UKC

For those with an interest in the questionable practices of the toupéed 'birther', this documentary is showing on BBC2 & BBC HD on Sunday night at 10pm (10:55pm if you're in Nor'n Oirland):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nln7g

It's been shown in Scotland before (though I seem to have missed it) but this is UK-wide. Apparently Mr T isn't too happy about it. There's a couple of articles about it on the Guardian web site today, including one by Bill Forsyth (of Local Hero fame):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/17/local-hero-donald-trump-bullyin...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/scotland-blog/2012/oct/17/scotland-donald-trum...

In reply to Martin W:

The Scottish Government's willingness to kow-tow to Trump over this issue, against the wishes of both the local authority and local residents, and overriding the protection of an SSSI, left me with serious concerns about the integrity of Alex Salmond.

In reply to Martin W:

I watched this last night, gobsmacked.

If all that is true, then Alex Salmond should resign, along with all the other people responsible for allowing Trump to bully and intimidate the locals, and to ignore the law.

In reply to Martin W:

i was shocked too, disgusting but believable behaviour by a global tycoon.

How awful for the local people.

In reply to Martin W:

What everyone's said. But if the media haven't taken an interest up to now, I have the feeling they are not going to.

I'm disgusted by the treatment of the residents.

In reply to Martin W:

The least you can do if you feel equally outraged is share the article on facebook. The first one is more cogent.

In reply to Martin W:

If ever there was a case of "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely", this is it.

In reply to Martin W:
What got me was his blatant arrogance is his objecting to an offshore windfarm there because that too would spoil the view!!!

In reply to Fredt:

Wee Eck will not resign, his ego won't allow it.

In reply to Ditch_Jockey:

I never had any doubts about the integrity of Alex Salmond.

His unimpeachable integrity is my only real objection to Scottish independence.

In reply to Martin W: The whole thing is utterly disgusting. That the government could allow themselves to be seen to associate with this is an utter disgrace... the man needs to be stopped.

In reply to peas65: Trump might be a powerful billionaire tycoon, but every day when he looks in a mirror, he has to see a face which looks like a squirrel's arse that has been savaged by a pit bull, and the most ridiculous hair in the history of mankind - and no amount of billions will ever change that.

Apparently, he's also got a really tiny cock too.

In reply to Goucho:

Oh I don't know, he could have done a Michael Jackson...

Instead I guess he's decided to share his misery with the rest of the world.

But seriously.. I saw a few minutes of the programme last night and thought it may have been a bit one sided. As far as I'm aware there are plenty of people in the area who are in favour of the golf course. Were any of these people interviewd in the programme?

Re the behaviour of the Fat Controller, hardly surprising that a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing brown noses the rich and powerful.

In reply to Martin W:

On BBC iPlayer here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nln7g/Youve_Been_Trumped/

In reply to Martin W: Avaaz have a petition on the behavior of the police in this.

http://tinyurl.com/9q7th3q

In reply to Martin W:

People may also be interested in this report produced by Andy Wightman in May 2011:
http://www.andywightman.com/docs/trumpreport_v1a.pdf

In reply to Martin W:

Disgusting !

In reply to Douglas Griffin:

Thanks, Doug.

He really is an odious scumbag, isn't he? IMHO, of course...

In reply to captain paranoia:
He really is an odious scumbag, isn't he? IMHO, of course...
Mine too!!

In reply to Martin W: Mark Kermode's review of this and here was me going to accept that Trump was telling the truth about the film.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/markkermode/2012/10/youve_been_trumped.html

In reply to Alan Taylor:

Thanks for the link and thanks Doug as well for the links, my blood is boiling. I'm shocked that politicians, the local papers AND the police seem to be in this man's pocket.

Let's hope the wind turbines get built and the sand dunes shift to cover his golf course.

In reply to Martin W:

I think their quick fling is truly on the ropes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19868948

In reply to Martin W: Watched it last night. Excellent film; had me seething. Trump the man, his friends in the council and one time pals in the Scottish government, and of course the horrendous damage caused by the project itself, would all have been grounds enough for disgust already. But the subsequent treatment of the local residents by Trump's 'people', and what looks a lot like police collusion to boot, potentially take the thing a step further still. The impression I'm left with is of Scotland as a banana republic whose institutions and environment are for sale to the highest bidder. Or perhaps I'm over dramatising. The only way to tell would be a public inquiry into the whole business.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I think you are slightly over dramatising but I agree with what you say. The only reason I say that is that I don't think what happened with Trump can be applied to all other developments, thankfully! I haven't been able to watch the programme yet as I don't have the internet at home until next week but will do so then.

In reply to Saor Alba: i thought it was particulary disgusting how the police behaved on that film, they behaved like a private strong-arm of thugs for Trumps benefit, absolutely disgraceful. The film was a clear example of the corruption of power and how people succumb to it.

In reply to Martin W:

Required viewing on i-player. Not at all good for the blood pressure. Only the resisting locals and their supporters come out of this one in decent shape.
Salmond? Has he uttered anything on the subject at all?

In reply to Martin W: A few weeks ago my wife photographed me outside the Donald trump building on wall street sticking my fingers up then again outside trump towers off central park doing the same. Very childish but it gave me a lovely warm feeling. the man truly is a c*nt of the highest magnitude.

In reply to Removed User:

Salmond is a tw*t in my opinion, and so too is Trump, however, that is no need to build turbines just to make Salmond happy, and annoy Trump , as that will cost me (and you) more money on our fuel bills,hamper our industry with higher fuel bills making them less competitive, just to line the pockets of rich foreigners with over generous subsidies.

If they want to build turbines at their own cost, and then try get their pay back off the electricity they sell on a OPEN (and not a fixed market place) then that is another issue.

But of course no one would buy the electricity at the cost they would have to charge (the true cost) and of course they would not be able to provide it at the times their customers want it and they would go bust.

In reply to Martin W: I live 20 minutes north of where the Golf Course is meant to be going, and all ive heard is how much of a selfish *!@# Trump is. He doesnt have a care in the world for anybody whos lived here, he just wants it his way and the government and bending over backwards to accomodate him. Whatever happened to supporting the people who voted you in. Donald Trump and his golf course can rod off.

Rant over. (its been a stressful day)

In reply to marvin1987: Meant to be going? You know its already built and being played on.

I do agree he's a massive bell end though, and £120 a round on local resident discount is a bit steep, although there is no shortage of people playing it, I've met loads of folk who've played one or more round who love the course. I'd hack it up with a 9 iron, that's more to do with my terrible technique than any out right desire to smash the course.

The whole Trump vs Salmond stinks to high heaven, Trump manages to get his new course in the international press and No. 8 in the world because of wind turbines in the North East of Scotland, a part of the world very few people really hear much about. Salmond gets his name in the same press, saviour of green energy, plays the David Vs Goliath card. It reminds me of the Random house v Random house court case, that apparently served no purpose except to put two books at the top of the fiction and factual charts worldwide. I genuinely think Salmond and Trump have used the whole thing to up their media stock.

In reply to tspoon1981: and meanwhile the dunes suffered because Trump wouldn't negotiate over the exact location of the course, demanding his initial plan or nothing. The golf course could have been built with far less impact (as many of the objectors pointed out)

In reply to Martin W:

Trump's behaviour is disgusting and terrifying in equal measure. That such a campaign of harrassment, intimidation and general 'seige warfare' can be launched against a UK community in the 21st century is appalling.

Where once the attacker used knights and soldiers, they now use the police and politicians. The levers that launched the trebuchet have been replaced with the levers of financial power.

In reply to tspoon1981: Sorry, yes been out of the country for last 7 months. I forget things carry on as usual when im away haha. Hes still a douchebag though.

In reply to Martin W: Not me!! but great all the same

Alan Taylor in the Herald

WHAT an odious fellow is Donald Chump. I refer to the documentary, You've Been Slumped, in which the great frump was seen swilling across Aberdeenshire like a hog in search of a dump. That he has ruined a gorgeous site of special scientific interest goes without saying. That this was done simply to build a couple of duff golf courses requires a suspension of disbelief beyond anything Shakespeare ever imagined. The man blights everything he touches.

What is truly galling and appalling, however, is the craven manner in which those and such as those have bowed before him, be they my old chum, Alexei Salmonella, the dunderheids in Aberdeen Council, Grampian cops, and my own alma mater, Robert Gordon's University, which gave the almighty Heffalump an honorary degree for god knows what.

What was wonderful about the film, however, was the dignity and politeness of its makers and the quiet, rueful and philosophical response of those immediately affected by the building of this humungous carbuncle, namely the residents of the Menie Estate who, despite being harassed and bullied and abused, continued to stick up for their rights. Good on them!