Princes Street Reopens
Buses back on Princes Street for a month or so to enable you all to consume more over Xmas in a pleasant environment.
Pic shows Tram workers posing for a celebratory picture.
:: | 10:23 pm |Save This Page | |
| (0) comments
:: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 ::
Tramtastic
There is a new way to see how late your bus will be due to weather/new driver not turning up/trams that is the EdinBus app for iPhone. Read the story at Greener Leith.
Meanwhile buses are set to return to Princes Street for the Xmas shopping binge. The Evening News quotes council leader Jenny Dawes being fairly upbeat "Walking along Princes Street I hear a lot of comments about trams. Before, the comments used to all be negative, with people saying they don't want the tram, but now I tend to hear people telling others all about it and taking ownership of the tram, which is what we want."
Whilst most of the comments seem to disagree with her in rather strong partisan terms, I think that people are beginning to visualise the city with trams running. Now some useful lines would be good, to the University and ERI or north to the Western General would be good. However with Council revenue from property sales collapsing and benefits payouts on the rise I wouldn't hold my breath.
:: | 8:47 pm |
:: Sunday, November 22, 2009 ::
Green wash
Edinburgh councillors have not had their worries to seek. Bin strikes, tram delays, the collapse of the property market, cuts in money from central government looming. But the ruling SNP/liberal coalition and their Labour and Tory rivals have not faced a great onslaught from the Greens who have only three.
In Brighton however things are a little different and in the face of a growing Green vote Tory councillors have banned the word Green. Check out the story at the Daily Maybe.Labels: edinburgh, greens, politics
:: | 4:56 pm |
:: Thursday, November 19, 2009 ::
Put the Kettle Off
Regarding other NATO protests in Edinburgh, have had some updates from someone studying the post-Tomlinson policing effort. After ploughshares activists were arrested for non-violent direct action there was a clampdown. The city was under a section 60 all weekend anyway. Activists, many of them elderly, protesting at a speech of the NATO secretary-general at Edinburgh University were kettled. One anonymous poster on Indymedia Scotland complained of being "dragged and thrown over barriers and down steps".
Hugo Gorringe of Edinburgh University who studied the 2005 G8 protests in Edinburgh reported:
"The protestors asked repeatedly what law they were being held under and were told variously that they were being detained to ‘prevent a breach of the peace’ and that ‘their association with the activists arrested that morning’ made them suspicious. One of the key recommendations of the G20 reports was that ‘there needs to be an exit strategy for those contained’ and that there needs to be good communication and consideration of facilities like food, water, shelter, toilet facilities and medical aid (HMIC 2009: 44). In this instance the legal provisions offered by the catch-all breach of the peace legislation were used to detain a group of some 15 people (hardly a public order problem) for two and half hours."
They were then released, but police followed them to the Elephant House Cafe and instructed staff to make sure the exits were sealed! In case they were trying to pull a quick getaway you understand.
:: | 9:13 pm |
:: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 ::
Homework Robot
Liked this add for the Positive About Science campaign stenciled or otherwise stuck on somehow to the pavements outside my local school. There were two variants I spotted. The idea seems to be to get kids interested in a science career. Pay attention kids.
:: | 10:39 pm |
:: Saturday, November 14, 2009 ::
Troops Out Demo
The NATO summit being held in Edinburgh has attracted a number of protests. The low turnout at some seems to be a direct result of the cloak and dagger tactics of the organisers. One friend reports an attempt to attend a demo on Friday, he was told to await a text, and also given a number where a message would be left giving details of the protest. He waited in a cafe, but half an hour before the advertised start time for the demo no text had arrived. He called the number, there was a message...informing him to wait for another message. Eventually he called home and got his partner to check the web where he finally found the details had been posted. Twenty protesters were at the rally point.
The demo organised by the Stop the War coalition, the Scottish Afghan Society and Scottish CND was rather better trailed, and attended although mostly by East Coasters with Glaswegians concentrating on their successful opposition to the unpleasant 'SDL'. The demonstration marched through Edinburgh calling for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.NATO Summit demo, Edinburgh 14.11.2009 from Alister Black on Vimeo.
Labels: antiwar, demonstration, edinburgh, nato, politics
:: | 6:39 pm |
:: Sunday, November 08, 2009 ::
No Easy Way Down
Live, Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire, Saturday 7th November.
Mark Eitzel's return to Edinburgh saw him on absolutely phenomenal form. I think he really is better than he has ever been vocally.
Support came from Franz Nicolay of the Hold Steady whose highly theatrical turn with guitar and accordian went down well.
Eitzel began with 'I left my heart in San Francisco' moving into a series of songs about his home city including 'Mission Rock Resort', a song that once inspired me to take an ill-advised tour of SF's less salubrious neighbourhoods. Comic and self-deprecating Eitzel has the spirit of Jacques Brel and an immense talent, though he probably would never accept that.
Ending with vintage tune 'Nightwatchman' he left the audience roaring for more.Labels: livemusic, markeitzel
:: | 8:28 pm |
:: Thursday, November 05, 2009 ::
Remember, remember.
Was looking for this graphic all night. Found it at the Forbidden Planet blog.Labels: alanmoore, comics, guyfawkes
:: | 9:42 pm |
:: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 ::
The Unthanks
Saw the Unthanks live at Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms, 26th October 2009. They are the fine folkies previously known as Rachel Unthank and the Winterset whom I reviewed here. There were a lot more of them on stage than last time I saw them. Around ten musicians struggled to fit on the stage. Amplification was hardly necessary in the intimate setting of the Voodoo Rooms. However the delicacy of the songs shone through. I can highly recommend their album Here's the Tender Coming.
Also loved the support act, Jonny Kearney and Lucy Farrell.
:: | 9:34 pm |
