@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

Wen

@Wen@mastodon.scot

I am a climber, runner, cyclist and swimmer. In between that I run a small (but perfectly formed) analytics company, splitting my time between Edinburgh, The Highlands and The Borders, campaign for Scottish independence, bake bread and occasionally dabble in bad art.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

DanielleVossebeld, to photography
@DanielleVossebeld@mastodon.social avatar

My iPad is showing only 1 featured photo 🔍 . I could have posted one of my many waterfalls, snowy mountains, seascapes, everything, but it is tiny lavender (what are the odds).

Which is also amazing, by the way, smells lovely, and also beautiful.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@DanielleVossebeld ‘sniff and touch' not available on your tablet? 😂

Wen,
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@DanielleVossebeld It is a clingy fragrance isn’t it…

JackTheCat, to random
@JackTheCat@mastodon.scot avatar

How will the energy cap reduction affect Scotland given that we produce/contribute most of it yet pay more for it than anybody else? 🤔

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@JackTheCat We did with fossil fuels. We do with renewables - but it gets exported to England while Scots in the areas that produce the power are in fuel poverty. And those people pay more.

I deplore fuel poverty anywhere, but it is perverse that the UK energy policy (a reserved issue) discriminates against those in most need in the Highlands and Islands, while demanding preferential access to their power.

Wen, to random
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

Starmer warns of ‘difficult choices’ over NHS, tuition fees and two-child benefit cap – UK politics live

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/may/24/keir-starmer-rishi-sunak-uk-general-election-2024-labour-conservatives

So that will be Scotland on our own again? Potential Labour voters in Scotland listen and be very afraid.

Fragarach, to random
@Fragarach@mas.to avatar

According to Richard Tice, Brexshitter-in-chief, 2024-1066=2.
Additionally, his arrogance in continuing to talk over Sophy Ridge is in keeping with his poor grasp of history as well as arithmetic.
Small wonder his political views are so removed from reality.

https://news.sky.com/video/share-13142125

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@Fragarach but still they keep on bringing him back, frequently unchallenged.

ChrisMayLA6, to food
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us avatar

Its difficult to assess what % of food (or food based energy) consumed is ultra processed, but here is a chart that aggregates a number of studies to suggest the range of % for a selection of countries.... & then when you know Big Food in the USA spends more on lobbying than the Tobacco industry (which is likely to be similar in UK)... it starts to make sense.

Link that to public health & we have some more context for the UK's health crisis.

More food regulation is needed now!

Wen,
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@peterbrown @ChrisMayLA6 @sunflowerinrain Actually, taking Bread as an example they could!

Wen, to UKpolitics
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

Conservative Electioneering

Interesting, Police Scotland announce charges and continuing investigations of ‘two other people’ to coincide with GE campaign and Police England one on Angela Rayner will finish before the GE.

I am unsure who will benefit more, Starmer or Sunak, the two S****s of Westminster society.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@bampot you have been mislead. The Mr Whippy was a Conservative parliamentary expense.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@bampot a Tory always appreciates the party whip(py).

The Seine Labour parliamentarians are on record of enjoying it with a sniff of the white stuff as well.

eurasiareview, to random
@eurasiareview@mastodon.social avatar

AI Headphones Let Wearer Listen To A Single Person In A Crowd, By Looking At Them Just Once https://www.eurasiareview.com/24052024-ai-headphones-let-wearer-listen-to-a-single-person-in-a-crowd-by-looking-at-them-just-once/

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@eurasiareview @RustyBertrand interesting but hardly AI. Steered microphones have been available for years. Modern electronics make them more compact and affordable.

MacNaBracha, to Scotland
@MacNaBracha@mastodon.scot avatar

Especially for Scottish voters in the 4 July Independence Day due to start of school holidays.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@MacNaBracha It won't matter - do you think the Conservatives think that family voters are likely to support them?

AnthonyFStevens, to random
@AnthonyFStevens@mastodon.online avatar

Austerity, Brexit, Covid Lockdown Parties, PPE Scandal, Raw Sewage in UK Waterways & Coastal Areas, Economic Crash, Record Inflation, Record Interest Rates, Cost of Living Crisis, Pensions Decimated, Mortgage Rises, NHS in Crisis, Schools Crumbling, Housing Crisis...

This is the choice. It's really that simple.

4th July

Vote 🌹 ❎️ 🗳

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren

It is of course complicated, but in the space available

  • the tale that Scotlands would not be allowed to (re)join the UK by a UK (England) veto
  • the misrepresentation of Scottish Debt (I suggest you look at an accountants analysis) https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2023/08/16/gers-day/
  • A massive misrepresentation by the main street Media - from the BBC upwards or downwards
  • And of course a substantial number of people who still believe the Union is good for them
Wen,
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@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren Do you know anything about GERS?

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren Please have a look. There are obvious issues, the allocation of revenue and taxes, the allocation of nominal interest rates on Scotland for ‘borrowings’ that are imposed by Enland and others.

The claim that ‘Xitter' demolished Murphy is itself laughable. I would suggest that for (different analyses - for that is economics) you might look at the IFS explanation. Then apply the levers an independent Scotland would have.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren You might also want to look at

https://thebottomline.scot/gers-and-the-mismanagement-of-the-economy/

Obviously not unbiased, but it gives you some idea of the issues. You might also ask why English control of energy policy leaves people in parts of Scotland in deep fuel poverty (despite generating the power - once from fossil fuels, now renewables) while power generated in their locality is consumed by England at a discount.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren

Let me remind you of Labour's threates during the referencum

Now work that one out!

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren But as to why vote Labour? You choose to vote Labour in England - we have a choice, even with FPTP, which Labour insist on maintaining.

Wen,
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@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren I suspect you really did not read what he has written properly.

Wen,
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@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren I am giving them as an example of where to get numbers you can actually analyse and argue with or against comments. They seem to be a favourite of Starmer and the Labour leadership on GERS though….

Wen,
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@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren Go on. Work through them - one point at a time…

Wen,
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@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren

A couple of starters

Water - privatised in England and there is a great deal of evidence, physical, chemical and economic to demonstrate why a neighbouring country (Scotland) has better quality, more investment and lower bills. But Labour stood by during the Blair years and will carry on.

Energy - not only what it says on the tin, but deliberately discriminatory.

I could go on, but maybe you know better?

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren Modern Monetary Theory is an extreme - and one might argue that Murphys advocacy was a provocation. Look at similar comments about Keynes at the time (I could go on). But let’s get back to GERS and distortions.

If you want to discuss MMT I can, as a jobbing mathematician but that doesn't address the issue of your real misunderstanding of Scotland and Labour.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren They have to be part of the discussion. I have no love or trust in the IFS but you can see the data. Labour leadership seem far more enthusiastic than me.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren

There were priorities - but the incoming Labour administration decided to take the Conservative way. I do not dispute that the NHS did benefit although with a supercharged PFI approach, at a great cost.

But you really do not present a good case for Labour being good for Scotland (remember, the original comments?) as opposed to necessary for England. You certainly have no argument for Labour relinquishing English control over Scottish assets.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren Actually you have not on MMT. And I really don't think Murp[hy, faults and all has cut and run.

The IFS don't have much credit and I would question most of their conclusions.

You still have not explained why Labour would be good for Scotland.

Wen,
@Wen@mastodon.scot avatar

@AnthonyFStevens @Theriac @CloudyMrs @soren Know your enemy. If you don’t know what assumptions they are using and the data they cultivate you won't have a good argument.

But what about Scotland and Labour?

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