08/12/2005

I recall his similar attack on George Harrison on his passing. His particular offence was not to subscribe to the same religious mumbo jumbo as Peter Mullen.

I do not think the outpouring of grief over George Best was media generated, but a genuine reaction by people who grew up watching him regardless of his faults, which, let's be honest, we all have.

Peter Mullen seems to mourn the church's lack of influence and power over our lives.

His belief that feelings and emotions have to be taught is ludicrous. Who should teach us these things? The Peter Mullens of this world, I presume.

Maybe if George Best had won the European Cup for Leeds United, Peter Mullen's opinions of him would be more charitable or am I being unfair? I am an Arsenal fan. - Gareth Clements, Colburn.

ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS

UK and Dutch animal protection groups have been formed to target the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) in Holland, which uses chimpanzees in experiments.

The Coalition to End Experiments on Chimpanzees in Europe (CEECE) has the support of David Attenbrough, Jane Goodall and Desmond Morris.

The British public will no doubt be shocked to discover that the UK Government funds several experiments on chimps, four of which are taking place at the BPRC.

The British tax paying public is therefore funding the BPRC - a fact that would come as a horrible surprise to many - especially considering that experimentation on great apes is banned in Britain.

In addition, British tax payers are funding the BPRC twice over, via European Union taxes, since the BPRC is an EU institution. It is surely time that such hypocrisy is confronted. Please, please approach your MP on this matter. - M Embling, Crook.

HUNT WATCH

I WAS not aware that this country tolerated unofficial, unauthorised organisations which consider it their role to be monitoring (ie spying on) the activities of other people to ensure that they were acting within the law.

I am referring to bodies such as Hunt Watch (HAS, Nov 26).

If these bodies are not officially authorised to carry out surveillance on other people, could not their actions be classed as harassment?

Who else are those type of people spying on? Who is monitoring the monitors? Are they watching me or you, dear reader?

I am not against hunting, but I am certainly not an extremist. However, I am afraid that Andrea Hill sounds like one. - J Routledge, Witton Gilbert.

BLACK HOLE

ALL we are learning and reading about is the black hole in the pension fund.

That is what we were told when I was young 50 years ago, so I, like a few other people, did something about it and joined various funds.

But what happens now is that you cannot get anything unless it is means tested. Whatever you go for whether it is a grant, glasses, teeth, the first thing they ask is: are you on benefits?

If yes you get it, if no then it is just too bad. Yet family allowance is not means tested nor child care, so people can go out and earn thousands, but you never hear about things like that.

We had a woman on TV yesterday saying she had only £119 a week. The reporter never asked if she paid rent or rates or were they paid by the council.

You see these landlords buying up property and charging the earth because they know if not all, part will be paid by social services.

So I tell my family: enjoy it now, don't fall into the trap like me. - JW Dowson, Durham.

INITIATION RITES

JUST what is going on within our military?

Over the past 15 years we have had Deepcut, outrageous bullying, recruit suicides and currently disgusting initiation rites being carried out within a unit of the Royal Marines, not to mention the present Government's part in involving our military in a foreign instigated invasion of Iraq.

From Deepcut to this present deplorable Marine behaviour, the blame lies with the commanding officer and his adjutant, they should know what is taking place within their own units.

Promotions within the ranks should be more considered, stringent and selective, which may produce officers and NCOs fit to be in charge of recruits. - GH Grieveson, Richmond.

SMOKING

WHILE putting aside the cancer debate for the time being, I am all for smokers smoking themselves to death if they want to. But why should they think that it is their right to smoke whenever and wherever they want oblivious of how it affects those around them, be it asthmatics, people with breathing problems or heart disease?

One sees these smokers sitting outside the entrances of hospitals, right under the no smoking signs, almost ankle deep in cigarette butts.

Outside of shops and at bus stops, the ground is littered with cigarette butts even though there are bins nearby. Flowers beds and shrubs are not spared either.

In restaurants the only division between non-smokers and smokers seems to be small no smoking signs on some tables while the smoke goes everywhere.

I am sure I am not the only one who is sick of having my clothes stinking like those of the smokers around me. They cannot smell theirs since smoking affects the olfactory nerves.

Do these people really care for their children? They can be seen child on one arm and lighted cigarette on the other or pushing along a push chair while the smoke floats over the child in it.

No, I am not against people smoking - just the selfish, uncaring attitude which seems to affect most of them. - Margaret Jamir, Spennymoor.

FISH FURY

SOME TV viewers will have seen Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver cooking fish.

Did they hear them say they were the small fish that our fishermen have to throw back?

Stein and Oliver both said they don't throw these back. No, but we do. Dead fish thrown back just rot on the sea bottom.

Europe is carrying out illegal fishing and getting away with it, while Mr Blair postures around Europe. Time he said something.

Maybe if we in Britain spoke loud and clear now something would be done here and now. - CM Johnson, Bedale.

WHITE SAUCE

FOR many years we used to buy tins of white sauce to complement our Christmas puddings.

This year we have searched high and low for the sauce but have failed to find any.

Have the shops stopped selling it? If any reader can help us to track down the sauce our family will have a happy Christmas. - Margaret Anderson, Darlington.