#rip ricky september the goat

[doctorwhommm]

about to throw hands with l*ndy pepper bean

[robertmcangusgroup]

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

 Monday 15th  May 2017

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. it’s that day again Monday, back to work for those young ones and a “Roll Over” in bed for those that have retired, and for some ..Like Me!.. it’s a day off.. You see it’s a national holiday in Spain.. so young, retired, out of work it’s all the same.. all together now “Roll Over!” .. National Holiday or not, Bella still wants her walk.. so let’s put the coffee on and walk together for a while.. which has me thinking, regular readers will know that I love a cup of coffee Colombian preferred, but where did coffee come from? What are its origins?  Well on behalf of RMG Commodities I was asked to write a brief overview regarding this topic, so let me take five minutes of your time and tell you the history while we walk through the streets of Estepona… Coffee grown worldwide can trace its heritage to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau. Coffee trees still grow as they have for centuries in the Ethiopian highlands, where legend says the goat herder Kaldi first discovered the potential of these beloved beans. .. It is said that Kaldi discovered coffee after noticing that his goats, upon eating berries from a certain tree, became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night….. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery who made a drink with the berries and discovered that it kept him alert for the long hours of evening prayer. The abbot shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, and slowly knowledge of the energizing berries began to spread.  As word moved east and coffee reached the Arabian peninsula, it began a journey which would spread its reputation across the globe…. Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula.  By the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of Arabia and by the 16th century it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey….. Coffee was not only enjoyed in homes, but also in the many public coffee houses — called qahveh khaneh — which began to appear in cities across the Near East. The popularity of the coffee houses was unequaled and people frequented them for all kinds of social activity. …. Not only did the patrons drink coffee and engage in conversation, but they also listened to music, watched performers, played chess and kept current on the news. Coffee houses quickly became such an important center for the exchange of information that they were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.”.... With thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Mecca each year from all over the world, knowledge of this “wine of Araby” began to spread… Well I think that’s enough of an explanation for this morning.. But I bet you never realized you are drinking a Muslim wine……… OK we are back at the house let’s have a look at what has happened over night…..

MISSING PRISONER COULD BE SLEEPING ROUGH IN DUNDEE …. Missing prisoner James McCafferty. Police are searching for a missing prisoner who may be sleeping rough in the Dundee area. James McCafferty, 35, has had his licence revoked by the Parole Board. He is known to be frequenting the Stobswell and Hilltown areas of Dundee and may be sleeping rough, police said. They advised people not to approach McCafferty if they see him but to contact Police Scotland on 999 without delay. He is described as being 5ft 6ins, slim and with short brown/fair hair. Anyone wishing to provide information anonymously can do so through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

SPEEDBOAT VICTIMS WERE SUSPECTED PUPPY SMUGGLERS…. Two men who died in a speedboat accident were suspected puppy smugglers, it emerged last night. Sandy Hamilton, 35, and Kevin James McKinlay, 46, died after their speedboat went missing off the Wigtonshire coast. The pair had set off from Port Logan at around 9am on Saturday and were believed to be heading towards Stranraer. Last night the BBC reported it had footage of Mr Hamilton being questioned by animal welfare inspectors as part of a Panorama investigation into the illegal trading of puppies between the Republic of Ireland and the UK. He was filmed after being stopped as part of a Scottish SPCA operation on a ferry from Northern Ireland in September 2015 when a number of puppies was found in the back of his car. He was allowed to keep the dogs and continue on his journey. The BBC reported that both men were suspected by the authorities of being involved in the trade. Mr Hamilton, from Larkhall in South Lanarkshire, was also due to stand trial in July after being accused of causing death by dangerous driving after a head-on crash killed an elderly couple. Giovanni Coppolaro, 85, and his wife Maria, 83, died after the collision on the A73 in Newhouse, near Carluke, on 27 July 2015. Mr and Mrs Coppolaro, who were from the market town of St Ives in Cambridgeshire, had been travelling in a Jaguar car when it was allegedly hit by a Volkswagen Golf being driven by Mr Hamilton. Mr Coppolaro died in Wishaw General Hospital on the day of the crash, while his wife died in hospital the following month. Gennaro Coppolaro, the driver of the car the couple were travelling in, was injured in the crash, but was released from hospital after two days. Mr Hamilton appeared at the High Court in Glasgow last November, where he pled not guilty before Lord Boyd to overtaking a lorry on a bend when it was unsafe to do so. He also denied a charge of driving without insurance. Police Scotland are still trying to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident which claimed the lives of Mr Hamilton and Mr McKinlay. The force’s chief inspector, Mark Hollis, said it may be the case the men came into difficulties further offshore. It comes as friends and loved ones of Mr Hamilton and Mr McKinlay continued to pay tribute to the two men, who were cousins and fathers-of-two. Michelle Love Lindsay wrote on Facebook: “RIP Sandy Hamilton. Heart goes out to all of his friends & family. Another Larkhall treasure taken too soon.” Elaine Mcintosh posted: “Thoughts are with Ian, Olivia and Ricky Hamilton at this very sad time. RIP Sandy Hamilton.” Carolanne McKinlay wrote: “Such a big shock to hear about the sad news of my cousin Kevin. You will be sadly missed and never forgotten.” Police Scotland has said a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.

LOGANAIR SUMMER BOOKINGS SOAR TO "UNPRECEDENTED" LEVELS…. Loganair will operate a third daily flight to Barra this summer - when the tides allow. Summer flight bookings to the Western and Northern Isles have soared by nearly one fifth to “unprecedented” levels, Loganair announced today. The airline said it showed a “clear trend” towards people choosing to holiday in the UK. Some of the increases have followed extra seats being laid on, such as with additional flights. Loganair said sales to the islands for July were 18 per cent up on last year, and 16 per up in August. The biggest increase has been to Barra, where bookings are up by 38 per cent between June and August, partly because of a third extra daily flight to the beach airport - subject to suitable tides. The Glasgow-based carrier said it had also added capacity on routes to Shetland, Orkney, Stornoway, Benbecula and Islay. Managing director Jonathan Hinkles said: “We always expect summer to be busy, yet the advance booking figures for this year suggest it will be busier than ever. “People are opting to stay closer to home and our bookings reflect that. “It’s clear our increased schedule is also proving popular in an environment where customers are looking for – and clearly finding - holiday options closer to home.” A Loganair spokesman added: “The surge is in early bookings during the summer months, which is a slightly different pattern to trends associated with business travel, such as later bookings, different types of seats and no children." The bookings increase come as the airline prepares to part company with Flybe in September, going it alone for the first time in decades after a series of franchise agreements with the Exeter-based carrier and British Airways, which have sold tickets on its behalf.

EDINBURGH FLORAL CLOCK TRIBUTE FOR THE SCOTSMAN’S 200TH YEAR …. A previous floral clock created in 1992 to mark The Scotsman's 175th anniversary. Edinburgh’s world-famous floral clock, one of the star attractions of Princes Street Gardens, is to honour the 200th anniversary of The Scotsman this year. The working floral timepiece, maintained by gardeners from Edinburgh City Council, will form part of a year of bicentenary celebrations, and will be seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors. The design for the floral clock to mark the 200th year of The Scotsman. It is the first time any organisation has featured twice on the clock, with The Scotsman’s 175th celebrated in 1992. Once complete, the display designed jointly by the council and Scotsman Publications, will bear the paper’s founders’ commitment to “good sense, courage and industry” as part of the 200th anniversary-themed plant pattern. The floral clock, the first in the world, was created in 1903 by John W McHattie, the then parks superintendent. In previous years the floral clock has been used to celebrate a range of occasions and organisations including the Queen’s Coronation, the 100th anniversary of Robert Louis Stevenson’s death, the Girl Guides Association and last year, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. Frank O’Donnell, appointed 27th editor of The Scotsman last month, said the clock honour was a great tribute from the city. “It is a great honour to have the floral clock, located in such a fantastic location in the city, commemorating our 200th anniversary. “The fact that we are the first organisation to be chosen twice, initially in 1992 and this year too, is a double honour in our bicentenary year. “I am sure the many visitors to the gardens will enjoy looking at it and feel pride in Scotland’s national newspaper which has been read by generations in print and now also online.” The Scotsman has been based in Edinburgh since it was first published in January 1817 from its original head office on the High Street. David Jamieson, the council’s parks and greenspace manager, said: “The Scotsman newspaper is a journalistic institution so it’s great to be working with them to celebrate our 200th anniversary in the design of this much-loved Edinburgh landmark. “The floral clock never fails to impress, thanks to the hard work of our parks team, and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to seeing the fruits of their labour.” It will take gardeners more than a month to plant the clock’s 35,000 flowers and plants, which will be in bloom from July until October. Plants used for the clock vary but usually include golden moss, lobellia and echeveria, and takes five weeks to plant.

SAINSBURY’S CUTS RIBBON ON 100TH BRANCH IN SCOTLAND…. Sainsbury's 100th Scottish store is on Gordon Street in Glasgow. Supermarket major Sainsbury’s has opened its 100th store in Scotland, in a move creating 64 jobs. The outlet, on Gordon Street in Glasgow, was opened by Scottish economy and jobs secretary Keith Brown and Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe. The grocery giant said it has been serving Scottish customers since 1984 when it opened its first superstore, at the Cameron Toll shopping centre in Edinburgh. It now has 35 supermarkets and 65 convenience stores across Scotland and employs more than 9,000 people. Own an innovative start-up? Find out how to win £5,000 for your business The group employs a further 1,000 or so staff at its Sainsbury’s Bank HQ in Edinburgh and thousands more through the recent acquisition of Argos. Coupe said: “Our business in Scotland is diverse and growing. We’re looking forward to building on the success of the last three decades.” Sainsbury’s is looking to open six convenience stores in Scotland over the next 18 months. It will open Argos shops at Hawick, Blackhall in Edinburgh, Hamilton and Dundee in the next few months.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of the Floral Clock and we found the picture just in time……

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Monday 15th  May 2017 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in ….. Be safe out there…

 Robert McAngus