Category: Uncategorized
Does Northern Scotland really have one of the highest rates of Huntington’s disease in the world?
Yesterday we had: BBC Scotland and STV today have short reports on the higher level of Huntington’s disease in the North of Scotland but with no useful content to inform and to educate readers in the manner they often claim to do, leaving readers with just another ‘Scotland is ****’ story that they can quietly associate with 18 years of SNP-rule. In response today from JB: The above is based on a new study by the University of Aberdeen who state that… “The study, published in Neuroepidemiology, confirmed that Northern Scotland has one of the highest rates of Huntington’s disease in the … Continue reading Does Northern Scotland really have one of the highest rates of Huntington’s disease in the world?
How BBC Scotland only report Unison when they cause trouble for the Scottish Government
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to rtpscott for alerting me to the above STV report yesterday, and: A union has urged NHS staff to accept a “guaranteed” 8% pay increase split over two years. Thousands of NHS staff represented by Unison have been urged to accept a 4.25% increase for this year and a further 3.75% for 2026-27. https://news.stv.tv/scotland/unison-urges-nhs-staff-to-accept-guaranteed-pay-offer-split-over-two-years#:~:text=A%20union%20has%20urged%20NHS,3.75%25%20for%202026%2D27 BBC Scotland have not reported this good news. Just a random, meaningless omission? Not an agenda? Well, in August 2023: School staff to strike in 24 Scottish council areas – Scotland’s biggest council union is planning strikes that could close schools … Continue reading How BBC Scotland only report Unison when they cause trouble for the Scottish Government
‘North Scotland among highest rates of Huntington’s’ – yes, but why?
Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland and STV today have short reports on the higher level of Huntington’s disease in the North of Scotland but with no useful content to inform and to educate readers in the manner they often claim to do, leaving readers with just another ‘Scotland is ****’ story that they can quietly associate with 18 years of SNP-rule. When I saw this, I thought straightaway, vitamin D deficiency, as with MS, also more prevalent in the north. While as yet not conclusive, emerging evidence can be found: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common in older … Continue reading ‘North Scotland among highest rates of Huntington’s’ – yes, but why?
BBC documentary links increase in drug-related hospital stays after three years of falling to surge in activity by County Lines drug gangs from England
Professor John Robertson OBA This most recent increase in drug-related hospital stay rates, after three years of falling, has been jumped on by the likes of Jackie Baillie as evidence that the much vaunted Naloxone opioid overdose reversal programme, introduced by the SNP, before any other country in Europe, is not so impressive after all. What Baillie, no one really, has considered is another possible and plausible cause – increased and cheaper supply of more powerful and deadly opioids such as fentanyl into rural areas where there is less familiarity with them. In a documentary made for BBC Scotland and BBC 2 by independent … Continue reading BBC documentary links increase in drug-related hospital stays after three years of falling to surge in activity by County Lines drug gangs from England
BBC Scotland working hard to cover-up Scottish Labour’s serious electoral fraud
Professor John Robertson OBA Fraud by a former MSP, minister and council leader is not the headline when you’ve got the gender ID story to headline even though polls say no one is interested in that? No mention of ‘Labour’, image of his face, or that it is electoral fraud?’ Click on the story and: Still no mention of Labour, no face, no mention that it’s electoral fraud? Read the text and Labour gets a mention at last but still no mention of the very serious fact that it’s electoral fraud. What is he actually accused of and which BBC … Continue reading BBC Scotland working hard to cover-up Scottish Labour’s serious electoral fraud
Is this why there have been no surveys of ordinary ferry-users’ views – more than 90% feel ‘well’ or ‘very well’-served?’
92.5% of the 186 respondents, living on the islands, felt well or very well-served by CalMac ferries. 95.1% of the 103 tourists who visit the islands, felt well or very well-served by CalMac ferries. Professor John Robertson OBA This is, of course, a snap, self-selecting poll of less than 300 and confirmation or refutal of its findings would require a scientifically sampled poll carried out by a registered pollster, but the fact that this has never been done raises serious questions of the media coverage based entirely on a small number of island ‘representatives‘ of uncertain status in the communities. … Continue reading Is this why there have been no surveys of ordinary ferry-users’ views – more than 90% feel ‘well’ or ‘very well’-served?’
Now conveniently forgotten about by media and settlers – How the Scottish Government transformed the economies of Scotland’s island communities
Professor John Robertson OBA Many thanks to Legerwood for reminding us of this The above chart from the Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff [RET] on the Clyde and Hebridean Network Prepared for Transport Scotland March 2020 reveals a massive increase in ferry usage to the islands with a consequent economic boost, but increasing costs for the taxpayer in lost revenue. The comparison is based on ticket sales only and takes no account of retail revenue, which is likely to have increased as a result of the increased numbers of passengers. What is the RET? In October 2008, Transport Scotland introduced … Continue reading Now conveniently forgotten about by media and settlers – How the Scottish Government transformed the economies of Scotland’s island communities
South Uist islanders get a free lift to Oban cutting their travel time and effort to Glasgow but John Daniel Peteranna is still not happy and tells a big fat lie about the extra crossing time, unchecked by BBC Scotland
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Bob Lamont for alerting me to this. From BBC Scotland today: South Uist has been under particular pressure recently as state-owned ferry operator CalMac struggles with a shortage of ships while it awaits replacements for its ageing fleet. Winter maintenance has uncovered new problems with several vessels, forcing CalMac to rejig its schedules and move ferries onto different routes. Instead of sailing to Mallaig, it travels to Oban, 85 miles away from the normal scheduled port, which adds more than four hours to the crossing time. John Daniel Peteranna, from the South Uist Business … Continue reading South Uist islanders get a free lift to Oban cutting their travel time and effort to Glasgow but John Daniel Peteranna is still not happy and tells a big fat lie about the extra crossing time, unchecked by BBC Scotland
No driving test touts and delays 33% longer in England than in Scotland – Is there nothing SNP government does not do better?
Professor John Robertson OBA Judging by the coverage on BBC Breakfast today, the driving test touts pushing up costs dramatically are operating in the same areas as the grooming gangs so we must assume that BBC Scotland staff are working hard to find at least one of them in Scotland, as they have done for the grooming gangs. No luck so far based on the above but give them time. They had a go in April 2025 when long delays were first reported, to suggest, as they love to do, that things must be as bad in Scotland. One newspaper … Continue reading No driving test touts and delays 33% longer in England than in Scotland – Is there nothing SNP government does not do better?
