The Herald’s Martin Williams should know the difference between ‘news’ and history. Today he has: CalMac defends record in wake of ‘spiralling’ ferry cancellations. Ferry operator CalMac has defended its record after new figures revealed “spiralling” cancellations impacting lifeline ferry services to island communities. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23750458.calmac-defends-record-wake-spiralling-ferry-cancellations/?ref=ebln&nid=1220&u=54f15f1382a35160f5f9fbd9de82faff&date=280823 Non-weather related cancellations fell from a peak of 5,805 in 2021-22, to 4,620 in 2022-23. If Williams were reporting last year at this time he might reasonably point to an increase. That would be ‘the news’ last year but it’s not now because ‘the news’ is that they’re fallen by more than 20%. Also, ‘the … Continue reading CalMac cancellations are ‘spiralling’ but downwards and threaten no lifelines

Labour’s attempt to deflect from their inner crisis has prompted a Freedom of Information request to scrape the bottom of the Clyde estuary for something anything they can chuck via the media in Scotland. Reporting Scotland gleefully added the story last night but don’t seem to have it written-up, sorry, copied and pasted into their website yet. Why the Morning Star should be helping the Labour campaign escapes me. Key points covered: Non-weather related cancellations rose from 1,371 in 2017-18 to a peak of 5,805 in 2021-22, before dropping last year. There were 4,620 sailings axed for reasons not related … Continue reading Ferry cancellations fall by massive 20% in one year to offer 97.2% reliability for islanders

Prof Lindsay Paterson is in the Sunday National today with research presumably rejected by his usual chums at the Herald, Scotsman or Times but reported by Judith Duffy. Scottish independence ‘not going away’ according to major analysis It’s good, really really good and most encouraging for the Yes movement. With Alasdair Galloway (below) I read it with a confused mind. Regulars will know I have debunked Paterson’s always critical analysis of educational affairs such as attainment data and gaps therein. His reading of the data is always very gloomy and blames SNP ministers for that. He’s a numbers guy who … Continue reading Numbers Prof says ‘Stable 60% Yes majority by 2030s!’

In March 2023: Montreal’s mayor vowed Monday to tighten regulation of Airbnb as a search continued for six people missing after a fire swept through a building that included Airbnb units https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/canada-airbnb-fire-body-found-b2304644.html To my knowledge there have been no incidents like this in Scotland but I also did not know about this: The Scottish Government’s new licensing scheme requires hosts of these properties to display energy performance ratings on listings, have adequate buildings and public liability insurance, as well as various fire and gas safety precautions. https://www.insider.co.uk/news/edinburgh-could-see-80-reduction-30765958 Really? People from other parts arrive in Edinburgh to live in flats without the above … Continue reading Airbnb – Scottish Government acts to protect lives and create space, peace and quiet for locals

George Square Glasgow this morning. https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/webcams/glasgow_united-kingdom_2648579 Lanark this morning. https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/webcams/glasgow_united-kingdom_2648579 The Herald’s David Leaks this morning: How Rome’s rubbish emergency mirrors Scotland’s own litter woes Is some Scottish Labour communications officer just back from Rome and thinks: ‘If Jackie Baillie can compare a serial baby killer to a water-born fungus, why can’t I do Rome and Scotland?’ Continue reading George Foulkes accuses SNP Council of keeping streets clean on purpose?

The Herald has this today: Scottish students from deprived backgrounds are far less likely to get into university than their equivalents south of the border, the Scottish Conservatives have claimed. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23749348.pupils-deprived-backgrounds-less-university-access/ Once more, a journalist accepts Tory propaganda based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Higher Education in Scotland. UCAS only deals with 2/3rds of the University Applications for Scottish universities the other 1/3rd are processed in Scotland and probably consist of those going to a local College, first to do HNC & HND level, then transferring into University and those doing the Direct Access route. Both of these routes are … Continue reading Higher Education access in Scotland misunderstood to facilitate Tory propaganda

In a sadly not astonishing bit of shoddy journalism headlining for BBC Scotland this morning, we read: ‘With so many changes, Glasgow’s lost its heart’ This is the view of a ‘Ms Bermingham’ (a surname variant of ‘Birmingham’), one of only three interviews that form the basis for this negative assessment. Only, one of the three seems to have lived anywhere else to compare Glasgow with and he (above) says: He said: “I like the atmosphere in Glasgow. There’s lots going on and there’s a good student culture. “I don’t think the area needs much redevelopment, not like a overhaul … Continue reading ‘Thriving!’ English student gives informed opinion on Glasgow and must have wondered where Sarwar’s piles of rubbish are

Readers will remember Depute Labour Leader Jackie Baillie’s suggestion that there were parallels between the Lucy Letsby multiple serial baby killer case and the two deaths perhaps linked to, perhaps not, water supply infection, in a very safe, based on the facts, Glasgow hospital. I see more obvious parallels between the toxic masculinity and sexual abuse in the Spanish FA, though perhaps less so, in the Scottish Labour party? Remember this from November 2017? SCOTS Labour chief Alex Rowley left his ex-lover an emotional wreck by bombarding her with abusive messages, she claimed last night. The mum, 49, alleges she … Continue reading Baillie insists there are no parallels between extreme misogyny in Scottish Labour and the Spanish FA

Dear Anonymous – turn back! This will just annoy you again. From the Scottish Sun on 16 May 2018: HAMILTON ACCIES flop who walked out on the Lanarkshire club after just two weeks is in a two-way fight be elected as president of the Spanish FA. Accies signed Luis Rubiales in 2009 with then-manager Billy Reid delighted to welcome the former Alicante and Malaga defender to the club. But Rubiales managed just four appearances for the Superseal stadium outfit before his one-year contract was terminated by mutual consent. He left Accies after citing ‘family reasons’ for his quick exit and returned … Continue reading Daft Post Alert – Hamilton Accies flop faces calls to resign again