Category Archives: Commerce

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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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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Dave Don’t Do Sums

Posted on November 30, 2011 by davidsberry

In the run-up to today’s biggest industrial action since 1926, the main public sector union in Scotland—Unison—wheeled out its biggest gun. No less than General Secretary Dave Watson went to press and blogosphere to argue that Council pension funds across … Continue reading →

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Stay Hungry; Stay Foolish

Posted on October 6, 2011 by davidsberry

The motto was one by which Steve Jobs lived all his life. He may have been fortunate to grow up in Silicon Valley but he and his buddy Steve Wozniak (‘Woz’) were not only creative enough to be 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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All Roads Lead to Lisbon

Posted on August 27, 2011 by davidsberry

Since spending probably my best summer ever as a 23-year-old waiter in the Algarve, I have had a soft spot for Portugal, its people and especially its fading-grande-dame-but-still-a-babe capital, Lisbon. Down for just a week for my first visit in … Continue reading →

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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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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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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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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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