Tag: sports

1 Comment

Per capita Scotland’s international football team performs 8 times better than England’s even BEFORE looking at the massive effects of her colonisation within the UK and beyond

johnrobertson834

Correlate population with international footballing results to show how countries like Scotland and England compare Analyses of FIFA rankings and population show a positive but moderate correlation (roughly Pearson r ≈ 0.5 between population rank and FIFA rank). Larger populations tend to produce better-ranked teams on average because they offer more potential players to select from. England vs Scotland: Direct Comparison Has England benefited even more from its colonial history? England’s larger base population (~10x Scotland’s) was amplified by post-WWII immigration from former colonies (Caribbean, Africa, South Asia). This expanded the talent pool: Has England benefited too from the colonisation … Continue reading Per capita Scotland’s international football team performs 8 times better than England’s even BEFORE looking at the massive effects of her colonisation within the UK and beyond

Leave a comment

Is there nothing the ‘heid-the-baws’* at BBC Scotland will not talk Scots down on – bringing Scottish football and themselves into disrepute with shoddy research on heidin’ the baw

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From BBC Scotland today: Heading in football has been under the spotlight for more than 20 years – scrutiny born of fear and confusion. Fear that the act itself could have long-term effects on the brains of those who do it most. and: New data shows the Scottish Premiership records significantly more headers per match than most of Europe’s top leagues. BBC Scotland looked at figures from the start of season 2021 until now, covering aerial duels and … Continue reading Is there nothing the ‘heid-the-baws’* at BBC Scotland will not talk Scots down on – bringing Scottish football and themselves into disrepute with shoddy research on heidin’ the baw

2 Comments

Let’s be sure we learn this lesson from history as global uranium demand and Labour’s nuclear plans threaten the lives of the people of the Orkney Islands

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA As Donald Trump‘s push for increased uranium production stirs up community media across the USA, a reminder of the risks in Scotland too. From In These Times, yesterday, the above and: When the uranium market dried up, companies simply abandoned the mines, a phenomenon so common there’s a term for it: AUM, or ​“abandoned uranium mine.” Now, the mines stand as toxic monuments to America’s nuclear weapons and energy programs. People are still dying, and the abandoned mines are still not remediated. Yet the United States is pushing ahead with a $1.7 trillion plan to expand and ​“modernize” nuclear weapons, and … Continue reading Let’s be sure we learn this lesson from history as global uranium demand and Labour’s nuclear plans threaten the lives of the people of the Orkney Islands

5 Comments

Bairns lead the way with most Scottish squad players, best stadium name change and are first to cap ticket prices

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA (Open Bairns Admirer) OK, first my apologies to Gordon Gibson, for this. Motherwell deserved better. Second, I declare my uncontrolled bias and thus must rate my researcher reliability score to be SFA. I see today that Falkirk FC, ‘The Bairns‘ of the Bairnabeu Stadium in the Bog, Falkirk, have been first in the league, to cap their ticket prices at £25, in the wake of bumper crowds this year. Also, source-free, I feel sure I’ve seen a proposal to rename the Falkirk Stadium (yawn) the St Jimmy Bairnabeu Stadium, after Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in … Continue reading Bairns lead the way with most Scottish squad players, best stadium name change and are first to cap ticket prices

10 Comments

Scotland v Portugal – Guardian and BBC Scotland see two different games

johnrobertson834

Thanks to @Kokotxas1 for alerting me to this: The Guardian‘s Ewan Murray sees an even game (above) and reports: Scotland delivered a resolute defensive display to hold Portugal to a goalless draw and secure the first point of their Nations League A campaign. The Scots passed up a glorious chance in the opening minutes through Scott McTominay and were then starved of possession as the visitors searched for an opener. Scotland will take great heart from the small step made here. Not only did they scrap in a form which was successful prior to recent turmoil but had they a … Continue reading Scotland v Portugal – Guardian and BBC Scotland see two different games

15 Comments

Humza Yousaf makes same error as Prof Devine in blaming ordinary Scots for imperial crimes

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA This is just wrong. Elites in Scotland and in India played a leading role in the British Empire. 99% of the population in both places were starved, worked into the ground and used as cannon-fodder. ‘Scotland’ did not play any role, people did. I’ve been here before with otherwise highly intelligent public figures apparently ignorant of the reality of life for the majority (99%) indigenous population in the European empires and the actions of elites (1%) in their colonies. Anyhow, Sarwar’s support for Pakistan’s independence, considered hypocritical by many including me, was dismissed by Prof Tom … Continue reading Humza Yousaf makes same error as Prof Devine in blaming ordinary Scots for imperial crimes

7 Comments

Juryless rape trials already take place in England and Wales – somebody tell the Scottish media and defence lawyers?

johnrobertson834

In 2020 rape prosecutions were more common in Scotland than in England, by 13% to 1.6% despite reports of rape being more than twice as high in England. I’m not, this time, going to make much of that because the 13% level of prosecutions seems lower than it should be and the Scottish Government’s plans to pilot juryless trials is a very sensible thing to try out. Since May 2023, the UK media in Scotland have pounced on the objections of some defence lawyers (What else would a defence lawyer do?) with a view to irresponsibly blocking another progressive SNP … Continue reading Juryless rape trials already take place in England and Wales – somebody tell the Scottish media and defence lawyers?