Author Archives: davidsberry

About davidsberry

Local ex-councillor, tour guide and database designer. Keen on wildlife, history, boats and music. Retired in 2017.

Disentangling Holyrood Voting

Posted on May 15, 2022 by davidsberry

“The Scottish Parliament, adjourned on the 25th day of March in the year 1707, is hereby reconvened” —Winnie Ewing MSP, 12th May 1999 Whether you’re a unionist or a nationalist, those words from 23 years ago started Scotland down a … Continue reading →

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The Queen’s Speech

Posted on May 11, 2022 by davidsberry

“This Government has lost its way.” —Lord Finkelstein With the ritual pomp and circumstance of Life Guards, Beefeaters, Rolls Royces, Black Rod and everyone who’s anyone among Westminster politicos, a new session of parliament was opened on May 10th. For … Continue reading →

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The End of the End of Empire?

Posted on May 7, 2022 by davidsberry

Just over a century ago, at the end of the Great War, Britain bestrode the world. Its rivals in the colonial stakes were either humbled, like Germany, or war-torn, like France. Great chunks of the globe, like Namibia and Tanganyika, … Continue reading →

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Ticket to Deride

Posted on April 26, 2022 by davidsberry

A month after the Scottish Government took ScotRail back into public control, it would be unreasonable to expect the traveling public to notice major changes. A fares review to simplify (and perhaps lower) the welter of faes is promised, but … Continue reading →

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Seasonal Heresy

Posted on April 17, 2022 by davidsberry

It is Easter Sunday—the main event in the Christian calendar, despite Christmas having overtaken it in the minds of many. The proportion of those people who regard themselves as Christian has, after decades of decline, stabilised this millennium. This hokds … Continue reading →

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Roll On Jenny’s Jitneys

Posted on April 11, 2022 by davidsberry

At the beginning of the month, ScotRail returned to public control. Its quarter-century under private management had seen improvements in the shape of new trains on many routes and, with support from the Scottish Government,  the re-opening of several rail … Continue reading →

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More Archimedes; Less Aristotle

Posted on March 29, 2022 by davidsberry

“Science can amuse and fascinate, but it is engineering that changes the world.” —Isaac Asimov, Much has been made in the two years since Brexit that Britain can forge new trade relations with the world. When asked what form these … Continue reading →

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Some War Is More Tragic

Posted on March 23, 2022 by davidsberry

After decades of prosperity and relative peace, for the last month, the Western world has suddenly had to adjust to being shocked by the brutality and horror of full-scale war between two modern armies amidst the cities and citizens of … Continue reading →

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This Fratricidal War

Posted on March 17, 2022 by davidsberry

After three weeks of the most brutal and extensive war we have witnessed since World War 2, Western media has been reporting extensively on human tragedies behind the lines in Ukraine and Russian state media has been spinning fake news … Continue reading →

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The Road to Scindy VI—Our Past Is Our Future

Posted on March 11, 2022 by davidsberry

The years since the 2014 referendum have seen sporadic debate more on the mechanism and probable success of any further referendum than what it might achieve for Scotland. Because thinking that independence is a goal, an end in itself, is … Continue reading →

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