Coming home
Did you hear
Boy, did he do his job in emphasising the glories of Scotland, as witnessed by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖcoming initiative.
The Gathering?
It was wonderful, glorious, a great success.
The final concert? Which has had to be scaled back? Great, superb, top of the range.
Mr Riddle is chief executive of VisitScotland, which presupposes a cheery, upbeat outlook.
But he now believes he has figures to back up his eager enthusiasm.
Funding problem
From a budget of £5.5m, it is estimated the Year of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖcoming will achieve its aim of raising £44m.
The figure so far - with roughly a quarter of the sums done - is £19.4m.
OK, so visitor numbers from North America are down by 20%. In the rest of the UK, they're down 24%. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖcoming dividend?
Plus more folk are coming to Scotland from Europe and the remainder of the UK. The recession dividend?
Two things. It is entirely right to find out what happened to the funding of the Gathering.
It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers.
But, looking forward, it is surely right to build upon the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖcoming spirit.
Disdain heritage
Nations should use their strengths. Scotland has a potential strength in history, heritage and our diaspora.
I have little patience with those who urge that we disdain heritage in favour of a more modern image.
Yes, by all means tell the world about biotechnology and computer games.
But never forget that umpteen other nations are in these fields too.
Heritage can give us an edge, a USP that can get us a responsive audience - who might then listen to our other attributes.
I'm 
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