coprolite

I think historically the proprietor has had much more of an influence than they do now. The position of the papers is now more about a marketing niche than any sort of principled stance.

Nice strawman Is it not more interesting to note that a good half of the press has no proprietor pushing an agenda and then speculate as to why they would adopt the position they do? If you do want to change that situation then it probably helps to understand it as it actually is and to not blame it all on the big tory bogeyman that controls everything.

Reach is the biggest publisher of local newspapers in the UK and publishes more than 14 in Scotland. I don't know how the circulation of the Paisley Daily Express or Kilmarnock Standard for example compare with the Invenesian ones. Newsquest covers the Glasgow Herald. Edinburgh Evening News is in National World (along with the hootsman which is really local to Embra, despite pretentions). Dundee (courier) and Aberdeen (P&J) are with DC Thomson. I think that probably accounts for about 30% of local news already. Illiffe has a minority stake in the Teuchters, with some guys called Fowler holding the majority. So you have supported your contention that the whole of the press is owned by Tories with an example of a small part of it being influenced by a guy whose grandad was a tory MP. This isn't the clincher you think it is.

I don't know about most of that. I haven't bought a paper in 10years but occasionally flick through a metro on the train. The Express did recently get sold by Desmond to Reach (fka Trinity Mirror). I think it's equally as unsupportable to call that a "left wing group", especially with the Express in it. Some titles and individuals will have a stance but it's hard to attribute that to the group. I am unsure as to whether he included "Big Ones" in the sale.

I thought this was an interesting contention vis a vis the local papers so have gone to the trouble of fact checking it. There are four groups that between them own pretty much all of local media (and a lot of the national stuff too). Reach plc- listed, no controlling party. You could say that people who own shares in public companies are mainly tories and that may well be true. But not obviously owned by tories. As Mirror Group, this had a left leaning reputation. Newsquest - listed, but on NYSE. Doubt most investors know what a Tory or a Scotchland is. DC Thomson - Privately owned, looks like extended family plus maybe some management. Estimate about 80 individuals. Probably some are Tories. National World- prop David "Rommell" Montgomery. Looks like a Tory. Probably is. Former editor of Mirror though and no obvious political affiliation i could find in a few minutes. Conclusion - contention not supported by evidence.

Typical p&b, trying to make it all about the Gers.

I bought that because it was a new order record, unaware of its status and connections. I also quite liked the lightning Seeds, but by then i'd learned my lesson.

A recent example from these parts https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/neil-mcevoy-plaid-cymru-electoral-17867103

If by ruin, you mean "makes you grin like a maniac while all the hair on the back of your neck stands up and it brings a tear to the eye" then i agree.

Not really no. But i'd like to.

I like pineapple on pizza and never claimed i wasn't a deviant.

What are we looking for in a striker? I reckon we'll be able to tell a lot about what variety of fast attacking football we're going to get from said striker's attributes. In much the same way as you could read how last season would go from us signing Curtis Main. Obviously commuting distance is key, but what else?

I prefer to save my money for people i like. Or my family.

Clearly Trump was keeping a lid on things.

A little mentioned perk of working from home is the ability to just delete emails about collections. No more rummaging about in the desk for coppers and bottle tops as the envelope approaches.

I agree that there seems to be an increasing preference for sending a message where shouting out would be better. I like it. No need to speak to the b*****ds at work unless absolutely necessary. And i'm a reasonably old c**t.

If they only have £7.00? Or would they let you buy 7/8 of the large?

They need to be toughened up to work in an office and photocopy documents.

Sounds like someone's had enough of experts. We just need common sense.

Both way less stupid than scissors.

I commute further than Dundee-Kingswells and, while i do admittedly lack commitment to my employer, it's a doddle.

A knife seems to work just fine, as crazy as that sounds.

I thought Fred Elliot was in Dambusters and went to check-apparently not, but Patrick McGoohan is an uncredited "guard on door" so it wasn't a complete waste of time.

Wouldn't be the first mutant from that neck of the woods

I thought you were about to allude to the Dal Riadans assimilation of Pictland. Dal Riada's the proper evil empire in this story and why west coasters shouldn't be trusted to this day.