I can only see a bright future for Aberdeen. Yes it has its fair share of junkies and scumbags, but it's certainly no worse than any other city in the UK. I’ve seen more violence in some rural towns on a Saturday night than I have in the city centre. Aberdeen is generally a safe place to live. There are so many exciting new developments going helping to improve Aberdeen too: The AWPR by-pass will have dramatic effects to various areas of the city, reducing traffic levels everywhere from the Haudagain to the Bridge of Dee, from the Beach Esplanade to the North Deeside Road. The Union Square/Guild Square centre will be a massive lift to the shopping available in the city, integrating the train and bus stations and attracting new shoppers up here or retaining locals who would maybe head to Glasgow. The pedestrianisation of Union Street will open up the whole area to become a much more pleasant place. No more crowded pavements or that familiar wait outside M&S for the green man to cross the road. The demolition of the council offices will reveal the hidden historical gem of Provost Skene’s house, creating a new public space and bringing Marischal College back into daily use. The extension of the Bon-Accord centre into the Gallowgate area adding more shopping capacity. New arts centre in Union Terrace Gardens, which will not only provide an exciting new venue but rejuvenate the under-used gardens. Trump’s Pitch n’ Putt at Balmedie: Bringing in the tourists, jobs and a bit of glamour. Of course there are objections to many of these projects on various grounds, but they will all help improve this city. Oil production and exploration will decline at a slow rate over the coming decades. However this is an ageing workforce. A huge proportion the people employed in the industry are expected to retire in the next 10-15 years and this will more than make up for any decline in jobs. Thousands of people will be needed in the industry to start gaining the experience necessary to fill these vacancies. Unemployment in Aberdeen will remain low, and all those retiring old-boys will start pumping their retirement funds into the pubs, golf courses and garden centres all over the north east. It just seems to be the character of this city, or maybe just human nature, to have a good moan. The weather is shite, the food is shite, the traffic is shite, the music scene is shite, my jobs is shite, football team is shite, the nightlife is shite. How many times have you heard any of those expressions lately? How many of them are actually true? I’m rarely on here nowadays but just thought I’d add my 2p. Ta.