Hi folks! There’s something of a financial theme to this week’s proceedings, and seeing as time is money, let’s crack on.

The Scottish Budget cleared its first major parliamentary hurdle this week, though as ASwaS points out, that’s not the end of the story, as it now enters Stage 2 of the legislative process. This is primarily a result of support from Conservative MSPs, and Scottish Tory Boy comes out in favour of their decision – as you’d expect – while also responding to a post made last week by AswaS, who thinks that the Tories sold themselves short. Bernard Salmon, however, thinks that the Tories sold out, and compares their backing for the early stages of the Budget with Annabel Goldie’s accusations during the election campaign that the LibDems would go into coalition with the SNP.

It’s not just the Tory position that has generated posts, however. With the outcome of the vote likely to be close, speculation was rife about how the different parties would behave. Kezia Dugdale was concerned at rumours that the Greens would abstain. They did, and Andrew Burns believes that they were hypocritical to do so.

Meanwhile, Holyrood Watcher takes an unimpressed look at how Labour have dealt with this year’s Budget, and Edinburgh Labour Councillor Ewan Aitken cheers the fact that Independent Lothian MSP Margo MacDonald’s intervention has secured specific funding for the capital city, but he’s not yet sure that it will be used wisely.

Elsewhere in the world of finance, with shares prices taking a tumble and stock trader Jérôme Kerviel managing to cost his employers, Société Générale, €5 billion, Flying Rodent would like to assure worried members of the financial industry that he bears them absolutely no ill will whatsoever. Certainly not, oh no.

Meanwhile, Peter Hain acquiring money, then neglecting to tell the right people about it, finally cost him his membership of the Cabinet this week. Bill Cameron and Mr. Eugenides react to the story, while Richard Havers looks at the resulting Cabinet reshuffle and does not like what he sees.

And with Hain’s departure, should Wendy Alexander follow suit? Richard Thomson and Grant Thoms say yes. But Jackie Baillie MSP says no, a response which horrifies Calum Cashley.

Speaking of slightly cringe-worthy endorsements, Donald Trump decided to wax lyrical about Alex Salmond this week, but he has not impressed Richard Havers. And while Trump finds time to praise the First Minister, his team will not be finding the time to appear before a Holyrood investigation into the saga that is the Donald’s planning application for a golf resort in Aberdeenshire. Angus Nicolson is unhappy with this.

However, one of Alex Salmond’s main critics on the way that planning application has been handled is Scottish LibDem Leader Nicol Stephen. But with allegations spreading that the last former LibDem Transport Minister Tavish Scott rejected a plan which would see the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route extension run perilously close to a wealthy LibDem donor’s house, Scottish Tory Boy and Hacksaw Jim Duggan argue that it’s hard for the LibDems to take the moral high ground on Trumptown.

Also, Trumptown is not the only planning application to raise eyebrows. Richard Leyton reports on a public meeting in Glasgow, regarding a “Go Ape” proposal in Pollok Park, and reports on further developments, including Richard’s local MSP Nicola Sturgeon opposing the plan.

In other news, a six-year-old e-mail by Labour apparatchik John McTernan, in which he suggests that racism and Presbyterianism are stopping Scotland from emulating the social-democratic paradise that is Sweden (now governed by a conservative coalition, incidentally), has been made public. The AEDJT wonders why one particular branch of Christanity has come in for such stick, and asks whether modern Scotland can really be described as Presbyterian anyway. Jamie Hepburn MSP seconds the view that the Christian denomination has come under a rather unfair attack, but agrees that Sweden’s examples are, in the main, worth following. However, he reckons that independence would allow Scotland to follow in Stockholm’s footsteps. Jeff at SNP Tactical Voting stays away from McTernan’s use of the “P” word, but agrees that we can learn from Sweden and suggests that if the Labour adviser wants to promote optimism and progressive, European-style attitudes, he ought to be advocating independence.

David Farrer, meanwhile, asks if Scotland’s education system “would have sunk so low” if it had been run by the Church of Scotland rather than the Labour Party. However, Kezia Dugdale argues that McTernan was right, and that the Government should be doing more to fight bigotry. Meanwhile, Holyrood Watcher has produced a brief summary of McTernan’s recent career.

But in the midst of this bout of national navel-gazing, Political Dissuasion is perturbed at the low esteem in which Westminster and the USA seem to hold Scotland at the moment.

Meanwhile, Cassilis condemns the tribalism in the current political party system, and Kevin Williamson takes a look at how accountable our elected representatives really are, and suggests that we have some way to go before we can consider ourselves democratic.

And with bloggers casting their eyes to the across the Atlantic, Shuggy takes a look at how US Presidential candidates analyse recent history.

But back to the UK, and with police forces in England protesting against their proposed pay deal, Gus Abraham explains why he will not be supporting them. Meanwhile, BellgroveBelle takes the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to task, after she admitted that she doesn’t feel safe walking the streets of London.

Iain Rubie Dale has more First ScotRail woes.

And it wouldn’t be the Scottish Roundup without some discussion of the constitutional question. With Labour now taking part in a Constitutional Commission to discuss more powers for Holyrood, Mark McDonald recalls Labour MSP Richard Baker opposing that discussion taking place before last year’s election, and wonders what, if anything, has changed his mind. And Jamie Hepburn MSP wonders what point there is in the Commission discussing anything, when Scotland Secretary Des Browne and Scotland Office Minister David Cairns keep ruling out new powers for Holyrood in various policy areas.

Staying on the theme, Anthony Wells of the UK Polling Report analyses support for independence in the opinion polls, and in a rare outbreak of praise for the MSM, Bill Cameron recommends a series of reports for BBC Radio Scotland on how the regions of Spain and Italy, along with recently-independent nation Slovakia, deal with the questions of autonomy and independence.

But as far as reaction is to the MSM is concerned, normal service is resumed by Duncan, who isn’t surprised that the ‘new’ ITV News at Ten lost a third of its viewers by Wednesday.

In the world of sport, John and Alastair react George Burley’s appointment as Scotland manager.

And finally, bloggers everywhere love to know how visitors first discover their work. Calum Carr takes a look at how people arrive at his site…

That’s your lot for this week. Next week you get a break from my seemingly interminable ramblings, when ASwaS takes the hot seat. Don’t forget that you can, as always, nominate posts for inclusion, by sending an e-mail to scottishroundup@gmail.com or by filling in the twiddlyfiddlybob on the right. But from me, it’s bye-de-bye!

Hi folks! With those two famous inevitabilities popping up again and again in the blogosphere, this week’s Roundup has something of a morbid feel about it. Maybe the weather’s getting to everyone?

Anyway. The topic that has generated a good deal of interest is that of organ donation opt-outs, with the UK Government proposing that people’s body parts (I initially typed ‘organs’ but then realised what a field day any surrealist could have with the ambiguity that would cause) would automatically be set aside for donation after their death, and the onus would be on people to opt-out of the system before they died, rather than opt-in and carry a Donor Card, as currently happens. The story gained momentum in Scotland after the Scottish Government suggested that they’d consider following suit. Bill Cameron, Carolyn Brodie and Shuggy all argue that the State is going too far by interfering with what happens to our dead bodies. On the other hand, Cassilis, Bookdrunk and Duncan all point out that we won’t be using them anymore.

Staying with health, and the issue of getting in touch with your GP has been raised. Julie McAnulty questions the benefits of telemedicine, while Caron gets first hand experience of the costs incurred by patients trying to phone their doctor.

Elsewhere, the death of chess legend Bobby Fischer causes ripples in the blogosphere: Kevin Williamson, Alastair and Neil Craig all post their reations to the news.

Now, from death we move to taxes, as David Farrer does battle with HM Revenue & Customs after they get their sums wrong.

Speaking of sums, the slow, stately progress through Holyrood of the Scottish Budget got people talking. ASwaS is not impressed with the Tories’ negotiating skills (or, in his view, lack of them), while Scottish Tory Boy points out the lack of proposals emanating from the LibDems. Calum Cashley looks at what cuts Labour would have made in their amendments to the Budget – all of which were rejected by the Finance Committee – while Kezia Dugdale takes a look at where Labour would have spent the money instead and is unhappy with the current state of the Bill.

On spending and funding, Holyrood Watcher has a thoughtful post on the current row between the SNP and Labour over the ring-fencing of Council budgets. And Wendy Alexander’s comments that Labour Councillors are the benevolent protectors of vulnerable people everywhere, while Tory and SNP Councillors would quite happily club your granny to death given half a chance (OK, I’m paraphrasing there, but that’s pretty much the essence of what she said) have offended SNP Councillor Mark McDonald. I can’t think why.

Clairwil looks at what’s wrong with the benefit system, and thinks about how to fix it.

And for some reason, it doesn’t seem like all that big a leap from that topic to MPs’ salaries: Mr. Eugenides takes a look, while Mr. Smith casts a beady eye over expenses in the House of Lords.

But whatever our Parliamentarians get, could it soon be given to them in Euros? David Farrer reckons we might hear an announcement very soon on signing up to the Single Currency.

Meanwhile, on the subject of money, Craig points out a rather nifty refund policy at Amazon.

Law and order popped up quite a bit this week as well, particularly with reference to the Scottish Government offering support to Green MSP Patrick Harvie’s proposal to introduce stiffer punishments to those found guilty of hate crime. Tartan Hero is celebrating the move, as is Kezia Dugdale. The Tories are not happy, however, and IndyGal is angry at Tory Justice Spokesman Bill Aitken’s comments.

Staying with crime, Angus Nicolson brings news of a drugs raid in the Outer Hebrides, and tells us of the time he introduced the word ‘cottaging’ to the Gaelic lexicon. And Garry has spotted something troubling in the consultation on reforming the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act, which outlaws demonstrations in the vicinity of the Houses of Parliament.

Now onto ongoing stories. With the US Elections heating up, and a row between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama over race issues making the news, Cassilis analyses Senator Clinton’s comments.

Back on this side of the Atlantic, Bill Cameron is exasperated with the UK Government’s handling of the Northern Rock debacle, and Tartan Hero reports on Alex Salmond’s appearance before the Local Government Committee at Holyrood over the Trumpton saga, which appears to be heading for cold storage.

One story that is not heading for cold storage, however, is the scandal surrounding Peter Hain over donations to his campaign for Labour’s Deputy Leadership. Gordon Brown’s defence of his Work & Pensions Secretary was disturbingly lacklustre (he described the affair as an ‘incompetence’), prompting comment from Mr. Eugenides, and Carolyn Brodie compares Gordon Brown to that girl she knew at school who would hang around with the fat kids to make herself look good. From one perma-tanned politician to another, the Tommy Sheridan saga just keeps on going. Scott is following it every hilarious step of the way.

Meanwhile, after last week’s chatter over the Progressive Scottish Opinion poll for STV, a YouGov poll for the Scottish Daily Express comes out, putting the SNP 9 points ahead on the Constituency Vote, and 3 points ahead on the Regional. The details are over at UK Polling Report, and there’s positive reaction from Calum Cashley and Tartan Hero. I can’t find any comment on the poll from the Labour bloggers who discussed last week’s findings, and the only blogger of any political hue to have commented on both sets of results is ASwaS. Meanwhile, John looks at what to bear in mind when you’re studying the polls.

Continuing the statistical note, Duncan might taking a well-earned break from rounding up the week’s blogs (he’s not taking a break at all, by the way, he’s still working hard, trawling the blogosphere and collecting posts, as well as doing all the technical stuff which has thrown me into a minor state of disarray), but has instead opted to round up 150 years of the changes in Scotland’s population. Well worth a look.

Of course, a change took place for two members of the Scottish population: the Chairs of sportscotland (whose name has failed me) and the Scottish Institute for Sport (Dougie Donnelly, who is, I can tell you, a very nice man). Political Dissuasion has a post on the matter. And while we’re in the realms of sport, John takes a look at some of the names who have recently been in the frame for the Scotland job. Personally, I’d like to see John Lambie get it. Scotland would sink to below Bhutan in the FIFA World Rankings but the press interviews alone would be worth it.

Music now, and Colin Campbell discovers a gem, while Jeff is horrified at rumours that T in the Park may have to change its name.

Meanwhile, with Burns Night approaching, Ewan Aitken and Julie Hepburn are preparing to speak at Burns Suppers. Ewan is not sure how to go about doing the Immortal Memory, while Julie has been given advice that seems to have made the prospect more daunting than it was before: “Just be funny!”

And while culture is a talking point, Richard Thomson looks at how an independent Scotland could be a cultural power.

From high culture to low culture now, as we once again lift our collective leg against the tree that represents the mainstream media. We start by returning to the themes of death and law and order, as Michael Portillo decided to have himself nearly executed on BBC2 for our entertainment. I’ll leave the thought about how he could have really entertained us hanging in mid-air. Anyway, Bernard Salmon and Scott at Love and Garbage were watching. Elsewhere, David Blackwood looks at the MSM’s use of hyperbole during the Heathrow plane crash (in which the engines stopped working just as the plane was landing, but no one was even injured) on Thursday. Green Scotland informs us that the Scotsman’s guide on how to be greener leaves a lot to be desired, while Holyrood Watcher has spotted that Thursday’s Scottish Parliament Official Report contains no record of Wendy Alexander’s repeated failure to grasp basic parliamentary protocol.

But before we get too big for our boots, Richard Havers gives us some food for thought.

Flying Rodent reveals what he’s in favour of.

Finally, last Sunday, your Rounder-upper had just finished drafting last week’s post, went to his Facebook page, and while looking for something else to do, read a post on an MSP’s blog that contained more than a little envy at his colleague Aileen Campbell’s disclosure that she has a fan club on Bebo. This post by Jamie Hepburn MSP is where the madness started, and the comments will give you a good idea of where it ended up.

And that barmy tale is where we draw this week’s Roundup to a close. Don’t forget that you can submit links for next week’s by sending an e-mail to scottishroundup@gmail.com or by leaving a message via the shebangabangaringading on the right. Bye-de-bye!

Okay, first of all I should apologise for the lateness of this week’s roundup. We have been hit with a myriad of unusual technical hitches. Will can’t access the website at all for some unknown reason, so I am posting it on his behalf. And then for some reason Will’s emails never got to me. But the roundup is here now, and that is the main thing.

While I’m here, I might as well point out that I am taking the next few weeks off from the roundup to concentrate on my dissertation. But you will barely notice the difference as — technical hitches permitting — it will be under the capable hands of Will, and of course the guests we have coming up. –Duncan

Hi folks! It looks like the season of peace and goodwill has well and truly ended, though bloggers have managed to recover from the hangovers sufficiently to get their teeth into this week’s news. Let’s take a look…

The news that the UK Government is pressing ahead with plans for new nuclear power stations generates some comment. Gus is not impressed with the decision, but Bill Cameron is supportive. Duncan and Niall are in favour of the decision, though there’s a grudging, “if we must” tone to their posts. Garry casts a sceptical eye over plans to finance the new stations.

Speaking of the UK Government and radioactivity, Peter Hain, the Work & Pensions Secretary (and also the Wales Secretary) has come under fire for failing to register the donations to his campaign for Labour’s Deputy Leadership. No one seems to be defending him, he’s taking pelters from Mr. Eugenides, Jeff at SNP Tactical Voting, Angus Nicolson, Political Dissuasion, Bernard Salmon and Reactionary Snob.

But one question that no one’s asking is whether or not Hain can name all the colours of the rainbow. Scott at Love and Garbage reacts to news that Children’s Secretary Ed Balls cannot.

Meanwhile, back at Holyrood, the non-abolition of sportscotland got people talking. Grant is celebrating the decision. He is joined – and this happens very rarely – by the Leader of Edinburgh Council’s Labour Group Ewan Aitken, who points out that it’s a U-turn by the SNP, but one he’s pleased to see. Alastair agrees that it’s a U-turn but it not quite so pleased to see it.

Elsewhere, bloggers are reacting to an opinion poll for STV that puts Labour ahead of the SNP for the first time since the election. Kezia Dugdale and Edinburgh Councillor Andrew Burns have cause to celebrate. Grant and Mark McDonald are less willing to accept the poll’s findings, though do point out that Labour supporters don’t mention the findings that Alex Salmond is far more popular than Wendy Alexander. Scottish Tory Boy has issues with the poll but notes that SNP supporters are far less likely to be dismissive of polls that put the SNP ahead. He may or may not be pleased by the approach taken by ASwaS, who thought Progressive Scottish Opinion weren’t all that good when they were putting SNP support at 48%, and so has no problem with disregarding them now.

Bloggers have been mulling over an article by Iain Macwhirter on Comment is Free where he considers the fact that Alex Salmond is Scotland’s First Minister, Plaid Cymru’s Ieuan Wyn Jones is the Deputy First Minister of Wales and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness is Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and comes to the conclusion that, combined with Tory plans for an English Grand Committee at Westminster, the UK is starting to drift apart and Westminster is not dealing with events. Gus wonders if Macwhirter is starting to support independence, but Holyrood Watcher thinks that Macwhirter is “over-egging the pudding”.

Meanwhile, new UK LibDem Leader Nick Clegg visited Scotland this week. Calum Cashley and Mr. Eugenides aren’t people you would expect to see agreeing with each other, but they both think that Clegg has managed to mis-read the Constitutional Question. Richard Thomson, meanwhile, reflects on the difficulties inherent in trying to use Scottish banknotes in England and is exasperated that the Scottish LibDems have only just discovered this problem. They would have cottoned on to it sooner had they visited the various shops in Lancashire that I’ve used, where I’ve had to stand at the checkout waiting for the old women behind the till to stop arguing over whether it’s the Scottish or the Irish notes that they’re not allowed to take.

Meanwhile, Calum Cashley reckons he’s found the ideal person to replace Wendy Alexander as Labour Leader: Helen Eadie, MSP for Dunfermline East!

However, one person who isn’t being mentioned as a potential Labour Leader is Councillor Terry Kelly (I know, I know, we’ve been over this before and you’re bored with this row by now, but stay with me), Wendy Alexander’s former election agent, who has been noticed by the MSM after an ill-advised joke about the intelligence of women. At TerryWatch, Clairwil reports on the sheer hilarity of the situation. Personally, I don’t see the funny side.

However, Renfrewshire’s ambassador to the blogosphere might get on rather well with volunteers at Revolution Books, who are outraged at a book by Jung Chang which suggests that Chairman Mao might not have been the cuddly, fluffy bunny we all previously imagined him to be. In a brilliantly-written post, Clairwil is “appalled that some pampered American oaf who’s worst experience is being marketed at would seek to prevent a woman who lived through the affectionately remembered rule of Mao from speaking her mind”.

But now on to US politics, and bloggers are mulling over the results of the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire Primaries (poor little Wyoming’s Republican Caucuses appear to have passed without anyone caring). Robert Sharp isn’t all that impressed with opinion pollsters, who predicted that Barack Obama would score a thumping victory in New Hampshire. Aileen Colleran is supporting John Edwards, but realises that he only has a slightly greater chance of winning than Andrew Burns’s hamster. Iain Rubie Dale has found out that he has a lot in common with Obama, the Democratic victor in Iowa. And at Cabalamat, the view is that former Arkansas Governor and winner of the Iowa Republican Caucuses Mike Huckabee is unfit to be President. Meanwhile, Calum Carr is not happy with BBC Correspondent Justin Webb’s reporting, but Richard Leyton is impressed with the British media’s coverage of the elections, and can’t get enough. Bill Cameron, on the other hand, can’t bear the idea of a frenzy that lasts from now all the way until November.

Elsewhere, Cassilis finds fault with a report that accuses French and German schools of indoctrinating youngsters.

Closer to home, Ewan Aitken takes a look at binge drinking.

Meanwhile, a new blog is getting everyone’s attention: The Last Blast, publishing “Edinburgh news that the press just won’t touch”. With the author(s) coming up with posts such as ”City Council to Publish Swimsuit Calendar”, I will simply say that the attention is fully deserved.

Staying with Edinburgh, Angry Steve is already annoyed at the disruption being caused by the construction of the tram lines. And on the West Coast, Iain Rubie Dale is still annoyed by First ScotRail’s fare structure. He at least has not had to contend with FirstGroup’s other toy, Transpennine Express, where a train with just three carriages is viewed as adequate to convey passengers comfortably from Edinburgh to Manchester.

And of course, it was only a matter of time before the weather got us talking. Silversprite wonders why Scottish infrastructure seems unable to cope with Winter, which is, after all, an annual event. And with environmentalists linking the recent breeze and drizzle to climate change, Duncan is underwhelmed at their hysteria, and Richard Havers points out that bad weather has been a regular feature of Scottish life. Meanwhile, Islay Blog brings news that the conditions are ideal for turtle spotting.

Now that we’re on to animals, Kezia Dugdale considers how chicken makes it way to the supermarkets. Her post might put you off your dinner somewhat, though not as much as this one by Bill Cameron which will make you wonder what people will do for entertainment in the North.

Meanwhile, in our frequent look at the MSM, and why we’re better (well, let’s be honest here, we are, aren’t we?) Craig has GMTV’s usage of ‘a.m.’ and ‘p.m.’ in his sights, and Simon Dickson thinks that the papers are overstating the threat posed to their recruitment websites by the Scottish Government’s job portal.

And when he’s not angry about the trams, Angry Steve turns his rage to cybersquatting instead.

Elsewhere, Gordon McLean has raised questions over the future of the Scottish Blogs website, and points to a lack of response at its recent disappearance. This has, in turn, prompted a small wave of people going “Nooooo!!!!!!” in the Comments section. What do you think?

And if you’re in Edinburgh this week, then why not join Scottish Tory Boy, for what is fast evolving into a bloggers’ night out?

Well, that’s your lot for this week. Don’t forget that if you spot (or post) something that you think would look great in next week’s Roundup, you can drop us a line at scottishroundup@gmail.com or take advantage of the bobbityjob on the right. Bye-de-bye!