Old Susannah's Journal

WELCOME

If you've found your way here from the Aberdeen Voice newspaper, FaceBook, wherever - welcome!  And if you haven't visited Aberdeen Voice, then the Voice can be found at www.aberdeenvoice.com  Making Aberdeen's Voice heard.  By the People; For the People.

Old Susannah's Dictionary Corner is an occasional, satirical column appearing in Aberdeen Voice. 

 Old Susannah's Scrap Book

I'll be saving some of my source material and working documents here, starting with a little chart showing who's on what in Aberdeen, just to show how transparent, open and honest and above board everything is. 

Get in touch.  Have a story?  Have a rumour?  email oldsusannah@aberdeenvoice.com

A new Flyer has been created to highlight the issues on Tullos Hill - please have a look. 

There was a demonstration / petition signing on Saturday 17 March in front of Marks & Spencers, Union Street at 12:30 - we got over 170 signatures in 1 1/2 hours. Not bad for a campaign that the City claims in a report only a handful of people care about.  Thank you very much!

Here is the petition if you would like to sign it.  Simply print it out, have it signed, and post it back to the address on the form.   Ideally do this before the end of March.  Thank you for your help! 

TIME TO VOTE OFF  THE WEAKEST LINK

(well, in May 2012 it will be)

The spread sheet on the right is a work in progress, attempting to keep track of our elected officials and especially how they voted on green issues.  If there are any errors, I will be happy to correct them if proof of error is submitted.  Please consider downloading and updating with voting results which are important to you.  Information on how councillors voted can be found on the City's website. Eventually.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The spread sheet refers to questionnaires.  I wrote to our councillors on a few environmental issues, and got a wide range of responses.  These ranged from no answer at all, to some fairly direct, clear answers, to some hilariously angry replies (thank you Neil Fletcher).  Have a look at the summary to see who thinks what

I hope you will like this little fictional portrait.  Any resemblance to any Lord Provost of Aberdeen or anywhere else, whether living, dead, or somewhere inbetween the two, is purely coincidental.   

I will try and upload a better quality image soon - but it is hard to photograph it, as the original is now under protective glass to preserve it for posterity.

NEW FLYER / POSTER:   If you want to keep the gardens as gardens, you might want to print / share / post this flyer (left). Side one = pictures of what we have  now; Side two = what we stand to lose

How much has Aberdeen City Council been invoiced by Aberdeen  Chamber of Commerce for the City Garden Project?  Over £90,000!  The spreadsheet on the right will give you a breakdown of the invoices for public relations, catering, speakers and photos the taxpayer's money has gone on.  Did you know a photo was commissioned for £180 to show the gardens are 'inaccessible'?  Do you think this is 'inexcusable?'  Vote Retain 

Aberdeen City Council 25 January 2012 - my deputation speech notes (right) asking the City to stop committing taxpayer money and resources on the City Gardens Project until after the Referendum.  Councillors went ahead with supporting this project in advance of the referendum.  This included allocating up to £300,000 from City Council money for legal fees.

The Excel spreadsheet (left) lists your favourite Aberdeen Councillors, celebrities, multimillionaires, board members and other people, many of whom are dedicated to giving your children and their children  £140 million pound concrete ramps in Union Terrace Gardens. (one in a new version of Excel; the other is old school)

One of our City Councillors, John Stewart (coincidentally appearing on the above spreadsheet) has publically complained that Union Terrace Gardens are full of grass.  Here are some photos to illustrate how our gardens look now.  To see the lovely, thoughtful £140 million pound design proposed, see this BBC story:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-16573250  The picture will no doubt leave you  breathless (if not speechless)

These photos of mine show how Union Terrace Gardens looks today.  Then think about building a series of concrete ramps over it.  Do you agree with the City Gardens Project people that tourists and incomers will flock to Aberdeen if we build the ramps?