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.

A Faraway Conference, of Which We Know Little

Posted on October 4, 2011 by davidsberry

Manchester or the Moon, the debate seems to be just how relevant the Tory Conference can be for Scotland. With ex-Tory Brian Monteith fulminating eloquent as ever about their lost opportunities in the Hootsmon and Iconoclast-in-Chief Murdo Fraser not showing up … Continue reading →

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Sectarianism: the Common Enemy

Posted on October 3, 2011 by davidsberry

As a long-time member of the SNP, I cheerfully confess that it’s seldom that I’m uplifted by the thoughts of any member of the Labour party. But, as regular readers of this blog will recall, Tom Harris MP, contender for … Continue reading →

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What Is It About Tories…

Posted on October 2, 2011 by davidsberry

…that, even in Englandshire, malcontents won’t let those few members left have a quiet commiserative drink together of a Saturday night? We note that, despite David Mundell’s best efforts to scupper him, Murdo is still casting about for a new … Continue reading →

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Looking Through a Glass Union

Posted on October 1, 2011 by davidsberry

At first I was quite heartened to hear that a new website had been launched to put the case for the Union. According to the site: “Currently there is no coherent Scottish voice championing a preservation of the United Kingdom. … Continue reading →

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Borderline Rail Needs Re-thinking

Posted on September 30, 2011 by davidsberry

It should surprise no-one that the other shoe has finally dropped: all private bidders to build the Borders Rail have now dropped out and a second hot potato passed back to government agencies to complete. Transport Minister Keith Brown MSP, … Continue reading →

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The Road to the Isles

Posted on September 28, 2011 by davidsberry

Back from Ullapool to find Danny Alexander MP in a strop at this week’s Transport Conference in Aviemore over Transport Minister Keith Brown MSP’s supposed SNP focus on Central Belt projects and neglect of the A9 that takes wur Danny … Continue reading →

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Another Load of Old Balls

Posted on September 27, 2011 by davidsberry

Given that oratory was never his strength, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls’s speech to the Labour Conference faithful in Liverpool was a competent affair that achieved what most senior opposition spokespeople aspire to but seldom achieve—landing a couple of blows on … Continue reading →

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The Right Madness on Skye

Posted on September 25, 2011 by davidsberry

When I lived in Palo Alto, California, I fell in with a creative writing group called Waverley Writers who were pushing the envelope with ‘performance’ poetry long before ‘slam’ poetry became popular. To them, poems belonged both on the street … Continue reading →

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Oh, for a Muse of Fire!

Posted on September 23, 2011 by davidsberry

The opening words of the Chorus in Henry V sprang to mind as, in the second row in St Mary’s tonight I was transfixed by the BBC Scottish Symphony’s performance of Menotti’s Violin Concerto in A minor as part of … Continue reading →

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Jist Wee Yappy Dugs

Posted on September 21, 2011 by davidsberry

It took a lot to throw my grandma off course. Married to a fisherman who lost his leg at Ypres as one of the ‘Old Contemptible’ she had to make do with a man constantly on the edge of rage … Continue reading →

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