Consensus is catching
They're talking about drink at Holyrood. And here's a novelty: they're talking calmly, quietly and with an eye towards agreement.
Notably striking is the cordial atmosphere of , between Nicola Sturgeon and Cathy Jamieson.
Their speeches were complementary - and complimentary.
They acknowledged there were differences between them - not least over the legality and practicality of minimum pricing where Labour is sceptical.
But the emphasis was overwhelmingly on the search for compromise. Indeed, in co-ordinated fashion, Labour will back the SNP amendment in today's debate, having tabled identical wording of their own.
Said amendment talks of tackling harmful drinking in a "workable and properly targeted" fashion while ensuring that the "responsible, sensible majority of moderate drinkers are not unnecessarily penalised."
So what's going on? Other than an authentic desire to tackle a substantial problem, I believe two factors are at play.
Sundry justice
Firstly, consensus is catching. The - eventual - search for a deal over the budget set a model for further bargaining between the two big parties, reflecting the arithmetic in the chamber where the SNP are the largest party but Labour are just a "bawhair" behind, as Kenny Gibson would undoubtedly say.
Secondly, this issue is now to be tackled by a Health Bill, rather than via sundry justice provisions.
The difference? The emphasis shifts imperceptibly towards helping people with a problem rather than penalising folk who cause problems.
The Health Committee which will scrutinise the bill may be swayed by their stakeholders, such as the medical profession.
It is important to note that this is a potential bargain between the SNP and Labour, between the Scottish Government and their principal opponents.
They have not involved the other parties: the Tories who are and the Liberal Democrats who were teased in the chamber today about their seeming variety of views on the issue.
What might emerge? Entirely understandably, far from clear at this point. The Bill will undergo full Parliamentary scrutiny - involving full public and stakeholder consultation.
But ministers are just a little more confident than they were that substantial elements of their revised programme will make it to the statute book.
I'm 
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