Tag: science

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How can there be ‘an A&E crisis’ of deaths ‘linked’ to long waits ONLY in Scotland when they are actually falling here and nearly FOUR times as common in NHS England?

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We’ve been here before with A&E delays and excess mortality. Only the media operating in Scotland is reporting it. How the numbers were calculated for this RCEM/Lib Dem study: The figures use a standard mortality ratio previously applied by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM). It assumes roughly one additional death for every 72 patients who wait 8–12 hours before admission. The Lib Dems applied this to the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours (not official government statistics). The RCEM ratio 1:72 is supported by one 2022 peer-reviewed study based on A&E data from 2016 to 2018: … Continue reading How can there be ‘an A&E crisis’ of deaths ‘linked’ to long waits ONLY in Scotland when they are actually falling here and nearly FOUR times as common in NHS England?

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Prevalence of major congenital conditions falls 8.4% in just two years in Scotland perhaps influenced by nearly 20 years of protection from worst of austerity policies, Child Payment, free prescriptions and more affordable housing

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From Congenital conditions in Scotland 2021 to 2024 published yesterday, the above and: Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/congenital-conditions-in-scotland/congenital-conditions-in-scotland-2021-to-2024/ What factors influence the rate of these conditions? Genetic factors, environmental exposures (often interacting with genes), maternal age, area deprivation, maternal ethnicity, infant sex, and multiple pregnancy are the main factors associated with variations in rates of major congenital conditions. The rates for these conditions in England and Scotland are similar other than in South Asian communities in England where first cousin marriage is twice the national average rate as is the rate of congenital anomalies. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673613611320 The line graph at the top shows that … Continue reading Prevalence of major congenital conditions falls 8.4% in just two years in Scotland perhaps influenced by nearly 20 years of protection from worst of austerity policies, Child Payment, free prescriptions and more affordable housing

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Using Scotland’s revenue to build massively subsidised nuclear energy in England? I’d be more worried about the awful risks clearly identified in the World’s No 1 medical research journal

johnrobertson834

In the Herald yesterday, the above. They will, of course, do just what Keith Brown fears but I have to say, I’d be more worried about the health consequences than the theft of Scottish revenue. From the Lancet in July 2026: The Lancet is one of the world’s most highly respected and influential general medical journals. Latest Journal Impact Factor (JIF): 109.0 (2025 JCR, released June 2026, based on 2025 citation data). This is a significant increase from 88.5 the previous year. It ranks #1 in the “Medicine, General & Internal” category (Q1), ahead of competitors like the New England … Continue reading Using Scotland’s revenue to build massively subsidised nuclear energy in England? I’d be more worried about the awful risks clearly identified in the World’s No 1 medical research journal

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Animal experimentation in Scotland – Ferret fact-finder plays same disgusting tabloid game adding up the numbers to get a big headline, using an exploitative tearful image of a dog breed never used and hiding the dramatic fall in the SNP era

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, University of the West of Scotland, to 2016. The Ferret, at times excellent then at others (author?) with a barely concealed Unionist agenda, is up to it again today with their piece on animal experiments. If you wanted to harm the reputation of the SNP in government, this is a good one for the Union, if the MSM pick it up: We now have a beautiful, rehomed, ‘failed’ gun dog. My ‘looming’ 5 feet 10 inches and deep male voice took her years to stop fearing. I’m really upset and angry as … Continue reading Animal experimentation in Scotland – Ferret fact-finder plays same disgusting tabloid game adding up the numbers to get a big headline, using an exploitative tearful image of a dog breed never used and hiding the dramatic fall in the SNP era

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Near-Shore Underwater Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery – A Distinctly Scottish Opportunity with 3 thousand billion litres of water in our 31 thousand lochs

johnrobertson834

I sense danger here for the Scottish Government, the SNP and the wider movement as the media operating in Scotland increasingly focus on the debate over large data centres and see opportunities to divide it within itself. A growing grass roots opposition and Scottish Greens campaigning for a ‘pause’ is get increasing attention and putting the SNP Government on the back foot. Help Talking-up Scotland keep goin Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 I’m torn. If, IF, an independent Scotland can properly tax the corporations that need these facilities, get the revenue for the surplus … Continue reading Near-Shore Underwater Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery – A Distinctly Scottish Opportunity with 3 thousand billion litres of water in our 31 thousand lochs

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Not in Education Employment or Training is far less common in Scotland with youth employment amongst lowest in Europe and mental health support 90% target smashed for sixth time

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Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 BBC Scotland today is making much of Scotland’s NEET [Not in Education, Employment, or Training] statistics not allowing comparison with the rest of the UK and the supposed lack of support for those with mental health problems in seeking employment, based on a single case: Neala Sheils spent two years applying for jobs with little success before finally securing work in a hotel last month. Before she got a job, the 20-year-old from Glasgow was one of growing number of young people classed as … Continue reading Not in Education Employment or Training is far less common in Scotland with youth employment amongst lowest in Europe and mental health support 90% target smashed for sixth time

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12 years after Erin Brockovich, Labour councillors approved massive nearby waste incinerator with a chimney barely taller and a plume containing deadly chromium hexavalent, lead and arsenic which the prevailing winds will send to the windows of wards of immunocompromised patients, WHILE QEUH was already being built

johnrobertson834

Thanks to reader Joe Murray for alerting us to this. As the media operating in Scotland desperately struggle to blame the SNP for a problem in the QEUH water supply and drainage, signed off by a Labour dominated health board in a Labour-led authority, in 2015, two years before the SNP victory, another problem for them emerges. Surely, they’d seen Erin Brockovich (2 000) and would have known about the deadly chromium hexavalent, if they did some reading? In 2012, Glasgow City Council granted planning permission for the South Clyde Energy Centre (an energy-from-waste/incinerator facility) at Bogmoor Road, North Cardonald … Continue reading 12 years after Erin Brockovich, Labour councillors approved massive nearby waste incinerator with a chimney barely taller and a plume containing deadly chromium hexavalent, lead and arsenic which the prevailing winds will send to the windows of wards of immunocompromised patients, WHILE QEUH was already being built

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Amended ‘Irresponsible BBQ users’ are not always to blame for wildfires

johnrobertson834

A reader has correctly pointed out a basic error in the first draft of this. Media coverage of wildfires tends almost uniformly to blame supposedly irresponsible BBQ-users. The current Cairngorm wildfire is similarly explained despite taking place on fairly uninteresting moorland: In this case, as the fire started on RSPB territory popular with walkers, the above explanations are more likely. However many wildfires cannot be so easily attributed. A significant percentage, often those which start on grouse-shooting estates are caused by the estate practice of muirburn. Muirburn? What is muirburn? Also called heather burning or controlled burning, muirburn is a … Continue reading Amended ‘Irresponsible BBQ users’ are not always to blame for wildfires

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Toronto replaces iodide tablets to protect those living near nuclear power stations. Responsible Conservative and Labour UK governments have never bothered

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From Toronto University’s On the Record 10 April 2026: As of February 2026, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) began the process of sending out replacement potassium iodide pills to people living within 10 kilometres of the two major nuclear generating stations located within the Durham Region, the Pickering and Darlington stations.  While living near these stations can raise concerns for some residents, municipal governments and provincial agencies maintain emergency preparedness measures aimed at protecting communities, including replacing the expired set of pills they sent out in 2015. This seems to have come as a surprise to some residents because awareness of these public safety programs and … Continue reading Toronto replaces iodide tablets to protect those living near nuclear power stations. Responsible Conservative and Labour UK governments have never bothered

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Scotland has world’s greatest wind capacity per head of population in the World but uses it to benefit England

johnrobertson834

The above table is not clearly linked to its source. I’ve asked and will update when I get it. As you are aware, the above is doing nothing for our energy bills, the highest in the UK and in Europe so what’s happening to the electricity it’s producing? Here’s the story: The UK Energy Minister, above, appeared to claim credit for the approval of the massive 300 plus turbine, 4.1GW, windfarm off the Scottish coast near Fife and East Lothian: Even the Scotsman knew who had actually approved it: One of world’s biggest wind farms with 307 turbines approved near Edinburgh by … Continue reading Scotland has world’s greatest wind capacity per head of population in the World but uses it to benefit England