From stewartb Fascinating detail from Anonymous about South Korean shipbuilding and the Clyde – thanks! And academic researchers are still discussing this link! Tenald et al (2021) International Transfer of Tacit Knowledge: The Transmission of Shipbuilding Skills from Scotland to South Korea in the Early 1970s. Enterprise & Society , Vol. 22.2. ‘This article analyzes the transfer of tacit knowledge between countries and continents, based on a case from the shipbuilding industry. The South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) was established in the early 1970s and had by the late 1980s become the world’s leading shipbuilder. ‘Aided by foreign … Continue reading More on South Korean shipbuilding and the Clyde

By Anonymous Anent South Korean shipbuilding: this really only got underway in the 1970s, when the South Korean Government financed the building of an entirely modern yard in what was then a small fishing village called Hyundai. Since they were venturing on something entirely new, with a local workforce that was largely unskilled in modern shipbuilding techniques, they bought such expertise in. They bought the entire design portfolio of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, which had had the plug pulled on it by the Heath Government c1973. One of the reasons given, for the UK decision was that the Clyde yards were … Continue reading How Korean shipbuilding was based on the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders expertise

There’s no mention of Radio Scotland in the above Guardian report describing her performance as ‘disastrous.’ Today, Scotland’s Daily Record, in a piece absurdly headed What Liz Truss said to EVERY BBC radio station during car crash round of interviews there’s no mention of Radio Scotland either. Just as well, I’m thinking. If they’d been expected to interrogate Truss, one or two would have fainted. They save their scalpel for SNP leaders and prepare warm baths for Unionists. I’m reminded of a report I did for Newsnet, in May 2014, on Good Morning Scotland’s coverage of the Yes and No … Continue reading Just as well, Good Morning Scotland didn’t interview Truss, then?

In the Herald today: THE NHS “is crumbling and patients are being failed”, according to the new leader of the BMA in Scotland. Dr Iain Kennedy, a GP based in Inverness who took over as chair of the trade union earlier this month, said doctors are more worried now than they have ever been about a looming winter crisis. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/22828740.new-bma-leader-says-patients-failed-staff-shortages/ GP practices collapsing? The headcount of GPs in Scotland is 5,195. This is a rise of 74 GPs compared to last year. Prior to 2018, the headcount of GPs had remained fairly constant at around 4,900 since 2011. After 2018, the … Continue reading Grim fairy tale from trade union leader on GP staffing

Mental health needs not being met….suicide….midwives going on strike…..soaring energy bill…delays in solar panel installation….and now the weather…rain. The menu today with more regular doses throughout the day, from the media outlet with the biggest audience, Reporting Scotland Down, reminds me of earlier pieces here under the heading ‘The Power of Nightmares.’ Today, the RSD editor selects from the many stories out there, the above list of worries for those with mental health concerns, the suicidal, the pregnant and, well, most of us. Why does it matter? I’m going to generalise a bit here. There’s a strong correlation between heavy … Continue reading The power of nightmares in the run-up to a vote

To repeat and summarise the comments from reader Tom Hodgens in June 2022, as the Scottish media feast daily on ferry meat: The expertise developed in building the delayed gas-powered ferries will pay off handsomely in the years to come as LNG-powered ships will account for 60% of new orders by 2025: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/asia/lng-powered-ships-account-60-new-orders-2025-korean-study and https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51114275.amp Scotland is leading the way, and the Scottish Government’s investment in Ferguson Marine, has also given the Port Glasgow based shipyard a head-start in the construction of LNG ships in the UK Full piece by Tom: Continue reading Thanks to Scottish Government investment, Port Glasgow has head-start on LNG ferries

From Alasdair ‘No relation’ Galloway Gordon Brown’s review of the current constitution, including the Union, is promised by Keir Starmer to be a “fresh and tangible offer” to voters who had “turned away” from the party, especially to the Scottish National party in Scotland and the Tories in the north of England. The report was initially leaked on Thursday in the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/sep/22/labour-considering-abolishing-house-of-lords-if-it-wins-next-election-leaked-report-reveals).  You might have missed it with the hoo ha about Kwarteng’s amazingly stupid whatever it was other than a budget (you might have noticed no red case – it means OBR won’t comment on it. Just as … Continue reading The Gordon Brown Report

Yesterday, in Holyrood, Dr Jennifer Armstrong – Medical Director at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – raised concerns with MSPs of the ‘significant impact’ on mental health and primary care services ‘as more families are pushed into food and fuel poverty‘ caused by the current cost-of-living crisis, triggered by the actions of the UK Government. Shockingly, she went on to say ‘If you’re in a cold house and you have asthma, COPD – and you’ve got young children – you‘ve got dampness then that will increase the amount of morbidity within the population.’ So, in less careful language, Conservative Government … Continue reading Imagine this medical chief had accused the ‘Scottish’ Government of causing child deaths?

The overall crime rate in Liverpool is 1 280 incidents per 10 000 people each year, while in Glasgow, where it has fallen by 22% in the last 10 years, it is only 682 per 10 000. For violent crime in Liverpool, it is 52 incidents per 10 000 people and climbing but in Glasgow, it is far lower at 16.3 and falling. Sources: https://crimerate.co.uk/merseyside/liverpool https://www.plumplot.co.uk/Liverpool-violent-crime-statistics.html https://crimegrade.org/violent-crime-glasgow-va/ Continue reading Eurovision Decision: Liverpool has nearly twice the crime rate and three times the violent crime

Prince Anas Sarwar, millionaire food factory owner, can tell the Labour conference anything he likes. They only know what Ian Murray wants them to know and they don’t care to find out anything for themselves, about up here. The claim of gains is delusional look a the latest polls. Predicted Labour support nationally and the regional prediction Redfield & Wilton 25 September: 34% across UK and 13% in Scotland Deltapoll 22-25 September: 44% and 30% YouGov 21-22 September: 42% and 20% Deltapoll 21 September: 30% and 15% Typically, Labour in Scotland are running at only half the level of support … Continue reading SNP secure: Sarwar is not even a Starmer when it comes to winning anything