Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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At least CalMac ferries can shut their bow-doors to prevent becoming another Herald of Free Enterprise

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A Washington State roll-on, roll-off (RORO) ferry, with no bow doors. What can happen in Washington State: Ferries are one of the most efficient modes of transportation for transporting goods or people over short water distances. That doesn’t mean they’re protected from the elements. A video showing how seawater entered a ferry in Washington shocked social networks this week. In this 1 minute and 14 second video, you can see how water filled part of the boat called the M/V Issaquah due to strong waves, an incident that occurred in northeastern Washington state. The ferry was heading to Anacortes near … Continue reading At least CalMac ferries can shut their bow-doors to prevent becoming another Herald of Free Enterprise

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Why are BBC Scotland’s ‘ageing ferries’ far younger than Washington State’s ‘ageing ferries?’

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From King-TV Seattle today: Washington State Ferries (WSF) received $4.8 million in federal funding to refurbish six aging boats in its fleet, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell announced Wednesday. The federal grant will pay for upgrades on WSF’s Issaquah Class Vessels, originally constructed between 1979 and 1982. The vessels currently serve travellers on the Fauntleroy-Southworth-Vashon, Mukilteo-Clinton, and Anacortes-San Juan Islands routes. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/washington-state-ferries-receives-4-8-million-in-federal-funding-for-passenger-area-upgrades/ar-AA1kKmpQ?ocid=asudhp Meanwhile, in Scotland, from BBC Scotland in May 2022: The problem with CalMac’s ageing ferries. Announcements that Caledonian MacBrayne ferries have been withdrawn from service for repairs are becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Most islands in the west … Continue reading Why are BBC Scotland’s ‘ageing ferries’ far younger than Washington State’s ‘ageing ferries?’

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Listening to Alex Cole Hamilton is like pulling your own teeth

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Alex Cole Hamilton – leader of the 5th biggest party gets another platform to misleadingly attack the SNP. Tonight, he even claims, and STV don’t challenge it, that declines in dentists doing NHS treatment is leading to people buying tools on Amazon to do dentistry themselves. So, first, the availability of dentistry in Scotland: 95.4% of the Scottish population were registered with an NHS dentist as at 30 September 2022. Nearly all adults living in the most deprived areas were registered with an NHS dentist in September 2022, compared to 91.9% in the least deprived areas. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/dental-statistics-registration-and-participation/dental-statistics-nhs-registration-and-participation-24-january-2023 Meanwhile in England: Thousands of children … Continue reading Listening to Alex Cole Hamilton is like pulling your own teeth

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Lessons From Australia on Scotland’s NHS 

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By Fraser Grant The Scottish media gave a lot of coverage to Dr Michael Mrozinski who told BBC Reporting Scotland on Thursday that blaming Covid for NHS failings was just spin.  This was eagerly picked up by The Scotsman (1) which then ran an editorial on Saturday headlined “Australia punctures SNP spin about NHS crisis” (2). However, the Australian health system is not as rosy as portrayed by Dr Michael Mrozinski, as a Victoria University publication on 15 December 2023 on the dire nursing shortage (3)  stated that “recent COVID-19 pandemic tested the resolve of many – if not most – nurses, with … Continue reading Lessons From Australia on Scotland’s NHS 

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‘Bent out of shape from society’s pliers cares not to come up any higher but rather get you down in the hole that he’s in’

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Accidentally hearing to Bob Dylan’s ‘It’s alright mama, I’m only bleeding‘, from 59 years ago, an image of James Cook (above) of BBC Scotland popped unpleasantly into my mind: While one who sings with his tongue on fireGargles in the rat race choirBent out of shape from society’s pliersCares not to come up any higherBut rather get you down in the holeThat he’s in Is there anything more boring than old gits quoting Bob Dylan to younger folk when some current controversy pops his words into his mind? Do I care? Does Bob have some words for how little I … Continue reading ‘Bent out of shape from society’s pliers cares not to come up any higher but rather get you down in the hole that he’s in’

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HIV and Hepatitis C – The blood scandal reveals how a submissive Labour Government in Holyrood will never act in the interest of Scots

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Headlining on BBC Wales today, a BBC Wales investigation of the kind BBC Scotland and it’s Disclosure team will never tackle: When 10-month-old Colin Smith contracted HIV after receiving contaminated blood, his parents’ house was daubed with “Aids dead”. His father was also forced to leave his job. Now 34 years on from his death from Aids at the age of seven, his family are facing another injustice. A BBC investigation has found Prof Arthur Bloom, the doctor who gave Colin infected imported blood product Factor VIII, broke his own rules to do so. Just three months earlier, Prof Bloom’s … Continue reading HIV and Hepatitis C – The blood scandal reveals how a submissive Labour Government in Holyrood will never act in the interest of Scots

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Arran ferry users should beware of what they hope for – a similar crossing in Canada costs nearly THREE times as much

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By Professor John Robertson The 14 mile ferry crossing from Prince Edward Island’s Wood Island ferry terminal to Caribou in Nova Scotia, Canada, takes 75 minutes and costs $94 [£75] for a standard car. The similar 13 mile crossing from Ardrossan to Brodick, Arran, takes 55 minutes and costs only £25.50 for a standard car with two passengers. How can this be? Is that SNP government subsidising the Arran crossing by a huge amount to help those sometimes ungrateful islanders? There are 157 000 people on Prince Edward Island and 5 000 on Arran. There is a PEI bridge but … Continue reading Arran ferry users should beware of what they hope for – a similar crossing in Canada costs nearly THREE times as much

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Lorry driver ignores bridge weight limit, who you gonna blame? BBC Scotland ask ‘Did the Scottish Government build the bridge?’

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By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Bob Lamont for alerting me to this: Lorry damage puts CalMac ferry out of action BBC Scotland note: CalMac told ferry users the damage was caused by “large commercial vehicles” whose weight exceeds the ramp’s design load, but it has been unable to identify which lorries were to blame. Who’s to blame, children? Yes, the lying lorry driver and the lorry owners. What do BBC Scotland suggest instead? Cumbrae Ferry Users Group held a public meeting to discuss the ferry problems on Tuesday, attended by 130 people – about 10% of the island’s population. … Continue reading Lorry driver ignores bridge weight limit, who you gonna blame? BBC Scotland ask ‘Did the Scottish Government build the bridge?’

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If you claim free prescriptions that you’re not entitled to, you could have to pay a penalty charge of up to £100 – in one of the 4 nations

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stewartb I stumbled across an online article from the ‘UK edition’ of The Sun dated 5 April with this headline: ‘DRUG DEAL Brits face having to make ‘unbearable’ decisions ahead of NHS prescription charge rise next month – The exact amount your prescription will rise by and who is exempt from charges.’ The main news is that ‘Charges for prescriptions will increase by 2.59 per cent as of May 1, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced.’ There are a less serious remark to be made about the piece and a wider and more serious observation. Throughout the … Continue reading If you claim free prescriptions that you’re not entitled to, you could have to pay a penalty charge of up to £100 – in one of the 4 nations

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BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight -‘Unreliable ferry services causing huge stress’

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By Professor John Robertson From BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight today: A ferry operator has cancelled several high-speed services across the Solent due to staff shortages. Red Funnel confirmed its Red Jet service between Southampton and Cowes, Isle of Wight would not be running due to “limited availability of crew”. It is the latest in a series of cancellations, with the most recent happening in March due to an “unexpected technical issue”. Passengers told the BBC in February that the unreliable ferry services were causing “huge stress”. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-68795557 No staff? Unexpected technical issues? No service? Now that’s a ferry fiasco, friends. It’s hard … Continue reading BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight -‘Unreliable ferry services causing huge stress’