Some Other Scotland - Ep31 - Parchment

This Week:

• Charles learns more about the mysterious parchment from his jacket.
• Erica keeps guard, but must act fast.

Some Other Scotland - Ep29 - Artists

This Week:

• Sykes arrives at the scene of a battle.
• Razer and Baikbe walk the moor.
• Harald uses the keystone.

This week’s news story:

Arts group attacked by artists

changed to the alternative:

Artists attack bias in funding decisions
A group of Scottish musicians, artists and writers has written a strongly worded letter to the main funding body for the arts in Scotland, in which they raise concerns about the choices made when deciding on which groups will receive support. They claim that worthwhile artistic endeavours which would bring education and business into certain areas of the country are being overlooked in favour of projects that would appear to have little merit or in some cases would actually cause offence. Creative Scotland, the body at the centre of the complaints, has responded that the allegations will be fully investigated.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep28 - Artefacts

This Week:

• The Merk is on the move.
• Sykes finds a disturbing new link.
• Erica and Tania reach the Merk.

This week’s news story:

Supermarket building on Roman forts

changed to the alternative:

Roman fort under supermarket hides deeper secret
Recent excavations for a new supermarket in Camelon, near Falkirk, revealed a series of Roman forts believed to be a centre of commerce in Scotland from the first century AD. Many of the items dug up from the site have been put on public display in a temporary cabin beside the building site, but one item is causing some confusion amongst archeologists. A petrosphere, or stone ball, believed to date from the neolithic era, was found in what appears to be a kitchen area. Similar items have been found in various locations across Scotland in the past, but this is the first time one has been found in the middle of a Roman site.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep27 - Skeleton

This Week:

• Burnard makes some discoveries.
• Charles spots a face from his past.
• Arthar receives a distress call.

This week’s news story:

Violent deaths of Stirling skeletons

changed to the alternative:

Skeleton answers lead to new questions
A series of tests on a group of five skeletons found buried under the Royal Chapel at Stirling Castle have shown they were victims of violent deaths. Scientists reported a number of fractures, stab wounds and broken bones that would have proved fatal, but have been unable to explain the injuries inflicted on one of the male skeletons. One archaeologist stated “it was as though he had been sliced in two with an angle grinder, not a sword or an axe”.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep26 - Commonwealth Games

This Week:

• Razer completes his task in time for an unexpected visit.
• Harald searches for the keystone.

This week’s news story:

Commonwealth Games evict grandmother

changed to the alternative:

Commonwealth Games eviction properties still standing

Questions have been asked of Glasgow City Council as to why some buildings emptied for the construction of the Commonwealth Games athletes village have yet to be demolished. Local people who campaigned against the eviction of tenants in the area have complained that certain houses and larger buildings have been sitting empty for at least a fortnight after the date they were due to have been demolished. The council refused to comment, other than to confirm that it is investigating the complaints.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep25 - Forth Bridge

This Week:

• Craig seeks advice about the Keystone.
• Harald heads for a confrontation.

This week’s news story:

Forth Bridge vandals stop trains

changed to the alternative:

Forth Bridge disaster claims twenty lives

A large section of the Forth Bridge was destroyed and a train carrying at least twenty passengers fell into the river in a tragedy that is being compared to the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the collapse, though the driver of the train has been quoted as saying that the rails just split apart in front of him. A small number of local fishermen and residents of North Queensferry also reported seeing something flying up the side of the bridge shortly before the damage occurred, but nobody has any evidence of what the unidentified object might have been. The bridge was completed in 1890 and is one of Scotland’s most recognisable landmarks.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Promo for View from Valhalla.

Some Other Scotland - Ep24 - Water Supply

This Week:

• Sykes visits the Merk.
• Charles climbs the Wallace Monument.
• Razer is put to work.

This week’s news story:

Strange-tasting water is still safe

changed to the alternative:

Tap water ban announced

People in certain areas of Dundee and the Carse of Gowrie have been advised to stop drinking their tap water for a period of at least a week, following an investigation into an unusual taste that was reported coming from the Clatto Water Treatment Works. A spokeswoman from the plant has confirmed that they have evidence of raw sewerage having being dumped into the reservoir at Linthrathen Loch, though they have assured residents that it was a small amount and steps have been taken to disinfect all affected supplies.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep23 - Swine Flu

This Week:

• Erica and Tania arrive in New York.
• Harald finds the message.
• Andy's gig is cancelled.
• Craig gets no chance to relax.

This week’s news story:

Swine flu postpones Singing Kettle visit

changed to the alternative:

Kettle affected by quarantine

The West Coast town of Dunoon has been officially quarantined this week, as one of two hotspots for swine flu in Scotland. The local hospital has already been supplied with a large quantity of flu medications and local politicians are stressing that people should not panic. The quarantine prevents people entering or leaving the town for the next week, initially. The Singing Kettle show at the Queen’s Hall has been postponed and all schools in the area closed. The situation will be reviewed at the end of the week and the quarantine extended if necessary.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Promo for Wiener Blut.

Some Other Scotland - Ep21 - Bees

This Week:

• Charles finds music and a lift.
• Razer picks a side.
• Erica and Tania find a clue to Sengar's whereabouts.

This week’s news story:

Human race could perish without bees

changed to the alternative:

Bee disappearances a growing threat to Human Race

A debate in the Scottish Parliament has raised concerns about the rapidly declining bee population in the UK and beyond. A number of reasons, including the increase in the population of the Varroa mite ongoing use of pesticides in farming and even the prevalence of mobile phone masts, have been attributed to the fall in numbers, but scientists have yet to identify a means of reversing the trend. Agricultural experts have highlighted the impact on crops that is already being seen, due to the lack of cross-pollination by bees.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep20 - Baby Records

This Week:

• Calum researches the list of unmarked graves.
• Sykes follows the new lead.
• Calum discovers unexpected links in his list.

This week’s news story:

Investigation into stolen baby records

changed to the alternative:

Decades of baby records stolen

A hospital in Aberdeenshire has confirmed that birth records dating back over twenty years have been stolen. The files contained details of parents’ home addresses as well as details about each birth, blood types and dates of admission. NHS Grampian have instigated a full investigation of how the records were taken and have issued a statement of apology to all affected patients.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep19 - Great Scot

This Week:

• Harald moves in closer to Charles.
• Razer deals with a sinking feeling.
• Charles starts to hatch a plan.
• Erica and Tania assess the Merk damage.
• Sykes' suspicions are confirmed.

This week’s news story:

Peter the Great's right-hand Scot

changed to the alternative:

Pages missing from diary of Peter the Great's Scottish General

Scholars have announced that they believe several pages have been removed from the diary of Patrick Gordon, a Scot who held a senior rank in Peter The Great's army. They claim inconsistencies in the text suggest that up to a month's information may have been replaced by a series of paragraphs indicating the soldier was offered work in Vienna, only to be told shortly afterwards he was no longer required. The diary was published in full for the first time in the UK this year.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Promo for "Luscious Leftovers" podcast.

Some Other Scotland - Ep18 - Submarine

This Week:

• Razer meets his kidnappers.
• A bid for freedom ends in disaster.

This week’s news story:

Radioactive leaks from submarines

changed to the alternative:

Leaking submarine disappears

Following the release of a report on safety issues at the Faslane base, it has emerged that a submarine identified as having leaked radioactive material on three previous occasions, has disappeared. The last known contact with the vessel was as it left the East Coast of the USA on a return trip to Scotland. MPs have called for a full investigation into why a ship with a poor safety record was released for travel in international waters.

Further Information

Promo for The Gearheart.

Please note - episode 17 has been written out of order and will follow later, but this will not affect the flow of the story!

Some Other Scotland - Ep17 - Lunacy Graves

This Week:

• Tania and Erica visit the Merk.
• Calum notices a disturbing pattern.
• Sykes is alerted to more symbols.
• Harald finds what he's searching for.
• A haggis supper leads to trouble.

This week’s news story:

Lunacy Board buried thousands in unmarked graves

changed to the alternative:

Thousands named in Lunacy Board Service

A memorial service has been held for people buried in unmarked "pauper's graves" in Churches around West Lothian. The graves belong to patients of Bangour Village hospital and are located in numerous sites in the local area. The Lunacy Board, who until recently were responsible for all psychiatric hospitals in Scotland, had a similar policy across the country and it is anticpated that many more unmarked graves such as these will come to light in the future.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep16 - Cancer

This Week:

• Erica works on changing the tunnel.
• Razer seeks a way out of New York.
• Disturbing news rocks the Traigh.

This week’s news story:

Putting the brakes on cancer

changed to the alternative:

Evidence found of cancer brakes

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh believe that a body donated for medical science may hold the key to a cure for cancer. They say that a range of genetic differences in the body may effectively slow the effects of the disease if replicated. The circumstances of the death and identity of the body are kept strictly secret.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Promo for "Jack Wakes Up" by Seth Harwood.

Some Other Scotland - Ep15 - Acid

This Week:

• Razer reacts to the damage he has done.
• Erica reaches the Traigh.
• Malcolm recognises unwelcome faces.
• Harald searches for Charles.
• Inside the Traigh.

This week’s news story:

Acid left in Glasgow street

changed to the alternative:

Acid corrodes through Glasgow street

The Fire Brigade were called in to deal with a chemical spillage at Hayburn Street in Partick that has left a hole in the residential area estimated to be over fourty metres deep. A local residents has reported seeing several large canisters being left at the site in the early morning, but by noon the liquid inside, believed to be a highly concentrated acid, had corroded through the containers and into the ground below. The close proximity of the incident to the Glasgow Subway system meant that services on the line were cancelled for most of the day until safety checks could be completed. Police are investigating the incident and are currently gathering footage from CCTV cameras in the area to identify the truck that left the containers. Firefighters are still clearing the area, removing contaminated soil and corroded rocks from the scene for further analysis.

Further Information

BBC News - Read the original story.

Some Other Scotland - Ep14 - Tartan Week

This Week:

• Razer chooses his hideaway.
• Malcolm receives an unwanted visitor.
• Razer settles in the USA.
• The destructive force of the 'torch' is demonstrated fully.

This week’s news story:

New York parade sets Scotland Week in motion

changed to the alternative:

Tartan Week parade ends in disaster

On a day when New York should have been celebrating its ties with Scotland as part of the traditional parade along 6th Avenue, it has instead been reeling from the attack on the famous Empire State Building. The top five floors of the building were demolished in what is believed to be a terrorist attack, though no evidence of an explosion has yet been found. The estimated death toll currently stands at over two hundred people, including several killed by falling debris. The building, opened in 1931, was for many years the world's tallest skyscraper. It became New York's tallest building once again following the destruction of the World Trade Centre in 2001.

Further information

With special guest, Philip 'NorvalJoe' Carroll as Kyle. His website can be found at norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com or follow him on twitter as @PhilipCarroll.

BBC News - read the original story.

Promo for Great Hites, soon to feature on podiobooks.com in a new anthology called 'Greatest Hites'.

Some Other Scotland - Ep13 - Ghost

This Week:

• Sykes receives information about Charles' attempted abduction.
• Harald realises he has missed something for the past 90 years.

This week’s news story:

Prize-winning ghost of Tantallon Castle

changed to the alternative:

Tantallon ghost opens floodgates

A picture taken of a ghostly image in Tantallon Castle, located on the North Berwick coast, has won a competition for the most convincing supernatural picture, inspiring a number of people to come forward with other photographs taken in the same place over the last fifty years.

Further information

Tantallon Castle on the North Berwick coast.

BBC News - read the original story.

Promo for Archangel: Legion by Scott Roche.

Some Other Scotland - Ep12 - UFO

This Week:

• Erica keeps attention away from the village.
• Razer comes to a decision about his future.
• Tania takes Erica on an unusual trip.

This week’s news story:

Pitlochry's UFO taken seriously by MOD

changed to the alternative:

Harrier pilots didn't see UFO

Documents about UFO sightings, recently released by the Ministry of Defence, include details of photographs showing a large diamond-shaped UFO hovering above a harrier jet. Commenting on the released information, the MOD clarified their earlier statement by saying that although jets were operating in the area, the pilots saw nothing and flight records showed no unusual activity was encountered.

Further information

The Kitchener Memorial on Orkney.

Read the copies of the UFO reports released by the MOD (see p157 for the Pitlochry incident).

Find the short story spin-off from SOS about Sarah Fullarton (from episode 2) at Great Hites #58.

Some Other Scotland - Ep11 - Safe Conduct

This Week:

• Tania and Erica work on a plan.
• Sykes and Hayston visit Charles and make another link.
• Razer causes a little more than a shaving cut.

This week’s news story:

Demands for return of letter to Wallace

changed to the alternative:

Wallace letter taken

The letter of Safe Conduct, sent to William Wallace by the King of France, has been stolen from the National Archives in London. Scottish MPs had recently been calling for the return of the letter to Scotland, as one of the few remaining possessions of Wallace in existence. The letter was found on him when he was captured at Robroyston and taken to London.

Some Other Scotland - Ep09 - Black Box

This Week:

• Harald has a mid-air collision.
• The hunt for Charles begins.

This week’s news story:

North Sea black box found

changed to the alternative:

Helicopter black box destroyed

Investigators who retrieved the tail section and black box flight recorder from the Super Puma helicopter which crashed in the North Sea last week, have been disappointed to find the recorder damaged beyond repair. Passengers in the aircraft reported feeling an impact shortly before it hit the surface of the water and it had been hoped that the black box would have helped to explain the cause of this. All 18 people on board survived the crash.

Promo for Great Hites Podcast.