Tag: europe

1 Comment

Maybe CalMac should call Trump and offer to take over the worst ferry service in the developed world

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson, International Ferry Correspondent Washington State has a population of 8 million, around 50% more than Scotland but it’s coastal islands off Seattle, sit in far milder and less stormy seas than on the West coast of Scotland. It’s GDP of around $680 billion is significantly higher than that of Scotland at $230bn (£187bn) but despite that Washington State Ferries (privately owned with dividend holders) may be the worst in the developed world. From King-TV Seattle, yesterday: Governor-elect Bob Ferguson boarded a state ferry Wednesday and sailed into uncharted waters on Wednesday. The state ferry system is sinking, with … Continue reading Maybe CalMac should call Trump and offer to take over the worst ferry service in the developed world

2 Comments

Sky News try to push the child grooming scandal north of the border with one Scot* out of thousands of victims

johnrobertson834

Amazingly, Sky News and, I hear, Channel 4 News find a woman in Glasgow to talk about her experience of being groomed and raped. *That this took place in Glasgow, ten years ago or so, is not confirmed. It’s an amazing find. Until the recent (2002) abuse of 4 children of primary school age in Glasgow by 7 men, there is no report of anything like a ‘grooming’ gang with multiple victims in Scotland. Channel 4’s FACTCHECK in August 2014, makes no mention of Scotland or Glasgow, only: By date of conviction, we have evidence of such exploitation taking place … Continue reading Sky News try to push the child grooming scandal north of the border with one Scot* out of thousands of victims

9 Comments

Find a new future for Fort George? Aye, as recycled stone

johnrobertson834

No doubt, some other members of the Robertson clan, like my late dad but unlike me, take pride in their part in the history of the Black Watch and its many battle honours. I’ve since read too much about the regiment’s dark history ‘policing’ the English Empire, from India to Ireland. Their base, Fort George, is to be sold by the MoD in 2031 and some locals want to find a new role for it. BBC Scotland today has: A fortress originally built to supress Highland clans and enforce rules preventing clansmen from wearing tartan could become a hub for … Continue reading Find a new future for Fort George? Aye, as recycled stone

9 Comments

Murder rate in Glasgow only a quarter of that under Labour, is the news but BBC Scotland prefer you live in the past

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA One of the top stories on the BBC Scotland website today is: Murder and mayhem: The story of Glasgow’s deadly gang feud Has there been a surge in gangland killings? No, they’re just advertising a podcast about murders in 2006, nearly 20 years ago. What is the news that their royal charter obliges them to inform the folk of Glasgow about? That graph above but, specifically for Glasgow: Glasgow City has witnessed a relatively larger fall in homicides than Scotland as a whole in the last 20 years. Over the latest five year period from 2019-20 to … Continue reading Murder rate in Glasgow only a quarter of that under Labour, is the news but BBC Scotland prefer you live in the past

7 Comments

Has a 73 year-old, part-time OCD, retired prof, beaten the Herald into submission as they scuttle their troubled ferry fiasco newsletter?

johnrobertson834

By Captain Professor John Robertson OBA Where’s the link to the Herald’s much-vaunted Ferries Newsletter? From TuS reader Stephen McKenzie, today: Slightly off topic, but the Heralds “Scotland’s Ferries” tab at the top of their on-line version seems to be missing these days? Ok, I know that when you clicked it, it took you to any topic unrelated to ferries, but that was part of its fun appeal. Good question. Gooood question. It’s not in the banner. It’s not listed as a newsletter at: https://www.heraldscotland.com/newsletters/ Has Captain Maritime Williams of the BS Herald gone down? With his ‘ship?’ I’ve written nearly 170 … Continue reading Has a 73 year-old, part-time OCD, retired prof, beaten the Herald into submission as they scuttle their troubled ferry fiasco newsletter?

4 Comments

Staggering contrast in average mental wellbeing scores after 17 years of SNP rule in Scotland and 14 of Tory rule in England

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson, OBA From The Scottish Health Survey 2023 – volume 1: main report, published today, the above graph reveals a steady maintenance of levels of self-reported well-being in Scotland, despite 14 years of Tory austerity policies only partly moderated by the limited powers of the SNP in government but including, crucially for this measure, free prescriptions, bus passes, more GPs, nurses, beds and no NHS strikes.1 In can find no earlier comparable data for Labour-run Scotland before 2008 but we were drinking far more then. I can also not find directly comparable data for England for 2022 or 2023. They … Continue reading Staggering contrast in average mental wellbeing scores after 17 years of SNP rule in Scotland and 14 of Tory rule in England

1 Comment

Despite surrounding poverty, drug abuse and years of UK Government austerity policies, Glasgow’s biggest hospital is one of the safest in Scotland and more so than the vast majority in England

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson, OBA Public Health Scotland, today, released the Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratios data. Of particular interest is the ratio of observed to predicted deaths within 30 days. The ratio should be 1. If it’s much more than 1, then that may indicate a problem in staffing, operating theatre availability, ward cleanliness and, of course, many other factors. Lower than 1 is good news. For QEUH, it was 0.92. Only 4 of the 32 hospitals in Scotland had a more reassuring ratio. QEUH also had a lower than average Crude Mortality rate of 3.7% below the national average of … Continue reading Despite surrounding poverty, drug abuse and years of UK Government austerity policies, Glasgow’s biggest hospital is one of the safest in Scotland and more so than the vast majority in England

5 Comments

Why is BMA Scotland silent when Labour is a threat to Highland and Island practices?

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to MSM Monitor for pointing this out. From BBC Highlands and Islands yesterday but conspicuously absent from BBC Reporting Scotland or Good Morning Scotland: Doctors in the Highlands fear increased National Insurance (NI) costs could close some practices, a senior Scottish figure in the British Medical Association (BMA) has said. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her Budget last week payments from employers – including medical practices – would go up next April. Dr Al Miles, deputy chairman of the BMA‘s Scottish GPs committee, said Highland doctors had contacted him worried about thousands of pounds of increased costs. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6l91prnqeo … Continue reading Why is BMA Scotland silent when Labour is a threat to Highland and Island practices?

1 Comment

Privatised Greek ferries described as ‘like being on a cross between the back of a floating lorry and a building site’ as another runs aground only three years after another sank with 530 onboard and one year after late arrival was pushed off to his death

johnrobertson834

From Tornos News yesterday: The passenger ferry “Aghia Theodora,” which ran aground earlier on Tuesday in waters about four nautical miles northwest of the port of Igoumenitsa was pulled free with the assistance of tugboats and has arrived safely at Igoumenitsa port, ANA reports.1 Only three years before, the MV Express Samina inter-island ferry sank with 530 on board In September 2023, highlighting ‘fears about the safety of some of the ageing vessels that ply Aegean waters.‘2 One year ago: A video that went viral showed 36-year-old Antonis Kargiotis running on to the loading ramp of the ferry in Athens … Continue reading Privatised Greek ferries described as ‘like being on a cross between the back of a floating lorry and a building site’ as another runs aground only three years after another sank with 530 onboard and one year after late arrival was pushed off to his death

2 Comments

Latest Greek ferry tragedy as everything stops in strike affecting most islands

johnrobertson834

A late-arriving passenger pushed to his death in the screws at Piraeus, dangerously over-crowded ferries, elderly passengers having to walk through the waves onto the sand carrying their bags after jetty collapses and no winter service at all to the smaller islands in this privatised and unsubsidised system, and now a massive strike over several days which government refuses to care about. From the Maritime Executive, last week: The unions representing Greek seafarers including deckhands, dockworkers, and others on the country’s critical island ferries, are extending their strike for another two days as they demand better wages and work rules. … Continue reading Latest Greek ferry tragedy as everything stops in strike affecting most islands