It is more than a little ironic that barely two weeks after business leaders wrote to Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson demanding urgent action to improve the offshore energy capital’s transport connections, news percolates from London that direct rail services from London to Aberdeen might be axed.

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Tags: transport, rail

Today’s Press and Journal, BBC, Northsound and Original are leading on reports that business leaders in Aberdeen have written to Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson demanding urgent action on delayed transport projects in and around Europe’s Energy Capital.

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Tags: transport, roads, airport, rail

I was laughing at a cartoon linked on their Facebook page by a relative who is a teacher. The cartoon features two scenarios: 1960 and 2010.

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Tags: crisis

Reading today’s Press and Journal newspaper holds out hope and then dashes it. In the early pages is reference to moves to persuade the UK government to support the development of an appropriate infrastructure for Europe’s Energy Capital.

Then, on the letters page, is an example of the in-fighting that has hampered our progress for too long.

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Tags: aberdeen, ACSEF, oil, blogs

Many of us will have spluttered over our cornflakes this morning when we read headlines saying “Spending cuts ‘will rise to £42 billion’ for Scots”.

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Tags: Scotland, economy, blogs

So, after four years, it is time for me to step aside and let someone else take over as chairman of the Institute of Directors in Aberdeen. It has been a real pleasure and privilege to chair such a vibrant branch, which has a around 280 business leaders in the Aberdeen.

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Tags: IoD, blogs

In this age of digital cameras and camera phones, it is only natural that – with an eye on reducing costs – businesses will question the need to spend upwards of £100 per hour on a professional photographer.

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Tags: tips, PR, pressrelease, blogs

In the immediate years before setting up my first PR consultancy, I was responsible for marketing and promotion at the development organisation for the North East of Scotland.

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Tags: aberdeen, energy, renewables, oil, economy, blogs

For those of us living in Scotland, the current political shenanigans in London are more than a little puzzling. The Conservatives, under David Cameron, won the UK election with the largest number of seats. Surely, therefore, they should have taken over the reigns of power by now?

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Tags: politics, blogs

It is now five days since the first reports that Sir Jackie Stewart had been behind the wheel of the Pagani Zonda supercar that crashed in Aberdeenshire, producing an insurance claim of £300,000.

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Tags: social media, blogs

The message delivered by Sue Bruce 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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Tags: oil, aberdeen, blogs

Innovation, technology and leadership will be the themes of Thursday’s (March 11) IoD Aberdeen lunch, where the speaker will be IoD Scotland chairman Raymond O’Hare. Read More...

Tags: IoD, blogs

In the 19th century Aberdeen made great strides. Union Street – a viaduct on huge granite arches – was built to extend the city west over the Denburn Valley. It was the realisation of a remarkably forward-thinking vision and a breathtaking feat of civil engineering in an era of wheelbarrows, picks and shovels.



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Tags: development, aberdeen, blogs

It might have been Volkswagen that actually used the advertising slogan “if only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen”. But, in terms of public perception, it could have been Toyota – at least, until now.

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Tags: crisis, blogs

With the looming General Election, things have obviously got a bit desperate at the House of Commons. The Speaker has started sending out letters to encourage future voters to register. But something seems to have gone a little awry with the system.



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Tags: politics, blogs

Watching Jonathan Dimbleby’s otherwise excellent programmes on Russia. He was at a BP base in Siberia when he drew a contrast between the industry there and the oil and gas industry in the UK.

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Tags: oil, economy, blogs

Camphill Aberdeen City and Shire took the plunge into social media last month, with the setting up of a Twitter account and a Facebook page. Meanwhile long-term social media exponents, The Spires, continue to see the benefits.

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Tags: campaign, social media, Camphill, The Spires, blogs

Plans to transform part of Aberdeen’s city centre into a large public open space, or civic square, have taken a step forward with the unveiling of a new name and identity for the plan. The City Square, would open off Union Street and build a new public space over Union Terrace Gardens and the Denburn.

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Tags: aberdeen, development, ACSEF, blogs