Tag: europe

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Pay attention Ireland – Scotland ‘stands apart’ as the best educated country in Europe, perhaps even the World

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The above is from an Irish journalist today. Am I going to have to invent a new term to add to the Anglocentric media Scots face daily? Hibernocentric? The facts: Scotland is the best educated country in Europe, according to a report released by the Office for National Statistics. It says that nearly 45 per cent of people in Scotland aged between 25 and 64 have had some kind of tertiary education – including university degrees and further education — ahead of Ireland, Luxembourg and Finland, which were the only other countries to get more than 40 per cent. “In … Continue reading Pay attention Ireland – Scotland ‘stands apart’ as the best educated country in Europe, perhaps even the World

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Channel Islands foreign ferry crew cannot speak and steer well enough to avoid killing fishermen or hit a harbour wall but CalMac crew can do this

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Two days ago: A Ukrainian national working for Condor Ferries was charged with three counts of manslaughter following a collision between a Condor Ferry and a fishing trawler off Jersey’s north west coast [in December 2022]. Artur Sevash-Zade, a Ukrainian national, was arrested in the UK and brought to Jersey to appear at the island’s Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 3 July. An intrepreter was present and translated for Mr Sevash-Zade who did not speak throughout the hearing. The court heard that he works at sea and has no fixed address in either the UK or Jersey. So, unable to speak English well … Continue reading Channel Islands foreign ferry crew cannot speak and steer well enough to avoid killing fishermen or hit a harbour wall but CalMac crew can do this

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‘Stranded and dying’: Canadian cancer patient’s family calls for improvements to ferry service

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From CTV News, Vancouver, yesterday: Gracie MacDonald snapped a photo of her brother on a sailing boat a Good Samaritan was using to take them from Denman Island to the closest hospital on Vancouver Island never suspecting it would be the last image of his life. He died hours later at North Island Hospital Comox Valley. Andy MacDonald was terminally ill with cancer but hadn’t expected to succumb within months of his surprise diagnosis, and none of the family had anticipated it would be a scramble to get him to the hospital after the cable ferry broke down yet again … Continue reading ‘Stranded and dying’: Canadian cancer patient’s family calls for improvements to ferry service

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Edinburgh’s loss making trams project was forced on the SNP minority government by the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems and now they want to shift the blame

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In the Scotsman, last week: The Edinburgh Trams have made a net loss of more than £44 million since opening ten years ago, figures have revealed, mainly due to borrowing costs associated with building the original line. Coming in at over £400m over budget and three years late, the capital’s trams have not run a profit since 2017. Sue Webber, Conservative MSP for the Lothian region, said: “These eye-watering losses only add insult to injury for those living and working in the capital. They already had to endure the construction bill for the trams spiralling out of control and reaching over £1 billion. There … Continue reading Edinburgh’s loss making trams project was forced on the SNP minority government by the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems and now they want to shift the blame

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That’s now 10 ferry services more troubled than CalMac

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Regulars will know that Scotland’s state-run CalMac ferries were at 100% reliability across more than 300 sailings yesterday, after several days in the high 90s, despite endless media reports of delays in new ferries and planned maintenance for others. For some time, I’ve been looking at ferry services in Canada (2), the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, the Channel Islands, the Scilly Isles and the Isle of Wight. Where data are published and many seem not to have to, I’ve found much higher prices everywhere, ageing vessels in the USA and Canada, delayed replacement vessels in Canada, USA (Washington State), … Continue reading That’s now 10 ferry services more troubled than CalMac

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From crew murdering a passenger to dangerous overcrowding – Greece’s really troubled ferry services

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By Professor John Robertson From the Daily Mail today: A tourist has issued a warning after being caught off-guard when visiting the Greek Islands for the first time.  Audrey, from Canada, went on a birthday trip with her sister last May to the picturesque destination but didn’t expect the ferry rides between islands to be so chaotic. ‘Once you get on, you have to take about an hour to recover from the chaos,’ one commented. ‘This is the part they don’t tell you about,’ another said. ‘I’m really nervous about the suitcase situation,’ a third added. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/travel/article-13282419/TikTok-traveller-grim-reality-Greek-islands.html From the Guardian in … Continue reading From crew murdering a passenger to dangerous overcrowding – Greece’s really troubled ferry services

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Violent Wolverhampton drugs gang arrests in Edinburgh not in public interest here apparently

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From PA Scotland yesterday (the above is a Wolverhampton-based gang; perhaps the same one but there are several): Six men have been arrested as part of a day of action targeting “county lines” drug supplies into Edinburgh. Detectives said the men, aged 38, 30, 29, 24, 22 and 21, were arrested in Edinburgh and Wolverhampton on Wednesday and charged in connection with various drug offences. Police said small quantities of crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis, along with a four-figure sum of cash, were recovered during the operation. Detectives from Edinburgh have made a number of arrests in a day of action aimed … Continue reading Violent Wolverhampton drugs gang arrests in Edinburgh not in public interest here apparently

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How the Conservative Government allowed P&O to lay the ground for future ferry disasters

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Never mind the construction delays or the cancellations inconveniencing the comfortable island retirees – 193 dead – there’s a ferry fiasco for you. Above, the Herald of Free Enterprise, only a few minutes after leaving the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on the night of 6th March 1987, killing 193 people on board.  Ironically, the UK Government of the day and for 8 years until then was Conservative, big champions of de-regulated capitalism and full-throated free enterprise. According to research by Middlesex University: One root cause was the failure of the assistant boatswain to close the bow door before dropping moorings, … Continue reading How the Conservative Government allowed P&O to lay the ground for future ferry disasters

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Labour Dame and oily journalist lie about ferry service

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Facts: Arran? ‘Be aware’ warning only as core single vessel operating. Yesterday, 1 out of 8 cancelled but plenty spaces on the others. Barra? Barra Eriskay ‘Normal service’, Oban Barra ‘one of more sailings disrupted due to strong winds.’ Yesterday, all 3 Barra services at 100%. The Dame lies about this. Coll? ‘Due to an oil leak, the vessels port stabiliser has been temporarily taken out of operation. As a result, there are now limitations in place regarding the weather and sea states in which the vessel can safely operate and service is at risk of short notice disruption or … Continue reading Labour Dame and oily journalist lie about ferry service

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For the umpteenth time, there will never be a Grenfell here but Herald’s ferry correspondent lies in our faces for cheap returns

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In the Herald today from Martin Williams, the man with a ferry newsletter, the above disgraceful image and then this: Ministers have been accused of putting lives at risk after it emerged it has overseen the removal of dangerous cladding of just one building seven years after the Grenfell Tower blaze that claimed the lives of 72 people. Who has accused the ministers? A trade union fighting in the interests of its members, as staffing is reduced but by a far lesser extent than fire incidents are plummeting. Just doing what they should but NOT evidence of anything other than … Continue reading For the umpteenth time, there will never be a Grenfell here but Herald’s ferry correspondent lies in our faces for cheap returns