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Watching Scottish Democracy in Action
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Scots around the world, otherwise known as the Scottish Diaspora, are watching happenings in the old country with great interest. This Thursday, an estimated 97% of eligible voters will go to the polls and answer a simple question, “Should Scotland be an independent country?” And, while most of us overseas cannot vote, we can…
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A Scottish Diplomatic Visit to St. Louis
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This past weekend, St. Louis was honored to host Donnie Jack, the Scottish Government’s senior diplomat in the Americas, during a diplomatic visit. Tours were made of local tech and startup companies, speeches were given, media was conversed with, and introductions were made. The purpose? Promoting Scotland as a great place to do business,…
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The Scottish Invasion Of St. Louis
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My latest article is up on Techli.com, this one regarding this week’s diplomatic visit to St. Louis by the Scottish Government. You can read the article at Techli.com.
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A wee victory for proud Scots all over the world wide web
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Scotland finally has its own homeland on the web, in the form of the .scot domain. “As a Scottish expat, this launch, in the midst of an independence debate, is rather exciting. It gives us yet another reason to throw on the kilt, raise a glass of Scotch, and chow down on some haggis,”…
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Standing in Washington with both feet on British soil
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To this Missouri-based British expat, Washington DC is an amazing place. Yes, the political infighting, the stalemates, the protests, are all rather annoying at times, and the system in place is nothing like the one back across the Pond in London. It it is certainly not the family-friendly, entrepreneurial and cost-competitive place that my…
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Agribusiness, Foreign Governments and Congress – Socially Speaking
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Over the past two months, I have had the privilege of providing social media insights and training to a large multinational agribusiness company, a foreign government and Congressional staffers. Each was a fascinating experience, with our presentations supported by a large amount of research and analytics. And while each organization was very different, with…
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Social Media Expands National and International Government Influence Online
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Last week, I and members of the Elasticity team, packed up our bags and headed north to Washington DC to spend some time in our nation’s capitol. Yes, the required walk to the White House to take a few photos took place, and the visit to Capitol Hill (interspersed with meetings on the Hill…
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Howard Phillips, 1941-2013
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This week, I received some very sad news. A political giant in the US, and someone I was honored to call my friend, passed away. Howard Phillips. He walked in the hallways of power, and left because he was committed to principle over politics. He loved his family, and sought to raise them in…
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American Needs to Throw Away the No Vacancy Sign
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I write on occasion for the UK’s Weekly Telegraph. My piece on the US immigration system, and the problems with it, that appeared in this past weekend’s print edition is now available online. — I’m an immigrant. Many years ago, we packed up our house in Hampshire, England, and set sail for the colonies,…
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Scotland, UK and the USA: International Partnerships Need More Than Personalities
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Earlier this week, my wife and I were honored to be the guests of UK Consul General Robert Chatterton Dickson and Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs and MSP Fiona Hyslop at a reception at the Consul General’s residence in Chicago. The reception, part of a whirlwind Scotland Week tour of the US…