BAY City Rollers fan Jenny Murphy was sad to hear of the death of the band’s frontman Les McKeown. Our reader points out that although the Edinburgh outfit played bubble-gum pop, they also provided the inspiration for grittier grooves, with original New York punk rockers, the Ramones, admitting they found inspiration in a Rollers song.
“So Scotland invented punk, penicillin and potato scones,” says Jenny. “The world owes us so much.”
Identity parade
A DIARY discussion about Joe Biden’s unforgivable mispronunciation of the sacred word "Glasgow" reminds David Russell, from Penicuik, of the time the Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band toured America.
About to march on stage with a stirring tune, they heard the MC announce: “Please welcome the Eldinburg Highland Band, from Eldinburg, England.”
Their wounded pride was later soothed by the post-performance hospitality.
Ferry bad news
THE news that CalMac's largest and fastest ferry could be out of action until the middle of May has George Dale, from Beith, wondering if management heads will roll because of the situation.
“Or since it’s CalMac,” adds George, “perhaps the heads will roll-off then roll-on.”
In the loop
MUSING on all things media related, Stevie Campbell, from Hamilton, notes that news stories are often based on information gleaned from scientific studies.
“Has any study ever been undertaken to identify the value, or otherwise, of such studies?” asks Stevie.
We’re not sure. Though if such a study was undertaken, wouldn’t it then necessitate commissioning a study to ascertain if the study to identify if studies had value was itself worth studying?
Scientific enquiry. It’s a slippery slope that sizzles your sanity.
Moving message
A TOILET tale in the Diary reminds Russel Smith, from Largs, of the miniscule graffiti scrawled on the inside base of a toilet door in Glasgow University Union, which helpfully read: “For goodness sake, sit back.”
Bricking it
POLITICAL campaigning can be surreal at times. Iain Macdonald, from Oban, questions the decision-making prowess of Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who recently allowed himself to be photographed staring contemplatively at a brick.
“What will the nationalists think?” enquires our reader.
More to the point, the Diary wants to know if the brick consented to being photographed with Mr Ross.
It may very well be a nationalist brick, after all (though we hear rumours that grouting invariably votes Green).
Sofa, so bad
THOUGHT of the day from reader Will Brenner, who says: “It’s very easy to turn a regular sofa into a sofa-bed. All you have to do is forget your wife’s birthday.”
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