New column starts today in The Scotsman. If you want to read it you need to subscribe or buy the paper. Rather chuffed with the good show. It is the main illustrated column. If I say so myself, Peter MacMahon is creating impressive comment pages. They engage readers with what is happening in their own country, take it seriously, and try to get a wide range of voices.
Today I am writing about the Basque Country. It has the kind of full fiscal responsibility that myself and others have been campaigning for in Scotland. It raises all its own taxes and gives a portion back to Spain. Far from being complicated, and difficult for business, as some have suggested, the system has made the Basque lands the most prosperous part of Spain. But what about independence? And the affect of Spain's current economic problems? If you want more please take a trip to the newsagents!
Glad you're back in work Joan but I couldn't bring myself to read the Scotsman given its failure to remain politically impartial. The Herald has followed, sadly, so I no longer have anything to do with that either although its Letters are still worth a read. Good luck anyway.
Posted by: Jo | June 21, 2010 at 10:57 PM
Hi Joan,
Sorry for coming to the party so late on.
Congrats on the new post, but I regret to say that I will not be buying the paper or taking an on-line subscription because of their anti-SNP attitude. And you can tell them that. It might have more force coming from you because they obviously pay no attention to readers' correspondence.
I used to buy the Herald, many moons ago and stopped buying it for their, at that time, outrageously biased support of the Tories and anti-SNP stance. I then went onto the Scotsman (Yes I know, a Weegie buying and Edinburgh paper!) and then they started the same sort of anti-SNP nonsense also. So I stopped buying that too, and now rely for the TV and internet to stay informed. (Please note not from either the Herald or Scotsman sites).
Sorry for the rant. Best of luck.
Regards
Posted by: Rab o' Ruglen | June 20, 2010 at 06:56 AM
Guid luck in yer new job.Is there hope for the Scotsman? I'd like to think so...but I turned blue a lang time ago.
Lips, no' nose.
PS, ye mispelt ma blog :¬)
Posted by: Conan the Librarian™ | June 18, 2010 at 12:46 AM
Hi Joan,
Is it a daily column or certain days? If it isn't daily then it could be worthwhile for us to purchase the rag on those days you are contributing to spell it out to them that there is money in telling the truth.
Once the word spread around they could see a decent increase on sales on those specific days, money talks and all the jazz.
Posted by: Steve Brannigan | June 18, 2010 at 12:28 AM
Joan, There is hope for the Scotsman yet. I dropped my online subscription when I realised how biased they were leading up to the 2007 Holyrood election. I am now minded to give them a second chance
Posted by: John Miller | June 17, 2010 at 01:35 AM
Delighted for you on a personal level Joan, but The Scotsman has become little more than a Labour mouthpiece, a disgrace to a paper that still has pretensions regarding its status as a national newspaper of record.
Along with thousands of other folk I haven't bought the paper for years & will not be going back so long as the Scotsman continues on its present path.
Posted by: TartanSeer | June 16, 2010 at 06:45 PM
Good to see you back so soon. I just hope that the Scotsman's editorial.. erm... style, doesn't put a crimp in yours.
Posted by: David Park | June 16, 2010 at 05:06 PM