Moving right along...

I've still not got my 'old' computer going. New hardrive installed but now an issue with the video card. Still I managed to catch up with some clan admin this morning.

We now have 50 members. Thanks to the spark of Destrata and the energy of her friends, there are now ten MacTavishes in Lanark. Well done folks, make the most of it! I believe the Roses are the other major clan presence in town, from past dealings they are a nice and friendly bunch of people generally speaking. Four more of us have become level 2s over the past week; Lucifera (Ardencaple) is now a baker; Jubox and Quik2type of Whithorn, weavers; and, Jayne of Drummore, a miller.

Our clan subforum keeps fairly busy, albeit mainly with new applications for membership at the moment. There's a thread there seeking your thoughts on what our clan is and could be doing. Please have a look and post your ideas there.

In national affairs, the Scotish Constitution awaits the ratification of the one remaining county (Galloway) before becoming law. Our two brave MacTavish representatives, Ragehammer and Lucifera, both await the opening of the National Assembly (we get two representatives due our status of one of Scotland's Founding Clans). Expect there to be a bit of shake up of national power structures in the months following the opening of the National Assembly.

Galloway Council elections finish in a couple days. It is likely that the Scottish Democratic Party will take a majority of seats (fingers crossed). If this proves the case, there could be upto three MacTavishes on the County Council (Aelin, Bonquida and Yankie) and a MacTavish as Count! I urge all MacTavishes resident in Galloway to get out and vote, and be careful you place your vote in the box of the SDP ticket!!!

There has been a slight increase in clan hostilities recently. The MacGregors have shown their robbing colours again, laying silent seige to Dumfries castle in April. The Forbes have run a ticket in the Galloway elections, and elevated a squabble between their chieftain (JeffersonDavis) and the Wallace Chieftain (Brother Chris) into the beginnings of a feud. Tempers seem to have calmed recently, and the MacGregors have dispersed, but the potential for major conflict has shown itself. Through these troubles we have kept a quiet presence in the background (as also, I hear, during the present dominance of the Gunn clan in Glasgow) and kept going in our own little ways to improve the situation.

This gives us great credit.

Children of the Mist v Scotts Nationalists

Debates have been going for awhile on the forums about a proposed 'RP robbery' law for Scotland. Things keep getting heated to much for the mods of the forums (who regularly are imposing cooling off periods and/or locking threads). Out of it all there has come about a competition for the upcoming County elections. Between the governing group (SNP - Scottish National Party) and their challengers (CotM - Children of the Mist).

I am not going to say how you should vote, or how I shall vote. I would just like to encourage you all to keep an eye on the candidates when they hassle you for votes. Don't let them put you off of visiting the taverns, but don't let their excitement get you too riled up. I know for me, a classic politician brings out the mocker in me. I try and watch it, but not always too good at this.

For the record, I have reproduced below my recent post about the issue on the Children of the Mist thread on the forums (CotM is the name of the opposition political party that is running for upcoming County election). I posted under a subtitle of 'My Pesonal View Only.'

CoM were descendants of MacAlpin, the family of first scottish king Kenneth [NB MacTavish also trace descent back through Kenneth MacAlpin]. Hundreds of years ago. Associated with MacGregors, most famously nearly 100 years in future of ig timeline .

I like not this talk of guilt by association, would that not make all us scotts guilty as charged? I for one am proud of association with Clan MacGregor. I don't yet have opinion on practicality of robbery law. My prime allegiance is to Scotland (Galloway).

Prosperity is good. Freedom is good. Difference and debate is good. I agree with Aqueron. Run the election. Debate in Council. Vote.