Nottingham Post reader letters
MY Kindle Nottingham Post on February 6, in its Volunteering and Charity section, has a lovely report about Mairi Yuill, headed "89 year-old is superstar at Lenton Centre". And so she is, but both the Post and Mairi are modest about her achievements and involvement with Lenton Community Association (1979–2006) and The Lenton Centre (2006 to date).
Mairi was actually a member of the steering committee set up by the Willoughby (Street) Tenants Association and Nottingham City Council in 1978 to turn part of what was then known as the Edna G Olds Baths into a community centre for Lenton. The steering group became Lenton Community Association (LCA) and opened Lenton Community Centre on February 3 1979. Mairi has never not been involved. Even during her years as our local Labour Party county councillor, when she stood down from the management committee, she was always at committee meetings and thanked at every annual general meeting for her work on behalf of Lenton Community Centre.
Mairi was also actively involved in the three community campaigns to keep Lenton Baths open and was part of the LCA team which, in 2006, bought the building housing the baths, a gym and the community centre from Nottingham City Council for £10. I could go on, but my main reason for wanting to add a postscript to your excellent report is that without Mairi and all those other Lenton residents back in the 1970s we would not have The Lenton Centre today.
So many of our valued community facilities owe their origins to all those less well remembered local heroes who gave so freely of their time and energy in so many different ways. Lenton has been especially blessed in this respect. I have always thought of Mairi as a community beacon — someone who, by her example, has shown many of us how we can be involved in making our community a better place.
ROBERT HOWARD Keeper, Lenton Community Association Archive Devonshire Promenade Lenton
GEOFFREY Bennett's recent letter (Post Opinion, "It's too little too late for the tram objectors", February 3) is incorrect.
I actively support environmental organisations and local issues.
Once the council increased their Blenheim allotments £50 relocation offer to many thousands (public money), we only had 10 on board.
After a two-year battle against a very powerful council, supported by the Tories and other powerful organisations, we had them bitterly waving the white flag.
There's much that never reached the Post's eyes.
Defeating proposed developments involves using legislation applicable to the whole of England.
The Planning Inspectorate's website is littered with successful applications.
The Post's recent Wilford embankment report told me there are opportunities to defend your rights, which prompted me to first e-mail the councillor and then write to the Post.
Could not afford legal representations!
Surely, there would have been just one person within the three groups in the position to apply for legal advice.
Did those groups apply for "pro bono"? Is the cost of one ream of Tesco's basic A4 copier paper and printing ink too expensive?
TREVOR ROSE Lime Street Bulwell
MANY support our Queen, and most of the royal family, in the good work they do for the country, and for its people.
As for the cost of celebrations it's surely our choice, arranged via those elected in a democratic process.
Regrettably, I must inform Mr Tobias (Post Opinion, "Queen's celebrations will cost her nothing", Friday February 3) that he is not likely to be listed for an honour.
Our taxes would remain the same if the royal family did not exist, as no doubt we would have a self-serving president with all the trappings of state instead.
As regards the cost of the civil list – this is a mere bagatelle.
Assuming Mr Tobias is correct that the Queen's "handout" costs about 50p per person per year, this is much better value than any other subscription or tax, and that is before any return benefit is factored in to the equation.
Is it just me? As rarely are letters published supporting the status quo; and no I am not a fanatic!
SIMON WOODROFFE
Fulwood Close
Chilwell
THE Anonymous group has admitted to hacking the FBI, British and American police forces and the Greek Justice Ministry, to name but a few. I think the only way to deal with this threat is to close down the entire World Wide Web. Then, when the UN has satisfied itself that this sort of think can't happen again, in about five years with all the safeguards in place, we can try again, and the techno-terrorists can do life with no computer access.
DAVID PALMER
Kilnbrook Ave
Arnold
TUESDAY February 7 was the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. Following this we joined the ERM which was a trial for the euro.
This was an economic disaster, interest rates went through the roof, bringing misery to thousands of businesses.
Only when the Government withdrew from this catastrophe on September 16 1992, did the economy start to recover. That became known as "Black Wednesday" – it was nothing of the sort, it should be referred to as "Freedom Wednesday".
History is, of course, repeating itself. Not having learned their lesson, the euro godfathers pressed on and introduced the euro with the results that we can see today. The only hope for countries in trouble is to re-establish their former currencies at rates which suit them.
DEREK CLARK MEP
UK Independence Party
Suite 1, Rowan House
23 Billing Road
Northampton
I SEE that our wonderful wind turbines are once again doing their stuff. In the last half-hour, between 2.00pm and 2.30pm on February 6, the country's total metered capacity of 4,006mW produced a magnificent 0.1% of our total needs. During the last 24 hours the turbines produced seven times more than this for a grand total of 0.7%. What a blessing that we have so much electricity during the coldest period of the winter so far.
GL ROBINSON Steedman Ave Mapperley
8 Comments
by FormerlyW
Friday, February 10 2012, 12:25PM
“It's an interesting question as to why there isn't more use made of water flow, BL. Maybe the fluence just isn't high enough in a typical river to justify the capital investment, or maybe it's the environmental impact. I'd be intrigued to hear from an expert.”
by FormerlyW
Friday, February 10 2012, 12:22PM
“Fairly obviously, you go for the second option, BJ, thus ensuring that you have emergency cover available 24/7, while minimizing the contribution to the problem you are trying to solve by not emitting noxious fumes when you don't have to, thus making less people sick in the first place.
Similarly, you invest in the full spectrum of power supplies, thus reducing your dependency on fast-diminishing carbon-producing fossil fuels, but still being able to generate sufficient electricity when it isn't windy.”
by MarkXBSSensor
Friday, February 10 2012, 12:05PM
“by FormerlyW Wednesday, February 08 2012, 2:34PM
"How strange that you always get the urge to write a letter to the paper on days that the wind isn't blowing, Mr Robinson."
- Why would you write on a day when the wind IS blowing to point out that the wind ISN'T blowing? You seem to have made a basic error in logic there, FW.
"It's almost as if you were selectively picking data to "prove" your point."
- That the unreliable wind turbines can't be relied on to provide power when it's not windy? Alternatively, he's having to point out what should be bleedin obvious to those who are too blind to see it.
"Looking at the last 24 hours as a less carefully-chosen sample, I see that wind has contributed more than 4% of the country's energy needs, still during the coldest period of the winter so far when demand is high. But then that doesn't fit with your agenda, so best ignored."
- No, the "agenda" is to point out that the wind can't be relied on, especially when it's most needed.
- If you worked for the emergency services as an ambulance procurement manager and had a choice of two ambulances you could buy:
- One which used a nasty combustion engine but could be relied on to turn out anytime except for very occasional breakdowns.
- And the other which ran on a solar panel on the roof, which usually wouldn't be usable at night or in winter, when you had most emergencies, was a lot more expensive, and needed a combustion engined backup ambulance for all the times the solar powered one was usually needed, but normally unavailable, which option would you go for?
"No-one (apart from you, apparently) thinks it is news, or indeed proves anything at all, that wind turbines don't generate energy on days when the wind isn't blowing."
- But the point is that one of the typical wind-free day scenarios in the UK is when it is very cold (the other being when it is cold and very windy).
- So, as you demonstrate, it is news to you and the wind turbine supporters that when you need the extra power most: it is either too windy, or not windy enough, to rely on the unreliable wind turbines!”
by BLawrenson
Friday, February 10 2012, 10:55AM
“Hi "FW", I think we should do much with water power as we have plenty of rivers with a decent flow of water. There is a small development in Derbyshire which seems to be very effective.”
by FormerlyW
Friday, February 10 2012, 12:01AM
“I think you are probably right, BL. Even coal and gas fired stations can't simply be pensioned off. Clearly (at least to anyone who doesn't have a very naive single-minded agenda), we need to make use of all available energy sources, including the plentiful power available when the wind does blow.”
by bosephus
Thursday, February 09 2012, 12:15PM
“Trevor! Remove your Rose tinted glasses
The tram extensions are going ahead and will not be stopped.
Get a tram from Bulwell to the Midland Station and take a walk to Wilford where you will see work has already started. Or take a bus from Broad Marsh out to Chilwell where you will see even more work being carried out.
Of course, in a few years time you will be able to take a tram from Bulwell to these loacations, without having to change in Nottingham to a bus.”
by BLawrenson
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 4:51PM
“No "FW" but it does show that even with 4% we need very strong back up available on all days and that is doubtless going to be nuclear.”
by FormerlyW
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 2:34PM
“How strange that you always get the urge to write a letter to the paper on days that the wind isn't blowing, Mr Robinson. It's almost as if you were selectively picking data to "prove" your point. Looking at the last 24 hours as a less carefully-chosen sample, I see that wind has contributed more than 4% of the country's energy needs, still during the coldest period of the winter so far when demand is high. But then that doesn't fit with your agenda, so best ignored.
No-one (apart from you, apparently) thinks it is news, or indeed proves anything at all, that wind turbines don't generate energy on days when the wind isn't blowing.”