Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK) back issues from January 2008:
Electoral roll sold
Jan 01, 2008 ... I am very concerned at the current vast increase in identitytheft. However, I am writing to you as I understand West SomersetDistrict Council has been selling on the electoral roll tocommercial corporations. In the Financial Times of Saturday, March 9 2002 reference wasmade to a ...
A big 'no' to Sainsbury's supermarket
Jan 01, 2008 ... I feel I must write on the subject of the new Sainsbury'ssupermarket proposed for Tavistock. I speak as a recently retiredtrader at Tavistock - when the initial presentation was held at theBedford Hotel I attended to listen to what was being said, and putmy own views on the ...
Climate change did not create wetland
Jan 01, 2008 ... After reading your article (December 7) on the National Trust andits work at Man Sands, near Brixham, I wish to set the recordstraight. As a youngster in the 1950s I spent many hours catching tadpoles,frogs etc. in the lake, which was much bigger in those days. As faras I am ...
Cash for EU could be better spent
Jan 01, 2008 ... A study of the Treasury's European Communities Finance documentof May 2007 shows that UK taxpayers will be asked to contributepounds4.7 billion net to the EU budget for 2007 - pounds90.3 millionevery week or pounds12.8 million every day of the year. Here's my suggestion for a ...
Cynical Cameron
Jan 01, 2008 ... If Tess Nash (December 3) thinks that David Cameron, in GordonBrown's position, would not sign the EU Constitutional Treaty onbehalf of the British people, without a referendum, she wouldbelieve anything. She accuses Gordon Brown of cynicism - but what could be morecynical than ...
Where's the sense?
Jan 01, 2008 ... If sea levels rise as a result of global warming, those of us whowill be affected want our money spent on equipment that will preventit from happening. We also would like to be confident that when we press the switchthe light comes on. Green Party policy gives little ...
Blinkered attitude to wind turbines
Jan 01, 2008 ... According to Mike Harrison, the leader of North Devon DistrictCouncil, the North Devon landscape must be protected as well as thequality of life of its inhabitants from wind turbines which will bemassive and not wanted in this tourist area. He also says the granting of permission ...
Bishop's ill-judged foray into politics
Jan 01, 2008 ... I would not in any way seek to disparage the interest that BishopMichael Langrish takes in countryside affairs, and I am sure he isrightly highly regarded among those who take part in his religion.But two things strike me in reading your feature article and opinioncolumn of December ...
Veterans will never admit they're cold
Jan 01, 2008 ... John Woodward, of Camborne, made a valid point about MemorialSunday outdoor services ("Chilled to the bone at war memorial, WMN). A couple of years ago my mother, a WAAF who served in RAF BalloonCommand during the war helping to plan the D-Day Normandy landinganti-aircraft balloon ...
Not so shipshape
Jan 01, 2008 ... That a unit of the "Grey Funnel Line", after being in dockyardhands, should put to sea in a rusty condition is absolutelydisgraceful. Where was the pride that the ship's company should have held sodear? Were they all ashore when they should have been over the side,cleaning ...
Turbines will ruin unique landscape
Jan 01, 2008 ... Once again I find myself taking issue with Martin Bell thedictator-lover of Port Isaac. After his rant in support of thedictatorial regime of Saudi Arabia he moves on to the "proposedmassive wind farm on Davidstow Moor" with equal eloquence. I almost dismissed his letter with ...
Bus pass blank
Jan 01, 2008 ... On October 29 you published an article under the heading "Buspass reminder" to register for the new free bus pass from April2008, and obtain the leaflets from council offices etc. I have been ...
College colleagues
Jan 01, 2008 ... I was delighted to read Joan Calmady-Hamlyn's letteracknowledging mine. A coincidence - I too trained ...
Details of b-17 landing wanted
Jan 01, 2008 ... "AS great-grandparents now we'd have lots to tell" (RuthEllacott, WMN, December 18) reminds me of a letter from an AmericanSecond World War veteran in which he wrote, almost 20 years ago:"There are lots of lonely men over here with stories to tell, but noone wants to ...
Good luck to the crew of mystery
Jan 01, 2008 ... I love the Western Morning News with a passion! The issue onDecember 18 was a gem, with everything an old Devon rebel could wishfor, and the Tuesday letters were varied and interesting. I lovedthe poem from the serving serviceman; it touched me. Thank you somuch whoever you might be - ...
Internal energy
Jan 01, 2008 ... Renewable energy sources must be continuous without a back-up.and none of the sources now being developed meets this requirement. For instance, wind power needs a back-up power source to supplypower when there is no wind if a continuous supply is to beprovided, and we are unable to ...
There's good news about the Navy too
Jan 01, 2008 ... Many letters have appeared in the Western Morning News about therun-down of the Royal Navy. On BBC on November 27, Reporting Scotland, at 6.30pm on satellitechannel 971, featured the launch of HMS Diamond, the 8,000-tonpounds850 million latest Daring class destroyer ...
State pensioners still being robbed
Jan 01, 2008 ... So Works and Pensions Minister Peter Hain has announced apounds2.9 billion rescue package to restore the pensions of up to140,000 workers, which will come from taxpayers, and will deliverjustice to workers robbed of their pensions whose firms went bust. But what about justice ...
Hard - but happy - lives of land girls
Jan 01, 2008 ... We were the Land Girls We were the Land Girls, We came in thousands, From the towns and the back streets, From the factories and our threatened, stifling homes. We searched for green fields, for fresh air, for freedom. We came to Dorset, to Devon and ...
Memphis belle not based in Cornwall
Jan 01, 2008 ... While not wishing to enter the wind farm controversy, I thinkyour correspondent Martin Bell of Port Isaac may be mistaken instating that the famous B-17 Flying Fortress Memphis Belle was basedat RAF Davidstow Moor. To the best of my knowledge the machine spent its operationallife ...
How do I get badge?
Jan 01, 2008 ... Having read your article (December 7) about the Women's LandArmy, I am writing to ask how I apply ...
Tracing task
Jan 01, 2008 ... I was glad to see that at long last the Land Girls are to behonoured. My mother has many memories, having served in the Women'sLand Army around the Torquay area, and some of these have beenprinted ...
Message from past
Jan 01, 2008 ... It has been reported recently that climate change scientists arepredicting a rise of at least three feet in sea levels before theend of the century. To assist in their studies they are looking what effect this hadwhen it last happened about 100,000 years ago due to ice ...
Privatisation peril for elderly
Jan 01, 2008 ... Your issue of December 8 has an article about privatisation ofold people's services in Devon. Reading between the lines, it getsvery interesting. For instance: 1. There are 662 in-house beds. Under privatisation there appearto be only 360. What happens to the present residents who ...
Simplistic view of climate change
Jan 01, 2008 ... Theo Hopkins writes: "The Met Office fully accepts the reality ofglobal warming and that greenhouse gases are to blame." Such asimplistic view of a highly complex subject makes one wonder evenmore about the Met Office (which still often fails to predict nextweek's weather very ...
Balloons endanger animals
Jan 01, 2008 ... After the huge success of the campaign against plastic bags mayI raise awareness of another hazard to animals, wild or domesticated- balloons released to celebrate some occasion? I found a card with several deflated balloons attached,fortunately before the cows did. But that was ...
Tell children about war
Jan 01, 2008 ... How i agree with Schools Shadow Secretary Michael Gove that thefacts about Winston Churchill and Hitler must still be taught inschools. Children must be told what happened and why, without Churchill asour leader, they might not have been born. We have a lot to thankhim for. If ...
Identity thieves are given open house
Jan 01, 2008 ... I find it absolutely appalling to learn that personal details ofthree million learner drivers have gone missing. This, coupled with the loss of computer discs containing privatedetails of 25 million Britons linked to child benefit, has given anopen house for identity thieves. It ...
Repossessions
Jan 01, 2008 ... Have you ever bought a property that has been repossessed? Didyou encounter any difficulties before or after the sale? Have youexperienced any problems living in a property that has beenrepossessed? Or have you ever tried to buy a repossessed propertybut the sale fell through?I am ...
Hypocritical approach to democracy
Jan 01, 2008 ... On November 15 we saw Foreign Secretary David Miliband on theTV evening news talking about a further expansion of the EuropeanUnion into Africa etc., and his exact words were "it must promotedemocracy". But to quote Tory Benn: "The European Community is a dead duck. It can't ...
Trust the evidence, and not Tory spin
Jan 01, 2008 ... I have a number of suggestions for Paul Mercer of Peter Tavy(Tirades about Tories, November 20) and Douglas Webster, ofErmington (Labour pains, December 13) when they peddle Torypropaganda, and praise the Conservative governments who gave Britainover three million unemployed, four ...
Bleak reality of life in the armed forces
Jan 01, 2008 ... The betrayal of our fighting forces is scandalous; the PrimeMinister and his Government say they are demonstrating how much theyvalue our forces by ensuring they deliver the support they deserve,but the recent return of my own various family members from Iraq andAfghanistan gives a ...
Who needs cars?
Jan 01, 2008 ... Hearing frequently the woes of motorists, I'm not half glad Idon't own a steel box on wheels. I used to many years ago, but withroads becoming so chock-a-block decided to give it a miss. Neverlooked back since, especially when I see the hassle driving bringsthese days. I believe ...
Government can be blamed for outbreaks
Jan 01, 2008 ... Mr Corbett, in his letter published on December 4, worries aboutfarmers suing the Government for compensation following the latestoutbreak of foot and mouth. He states that the 2001 outbreak was nothing to do with theGovernment. Actually it was, as a government inspector admitted ...
Leaving CFP now is a must
Jan 01, 2008 ... Kate Ironside, although I rarely agree with her, is undoubtedly avery competent journalist. She doesn't understand fishing but herarticle of December 7 with regard to EU Court of Auditors' report onthe Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), is fundamentally correct when itsays: " ...the ...
Protest revealed true nature of EU
Jan 01, 2008 ... On December 13 the European Parliament censored its owntelevision coverage to avoid revealing a serious protest in thedebating chamber in Strasbourg, in the heart of the European Union. A group of about 80 Eurosceptic MEPs protested loudly as theCharter of Fundamental Rights was ...
Fight to stop this mindless building
Jan 01, 2008 ... Yet again the local newspapers contain stories that make theblood boil. While developers up and down the Duchy build, build, build,unrestricted, generally on greenfield land and generally against thewishes of the local community where they are building, small localprojects where ...
Brown treads 'we know best' path
Jan 01, 2008 ... I cannot understand why Gordon Brown is coming under suchcriticism from the Press and public, considering that he hascomplied with the practice of governments of the past. Why do weneed any say in the signing of the EU treaty? There is no doubt thathe has not done anything untoward to ...
Advice for carers
Jan 01, 2008 ... As we pay tribute to all those across the country who helped usraise awareness of carers on Carers Rights Day, December 7, Ishould like to remind readers that good information and advice forcarers is still one of our highest priorities, as surveys show itremains the biggest obstacle to ...
Bali climate change roadmap shows way
Jan 01, 2008 ... In Bali, governments have for the first time drawn up a roadmapfor all countries to tackle climate change, but much remains to bedone to prevent a 2degreesC temperature rise, beyond whichscientists believe irreversible and catastrophic changes become farmore likely. A handful of ...
Momentum grows
Jan 01, 2008 ... On the heels of Gordon Brown's embarrassment of protocol, awebsite - www.referendumlist.com - has flagged the Liberal Democratand Labour MPs who, by siding against Tony Blair's pledge for areferendum are "treating voters like fools". The impact of this is that when MPs such as ...
End vendetta against the Royal family
Jan 01, 2008 ... Is it any wonder that Princess Diana's two sons - William andHarry - are drinking when on a daily basis they continue to hearand read every detail of their late mother's intimate love life? Mohamed Al Fayed might continue to say that the Princess and hisson Dodi died from a ...
Our fishing industry does not deserve this criticism
Jan 01, 2008 ... I have just read Graham Broach's attack on British fishermen(WMN, December 18), and felt the urge to respond. While having sympathy with parts of his argument that theculprits responsible for current situation on fish stocks is not thepreserve of foreign fleets (continued wholesale ...
Undignified British
Jan 01, 2008 ... Few Westerners would voluntarily subject themselves to Sharia Law- and I accept that the practice may well be a distortion of theoriginal meaning, just as established religion has distorted theoriginal teachings of Jesus - but the abiding impression left by ...
Imperial is still the system we understand
Jan 01, 2008 ... Most of what Roger Welsh says regarding metric measurements istrue, except that he says persons over 45 have difficulty relatingto metric measurements. True enough, but he implies that persons under 45 do understandterms like "flying at 10,000 metres" . In my experience, they ...
Bad role model
Jan 01, 2008 ... On Thursday, December 6, your paper printed a picture of GordonRamsay brandishing a knife in a very threatening manner. I was evenmore upset that the next page was about someone being stabbedthrough the heart. We live in a society that glamourises violence, and I do notthink ...
Game bird guidelines are timely
Jan 01, 2008 ... Exmoor National Park Authority recently issued a short booklet,The Exmoor Guidelines for the Management of Game Birds within theNational Park. The document is a draft and the authority seekspublic comment. I own conservation land close to Exmoor and within the GreaterExmoor ...
Ratifying treaty will put end to our history
Jan 01, 2008 ... Let us be very clear. Better recruitment to the armed forces willonly be achieved when the electorate regains its trust in theGovernment not to use the forces in dangerous and life-sacrificingforays where no direct peril to our national interest is easilyapparent. Once bitten by ...
Lord's healing power
Jan 01, 2008 ... How lovely to read your story (December 11) of the Lord's healingpower; sometimes we need to add patience as well as faith to ourprayers. St Paul said "the gospel of Christ is the power of God tosalvation for everyone who believes" - Romans 1:16. Jesus himselfsaid "ask and it shall be ...
Meningitis trust says thank you for help
Jan 01, 2008 ... I am writing to say thank you to everyone from Devon and Cornwallwho has supported the Meningitis Trust during 2007 - our 21stanniversary year. It's only with the help of local communities that we are able tocontinue our vital work helping to rebuild lives shattered ...
Bitter, boring pro-nuclear diatribes
Jan 01, 2008 ... I REFER to yet another laborious letter from Mr D Haskell ofPembrokeshire ("What if the weather doesn't play ball?" WMN,December 19). In his latest epistle he goes to great length to tell the readersin the Westcountry that the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)in ...
Chancellor darling confronted by reality
Jan 01, 2008 ... Your correspondent Dr David Pedrick-Friend (letter, December 4)does his best to bolster the Labour Party as it faces the less happyprospect of bust following its fortunate period of boom. Gordon Brown inherited a stable economy that had been restored bythe Conservative Chancellor ...
Help to widen reading horizons
Jan 01, 2008 ... I WANT to thank your readers for supporting the Royal NationalInstitution for the Blind's Right to Read campaign. More than 4,000people, a wonderfully heartening number, have signed ourdeclaration, which has a simple goal: that someone who is blind,partially sighted, dyslexic or print ...
Why must farmers pay for others' failure?
Jan 01, 2008 ... Hilary Benn is trying to bring in a Bill to make farmers self-fund a scheme to pay for any disease outbreaks - and this is afterthe Institute for Animal Health at Pirbright in Surrey has given usfoot and mouth. Lamb prices have fallen from pounds50 per head to pounds30 - and how ...
More for incomers
Jan 01, 2008 ... Call me a cynic, but now we perhaps know why Imerys is having aclear-out of Cornish workers and buildings - surely not because ofthe land for development, is it? After listening to the radio and another, as usual upcountry,imposition of yet another quango to be set up to look at ...
Sceptical cosmonaut put in his place
Jan 01, 2008 ... One of your writers on December 11 is trying to prove that Jesuswas trying to raise a revolt against the occupying Romans andquotes: "He came not to send peace but a sword." If he had only readthe scripture accurately he would find that the Lord goes on to say:"For I am come to set a man ...
Scottish secretary's salary scandal
Jan 01, 2008 ... Regarding defence of the realm and our international obligations,while being acutely aware that the vitality of your letters columnsdepends on the sometimes taut interaction between correspondents,there comes a time when hearty praise must be extended - and I doso unreservedly to C J A ...
EU superstate comes closer
Jan 01, 2008 ... I want to warn readers of the dictatorship to be imposed by theEU Reform Treaty. Most people fail to realise that full politicalunion has always been the ultimate goal of the Eurocrats. The European Project had its origins in the 1920s under theauspices of the League of Nations, ...
Hypocritical response to executions in Japan
Jan 01, 2008 ... Regarding the item "Executions criticised" in News in Brief(December 11), the hypocritical comment by Louise Arbour, UN HighCommissioner for Human Rights is typical of the double standardsfound within this organisation. If deliberately taking the life of another human being is not ...
We can't deport foreign prisoners
Jan 01, 2008 ... We now hear that the UK Government has "no interest" in deportingforeign prisoners who have served less than 12 months, despiteGordon Brown's promise automatically to deport all foreigncriminals straight away. We now have foreign thieves, fraudsters, burglars and drugdealers ...
Venerable tree
Jan 01, 2008 ... The artificial Christmas tree bought in 1948 is but a saplingcompared with mine, which is older than I am - dating back at leastto the early 1930s. My parents brought it, together with its glass baubles, fromAustralia when they came to England several years before I was ...
Campaigning Santa
Jan 01, 2008 ... Over Christmas I noticed several signs with the message "Santasays don't drink and drive". I don't know whether this is a local or national campaign, and ofcourse I welcome anything that will encourage more responsiblebehaviour. However, I wonder just how many motorists ...
EU threat to Royal Mail
Jan 01, 2008 ... On-going comment on post office closures tends to miss the mainpoint. The reason the Government is ignoring a 4.5-million signaturepetition and going ahead with the closure of up to 2,500 officeswhich are central to so many communities, is Article 88 of the EU'sNice Treaty, which lets ...
Catholic solidarity
Jan 01, 2008 ... I suppose now that Tony Blair has declared himself a Catholic itwill do his chances of becoming next European President no ...
Need for realism about badgers
Jan 01, 2008 ... The battle of words about the badger's place in the countrysidecontinues. As someone whose livelihood is not directly linked to theland, yet who has studied and interpreted South Devon's landscapeand varied communities for many years, I am increasingly frustratedand saddened by the ...