by Anon
When we first met you talked of love, or rather I talked of love and you listened. It was more than a romance between us, romantic love is too narrow, you were everything to me, brother, sister, mother, father, teacher, student, son and daughter. You were all humanity to me, all that is good and true. When I was hungry you fed me, though you were poor, and when the wind bit you gave me shelter. You held my baby boy in your arms and filled him love. When I was inspired you listen to my elevated ideas, when I was in sorrow you offered me true friendship. We explored the City together, colourful streets opening up before our love struck eyes, we danced in the streets to the sound of pagan drums, we scaled Arthur’ Seat, and shook hands with the sky.

By Jamie Mann and Chris Sharp

The Royal Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh’s favourite international bank, went from being one of the largest banking groups in the world to a near-collapse in less than a decade. Bailed-out by the government and currently 83% taxpayer owned, one would hope that RBS is a responsible and customer-orientated bank; but is RBS “Here For You” or is it simply another corporate entity addicted to profit?

By Chris Sharp and Jamie Mann

The Essential Edinburgh Business Improvement District (BID) is the first of its kind in Edinburgh – a scheme started in 2008 when businesses voted ‘overwhelmingly’ in favour (Essential Edinburgh news – Summer 2008). If it is successful, we will likely see further districts being created in the Grassmarket, the West End and South Queensferry.

But is Essential Edinburgh as ‘essential’ as it claims?

By Iain Barrie (edited by Tavis Dunn)

So although no eviction order has been submitted and negotiations are still ongoing with both the Council and Essential Edinburgh it would seem they are bent on the vacation from St Andrew Square by Occupy Edinburgh. Perhaps in a less Orwellian Police State crackdown than some other unfortunate Occupies but then this is Edinburgh. The capital of one of the greatest wee nations on the planet. The Origin of the Enlightenment. A place of free thinking and rational reason. The birthplace of many a world changing invention. Not to mention the forerunner of today’s banking system and having the oldest Chartered Institute of Bankers established in 1875 (back when bankers did the job they were supposed to). And of course our own champion of The Enlightenment, Adam Smith, who firmly believed that the ‘invisible hand’ of the free market would lift all into prosperity if left to its own devices.

As much as free market capitalism has done for our planet and its people in terms of competition driving innovation and technology opening up worlds previously unknown, its hidden hand has not just been invisible, but non-existent.

By Chris Sharp and Jamie Mann

From the housing market crash to the embattled Eurozone, the financial crisis has dominated the headlines and caused people around the world to angrily take to the streets in peaceful protest. But what is there really to protest against? Why must we protest?