This morning, repeatedly, BBC Scotland’s James Cook rehashes the confused case for gyms re-opening ahead of the Scottish Government’s schedule. The report is entirely one-sided, allowing the trade to suggest that indoor physical exercise has a key role in saving us from mental health problems. The evidence? What gym-owners say. They’re gym-owners! They must know if it’s safe or not. And, and, pubs are open! So, you want people to drink but not get fit? What sort of policy is that? That whole ‘if pubs can open why not gyms‘ argument is so infantile. ‘Why can’t I go an play … Continue reading James Cook repeats the same one-sided and evidence-free thinking about gyms re-opening early

Four weeks after Scotland began to ease out of lock-down with pubs and restaurants re-opening indoors, we see the 7 day average for new infections up from 15 at around 50 with no immediate sign of a fall. It is disappointing but it is also worth keeping in perspective. Two other small countries, much praised, which had pushed the level down to zero for several weeks are now experiencing similar problems. First, on Ireland in the Guardian yesterday: Ireland reported 200 new Covid-19 cases arising from multiple clusters across the country on Saturday, the highest daily amount since the beginning of … Continue reading Putting Scotland’s latest infection rate rise in perspective

In the Herald today: NEW concerns about the pace of improvement on coronavirus infection in Scotland’s care homes has emerged after a series of failures led to a death toll in Scotland’s care homes that amounts to “the single greatest failure of devolved government“. That is the analysis of leading care expert Nick Kempe who claims that since their previous inspection, as many care homes have deteriorated as have improved and that generally standards of infection control remain “worryingly low”. This is a repeat. Kempe, an acolyte of the Common Weal sect led by the huffiest messiah since those we laughed at … Continue reading Common Weal: The single greatest failure of the independence movement?

Like many of you, I wondered why on earth the Scottish Transport Secretary was prepared to be interviewed aggressively when the minister responsible, Grant Shapps, was allowed to just spout some vague generalities out in a field. While the opportunities were not perhaps ‘ample’, Matheson certainly could have reminded Cook that the rail infrastructure, its funding, maintenance, inspection and any relevant ministerial report reading are reserved matters and then he might have suggested he keep his shouted interruptions for the man responsible. Here’s the point. He shouldn’t have to. While many social media commentators did not at first realise that … Continue reading James Cook does have a point but…

I understand James Cook has responded to my criticism of his interview with the Scottish Transport Secretary on the Stonehaven rail crash. He has me blocked so I can’t see it. It’s interesting that he has replied. Few at PQ do. That he does so reinforces my and Chomsky’s reasoning that he does not not fully grasp his own inner mental processes and is so deeply embedded in an establishment/elite culture or bubble that he thinks and behaves instinctively in ways which lead automatically to anti-SNP/SG bias. He has responded before to me. In 2015 he suggested that I and … Continue reading One too many James Cooks made me loose my marbles?

In the Independent today: Ministers have been accused of trying to cover up the findings from investigations into hundreds of health and social care worker deaths linked to coronavirus after it emerged the results will not be made public. The Independent revealed on Tuesday that medical examiners across England and Wales have been asked by ministers to investigate more than 620 deaths of frontline staff that occurred during the pandemic. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-nhs-staff-deaths-secret-cover-up-ministers-a9667156.html From the Scottish Government yesterday: Since the start of the outbreak: We have been notified by Health Boards or the Care Inspectorate of 7 deaths of healthcare workers and 13 deaths of social care … Continue reading Death rate among health and care workers more than twice as high in England and Wales

In the Herald this morning, echoing what I heard last night, from Tom Gordon: CONTACT tracing for the coronavirus in Scotland is reaching more people than the equivalent system in England, Scottish Government sources have said. Six days earlier, Gordon’s colleague, Martin Williams was worrying himself sick with the lack of data: Sources tell me that sources have contacted all of Scotland’s MSM to tell them what they told TG but it seems none are interested. After around 1 000 reports in the last 6 years defending NHS Scotland against all comers, the Tusker and it’s parent, Thought Control Scotland before it, … Continue reading Only Tom Gordon believes pro-SNP sources!

In the wake of Professor Bauld’s call for more data, sources working in NHS Scotland have given us a foresight of the report due at the end of this month. Most important, the Scottish system always involves a personal call from a trained professional, not just a text as in England, telling you to self-isolate, taking questions from sometimes anxious people and advising them on how to do it. One source described this as ‘personal and more effective.’ Though unable to give actual figures, the sources told us that the Scottish system has a higher success rate in contacting those … Continue reading Scottish contact tracing has higher success rate and is ‘personal and more effective’

From NHS Lanarkshire yesterday: Gabe Docherty, NHS Lanarkshire director of public health, said: “A positive COVID-19 confirmed case has been identified in a pupil at St Ambrose High School in Coatbridge. The pupil tested positive this morning (13 August), after displaying mild symptoms since 11 August, but they have not attended school at all.” The St Ambrose child did not attend at all. None at Bannerman High attended at all. Two others at St Andrews attended briefly. Despite this BBC Scotland repeatedly referred to the pupils in opening sentences as being ‘at‘ or ‘from‘ these schools. Astonishingly, NHS Lanarkshire themselves … Continue reading Scaremongering about the children who did not go to school at all

For some time, The Tusker, edited by former Primary teacher and prof at pretendy wee uni UWS, John Robertson (Higher English C pass, Grangemouth, 1968) has been shocked by the Old Testament style of Common Weal founder, Robin McAlpine, in the Source. Now, it seems the Source is not only losing the plot but also the grammatical accuracy and sense required at this level. In yesterday’s panicked attempt by them to join the MSM’s scare campaign against SNP school re-opening, the Source report is somewhat flawed. Bad grammar and nonsense are not tolerated here, so their no! Anyhoo, here it … Continue reading Common Weal’s ‘Source’ downgraded to an E by our grammar and sense algorithm