"Vartan Gregorian is to become a special adviser to the board of Culture and Sport Glasgow" Sunday Herald article
STILL the moaners bleat about Tartan Week while hypocritically printing pics of scantily-clad doxies in their undies at the Dressed to Kilt fashion waggle. But what surely no-one can deny is that consciousness of the best wee fat nation on the planet has never been higher in New York and who knows what benefits will arrive in due course from that.
One perhaps came last week with the announcement that the splendidly-named Vartan Gregorian is to become a special adviser to the board of Culture and Sport Glasgow, the charitable company recently set up by Glasgow City Council to run its sports and leisure services. Sceptical as one is about this move, there is no denying that the appointment of Mr Gregorian is hugely significant.
In a colourful career, Mr Gregorian, who was born in Iran, has been president of Brown University and is currently President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. In between, he was credited with rescuing from appalling neglect New York Public Library, raising tens of millions of dollars from wealthy donors such as David Rockefeller and Brooke Astor. Billionaires such as Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Walter Annenberg and George Soros turn to him for advice about to whom to give their money.
New Yorkers also have to thank Mr Gregorian for the efflorescence of Bryant Park, in the heart of Manhattan. Not so long ago it was a dump, infested with drunks and drug dealers. Ne'er-do-wells nicked the flowers and shrubs. Now it's an oasis. How come?
Mr Gregorian sent the police chief a bouquet with a note saying: "These are the last flowers that will ever be seen in Bryant Park." The cop was so tickled he assigned eight of his officers to protect the park. May he help Glesca flourish similarly.