Kept In The Dark: Trump Snubs Council

 Aberdeenshire, Featured, News  3 Responses »
Apr 262013
 

On April 23 the Formartine Councillors should have had two site visits to the Menie Estate parking lot – which had been erected in a manner inconsistent with the agreed permission.  The high bunds by the Munro home Leyton Cottage should have also been examined as they were not approved.  The second of the two visits was meant to take place at approximately 9pm, and was meant to show how the lighting affects the area: the Trump organisation did not show and did not turn the lights on – for the first time in residents’ memories.  Suzanne Kelly reports.

As nature intended. Temporary marquee 230413
The 5.30 meeting was amazingly brief; so brief in fact I virtually missed it. Councillors attended the parking lot, and unfortunately most did not pay sufficient attention to the bund built on Leyton Farm road by the Munro’s residence.

I had written to the councillors involved to point out that the bund, not built per the approved plans, seemed to have slipped off the scope of the retrospective permission request.

These bunds block light, block view, and more importantly are blowing sand and dirt into the Munro property.

The photograph of the sign in this article shows sand built up since sandstorms earlier this month; it is at the entrance to the Munro’s driveway.

Only a few councillors had answered my email about the bunds and assured me they would look at the situation; according to residents who watched the site visit (note – no comments were taken from the public who were only permitted to observe proceedings), only a few of the councillors ventured to the other side of the high, incongruous gate separating the parking from Leyton Farm Road to actually take in the giant scale of the bund.

This bund must not be allowed to simply be described as ‘landscaping’ – a euphemism used all too often in planning applications as an unquestionable remedy for environmental upheaval and environmental damage.

For instance the planned football stadium for Loirston Loch was going to infringe on wildlife territory – two EU protected species and many coastal birds (long in decline) were to be negatively impacted, but at the time remedial screening and ‘landscaping’ was put forward as a remedy by proponents, although the actual value of such landscaping for wildlife is questionable.

Susan Munro with another dying tree 23 04 13
Campaigners will work to ensure that there is no successful move to treat the earth bunds as landscaping.  The golf club owners seem very keen on planting fir trees on these sandy bunds. These trees, exposed to wind, salt spray and asked to grow on sandy soil keep dying, as illustrated.  They are replaced once nearly dead, an incredible waste of living trees.

The council may simply seek to consider the bund problem solved by forcing Trump to stop planting trees on them. This will not at all solve the problem of the lack of light, view or sand/dirt blowing into the Munro property, and is no solution..

Despite many requests to the Aberdeenshire council planning and media relations offices, there is still no satisfactory explanation of crucial questions.

I had been written to by Gordon Lyon who assured me weekly site visits had been carried out at the time to ensure compliance with the approved plans.  If this level of overseeing did take place, why then were parking and bunds erected which were non-compliant?

This question needs addressing.

Lyon also assured me that the temporary bunds were taken down – I had clearly described the bund by the Munro family home when I wrote.  It seems a porous parking lot surface was specified in the approved plan, which called for the layout to be sympathetic to the existing landscape.  In the event, a huge, rectangular, non-porous parking area was created.

These anomalies need to be addressed.

The temporary marquee is massive, and has metal sides with windows.  It is my understanding this structure can stay up for 28 days before it must be removed.  It went up approximately 6 days before this meeting took place.  Residents will monitor the situation.

A large party is scheduled for the marquee over this coming weekend; it seems that residents and wildlife will have to get used to such gatherings. Normal legislation permits noise up until 11pm at night, after which sound levels are to be kept low.  We will see how this is respected.

However, the most sensational part of the evening was a  non-event.

The ‘twilight’ visit was tentatively scheduled for 9pm.  I had been with the residents from 5.30 until this start time; we arrived from a resident’s home at 8:50pm. We knew the meeting might start late, as councillors first had to attend a meeting at Blackdog concerning controversial wind farm plans.

Sand windblown onto Munro land 23 04 13
We waited.  No lights came on.  The full moon – which would have made determining the lighting’s effect and light spill very difficult anyway – was the only light.

Residents and supporters present commented that the lights had virtually always come on once it got dark. But not this evening.

At approximately 09:50 the first cars arrived  in the parking area.  Councillors assembled.  The lot remained dark.

One window in the clubhouse had light shining from it; I volunteered to walk down and see if anyone was in, but there was no answer at the locked door.

The councillors and onlookers waited.  Ms Malone, who had attended the 5.30 meeting never showed up.  Security, usually an all-pervading presence at the estate and  who are known to jump out in front of people at night were likewise nowhere to be seen.

Suffice it to say that even councillors sympathetic to the Trump organisation were not best pleased, and approximately 15 minutes later they announced they would be leaving, unable to see the effects of the lights.  The lights stand on extremely high posts, one of which is near the Munro cottage.

With no lights on, it was clear that nocturnal wildlife is in the area.  Bats, protected by EU environmental regulations were very much in evidence, as was an owl or two.  It was  brought up in discussion with residents that two modern buildings which replaced traditional steading buildings near the top of Leyton Farm road used to have bats roosting.

The new structures, again erected apparently without planning permission, are of a metal construction, and are not conducive to bats roosting.  How wildlife which may have roosted in the old buildings was dealt with when the new buildings were erected should be looked into by environmental council officers.

The steadings should likewise be scrutinised, and if planning permission was needed (as an expert in traditional buildings tells me is the case), then action should be taken.

Councillors were not making comments to the observers, but it was plain to see that no one was happy to have wasted their time.  Whether or not this disregard for a scheduled planning assessment visit will go against the Trump organisation in future will be watched closely.

For now, the bunds remain at the Munro property, light spill remains unmeasured.  But for the Trump organisation, everything is just fine.

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In Conversation With Alicia Bruce – Part 1

 Aberdeenshire, Featured, Opinion  2 Responses »
Apr 222013
 

Suzanne Kelly reports on a recent conversation with artist Alicia Bruce  in a two-part article. The first looks at her background and her work regarding the Menie Estate.

Alicia Bruce with her exhibition at the Scottish Parliament in February 2013
Alicia Bruce was the first photographer to show the world the human cost of the Trump development at the Menie Estate, countering the anti-resident propaganda which dominates the local press to this day.
Aberdeen Voice was keen to find out more about her and her photography, and we finally catch up with her as she closes a show at Holyrood and works on a local project.

When and how did you decide to embark on a career in photography?  Where did you study?  Who and what inspired you?

I was 19 and studying Social Sciences.  My friend had a key to a darkroom – it was that moment when the first print came up in the darkroom and that was that.  It kind of changed my life and direction – I was completely obsessed and decided that was what I was going to do.

I turned up at Aberdeen College with a portfolio and said ‘let me in!’ I did an HND there followed by a degree in Photograph and Film in Edinburgh.

You are known for your work with the residents at the Menie Estate?  How did you get interested in this subject? 

I started the project in 2010 I had a exhibition slot a Peacock Visual Arts the following January.  The project began out of curiosity and also questioning what I was reading in the media and, the local press in general about Mike Forbes, ‘Trump Opponent’.  I thought ‘Is this guy really that angry – how can he sustain this?’

I’d visited the site with the project in mind once before, but went around the edges, the beach.   I then went to visit Mike’s croft.  He could have slammed the door in my face. – I told him  I had an exhibition coming up and I’d like to feature a portrait of him.  Mike thought this was brilliant; he was so welcoming and a real comedian.

He couldn’t have been nicer or more different from how he was portrayed in the press at that time.

David McCue was having his ‘Triumphant’ exhibition in Mike’s barn that same day and the atmosphere was electric.   That day I also met Susan Munro, John Munro, Sheila Forbes, David Milne, Molly Forbes, Anthony Baxter (who had just started filming his documentary) and Martin Ford to name a few.

We all hit it off and they were keen to tell me what was happening.  Susan and John were excited about my project idea as they loved my ‘Flood in the Highlands: after Sir Edwin Landseer’ photograph.  They had just seen some Landseer’s at the Glen Affric Lodge.

The community spirit and welcoming atmosphere that day was a million miles away from the media perceptions of the area.  I made time to meet all the residents individually later that week.  Their hospitality, generous spirit and enthusiasm for the project continued.

Initially Menie was going to be part of a wider exhibition theme focusing on social political issues in Aberdeen.  But Menie – you get caught up in everything that’s happening, and I couldn’t’ believe this story wasn’t being told.  I felt a responsibility to use my exhibition as a way of telling the story from the residents perception and showing what was about to be lost.

That clip of Anthony and Richard’s arrest is a vital document of social history

I couldn’t believe how quickly things were changing in 2010.  Some people would say ‘it is just a golf course’  It was difficult for people to comprehend what was really going on.

With Anthony Baxter there filming, there was the comfort of knowing he was documenting an overview of the situation which removed the pressure which I had felt to tell the whole story. It was great to work in parallel with him.  The shock hit all of us the day he was arrested – we were afraid that the footage would be lost.

That clip of Anthony and Richard’s arrest is a vital document of social history; it’s unquestionable.  I’m glad he was brave enough to record it.

My  exhibition, which opened in January 2011, and features in You’ve Been Trumped, contained portraits made in collaboration with the residents accompanied by their statements.  I also exhibited 19 landscape photographs depicting the wilderness landscape before it was ‘Trumped’.

When the exhibition opened it was first time ever  the residents  had positive press locally, nationally and internationally.  At the time that was a huge achievement.  The residents homes were then under threat of CPO.  Trump released at statement during the exhibition claiming he would no longer pursue CPO’s, the residents have yet to see that in writing.

My portraits with Mike, Sheila and Molly Forbes were acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland in February 2011: this was huge as it meant the residents of Menie, who had until then been misrepresented, had secured their place as National treasures but had also been empowered to represent themselves in the process.

You had a run-in with security covered in Duckrabbit blog – it sounds horrible.  Do you want to talk about it?

I have frequently been followed by security, stopped by the police in Menie – it shifts your perception of your place in the world.

We knew it wasn’t right – but it still became the norm, something we continually questioned but dealt with.  I know how to diffuse things; I know that as individuals they are just people doing a job so I will just have a chat to them.  I would always explain that I was doing nature photography.

I know my rights and would never delete an image or show them my photographs.  Anthony Baxter got the brunt of their anger.  Because I was a young female, and being chatty, they probably thought I was not interested in the politics in the same way Anthony was.  It helped having a doric accent too.  But my life wasn’t easy.

The scariest incident which I think you are referring to was the most unexpected.

Molly and Alicia
I was in Susan Munro’s garden and well off Trump property.  I had a packet of biscuits in one hand and turned round to take a shot.

The next thing a knew an angry security guard was screaming and threatening to smash my camera – he declared that back up was coming.  He blocked our route out with his van and, due to the bunds of earth planted by the developers round Susan’s, there would have been no witnesses if he attacked me.

Luckily I escaped unhurt as did my Hasselblad.  I called the police and the man was given a full, adult warning.  He should have been charged with attempted assault.

In August 2010 when I photographed David Milne for his portrait; he had an angry expression – that’s because there were workers on quad bikes going up and down the dunes.  After we left Hermit Point later that evening, the guys on quad bikes followed our car; they went into a field and then pulled right in front of the car on a country road with their lights off. We narrowly escaped a serious crash.

That same summer I’d been spotting and photographing little red flags which kept popping up on the landscape.   Mike was worried they would hurt the horse – he called the police and said he’d found all these things on the property – and he was charged with theft of £13 of red flags.

That same day the story ‘Trump opponent charged with theft’  was on the front page of the Evening Express.  I saw a copy at the Castlegate newsagent and I was furious.

I wasn’t speaking publicly at that time about what was happening – if I was too vocal at that stage, I wouldn’t have had access to complete the project.  It was surreal.  Now that my work is in the public domain and the story is out there, it’s easier to talk about.

We discussed theories about how that story got into the press so quickly.

There has been definite sway with the local news which seems to lack compassion for the local residents.  I certainly didn’t see any articles about local people harassed by developers.  The language is derogatory about the residents  calling them ‘protestors’ and  ‘Trump opponents’.

One of my achievements was getting a positive story in the Press & Journal the day the Peacock exhibition opened.

What do you think of recent developments at Menie?

The wind farm – I think they’re (Trump) could be looking for an excuse to exit.   It doesn’t look like the golf course is  going to bring the economic benefits that the Trump would have hoped.

Anthony put it eloquently – Trump says he wants real journalists; but he really wants sycophants.  I can’t help but think he’s got a bee in his bonnet about wind farms but it gives him a way to back out of the hotel and the housing development – which is where the money would come from.

David and Moira Sunday 27 Jan 2013
It’s bitter sweet seeing nature fighting back as the golf course collapses into the sea.  I have concerns about the long term effects of stabilising those sand dunes where meant to be protected. “our equivalent of the Amazon Rain Forrest’ Jim Hansom.

A forest was planted in front of David and Moira Milne’s house in January this year too.. The intimidation is endless.

The last time I visited, a large marquee was being constructed near the clubhouse.  David Milne poured us all a glass of champagne and toasted the windfarms.

Tell me about your recent show of the Menie photographs at Holyrood

The Scottish Government were the target audience for this exhibition held during Scottish Environment Week 2013.  I wanted the decision makers to come face to face with Mike and Sheila as they entered the chamber.  If Alex Salmond could not find the time to go to his constituents’ doorsteps, then I had to bring them to his.

In the run up to the exhibition there was an ongoing dialogue with the parliament’s exhibitions team and a formal application process.  I had to find an MSP sponsor months before the show could go ahead, I repeatedly invited  Alex Salmond (as the MSP for Menie) to be my sponsor but never received a definite yes.

At the final hour Patrick Harvie, Green MSP and Malcolm Chisholm, my local MSP, jointly supported the exhibition.  I am thankful to them for their support.

I chose the entrance to the Member’s Lobby as my exhibition space.   MSPs including Alex Salmond have to walk past that area to get to the chamber. Right at the entrance to the chamber I displayed a 30×30 inch print of the golf course collapsing into the sea with the caption:

“The Fourth Tee.

Trump International Golf Links Scotland

Nature fights back.

January 2013″

I thought it was important to get as many people to see that as possible– it was undeniable that that was happening and that the economic benefits of the course were questionable.

I asked Salmond why he had not been to visit Mike and Sheila

Getting the work into parliament was a long process. I had to be security checked and my work scanned which is standard practice.  The security forms ask questions like ‘Are you a terrorist?’  There were questions about your parents as well.

Alex Salmond coming to find me; it was a welcome surprise.  He described Mike and Molly as  “Great characters … great characters.  Mike stands up for Scotland.”  I pointed out that they are not characters; they are real people.

It was clear that the exhibition really got under Alex Salmond’s skin.  I asked Salmond why he had not been to visit Mike and Sheila.

At first he claimed he had been to see them but after I pointed at the image of their house a few times asking again “have you been here, have you been in this house?” he eventually answered “I’ve spoken to them but  I’ve not been to the croft… no.”  He then said  “it’s making lots of money.”  I responded,  “it’s falling apart.  Look!”

MSPs were talking to me all week about the photographs and the current situation in Menie.  It was an honour to represent and humanise the situation with Scotland’s decision makers. I was told by one MSP that some would be dreading having it there.  I made it clear that the outcome for the exhibition was to draw attention to the need for a public inquiry into the handling of the Trump Development.

David Milne released a petition the week before the show opened.

As well as the large scale printed portraits accompanied by statements and the landscape, I displayed a multimedia work on a 24″ screen.  The multimedia contained 20 captioned photographs of the environmental damage caused by the development with detailed captions.

MSPs would stand for long periods of time reading these.  The soundtrack was ‘Cover Your Eyes’ a song written by Karine Polwart about the Trump Development.

The exhibition had a high impact, got people talking, hopefully shifted policies and was celebrated in a parliamentary motion stating:

“That the Parliament congratulates the award-winning Aberdeenshire photographer, Alicia Bruce, on her ongoing photography project about Menie, an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Aberdeenshire coast; understands that her photographs from this series have gained international acclaim and have been published in The Times, The Scotsman and several arts magazines, and that two of the portraits have been acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland, and welcomes that Alicia’s photographs, many of which restage compositions from celebrated paintings, have helped to tell the story of the residents of Menie, whose homes came under threat due to what it considers the bullish golf course development of Donald Trump, and to portray a side of that story that otherwise might have gone unheard.”

Motion S4M-05749: Patrick Harvie, Glasgow, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 27/02/2013
Menie Community Photography Project

More from Alicia and her other projects in the next instalment.

All images copyright Alicia Bruce

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Tilting At Windmills

 Aberdeen City, Featured, Information  7 Responses »
Apr 182013
 

By Duncan Harley.

empty-golf-course2
When Donald Trump bought the Menie Estate just outside Aberdeen, he may have thought he could ride roughshod over the people of Scotland and to a great extent it appears that he has so far succeeded.

Depending of course on your viewpoint, an SSSI has been converted into a luxury golf course leaving only a coastal strip of sand dunes as testament to the habitat which had existed on the Aberdeen coastline for thousands of years.

Environmentalist’s arguments seemed to have proved useless against the promise of wealth and jobs in the oil capital of Europe where unemployment runs at only about 2% but where those who make decisions about these things look to a future when “the oil will run out”.

Mr Trump is now challenging Scotland’s renewable energy policy vowing to bring a lawsuit to halt a 230 million pound ($349 million) wind farm development, consisting of 11 wind turbines, planned off the coast near Aberdeen in Scotland.

The output from the offshore scheme is estimated at up to 100MW and over twelve months would be capable of yielding, on average, enough clean, green electricity to power the equivalent of over 68,000 UK households according to Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd (AOWFL) – a joint venture between Swedish Energy Company Vattenfall and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), a consortium of local business and university groups.

The National Record Office for Scotland estimated the number of households in the city in 2011 to be 103,843 which makes this groundbreaking scheme an attractive proposition to those who see offshore wind energy as a way forward.

Fergus Ewing, the Scottish energy minister on announcing the go ahead for the scheme told journalists that:

 “Offshore renewables represent a huge opportunity for Scotland, an opportunity to build up new industries and to deliver on our ambitious renewable energy and carbon reduction targets. The proposed European offshore wind deployment centre will give the industry the ability to test and demonstrate new technologies in order to accelerate its growth. [It] secures Aberdeen’s place as the energy capital of Europe.”

In response to the announcement of the go ahead by the Scottish Government Donald Trump, head of Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd, said:

“We will spend whatever monies are necessary to see to it that these huge and unsightly industrial wind turbines are never constructed,”

The rhetoric seems familiar somehow. Prior to his appearance in front of the Scottish Government Economy Energy and Tourism Committee in 2012 he was quoted as saying that there was not a shred of evidence that turbines benefit the environment. During a press conference following this hearing he told journalists that:

“If Alex Salmond was smart, he would stop right now because what he’s doing to Scotland is terrible. This is the same thing as al-Megrahi, when they let him out of prison because he would die in two weeks. And guess what, he was running around the park last week”

advert-image
Many Scots were however bemused when in December 2012 a full page advertisement appeared in some regional newspapers featuring an image of a Californian wind farm next to a US freeway and a photo of First Minister Alex Salmond, the suggestion being  that these were in some way linked.

The full page advert, dated 14th December 2012, also appeared to link the Lockerbie terrorist bombing with the Scottish Governments policy on renewable energy and asked “Is this the future for Scotland?” Readers were urged to “Take action. Write, demonstrate and protest Alex Salmond”.

Some suspected left wing anti capitalist rhetoric and others wondered if April 1st had come early.

However on close inspection, tucked away in the corner of the page was an indication that the advert had been placed by a local golf course. Trump International Golf Links Scotland no less!

The full text of the advert reads:

Is this the future for Scotland?
Tourism will suffer and the beauty of your country is in jeopardy!
This is the same mind that backed the release of terrorist al-Megrahi
“for humane reasons” — after he ruthlessly killed 270 people on Pan-Am 103 over Lockerbie.
“Take action. Write, demonstrate and protest Alex Salmond”
Alex.Salmond.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

For many the Lockerbie link was particularly offensive. Not only was the claim that 270 people were killed on Pan-Am 103 over Lockerbie inaccurate, the correct figure is 259 plus the eleven residents of Lockerbie who were killed on the ground, but the use of the tragedy to bolster an argument against renewable energy seemed frankly quite wrong particularly since the anniversary of the 1988 bombing falls on 21st December just a week after the adverts publication.

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie was quick to label the Trump comments as sick saying:

“Trump has sunk to a new low”

and

“Trump’s organisation has already trashed a unique environment on the coast of Aberdeenshire and trampled on the rights of local people, now he appears to be determined to buy up chunks of the Scottish press.”

Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the 1988 bombing, said the murders had “no place in a confrontation between an entrepreneur who is interested in making money in Scotland and the government”.

This was not the first time the Trump organisation had attracted criticism following the placing of adverts in the Scottish press.

Complaints about a previous advert had been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) with Trump being warned “not to exaggerate the number of turbines likely to be installed or the possible consequences of the Scottish Governments plans to use wind turbines”.

electric-golf-cart
This followed a regional press advert dated 19th September 2012 for Communities Against Turbines Scotland, and was headed “Welcome to Scotland!” above a photograph of broken and rusty wind turbines with text stating, “Alex Salmond wants to build 8,750 of these monstrosities – just think about it! Join us in Edinburgh for a march and a rally.”

Inevitably the ASA were again faced with complaints, 21 in all, about the new advertisement.

The grounds for complaint centred around three topics.

  1.  That tourism will suffer and the beauty of your country is in jeopardy.
  2.  The image of turbines overlooking an American freeway was misleading.
  3.  The references to al-Megrahi and the Lockerbie bombing were inappropriate and likely to cause offence.

On point one, despite Trump International’s argument that they had secured clearance from the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) for the advert, the ASA found that the complaint was upheld since the statement that tourism would suffer could not be substantiated. The statement in the advert breached the rules on grounds of misleading advertising and substantiation.

On point two, the ASA considered that the image alongside the claim “tourism will suffer and the beauty of your country is in jeopardy” implied that the wind turbines overlooking an American freeway was representative of a proposed wind farm in Scotland.

In the absence of evidence that this was the case, they upheld the complaint and concluded that it was misleading. The image breached the rules on grounds of misleading advertising and substantiation.

On point three, the ASA considered that the claim “This is the same mind that backed the release of terrorist al-Megrahi “for humane reasons” — after he ruthlessly killed 270 people on Pan-Am 103 over Lockerbie.” drew attention to the Lockerbie bombing in order to comment on Alex Salmond’s policies on renewable energies.

However they considered that readers were likely to find this distasteful rather than offensive and judged that the claim did not breach the advertising standards code.

In conclusion, the Advertising Standards Authority state:

“The ad must not appear again in its current form. We told Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd not to make claims unless they could be substantiated with robust evidence and not to use misleading imagery.”

A victory for truth and democracy? Perhaps we shall have to wait and see.

As a footnote, it is noteworthy that the Aberdeen Press and Journal, one of the two Scottish newspapers to publish the Trump advert, carried a follow up news item the day after entitled “Trumps turbines link to Lockerbie ‘sick'”, and quoting the Trump Organisation ex -vice president George Sorial as saying that he had “wanted the content” of the advert “to be much stronger because Scotland is facing an economic and environmental meltdown if wind turbines are not stopped”.

Don Quixote would have been hard put to make sense of it all. Perhaps, however, time is running out for Trump.

Sources

Offshore Turbines Aberdeen Bay: http://www.vattenfall.co.uk/en/aberdeen-bay.htm
Lockerbie Bomb: http://lockerbiecase.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/jim-swire-criticises-donald-trump-over.html
The Trump on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump
Scottish Parliament Trump Submission: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-17837110
and: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/25/donald-trump-appearance-scottish-parliament
Advertising Standards Authority: http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2012/9/The-Trump-Organization-LLC/SHP_ADJ_195478.aspx

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Smithy’s Scribblins No. 5 – Aboot Gweed Menners

 Aberdeenshire, Opinion  1 Response »
Apr 182013
 

By Bob Smith.

manners
A wis brocht up tae believe gweed menners wis a necessary social skill.

Onybody faa displayed ony kine o bad menners wis leukit on as a social pariah. Ye war learn’t bi yer mither an faither an teachers aboot sic things so a ayewis thocht fowk faa war lackin in the skills o gweed menners hidna bin brocht up richt. Nooadays a think it still is a bittie doon tae parents bit it’s  maybe a society thingie as weel.

There are still a lot o weel mennered fowk gyaan aboot bit the increase in ill-mennered cyaards is een o society’s curses

Noo yer hardly likely tae mak a gweed impression if yer rude an abrasive,an ye see plenty o iss type o cairry on in TV programmes. Fer instance TV an radio interviewers askin somebody a question an then interruptin afore the bodie bein askit the question feenishes answerin. TV soaps faar scraichin, bawlin an insultin fowk wid appear tae be the norm.

Nae wunner fowk are becumin mair ill-mennered. We hear aboot fit they ca “road rage”. Iss is jist anither name fer bad menners fin ahint the wheel o a motor vehicle.  Stickin the finger up an yellin obscenities jist cos some craitur micht be huddin fowk up is mair an mair noticeable. Cairryin o a blether or haein their mobile switched on at the picters or the theatre is anither example o modern day ill-mennered tykes.

A’ll tak ye back aroon 50/60 ear ago tae a time fan gweed menners wis jist expectit o fowk.

Fin ye wis oot on a date wi a quine ye aye waakit on the street side o the pavement. Iss gings back ti the days fin gentlemen protectit their weemin fae the perils o the road an the gutter. A still git a richt glower fae the wife if a forget tae dee iss.

Ye aye held the doors open fer fowk faa war ahint ye tae waak throwe an ye aye got a thunk ye fer deein so. An ye sure as hell lessened the chunce o anither date if ye didna staun up an hud yer quine’s coat fer her tae pit oan if yer war oot fer a cup o coffee in a cafe or a restaurant (ye only took quines oot fer a meal if ye war “gyaan steady” cos wi wages bein fit they war back then, ye cwidna affoord tae dee iss verra afen).

Fin ye took a quine tae the picters ye aye pyed fer baith seats. A chiel wid hae bin black affrontit if the quine hid offered tae “gyang dutch”, an ye nivver refused a ladies’ choice at the duncin even if the quine wisna tae yer taste. It wid hae bin leukit on as bein the hicht o bad menners.

Iss applied tae baith sexes bit a quine cwid refuse tae dunce wi a chiel if he wis the warse fer weer wi booze.

Mannies an loons ayewis got up tae gie somebody o mair mature ‘ ears or the opposite sex a seat on the bus if it wis staanin room only. Sweirin in front o weemin wis a thing  ye verra rarely heard. Nooadays it’s maistly the weemin faa dee the sweirin.

As a said at the beginnin o aa iss there are still some fowk faa display gweed menners bit they’re gettin a bittie thinner on the grun.  A div like the followin quote “Treat fowk as ye wid like tae be treated. Karma’s only a bitch if you are”  TV an radio interviewers please tak note.

O aye, an espeecially you as weel Mr Trump.

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Trump Planning: Aberdeenshire Corrects Its Statement

 Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information  6 Responses »
Apr 052013
 

The twists and turns in the ongoing Trump Scotland saga continue.  Campaigners and residents  celebrated when they learnt of the recent decision to defer a retrospective planning application the Trump organisation had applied for.  An Aberdeenshire council spokesperson contacted Aberdeen Voice with a statement  which now has to be retracted, as the spokesperson made an error.

Likewise, Aberdeen Voice’s Suzanne Kelly needs to retract an error:  she thought the spokesperson, Gordon Lyon, had retired following a call to Council offices over a year ago.  It is time to look at these retractions.  Could one of these mistakes actually have the germ of a great idea in it?

Susan Munro Looking Out Of Her Kitchen At A Bund Photo - March 2013
For some reason the Shire’s planning officers recommended retrospective approval be granted to the Trump organisation at Menie – and not for the first time.

An application relating to parking and the bunds by Leyton Cottage sat for some 8 months with no apparent action.

Then towards the end of March, planners changed the application – less than a week before it was suddenly announced the committee would vote on the matter on 26th March.

An eagle-eyed local campaigner spotted this situation, and lobbying began.

On previous occasions retrospective approval was sought for work already carried out which was contrary to the approved plan – and such permission was normally granted.   Against that background residents and campaigners were dismayed when the 8 month-old retrospective application in question was altered (new items were added, and an apparent contradiction was identified) and recommended for approval.

None of those who had formalised their objections were notified of these developments.  Most did not hold out much hope there would be anything but approval.

Perhaps it was the lobbying; perhaps the influence of the film ‘you’ve been trumped’; perhaps it was the 18,000-plus petition signatories demanding a government public inquiry – but the Committee deferred their decision.

Campaigners were delighted that commonsense prevailed in this case, even if it was only a deferment; it was still a decision not to take the planning officer’s recommendation to approve.  Approval would have meant the bunds blocking light and views to the Munro’s cottage could have stayed put.

These bunds serve absolutely no essential purpose, but have instead changed the family’s quality of life for the worse.  Soil and sand blows from it into their property, damaging their plants and blowing into their house.  It has even damaged their car engines.

Following the Committee’s decision on 26 March, I received an email from Council spokesperson Gordon Lyon, which I quoted in an article concerning the (welcome) decision of the Formartine Area Committee to defer any decision on the retrospective planning permission it sought at Menie.  (The article can be found here; it will soon have a comment retracting the erroneous statement made by Lyon:  ).

Gordon Lyon’s email to me read in part:-

“the application was deferred to allow a site visit and a public hearing. (there was no vote – the action was agreed by committee). The date and time of both will be arranged in due course.”

Sadly, part of the happiness at this decision and the Council’s statement above will be short-lived.  Mr Lyon emailed me on the morning of 28th March with this correction:-

“entirely my fault, but there was actually no decision to have a public hearing in relation to Menie – this was in relation to the application for the electricity substation at Blackdog – I was dealing with calls from the BBC and others about that while I was trying to write my email to you, and wrongly typed that in my email. 

“The application was deferred for a site visit only. Sincere apologies, it was an error on my part. I hope this doesn’t inconvenience you unduly.”

For the record I can completely sympathise with Mr Lyon. Mistakes do happen (I will apologise for one in this piece in a moment). However, the importance of this correction is such that simply amending an old article which has been superseded is insufficient to ensuring people know that a hearing is not a condition imposed by the Committee.

However: Would it perhaps be a good idea for people to now lobby the Council that this SHOULD be a condition of any further permission?

For the record, David Milne’s petition now has over 18,000 signatories demanding a public inquiry into the entire handling of the Trump golf course.  There are many aspects of how this permission to build on the site of two SSSIs, and a paper I wrote outlines some (but not all) of the issues concerned.

It is hoped these issues and many more would be part of the public inquiry, which now seems a certainty due to the strong public feeling and subsequent developments.  (My paper can be found here. )

At present only a few campaigners know that the hearing is not a condition imposed by the Formartine Committee prior to granting the retrospective permission desired.

However, the campaigners I did manage to speak to believe strongly that with all that has happened and with public feeling being what it is, it would only be prudent, fair and reasonable to now lobby for a public hearing and an inquiry to come before any further planning permission is granted.

What is impossible to understand is why retrospective planning should be needed in the first place, let alone be granted.

Historically, the Aberdeenshire council’s spokesperson Gordon Lyon assured me that the approved plan was being adhered to, writing this in August 2011:-

“This development is well-scrutinised and the approved plans are being adhered to“.

“Site inspections are undertaken on a weekly basis by various organisations to ensure that the development is being carried out according to the planning permission granted.”

It soon became apparent to me that deviation was taking place on several occasions – everything from the size of the road sign to the use of culverts instead of bridges, and of course the parking lot, temporary clubhouse and the bunds – all arguably were not as per the agreed plan.

I did try to get clarification; I am still trying.  Initially I phoned the Council some months after receiving the assurances, but I was told over the phone that their spokesperson, Gordon Lyon, had ‘gone’.  I tried to find out more; a local told me that Lyon had retired.  I assumed this was the case, as he had gone. I then simply started doing my own research.

I am more than happy to offer my apology to Mr Lyon and the Shire Council; I accept that he has not retired, and I apologise for any inconvenience caused to him, the Shire Council or his family.

Mistakes do happen.  Gordon Lyon’s made one; I’ve made some.  Perhaps turning the Menie Estate over for development in the first place was the biggest error of all.

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A Big Tint

 Aberdeenshire, Creative Writing  No Responses »
Mar 282013
 

trumpgolfpic
By Bob Smith.

Trumpie a see, wints tae hae a marquee
Plunkit richt in the middle o Menie
Haudin waddins an sic, fer ony rich prick
Fit am sure wull cost a fair penny

A marquee’s jist a name, fer a big tint on a frame
Far monied fowk can spik tae their pallies
Wull Trump be mine host, as pigs they div roast
An doon champers in a couple o swallies

Fae tap o marquee, flags ye micht see
Blawin stracht oot in the win
As sum drunken plunkers, faa intae the bunkers
Iss thocht it fair maks me grin

Nae doot Trump wull say, in his loodest bray
It’s the “Greatest Marquee in the Warld”
Fer the openin evint, invites wull be sint
As the Trump flags are infurled

Nae invite ye’ll see, tae the likes o me
Onywye a wid hae tae refuse
Local press wull be keen, tae mak sure they’re seen
So’s they hae the odd gin as they newse

As fowk dee a jig, fin samplin the pig
An lood music ower the dunes it is blarin
Wull oor boys in blue, stop the hullaballoo
Or micht they Trump badges be wearin

Bob Smith “The Poetry Mannie” 2013

Old Susannah’s Journal No. 115 – Self Knowledge

 Articles, Opinion, Satire and Humour  7 Responses »
Mar 282013
 

Voice’s Old Susannah takes a look over the past week’s events in the ‘Deen and beyond. By Suzanne Kelly.

dictionary

What a week it’s been.  Firstly (before the satire sets in), I have been asked to convey thanks to the Formartine councillors who took the logical, courageous, sensible, prudent step of deferring the planning permission Trump had asked for.

Several Aberdeenshire residents asked me to write on their behalf to the councillors in question, asking them not to approve the retrospective permission.  These residents, and plenty more, are very pleased with the outcome, and hope to see the bunds down – and Trump Golf International forced to comply with what was approved.

If the councillors visit the Munro’s now-dark kitchen and look out the window at the bund which blocks the light as well as the view, they cannot fail to vote to take the bund down. 

Thanks to the residents, those who lobbied, and above all, to the person who found out the shire had changed documents on this application, yet still recommended approval.

I had a delicious meal at Norwood Hall this week, enjoying some fun and games courtesy of Team Challenge.

There was a crazy golf game set up.  It cost far less than £200 or so to play, there wasn’t sand and snow blowing at the players, none of the course disintegrated, and coffee and a sandwich didn’t break the bank.  No security guards jumped out in front of me as I prepared to putt; I even got a hole in one.  Thanks Norwood and Team Challenge.

fisher_brewdog_montage_for_os_
I made a brief visit or two to BrewDog, which continues to be a great place to enjoy the odd half or two, and talk to interesting, friendly people.

Long may it run.

My photo shows some sensational new wall art by BrewDog’s Fisher; he’s organised it so undergrads from Gray’s can hang work up in the bar, too. Expect the first art in a few days.

There is a fundraiser for Willows down in Chichester this Saturday night; I’m very happy to be going.  Patron Paul Rodgers and his wife Cynthia will be there; Paul’s performing, as is…. Deborah Bonham, who has a new album imminent.  (If you didn’t know, she is sister to the late, great, unequalled John Henry Bonham of Led Zeppelin).

There will be an auction of memorabilia afterwards as well. (This sounds like my idea of heaven).  It is hoped that a concert can take place closer to Willows sometime, but this night is for two charities and the performers are based in that part of the world.  Willows own open day is this Sunday; let’s hope the weather improves for their sake and the sake of all animals.

But now it’s time for a few relevant definitions based on this week’s events; this week with an eye on the modern self.

Self-harming: (Modern English compound noun) The act of inflicting deliberate injury on oneself, often involving bloodletting and sharp instruments; an emotional illness.

Perhaps the most bizarre health-related story of this or any other recent week concerns those poor souls who self-harm.  Thankfully, this is the 21st century, and the latest psychological treatments are at hand to help.

Unsted Park School has this unfortunate malaise in hand.  Well, actually, one of its teachers hands out sterilised blades to self-harmers.

According to the BBC, a school spokeswoman said:-

“This was a short-term, local procedure introduced by the head teacher and school principal who genuinely believed it was in the best interests of the pupil.

“However, they accept that the procedure should not have been implemented without further approvals having been obtained from key stakeholders and senior management prior to its introduction.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-21941578

This amazing statement has failed to impress school inspection officials, who for some reason find dishing out razor blades to emotionally-disturbed young people ‘deeply worrying.’  You don’t say.

For ‘stakeholders’ read friends and family, who some feel just might want to have a say in whether or not their friend, daughter, son or sibling was given a way to self-harm.

Apparently we are supposed to be happy that this was ‘supervised’ and that the blades were sterilised.  We wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt while self-harming, would we?  And you thought you’d heard everything.

It would be rather nice to know who this teacher was, what approval they had received and from whom for this great scheme, what psychological training they had, and to know what in the heck they were thinking to actually think this was in anyone’s best interest.  Wherever this teacher gets their ideas from needs serious investigation.

Self-justification: (noun) Rationalising one’s own methods and actions.

Looking through a Press & Journal this week, I learnt that the ‘Tree for Every Citizen’ Scheme was a great success! Although this gave me déjà vu to see in print, it’s won an award!

Those behind this huge success story told the P&J that the scheme was opposed by some animal rights activists, but it’s an award-winning, tree-celebrating, all-singing, all-shooting success.  I’m so happy to hear it.

Only a pedant would point out that the local community councils wanted to keep the meadowland and the deer they had – a herd which had wandered the hill for over 70 years with no problems or over-population issues.

Only a petty mind would care that Chris Piper, man behind the scheme, made about £70,000 from the City, and over £100,000 was spent to turn our meadow into a defoliated mess.  Trees at St Fitticks are growing, says the City Council, so it must be true.  Of course they are no taller than they were two years ago (well, the tree protector tubes that aren’t actually hollow anyway).

The area is choked with weeds, but if the city and the P&J say it’s a successful scheme, then who am I, thousands of local residents who signed a petition, the Scottish SPCA, Animal Concern Advice Line, and a host of political figures to disagree?

Couldn't we have left a little gorse for overwintering and early nesting species?
Bulldozing gorse, killing deer, getting rid of the wildlife we had from butterflies and birds to small mammals and deer – these can all be explained away by Tallboys, HoMalone and Piper – they had to kill this wildlife so that they would make a home for wildlife later on.

The trees newly planted on the hill are already surrounded by taller weeds.

The SNH told us to spend time and money ensuring that weeds didn’t hinder the scheme for a second time (it’s already cost us £43,800). For some reason, none of this gets into the Press & Journal.  I wonder why.

More tellingly, there is not a single photo in the P&J showing what the hill looks like now.

If you want to see our own war zone, go and visit it for yourself, or see older photos in Aberdeen Voice.  But as long as a handful of self-enriching, self-aggrandising people behind this scheme are happy, than what’s the wishes of thousands of others and our previous wildlife haven in comparison?

Self-Deluding: (compound noun) State of convincing one’s self that an untruth is actually true.

Mr Trump says offshore wind farms,  which sadly for him  were approved this week, will destroy Scotland.

For some years now, I thought it would be acceptable to have an offshore wind farm.  Even though someone as astute and as big an environmentalist as Donald Trump said it was a horrible idea, I thought there might be some merit in wind over nuclear energy or some other fracking nonsense.

Well, earlier this week I was nearly convinced that Mr Trump was right all along.

Again I look this week to the Press & Journal for my facts:  and what I saw at first terrified me.  The paper showed a picture of St Nicholas House, coming in at around 174 feet high, and next to it, towering over it (!) was a wind turbine which could actually be over 600 feet tall!  I’m not kidding!

My first reaction was of course complete horror:  “Did everyone know that an offshore wind turbine can actually be even taller than St Nicholas House?  Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I wondered.   I’d never have guessed!

The paper’s position seems to be that wind turbines, or windmills as Donald  Trump likes to call them, of this size would of course ruin Scotland not only for tourists – but for golfers as well, and we can’t have that obviously.

Perhaps we should back a call not to put any 600 ft windfarms in town next to St Nicholas House.

It’s an amazing bit of coincidence that the paper and Donald Trump are against windfarms, and keep repeating what a nightmare offshore windfarms would be if near The Donald.  They do say great minds think alike.  Then again, they also say fools seldom differ, particularly if one really rich fool hires the wife of a fool who wants advertising revenue.

Thinking over this great illustration for a nanosecond or two, I became less alarmed.  While I’m sure the P&J meant well, and aren’t  trying to cause any panic, I would like to refer whoever wrote this to an old episode of the inimitable Father Ted. 

Ted and Dougal are in a caravan on holiday (but obviously not in Scotland because there isn’t enough golf and there are windfarms).  Father Ted holds a plastic toy cow, shows it to Dougal, and points out the window to some farm animals in a faraway field.   Dougal seems baffled, looking from the plastic cow in his hand to the cows and bulls in the field.

“This looks big,” Ted says to Dougal, “but those are very, very far away.” Ted explains.

Perhaps a wind farm far off shore would not look as big as one next to St Nicholas House?  A wild theory, but I’ve enough self-confidence to put it out there.  In the meantime, no doubt Trump and the P&J will keep repeating their line that windfarms must go.

Keep repeating it gentlemen; you’ll eventually start to believe it.

Self confidence: (noun) A condition of self-awareness and acceptance; being at ease with one’s self.

In this age, self-confidence is essential to get by.  Self confidence is necessary in business and social situations , but remember, girls must not be very self-confident, or they run the risk of being ‘full of themselves’, a sin men are rarely guilty of.

It must be a hard thing to be a man in today’s world and lack self-confidence.  Take for a moment (or just take full stop) one Mr Donald Trump.

This retiring wallflower billionaire recluse should really think about getting himself some public relations.  He’s rarely mentioned in the press, despite all his good works. His name and winsome photo only appear in the media if he goes somewhere, says something, sneezes, holds a golf club, or gets on or off of an airplane.

He should really stop hiding his light under a bushel.  For instance, he stated to a government inquiry that he considers himself to be an environmentalist.  Try as I might, I can’t find any news stories to back this up.

Perhaps there is some way he can ingratiate himself further still with the Scottish public.  Does he have any Scottish ancestry, I wonder?  Perhaps he could get a coat of arms made up; this would impress us all.

Sad to say, but a lack of self-confidence can come from a lack of personal grooming skills.  Perhaps he should let his hair down a bit more or something.  Perhaps a trip to the dentist might help; on those rare occasions he is seen in the press, the faces he makes suggests wisdom tooth issues or badly fitting dentures.  Good luck to you Donald; we’re all behind you (one way or the other).

I think we’d best leave it there for now.  A very Happy Easter Weekend to those celebrating it.  Whatever you celebrate or don’t celebrate, the National Trust has some great activities for families this weekend (and there is the Willows open day, too).  Let’s hope for some continued warmer weather.

Special Easter Egg Hunt Competition:  Hidden in this satirical column are one or two grammatical errors!  Yes really!  If our sub editor doesn’t spot them, not only will they have their salary withheld, but the first reader to point out the grammatical/spelling errors will win the sub editor’s AV salary for the week!

Tally Ho!

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Trump’s Retrospective Planning Application Deferred

 Breaking, Featured, News  13 Responses »
Mar 262013
 

meniegate
By Suzanne Kelly.

Aberdeeenshire Council’s Formartine Area Committee met today, Tuesday 26 March, and decided not to grant retrospective planning permission to Trump International Golf Links for works at the Menie Estate which had gone against the approved plan.

A Council spokesperson advised that:-

“the application was deferred to allow a site visit and a public hearing. (there was no vote – the action was agreed by committee). The date and time of both will be arranged in due course.”

The Planning Officer had recommended granting retrospective permission, which would have seen a giant mound of earth block the Munro home’s access to light approved.  The bund had already caused problems for the family when first constructed; dirt and sand from it blew into their property including their home, and damaged cars.

Campaigners also celebrated today as the Government gave the go-ahead to the offshore windfarms Trump so desperately vowed to fight.  Area resident David Milne commented:-

“It came as no surprise, but it was still pleasing to hear that the Scottish Government had decided to retain control over their own energy policy and not hand it over to a non resident, self interested developer.

“It was, however, more surprising and even more pleasing that Aberdeenshire Council decided not to issue retrospective permission for unlawfully constructed bunds surrounding the Munros home at Menie and instead delay their decision until a site visit has taken place; they have after all only had since the spring of last year to consider this.

“Whilst the 17800 signatories to the call for a public inquiry into their behaviour may have had some effect, we can but hope that common sense has finally reared its head with the council, I shall wait and see if this logical and honest decision is the start of a trend or an aberration.”

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The Laird O Menie’s Fules

 Creative Writing, Opinion  1 Response »
Mar 212013
 

pandjeveexpresstall
By Bob Smith.

Lord McCluskey his recommendit
We shud regulate Scottish press
Iss his caused a richt ballyhoo
Fae Stranraer up tae Stromness

The press maun hae freedom
Tae tell us aa fit’s fit
Bit ower mony o oor tabloids
Jist print a load o shit

The SNP is noo thinkin
O publishin it’s ain paper
Mony fowk are nae in favour
O iss  propaganda caper

The opeenion column o the P&J
His been caain fer democracy
Thoosans o fowk wull be laachin
Aboot their bliddy hypocrisy

Aa iss fae oor local paper
Faa’s bias tae Trump’s weel kent
Yet views fae Tripping up Trump
They widna pit intae print

“Traitors” bawled the “Evenin Express”
At the cooncillors faa voted no
Fin Trump’s application wis thrown oot
“EE” condemnation wisna slow

A paper’s voice maan be heard
As lang’s they play bi the rules
An nae be thocht o nation wide
As “The Laird o Menie’s Fules”

Bob Smith “The Poetry Mannie” 2013

Old Susannah’s Journal No. 114 – Stop (the) Press!

 Opinion, Satire and Humour  12 Responses »
Mar 212013
 

Voice’s Old Susannah takes a look over the past week’s events in the ‘Deen and beyond. By Suzanne Kelly.

dictionary

Tally Ho! Apologies for the late running of this column.

For one thing I’ve been a bit tied up with issues at the Menie Estate.  I’ve compiled a report covering some of the little issues people have with the galaxy’s greatest golf course and Mr Trump. Leaving aside boring issues such as the quality of life for residents, visitors and wildlife, it was a huge honour to be one of the first people to see the brand new plaque by the course’s temporary (?) clubhouse.

This plaque tells you the course has been ‘weaved’ through the ‘largest dunes in the world’.

Of course it has.  I wonder whether The Donald wrote this brilliant prose himself, or if one of our BiG local PR agencies devised it for him.  It is very inspirational – I just won’t tell you what I felt inspired to do.

While at the course I had hoped to interview some of the thousands of new employees working in the promised golf jobs, and ask what was going on with the millions of pounds of income generated.  I couldn’t find these new employees – perhaps they were all out counting their money.  However, I was lucky enough to see one of the rarest forms of wildlife, the lesser-spotted Sarah Malone-Bates.

It was wearing a bright pink blouse (which was interesting, as the rest of us needed coats, hats and gloves).  She must have been cold, but a little suffering is the price of beauty.  (I note that there are a few beauty contests coming up in our area; isn’t it great to know how important looks are, and what humanitarian ends beauty contest winners can get up to.

Some say beauty is skin deep; others that beauty is as beauty does.  I wonder what Mrs Maloney-Baloney thinks.  They also say you get the face you deserve by the time you’re 40.  I wonder what Mr Trump thinks on that score).

Other than that, there has been so much activity of late that it’s hard to know where to start.

First, a thank you to the nice people at Lunan Farm Shop & Cafe, who helped me when my mobile phone got lost.  I was quite put out, worried I might miss a call asking me to join ACSEF, or offering me a vice-presidency job at Trump International.  I have my phone back now, and am awaiting those calls which should come any day now.

What Lunan and the Farm Shop/Cafe lack in connectivity and vibrancy, they make up for in other ways and then some.  Like being nice and serving real food.

As per usual an amazing visit to BrewDog; their man Fisher has painted an amazing black and white mural there, and starting 25/3, the walls will feature artwork from up and coming area residents.

What’s clean air and wildlife compared to someone somewhere making money?

When I go jogging around Nigg Bay, there are more and more other joggers to be seen, as well as walkers, cyclists, golfers and wildlife spotters.  We’re all thrilled to think the Harbour Board wants to ruin the last stretch of coastline with potential harbour expansion.  Money before environment has worked really well in Aberdeenshire.

We’ve got a great situation at Menie, with compromised SSSIs, we’ve got some of the top ten most polluted roads (funny that includes roads near the harbour), and a sewage plant.  Let’s just finish the job, deal nature a final blow, and turn Nigg Bay into a money-maker, too.  What’s clean air and wildlife compared to someone somewhere making money?

Before getting to some definitions,  there is some sad news.  A gentle giant, humble, meek and softly-spoken has left Aberdeen City Council (no, not Pete Leonard.  Yet).  Perhaps you’d best sit down (if you’re not already):  Gerry Brough has left – resigned.

Without Gerry, we couldn’t have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on the City Garden Project, which brought so much harmony to our city.  His timid, mild behaviour at meetings might have made him easy to overlook, but let’s look at some of his many accomplishments.

Without Gerry, we might have had a chance to vote ‘No’ to building in UTG when presented with the shortlist of ‘designs’ for turning UTG into shops and parking.  Where would we have been then?

He selflessly ‘donated’ about 11 hours per week of his own time to sit on various City Garden Project committees, with no thought of eventual reward, disregarding EU work-time directives.  I’m sure his family felt deprived of his sunny disposition.

Some might say this free work done by Brough Trade was a smokescreen to make it look as if the project didn’t cost anything to the taxpayer and to help him get in with the ACSEF mob or the odd billionaire.  But I knew he had a good heart.  A heart of granite.

For some strange reason, several of the shops have folded, and one became an internet business

Who else will represent Aberdeen in Houston and Grenoble? We flew him there for very important meetings and conventions last year.  If those important meetings coincided with cuts to services for the elderly and school facilities, it was worth it.  Then there was the way he was fair to both sides of the garden referendum debate.

His involvement in how the referendum question was worded was sadly not appreciated by the Friends of Union Terrace Gardens.  Gerry said at the time the FOUTG were trying to ‘undermine’ the process.

If by undermining it he meant not accepting 11th hour wording changes or being railroaded into a lamely-worded question, Gerry was right. (see also https://aberdeenvoice.com/2011/12/utg-referendum-question-already-soured/ ).

He also helped give us ’Retail Rocks!’ in Torry.  On the one hand, it brought shops back into use.  Well, for a few months anyway.  Even if this rocking scheme created unfair advantage for the new shopkeepers over existing businesses, and took tens of thousands of taxpayer pounds in the process, it’s what Gerry wanted. I think this was really just his way of helping to stimulate the economy (for consultants and shopfitters).

For some strange reason, several of the shops have folded, and one became an internet business.  It is almost as if having a shop premise selling goods isn’t as profitable as selling goods on the intranet.  Still, this kind of forward-thinking scheme won an award of some kind.

Some people would say that service industries are a better way to go to get empty shops filled, lower rates for all ‘ma and pa’ businesses would also help, and using empty shops for artwork displays, events, charity fundraisers and so on would stimulate high street growth.  But Gerry knew best, and now, <sob>  he’s gone.

Rumours of Independent, Labour, Conservative politicians joining 99% of the ACC staff in dancing on tables and celebrating with BrewDogs are unconfirmed.  Adios Ger.

This week there are many interesting developments concerning freedom of the press:  i.e. – there might not be much of it going forward.  Here are a few definitions to try and make sense of what happened to the media, and what might happen.

Monopoly: (Eng. noun) – situation in which one person or company owns all or nearly all of a given resource or market sector putting them in a completely dominant position.

Aside from Private Eye magazine and a few quirky politicians, the UK government bent over backward to allow Rupert Murdoch to get as near a monopoly over the UK’s media, print and broadcast as was possible.  Quite right too.  It was June 2010, Rupe had the Sun, the Times, and he wanted BSB too.

What could possibly be wrong with one person controlling the majority of the media?  Why nothing.  As one professor put it:-

“It is vital to guard against just having a knee-jerk, ideological objection to Mr Murdoch – his companies produce an exceptionally large amount of very high quality content” – Tim Luckhurst, Professor of journalism at the University of Kent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10317856

I guess I should define ‘high quality content’ sometime.

Murdoch’s empire dwarfed the BBC, and outbid them on major sports programmes which Rupert then put on satellite television, where everyone could watch for a small fee.  Or for a giant fee if you wanted to play a game in your pub or bar.  Everyone was happy.  Well, Rupert was.

The funny thing about having a monopoly and being allowed by government and the police to do whatever you want is that you might start thinking you can do whatever you want.  With the government giving Murdoch the green light for media dominance, and a few scattered police men and women having cosy meetings with News  Corporation operative, things started getting a wee bit dodgy.

The Sun started to get a little adventurous and creative when landing important stories.  Its intrepid investigative reporters devoted their time to finding sex scandals, up skirt shots, hiring private detectives to do a spot of wire-tapping, and paying the paparazzi to take all-important intrusive photos of celebrities and their children.

I’m sure those involved in these activities were free to pursue any journalistic directions they wanted, free from any controlling editors or a right-wing proprietor.  Ah, the golden days of press.  Or was that yellow journalism.

Whatever it was, we bought it.  Profits weren’t that great on the print side, but this was offset by the satellite arm of the empire.  And so it went.  Perhaps the print media also made one or two subtle political hints echoing whichever politician Murdoch favoured.  If so, it was far too subtle for Old Susannah to pick up on.

Leveson Inquiry: (Compound proper English noun).  An inquiry into a variety of press scandals, leading to recommendations for press regulation.

Believe it or not, over the years, there have been one or two scandals in British establishments.  In fact there were one or two minor issues in the banking sector not all that long ago.  These resulted in economic meltdown, loss of the UK’s AAA rating, and austerity measures (unless you worked for a bank or were in government of course).

The government acted swiftly to give the banks a stern talking to, and a few billion pounds to tide them over.  Then followed one or two other minor scandals involving sub-prime mortgages and manipulation of the  LIBOR rates.

These were swiftly followed by more slaps on bankers’ wrists, and lots more subsidies.  That showed them.  Some people point to close links between the ConDems and banking executives, but I’m sure our elected officials would never allow favouritism to cloud their judgment.

Banks weren’t alone in behaving badly for profit.  Newspapers have been involved in one or two unsavoury activities recently, too.  Don’t worry though, the police were on the case.  Or should I say the police were on the take.

Police officials and hacks met for expensive meals in nice London restaurants  Blind eyes were turned; Police and MoD officials pocketed cash from the Sun, and police detectives helped the papers with stories in exchange for money. All the while paparazzi photographers took long-lens shots at celebrities and children of same, to go with stories often obtained illegally.

News was getting replaced by celebrity gossip trash.  The public protested by buying more and more copies of ‘OK!’  ‘Hello!’ ‘I Have No Life Of My Own!’ and so on.

Things went too far; even the police and government couldn’t continue to pretend they weren’t in bed with the tabloids.

You would think that the existing laws could have been enforced at the time

Something must be done, or something had to be seen to be done. It was time for another long, expensive inquiry.  No doubt there would be some outcomes from Leveson criticising how the police were both complicit and enabling to all this phone tapping and story selling.

You could be forgiven for thinking the way forward would be to ensure that paparazzi and reporters are stopped from illegal intrusions and entrapment, and are ordered to respect privacy, especially the privacy of innocent people and children.  You would be wrong.

You would think that the existing laws could have been enforced at the time by a switched-on, honest police force.  But think again.

For the bankers, stern words and subsidies were the answer.  After all, they’ve only cost the taxpayer a few billion in bail-outs.  For the fifth estate, which is historically meant to be a check on politicians, the remedy is different.

Instead of enforcing the laws we already have, the politicians have a great idea:  the press will be held accountable to politicians.  No one is accountable for allowing the monopoly to be created, no code of conduct will be created for the police to ensure they obey and enforce laws, and stop taking hospitality from the press.

No, the entire media sector is solely at fault, not just the tabloids.  Or so they would have you think, and that’s good enough for me.

Of course the details of how regulation will work are sketchy; there are more questions than answers concerning  proposed press regulatory bodies and mandatory sign-up to a government code on the press.

There goes some 400 years of freedom, just to punish the antics of the monopoly press which got away with Murdoch for years.  It’s almost as if government wanted to get control over the entire media sector, and weren’t happy with its history of exposing crooked politicians, out-of-control MOD budgets, NHS management failures, sexed-up dossiers getting us into the Iraq war, and so on.

I for one will find the new government-controlled news much easier to digest

What will this mean to bloggers, small publishers, satire writers?  Possibly ‘exemplary’ fines, lawsuits galore, and lots of rich lawyers.  We just don’t’ know yet.  What will this mean to investigative journalism?

For years we’ve been fed a populist diet of magazines filled with celebrities who are considered too fat one day and too thin the next.  There are shots of stars who get drunk, who have ‘wardrobe malfunctions’ who go out with other stars and then break up.  It’s just as well we’ve taken these important issues to heart – going forward this might be the only kind of news we get.

I for one will find the new government-controlled news much easier to digest.  From now on instead of investigating council waste, issues at the Menie Estate and abuses of office, I can start writing about who’s wearing what, what new beauty queens have been crowned, and how thin or fat they are.

Still, there is one ground-breaking development Old Susannah is happy to share…

Augmented Reality: (modern compound noun)

New technology coming soon to an Aberdeen Journal publication near you!

There I was, wondering about the future of newspapers.  And then I saw this:-

“Make your Evening Express come to life

“App lets readers see videos and images

“Published: 06/03/2013

“Bookmark with:

“Share on linkedinShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on gmailShare on stumbleuponShare on favoritesMore Sharing Services

“THE Evening Express today unveiled a revolutionary new way of allowing our readers to interact with the paper.

“Video and 3D images can pop up from the printed page thanks to the innovative new scheme.

“Dubbed augmented reality (AR), the application involves the reader holding their phone over a “trigger” advert, resulting in a series of 3D images and videos displayed through the user’s phone.”

Can we really use our phones to augment my reality?  Yes we can!  I can see it now:  3D Stewart Milne homes, 3D views of Trump golf courses.  Then again, the photos of the Trump course in the recent P&J Golf Supplement look just a bit greener and neater than any photos I’ve managed to take to date.  Could someone be augmenting the reality of the greens?

Maybe we could have augmented reality photos of our councillors as well.  They say this technology can make people seem life-like.  For some of our elected reps, this will be quite an improvement.

Time to go find a copy of ‘OK!’ and see what’s going on in the world.  If I’m not thrown in jail, we’ll see what’s up next week.

PS – For some odd reason Labour are not happy with P&J coverage of a recent event. 

This is very surprising.  Most of us aren’t happy with their coverage of any events.  While they rammed a granite web down our throats and perpetuated the myth it was cost-free, they accidentally forgot to mention  Trump’s VP marrying their editor and skirted the slight bias this might mean.

They seem to have implied a man up in court for drug-dealing was a Labour member/activist; he wasn’t.

The P&J printed the full-page Trump anti-wind farm ad referring to Lockerbie, but refused to take an ad, pre-referendum, from the Friends of Union Terrace Gardens for being ‘too political’.  Its sister paper called those who voted against Trump ‘neeps’ and ‘traitors’.

It said that two deer had died in advance of the Tullos Hill deer slaughter (the deer died two full years earlier, of unknown causes – as wild animals are known to do on occasion).  Other than that, what’s not to like?

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