The above is, of course, another trade union survey based on those with a grudge choosing to respond, in pursuit of better pay. They’re entitled but the Herald should, don’t laugh, have some journalistic principles. How about this one. Report the evidence of trends in fire and in staffing? See this: Scotland sees huge reduction in serious fires and deaths but still retains more firefighters than England In last 25 years, serious fires have reduced by more than 50% from 66 000 to 25 000. Fatal casualties in fires have fallen by even more from around 125 000 to around … Continue reading Shouting THEATRE in a crowded fire station

By stewartb As the people of Scotland approach the time to decide the future status of our country, it is inevitable that British/English nationalists/Unionists will once again resort to scaremongering. All sorts of dire predictions of an independent Scotland’s economic performance will be made with absolute certainty.  The emphasis will be on big numbers, on short and medium and long term forecasts, all trotted out with statistical certainty. Their emphasis will NOT be on Scotland’s intrinsic, tangible and intangible assets: they will work hard to deny the positives such assets can deliver for the people of an advanced, Western democracy … Continue reading ‘Forecasting is as accurate as necromancy’ – remember this Scotland!

In the Observer today: Dominic Raab has been accused of a “catastrophic” decision that experts say profoundly undermines public safety by allowing prisoners to abscond and others to commit serious offences while on parole. In a strongly worded letter to the justice secretary, three unions castigate a “momentous and dangerous” move by Raab to ban psychologists, prison staff and probation officers from informing the Parole Board whether they believe prisoners should be released. Under the previous system, parole panels considering applications for release were given reports including risk assessments and recommendations from professionals who had worked with the inmate. On Thursday, however, … Continue reading Scot Gov has no plans to endanger public with parole changes

In the Guardian yesterday but nowhere to be seen across Scottish MSM: The amount of carbon dioxide captured by the UK’s forests has fallen by millions of tonnes and will remain at historically low rates for over a decade, because of a failure to quickly replace old forest stocks. The UK has committed to planting 30,000 hectares (74,131 acres) of new trees annually by 2025 to replace older forests that have been harvested and to increase the UK’s overall tree cover. In Scotland, after falling sharply planting rates have risen recently to 11,000 hectares a year and are helping arrest that … Continue reading Tree planting only increases significantly in Scotland

Ice and the Queensferry Crossing: Closed 3 times in 5 years is not a ‘plague’ The 3rd of only 3 closures was branded in the Scotsman, by the Scottish Tories, as a ‘national disgrace’ in 2021. They need a holiday, by car and ferry, in Normandy if they want to see a national disgrace. Anyhow, in the Herald today: Scotland’s flagship road bridge is to be “cleaned” over the next three months in an effort to stop ice buildup from forcing it to close during the winter.  The £1.35bn Queensferry Crossing has shut three times since opening in 2017 due … Continue reading Queensferry Crossing’s magnificent record

It is. It is a moral panic. I wrote about my own disgracefully slow realisation, prompted by a family member and Bob Dylan, back in February 2021: I’ve been thinking. I used to be a sociologist. I liked the way sociology asked questions, all the time, about anything and everything. Especially, I liked the way it exposed how entrenched power differentials explain the suppression of some groups. I often say it changed me for the better and for good. I think I may have betrayed my younger self recently. In the debate on the trans community supposedly trying to possess … Continue reading GRA: Young Herald writer only catches on 18 months after TuS writer (71)

‘Our’ MSM are clear. We can have a second independence referendum as long as its presented as only advisory and then, they think, the result can be ignored, just like……the Brexit referendum with its narrow 52/48 result? Well no. As we are all painfully aware, that one was interpreted in Westminster as the will of the people and was implemented. Back in 2016, the respected Full Fact, had a look and on the question of whether the EU referendum was “advisory” only and concluded: The referendum wasn’t legally binding, but there’s plenty of scope for argument about whether politicians should … Continue reading Advisory referendums*: ‘Politicians should feel obliged to implement the result anyway’

In a way unique to BBC Scotland, unseen in BBC Wales, N Ireland or England, we see today: The data was revealed through a freedom of information request by the Scottish Conservatives. Party justice spokesman, Jamie Greene, said the hours worked demonstrated the “dedication” of officers. He added: “This hard work is now being endangered by an SNP Government who have insulted police officers with a derisory pay offer.” “That has left officers with no choice but to withdraw their goodwill.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-62270091 Missing, of course from the Scottish Tories, is the interesting fact that the Conservative Government in England is … Continue reading Scottish Tories write BBC headlines on police pay dispute

Two years after Scotland’s drug deaths peaked at ‘record’ levels, the MSM continue to ‘milk blood for fear of running out’ in an effort to keep this alleged SNP failure at the forefront of audience minds. What’s missing to properly inform the public, as they proudly claim they do? Police Scotland’s on-the-scene estimates are more accurate Scotland’s drug deaths have been falling for two years now Comparisons with other countries such as England are not valid Scotland’s drug deaths spike was largely the result of Tory economic policies in the 80s and 90s and a failure of New Labour policies … Continue reading Urgent call for for media clarity on Scotland’s falling drug deaths

Last week the MSM were full of reports of patients being treated on trolleys in corridors, fuelled by an RCN survey of 2 358 of its roughly 50 000 Scottish members (4.7%). 22% of those (1.2%) responded to a question to confirm that clinical care had taken place in a waiting room or corridor. First, from a self-selecting (squeaky wheel) and tiny sample these are not reliable findings. Second, I’ve been in touch with the ‘researchers‘ but they could not give one example of treatment on a trolley in a corridor, in Scotland. Typically, the Guardian did its best to … Continue reading No evidence Scottish patients treated in corridors on trolleys