It’s been quiet here recently. One of the reasons for that is that I have been fighting an election. At the start of the year I was asked to put my name forward as a ‘paper candidate’ – a candidate with no campaign, used in elections using proportional representation with the main aim to improve the profile of the party locally and to establish what base level of support the Greens have in the North East of Scotland. I was happy to do this and even happier to act as Election Agent for Martin Ford, a prominent Councillor who was standing as a Scottish Green Party candidate for the first time.
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The Price of Everything and The Value of Nothing
If you walk into any pub in the North East of Scotland and fancy livening up the conversation, mentioning Donald Trump or Union Terrace Gardens ought to do it. Continue reading
Posted in Opinion & Politics
Tagged Aberdeen City Council, Donald Trump, Ian Wood, Union Terrace Gardens
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Think you live in a free country? Think again
This post first appeared on Bright Green on 22nd November 2011.
Last week saw US campus police use pepper spray in an attempt to end a patently peaceful student Occupy protest at a University of California campus and New York Police violently evict the Occupy Wall Street camp in Manhattan. We have also learnt that the Metropolitan Police have been given extra powers to behave similarly and specifically to stop protest in London during next summer’s Olympic Games. Continue reading
Posted in Opinion & Politics
Tagged Civil liberties, Freedom of expression, Libya, Occupy, Protest
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Review: You’ve Been Trumped
I don’t usually do film reviews, and I’m certainly no expert, but Anthony Baxter’s award winning film is about an issue that has been mentioned on this blog many times before.
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Posted in General, Opinion & Politics
Tagged Anthony Baxter, Donald Trump, Grampian Police, Menie, Scottish Government, You've Been Trumped
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“Greenest government ever” fails again
Last week, the government announced a couple of new policy ideas that, as many have pointed out, appear to be based on Daily Mail headlines. Just as it became clear that the economy is going to get worse before it gets better, the Tories announced populist plans to raise the speed limit and spend a fortune on bin collections. Continue reading
Posted in Opinion & Politics
Tagged bin collections, Government, policy, speed limit, transport
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Bloody do-gooders
We live a society where the term ‘do-gooder’ is an insult. That’s right, somebody who does good is apparently not a welcome thing. Oh, I’m sure nobody wants people doing bad things, but what’s wrong with neutral?
These do-gooders are no doubt in cahoots with the bleeding hearts. When will these people stop considering others and start looking out for number one for a change. There’s just no pleasing some people.
Fortunately, few of our leaders are careless enough to do anything that might be construed as ‘good’. We are in safe hands.
Just wanted to get that off my chest. I feel better now.
Rich
Posted in General, Opinion & Politics
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All in this together?
The Independent is today reporting that George Osborne has come up with a Plan B; to cut the top rate of tax. Now, it’s not happened yet but there are some solid looking quotes so I’m sure there’s some truth in the story. Obviously, being the Indy, they won’t have tape recordings of George and the PM discussing the plan over the phone but I imagine their sources are quite reliable. Continue reading
Fallen empire?
Since we got back from holiday, there’s only been one story. Rupert Murdoch has always been in the same category in my mind as Donald Trump; these people believe that wealth entitles them to something more than the ability to buy expensive things. They want power and influence and they don’t react well to being told no. My revulsion to Murdoch and News International is not a knee-jerk reaction to recent revelations. Continue reading
Exactly what does SSSI mean?
Not for the first time, I find myself amazed and angered at the lack of protection apparently afforded to areas designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It seems such places are only of scientific interest if there’s no money to be made from them. Continue reading
Posted in Opinion & Politics
Tagged Donald Trump, Hunterston, Menie, North Ayrshire, Portencross, Site Of Special Scientific Interest, SSSI
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Update
The walks section of the site is now up and running. Check it out.
Posted in General
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