Author Archives: davidsberry

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About davidsberry

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

…Then Wait Five Minutes

Posted on January 10, 2012 by davidsberry

I’ve always enjoyed the way Scots tell jokes against themselves. One that sprang to mind recently during an intense Twitter slugfest on the topic of independence referenda was the one about “if you don’t like the weather in Scotland, just … Continue reading →

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How Green Is My Valley?

Posted on January 9, 2012 by davidsberry

Much of what a councillor does, while necessary, does not, in general, hold enough interest for me to blog about it. But, having spent today entirely bound up by an appeal over planning consent for a couple of wind turbines, I … Continue reading →

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Floating White Elephants

Posted on January 7, 2012 by davidsberry

These are testing times for commentators like me who try, despite my own beliefs, to keep an open mind and (somewhat harder) make commentary that includes others’ points of view. And just to prove how wide I have been casting … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 2 Comments

The Whole Ruth & Nothing But?

Posted on January 6, 2012 by davidsberry

Along with a number of others (including, I suspect, Murdo Fraser), I found yesterday’s “Let’s Get Started” speech from new Tory leader Ruth Davidson something of a disappointment. Nothing wrong with the delivery, made with youthful energy and, indeed, there … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Triple Eh?

Posted on January 5, 2012 by davidsberry

Just about inhaled my muesli this morning when I glanced at today’s Hootsmon front page to see that prophet-of-doom-who-should-know-better Bill Jamieson was querying whether Scotland could retain the present AAA credit rating the UK (and very few other countries) enjoy. … Continue reading →

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Lab Phlostigen Research

Posted on January 5, 2012 by davidsberry

Of all the trends apparent in politics over the last couple of decades, the one that appears pivotal is not any revolution in political thought on policy or the invention of a whole new category like socialism but the rout … Continue reading →

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Rip-off Railways

Posted on January 3, 2012 by davidsberry

Something of a rammy has broken out over the scale of increases in rail fares. In fact, this year’s (average ~5.9%) are no worse than previous. But now that many are feeling the fiscal pinch, sensitivity on such inflation-busting rates … Continue reading →

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The Road Less Travelled

Posted on January 1, 2012 by davidsberry

More than a little surprised at the intensity of debate on loyalty that erupted on Twitter as we approached the bells last night. It seems that I was being controversial when I argued that Unionists were more confused in their … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

We Don’t Need No Altercation

Posted on December 30, 2011 by davidsberry

Since 2007, the total proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds claiming jobseekers’ allowance has almost doubled in Scotland – from 4.3 per cent to 8.3 per cent. While everyone has felt the chill wind of the ongoing fiscal crisis, at the … Continue reading →

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Education is no Football

Posted on December 28, 2011 by davidsberry

Today’s Hootsmon features Alan Massie gaunin’ his dinger that the “SNP’s failure on schools is a dereliction of duty”. The seems a pretty ringing condemnation, yet reading the article, it is hedged around with caveats and conditions—“the SNP inherited Curriculum … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Leave a comment