Love Life (November)

‘Love Life’ is Bella’s Agony Aunt column by Jamie Heckert… because the personal is political and the ‘state we’re in’ Continue reading →

SCOTTISH COMMUNITY GROUPS MAKE ST ANDREW’S DAY APPEAL FOR SUPPORT

Two Scottish community renewable energy projects have teamed up to
make a St. Andrew’s Day appeal for support. The two projects – one
from Edinburgh and the other from Strathpeffer in the Highlands – have
chosen Scotland’s national day to appeal for online votes to help them
win funding from the Energyshare fund.

Scotland the World Over

You might think that we would *hate* Edinburgh-based website Blipfoto.com, who pipped Bella to top-spot in The Lists definitive guide Continue reading →

And the Land Lay Still

By Andy Wightman I was in Perth last week giving a talk and leading a discussion on land issues with Continue reading →

Joan McAlpine & Séamas Ó Sionnaigh

This is a guest post by Andrew Anderson following on from Joan McAlpine’s writing on the anti-sectarianism bill and the Continue reading →

Climate Change as Tourism Opportunity

By Mike Small In a travesty of journalism this week the Scotsman chirpily reported the ‘upside’ of climate change, noting Continue reading →

Breaking Waves

The Scots and the Basques are the European nations which are most likely to break away from the states of Continue reading →

Robert Thurman – Cool Revolution

Robert Thurman talk entitled: Cool Revolution and the Age of Wisdom. This is engaged Buddhist activism covering analysis of the Continue reading →

A Republican Monarchy? England and Revolution

By Tom Nairn I’m writing this just after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Dublin in May this year. Continue reading →

Loves Labour Lost

By Mike Small Last night was the night for Labour hustings (which Bella sadly missed), and it’s a subject which Continue reading →

The Upside of Austerity

The up side to austerity is the realisation of the worthless con that is material greed on which the house of cards of collapsing economies rely.

Sectarianism, Twitter and Democratic Legitimacy

By Paul Flannery As politicians are eager to engage with the electorate through twitter, discussing everything from the mundane and Continue reading →

Wean’s World

By Kate Higgins Today is World Day for the Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children. Tomorrow is the United Continue reading →

Kill Pudsey

By Mike Small It’s the tyranny of the can-shake, the soporific of the charidee triad: Terry Wogan, Fearne Cotton and Continue reading →

RLS Day

Who knew? Everyone apparently. We asked – and ask – what’s your favourite Robert Louis Stevenson novel, essay, poem or Continue reading →

Stormont needs to take a leaf out of Scotland’s book to eradicate sectarianism

‘The Executive needs to take a leaf out of Scotland’s anti-sectarian book. Tackling Northern Ireland’s shame requires a robust, thought-out policy with coherent objectives and political will.’

Previously …

Bella interviewed Susan Morrison, one half of the team that has created Previously…Scotland’s History Festival launching today. Where did this Continue reading →

David Harvey at Occupy London

Geographer David Harvey addresses London’s Occupy Movement (thanks to Gordon Asher):

Remodelling Scottish Citizenship

By Jamie Brown Scotland will soon have the chance to become an independent nation or possibly the option of having Continue reading →

The Empire State, Time Bandits and our Alien Nation

We now inhabit a time when no-one really trusts the instrumental logic of politicians or de facto monopolies, however much everyday life obliges them to go through the motions of doing so.

Scotch Myths 2

Scotch Myths No. 2 of an occasional series…by Doug Daniel. MYTH #2: Scotland needs to be part of the massive Continue reading →

The High North

Edinburgh is not the Athens of the North but the Reykjavik of the South – capital of the archipelago of Continue reading →

Leaving Leaving, Left

Is it really enough to say ‘but we’d lose our place at the top table’ if what we do with that place at the top table is reduce worker’s rights and veto a Tobin Tax?

Not in My Name

The ceremonies every year on November 11, to mark the anniversary of the end of the First World War in Continue reading →

Eorpa

By Mike Small Curious George Lyon has having a go at the annual parlour game called ‘Mibbes Aye, Mibbes Naw’ Continue reading →

George Gunn has left the building

The Caithness poet and playwright, George Gunn, has often ploughed a lone furrow in the far north of Scotland.  Despite Continue reading →

Independence and the Left

By Clancy McMahon A recent Guardian editorial (23/10/11) claimed that the United Kingdom was ‘sleepwalking’ towards a break up of the Continue reading →

Still No Team GB

It’s somewhere between Marvel’s Captain Britain and a Rangers top circa 1988 (has someone been a bit clever?). But don’t Continue reading →

The Power of Black and White

By Gerry Hassan Scottish political debate is characterised and marred by a host of difficult divides and fractures. There is Continue reading →

A Freire Future for Scotland

Scotland is pregnant with liberty and awaits deliverance.