James Christie
@jamesdchristie.bsky.social
Semi-retired IT consultant. Experienced in software dev, IT audit, testing, info security management. Still active in whatever engages or angers me (eg #PostOfficeScandal). Match reporter for Dundee FC.
Loves writing. See clarotesting.wordpress.com.
Loves writing. See clarotesting.wordpress.com.
I loathe the Hearts press box. It is exposed to the rain and the view is terrible. Half the pitch is blocked by screens to try and keep the rain off electrical equipment. It is awful for a stand that is only seven years old
November 1, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I loathe the Hearts press box. It is exposed to the rain and the view is terrible. Half the pitch is blocked by screens to try and keep the rain off electrical equipment. It is awful for a stand that is only seven years old
Driving up the A846 on the Isle of Jura at sunrise. It's surely one of Scotland's most scenic 'highways'.
October 23, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Driving up the A846 on the Isle of Jura at sunrise. It's surely one of Scotland's most scenic 'highways'.
It was a long wait for Bob Christie to return to his "darling Dolly". There was much to smile about that summer for the Christies and Macphersons.
This is Dolly Macpherson in her mid-20s in 1920, and her father Duncan. He was blinded aged 4 in an accident, but became a professional musician. 2/3.
This is Dolly Macpherson in her mid-20s in 1920, and her father Duncan. He was blinded aged 4 in an accident, but became a professional musician. 2/3.
September 29, 2025 at 10:08 AM
It was a long wait for Bob Christie to return to his "darling Dolly". There was much to smile about that summer for the Christies and Macphersons.
This is Dolly Macpherson in her mid-20s in 1920, and her father Duncan. He was blinded aged 4 in an accident, but became a professional musician. 2/3.
This is Dolly Macpherson in her mid-20s in 1920, and her father Duncan. He was blinded aged 4 in an accident, but became a professional musician. 2/3.
I love these old family photos I found. My newly married great-grandparents, Duncan & Florence Macpherson in the 1890s. My grandmother, Dorothy (Dolly) Macpherson, May 1920, at the Birks of Aberfeldy. That summer her boyfriend, my grandfather, left the army after joining up at the start of WW1. 1/3
September 29, 2025 at 10:08 AM
I love these old family photos I found. My newly married great-grandparents, Duncan & Florence Macpherson in the 1890s. My grandmother, Dorothy (Dolly) Macpherson, May 1920, at the Birks of Aberfeldy. That summer her boyfriend, my grandfather, left the army after joining up at the start of WW1. 1/3
Meanwhile, on Twitter, Elon Musk explicitly supports "remigration", a policy that would deport some 10 million people from Britain, including citizens born here, for the crime of being "non white" or "mixed race". It's no longer newsworthy that Musk backs extreme right activists like Laws.
September 11, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Meanwhile, on Twitter, Elon Musk explicitly supports "remigration", a policy that would deport some 10 million people from Britain, including citizens born here, for the crime of being "non white" or "mixed race". It's no longer newsworthy that Musk backs extreme right activists like Laws.
Reform UK's economic policies are incoherent; tax less, spend more on popular things, and reduce government debt. The figures are implausible, and I've got a letter in today's Dundee Courier pointing this out. For once the party helpfully revealed enough detail for us to see it's all nonsense. 1/2
September 10, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Reform UK's economic policies are incoherent; tax less, spend more on popular things, and reduce government debt. The figures are implausible, and I've got a letter in today's Dundee Courier pointing this out. For once the party helpfully revealed enough detail for us to see it's all nonsense. 1/2
Correction. Steve Laws left the fascist Homeland Party for being too soft on deportations. Does Musk agree that the UK should be ethnically cleansed of non-whites? Or does he not bother to check out Nazis he backs (and Laws, in my opinion anyway, is an outright Nazi)?
September 2, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Correction. Steve Laws left the fascist Homeland Party for being too soft on deportations. Does Musk agree that the UK should be ethnically cleansed of non-whites? Or does he not bother to check out Nazis he backs (and Laws, in my opinion anyway, is an outright Nazi)?
The River Almond in Perth provided excellent sport for Labradors this morning. Enough of a current to be interesting. Not enough to be a problem.
September 2, 2025 at 8:32 AM
The River Almond in Perth provided excellent sport for Labradors this morning. Enough of a current to be interesting. Not enough to be a problem.
That was Carswell's considered, edited tweet. See the original.
August 31, 2025 at 5:43 PM
That was Carswell's considered, edited tweet. See the original.
When I saw references to this, from a former Conservative MP, I thought it might be a spoof. No. It is genuine. This sort of poison is entering the political mainstream now.
August 31, 2025 at 3:57 PM
When I saw references to this, from a former Conservative MP, I thought it might be a spoof. No. It is genuine. This sort of poison is entering the political mainstream now.
I've got a letter in today's Courier pointing out the ludicrous rewriting of history from a fan of the vile Clive of India. It's not 'woke' to argue that Clive was a villain. Calling him a hero simply reveals ignorance of history. He is no more admirable than Putin's thuggish military.
August 28, 2025 at 8:57 AM
I've got a letter in today's Courier pointing out the ludicrous rewriting of history from a fan of the vile Clive of India. It's not 'woke' to argue that Clive was a villain. Calling him a hero simply reveals ignorance of history. He is no more admirable than Putin's thuggish military.
The office on International Dog Day.
August 26, 2025 at 12:02 PM
The office on International Dog Day.
This shows what a great view I had in the Ibrox press box. It's all the more entertaining because of the mass seething from the posh seats behind us when Rangers are toiling. Maybe it wasn't diplomatic to wear a green jacket, but I think I got away with it. Btw - it should never have been a penalty.
August 11, 2025 at 9:43 AM
This shows what a great view I had in the Ibrox press box. It's all the more entertaining because of the mass seething from the posh seats behind us when Rangers are toiling. Maybe it wasn't diplomatic to wear a green jacket, but I think I got away with it. Btw - it should never have been a penalty.
Want to know how to make your Labrador love you even more?
Roll up from the football at midnight and hand over the last few chips you've saved from your fish supper. The lad is clearly devoted to me this morning.
Roll up from the football at midnight and hand over the last few chips you've saved from your fish supper. The lad is clearly devoted to me this morning.
July 23, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Want to know how to make your Labrador love you even more?
Roll up from the football at midnight and hand over the last few chips you've saved from your fish supper. The lad is clearly devoted to me this morning.
Roll up from the football at midnight and hand over the last few chips you've saved from your fish supper. The lad is clearly devoted to me this morning.
I love this photo of my parents, the couple on the right. It's February 1967 according to the note on the back, in London. I've no idea what's going on. An audience participation showing of "My Fair Lady"? A recording of "The Good Old Days"? I think my father's a couple of drinks behind the others.
July 21, 2025 at 9:37 AM
I love this photo of my parents, the couple on the right. It's February 1967 according to the note on the back, in London. I've no idea what's going on. An audience participation showing of "My Fair Lady"? A recording of "The Good Old Days"? I think my father's a couple of drinks behind the others.
The excitement mounts at the most famous hedge in world football.
July 5, 2025 at 1:18 PM
The excitement mounts at the most famous hedge in world football.
I love this photo of our Labrador in our garden.
June 2, 2025 at 3:43 PM
I love this photo of our Labrador in our garden.
I can't wait to get started on this, "I can's stop thinking about VAR" by Daisy Christodoulou. It explores some aspects of VAR that infuriate me.
May 9, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I can't wait to get started on this, "I can's stop thinking about VAR" by Daisy Christodoulou. It explores some aspects of VAR that infuriate me.
My brother in law is a fisheries biologist in Wester Ross. He can walk to the office. This is his daily commute.
May 9, 2025 at 10:18 AM
My brother in law is a fisheries biologist in Wester Ross. He can walk to the office. This is his daily commute.
Fed? Hungry? Both? Labradors are shocking liars.
April 24, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Fed? Hungry? Both? Labradors are shocking liars.
I asked Grok to assess the chances of any member of Trump's administration facing criminal charges if they were caught shorting the market in the knowledge of how damaging the tariffs would be. Grok wasn't particularly loyal.
April 5, 2025 at 1:48 PM
I asked Grok to assess the chances of any member of Trump's administration facing criminal charges if they were caught shorting the market in the knowledge of how damaging the tariffs would be. Grok wasn't particularly loyal.
Rupert Lowe's problems remind me of his style as chairman of Southampton FC, with an inflated idea of his own abilities. This was Harry Redknapp, the Southampton manager at the time, describing Lowe's interference.
March 7, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Rupert Lowe's problems remind me of his style as chairman of Southampton FC, with an inflated idea of his own abilities. This was Harry Redknapp, the Southampton manager at the time, describing Lowe's interference.
I wonder how long it will take Elon Musk to crack down on his AI tool Grok. This was its response to my innocuous query, "is Donald Trump a habitual liar?"
February 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
I wonder how long it will take Elon Musk to crack down on his AI tool Grok. This was its response to my innocuous query, "is Donald Trump a habitual liar?"
He's a Labrador, more interested in sensing anything edible rather than historical. It's a pity there's nothing to commemorate the battle. It was a heavy defeat for the side that won the war. Perhaps that's why it's largely forgotten. It was tragic for Perth. There were many civilian casualties.
February 18, 2025 at 6:34 PM
He's a Labrador, more interested in sensing anything edible rather than historical. It's a pity there's nothing to commemorate the battle. It was a heavy defeat for the side that won the war. Perhaps that's why it's largely forgotten. It was tragic for Perth. There were many civilian casualties.
Our Labrador has very little road sense but, coming from a line of pedigree gun dogs, he instinctively understands wild water. He loves swimming, and the River Almond in Perth is a favourite. But this morning there was so much snow melt there was no chance of him venturing in.
February 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Our Labrador has very little road sense but, coming from a line of pedigree gun dogs, he instinctively understands wild water. He loves swimming, and the River Almond in Perth is a favourite. But this morning there was so much snow melt there was no chance of him venturing in.