The modern and controversial building that houses the Scottish parliament, referred to as "Holyrood."

This week marks the first of our dispatches from our foreign correspondant on assignment in Europe.

Yes…that’s right…we have a foreign correspondent….well, okay… she is a college student on an exchange semester in Scotland.

But she is overseas.

We at USDemocrazy have asked her to take a break from playing the bagpipes and watching Braveheart to file reports from her perch in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.

Here is her first try:

Throughout my time in the land of Scots, I’ll update you on the little pieces of the crazy politics that help shape Scotland into the interesting little country it is.

For now, here’s just a few things floating around the United Kingdom’s news rooms…

J.K. Rowling (a citizen of Edinburgh) got snubbed for the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, according to Matt Latimer of the Bush White House, because

some members of [the Bush] administration believed her books promoted sorcery.

The Scottish newspaper, The Herald comes up with a nice view of Kentucky with this headline:

US official murdered in Kentucky – land of meth and moonshine

Lastly, a big story for his little country… Scotland may be at last FREE OF THE SHACKLES OF ENGLISH TYRANNY!!!!

Well, not exactly.

Scotland is a country of sorts but is really is tied to England as part of the United Kingdom ( which also includes Wales and Northern Ireland).

Since the days of Braveheart, The Scots have wanted to be free from the English.

Now, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (a University of Edinburgh graduate, interestingly) saying that there could be a referendum on Scottish independence… eventually…

The Prime Minister is very sure to point out that this is a “possibility” that is not going to happen in the near future. Why?  Gordon Brown needs to sort out the economy first. As the Herald printed it:

Mr Brown said: “You can debate these things for the future but the important thing at the moment is I don`t really think people want me to be obsessed with the constitutional issue this month or next month.

“I think what they want us to do is concentrate on making sure the economy comes through recession.”

So, there you have just a wee taste of what is happenin’ in Scotland, mates. I’m off to get some Irn Bru and read some Robert Louis Stevenson. Cheers!