A Fun New Game

The UK government has recently brought back an old idea about plastering “Funded by the UK government” on lots of things in Scotland, with a big Union flag somewhere.

This is supposed to make us forget about the various disasters that the UK govt seem to be hoping will just miraculously disappear by themselves.

However, sticking “Funded by the UK government” on lots of things does seem like a fun idea. Anyone can play, it’s free and it doesn’t take up much of your time.

For example, here are 11 of them I managed to knock out in lunch break. Feel free to download.

Scotland’s Missing Histories – Episode 3 – The 45 (with Maggie Craig)

What do you know about the 45? Not the 45% of people who voted yes, I mean the events of 1745.

We’ve almost been conditioned to believe that a gang of highlanders/catholics (referred to as Bare-arsed Banditti) were led on a fools’ errand by an effete Italian buffoon and that the whole thing ended  in a sort of Scottish civil war at Culloden.

As happens so often in history, the well-worn narrative that we all know doesn’t really get to the heart of the matter.

To get a better picture of the events of 1745 I spoke with Maggie Craig, who is the author of two books on the subject. Firstly she wrote Damn Rebel Bitches, about the women of the 45, and then she followed that up with Bare-arsed Banditti, about the men of the 45.

I think after this half hour you’ll have changed your views on those events.

Hope you enjoy…

You can download here if you right click THIS LINK and “save as”

You can listen to the show online at its web page or you can subscribe with itunes. We can alse be found on youtube and on facebook too.

These podcasts are independently minded and independently funded, you can help to keep them going by making a donation.

If there is any story from Scottish history that you feel people need to know more about, leave a note in the comments or email me and I will try to put something together.

Scotland’s Missing Histories – Episode 1 – James Connolly (with Jim Slaven)

Over the years I have had many conversations in which there has been the complaint that large chunks of Scottish history, both events and people, have been left out of our education.

I therefore thought that, in addition to our other shows,  it was about time that some of these stories and people should get some more publicity, and so here is the first in a new series of podcasts- Scotland’s Missing Histories.

For the first episode I am throwing you all right in at the deep end too, with the story of James Connolly, one of Scotland and Ireland’s most thoroughgoing revolutionaries.

Connolly, born in Edinburgh, was involved in worker’s and revolutionary movements in Scotland, Ireland and the USA and there are enough similarities that it is possible to begin drawing comparisons with Thomas Paine.

I asked Jim Slaven of the James Connolly Society to take us through the story of his life, and give his opinion on why the life and writings of James Connolly are still relevant today.

Hope you enjoy…

You can download here if you right click THIS LINK and “save as”

You can listen to the show online at its web page or you can subscribe with itunes. We can alse be found on youtube and on facebook too.

These podcasts are independently minded and independently funded, you can help to keep them going by making a donation.

The Scottish Independence Podcast 72 – Labour For Indy

For the 72nd episode of The Scottish Independence Podcast I didn’t speak with anyone as in some of the episodes I like to bring you some of the recordings of the hundreds of Yes events going on around the country.

This one comes from a Labour For Indy event that was held a couple of months back. The speakers were, in this order, Allan Grogan, Jeane Freeman, Bob Thomson, Alex Mosson, Deborah Waters and Denis Canavan, and the whole thing was hosted by Elaine C Smith.

There’s a lot in there.

Hope you enjoy…

This is the direct download link (right click and save as)

You can listen to the show online at its web page

Or you can subscribe with itunes 

We are also now to be found on youtube

P.S. If you’d like to help this and the other podcasts keep going, please go here.

Second P.S. After seeing this rather fun piece of photobombing, there is no way I’m doing a Labour For Indy episode without putting it here.

The Scottish Independence Podcast 63 – Pete Ramand & James Foley

For the 63rd episode of the Scottish Independence Podcast I spoke with James Foley and Pete Ramand. James and Pete are the co-founders of the Radical Independence Campaign and authors of the new book Yes: The Radical Case for Independence. They’ve also been organising The Independence Lectures, along with Pluto Press.

We talked about their new book, the reasons for Independence contained therein and what we should be looking to do after a Yes vote.

We also talked about what the Radical Independence Campaign have got coming up, particularly in terms of voting registration.

One of my cats seemed to want to get in on the act at the beginning of the show too.

Hope you enjoy.

This is the direct download link (right click and save as)

You can listen to the show online at its web page

Or you can subscribe with itunes 

We are also now to be found on youtube

P.S. If you’d like to help this and the other podcasts keep going, please go here.

‘Know’ Your Place – 3

The third in the controversial ‘Know’ Your Place series of posters from Better Together…

Don’t Call Me Hero

“I vividly remember the stories my Grandfather told me about the carnage of the First World War, which people tend to forget was one of the worst massacres in human history.” – Antonio Tabucchi

“War is hell, and those who institute it are criminals. Were there even anything to say for it, it should not be said; for its spiritual disasters far outweigh any of its advantages.” – Siegfreid Sassoon 

If you are in need of an antidote to some of the WW1 events that the UK government is organising right now in the name of righteous britishness™ this might be the event for you…

I vividly remember the stories my grandfather told me about the carnage of the First World War, which people tend to forget was one of the worst massacres in human history.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/first_world_war.html#x2icUgYUklovgIQi.99

Saturday Matinee 34 – The Cheviot The Stag & the Black Black Oil

I have to confess I had never even heard of this until recently, which is a shame because it appears I missed the unmissable.

I think if you make the time to watch this you’ll be stunned at how much of it is still relevant at this precise moment in time.

There’s also a rather interesting line in there about The Scotsman newspaper.

Saturday Matinee 33 – The Fog Of War

The Fog Of War – 11 Lessons From the Life of Robert S.McNamara

McNamara was the Defense Secretary under JFK and Lyndon Johnson and was later at the World Bank.

And before you ask, it isn’t exactly a glowing tribute.

They Won’t Be Repeating This

This is a must watch.

It’s a documentary documenting the history of obstructions placed in the way of the Scottish Independence movement by successive Tory and Labour governments through the years.

If you haven’t seen it, watch it now. If you have seen it, watch it again.