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.

Subtle as a Ram Raid

Posted on August 19, 2011 by davidsberry

The Hootsmon has its faults but today’s piece from David Maddox on government debt could not be more timely, coming, as it does, on the back of the worst day for the FTSE for three years. To say that investors … Continue reading →

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Nothing New Under the Sun

Posted on August 18, 2011 by davidsberry

Young whippersnappers with no memories of the sixties may think that ‘new’ politics—in which politicians live from spin and from answering any question but the one asked—derive from the Blair government and from hidden spin doctors like Alastair Campbell, forever … Continue reading →

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Fringe Gets its Feet Wet

Posted on August 15, 2011 by davidsberry

OK, this was the fourth Fringe by the Sea event but this was the first one to face obstacles beyond its control in the shape of some of the worst mid-summer weather in memory. The week prior, the UK Topper … Continue reading →

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Not Such a Zoo: Still a Jungle

Posted on August 14, 2011 by davidsberry

In the August 2nd blog Are We Nuts Overpaying Monkeys?, some harsh views were expressed about senior council officials in general, although care was taken not to explicitly refer to any council and certainly not to impugn any individual. Nonetheless, … Continue reading →

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Hall of Shame: Update I

Posted on August 13, 2011 by davidsberry

On July 19th, we published our consolidated Hall of Shame list of those councillors in Scotland we felt had brought real shame to their public calling by improper, ignoble or otherwise reprehensible actions—whether they had admitted it or whether this … Continue reading →

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Inglorious Twelfth

Posted on August 12, 2011 by davidsberry

Covering most of Scotland north of the Highland Line (other than East Aberdeenshire), heather moors cover 67% of our country. According to the Moorland Association: “grouse shooting is now the only significant income earner there which is not heavily subsidised … Continue reading →

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Recipe for Lemonade

Posted on August 11, 2011 by davidsberry

Just got off the phone with an old friend in the States who is anguishing about the decline in his pension investments, which he makes himself in the US stock market. After several weeks of jittery action and vertiginous movements … Continue reading →

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Correction: Sirius

Posted on August 9, 2011 by davidsberry

In the Parliamo Politico III blog of February 26th, I cited an example of “Enabling Development”, referring to the incomplete greyhound stadium at Wallyford and citing Sirius as the Developer that had “pocketed the dosh” in connection with the original 100 … Continue reading →

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Being Blacked Out

Posted on August 8, 2011 by davidsberry

Regular readers will be used to controversy here—and I hope they believe it’s never just for the sake of it. But even those should hold on to their hats as we’re about to test tolerances in 21st century Britain. Only … Continue reading →

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It Must Be Summer: the Rain’s Less Cold

Posted on August 7, 2011 by davidsberry

After July’s doubled rainfall and 1 deg lower temperature, the continuation of unusually dreich summer weather into August was hardly a surprise. But I felt sorry for the Topper championship attendees this week. Coming to North Berwick from all round … Continue reading →

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