tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.comments2012-03-29T01:51:20.870+01:00Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496451637223875493noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-46412204575524176912012-03-27T16:51:11.067+01:002012-03-27T16:51:11.067+01:00Sad news. My son Michael and I were on the way to Wembley on Sunday when we heard that Jocky Wilson had died. I was driving so Michael twittered some words in response. A BBC reported contacted me for an interview but it was during the match and he couldn’t hear me. Someone twittered that he went out on treble 12 and double 13 but I had to reply and put him right that Jocky would have gone out on treble 10 and double 16. I remember that Jocky was on a televised 9 darter and just wired double 18 with his 9th dart. As I recall, it would have won him a house and eternal fame as the first person ever to hit a televised 9 darter, That fame of that everlasting record of course was subsequently achieved by John Lowe. Funny thing is that I have only ever hit one 9 darter myself and that was about 35 years ago in Kirkcaldy ....against Jocky!. Dave Whitcombe was right, that &#39;falling off the stage incident&#39; didn&#39;t happen (it nearly did but not quite, so people exaggerate). Mind you I saw him fall over a few times in the old days. And one other thing that people won&#39;t know is that the first time Jocky appeared on TV he was wearing a pair of my shoes. He came into the pub a couple of nights before and showed us that the shoes he was wearing (his only pair) both had great holes in the soles and so did his socks as you could see his bare and rather black feet through the holes, bless him. I said that it wouldn&#39;t matter as nobody would see the soles of his shoes on TV but he was worried that something might happen (like him fall over) and the whole world would see how poor and underprivileged he was (he was unemployed at the time and had been for some time). I lent him a pair of decent black shoes and he did wear them even though they were one or two sizes too big for him .. but the good news is, he won! I read the write up in the times today and, as expected I suppose, it described some of the down side of his time of fame and it brought it all back to me, and more. The general public will probably only remember the fun side of his antics on TV etc so I will try to keep to remembering him for those times. After all he did bring something new to the televised sport at the time - fun and laughter, be it a little over the top sometimes. RIP wee man. From Alan W, an old team mate and sometimes doubles partner back in Kirkcaldy in the seventies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-58877278322356761322011-12-06T22:00:20.362Z2011-12-06T22:00:20.362ZHilarious irony in the comment re ugly &#39;non native&#39; trees. <br /><br />Be sure and check the seed certificates of the native ones! <br /><br />I&#39;ll pack my kit just in case...DTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-83116815669193468002011-09-03T10:00:36.312+01:002011-09-03T10:00:36.312+01:00M&#39;dear anonymous, should you return to this piece you will see I have amended it.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496451637223875493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-90374488743887247562011-09-03T09:58:15.904+01:002011-09-03T09:58:15.904+01:00You&#39;re right. I was a tad careless there. The documents in fact prove that Straw and his senior colleagues believed they had been told by MacAskill that the Scottish government was prepared to deal over Megrahi. I&#39;ve spoken to a lot of the people named in the cabinet office papers and they are absolutely unequivocal about this. But when I have asked the Scottish government to publish the minutes of the important conversations, they have declined, for all their bluster about being open. And MacAskill, like Salmond, in a Channel 4 interview with Jon Snow, refused to say that Straw was a liar in this matter.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496451637223875493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-66809660337829727232011-09-01T07:19:52.583+01:002011-09-01T07:19:52.583+01:00The documents from Jack Straw proved no such thing. All they showed was the thinking of the Westminster team, nothing has shown that there was any such thinking on the SNP side.<br /><br />If I wrote down <br /><br />&quot;Mike Wade can be persuaded to work for the West highland Free Press for a lifetime supply of oatcakes and three dates with a Lulu look a like&quot;<br /><br />Is that proof, or my opinion<br /><br />You seem to be the only one desperate enough to drag that busted flush from the discard pile of politicsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-74322382422299720782011-07-19T12:59:09.379+01:002011-07-19T12:59:09.379+01:00I like this a lot! Good work..ted samselhttp://cfootsoup.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-76658870277352663282011-03-26T13:55:42.045Z2011-03-26T13:55:42.045ZJings not again. What is it about our commissioning authorities that they always bend over for increased costs?Mark MacLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17028259430483576141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-32699953752610504222011-03-14T18:39:00.948Z2011-03-14T18:39:00.948ZHi Mike, how strange the world of social media that we should link up again through twitter. I spoke to you 2 years ago about another great interview which you had conducted with Candia. The reason I contacted you then was that I too suffer from the dreaded blepharospasm which arrived into my life in early 2009, and has trampled all over it and me without mercy ever since. Like Candia, I also led an extremely stressful life prior to getting blepharospasm and like Candia I had also taken the alcohol route at one stage in my younger years. Everything about this disease is so frustratingly obscure and inexplicable which is, I believe, partly why it&#39;s so difficult to accept and deal with. As a writer and a freelance journalist, and a divorced mother of three, I smiled when I read about her flirtation with the idea of arranging some sort of &#39;accident&#39; so that she wouldn&#39;t become a burden to her children...but then decided that she couldn&#39;t leave them wondering and suffering that pain. I&#39;ve visited that place in my head too...often. As with Candia, the botox option which is the standard medical treatment for holding the eyelids open does not work for me most of the time. However I&#39;ve made up my mind that I am going to find a cure for this soon...or die in the effort, and I have written about this in my blog recently. I would love to get in touch with Candia but also respect her deep need for privacy...another thing we seem to have in common is the Boo Radley tendency. However, if you are still in contact with her I&#39;d be grateful if you would give her my contact details. In this interview Mike, you have really captured the horror of this illness and shades of the extreme courage and dignity with which Candia McWilliams deals with it.Rosemary Hannanhttp://offbeatwoman.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-36542463152597080532010-12-02T10:08:35.423Z2010-12-02T10:08:35.423Zoi met power plant taylor in ah dundee pub bistles av lochee early nineties that night ah saw he was going to be the great.est no one got near him. he told is wizard fay fife broke his mobile dart stand i laughed and said was he pissed .power plant what ah player is it number 16 . jj crook street naughty ferry dundeeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-38954781271803703582010-08-20T05:53:19.879+01:002010-08-20T05:53:19.879+01:00I have been visiting various blogs for my <a href="http://www.usatermpapers.com/" rel="nofollow">term papers writing</a> research. I have found your blog to be quite useful. Keep updating your blog with valuable information... RegardsTerm Papershttp://www.usatermpapers.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-74314811533673046812010-08-02T01:07:59.567+01:002010-08-02T01:07:59.567+01:00Awesome. thanks for this Mike. If your lovely readers would like to see some FREE political stand-up in Edinburgh I am on 9th to 27th (not 17th) at speakeasy@voodoorooms (Venue 68) 8.25pm. The show is called The News At Kate 2010. Be great to see you there. xxCruellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03446805038957924958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-42165883139518537072010-07-01T14:56:25.541+01:002010-07-01T14:56:25.541+01:00there could never be another power plant cause taylor buckled the tungston mould when he was born ps the rest of the pdc pmsl should be practising 12 hours ah day . jist maybes some one might give him ah game . come on wizard fay fife jjAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-47296708164258252732010-06-26T04:12:57.845+01:002010-06-26T04:12:57.845+01:00just a few words to best describe the graet wee jocky:<br /> Character<br /> Unpredictable<br /> Naturally talented<br /> Tactical<br />come back jocky!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-19421510394697838242010-06-26T04:06:16.275+01:002010-06-26T04:06:16.275+01:00jocky wilson = greatest darts player of all time.<br />whatta a character...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-3567797670453173472010-04-14T13:51:01.103+01:002010-04-14T13:51:01.103+01:00darts life <br /><br /><br />thats life <br />that what all the players say<br />your riding high in april <br />taylors shot ye down in may<br /> <br />i know am gonna change his tune<br />with new flights il be back on tops in june <br /><br />I say thats life <br />and as funny as it may seem <br />taylor gets his kicks stomping on your dreams <br />but dont let him get you down <br />cause this old board keeps spinning around <br /><br />power&#39;s been a puppet a pauper a pirate <br />a poet a pawn and now a king <br />been up and down over and out <br />he knows one thing <br />each time i found myself flat on my face<br />i picked my darts up and got back in the game <br /><br />yeah thats life <br />players cannot deny him <br />when he thought of quitting baby <br />his heart wasnt gonna buy it <br /><br />and if he didnt think it was worth one single try <br />he&#39;d jump right on a big bird and then fly <br />powers been a puppet a pauper a pirate a poet a pawn now a king <br /><br />been up and down and over and out <br />he knows one thing <br />each time i found myself flat on my face <br />i picked my darts up and got back in the game <br /><br />yeah thats life <br />thats life and players can not deny him <br />many times he thought of cutting out <br />but his heart wont buy it <br />but if theres nothing shaking come this year july <br /><br />im gonna roll myself up <br />in a big ball and die <br /><br />my my <br />taylor power <br /><br />jj anderson broughty ferry dundeeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-55893280618947882972010-04-13T09:12:27.669+01:002010-04-13T09:12:27.669+01:00sticky vicky country benidorm 2006.ah wiz on ah fag run we ma mates. dennis the menace rod harrington cliff lazarnko ritchie burrnet where playing in ah pub and at the bar dennis menace wiz asked ah nite do you ever c jocky wilson he said no scotland misses jocky wilson darts misses jocky wilson and eh miss wizard fay fife.jjAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-55550877737217977522010-04-11T14:58:07.119+01:002010-04-11T14:58:07.119+01:00wizard what do ye think sinatras thats life 3/3/b/9 or jist maybs darts life 3/3/b/9 c ye wizard jjAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-87522594871734885432010-04-11T14:44:35.359+01:002010-04-11T14:44:35.359+01:00ah pawned ma darts 2 c wizard ah wiz 13 angus hotel dundee ma mate dinnay hay ah ticket in the lobby ah saw jocky told um ah pawned ma darts 2 c um .can ma mate get in we went in we jocky there wiz hundreds oh people there he humped every body that played him rattled 180s and he wiz blootered ah got eeze autograph that nite wiz magic and ah met ma hero jj b/ferry dundee.2010 i offered him £2.000 to play one game of darts in broughty ferry he refused i wiz told if i go to ah bookies in fife ah mite c him play ah wiz gonna tell jocky av come along way since ah wiz 13 and pawned ma darts 2 c ma hero legends never end this 1 will go on for eva jj crook street naughty ferry dundee thats life e3b9 sinatra chant ah chantAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-83203370838545989232010-04-11T14:12:33.128+01:002010-04-11T14:12:33.128+01:00angus hotel dundee 80s ah wiz 13 pawned ma darts and ma mate dinnay hay ah ticket we were in the lobby and jocky appeared ah bit pissed ah told ah pawned ma darts 2 c him and ma mate didnt have ah ticket he let us walk in we him ther wiz hundreds oh people that night he rattled 180s ah night and know won beat him ah got eez autograph yep met 1 oh ma heros chant ah chant jjAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-35098649125384834742010-04-11T13:56:33.304+01:002010-04-11T13:56:33.304+01:00oi ah wiz 13 years old when ah met wizard fay fife ah pawned ma darts tay get the ticket money that wiz in the 80s.angus hotel dundee never forget it in 2010 ah offered wizard £2.000 to play one night in broughty ferry dundee at ma home he refused but if ah went to ah bookies in fife ah mite see him there play ah never did go legends never end this 1 will go on for evaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-59681347113244509342010-03-17T10:00:51.197Z2010-03-17T10:00:51.197ZI had not realised I had berated you with two comments about the rogue E, sorry! And eventually I got change out of The Times (who have got it wrong in ten articles in the last five years or so), by befriending the Editor&#39;s PA! Hey ho.<br /><br />Anyway, should you return to matters of The Eagle of the Ninth, or Rosemary S, like I said, I would be happy to help if relevant.<br /><br />I think the issue of Amercian accents for the invaders will run a good deal more nearer the time....<br /><br />AnthonyAnthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677173494958234552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-44058577416970698252010-03-04T10:57:02.064Z2010-03-04T10:57:02.064ZHello Anthony, <br /><br />That&#39;s a shocking spellling mistake, I admit. Sorry for that. <br />Slip of the pen really - I still have my copy of the book, that I was given when I was 10.<br /><br />MikeMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496451637223875493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-73870567310575904572010-03-03T10:02:06.226Z2010-03-03T10:02:06.226ZI enjoyed and was stimulated by reading this, orginally on Times Online - thank you.<br /><br />I did not enjoy for the umpteenth time in The Times seeing Rosemary Sutcliff&#39;s name spelt wrong - with an E! I have enjoyed even less the fact the The Editor has not even responded to my letter pointing this out (a different matter to whether they thought the letter worthy of publication).<br /><br />You were in interesting company. About the same day The Morning Star got her name wrong too. They however have been much more responsive.<br /><br />See twitter.com/aglawton and www.rosemarysutcliff.wordpress.com<br /><br />But more important do keep writing about The Eagle of the Ninth film ( and book?) and perhaps Rosemary Sutcliff (who loved Scotland, wrote the rather neglected Bonnie Dundee ...). Happy to help in future if I can (I am her literary executor, sort of)Anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677173494958234552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-66521873724067609082010-03-03T08:26:36.098Z2010-03-03T08:26:36.098ZMay I just point out that the original The Eagle of the Ninth book was by Rosemary Sutcliff (sic), not spelled with an E. The Times got this wrong! It matters to me because Rosemary was a close relative.... see www.rosemarysutcliff.wordpress.comAnthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677173494958234552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692520545176324012.post-44560724539419804092010-02-24T13:55:21.245Z2010-02-24T13:55:21.245Zwhat ah player wizard fay fife was angus hotel dundee 1980s nuts ah sindrum pisses in a plant pot oh and throws a dart in a players heed .fk he good drink vodka by the gallon brillant . what ah legend .chant ah chant jjAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com