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heraldnet.com


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Send letters to the editor by e-mail to letters@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-339-3458 or mail to The Herald - Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

 
WEEK IN REVIEW
Thursday


For old ferries, it's the end of the line
Tribal leaders accused of smoke-shop tax scam
'I blew her away,' girl's father told police
Wednesday


Kimberly-Clark keeps closer eye on its Everett ...
Owners protest Monroe plan for 'potentially dan...
Marysville man charged in fatal shooting of 6-y...
Tuesday


Girl, 6, fatally shot; father jailed
Century-old Arlington house succumbs to flames
In Snohomish and other cities, sales tax revenu...
Monday


Economy forces teens to cope with smaller allow...
Tax hike sought to clean up Puget Sound
Oso residents want to use old school as communi...
Sunday


Monroe may toughen rules for some dog breeds
County preparations kept flood rescues to minimum
It's playtime, maties
Saturday


A mom and dad of her own
Deal likely to avert strike of Boeing engineers
Sultan eliminates its police department
Friday


Snohomish County flooding was less severe than ...
Water warning a pain for some Snohomish restaur...
Arlington High's 'Peter Pan' takes to the air
 

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Published: Monday, July 7, 2008

Trump tightens up his grip on arrogance

It's time for Scotland to vote Donald Trump off the island. Or say, "You're fired," just to make sure he gets it.

The billionaire real estate developer and business magnate, TV personality and best-selling author is trying to get approval to build the "world's greatest golf course" on a protected stretch of Aberdeenshire coastline. The $2 billion project includes two championship courses, a five-star hotel, a golf academy and spa, 950 time-share vacation villas and 950 holiday homes that will sell for a minimum of $1 million. Trumpian proportions, in other words.

After an Aberdeenshire Council committee rejected the plans, an inquiry was ordered by Scottish ministers, which is currently under way. Environmentalists and others oppose the project; several business interests favor it.

Local residents and conservationists say one course should not be built on the Foveran Links, a stretch of shifting sand dunes that is home to some of the country's rarest wildlife and is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. The sands are known as a "dynamic dune" because they shift under a large "dome" during prevailing winds.

But the shifting sand may interfere with golfing, so Trump plans to "stabilize" the shifting sand. Correct.

Of the beautiful land on which Trump wishes to build, he said: "I have never seen such an unspoilt and dramatic seaside landscape." So, naturally, his inclination is to spoil it.

Trump is accused by Britain's Ramblers' Association of not understanding Scotland's "right to roam" laws.

"He appeared to believe that he could establish a gated housing and leisure development with security personnel to keep the public out. Neither did he appear to understand that the public have access rights across any part of the proposed golf course, apart from the greens, so long as they do not interfere with people playing golf," said the Ramblers' Scotland director, Dave Morris.

Public access would indeed ruin the snob appeal favored by Trump. One doesn't have to condescend, or imagine an idealized Scottish life, to hope with American gusto that Trump's plan will be rejected. No matter what economic benefit, (service jobs, anyone?) people will regret this man's vision and arrogance. Telling Scotland he's going to build the "World's Greatest golf course"? Trump has a lot of advice on achieving "success." "Think big" is one of his overriding themes. He also says, "Go against the tide; go with your gut. This is a very dangerous thing. Going against the tide isn't good for dumb people."

Going against the tide, stabilizing shifting sand, sticking with the comb-over. That's only good for, uh, rich people.

1. 'I blew her away,' girl's father told police
2. Tribal leaders accused of smoke-shop tax scam
3. Woman struck by car along Lynnwood street
4. Prosecutor says death was caused by paranoia
5. 5 vehicle pile-up on I-5 snarls traffic
6. For old ferries, it's the end of the line
7. Boeing cuts defense 800 jobs, sees pending delivery backlog peaking
8. Silvertips show Portland no mercy
9. Jackson ponders: What if?
10. Everett to reach out to Silver Lake area
Enterprise Newspaper Snohomish County Business Journal
Edmonds' Pink House staying put
King's wins first state volleyball title
RV in plain sight? City says 'That's illegal'
Timberwolves take Class 4A title
Mavs can't hang on against Capital
TV success shares life as artist, geek
Education at Fircrest Rehabilitation Center in question
Edmonds police pulled over murder victim, suspect
T-birds, Scots break school records at state
The Enterprise Online Newspaper

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