Another nail in the coffin of the Herald’s cheap catamaran plan for Scotland

From Fox News yesterday: Tourists hopping between Greece’s islands on high-speed ferries are reporting rough rides and brutal bouts of seasickness along the way. Across social media, travelers this summer have been opening up about stories of rocky crossings, ill passengers and crews handing out sickness bags. Given all the reports, the ferry has been dubbed the “vomit comet,” according to The Wall Street Journal. High-speed ferries are a popular choice for travelers looking to move quickly between Greece’s islands, said Mina Agnos, founder and president of luxury travel company Travelive. “We see most clients looking for the quickest point from A to B,” she … Continue reading Another nail in the coffin of the Herald’s cheap catamaran plan for Scotland

Serious assaults in Glasgow drop 33% to 5 year-low and overall violence increases at significantly lower rate than across Scotland

BBC Scotland have exported the above story to BBC Breakfast, have a special on it tonight, and claim: Videos of brutal beatings, blatant drug deals, and racial violence in the centre of Scotland’s biggest city have become a common sight on social media. Posts claim that parts of Glasgow’s city centre are a “no-go zone” where it’s not safe for unsuspecting members of the public, especially women, to enter. Angry protests have spilled on to the streets – but is it as bad as some say? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgdej0xxgyo Note, the source for these claims is not official figures but merely ‘common … Continue reading Serious assaults in Glasgow drop 33% to 5 year-low and overall violence increases at significantly lower rate than across Scotland

Child Soldiers – How ruthless English drug gangs are recruiting hundreds of Scots kids for crime

The Sun, yesterday has the above, but holds back from identifying this as a problem deriving from the activity of county lines drugs gangs based in England. I’ve been writing about this plague of extreme crime, at TuS for years now, shamelessly exploiting as fully as I can the political benefits of such a plague in making the case for independence. I make no bones about it. I’m biased like the Unionist media but unlike them I use reliable sources of evidence to make my case. However, this time why don’t I hand over responsibility completely to a system that … Continue reading Child Soldiers – How ruthless English drug gangs are recruiting hundreds of Scots kids for crime

Ten countries already routinely issue iodine tablets to those near nuclear facilities but with the highest cancer rates in world, Scotland, dependent on Westminster laws, cannot

From the York Daily Record, two days ago: The Pennsylvania Department of Health will be distributing free potassium iodide (KI) tablets to those York County residents that live, learn or work within 10 miles of the Peach Bottom power plant.  According to the York County Office of Emergency Management, the distribution will take place between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Peach Bottom Recreation Center located at 5 Pendyrus St. in Delta.  KI helps protect the thyroid gland against harmful radioactive iodine in the unlikely event of a radiological emergency. Taking KI tablets, when directed by emergency response officials, helps reduce the risk of thyroid cancer … Continue reading Ten countries already routinely issue iodine tablets to those near nuclear facilities but with the highest cancer rates in world, Scotland, dependent on Westminster laws, cannot

One tunnel designer accuses Scotland of falling behind on tunnels while another says they’d never pay for themselves – Who will the Herald quote?

In the Herald today the above. Who accuses? This guy, a ‘top’ tunnel designer. How strong is the case for replacing Scotland’s west coast ferries with tunnels? UK Treasury Green Book-style present-value calculations (with discounting) often make high-upfront tunnel capital look less favourable than ongoing ferry replacement and operating costs, even when undiscounted lifetime cash costs favour tunnels. Recent Shetland analyses illustrate this divergence. https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/news/could-much-criticised-treasury-guidance-on-public-spending-d-436409/ Low traffic volumes: On sparsely populated islands, pure financial payback via tolls or conventional CBA is difficult. One tunnelling expert [Martin Knights] publicly stated Shetland-style schemes “would never pay for itself” under standard cost-benefit analysis … Continue reading One tunnel designer accuses Scotland of falling behind on tunnels while another says they’d never pay for themselves – Who will the Herald quote?

What would Scotland’s fiscal position be outside the UK?

By derekscott1953 Richard Murphy’s argument (above) demonstrates why the independence debate needs two sets of numbers, not one. 1. What is Scotland’s fiscal position inside the UK? GERS addresses that. We may argue about some of the assumptions, and its origins in the 1990s, but Scottish Governments do not disassociate from the analysis. Maybe they should in future in order to move this debate on? 2. What would Scotland’s fiscal position be outside the UK? That’s the estimated calculation Murphy says matters, but his articles and videos never try to provide it. I accept if we were facing another referendum … Continue reading What would Scotland’s fiscal position be outside the UK?

STV on youth violence – Disgusting, shameful, exploitative, scare mongering and all wrong as murder by minors falls to a quarter of the level

STV tonight in a desperate attempt to win viewers, completely misrepresent the world you live in, with this report based on anecdotal evidence only, and ignore once more the facts, the facts that matter so much to all of us if we are to live a life based on what we can expect to experience. The facts: Murder by minors – Only a quarter of the level 20 years ago! The trend is clearly and definitively the other way in Scotland. Above, the official data reveal a steady, statistically significant, falling trend in the number of homicides by minors, over … Continue reading STV on youth violence – Disgusting, shameful, exploitative, scare mongering and all wrong as murder by minors falls to a quarter of the level

Scotland is deliberately having costs dumped on it by Westminster

By Liz S Kevin Hague has had a lot to say on the recent released GERS figures via his ‘X account , that is in him discrediting anyone who argues that it is not an honest reflection on the reality of Scotland’s finances as a future independent country. Indeed in respect to Richard Murphy arguing that “”Scotland is deliberately having costs dumped on it by Westminster in a way that is entirely unreasonable” Hague’s response to that was this: “a quick watch and i counted at least 8 massive factual errors and/or idiotic statements – is it worth me writing them up or does … Continue reading Scotland is deliberately having costs dumped on it by Westminster

They are certainly better together

By Liz S I also saw on the BBC website today under their ‘Scottish’ page , the front page headlines of the newspapers where it included: The most certainly not ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail front page: “We really are better together” “Being part of the Union worth record “2.7k to every Scot”. “Known as the Union dividend”. First of all this is not a Union that Scotland is a part of. Second of all , the English gutter press constantly promoting that the UK somehow benefits Scots more than other citizens living elsewhere within the UK, is completely and also conveniently ignoring what Scotland contributes to their UK State . For example the … Continue reading They are certainly better together

Six existing examples of Chinese investment in the UK to reveal the Ardesier denial in Scotland is deliberate de-industrialisation and economic civil war

By Liz S So the UK Labour government vetoed the wind turbine factory in the Highlands by the Chinese firm Ming Yang Smart Energy citing “national and cyber security risks”. Yet there is already existing Chinese investment within the UK: Heathrow Airport: The Chinese state-owned sovereign wealth fund, China Investment Corporation (CIC), holds a 10% stake. Utilities: Hong Kong-based tycoon Li Ka-shing’s group owns UK Power Networks and a 75% stake in Northumbrian Water Group. CIC also holds minor stakes in National Grid’s gas distribution and Thames Water. Nuclear Power: China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) has been involved in the Hinkley Point C project and planned … Continue reading Six existing examples of Chinese investment in the UK to reveal the Ardesier denial in Scotland is deliberate de-industrialisation and economic civil war