E[i]gg

The saga continues!

In my last consideration of the egg issue I suggested the Naked Egg-and-spoon Race as a (half) serious post-modern proto-situationist discourse worthy of the broken/unbroken project.

But in the interim I think I have found the absolutely perfect venue for such a performance.

Never mind the spelling, the name of the tiny isle just to the south of the much better known West Highland island of Skye is pronounced 'egg'. The following from the interwebs...

Ten years ago today [the post was dated 2007], the beautiful island of Eigg, off the west coast of Scotland, was the first Scottish island in 250 years to say goodbye to private landlords, and become communally owned by the people. At the time of the £1.5m communal buyout, Eigg had no jobs, a declining population, buildings suffered from neglect, and little to offer its residents in terms of prospects.

Today, Eigg has full employment, its population has grown to 83 (up 20%) and there are 20 business enterprises on the island. Buildings have been restored, including a Community Hall. There are forestry, farming and heritage projects. The bad old days of an unreliable diesel-generator are gone and the entire island's electricity supply is generated from renewable resources. There's even broadband internet. 

This all makes me as an expatriate Scot very happy. Is there not implicit in the story of the Isle of Eigg a very large measure of hope? Is this not an environment which is essentially fragile?

Since the Naked Egg-and-spoon Race is destined to be an event which will only take place in a jointly imagined virtuality we can also try to imagine it being staged on the Isle of Egg on a day of blue skies and balmy temperatures.

Throughout the month you can expect to see rain or drizzle falling on 16 days and 17 degrees is the highest temperature in August.

Oh well, that may be pushing the imagination too far....