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  • 3 months later...

Astrophysicist Simon Rookyard wins porridge-making prize

 

10 October 2015

 

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An astrophysics postgraduate student has won the 22nd annual World Porridge Making Championship.

 

Simon Rookyard submitted his PhD thesis on pulsars just two weeks ago.

 

Held in Carrbridge in the Cairngorms National Park, the event attracts an international field of competitors. The winner is awarded the Golden Spurtle trophy.

 

Dr Izhar Khan from Aberdeen won the competition last year using a spurtle made by one of his patients.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Scotland is the assault capital of the world according to UN stats on violent crime

 

 

SCOTLAND is the assault capital of the world according to new United Nations statistics.

 

The shocking data shows that we are more likely to be the victims of a physical attack than any other country.

 

Scotland fared worse than notorious crime hot spots such as Mexico, Colombia and El Salvador.

 

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes report claimed Scotland is the world leading location for attacks resulting in “serious bodily injuryâ€.

 

Nearly 1,200 people per 100,000 were assaulted in 2013.

 

The figure is more than double the rate in England and seven times the average for the rest of the world combined.

 

The UN research looked at more than 80 countries including rich and poor nations in North and South America, Africa and Asia

 

Scottish Conservative justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell said: “The revelation that Scots stand the highest chance of being assaulted sends out the worst possible image of Scotland.

 

“The SNP government can’t dismiss the findings by saying the increase is down to an improvement in the number of assaults being detected.

 

“It needs to address this issue now to provide the assurance that Scotland is a safe place to live.â€

 

The Scottish Government questioned whether the figures for each country were comparing like for like.

 

A spokesman said: “It is wrong to make cross-country comparisons using these statistics because of the different ways offences are defined, and the different ways of counting and recording crimes and offences across the world.

 

 

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scotland-assault-capital-world-according-6391138

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Astronaut plays bagpipes on International Space Station

 

 

 

A US astronaut has played a set of Scottish-made bagpipes on the International Space Station to pay tribute to a colleague who died.

 

Kjell Lindgren played Amazing Grace on the pipes after recording a message about research scientist Victor Hurst, who was involved in astronaut training.

 

It is thought to be the first time that bagpipes have been played in space.

 

They were made for Mr Lindgren by McCallum Bagpipes at the company's factory in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.

 

Kenny Macleod, who works at McCallum Bagpipes, told BBC Scotland the 42-year-old astronaut had got in touch two years ago to say he was going to the space station and wanted to play the pipes while he was there.

 

"He wondered if it was feasible to play bagpipes," he said.

 

"They're made of plastic - they're just easier to keep clean and to make sure they're not contaminated. They're also lighter."

 

In the video, Mr Lindgren is seen to give the pipes a punch before he starts playing. Mr Macleod said it was normal for pipers to massage the bag to get the air flowing, "but not quite as vigorously as that".

 

"The thing about bagpipes is that they're very difficult to play at high altitude because the air is that bit thinner. They're quite hard to blow so he's done well," he added.

 

There are six astronauts currently in space on the 45th expedition to the International Space Centre.

 

In a video recorded in the last few days, Mr Lindgren said all of them had come into contact with Dr Hurst during their training and were "shocked and saddened" to hear about his death.

 

Dr Hurst worked for US engineering company Wyle Science as a research scientist and instructor. He died suddenly in October, aged 48.

 

Nasa flight engineer Mr Lindgren said: "He always had a quick smile, a kind word. I don't know if anyone was more enthusiastic and professional about being involved in human space flight."

 

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-34757254?SThisFB

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