Here, Dougal, said the Laird, gie Steenie a tass of brandy down stairs, till I count the siller and write the receipt.

Knock it off! This is the last time I'm telling you!

[…] if the Officers are allow’d to impose upon them, Under-Spur-leathers are always the Tyrants; a Government regulated by Laws, and Govern’d according to such Regulations, never willingly put it into the power of any Inferiour Officer to Tyrannize over his fellow Subjects.

Professor Stephen Hawking put the cat among the pigeons last week with his cheery remarks about comet Machholz-2, which some astronomers believe could be heading our way.