Black Forest to Green Wood?
The Green party’s election victory in the German state of Baden-Württemberg is expected to have a major impact on industry and politics. What does it tell us? It’s a vote Continue reading
Monthly Archives
Archive for: March 2011
STV Lost Leaders Debate
By Mike Small Last night’s STV Leaders debate was missing much: quality production, coherent format and Patrick Harvie, leader of the Scottish Greens a party – according to one poll Continue reading
Another Kick at the Ball?
As the arts is an area where the SNP record is highly contentious, it’s interesting to hear Alan Cummings view on the Holyrood election
Renewables – Not About the Environment
What do we mean by renewable energy? If you ask the average person on the street, many of them probably associate “renewable” with “green” (or “environmentally-friendly”, as we used to call it). The thing is, we should be associating it with “infinite” and “inexhaustible”.
The Siege of Ardenlea Street – the Jaconelli outrage
By Peter Curran What can I say that I haven’t already said or which has already been said better by others, e.g. Mike Dailly, the Jaconelli’s lawyer? Trying to cut Continue reading
Scotland v Brazil
As you get some cachaça chilled for Sunday (live on STV 2pm kick off) here’s some classic footage from the vintage vaults. First up 1974 and it’s David Harvey on Continue reading
The Gillie Mor: A Celebration of Hamish Henderson & the Folk Tradition in Caithness & Sutherland
By Kevin Williamson If I was back in my old stamping grounds of Caithness this weekend this is where I’d want to be: at the celebration of Hamish Henderson and Continue reading
Changin’ Scotland
Changin’ Scotland – a weekend of politics, culture and ideas …. And fun! Friday March 25th-Sunday March 27th The Ceilidh Place, Ullapool Friday March 25th 8.30pm Land, Power and Politics Continue reading
Military intervention in Libya is a serious mistake, says Noam Chomsky
The US, the UK, and France – the three countries who have done more historical damage to the Arab world than any others – have formed a de facto tripartite Continue reading
Japan, England and the Social Aspiration Gap
By Mike Small Imagine a country riven by a culture of deference and conservatism, wholly dependent on nuclear power and desperately short of a drive for social aspiration for change. Continue reading
All is Not Lost
It is important to identify this development in order to juxtapose it to the traditional structures and institutions of power. Similarly if the concept of a Scottish left is to have any meaning it may need to be considered as an emerging fuzzy entity rather than ring-fenced in advance by rigid absolutism or fixed ideology.
The End of Nuclear Energy
This week, high profile environmentalists like George Monbiot (‘The Fukushima crisis should not spell the end of nuclear power‘) and Mark Lynas (‘What does the Japanese Quake Crisis Say About Continue reading
The Eds of March
By Thom Cross Once again Ed Miliband (accompanied by his ‘consigliere’ Ed Balls) visited Scotland last week to help shore-up Iain Gray’s leadership. For two-Eds are better than wan Gray Continue reading
Susan George, Crisis & Solutions
For more than three decades ground-breaking scholar and activist Susan George has written expansively on the effects of neo-liberal economics on the poor. Product & Bella interviewed her. Your latest Continue reading
On Being the Cartographers of a New Scotland
By Lallands Peat Worrier Those of you who have been lurking about here a good while will be familiar with my ideas about Alex Salmond’s speech-making powers. Of his remarks Continue reading
Notes from Tokyo
Tokyo 12:20 hrs, 19 March 2011 Not all doom and gloom despite what the media may sometimes say ( or me, ha ha). Expressions of support by the Scottish parliament Continue reading
The Struggle in Wisconsin
Events are still unfolding in Wisconsin, and may yet escalate further. But we can already draw some conclusions from them, which can guide us in the months ahead–for Wisconsin is surely only the first of many states that will see public outrage over austerity measures.
First Wales, Now Berwick?
By Ray Bell Is Wales part of England? Is Berwick upon Tweed? I suspect most people would answer “no” to the first, and probably “yes” to the second. With the Continue reading
Fukushima, Private Company – Public Catastrophe
“The emergency shutdown has been conducted but the process of cooling down the reaction is currently not going as planned,” explained Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, according to CNN.
Another World Is Possible
We all spend far too much time online staring at lightboxes. Here’s a chance to get out and get to some great live events you won’t find in The Skinny Continue reading
Independent Women
As we approach the full-on Holyrood election campaign, there will be few poltical parties putting women centre stage of their platform for government which is unfortunate. We need politicians who are prepared to think the unthinkable and totally redesign how we approach the design and delivery of public services.
Madmen
The economic collapse has forced some unusual casualties. Woolies and the RAF went, Trident and Relocation Relocation Relocation didn’t (follow the logic if you can). Could the Old Firm derby be the next institution to be forced out of existence? Decades of bad blood and bigotry have not been enough to motivate politicians or administrators to act. Now simple economics might do what they manifestly failed to.
Who are Scotland’s Fianna Fail?
By Mike Small Scottish nationalists are often obsessed by the ‘unionist media’. Sometimes we are guilty of this at Bella. At times this all gets a bit tired. The Scotsman Continue reading
A revolution against neoliberalism?
If rebellion results in a retrenchment of neoliberalism, millions will feel cheated. This article first appeared on the Al Jazeera website (on 24th Feb) under the pseudonym of ‘Abu Atris’ Continue reading
