several other breaches over the years.
To The Scotsman (3 Apr 25) not published
Michael Baird and you welcomed Philip Rycroft's statement that the extraction of oil and gas is 'an absolute no-brainer' and condemned those who opposed it (2 April).
Extraction is not the problem. Critics agree that 'we need fossil fuels to manufacture hundreds of everyday items and medicines'. The problem is burning fossil fuels, as it damages the climate and is leading to global warming. It is doing huge damage to Earth's atmosphere and will lead to an overheated and probably uninhabitable world. Mr Baird ignored this aspect.
To The Scotsman (28 Mar 25) not published
Cat Parkinson's photograph (p3 yesterday) cannot have been looking north as there is clearly a planet visible. Planets can only be seen to the south. Is the aurora visible in a southerly direction?
To The Scotsman (22 Mar 25) not published
You report that Prince William told Ukrainian refugees that they had 'a very good spirit. very good souls' (2nd leader yesterday). The Royal Family is not like its subjects; it floats above us in a superior plane, yet apparently a superstitious one. William's remarks confirm this. One would have expected the younger royals to have thrown off the reactionary views of their elders. It is disappointing to find that this is not the case.
To The Scotsman (4 Mar 25) not published
Why do so many people mispronounce ordinary English words. I have a list of 25 such words. Recently I noted 'respiratory', where the emphasis should be on the first syllable.
Most of these 'wrong' pronunciations appear to be due to reluctance to emphasise the first syllable of a word. But some are then caught out by words where the emphasis should be on the second syllable, e.g. 'resource' (mispronounced as 're-source'). Is it ignorance or laziness?
To The Scotsman (26 Feb 25) not published
Ash Sheikh of Muir Homes claims that 'New-build homes meet the needs of today's buyers' (Opinion, 25 February). Not at all; they meet what buyers seem to want: houses that look as if they were built decades, even centuries, ago. It seems that people perversely want the most modern cars but the most ancient houses. The house illustrated in Mr Sheikh's article is an example of nostalgic design. What they need are modern homes designed by architects in tune with the 21st century.
To The Scotsman (21 Feb 25) not published
Neil Anderson (Letter, 20 February) claimed that renewables are the cheapest form of electricity generation. However, it depends on the type of generation and its reliability. Hydro is cheap but it is unreliable. Offshore wind, costing over five times as much as hydro, is also unreliable. Gas generation is reliable, but is over three times as expensive as hydro. Compare that with reliable nuclear generation which is half the cost of offshore wind and even cheaper than gas.
To The Scotsman (14 Feb 25) not published
You explain that one reason for the SNP's reluctance to abandon council tax and replace it with (say) land value tax (LVT), is that, desirable as it is, such a step needs to offered as an inducement for independence (Leader, 12 February): any improvement now would undermine that inducement. Understandable but despicable ('we could improve things but only if we get independence'). I would rather vote for a unionist party that offered LVT. But there doesn't seem to be one (it used to be Green Party policy).
In fact, council tax is a minor (19%) component of local council funding; most (66%) comes from Scottish Government Grant.
To The Scotsman (8 Feb 2025) published 10 Feb 25
You note that the SNP is 'trapped in the 1970s' over nuclear opposition' (7 February) but I never hear an explanation for the SNP's stance on the matter. There must be a reason for their opposition, but what is it? Is it just unreasoned prejudice or Is it technical ignorance?
To The Scotsman (3 Feb 25) not published
Ian Petrie (Letters, 1 February) hopes that, somewhere in the universe there are beings more intelligent than us and that we can't be 'as good as it gets'. In fact we probably are the most advanced intelligence that has evolved in this universe. There are no signs of other intelligences anywhere else. Unfortunately 'intelligence' comes with knowledge, even how to destroy ourselves.
To The Scotsman (30 Jan 25) not published
Your note that 'Migrants [are] projected to fuel Scotland's population increase over [the] next 20 years' (29 January) needs an explanation as to why that should be so. The reason is that the indigenous population is failing in its reproductive duty: the birth rate per woman has fallen to an average of 1.30. For a population to reproduce itself this rate needs to be about 2.1.
What are people thinking? That children are a luxury? That they don't want descendants? I don't understand it. My father was one of a large Victorian family but he himself had only two children. I have only two children and I have only two grandchildren. The Government is not helping: it introduced a two-child policy to limit subsidies.
Perhaps we just don't care about reproduction and are content to accept immigration to keep up the population. However, It will do more than 'keep it up'; it's going to fuel an increase. Just as well I suppose or Scots would all die out.
Your note that 'Migrants [are] projected to fuel Scotland's population increase over [the] next 20 years' (29 January) needs an explanation as to why that should be so. The reason is that the indigenous population is failing in its reproductive duty: the birth rate per woman has fallen to an average of 1.30. For a population to reproduce itself this rate needs to be about 2.1.
What are people thinking? That children are a luxury? That they don't want descendants? I don't understand it. My father was one of a large Victorian family but he himself had only two children. I have only two children and I have only two grandchildren. The Government is not helping: it introduced a two-child policy to limit subsidies.
Perhaps we just don't care about reproduction and are content to accept immigration to keep up the population. However, It will do more than 'keep it up'; it's going to fuel an increase. Just as well I suppose or Scots would all die out.
To The Scotsman (17 Jan 25) not published
The cause of the Lockerbie bombing on 21 December 1988 lies in the earlier shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655, a scheduled passenger flight from Tehran to Dubai. On 3 July 1988 the United States warship Vincennes fired two surface-to -air missiles which hit the Iran Air aircraft, an Airbus A300, while it was flying its usual route over Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. All 290 people on board were killed, making it one of the deadliest airliner shootdowns of all time. The shootdown occurred during the Iran-Iraq War, which had been ongoing for nearly eight years. Vincennes had entered Iranian territorial waters after one of its helicopters drew warning fire from Iranian speedboats operating within Iranian territorial limits.
The reason for the downing has been disputed between the governments of the two countries. According to the United States, Vincennes's crew misidentified the aircraft as an F-14 Tomcat, a US-made fighter jet part of the Iranian inventory, despite it transmitting civilian identification codes. They assert that Vincennes and other warships repeatedly contacted the aircraft on both civilian and military air distress frequencies, but received no response. The flight had departed behind schedule. The Iranian government maintains that the US recklessly shot down the aircraft, violating international law, after repeatedly provoking the Iranian forces. Some analysts blamed the overly aggressive attitude of Vincennes's captain, William C. Rogers III, while others focused on more widespread issues and miscommunications on board.
Consequently the Lockerbie bombing was an act of revenge on the USA, organised by Iran but contracted to Libya.
The cause of the Lockerbie bombing on 21 December 1988 lies in the earlier shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655, a scheduled passenger flight from Tehran to Dubai. On 3 July 1988 the United States warship Vincennes fired two surface-to -air missiles which hit the Iran Air aircraft, an Airbus A300, while it was flying its usual route over Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. All 290 people on board were killed, making it one of the deadliest airliner shootdowns of all time. The shootdown occurred during the Iran-Iraq War, which had been ongoing for nearly eight years. Vincennes had entered Iranian territorial waters after one of its helicopters drew warning fire from Iranian speedboats operating within Iranian territorial limits.
The reason for the downing has been disputed between the governments of the two countries. According to the United States, Vincennes's crew misidentified the aircraft as an F-14 Tomcat, a US-made fighter jet part of the Iranian inventory, despite it transmitting civilian identification codes. They assert that Vincennes and other warships repeatedly contacted the aircraft on both civilian and military air distress frequencies, but received no response. The flight had departed behind schedule. The Iranian government maintains that the US recklessly shot down the aircraft, violating international law, after repeatedly provoking the Iranian forces. Some analysts blamed the overly aggressive attitude of Vincennes's captain, William C. Rogers III, while others focused on more widespread issues and miscommunications on board.
Consequently the Lockerbie bombing was an act of revenge on the USA, organised by Iran but contracted to Libya.