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Prince Harry in Washington, DC
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Earlier this week, HRH Prince Harry was in Washington DC honoring wounded veterans and accepting an award from the Atlantic Council for his and HRH The Duke of Cambridge’s (Prince William) charitable efforts. At the Monday night award dinner, Prince Harry was introduced by a humorous Secretary of State Colin Powell.
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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…
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US Senate or Granite City School Board. Who Knows More?
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Granite City School Board, March 27, 2012 Principal denied student right to wear a kilt because they “want to teach the men to dress like men.” Kilts are “nontraditional.” Kilts are “not what we call normal wear.” US Senate, March 20, 1998 Whereas April 6 has a special significance for all Americans, and especially…
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The Supreme Court Weighs in on Kilt Wearing!!! Well, kind of…
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In 1965, two Des Moines area students were suspended for wearing armbands in protest of the Vietnam War. The resulting court case, Tinker v. Des Moines, went all the way to the US Supreme Court where the justice’s ruled 7-2 in favor of the students. “It can hardly be argued that either students or…
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The Battle of the Kilt!
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It was a battle lasting just a few days in the St. Louis, USA, area, and it probably won’t go down in the annuls of Scottish history. But for the Scottish community in St. Louis, and the thousands of people who join with us throughout the year to celebrate the many profound connections between America…
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St. Louis Area High School Discriminates Against Scottish Culture
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UPDATE 3/29/12 @1:30pm: You can see the latest, and sign our petition here. UPDATE 3/28/12 @10pm: More news coverage. This one from Associated Press and this from United Press International. And thanks to Mark Reardon on KMOX for covering the story. UPDATE 3/28/12 @8am: The school board did not allow the wearing of the kilt…
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A Taxing Lesson Forgotten, On Both Sides of the Pond
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In the U.S., there is a constant battle going on between the right and the left over the optimal level of taxes. Those on the left want to raise taxes, claiming that raising taxes will increase government revenue, thus allowing them to spend more on services. Those on the right want to lower taxes,…
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Why I Just Had To Publish It
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I love a good read. I love getting lost in a book and emerging hours later at the end of a well-told story. So when Glynn Young, whom I already knew was an accomplished writer, mentioned about a year and a half ago that he had written a novel, I just had to read…
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Making Sure You Don’t Dishonour While Trying to Honour
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As a Scot, raised in England, living in the US, there were many changes I have had to make over the years in my interactions with people. I’ve had to adjust the way I talk so people can understand what the heck I am saying. I’ve had to become more personal in my interactions…
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A British Military Heritage
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On June 25, the UK will celebrate Armed Forces Day. This year’s central event will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, and my older brother and the other Royal British Legion Scotland Riders Branch members will lead the parade. Throughout the day fly-overs, parades, concerts and more will take place in honor of the men…