‘Scotland’s schools are much better than they used to be’
A letter in the Herald today is spot-on and will, I feel sure, echo many feelings here. It did mine: Continue reading ‘Scotland’s schools are much better than they used to be’
Author: johnrobertson834
Retired Professor of Media Politics
Not-for-profit independent political analysis
Massive new $11 billion oil find off Peterhead Scotlandshire in ‘Whitsun prospect’
Thanks to Kenny Anderson @Kennyaberdeen for alerting me to this: Finder Energy (ASX: FDR) has announced that modern studies have upgraded the company’s large Whitsun prospect off the UK coast [Peterhead] in the Central North Sea. A detailed subsurface interpretation of newly reprocessed Big Buzz 3D data acquired from within the company’s P2528 Seaward production licence has identified a potential oil resource of up to 150 million barrels [currently $75 per barrel]. https://smallcaps.com.au/finder-energy-potential-150-million-barrel-oil-resource-whitsun-prospect/# Scottish media reporting on this news? You know. FA! Why is the field called ‘Whitsun Prospect?’ I don’t even know what or when Whitsun is Continue reading Massive new $11 billion oil find off Peterhead Scotlandshire in ‘Whitsun prospect’
New Zealand Ferries and Labour Government incompetence – ‘potential cost to the taxpayer is now many times what the Government initially signed up to’
From the Otago Daily Times today: Grant Robertson has accused the Finance Minister of playing cheap politics over the escalating cost of portside infrastructure needed for KiwiRail’s new Cook Strait mega ferries. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has revealed the potential cost to the taxpayer is now many times what the Government initially signed up to and said the situation was “deeply troubling”. “I am concerned that this blow-out reflects casual incompetence by the outgoing Government in its approach to the scoping, management and delivery of major infrastructure projects. “Our Government will be much more careful stewards of taxpayers’ money,” Willis told the New … Continue reading New Zealand Ferries and Labour Government incompetence – ‘potential cost to the taxpayer is now many times what the Government initially signed up to’
Isle of Wight residents slam ferry crossing cuts as government-subsidised company makes £12 million in profits and pays £8 million in dividends
From BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight today: Isle of Wight residents slam Red Funnel ferry crossing cuts. Under new timetables from 3 January, the last Red Jet ferry to the Isle of Wight will depart from Southampton at 22:30 GMT, with the final departure from West Cowes changing to 23:05. Red Funnel blamed the decision on reduced passenger demand. Isle of Wight residents have argued earlier crossings meant those hoping to attend concerts on the mainland would no longer be able to get home. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-67635947 There is no mention of any government nor of any politician in the above … Continue reading Isle of Wight residents slam ferry crossing cuts as government-subsidised company makes £12 million in profits and pays £8 million in dividends
The unchallenged assertion that high earners will leave if income tax levels are raised has been shown to be a lie
Anonymous The unchallenged assertion that high earners will leave if income tax levels are raised has been shown to be a lie. It is not a factor which unduly influences high earners who have their principal home in Scotland. Because their main home is here they also get the common benefits that every other citizen is entitled to, including free higher education. They also have friends and family here and social links. In addition, often a fair amount of the money they receive is not ‘income’ that is subject to ‘income’ tax. They have financial advisers who specialise in tax … Continue reading The unchallenged assertion that high earners will leave if income tax levels are raised has been shown to be a lie
The main reason nuclear power hasn’t ‘taken off’ – it’s not economic.
Leah Gunn Barrett Nuclear costs 2.6 times more per unit than gas and 3.7 times more than wind.[1] Government subsidies and guarantees are needed because the nuclear industry is an open-ended liability. A nuclear plant has never been fully decommissioned and many believe it would cost more than the original construction. Second, nuclear power has facilitated, not stopped, the proliferation of nuclear weapons. India produced its first plutonium in a Canadian supplied reactor, exploding its first nuclear bomb in 1974. Nations like Iran are following suit.[2] Third, accidents have dogged the industry from the beginning. In 1957 the Windscale reactor that … Continue reading The main reason nuclear power hasn’t ‘taken off’ – it’s not economic.
No credible academic uses the Pisa scores and proper tests show real progress in Scotland’s schools
‘Pisa tests fail to recognise what’s important in education and should be ignored’ https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/pisa-tests-fail-recognise-whats-important-education-and-should-be-ignored OECD and Pisa tests are damaging education worldwide – academics https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/may/06/oecd-pisa-tests-damaging-education-academics Too few students from England took part in the study – meaning the results could be up to eight points too generous, as more higher-performing pupils took part. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/pisa-2022-rise-in-maths-but-warning-over-inflated-results/#:~:text=But%20the%20country’s%20performance%20is,caution%20on%20interpreting%20the%20findings. I could go on with quotes about Pisa but the above three give a flavour of just how useless they are. Only politicians use them and do so to make cynical and unsubstantiated points. You only have to look a bit deeper to find more credible … Continue reading No credible academic uses the Pisa scores and proper tests show real progress in Scotland’s schools
As austerity looms (again!), time for re-evaluation – spectating in Union vs. exerting agency as an independent nation?
By stewartb – a long read There have been a host of reports and think tank commentaries issued in the short time since the UK chancellor’s Autumn Statement. Almost all have been made, unsurprisingly from a UK – in reality, from an England – perspective. BBC Scotland did perform its ‘public service’ duty immediately following the Statement. Reporting remarks from the Scottish Government’s finance secretary on its consequential, negative impact on public spending/services in Scotland, BBC Scotland’s Business and Economy Editor provided his own remedy for the Scottish Government: ‘So the way out of this squeeze is to get the … Continue reading As austerity looms (again!), time for re-evaluation – spectating in Union vs. exerting agency as an independent nation?
New Zealand Government accused of hiding mis-management of costs in delayed multi-billion ferry contract
From the New Zealand Herald today: Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter says KiwiRail “must be s***ting themselves” over the escalating cost of portside infrastructure needed for Cook Strait’s new mega ferries. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has revealed the potential cost to the taxpayer is now “many times” what the Government initially signed up to. “The financial situation of this project is extremely troubling,” she said. The matter appears to have been considered so pressing that Willis met with the state-owned enterprise’s top brass about it before she was even sworn in as the Finance Minister, the Herald can reveal. KiwiRail is … Continue reading New Zealand Government accused of hiding mis-management of costs in delayed multi-billion ferry contract
Pisa – 33% of Scotland’s schools took part but only 4.7% of England’s schools were confident enough to do so – Scotland did far better
I’m grateful to AR and Haggis Hunter https://twitter.com/thistlefarmer5 for alerting me to this. The England PISA sample consisted of 201 eligible schools having at least one pupil in this age range. In England, 3,852 pupils from original sample schools and 911 pupils from replacement schools participated. Pupils in participating schools that did not participate are not replaced. 159 agreed to participate, along with a further 32 replacement schools, but 16 schools withdrew before data collection. Data was therefore collected from 143 schools in the original sample and 32 replacement schools. Of this total, nine original sample schools and one replacement … Continue reading Pisa – 33% of Scotland’s schools took part but only 4.7% of England’s schools were confident enough to do so – Scotland did far better
