One of the powerful things about protest movements is their “epiphanic power”: the way in which, by suspending the normality of obedience, they reveal hidden power structures and the way many institutions are ultimately rooted in violence, should persuasion fail.

I’m surrounded by people making the Christian/faith turn. I respect the “non-overlapping magisteria” of religion and science, as Stephen Jay Gould once put it. But it’s so not for me

Happy May Day!

Revoltingly punitive. Who could sit in a UK Gov paid-for editing suite and put this together?

Having an anarchist spasm about party-leadership contests, that look like…

Today, on International Worker’s Day, hundreds shut down BAE Systems in Glasgow to impose a 'people's arms embargo' on Israel.

🇵🇸 WATCH Cameron explain why the action is so important.

#Skotia

🚨 Ever since we raised money last year, I've been talking to a brilliant journalist in Glasgow about setting up a new title there. To do it, we need a second staff writer, so please get in touch if that's you. Given the drama of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 politics right now, the timing feels 👌.

Overcame my grumpiness at the Beltane event on Calton Hill last night, as the fire-sculptures sent countless embers flying out before the acropolis. Thanks to Association for Scottish Literature for this thread on the concept of “need-fire”. I presume we can also have a “need-tech”?

I don't often say this, but Kenny Farquharson is right: 'Yousaf’s first ministership conveyed a happy truth about modern Scotland, as did Sturgeon’s before him. Who our leaders are matters. What they believe matters. What they represent matters.' thetimes.co.uk/article/2fdc8a…

That’s a long fortnight in Scotland… though speaking my ‘back-to-basics’ reasons for indy at George Square, & noting the presence of “vampire squids” like JPMorgan Chase in Glasgow, may survive the headlines. Fully research-linked and open access here: patkane.substack.com/s/pk-in-the-na…

Cheered Quine Lesley on against Brillo, but I turned down a few speaking slots yesterday because I didn’t feel I had energy/skill to handle the thudding narrative. We need something like NEON’s Training Courses neweconomyorganisers.org/work/training except for Indy…

Quite the flamethrower from his niece

🚨 LAST CHANCE 🚨

Obvs lots going on ... seems like a good time to get a year of The National access for just £20 (it's the last few hours on the sale!)

Scottish politics isn't chilling out any time soon, and we'll be there every step of the way.

thenational.scot/politics/24285…

Our 40th anniversary year going pretty well…

Some anti-roaster fuel: dannydorling.org/?p=9658 (ht Adam Ramsay)

Why does “Carriage Drive”, the entry point to tonight’s Beltane Fire celebrations in Edinburgh , simply not show up in Google Maps? Can any locals help?