Suzanne at Aberdeen Voice, Author at Aberdeen Voice

Suzanne at Aberdeen Voice

Action Needed To Ensure Scotland’s National Tree’s Future

Environment, Featured, News No Responses »

Feb 072014

With thanks to Richard Bunting.

Trees for Life’s Alan Watson Featherstone with a giant Scots pine recently uprooted by severe storms at Dundreggan Conservation Estate

Concerted action is needed to ensure a secure future for the Scots pine, which last week was declared Scotland’s national tree, leading conservation volunteering charity Trees for Life said today.

The charity – which played a key role in the campaign that led the Scottish Parliament on 30 January to name the Scots pine as the country’s national tree – is warning that higher priority must be given urgently to the conservation of Scotland’s pinewoods.

Trees for Life’s Executive Director Alan Watson Featherstone said:

“Declaring the Scots pine – bastion of the Caledonian Forest and one of the world’s most beautiful trees – as a national symbol sends a signal to the world that Scotland values its trees as an important part of its culture and identity. But with alarm bells ringing for this remarkable tree’s future, we should strengthen conservation action now.

“Our national tree is under siege from climate change, extreme weather and disease. We owe it to future generations to ensure its long-term survival by being world leaders in reforestation.

“We call on the Government to use the upcoming revision to the Scottish Rural Development Programme – the principal funding stream for forest schemes in Scotland – to ensure that support for native pinewood restoration is maintained and enhanced.”

This winter’s severe storms have highlighted the vulnerability of even well-established Scots pines to extreme weather, something that is likely to increase with climate change – and also the lack of young trees to replace mature specimens when lost.

During the unusually powerful storm that struck north Scotland on 5-6 December 2013, several giant Scots pines at Trees for Life’s Dundreggan Conservation Estate near Loch Ness were uprooted and blown over, and others badly-damaged. Some of these trees were probably more than 200 years old. Some ancient pines were also lost in the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve.

Such losses are part of a forest’s natural cycle, creating light gaps where new life can begin, and trees will eventually grow there again. Yet the full process will take decades or more, and it will be at least 200 years before trees comparable to those lost reach maturity. Loss of habitat provided by large mature pines can have a significant impact on biodiversity, as species that are dependent on old trees have nowhere else to live.

this disease has affected Lodgepole and Corsican Pine in Scotland

This also highlights the lack of young or even 100-year-old pines to replace mature trees and so ensure the survival of Scottish pinewoods. Overgrazing by sheep and deer for two centuries has prevented natural regeneration of native pinewoods throughout the Highlands.

In a healthy forest ecosystem, deer numbers would be in balance with regenerating trees – but imbalances in the Highlands landscape have created a 200-year generation gap for Scots pines. Until fencing and conservation-oriented deer culling began in the last two decades, there were no trees younger than 150 years in most locations.

Another potential threat is Dothistroma Needle Blight. Also known as Red Band Needle Blight, this disease has affected Lodgepole and Corsican Pine in Scotland. The Scots pine was believed to have low susceptibility to the disease.

However, the Forestry Commission has noted an increase in the distribution and severity of the disease on Scots pine, particularly in Scotland, although it isn’t yet known whether this will lead to tree mortality or extend significantly into the Caledonian pinewoods.

Fortunately, active restoration measures are underway for many of Scotland’s best pinewood remnants. Trees for Life itself has planted more than one million trees at dozens of sites in the Highlands, and has pledged to establish one million more trees by planting and natural regeneration by 2018. Such positive actions need to be developed and enhanced.

Scots pine, formally known as Pinus sylvestris, is the largest and longest-lived tree in the Caledonian Forest, forming a ‘backbone’ in the forest ecosystem on which many other species depend.

The tree provides a home for wildlife including red squirrels, capercaillie and crossbills; ideal nesting sites for ospreys; shelter for deer and pine martens; and shade for twinflower, one-flowered wintergreen and blaeberries. Its richly textured bark is a wonderful habitat for lichens, mosses and insects.

The campaign for Scotland to have a national tree and for it to be the Scots pine was begun by campaigner and Trees for Life supporter Alex Hamilton, who – accompanied by Alan Watson Featherstone – took this call to the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee in January 2013. A consultation on whether Scotland should have a national tree began last September.

Trees for Life urged the Scottish Government and Parliament to adopt the Scots pine as this symbol.

Today only a fraction of the former Caledonian Forest survives, with its native pinewoods reduced to 35 isolated remnants. Trees for Life is restoring the forest to a wilderness region of 1,000 square miles in the Highlands to the west of Loch Ness and Inverness. For details, see www.treesforlife.org.uk

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Old Susannah’s Journal No. 142 – Face Off

Creative Writing, Satire and Humour 1 Response »

Jan 312014

Old Susannah aka Suzanne Kelly gets to grips with current news in the City of Culture.

Dictionary

The rains are lashing us, the sun never seems to shine, and I know we’re all thinking the same thing – wouldn’t it be great if we could hang around together in a civic square to celebrate.

Until such time a Toto are booked to play an outdoor show on the Sir Ian Wood Public Civic Square and Car Park, I’ll have to make do with some excellent acoustic music at BrewDog on Tuesday evenings (and the prototype beer Intersteller is rather fine, too). Congrats to BrewDog and all its 237 staff for creating some real jobs, real revenue, and of course real craft brews.

I did have a few beers to console myself – Led Zeppelin won Rock Album of the Year at the Grammys; I’d been rooting for Justin Beiber all the way. Maybe next time.

There is quite a bit of news this week, but when it comes to happenings in the Deen, I’m a bit stumped. I’ve been trying to get hold of a local newspaper all week, but when I go to the shops, I can only find architectural journals.

It seems that the most innovative thing since granite web ramps may be heading our way – we may get a glass-covered walkway and a second train station. Apparently the whole city favours these developments; how wonderful is that? The broken heart may yet be mended.

The air quality in Aberdeen may be cumulatively the worst in Scotland, according to those left wing Friends of the Earth people, but just think though – if we cover part of Union Street with a glass canopy, then we won’t have to worry about the outdoor air quality any more. I can practically hear you say ‘connectivity’ out loud, too.

I’d no idea there were so many architectural experts writing for the P&J, and yet only one architectural firm, Halliday Fraser Munro, is of sufficient merit to be worth writing about. Perhaps there are dozens of other firms employing draftsmen and designers to work for free making grand drawings and sending them to ACSEF and Aberdeen Journals hoping for cover stories.

If so, I guess they’re just not as good as the glass ceiling and the glass pyramid near the former Union Terrace Gardens, which looks set to be a concrete slab where we can all get together.

there is a scandalous move to install the Golden Eagle as the national bird of Scotland

Precisely what we’ll all be getting together to do other than shop or park, and when the window of opportunity will come weather-wise, are questions that Halliday Fraser Munro have yet to answer. Keep reading the architectural digest formerly known as The Press & Journal, no doubt all will be revealed.

While it’s not like me to be critical or ask questions, this all somehow seems just too beautiful, creative and wonderful to be true.

In a nutshell, our beating heart needs new life and a facelift to be forward facing, but we can get rid of the green lungs UTG provides, and just ignore the air quality. Perhaps it’s time for some face-related definitions.

But first, there is a serious issue which the Conservative Party’s Jackson Carlaw (no, I haven’t heard of him before now, either) brought up at Holyrood: there is a scandalous move to install the Golden Eagle as the national bird of Scotland. I’m sure you’re as surprised as I am, but no – they haven’t all been poisoned yet. Of course you’ll be as outraged by this affront as I am – obviously the Golden Eagle of Scotland is synonymous with the Nazis of the 1940s.

According to the Herald Scotland, Carlaw wants us to have the Robin instead (which also is a species in decline). Carlaw said :

“The golden eagle is the symbol of an empire that once invaded large parts of Scotland, and more recently of another empire that tried to”

It is not clear in the above sentence whether he was referring to the Nazis, the Romans (who never did anything for us), or the Conservatives.

When I contacted a Jewish friend of mine for an indignant quote about the scandalous suggestion to associate Scotland’s Golden Eagles with Scotland, they said:

“Are you sure you have this right Suzanne?”

I wonder if this association with bad birds was behind the Stewart Milne desire to ‘discourage’ our only city centre pair of Peregrine Falcons from their former Triple Kirks home. He applied for and got permission (big surprise there) to get the birds ‘discouraged’ – i.e. moved on from their roost over UTG when Milne owned Triple Kirks.

Lucky for Aberdeen Milne did so – we could have been associated with Falcons, the Maltese Falcon and the Millennium Falcon if we hadn’t got rid of the birds.

I for one will go to sleep tonight safe in the knowledge that the Conservative Party, having already done so much for Scotland and the UK still has such tireless energy that it can solve our economic problems, support our struggling bankers, care for our environment, and make sure we’re not associated with the Romans or the Nazis because of our Golden Eagles.

If you’re forward looking, you’re cool, happening, modern and with it

With Aberdeen set to demonstrate its love of seagulls with glass covered streets so we can see the birds, and of course experience the beautiful quality of their droppings, I think we should give Carlaw’s brave stance the respect it is due.

Time for some definitions.

Forward Looking: (old-fashioned Aberdonian public sector phrase) – a phrase used to convince the public the city is not backwards looking.

It’s no wonder we are building such amazing glass structures and getting rid of our old, boring granite buildings; we’re forward looking after all. Previous councils said so, so it must be true. Here is an example of the phrase in a sentence from council documents:

“The delivery of the Council New Build Programme is a key objective of the Council’s Vibrant, Dynamic and Forward Looking policy;” from ACC_Contract_Award_comm_report_phase_1_Byron_Parkfinal

(The above phrase comes from documents which they tried to withhold. This was to stop us from knowing how much money one of our illustrious, if follicley-challenged, builders was making from us at the same time as he was buying property from the city for a fraction of its value. A free ticket to an Aberdeen Football Club match goes to the first reader who successfully guesses who I’m referring to).

If you’re forward looking, you’re cool, happening, modern and with it. You also probably want to build cubes with glass curtain walls.

The phrase appears in numerous council documents, although strangely not in any from the time the city was creating Marischal College, St Nicholas Kirk or the Citadel. Rest assured, we’re looking forward. We may be going backward in terms of aesthetics, environment and creativity, but we’re looking forward anyway.

Old Face Syndrome: (modern English phrase) – a common facial trait whereby the corners of the mouth turn perpetually downward in a frown rather than smiling.

This phenomenon may be as old as Sir Ian, but it’s only recently been given a name. Apparently despite our current economic success, equality, fair system of justice and transparent, accountable governments, some people seem to frown. Shocking.

But perhaps there is a more apt local definition of ‘Same Old Face Syndrome?’ The Aberdonian definition is for ACSEF, Aberdeen Journals Ltd and the City to continue to rely on and listen to the Same Old Faces. Need a City of Culture Bid? Let Rita Stephen do it all. Need a quote about how the city’s retail is in trouble? Ask forward-facing Michie the Chemist to supply one (preferably standing in front of his avant-garde shop window).

Need someone to tell us the obvious truth that Donald Trump has brought millions of pounds and thousands of jobs to Aberdeenshire? Get hotelier Spence to tell us about his 93% increase in guests (in the 30 or so rooms in the hotel he’s selling). Need someone to tell us we need to keep building new identikit houses in the greenbelt? Ask impartial Stewart Milne.

Yes, it’s old face syndrome around here as far as I can tell. Still, as they say, ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ – so I guess we’ll keep listening to the same collection of successes.

About Face: (Eng Phrase) – to change direction or decision abruptly

Back when Stewart Milne wanted to get rid of all that boring, underused open space at Loirston Loch to put up a new stadium which all of the AFC fans wanted, one of the forces objecting was the Labour Party.

Labour’s Richard Baker put in an objection to the plan – yet when the official papers were published, only MSP Brian Adam’s objection was printed. Kate Dean sent me an email denying Baker sent anything in, but Richard proved successfully that his objection had been emailed in advance of the deadline.

It was all OK though, that the large public meeting didn’t get Baker’s objection, because Kate apologised after the fact. Calamity Kate (as the mainstream media were then calling her) ran a public consultation, acting as convener, despite her involvement with the local Cove Bay football team, which would have benefitted had the scheme gone ahead. Ah, those were the days.

Nowadays, we know that a huge number of birds of different species depend on Loirston Loch for water and habitat. We know that meadowland, an area which supports our threatened but very necessary bees, is the fastest-disappearing type of habitat. We know that Wellington Road, which turns into the dual carriageway at Loirston, is one of our most heavily polluted roads. We also know about urban sprawl and how important green space is to health and well-being.

Therefore it is something of an about face that there is widespread support cross party for developing Loirston as a housing estate. Was Baker acting on his own at the time of his objection? Do Labour care about the remaining environment more than profit? Draw your own conclusions. http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/local/planners-back-1-067-new-homes-for-aberdeen-1.174468

Next week: more reviews of the undoubted further http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/local/planners-back-1-067-new-homes-for-aberdeen-1.174468exciting architectural news from our local papers.

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Musings Of A Not So Newish Music Photographer No. 10

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Jan 132014

Julie Thompson continues her series on photographing bands in Aberdeen taking in Malfunction and KWEEF at Downstairs @ The Malt Mill and the Complete Stone Roses supported by Dave Winston Brown at The Lemon Tree.

As I sit here typing these words, Christmas is past and a new year is very imminent (in, oh, 25 minutes in fact). Between these two events I have had 3 successive nights at The Lemon Tree – with a quick dash over to an album launch at Downstairs after the first of them.

The first of the 3 Lemon Tree gigs was Big Country, supported by Dave Sharp (formerly of The Alarm).

As this gig has been reviewed by Suzanne Kelly, I won’t be saying much about it.

George Mackie was the only other tog there, which surprised me. I would have expected maybe at least one of the local newspaper photographers to have been there.

Once the first 3 songs were over, George Mackie suggested we head over to Downstairs @ the Malt Mill, where there was an album launch gig for a local band, Malfunction. It turned out that he was also going to be shooting the next two nights at the Lemon Tree, so this gave me an excellent opportunity to get to know him a bit better and to get our interview done.

KWEEF, the support band, was just finishing their set when we arrived and Downstairs was looking very atmospheric – the smoke machine had been on overtime by the look of it. There was a decent sized crowd there, which was good to see so close after Christmas.

Using KWEEF for a camera settings check, I found a boost on ISO was needed – up to the scary 5000-6400 level. The images would be noisy but if a focus lock was achievable and a lucky light was shining in the right direction then I should hopefully get some reasonable results.

From a previous visit here, I knew I could get an almost drummers-eye view of the band so I decided to see how it looked from there with a fisheye lens. I think foggy might be the best way to describe it – so much so, the other side of the small stage was impossible to see.

However, it’s not often you can get close enough to the drummer for photos so I stuck around waiting for the end of the last number and a flourish from the drummer.

After a short hiatus, it was the turn of Malfunction, who were there to promote their new album.

I have to say, crowd watching is always fun at punk gigs, which is handy when you have tricky shooting conditions – you can, for example, crowd watch when waiting for the smoke to clear or even see possibly shots building up; crowd interaction with the band is often interesting.

A flashgun would maybe have made the shoot easier but, as I’d not originally planned on going to Downstairs and couldn’t use one at The Lemon Tree, I had not brought one with me.

Some planning and patience (and a certain amount of luck) was needed for photographing the band – mostly waiting for one of the lights to swing around for illumination and hoping it coincided with a good shot and a lull in smoke output. Now I have some experience of them, a challenge like this is always good fun – it keeps you on your toes.

Malfunction will be one of 32 bands playing for the chance of a record deal at the Battle of the Bands, organised by Fat Hippy Records.

The first elimination heats kick off from the 10th January at Downstairs. The Facebook link above gives a list of the bands (4 per heat) and dates they’re playing so why not go along to provide some support.

On chatting with George Mackie I discover he has been photographing live music for some 3 and a half years now – starting with a standard DSLR & kit lens and on camera flash.

Not knowing any different at the time he took his photos in fully automatic mode. His first foray into the live music world was at a UK Subs gig in Drummonds, on a night when Dod Morrison & Andy Thorne, both established music togs, were there to shoot.

The reason he began shooting gigs? Well, I’ll let him tell you in his own words:

“There was a lack of reporting online of smaller gigs in Aberdeen that I’d attended and it annoyed me a bit. Some shows were just great but only attended by thirty people and my friends all said they didn’t know it was on blah blah, just one excuse after another. That, and reading then Explodes (now New York Johnny) lengthy write ups on his My Space page of gigs he’d attended made me wonder if we could create something ourselves; like a paper fanzine of old, but online.

“Godzilla Blues is another person who can put his learned thoughts into words and give you a detailed account of a show. Both these people are experienced musos who write as it was, not as `all the roses are blooming` type reporters.”

This is what led to the formation of Flares n Seagulls – described as An alternative music magazine for the Kingdom of Aberdonia – where George shoots (sometimes doubling up as reviewer) the images to go with the reviewers words.

I asked him what he found the most difficult in live music photography. Frustration, mostly, when he doesn’t nail the shots he was wanting at a gig.

He’s very self critical and as a big fan of live music feels the need to justify his place in the pit by getting that 9/10 shot he was after.

One of the things he finds most challenging is when a band or artist looks disinterested:

‘Trust me, if you look disinterested on stage then it will show in the photographs. Make an effort, look good, and do those songs you practice justice. You get one chance to capture (or lose) that audience so don’t bore us with endless `banter` but lose yourself in the music, whether it be pin drop silence and an acoustic guitar or a 100 mph amp busting set. I know what set of images I’d rather look at.’

One of his early gig shoots (with aforementioned kit camera/lens & flash) was remembered when I asked about one of his more exciting shoots:

“Cancer Bats and Vera Cruz at Drummonds. I’ve never seen the place rammed like it was that night and the bands and crowd were intense to the max. Loved it.”

I’ll continue with this interesting interview next time, but for now we go back to The Lemon Tree.

Dave Winston Brown was providing support on my second evening there – local lad, with a pleasant and very gravelly voice, also plays with a local band called The Smokin’ Bugler Band. I was actually quite impressed with his performance – an acoustic set which closed with a cover of the T-Rex classic, Get It On.

By this time the place was packed to the brim with Stone Roses fans, some brandishing rubber bats – no, I don’t know why, either.

Complete Stone Roses soon had the place bouncing. There is something about the Stone Roses – they have passionate fans and looking into the crowd you could see they knew all the words and were singing along.

The lighting was tricky at the start – red lighting is hard to photograph as it washes out a lot of the detail and makes the photos look mushy. This can be fixed for some images – to a certain extent – in processing.

One of the reasons I shoot RAW files is for that added flexibility during processing. It’s not ideal though and can make for some time consuming sessions at the computer.
Quite often the only option is conversion to black & white but many people prefer colour images. It’s a fine balance to find.

One thing that is not commonly known is that photographers will spend more time working on the photos than actually taking them – a lot more time.

One 3 song shoot (anywhere from 10-25 minutes) of an active band can leave me with some 200 or more photos to pick through.

With experience, the numbers taken do decrease and the hit rate increases. Indeed I have noticed that happening – at the start, my trigger-happy self would come home with 500 or more photos per band (most of them rubbish). It can take hours to go through them all, remove the chaff and pick out the best ones. Then you add on processing time for those you finally pick out.

When our time in the pit was over, it was time to grab a drink, relax a bit and watch the rest of the show – at The Lemon Tree we hang out by the security guy at the pit entrance, where there is usually some space.

It’s not the best place for a good view of the band but you can crowd watch and – something that I think is no bad thing – become familiar to (and with) the security people at a venue. It’s just good manners after all.

Sadly, the enjoyable evening came to an abrupt end. I noticed the security man, stationed at the other end of the pit, move forward and leap over the pit wall into the crowd. He had spotted that someone was down – a woman appeared to have collapsed or fallen and was not getting up again.

Up on the stage, the lead singer noticed the activity and stopped the band playing, calling for the house light to come up.
After it became apparent this was not going to be a short hiatus, the band said they were leaving the stage, as this had to take priority – full marks to them.

An ambulance was summoned – it was very quick to arrive – but in the meantime a first-aider from the audience came forward to help and security cleared the immediate area.

It appeared that she may have banged her head when she fell, so she was taken off to the ambulance and, I assume, onward to the hospital to be checked over.

I can’t fault the reaction of the band, The Lemon Tree staff, the first-aider and the ambulance service in their response to this. Well done everyone.

The last of the three Lemon Tree events of the weekend was for Terry McDermott & The Bonfires. You can read about this, along with the second instalment of the George Mackie interview, next time.

Earlier, I totalled up the number of gigs I’ve attended and photographed since mid September. It came to 34 – all on top of my day job. I guess that explains why I was pretty knackered most of the last 3 months. Now I’m on my way up the learning curve I think I can slow down a bit. So far, January is shaping up to be a fairly quiet month, as far as gigs go.

Happy New Year to you all – I hope your 2014 is full of joy and excitement. Oh and feel free to come and say hello if you see me at a gig one day – I don’t bite, honest.

More photos:

Malfunction/Kweef
Complete Stone Roses
Dave Winston Brown

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Introducing The Family Fund

Charity, Information No Responses »

Jan 022014

With thanks to Elaine Pilmoor.

The Family Fund is a registered charity that gives grants to families raising a disabled or seriously ill child aged 17 and under.

Funded by grants, the charity brings practical and essential help, such as washing machines, fridges, bedding, specialist toys and much needed family breaks, which can often offer a lifeline to eligible families. Using their own eligibility criteria, The Family Fund tries to ensure that it provides help to families in the most need and last year supported 5,515 low-income families in Scotland. To find out more about The Family Fund you are invited to visit their website www.familyfund.org.uk You can also contact them for an application pack at info@familyfund.org.uk, by telephone at 0844 974 4099, or you can use the contact us page on their website.

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The Only Recipe For A Great British Row Off

Aberdeen City, Featured, Sport No Responses »

Jan 022014

A dollop of determination
A spoon full of courage
A bucket load of The Dee
… And one red velvet cupcake.

The only recipe for a Great British Row Off. With thanks to Jennifer Kelly.

(L-R) Lauren Cammaert and RGUBC president, Gillian Paterson

Bellowing orders at her cowering crew as they power down the River Dee, Lauren Cammaert isn’t your average 5ft 3 cox; as behind the façade of ruthless competitor, the Aberdeen Universities’ Boat Club president swaps her one-piece for her pinny at every available opportunity.

And she’s not alone.

It would appear that for this year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Universities’ Boat Race, Lauren has an army of keen bakers behind her, all inspired by the nations on-screen fascination; The Great British Bake Off (GBBO).

This new generation of university students spend their evenings adding their own touches to the latest Delia Smith recipe, baking artisan bread and designing wedding cakes. And this pastime isn’t gender specific, even 6ft 3 Alexander Hutchinson takes pride in his homemade bread.

It’s just as well they all have such a stringent exercise regime, and youth on their side.

However, 23 year old Lauren went one step further than other adoring GBBO fans and applied to be a part of the 2013 Great British Bake Off. Diligently, she pulled her application together, consisting of 12 original recipes and a 35 question-long interrogation form. After submitting, she awaited a response eagerly.

Weeks came, and passed, and the realisation that she was not successful became reality.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, as it took me weeks to put my application together, but I was not going to be disheartened. I can dedicate my baking skills to other causes- like bribing my crew out of their warm beds at 6am on very cold mornings!” says Lauren.

The Canadian born competitor first discovered her passion for cooking during the winter months of her childhood. Inspired by her mother and sister, Lauren followed suit and baked her way through the chilly festive months. She explains how it all began,

“Where we stayed in Canada, the winter months were perilous and there were often days that we were barricaded inside by snow. To relieve our boredom, my mom taught my older sister and I to bake. I was instantly fascinated and spent the rest of my junior years with sticky fingers, covered in flour and icing sugar.

“My baking was pretty mediocre to start, but, like anything, it improved with time. I like adding my own little twists onto recipes just to see what happens. Sometimes it’s disastrous but that’s part of the fun.

“My signature bake is a batch of red velvet cupcakes where I take elements from Nigella Lawson’s recipe and add my own cream cheese icing recipe. When I’m not too busy, I take orders for wedding cakes which have definitely proven to be my biggest, but most rewarding, challenge yet.”

For 2014, Lauren will be swapping spatula for oar in the Aberdeen Asset Management Universities’ Boat Race on Saturday March 1st. Lauren moved to Aberdeen when she was eight years old and started at Robert Gordon’s College. From there, she progressed to Aberdeen University to study medicine where she hopes to graduate as a doctor next year.

She describes her early rowing career,

“I started off rowing for a couple of years, inspired by the stellar reputation of Aberdeen University Boat Club, but decided that my petite frame was better suited to coxing. My mom rowed during high school, my dad at college in Cambridge so it definitely runs in the family … and my boyfriend also coaches.

“The Aberdeen Asset Management Universities’ Boat Race is a fantastic student event but don’t be fooled, the competitive atmosphere is so electric it could pass for a professional competition. I am always touched by how many local supporters turn up on the day to cheer us on. Hopefully this year will achieve results that Aberdeen University can really scream about.”

Although she was involved in last year’s race, Lauren views her recent presidency as a chance to step up to the plate and bring Aberdeen University to victory once more. She jokes:-

“If I have to bribe them all with fresh red velvet cupcakes to train all winter then that’s what I’ll do!”

Lauren had hoped to re-apply for the 2014 GBBO but the filming falls at the same time as the race, and there is no competition as to which she is determined to see through. Her last year at university will hopefully one filled with delicious cakes and rowing triumphs.

Keep an eye out as Lauren on 1st March 2014 as swaps her pinny for one-piece, spatula for oar and coxes her crew to victory for Aberdeen University.

Follow the 2014 Aberdeen Asset Universities’ Boat Race and show your true colours at www.facebook.com/AAMBoatRace and at https://twitter.com/2014BoatRace.

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Musings Of A Newish Music Photographer No. 8

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Dec 172013

In her continuing series on the life of a pit photographer, Voice’s Julie Thompson takes in Ricky Warwick’s acoustic set at Musa, Enuff Z’Nuff, Blue Origin and Guttergodz at The Moorings, and The Courteeners and Telegram at the Music Hall.

So, after my rather busy timetable last week, I spent the weekend recuperating – in fact, I spent most of it either sleeping or processing photos. I had a quieter week this week but one with 3 very different gigs/venues on my schedule. I even managed to slot in a couple of Christmas dinners and some socialising.

First up was a very intimate acoustic session with Ricky Warwick in Musa. I had been invited to this private function and it was suggested I bring my camera gear along.

Between songs – which were a mix of Thin Lizzy (Boys are Back in Town, Whiskey in the Jar, Jailbreak, Rosealie) & his solo work (Three Sides to Every Story, The Whiskey Song) interspersed with some covers (Ace of Spades, Ring of Fire, even Oops I Did it Again; which was met with a ripple of laughter that ran around the room as people realised) – Ricky told amusing stories from his past.

A tale from his teenage years began with the information that he grew up on a very large chicken farm, which had the unfortunate consequence that everything, people included, ended up smelling of chicken droppings.

He told the, slightly mournful but amusing, tale of an attempt at dating.

He picked the girl up in a car and as they were driving to the date, her nose started twitching and she asked what the smell was.

After first denying a smell and then winding down a window, he was forced to confess it was him, at which she asked to be let out. This is why, he says, he ‘never got laid’.

Later on he told a tale about how, having fallen on hard times between bands, he took work as a sandwich delivery boy, dropping lunches into various companies.

He was out one night and noticed a couple of girls pointing and whispering to each other and, when they came over, was thinking they recognised him from his music. ‘Are you Ricky?’ one asked. ‘Yes, I am’ he replied. ‘Well, those sandwiches you brought in the other day were delicious’ was the, somewhat demoralising, reply.

I had a short chat with Ricky afterwards, where he told me that he found himself more nervous doing these small events than the larger ones – I suppose there is often a big separation from the audience at larger events and the band are generally in a ‘bubble’ of security that is totally absent in the smaller places making audience feedback limited to applause, well that, and the fact that a bread roll is more likely to hit you when it is thrown from a nearby table.

I’m happy to say that no food was thrown, laughter was frequent and a good time seemed to be had by all.

My next gig was yet another visit to the now very familiar, The Moorings (who are doing an excellent job of getting some good acts in) this time to see American band Enuff Z’Nuff, currently on tour around the UK with returning frontman Johnny Monaco. They were supported by local band Guttergodz, who I have encountered a couple of times now, and a band currently on tour with them, the very lively Blue Origin.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this gig, as I’d not come across Enuff Z’Nuff before, but I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed the evening. They’ve been going a long time now – more than 25 years with 12 studio albums under their belt.

As the set progressed they kept joking that they’d keep playing until someone recognised one of the songs. That could have taken a while – they have a large back catalog.

They were obviously enjoying themselves & interacting well with the crowd. At one point in the set, I noticed the frontman extract a bit of paper from a folder for the bass player – I managed to grab a quick snap of it for later examination and I was very glad I did.

The began a number called Baby Loves You – this morphed into a medley which incorporated 500 miles, Don’t Stop Believin’ & Summer of ’69 – the crowd was enticed into singing along with them for these.

We were all happily singing along to one which was vaguely familiar but I wasn’t sure why.

As people realised what it was there was amusement and then somewhat defiant singing.

It was Call Me Maybe, one of those slightly embarrassing ones you don’t realise you’ve picked up the words to, and was quickly followed by Wrecking Ball.

I am pleased to report the last one was not performed naked on a large swinging ball and was all the better for it.

Towards the end of the set, the band began expressing thanks to everyone for coming along to see them, to Flash (the owner of The Moorings) for driving them around (‘like a madman’) and, surprisingly, to the photographers for coming along to take photos and ‘helping to keep their name alive’ – I was a bit touched, I have to say.

Afterwards, I was asked to take a photo of someone with, and given an unexpected bear-hug by, the bassist – Chips Z’Nuff – and had a wee chat & a hand-shake with Johnny. They were a lovely bunch of guys.

When I began processing the photos from this gig later, I came across the photo of the sheet of paper I mentioned earlier, and found it was a list of the songs used in the medley – for someone with a memory like mine, it was a blessing.

My last gig of the week was at the Music Hall to see some fellow northerners, The Courteeners. I’m not going to explain how I got a pass for this one – a girl has to keep some secrets!

All I will say is that I finally got the pass about an hour before the support was due on stage – giving me just enough time to grab a bite to eat.

This was a new experience – there was apparently no space for togs in the pit so we had to hang out at the back by the sound desk.

I was glad I’d the foresight to pack my 70-200mm lens, although even that was a bit short for the distance.

I asked if I could have a chair – it was a standing event and, as I’m not 7 foot tall, seeing over a sea of raised arms, all holding mobile phones, would make shooting the band pretty tricky – but that was not allowed (H&S I think). I went for a scout about to see where I might get a decent spot; the sides of the balcony area would have been good but that was not possible.

While I was waiting for the support act, Telegram, to start Dod Morrison arrived and we discussed the shooting limitations.

I had noticed a raised area about halfway down one side of the hall when I arrived (this was a ramp & platform for those with disabilities) so a quick chat with the head of security after the support act had finished gained us access to the area for the main act.

As we only get the first 3 songs, we did not get in their way at all.

We can be pretty discrete, and I hope it wasn’t too irritating for the two people sat there.

Having noticed the massive banks of lights at the back of the stage and had seen a sign on the way in that said heavy strobe and smoke effects would be in use I was a bit worried, because these two combined can lead to tricky shooting conditions – especially from a distance.

I was worrying needlessly as it turned out because the first three songs were beautifully lit with different colour themes for each song – red for the first, green/purple for the second and yellow/white for the third. This is good because, being limited on shooting angles as we were, it gives you some options when it comes to picking a nice variety of images of the gig.

Beer was flying about part-way through the third song, much of it aimed at the stage. As I was packing up my gear, I heard frontman, Liam Fray, say:

“Are you here to be entertained?” *Cheers*

“Are you here to dance?” *More cheers*

“Well, if more beer gets thrown at the stage you won’t have either. If it gets in these electronics *points to the front of the stage* then it’s over. So, PACK IT IN!”

A true northerner – blunt and to the point. It momentarily made me feel a little bit homesick.

My preliminary preparations for gigs I have applied for varies – if I have never heard of them or heard anything by them before, I will sometimes go in cold or I will look for photos of them online to see what they are like live to shoot. Sometimes, though, I will listen to a few songs or watch videos of them live on youtube.

For The Courteeners I went to their website & watched a few of the videos there.

One of the tracks, Van Der Graaff, had a great riff and I thought the song was lovely. I wasn’t planning on staying for the whole gig but I stayed on for a few more songs after the camera gear was packed away, to watch the excellent light show as much as anything. I was putting on my coat in the hall exit when that riff dragged me back into the main hall to listen. Magic!

Later in the week, I was out with my day job colleagues (pretty much all the music togs here have day jobs) for the evening when I heard a familiar song playing in the pub – it was the opening track from The Courteeners gig – Are You in Love With a Notion? It’s funny how some things seem to follow you about at times.

So, what’s next on my schedule?

Well, with Christmas fast approaching, I have a festive/fun lineup for next week. I also hope to have pinned down George Mackie long enough for a chat.

More Photos:

Ricky Warwick
Enuff Z’Nuff
Blue Origin
Guttergodz
The Courteeners

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Unison Launches Campaign For Grampian Weighting

Information, Opinion 1 Response »

Dec 132013

With thanks to Hall Hamilton Harper.

Due to the high cost of living in the Grampian Region, health union UNISON are campaigning for pay equality in the area to help alleviate recruitment and retention issues in the oil capital of Europe and provide local NHS workers with a reasonable living wage.

The matter of a High Cost Area Supplement for NHS staff in Grampian was raised during Portfolio Questions in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 11th December (question number 8).

In response, Health Secretary Alex Neil said:

“I do not believe that a High Cost Area Supplement would be appropriate.

“I think that when you get into that you have to look at other parts of the country, for example one of the major shortages in the Western Isles is finding a maintenance engineer because of the renewable energy’s success in the Western Isles.

“Do we then introduce a high cost living supplement or a skills shortage supplement for the Western Isles?”

Responding to Mr Neil’s comments Laura McDonald, Branch Secretary for UNISON Grampian Health Branch commented:

“Our claim is for our members in the Grampian region who are struggling to make ends meet due to the very high costs associated with living in the area”

Ruaraidh MacKinnon, Branch Treasurer for UNISON Grampian Health Branch added:

“The Western Isles was a great example for Mr. Neil to use as it already has an allowance that is paid to all Western Isles staff – it’s called a Scottish distant islands allowance.

“The High Cost Area Supplement for Grampian is about much more than an isolated incidence of a difficult to recruit post, it is about the huge difference in the general costs of living within the Grampian area when compared to neighbouring boards.”

The figures produced by UNISON show that low paid NHS employees in Aberdeen only have, on average, £76.64 per month left to live on after deductions for rent, council tax and ‘bus travel compared with their counterparts in Dundee and Inverness who are left with £483.67 and £396.33 respectively.

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Dickens Fellowship

Aberdeen City, Events, Featured, Information No Responses »

Dec 092013

David Innes updates us on all things Dickens.

December’s, and the second official meeting of the Aberdeen Dickens Fellowship, was celebratory as the certificate confirming its status as a member of the International Fellowship was displayed.

‘It is all the more official since the signatures are almost illegible’, chairman Paul Schlicke joked.

After commemorative photos were taken by Voice photographer Julie Thompson, and before the official theme of the meeting, ‘Detectives and detecting in Bleak House’ was engaged, new information of local interest was shared.

A new cache of Dickens’s letters has been uncovered, relating to the Guild of Literature and Art, an organisation Dickens keenly promoted. According to the correspondence, the then occupant of Arbroath’s Hospitalfield House, offered a house near Coventry to the Guild. The letters indicate that Dickens was delighted with the offer.

Conditions attached to the proposed gift, meant, however, that the Guild had to refuse the offer. Given its connections, Aberdeen members will make a trip to Hospitalfield House in the future. It will also be of interest to delegates if Aberdeen’s bid to hold the 2016 international conference is successful.

In his talk, Paul outlined how, before 1829, the “police” were held largely in contempt and members regarded as disreputable by the population.

Dickens satirises them as incompetent in Great Expectations. When the Metropolitan force of 3000 recruits was created in 1829 as a crime prevention force, with only inspectors empowered to carry pistols, but with a multi-purpose bobby’s helmet issued, Dickens’s attitude to the police changed.

He admired their cleverness and mastery of disguise. He accompanied members, especially the 1846-52 Chief Inspector Field, on duty, seeing at first hand their methods. His journalism frequently featured imperturbable detectives and policemen. Field may have been the inspiration for Inspector Bucket in Bleak House, widely regarded as fiction’s first detective.

Dickens cert Dec13 - Credit: Julie Thompson

Certificate awarded to Aberdeen Dickens Fellowship – Credit: Julie Thompson

For all Dickens’s championing of the poor and downtrodden and railing against those who kept the poor downtrodden, and for all his overt contempt for the law and do-gooders, he had an obsession with order.

His desire to control everything about his dramas and public appearances bear this out, so it is no surprise that those with a similar outlook, military man Sergeant George and Bucket himself, are sympathetic figures in Bleak House.

Bleak House, we concluded, is full of detecting. There are up to a dozen characters all seeking information, trying to eke out truth and each for his or her own purposes.

Throughout it all, Dickens seems to be keen to expose corruption, hypocrisy and inefficiency and Esther Summerson is held up as an example of how he feels life should be lived – looking after one’s self and others and taking personal responsibility in so doing.

2013’s final gathering, on 17 December, will be a festive event. Paul will read A Christmas Carol. Members will provide light snacks and refreshments, and whilst it will hardly be a Pickwickian Dingley Dell feast, we will end the year on a suitably celebratory note.

Non-members are welcome at a nominal cost of £3, and the celebration will start at 1830 and go on until 2130. The venue is, as always, Grampian Housing, Huntly Street.

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Pallas – Progressive Rock Progresses

Aberdeen City, Opinion 1 Response »

Dec 062013

There was never a doubt Pallas’ date at the Moorings was going to be highly entertaining – the musicianship was never in question, and fans knew they would hear Pallas’ contributions to the pantheon of prog rock classics. Suzanne Kelly reports.

‘Eyes in the Night (Arrive Alive)’ towards the end of the set had whole the audience joining in. ‘Atlantis’ pleased the faithful no end; it took the audience on an epic journey, again with fans providing the chorus. Performing anthems like this (not that there are many anthems like this in the first place) demands technical skill as well as improvisation ability.

Most true music fans don’t want a note-for-note live performance perfectly echoing studio versions of tracks; live music should keep material fresh and riveting, and Pallas managed this superbly.

Pallas – in the briefest terms – is a progressive rock act, formed in the1970s, which received great acclaim, particularly in the US, with works including ‘Atlantis’ ‘Eyes in the Night’ and ‘The Sentinel’.

The forthcoming album, ‘wearewhoweare’ is being created via crowd funding* and will be out next year; they will be releasing it themselves. The current line-up is Niall Mathewson (guitar), Paul Mackie (vocals), percussionist Colin Fraser, Graeme Murray (bass), and on keyboard/synths Ronnie Brown.

But back to the audience – the Moorings tickets had all sold out, and you could have been forgiven for thinking the place would be packed with fifty-somethings who discovered Pallas back in the 1970s at the zenith of the prog rock genre. You’d have thought wrong; there were people of every age and background.

Perhaps this act, after 40 odd years in the business and a wee hiatus, is about to receive fresh recognition in the 21st century. If it does, it will be down in huge part to the strength of the new material, which was played live for the first time ever at this performance.

Three new works were given a world premiere; these demonstrated that the ‘prog rock’ label stuck on Pallas does them a disservice. The audience loved it; members of the band displayed comic signs of great relief for the positive reception. Next was ‘Ghost Dancers’, a haunting Scottish traditional folk/rock/trance hybrid, telling the story of the highland clearances.

Award-winning fiddler Paul Anderson did beautiful work; it is a pity though that during quiet moments like this that those towards the back of the bar couldn’t manage to tone it done (or shut up, to be blunt) for the benefit of the people who were tightly grouped at the front of the stage.

I did catch myself speaking once (two words) during a loud section of another song; I was rightly called up on this. Otherwise I was caught up in the performance totally, like the rest of those who crowded as close to the stage as they could get.

New material included (Is this) Your Life and the rockier In The Shadow of The Sun. None of these are what you would call straightforward progressive rock tracks.

There are passages that are straightforward heavy metal with exhilarating guitar solos; there are notes of folk, classical music and ambient music.

In places, Pallas are inviting comparisons to acts from Spear of Destiny to Sabbath to Massive Attack (there are moments when you can almost imagine what it would sound like with Nicolette doing a vocal).

It’s not that Pallas are trying to copy anyone – God forbid. The realisation hits you that their music and the prog rock genre (which was so fashionable to look down upon for such a long time) was based on a cornerstone of musical excellence, with emphasis put on experimentation and mutation.

Whatever alchemical experiments escaped from the crucible of 1970s prog have longer-reaching tentacles than you might first think.

The ‘new’ frontman, Paul Mackie (he’s only been there 4 years, which is new in Pallas time) has, as critics agree, gelled beautifully with the rest of the act. His wry, dry wit is in good form. Early on he asks ‘Who here remembers seeing us in the ‘70s?’ Then he asks ‘Who here wasn’t alive in the ‘70’s?’ (many hands go up).

He asks the audience if they have the album XXV; they answer that they do. (He asks if they bought it or stole it (perhaps a reference to the prevalence of piracy) – he then tells us he has a son he has to feed.

“He’s skinny. I could feed him, I just don’t want to.”

He later tells us:

“I’ve just realised I’m not gig fit for my own gig. Is there a vocal coach in the house?’” (He and Graham have been ill with ‘flu; later on when I speak to them, they each seem keen to blame the other – good-naturedly – for spreading the bug).

The night before I’d been to see Toxik Ephex, arguably Scotland’s best and most enduring pure punk act. It was chaos; it was great. Their stage is overrun by the audience the whole time.

The opposite of stage diving is going on tonight. The ‘flu hasn’t stopped them from performing, but there are a few knock-on effects. In fact, they ask the audience to vote on who’ll take a difficult vocal passage in ‘Atlantis’ – Graham loses, although he is the more ill of the two singers.

Mackie takes a break from doing vocals to jump off, go away, and come back 5 minutes later with a cup of tea. The guitarist similarly disappears into the audience for a bit as well.

The other moment which brought Toxik Ephex to mind tonight, comes during ‘Cut and Run’ when Mackie recites the lines:-

“I have reason to believe you are an enemy of the State, so, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the State, I am hereby obliged to terminate your existence.”

The prog and punk genres may be poles apart, but there are similar messages coming through Pallas and Toxik.

Toxik’s recent material understandably reflects this same mistrust of totalitarianism; George Copland’s recent troubles with the police providing seams of material to mine.

This fear of a (the existing??) totalitarian state is a powerful theme common to both acts, as musically diametrically opposed as they are.

Pallas’ works such as ‘The Executioner’ and ‘Rat Racing’ examine the problems of modern life, environmental destruction, loss of freedom and social control.

Guitar solos on pieces such as Rise and Fall won audience appreciation; but throughout it is the rhythm section that have the weight of the night on their shoulders; I wonder how many hours of rehearsals are needed to get to such a level without losing heart in favour of technical nous.

How anyone can manage to play 2 hours of keyboards for such complex, layered music is likewise a mystery. Beautiful classical passages of music came in delicate keyboard pieces, unfortunately again, most of those in the back of the bar talked/laughed/screeched over it.

Their loss; the rest of the crowd tuned the distraction out and tuned in on Brown (I’m sure no one meant any disrespect; this is the Moorings after all, and while most are there for the music, some people are just there to drink). Mackie somehow looks like Robert Downy Jr’s ‘Tony Stark’ character; but with none of the arrogance and bags of sincerity instead.

The way he moves is natural, inviting me to compare and contrast again to the Boomtown Rats’ gig and Geldof’s mannered, would-be Jagger posturing artifice. No contest.

As the set draws near its end, they ‘break for a commercial’ and update us on their forthcoming album, twitter, Facebook presence, merchandise and new year return to Aberdeen. The merchandise on offer (which seemed to be selling at a healthy pace) features the arresting/disturbing/unmistakeable artwork.

I look at the image of the grey creature with the screen in its head, and I’m suddenly hurled back 40 years in time, remembering incidents previously long-forgotten (I’ll be buying old and new CDs). They get bonus points for thanking their long-serving manager, Mike Bentley: over 30 years serving in this role definitely makes him their ‘fifth Beatle.’

On a personal note, I was coming to this performance with a bit of apprehension. Clearly the material is not easy to perform, and I’d last seen them around 1979 in New York. Would this appearance just be a hackneyed, half-hearted attempt at cashing in on nostalgia (see Bob Geldof’s recent live show up the road at the Ballroom)?

Would new material be ‘new’ or would it just be re-workings of musical ideas and ideology from the 70s? I’m so very pleased to say my apprehension was totally misplaced; I was singing and clapping along like the 20- and 30-something year-old people around me.

Pallas invoked vivid memories from decades ago for many of us there that night; they are making new, 2013 memories for old and new fans. They’re on to something here, and I hope the rest of the world twigs.

Julie Thompson (who’s taken some great shots as well as helping move mic stands around for Paul) and I catch up with some of the band after the show, although I really wanted to just let them chill and enjoy their mugs of tea /‘flu remedies.

They were pleased with tonight, and rightfully very happy with the reception the new material had.

I spend a few minutes talking to Paul Mackie; it is clear that in the music and in what he will say to an audience he has to be himself and be honest; he’s spent time thinking about tonight’s performance and audience.

We talk about some of the recent critical acclaim from English dates; how he’s meshed into the existing structure of Pallas. One thing I’m shocked to hear is criticism levelled at him from a few quarters: he has the temerity to take his shirt off when he’s hot during a set.

“It isn’t the done thing in prog rock.” Paul tells me.

This has apparently upset some purists who seem to think there is a code against anyone in a ‘prog rock’ act acting in such an unseemly manner. Someone somewhere complained that this nudity ‘sexualised’ the music. And here I was thinking that challenging stereotypes was a tenet of experimental, ground-breaking music. Silly me.

I’d also thought most great music had at least some sexual energy or content. I’m starting to marvel at today’s music industry power brokers who are creating the rules for acts so successfully that critics and fans alike are buying into them wholesale.

Rules such as girls must change costume frequently during shows, ride naked on wrecking balls, twerk and be a size 6 or smaller to be successful (vocals can always be made pitch perfect in the studio). Rock stars must take their shirts off and/or wear leather, boy bands must be adorable, girl singers must be virginal until of age, then be overly sexualised instantly.

And Prog rock musicians must be eccentric, fully clothed at all times, and preferably English.

From what he’s said it’s clear he invested time thinking about what to say to tonight’s crowd

As for me, I just want to hear some great music, and I wouldn’t care if an artist had 2 noses and weighed 50 stone. So to those who are disappointed that their ideals are not being met, I say ‘keep your shirt on’, and let Mackie take his off if he wants. I guess I’d better not mention the pierced nipple.

For me at any rate, his stage persona is true to the legacy of the act while his persona is clearly unique and it’s driving aspects of the performance. From what he’s said it’s clear he invested time thinking about what to say to tonight’s crowd; how he and the band came across was of great personal importance to him. Julie and Paul then talk cameras for a bit, comparing notes and gear.

The band must be knackered – performing two hours and premiering three tracks of a night would tough on anyone, let alone those who aren’t well. I will arrange to have a more in-depth talk with them soon.

They’ve left happy, the crowd’s left happy, and it’s been another brilliant night at the Moorings. The Moorings have always had a host of diverse live music- up and coming, established, international acts fill a packed programme. But they are raising the beam all the time. The acts being booked just get more and more interesting and exciting all the time.

So thanks Flash, Hen and Fudge, keep it up. (BTW, another perfectly served pint of BrewDog Punk IPA has been the icing on the cake). When Pallas comes back to Aberdeen next year, I’ll definitely be there to listen.

The new album is being funded via crowdsourcing, and there has been excellent take-up.

The list of ‘perks’ for funders includes everything from an exclusive Pallas track, signed CD, calendar with new artwork, up to a weekend in the studio with the band for up to 2 contributors who can each record a track of their choice with Pallas.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pallas-wearewhoweare .

The campaign was launched with a free download, including the audio and video of the ‘premix megamix’ of extracts form four of the tracks being worked on for the album. More info can be found on the band’s website www.pallasofficial.com.

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Old Susannah’s Journal No. 137 – Lying and Spying

Creative Writing, Opinion, Satire and Humour 2 Responses »

Nov 082013

Old Susannah aka Suzanne Kelly casts an eye on the past week’s vibrant and dynamic events.

Tally Ho! It’s been bonfire night, which here in Torry means another 7 weeks or so of fireworks at night.

The Members (‘Sound of the Suburbs’) played at the Moorings; the Gerry Jablonski Band is touring Poland, the Opera was in town, and the fireworks went well (better than the last time, when everything went off all at once).

Giant balls and lights are being hung on Union Street for the holidays. Let’s hope the balls don’t drop, like they did a last year.

I bought a wonderful new mattress from Glencraft; the company continues to employ and support people with visual problems and others with special abilities.

It’s just as well it’s still here, those nice ConDems have a plan to save money by taking it away from several thousand people who get independent living benefit. At present a court appeal is saving the day. Let’s hope commonsense prevails at least once. If those individuals and corporations which avoid paying tax paid their fair share, we’d possibly not be in such a position. But they know who they are, and they’re holding onto their money.

Aberdeen Positive (cleverly branded AB+), had one of their inspiring cultural talks this week.

They’re going to give us a cultural identity brand, which is great. BP is of course involved, as are various other businessmen, and RGU admin types (who I’m sure don’t take any direction from web-happy Sir Ian Wood, who is more or less in charge at RGU). Old Susannah tragically couldn’t make their last meeting, but was told a riveting time was had by all.

Sadly someone dared to bring up the subject of Union Terrace Gardens; this dismayed the convener. Happily just at the end, our man from RGU (who’s actually lived in 27 different places, so he proudly boasts – wow!) closed by saying we need a public square. Of course we do.

I’ve spent a happy few hours this past week at BrewDog, you’ll be surprised to hear. They’ve run out of their new creation ‘Hello my name is Sonja’ – which is a blueberry packed delight. Hope it’s coming back soon. There was some pumpkin brew from the US, which was subtle, and perfect for this time of year. And yes, I’ve even bought a few more shares. Me and a few thousand other people.

BrewDog are hiring, reinvigorating the drinks sector in the UK and abroad, and are expanding. If my few quid contribution helps, then I’m glad of it. Cheers all.

It’s a good thing people’s noses don’t actually grow when they lie like Pinocchio’s did; or else some of the great and the good would have to either clam up or hire permanent plastic surgeons. Truth, or the lack of it, has featured largely this past week in the news.

In mythology, Diogenes searched endlessly for an honest man. It seems like he’d have his work cut out for him today. Here are a few definitions to illustrate.

Lying: (English Gerund) To deliberately distort the truth.

Times have changed; and I think people are getting much more honest than they used to be. After all, absolutely no one, no matter what kind of situation they might get caught in, admits to lying these days.

We’ve seen the ‘Plebgate’ case unfold: first policemen accused senior Tory MP Andrew Mitchell of a foul-mouthed rant over a bicycle, which upset the public. Later, Channel 4 obtained the footage, showing no public within earshot at all. The police logs seem to have been creative writing exercises. What followed, when the police and their superiors were asked to explain further, saw one or two innocent little white lies coming to the fore.

Mitchell lost his job, had never used the word ‘pleb’ and it’s proved no such rant actually happened.

Mitchell may have lost his job over this, but don’t worry: all the police involved are still in place, ready to continue to fight crime in their usual virtuous fashion.

The BBC reported:-

“A police officer has apologised to MPs for an “inadvertent error” in evidence to them about the “plebgate” affair.

“Det Sgt Stuart Hinton, of Warwickshire Police, said he had made an “honest” mistake in a previous hearing held by the Home Affairs Committee last month.

“He also said he regretted the “distress” felt by Andrew Mitchell and his family during the whole saga.

“But Sgt Chris Jones, of West Midlands Police, said he had not misled MPs over his disciplinary record. On Tuesday, he told MPs 13 complaints had been made about him but none had been upheld.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24813974

So, no lying there then, just the odd ‘inadvertent error’ and the odd ‘mistake when talking to the Home Affairs Committee. Could happen to anyone.

Just because we assume the police can and should have a head for accuracy and details is no reason to think they’re superhuman. In fact Sgt Jones also managed to forget any claims had ever been lodged against him, but this was soon proved to just be another little mistake on his part.

He seemed very believable to me in his court appearance; first of all, he’s a policeman, and second of all, he was wearing a nice suit. Did the policeman admit to blatantly lying by making up this little story that cost someone a job? Not a bit of it. He does however regret things. I’m sure he does.

So how did the press get all the previous alleged dirt on former MP Mitchell? Er, the police leaked it to them, but I’m sure it was all well intentioned. It’s very bad form for the BBC and Channel 4 to point out these flaws, and to remind us that policemen from the slightly powerful union would wear ‘police pleb’ t-shirts to show solidarity for their ‘inadvertently erring’ colleagues. That’s what friends are for.

It was all going so well against the businessmen involved, who had been granted export licences to Iraq

Perhaps we had expected the politician was lying in the ‘Plebgate’ saga; after all, there have been one or two small instances of politicians lying to us in the past. Even Tony Blair decided to turn an intelligence dossier into a spectacular, sensational, frightening case for attacking Iraq.

Weapons of Mass destruction were poised and ready to take the UK out within 45 minutes; of course we had to have a tiny little war, even if a few million UK residents marched to protest against it. After all, we’re better off, the veterans who went there are better off, and of course the Iraqi people are better off. As is Halliburton and as are a few US tycoons.

Aside from the dodgy dossier, we had the earlier instance of saintly Alan Clark, purveyor of truth back in the days of Thatcher. The Matrix Churchill trial saw gagging orders handed out like sweeties. It was all going so well against the businessmen involved, who had been granted export licences to Iraq. It might have looked like the Government was caught in a web of blatant lies, but that wasn’t the case.

Alan eventually admitted in the face of evidence that he was just being ‘economical with the actualité’. So, once again, no real lying was going on.

Don’t worry, Aberdeen makes the grade when it comes to having honest police. We now have our own local policewoman who managed to avoid being branded a liar and/or snoop.

WPC Amanda Dixon decided that she needed to know a wee bit more about her new Peterhead neighbours; the poor policewoman was in fear they would break the law and rob her. She then merely bent the law a little, and used the police’s STORM database to do a little pre-emptive spying on them. Sure, it might have been illegal, but she is a policewoman after all.

While in the old days, if people wanted to snoop on neighbours they would simply hide behind twitching net curtains and peer, it’s nice to know Dixon is willing to go just that little bit better.

I can’t think why she got into any trouble for illegally accessing personal data in contravention of the Data Protection Act, but the story has a happy ending: she didn’t have to go to court.

Police don’t lie, and they don’t break data protection rules, fabricate notes, and leak info to the papers

Obviously admitting no lawbreaking, Dixon bravely admitted being ‘nosy’.

Thankfully her lawyer told the sheriff that Ms Dixon was too mentally fragile to appear in court and such appearance would be detrimental to her mental health.

I, for one, am so very grateful to the legal system for sparing her this huge trauma of attending court, which clearly would be something a policewoman would never need to do normally as part of her job. You might think she was just trying to evade justice, but surely it is health after committing a crime that’s more important than the people being spied on or the law being upheld.

Now that the police have displayed such compassion to spying Dixon, I await their expedited compassion in offering compensation to George Copland. If you need a reminder, Copland was arrested days after a siege at his empty flat.

The flat was meant to have a gunman in it, although it was empty, and whoever said they were looking in the windows at a gunman would have had to go very close to the house, set away from the main road and peer in deliberately. Perhaps it was Dixon? Anyway, that was in June. No doubt a fair, full compensation deal is winging its way to Copland as you’re reading.

Police don’t lie, and they don’t break data protection rules, fabricate notes, and leak info to the papers. They might sometimes make mistakes, but don’t we all. And if police like Ms Dixon spy, I’m sure it’s for our own good in the end. No doubt her neighbours think so.

Spying: (English Gerund) The act of covertly obtaining information without the person or organisation being scrutinised giving consent or having knowledge.

In this Age of Information, the only thing that’s successfully stopping wars, terrorist attacks, organised crime, and Policewoman Dixon’s neighbours from undoubtedly robbing her is spying. I am very glad big brother is watching. I am very glad that the ‘all-seeing eye’ on American dollar bills stands for something less nebulous than some Masonic symbolism.

Spying is only done when necessary. Sixty Million Spanish telephone calls were intercepted by the US. Yes, that hardly seems like any, and that’s actually the number of calls for a whole year’s worth of listening in. I’d have thought it would be a higher figure, after all the population of Spain is about 47 million: that’s only about a call and a half per citizen.

However, Germany’s Angela Merkel is a bit put out the Yanks have been spying on her personal calls, and there is some evidence to point to the UK helping the US out in these covert activities.

As so many right-thinking people claim ‘if you’re not doing anything wrong, then you don’t have anything to hide’. Quite so. Perhaps we should just give up on the idea of individual freedoms, privacy, intimacy and individuality if it means we’ll all be safer.

It would be churlish to bring up the fact that back in the day, famous cross-dresser and paranoiac J Edgar Hoover had files on millions of Americans. If he needed one of these people to spy on other people, all he would have to do is threaten to expose the personal info he’d collected on them. If we could only get back to those good old secure, happy days – Communist witch hunts, paranoia, government control.

Thankfully, it seems we’re heading there.

Sometimes it might seem that the security forces and police get a bit sensitive about sharing the details of their own activities – particularly when these activities fall into grey areas of law. No doubt if they want our lives laid bare for their legal inspection (or for a less than legal whim, Ms Dixon), they’ll become completely honest, transparent, and law-abiding as well.

I feel sorry for those who make their living from spying on the innocent, that nasty whistleblower Edward Snowden has made life tricky for them and their crucial work. He’s obviously let the world know the extent of US snooping for his own personal gain.

He’s currently living a luxurious life as a fugitive in Moscow somewhere (no – I don’t know where to any government spooks reading this). After all, the people who are willing to look into your and my personal business for reasons ranging from national security to Dixon’s ‘nosiness’ are just trying to make an honest living.

Well, have a good week everyone. And mind what you put in that email, or say on your mobile. Big brother is listening, taking notes, and will be in touch.

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