• Today on MD’s Journal (Scotland)…

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    As of Noon, 31 October 2009, this site has recorded 286,490 independent public hits.

    - All statistics produced on this site are independently verifiable.

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    ...Knowledge means the power to make the right choices.

    Welcome, Introduction & Blog Stats

    Mark Dowe: 'Sky News Community Blog'

    Twitter: MarkDowe2009

    Scottish Government: 'Consultation Documents'

    Re-Live: Channel 4 News Video Coverage

    The 'Saturday Essay' for 21/11 considers the multifarious views that have emerged within the U.S. administration over, how best, to deal with Afghanistan. With President Obama having returned after his Asian tour, this week, a decision is now imminent as to whether he will heed to the request of General Stanley Chrystal for an additional 40,000 troops. Click on the ‘Saturday Essay’ tab for commentary. [pub. 21/11]

    An examination of future 'market competiveness' within the Banking sector following recent announcements by the European Union, and the pay-back now due after huge cash-injections by the British Government into Lloyds and HBOS. [pub. 20/11]

    An examination of the possible link between paternal flu and long-term side effects associated with influenza following pandemics. [pub. 16/11]

  • (Weekly) Most Read…

    The most read/clicked journals over the last 7-days, to Thursday, 19 November, 2009.

    -- Most viewed article (only) in last 7-days, hits in brackets:

    1. Research: 'Long-term side effects of influenza' (3,698)

    2. -INTENTIONALLY BLANK-

    3. Ministry of Defence: 'Afghanistan RAF Nimrod Crash 2006'

    4. Saturday Essay

    5. Northern Yemen: 'A proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia'

    -- 'Most Read' excludes works on religion, including Sunday Teaching & Lessons.

  • On the radar…

    1. Sunday Teaching & Lessons: 'Put God's house before yours'

    2. Competition: 'Restructuring British Banking'

    3. Saturday Essay

    4. Medical Study: 'Flu/long-term side effects and related life-long health issues'

    5. Climate Change: 'British Lessons'

    6. Modern Sociological Studies & Methods

    7. MD Gym/Fitness Surgery

    8. 'Homecoming Scotland 2009'

    EDITOR'S NOTE:

    The writer reserves the right to publish any e-mails received where those mailings relate to subject matters on this site.

    © Mark Dowe 2007-2009: all rights protected

  • Hot Press…

    In Kabul, Hamid Karzai was inaugurated as Afghanistan’s re-elected president, after a controversially flawed election in August. Apparently in response to international pressure, his officials announced the formation of a force to fight corruption, to work with the FBI and Britain’s Serious Organised Crime Agency. [19/11]

    A new report on Iran’s nuclear work by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear guardian, doubted Iran’s claim that a newly discovered uranium-enrichment plant being built inside a mountain near Qom is a recent, stand-alone civilian site. Building started five years earlier than Iran claims, so inspectors worry that there could be other hidden sites to support this one. [19/11]

    Barack Obama paid his first visit to China, where he held talks with his counterpart, Hu Jintao, and the prime minister, Wen Jiabao. A “town-hall meeting” in Shanghai was attended by only carefully vetted young people, and no questions were permitted at a joint press conference by Mr Obama and Mr Hu. A long joint statement promised co-operation on trade, climate change and a range of other issues. But there were no breakthroughs. [19/11]

    Democrats in the Senate unveiled their much-anticipated health-care bill, less than two weeks after the House passed its version. As with the House legislation, the Senate bill creates new insurance exchanges and stops insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. It also sets up a government-run insurance plan, but with a provision allowing states to opt out. The Congressional Budget Office costed the bill at $848 billion and said it would reduce the deficit by $130 billion over a decade. [19/11]

    Fighting intensified in northern Yemen, with Saudi forces blockading the northern coast and helping their Yemeni counterparts to attack rebels loyal to the Houthi clan. [19/11]

    Saudi Arabia got more deeply involved in the civil war in northern Yemen. It said its navy was blockading the northern strip of Yemen’s Red Sea coast in an effort to stop weapons reaching rebel Yemeni Shias, who have recently been attacking both Yemeni and Saudi government forces. [12/11]

    Mr Obama delayed his decision about whether to send more troops to Afghanistan until after Hamid Karzai’s inauguration on November 19th. America’s envoy in Kabul wrote to the president opposing a troop surge, until Mr Karzai can prove he has tackled corruption. [12/11]

    On the eve of Barack Obama’s first presidential trip to Asia, America said its special envoy would soon go to North Korea to try to get stalled six-party talks on nuclear disarmament going again. Separately, boats from North and South Korea exchanged fire near their disputed maritime border. [12/11]

    An army psychiatrist went on a shooting rampage in Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13 people. Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s motive for the rampage was unclear, but investigators hope to get some answers when they interview him; he was shot and injured by a police officer at the base. [12/11]

    World leaders gathered in Berlin to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Heavy rain did little to dampen the celebrations, which were attended by Mikhail Gorbachev, the then Soviet leader. [12/11]

    Hamid Karzai was declared re-elected as president of Afghanistan when a second-round run-off ballot was cancelled. The other candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew in protest at the failure to remove officials accused of involvement in the widespread fraud that marked the first round in August. Meanwhile, the UN decided to relocate 600 of its foreign workers in Afghanistan and halted development work in north-west Pakistan because of deteriorating security. [05/11]

    Radovan Karadzic entered the dock for the first time at his war-crimes trial in The Hague. Previously the former Bosnian Serb leader, who is defending himself, had refused to appear as he does not accept the court’s legitimacy. [05/11]

    Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, addressed a joint session of the United States Congress. Speaking just before the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German leader urged America to join the fight against climate change. [05/11]

    The prosecution opened its case against Radovan Karadzic at the start of his trial for war crimes before a tribunal in The Hague. The former Bosnian Serb leader stands accused on 11 charges, including genocide for the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men at Srebrenica in 1995. He outraged his alleged victims by refusing to leave custody and attend the proceedings. [29/10]

    A majority of countries on the UN’s Human Rights Council voted for a resolution to send its Goldstone report on the Gaza war to the UN Security Council for possible referral to the International Criminal Court. The United States and five other countries voted against the resolution, which was critical of Israel. Unusually, Britain and France withheld from voting. [23/10]

  • RSS Politics

  • Scotland Snippet …

    Edinburgh Courant:

    – Newspaper first published 14 February 1705. It was both edited and printed by James Watson (d. 1722), who had produced the Edinburgh Gazette 5 years earlier. [03/09]

    Cutty Sark: Clipper ship built at Dumbarton in 1869, used initially for the tea trade with China and then for the Australian wool trade. Her name is that of the young witch in Robert Burns’ poem Tam O’Shanter. Later, the ship had been restored and placed in dry dock at Greenwich, and since 1957 has been open to the public. [23/08]

    Beinn Ghlas Mountain, a Munro (1103m/3619ft) on the shoulder of Ben Lawers, near Loch Tay. The Beinn Ghlas wind farm was opened in 1999. [30/07]

    Black Watch – Gaelic: Am Freiceadean Dubh*

    Raised as 6 independent companies of infantry in 1725 to maintain order in the Highlands after the Jacobite rising of 1715. In 1739 these were combined into the 43rd Regiment of Foot, renumbered 42nd in 1751.

    Its dark tartan and original role gave it its name; its motto is ‘Wha daur meddle wi’ me’. It has served in most British campaigns and is now known as the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment). It recruits from east central Scotland.

    * Dowe = Black Dubh [21/07]

    Turnberry – Golfing and beach resort in Ayrshire, 9km north of Girvan, and the home to this year’s Open Golf Championship.

    The 5-star Turnberry Hotel, built from 1904 for the Glasgow and South Western Railway by James Miller, is often reckoned to be the best in Scotland.

    Turnberry now incorporates the Colin Montgomery Golf Academy.

    Turnberry Castle, fragments of which remain, is alleged to be the birthplace of Robert I, and was a centre for his campaigns. Turnberry lighthouse is built over it. [17/07]

  • Promise of Morning…

    The Windowsill of Heaven:

    Every morning lean your arms awhile upon the windowsill of heaven and gaze upon the Lord.

    Then, with the vision in your heart, turn strong to meet your day.

  • Intelligence Briefing…

    1. Strategy for fighting the Taliban:

    Briefing: ‘A strategy against the Taliban’

    2. Could a tsunami really hit Britain; consider the evidence:

    Could a tsunami happen in Britain?

    3. NATO: How is it meant to move forward:

    NATO: 'A way forward?'

    4. Any other ways for governments to act other than taking banks over?

    Nationalisation isn’t the only option

    5. UK Anti-Terrorism: 'Contest Two Strategy'

    Home Office & Contest Two

    6. Resistance among local communities increases against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

    Afghanistan: 'Taleban objectives?'

    7. Iran and its covert nuclear projects.

    Intelligence Briefing: 'Iranian politics and its covert nuclear projects'

  • Noticeboard …

    modus operandi:

    Servo pia quod vacuus duco sumptus

    (Serve honestly and without counting the cost)

    "Software and technology in the right hands"

    On Journalism J.M. Barrie (1860-1937) said:

    ... "The printing-press is either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse of modern times, one sometimes forgets which.

    Watch or listen to BBC programmes within the last 7-days:

    BBC i-Player

    "The pen is mightier than the sword"

    ... is a metonymic adage coined by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 for his play 'Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy'.

    The play was about Cardinal Richelieu, French clergyman, noble, and statesman.

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  • RSS Alphainventions.com

  • RSS Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

  • RSS The Independent – Commentators RSS Feed

    • Robert Fisk’s World: Scars of the past reveal Britain's doomed empire in Hong Kong November 21, 2009
      Up on Diamond Hill, the British Second World War pillbox looks like one of Enver Hoxha's frontier bunkers, a dome of pre-stressed concrete with rectangular gun slits, the last remnant of Britain's imperial disaster in Hong Kong, a reminder of that most terrible of Christmas Days in 1941. And here, amid the detritus of that ferocious Japanese victor […]
    • Paul Woolley: It is the best and worst of times for Anglo-Catholic relations November 21, 2009
      Today's meeting between the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and Pope Benedict XVI is likely to reflect the best and worst of times for Anglican-Catholic relations.
    • Philip Norman: The human drama that unfolds in every snatch of overheard conversation November 21, 2009
      The other morning, I was waiting in the concourse at London King's Cross – wondering why all mainline stations nowadays have to smell of Cornish pasties – when a hugely tall, long-legged Buddhist monk sat down on the bench beside me, fumbled inside his brown robe and took out a mobile phone.
    • Christina Patterson: What we can learn from the Sikh in the BNP November 21, 2009
      So, the BNP is about to welcome a Mr Rajinder Singh. And, quite frankly, it's a bit of a shock. Members of the party that wants to put the "great" back in Great Britain are meant to look as though they've spent their lives in bunkers, safely locked away from sunlight, or people who've been in sunlight. Ideally, they should look as th […]
    • The truth is out there: 21/11/2009 November 21, 2009
      *A convicted serial arsonist has been told he can keep his $50,000 firefighter's pension. Lieutenant Jeffrey "Matches" Boyle, who used to worked for the Chicago fire service, was sentenced to six years in prison in 2006 for eight counts of arson but released last year. The Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago withdrew his pension […]
    • Denis MacShane: At last Britain wins a Euro-title November 21, 2009
      Listening to Justin Webb stuttering himself into silence on Today yesterday morning was a reminder of how poorly trained London-based journalists are on how Europe works. Webb was a master of Capitol Hill in Washington and unrivalled in reporting the nuances of US politics. But when it comes to Europe, the Westminster-White City media bubble is lost.
    • Andrew Grice: Blair beaten, but a coup for Brown nonetheless November 21, 2009
      Tony Blair knew the game was up a week ago. He admitted it in telephone calls to Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel. It was clear that the job described as "President of Europe" was going to be nothing of the sort. After eight years of navel-gazing, the European Union had finally decided to appoint ... well, someone to chair meetings of its 27 leade […]
    • Amy Jenkins: We can't help ourselves: our love affair with skinny just goes on November 21, 2009
      In a brief interview with Women's Wear Daily, Kate Moss talks repeatedly about making jam.
    • Vanessa Mock: A reputation forged by putting off difficult decisions November 21, 2009
      He is known for being a poet and a skilled political operator, but despite having just clinched the prized post of becoming the EU's first President, Herman van Rompuy has remained silent on his ambitions for Europe.
    • John May: Prevention is better than cure for the young unemployed November 20, 2009
      Three months after official Government figures showed that one in five of 16 to 24-year-olds were out of work, latest figures show a worryingly high amount of young people are still searching for work.

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Welcome…

Posted on January 14, 2009 by markdowe
Mark Dowe, Editor

Mark Dowe, Editor

  NOTICES & SITE INTIMATIONS

I welcome you to this site.

NOTICES last updated on: 09 October 2009, at 22:00 GMT

Since “MarkDowe’s Journal 2008″, and the site before it was launched, in 2008, the site has received over –Restricted–public hits [periodic publication, only]. Quite a staggering hit ratio and certainly surpassed any expectation I had when the site was originally launched. The catalogue, quoted too, now has a separate hit rate of over 12,700. The catalogue is a collection of writings, references and journals in library form.

For the month of July 2009, alone, this site received 33,325 independent public hits. The busiest day is Wednesday 22 April, 2009, having registered a hit count of 5,273.

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As from 1 January 2009, the site has been prefixed “Mark Dowe’s Journal (Scotland) 2009″.

Where readers, observers and contributors to this site may see a need for improvement, please use the e-mail address given in the left hand sidebar to this site . I do receive comments  from time to time as how best things might be improved in terms of content, display or other attributes. Thanks to all who make time available in providing feedback. Such feedback is important in terms of future development and progress.

rotating globeI thank, most earnestly, those people who have elevated my career throughout 2008 – those people will know who they are – and, with new and bright horizons being set for 2009, look forward to the year ahead. I thank those people who have inspired my development throughout the years including those who sharply corrected my shortcomings.

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals

Whilst I cannot guarantee that any replies left will be posted to this site, I am encouraged by the number of e-mails that I have received, particularly from researchers and companies wishing to project this site further. Please take notice of the Editor’s note within the sidebar on this site concerning receipt of future e-mails.

... Be inspired

... Be inspired: for best overall fitness, circuit training ranks first

Sunday Teachings and Lessons have now re-commenced, with an article due to appear, again, on the Sabbath day. Lessons from Sunday, 13 October 2008, are posted within the main frame of the web log and not, as previously posted, within the previously used separate tab. That tab is being held for preservation purposes only. It will be normal practice for Sunday Teaching & Lessons to break in early summer and not to resume again until late autumn.

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The best in journalism

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A site dedicated in reporting fairly, accurately and impartially: “journalism is deemed a trade and calling”.

Thanks to WordPress and Admin in providing me with publication tools for writing and for the new enhanced version (2.7) of its software that was launched in the UK on 5 Dec 2008. The WordPress staff, based in the United States, have been working tirelessly in launching its new platform, although there should be no difference in visual display to readers and observers to the site.

Every endeavour is made in reporting accurately when journals are posted, whilst any omissions or errors are entirely mine. Where readers or observers to this site may be in doubt, the Law of Scotland applies throughout. This is particularly important in terms of the blog author’s domicile.

If you are in doubt concerning rights of access to digital content or how statistics are compiled in relation to public reporting, you should seek appropriate advice.

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Listen live & re-live to BBC Radio Scotland

 

 

 

 

Highly recommended reading: – (recommendations appearing here will only be temporary being transferred to the writer’s catalogue):

… “The pope must speak positively to the Catholic faithful about Judaism; speak decisively about Holocaust denial and speak clearly about universal moral values”.    

… “We can find a radical way forward by looking back to the philosopher’s great work”.

 

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