Scotland - Blog Posts
The Home Nation Tournament held bi-annually
In between the year World Cup & Euros there is a summer where fans really want football. There are other sports that take place on a regular basis, F1 Tennis Golf, but what about adding the Home Nations Football Tournament in the odd years?
There are 2 qualifying games held in the early summer of the odd years so the tournament can be held a week after them games, with the same squad. Two games can be held on Saturday, two games can be held on Wednesday and the final two games can be held on Sunday.
Sat: England V Scotland & Northern Ireland V Wales
Wed: Wales V England & Scotland V Northern Ireland
Sun: England V Northern Ireland & Wales V Scotland.
like the Six Nations the teams will swap who get to play home for each tournament. Also this keeps the tournament in a small window of the summer for players to have a break.
Another reason to do this would be a financial reason. The Scottish Welsh and Northern Ireland FAs do not have a lot of money coming in because they are not in the World Cup or Euros to gain the monies, which would help then develop there national Academies. The Home Nations Tournament can help them. By sell TV rights around the world.
Also it would be good for all the players involved. If they feel the win of a tournament it will give them more confidence going into the qualifying groups. Success breads Success.
Muteen Hussain jaiom
Listen/purchase: G.I.M.P. - Government Issue Music Protest by Loki with Becci Wallace
Já que não podemos estar em um lugar maravilhoso como este podemos sonhar
Sunlight splintering through misty pine forest at sunset, Glencharnoch Wood, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK.November
Photographer: SCOTLAND: The Big Picture
My heart is tuned to the quietness that the stillness of nature inspires.
Hazrat Inayat Khan (1882 - 1927)
Bro wtf I’ve forgot what a British accent sounds like wtf
Worse part about it is I’m Irish and live in Ireland
Scotland in winter is amazingly beautiful. And I’m lucky enough to experience this beauty at the moment ^^ These pictures were taken today at Loch Tummel, Rannoch Moor and Fortingall.
I had a nice swim with Colin and David tonight. It was high tide and very calm. I saw a few jellyfish. There was a rainbow at the start of the swim. I swam to the "yellow" pole. #inverclyde #openwaterswimming #Greenock #RWSABC #Scotland #esplanade (at The Royal West of Scotland Boat Club)
A boring photo of the beach before today's swim. However, it was a great swim. Lowish tide coming in. Stacey Hearl, Campbell McCall and I swam 1 mile. It took us 18 minutes to the turn around and then 33 minutes coming back. Aren't tides wonderful? Water temperature 13.6 degC #scotland #inverclyde #rwsabc #openwaterswimming #greenock #theesplanade (at The Royal West of Scotland Boat Club)
Cafe Culture in Gourock #Gourock #inverclyde #scotland (at Fresh Gourock)
Conditions at my swim at RWSABC yesterday (11-Mar-17 @ 16:00). Calm, low tide, water temperature 8.3 degC. Swam 480m in 18 min. #rwsabc #greenock #openwaterswimming #scotland #theesplanade (at The Esplanade Greenock)
Lovely day - very calm 2 hours before high tide. I did a non wetsuit swim on my own. 675m in 18:24 water temperature 8.6 degC #inverclyde #rwsabc #openwaterswimming #greenock #scotland #theesplanade #clouds (at The Royal West of Scotland Boat Club)
Open Water Swimming along The Esplanade, Greenock - 7 January 2014
Happy New Year!
This is my first Blog of the year. I am working at home today to try to get some marking done. I have done a reasonable job but there is still lots of marking to do.
Seeing as I was at home I decided to go for an Open Water Swim in The Clyde. As normal I swam from the Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club (RWSABC).
The last time I was in was in December. Today's weather was fairly mild with with the temperature around 9 degree C. It was overcast with lite winds.
I went in around 15:45 and stayed in 15 minutes. High tide today was at 16:41 so the water was well in. I much prefer to be swimming around high tide if possible. The main reason is probably that you are walking over sand to get in the water. Going in at a low tide means that you are walking over cobbles and larger stones to get in the water. I am guessing I swam about 400m. I never did put my face in and mostly swam side stroke. After coming out I went into the boat club a took a nice hot shower. I was still a bit shivery after the shower.
Having said that I am still on a bit of high from the swim. It was great.
I didn't take a picture today but here is one from early December when the conditions were much the same as today.
I have spoken to a few people who tell me stories about people they know who made it a habit to swim in The Clyde every day. I certainly believe them now. Today's swim means that I have had at least one swim in The Clyde every month since April 2013. I expect that to continue. I would like to get in once per week but I'm not sure if my schedule will allow this.
Happy swimming!
Reflections on Scottish Independence as set out in "A Green Yes"
On September 18, 2014 Scotland will vote whether or not to become an Independent Country. Currently I am reading the White Paper issued by the Government of Scotland titled "Scotland's Future". I am about 45% of the way through it and expect to reflect on it once I have finished it. Currently I am undecided as to how I will vote. That is why I am reading "Scotland's Future".
The Scottish Green Party supports Independence and they have issued a document which sets out their main reasons for supporting Independence. This blog is to reflect on this document.
Extracts from "A Green Yes" that I like:
Whichever way Scotland votes, the referendum will leave some people celebrating, and others deeply dismayed. It’s vital that celebration does not turn into divisive triumphalism. The result will be far more readily accepted by the losing side if the winners act with respect and a constructive spirit; that will be as difficult for some as losing would be. (page 4)
Oil and Gas
Some still make the case for a Yes vote with tired old slogans about “Scotland’s oil”. Even if there was no environmental consequence from burning fossil fuels, Scotland’s remaining reserves would only offer an economic future for a few more decades. Greens want an independent Scotland to be successful far longer than that!
But the hard truth, for all fossil fuel nations, is that we can’t even afford to burn what we have. The world has far more fossil fuel in existing reserves than can safely be used, if we’re remotely serious about preserving a liveable environment. So as well as opposing new extraction from deep-water oil drilling, opencast coal, and unconventional gas technology such as fracking, we need to leave a great deal of our oil and gas in the ground, or support a more diverse range of petrochemical uses which don’t involve greenhouse gas emissions.
Scotland has the skills to do that, and with the usable portion of oil and gas funding public investment in renewables to replace future revenue, we have the opportunity to make this transition rapidly. The UK will only ever see North Sea oil as a revenue source; Scotland could see it as a springboard, taking us from reliance on polluting and finite energy sources to the cleantech of the future. (page 6)
The document "A Green Yes" has the following section titles:
A Green Yes
Could Westminster Deliver?
Will Holyrood Deliver?
Transition
Developing a Constitution
Parliament and Democracy
Currency
Ending the 'Tyranny of Big'
Oil & Gas
Welfare
Closing the Wealth Gap
Peace & Security
Employment
Immigration/Asylum
The document is quite short, only 8 pages long. From reading this document the main points that I take away are:
They remind us that the White Paper sets out the current Government of Scotland's view on what should happen post independence but that post independence these policies would need to be decided democratically by whichever parties form a new government. To that end they state, "The development of a written constitution should be led by a new constitutional convention, to be established before the end of 2014, with political parties involved but not in sole charge.
"A Green Yes" suggests that the Government of Scotland should have a "Plan B" with regards to currency because in the longer term they expect Scotland to have it's own currency and as an interim measure having a "Plan B" would improve the negotiating position of the Government of Scotland when discussing a Currency Union with the Rest of the UK.
"A Green Yes" recognises that if every other oil producing nation in the world takes the view that it is their right and duty to produce every barrel of oil then there are significant implications with regards to climate change. Based on the above extract they seem to have a realistic view that Scotland will not shut down the oil wells the day after independence but are suggesting that after this Scotland should be striving to leave the oil in the ground and using what oil is produced as a springboard to "Cleantech of the future". The document is silent on Nuclear Power but I am not optimistic about the ability of the Scottish Green Party to embrace nuclear power.
"A Green Yes" has a strong emphasis on reducing inequality.
"A Green Yes" reminds me that when/if Scotland becomes an Independent Country that the expectations set out in "Scotland's Future" are uncertain. The future is like that. I would expect that some of the things that Government of Scotland wants will not come to pass or will only be achieved with greater than expected cost. Other things will go better than expected. If we want certainty we are in the wrong world.
I am still undecided about which way to vote in the referendum.
You can find "A Green Yes" at:
http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/11/Green-Yes-document.pdf
You can find "Scotland's Future" at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/11/9348
https://kuula.co/share/7lkvM?thumbs=0&logo=0
Photo Of The Day: Sunrise over Cul Beag, Scotland. Photo by: Martin Kulhavy 😍 https://kuula.co/post/7lkvM/collection/7fWCl
Sun Room - Medium Large minimalist sunroom image
I’ve always wanted to visit Kirkwall, Scotland both because of Dragon Age, and apparently, lots of Vikings settled there.
CONFESSION:
I have recently become aware that there is an actual place called kirkwall in Scotland, I was so stunned when I found out
where Edinburgh shoes to in travel usa for food stay From the Scotland gt to Recommendations TheTravelBite com of womens designer Rachelle online Lucas http thetravelbite com travel_and_food_blog where to stay in scotland expert and from Story highlands
Cookies Butter in best Cake Louis The St Gooey jordan tradition a mens retro cookie
air jordan Spice with Halloween Patterns Free Up Crochet It Accessories
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I feel like this song fits the current mood of the year. Currently on infinite repeat in my head.
#FloatingWindFarm Scotland is a true leader for the world!! 💚💚🙌🙌🙌👏👏👏👏 #globalwarming #cleanenergy #Repost @unenvironment ・・・ Video from @worldeconomicforum: With the world's first floating wind farm taking shape, Scotland is embracing innovative approaches to clean energy. #renewables #futureisclean #scotland
The voices are telling me to go back to the land of sheep, cobblestone houses, beautiful gothic buildings and ginger beer. I do not understand why I am so fixed on England, I just am. I am currently thinking about running there, where-ever in that beautiful country, and leaving the future I have in my state. Maybe for a year but hopefully forever. I can’t think of anything I would like better than being there.
Speed sheep, come back please
All thirteen-year-old girls deserve(d) better
|The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides|
I think It's a gift that I understand this book, that I feel what the girls in it felt. The book show the tragedy of being a woman through eyes of boys (malegaze) who are trying to understand but only you, if you were in the girls skin at least once, will get.