The Herald Diary: Beyond Compare

It was the year that saw Rangers Football Club face Big Tax, administration and life in Division Three, Greece struggle with teetering debt, Scots wrestle with the idea of a referendum on independence and the Scottish football team watching Euro 2012 from the comfort of their sofas. And what did most Scots do? Well, of course, we laughed about it - most of the time! Fortunately you sent your musings to The Herald newspaper's Diary column, where views on world affairs, plus all the stories of the daft and amusing things that happened in Scotland's pubs, trains, streets and homes, are gathered, polished and printed. This is a compilation of the best of these stories collected from all over Scotland and the far corners of the world to help you raise a smile - and maybe even a chuckle - through the harsh Scottish winter and beyond.