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Dunfermline Press Blogs
Our very own man in the know, read the Observer blog every week on the Dunfermline Press website.
Covering any subject that takes his fancy, he writes about entertainment, local politics and news in his own inimitable style.
Thu, 11th Sep
BEING a genial, mild-mannered Observer, the very concept of road rage had long seemed alien to me.
Red-faced morons making unpleasant gestures and shouting mutely through closed car windows at some old biddy in a Reliant Robin who had never really figured out the point of lanes ... no, I just don’t do road rage.
Comments (0)Thu, 11th Sep
BEING a genial, mild-mannered Observer, the very concept of road rage had long seemed alien to me.
Red-faced morons making unpleasant gestures and shouting mutely through closed car windows at some old biddy in a Reliant Robin who had never really figured out the point of lanes ... no, I just don’t do road rage.
Mon, 14th Jul
THE LAST time I was at T in the Park, I was 16 and went for two reasons: girls and alcohol.
Much to my disappointment (at the time), I succeeded in neither.
Tue, 24th Jun
I'VE never thought Prince Charles deserved to be listened to.
Anyone with ears like his, who talks to plants, whose family should probably be sectioned, who can't boil an egg and whose dress sense is, well, let's leave it at that...
DALGETY BAY man Willie Logan was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour earlier this year and given the devastating blow that he had between 18 months and two years to live.
Willie's blog charts his experiences and how he has been making the most of the precious time he has left.
Thu, 23rd Oct
DYING Dalgety Bay father Willie Logan, who has a terminal brain tumour, has been dealt a further blow after doctors informed him that his tumour had grown and the cancer spread.
The 44-year-old was given the heartbreaking news earlier this year that he had between 18 months and two years to live, but doctors now reckon he has just six to nine months left.
Thu, 25th Sep
DYING Dalgety Bay father Willie Logan has been making the most of the time he has left with his wife Karen and their six-year-old son Ewan.
The 44-year-old was dealt a tragic blow earlier this year when he was told that he had between 18 months and two years to live due to a terminal brain tumour.
Fri, 1st Aug
“We flew back yesterday (Sunday) from Wales. I was there with Karen, Ewan and some friends. I had a really fantastic weekend.
"It was lovely and the wee boy loved it – we hardly seen him! We went to a two-day festival – something like the Highland Games. I just sat in the park enjoying myself.
Mon, 30th Jun
“My days are different every day. I get up between 7.30 and 9.30am depending on how I feel.
"I take my first two sickness tablets at 9.30am and my last one at 9.40am and then I take my six chemotherapy tablets at 10am. So I take nine tablets in 30 minutes.
Aberdour woman Jo Stewart (34) has recently set up a healthy diet website www.just4joco.co.uk to help fellow multiple sclerosis and others improve their well being. Here, Jo writes exclusively for www.dunfermlinepress.co.uk about coming to terms with her condition and regaining control of her life.
Thu, 13th Nov
Aberdour woman Jo Stewart (34) runs healthy diet website www.just4joco.co.uk to help fellow multiple sclerosis sufferers and others to improve their well being.
I finished my last blog full of positives and gratitude to everyone who helped me make my dream a reality.
Thu, 4th Sep
Aberdour woman Jo Stewart (34) has recently set up a healthy diet website www.just4joco.co.uk to help fellow multiple sclerosis and others improve their well being. Here, Jo writes exclusively for www.dunfermlinepress.co.uk about coming to terms with her condition and regaining control of her life.
Willie Rennie is MP for Dunfermline and West Fife after pulling off a surprise by-election victory for the Liberal Democrats in 2006.
Read his regular blog for your MP's latest thoughts on the constituency.
Thu, 16th Oct
Westminster can be very chaotic at times but one thing it does do well is the select committees. It’s where normally partisan politicians put aside party badges to combine their minds to hold the Government to account.
Recently the defence committee conducted an inquiry into armed forces medical care following a series of alarming news stories and reports about the state of the service.
Tue, 23rd Sep
Dunfermline and West Fife MP Willie Rennie has just completed his third annual summer tour around his constituency. Here’s a flavour of what he encountered…
On Saturday outside Asda in Halbeath a crafty wasp crawled under my collar to give me the benefit of its defence mechanism.
Dunfermline-born Daniel Kalder (33) is the author of two books - Lost Cosmonaut and Strange Telescopes and currently lives in Texas, USA. He blogs on changes he¹s noticed in his home city whenever he
returns home.
Fri, 3rd Oct
Dunfermline, City of Exciting Changes
I live in Texas but try to return home to Dunfermline at least once a year to see family and press my forehead to my native soil. I always like to stroll around the town to examine what changes have occurred since my last visit. As I was home in May and returned in August the transformations were not very radical this time. However even in the space of a few months changes had occurred in Dunfermline’s appearance.
Fri, 3rd Oct
Dunfermline, City of Exciting Changes
I live in Texas but try to return home to Dunfermline at least once a year to see family and press my forehead to my native soil. I always like to stroll around the town to examine what changes have occurred since my last visit. As I was home in May and returned in August the transformations were not very radical this time. However even in the space of a few months changes had occurred in Dunfermline’s appearance.
Whisper it, but Dunfermline Press reporter Graham Gibson plays football for
Forfar. And on Saturday he played against his old side, Stenhousemuir. He
begins a regular blog with a look back at the match.
Thu, 20th Nov
WOULD somebody please take that King Kong sized gorilla off our back. Forfar have finally managed to win a home game at the millionth time of asking and in the middle of November.
Never mind that we didn’t play great, that we beat a team who were without a manager and hadn’t won or taken more than one point from all their away matches so far, that we had the winds at our back the whole second half and barely managed a shot at goal or that we had to rely on a 40 yard wonder strike into the top corner from the left touchline with two minutes to go.
Thu, 13th Nov
Football is a game of opinions
THE one thing you cannot afford to be as a footballer is thin-skinned.
Especially these days when comments can come from all angles, not just the terraces or the street, but also from every dark recess the world wide web has to offer.
Thu, 6th Nov
Graham Gibson, a Dunfermline Press reporter, plays football for Forfar Athletic. Here, he continues his weekly blog on life as a lower-league player
Another week, another away day victory for Forfar as we subjected ourselves to the hellish journey up and down the road to Elgin and moved up to fourth in the table.
Thu, 30th Oct
A FOUR-AND-A-HALF HOUR journey awaited me after I finished work last Friday as we travelled up to meet Brora Rangers in the Scottish Cup second round.
As is the tradition with these trips the major talking point on the way up was who would be paired up to share a room and I was with our left winger Sean Kilgannon.
Last year Dunfermline man Robert Wilson (48) received a new kidney
from his wife after being diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. In June
of this year, he undertook a 215-mile sponsored bike ride to raise money for
the hospitals in England where he received treatment. In his blog he talks
about coming to terms with his illness and finally overcoming it.
Why is remembrance as popular as ever? The poppy helps to focus a
generation that knows little of war to continue to acknowledge the debt owed
to those who did. Neil Griffiths, of the Royal British Legion Scotland,
tells us more.
Thu, 6th Nov
AT 15 minutes before eleven on Monday morning, 11th November 1918, British troops, after fierce resistance, entered the city of Mons in a miserable drizzle.
It was here that they had first encountered the enemy in August 1914 and it was appropriate that on the last day of the war they should be in the historic city once more.
From TV and film to the latest gaming, our resident geek is waxing lyrical on everything pop culture.
Just don't ask her what she thinks about the Clone Wars...
Fri, 28th Nov
One of the things I love about my job is that no two days are ever the same. There's always something unusual going on and it means there's never a dull moment.
However, some days are more unusual than others. Like today. When I got to spend the day being a vampire on Being Human.
I have some pictures and exclusive interviews with new castmembers Aidan Turner and Lenora Crichlow, and some little nuggets about filming that I'll publish early next week - for now after a very long day (TV is nowhere near as glamorous as I anticipated and involves LOTS of waiting around and a very early start) I'm going to head to sleep.
However, I'm not so much of a tease that I won't give you something before I go, so here's five things I learned today:
* In the show mythology the first ever vampire came from Bristol. And Mitchell is 90 years old.
* Supporting Artists (apparently the cool kids don't call them extras) are nowhere near as dysfunctional and way more interesting than the TV show would have you believe. And treated a lot better. Although they are asked to queue for food everyone else.
* The new Herrick is *amazing*. Pretty much the opposite to Adrian Lester in every way imaginable but still charismatic and yet chilling in equal measure.
* If Russell Tovey was going to have a George action figure he'd like it to have ears (!), and a pull cord that meant it would alternate between saying 'raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!' and something really pedantic like 'look at the washing up!'. He also wants a werebear.
* Annie's outfit (which Lenora wears for the duration of the series) includes a pair of Ugg Boots. Which is actually very handy as the Being Human set is freezing all the time, to the extent that the costume department was giving out hot water bottles for actors to warm their hands on between takes.
Tue, 11th Nov
He's the man with the Midas touch, at least in TV terms.
But after Alias, Lost and Cloverfield (and Felicity actually if you ever saw that) I was genuinely worried that geek's geek J J Abrams might have bitten off more than he could chew with the Star Trek reboot movie.
I consider myself a Trekker from the less rabid end of the spectrum (I've certainly never dressed up as a Klingon) but when it was announced he was at the helm of the new movie and that he wasn't really a fan I was very dubious indeed. The casting of Zach Quinto as Spock and Simon Pegg as Scottie alleviated my concerns a smidgen, but the news the whole caboodle was being pushed back from its New Year release day to May did leave me feeling a little concerned.
But reading this account of the screening of four scenes from the new movie this morning has left me full of the joys again.
Beware if you don't want to be spoiled, but I couldn't resist a look and the humour and action of the scenes as described have left me very hopeful about where we go from here.
And let's face it, reading about those four scenes brought more joy into my life than four whole seasons of Enterprise...
Thu, 30th Oct
Suffice to say if you were a BBC Press Officer yesterday was probably the kind of day that left you huddled under your desk weeping.
Having spent the day juggling calls from people demanding to know whether prank calling cads Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were going to get their wrists slapped, last night saw the worst kept secret in scifi finally revealed - David Tennant is to leave Doctor Who in 2010 after four specials to be aired next year.
The fact he announced it on ITV1 while accepting a National Television Award for Best Dramatic Performance is a bit churlish, but we'll let that slide as it now means that we can have frenzied fun discussing who the next inhabitant of the Tardis should be.
Lots of names have been bandied about already, here's my rundown of the top ten I've heard of:
David Morrisey - he's in the Christmas special and as such the conspiracy theorists are suggesting he's the one, missing the main points - he's too early. And also a bit obvious. Let's make it someone more fun.
James Nesbitt - After Jekyl he's proved he's got the chops for genre TV, but I'm not sure I want him in charge of the Tardis. I bear a grudge for his terrible turn in Match Point. And those Yellow Pages adverts.
John Simm - Fab actor but sets alarm bells ringing for two reasons. Firstly how on earth do you explain he was the Master and he's now the Doctor? Let's not confuse the kiddiwinks. Secondly, as Life on Mars proved he's an Eccleston type - unwilling to sign on to shows for the long haul. We need a Doctor for at least a couple of years. Let's not eh?
Russell Tovey - appeared in last year's Christmas special, was great in The History Boys and was George the werewolf in Being Human, the show about a werewolf/vampire house share which premiered last year and is now being made to into a full series. Russell T Davies mentions in his book that he thinks Tovey would be a great Doctor, and it's hard to disagree. He's a great actor but I'd rather they did a good few series of Being Human please, so we'll leave him for now too.
Richard E Grant - Has been involved in the Doctor's audio adventures and has the eccentric qualities to make a good Timelord.
Alan Davies - Yes him off Jonathan Creek. Too surly for my taste. Let's keep him on QI.
Aidan Gillen - Stuart from Queer as Folk, has a strong Russell T Davies connection through that which seems to be why people are suggesting him, missing the point somewhat that Steven Moffat is the show's new showrunner which means that more of a possibility is...
Jack Davenport - Formerly of Coupling, the underratedly brilliant Ultraviolet and This Life.
Chiwetel Ejiofor - Good actor, and would be the first black Doctor. Has a good scifi pedigree thanks to roles in films like Serenity and Children of Men, although it does beg the question, would he want to swap making Hollywood blockbusters with the likes of Denzil Washington and Clive Owen to spend nine months of the year in Cardiff.
Stephen Fry - Possibly the most bonkers suggestion I've heard and yet one of the best. He's a big Who fan, and is a really charismatic actor, although perhaps too cuddly for the action-figure obsessed young Who fans today.
These are just a few of the names - there are already dozens on the list. But I'm going to add mine.
I'm sure someone will come in and tell me if this is impossible, but why can't we have the Doctor regenerate into a female form? Wouldn't that be interesting?
And I've got just the right actress to play her... Emma Thompson. She's amazing. She's eccentric. It'd be perfect.
I don't know that it'll happen, but you never know. We've put it on the internet now (and the last time this blog dipped a toe into lobbying it was for Being Human which turned out quite well) so it might just work - Emma Thompson for the next Doctor Who!
If not, who do *you* think it should be?
Wed, 22nd Oct
...LucasArts and Bioware have just announced a new Star Wars massively multiplayer online PC game set in the Knights of the Old Republic universe.
The game, Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a story-driven PC game set in the age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divided the galaxy. Players will be able to play as Jedi, Sith, or a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, defining their personal story and - of course - choosing whether to be on the Dark or the Light side of the Force. Along the way, they will befriend courageous companions who will fight at their side or possibly betray them, based on the players’ actions. As you'd expect from an MMO players can also choose to team up with friends to battle enemies and overcome incredible challenges using dynamic Star Wars combat.
After being selected to represent Great Britain as a Staff coach at this years Paralympics in Beijing, Former professional Sprinter Eddie McKenna starts his journey to China.
In Macau he will meet up with the rest of the team, including Neil Fachie of Aberdeen a visually impaired Sprinter whom Eddie has been coaching for over two years for this very event, before the team relocate to the Olympic Village in early September to await the Opening Ceremony on the 6th Sept, and the games. In Track and feild, Team GB is expected to do well, better than their non disabled counterparts in last months Olympics
Sun, 14th Sep
The Cauldron that is the Bird's nest
This week has been a revelation, and a confirmation of some of my deeply felt convictions born from years as a Ped in the Borders
Fri, 5th Sep
It is simply astonishing to see how Beijing has been transformed from an Olympic City to A Paralympic one! Posters with images of Chinese disabled athletes are all over the Airport. Banners fly high and proud, and what an Airport! It is simply a massive statement of confidence and hope.
As well as the vast array of branding that has been done all over the city, it makes one proud to see how much the Chinese have done to embrace the desire of the Olympic Movement to profile the Paralympics. As you drive along the dedicated Olympic ( rebranded the Paralymic) lane on the motorway, you soon come face to face with the security fences which surround the Olympic Venues and the Olympic Village in particular. Standing to attention every 50 metres a solitary solidier under a sunshade watches impassivley but one sences proudly as the buses make their way into the Village itself.
Thu, 4th Sep
From Macau to the Olympic Village
Macau is an extraordinary place! With a Portuguese Heritage, and now site of a booming economy, the islands feel part of a James Bond Movie, with opulence and luxury on the one hand, and part Blackpool with easy going fun and kitch buildings on the other!
Not that the Paralympic team have seen much of that, barring the occasional off site trip to "The Venetian", an amazing shop and Hotel complex which rises high into the Sky!
Sat, 30th Aug
The Paralympic Lion Roars once more!
Well it's here, at last! Two years and more of preparing training schedules, cajoling and encouraging athletes through rigorous regimes, and demanding the very best at all times, now all that work lies behind and the Paralympics is almost here.
Think you're a good driver? You won't know until you've been to the
Master on-road driving and skid control course at Knockhill Racing Circuit.
Simon Harris blogs.
Thu, 20th Nov
Think you're a good driver? You won't know until you've been to the Master on-road driving and skid control course at Knockhill Racing Circuit. Simon Harris blogs.
IN common with 99.9 per cent of other motorists, I consider myself to be a good driver. Unlike the others, however, I am a good driver.
Dunfermline man Bill Taylor has some very personal reasons for
believing that Lung Cancer Awareness Month is so vital
Thu, 20th Nov
Dunfermline man Bill Taylor blogs on why he believes Lung Cancer Awareness Month is so vital.
NOVEMBER is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and oh how I want to scream that out, so that I might be heard above the clamour of the global economic meltdown, 90th anniversary Poppy Appeal and the BBC's Children in Need telethon.
Gordon Williamson is a 4th Dan instructor at Dunfermline's Karate
Youth Initiative. It's the only free club in the UK and teaches upwards of 120 kids and adults at Dunfermline Police Station on a Thursday night.
Gordon explains the benefits of the combat sport and how YOU can get
involved.
Thu, 27th Nov
Gordon Williamson (pictured) is a 4th Dan instructor at Dunfermline’s Karate Youth Initiative. It’s the only free club in the UK and teaches upwards of 120 kids and adults at Dunfermline Police Station on a Thursday night. Here, Gordon explains the benefits of the combat sport and how YOU can get involved.
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