Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Scotland has one of shortest gynaecology waiting lists but gets BBC Scotland’s bad news while Northern Ireland with more than twice as many waiting doesn’t seem to need to know that

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By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland’s and BBC Northern Ireland’s main pages above – spot the difference? Should Northern Ireland be told this? Maybe fewer women there are being left in pain? See this from the BBC Health report: Wow? BBC England is not covering the story. BBC Wales is, as they should, but why is BBC Scotland’s news editor choosing it, given the above graph? Is this just more of the thinking behind yesterday’s rape fake news? See: Today, the BBC Scotland News Editor (James Cook) chooses to include 2 rape reports in the 7 top stories. BBC England, Wales and Northern … Continue reading Scotland has one of shortest gynaecology waiting lists but gets BBC Scotland’s bad news while Northern Ireland with more than twice as many waiting doesn’t seem to need to know that

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Scotland’s oil and gas revenues, even ten years after we were told it was running out, are still FOUR TIMES that of Guyana’s apparently ‘mind-boggling oil wealth’

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By Professor John Robertson OBA In 2022, the South American country Guyana produced $7.5 billion in oil and gas revenues.1 In the same year, Scotland produced $31.8 billion in oil and gas revenues.2 Today, in the Guardian: Hundreds of thousands of Guyana citizens living at home and abroad will receive a payout of around £370 each after the country announced it was distributing its “mind-boggling” oil wealth.3 If $7.7bn is ‘mindboggling’ then what is $31.8 bn, especially when we were told it was soon to run out? Sources: Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of the OBA (Oliver Brown Award) at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/shop/ The Oliver Brown … Continue reading Scotland’s oil and gas revenues, even ten years after we were told it was running out, are still FOUR TIMES that of Guyana’s apparently ‘mind-boggling oil wealth’

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The SNP can win again if they learn from the US Democrat’s defeat – don’t respond to opposition ‘facts’, frame the argument as strength and do not move to the right as that only convinces voters that the right has better ideas

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I’m grateful to stewartb for alerting me to this: How could so many people vote for someone who does not have their best interests at heart? Because people don’t necessarily vote their self-interest. Instead, they vote their values. Moving forward, Democrats must stop making these superficial, last-minute lurches toward Republican ideas. They must frame the case not as left or right, but for the people and the public good. Moving to the right only convinces voters that the right has better ideas. It’s a desperate short-term strategy with harmful long-term consequences. These two quotes are from Some lessons of the … Continue reading The SNP can win again if they learn from the US Democrat’s defeat – don’t respond to opposition ‘facts’, frame the argument as strength and do not move to the right as that only convinces voters that the right has better ideas

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Why facts don’t change our minds but framing does

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By stewartb Intuitively ‘facts’ should form a key part of informing, rebutting and changing views, but what impact do ‘facts’ actually have on voting intentions? There are many studies of human behaviour in elections in western democracies – albeit mostly focused on the USA – that, worryingly, question the role played by ‘facts’. As one example, a review of some leading academic studies published in New Yorker magazine in 2017 had this headline: ‘Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds – New discoveries about the human mind show the limitations of reason.’ Here are some extracts to give a sense of its content: I’d … Continue reading Why facts don’t change our minds but framing does

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Helen Puttick, ‘Scottish Health Correspondent’ in her Times article appears to be intent on misinforming readers and voters

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By stewartb From the disingenuous article in the Times yesterday: ‘In England Wes Streeting is demanding change in return for extra funding.’ What change? Something called ‘zero-tolerance’ and the introduction of ‘league tables’! Source: Nuffield Trust – ‘responds to announcement of new “zero tolerance for failure” NHS reforms‘ Press release November 13. ‘.. there is a danger the actions announced by the Secretary of State will worsen some of the patterns that got us into this mess. We know from the special measures for quality regime that “naming and shaming” NHS trusts can make it harder to recruit staff, which doesn’t help patient … Continue reading Helen Puttick, ‘Scottish Health Correspondent’ in her Times article appears to be intent on misinforming readers and voters

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Has a 73 year-old, part-time OCD, retired prof, beaten the Herald into submission as they scuttle their troubled ferry fiasco newsletter?

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By Captain Professor John Robertson OBA Where’s the link to the Herald’s much-vaunted Ferries Newsletter? From TuS reader Stephen McKenzie, today: Slightly off topic, but the Heralds “Scotland’s Ferries” tab at the top of their on-line version seems to be missing these days? Ok, I know that when you clicked it, it took you to any topic unrelated to ferries, but that was part of its fun appeal. Good question. Gooood question. It’s not in the banner. It’s not listed as a newsletter at: https://www.heraldscotland.com/newsletters/ Has Captain Maritime Williams of the BS Herald gone down? With his ‘ship?’ I’ve written nearly 170 … Continue reading Has a 73 year-old, part-time OCD, retired prof, beaten the Herald into submission as they scuttle their troubled ferry fiasco newsletter?

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Winner of ‘fake health news’ award churns out ‘fake health news ‘ on NHS Scotland to hide its clear-cut superiority

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Helen Puttick, ‘Scottish Health Correspondent’, above, winner the 2023 Sarah Hughes Trust Prize ‘for journalism that exposes misleading health information’ was in the Times on Saturday past with: SNP’s failure to reform has left NHS in Scotland flatlining. In England Wes Streeting is demanding change in return for extra funding but north of the border the service continues to stagnate under Neil Gray. As Neil Gray, Scottish health secretary, defended his chauffeur-driven trips to watch his favourite football team this week, frontline medical staff in Scotland wondered if there may yet be another changing of the guard. … Continue reading Winner of ‘fake health news’ award churns out ‘fake health news ‘ on NHS Scotland to hide its clear-cut superiority

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Rape – how ‘your’ media choose to make you feel and how you feel affects how you vote

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Today, the BBC Scotland News Editor (James Cook) chooses to include 2 rape reports in the 7 top stories. BBC England, Wales and Northern Ireland have none. Will that just be because there were none to report? There were 67 928 reported rape offences in England and Wales last year.1 There were 294 reported rapes and attempted rapes (rape offences) in Scotland, in the same year.2 There were, thus, 231 times (67 928 / 294) as many rape offences in England in Wales and even per head of population, rape offences were (231/11) 21 times as many. … Continue reading Rape – how ‘your’ media choose to make you feel and how you feel affects how you vote

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The Arran ferry service is one of the best in the world and the Mail’s Jonathon Brocklebank’s account is ill-informed, politicised, gossip

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By Professor John Robertson, Genuine Ferry Correspondent From Jonathon Brocklebank of the ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail, today: People rely on the ferries to get on and off Arran. But the SNP’s ruinous handling of our lifeline service means that it is simply no longer fit for purpose Here’s what he missed: First, The MV Caledonian Isles was taken off the Arran/Ayrshire (Ardrossan or Troon) service and replaced by the MV Alfred to partner the MV Isle of Arran. There has been 1 cancellation, with these two vessels in the last 100 sailings – 99% reliable.  https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=27%2F09%2F2024 The brand new MV Glen Sannox … Continue reading The Arran ferry service is one of the best in the world and the Mail’s Jonathon Brocklebank’s account is ill-informed, politicised, gossip

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Affluent Washington State has only 15 out of 21 ferries serviceable and new ferries will not arrive till 2028 – CalMac has 32 out of 34 in service and four arriving this year or next for a smaller population

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By Professor John Robertson, International Ferry Correspondent From King TV, Seattle, USA, today: Residents said they are thankful for the ferries and they are special to the area. But the shortage of boats can cause issues. Right now, three routes are not running at full service and sometimes ferries need to be moved around to help fill gaps. “That puts us in trouble when we’re trying to get back and forth all the time and they’re down a ferry, then it’s backed up at the ferry terminal, so that gets to be a pain,” said Judy Lindquist, a Port Orchard … Continue reading Affluent Washington State has only 15 out of 21 ferries serviceable and new ferries will not arrive till 2028 – CalMac has 32 out of 34 in service and four arriving this year or next for a smaller population