The Stats of ASIR

Hello Gentle Readers. The 500th post is imminent so here are the Stats of A Scotsman in Riga.

As of 12.30 GMT on the 12th March 2017.

Posts:-498
Page views:-77,771

Posts with 100+ views :- 305
Posts with 1000+ views:- 7

Countries with most views

1. USA 25984
2. Latvia 24270
3. France 4501
4. Germany 4486
5. Russia 4197

Most popular posts.

1. Cheburashka 2003
2. Got my bus pass  1794
3. Living in Latvia 1639
4. Riga Neighbourhoods 1 1500
5. Wednesday Thought: Elections 1491

Post 498

Well Gentle readers after 777 days. I am fast approaching my 500th post. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who has taken the time to read my nonsence and comment.

I know I have not been here as often as I would like. Sometimes circumstances get in the way. Sometimes Laziness takes a grip and wont let go til I have been shaken up a bit.


As 500 is just around the corner. I want your help.
What are your favourite and least favourite parts of the blog?
Let me know ASAP and I will dedicate my 500th to you.

From the beginning of April, regular readers will be seeing a change of emphasis here on A Scotsman in Riga and from August even bigger changes will be occuring. Keep coming back for more.

The future is changing.....NOW!!

Top 10 Fun Facts about Coca-Cola

Hey there gentle reader. I love my fizzy pop and Coke is probably my favourite caramel coloured, carbonated beverage. As you might be aware. Today is Cokes birthday so here are some facts for you to chew over.

1 A can of Coke will sink in water. Diet coke will float.

2. You cannot buy any coke productin North Korea or Cuba.

3. Coke was once advertised as "a wonderful invigorator of the sexual organs". Fizzy Viagra.

4. In the UK, Dasani (Cokes attempt to enter the bottled water market) failed partly because of the advertising slogan "Bottled Spunk!" In the UK Spunk is a slang term for semen.
Dasani definitely left a bad taste in the mouth.

5. The drink that Coke turned into Fanta was actually invented in Nazi Germany.

6. Although Cocaine is no longer an ingredient in Coke. It is still made with the leaves of the Coca plant. The Cocaine is extracted from them at a factory in New Jersey.

7. Because men associated Diet coke with women, Coke introduced Coke Zero for men.

8. Coke had to scrap an advertising campaign because an artist hid an image of a blow job on the poster.

9. A senior Soviet army Marshall arranged his own colourless version of Coke to be made so he could drink it in Stalin's presence. Because it was colourless it was assumed to be vodka.

10. Coke only has a 3.1% market share of carbonated soft drinks around the world.

#coke #cocacola #dietcoke #dasanispunk  #fanta #cokezero #coca

Today in History 12th March

Hello again Gentle Readers its time once again to inhale deeply on the bong of history and get the munchies of time.

1894: Coca Cola is bottled and sold for the first time in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

1918: Moscow is made capital of Russia for the first time in 218 years.

1922: American author and poet Jack Kerouac is born.

1946: Liza Minelli is born.

2015: Terry Pratchett, British author and creator of Discworld dies.

#lizaminelli #jackkerouac #moscow #terrypratchett #cocacola #march12 #todayinhistory

Today in History: March 5th

Hey Gentle Reader. Lets pull on our stockings and Timewarp into history.

1279: The Livonian order is defeated in the Battle of Aizkraukle by the forces of the Duchy of Lithuania.

1933 – The Nazi party receives 43.9% at the Reichstag elections which allows the Nazis to later pass the Enabling Act and establish a dictatorship.

1946: Winston Churchill coins the phrase "The Iron Curtain" for the first time in a speach in the USA.

1953: Josef Stalin, Leader of the USSR dies.

1984: The UK Miners strike begins. The strike would last for 18 months.

#timewarp #livonia #minersstrike #stalin #naziparty #winstonchurchill

Top 10 tips for visiting New York

Hey Gentle Readers as a final close to the "We went to NYC thread" here are our top 10 tips so you can have a successful trip.

1. Buy a 7 day MTA Metrocard from any newstand for $31. With it you can take any subway or bus in the city. If you have a child under 112cm its free to travel. Even if you are only in NYC for a few days, you will save money.

2. Avoid Taxi's if you can possible help it. 

In NYC they are very expensive.

3. If you can, walk as much as you can. It's tiring but it's hard to see all the sights of New York from a subway car.

4. Do not be afraid to ask for help. The majority of New Yorkers we spoke to were friendly and always happy to help. Be polite though, call men Sir and women Ma'am.

5. Take the  free Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. It does not stop at Liberty Island but you do get a great view. Do this on a day with nice weather.

6. If you have small (under 122cm) dont bother trying to go up the Statue of Liberty. They can't go.

7. Avoid the queues at the Empire State building, Top of the Rock or 1 World Trade Centre by going early in the morning or around 4pm.

8. If you need a bathroom in a hurry in Central Park. Find a kids playground. There are restrooms.

9. Be careful, some items that are cheap outside the USA may be very expensive in New York. (Loaf of white bread $4)

10. Do not try to do everything in one day. New York takes time. Plan ahead and you will have a great trip.

#newyork #mtametrocard #statenislandferry #statueofliberty #empirestate #topoftherock #1worldtradecentre 

75 thousand. Thank you.

Hey Gentle Readers.

Today my blog will pass 75000 page views and I just want to say how happy I am to have such a loyal band of people from all around the world who like what I do.

This blog may be about me and my family but I owe all of my success to you.

Take care

ASIR (Neil)