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Even the Titanic took nearly three years to build but that was too slow for Alf Young, it seems

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In the Times today, Alf Young: We used to build ships in four months. Now it takes nine years What is he on about? The Titanic took nearly 3 years and clearly still wasn’t ready. The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth took just over 6 years. In the 60s, the Liner QE2 took over 2 years. Those CalMac smaller ferries being built in Turkey are taking around 3 years. Even a tenth century Viking long-ship took 6 months. I can’t find anything substantial taking only 4 months. What is he thinking of? Back in his youth……ah now……where was I? Continue reading Even the Titanic took nearly three years to build but that was too slow for Alf Young, it seems

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West Midlands rapper’s ‘County Lines’ drug gang triggering drug deaths spike with deadly additives

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From the Ross-shire Journal, yesterday: County Lines drug gangs reach as far north as Alness, police confirm. THE Highlands are grappling with the grim reality of so-called County Lines drug operations, with 10 separate gangs exploiting vulnerable individuals in its capital city. Police Scotland’s Highlands and Islands Division has identified the growing footprint of organised crime over the past 18 months, with devastating consequences for the community. The criminal networks behind County Lines originate in major cities like Liverpool, London, and the West Midlands, and use a combination of coercion, exploitation, and violence to tighten their grip on the drug trade. … Continue reading West Midlands rapper’s ‘County Lines’ drug gang triggering drug deaths spike with deadly additives

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Othering is a constant tactic Labour choose to deploy,

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Anonymous It is unfortunate for both her and her party that she, Ms Baillie, as one who is ‘afflicted’ by excess weight , is then , in her role as Labour’s Health spokesperson, the one who communicates the message of: “Weight-loss jabs, alongside changes to diet and exercise, have the potential to be a game-changer in the fight against diabetes and cardiovascular disease“ Physician heal thyself or being a Labour MSP and Labour’s Health spokesperson keep telling others to do that which you yourself are obviously both failing to do or even attempting to do. Baillie delivering this message on weight is like an existing chain smoker being … Continue reading Othering is a constant tactic Labour choose to deploy,

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Will Audit Scotland ever get real and fully acknowledge the UK context in which Scotland is governed?

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By stewartb – a long read In recent times leading, broadly centrist, London-based think tanks and others have been arguing that the fiscal practices of Westminster/Whitehall governments have long been dysfunctional. Their damning consensus raises a crucial question: how do ‘dependent’ governments in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh – constrained to operate within devolved settlements – manage their nations’ public finances and the resourcing of devolved public services in an optimal manner to meet national needs and wants? The relevance of this is brought to mind by the recent Audit Scotland report on the state of Scotland’s public finances in which … Continue reading Will Audit Scotland ever get real and fully acknowledge the UK context in which Scotland is governed?

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Westminster Polls – SNP recovering, Labour plummeting, Cons consolidating in heartlands and Reform still too wee

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From More in Common on 21 November1 (11 November in brackets2): Cons 23% (21%) Lab 22% (30%) LD 12% (7%) Reform 12% (10%) Green 2% (3%) SNP 30% (28%) So, SNP recovering but still well short of an majority in Westminster comparable to 2-019. Reform, at that level, would be a threat in Holyrood with maybe 12 seats, but in a FPTP system like Westmnister, no threat. Conservatives return to former level, able to compartmentalise themselves as less toxic than Southern members and keep a few seats in South and North East. Sources: https://www.opinium.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/VI-2024-11-13-Observer-Tables.xlsx https://www.moreincommon.org.uk/media/2k1gii2h/november-voting-intention.xlsx Continue reading Westminster Polls – SNP recovering, Labour plummeting, Cons consolidating in heartlands and Reform still too wee

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Weight-loss drug being pushed by Scottish Labour onto SNP associated with 100 hospitalisations and 10 deaths

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BBC Scotland has, of course, attempted to pin one possible weight-loss drug death onto the Scottish Government despite her awareness of the drug resulting from UK Labour’s attempt to use it to drive the obese back to work. From the National on 22 October 2024: Jackie Baillie (above), Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson, told The Times: “Weight-loss jabs, alongside changes to diet and exercise, have the potential to be a game-changer in the fight against diabetes and cardiovascular disease.” She said the Scottish Government “must ensure that patients who have been recommended these approved jabs by their clinician can access them … Continue reading Weight-loss drug being pushed by Scottish Labour onto SNP associated with 100 hospitalisations and 10 deaths

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Why all three 3 Scottish tower block fires have not resulted in ‘towering infernos’ and why in England they seem to be missing the point

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By Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today, the above, and: Far too many high and medium-rise buildings are still unsafe after the Grenfell disaster, with dangerous cladding remaining on at least 2,400 blocks, a housing minister has warned. Wajid Khan, a Labour peer and housing minister, said on Friday that remediation work had not started at approximately 50% of properties being monitored for their unsafe cladding. He told the House of Lords there is a need to “go further, faster” on 2,415 residential buildings over 11 metres in height in England. Figures show that of 4,834 buildings on the register 983 have started remediation, … Continue reading Why all three 3 Scottish tower block fires have not resulted in ‘towering infernos’ and why in England they seem to be missing the point

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NHS Scotland/Scottish Government to avoid ‘toxic staffing row splitting the NHS’ in England, with more training and better conditions

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Health this morning: Julia’s first four years as a physician associate [PA] was everything she hoped it would be. After working in the NHS for the best part of a decade in a non-patient facing role, she was delighted to be on the wards supporting doctors and the wider healthcare teams. “I loved the contact I had with patients, assessing them and playing a part in their care. I felt supported and part of a team.” That all changed about a year ago. “Suddenly we came under attack. Doctors in the radiology department started refusing … Continue reading NHS Scotland/Scottish Government to avoid ‘toxic staffing row splitting the NHS’ in England, with more training and better conditions

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CalMac – last 7 days, 98.3% on time, on average for, 34 vessels on more than 400 sailings to 50 destinations many too small to get any service anywhere else in the World

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By Professor John Robertson, The Herald’s Ferry Correspondent of the Year 2024 CalMac’s seven-day performance, from 14th to 20th, November 2024: 20th November – 96.9% of 415 sailings on time. 19th – 98.1% of 415 18th – 99% of 408 17th – 99.2% of 258 – Storm 16th – 97.8% of 408 15th – 98.8% of 414 14th – 98.6% of 429 Average – 98.3% https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=14%2F11%2F2024 I’m aware of no other service in the world obliged to published daily data of this kind but you can read of the many ferry fiascos from Greece to Alaska, here: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=ferr Continue reading CalMac – last 7 days, 98.3% on time, on average for, 34 vessels on more than 400 sailings to 50 destinations many too small to get any service anywhere else in the World

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Yes your Maj, Scotland “should think carefully about its future” out of England and back into Europe

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By Anonymous Labour are making the public, the same ones who elected them, pay for the so called ‘financial black hole’ that Labour says exists in the public finances , while Labour, as the new UK government, are also happy to continue to pander to royalty sponging off the public’s taxes. The recent revelation on a £45 million increase for the royal family and then, as per this article, the costs of King Charles coronation also saw another eye watering amount being wasted on pomp and ceremony to pander to his , Charles, ego and his sense of superiority within his so called kingdom. Then we … Continue reading Yes your Maj, Scotland “should think carefully about its future” out of England and back into Europe