Shetland Islands
Latest news from the Shetland Islands
Wanted livewires to market and skipper Shetland's Swan
The famous Shetland sail training vessel Swan is looking for experience in computers, marketing or finance to help with the trust's administration. It also needs a permanent livewire skipper to explore new avenues of business. The 108 year old restored fishing boat has seen a gradual drop in bookings in the last five years and is currently relying on its core work with schools, youth groups or private charters. The Swan no longer has a skipper following the departure of Jane Brander this year after two potentially major charters were cancelled, and is now using relief or temporary staff for the few bookings it has this summer.
Corruputed computer controls has Whalsay without its Linga ferry
Whalsay Island is to be without its main ferry for the next two or three weeks after its computer control system which monitor the diesel electric engine’s propulsion system and play a key role in the ship’s operation broke down last weekend. The 36 metre Linga has been fraught with technical problems since it first arrived from the Gdansk shipyard in 2002, and now must have three computers replaced after the originals had their hard discs corrupted.
Glasgow to Lerwick network fault impacts Shetland villagers
Although initially ongoing problems and blame were blamed on customers’ routers or computers at the Shetland villages of Vidlin and Uyeasound, BT has now held its had up to the fact that business and home internet users experiencing difficulties with their broadband connection were due to a fault within the BT network. As a result residents were left without broadband for almost 30 hours on Wednesday and Thursday , reaching a maximum speed of 0.5Mbps (512Kbps) but unfortunately it took almost 24 hours for the service provider to admit it was a their problem their.
Irrelevantly quite irresistibly about pigeons
Gaberlunzie fell over this tale courtesy of news from Scotland reports by Joe murphy.
Received an email from a lad called Michael who wrote: Hello Joe, I'll bet you know something about the better longer distance pigeons in Scotland. I have one very nice Kirkpatrick cock. This letter comes to you from Washington, USA. Not many Long Distance fliers here. I've read about Krauths as being good across the water in the northern islands. That is the sort I'm interested in. Here's a link if your interested Yours Michael
On-line only Rural Priorities discriminates against remote crofters in rural development subsidies
A new Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2007-2013 backed by a nearly £800m subsidy scheme, is in one key part, only accessible online. It has been dubbed as “a recognised strategy†to make it difficult for small operators to bid for funding, (as it is much easier to administer a smaller number of large bids from farming businesses.) Ironically of the critical 32 Rural Priorities, Priority 25 is Public Access Priorities. "These priorities focus on public access provision with a particular emphasis on creation, improvement and promotion through various means. "
But not apparently for the SRDP.
Helping Shetland migrants feel at home
A new drop in centre to help migrants living in Shetland feel more at home opens this week in Lerwick�s town centre. he Shetland Welcome Point is designed to help people for whom English is not their first language to meet up, get advice, practice English, access computers and the internet.
Storm brewing over Shetland Trusts
Computer technology was raised by The Shetland Trusts Reform Group which wants decision-making in the Shetland Development Trust and the Shetland Charitable Trust made more democratic, accountable and transparent "for "for the long-term benefit of all the people of Shetland".
Orkney and Shetland's museums are shortlisted for art prize
The Pier Arts Centre, Stromness, Orkney which won a major architecture prize last year and the Shetland Museum and Archives in Lerwick are two museums on Scottish islands in the running for one the UK's most prestigious art prizes being among ten museums shortlisted. Formerly known as the Gulbenkian Prize, the winner of the £100,000 award is due to be announced in May. Both of the Scottish museums were commended for housing collections in interesting locations.
Foulatricity: empowering those who care much and try hard
On Foula, a project which began eight years ago is almost ready to supply the islanders with renewable electricity. In little more than a generation, the community, which used to have a population of hundreds in the 1800's, will have go from oil lamps and peat fires to all the conveniences of modern life. The islanders, like those on Eigg, are looking to a mix of summer solar and wind power and hydro in winter to provide for energy needs. Contractors are currently installing a small hydro generator, which will be fed from a high hill loch.
Shetlander helps move computers to Albania
Alan Smiles from Yell in Burravoe, Shetland, with a class one licence, takes up the role of a long distance driver on a 3,000 mile trip to help deliver Computers for Charities to Albania, after he volunteered his services to Simon Rooksby, the chairman and founder of the Sussex-based charity.
BT leases share in 720km fibre optic cable
BT has reached agreement with Faroese Telecom (FT) to share part of a new fibre optic submarine cable being laid between the Faroe Islands, Orkney and Shetland and the Scottish mainland.
Pelamis ruffles political waters?
As with any world-wide energy commodity, political forces beneath the surface are, according to author Mary Anne Simpson writing in Physics.org.com rife with debate on the technology in Scotland. The abundant oil deposits, fishing waters and ever present UK taxation weighs heavily in the mind of average Scots. The backers of the new wave energy technology while in agreement on the importance of the renewable energy development, differ on the significance of it to reduce the strings that bind Scotland to the UK.
Hjaltland Housing Association helps college IT and sensory gardens
Hjatland Housing helps the funding for IT networking and a sensory garden
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