Sponsored by
Knee jerk responses will not change society
From: RC Curry, Adel Grange Close, Leeds. YOUR correspondent Don Booker (Yorkshire Post, July 12) in his observation about "knife culture" is at one with the experienced school headmaster and government behaviour advisor Sir Alan Steer in saying that it is all about wider society and its attitudes. The Yorkshire Post "Comment" on July 14 likewise added its weight.
More than half a century of successive governments taking over our lives has taken its toll, as too many people now look to others all the time to resolve their problems, but there are other cultural changes.
An attitude of selfishness and personal arrogance has spread through the country over recent generations. Petty anger, anti-social behaviour and violence, all widely shown on television, are the first resort of too many people.
Abuse by the workshy of the aid available to the unfortunate is an example of selfish greed. The push and shove attitude on the roads reflects wide ranging intolerance.
Too many marriages and other partnerships fail before the first hurdle and many more collapse later. Parental bad habits are passed down the generations, as many know no different.
Many regard school as a national child-minding service and far too many children are just left to wander the streets unchecked.
No wonder so many young people are bemused and left with "nothing to do" but express their anger.
Yet what do we have from the Government but a promise of more laws, parental orders and gimmicks? A plethora of such have been introduced over the last decade to little effect, as they do not reach the roots of these wider society attitudes. Throwing people out of their houses will only shift the problem, not solve it.
Ministers must stop chiselling away at the laws of the land and striking out with their fists wherever they can in a constant kneejerk of response.
A cultural change of restraining influence, led from the top by politicians who are prepared to show by personal example, is required. It seems from recent happenings in Parliament in one area of selfishness, that this may be a long time in coming.
Height of luxury in the modern Dakota
From: AJ Wallace, Bents Crescent, Dronfield.
YOU recently reported (Yorkshire Post, July 12) that the Dakota DC-3 took part in the Berlin Airlift and printed a photograph of the interior showing Dawn Cross, from Leeds Bradford Airport, "in the spartan passenger area".
In 1948, when the airlift took place, I was in the RAMC working in the British GHQ in Berlin and on demobilisation in July of that year, I was airlifted out of Berlin to Helmstead, about 150 miles to the west.
If the interior of the Dakota had been as depicted in the photo, we would have considered it the height of luxury. The seating consisted of canvas (you could hardly call it seats) along each side of the aircraft where we sat facing each other.
After taking my place, a young couple came in with a child in a carry-cot; they sat opposite me and placed the carry-cot in the middle of the plane between us. The journey was uneventful and we landed in Helmstead after a short time.
It would be interesting to me if a photo exists of the interior of a DC-3 taken during that time when these planes were used to transport goods, eg coal, food etc into Berlin and ferry personnel out.
From: Donald Wilford, Leeds Road, Wakefield.
THE recent article announcing the withdrawal of the Dakota DC-3 from passenger flights evoked a rush of nostalgia from my wife and me. We were married on July 7, 1956, and took our honeymoon in the Isle of Man. We travelled to Yeadon Airport, as was, and boarded a Dakota operated by the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and flew off to start 52 years of happy marriage.
We were obviously very excited at the prospect of flying because, of course, it was quite an innovation in those days. The weather became a factor even in those days and the return flight was unable to land at Yeadon due to the lack of ground control facilities and we were diverted to Blackpool Airport, with a coach to transport us to Yeadon.
Because of the lateness of the hour, and the fact that we were broke after the costs of the past few weeks, this created quite a problem and we had visions of having to camp out in the airport until the following morning.
However, as was perhaps fitting for the occasion, the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation kindly agreed to divert the coach via Wakefield and saved the day.Length of life is not the only factorFrom: Phyllis Capstick, Hellifield, Skipton.
HOW I agree with Frank Pedley (Yorkshire Post, July 10). Most older people do not fear dying, in fact many would welcome it.
What they fear most is being kept alive on drugs (with the associated side effects), to meet some Government target on longevity (and to prove how clever they are) when their natural span of life is over. Thus having to suffer the indignities and disrespect and sometimes even abuse that this can cause.
This course of action by doctors has no benefit to the person involved or society at large and can cause much distress and human suffering.
I am sure there is a fate worse than death and to fight to keep someone alive when it would be kinder and better for everyone to let them go, does no-one any favours.
We all have to die at some point. In many cases, why prolong the agony for that person?
For the Government to say "we are keeping people alive longer" is not necessarily something to be proud of.
In our society if older people were wanted and valued for their wisdom and experience of life, as they are in many cultures, maybe we could understand the powers that be wanting to keep them alive longer (for their contribution), but as things are they are not valued at all.
An eroded identity
From: D Smith, Sandhill Way, Harrogate.
SURELY by now everyone should have had enough socialism to last this century.
Not a week passes without more ways to tell us how to live our lives, more ways to squeeze further stealth taxes, more legislation to restrict our civil liberties.
We are under surveillance by millions of cameras, for which we foot the bill, and under pressure to carry ID cards, all in the guise of national security and to what avail?
The terrorists are already here, ID cards would give them carte blanche. Legislation supposedly for terrorists, once on the statutes can be used against anyone.
We are allowing ourselves to be led into the trap of state control. Our taxes are stolen to finance conflict around the world and interference with the affairs of other nations. Billions of pounds of our money is given to Africa yet many of us cannot afford to visit a dentist.
Our national identity is being eroded by those who insist we become European by signing away our sovereignty without a referendum.
We are being led by the nose by self-righteous, dictatorial, control freaks.
Our aching dental void
From: Allan Davies, Heathfield Court, Grimsby.
I NOTE your article on our dental crisis (Yorkshire Post, July 11). It is, I am afraid, one which will continue for many years.
The UK is at the bottom of an OECD league of nine Western European nations. We have one dentist for every 2,500 people. Immediately above comes Spain with one for every 1,250 people, pro rata, twice as many as in the UK.
If we were able to double the number of dental students, it would take the working lifetime of a dentist for that doubled flow of dentists to bring about a doubled stock.
In the meantime, I can only recommend patients to turn to their copies of Hymns Ancient and Modern, where they will find the hymn: "O, for a
closer walk with God," one verse of which reads: "What peaceful hours I once enjoyed. How sweet their mem'ry still. But they have left an aching void the world can never fill."
There is (was?) a most beautiful recording of the Glasgow Orpheus Choir conducted by Hugh Robertson which they will find most soothing.
Railway bid will provide a valuable link to London
From: Mark Leving, managing director, First Hull Trains, Premier House, Ferensway, Hull.
TOM Smithard has reduced
the argument for direct rail services from Harrogate to London to a "he says – she
says" playground spat – which
it patently isn't – in the pages
of your newspaper ("Rail
firms united in opposition to rival's services", Yorkshire Post, July 11).
Sadly, this story does a disservice to the rail industry and all of the transport operators that propose to operate services that converge on the main line between Yorkshire and London King's Cross.
Mr Smithard has used returns and responses published on the Office of Rail Regulation's website as source material. While it is important that this material is in the public domain, there is a real danger that rail operators' legitimate contributions, based on hard evidence, are being taken wholly out of context.
Consultation is now closed on our application to run direct services from Harrogate to London. Our proposals for a new rail company called Harrogate Trains would see us operate the direct services between Harrogate and London King's Cross that the town and region deserves and have done so for some time.
Harrogate Trains Limited's initial eight daily direct services to and from the capital would address the poor rail links that are currently hampering business growth and also see the creation of at least 30 jobs.
The Harrogate Trains proposal is one of three bids to operate additional services between the north of England and London. However, we feel that First Hull Trains' proven background as one of the most reliable long distance train operators and experience of establishing a similar service elsewhere suggests that our bid is the strongest and most compelling option going forward.
At all times, throughout the application process, we have presented a robust business case and have also received an enormous amount of support for the services that we propose.
As a non-franchised operator, we have proven our professionalism, enjoyed phenomenal business growth and have a track record that our rival operators submitting bids cannot match. Our intention is to repeat the successful model that we have developed with First Hull Trains with our proposed Harrogate to London service.
Where are MPs' receipts?
From: Norman C Thompson, Fulmar Way, Gateford, Worksop.
AS MPs pay income tax, how
do they get away with not producing receipts for the huge amounts they claim as expenses? Surely, if the relevant House of Commons Committee do not require receipts, the Inland Revenue must – or is this just another case of do as I say, not as I do?
Maybe their colleagues in Customs and Excise should look into this. It would give them a break from checking red and white diesel in tractors at the Yorkshire Show. If you had a competition for Establishment Boob of the Year, whoever authorised this exercise would certainly come in the top 10.
Tomorrow's new slums
From: TJ Wooding, West End Lane, Horsforth, Leeds.
FURTHER to "Party's over for towers" (Yorkshire Post, July 10), your story on the halted Lumiere project, I predicted months ago that this development would come to an end – it should never have been passed in the first place. The buildings are far too tall and would overshadow and take light from the existing buildings.
This area of land south of the city should have been developed as the Millennium Square where people living in all the adjoining noisy shoe-box flats have a leisure area.
All we are creating with all the flats/apartments are tomorrow's slums.
Power of persuasion
From: Eric Richards, Pinfold Close, Riccall, York.
I NOTE that the Gaullist MEP Alain Lamassoure, has a rather odd, EU-style way of looking at democracy.
The reason that the EU should hold no more such votes (as in the Irish referendum) says Lamassoure, is that "we have a duty to grant our citizens more power". Hmm. Less voting equates to "more power".
Yes. He really has got the hang of forked-tongued "eurospeak" – hasn't he?
Slave to protocol
From: G Senior, Spa Well Lane, West Cowick, near Goole.
BRIAN Whittaker asks if anyone can tell him the difference between Robert Mugabe and the EU (Yorkshire Post, July 8). This statement from an EU official in Brussels might help him to decide: "Once a country applies to join the EU it becomes our slave."
Email to a friend
Print this page- Leeds lose Ward to Palace: Is there anyone they can afford now?
- Sheffield Wednesday leaving it late to hijack Leeds United over Ward
- As Snodgrass dithers over Leeds, Warnock throws a lifeline
- Ball is in Leeds United’s court over contract - Snodgrass
- Police turning blind eye to Asian voter fraud, says MP
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
