Western Daily Press. . . Letters 29th. September

Last week’s news following the discovery of the dairy industry being held to ransom by big supermarkets, the foot-and-mouth outbreak and bluetongue, had myself and husband sympathising with the farmer’s plight. But that goodwill faded rapidly when walking with friends along the seafront of Blue Anchor Bay the other evening when a lot of shooting began nearby.

The peace was shattered and the wildlife was in panic. How can they justify racing around fields in 4x4s when even the hunting fraternity do not wish to take vehicles or horses and hounds over farms to decrease the fear of infection?

These cowboys filled us with disgust and lowered our opinion of farmers.

Mr and Mrs Cooke
Minehead, Somerset

Editor, . . One thing is becoming very clear. . The ‘Mr.& Mrs. Cookes of Minehead’ of this world, don’t care how low they stoop to spread their bigoted vitriol against farmers.

“Racing around fields in 4x4s"? . . When has any sort of clay shooting or game shooting involved ‘Racing around fields in 4x4s’ ? . . “Cowboys?"… “4x4s?". . . Whatever was ‘going on’; whatever has it got to do with ‘Farmers’? . . .

Please do get a life Mr and Mrs Cooke! . . . Or at least take some tablets for it.

Charles Henry

Yes indeed ‘Errol’. . I suppose we should really feel sorry for these people. . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

Western Daily Press. . . Features/Letters 29th. Sept.

With all the hot air emanating from the Labour Party conference, Bournemouth has been warmer this week than it has been for most of the summer. Gordon Brown has made all sorts of promises - most of which he knows full well he couldn’t keep (even if he really wanted to, which I doubt) because he’d be prevented by EU legislation from doing so - deporting foreign criminals, for instance.

As for making the NHS his first priority - the man is a hypocrite. Almost his last act as Chancellor was to cut billions from the NHS budget.

Frankly, I don’t give a damn for the fact that the Tories and the Liberals are useless - they couldn’t be any more incompetent than the present bunch of hypocrites and self-serving charlatans who have been mismanaging the country for the last decade.

Robert Readman Bournemouth

The Editor
Letters
Western Daily Press

Published 3rd. October 2007

Dear Editor,

Many will obviously share Robert Readman’s sentiments about politicians (Sept. 29th.), but I’m not sure his criticism of the opposition is entirely fair.

William Hague is plainly one of the most able and honest politicians of our time; as are both David Cameron and George Osborne. . . But as long as we have what I believe is a Fabian Society driven Media with its ethos of ‘Gradualism’ and a London bias that distorts and moulds the views of ordinary people; they will continue to ‘milk’ the system that keeps them all in luxury at our expense. . . They have turned British ‘Life’ into a ‘Soap Opera’ that now bares little resemblance to the principled and ethical one our Grandparents had hoped for us.

Does anyone actually know someone who has ever given his or her opinion to a Pollster? . . Very few I am sure! . . . Is it really any wonder that Governments are so frightened of Referenda?

Yours

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press. . 29th. Sept. Features/Letters

Although we were delighted to see that the Christian Aid “Cut the Carbon” march will reach its finale in London on October 2, we were shocked to see no mention of the impact of livestock on climate change.The main gas that farmed animals produce, methane, is actually 21 times more damaging that carbon dioxide, and livestock farming accounts for 18 per cent of greenhouse emissions.

This is more than the entire world’s transport systems combined and comes second only to the burning of fossil fuels.

In fact, farmed animals produce 100 million tons of methane every year as well as 13 billion tonnes of waste every year. This waste causes acid rain, pollutes waterways and devastates wildlife.

Across the world, poor countries are being encouraged to grow cash crops such as animal fodder to earn foreign currency to meet their debt repayments - at the expense of food for home consumption.

It has resulted in the obscenity of children starving to death alongside lush crops destined for the West’s animals.

Most of this food is wasted as for every 10kg of vegetable protein fed to cattle, only 1kg is converted to meat.

It is clear to us at Viva! that the only way to prevent climate change and to feed the world is to adopt a vegetarian, or even better vegan, diet.

If you would like any more information, please log on to www.viva.org.uk

Amy Mason Viva! campaigner

According to research a possible cause of the few periods of rapid global warming was the release of methane currently trapped in unstable methane hydrate deposits in the arctic that had been destabilised.

Methane is said to be up to 60 times more powerful than CO2 as a greenhouse gas, but only remains in the atmosphere for about ten years and so loses it’s greenhouse effect quickly; compared to CO2 which remains in the atmosphere for 100 years. CO2 would not be available in sufficient quantities to achieve the rapid warming and if CO2 was the cause then the raised temperatures would have lasted a lot longer.

The long history of animal husbandry on the planet suggests that VIVA Campaigner Amy Mason is not just scare mongering but peddling their usual twaddle. . . A life without farm animals or a life without Aircraft? . . I know which I’d prefer. . .

PS.. She clearly hasn’t considered that 80% of methane generation is ‘anthropogenic’, that is due to humans.

Where shall we start? Ho Ho!!

Charles Henry

There is an Election coming everybody!!

Do you want to be CONned by DAVID or

CONNED by GORDON?. . That is the Question.

. . da basterds gets you comin’ er goin’ any’ow. . .

My! . . You are in a cynical mood today ‘Errol’. . . But as usual even when your Aunty Lilian gives you sound advice; you just never listen. . . . It’s a great pity. . . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity

The Editor
Letters
Western Daily Press

Published 27th. September 2007

Dear Editor,

Gill Purser asks about vaccination for foot-and-mouth disease. She has perfectly valid concerns.

Research will explain that it is really a question of whether we want total eradication of FMD, and to retain our status as a foot-and-mouth free country, or to just control the disease.

Once you realise that besides the cloven hoofed farmed animals; pigs, cattle, sheep, goats and deer; domestic un-cloven footed animals such as hedgehogs and rats are susceptible, as are elephants; to allow it to regain a foothold would be foolhardy.

I believe as a normally foot-and-mouth-free nation, the prize is far too precious to give up on; and particularly so when you begin to understand there are seven (7) different types and more than sixty (60) sub-types of foot-and-mouth virus.

It is these facts that create wonderment as to why we now have such lax border controls. The march towards Europeanistion; as shown with the relaxation of rabies controls with dogs; shows once more just how vulnerable the Government has allowed our islands to become.

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press. . . Features/Letters

People are buying over-priced houses that they can’t afford, with money borrowed from a firm that doesn’t have any, so that the Government has to step in and bail them out with taxpayers’ money. It’s all right, it’s all the fault of the Americans.

G Masters
Ilchester
Somerset

Oh you are are being so cruel Mr. Masters. . . And eveyone thought Gordon had invented a ‘Money Tree’. . . BUT ALL TIME IT’S JUST AN INVISIBLE SUIT OF CLOTHES!! . . Ah well; back to the drawing board.

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press. . . Features/Letters

It does not surprise me that the plight of Mr Edwin Coglan (Western Daily Press, September 16), and a good many other senior citizens, is of finding themselves facing the undignified reward because of the age and bankruptcy brought about by the long-term policy of previous Governments. . cond.

R S Blackmore
Taunton
Somerset

Editor, . . R.S.Blackmore is correct. . . We have had what has amounted to the ‘RAPE’ of all our hospital services; by successive governments. They see ‘buildings’; often with an ‘estate’; then the pound signs start appearing; ‘££££££££’. . And then they proceed to ’strip the assets’. . . They are about to do it again with Frenchay Hospital. . What we used to have was a ‘capitalised service’, with a great Asset base; rather like Marks and Spencers has. (They own all their shops). . Now all we have is a second rate system, built on a mountain of debt, that we can’t afford to staff properly. . And ‘care in the community’ for a minority, at huge expense. . They have all just ‘Mortgaged the Family Silver’.

As often with great wealth; the first generation create it; the second enjoy it; and the third just blow it away.

Charles Henry

I’m not sure that’s really true ‘Errol’. . But it is an understandable sentiment. . . . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

I am being dragged into the 21st century by my toenails while still clinging to the ethos of the 20th century by my broken fingernails!

I now have a monster living, grumbling and flashing his green eyes as he sits dominating my second bedroom. I’m unable to open the sofa-bed, but I don’t care because visitors rarely come to stay with me these days.

Anyway, my monster fascinates me. I sit beside him for hours. I call my monster a “him” because males in general are difficult to understand or to placate.

Although my monster is an enigma to me, I just know he requires constant attention - just like all the other males in this world.

My trusty old desktop word processor and printer, which Jim and I bought in 1988, was beginning to give up the ghost, so my son and daughter-in-law (bless them) gave me a wonderful birthday present this year… a new computer together with all the relevant bits to go with it.

That’s my “monster". He scares me to death.

I am totally computer illiterate, and I’m having to learn from scratch. My late husband Jim’s accident compelled me to learn how to drive a car when I was 70 years old.

During the last years of his life, Jim became an excellent passenger. He seldom squeezed his eyelids tightly shut - unless, of course, he fell asleep.

I presume, therefore, that learning to use a computer efficiently eight years later will become another useful experience.

I attended my first lesson at the John Kyrle Adult Learning Centre, and the teacher was brilliant, but I couldn’t even draw a blasted fish on the screen.

I daresay one day, I will laugh at my own stupidity and join the rest of the population, including very young children, in saying “it’s easy, and you’ll never know how you ever lived without it".

I just hope I will live until my 100th birthday… perhaps by then I will be sufficiently confident enough to tell them that they were right.

June Alexander
Herefordshire

Don’t worry June; many of us have battled with the ‘Monster’, but you will prevail. . Gradually with patience, love, and understanding you will form a bond unlike you have ever known before, and your ‘Monster’ will turn into a ‘Pussycat’. . . It does sound as if yours is a bit of ‘Tom’ at the moment, and as some of them are so very very fast these days and like ‘Two-Headed Monsters’, you will need a very good ‘Fire-wall’. . Luckily mine was a She, and I have known her for a long time now. . She can still be a bit of a ‘Tom Boy’ it’s true, so I make sure I keep her right up to date. . Now we wake up together every morning and I cuddle her down to sleep last thing at night. . . . If she gets a virus I’m distraught, and without her I am now completely lost. . Please rest assured June. . You have so much to look forward to. . . Charles.

Charles Henry

Ramblers to get access to whole coast

28th. Sept: Ramblers will get the right to roam the whole of England’s coastline despite protests from landowners, it was announced yesterday.

Editor; . . . Does this mean we will soon be given the right to roam around everyone elses back garden? . . . The next logical step obviously. . . Or is this another case of ‘what’s yours is mine; but what’s mine’s my own’?

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press. . Features/Letters

Please allow me to respond to Colin Wood’s critique of me in his letter “Why Brown has pegged pay rises” (Your Say, Sept. 14th).

Firstly, I want to make it very clear that I am not, and never have been, an unwavering supporter of the Labour Party.

I have been a vociferous critic of many of Tony Blair’s and Gordon Brown’s policies. My letters in the past have criticised Government policy on privatisation, cronyism (peers for cash) and the Iraq war.

I, too, am against the staggering of the pay award for public sector workers and have made my feelings known on this subject on many occasions. I find this policy unfair, particularly when it is compared to the obscene payments made to the highest earners in the land.

I must, however, disagree with his analysis of the NHS, which is also based on my experiences. From 1996 until today, I have had two major and two minor operations.

In 1996, I had to wait nearly 18 months in severe pain before I was admitted for major surgery. During my stay I sensed an air of apathy and low morale which permeated the hospital.

In 2004, when I had my second major operation, I waited only two months before being admitted and on this occasion was absolutely “gobsmacked” at the difference in the morale of staff. It was clear to me and the other patients that vast improvements had taken place since Labour came to power.

Tony Probert
North Somerset

Editor, . . Tony Probert must be the most disingenuous critic of the Labour Party there has ever been. He obviously only criticised the policies he perceived were ‘TORY BLAIRS’; whilst happy to ‘ride on his back’ of course! . . Very principled I must say. . The deceit of the Fabian Society driven Labour party is astounding!. . With the massive increase in taxation and spend on the heath service; of course there were bound to be some successes! . . But there are still massive failures and people that have found their stay in hospital to be horrendous.

And the diabolical cheek of GORDON BROWN, saying he is ONLY NOW going to give hospitals a ‘DEEP CLEAN’ defies belief! . . WHERE DOES HE THINK HE’S BEEN FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS? . . . . . “IN THE TOILET ?!”

Charles Henry

On-line re-write for the Editor

Tony Probert must be the most disingenuous critic of the Labour Party there has ever been. . . He obviously only criticised the policies he perceived were ‘TORY BLAIRS’; whilst happy to ‘ride on his back’ of course! . . Very principled I must say. . . With the massive increase in taxation and spending on the heath service; however wasteful it’s been; there were bound to be some successes! . . But there are still massive failures and many people that have found their stay in hospital to be an absolutely horrendous experience.

PS. . And the diabolical cheek of GORDON BROWN, saying he is ONLY NOW going to give hospitals a ‘DEEP CLEAN’ defies belief! . . WHERE DOES HE THINK HE’S BEEN FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS? . . . . . “DARE I ASK ??”

Charles Henry

The Editor
Letters
Western Daily Press

Published 24th. September 2007

Dear Editor

In warning of the ongoing threat of Islamic extremism (Your Say, September 17), J Rainey is once again trying to engage a response from someone, somewhere, to the creeping cancer of selfish indifference that now seems to have engulfed our society. Our politicians now seem so hung up by their own self-preservation that they refuse to acknowledge the problems they have all created.

Is it really only the generation who had to learn to darn their socks that now has any real understanding of the pending catastrophe?

Will it take war with Iran before they take some action?

Yours

Charles Henry

When are the politicians going to stop having hysterics every time Iraq is mentioned? When are they going to wake up to the fact that children are being made fatherless at the hands of people who can’t say enough is enough. Gordon Brown seems to have had a personality change. Once he had guts, but since becoming PM he seems to be in fear of leading our country the way it should be done. Mr Brown, you can do it. Stand up to America and pull all our troops out of Iraq within eight weeks. After all, we had no business there anyway. We went into Iraq because America did.

They may have been ruled by a tyrant, but they had electricity, water, food, schools, hospitals, etc. Now look at it.

Pat Greene Wiltshire

Editor, . . The easiest ‘rant’ these days; as was with the Liberal Democrats; is to protest at the American(Allied) invasion of Iraq. It fits with the hysterical anti-American media pack; but Pat Green and others need to be told. . The Iraqis were not just ruled by a Tyrant, but a fanatical megalomaniacal Despot; as are the Zimbabweans. . . Left to people with her beliefs; we in Britain would still be living in the Dark Ages. . . Sacrifice has always been a part of all human advancement; and it will almost certainly always be necessary if the human race is not to end up as Zombies with microchips in their brains.

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press. . Features/Letters

I would like to draw your readers’ attention to the voluntary land registration initiative which offers certainty and security about the property they own.

The initiative is part of a drive by Land Registry - the Government agency responsible for registering land ownership in England and Wales - to seek and help people who own agricultural land to identify and register what they own.

Just under half of Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire currently remain unregistered.

We know that farmers and landowners with large land holdings lead busy lives. Recognising this, our aim is to make the voluntary registration of land ownership as straightforward as possible. We would welcome all inquiries from farmers, or their representatives, such as land agents and solicitors. Voluntary land registration allows landowners to be in control of their assets and manage them more effectively now and in the long-term.

State-backed registration gives you greater security of title, providing you with better protection against claims of adverse possession. Landowners also know the administration of their land holding is in good order with key information in one place and easy to access.

Andy Woodgate
Register Development Manager
Land Registry
Weymouth

Editor, . There are many people, including lawyers, who are not completely enamoured with the new Land Registry System that is so-say ‘doing away’ with the need for Deeds of Entitlement. . . Like all computerised systems; they seem to be based on the premise that ‘The Computer is God’ and therefore somehow ‘Infallible’; whereas those of us with any experience of computer programming know that is a complete fallacy. . Ignoring the first rule of computing; ‘GIGO’; Garbage In Garbage Out, and the vulnerability to ‘corruption’ of any code. It has already caused many thousands of ‘yet untold’ problems in government projects I believe; and will undoubtedly yet cause many many more. . I for one will always be retaining a full set of Title Deeds. . .

We may just now be seeing the first problem with trying to replace ‘A Vault full of Gold’ with the Land Registry Computer.

Of course by ultimately making Title Deeds obsolete; this could be the first stage of making the State Takeover of all Land Holdings possible. . You have been warned. . . . ‘Title’ is a legal term for an owner’s interest in a piece of property. It may also refer to a formal document that serves as evidence of ownership. Conveyance of the document may be required in order to transfer ownership in the property to another person. Title is distinct from possession, a right that often accompanies ownership, but is not necessarily sufficient to prove it. In many cases, both possession and title may be transferred independently of each other.

Charles Henry

Indeed ‘Errol’. . . What has happened to the Public Highway? . . They stole it from us and are now charging for using it. . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

Western Daily Press. . . News

Farmers said ‘we told you so’ to claims the country’s leading supermarkets and dairy processors had been fixing the prices of milk, butter and cheese.

The Office of Fair Trading yesterday revealed it believed the sharing of commercially sensitive information in 2002 and 2003 led to an estimated cost to consumers of about £270 million through inflated prices.

But the case against supermarket giants Asda, Morrisons, Safeway, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, as well as big players Arla, Dairy Crest, Lactalis McLelland, The Cheese Company and Robert Wiseman, which is in the process of building a major dairy in Somerset, came as no surprise to the agricultural community in the region.

So Editor; . . “A Tesco spokesman said: “We will vigorously defend any allegations that we have not acted in the best interests of consumers.” ” . . Well of that I have no doubt; when they seem to see ‘cheap food’ as the only measure of customers ‘best interest’. . . . A cynic would say the only ‘best interest’ Tescos are really concerned about is Tescos’ ‘bottom line’. . . They have steadily ‘worked the system’ destroying most high street competition with the help of councils; and they have kept most of their suppliers on their knees. . . Now they and other supermarkets are the only retailers with sensible access for customer parking and loading. . . Their march into ‘white goods’ and almost all other areas of retailing; with obvious government collusion; is now almost complete. . And now the ‘THIRD WORLD’ bicycle is seen as the only ‘politically correct’ way we should be entering our towns and cities. . . I think it’s time for the REVOLUTION. .

Charles Henry

I think you may well be right ‘Errol’. . . , but please would you moderate your use of the vernacular. . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

A road in Somerset has more speed cameras for a given distance than almost anywhere else in the country - but it is still an accident blackspot.

The notorious A38 in Somerset has 29 of the devices, the second highest concentration in England, according to traffic information company Keepmoving.co.uk.

Editor, . . As your readership will confirm; the A38 is now so dangerous, because they have simply made it IMPOSSIBLE to overtake anywhere safely. . . Since the Control Freaks and Lunatics at the Highways Agency, and the Camera Partnership, started their obsession with excessive signage, cameras, traffic lights and white lines, driving the A38 has probably become the most miserable driving experience anywhere in the country. Obviously it must therefore produce the highest number of distraught, disillusioned, frustrated and ill-tempered users. . . The solution! . . Sack the Partnership. . Clear the road clutter, and turn off or remove all traffic lights.

Charles Henry

The UK handed over a prosperous ‘Rhodesia’, that was governed predominately by white settler governments until 1979. . . It became the Republic of Zimbabwe on gaining internationally recognised independence from Britain in 1980. . Since that time it has steadily declined, becoming what it is today; the Basket Case of Southern Africa. . . The Regime of President Robert Mugabe is no better than that of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. . . But still the world will not act! . . . Lead by supercilious nincompoops, all the European nations would sooner criticise George.W.Bush. . . By condoning Mugabe, the other African leaders have shown themselves to be no better. . Nelson Mandella is rapidly losing all our respect and his credability as a Statesman. . . Maybe the origonal concerns of De Klerk and P.W. Botha, that Black domination would end in abuse was right after all. . . It is now up to the present Black African Leaders to prove they were wrong.

. . . mubabe ! . . wot a basterd ! . . . .

Yes ‘Errol’. . . Quite so. . . . . What a bastard. . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

Western Daily Press. . . News

Dr David Owen says we should learn valuable lessons from the floods in our region, and here he offers important advice which could help to limit damage in the future

“Early next year, I am due to visit Sri Lanka to see the reconstruction work still going on in the many villages devastated by the Boxing Day tsunami.

While the suffering there is on a different scale, we can all relate to the people of Sri Lanka because, of course, those of us who live in Gloucestershire are still recovering from this summer’s floods.”

Article Continues

“And we should brace ourselves for more in years to come. Climate change means we are experiencing increasingly severe rain and wind storms, particularly in the summer months, causing sudden water surges which will flood previously unaffected areas.". . cond.

I do find it so annoying Editor! . . All our politicians always have to ‘FLY AROUND THE WORLD’, lecturing and giving ‘advice’ about global warming and climate change. . Even Liberal-Democrat ones. . . They are all such hypocrites. . “Do as I SAY, not as I DO.” . . . . Sri Lanka really does need advice from a British politician doesn’t it!. . . If a few more got busy in our own country organising mechanical diggers and shovelers making sure all drains, and ditches, and the rivers were all working to their maximum potential getting flood water away; we may well be able to deal with the next ‘deluge’ much more easily ourselves.

Charles Henry

September 2007

Copyright by Charles Henry 2007

Stroof! . . you can’t beleev it! . . weem avin’ a injun summer! . . diss is mor like it! . . . Foot un mouf still aint sorted mine you; an’ sum poor buggers fawt dey wus gonna loose aw dere bleedin savins, till gordy made sure dey wus baled out. . . well ee ‘ad to dint ee! . . . but wot abowt ‘owse prices now?. . you’d be a daft bugger ta pay da goin’ rate if you was buyin’ wun now. . . . . Any ow weel see . . . yer! . . jew reccon dere ull be a ‘lection?. . . I can’t see it meeself. . . me bruvvers ad ta ‘av counslin. . . stupid sod ended up payin’ awl ‘is bleedin wages ta sum loan shark just so ee ad enuff money ta buy a ‘ome wind turbine! . . ee wer gonna stick on da roof! . an’ ee lives in a bleedin’ council flat! . . da prat. . . ee ‘ates me ya no. . . ee awways av dun! . das cos ee nos I ain’t stoopid like ee. . .

Western Daily Press. . News.

A row has broken out over the arrest of two 12-year-old boys - for scraping an apple along a wall.

Sasha Francis, 35, was astonished when a police officer arrived at her home in Dorset to escort Curtis and Liam to the station for questioning.

The boys were taken to Shaftesbury police station where they had their mugshots, DNA and fingerprints taken.

They were then questioned separately before being released on police bail - only to be re-arrested later and issued with a formal warning for criminal damage.

“They told me what they had done and I took them back to the neighbour’s house and offered to clean off the mark,” she said.

“The man came out and told the boys not to worry and said he had done worse things as a boy.

“He didn’t want to press charges but said he would have to report it in case he needed to make an insurance claim. I saw the mark and it wasn’t big.”

Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Whiting said: “We should make it clear that the victim in all of this had felt it necessary to report the matter to police.

“If the boys had been wiping ants off the wall they did so in such a way that the resulting stain read ‘C4 are the best’.” He said the neighbour would need to repaint the wall and had wanted the police to reprimand the boys, but stressed they had not been placed in the cells.

“The lads were spoken to at the scene by an officer who made arrangements with them to later attend the police station,” he said.

You couldn’t MAKE IT UP!!!!

Charles Henry

Many commercial organisations boast that “our people are our greatest asset", yet I was surprised to discover at the close of the annual national Recognition Awards that only 30 per cent of nominations came from British industry, with the majority coming from not-for-profit organisations.

Studies have shown that individual recognition in the workplace can boost staff motivation and reduce absenteeism more effectively than a pay rise.

The fact that so few commercial businesses have taken advantage of this free awards scheme just goes to show that businesses aren’t saying ‘thank you’ to their staff.

It’s time for every organisation to realise the importance of implementing a simple staff recognition scheme to retain their “greatest assets".

Nigel Toplis
Managing Director
Recognition Express

Really Editor! . . This seems to me to show, yet again, how the ‘Not for Profit’ and ‘Charitable’ organisations have time to ‘preen’ at everyone else’s expense. ‘Not for Profit’, but the directors are always very well paid. . How many people realise I wonder that ‘Charity Shops’ on our High Streets don’t pay any business rates. . . Their neighbours love them!

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press

We write in support for the two West sisters who are fighting for equality in their battle with the British inheritance tax.

We agree with them that the law is totally unfair. They have lived together in that house all their lives, not interfering with anybody. It is about time single people were showed some respect. They don’t ask for anything other than to live in dignity in their old age, and not have all the hassle and worry of the inheritance tax.

We Western Daily Press readers need to come out in support of Sybil and Joyce Burden to make sure they will be exempted as are married couples, and gay and lesbian couples.

Kit, Janet and Veronica
East Brent

Kit, Janet and Veronica of East Brent are correct. . The two sisters need everyone’s support in their attempt to get justice in their fight against the incidious Inheritance Tax. . . . But why should ANY of us have to pay Inheritance Tax? . . WE ARE BEING TAXED TWICE! . . We work all our lives paying all our taxes, and some of us are thrifty enough to achieve a surplus; often by doing without, for most of our lives, so we won’t be a burden on anyone in our old age. . Then when we die the greedy state; that always seems to support the indolent; takes another hefty slice. It’s time that things changed. . .

Charles Henry

I don’t really think this is anything you need to worry yourself about ‘Errol’. . . Mind you! . . There might be some kind soul out there who has a soft spot for you. . . They can always write to the Editor at the Western Daily Press if there is; . . but don’t hold your breath. . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

Western Daily Press. . Features/Letters

I get fed up with the racist comments from people like Jesse Jackson in respect of the slave trade.

They never mention the Arab slave traders who started the business, the black African tribal leaders who arranged for their fellow countrymen to be sold into slavery to both black and white owners.

They never mention the French, Spanish or Dutch slave ships and never say thank you to our ancestors for stopping this vile trade. They never stop to think of the thousands of sailors, soldiers and marines who died enforcing the ban.

No, the likes of him talk only of the “evil” English, demand compensation and try to make us, who had nothing to do with a trade finished well over a century before any of us were born, feel bad.

They also forget that the average worker in Britain at that time was virtually treated no better than the slaves in many cases, and although paid, it was a pittance even by the standards of the day.

They forget that the descendants of slaves have opportunities they could never have had if they had remained in Africa, which doesn’t make slavery right but it does prove the old saying about clouds and silver linings.

I suggest to Jesse Jackson and his ilk that if they want to talk about the slave trade they concentrate on stopping the 21st-century version such as sex slaves and child labour.

But then again, perhaps he can only talk and not actually have the ability to influence anything, unlike those he so readily ignores or belittles.

Greg Heathcliffe
Swindon

Editor; . . if anyone still has any doubts as to just how truly un-racist we Brits really are; they only have to observe YET AGAIN how we have all embraced Lewis Hamilton. . His colour does not enter into the equation one iota. . I’m with Greg Heathcliffe on this one. . . It’s people like Jesse Jackson that are ’stoking the fire’ and causing the problem. . If they continue to behave in this way they are no longer welcome here.

Charles Henry

As Gordon Brown’s Chickens continue to come home to roost, the deceitful influence of the Fabian Society driven British Media has never been more obvious. . . . Even as the frailties of New-Labour economics become obvious to the most naive economists; the BBC fills the air-waves with Labour Party apologists happy to twist the statistics to defend ‘Gordon Brown’s Invisible Suit of Clothes’.

If the Conservative Party ever dared to fete their heroine; the Great Lady Thatcher; the history books were ‘defaced’, and the full malevolent force of the BBC’s Anti-Tory machine came crashing down on them. . . David Cameron knowing he can do nothing until he achieves power has chosen to ‘distance’ himself, risking the wrath of many. . . But the deafening silence from the Beeb and others, as Gordon Brown courts the Lady who was worth TEN of he; is even making the ‘Catholics’ wince. . . .

As the crisis deepens; what will Gordon do?. . As he always intended from the the very first day he gave the Bank of England their independence I believe. .

If things start going sour; . . blame the Chairman of course! . . Start oiling your bicycle Mervyn!

Don’t you think you are being a little unkind to your brother ‘Errol’? . . . He has never been very bright; you know that ! . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

Western Daily Press

Taxpayers in the West are forking out £17.6 million a year to keep people in hospital beds when they don’t need to be there.

Figures obtained by the Western Daily Press have revealed how much the region’s “bed-blocking” crisis is costing hospitals.

Patients, who are mostly elderly, spent more than 70,500 days in hospital last year when they didn’t need to be there.

My late wife went into the RUH last November for a scan to detect a deep vein thrombosis. After six days with no scan I said I was taking her home. The scan then happened within an hour and took just 3 minutes! All this after four hours on a trolley because of a shortage of beds.

David King, Box, Wiltshire

A point is being missed here Editor. . . Nurses are; or should always be, ‘Carers’, and carers always have to be nurses. . The problem really started getting worse when ‘nurses’ started being told and believed that some of the ‘Nursing’ was the job of the ‘Ward Orderly’ or the ‘Nursing Assistant’. . . . . I am well advised by a Ward Sister.

Charles Henry

I also feel sure that if ‘Butlins’ or even ‘Tescos’ or ‘Marks and Spencers’ come to that; were asked to provide 20 bedded wards with a full compliment of Nursing staff, for a guaranteed payment of £2000 per day (Less than HALF the cost being quoted by the Hospitals)They would jump at the opportunity of making their shareholders happy.

Charles Henry

‘CAMERON ‘SO OUT OF TOUCH’

Do we really expect to hear the clarion call of hope and change from the Tories with political chancers being led by a privileged toff, who is gormless enough to think that by changing the bowler for a bike he will fool hoodies to hug his party at the next election?

Gerald Gannaway
Bristol

Someone should explain to Gerald Gannaway that the ‘Class War’ is over Editor. . . We are all ‘Middle Class’ now; even John Prescott! (So he claims, but I’m still not sure) . . The Cabinet will all soon be having their places in the House of Lords and I’ve even heard a rumour that Gordon Brown is going to ask the Queen to make some ‘Footballer’s Wives’ Dame Commanders of the British Empire. . .

It’s the BIG TENT!

Charles Henry

UK IGNORING A REAL THREAT

It comes as no surprise to me that half of the mosques in the UK are now under the control of radical Islamic sects (Western Daily Press, September 8th.) It tends to substantiate comments made in letters to Your Say in recent weeks.

With the ongoing threat of home-grown radical Islamic extremism and their avowed intention for a worldwide Islamic state, I find it inconceivable that our craven Home Office is adopting a blind eye approach to this Trojan horse phenomenon.

To complement this crass stupidity by one of our government departments, the Foreign Secretary in another “not fit for purpose” department, is known to be in support of Turkey’s entry into the EU.

This will provide another 70-plus million Muslims not only unfettered access to jobs, welfare benefits and NHS treatment in the UK, but the potential to provide those radical groups already well established here with an unlimited supply of eager new recruits.

With the multitude of other domestic problems, it makes the phrase “going to hell in a handcart” more appropriate with each day that passes, and makes me thankful to be 75 rather than 25!

J Rainey
Bristol

J.Rainey is once again trying to engage a response from someone; somewhere; to the creeping cancer of selfish indifference that now seems to have engulfed our ’society’. Our politicians now seem so ‘hung up’ by there own self-preservation that they refuse to acknowledge the problems they have all created. Is it really only the generation who had to learn to ‘darn their socks’ that now have any real understanding of the pending catastrophe? . . Will it take the outbreak of war with Iran before they finally take some action?

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press

A Tory Party constituency chairman said last night he had no intention of resigning over another twist in the saga of an MP, a love scandal and a leaked email. In a row which is increasingly becoming the stuff of a fictional political thriller, the open civil war between Tories in North Wiltshire just got even nastier.

Roger Miller, the chairman of the local party, has admitted he sent an email to members which described MP James Gray as a rather unappealing character.

Girls! . . In case you haven’t noticed. . The Labour party are busy getting themselves into the biggest financial tangle since James Callaghan was in power; and this ‘distraction’ is like music to their ears. . People struggling to pay their mortgages will not be thanking you. . . . Would you like me to get Giles to send you some of his tablets?

“There’s nothing like a ‘badass’, to make a girl’s heart beat faster.” ……………..Gerard Butler: . . . . . . . . . . Where Windlegends are born………Charlotte Boyett-Compo……Novelist.

Charles Henry

I think the MP probably has a better sex life than the Chairman and some of the members ‘Errol’. . .

And no ‘Errol’. . Northern Rock is leaving us all with a funny taste in our mouths at the moment, and feeling a little sick.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

Western Daily Press. . Features/Letters

Nora Pound (Your Say, September 4) is quite right to say that dairy farmers will defend their livelihood and, may I say with a good conscience, since all the great civilisations since the dawn of time have practised some kind of meat eating.

Most, if not all, the major religions encourage it.

It is surely quite ridiculous for her to say that animals sent to abattoirs face “a horrible death", since the people in these places have long ago perfected their slaughtering techniques so that the animals die instantly and painlessly.

John Vincent
Sherborne
Dorset

I find it very heartening how the ‘Under Siege’ agricultural community has been fighting back and is at last winning ‘The War of Misinformation’ being fought by the animal rights activists and their allies.

With Gordon Brown now feting Lady Thatcher at No. 10; it will not surprise me at all if he does not very soon announce that parliamentary time is now to be given to repeal of the completely defunct and dysfunctional Hunting with Dogs act and so increase his chances of retaining his Premiership. . He is turning out to be a ‘Wily Old Fox’.

Charles Henry

Your article of September 7 quotes highways chiefs as saying the A38 is the most dangerous road in Somerset.

A few months ago it was the A37, with that title; result, an array of new signs appeared along the A37.

We actually have 110 items of highway signage on the 4.5 miles between Ilchester roundabout and the Comb Street Lane roundabout.

A few weeks ago, a spokesman said the signs had no effect on the accident rate. So that was a waste of money, then!

Ninety per cent of accidents are caused by driver error; no, 99.9 per cent are caused by driver error and, yes, the roads are bad.

The roads have been getting progressively worse for years. The huge puddle which has thrown many reckless drivers off the A37 at Yeovil Marsh is still there, but only when it rains.

The highways chiefs should get on with repairing the growing miles of roads in town and country.

Gerald Masters
Ilchester
Somerset

Removing all road signage except the directional; has already been proved to be the safest way to manage any highway. . . It immediately provokes caution in all users. . . The socalled ‘Safety Partnerships’ with all their cameras, clutter and unnecesary distractions, are now this country’s greatest road hazard. . . The A38 through Somerset should be held up as an example of how a megalomaniac has destroyed a Major County Road.

The cap surely fits; and no doubt ‘HE’ will wear it.

Charles Henry

. . . well dass a turn up!! . . . .

. . . dey gits in yorop gived up on metric !! . . . .

. . . . rool britania. . . . .

It’s a bit too soon to celebrate ‘Errol’. . . They may be trying to soften us up before they try and make make a final push. .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

THE FINAL INSULT AND HUMILIATION FOR MADELEINE McCANN’S DESOLATE MUM, IS TO BE TAKEN IN FOR QUESTIONING UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT OF THE WORLD’S MEDIA.

“WE CAN’T FIND YOUR DAUGHTER. . . BUT?”

COURTESY OF COURSE . . . .’INFORMATION’ FROM THE BRITISH POLICE . . .

THE INCOMPETENT PORTUGESE POLICE ARE JUST ‘COVERING THEIR ARSES’ WITH THE HELP OF ‘DUBIOUS’ EVIDENCE FROM AN ALREADY FAILING BRITISH POLICE FORCE.

PORTUGAL SHOULD NEVER FORGET;

IT NEEDS THE GOODWILL OF ‘THE WORLD’ AND THE McCANNS

Let’s hope the good Lord gives Kate and her family strength. . .

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

Western Daily Press

The number of caravan pitches for gipsy and traveller families in the South West should quadruple to meet the massive demand, planning chiefs announced yesterday.

Town hall leaders have proposed that more than 1,600 council-run pitches are created across the region, dwarfing the 568 that are currently available.

Before the ‘Planners’ spend anymore time considering how they can be so ‘accommodating’, at tax-payers expense, to a minority of people who insist on making themselves ‘homeless’ by adopting a lifestyle that is completely unsuitable for this modern age; they need first to urgently consider where the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of law-abiding young people who scrimp and save and work hard to try and get a home of their own are going to settle without destroying the Green Belt. Yet again we are getting an unaccountable ‘Tail’ that insists on trying to ‘Wag the Dog’. The answer is to simply tell these people, “If you haven’t got anywhere to ‘park’; don’t set off in the first place.”

Charles Henry

“NOT EVERYBODY WAS IN LOVE WITH DIANA.”

The real nonsense is the fact that Diana was only really famous because she married into the Royalty so many now seem to ‘detest’. . Would she have been so photographed, or mourned, if she had just been a ‘Footballer’s Wife’ I ask?

Charles Henry

“SLAVERY IS STILL AN ISSUE TODAY.”

When the Vikings apologise Editor, then so will I . . But I was really more concerned about the Romans! ! . . . Who knows how many slaves they fed to the lions ! . . . For a while I thought Blair was going to invade!. . .

Charles Henry

“I’M CONFUSED BY ATTITUDE TO DEER.

Am I the only person who is confused by the claim that one can “love red deer” and yet undertake a cycle challenge to raise money for a hunt intent on chasing and killing these beautiful creatures for fun ("Ride raises funds for convicted huntsmen", Western Daily Press, August 29)?”

Being ‘confused’ is the most charitable thing that can be said about Louise Clark’s ‘obsession’. . . Deer management is just another ‘job’ that someone needs to do if we are to have wild deer herds. . . Who would want to be a soldier going into battle, or a slaughterman or a pathologist performing ‘necropsy’(cutting up bodies)for post mortem, come to that? . . Does she not think these people can ever enjoy their work? . . I think it is really time people like Louise Clark ‘grew up’.

Charles Henry

Western Daily Press. . Letters

“I only hope some party will make Britain great again, but it will not happen under Brown and his party.”

Dudley Seale, Minehead

I totally agree with Dudley, what this country needs is strong leadership from someone with a rich and greedy family background. We have too many people in positions of power who have never been to the right schools like Eton or Westminster boarding schools. Witchcraft is rife on Exmoor, so we need to start burning witches. Any blacks that remain in this country need to be made slaves. Gays like Ben Bradshaw required to be castrated and removed from public life… Children need to enter the working population rather than going to secondary school as they are far too many loony left wing teachers. India and Pakistan must be reunited so that all the Asian immigrants in this country can to forcibly returned to there own country. Vote for David Cameron, he is white and rich and attended Eton, he does not care about the poor.

Dick Header, Somerset

Giles! . . Who let Dick Header out? . . I thought after he escaped from the dungeons at Dunster Castle, you were going to take him up to Simonsbath and put him in the stocks you were having made ready for your Ethel’s coven. . . I told you he’d be a problem! . We ought to have taken him straight down to Washford and locked him in the medieval chamber at Cleeve Abbey, or better still shipped him down to Boscastle or Penwith in Cornwall. They’ve been looking for an old goat to sacrifice for weeks I hear.

Charles Henry

‘Errol’. . . . It’s spelt ‘warlock’. . I wish you would try harder with your spelling.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)