Mental Illness: First Hand Experience by Joel White

What is the meaning of life? From a lot of reflection and avoidance to some degree in writing this article I have finally reached appoint where I feel more able to be at one with my inner feelings of vulnerability whilst also reaching the full realisation that I beat mental illness.
Despite the pain, suffering, chaos, turmoil that I experienced before, during and after my ‘episode of mental illness’, I say with my hand on heart if I could turn back the clock, I would be more than happy to go through this experience again. REALLY I hear you think? Yes, really. Read more…

Music: The Bluesbrokers

The Bluesbrokers are a  group of seasoned Edinburgh based musicians performing with or without drums as a trio, 4 piece or 5 piece, The band plays classic blues (Freddy King, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf), rock (Free, Cream, Stones, Beatles, Neil Young) and original material. The classic line up of drums, acoustic and electric guitars, keys and bass is augmented by electric mandolin and cittern.

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How Accents Work by Lauren Hall Lew

The way we speak suggests to the world something about who we are: where we come from, what our gender is, what age group we’re in, and even what kind of job we might have. The parts of our identity that most define us are often marked most strongly in our accents and voices (whether we want them to be or not). Often, the aspects of our speech that do this social signalling can be very subtle. Read more…

Podcast: A Different Kind Of Humanity by Ciaran Healy

This is a recording of Ciaran Healy giving a talk on the philosophy he has developed. Ciaran spoke at the Ragged University event in Edinburgh on 10th July 2014.

A different kind of humanity covers a recap of lecture 1 in the serie; The fundamental mechanism underlying all amplified conflict; The sundering of cultural context through globalised communications; The untenable human – how humanity as it has been is no longer stable, or sustainable; Mysticism and the Eastern answer;The limits of militant peace; The painting and the palette – a metaphor for a new, high-impact humanity apart from divisive beliefs; and Flavour-based humanity. Read more…