Scotsman | SilverScorpio.Com

45-year-old smashes record for continuous round of Scotland’s 283 mountains

June 6, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Edinburgh (Scotland), June 6(ANI): A 45-year-old Scottish fell-runner, Stephen Pyke, has beaten the record for the fastest continuous circuit of the country’s 283 Munros, or mountains over 3,000fts.

Pyke, also known as Spyke, beat the last record, set by Glasgow postman Charlie Campbell ten years ago, when he touched the trig pillar on Ben Hope in Sutherland on Thursday.

The 45-year-old managed to run up every one of Scotland’s 283 Munros in 39 days, nine hours and six minutes, beating Campbell’s record by nine days and two hours.

“This seemed like a good excuse to spend 40 days in the mountains, and I’m really pleased to have broken the record. I’ve enjoyed every day of the journey,” The Scotsman quoted Pyke, as saying.

Starting on 25 April with Ben More on Mull, Pyke finished his arduous journey on Thursday by climbing Scotland’s most northerly Munro, Ben Hope.

His journey involved the equivalent of a marathon and a 10,000ft climb every day for more than five weeks.

Meanwhile, talking about the achievement, John Hutchison, Chairman of the John Muir Trust, which owns and protects several Scottish mountain areas, including Ben Nevis, said: “Spyke’s achievement is an awe inspiring example of the kind of challenge wild land has to offer.”

“We are extremely proud to count Spyke as one of our members, and I am delighted that he chose to use this challenge to raise money and awareness for our work,” Hutchison added. (ANI)

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British Airways becomes worst UK airline to lose luggage

June 4, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, June 4 (ANI): British Airways has topped the list of UK airlines for losing, delaying and damaging passengers’ luggage, according to a survey.

The airline image has suffered a blow after the survey, as it has already endured months of strike chaos and resultant financial turmoil.

Based on responses from more than 2,000 recent flyers across the UK, the survey showed that one in 3.8 British Airways passengers has had their checked luggage lost, delayed or damaged in the last five years, The Scotsman reports.

UK-based airlines made up seven of the eight worst airlines for luggage difficulties. Virgin Atlantic was named second-worst airline with one in 8.3 passengers having luggage problems.

Third was Dubai-based carrier Emirates (one in nine passengers affected), fourth was easyJet (one in 11.1) and fifth was Ryanair (one in 12.5).

Overall in the UK only a quarter of those airline passengers whose luggage was damaged received compensation from the airline, according to the survey by insurance company LV, The Scotsman reports.

Those who were compensated received an average of just 72 pounds for their damage. Thirty per cent of travellers waited three months or more to be compensated for their damaged luggage.

A total of 38 per cent had to wait for between one week and a month, while just 20 per cent were compensated for the damage within a week.

When it comes to lost luggage, only 27 per cent were reunited with their bags within 24 hours, the paper reports.

British Airways branded the statistics quoted in the survey as ludicrous, and said: “The claims made in the LV press release are complete rubbish. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that a quarter of BA passengers have experienced lost or delayed baggage over the last five years.”

Worst airlines for lost luggage

1. British Airways: one in 3.8 passengers

2. Virgin Atlantic: one in 8.3 passengers

3. Emirates: one in 9 passengers

4 EasyJet: one in 11.1 passengers

5. Ryanair: one in 12.5 passengers

6. Thomas Cook: one in 14.2 passengers

7. Bmi: one in 16.6 passengers

8. Bmibaby: one in 20 passengers (ANI)

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‘Star Wars’ team celebrates 30th anniversary of ‘The Empire Strikes Back’

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 21 (ANI): In one of those rare reunions, cast of Star Wars gathered together for a rare appearance to celebrate the 30th anniversary of sequel ‘The Empire Strikes Back’.

Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian) joined Ewan McGregor, who played Obi Wan Kenobi in the recent prequels, for the event, held in Los Angeles.

The event was held to raise funds for a children”s hospital.

And Scottish star McGregor revealed he still has a crush on a Star Wars character he fell for as a youngster.

“I”ve spent many years being deeply, deeply in love with Princess Leia,” the Scotsman quoted him as saying. (ANI)

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ATM inventor John Shepherd-Barron, 84, dies after short illness

May 20, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 20(ANI): John Shepherd-Barron, the Scotsman credited with inventing the world’s first automatic teller machine, now known as ATMs, has died after a short illness. He was 84.

Shepherd-Barron died in Scotland’s Raigmore Hospital on Saturday.

He had come up with the concept of a self-service cash dispenser in 1965 while lying in a bath after getting to his bank too late to withdraw money.

The businessman, who worked for the printing firm De La Rue Instruments at the time, said he was inspired by chocolate vending machines and put the idea to the head of Barclays Bank “over a pink gin”, The Telegraph reported.

The first ATM was installed at a Barclays’ branch in London in 1967.

Shepherd-Barron did not patent his system and did not make any money from his invention, but was made an OBE in 2005 for his services to banking. (ANI)

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Cosmic link to calcium in our bones discovered

May 20, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 20 (ANI): The calcium in our bones has a cosmic link, according to a new study.

Astronomers have come across a new type of supernova, which they believe may be the chief source of calcium in the universe, including the Earth.

According to scientists, the energy source of the supernova labelled SN2005E is helium “stolen” from a companion star.

Mounting pressure and temperature levels eventually caused the helium to ignite in an H-bomb-like thermonuclear blast.

High levels of calcium and radioactive titanium were found during observations of the exploding star. Both are products of nuclear reactions involving helium.

The calcium content was so high that it accounted for half the material thrown out by the explosion.

Even if two such supernovae occur every 100 years they would produce the high abundance of calcium seen in our galaxy, the Milky Way, and in all life on Earth, the scientists point out.

“It”s a confusing, muddy situation. But we hope that, by finding more examples of this and other unusual supernovae and observing them in greater detail, we will get a better understanding of the physics that”s actually going on,” the Scotsman quoted Prof Alex Filippenko, of the University of California at Berkeley, as saying.

The findings of the study have been published in the journal Nature. (ANI)

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Britain’s remotest pub up for grabs!

May 18, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 18 (ANI): The Old Forge pub at Inverie, on the Knoydart Peninsula in the West Highlands, has been put up for sale for 790,000 pounds, despite the fact it has no roads leading to it and takes an 18 mile hike or a seven mile sea crossing to reach.

The easiest way to get to the most remote pub in Britain is via a 45-minute ferry crossing or a 20-minute water taxi from the small harbour town of Mallaig.

Owners Ian and Jackie Robertson have had the pub for 20 years but have decided to retire.

“I turn 65 next year and we have decided the time has come to retire. We have thoroughly enjoyed building up the business, but it is a lot of hard work and someone younger should now be given the opportunity to enjoy it,” the Scotsman quoted Robertson as saying.

The property comes with 10 private moorings, a waterfront bar and restaurant, and owners’ accommodation as well the potential to acquire another house with outline planning permission.

David Reid, of selling agents Knight Frank, said: “There is no question that the Old Forge is a rare find and it will appeal to those looking for a new lifestyle in a remote location, but with the added benefit of a superb business showing exceptional turnover, strong performance, yearly growth and good net profits.” (ANI)

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White supremacist, son jailed for Ricin poison plot

May 15, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Durham (UK), May 15 (ANI): A white supremacist, who dismissed other extreme groups as weak, has been jailed for ten years.

He is the first Briton to be convicted for producing a chemical weapon.

Ian Davison, 42, manufactured enough ricin to kill nine people and kept it in a jar in his kitchen for two years.

According to The Scotsman, he was jailed along with his teenager son Nicky, who was a fellow member of a group known as “the Aryan Strike Force”.

Nicky was sentenced to two years in a young offenders” institution.

Ian Davison, a resident of Burnopfield in Durham County, previously admitted producing a chemical weapon, preparing acts of terrorism, three counts of possessing material useful to commit acts of terror and one count of possessing a prohibited weapon.

His 19-year-old son was convicted of three counts of possessing material useful for acts of terror following a trial a fortnight ago.

The charges related to downloading copies of the Anarchist”s Cookbook and The Poor Man”s James Bond on two computers. (ANI)

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Calamity Crozier, Scotland’s most accident-prone woman, collects £1k!

May 12, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): A woman, who has been named as Scotland’s most accident-prone person, seems to have a had a change of luck after she beat more than 100 other clumsy Scots to win the title and 1,000 pounds.

Lorraine Crozier, 35, from Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, nicknamed Calamity Crozier, has suffered more than 20 serious accidents as well as countless bumps, trips and falls.

Her injuries include a broken coccyx, ruptured knee ligaments, fractured elbow, chipped collarbone, dislocated shoulder, and four broken toes – despite the fact she once worked as a health and safety investigator.

Crozier, who has a two-year-old daughter Hannah, is so accident-prone that on one occasion she damaged her shoulder walking into a lamppost on her way to the optician’s.

“I entered the competition as a bit of a joke to prove to my friends that something good could come of all of my accidents. I never believed I’d win,” the Scotsman quoted Crozier as saying. (ANI)

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Snooker match fixing: Higgins claims innocence

May 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 10 (ANI): Snooker champion John Higgins has claimed innocence against allegations that he agreed to fix a match.

Describing the past few days as “emotionally draining for me and my family,” Higgins said: “In the last week I have experienced a whole range of emotions: despair, frustration, anger, rage and, most of all, a sense of betrayal.”

Undercover reporters, who have accused him of agreeing to fix a match, filmed Higgins.

The Scotsman quoted him, as saying that he believed the meeting with the journalists was to arrange a series of tournaments in the Ukraine.

Yesterday the News of the World also alleged that he had tried to bet against himself in last year”s World Championship final.

Higgins said: “Over the last three years I spent a lot of my time and effort to expand snooker into new territories. I wanted to take the magic of snooker to towns, cities and countries where people had only ever seen snooker on television. I wanted to act as an ambassador to spread that magic of snooker throughout the world. Despite the events of last week, it is something I believe in from the bottom of my heart.”

The three-times world champion is subject to disciplinary proceedings by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association over the allegations. (ANI)

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Scotland dominates list of world’s top 100 drinks brands

May 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Edinburgh, May 10 (ANI): Scotland has bagged sixteen positions in a list of the world’s top 100 drinks brands.

The birthplace of the eponymous Scotch whiskey is just a dot on the map but has substantial representation among the world’s top-class drinks, second only to USA.

A fourth of the drinks in the top twenty are Scottish, these are Johnnie Walker at number two, Chivas Regal and Ballantine”s at eight and ten respectively, Dewar”s at sixteen and J&B at nineteen.

Three Scottish brands – Clan Campbell, William Lawson”s and Clan MacGregor – were new entries into this year”s Power 100, while Famous Grouse was the only Scottish brand to actually improve its ranking within the table, climbing one place from 40 to 39.

The Power 100 is an annual survey of the world”s leading drinks brands published by international company strategists Intangible Business, the Scotsman reports.

Stuart Whitwell, joint managing director of Intangible Business, said Scotland came in ahead of other famous drink producers such as France, England, Russia and Germany.

“Scotland has successfully developed world class brands for a world class product. Scotch whisky is in great shape for the future,” he told the paper.

Scotland’s excellent performance on the table is in keeping with its rich tradition in whiskey production.

“We have had this amazing renaissance in whisky”s fortunes and that is represented in this league table,” says whiskey expert Ian Buxton proudly. (ANI)

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Actor Robbie Coltrane’s painting set to fetch £4k

May 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 10 (ANI): Robbie Coltrane of Harry Potter fame is set to put up his painting of a train for auction.

The work is expected to fetch 4,000 pounds when it goes under the hammer at a Glasgow auction this week, reports the Scotsman.

Coltrane completed the painting after receiving commission while studying at Glasgow School of Art in the 1970s.

This was before he shot to fame with ‘Harry Potter’ where he played ‘Hagrid’ and criminal psychologist ‘Fitz’ in the television series ‘Cracker’.

The painting is the first one to be put up by the actor for auction.

McTear”s Scottish Contemporary Art Auction will showcase other artworks on Wednesday including 58 drawings by the Glaswegian artist Gerard Burns. (ANI)

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Brit woman jailed for kissing a man publicly slams Dubai ‘hypocrisy’

May 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 10 (ANI): A British woman, who was jailed for kissing a man in public in Dubai, has dubbed its strict decency laws as being full of “hypocrisy”.

Charlotte Adams was arrested with Ayman Najafi last November after a local woman complained they had been seen kissing on the mouth in a restaurant.

Adams, 26, from Mersea Island, Essex, and Najafi insisted they had given each other only a peck on the cheek but were sentenced to a month in prison by a Dubai court last month.

The estate agent served 23 days and was freed on May 7 and deported.

She spoke of her relief at being reunited with her family, including twin brother Christopher and sister Emma, 20.

“It is such a relief. I’ve thought of nothing else for the last few months,” the Scotsman quoted her as saying.

“I love Dubai and it makes me sad that I’ll never come back, although I think I’d struggle to ever feel free here again.

“The laws need to evolve to match the culture here. At the moment, it’s all just hypocrisy,” she stated.

She went on to say that hotels in Dubai regularly offer free alcohol, particularly to women, even though drinking in public is still officially illegal in the Gulf state.

“Everyone gets so drunk they forget where they are, particularly the Westerners, which is when their behaviour can become dangerous legally,” she added.

Najafi, a management consultant from north London who has lived in Dubai for 18 months, is said to be continuing his fight against the conviction after being backed by his employers. (ANI)

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