In the Herald today this either unaware or dishonest claim, above. Journalism students know that much of what journalist do, rather than faithfully sharing any kind of pre-existing shared reality, is collectively, sheepishly, construct an alternative reality to suit the agenda of those who fund them and upon whom they depend for their existence – paying their mortgage, their car loan, feeding their families and so on. Regulars here will be well aware of how selective and edited ‘herd’ coverage of, for example, NHS performance, of youth violence, of drug death trends, of housing shortages, of even child poverty has … Continue reading How media exploit Peter Murrell case to try to reshape Nicola Sturgeon’s legacy

I’ve been deeply affected by Prof Kate Pickett and here co-authored seminal text, Spirit Level, on the almost magical effect of reducing inequality and the better society that seems to produce. Alasdair Gray and Alex Salmond launched us on that path, one-armed tied by the UK admittedly, more than 20 years ago. Kate refers to several of the SNP’s achievements in her new book and , critically, suggests how we might get there better, faster, more fully. Sample – https://www.amazon.co.uk/arya/webplayer?asin=B0FHH9ZYWC&marketplaceId=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&amazonAsin=B0FHH7SZT1&useRelativeUrl=true&initialCPLaunch=true&isSample=true&isHomesteadCaller=true&isMobile=false&ref_=adbl_dp_dt_cloudplayer_login Continue reading Another book recommendation! This one’s more for dipping into to inform your ideas on Scotland’s journey to a better nation

Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers by Caroline Fraser, just out in paperback, is about far more than serial killers. It’s about the violence of war-damaged fathers, the violence of treatment of unwed mothers and their babies, the violence of geology in some places, the violence of civil engineering and transport systems and the inherent violence of unfettered capitalism. Fraser, a Pulitzer winner, writes so well, so well, her fascinating content becomes a page-turner. I’m not exactly a typical guy, so I leave you to judge just how much this review influences you. If you do … Continue reading The best book I’ve read in a long time and in a way connected to places like post-industrial Scotland

From the Scottish Government yesterday but, of the MSM, only reported in the Herald, this major announcement: First Minister John Swinney will today call for a new collective approach to reduce deaths and harms from drugs and alcohol, as he addresses a summit on drugs deaths in Edinburgh. It comes as a new Alcohol and Drugs Fund, which will provide £36.9 million to frontline services and organisations working with people affected by alcohol and drugs, is launched.  The summit, organised by Public Health Scotland, will bring together health board chief executives, local authority leaders, justice representatives and third-sector partners alongside people with … Continue reading FM launches additional £36.9 million fund to reduce drug and alcohol deaths as SNP initiatives already reduce them but in relative media vacuum 

We all know the voters in Aberdeen South were set firm to punish both Labour and the SNP and they did. They humiliated Labour by pushing them down into 4th place! It was a single-issue protest vote of the kind we often see in by-elections and which means nothing for the wider and longer-term prospects of the winners. Lumsden should save as much as he can as he’ll be out again in 2 to 3 years. If there was to be a Peter Murrell, SNP corruption effect, we’d have seen it in Arbroath and Broughty ferry but the SNP share … Continue reading Murrell Effect debunked as SNP significantly increase vote share in by-election