I agree with you, MacSpadger. The problem is human nature - people want to know.

I run a tent at the Harpenden Highland Games every year. It is mainly an advertising show piece for XMarks. One of the hooks I have to get people to come in is "Find out what your clan is". I have an alphabetical list of over 30,000 names and the clans that they are supposed to be associated with. It is nothing special, just a list that I have trawled from the internet; mainly clan sites.

The thing is, from the 10:00 start till the 16:00 finish, there are always queues. People are desperate to know. Last year, I took it up to the Hawick Games. I must admit, I had some fear and trepidation. It was after all a cheek, going to Scotland to talk to Scots about the right way to wear a kilt. I need not have worried - the same hunger was there. Young and old, they all wanted to know.

It might very well all be crap, but it seems to be a glue-like crap that binds so many lives together.

Regards

Chas