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Archive for November, 2019


Across the road 230

Posted on November 30, 2019 by

The game is still on 126

Posted on November 29, 2019 by

Particularly alert readers may recall this excellent documentary from 2017, exposing how Labour’s PFI scandal has cost the Scottish taxpayer countless billions of pounds and crippled local government for decades with its extortionate financial legacy, as illustrated by the case of North Ayrshire.

Well, now there’s another one of it.

The title is self-explanatory, and it’s worth half an hour of your time.

The bidding war 330

Posted on November 27, 2019 by

Remember this, readers? What a long time ago it seems.

And we don’t just mean Ruth Davidson being in favour of staying in the EU.

Read the rest of this entry →

Selected voices 536

Posted on November 23, 2019 by

The Panel 426

Posted on November 19, 2019 by

This, frankly, is something that we should have done years before now. But it’s never too late to start.

One of the most annoying and undemocratic things about modern politics is the ease with which MPs and candidates can simply ignore the electorate. I’ve attempted to politely ask my own MP, Wera Hobhouse of the Liberal Democrats, a question on several occasions and had only dead air in response, and many readers report similar from their own representatives.

What that means, among other things, is that it can be impossible to have any idea what someone stands for on a given issue before you vote for them. And that’s plainly unacceptable in a democracy.

However, when there’s an election on, there’s something you can do about it.

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The fruits of apartheid 118

Posted on November 18, 2019 by

A new study reported at the weekend has found disturbing levels of sectarian beliefs among pupils at Scotland’s 357 Catholic schools. But there was an interesting twist – sectarianism was higher among the pupils who WEREN’T practicing Catholics.

Whatever could be the explanation?

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We are confused 100

Posted on November 18, 2019 by

We’ve just taken our first week off in eight years, and no sooner are we back than the whole world’s turned on its head. Because this is Brian Wilson in today’s Scotsman.

The only thing we don’t understand is: if a Holyrood majority for independence will be valid in 2021, why isn’t it valid now?

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Going native 213

Posted on November 16, 2019 by

The Secret History Of Ultimate 7

Posted on November 15, 2019 by

Ashby Computers & Graphics Ltd, better known under their trading name of Ultimate Play The Game, were the most reclusive and secretive videogame developers of the 8-bit era. Almost never doing interviews and giving very little away when they did, they preferred to let their stream of smash-hit games do most of the talking for them. The anti-Bitmap Brothers, if you will.

The games themselves were just as enigmatic, never really explaining your goal or even how to play. You'd be told the control keys, given a bit of cryptically florid plot waffle and left to get on with it.

But even now, 37 years after the last new Ultimate release, remarkably little is known about how they managed to arrive full-fledged on the scene, already making games that most other releases of the time paled and quailed beside.

And as I'd given myself the week off writing about politics and there wasn't a poker game on, I decided to spend last night having a bit of a dig.

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And they’re off 784

Posted on November 09, 2019 by

An all-time low 142

Posted on November 08, 2019 by

Try to ignore the “regional”, and the fact that it’s framed as the Tories vs Labour. This is a new full-sample (1060) poll from YouGov today, and wow.

(The left-hand bar in each pair is 2017, the right-hand one is 2019.)

And you thought Kezia Dugdale’s nadir of 14% would never be beaten.

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We are lost for words 295

Posted on November 06, 2019 by

It doesn’t happen often, but it has today. Because Nick Robinson said this:

You know, Nick Robinson. It was Nick Robinson who just complained about someone misleadingly editing an interview to make it look as though someone hadn’t answered a question. Seriously, the actual Nick Robinson.

We’ve got nothing, folks.

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    • 100%Yes on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “@ Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh Thanks, added your site to my bookmarks. It would help if Wings updated Pro-Indy bloggers on his…May 18, 13:59
    • 100%Yes on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I believe David Henry was saying that the wording of the treaty of Union has recently been changed to say…May 18, 13:44
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “If anyone has a problem with the above URL link, try this alternative path: SCOTTISH SOVEREIGNTY RESEARCH GROUP CONFERENCE (17…May 18, 13:02
    • James Cheyne on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “100%Yes.. I will away and watch it just now, thanks for the information, I am looking forward to the piece…May 18, 13:00
    • Stuart MacKay on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “Ha, ha the saga of Kelly-gate goes on and on and on. Now we have the prime antagonist lambasting the…May 18, 12:17
    • Angry Weegie on Echoes from history: ““You know the next four words, right?” I (re)read “A Letter from Quebec” and it almost reduced me to tears,…May 18, 12:17
    • Skip_NC on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “James Kelly as a spook-paid disruptor? No, I don’t see it. He’s just an overblown windbag. He’s been spouting the…May 18, 11:55
    • James Cheyne on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I actually think the union does not exist for Scots , for a multiple of reasons. However equally there are…May 18, 11:36
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    • Hatey McHateface on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “Loving your double taps. How does it go again? One in the chest and one in the head? No doubt…May 18, 11:06
    • James Cheyne on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “How do you hold onto the idea that it is a real union? It may once have been ( may)…May 18, 11:03
    • Vivian O’Blivion on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “The appearance in the Hamilton constituency was touted in advance as “canvassing”. In the event, it was a photo opportunity…May 18, 10:13
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    • Andrew Abel on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I posted the same on the other website, but this is not what LLMs are suitable for. They are probabilistic…May 18, 09:47
    • 100%Yes on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “Here is the video of the SSRG conference for those who are interested. The most important part is @ 1:45.17…May 18, 09:24
    • Andy Ellis on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I don’t doubt that the spooks take interest in the cause of independence, but if they’re using someone with the…May 18, 08:58
    • MaryB on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “It seems to me that James Kelly is being paid by the spooks as a disruptor. Of course, that might…May 18, 08:53
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    • Jim Tadgercock on Barbie Stories: “Spot on mate all by design.May 18, 06:53
    • Young Lochinvar on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I see the Herald is leading with a picture of the selfie queen (SHE whose name shall not be uttered)…May 18, 03:22
    • Young Lochinvar on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I hate to direct anyone to the NatAnal rag anymore but a history search reveals a non paywall rendition of…May 18, 02:55
    • 100%Yes on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “Sarah, well said.May 17, 22:55
    • Andy Ellis on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “The idea has legs Mr McHateface! Sadly* I see that many of those who would have been most embarrassed by…May 17, 21:29
    • sarah on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “@ 100% Yes at 6.30: the KC Prof Robert Black was forensic in proving the falsity of the “United Kingdom”.…May 17, 21:22
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “« I’m off out to feed the swans. » (recent Stu Campbell remark) _________ « we may as well do as Rev does…May 17, 21:00
    • Hatey McHateface on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I’ve enjoyed reading the Grok analysis and assessment of the “debate”. I wonder if it would catch on BTL too.…May 17, 20:58
    • Hatey McHateface on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “I’m not sure it’s not a folk memory now. The place bears little resemblance to what it was in my…May 17, 20:34
    • Hatey McHateface on Well, this is a little embarrassing: “Sounds like your post needs fixing. How about “explosive stuff regarding the union by a fake KC” Any political and…May 17, 20:20
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