Infiltrator

Ta, I've got someone headed to ABZ on the 20:00 so good to know they're being sensible and using Scatsta. Mind you, will be interesting to see if Flybe are allowed to load pax at Scatsta - wasn't this the issue previously?

So where's the flight headed?

12:30 flight from Abz to Sumburgh departed @ 14:12 so I guess the airport is open again?

Question for the supporters.. Much of the recent debate has been around CO2 emissions so... would you still support the development if it was fully funded and operated by one of the energy companies and none of the profit found it's way back to the islands economy? I'm assuming the staunch environmentalists are only concerned about reducing emissions - so who funds and benefits financially isn't a concern to them.

Mine is 32.90 tonnes - but this covers 4.5 people so on that basis I'm not much worse than you - despite having 4 cars and a long distance holiday flight for 5 people. Maybe you should reconsider your 'hermit' style existance

AT, you're starting to sound like a reformed alcoholic or someone that's been saved by one of the more extreme religions Your lifestyle choices are your personal choice, they're not for everyone and certainly not me. How would you feel about someone who used a car rather than bothering to get out of bed to catch a bus

^A crap sailor would only get rescued once, an idiot on the other hand...

^Maybe he's passionate enough to write letters in support of the wind farm? Or is 'Onion St' a red herring? - if you get my drift..

Beg to differ, an idiot can also be someone who is utterly foolish or senseless, I think you'll find that Calamity regularly ticked those boxes on his maritime adventure.

Oil in (and around) Shetland brought long term well paid jobs and therefore gave Shetland Uni graduates a reason to return to the isles. I can't see the wind farm doing this, unless the council continues employing 25% of the working population subsidised by the wind farm. The wind farm won't stop the population decline - may slow it a bit but it will still continue. I've been living away from Shetland for a few years now and when I make the trip back it's very clear that Shetlands attraction and beauty is in it's rugged unspoilt landscapes. Turning it into something that wouldn't look out of place on a Terminator film set will destroy the islands appeal to tourists - plus I couldn't see me moving back, it's not the sort of place I'd like retire to.

Arrogant, bitter, envious? try normal law abiding tax payers. You need to seek some help

Our house (sooth) has been on Google street since it was launched - we've since been inundated with thieves, vandals and salesmen - not Biggest problem is that it reminded me the windows needed painting

^^ Not a supporter of the wind farm on any level - economic or environmental, but you'll find your answers if you follow the link. They expect SSE or the government to fund the cable to the mainland. http://www.vikingenergy.co.uk/faqs.asp

The only fish these clowns should be allowed near should be goldfish in a bowl A loan from the Shetland Development Trust - presumably the cash originated from the oil reserve fund? It's crossed my mind that the history of Shetlands oil cash, how it was won, invested, and where it's all gone would make an interesting read.

I went for a hike up Bennachie at the weekend, from the top you can clearly see the wind turbines at the Glens of Foundland near Huntly. There they have 20 wind turbines, 80 metres in height from base to tip and they're very noticable given the landscape around Aberdeenshire. I tried to imagine what 150+ wind turbines approx twice this height would look like, and all I can think is that Shetland can kiss goodbye to tourism if you end up with a wind farm of the size planned. Shetlands attraction for many tourists is it's unspoiled landscape. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glens_of_Foudland_Wind_farm.jpg

Blimey Paul, your so far off the mark on most of this I'm not sure where to start... 1) The 'rec centres' were built and run by the oil companies. It was only in the 90's when most of the travelling workers had left that the oil companies gave the Firth centre to the council as a community centre. 2) Not all the new housing in Brae, Firth and Mossbank was built by the council, some of it was built by the oil companies and then transferred to the council when they no longer required the housing. Most of the housing you refer to as substandard was only ever intended as temporary housing (15 yrs'ish) The council never built housing for travelling workers, the council housing that caused the housing debt was for folk who had moved to Shetland to live/work. I think you'll find that it was housing developments from Sumburgh to Unst that contributed to the debt - Sandvein and Nederdale included. 3) Yes there is an agreement 4) There has been income since 2000, the agreement terms changed in 2000. I'm not defending the oil companies, I think Shetland has had a very good deal compared to other UK regions with similar industrial developments - but your post does have a whiff of greed about it - why do you think the oil companies should further subsidise the local economy?

^Can't remember about inflation? The whole deal was renegotiated in 2000 with more favourable terms for the oil companies to secure a longer term future for the terminal given the much reduced throughput.

Yeah but £11m a year is chicken feed to oil companies ... interesting read though. As far as I'm aware the only other UK local council that received any 'oil money' was the Orkney Island council and their oil reserve fund is significantly less than Shetlands. Unless you lived through it, it's very difficult to realise the transformation that Shetland went through largely due to the oil fund and other oil related cash. How many other regions with a population of 20,000 people have 9 swimming pools, 200 halls and roads that would be the envy of most councils. £11 million a year may not seem much but it's £11 million a year more than it would have been had the oil been landed anywhere on the mainland UK. As for the new chief exec, good luck to him, surely things can only improve

The Poll was only intended to gauge local support for Stuarts campaign method. I did suggest a new thread which would've given a better explanation for the poll but the mods asked us to keep to this thread. The Poll seemed to appear at the same instant that I posted the below? Maybe the Shetlink mods can now see what we're typing before we post

I'll leave it to the mods, they asked that we don't start a new thread.

^That's why I suggested a new thread, nice simple poll 'Do you support Stuart Hills Campaign' Mods on defcon 4 tonight

I read that and can't understand your point. He says he has a job waiting in Shetland and they've put their names on the council housing list - this is how it works? The post was almost a year out of date and I was hoping the original poster might respond as lot can happen in a year. Do you have a problem with incomers getting offered council houses? I'm not aware they get any extra points not being resident in Shetland.

No, you're not missing anything, hence the poll - now cast your vote, none of this shirking claiming mods can't vote nonsense

I'm somewhat speechless at the tone of this thread, I presume you're positioning yourself for the head of immigration in the new independent Shetland state? I was born in Shetland and spent 40+ years there, in that time I worked closely with hundreds of incomers and I can't remember anyone ever being made feel unwelcome by locals. And as for Stuart paying his own way - he may well be but he's costing us honest taxpayers a fortune between his boating (£1 miilion+ I'm sure I read somewhere) and this ludicrous Forvik protest - police time, court time, council time and legal expenses, oh and another rescue by the coastguards. I've nothing against Stuart, I just believe his campaign is misguided, lacks local support and his tactics are even alienating his campaign from even folk who supported him in the beginning. But will he listen, lets see what the poll tells us first.

Just waiting for the block vote from Sandness in favour, will Skeld follow suit just like the Eurovision