Broken Glasgow

Scotland is where I'm aiming to spend about a week right after classes get out the first week of May, and I figured I would spend about three or four days in Edinburgh before going up to what I presumed to be the sleepier burg of Glasgow during the weekend. Having yet to research Glasgow, I figured it would be a more quiet and slower-paced city to relax and travel around from.

I'm an idiot.

Reading the paper today, I found out that Glasgow is one of the unhealthiest and most violent cities in the Western world. Typical Glaswegian foods include deep fried candy bars and-get this-deep fried pizza, and the unique combination of copious alcohol consumption and fattening food makes for many a fight in the city, and there have been many many broken bones and cuts from the frenzy. Particularly worrisome to many in the city is the common use of glasses as weapons in fights. To help polish their image for tourists who, like myself, may be turned off by this lifestyle, the city council is thinking of banning bars from serving alcohol in glass cups or bottles to cut down on the number of times these objects are smashed open on people's heads or used to cut open people's faces.

But there is hope yet, as the brave alcohol industry again springs forward with their priorities in order:

Publicans have launched a campaign opposing the ban, which they believe will have a detrimental effect on the city's image.

Yes, that's right, people are more worried about their scotch or beer being served in a plastic cup than having their face cut open by some fat, drunken Sir William Wallace wannabe.

When I go to Glasgow, I'll be sure to hoist my (plastic) cup and make a toast to the fact that my face will be slash-free when I leave their fair city.