American Carnage

Twin City carnage

"This American carnage stops right here and stops right now." Donald Trump Inauguration Speech, 20 January 2017.

Fake news is what he would call it if delivered by any other commentator but as the stench of the fires and fury following the Minneapolis murder percolate through the United States, there is that moment when the citizens of America can finally say, "Gotcha".

Like many others, I had doubted that someone with such a loose understanding of ethics and so lacking in humanity or empathy as Donald Trump could survive more than two years. I also hoped that the damage he wreaked might be possible to rectify, although not by Vice President Mike Pence. The United States still had a reputation as "the land of the free", although its failure to address inequalities, the dominant force of its global corporations, its interference in foreign affairs, and the sale of weapons to autocratic regimes were all corroding the goodwill from many nations. Trump's time in office has simply turbo charged these characteristics and the increasingly dysfunctional constitution has made America not 'Great Again' but generated an antipathy from citizens around the world as well as undermining global institutions such as the United Nations, the World Health Organisation and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In the years since Trump's election, I have been gratified by that noblest of gestures by many Americans that I have met in the UK or when on holiday in France and Italy. They have apologised for their President and spoken with a refreshing frankness about the rancour that exists in their beloved country. I feel privileged to have enjoyed its remarkable landscapes and witnessed the scale of human endeavour in the States but it is not somewhere that I would contemplate visiting again as it trashes its environment, violates the dignity of many of its citizens, encourages more firearms and worships Mammon, whilst hiding behind a mask of Christianity.

As ever, the hope for some restitution lies in the good sense of many of its states, cities and counties when they are empowered to act independently from the behemoths of the American Constitution. Many of them have shown an understanding of Coronavirus that eludes the warped mindset of the President and his followers. In the past we have been assured that the American Constitution would provide the checks on the power of the President; that myth has been exploded by President Trump. It is time to eliminate the stranglehold of Corporate America and their lobbyists who have furloughed democracy by bankrolling the elections of the President, Congress and Senate. This charade of sponsored federal elections demeans and diminishes the democratic rights of its citizens.

Apocalypse Now in Minneapolis

What Now after Covid?

Who knows how or when this will end? Badly, yes and Bigly too. I have been working with some former colleagues producing a paper on the need for mutuality and localism to be the key values as we try to rebuild, or more likely, reinvent our communities. The prospects are grim for the economy. Millions of people have lost their jobs and thousands of businesses have lost their customers or are left with obsolete products or services. But like the banking crisis of a decade ago, there is the danger that government will put the protection of its funders and their lobbyists first.

As well as the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland setting their own timetable for how and when lockdown should be eased, the northern cities and towns are beginning to challenge the confusing proposals emerging from the government. There is also a clamour from workers and businesses to be engaged in drawing up proposals so that they have a stake in how to safeguard workers as the economy reopens. The lack of transparency of decision making so far has been mendacious and has destroyed the trust in the government. Simply saying that "we are following the science" no longer convinces a sceptical public who are reading and hearing the said scientists challenging the government's blandishments.

Leaving aside the issue of easing lockdown, there are some far more significant issues that will need to be tackled as the estimated deficit in the UK is now running at over £337bn for the year. It is estimated that the GDP could collapse by as much as 25%, which is ten times higher than ever previously recorded. Already the debate has begun about the possibility of further public expenditure cuts or tax increases across the board. Promises of "we will do whatever it takes to beat the pandemic" are beginning to sound like unfulfilled pledges as many businesses and councils are now discovering.

At the same time there is a realisation by people that the improvement in air quality, a reduction in noise levels, the elimination of traffic congestion, kindness and mutual aid in local communities and more friendly, caring and respectful personal relationships are worth keeping. This is one of those rare epoch moments when massive change in how we live is possible. There is a strong desire to avoid reverting to 'normal ways' and to reap the harvest of new ways of working, learning, travelling and socialising that have been sown during the lockdown. Putting the quality of life, health and wellbeing above the pursuit of money, material possessions and status, aspirations that have dominated groupthink in recent decades, could be the long term prize in the search for a happier and less fretful society.

The Prize

Commuting without vehicle pollution

Another main cause of pollution

There have been a number of developments during lockdown that will hopefully survive and thrive in a post Covid epoch.

• Working from home or a local hub that provides workspaces and the tools of conviviality.
• Communicating and meetings online, saving unnecessary journeys and time.
• Commuting less often and at more flexible times.
• Learning online for children and students as part of a wider syllabus that requires face to face contact.
• More engagement, management and mutual aid by communities.
• Greater health awareness.
• Online shopping and deliveries.
• Less dependency on fossil fuels through commuting and travel reductions and a switch to e-bikes and e-vehicles and that should include buses and delivery vans
• Production and consumption of more locally produced food through local delivery networks
• The kindness of strangers
• Debasing of money as the currency for success or happiness.

Euston, we have a problem - social distancing

Meetings, quicker and cheaper

But there are difficult decisions that will need to be taken to safeguard some of the benefits of lockdown and to source the funding for the cost of furloughing the workforce, cancelling business rates and paying for the health and care costs of the pandemic. There are already a number of academic papers evaluating the options with the Oxford Smith School.of Enterprise and the Environment bringing together many of the findings. Translating some of these findings into policies will require a far more rigorous analysis by academia but here are a some things I would start with; the aim being for greener, fairer and more equal outcomes.

1. Abandon the Heathrow expansion, air travel will be greatly reduced by travel restrictions, higher fares and customer confidence. Featherbedding the air industries according to the academic studies is the least sustainable of all policies.
2. Cancel HS2, there will be less long-distance commuting with home working and online meetings. What is needed is a railway network with modernised signalling, new rolling stock and a more rapid upgrading of lines in the north.
3. Increase the carbon tax on fuels for vehicles and planes to offset the reduced fuel tax revenues resulting from the reduction in travel. The collapse of oil prices should ensure that there will be minimal inflation costs.
4. Introduce an online shopping tax to give some protection to local shops
5. Create carbon-free vehicle only zones in town and city centres to consolidate the environmental benefits achieved during lockdown.
6. Reduce journey to work peaks by encouraging 4-day working weeks.
7. Re-introduce renewable energy subsidies to revive investment in sustainable technologies.
8. Legislate for a living wage and workers rights including holiday and sick pay.
9. Engineer a more progressive tax regime to address the inequalities that have been magnified by the COVID crisis
10. Protect local and UK businesses from acquisition by overseas corporations and hedge funds at meltdown prices during the pending economic recession.

I am sure that Michael Gove and the rest of the mythical ministers responsible for government would find reason to dismiss all of these suggestions, which would be an endorsement in itself.

Gargunnock Hills

Gargunnock Hills on left

Wednesday 6 May 2020

Thornhill to Ballochleam by bike, return     22 kilometres

Ballochleam to Gargunnock Hills walk       11 kilometres

It was the best day of the year so far and too good for gardening. The Gargunnock hills are visible from the house although too distant for even a long walk. I took the bike, crossing the carse to the A811. There was a significant increase in the traffic on the roads from my previous cycle rides in recent weeks, obviously there was less staying at home and a lot more people exercising their vehicles. The road from the Inch of Leckie to Fintry is the best of rural routes, climbing steadily alongside the Boquan Burn that is deeply incised into the soft red sandstone and hosts a beautiful mixed woodland that echoed with birdsong. It was a hard pedal to Ballochleam where the track to the Gargunnock Hills begins.

I ditched the bike and began the 3 kilometre walk up to the Spout of Ballochleam. The gorse was at its most decorative and the fields full of lambs, buzzards were patrolling the cloudless skies. I briefly thought about climbing more directly to Lees Hill but Standmilane Craig looked difficult to penetrate and why torture myself with a steep slog up through newly planted forest to save 3 kilometres when I could follow a path to the summit.

From the Spout of Ballochleam a gravel track heads south east towards the Earlsburn Wind Farm and after 300 metres a grass spur heads north to Lees Hill. The views north were sparklingly clear and the bird life was in full flutter. Every few minutes there was a bang like gunfire but there was nobody about. I thought at first it may be the distant wind turbines starting up in the gentle breeze but it was too close. Whether it was a recorded noise to keep the birds away from the wind turbines I am not sure but the noise seemed to emanate from a position on the moorland about 500 metres south of Lees Hill. Veering from the path to establish what was the source of the sound was not an option in lockdown. I continued north eastward from Lees Hill until the track began to peter out before stopping for some drink and to admire the views towards the mountains to the north and west.

The return was by the same route and as I descended the track from the Spout of Ballochleam a mountain biker was pedalling up the track.  We had a five minute conversation. It was friendly and respectful, similar to all other conversations that I have had in the period of lockdown. We kept a good distance apart, shared our thoughts on what was happening, appreciated  the peace and calmness that prevailed and talked of the positive vibes of living in such a tranquil and beautiful environment. He was a joiner who normally lived in Glasgow but was staying with his parents during the lockdown. He had never had the chance to explore the area in such depth before and was considering moving out of the  city once this was over.

I reached the bike and there was no need to pedal as I descended the 4 kilometres back to the main road. During the mile or so back to the roundabout I was passed by over 40 vehicles travelling at speed, Nicola's message to only make essential journeys had been lost in the translation of the word "essential". There again it had taken me a lot longer than an hour for my daily exercise and I was not sure whether I could carry forward my unused exercise allowance from a couple of days in the previous week. The guidelines on lockdown are capable of many interpretations but the key ones to my mind are to stay local and observe social distancing if by chance you do pass anyone or engage in conversation.

Road above Boquhan Glen

Boquhan Bridge

Track to Ballochleam, Lees Hill beyond

Earlburn Wind Farm

Looking north from Lees Hill

Ballochleam skyline

Easter Glinns, Ben Ledi and Ben Vorlich

Snow on Stob Binnein and Ben More

Back to the bike

Running or is that Jogging Again

Ben Ledi and Highland cow

The last couple of years has seen my running collapse from 50miles a month to averaging only 3 or 4 runs per month and this dropped even further this year with only a handful of runs before and during lockdown. There are several reasons, fewer off road routes in the immediate vicinity of the new house, sore feet, back ache from too much heavy garden work, and just the slowness that comes with age.

I have managed to walk and cycle most days during lockdown including several excursions up local hills but until yesterday I had not found the motivation to run. I had to visit the pharmacy in Aberfoyle so took the opportunity to take my daily exercise round one of my old regular routes, about eight kilometres. It was a slow start but after a mile or so I found a comfortable pace and kept going without too much difficulty. It lifted my spirits to such an extent that I was up early today to run an easy 4 kilometres along local track in the clear morning light. Even such a modest outing sharpens the appetite and the mind but do I have the determination to keep going?

The Goodie Water

Agricultural views

The track to Moss-side