Talking-up Scotland

As the much-desired NHS Scotland Winter Crisis fails to emerge, in real terms such as delays at A&E or in ambulance response times, the Scotsman can wait no longer to alert the public. Luckily Scottish Ambulance Service figures reveal increased spending on overtime payments to paramedics as the winter, even a mild one it seems, has put ‘huge and growing pressure’ on staff.

Reading Scott McNab’s report, there’s no sign of anyone actually saying that, or even seeing who has said ‘unacceptable staff shortages.’ That usually reliable orator (irony!) Annie Wells seems to have forgotten to say those things so that she can be quoted. McNab’s report is a desperate, vague and uncoordinated list of ‘might be’ problems but contains no actual evidence of these overtime payments being responsible for anything other than, maybe, increased Christmas-giving by paramedics?

He cannot even find one paramedic to say they are unhappy with the extra shifts. He cannot find one disgruntled partner to complain about them being over-tired or feeling guilty about not helping enough with the shopping. He can’t even find one doctor to offer any anecdotal evidence.

Isn’t this just what an efficient system does? Increasing overtime is clearly better than training more paramedics than you need at other times and then trying to employ them on seasonal contracts. Do some folk want to train intensively as paramedics then only work in the winter months?

In the 18^th and 19^th wee paragraphs, the ambulance service and the Scottish Government get to remind us that actual performance is high.

 

NATO                                                                Institute for Statecraft

Readers may already know that the Auchtermuchty-based Institute for Statecraft has been implicated in attempts to influence the Spanish government’s attitude toward Russia and in an ‘infowars attack’ on Labour and Jeremy Corbyn:

Older readers may remember the ‘NATO spy base’ known by most as ‘the Golf Ball’ (above) just across the border into Kinross but, crucially, within the borders of the ancient Pictish kingdom of Magna Fife.  The ‘eavesdropping post’ was used to spy on Soviet Russia during the Great Cold War of 1945-1989.

Now, TuS Security Correspondent and visiting fellow at the Prague Institute for Security Techniques (PIST), Professor Jan Wallesa Robertinsky, has discovered further evidence of surveillance activity with the same area. Clackmannanshire-based Saltire Investigations offers a range of spying services including ‘Partner Bugging’ which Mrs Robertinsky has expressed interest in testing for TuS:

Alert readers will note the use of the SNP thistle logo, above, lying on its side and draw their own conclusions as to Saltire’s position re Scottish independence.

Professor Robertinsky has suggested that the Fife aural environment may be particularly suitable for electronic surveillance because of the opacity of the background Fife accent spoken in these areas. The sharp contrasts and thus noticeability, for computer algorithms, of non-Fife-based and Fife-based, spoken English is very helpful. Speech being picked up from areas where English is spoken more clearly, such as in Spain or Russia, will be detected and thus monitored, more quickly and more efficiently because of its multiple differences from the local speech, eh.

TuS is deeply concerned about these developments though relieved to have moved down to Ayrshire, in 1984 (!) and will approach local MSP, Conservative and MP, Conservative also, to…..Oh FFS I might as well give up now.

The corpse of a typically obese person doesn’t require a larger fridge but a morbidly obese one does. The lady on the right, above, is morbidly obese and the man on the left might be. I’m 5 feet and 10 inches tall and weigh 12 stones. I’m ‘overweight’ and should be, according to the BMI, 10 stones and 10 pounds. When I was over 14 stones, I was close to entry-level obesity. Most of the Scottish rugby team are ‘obese’ because muscle is heavier than fat. Neither they nor I would require a larger fridge.

There is no crisis or epidemic in Scotland requiring more larger fridges. Morbid obesity, requiring larger fridges, has plateaued in Scotland at 5% of the population and is beginning to decline especially in the younger male population. In England and Wales, morbid obesity requiring larger fridges is climbing to 8% and 11% respectively with no sign of any future decline. See this earlier piece for the research evidence:

Second study reveals obesity in decline in Scotland (40% in boys) with government policies credited

Our NoMedia are, of course, allowed to place images of the morbidly obese alongside statistics for the generally obese because, as I was told in a complaint response by the BBC: ‘morbidly obese people are, by definition, obese!’

See these for more:

BBC Scotland shames the fat and shames the truth with morbid titillation and distortion of the facts

Does thinking we’re in a national fat crisis make us afraid of independence?

 

I know it’s bad, regardless of reporting, but what purpose does this cheap sensationalism serve?

There were around 920 000 children (0-15) in Scotland in 2017 and thanks to the caring Liberal Democrats, via the Scotsman, we hear that 12 858 or 1.3% of them will be ‘homeless’ on Christmas Day. We read:

‘Life on the streets, sofa surfing or in uncertain temporary accommodation can take a huge toll on people’s mental and physical health.’

‘Life on the streets?’ Of course, they can’t or don’t tell us how many of these children will actually be on the streets rather than in temporary accommodation? Is it none? Of course, they don’t or can’t tell us what percentage of that accommodation will be warm and damp-free? Is it all of it? Is this really the image they want us to see but dare not attach to their headline?

This 11-year-old, with his teddy (!) was, in 2017, actually living in B&B with both his parents in County Wexford, Ireland but the local media liked that posed image better than any of the shots of where he was actually staying over Christmas.

http://www.southeastradio.ie/2017/10/little-boys-christmas-wish-highlights-the-homeless-crisis-in-wexford/

I can’t find images of real cases of children living on the streets in Scotland. Does that tell us something too?

The from the LibDems again:

‘The SNP must urgently grasp the opportunity to build more social housing and ensure councils have resources to fix poor housing.’

No sense of irony there. How many social homes did the Lib-Lab coalitions in Scotland build? Diddly? How many have the SNP built? Is it 80 000?

Source:

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//statistics/population-estimates/mid-17/mid-year-pop-est-17-publication-revised.pdf

 

 

https://www.hurricaneenergy.com/operations/hurricane-assets

© Hurricane Energy

Reported today in HPR UK:

‘Australian company Spark Exploration could be sitting on oil reserves north of 1 billion barrels in the Rona Ridge area in West of Shetland waters. The biggest of its prospects, Bader, is right next door to Hurricane Energy’s huge, perhaps ultimately multi-billion barrels Lancaster-Halifax oilfield complex where long-term early production from the Lancaster part is scheduled to start within three or four months. Spark directors James Jordan and Dr Mark Pay told delegates at the recent annual PESGB (Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain) Prospect Fair in London that “mean prospective resources” range 676 million to 1.28 billion barrels of oil depending on whether the prospect is geologically separated from Halifax or not.’

https://hpruk.com/energy-voice-spark-looks-to-ignite-interest-in-billion-barrel-west-of-shetland-offering/

https://screenshots.firefox.com/7127CCziHQ8y8Buu/www.statista.com

Taking the lower prediction of $1.2 billion at $80 per barrel, we get a staggering $960 billion from just the Spark Exploration area. The whole Rona ridge is predicted to hold at least 2.6 billion barrels or more than $2 trillion!

https://www.hurricaneenergy.com/operations/hurricane-assets

With production costs now lower than $15 per barrel, there are serious profits and tax revenue to be made over the next 30 years.

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/BP-Cuts-North-Sea-Production-Costs-In-Half.html

 

(c) renewableenergyhub.

From reader Legerwood:

On the topic of renewables. It is certainly good news but I wonder if Scotland is getting maximum advantage in terms of jobs particularly in manufacturing from this sector? Its seems that across the renewable sector whether wind, marine or tidal Scotland’s efforts seem to be stymied at every turn. A few examples:

RSPB in Scotland delaying offshore windfarms via courts. RSPB has opposed every offshore windfarm proposal in Scotland and delayed them massively

https://reaction.life/rspb-trying-block-offshore-windfarms/

Scotland also seems to be missing out on jobs in this sector for example in the manufacturing of turbines etc.

2012 Gamesa (Spanish) and wind turbine manufacturing plant in Leith
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/mar/23/gamesa-offshore-windfarm

2012 Areva (French)
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/19/areva-wind-turbine-factory-scotland

Then in 2014 these companies announced they were discussing a joint venture which would mean 1 plant in Scotland and thus a reduction in jobs etc.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-25818347

Long story short, the Gamesa Arriva joint venture did not happen. Gamesa went into partnership with Siemens and they built the plant in Hull – £310 million and 1000 jobs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-25818347

Isle of Wight shipyards have also benefitted from contracts to build windfarm service vessels.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-25818347

 

From Ludo Thierry:

Amazingly beeb Jockland report a most welcome Festive Season gift to all fair-minded, democracy loving people everywhere – but especially here in Auld Scotia. It seems that the Westminster Govt (aye – Treeza’s bedraggled crew of cut-throats and footpads) are having to cough up £105,000 (thanks to the Court of Session award in favour of Wightman and co.) towards the costs of the Wightman and co. Article 50 court case. See link and snippets below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-46637382h

The UK government has been ordered to pay £105,000 in legal fees after losing its case over whether the country can unilaterally cancel Brexit.

The order was made by the Court of Session in Edinburgh as it rubber-stamped a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on the case.

The ECJ ruled last week that the UK can effectively change its mind on Brexit and remain in the EU.

The case was brought by a group of pro-Remain politicians and campaigners.

The £105,000 in legal fees they will now receive from the UK government was the maximum amount they could have been awarded by judges at the Court of Session.

The award will be split £60,000 and £45,000 between two groups who were involved in the process.

Andrew Webster QC, representing the UK’s Brexit Secretary, highlighted that the petitioners had crowdfunded about £200,000 for their legal fees ahead of the case being heard.

The case was brought by a cross-party group of pro-Remain Scottish politicians, including Labour MEPs Catherine Stihler and David Martin, SNP MP Joanna Cherry and MEP Alyn Smith, and Green MSPs Andy Wightman and Ross Greer, together with lawyer Jolyon Maugham QC, director of the Good Law Project.

Scotland’s most senior judge Lord Carloway, the Lord President, said: “This court will grant a declarator which mirrors the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union.” (Can’t you just hear the quiet purr of satisfaction in Lord Carloway’s voice as he announced this judgement and the attendant award of the max costs possible?)

 

Interestingly the Northern Ireland beeb page reports that Jolyon Maugham QC and the Better Law Group are seeking a Judicial Review of the N. Ireland Electoral Commission’s minimal investigation into massive ‘Dark Money’ donations to DUP (brexit campaign) form the shadowy Scotland based organisation the Conservative Research Council (CRC). Strange how these stories find their way onto the beeb N. Ireland page but not the beeb Jockland page (despite the very evident ‘Scottish’ Tory/Dark Money involvement) – Can’t imagine how that might happen – can you? Link and snippets below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-46626012

Judicial review proceedings are being issued against the Electoral Commission over its decision not to investigate the handling of the DUP’s biggest ever donation.

The Good Law Project is seeking the review from London’s High Court.

It relates to the Electoral Commission’s decision not to investigate the £435,000 donation made during the EU referendum.

The (vast) bulk of the money was spent by the DUP on pro-Brexit advertising.

The Electoral Commission said it has carried out its enforcement duties to “the highest standards”.

The donation was made by the pro-Brexit group the Constitutional Research Council (CRC).

On Wednesday BBC News NI reported that the CRC broke electoral law by failing to report the donation to the Electoral Commission. (CRC was fined £6,000)

Following an investigation, the CRC declared the 2016 donation and the commission found the source of the money was permissible.

The CRC is chaired by Richard Cook, a former vice chairman of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

The Good Law Project is a campaign group that works to uphold the rule of law. One of its central aims is to try and stop Brexit.

On Thursday, the organisation confirmed it was lodging proceedings at London’s High Court challenging the Electoral Commission’s decision not to take action over the CRC donation.

The names of those who donated the money to the CRC have never been released.

Donor laws in Northern Ireland state that the Electoral Commission can not release information on any donations made before July 2017.

Jolyon Maugham QC, barrister and founder of Good Law Project, said: “It is of enormous concern that the DUP, who currently wield disproportionate power, appear so unconcerned about the source of donations, and that once again the Electoral Commission’s regulation of the EU Referendum – the most important vote of our generation – appears to lack any kind of rigour.”

(Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Jolyon Maugham and the Good Law Project are able to fund their application for Judicial Review following the award of costs to them made by The Court of Session against the Westminster Govt in the Article 50 case? – Treeza – Oh what a web you weaved when first you practised to deceive).

 

From Contrary:

I’m struggling here, on a firmly Talking-up Scotland subject, to turn it into a thought-control subject and a smooth transition may be lacking. I really want to continue on from my first thoughts expressed while commented on your Alex Salmond article – I have made comments on Craig’s and Wee Ginger Dug’s blogs – Craig himself is always critical of the SNP so there’s no change there, but Paul never is and there is a worrying number of people commenting on his blog about how they suddenly and without foundation believe the SNP would prefer ermine in the lords to Scottish independence. Being a student of the Chomsky institute for tackling misinformation, I have decided to address this. It is spreading fear, and as you have educated us, fear makes us more receptive to bizarre messages that would normally be dismissed out of hand. So if you can indulge me yet again on putting a different message out there (two sets of comments brought together). I really want people to have a worry-free, relaxed festive season, to forget the fear-mongering for a while, and just chill:

The SNP have been making a huge effort to visit other countries and get them onside, Nicola Sturgeon is very well received abroad, we just don’t get to hear about it. I haven’t heard of many visits to Africa, but certainly the SNP have been upping the global awareness of Scotland being a distinct country over the past few years. I am sure Craig’s option (UDI) isn’t the preferred option of the SNP, but I doubt they would rule it out – if there was a known majority opinion to have independence. Big on democracy, the SNP. Unlike the feudal UK wide parties.

The main problem isn’t the SNP (they are really the only ones working towards a solution), it’s the misinformation, the missing bits of news, the trolling etc that means we are unlikely to get a large majority in favour of independence at any one time. Why would anyone want to be ruled by another country? It doesn’t make sense. People need to give up with the cognitive dissonance, it isn’t good for their health, the U.K. isn’t good for our health, anyone’s health.

To my mind, the attacks on Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP, the dissatisfaction that’s being spread and shared, is down to MI6 doing their job. They are trying to push the SNP into holding a referendum at the wrong time – enough public pressure and dissatisfaction and they might do it. Good tactics. What makes everyone think they aren’t going to hold an independence vote of some kind? Who is it that is actually frustrated and desperate to know when it’ll be, or what form it’ll take? The unionist parties and supporters perhaps?

Do you really believe that the SNP are playing party politics, or could it be that they are acting in the best interests of Scottish people, as they do in nearly all their actions? Why would the current actions be so far away from their norm? Whose beliefs are you holding? The SNP might not always get it right, but their principles have stood the test of time, and I for one don’t believe they are suddenly throwing that away for seats in the lords. They might not get this one right either, it’s a cesspit of political manoeuvring after all, but I’d personally prefer the democratic political option in the first place.

All the MSM already hates the SNP, and with broadcasting being a reserved matter, I’m not sure taking the hardline and pissing off the BBC is going to be that fruitful – the media is a closed bubble. It would be nice to see the SNP with more backbone, but what you’d get as a result I doubt would be pretty. How do they get any air time? Rock and a hard place. Walking the line. It’s a hostile environment for the SNP and they hold their own in interviews pretty well despite that. If our own guys can’t give them a break, well, they’ve got no chance. They are politicians, and the SNP is a political party, THEY have to play by the rules. The rest of us don’t.

None of the criticism I hear quite stacks up. (‘Get them doubting. Get them suspicious and distrusting. Get them riled up and panicking. That’ll push the SNP to make a move and we can slam them.’ Is how I imagine the tactic session going). If they’d tried to UDI back during the famous walk out? I doubt they’d have had enough backing. Now, Apparently a LibDem MP came out in favour of an independence referendum this week, saying it in the HoC. That’s a change.

There is a difference between criticising someone’s behaviour, and just broadcasting your own imaginary beliefs on something that you think might happen based on a fear of what might happen, based on no evidence whatsoever. It is not criticism of the SNP when you say you think they don’t want independence, you are telling people that you think the SNP have completely changed their whole reason for being, have totally and suddenly lost all form of principle, based on no evidence, for no reason, just,,, because?

It would be cheaper, quicker, easier to have England at least in the customs union, come independence – so why shouldn’t the SNP campaign for it? I’ve no argument against a hard border mind you, and indeed if it’s going to be a wall, I have some ideas on the architecture – might as well make it a tourist attraction too – and it would be great as an infrastructure project to boost the economy & a ton of jobs.

Every day that passes there is a boost to support of independence, starting the campaign too early would be detrimental, and not kowtowing to unionist demands to do it now shows backbone. Alex was pushed into doing the first referendum by the unionists, badgered, and my my they got a surprise, he certainly rose to the challenge. All bets are off after Brexit, Westminster has to show its hand, so the clamouring will get louder up til then I should think.

The EU and the U.K. Government seem to be playing a giant game of chicken at the mo – who will blink first I wonder. As a negotiating tactic, it’s abysmal, and I have no doubt the Westminster public school elitists will be arrogant enough to follow through – no accountability in Westminster. I am happy to see calls for revising the political system, but there aren’t enough, and Scotland is lost to them already anyway, all we really hear now are the dying bleats of a lost cause from unionists.

It’s the insidious messages from within that may cause the greatest harm (aside from the MSM). I was trying to imagine why I would start thinking the SNP would sell out – we are all getting frustrated, not just those openly voicing dissatisfaction – and looked for evidence, and found none, and could not imagine why they’d suddenly change behaviour, or why I would believe so – that’s how your catchy memes take hold though, they sound half way feasible and take advantage of fear and panic. Who is more likely to sell us out, the SNP, or the Westminster government?

Who is causing the fear and panic to make us more receptive? I am actually suspicious that the Tory government might be treating Scotland and its parliament so badly on purpose to get this reaction (obviously they don’t think BBC Scotland is peddling the fearmongering well enough) – let’s have it backfire on them eh? We’ve all done wind-ups, fun isn’t it, pushing someone’s buttons, getting them to react, makes you feel superior? The U.K. Gov’t has a lot more resources to do that on a massive scale. We need to keep asking for an indyref, yes, keep pushing for it, but we’ve got to trust that the SNP will know better than us when the right time is to do it. Be confident and be sure.

But also, I don’t believe I have the luxury of not backing the SNP, I certainly won’t be watching devolution crumble and I see no other rallying crusaders out there with any clout to take on the independence campaign to conclusion. For now anyway!

‘More than double the number of properties are (sic) at risk from flooding in Scotland than previously thought.’ (BBC Scotland, today 07:27)

Repeated nine times today, I predict, this was the broadcast and website headline for BBC Scotland. I don’t know where the speech marks were in the TV broadcast version, but they should certainly have been more accurately placed around the ‘number.’ I’m happy that SEPA classifications of flood risk are pretty objective and require no doubtful wee speech marks but it was clear that SEPA themselves wanted to qualify the meaning of the word ‘number’. Here’s what is admitted further down:

‘Steve McFarland, of Sepa’s flood risk planning and policy team, said the rise in the figure for “at risk” homes, was largely down to improved modelling and knowledge, rather than an increased physical risk.’

The website, nevertheless, went on to say:

‘The number of Scottish homes and businesses considered at risk of flooding has more than doubled in three years. The new National Flood Risk Assessment estimates that around 284,000 properties are vulnerable to rising river and sea levels.  This compares with 108,000 found to be under threat in 2011 and 2015.’

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-46638329

Not mentioned there but in the broadcast version:

‘It comes from a major recalculation now including larger sites like universities which are made up of a number of properties.’

So, instead of University of the West of Scotland, Ayr Campus halls of residence, right next to the river, what was one property is now 600? Repeat this kind of thinking across the country and I’m surprised we don’t have a far greater increase than reported here but these are not ‘properties’ at all. All the halls are the property of the University, insured by them as one owner and at the cost to them as one owner. In financial terms here, nothing has changed.

If we were to strip out, even just the tens of thousands of apparent additional entries here, for student rooms, might the figure for the whole of Scotland actually be falling? Might SNP-led spending on flood prevention be causing that?

Is SEPA pushing for more funding? Is BBC Scotland News full of solid effleunts?

Further reading:

SNP Government invests more than £25 million in one flood defence scheme

Calls for Environment Agency (England) to be stripped of responsibility for flooding

Update as Reporting Scotland repeat ridiculous claim that English authorities were better: Flooding: has Scottish government done more to keep our heads above water?

Flooding: has Scottish government done more to keep our heads above water?

Despite the deluge, is flood protection stronger and better funded in Scotland?

 

(c) inhabitat.com

In Energy Voice today:

‘Renewable energy is now able to meet more than 70% of Scotland’s energy requirement, according to new stats. The 2017 data, released today by the Scottish Government, shows that renewable electricity sources are now able to meet 70.1% of Scotland’s energy demand, up from 54.4% in 2016. The new figures break previously held records for renewable demand in Scotland. The rise is largely attributed to more wind being used to produce renewable electricity, with an extra 1.1 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity coming online in 2017.’

https://www.energyvoice.com/otherenergy/188941/renewable-energy-meets-over-70-of-scotlands-needs/

Remember, this is 2017 data. Given the overall trend, the figure for 2018 will be much higher again.

Again, this announcement comes in the slipstream of a great deal of good news about wind power:

Scotland’s wind energy smashes through 100% threshold but fails to bother BBC Scotland

BBC Scotland have only murder on their minds as Scotland’s wind turbines produce enough power on one day to power three times more homes than we have!

First UK wind turbine repair and recycling centre opens in Scotland

Once more Scotland has the wind in its favour

Sorted! Enough wind power for 87% of Scottish homes in August

First subsidy-free onshore wind farm for Scotland?

Scotland’s world-first offshore wind farm electricity to cost less than half that of Hinkley Point C nuclear and has ability to withstand hurricanes.