Waited all day, and most of the night for it to show up, but we finally got some lightning in Edinburgh!

Edinburgh Lightning by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

Newhaven Pier 14th June '15 by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

My instincts are that we should burn down the big houses…perhaps with the help of the police and army

Way ahead of you fella. Our family Big Hoose was blown up by the TA back in 1954 on a training exercise. Moved the nicer bits of furniture into the farmhouse and flogged the rest!

Dormont Blow up 03 by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

Before we get people on about land owners not being wealthy

Well there’s little point, since a few of us have already pointed out that land is not that profitable, yet those with the chips on their shoulders won’t listen.

If all your wealth is tied up in land, then you’re not rich until you sell it…at which point you’re no longer a landowner 😉

I won my photo printed on every 1:25000 OS map of Edinburgh from here until eternity*[/url].

*or until the next refresh of covers, whichever is sooner

Salisbury Crags 03657 by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

At the same time, being given public money to build homes to generate rent is the sort of stuff I’m talking about to be frank. It’s crackers, and a completely inappropriate use of public funds in my view.

In rural Dumfriesshire there is a chronic shortage of affordable housing. Low income rural families are priced out of the market by those from affluent areas of the UK buying second homes, etc. Neither local authority nor private house builders are making any real efforts to build affordable housing for local families.

The rental income from these homes covers loan repayments and maintenance only, and will do so for the next 30 years. No (or little) profit will be made in that time. After that, then yes this will be income. You’re entitled to argue that we shouldn’t receive public money to (ultimately) line our pockets, but at the end of the day the estate has provided affordable housing (not just cheap rent) to local families, which is more than can be said for many other businesses whose sole motive is making money.

If you’re interested, the BBC came and spoke to one of the families for a programme they did a couple of years ago. Here’s the video: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01g4jxg

Kit- To you of course. Tax breaks, handouts, subsidies from the EU or elsewhere. All of it. Nothing personal btw.

I don’t know everything about it (yet), but as far as I’m aware income from shooting (less than most people’s bikes cost on here) and forestry is tax free, and of course business-related expenses are tax deductible same as any other business. The estate received a grant from the Scottish Government to build 8 homes for affordable rent, which meet the highest possible energy standards, meaning total energy bills in the region of a few hundred quid a year. Other than that, as far as I’m aware we don’t get any handouts. Perhaps the farmers who lease from us get EU subsidies, but they are not the concern of the estate nor impact our income.

I claim that many are enjoying a privelidged position only as a result of handouts from the taxpayer and a system which is designed to protect the status quo.

If you think that having to sell half of what we own to pay tax to the Government is a handout to maintain the status quo, then I’m afraid you’re wrong. Perhaps it’s different on other estates, but I doubt it. Capital gains or inheritance tax must be paid somehow, and as I said, estates aren’t cash rich enough to cough up 6 (or 7) figure sums of money at the drop of a hat.

I’d be interested to know how much income, if anything, is derived from the public purse.

Is that addressed to me, or landowners in general, or…? And what are you counting as ‘derived from the public purse’; do you mean tax breaks or handouts?

Take down the fences, reintroduce bears, wolves, beavers and lynx and let nature return to take its course …

…while increasing public access 😉

No else here backed Exploding Kittens then? 😀 I’m waiting on my cards, but so far they’re not actually overdue.

The myth that most landowners are ‘minted’ is just that. Some indeed may be. Some may be comfortable, in the same way as any other middle class family. Some may have no money at all.

My family’s estate makes my mum less than the average UK wage, and my dad earns nothing. His income is from other investments, but they are certainly not ‘minted’ or ‘rich’. When my dad retires, capital gains tax will force him to sell off half of the estate to pay it (a sizable 6-figure sum, not payable in installments), effectively wiping out any profit the estate does make. I’m currently trying to think of how I can earn a living from what’s left and am struggling (although I do have some STW-friendly ideas 😉 ). I could sell to the local community (or a wealthy Arab) but they’d be faced with the exact same problem. Land does not, by default, make you cash wealthy.

Our family is one of many in the region who do not make much money from their estates. It’s a myth that they/we are all rolling in cash and don’t give a **** about either the community or the land. That’s not to say there aren’t bad eggs, of course, but blanket criticism of landowners is based not in fact, but prejudice. In my biased opinion, obviously…

Is something only to be cherished if it has a financial value?

Absolutely not. But the proposed land reform is pitched this way. Or seems to be, anyway.

and force the sale of land if owners are blocking economic development.

This is my biggest issue too. What is the criteria for “blocking economic development”. How is it to be assessed i.e. how would forcing the sale of land improve the economics of an area which, as you say Mike, might have bugger all else other than the current land use. And if the buy-out fails to enhance economic development, can the former landowner sue?

RAW all the way 🙂

aren’t there much more exciting pics easily available on the web?

Aye, but no one can access them from work 😉

Actually the news story on SRAM DD3 Pulse-autoelectric shifting has over twice as many views, making it the most read by a long way. And in fact the Fresh Goods article (with bras) is pretty comparable in views to previous Fresh Goods articles. So, no, not hypocritical really.

I like this, dunno if anyone else does though 🙂

Calton Hill Canon by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

Been that price for years. I doubt it makes them much money!

1) You just tie it onto the loops on the tent and then tension it with the guide lines. Pretty straightforward and adds a fair bit of extra rigidity.

2) I bought the TerraNova groundsheet. It’s not exactly heavy. I toured with mine, but whether I took it bikepacking would depend on space in my bag (but again, not big).

Hopefully a Facebook URl will work

I can see ProTractor+ taking over

Well, that’s a new angle on things.

Classic case of being ‘over-biked’ but no other bike I’ve owned has made me smile so much. I sold it for something lighter, with less travel, and less bump-sucking capacity but I still kinda regret it :/

Reigning in The Hermitage by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

Map updated with scotroutes and Kunstler suggestions. How Loanhead copes with 4 breweries, I don’t know 😀

Since I’ve been majorly procrastinating instead of thesis writing, I put this together.

Map of Scottish breweries
https://kitcarruthers.wordpress.com/2015/06/04/scottish-brewery-locations/

Is anyone collating these results for a nice wee graph?

😉

In all seriousness, I’m thinking of getting a brewery set up in Dumfriesshire. Watch this space (for 5 years or so…)

Edit: wondered when Stewart’s would get a mention!

Didn’t like Picassa Tool, but Quickpic works pretty well, cheers Stoner.

Ah, missed that Stoner, although it’s still annoying that it’s not the default option and is not organised in the same way.

Going to look for a better photo viewing app!

The Google Photos app is pants now – only shows photos which are uploaded, rather than photos on your phone. I read that this is a great space saver, but what if you want to look at your photos a) before they’ve synced and b) any time you’re not online/got crap internet?

Otherwise, yay for unlimited storage.

Edinburgh-03195 by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

That’s a beauty, crewlie 🙂

I’m starting to get to grips with a new lens

Newhaven Lighthouse.jpg by Kit Carruthers[/url], on Flickr

Thanks stanfree and allthepies! I’m getting better, I hope 🙂

@corroded I know what you mean. Saves OS a packet.

I saw at least one in the new bunch which has a more up-to-date MTB in it 🙂 And yes, the ‘old’ cover is, I think, of Portobello Beach but it does look fairly generic from memory.

Not watched the whole film, but if the trailer is anything to go by, then check out Danger 5 on Netflix. This is the season 2 trailer, but season 1 is better 😀

Cheers! It was taken back in February; bunked off work for a bit to go catch the sunset. It’s such a great viewpoint, arguably better than going all the way up to the top of Arthur’s Seat 🙂

@martinhutch Yes, I thought that too. I suppose there’ll be honeypot areas (like Edinburgh, The Lakes, etc.) that’ll be stuffed full of decent photographers but other areas will be lacking. They’re still taking entries, presumably because there are areas which are quite under-represented.

Some photies up here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/phunktcom/sets/72157651004899434

Aye, fine if you have a regular income, but when I stop being paid in a few months that £11 can buy a fair number of baking potatoes and beans 😉

Anyone else on it yet?

LR CC? No, I rather detest the subscription model for Adobe’s products now, since as a student I get/got a decent discount on the non-CC stuff (which I own for life, handy when my money runs out).

The evolution of porn studies

I voted Green jimmy, since the SNP are not as Left as they/their ardent followers promote them as being (e.g. see low corporation tax, proposed end to corroboration, Council tax freezes, continued support for oil and gas and so on).

Not to say that they aren’t more ‘progressive’ (whatever the **** that means) than ConLibLab, but other than the nationalist core ethic, I think they are a populist party who will do/say whatever it takes to stay popular rather than adhering to core principles. The public don’t always know what’s good for them…