2010
Snow paralysis is costing deep
19/12/10 16:18 Filed in: Granite Chips
I saw a figure in The Scotsman last week that suggested that the current snow chaos in Scotland would end up costing the economy £2 billion. How accurate that figure is, I know not, but it does underline the importance of trying to get the country moving again.
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Aberdeen companies come together to form global giant
16/12/10 09:56 Filed in: Granite Chips
The announcement that Aberdeen’s Wood Group has reached a £600 million agreement to acquire fellow Aberdeen company PSN looks like a very positive move for Aberdeen as it builds its position in the global oil and gas industry.
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Read More...Aberdonians want to 'chill out' on holiday
08/12/10 19:09 Filed in: Granite Chips
As we start to thaw out – albeit briefly – after early onslaught of winter thoughts turn to holidays in the sun. Right on cue, up pops Mazda with a survey of Aberdonians desires and attitudes about holidays.
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Read More...Complacency over marine renewables?
14/11/10 11:08 Filed in: Granite Chips
The marine renewables summit meeting called for next month (December 2010) in Aberdeen, is a welcome opportunity for those in the offshore energy industry, local authorities and central government to galvanise into action to secure the potential of marine renewables.
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Read More...To spring forward or fall back?
08/11/10 16:21 Filed in: Granite Chips
It used to be that making any suggestion of not putting the clocks back in the autumn would produce a heated debate, with probably more arguing against any change than those proposing it.
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Read More...Combining Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils
08/11/10 08:54 Filed in: Granite Chips
Combining Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils is an idea that has been doing the rounds in recent years. But, it was given renewed impetus by former Aberdeenshire Council Chief Executive, Alan Campbell, when he promoted it as a solution to the financial woes in the aftermath of Aberdeen City Council’s proposed £127 million cuts.
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Read More...More broadband misery
03/11/10 14:18 Filed in: Granite Chips
So, it happened again. This morning, during peak office hours, BT broadband failed for a second time in five days.
From the early reports it appears that most of Scotland, much of Northern England and Northern Ireland were all affected by the outage, just like on Friday last week.
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From the early reports it appears that most of Scotland, much of Northern England and Northern Ireland were all affected by the outage, just like on Friday last week.
Read More...How to kill Aberdeen city centre trade
30/10/10 17:37 Filed in: Granite Chips
So, one of the possible revenue-raising measure proposed by Aberdeen City Council as part of its budget proposals is city centre road tolls (or ‘congestion charges’ as they are euphemistically called).
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Read More...BT Broadband outage
30/10/10 11:28 Filed in: Granite Chips
A second major BT broadband outage caused “tens of thousands” of homes to lose broadband connection for at least six hours last night. According to a statement issued last night it affected Edinburgh, Fair Isle, Highlands and Islands. Are they geographically challenged, or does Aberdeenshire not feature on their radar?
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Read More...Shock at depth of £127m cuts
26/10/10 17:51 Filed in: Granite Chips
I am shocked at the severity of the cuts being proposed by Aberdeen City Council as it faces the need to prune £127 million off its budget.
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Read More...Take a lawyer if you want to park in Aberdeen at night
13/10/10 11:11 Filed in: Granite Chips
Encouraging more visitors into Aberdeen to spend money and support the local economy. That would seem a laudable aim for Aberdeen City Council. But, the latest parking regulations seem certain to drive evening trade out of the city. Read More...
Angry at the state of our roads
29/09/10 12:22 Filed in: Granite Chips
I am angry. I have just returned from the tyre depot, where the appalling state of the roads in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has hit me hard in the wallet. £150 hard to be precise.
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Extreme arts project
The National Theatre of Scotland is creating a major new arts project in Aberdeen called EXTREME. Read More...
Aberdeen stalled in the slow lane
28/07/10 19:40 Filed in: Granite Chips
The recent letter by Aberdeen area business leaders to Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson is a plea that most of us in Aberdeen City and Shire will relate to.
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Read More...Stopping oil drilling in the North Sea?
27/07/10 18:48 Filed in: Granite Chips
It was unsurprising that there has been a lot of comment on the web about European politicians demanding a stop to drilling in the North Sea in the wake of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The implication is that this is a stop to all drilling operations.
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Read More...All wealth flows from England?
26/06/10 09:56 Filed in: Granite Chips
Quietly fuming at a comment in the article by Bruce Anderson in The Telegraph. He is talking abut the increasing use of the cross of St George by English football fans and how, he believes, it indicates a potential deeper malaise with the union.
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Read More...Horsey arrogance
24/06/10 11:18 Filed in: Granite Chips
Not for the first time, I have just been the victim of horsey arrogance while going about my lawful business using Her Majesty’s pock-marked and cratered highways. Read More...
Hard to sympathise with serial illegal parker
03/06/10 12:04 Filed in: Granite Chips
It is hard to summon up any sympathy for the Aberdeen legal firm employee currently facing potential bankruptcy over almost £20,000 of unpaid parking fines. Read More...
Aberdeen second in UK for quality of life
26/05/10 15:16 Filed in: Granite Chips
Aberdeen has been ranked second in the UK only to London, for its quality of life. The survey ranks Aberdeen higher than international cities like Rome, Houston, Hong Kong and Dubai.
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Read More...A second energy boom for Granite City?
25/05/10 15:35 Filed in: Granite Chips
At the All Energy exhibition in Aberdeen last week, the buzz was that marine renewables could provide a second boom for the Granite City that could even rival the oil boom.
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Read More...Keep track of soaring energy bills
17/05/10 11:40 Filed in: Granite Chips
With the cold winter and spring have you had a nasty shock with your heating and electricity bills? I know I have. I’ve often wondered if it is just me, or are others paying the same amount?
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Read More...City Square consultation "flaw"
07/05/10 10:20 Filed in: Granite Chips
A recently-issued briefing paper for the City Square proposal admits to a “fundamental flaw” in the consultation process for the City Square project.
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Read More...Anger at delay in Aberdeen by-pass
28/04/10 13:12 Filed in: Granite Chips
I know I am not alone in my anger at the delaying tactics of Road Sense in pushing their case against the much-needed, long-delayed Aberdeen bypass.
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Read More...North Sea oil back on agenda?
28/04/10 12:47 Filed in: Granite Chips
There are welcome signs, as we enter the last week before the election, that some in the political arena have started to acknowledge the continuing significance to this country of the North Sea oil and gas industry.
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Read More...Great news for Glencraft
09/04/10 13:08 Filed in: Granite Chips
Great to hear that Glencraft should reopen within days, following the intervention of Aberdeen energy firm PSN. Read More...
No to potholes, yes to cycleway
09/04/10 12:59 Filed in: Granite Chips
I see from today’s Press and Journal, that I am not the only one to have spotted the irony of dodging massive craters on the Cults to Kingswells Road, then turning the corner to see thousands of pounds of our money being spent to add a little width to the existing cycleway along Westhill Road!
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At last some good news on development in the city!
07/04/10 12:40 Filed in: Granite Chips
Just when it seemed like Aberdeen was destined to miss out on any significant development due to lack of public funds, comes one welcome bit of news about a project that has secured Heritage Lottery Fund money, along with local authority funding and a bequest.
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Read More...Stop sticking spanners in the works!
18/03/10 09:55 Filed in: Granite Chips
It seems that at every turn, there’s a pressure group hiding behind the bushes ready to run out gleefully and stick a spanner in the works of every significant development project.
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Read More...Repairing Aberdeen, Repairing Scotland
17/03/10 09:38 Filed in: Granite Chips
Trips into the centre of Aberdeen used to be a pleasure. It was good to see the city at its best. Sadly, now, these trips serve as a reminder of off how our city is decaying. Read More...
Action needed now to secure UK oil industry
15/03/10 18:08 Filed in: Granite Chips
The message delivered to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) that action is needed now to encourage investment in the North Sea oil and gas industry needs to be heeded by our politicians.
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Read More...Election debate: Perhaps SNP have a point
12/03/10 13:13 Filed in: Granite Chips
When I first heard that the SNP were demanding to be part of the TV debates for the forthcoming UK election, I was inclined to question the justification. But, no that had some more time to think about it, I think they have a point.
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Read More...Where has all the money gone?
04/03/10 16:46 Filed in: Granite Chips
I got back into my car, turned the ignition and on came the news. There were three items about lack of money for public projects. It all made for extremely depressing listening.
How have we got ourselves in this mess?
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How have we got ourselves in this mess?
Read More...Students have designs on City Square
01/03/10 12:40 Filed in: Granite Chips
A group of architectural students at the Robert Gordon University, have produced a series of designs which they believe shows the true potential of City Square.
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Read More...Blaming utility companies for potholes
24/02/10 15:16 Filed in: Granite Chips
The attempts to blame utility companies for the state of our roads, simply won’t wash. Some of the damage may result from utility works, but the bulk of the current epidemic of potholes is down, surely, to lack of maintenance. Read More...
Why does AECC not attract central support
24/02/10 13:22 Filed in: Granite Chips
It does seem as though there are double standards, when the Glasgow and Edinburgh both have government support for their exhibition centres and Aberdeen is left out in the cold. Read More...
City Square project an opportunity for future
18/02/10 14:23 Filed in: Granite Chips
The City Square proposal has been described, with some justification, as the most ambitious project for Aberdeen since the vision in 1799 to bridge the Denburn Valley with the viaduct that we now know as Union Street.
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Read More...Want to buy a big, big hole?
27/01/10 18:17 Filed in: Granite Chips
How would you like to own the biggest hole in Europe? Recently Rubislaw Quarry in Aberdeen has come on the market, with an asking price of £30,000. Read More...
Aberdeen: last in government support league
24/01/10 14:56 Filed in: Granite Chips
When it comes to central government support, Aberdeen is at the bottom of the Scottish league, once Edinburgh’s capital city bonus is taken into account.
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