Poverty, neglect, abuse are among factors behind a mental health crisis among our children & young people. A new skills award offers some hope amidst the accelerating catastrophe.
Politics
Beware Brits bringing gifts
Stuart ‘Wings over Scotland’ Campbell’s floated and controversial idea of setting up a pro-indy party for Holyrood 2021 is dissected here by a pro-Yes blogger – and by a political scientist…Tks to @jayceebrownbook for pointing us to it.
Scottish Parliament at 20
‘The Parliament has been curiously conservative with little appetite across the political parties for bold reform, especially in addressing many of the wicked problems that continue to scar Scotland.’
What are Citizens’ Assemblies good for?
‘…as good as citizens’ assemblies are, they are not a ‘silver bullet’ and politicians should consider carefully whether one is actually beneficial before committing to such a process in relation to a particular issue.’
UK finally disunited?
‘Where Scottish politics and independence goes in the face of no Brexit is one more open question. Independence, after all, would be much more straightforward to manage if the UK remains in the EU.’
Culture
Who’s it for – yon McMenace?
“So they come and see what the McManus has to offer and then the museum changes from something ‘we can do’ with our kids to ‘this is something we NEED to do with our kids.’”
National scandal – and emergency
‘We cannot go on like this. Every year since 2014, steep annual increases in drug-related deaths have been met with promises to look into causes and propose solutions. Meanwhile, people continue to die, as evidence-based and life-saving solutions are left on the shelf.’
Aspects of Edinburgh (and Dundee)
‘Makar: Stewart Conn prefers “that term’s more egalitarian ring than ‘laureate’, with its whiff of Parnassus.” Down on the ground, a poet among people not stuck up, high on the Mountain of Muses.’
It was like the Titanic – or was it?
Media coverage of ‘risky’ events can be out of all proportion to real danger – but some risks, like Grenfell, tragically slip under the radar. Dominic Duckett examines the impact of amplified risk.