Winston Churchill once said:

"No small nation, with the possible exception of the ancient Greeks, has had such an influence in the shaping of the world as the Scots"

The odd thing is that although a huge amount of human endeavour, achievement and invention has had a Scot at the centre of things, it's mostly happened away from Scotland.

This is the new Riverside Museum in Glasgow. All things transport are represented, including the history of the famous 'Clydebuilt' ship. (n.b. at one time in the late 19th/early 20th century, more than 10% of all world shipping was built on the Clyde) A number of these ships were built to accomodate the huge number of Scots seeking new life and prosperity in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Sad, that to escape the poverty, the weather, the social barriers, the corrosive influence of the religious churches, the wicked politicians, the corrupt land owners, they had to leave and flee to the other side of the world, - in most cases never to return...

p.s. thanks to George Welsh for your comments made to mum yesterday...