Herald’s aging Ferry Correspondent, Commode Maritime Williams calls for waste of your taxes to replace 6 vessels far younger than many in Ireland, Greece and Canada

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 The Herald, once more fuelling their very own ferry fiasco on the recurring theme of ‘aging.’ The fleet he wants to replace were all built in 1986, making them only 40 years old. Here’s what Martin and the Herald of Sinking Sales are not telling you: There’s a problem or two here. They’re not ageing nor are they breaking down much compared to other comparable fleets. Ageing first: On breakdowns: Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 … Continue reading Herald’s aging Ferry Correspondent, Commode Maritime Williams calls for waste of your taxes to replace 6 vessels far younger than many in Ireland, Greece and Canada

When will BBC Scotland hire an education correspondent that can read published peer-review research revealing how Pisa reduces creative work and can weaken later learning

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Quick as you don’t like, BBC Scotland‘s ‘Education Correspondent’, with barely a thought it seems, is taking the latest Pisa data on reading all-too-dimly. Who is she? Lucy Adams at the University of Glasgow -She studied for an MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow between 2006 and 2008. This is an interesting part of her background because creative writing can strengthen narrative skill, precision of language and the ability to bring lived experience vividly onto the page. She also completed a … Continue reading When will BBC Scotland hire an education correspondent that can read published peer-review research revealing how Pisa reduces creative work and can weaken later learning

Wha’s like us? Damn few and they’re a’ deid! Ssshhh!!! Don’t mention the wars!

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Is there more published evidence for this claim in the Telegraph yesterday? A Carnegie UK / Ipsos MORI poll in 2018 is the closest thing to a dedicated “kindness” study. Representative samples in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland found Scotland highest on giving and receiving kindness. About 94% in Scotland said people in their area are generally kind; 86% said they had helped someone locally in the past year (72% in England). Strong agreement was also higher in Scotland (e.g. 64% strongly … Continue reading Wha’s like us? Damn few and they’re a’ deid! Ssshhh!!! Don’t mention the wars!

What is it with journalists? The US sees a 38% fall in gun deaths since 2021 and they’re still falling fast

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 I appreciate that this is a bit off-agenda but I hope still of interest. In the Guardian today, the above and: Although political violence is not new in America, we seem to have entered a cycle of new horror. In addition to mass shootings, the past few years have seen the assassination of the Democratic state legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in Minnesota, multiple assassination attempts on Donald Trump and his cabinet, the killing of two members of the National Guard, the bombing … Continue reading What is it with journalists? The US sees a 38% fall in gun deaths since 2021 and they’re still falling fast

‘The Branchform 14’ – only 0.001% of supporters or 0.01% of members write to complain to Police Scotland about ‘SNP finances’ over last 5 years

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From the Police Scotland, Freedom of Information service – Branchform/SNP – Complaints etc of SNP finances – Jan 21 TD, published yesterday, the above and the following response: The number of complaints, reports, referrals or allegations received. A total of 14 complaints, reports, referrals, or allegations fall within the scope of your request. The dates received. All received between March 2021 – June 2026. The broad source category, for example member of public, elected representative, political party, regulator or other public authority. All were … Continue reading ‘The Branchform 14’ – only 0.001% of supporters or 0.01% of members write to complain to Police Scotland about ‘SNP finances’ over last 5 years

Audit – Shocking 50% more waited over 12 hours last year in NHS England than in NHS Scotland – 38 000 Scots treated faster

From BBC Breakfast this morning the above1. Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 All things being equal with a population ratio of 10.6/1, the NHS Scotland figure should be around 113 000, but was only 75 1202, 66%, two thirds, 38 000 fewer. The number waiting over 12 hours in NHS England was thus 51% higher. 38 000 as percentage of 75 120. Nearly 40 000 in Scotland did not have to wait over 12 hours because they were not attending A&E in England. Source: Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or … Continue reading Audit – Shocking 50% more waited over 12 hours last year in NHS England than in NHS Scotland – 38 000 Scots treated faster

99.9% of materials from Scotland’s first commercial wind farm successfully recycled to rubbish claim that ‘SNP will send them to landfill’

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From Renew Economy, tomorrow (!), the above and: Flying in the face of the fearmongering often dragged out to oppose clean energy technologies, fully renewable energy utility ScottishPower recently revealed that 99.9 per cent of the materials from Scotland’s first commercial wind farm have been successfully recycled and reused following decommissioning. One of the most pervasive “warnings” against clean energy technologies like solar and wind energy is their supposed inability to be recycled at the end of their life. Full text at: https://reneweconomy.com.au/a-great-result-26-turbines-from-first-commercial-wind-farm-almost-completely-recycled-and-reused/ Backed … Continue reading 99.9% of materials from Scotland’s first commercial wind farm successfully recycled to rubbish claim that ‘SNP will send them to landfill’

Two leading academics cast doubt on England’s supposedly better Pisa scores as their sample is revealed to be skewed toward high achievers by schools gaming the system again

To put it plainly, based on the reading of two prominent academics in England, the sample from English schools is light on the percentage of pupils with special needs. This echoes the problems of representativeness in the English sample in 2022 (more below) when the results were ‘asterisked’ with a serious warning after almost being fully excluded. There is no history of such gaming or bias in the other 3 UK nations. Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 The above from the Times Education Supplement‘s analysis of the Pisa test … Continue reading Two leading academics cast doubt on England’s supposedly better Pisa scores as their sample is revealed to be skewed toward high achievers by schools gaming the system again

No credible academic uses the Pisa scores and proper tests show real progress in Scotland’s schools

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Here’s a short video version: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/10/short-video-on-englands-pisa-scores-are-based-only-on-a-tiny-selective-sample-of-higher-achieving-schools-making-paul-okanes-sad-desperate-attempt-to-claim-they-are-better/ ‘Pisa tests fail to recognise what’s important in education and should be ignored’ https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/pisa-tests-fail-recognise-whats-important-education-and-should-be-ignored OECD and Pisa tests are damaging education worldwide – academics https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/may/06/oecd-pisa-tests-damaging-education-academics Too few students from England took part in the study – meaning the results could be up to eight points too generous, as more higher-performing pupils took part.  https://schoolsweek.co.uk/pisa-2022-rise-in-maths-but-warning-over-inflated-results/#:~:text=But%20the%20country’s%20performance%20is,caution%20on%20interpreting%20the%20findings. I could go on with quotes about Pisa but the above three give a flavour of just how useless they are. Only politicians use them and do … Continue reading No credible academic uses the Pisa scores and proper tests show real progress in Scotland’s schools