Press and Journal, The Aberdeen (UK) back issues from March 2008:
More of the same at tacky hotel babylon
Mar 01, 2008 ... Hotel Babylon, BBC1, Friday THIS tacky series returned to our screens on Friday. It purportedto examine the seedy underbelly of London's bustling hotel trade,although at times, this particular establishment resembled a high-class brothel rather than a hotel. It was business ...
Warming to the grill house
Mar 01, 2008 ... With spring just around the corner and the days growing longer,the last thing you want to think about is being chilly. How abouteating it instead, then? Chilli that is, not winter - sounds thesame but the spelling is a little different and the meaning exactlythe opposite. Where ...
Writing in Steven's blood
Mar 01, 2008 ... Prolific doesn't even begin to describe the output of Scottishwriter Kenneth Steven. Last year saw the publication of a volume of selected poems, anew poetry collection and two new children's books. In between, healso found time to release his first CD, record several ...
Use your head profitably
Mar 01, 2008 ... A Staggering eight out of 10 Brits have had a "Eureka" moment atone time or another, but lack of funding, confidence and knowledgeabout where to start are stopping many of the six million brightideas they dream up every week from ever being realised. In fact, the new survey for the ...
Into the west with little people
Mar 01, 2008 ... For some time, I've had a hankering to take my family to Ireland,but somehow it never happened. I imagined beautiful scenery,friendly people and a relaxed, peaceful atmosphere, where mychildren could run around happily. Now I've finally been, andreality didn't disappoint. Our ...
Pet-iquette mishaps
Mar 01, 2008 ... It's not just children who are apt to embarrass us at the mostinopportune moments. A survey by veterinary charity PDSA suggests that pets are alsoguilty of leaving their owners red-faced - mostly due to bodilyfunctions such as answering the call of nature, mounting strangersor ...
Wash your paws
Mar 01, 2008 ... Love long dog walks but hate muddy paw prints on the carpet andcar upholstery? An American actress reckons she has come up with the solution, inthe unlikely shape of the Paw Plunger. The device - a sturdy, portable, plastic mug - is designed to befilled with warm water so ...
All the fun of the fair
Mar 01, 2008 ... Buying food with a Fairtrade mark is one easy way to ease yourconscience. The logo is an independent guarantee that disadvantagedpeople in the developing world who produce your food are getting agood deal. The movement, initiated in the late-1980s, celebratesannual Fairtrade Fortnight, ...
It's in the jeans
Mar 01, 2008 ... Trends may come and go, but if there's a staple that alwayssurvives season after season, it's trusty old jeans. Long the wardrobe stalwart of the style-savvy, denim jeans havebeen around for decades. Victoria Beckham's Rock & Republic jeans may set you back morethan ...
How to raise little bookworms
Mar 01, 2008 ... Most adults think of reading as being immersed in a good novel -but for teenagers, enjoyable reading is far more likely to be on-screen or in a magazine. The fact is that reading covers everything from works of fact andfiction to websites, and even the back of cereal packets - ...
More to rhubarb than tarts
Mar 01, 2008 ... Rhubarb has had a bit of a makeover in recent years. It is nolonger simply stewed and spooned over cornflakes or custard -delicious as that might be. Crumble was, and still is, thefavourite, but also as a sponge pudding, a floppy fool or an oozingtart - all wonderful. I do ...
Beauty gets the blues
Mar 01, 2008 ... Blue lips may be traditionally associated with extreme cold, butlooks created for Louis Vuitton's catwalk collection have made bluebeauty hot, hot, hot on the trend radar this season. Models sashayed down the spring/summer 08 catwalk with bold bluelips, which proved almost a bigger ...
Playing the scarlett woman
Mar 01, 2008 ... New Yorker Scarlett Johansson seems to have a thing about playingBritish royals at the moment. In The Other Boleyn Girl, she plays Mary, Henry VIII's mistress,who is believed to have produced his son but never made it to queen.That honour went to her sister, Anne (played by Natalie ...
Lucy and amber find new home
Mar 01, 2008 ... Two elderly Labradors are settling into a perfect new countryhome following an appeal in the Press and Journal. Mark Hardy, Aberdeenshire-based founder of the Labrador RehomingCo-ordination Service, thanked readers who called to offer homes tothe inseparable pair. He said the ...
Shoe obsession
Mar 01, 2008 ... Shoe-mad women will splash out more than pounds33,000 on footwearover a lifetime, according to new research. Each year, women treat themselves to eight pairs of new shoes,and with each pair costing an average of pounds65.88, that adds upto more than pounds527 every year - or ...
Aberdeen teenager off to Crufts
Mar 01, 2008 ... Crufts is the pinnacle of dog competitions across the UK,officially recognised as the world's largest dog show by theGuinness Book of Records. But that does not deter an Aberdeen teenager who is excitedlypreparing for his third stint in the prestigious competition ring,which this ...
New treatment arrives
Mar 01, 2008 ... People in the Highlands are being offered the chance to try out anew beauty treatment that claims to smooth away cellulite and lovehandles, leading to a better contoured body. VelaShape technology, manufactured in Israel and heralded as themost exciting breakthrough since Botox, ...
The way to your mum's heart
Mar 01, 2008 ... Honour thy mother in the kitchen tomorrow and you're guaranteedto score yourself some (chocolate) brownie points. Better still, bake a cake together and you can relive the dayswhen she let you lick the spoon - and rediscover some of thetraditional tastes of childhood. "Many ...
The many faces of chardonnay
Mar 01, 2008 ... The Chardonnay grape is found in many of the worlds wine-producing regions and changes its style depending on the localclimate, soil and wine-making techniques. In cooler climes, aromas and flavours of citrus and apples shinethrough, warming up to stone fruit and melon and becoming ...
The doric column
Mar 01, 2008 ... The hills are alive wi the soun o music an I hid the picter oJulie Andrews in ma myn's ee comin floatin ower the horizon, thesang dirlin an birlin in ma lugs, bit mair, much mair than that, asI sattl't doon tae read the latest beuk o Robert Smith. The hills come loupin at ye, ...
Couple face insurance battle
Mar 01, 2008 ... A Couple who lost all their possessions in a devastating fire ata north-east storage depot two months ago are angry their insuranceclaim has not yet been met in full. Mechanic Stuart Gardner, 51, and his wife Andrea, 41, losteverything when the Clark and Rose warehouse at ...
Nurses' body retaliates after peer's sexist insult
Mar 01, 2008 ... Nurses' representatives yesterday hit back at a peer who brandedthem "grubby, drunken and promiscuous" during a debate in the Houseof Lords. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said Lord Mancroft's commentson Thursday were "grossly unfair on nurses" and amounted to a"sexist ...
Driver who killed cyclist while texting is jailed
Mar 01, 2008 ... A speeding driver who was sending a text message when she hit andkilled a teenage cyclist was yesterday jailed for four years. Hotel manager Kiera Coultas, 25, was replying to a message on hermobile phone when she hit scaffolder Jordan Wickington, 19. The teenager, who was not ...
Minister left with broken nose after fighting off two burglars
Mar 01, 2008 ... A church minister and former scrum half who was left with abroken nose after he fought off two burglars in his own homeyesterday said "worse had happened on the rugby field". The Rev Jon Morgan, minister of the United Reformed Churches inCheltenham, punched and kicked the two men ...
Thugs jailed after killing disabled man for 'sport'
Mar 01, 2008 ... The family of a disabled man who was murdered by a sadistic gangtoasted their lengthy jail sentences with champagne on the courtsteps yesterday. Vulnerable Brent Martin, 23, was punched, kicked, butted andstamped on by three youngsters - whom he thought were his friends -in an ...
Brown seen as a ditherer
Mar 01, 2008 ... More than half of voters regard Prime Minister Gordon Brown as anditherer, according to a poll taken in the wake of thenationalisation of Northern Rock. But more than half also said they believed that Tory leader DavidCameron and shadow chancellor ...
Xx
Mar 01, 2008 ... As Former home secretary David Blunkett was addressing north-east business leaders on the benefits of employing people withdisabilities, an Aberdeen worker was recounting his struggle backto work after a horrific accident. Rorie McLarty lost two fingers in an offshore accident ...
Xxxx
Mar 01, 2008 ... A Woman took the plunge yesterday and took advantage of a leapyear tradition to propose to her boyfriend - at the top of arollercoaster. Jenny Harrold asked "will you marry me?" as the high-speed ridereached its highest point. Her unsuspecting boyfriend, Patrick Hyde,screamed ...
Xxx
Mar 01, 2008 ... A Leap-year marriage proposal brought normal operations at aHighland store to a temporary halt yesterday. Bakery team leader Fiona Buchan stunned fellow Tesco worker NiallFernie when she asked him to marry her over the Tannoy system of thefirm's store in Wick. Colleagues and ...
Dons sweat over Barry threat
Mar 01, 2008 ... Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood believes Rangers' SPL titlehopes hinge on talismanic captain Barry Ferguson remaining fit forthe rest of the campaign. Calderwood, who takes his Aberdeen side to Ibrox this afternoon,is a long-time admirer of the 30-year-old Scotland ...
Do without and it's in the bag
Mar 01, 2008 ... The poly bag has long been a hallmark of convenience in ourconsumer-driven times, but its days could be numbered. As majorretailers move to curb their supply of plastic bags and introducelevies, with Marks & Spencer set to charge 5p per bag from May, arewe seeing a tidal shift in ...
UK is beefing up its meat exports
Mar 01, 2008 ... Trade data just published by HM Revenue and Customs shows meatexports from the UK reached pounds452million last year. The 1.5% increase in the monetary value came in spite of foot-and-mouth restrictions greatly affecting trade from Scotland,England and Wales in August, September ...
Imrie happy to show his versatility for Caley Thistle
Mar 01, 2008 ... Dougie Imrie expected to wait for his chance at Caley Thistle buthas become an instant Inverness first-team regular. After two seasons with Clyde in the First Division the formerjunior player made the step up to the SPL when he signed a two-yeardeal with Caley Jags in ...
FIFA blocks cousin making move to Fulham
Mar 01, 2008 ... Striker Daniel Cousin was last night told he must stay at Rangersfor the rest of the season after Fifa blocked his pounds3millionmove to Fulham. Rangers accepted the offer from the Cottagers on January 22 andstood to make a profit of around pounds2million on the player theysigned ...
Romanov's passion for hearts remains strong, says coach frail
Mar 01, 2008 ... Hearts caretaker manager Stephen Frail insists owner VladimirRomanov is still passionate about the club. Frail defended Romanov after claims from former chairman GeorgeFoulkes that the Lithuanian businessman has lost interest. Foulkes claimed Romanov was the wrong man to be in ...
Industrialist award set for big turnout
Mar 01, 2008 ... There will be a big turnout for the Grampian Industrialist of theYear Award and dinner next week. Nearly 300 tickets have already been sold for the event at theArdoe House Hotel, near Aberdeen, on Friday. The award was created to recognise outstanding entrepreneurialexpertise ...
Firms see benefits of partnership
Mar 01, 2008 ... Aberdeen-based Hydro Group said yesterday it had landed two majorcontract wins worth a six-figure sum. The global provider of optical and electrical products in thesubsea technology industry has won the work with internationaldiving technology company Divex. Hydro is to ...
Small firms angry over immigration checks
Mar 01, 2008 ... The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has criticised newlegislation on employing foreign workers that it says will imposeunrealistic expectations and draconian fines on employers. The FSB said parts of the Immigration, Asylum and NationalityAct, which came into force yesterday ...
Trio's walk to India ends in calais
Mar 01, 2008 ... A Businessman who aimed to walk from Britain to India withoutspending a penny to prove a world without money could exist hasgiven up less than a month into his trip. Mark Boyle, 28, and two companions who joined him on hispilgrimage, set off at the end of last month on his trek ...
Claymore taking over sovereign's drilling arm
Mar 01, 2008 ... Sovereign Oilfield Group, plans - subject to shareholderapproval - to sell its underperforming drilling division toClaymore Investments, a company controlled by Sovereign directorsGraham Burgess, Peter Felter and Julie Cowie. The proposed acquisition price is pounds9million, ...
Expro shares surge after approach
Mar 01, 2008 ... Shares in oilfield technology specialist Expro International soared yesterday after it said it had received a preliminaryproposal which may lead to an offer from an undisclosed suitor. The Reading-based company, which has major operations in Aberdeenand worldwide, said the ...
Threat of gaza invasion after attacks
Mar 01, 2008 ... Gaza was faced with the threat of a full-scale Israeli invasionlast night after a barrage of Palestinian rocket attacks hit bordertowns. The much-battered town of Sderot has taken the brunt of theoffensive, but longer-range Iranian rockets have also hit 120,000-population ...
Quieter start to year for subsea service group
Mar 01, 2008 ... Dof Subsea has said that re-positioning of vessels plus a slowerNorth Sea market during winter meant activity would be lower inthe first quarter of 2008. The Norwegian subsea service group, which has five subsidiariesincluding Aberdeen-based DOF Subsea UK, established last ...
BP staff moving into HQ
Mar 01, 2008 ... Oil giant BP has started the process of moving staff into its newpurpose-built headquarters in Aberdeen. BP's UK and Norwegian North Sea operations will be run from themultimillion-pound complex at Stoneywood Business Park. About 50 people will occupy the site from Monday, with ...
Elgin look for show of character after heavy defeat
Mar 01, 2008 ... Elgin City assistant manager Kenny Gilbert believes the Morayclub's five-goal defeat against Stranraer in mid-week will act as aspur for the club's players when they take on Forfar this afternoon. It is expected that Gilbert and manager Robbie Williamson willmake changes to the ...
Worldwide alert for escaped al qaida leader
Mar 01, 2008 ... A worldwide hunt was on yesterday for an al Qaida-linked Islamicterrorist leader who slipped from custody in Singapore. Interpol issued its top alert for Mas Selamat Kastari who onceplotted to hijack a plane and crash it into the country'sinternational airport. Mas Selamat is ...
Lara Croft creator wielding the axe
Mar 01, 2008 ... Sci Entertainment, the computer-game company behind animatedaction girl Lara Croft, unveiled far-reaching plans yesterday torevive the business. It is to axe more than 260 jobs from its workforce of about1,000 people and axe "run-of-the mill" games to focus on morepopular ...
Radio group says latest bid still out of tune with value
Mar 01, 2008 ... Classic Fm broadcaster GCap Media said yesterday it had rejecteda revised takeover approach valuing it at pounds332.9million afterconsulting major shareholders. GCap said the latest proposal from Heart and Galaxy owner GlobalRadio fell short of the value that it believes will be ...
Call for MoD to meet families of nimrod 14 over body-parts mix-up
Mar 01, 2008 ... A coroner has requested a meeting between the Ministry of Defenceand the families of 14 servicemen killed when a Nimrod from RAFKinloss exploded over Afghanistan, to allay their fears over a bodyparts mix-up. Some remains of the troops who died when the Nimrod spy planecame down ...
Turkey endsraid against rebels in northern Iraq
Mar 01, 2008 ... Turkey ended its massive military raid into northern Iraqyesterday but denied it was acting under pressure from the west. The end of the offensive against Kurdish rebel strongholds came aday after the US warned Turkey needed to move quickly and get out. "Both the start and end ...
Injunction against ex-sas soldier continued
Mar 01, 2008 ... An Injunction served on a former SAS soldier aimed at preventinghim making further disclosures about the work of special forces inIraq was continued by consent following a court hearing yesterday. Ben Griffin, 29, gave a press conference in London on Mondaysaying that Gordon Brown, ...
Us gloom still casting dark shadow over city
Mar 01, 2008 ... The Ftse 100 index lost ground yesterday as gloom in the bankingsector and more economic woes across the Atlantic rattled investors. Record oil prices and early losses in New York trading added touncertainty in London, sending the Footsie down 81.4 points, morethan 1%, to 5,884.3 ...
Lang's top boss nets nearly pounds1.7m
Mar 01, 2008 ... Dundee food wholesaler C.J. Lang and Son has posted apounds400,000-plus increase in annual profits. Accounts released by Companies House yesterday showed Lang -Scotland's largest independent retailing and distribution company -made pre-tax profits of pounds5.039million in the year ...
Babe hopes to be magnet at open day
Mar 01, 2008 ... A little piglet fell off the back of a lorry taking it to market -and was rescued by an animal charity. Babe - as it has been christened - landed on the road rightoutside one of the north-east's biggest wildlife sanctuaries. The lucky three-week-old piglet has now been given a ...
Producers urged to strike right deals
Mar 01, 2008 ... Farmers selling grain on contract have been urged to take a muchgreater interest in what is written into the deals. The plea has come from a leading expert after a year in whichmany farmers signed up to fixed-price contracts with merchantswithout fully understanding the ...
Call for report on progress of rendition flights probe
Mar 01, 2008 ... A Police chief was urged to outline the progress of aninvestigation yesterday into claims rendition flights landed atScottish airports. SNP backbench MSP Jamie Hepburn made the call in a letter toStrathclyde Police Chief Constable Stephen House. The chief constable's ...
Virus cull mix-up leads to slaughter of healthy cow
Mar 01, 2008 ... Bungling officials at a Department for Environment, Food andRural Affairs agency slaughtered the wrong animal after bluetonguewas discovered in an imported cow in Middlesbrough on December 15. Instead of killing the animal infected with the deadly virus theyculled a healthy cow on ...
We have nothing to hide, Kirrie pair insist
Mar 01, 2008 ... An Angus couple who worked in the Jersey care home at the centreof child-abuse claims will be interviewed by police as part of theinvestigation. Tony and Morag Jordan, of Brechin Road, Kirriemuir, were houseparents at Haut de la Garenne care home between 1971-84. The couple ...
City chef sets sights on top food scholarship
Mar 01, 2008 ... A Young chef from Aberdeen will compete for first prize at thefinal of a national cookery competition in Edinburgh on Monday. Ross Cochrane, 23, a former Bankhead Academy pupil, works atHowies Restaurant in Chapel Street. He is one of eight young hopefuls to reach the Scottish ...
Trapdoor discovery at home
Mar 01, 2008 ... Police excavating a children's home in Jersey yesterdaydiscovered a trap door leading to the cellar where victims say theysuffered horrific sexual and physical abuse. The discovery of the door in the ceiling of the underground roomgives further weight to accounts from children who ...
Talks under way to save Dundee jobs
Mar 01, 2008 ... Talks are under way to try and save the livelihoods of 150employees of a Dundee manufacturing company. Texol Technical Solutions, best known for creating a popularmidge-zapping device, have called in administrators to try andsalvage as much of the company as possible, after the ...
Hotel wins top accolade at awards
Mar 01, 2008 ... Perthshire's Ballathie House Hotel, near Stanley, has been namedthe Scottish Country Sports Hotel of the Year - one of the topaccolades at the Scottish Hotel of the Year Awards. The event, which took place in Edinburgh, is the biggest annualgathering of Scottish ...
Removal of A96 bottleneck take a step forward
Mar 01, 2008 ... Plans to get rid of one of the worst bottlenecks on the A96through Moray have taken a major step forward. Work on the long-awaited bypass for Fochabers and Mosstodlochcould start later this year or early next and be completed by summer2010. A consultation was held in December ...
Plans lodged to rebuild local hero village hall
Mar 01, 2008 ... Plans have been tabled to rebuild Local Hero village Pennan'spublic hall, which was almost destroyed by last summer's landslides. The venue was the building worst hit when hundreds of tonnes ofmud and water swamped the community in August last year. The deluge crashed through ...
Brora call for repeat of vale form
Mar 01, 2008 ... Brora Rangers midfielder Mark Kennedy hopes his side can end its poor recent run against rivals Wick Academy when the two teams meetat Dudgeon Park in the first round of the Highland League Cup today. The 24-year-old notched an unexpected equaliser againstDeveronvale last Saturday ...