Monthly Archive: March, 2011

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 blow for Merkel… Read More

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 today – ahead… Read More

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 through my impotent… Read More

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 fine form, long-range… Read More

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 the folk traditions… Read More

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 Andy Wightman, writer,… Read More

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 military coalition to… Read More

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. I speak of… Read More

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 Nuclear Power’) wrote… Read More

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 apparently. The visit… Read More

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 spoke to her ahead of her appearance… Read More

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 in Aviemore in… Read More

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 most welcome and… Read More

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 recent successful referendum… Read More

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 or The List.… Read More