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How Gordon Brown the iron man revealed his feet of clay
From: Christopher Kirby, Blackhill Lane, Keighley.
WELL, it's been a while since Gordon Brown took the reins
to lead this once proud nation out of the grips of doom and gloom, yet regular as clockwork he fails time after time producing nothing but false promises.
It seems that this once so called "rated" Iron Chancellor has finally proved to the people of this country that he has, in fact, been nothing but a wide boy, pushing his luck for 10 years, only escaping capture until now through sheer luck. What a mess this Government have made of our country.
Knife culture continues to hit the headlines with innocent communities scared to wander out after dark. Energy bills continue to rise at an obscene rate, our elderly may well bear the brunt of this "death tax" come the winter period.
Homes are being or in the process of being re-possessed due to at least the last seven years of a false economy courtesy of the "iron man".
Yobs continue to control our streets dealing their poison or protecting what they call their patch, congregating in their usual intimidating large numbers while listening to the latest rap music that promotes violence and drives the bad attitude adrenalin through the veins.
A mountain of misery in the job market continues to deprive those who want to work with the manufacturing sector disappearing faster than ever witnessed before, but some will say otherwise. This depressing list goes on and on. While good old slum Britain continues to nose dive, I am astonished and at the same time annoyed that the electorate still believe that Gordon Brown and his absent MPs are still seen to some as the saviours of this current serious situation.
This is a party that while in bed with the unions still cannot provide a solution to this country's woes, a worry in itself.
There is no doubt about it; we are in one big hole and thanks to Mr Prudence and his gang of freeloaders, the ladder to sanctuary is no longer available.
From: Michael Wilson, William Court, York.
I CANNOT be the only person to have noticed the fixed smile that now seems glued to our Prime Minister's face. The once dour and sombre man seems to have either had smile-coaching, or surgery. It is as well that no disaster has befallen the nation since the vision of that clown-like smile trying to look sober does not bear thinking about.
Welcome holidays for the prince we hope to have faith in
From: Michael Wilson, William Court, Blue Bridge Lane, York.
I think it a bit churlish of LF Boyle (Yorkshire Post, August 20) to highlight the three holidays in exotic parts being taken by Prince William and his girlfriend.
How many other young men have been in the Army, Navy and RAF in the space of a few months and all so that he can be better able to be Commander-in-Chief when he becomes monarch?
Would it be appropriate to inquire when he will spend some time as a country parson in preparation for becoming Defender of the Faith?
From: T Lawty, Langtoft, Driffield.
IN reply to LF Boyle, it is not only the Royal Family who have holidays. Tony Blair when he was Prime Minster took holidays.
We can afford the Royal Family. I don't want to live in a Republic. The Queen and the Royal Family have the ability to unite Britain unlike the divisive nature of politicians.
Don't forget the two Princes have served in the Forces. They need not have done that. Both Princes are involved in a lot of charity work. Prince Harry helps and does work for his African charity in Lesotho. They need not do that. Prince Charles started the Prince's Trust and that has helped a lot of youngsters.
Maybe some of the people he has helped could tell us about it.
No political leader is permanent and they cannot be impartial because they have loyalty to their own political party.
The Queen and the Royal Family do alot of good work. We should be proud
of them .
From: Susan Abbott, Melbourne Road, St Johns, Wakefield.
WHO is LF Boyle going to slate next – footballers, businessmen, politicians? I've just come back from a super holiday in – wait for it – Scarborough and had a great time despite the inclement weather!
Most of us have to work for a living including the above mentioned and we all have choices we can make. Be thankful you are well enough to work and focus on what you do have.
You'll not be happy or have inner peace by being envious of what others
have or do and you will only end up being bitter.
A bungled poll that has disenfranchised thousands
From: Richard Cooper-Holmes, Dunscroft Grove, Rossington, Doncaster
I DO not understand why parish councillors Terry Wilde and Diane Field are getting so self-righteous over the parish poll (Yorkshire Post, July 26) with less than 10 per cent of people voting. The truth is, if you want a referendum about the proposed eco-town, it might be helpful to have a question on the ballot paper that mentions the eco-town – they chose not to; or to send out literature which explains what is proposed – they chose not to.
To make matters worse for our parish councillors, thanks to the tough standards the Government applies to eco-towns, the Rossington scheme was revised; so the only house building will now be on the old colliery site – a brownfield development. The parish council could have asked for residents' views about building on the old colliery site – but they chose not to.
The parish council could have sent out a postal survey asking several questions – they chose not to.
If parish councillors took their heads out of the sand, they would find that each eco-town has to produce a certain number of new local jobs as well as housing – and the jobs have to come first; and 30 per cent of the housing has to be affordable or for rent.
The parish council has wasted money on a bungled poll that was out of date before the question was even put to a vote. The way they did it disenfranchised thousands. If Doncaster Council had planned a consultation in this way, Mr Wilde would be first to be calling for resignations. The councillors responsible for organising this mess should pay the cost of it out of their own pockets. They would demand that of others.Why maths adds to our understanding
From: Dr K Swann, Gomersal, Cleckheaton.
Rob Eastaway's article "Go forth and multiply, it's time to discover maths" (Yorkshire Post, August 19) raises an interesting support for more mathematics in schools. What he could also have added is that a good knowledge of maths is required in many subjects, particularly in engineering, technology, sciences and physics.
Mathematics also leads to a greater understanding of statistics which when correctly gathered and analysed are essential in identifying the difference between opinion, anecdote, feeling and fact, the latter being a requirement every subject demands for further understanding.
We must remember that statistics are most volatile ammunition in the political world around Westminster. One party's increase can be spun by another side as a decrease as statistical goalposts are moved as methods of calculation shift and figures are viewed through a "distorted lens". We need to be able to see through such manipulations. More knowledge of maths within our society would bring a sea change in the manner we consider political analysis.
Finally, we should all give Rob Eastaway our best wishes regarding his publications and hope these become compulsory reading for our politicians in Westminster Village.
Boris fails Olympic test
From: Raymond Shaw, Hullen Edge Road, Elland, West Yorkshire.
MAY I pay a very humble tribute to our nation's sportsmen who performed so admirably against the world's elite? Watching the Beijing magnificently staged closing ceremony, just one person made me truly ashamed.
I was truly appalled at the appearance of our nation's representative, London's Mayor, Boris Johnson, who, let's face it, achieved office only through the dissatisfaction with the previous incumbent.
Our Mayor did for a change wear a tie, but his ill-fitting suit with slovenly gait, reminded me of a former leader of the opposition who appeared at an Armistice Day event in Whitehall in similar slovenly attire. At the risk of being in a majority of one, I respectfully submit we witnessed a disgrace to his party as well as our country.
Instincts that lead to war
From: T Scaife, Manor Drive, York.
THE 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still starring Yorkshire born (Idle, Bradford), York Rep actor and Hollywood movie star Michael Rennie, is being remade.
In the original movie Patricia Neal as Mrs Benson rushes to stop Gort, the robot companion of Klaatu (Michael Rennie), from embarking on the destruction of Earth in response to Klaatu's death.
Should anything happen to him, Klaatu gives Mrs Benson the instruction to make Gort abort his attack mission: "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!"
Stop giggling at the back!
The point here is that Patricia Neal had trouble remembering her line just as our world leaders have trouble delivering the far simpler line: "Peace, not war." Maybe it isn't their fault as they are relying on brains that have evolved from fishes then reptiles to mammals through to "modern" man.
Embedded in our brains is the "old" brain from where emotions have evolved based on survival instincts, the excesses of which are usually tempered by reason in the modern part of the brain.
However our reptilian and old mammalian structures of the brain create a Jekyll and Hyde personality in all of us, which may explain the rush to war due to our basic instinct for self-preservation.
Rather than teeth and talons our modern leaders have bullets, bombs and missiles for weapons to intimidate and control territory.
Maybe one day humans will learn from negative war experiences and switch off the urge for war. Or perhaps a planetary policeman such as Gort will be necessary to save us from ourselves.
The Royal stockings
From: Mrs Dorothy J Barron, Hazlehead, Crowedge, Sheffield.
IN reference to your report "Victoria's Stockings up for grabs" (Yorkshire Post, August 14) concerning the black silk stockings once belonging to Queen Victoria, for your information, these were made by the Elliott family firm belonging to my great-great grandfather Stephen Elliott of Swanwick, Derbyshire, the firm's trademark was "Swanicose".
All the silk stockings were hand stitched and embroidered with the Royal Crest. My mother, the late Grace Elliott, was a member of the family and often spoke of when she was a young girl seeing her aunts and other relatives busy working on the stockings.
As well as supplying hosiery to the Queen and the Royal Family, the firm's clientele extended to many other members of the aristocracy.
I am told that there are artefacts relating to the work of the Elliott family firm in museums in Derby and Leicester.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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