Author Archives: davidsberry

Unknown's avatar

About davidsberry

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

Future Straits

Posted on February 3, 2024 by davidsberry

Anyone accessing Edinburgh will be aware of difficulties in accessing the place—especially the city centre—and of moving around any part of it. It is not just a matter of traffic congestion and a maze of restricted streets. The buses are … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Transport | Leave a comment

Robber Baroness I—Paula Vennells

Posted on January 30, 2024 by davidsberry

Hard-line feminists may interpret what follows as critical of women achievers. This is not the intent, but should they consider it detrimental to the cause, I apologise in advance. This writer bows to no-one in conviction that equality is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Community | Leave a comment

Can Kemi Count?

Posted on January 28, 2024 by davidsberry

On Sky’s Sunday with Trevor Philips, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch dismissed speculation about her becoming Tory leader and professed loyalty to Rishi Sunak for having “halved inflation and grown the economy”. Really? In which fiscal fantasy world is the UK government now … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Leave a comment

Culpably Clueless

Posted on January 21, 2024 by davidsberry

Ever since the financial crash of 2008, many have been under the financial cosh, with councils in Scotland being among the worst affected. For over a decade, their ability to regulate their own finances was curtailed by the then-new SNP … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

What Iowa Portends

Posted on January 16, 2024 by davidsberry

Republican former President Donald Trump won the Iowa caucus by 30%, leaving his closest rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida in the dust…and setting a new record for victory margins in the Iowa Republican caucus. Despite horrendous -28degC winter weather, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, USA | Leave a comment

SOS Puffin Update, 2023

Posted on January 7, 2024 by davidsberry

What follows is a précis of the newsletter sent out by the team at the Scottish Seabird Centre who monitor and protect the environment of local seabirds on unique offshore islands near North Berwick. It is reproduced here to widen … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Environment | 1 Comment

Fur Coats and No £nickers

Posted on January 1, 2024 by davidsberry

This weekend the Telegraph rounded out a difficult year for the UK and its government with an upbeat article on economic prospects for the country in its Business section, entitled “Britain to outgrow Germany for years to come as eurozone growth engine … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Leave a comment

Another Tea Party?

Posted on December 17, 2023 by davidsberry

Today marks the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, when 30 men boarded three East India Company vessels in Boston Harbour. They broke open 342 chests of tea and, carefully avoiding causing any other damage, dumped about 90,000 pounds … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Politics, USA | Leave a comment

Council of Despair

Posted on December 3, 2023 by davidsberry

Even during the heyday of empire a century ago, East Lothian was a sleepy country cousin of its dynamic Lothian sibling. Back then, despite the industrial might of Glasgow, Edinburgh buzzed with brewing, publishing and the law, West Lothian exploited … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Community, Politics | Leave a comment

This “Maga Saga” Is Nothing New

Posted on November 24, 2023 by davidsberry

This month, tantrums by the Maga wing of the Republican control of the US House of Representatives got even worse. On November 15th, they shut down House business by refusing to pass a procedural vote to take up a spending bill. … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, USA | Leave a comment