Labour faces a crucial test as it looks for a new leader after such a crushing general election defeat - the worst since 1935: will it learn the lessons of the past?
Where is our sense of community?
My late uncle Stewart was a sign writer with Aberdeen Corporation, as the Council was called then.
At last Scotland has become the first in the UK to join other more enlightened countries like Sweden, Norway, Austria Finland and Denmark and banned the smacking of children.
It has been said the dogs are man’s best friend. I presume that goes for women too although somebody did once say “diamonds are a girl's best friend".
Summertime is here again. Long hot sunny days. (Well mostly).
In my life, I consider myself to have been very fortunate. I have only been in hospital, with any degree of seriousness, on three occasions - excluding the day I was born of course!
I love the brashness of America.
I was standing at a bus stop in Portlethen when I spoke to a young guy who had just finished his first day at work.
I had an interesting experience whilst shopping this week. The assistant who served me, kept referring to me as “Mannie” in the good old north-east dialect.
Over my life time I have met many volunteers, without whom our city, and indeed our country would grind to a halt.
Well the season of goodwill to all is well and truly behind us now - and nowhere is that more obvious than on our roads.
All my working life I have preferred working with female bosses.
On 26th March 2006, Scotland, under the leadership of Labour First minister Jack McConnell, showed it was one of the most enlightened countries in Europe when the Scottish Government introduced a ban on cigarette smoking in public enclosed places.