Saturday's Letters: The snow shows we get what we pay for

When did we last have a winter like this? When are we likely to have another? Have those people who are complaining got metal studded tyres? No, because all these things cost extra money.

Are those people who are complaining prepared to pay for extra gritters, etc, which will have to be stored before using again for a few days in several years' time? The Swiss have elaborate snow clearing apparatus as they know it will be used regularly.

Most people in this country do not know how to drive in ice and snow. They should go to Italy and flounder about in the mud and snow of the Apennines, as I was doing this time 66 years ago. Most of our vehicles had rear wheel drive. Front wheel is much easier.

In Switzerland, I have seen people with bits of metal attached to the soles of their boots. What shopkeeper would stock those here and wait for years to get his money back?

You get what you pay for.

Drive in as high a gear as possible, smoothly. If you see trouble ahead, slow down now.

We are told to take warm clothes, food, etc. Another essential is some grit and a shovel. If you get stuck on ice, do not spin your wheels, as that will make matters worse. Get some grit under your wheels and get going again.

From: Alan Marsden, Pledwick Lane, Sandal, Wakefield.

From: M Hellawell, Cross Lane, Scarborough.

WITH reference to the gritting of pavements (Yorkshire Post, January 2), we should learn from Germany. Every householder is responsible for their patch of pavement. Grit bins are provided on every street and road. Neighbours do pavements for the elderly. Problem solved.

Also, in many areas there are hot water pipes under the pavements and roads to provide blocks of flats with hot water from a central source. This does help to melt ice.

From: Eric Houlder, Fairview, Carleton, Pontefract.

BRIAN Fowler's letter (Yorkshire Post, January 7) brought back memories of being roused from bed at a very early hour to help my father fit snow chains to our milk truck. This was the 1950s, when salt was not used.

Rather, the council snow-ploughed main roads and spread sand on others. Historically-minded readers will be interested to learn that in those days even the footpaths were cleared.

Having a dairy business, we were always out long before the council men, and the chains were a necessity. However, the other side of the coin is that once the roads became reasonably clear we had to take the chains off, as they would cut the tyres to pieces.

Now that we are back to a situation where only a very few roads are treated (that is in the Wakefield Council area – I cannot speak for other areas) chains might begin to make a comeback, always remembering the discomfort of fitting, and then removing them.

From: Kevin Maguire, Hanover Street, Batley.

IN just over 30 years' time, a generation of today's children will be telling their children of the winter of 2010. As they do so, a hovercraft will be removing snow from the streets where they live. Yes, time moves on.

From: David Woosnam, Woodrow Park, Scartho, Grimsby.

HOW long before Gordon Brown arranges a G20 summit on the problem of global freezing?

A deluded look at the decade

From: Tim Hunter, Farfield Avenue, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

THE BBC's History of Now: The Story of the Noughties was an irritatingly trivial analysis of the first decade of this century, in which so many important things happened.

The main thing that happened during the Noughties, according to the programme, was that an ageing Britain became obsessed with recapturing its youth.

Really? Did this happen in Yorkshire? I don't think Botox and micro scooters reached this part of the world. If anything, it's younger people who are becoming more childish.

The film tried to suggest that youth culture had been important during this decade. I would say quite the reverse. The Saga generation are the most important people now.

Technology is nothing to do, necessarily, with young people. Bill Gates and Co are the brains behind the technology we use, and they are now in the Saga generation themselves.

Young people are undoubtedly avid users of technology, but then, increasingly, so are elderly people. The difference is, that young minds are being contaminated by the short cuts available with technology, which is noticeably affecting their intellectual capabilities.

Elderly people can cope with technology much better because they have learnt the basics (reading, writing, arithmetic) through proper schooling.

We heard about the "dot com" boom, with all these wonderful five-minute entrepreneurs that never were. In this country that "boom" was actually a flop, we certainly never wound up with an amazon.com. Why not explore the reasons why we missed out on that opportunity?

We then heard from a bunch of fifth-rate academics who merely stated the obvious, "There are a lot of young people in cities" (wow) and "Young people now use mobile phones and the internet".

Do we really need highly-paid researchers to tell us this? It's utter rubbish to suggest that the older generation use technology to try to remain young. Very often technology is their job, certainly for many in their 50s.

Other useless theories included the idea that politicians now want to associate with youth culture (that's been going on for decades) and that Jeremy Clarkson's behaviour is evidence of "kidultism" (no, celebrities have behaved badly for decades).

The show finally disproved its own argument by admitting it was mainly heritage rock acts which revitalised the Millennium Dome. They

disproved their theory yet again by admitting that musically the decade had been the era of the "amateur". So much for youth culture.

Judging by this delusional look at our derisory entry into the 21st century, I would say the country is doomed. The programme served one useful purpose: we now know which university sociology departments to cut.

Peer group of yes men

From: John Weldon, Grantley, Ripon.

I WONDER if your readers like me have noted (and wondered why) the large increase in the number of lords and baronesses appearing on our TV and radio?

Recently elevated to their lofty perches and now delivering New Labour's political twaddle to we underlings.

Am I alone in thinking that this latest flush of phoney aristocratic effluent who are now enjoying their payoff plus perks, of course, are just time- serving, cap-doffing, boot- licking yes men and women?

So impatient to feel the soft sensuous caress of really expensive ermine around their rough working-class necks that they will do anything.

What happened to the old red blood Labour and the real true working class?

These charlatan, pale pink upstarts masquerading now as Labour just turn your stomach.

It's about time this great country of ours was given back to we the people, straight talking, honest and let's get back to being great.

Journey of discovery into my family's past

From: Michael Ellison, Knapping Hill, Harrogate.

AS I started tracing my family tree in 2006, I read with interest the feature (Yorkshire Post, January 5) regarding genealogy research.

I wish to add that if possible it is also valuable to visit the places where ancestors lived and worked. For example, last year I made contact with a second cousin; prior to which neither of us knew of each other. We met in September and went to the house where our grandparents lived as children.

After politely asking the occupant for permission to take photographs of the outside of the property, we were invited inside.

The residents were curious to discover more details about a family that had resided in their property decades earlier. Generally, this reflects the typical hospitality received in Yorkshire.

Also, I have made numerous new friends who have a similar interest in genealogy. Plus by chance I was contacted (through Genes Reunited) by a woman seeking information about one surname in her tree. I realised that we attended the same school in the 1960s. Nearly 40 years later, we have renewed our acquaintance and we are now in regular contact with each other.

Initially, it was my intention to concentrate on names of ancestors and dates of their birth, marriage and death. However, I realised that it is also rewarding to discover additional information about lives.

I would mention one useful piece of advice I was given. Do not totally rely upon somebody's memory – check the information is accurate. You may have an ancestor that was known as "Bert", but what was this abbreviated from? Possibilities could be Albert, Bertram, Herbert, Wilbert.

For anybody who is familiar with the TV programme Heir Hunters, you

will be aware how easy it is to obtain certificates from registry offices to assist in relevant research.

Simply, I would recommend to anybody thinking of tracing their family trees – start now it can be amazing what you discover.

Hospital closure threat to town

From: John Kaye, Harp Road, Quarmby, Huddersfield.

HUDDERSFIELD health authorities are planning on closing its second hospital which caters for the mentally ill in the area. It also has provision for renal and elderly patients as well as other things.

Its car parks are almost full so the hospital is being well-used – it could perhaps also be used as a day centre for the mentally ill in the area as there is no central focus for them at present. The main hospital, the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, is stretched to bursting and did, indeed, recently have to give up its mother and baby unit.

A town like Huddersfield needs this second hospital facility – the people of the town do not want it to close and yet the authorities do not seem to be listening.

Licence revoked

From: Clio Turton, Soil Association, South Plaza, Marlborough Street, Bristol.

YOUR story referred to Soil Association accreditation for a Devonshire abattoir – Tom Lang Ltd – where the Meat Hygiene Service has suspended some personnel but failed to mention that their organic licence was terminated on the day after we first saw the film taken by Animal Aid (Yorkshire Post, December 23).

All animals, organic or not, should be slaughtered humanely and with dignity. Organic standards require that livestock are reared to the highest levels of animal welfare. Compassion in World Farming

recognises that the Soil Association is the gold standard for this. When it comes to slaughter, our standards reflect the high legislative requirements for humane treatment of animals in abattoirs.

Our inspectors carry out rigorous annual inspections of certified abattoirs and a number of unannounced spot checks. However, it is the day-to-day role of the Meat Hygiene Service to ensure animal health and welfare regulations are followed in all UK abattoirs.

Butter peril

From: Colin V Campbell, Queensbury, Bradford.

YOU were kind enough to publish my letter headed "Fish fingered" (Yorkshire Post, January 2). Several days later, we went to a local pub-restaurant for lunch, and as a starter, I ordered the home-made soup. It was delicious, and was served with a hot crusty bread roll and a rectangle of butter wrapped in silver foil

On the front of the silver foil it said "Butter". On the rear of the foil it said, "Warning: contains milk".

Perhaps your readers know of other dire warnings on food packaging.