Hinging oot the dirty washing

Half Way There

Some people believe that the programme Star Trek has deeper, symbolic, connotations.

Alex Salmond, ex Scottish political top-dog, is allegedly a life-long fan of the series, so much so that he often uses the name James T Kirk when booking flights and suchlike to travel incognito. Apparently though, last summer, this arrangement came unstuck when he was temporarily refused air-travel until the discrepancy between his ticket name and passport details was noted by a check-in attendant. The story is reported in today's mail on line and also claims that, as a child,  Alex used to attach a clothes peg to his eyebrow in an attempt to emulate the facial expressions of Dr. Spock, the human-Vulcan. It does not mention any attempt at any Jewish cabalistic hand symbol or elvish ears.

Alex is also pleased because he was born in (royal) Linlithgow, which was the  "birthplace" of chief engineer, Scotty, in the year 2222 (here). How they love those double elevens.

Linlithgow sits only some 15 road miles from once Stone of Destiny holding, and UFO hot spot, Bonnybridge, as noted last week, here.

A further 15 road miles east sits Cramond. Last week's BBC carried a fascinating article regarding a mass burial discovered in 1975 during the excavation of a Roman Bathhouse. Initially, the 9 "bodies" were believed to have been victims of the plague, however after utilisation of  cutting-edge "forensic, isotopic and DNA techniques", it appears "the burials belonged to more than one generation of a single family with two of the bodies thought to be warriors due to their multiple healed wounds...

Due to the unique nature of the burial and positioning of bodies, it is thought the victims could be members of a noble family, raising the question of whether Cramond in Edinburgh could be the site of a Royal stronghold.

Richard Lewis, Edinburgh city council's culture convener, said: "In 1975, work was under-way to construct a new car park when builders came across a mass burial at what would become one of Scotland's best preserved Roman buildings, the Bathhouse for Cramond Fort.

"For decades, the circumstances surrounding the burial were unanswered.

"Thanks to developments in modern science, the council has been able to revisit the remains and carry out an extensive investigation.

"The findings have unravelled a story even more mysterious than the one we started out with.

"With theories of ancient warriors, murdered nobles and a lost Royal stronghold - you could be forgiven for mistaking the resulting story for a plot from Game of Thrones...

"If this grave was indeed the burial crypt of a noble or Royal family, it suggests Cramond just might be a royal stronghold of the Gododdin."

Like Star Trek, Scots appear to like to explore elsewhere. Even to the extent of colonisation. Kirks, which are Protestant/Presbyterian churches, not captains; and lodges, for masons, not beavers, quickly manifest themselves. Jim is short/colloquial for James, you may remember the name from the Bible reviser, the amalgamating King of the present United Kingdom and her dilapidated, to be swiftly rebuilt, global and sure to expand, Commonwealth. 

cheers