Why not Ernie, that’s the choice. Yes or No.

Well that’s just it Ernie – the Tories will be in power for ever at Westminster. Whether they are wearing Blue or Red ties is only window dressing.

the positive benefit is a more representative government

The No campaign is actually called Better Together ernie.

Devo Max would have killed independence stone dead.

To economics and common sense I would add logic.

If it is not economically viable for Scotland to govern itself then this can only mean it is reliant on the rest of the UK to subsidise our current way of life?

Common sense would then dictate that it would be in the rest of the UK’s best interests to happily let Scotland leave the union if we are a drain on the resources of the whole.

It is therefore illogical for the three main parties to be so vociferous against the idea.

Ask why Devo Max was taken off the agenda? to save all the silly natives from themselves? I don’t think so.

Ernie Lynch – it was a turn of phrase I suppose about people who are adamant at this stage that it is either a good or bad idea being unlikely to change their minds if they are going to the trouble to debate on a bike forum of all places.

However, I do hope undecided people can read opinions and balance up both sides and arrive at a Yes decision as that would mean there is more chance of the outcome I want. Is my opinion going to influence anyone? probably not and certainly not on here but I thought it might be of interest to people not living in Scotland as to the reasons why someone who does has gone from dismissing the idea of independence out of hand to being a strong advocate for it.

Grum, what arguments have you read on here that have made you change your mind about it?

I read Wings Over Scotland and Bella Caledonia and, whilst keeping in mind they are hardly impartial, i’m increasingly finding they over a much less hysterical perspective than any other mainstream source of information.

GSOH required!

?? Or an interest in reading alternative points of view on what is a very important matter

so what I was trying to convey in the above (not very well) is that unless you are prepared to dig out facts and varying opinions i.e. moderate/maybes or resounding yeses – then the information you are fed on a daily basis is predominantly negative or portrays independence as a risk rather than an opportunity. I read Wings Over Scotland and Bella Caledonia and, whilst keeping in mind they are hardly impartial, i’m increasingly finding they over a much less hysterical perspective than any other mainstream source of information.

Because there will be a core of support for both sides which will never change their minds regardless of what anyone says so it is the undecideds and the previous non-voting group that are ‘up for grabs’.

Also, there are swathes of the population that will accept whatever they are told in the news and the newspapers. Example being pro-Yes website Wings Over Scotland who paid for an advertisement on the Glasgow Underground. The wording of the ad went along the lines of ‘there are ..nr of newspapers in Scotland – none back independence. Isn’t it time you heard both sides of the story?”

Within 24-hours the ads were pulled by SPT.

Regardless, I doubt anything I write will change your opinion Ernie and i’d say anyone debating the matter on an internet forum will not, at this stage, have their minds changed so this is all a bit of a waste of our time, isn’t it? 😉

It’s funny I just read UK OK exactly as you wrote it Piemonster 😉

Two or three months ago I was sure it would be a No vote however Better Together and Westminster politicans of all parties are the gift that keeps on giving to the Yes campaign.

Every time they open their mouths you’d think they were deliberately trying to self-sabotage their own campaign.

As for sending Danny Alexander up here soon to educate us on the virtues of the union………

The only reasoned Unionist voice i’ve heard so far is Charles Kennedy – and he is an example of what Westminster does to decent men

Was a ‘No’ to begin with (couple of years ago) – saw this as a Nationalist ego-trip

Then was a mibbes.

Now a definite Yes since I decided to pull my finger out my arse and look beyond what we are spoon-fed by the newspapers and tv news broadcasts and nothing will sway me against it. We already control so much of how our lives are run. Why is the sky going to fall down when we take 100%* control of our affairs?

*as much as any country can have 100% control of it’s own affairs in this day and age.

The UK seems to be moving more and more to the right. It feels to me like it is mirroring the US – where those just a rung or two up from the bottom of the heap seem to be the most vociferous in supporting those who would gladly keep them there.

A Yes vote is the only chance myself and my kids will have to move away from this.

Did someone say Scotland will be culturally weakened by a Yes vote?

Don’t follow.

I’d have thought all those who consider Scotland to be subsidy junkies and anti-English would be supportive of a Yes vote seeing as you’d get rid of us yet the sentiment on here seems to be very aggressively against Yes. Lots of portrayal of Yes support as petty nationalism.

Petty nationalism exists everywhere but if you lived up here and were privy to the constant negativity and sanctimony which has been pushed down everyone’s throat by the press and BBC Scotland then you’d perhaps understand why support for Yes is rising the closer we get to the vote.

Don’t even get me started on Better Together. They are a disgrace.

As for arguing over who is more racist or what the true definition of Sassenach is – get a life.

I will vote Yes because I want a different system of governance. We are voting for Devo Max in all but name. Alex Salmond in my opinion has been very shrewd with his stance on independence. What he proposes is Devo Max. Westminster vetoed devo max because they are not interested in devolving any more powers to other regions of the UK. Cameron said in his speech at the Scottish Conservative conference “a No vote COULD mean more devolved powers for Scotland” Could mean? either it will or it won’t and it’s abundantly clear it won’t.

One thing I am sure of is that New Labour are **** in Scotland regardless of what way the vote goes and that will be of some consolation if a No vote is returned.

Scottish. Have vote. Will vote Yes. (7/1 at Ladbrokes today for a 50-55% yes, btw)

I used Smart Sams for on and offroad and found that I only maybe lost between 1mph-1.5mph in average speed over racing slicks. Not as much as I expected

or Uncle John? not sure if you get the swapouts for Uncle John

Kaffenback?

might even post a pic of the finished article in a week or so for the anoraks in the house 😉

2 minute job to swap a sprocket I guess.

Had singlespeed before but never went to the trailcentres with it however I certainly don’t have the strength for 39/17.

32:18 I think will be a nice ‘all-day’ gear 🙂

cheers. quite surprised about inners actually. Would have thought it would have been torture on ss.

Thinking i’ll use 34:20 or 32:18 on my build 🙂

have done drumlanrig on 34*16 a few years ago and had to get off and push at a couple of bits.

Suspect innerleithen would be good cx practice i.e. a lot of time would be spent carting the bike on shoulder up the hills 😀

Adidas Kanadia for me matey. need at least one size more than normal though. That was in Kanadia 4. Don’t know if Kanadia 5 has rectified this sizing anomaly.

hey mate. I had 26″ Schwalbe Smart Sams a couple of years ago. Planet X sold them. Might be worth checking there?

Just decided to stick with 26″. Bought a rigid fork 44.5cm adjusted for 4″ travel forks.

Means I can use existing wheels as I probably should be keeping the cost down a bit 😉

Will still buy a 6 bolt adapter to keep fixed options open 🙂

cheers 🙂

jumping up stairs both feet at the same time and two steps at a time is surprisingly hard, I find

No MrSmith – just my eyes

To elaborate what I meant with my post re. reasons for joining up

To emulate forefathers in world wars (misguided?)

To wear a uniform and feel part of something powerful (deluded?)

Purely economic reasons (a sad situation to find yourself in I think)

To see some action (psychos)

MrSmith. Macho-bullshit flag-waving society says they’re not heroes

I agree with you Ben Cooper. I was trying to point out to Dan1980 that I do think a large element join because they want to see action

So I no longer wear a poppy, nor have done so since 2002 because of Iraq. (in answer to the original question).

I have just today set up a monthly payment for a very small amount to a hospital which cares for ex-services personnel. I thought long and hard about it before doing so. I despise the jingoistic union flag waving triumphalism that was on show on Saturday on the BBC Festival of Remembrance. I cringe at the ‘Help for Heroes’ slogan.

But on the other hand i’m prepared to give a small amount to a local cause which will still care for a few dwindling numbers of WWII veterans but if a guy in his 20s or 30s who joined up because it’s theonly job he could get when he left school gets some benefit from it too then I don’t have a problem either.

fair enough Dan but I would say that people don’t willingly choose to get cancer even though they may willingly expose themselves to risk factors.

I think the reasons people sign up are many and varied.

Perhaps there is family tradition. Maybe trying to live up to forefathers to went to the world wars?

Because they believe in the military and feel proud wearing the uniform

For economic reasons

BUt I also think there will be many who want to see a bit of action.

dan1980 – your reasoning is what bugs me. It’s obvious what you are getting at by saying “you’re not comfortable helping a charity that supports injured men and women?” i.e. “what a selfish bastard you must be”.

He made it clear he was not comfortable supporting a charity that supports people who voluntarily join an organisation that is sent overseas to kill people. I would say it is not an unreasonable position to take.

If people really cared about the welfare of service personnel then why not write to your MP or set up petitions on change.org to try to shame elected representatives into making things better for these people once they come home and are invalided out the service?

Easier to stick 20p in a tin once a year and pretend you properly give a shit though, isn’t it? Rule Britannia

exactly grum. there is an underlying current that if you question anything to do with the military, whether it be refusing to wear a poppy, donate to the Legion, or question the Heroes branding that is universally banded about then you are selfish or disrespectful to those who died in WWI and WWII.

I think we are only a few years away from small poppy lapel badges being worn year round by some folk

instead of working this morning i’ve been thinking this over and over. The e-mail the girl used doesn’t give any results when typed into google or facebook however I suspect this psychic uses Spokeo (which i’d never heard of until I started trying to work out how she could have done it) to find social media activity by the sender and then make the reply from there. Seems obvious now.

I think you are right Peter 🙁

I suspect I may have been taken in too easily

it wasn’t done face to face, that’s the strange thing

I trust the girl not to make this up. I don’t know what I expect asking this on here to be honest 😕

wise words from lifer and tinybits. ‘Us and them’ mentality too entrenched in some people.

However, LD makes it clear that there is far more to this than what is reported in the mainstream media i.e. every news outlet seems to be lazily re-reporting what the PR-briefed Ineos management are spouting. Particularly noticeable was Callum McLean emphasising on TV the other day how much site staff are paid in relation to the average scottish wage.