Static

Details: Written by: Craig McKay; Category: Static; Published: 04 June 2023; Hits: 1417

Hello

Details: Written by: Craig McKay; Category: Static; Published: 06 March 2021; Hits: 2089

WHEN? From 1st May 2021 I am no longer on Whatsapp. Instead, I'll be on Signal (and Telegram, as some have switched to this platform).

WHY?

The new terms and conditions of use of Whatsapp were the final straw that broke my Facebook camel's back. The new T's&C's probably don't have a material impact on me - certainly not right now - although with the UK's departure from the EU no doubt GDPR will be unpicked and replaced with something that enables the Facebook machine to harvest yet more data, even if it's only metadata.

I'm not a subscriber to conspiracy theories. Facebook and its many tentacles had just secured too tight a stranglehold over me that I needed to cut myself loose:

Instagram. Instead of just seeing pictures of my friend's activities, I was seeing adverts at a ratio of 2 friends to 1 ad. Jeff became a distinct problem; his products were things that interested me but in which I had expressed no previous interest. Temptation. Instagram app deleted.
Facebook. Verbally discussing the need for a leaf blower to tidy up the front lawn, suddenly Mark is presenting me leaf blowers - and not just any leaf blower, but the Makita compatible with a few of the LXT products that I use. Facebook and Messenger apps deleted.
- I do still use Facebook on a browser as we have a community page I need to access

SO WHAT?

Not really a big deal is it? Or more precisely, who cares what I do? Well, you've clicked this link and I haven't lost you so far...

The reason for writing this post is not to attempt to influence anyone else - far from it. It is primarily an explanation for why I have left and won't be able to receive your messages any more.

Switching off Whatsapp is not an insignificant change for me personally. I hadn't realised how useful it had become. I have dozens of groups and use Whatsapp as a vital link - particularly in Lockdown (and until normal gatherings resume).

I have moved platform to Signal. A small number of my contacts have also installed the app. It's a non-profit - funded by donations - and the only viable alternative. It offers everything Whatsapp does except a web interface.

So... here's the rub: I obviously can't tell you to install the Signal app just to keep in contact with me. If you do: great! If not... we still have SMS and email.

STILL READING?

When a friend first told me about Whatsapp - in 2009 - I was sceptical. What did the platform have to benefit? Particularly once end-to-end encryption was added in 2016. So why did Facebook pay $21.8 billion in 2014? Let me just repeat that - 21.8 BILLION DOLLARS. That's more than the GDP of Estonia. Ok, that means nothing to me either. How about, that's more than the G20 pledged to fight Coronavirus? It's more profit than Shell, BP and Chevron made last year. However you look at it, it's colossal number. I am no longer comfortable using the platform.

COMPARISON OF SIGNAL VS. WHATSAPP

In a nutshell, Signal does almost everything WhatsApp does, with one significant improvement:

Feature	WhatsApp	Signal	Comments
Groups	Yes	Yes	Signal offers a lot more control around group membership.
Reply and Forward	Yes	Yes	WhatsApp has "Reply Privately" from a group, which Signal doesn't.
React to a message	Yes	Yes	Signal allows you to 'like' with a thumbs up (or any emoji). This often saves "ok" replies, particularly in groups.
Bold/Italic/Underline	Yes	No	Feature request for all clients...
Desktop Client (Win/Mac)	Yes	Yes
Web Client	Yes	No	Signal discussion suggests the web client is a security issue.

Details: Written by: Craig McKay; Category: Static; Published: 17 May 2020; Hits: 2184

Glen Cruick, Afflochie
Capo Cottages, near Edzell

Details: Written by: Craig McKay; Category: Static; Published: 17 May 2020; Hits: 2855

Crovie — take a break and drink in the tranquility of the Moray Firth Coast

We couldn't find a complete listing of all the holiday cottages available for rent in Crovie, so we created this page... we hope you find it useful! If we've made any mistakes, please let us know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The page contains three sections:

Rental Properties, with links to the rental website — click on the House or Address to jump to the Details section
Full listing of all properties — for interest
Details of each of the rental properties, with a photograph — click on these to visit the rental website

Note: at the bottom left of every page on this website there is an up arrow that you can use to return to the top of the current page.

Rental Properties

House	Comments	Rental Website	Address
5		Unknown	No. 5 Crovie
7		Unknown	No. 7 Crovie
10	3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 5	Cottages4You W41840 \| Trip Advisor	No. 10 Crovie
12		Unknown	No. 12 Crovie
13	3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Sleeps 6, Wifi	Free Scotland \| Trip Advisor	No. 13 Crovie
23	Accommodation for 5 (+2), Wifi, Wood burning stove	Scottish Cottages 512064 \| Dedicated Website	No. 23 Crovie
25	Sleeps 4/5	Scotland.org.uk	No. 25 Crovie
30	3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6	Your Hotel Alternative	No. 30 Crovie
33	2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4	Cottages4You 28658	No. 33 Crovie
36		Unknown	No. 36 Crovie
39		Unknown	No. 39 Crovie
40	3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Sleeps 6	Holiday Lettings 194460 \| Trip Advisor	No. 40 Crovie
53		Unknown	No. 53 Crovie
56		Unknown	No. 56 Crovie
57	2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 5	Cottages4You 26036	No. 57 Crovie
64	2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4	Book Cottages 1783	No. 64 Crovie
Mission Hall	2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4	Scotland Holiday Cottage \| Trip Advisor	Mission Hall Crovie

Full listing

House	Status	Comments
1	Site	Destroyed in 1953
2&3	Private
4	Private
5	Rent
6	Private
7	Rent
8	Site	Garden
9	Private
10	Rent
11	Private
12	Rent
13	Rent
14	Private
15&16	Private
17&18	Private
19	Private	Garden of 17&18
20	Private
21	Private
22	Private
23	Rent
24	Private	Last house south side of burn
25	Rent	Set back, south
26	Private	Set back, north
27	Private	Beside Phone Box
28	Site	Bench beside burn
29	Site	Garden of 30
30	Rent
31	Private
32	Site	No longer exists
33	Rent
34a	Private
34	Private
35	Private
36	Rent
37	Site	Garden of 38
38	Private
39	Rent
40	Rent
41	Site	Garden of 43
42	Private	Ruin
43	Private
44	Private	Asbestos roof
45	Private	Behind
46	Private
47	Private	Red roof, small
48a	Private	Top half
48	Private	Bottom half
49	Private
50	Private
51	Private
52	Private
53	Rent
54	Private
55	Site	Garden of 54
56	Rent
57	Rent
58	Private	Site + Small building
59	Private
60&61	Private	Light blue
62	Private	Chocolate
63	Private	Dark blue
64	Rent
65	Private
Mission Hall	Rent	No number
66	Private