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Auburn Hills -- It used to be the plaintive plea of college basketball's underprivileged, the double-digit underdogs with the double-digit seeds.
Why not us?
Now it's the persistent plea of, well, just about everyone. It could even be a question posed by Michigan's John Beilein and Michigan State's Tom Izzo, who emerged from Big Ten battles with talented teams intact, but psyches slightly cracked.
This is the latest twist in the NCAA Tournament's evolution, and a reason the Wolverines and Spartans might be better positioned than we realize. Every team that shows up at The Palace today, from 14th-seeded Valparaiso to No. 13 South Dakota State, believes it has a chance.
Heck, Virginia Commonwealth has shocked so often, it's officially elevated from long shot to big shot (sort of).
As parity spreads like spilled paint, there's a flip side. While more upstarts leap up, more higher-seeded teams have a legitimate shot at the Final Four, without an overwhelming favorite blocking anyone's path. I'd say 25 of the 64 teams could reach the Final Four, and a dozen have a chance to win it.
And yes, the No. 3 Spartans and No. 4 Wolverines can make cases. Michigan has, arguably, the best player in the country in Trey Burke. Michigan State has one of the premier coaches in Izzo. I know it's not popular to suggest either team can make a run after missed opportunities in the Big Ten, but I'll say it: Either team can make a run.
'There's more land mines'
Everybody in college basketball has slipped on wet spots, including top seeds Louisville, Indiana, Duke and Gonzaga. Any of five Big Ten teams — Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin — could end up in Atlanta. The Wolverines were ranked No. 1 for a week, and at 26-7, haven't lost to a non-Big Ten team. But during a 6-6 finish, Beilein tried to reenergize his players by asking the question — Why not us?
"I think we've played really well," Beilein said Wednesday. "We played Indiana as tough as anybody and easily could've won. I think we got refreshed enough these last couple days that we're ready to play. I just sense it in their eyes, their legs, everything I see."
Michigan is a heavy favorite against South Dakota State, and Michigan State is an equally heavy favorite against Valparaiso. But perspective can get cloudy in a grueling Big Ten season, and familiarity can reveal flaws. Sometimes, I wonder if we focus on the smudges too much, instead of the teams' talent.
Nationally, expectations remain high. Dick Vitale picked Michigan in his Final Four, along with Indiana, Ohio State and Louisville. Analysts Digger Phelps and Jay Williams pegged Michigan State for Atlanta.
"Realistically, you could look at the glass half full or half empty," Izzo said. "You could say we have just as good a chance as anybody, and I believe you.
"Yet there's more land mines because everybody is pretty similar."
Izzo points out the Spartans played every game close. He likes the pieces, but still yearns for a fiery leader such as Draymond Green, and would love to see more steadiness out of Keith Appling.
While Valparaiso starts five seniors, is adept shooting 3-pointers and has a versatile star in Ryan Broekhoff, Michigan State has a menacing frontline in Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix. And Gary Harris' shoulder is feeling better. And you might have heard, the Spartans win a lot of games in March.
'Fun and confident'
It's an interesting contrast. Michigan State has interior toughness, but perhaps lacks a floor leader. Michigan has the best floor leader, but lacks interior toughness.
Burke is the guy who makes it all go, and if this is his final run before the NBA, he's driven to make it last longer than the first-round loss to Ohio last season. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Nik Stauskas need to shoot well, and Jordan Morgan needs to find his confidence, but if you have Burke, you can make a run.
"We've definitely matured since the start of the year," Burke said. "The sense of urgency is raised from this point forward. I think you'll see a team similar to what you saw earlier, having fun and being confident."
It's the power of the Last Run. Nix has been more and more vocal and so has Burke. But there are last-run guys on the other teams too, including South Dakota State senior guard Nate Wolters. He's become a quasi-cult figure for his shooting, and scored 53 points in a game. He's fairly certain South Dakota State won't be intimidated playing in front of a pro-Michigan crowd.
The days of teams from, say, the Summit League, quivering in the presence of power conference brutes are over.
"We've played enough BCS schools in tough atmospheres, that gives us a ton of confidence," Wolters said. "We won at New Mexico this year, and that's one of the toughest places to play in the country. The odds are against us, but you see Cinderella teams every year. We got a lot of experience and we can shoot the ball, so if we get hot, we can play with anyone."
Almost anyone can play with anyone, more true than trite.
Why not us? The double-digit seedlings harbor double-deep hopes, and nothing really scares them. For that reason, after a taxing season, the Spartans and Wolverines should be ready for anything.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Reader comments are listed below. Comments are currently closed and new comments are no longer being accepted.
Do those commenters who appear to believe that Scotland taking responsibilty for its own affairs is negative, backward or in some way against the tide of history or progress feel the same way about all the other countries which have done this in recent times?
Should Estonia rejoin at a new Soviet Union? Should India rejoin the British Empire? Should the Irish Republic return to rule from London? Norway revert to Swedish rule? And would the world be better if Canada subsumed itself into the United States? How about Germany merging with Austria?
No, it is just poor old Scotland that is uniquely unsuited to look after its own affairs. For some reason. Apparently.
And you really have to laugh at the UK government's latest 'argument' for Scotland to remain ruled by Old Etonians. Apparently there are various government bodies and quangos which Scotland pays a share of but doesn't host within it own borders, and so replacements or equivalents would have to be established in Scotland follwing independence. Or, as one might put it, Scotland has the opportunity to repatriate a number of well-paid government jobs instead of just sending money off to London to be spent there.
Perhaps Alastair Darling will next suggest that Scotland could not provide people suitable for this high level government work. Now that would be ironic :-)
No-one is (or really ever has) arguing that Scotland is 'uniquely unsuited to look after its own affairs'. The question is whether Scotland should continue to share government structures with the English.
"And you really have to laugh at the UK government's latest 'argument' for Scotland to remain ruled by Old Etonians. Apparently there are various government bodies and quangos which Scotland pays a share of but doesn't host within it own borders, and so replacements or equivalents would have to be established in Scotland follwing independence. Or, as one might put it, Scotland has the opportunity to repatriate a number of well-paid government jobs instead of just sending money off to London to be spent there."
I think the point is that it is cheaper to 'share' the cost of quangos with England, rather than go independent and set up purely Scottish quangos. Your point about money being 'spent' in London doesn't mean very much within the context of the Union - as we receive a bulk grant from the Treasury, it makes little economic difference where the quango is based.
"Should Estonia rejoin at a new Soviet Union? Should India rejoin the British Empire? Should the Irish Republic return to rule from London? Norway revert to Swedish rule? And would the world be better if Canada subsumed itself into the United States? How about Germany merging with Austria?"
Well, that is really the nub of the debate isn't it? All of those examples you mention where examples of people who felt that they were of a distinctly separate culture and nationality - Estonians are not Russians & Austrians are not Germans for example. So separation for them makes sense. On the other hand, Bavarians are not Prussians - and yet they can happily live together in the same country.
So the question really is - are the Scots and English so entirely different in culture and nationality that they should separate and be different countries? (in which case the economic arguments are pointless - some countries are rich, some are poor - but that doesn't mean that poor countries should automatically merge with rich ones).
Or - are the Scots and the English actually quite similar, with a lot of shared history and culture? (certainly ethnically there is not a lot of difference - everyone in Britain is a mixture of various European tribes anyway) - in which case there the Union makes a lot more sense.
My feeling is that a lot of Scots are quite divided on that point - and that if you strongly believe that the Scots and English are just different - then no argument is going to sway you in favour of the union - and if you strongly believe that Scots and English are quite similar - then you are unlikely ever to vote for independence.
'Should Estonia rejoin at a new Soviet Union? Should India rejoin the British Empire? Should the Irish Republic return to rule from London? Norway revert to Swedish rule? And would the world be better if Canada subsumed itself into the United States? How about Germany merging with Austria?'
You are equating the act of Scottish independence with Canada not wanting to merge with the USA? That has got to the best the most idiotic straw man argument I have ever read. Nationalism is normally mindless and tribal, but my god, this is outright embarrassing.
I beg to differ.
I am sure that CoffeeFanatic would not consider that the Canadians and Americans have a "distictly separate culture". Otherwise people wouldn't assume so many Canadians were Americans, from William Shatner to Leonard Cohen. But apparently it is absolutely sensible for them to be two separate nations. Anything else would be ridiculous, as your outraged tone suggests.
As for the assertion that nationalism is "normally mindless and tribal", do you think Norwegian families celebrating their indepnedence day fit that description? Or how about 'Team GB' parading at the London Olympics?
If you are fundamentally opposed to nationalism, would I be right in thinking you would be in favour of a European government?
It is one of the oldest
The Canada / USA one is a good point - although if you ask Canadians about it, I think they believe themselves to be very different indeed (Americans tend not to know, nor to care......sounds familiar...).
And it depends on who the observer is. I would struggle to differentiate between a lot of African countries - yet I am sure - to the people in those countries - the differences in nationality are obvious and profound.
So it comes down to how people in the countries themselves feel. Canadians and Americans presumably do think there are a lot of differences between them and that they are separate peoples - otherwise they might well discuss merging.
What I have found interesting about the indyref debate (to steal a horrible term used by The Herald) - is that there has been so much focus on the economics of the issue, rather than emphasising the differences (or similarities depending on your view) of Scottish and English culture.
CoffeeFanatic, I shoudl really have answered you properly. Sorry.
I think it is heroically optimistic to suggest that Whitehall quangos provide better value for mony than any administration Scotland might set up locally. For example, The Irish Food Standards Agency seems to be better value for money than the UK equivalent. And it does make a differnce if you spend the money locally as oppsed to far away, because if you spend it locally it recirculates into the local economy (as opposed to restuarants and estate agents in London).
Regarding the raison d'etre for Scottish independnece, it is not ethnic, and it is only partly cultural, as you suggest. It is chiefly to achieve government by, of and for the people, in the best interest of the citizens of Scotland. Take a look at the health and longevity statistics, the realtive popualtion of Scotland, England and other Europena nations over the last ventury, and GDP growth figure over th same perid. Or do as I have done and visit Stavanger, Bergen and Kritian sand in Norway, and compare them to Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness. Norway sits at the top of the UN human development index, Scotland sits at or near the top of most European measures of bad social outcomes you can think of.
That is what the union has achieved. Is it really the best we can do?
Well - on the issue of the quangos - I suppose it is an 'economy of scale' argument - that one quango can manage the affairs of a large country just as well as it could manage the affairs of a small country - in which case it makes sense to split the costs across the population of a large country.
So we either have one quango for 100% of the UK, or there are two quangos (at twice the cost overall) one for 92% of the UK, the other covering 8% (by population). Unless the performance of each quango has greatly improved by virtue of each covering a smaller area - it is not clear why - overall - that would be a more effective set-up.
Ok, fair point about the circulation of money - I was thinking along the lines of taxation - i.e. that the income tax of the quango members would flow to the Treasury regardless of where they were - but I agree with you.
I admit I struggled with your last point a little. What is 'Scottisness' if it is not cultural? Ethnicity across the UK is pretty blurred, but there must be 'something' that distinguishes Scotland from England ? Otherwise the question really becomes one of administration - i.e - would Scotland be better off with more local control over economic levers - which I would have viewed as an argument for devolution more than independence (as it is not clear whether a separate Scottish military and foreign policy would really benefit Scotland economically).
Scottish demography is not as bad as you suggest - Aberdeenshire (i.e. the post suburban area not including the city!) - for example - has some of the highest life expectancies in Europe. But yes, there is clearly room for improvement in Scotland. However, by comparing Scotland to Norway, you are setting the bar very high....
If the nationalists take that route - then they need some pretty good arguments that clearly show that union with England contributes to - or exacerbates - the problems in Scotland. I know that Scandinavia is lovely - but the fact that Scandinavia does better than we do cannot necessarily be laid at the door of the English - the Scandinavians also perform better on most metrics than the Americans, Canadians, Spanish, French, Italians, Belgians and Dutch...
And there is also the question of how an independent Scotland would get to where the Scandinavians are - and - if the answer is simply 'copy their welfare and taxation policies' - then could that not be achieved by Westminster just as much as by Holyrood?
I can remember a few UK government policies which suited the south of England rather better than they suited Scotland. The Thatcher and Lawson era was particula'rly bad for that. I remember them stating the economy was 'overheating and they 'had to apply the brakes', when it was barely breathing where I lived.
And of course there is the giant sucking sound of £300billion of oil revenues disappearing into the UK treasury. It is a matter of historic fact that oil revenues enabled the Thatcher administration to cut the top rate of income tax to 40%. Since at the time the main beneficiaries were in the south east, a lot of that money went into kick starting the 80s housing boom in London.
Where I as living there was no housing boom, I can assure you. But we stil had to have the slowdown.
In general, it is to be expected of governments, especially imperial governments, to suck money from the periphery (as they see it) into the centre. The UK is no different. Take a walk down Whitehall....
Ok - but Thatcherism also harmed the nothern English areas a lot as well (and conversely, boosed the Scottish financial sector). I agree that Thatcherism was bad for Scotland overall, and bad for N. England and Wales - and good for S. England and London - but that (to me) just says that Thatcherite policies are bad policies - I don't think they are policies that deliberately put English interests ahead of Scottish ones - they were just poorly thought out. Independence won't necessarily protect us from politicians with destructive policies.
Oil is oil. If we split the revenues over 5 million people, rather than 60 million, then those 5 million people do better. On the other hand, oil also tends to cause high levels of inflation and can be very disruptive to small economies (look at the Netherlands in the 70s) - as the oil industry sucks in all the talent in a country, the rest of the economy starts to wither. Norway has managed its oil wealth - but it was (and still is) extremely difficult - most Norwegian politicians say that resisting the constant pressure to spend oil revenue was one of the most stressful elements of the job.
I am not making an argument that indy Scotland would not be in a good position because of the oil - but we would have to be very careful not to spend too much of the revenue. Has Holyrood really looked at how Norway has managed the oil? I don't see a lot of evidence that it has....
"In general, it is to be expected of governments, especially imperial governments, to suck money from the periphery (as they see it) into the centre. The UK is no different. Take a walk down Whitehall...."
Not sure if we still have an 'imperial' government....but it is a fair point. I would expect Holyrood to similarly focus on Edinburgh (which is fair and reasonable as it is the best Scottish city).
But what would change on independence? London will still be there - it will still attract investment more than Scotland could - and young Scots would still move to London (as young Irish people do)....
Scottish independence is not a sufficient condition to guarantee good government.
But I think it is reasonable to argue on the evidence of the last century, and on the resulting condition of large parts of Scotland today, that it is a necessary condition.
As far as people going where the money is, of course they do. That is why young Germans a few years ago were moving to Austria, and that is why youung Swedes today are working in bars in Oslo. That is a measure of economic performance, rather than a cause.
I don't see why independence is 'necessary' for good government. I think that can be achieved within the existing structures at Westminster. There is nothing inherent in the UK that precludes this & there is no evidence that Scotland would have been better off as an independent country during the 20th century - there is no way of knowing what would have happened - or what will happen.
But that does not mean I won't vote for independence, I just think that it is ultimately pointless to try and make economic arguments in favour (or against it) because they can always be refuted.
Successful cases of independence have been ones where the seceding nation has felt culturally / nationally (?) different to the country is was united with - Norwegians believe themselves different to Swedes - Czechs different to Slovakians. Economic considerations did not really come into it.
I think it is a necessary condition for good government because the relative economic record of Scotland over the last century of the union is woeful.
This can clearly be seen in the population figures for Scotland over that period compared with other nations:
Norway: 1900 - 2.2 million, 2000 - 4.5 million; increase 105%
Denmark: 1900 - 2.5 million, 2000 - 5.1 million; increase 104%
Sweden: 1900 - 5.1 million, 2000 - 9.1 million; increase 78%
Belgium: 1900 - 6.7 million, 2000 - 10.2 million; increase 52%
Netherlands: 1900 - 5.1 million, 2000 - 15.9 million; increase 212%
Scotland: 1900 – 4.4 million, 2000 - 5.1 million; increase 16%
England and Wales: 1900 - 32 million, 2000 - 52 million; increase 63%
Somthing wrong here, wouldn't you agree?
The Scottish variance is entirely explained by emigration (Scotland's birth rate was slightly higher than Sweden's over the period.)
Is there a cultural aspect to this?
Yes, I believe there is. England has different political and cultural priorities, and arranges the government of the UK to reflect those, as it must, being ten times bigger in population.
England was only three times bigger in population than Scotland at the time of the union....now that is a long enough data series for me to draw a conclusion from.
Scotland has always experienced emigration (inasmuch as we can tell from historical records). Prior to 18 / 19th century modernisation this was largely driven by simple restrictions on the number of people that could be supported by the land.
What reason do you have for believing that we 'should' or 'would' have experienced similar levels of migration to Scandinavian or Western European countries over the 20th century?
Scotland's problem has been that London is simply an attractive place to work for a lot of people. Whether or not Scotland is in or out of the Union does not change this fundamental issue. As Scots speak English, working in London has always been an easy option. This is not the case for the other countries that you list.
I am sorry, but I do not think you have really provided any evidence that the Union per se is bad for Scotland. You have provided some evidence that being in close proximity to England is bad for Scotland (!) - but I fear we may be stuck with that....
It is not possible to conduct controlled experiments in history, so it is not possible to prove anything of this sort scientifically. You can only go on the evidence that exists. Sweden was suffering from mass emigration in the 19th century (to America) and took various steps to imrove the lot of ordinary people to make staying in Sweden more attractive. And Ireland, having suffered even more grievously then Scotland from emigration, and having formerly been ruled from London, turned the tide and began attracting significant immigration over the last 20 years.
Of course, Ireland is having a massive property bust and no doubt that tide has reversed for the moment. But do you think that what is now the Republic of Ireland would have surpassed what is now the UK in GDP per capita if it was still part of the Union?
Someone needs to tell Scotland the the world is tending towards GLOBALISATION, not SECESSION. What is the point when every country is just bringing its laws closer and closer to one another anyway?
It is such a Middle-East style arbitrary attitude to want to break away. Humans will learn in the next several hundred years (if we survive that long) that the independent country regime is inefficient and built upon meaningless, potentially discriminatory values like patriotism.
You have missed the crucial outcome of globablisation, which is more localism. The internet means that niche needs find a broader market. There are more Scots Gaelic learners in Germany then in Scotland. Globalisation does not mean bringing loads of Indians, Muslims and Africans to London.
Why does/should 'localism' (whatever that means) suggest the need for total independence?
(Please note nobody is arguing against devolution of mere powers, as has occurred since 1997)
What does the internet have to do with anything vis-a-vis centralised government?
So there are more Gaelic learners in Germany than in Scotland. Surely that suggests that that integration is what people want, not independence and borders.
I have no idea what Indians, Muslims (which is a religion, not a nationality) and 'Africans' (an entire continent of people) has to do with anything. We are talking about Scotland with a view to the UK and the EU more widely.
I think you have the wrong end of the stick.
Globalisation does not mean homegenisation vis a vis making everyone anyone. It actually accentuates local trade, traditions and culture. That is why we are seeing a rise in localism, for example marginalized peoples seeking independence from central states that are no longer required. Scotland does not need Westminster to speak for it as there are now more direct access routes that bypass their central control. Globalisation means the removal of expensive middle men and management, which Westminster clearly is.
I agree we need to get rid of 'expensive middlemen' as you call it. That is what the EU concept is. Subsequently, that means giving up power to a unified EU state. Scotland seceding from the UK is a step in the wrong direction from that. It will merely set apart our laws and create barriers that are unnecessary when the EU states should be aiming to integrate.
Local cultures and trades are good things and are best locally managed, but it is still more efficient to have a central engine that dictates overarching policy. The Westminster-devolution system is just part of that process, but it remains a unified system. If Scotland secedes, there will now be yet another government that the EU will have to balance. It will mean further harmonisation. It will reduce overall efficiency and the strength of the EU. It will put up barriers that are unnecessary.
The problem goes further. Instead of other global powers negotiating agreements with the UK, now they must negotiate with Scotland and England. Our geography makes that particularly problematic.
The only real good that can come of this is the Scottish feeling a sense of national pride. The long term benefits are few and thankfully, I think many in Scotland actually see this, hence the opinion polls illustrated in this article.
maybe Mel Braveheart would have been happy with YES, but these days,
"I swear it's not a world of men…it's a world of clock watchers, bureaucrats, officeholders ..." (GGGR)
the Scotts are "smart" and they know bigger is better (look at Doodle!)
so they'll say NO.
I understand that the scots are a proud people and feel far from london in many ways, but so do even people in northern england ect, it's sad that they feel the need to serperate. The world should be slowly (vey slowly) uniting, not breaking up, is it only me that thinks it's ironic that Salmond wants to join the EU after leaving the UK...When we all know the EU is slowly taking powers away from it's nation states and eventually if all goes their way, create a superstate. Doesn't want to take orders from London but doesn't mind being controlled by Brussels? Thats not independence.
"Doesn't want to take orders from London but doesn't mind being controlled by Brussels? Thats[sic] not independence."
The UK is already in the EU. So if we follow your point of view the UK is not independent as it is controlled by Brussels. Scotland resuming its independence would have an equal voice within the EU as it is not heard at the moment as it is filtered via London.
If Scotland votes Yes then there will be no more United Kingdom and a new English state will also wear the same clothes as a new Scotland. It is an equal Treaty of Union after all which will be terminated and both parliaments will revert to being what they were prior to the 'marriage'.
Pretty darn simple really. The Treaty of Union is a treaty covered by international law. Check it out for yourself.
I think that is incorrect.
Westminster can simply amend the Treaty of Union to allow the residual English, Wales and Northern Irish 'state' to carry on as the 'UK'.
Something similar happened when Ireland became independent - there is no need to end the UK - unless Westminster MPs particularly want to.
Rubbish. The UK is Scotland and England. Ireland was added to the union in the 1800, so Ireland breaking away did not fundamentally affect the union. Defacto you cannot have a united kingdom of a kingdom, principality and 6 counties. The UK is dissolved when Scotland leaves.
Whatever the outcome, the English will still be wearing the trousers...
What Engish? It is more turban and burqua now...
Not exactly. The Kingdom of Great Britain is England and Scotland. The UK did not exist until 1800, where the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was created.
When Ireland left, the Treaty of Union (1800) was amended to allow the UK to carry on, with Northern Ireland replacing Ireland.
There is nothing in English law that prevents a similar amendment to the 1707 Treaty of Union.
The UK will probably continue after Scotland leaves - certainly the internationally recognised entity will.
If the UK ceased to exist, then 90% of the British population (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) would face seeing all of the UK's international treaties stop, simply on the basis of a vote taken by 10% of the population. Such a situation would be grossly unfair - and it is highly unlikely that Westminster would have signed the Edinburgh Agreement if it was remotely likely.
Yeah, like the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Gran Colombia and Yugoslavia continued to exist when when key states left. Serbia looked pretty stupid callings itself united slavs...what exactly would it be the united kingdom of? England and erm Lalaland?
Your hypothesis on treaties ceasing to exist is wrong. Any succeeding nation can claim succession rights to the UK. These are all clearly outlined in international treaties. Article 34 of the Vienna Convention on the Succession of States for example:
"Any treaty in force at the date of succession of states in respect of the entire territory of the predecessor state continues in force in respect of each successor state so formed."
Now the interesting thing to play out is if Scotland does not claim UL succession rights. That means it does not take any UK assets or debts with it.
"Your hypothesis on treaties ceasing to exist is wrong. Any succeeding nation can claim succession rights to the UK. These are all clearly outlined in international treaties. Article 34 of the Vienna Convention on the Succession of States for example:
The UK has not ratified the Vienna Treaty, so it need not apply. The RUK would also have a strong and justifiable claim to be the successor state - it would represent 92% of the UK's population. No international body in the world is going to argue against that, regardless of conventions. Ultimately, no-one is going to stop the RUK from being the successor state.
"Now the interesting thing to play out is if Scotland does not claim UL succession rights. That means it does not take any UK assets or debts with it."
I believe (although am no law expert) that under the 1707 Treaty of Union, Scotland declared itself jointly liable for debt run up by GB overall. In any case, debt would be subject to intense negotiation, with the RUK and with the UK's creditors. I cannot realistically imagine any scenario where Scotland could walk away from debt - as when the creditors loaned the money to the UK, it was on the assumption that UK assets (including North Sea oil) would be used to pay back the debt. International finance markets won't be too cheerful if Scotland takes the oil, but then refuses to pay any debt.
I would say that the most likely scenario - RUK is the successor state and assets and debts split by population. This would be slightly complicated by the geographic immobility of some assets - e.g. oil - but the UK has enough overseas and financial assets that overall the split could be done proportionally to population, but still allow Scotland to retain all the oil.
"The UK has not ratified the Vienna Treaty, so it need not apply. "
The UK signed and ratified it on the 20 Apr 1970 and 25 Jun 1971 respectively.
That would have been an amazing feat indeed, as the convention was not written until 1978.
There are around 10 different treaties which are prefaced 'The Vienna Convention'. The one relevant to this discussion is the "Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of Treaties" - written in 1978. It has not been ratified by the UK (or indeed, the majority of EU countries).
I think you are probably thinking of the "Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1968)" - which covers international treaties between states - it would not apply in the case of a newly independent Scotland (as Scotland is not a signatory).
Reminds me of Quebec separtists--keep the Canadian dollar and passports and independence will work out just fine--forget all the hidden costs and really going at it alone. That's why Quebec will never leave--although many Canadians hope they do. Scotland you got it good in the UK ! Bonnie Prince Charlie wears a kilt does he not ?
Quebec is a province, Scotland is a nation. Big differences.
Quebec sees itself as a nation- even the federal government acknowledges this special status.
Quebec has never been a nation state. It might be 'special' due to its language but it has no history outside of Canada.
Quebec used to be the independent French colony of 'New France' - before the British captured it.
Whilst it has never been a nation state, it used to be part of an entirely different country to the rest of Canada.
Independence will be decided by Effie and Jim and a bunch of other voters who only have the vaguest grasp of the implications. If the vote is for Yes, the UK Government will have to respect the result and deliver an independent Scotland. Within those parameters, however, they will have every incentive to play hardball and the Scottish Government will take whatever they are given in the "negotiations". Sounds like a recipe for success!
Is it too much to ask in 2013; that digital media include hyperlinks to documents it talks about?
Considering this website is full of uncommented video articles and adorned with more advertising than McDonalds can squeeze into an under-10s football competition, you would think that a bloody hyperlink would have been the first logical step.
(From the treacherous splittists)
(From the dastardly anglophiles)
Thank you CoffeeFanatic
I did look but couldn't find it.
Some nighttime reading for this dastardly treacherous Aussie Anglo-Scot! LOL
Is this what we call progress?
Reagan, 1987: Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!
Salmond, 2013: I'm gonna build me a wall, I'll make it ten feet high. See ya later pal, bye bye. No one gettin' in so don't you even try.
Yes it is progress, you would have to be pretty thick and ignorant to think otherwise.
Your line on Salmond seems to chime better with many members of the Conservative Party when it comes to their immigration rhetoric.
There are certainly similarities in tone between that line and Tory immigration rhetoric, but does it not also chime rather well with Salmond?
Dream the dream, Elsueno!
A peaceful, democratic, mutually-acceptable vote on whether a culturally distinct area should become an independent state? Sounds like progress to me.
The Economist explains: Who would pay a "mansion tax"
The Economist explains
Football and British politics: David Cameron's own goal
Game theory
Britain's election campaign: April 26th: The silence of David Cameron
The week ahead: A very normal affair
Football and politics: David Cameron's own goal
America's Ukrainian mission: Training wheels
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Bucking the Trend on Crude Oil Using Binary Options
On Nadex, using Out of the Money Binary Options is an excellent trading choice during volatile conditions, or when bucking the market trend. The real benefit is that the trading instrument offers an extremely low and defined risk. Continue reading here.


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Sounds great! wonder how soon I can expect these improvements to show up in arch
Phoronix: Synaptics Gets Predictable Motion, Smooth Scrolling
Last week there was the release of a set of patches for X.Org that implement smooth-scrolling support for the X Server. These patches were released by Daniel Stone and today he's now released a set of patches that target the X.Org Synaptics input driver for implementing smooth scrolling, predictable motion, and better acceleration...
Sounds great! wonder how soon I can expect these improvements to show up in arch
Nice to see google contributing back to linux... Seeing as they have 2 major linux OS's their code contribution back can seem underwhelming. Sorry if I'm unaware of some uber google code that's responsible for linux being so cool.
Now we just need somebody to get the Synaptics Linux driver to uncripple all the multitouch touchpads that are crippled in firmware. There's one magic Windows driver that does this -- enables multi-finger detection on damn near ALL touchpads.
2-finger scrolling is all fine and dandy, if your touchpad is not deliberately crippled. My Core 2 Duo laptop's Synaptics touchpad has fewer capabilities than the touchpads on some old Athlon XP-M (Thunderbird) laptops I have lying around!
To get 2-finger scrolling on such touchpads, somebody needs to figure out how this magic driver enables multi-finger on old touchpads:
I tried to post this once before, hours ago.... and it never showed up.
EDIT: Good, this time it showed up immediately.
EDIT: Also, perhaps a better word for what I'd want is "fine scrolling", instead of "smooth scrolling". The latter implies lag due to smoothing algorithms; the former implies improving the resolution of scrolling. Which one is intended here?
(Right now, both Windows and Linux on my laptop scroll line-by-line, not pixel-by-pixel.)
Last edited by DanaG; 06-10-2011 at 12:46 AM.
On Windows, run the TwoFingerScroll mod and follow the instructions (i.e. disable two-finger scrolling from synaptics and enable it in the app you downloaded; set scrolling to 'smart mode'). This will get you pixel-by-pixel scrolling on applications that support high-resolution scroll events (e.g. Google Chrome, Microsoft Office and many more).
On Linux, we'll have to wait until the end of the year for official support in X.
Smooth scrolling is very nice on the Macs. Looking forward to having it on Linux too !
Very nice, were it not for the fact that KDE already has smooth momentum scrolling...
Im fairly sure they work very closely with bug reporting and discussion and help for android and chrome kernels, especially on the speed side im guessing..
also there is google-code free hosting and gsoc grants... which relates to linuxy opensource things quite often!
Google are certainly big contributes in my book! :-p


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These courses are offered and operated through Swinburne University in partnership with Career Life College (CLC).


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Masala Chai has a base mixture of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, clove, and black pepper.
Made from the South African "red bush", Rooibos is a caffeine-free beverage, rich in essential minerals. It is enjoyed in its native South Africa both hot and chilled.
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Price | $22.99 /lb. |


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New York Knicks Gear
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You've watched every Knicks game and there's just one conclusion you can come to: your players are fly. Tyson Chandler, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire just kill it on the hardwood and when they shoot the ball over the heads of the competition, they make it look so easy. Show some love for your Knickerbockers with the Rep Pride T-shirt. It features interrupted print silhouettes of your three favorite players on the front for a cool shutter effect. You know how you do and you always represent your New York boys!
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Leslie Morgan Steiner:
Why domestic violence victims don't leave
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Leslie Morgan Steiner was in "crazy love" — that is, madly in love with a man who routinely abused her and threatened her life. Steiner tells the dark story of her relationship, correcting misconceptions many people hold about victims of domestic violence, and explaining how we can all help break the silence. (Filmed at TEDxRainier.)
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text: Virginia Fabrizius threw herself out of an airplane for the first time when she was 19 years old. She was living in the Twin Cities, and some friends from vo-tech suggested they go sky-diving across the border, in Baldwin, Wisconsin. "It was old military gear, really heavy equipment," she said last week, adding, "We made five jumps." Since then, Fabrizius has made over 800 jumps, the highest time from over 18,000 feet. "That's nothing. My husband, Martin, has made over 1,300 jumps," she said. What is it about skydiving that attracts them? "It's a lifestyle," she said. "You get so you go out every chance you get. It costs so much you start to say, 'If we skip going out for dinner, we can skydive three times!'" In 1990, Fabrizius got her first Christmas ornament with a skydiving theme. Today she owns 56 skydiving ornaments, and is always on the search for more. "They're kind of hard to find," she admitted. "We've found a lot on military bases." With some of Fabrizius' ornaments it's a bit of a stretch to call them 'skydiving' ornaments. She had to make a decision, and decided characters floating down to Earth with umbrellas or giant leaves would count. Fabrizius made her last jump in 1998, when she and Martin were living in Australia. "He was working for the University of Queensland, and it was really expensive to skydive there." After moving to Redwood Falls, buying a house they wanted to fix up, and becoming parents, skydiving went by the way side. But Fabrizius can still indulge herself in another way. "Every Christmas I tell my kids, 'You know what to do!' and they say, 'Yeah, look for skydiving ornaments.'"


text: Starting a new semi scratch project this month. This should be a quick one because I am setting it up as a surface runner. I think it will be a blast at the local lake with just the clear hemisphere and drivers head showing. For the WTC, Big Dave set me up with a nice set of endcaps and tube. I plan on constructing a rack type system with 4/40 rods and G10 bulkheads. Motor is a speed 400 5 pole spinning one of the counter rotating screws. Not sure if I will freewheel the second or just leave it off when running. For the torpedo's, I am getting 2 of Bob's 1/9th scale jobs from the Seehund and Hecht models. I plan to scratch build the modifications to the torpedo using plastic, brass, aluminum and plex. The hemisphere will be vac-formed. I also plan to sculpt a driver as 1/9th scale figures are tough to find. All the electronics will be in the upper hull WTC. The lower will be reserved for ballasting weight. Yes, I did think about R/Cing the lower torp but want to keep this one simple.


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Mullins Featured in The Progressive Dentist Magazine
AACD Member and educator Rhonda Mullins was recently published in The Progressive Dentist magazine. Her article, "Embracing and Incorporating Care-Driven Dentistry," addresses dental practices' shift to treating patients with a proactive, care-driven approach, from exclusively treating a patient's physical, social, and psychological elements.
According to the article, "In recent years, research has indicated a link between oral health and overall health. Until this connection, oral health was considered independent of other health conditions, and dentistry focused mainly on oral maintenance and tooth repair."
To download the full article (PDF), click here.
© 2011 American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry | |


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Data about the village of Pozzolo
The village of Pozzolo is 3,46 kilometers far from the same town of Legnago to whom it belongs.
To the municipality of Legnago also belong the localities of Alte' (2,32 km), Arzerin I (4,30 km), Bagnole (2,73 km), Barotto (3,06 km), Belfiore (3,63 km), Ca Persa (7,21 km), Ca' Vecchia (3,56 km), Cannavecchia (4,11 km), Canove (5,11 km), Carpanea (6,97 km), Casette (3,56 km), Colarella (7,42 km), Colombara (2,61 km), Colombara Volner (3,25 km), Colombarone - Bassi (2,02 km), Crosara (2,96 km), Fagioli (4,37 km), Fontane (5,27 km), Gallese (5,15 km), Gattina (4,37 km), Gattina Alta (4,43 km), Mazzanta (2,03 km), Morando (5,25 km), Morara (2,35 km), Nogara (4,06 km), Ocara (3,62 km), Ocara di Canove (4,16 km), Osteria Cacciatori (6,49 km), Palu' (3,09 km), Pastoria (3,63 km), Pedocchio (4,57 km), Peschiere I (5,52 km), Pieta' (3,00 km), Ponzina (6,23 km), Rampin (5,37 km), Sabbioni (5,19 km), San Pietro (3,39 km), San Pietro di Legnago (-- km), San Tommaso (3,28 km), San Vito (4,79 km), Seresina (4,00 km), Spin (3,69 km), Terranegra (2,43 km), Tezzon (6,46 km), Toninetti (3,93 km), Torretta (9,84 km), Valbona (3,22 km), Vangadizza (1,66 km), Vigo (2,26 km)
The number in parentheses following each village name indicate the distance between the same village and the municipality of Legnago.
The locality of Pozzolo rises 16 meters abobe sea level.
The population of Pozzolo counts 30 inhabitants.
Please find in what follows:- A set of photos about Pozzolo (when available)
- Weather and weather forecast for the municipality of Legnago, to whom Pozzolo belongs.
- Map and road map of Pozzolo
- A selection of videos about Pozzolo
- The latest news about Pozzolo, the municipality of Legnago, the province of Verona and the Veneto region.


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Selena Roberts
Recent and archived news articles by Selena Roberts of The New York Times.
"Alex is the richest player in baseball, set to make nearly $400 million before age 42, as he glides along a seemingly clear path to pass Barry Bonds as the all-time home-run king, the sexiest moniker in baseball."
May 15, 2009, Friday
MORE ON: Books and Literature
A-Rod's Properties and Charity Suggest Some Stinginess
Alex Rodriguez isn't exactly a slumlord, but he has become a landlord caricature among some of those who live in the properties that he owns and operates.
December 7, 2007, Friday
MORE ON: Landlords
Rodriguez, Alex
Trying to Divine the Three Phases of Jim Dolan
For the Knicks owner, it's Phase 1: Who are you? Phase 2: I love you. Phase 3: You're fired.
November 15, 2007, Thursday
Rodriguez Is a Bauble a Champion Doesn't Need
Mike Lowell brings postseason success wherever he goes. Alex Rodriguez was known as "the cooler" in Texas for turning a hot team tepid with his presence.
October 29, 2007, Monday
MORE ON: Lowell, Mike
Boston Red Sox
Rodriguez, Alex
World Series
New York Yankees
Flip-Flopping All the Way to the Other Team
Why would Rudy Giuliani venture up the Mass Pike and into Ted Kennedy's stomping grounds when it would be more politically prudent to pander to the faith-based Rockies?
October 28, 2007, Sunday
A Team of Destiny and Teflon
George J. Mitchell must list any culprits and suspects in baseball's investigation of performance enhancing drugs to ensure that no Red Sox skeletons have been hidden.
October 22, 2007, Monday
3 Owners, but Not One Sensible Proposal
Hal and Hank Steinbrenner have blown their transition move from the kiddie table by discounting Joe Torre's dignity.
October 19, 2007, Friday
MORE ON: New York Yankees
Torre, Joe
Football Is Booming at Baseball's Expense
As baseball truisms go, you can't hit what you can't see. As viewing habits go, a sport can't be a hit if it's not seen. Football gets that. And with it, all the young talent.
October 15, 2007, Monday
The Captain of the Ship, Without His Anchor
Derek Jeter has seen Yankee rentals come and go, but Joe Torre has always been his Zen center amid The Boss's chaos theory. But what is Jeter's world without its core?
October 10, 2007, Wednesday
Vintage Performance by Pettitte Is Derailed
No amount of OFF! repellent or waving hands or swatting Yankee caps could prevent insects from ravaging a playoff game that had been so sublime for the pinstripe pinups.
October 6, 2007, Saturday


text: 99 min | PG13 In his final completed film, Paul Walker stars as a Detroit cop who must stop a notorious crime lord and his plot to devastate the entire city. A neighborhood full of abandoned brick mansions now houses only the most dangerous criminals. With the help of an ex–con fighting to live an honest life (played by David Belle, one of the leading names in Parkour), undercover cop Damien Collier infiltrates one of these criminal gangs to go up against drug kingpin Tremaine (RZA). With stylized action and thrilling Parkour stunts, BRICK MANSIONS puts an entertaining twist on the action genre.


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D. Bartholomew EMI Unart Catalog, Inc. - BMI
Bad Luck Blues
D. Bartholomew/E. Dorothy EMI Unart Catalog, Inc. - BMI
Early Every Morning
J. Josea/R.B. King Powerforce Music/Nocturnal Eclipse Music - BMI
Gumbo Blues
D. Bartholomew EMI Unart Catalog, Inc. - BMI
One Night Of Sin
D. Bartholomew/P. King/A. Steinman EMI Unart Catalog, Inc. - BMI
On The Other Hand
R. Charles - Wendy Music, Inc. - BMI
My Baby Pleases Me
M. Campbell/O. Sain, Jr Conrad Music - BMI
Lil Phil's Shuffle
J. Maher Good Rockin' Music/DE Music - BMI
Big Long Buick
J. MaherGood Rockin' Music/DE Music - BMI
I'll Always Love You
J. Maher Good Rockin' Music - BMI
How Come People Act Like That
Writer & Publisher Unknown)
Special Guest, Lee Roy Parnell Slide Guitar
Let's Get High
Writer & Publisher Unknown
Lex Meets Big
A. Schultz DE Music - BMI
L. Jordan/W. Grey Cherio Corporation BMI
"I've been a big fan of Big Joe's for years. I love I'm Still Swingin'. It's his best effort to date."
Anson Funderburgh
Rounder Recording Artist
Jump blues music is experiencing a resurgence and Big Joe Maher is poised to lead the revival. With the release of I'm Still Swingin' on Severn Records, Big Joe & the Dynaflows find themselves on familiar ground performing the music from an all but forgotten age.
The disc opens with two strong covers by legendary New Orleans songwriter, Dave Bartholomew ("Playgirl" and "Bad Luck Blues"). The New Orleans flavor continues throughout on Joe's versions of B.B. King's "Early Every Morning", and Ray Charles', "On the Other Hand". When you add to the mix a handful of originals, the result is an album that captures the Crescent City's heart during the height of the swing era.
Backing Joe on Swingin' are long-time sidemen including bassist Jeff Sarli (who recently recorded with the Rolling Stones on their album Bridges to Babylon), John Cocuzzi who shares keyboard duties with Kevin McKendree (currently playing with Delbert McClinton), guitarist Ivan Appelrouth, and seasoned veteran on the tenor saxophone Joe Stanley. Also appearing are a host of guests including former Mighty Flyer, Alex Schultz whose fret work is the perfect compliment to Joe's belting vocals, former Black Top recording saxophonist Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff, and country music great Lee Roy Parnell who adds his trademark guitar licks on one number.
Big Joe grew up in a suburb of Washington, DC listening to the music his father would play. "My dad listened to guys like Louis Jordan, Little Milton and B.B. King all of the time" remembers Joe. "When I got a little older, I would go to hear live blues at clubs in D.C.".
After singing and playing with local bands for years, Joe decided to do his own thing. In 1988 he recorded Good Rockin' Daddy for Powerhouse Records. This lead to session work with several other Powerhouse artists such as Bob Margolin, Mark Wenner of The Nighthawks, and Tom Principato.
"An exciting time for me was when Anson Funderburgh came to hear me at a club in Atlanta," says Joe. "It was Anson that put me in touch with Hammond Scott at Black Top Records." That meeting led to a record deal for Joe, and in 1994 he released the critically acclaimed Layin' In the Alley for the New-Orleans based recording company.
Joe's experience and good fortune have certainly paid off. He has self-produced two of his own releases, Cool Dynaflow, and Mojo (co-produced with Jeff Sarli), and most recently King of the Honky-Tonk Sax by Joe Stanley.
Big Joe and the Dynaflows are happy to call Severn Records their new home. "We're all dedicated to making this thing work. We put a lot of time into the new disc and I'm happy with how it turned out". With his new record company and new release Big Joe plans to be Swingin' for a long, long time.
In a genre that has seemed to "swing" in and out of the spotlight over the years, one thing has remained: Big Joe & The Dynaflows have been one of the top jump blues artists on the East Coast for quite awhile. This recording (released in 1998) marks his sixth solo outing and his debut with Severn Records. Joe's crooning vocal style and smooth drumming, combined with bassist Jeff Sarli's "in the pocket" approach drive this set throughout. John Cocuzzi and Kevin McKendree share the keyboard duties. Cocuzzi also brings the cool sounds of the vibraphone to the mix. On guitar Ivan Appelrouth lays it out with country great Lee Parnell on one number. With a top notch horn section featuring Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff and Joe Stanley trading sax duties, this disc offers 1st class swing music.
This platter is about swing. Not the new swing music that is so popular right now, mostly played as if faster is better, but the swing where "sway" was part of the mix. Big Joe takes his lessons from the small swing bands that flourished after World War II, especially Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five heck, there is even an obscure Jordan tune here called "Lemonade," and the B.B. King cover, "Early Every Morning," owes as much to Mr. Jordan as it does to Reily B. That should not come as a surprise since B.B. has said how much he learned from and loved Louis Jordan. This disc also borrows from the great music of Lionel Hampton, even featuring the vibes on three of the tracks. When was the last time you heard vibes on an R&B album?
The other great influence here is New Orleans, in particular Smiley Lewis. David Bartholomew, the legendary New Orleans producer, has said that Smiley was a hard-luck singer because he never sold more that 100,000 copies of any of his singles. Well if that's true, then Big Joe is a perfect person to cover Smiley's tunes since he has never really been appreciated for the fine music he has recorded. Maybe this platter will bring both of them their long over due accolades. Funny though, I don't think Joe will change much if his ship comes in. This is the music he loves, and you can hear that every time he belts out another tune. Maybe folks have missed Joe's fine vocal work because he is hidden behind the drums; not many lead vocalists are willing to sit behind the skins--most are too busy out front of the band trying to become stars.
Driving Joe's vocals and making the music on this disc cook is the fine ensemble playing of the band that Joe put together. Some of the players are known nationally for their fine chops. Alex Schultz, the lead guitarist on most tracks, spent years on the road with Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers. He also appears on Benjie Porecki's debut release on Severn Records, Servin' It Up. Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff is one of the best-known contemporary sax players, in the grand tradition of the wailing, soulful tenormen of the late 40's and 50's. He has been a mainstay of Black Top Records and the Austin sound for a long time.
The rest of musicians are not as well known, probably because they have mostly stayed around Washington, DC--for whatever reason, the DC area has never gotten its due as a music hot spot. Maybe, just maybe, this platter will bring them some well-earned attention. There are two keyboard players here. Kevin McKendree has worked with Joe on previous recordings. Kevin is a young man with an old soul, now hanging in Nashville, playing with the likes of Lee Roy Parnell, who sits in on one number here. Whenever Kevin touches the ivories, folks take notice. The other keyboard player, John Cocuzzi, is a talented singer, songwriter and player in his own right from the DC area. John also doubles on vibes for three tunes, which help make them swing just a bit harder. The other sax man is Joe Stanley, a local legend in DC who has been playing in R&B bands since the 50's. When Joe takes a sax break you hear a sound wrought by years of endless nights in smokey dives. He's the real thing.
Bassist Jeff Sarli, who appears on the Rolling Stones' most recent disc, Bridges to Babylon, works now with John Mooney. Jeff plays the upright like it is a woman needing to be held but who may walk away at any moment. Guitarist Ivan Appelrouth, a long-time side man with Big Joe, knows intuitively what each song needs and never lets his own ego get in the way. Clyde Hunt's trumpet work in the section is simply wonderful. Also dig his argumentative-woman accompaniment to Big Joe on the tune "On the Other Hand." Lastly, John Wolf on trombone has been gigging around DC for years and has just joined Roomful of Blues.
Along with four fine originals by Big Joe, this platter features covers of songs by Percy Mayfield, Little Milton, Bobby Charles and Roscoe Gordon, some of Joe's favorite artists. He pays them tribute without recording pale imitations, as only an artist who has his own voice can. Often, originals can stick out like sore thumbs among such hip covers--not so for Joe's songs. Each borrows from the past but still stands on its own. Heck, if you don't read the credits you might not be able to pick out which ones they are. Like any good gumbo, the individual parts make up a greater whole. As the chef of the mix, Big Joe makes this platter swing. I can't think of a better compliment for Joe and the guys in the band.
Bill Wax
Blues Plate Special
WPFW, Washington, DC
Big Joe Maher: Vocal and Drums
Kevin McKendree: Organ and Piano
Alex Schultz: Guitar
Jeff Sarli: Acoustic Bass
Ivan Appelrouth: Guitar
Joe Stanley: Tenor Saxophone
Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff: Saxophones
John Cocuzzi: Piano, Vibraphones, Organ
John Wolf: Trombone
Clyde Hunt: Trumpet
Executive Producer: David Earl
Producer: Big Joe Maher
Recorded at Wally Cleaver's Studio, Fredericksburg, VA, September, 1997.
Engineer: Peter Bonta
Lee Roy Parnell's solo on "How Come People Act Like That" Engineered by Chris Salamone
Mastered at Air Show, Springfield, VA, by Charlie Pilzer
Horns arranged by Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff.
Lee Roy Parnell appears courtesy of Arista Records


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