Monthly Archives: July 2012

Dishonesty as a Cash Cow

Posted on July 15, 2012 by davidsberry

For more than the last decade, a selection of informed voices have warned about PFI/PPP. But they have done so from the wilderness because every stripe of government bar the SNP at Scottish or UK level has regarded ‘Public/Private Partnerships’—whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Tagged | 1 Comment

Worthwhile Yet Untaxing Read

Posted on July 14, 2012 by davidsberry

James Aitken’s measured thoughts in his Legal Knowledge Scotland blog are always worth a read but Friday’s is particular value in information provided vs time spent to absorb it. Regular readers of this blog will have noted my trouble getting what I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

South Suburban Salvation

Posted on July 13, 2012 by davidsberry

Edinburgh’s train services suck. As a result, its public transport sucks. Even if the trams are completed—including the abandoned original loop to Leith, Granton and Craigleith—it will still have a third-world transport system. In the absence of any underground at … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | Tagged | 4 Comments

It’s Democracy, Stupid

Posted on July 11, 2012 by davidsberry

It’s a curious world we live in. Yesterday, unionists presented a panel of “election experts” to frame a single referendum question for consideration by the Electoral Commission. The launch of the panel came as Scotland Office Minister David “Nae Scottish Mates” … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged | 2 Comments

Like Wolves at Lambing

Posted on July 10, 2012 by davidsberry

With the blog a week ago titled The Whole Wunch of ‘Em, I hoped to have cleared the air about the scale of malaise gripping the country’s morals and proposed some ideas from others how things could be actively improved. … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce | Tagged | 2 Comments

Butcher’s Choice

Posted on July 8, 2012 by davidsberry

Many column inches have been expended in pursuit of ‘nasty nats’—those Scots impatient to live in a normal, independent Scotland but whose impatience provokes them into rash statements and personal attacks on those who stand in their way. I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Community | Tagged | Leave a comment

Time to Play Chemin de Fer

Posted on July 7, 2012 by davidsberry

Today the Torygraph reports that MPs have announced that over-optimistic forecasts for passenger demand have left taxpayers “saddled with £4.8 billion of debt” over the 68-mile HS1 London-Folkestone Channel Tunnel rail link. Total taxpayer support over the period to 2070 … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Transport | Tagged | Leave a comment

Danny Dare: Bigot of the Future

Posted on July 5, 2012 by davidsberry

The launch of the “Better Together” campaign last week (no, not this one, nor even this one, but this one) generated reasonable and measured statements from heavyweights like ex-Chancellor Alistair Darling and positive signs that unionists are finally getting their … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Community, Politics | Leave a comment

The Right of the People

Posted on July 4, 2012 by davidsberry

Two hundred and forty-six years ago today, fifty-six representatives of thirteen colonies who had been gathered in Philadelphia for a month to decide their future signed a document drafted by Thomas Jefferson that was then printed up and distributed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Whole Wunch of ‘Em

Posted on July 3, 2012 by davidsberry

It is rare to find civic figures taking more flak than the government—especially a Tory government, as seen from Scotland—but, this week, the bankers managed it. And it wasn’t just the one in the limelight, Barclays. It was the whole … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Tagged | 1 Comment