Wednesday notes

Back from trip to Glasgow which was nice; I still don't like big cities. Nonetheless, a change of scenery every once in a while makes you appreciate the regular environment the more.

Here in Scotland, elections took place last Thursday, which resulted in a narrow, one seat, majority for the Scottish National Party. The SNP is now working to form an administration. Because they do not have an overall majority, in fact only 47, a coalition would need to be formed. Unfortunately, none of the major parties are prepared to work with the SNP who advocate an independent Scotland. A minority administration could be formed.

One major problem with the 3 May elections were the number of invalidated ballots: 10% of voters filled their forms in incorrectly, leaving their ballots null and void. Normally, this percentage stands at around 0.5%. The validity of the election could be queried, as the majority of some victors was at times smaller than the number of spoiled ballot papers. The reason for the problem was a voting form that incorporated three different ballots. One for the constituency MSP, one for a regional MSP (decided by proportional representation) and one for local councillors. The last vote had to be registered by listing candidates in an order of preference (1, 2, 3 etc). The MSP elections had to be decided by entering one cross.

Today, all 129 MSPs were sworn in at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Oaths were taken in English, Scots, Gaelic and Urdu. The Western Isles have a new MSP, Mr Alistair Allan, a man who originates from the Scottish Borders. He moved to Back, north of Stornoway, 1½ years ago, to be worked up to be MSP for the Western Isles, for the SNP.

During my absence too, an FE5 tornado has flattened the Kansas town of Greensburg. I understand that up to 8 people died in the disaster. Still on the weatherfront, this is the 32nd day without a tropical cyclone anywhere in the world. I have not updated my TC blog YET.

I have about 700 pictures to upload and a couple of weeks of diary entries to make. I'll call round the journals through today and tonight, and will re-engage alerts later today or tomorrow.