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.

Visa Vision as Cash Cow

Posted on February 21, 2024 by davidsberry

The continuing legacy of hard-core brexiteering under BoJo has yet to show much by way of advantage to the general public. But what it has done is weaken links forged with the Continent over half a century of EU membership, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Leave a comment

Robber Baroness III—Dido Harding

Posted on February 14, 2024 by davidsberry

But the most ambitiously Teflon of this sordid little group must be Baroness Diane Mary “Dido” Harding of Winscombe. She has shrewdly exploited being the most “connected” among them. Her father was John Harding, 2nd Baron Harding of Petherton and she has made the … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Leave a comment

Hope I Retire Before I Get Old

Posted on February 9, 2024 by davidsberry

With apologies to The Who and their classic sixties song, the need to think deeply about—and perhaps even achieve—retirement early in life has a new urgency. As if the Cost-of-Living crisis were not enough, along comes a report from yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Community, Politics | Leave a comment

Robber Baroness II—Sarah Bentley

Posted on February 6, 2024 by davidsberry

The story of Paula Vennells and the destruction brought to the lives of hundreds of sub postmasters outlined earlier in Robber Baroness I, is bad enough. But an even more egregious example of promotion beyond competence which has wider fiscal … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Environment | Leave a comment

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