Apr 032015
 

With thanks to Dave Macdermid.

DSC_0108Aberdeen Snowsports Centre has just been confirmed as the Guinness World Record holder for the highest ski jump out of an artificial quarter pipe.
The event took place on 18th October 2014 at Aberdeen Snowsports Centre and featured two of the best up and coming freestyle skiers in Scotland: Rob Wilkinson and Grant Donald.

Both skiers took attempts at descending the slope at high speeds, battling gusty winds to launch themselves out of the quarter pipe, situated at the bottom of the 80m long slope.

Tyler Harding previously set the record at Rossendale ski slope two years ago at a height of 2.87m. At 1.48pm on Sat 18th October (the previous record holder’s birthday) Rob Wilkinson smashed the previous record by over half a metre! The brand new record now stands at 3.4m.

Rob Wilkinson commented:

“I’m super pleased with our efforts, the wind made it tough, as it didn’t leave much margin for error. If you get blown away from the quarter pipe 3 metres up, it’s going to hurt! As soon as I landed it, I was thinking ‘That was big!’ Nevertheless, I’m really stoked with the result! It’s crazy to think that I now actually hold a World Record.”

A big thanks goes out to everyone that made it possible. Colin Harkness Joinery for the measuring poles, event organiser Zoe Lewis and both Jim Johnstone of FG Burnett Property Consultants and Nick McKlevey of BASI who were the two officials on site who witnessed the attempt on the record.

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Nov 142013
 

Clown in the jewel by Duncan Harley By Duncan Harley

In the recent “Aberdeen Parking Permits To Hit Garthdee Residents” article Aberdeen Voice looked at how the elected councillors and paid officials of the Granite City have seemingly decided to use the easy option of targeting car parking to make a bit of cash.

Since then more information has emerged to back up this assertion and a further residents meeting has taken place to discus the issues involved.

Aberdeen Council also had a meeting to discuss the matter.

In typical council speak it was called something like “EPI Committee Meeting 12/11/2013.”

If you had been fortunate enough to be there, you might have heard Cllr Mrs Angela Taylor saying that it was “unfortunate” that the previous administration had misled the residents over the fact that they might have to pay for parking permits in the future.

This in many Garthdee and indeed many Kaimhill residents’ eyes, raises some quite serious questions regarding the validity and legality of the proposed CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) charges.

Said one resident:

“what difference does it make which administration put the parking restrictions in place, if they are wrong then surely that is the important thing.”

“I can understand folk in the centre of town having to put up with this” said another “but in Garthdee? I know we have a student parking issue but to be honest that’s not a huge problem. RGU have been offering to pay to sort it out, why don’t the council just tell the officials to talk to them?”

parking 2 garthdee duncan harley

Parking in Garthdee – Credit: Duncan Harley

The financial implications for the people of Garthdee and Kaimhill are clear. Pay up to £200 each year to park outside your own door of face a fine of £60 per day.

This is an area of mixed fortunes.

Only around 49% of houses in Garthdee are owner occupied.

The rate of car crime is higher than the city average. The rate of vandalism is double the rate for the South of Aberdeen City.

Garthdee has a 2% unemployment total compared to the Aberdeen average rate of 1.6% plus a higher than average claim rate for Severe Disablement Allowance leading to calls from relatives of disabled residents to scrap the unfair charge.

Garthdee is not in the same league as some other Aberdeen inner city deprived areas, but it is certainly not as affluent as the adjoining Morningside where, just 100 metres away across the Old Royal Deeside Railway line residents are, until now, blissfully unaffected by any threat of parking restrictions.

Aberdeen City Council are of course looking to curb expenditure and in these times of economic distress are perhaps understandably looking to take in revenue wherever they can.

It’s no real surprise then that according to EPI Committee Report EPI/13/203 the council makes a hefty surplus (council speak for profit) on parking charges city wide.

Figures suggest that in recent years income from parking fees has totalled around £6.4 per annum with around £3.5m in costs. The resulting surplus of £2.8m has been used seemingly for “various transport projects throughout the city.”

Is this legal? Possibly. Is this moral? Possibly not.

“Who can tell in the absence of a judicial review?” said one resident?

parking 2 morningside duncan harley

Parking in Morningside – Credit: Duncan Harley

What is certain is that the residents of Garthdee stand to lose a fair chunk of their disposable income due the decision of their elected representatives to impose a parking charge tax which many feel is not only quite unfair but also completely unjust.

The poorer residents of Garthdee will of course be particularly affected and many local folk are angry at the seemingly uncompromising stance of those whom they elected to represent their interests. Many feel that this situation must be rectified and rectified very soon.

RGU (Robert Gordons University) have been blamed for causing the problem due to the expiry of a claimed “10 year agreement” which the council seem reluctant to re-negotiate. RGU has helpfully published a map which advises students where to purchase parking tickets and suggests streets available to park in within the city.

Many residents of Aberdeen will wonder why their elected representatives are seemingly targeting the poor and vulnerable. Many will just shake their heads and say “it doesn’t affect me.”

In situations such as this it is often useful to recall the words of Pastor Martin-Niemöller:

“First they came for the communists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the socialists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

If this situation resonates with you then consider contacting your local Aberdeen councillor to ask if they have any views on the issue.

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Nov 012013
 

Parking permits are to be applied to Garthdee residents, a move which Duncan Harley describes as ‘A Scottish Labour disgrace’.

Parking in Garthdee Duncan Harley

The councillors and officials of the Granite City have seemingly decided to use the easy option of car parking to make a bit of cash.

From 1st August 2013, parking charges apply to Garthdee residents who wish to park outside their own house.

The official line reads:

“Introduction of Charge for Garthdee Resident’s Exemption Parking Permits (Zone Y). From 1st August 2013, residents who are entitled to apply for a Resident’s Exemption Parking Permit will have to pay for a permit. Any existing permits on 1st August 2013 will be honoured.

“Any resident who has an existing permit will be required to pay if they decide to renew their permit(s).
Please note: the council will no longer issue Permit Renewal Reminder letters after 31 July 2013. Permit holders must be aware of the date their permit(s) expires. Permits can be renewed from 20 days prior to its date of expiry.
The cost of a permit is as follows,     1st permit – £80.00,     2nd permit – £120.00.”

The local government regulations attached to lamp posts in the area helpfully inform residents that:

“There are 2 types of permit available. Fixed permits are only valid for one specific vehicle and cannot be transferred to any other vehicle. The vehicle registration number must be declared on the application form. The keeper of the vehicle must be resident in the household.  Flexible permits can be used on any vehicle, e.g. a visitor’s vehicle. If applying for only 1 permit, you may choose either type of permit, Fixed or Flexible.

“If applying for 2 permits, only 1 of the permits can be Flexible. Vehicles must be: A passenger or lights goods vehicle weighing less than 3.5 tonnes and designed for less than 8 passengers (driver excluded). Permits must be displayed on the vehicle windscreen and are only valid for use within the designated residents only, on street pay and display, ticket zone and voucher parking bays.

“You are not guaranteed a parking space in your zone. The maximum number of permits that an address is entitled is 2. Permits are not required for motorcycles which may be parked free of charge in any parking bay. We ask that motorcycles are parked perpendicular to the kerb (front of wheel facing the kerb).”

A reading age of at least fifteen is required to make sense of the new rules, and a fine of huge proportions awaits those who fail to comply. If you own a new BMW or a knackered Fiesta the rules are just the same. Pay up or get fined up to £60 a day for parking in your own street.

All well and good of course: if you own a car, you are liable to pay for parking in busy city streets. But outside your own house and in a residential satellite scheme three miles from the city centre?

Dame Anne Begg, who has been the MP for Aberdeen South since 1997, was contacted by a resident. Could she take up the case on behalf of the folk of Garthdee? Could she fight their corner on this issue? Could she empathise with constituents who are being bullied by Aberdeen City Council and forced to use hard-earned funds to buy a licence to park outside their homes? Seemingly she is powerless to fight the issue.

At a recent meeting in Garthdee Community Centre to discuss the issues, one 73-year-old resident pointed out that if she needed her house repaired for any reason she would now require a visitor’s permit to allow a tradesman’s van to park outside her door. If family or carers visit they too would require to use her visitor’s permit.

“Why should I pay £200 to let folk park at my door, I don’t even own a car,” she said

“what if I call the doctor and he won’t come unless I have a parking permit?”

Many residents feel that Garthdee has plenty of kerbside parking. In fact many residents are too deprived to even own a vehicle. What is the council thinking of?

Get in touch with Anne at:
anne.begg.mp@parliament.uk
01224 252704
Dame Anne Begg MP
Admiral Court,
Poynernook Road,
Aberdeen
AB11 5QX

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Jun 282012
 

The rain stopped for a while last Sunday, but the sky was suitably overcast to set a sombre mood for the ceremony which installed Aberdeen’s first Ghost Bike. Paul Kohn writes.

A group of around twenty cyclists set off from the beCyCle workshop in Old Aberdeen for the ride down to Garthdee roundabout where the memorial to Milena Gott-Konopacka has been installed.
Milena was knocked off her bicycle by a tanker driver in July 2009, and died eighteen months later in hospital after a long and finally unsuccessful struggle to recover.

Milena, a promising  science student at Aberdeen University,  was 20 when the accident occurred.

The ride from Old Aberdeen to Garthdee was not without its lighter moments: the contrast between Benedikt on the ‘high bike’ and another beCyCler on a recumbent turned quite a few heads on Union Street as we passed. There were some lovely cakes, and the usual great sense of camaraderie that develops when cyclists ride together.

On arrival at Bridge of Dee we were met by Milena’s mother and family. She had come over from Poland for the event, and was visibly grieving but happy to be sharing that grief with some of Milena’s Aberdeen friends. There was a brief but moving ceremony as those present placed flowers on the Ghost Bike.

When I returned to the spot about an hour later, I saw that Milena’s mum had also returned to spend some time alone at the memorial.

All credit to Hannah Krueger and her friends at beCyCle for organising a moving and ultimately highly affirmative event . We were all happy to participate, although we hope that no more Ghost Bikes will be necessary in Aberdeen.

Jun 072012
 

By Paul Kohn.

Ghost Bikes are small and sombre memorials for cyclists who have been killed or hit on the street. A bicycle is painted all-white and locked to a street sign near the crash site, accompanied by a small plaque.
They serve as a reminder of the tragedy that took place on an otherwise-anonymous street corner, and as quiet statements in support of cyclists’ right to safe travel.

The first Ghost Bikes were created in St. Louis, Missouri in 2003. Currently, there are over 500 Ghost Bikes in over 180 locations throughout the world.

For those who create and install the memorials, the death of a fellow cyclist hits home. We all travel the same unsafe streets and face the same risks; it could just as easily be any one of us.

National Bike Week is coming up, from 16th to 24th of June.  In Aberdeen, events are being co-ordinated by Aberdeen Cycle Forum,
http://www.aberdeencycleforum.org.uk/index.php?pf=news.php&nid=131

As part of the week’s activities, beCyCle, the community workshop based in Old Aberdeen, is organising the installation of Aberdeen’s first Ghost Bike, at Garthdee. It is being placed in memory of Milena, a beCyCler who was hit by a lorry three years ago.

BeCyCle comments,

Please  join us when we take the Ghost Bike from Aberdeen University to the roundabout in Garthdee. 

“This event will also see the launch of the beCyCle cycle helmet. There will be drinks and a snack provided.”

This journey starts at 1100 at the beCyCle  workshop on High Street, Old Aberdeen, on Sunday 24 June.
http://becycle.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/aberdeens-first-ghost-bike/

Mar 092012
 

With thanks to Dave Macdermid.

Aberdeen Snowsports Centre Instructor Training is a course designed to take applicants from recreational level participant to that of professional instructor in six weeks.
The training is geared toward creating employment in the growing snowsports industry locally and further afield.

The course will be held at Garthdee on Tuesdays from 5th May and it’s open to competent, knowledgeable skiers and snowboarders over 16 with an outgoing personalities and a willingness to learn.

Successful candidates will be able to become instructors at the Centre or develop their career within the National Recognised system.

This will be the centre’s fourth course delivered by highly-experienced qualified full time coaches, this time offering a revised syllabus covering personal performance improvement as well as teaching and instructional techniques.

It’s a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking for a new career or experience in the snowsports industry and a rare chance to train locally rather than undertaking expensive tuition abroad. Previous participants have gone on to train further and live the dream of instructing abroad. The course has proved popular with working professionals who enjoy the release of instructing after a hard day at the office.

Past successful trainees include:

Neil Cameron (39), Casual Snowboard Instructor

“I was a nervous applicant and was persuaded to come on the course by the guys at Aberdeen Snowsports Centre.  The tuition was excellent and really improved my riding enabling me to understand how to use my board better and definitely made me a more accomplished rider. The skills given to me on the rookie course made the BASI Level 1 much easier and now I have the fun of teaching others to ride”

Jody Taylor (33), Casual Ski Instructor

“Through training on the Rookie Course last year the coaches have taken me from being able to get down a mountain to turning me into a skier. I now not only work at the slopes frequently, I met a great bunch of people along the way and the course has boosted my confidence no end!”

Joe Service (26), Casual Snowboard Instructor

“The snowboard rookie course is a great opportunity to develop your skills as a rider, develop your social life as a rider, and develop at the Centre as an instructor with the on-going instructor training.”

Further details and application forms are available from Aberdeen Snowsports Centre or online at: www.aberdeensnowsports.com

The deadline for application is Friday 6 April.

Jun 242011
 

The first-ever graduates are emerging from Gray’s School of Art Fashion programme (Fash@G); their collections debuted at Aberdeen’s Academy on 2nd June of this year.  Second Year fashion student Ruby Coyne assesses the show for us.   Images by Ashley Duncan.

The long-awaited summer sun toasted he pavements of Belmont Street as a stream of folk filtered into the Academy, the venue of Fash@G’s (Gray’s School of Art Fashion) very first Graduate Fashion Show – this is the first class to graduate from the new course led by the reputable Kim Eason.

Now I have to say, I had no idea what to expect, and was sort of nervous as this in some senses, is what I have to live up to- I am currently fresh fashion meat having completed my first year of the Fashion course.

But moreover, I wanted them to rock it as its our reputation on the line. And boy did they deliver!

The Venue was a pristine white space, and rather eerily chilly compared to the sun-soaked beer garden outside. I was sat front row as I am a ‘blogger’. I awaited the first tread of bambi legs on the catwalk as I sipped my mini Prosecco.

Now I shall not do a whole run through of all the collections, because let’s face it some were better than others. So here’s my top three that got the flash bulb on my FUJI fluttering…

First up was Kayleigh Archibald.

Like the girl herself, this was a little cutesy kooky collection.

Inspired by her worldly travels to Tokyo, it captured elements of sweet quirky prints and exaggerated bows and frills, yet a contrast with some neat and nifty tailoring.

However, the galactic print she used, reminded me of Christopher Kane’s iconic S/S11 collection.

Intense blues, fixating purples and darting flashes of stellar component in quick flashes.

I think this collection charts the imaginative world of this young designer.

( click on pics to enlarge )

Next up, Heather Grant’s creature collection.

As the bright lights shone on the first model, to my delight, animal ears perched perfectly on their tussled tresses.

As the girls strutted round in a collection of murky mustards, picnic rug ponchos and some serious distressed edges, I felt all inquisitive, like Mr Fox himself. But as my eye focused on the print, I was amazed.
This girl took animal print to a whole new level. ‘Leopard print’ I hear you ask? Not a chance! Within the vintage floral prints were tiny appliqued kitten motifs!

Too cute. I think it is safe to say this was where the wild things were.

( click on pics to enlarge )

Finally, my favourite collection that nearly had me reaching out to grasp a piece for myself, Golem precious style. This was the very talented Sarah Struthers Collection.

Picture yourself pressed up against a Parisian patisserie, captivated by cupcakes and decadent candies. Got it? Yeah, well that’s how I felt.
The girls strutted out to a cute beat as the full silhouettes bounced and swung so sweetly.The colour pallet and print combination was basically a mix match of sorbet candies with various vintage dogtooth mixes.

The garments were heavily adorned with billions of buttons and frayed floral motifs.

( click on pics to enlarge )

My favourite piece?

Golly that’s a tough one, so I’m going to pick two. Firstly, the accessorising. Geek chic glasses entwined with faux flowers and headdresses to make Florence Welch melt. And finally, the oversized jacket and pencil trouser combo.

I will beg, steal and borrow to get this look this summer.

May 202011
 

Voice’s Old Susannah casts her eye over recent events, stories, and terms and phrases familiar as well as freshly ‘spun’, which will be forever etched in the consciousness of the people of Aberdeen and the Northeast.

With a tear in my eye I bid farewell to ex councillor Scott Cassie; he’s been sent down for a year.  No, not for the moustache, hair and other crimes against fashion, but for years of borrowing your money and mine at very favourable terms.  Over the years a large (but unknown) sum of or money has disappeared into a black hole and appears to have benefitted Mr Cassie.  As clever as they usually are about money, none of his Lib Dem political party mates knew anything about the missing money, even though it was going on for some 10 years.

My favourite bit of this tale is about an alleged forgery.

It seems someone faked the signature of an ex Garthdee Community Councillor on some accounts involved in the scams. The fact the woman whose signature was seemingly forged was partially blind, over 70, and no longer involved with the council were no barrier to the intelligence of the thief or thieves who thought they’d sign her name.
A year in jail for Cassie – but will there be an investigation leading to others going down? This would probably just be a waste of taxpayer money (and we can’t have that); his lovely wife was cleared of knowing anything at all. Which is obviously true, say her former friends.

It would not be fair to expect our Council to figure out things any faster than they did. After all, there was the £50 million hole in the City’s finances to deal with for one thing. Then more recently we had an enterprising social worker who decided she needed lots of goods for herself, and there is the council employee who has made off with a five-figure sum. Just because the thefts weren’t picked up over the past several years is no reason to think Cassie wasn’t on his own in the crimes.

It was very noble of him to become an independent councillor so as not to tarnish the good name of his former political party – which like everyone else didn’t know anything was going on.  Obviously he had no intention of standing down – there was a street named after him, and all those people who needed his help.  And of course there was the money.  The way he continued to vote on important measures while siphoning funds shows a kind of dedication that few possess.

The fact that he often voted the same way as his former party the Lib Dems wanted just shows he had true conviction back then, just like the conviction he definitely has now. But don’t lose any sleep – we still have enough money to clean buildings and erect statues.   With time off for good behaviour and his great character, he’ll probably be back in his local this time next week.

Justice has come to two other people this week. First fox-hunting golfer Donald Forbes has finally been fined £750 for battering a wild, savage, giant, dangerous fox with a golf club.

As well as looking for a new place to play golf, Forbes might need a new job, since he is clearly rather confused and forgetful. First he told people he’d clubbed the fox. Then he said he didn’t. Then he said he told the fox to leave his golf bag alone but the fox didn’t respond (very rude fox).

Then the fox was transformed in his story into some kind of sabre-toothed tiger giant killer which he thought was going to kill him. Then he might have hit the fox. If he can’t remember whether or not he inflicted the life-threatening beast with life-threatening injuries, perhaps he’s too confused to continue in whatever job he has?

And spare a thought for child-battering Cove apprentice Matthew Brown.

Brown, 20 decided to head-butt a 12 year old boy some months back for daring to wear a Celtic strip in public. Brown will do community service and pay a fine, and is banned from his club. His barrister said that Brown’s actions already had consequences. I’d never realised actions had consequences before this, and have made a note for future reference.

Anyway, time for a quick definition before I get my picnic hamper out for the Tullos Hill picnic this Sunday at 3pm – see you there I hope. We will be trying to see wildflowers and wildlife – or was that wildfires?
https://aberdeenvoice.com/2011/05/tullos-hill-ablaze/

Either way, Tullos Hill provides an iconic, vibrant civic heart in the countryside. However, it would be better if it had walk-on/walk-off access from all sides, and the unsightly Wellington Road were covered over, too. Perhaps we could have a coffee shop and some parking to go with the unwanted 40,000 trees?

We are supposed to think the trees will spell the end for the decades of arson that have flourished on the hill. If nothing else, the trees will spell the end for the orchids, deer and other wildlife that have flourished on the hill. Thank you Ms Malone. And don’t worry – just because you are ramming this tree scheme down everyone’s throat, no one will ever hold you accountable for any future forest fires or the destruction of the creatures which live there now; most of which don’t even pay tax. If the arsonists are at work I’m ready – I’ve bought lots of marshmallows to toast.

Denial

noun 1. A river near de pyramids.
noun 2. a mental state characterised by refusal to accept facts. A childlike inability to accept a particular truth or truths.

Perhaps a few examples of denial will help clarify the word’s meaning. Councillor Aileen Malone is in denial over her scheme to kill a deer for every citizen – sorry – plant a tree for every citizen.   She thinks only a cull will do – and she thinks the trees must be planted.

A few thousand people might be against her; the local community councils are outraged – but she knows best.  She recently told one of the local newspapers the cull would just go ahead and things would quiet down. Sounds like denial to Old Susannah. I was there at the Committee meeting trying to speak; so was a representative of Nigg Community Council.

HoMalone led the refusal to allow speakers to address the committee; she reminded me of a child putting its hands over its ears and singing when being told something it didn’t like. Malone told the press that the committee:

“…hopes we can now get on with the scheme to plant a tree for every citizen, which we are desperate to do.”

She may be a desperate creature indeed, but who exactly is really, really desperate to plant these trees? Is anyone in St Nicholas House just as desperate say to improve the schools, services, roads, care homes, run-down properties which this city has in spades? Apparently not. Malone’s got her mantra ‘a tree for every citizen’ and nothing will stop it – not common sense, not fair play, not democracy, not openness, not arsonists, and certainly not community councils or deer. Got to admire her strength of will if not strength of character.

Another textbook example of denial comes from me, I am sorry to say.

The PR team backing the Malcolm Read Union Terrace Gardens scheme wants me to admit that they are right and the Friends of Union Terrace Gardens and I are wrong – well, about everything. I wrote to a Ms Zoe Corsi for information – I wrongly believed the majority wanted the gardens left alone, and I expressed concern over wildlife, and how Peacock had been treated.

She wrote back to correct my obvious error over the popularity of plans to raise the gardens.

It must be denial on my part, because I thought the majority of people in Aberdeen wanted the gardens left alone. Obviously such people just aren’t clever enough to see how wonderful a shopping mall, international cafe and car parking will be – probably because we have no experience of these treasures. I even think the whole scheme is just a land-grab by the rich of a city centre real estate opportunity, so obviously my judgment is well off.

Anyway, I thought that since over 700 people objected to changing UTG in the recent local plan consultation (ugh – that word ‘consultation’ again) and less than 10 people wrote in wanting the gardens filled in that this indicated some kind of majority against the scheme. I also thought the initial consultation was flawed – but it still showed people want the gardens to stay as they are. Ms Corsi’s attempt to straighten my flawed thinking out includes the following:-

“Firstly, it is incorrect to say that the majority of Aberdeen residents want the gardens left as they are. We are aware that friends of Union Terrace Gardens want to retain the gardens in their current form but we are also aware of the widespread support for the project.

“The consultation carried out in early 2009 revealed that just under 50% of the 11,000 who participated – less than 10% of the population – were very much for the project and of those who were opposed to it, largely based on erroneous information, the majority indicated they wanted change and felt the gardens were inaccessible and under-used”

You see – my understanding is ‘erroneous information’, and her information is correct. For those of you who like me think the gardens should stay as they are – accept it: we are wrong, and we are in denial. Should I send her an apology?

Quiz results:- ( from last week )

Question 1: Billionaire Sir Ian Wood had his photo in the Evening Express this week on the occasion of having been put on the UK’s rich list.  He posed in front of a verdant green background ablaze with red flowers, against a dramatic Aberdeen city centre skyline.  Where was this eyesore, and what should become of it?

Answer: the eyesore Wood was in front of Union Terrace Gardens.  He may need some cosmetic work done – but the gardens should be left alone.

Question 2: Match the cartoon character in Aberdeen with their fictional counterpart
Reasons of space prevent me from giving the answers – which you all got right anyway.

Question 3: What percentage of £50,000,000 (the sum Sir Ian promises for his Union Terrace Garden parking lot) would £225,000 (the sum demanded not to shoot the Tullos Hill Roe deer) represent?

Answer: d.  0.5% (approx)

At the time of writing, none of our altruistic millionaires or billionaires have done anything to help.  One is probably busy putting most of his employees offshore to avoid paying UK tax, and the other notable figure that springs to mind is busy on a court case where he is seemingly trying to pay money to Aberdeen City over a land deal.

Question 4: Which is an endangered species:  The Tullos Hill Roe Deer or the Liberal Democrats, which were so badly wounded in the recent election.  Deer, Dems – or both?

Answer: The Roe Deer at least  have thousands of people who want to help them – the LibDems certainly have nothing like that.  We may see the end of this species yet.

Question 5:

(a) Tiebreaker (answer question of your choice):  How many Liberal Democrats does it take to change a lightbulb?

Answers included:

‘that’s not funny’,

‘we don’t have enough money to change any lightbulbs’,

‘depends what David Cameron says’ – and a few other answers which are not fit for publication – but are very funny indeed.

(b) Why did the LibDem cross the road?

Answers included:

‘they were just moving to the right’,

‘they saw a mob of taxpayers and legged it’ – and again other responses not fit for a family publication.

 

The winner of the competition has asked to remain anonymous – they are connected to the Council, and reading the Aberdeen Voice is a no-no.  But our Brewdog appointment is set.

Next week:  more definitions and some updates…