Mark Irvine - Blogger, Campaigner, Organiser

The Coronavirus outbreak has caused huge amounts of  disruption across the globe, but this has also led to new ways of working (from home where possible) to ensure that normal, everyday life doesn't grind to a complete halt. So I'm pleased to report that the vital work of replacing Glasgow's 'unfit for purpose' WPBR pay scheme continues, at least as far as A4ES and the trade unions are concerned. In recent days our resident A4ES job analyst - Giuliana (Jules) Mazzoni - has been wracking her brain to come up with a way of continuing with her work and has come up with a great solution by conducting JE interviews via Skype or telephone. Jules has been pushing ahead with the JE exercise, despite the uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus epidemic, and is working remotely to support jobholders in Glasgow City Council whose jobs are due to be evaluated. What this means in practice is that Giuliana will send all participants a link to the JE questionnaire...

The Coronavirus lockdown brings lots of challenges on how to share common spaces with other family members and although we don't currently have any pets, I have to admit I'm on the side of this carnaptious cat.     

Donald Trump's self-isolating brain has to walk back his ridiculous suggestion that the Coronavirus pandemic could be all over by Easter.      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52087113 Coronavirus: Trump extends US guidelines beyond Easter Media caption - "Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory is won" President Donald Trump has said federal coronavirus guidelines such as social distancing will be extended across the US until at least 30 April. He had previously suggested that they could be relaxed as early as Easter , which falls in mid-April. "The highest point of the death rate is likely to hit in two weeks," Mr Trump said. He appeared to be referring to peak infection rates that experts fear could overwhelm hospitals. White House medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci had earlier warned that the virus could kill up to 200,000 Americans . Dr Fauci said that it was "entirely conceivable" that millions of Ameri...

Ian Dury and the Blockheads with a huge list of reasons to be cheerful - despite Coronavirus.     

It's good to see that thousands of 'stranded' UK citizens are being helped to return home during the Coronavirus pandemic. But I think it's also fair to point out that a fair number of these individuals (up to 60,000 apparently) have been irresponsible because the Foreign Office advised against all non-essential travel two weeks ago on 17 March 2020. So anyone who still set off on holiday after that date, against official advice, has good reason to be cheerful and grateful.      Coronavirus: Foreign Office links up with airlines to fly stranded Britons home Media caption - Dominic Raab said charter flights will be arranged for countries where commercial flights have stopped. Tens of thousands of Britons stranded abroad by the coronavirus pandemic will be flown home under a new arrangement between the government and airlines. BA, Virgin and Easyjet are among airlines working with the government to fly Britons back to the UK. The govern...

Alex Bell, a former special adviser to the former First Minister, steps into the debate surrounding Alex Salmond's trial and acquittal with the following memorable lines: " When your best defence is ‘I’m sleazy but not criminal’, it’s nothing to smile about .  "A married, avowedly Christian man is revealed as a creep."   The evidential test in a criminal trial is 'proof beyond a reasonable doubt' which normally places great weight on independent witnesses and third-party corroboration. But that does not mean Alex Salmond has no civil case to answer for his behaviour as First Minister.        https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18336018.defence-witness-brands-alex-salmond-insecure-creep/ Defence witness brands Alex Salmond an insecure 'creep' By Tom Gordon - The Herald UPDATED - Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon ONE of Alex Salmond’s defence witnesses at his recent trial has described him as an insecur...

The Late Show bids a not so fond farewell to Donald Trump who is leaving his home town of New York at a time of the city's greatest crisis - worse even than the harrowing events of  9/11.  Good riddance if you ask me - I'm sure this is one 'Native New Yorker' who won't be missed.   Murder in Manhattan (11/09/19) I occasionally re-post on the blog site the words of a poem I wrote many years ago in the wake of 9/11. I decided to do so again this year because of the news that America's biggest hypocrite, Donald J Trump, had invited Taliban leaders to Camp David on the very eve of 9/11.  Having had the bare-faced cheek to castigate President Barack Obama for even daring to talk to the Taliban  back in 2012.     Murder in Manhattan (11/09/19) I wrote a poem about the attack on America on September 11th 2001 shortly after watching the two hijacked civilian planes slam into the Twin Towers in...

Here's my latest letter to facebook and Mark Zuckerberg, the company's founder, chairman and chief executive. Later today I'll share details of how readers of my blog can send a message of support by asking Facebook to expose the person behind these repeated, malicious complaints. Dear Facebook Bogus Complaints to Facebook and Account Suspension Please find below a letter to Mark Zuckerberg regarding the repeated suspension of my Facebook account. I now plan to share my experience more widely on social media because Facebook's decision to suspend my A4ES page, instead of dealing with the person who is making these malicious complaints, is manifestly wrong. I have provided you with my contact details in a separate email. Kind regards Mark Irvine Dear Mr Zuckerberg (by email)  Bogus Complaints to Facebook and Account Suspension My Action 4 Equality Scotland Facebook page has again been suspended this evening (29/03/2020) as a re...