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Dogfood: Simon Brooke's blog

Politics

I'm someone who lives in an area of Scotland that the European Union classifies as 'remote rural', on a coast polluted by the effluent of Windscale/Sellafield/Leafy Meadows or whatever they're calling it today. It's not surprising that I'm interested in rural policy, land ownership policy and ecology.

I'm also someone who writes, both software and stories, so it's not surprising that I'm interested in so-called 'intellectual property'.

For me one key issue links these apparently disparate interests: the enclosure of the commons, the (all too often successful) attempt by powerful vested interests to seize communal resources and turn them into 'property'.

Medals, counting and chauvinism -- Sunday, 24 August, 2008
The British media - the BBC inter alia, although they may not be the worst offenders - have been making a big deal about 'Team GB' coming fourth in the 'medal table' as if that somehow reflected credit on the second most obese nation in the world, the nation of lard arsed couch potatoes whose nearest approach to athleticism is the five- metre waddle from the double yellow line to the pizza counter.
The best wee act of hegemony in the world -- Sunday, 9 December, 2007
I wrote some months ago about the size of Dumfries and Galloway, considered against the independent countries of the world. Now I'm taking that argument to Scotland. The Scottish national debate has been set too long in terms of Scotland's supposed 'small nation' status, and that's worse than a myth. It's a lie.
Fix the M8, mate? -- Wednesday, 14 November, 2007
Scotland's transport system is broken. Everyone agrees. But how to fix it?
Welcome to the Wendy House -- Monday, 20 August, 2007
Wendy Alexander has set out her programme for the Labour Party. I would have said 'the Scottish Labour Party', but, of course, there isn't one. And it shows.
Reform? -- Thursday, 14 June, 2007
I have the right to exclude the public not merely from the pavement outside my house, not merely from the street outside my house, but from the houses and gardens across the street and well into the field beyond. I have the right to exclude my neighbours, not merely on either side, but for the next twenty houses up both Main Street and Church Road.
Public life and private feuds -- Sunday, 10 June, 2007
Kirst Wark has, for many years, been one of Scotland's finest political journalists. Sadly, it does not seem that she is able to continue in that role.
Ballots, bollocks and balls-ups -- Wednesday, 9 May, 2007
Reports of spoilt papers in last Thursdays election seem greatly exaggerated.
Of Size, and Governance -- Thursday, 8 February, 2007
Quarter of all the nations and self governing territories in the world have a land area smaller than Dumfries and Galloway. Id this 'local' government?

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