tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2009-11-12:/Letters? From the Mail? OUTRAGE!MokoFeed2009-11-12T19:23:43+01:00tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-11-20:/2006/11/20/moving~1349231/Cultureslut2006-11-20T12:11:33+01:002006-11-20T12:11:33+01:00 <p>Yes, it is with some sadness (but mostly relief), that I announce the closure of dmletters.blog.co.uk.</p> <p>But fear not, Mail letter watchers, for I am merely moving this and integrating it as a regular feature of my other blog. This means that on the days where there are no good letters or I simply can't be bnothered, there's probably something else to read! At least that's the plan. </p> <p>You can now find me at <a href="http://my.opera.com/lostintheplot"><br> You don't have to register to post, and regular posters may find their blog addresses listed on mine (something I either can't do or haven't worked out how to do here).</p> <p>You can either bookmark the address or use the RSS/atom feeds on the page. Or neither.</p> <p>Anyway, thanks to all contributors here - see you on the other side!</a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/11/20/moving~1349231/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-11-10:/2006/11/10/letters_friday_10th_november~1315216/Cultureslut2006-11-10T11:22:54+01:002006-11-10T11:22:54+01:00 <p>Some comments from Annette Hedworth:</p> <blockquote><p>The possibilty of David Beckham receiving a knighthood in the 2007 New Year's Honours is of particular interest to me as I have nominated Jane Tomlinson MBE, cancer patient and charity fundraiser, for a damehood in that list.<br> I was told by the Honours Department that Jane would not be eligible for another award until June 2008 because of the strict five-year rule. David Beckham received his previous award in 2003, so surely the five-year rule should apply to him too.</p></blockquote> <p>Yes, but I'd imagine talk of David Beckham getting a knighthood next year is probably a total fabrication by...um, let's see...the Daily Mail.</p> <p>The fun don't stop in today's Straight To The Point. And Alun Davies:</p> <blockquote><p>As I can only wear one pair of spectacles at a time, rather than two pairs for the price of one, can an optician sell me on at half price?</p></blockquote> <p>No, bugger off.</p> <p>And what would the Mail be without some gay references:</p> <blockquote><p>When Flintoff leads his team out for the first Test match against Australia wearing his diamond ear stud, I hope he remembers to leave his handbag in the dressing room</p></blockquote> <p>"Flintoff wears an ear stud? Poofter must have a handbag too!" </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/11/10/letters_friday_10th_november~1315216/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-11-07:/2006/11/07/letters_tuesday_7th_november~1304629/Cultureslut2006-11-07T11:17:32+01:002006-11-07T11:17:32+01:00 <p>Airport security is the first topic today and we have a letter from Tom Elliot. Who lives in Germany:</p> <blockquote><p>Flying from Gatwick last week, I was shocked at the way in which security controls are out of control.<br> A man in front of me had a beautiful new Montblanc pen confiscated because it was pointed and dangerous.<br> All lighters must be thrown away. I threw my plastic lighter in the bag but asked the girl what would happen if I had had a DuPont. She said I would have had to throw it away too. The situation needs investigating</p></blockquote> <p>So, we should only allow expensive things on planes? You can bet that if a plane from Gatwick was blown up, Tom Elliot would be wondering how on earth they were allowed to bring a bomb on.</p> <p>That well known husband and wife Name and Address Supplied are back today. The Supplieds say today:</p> <blockquote><p>I didn't complete the census last time, regarding it merely as an attempt to keep a database on us all</blockquote> Er, yes, I think that's the idea.<br> <blockquote>We had a few anxious times hiding from the 'census bobby'</blockquote> Ah, so you disagree with it but you're too shit scared to face the music. Not much of a rebel, Mr Supplied.</p> <p>That's it from me today. Come back next time, or go to Mailwatch, where I can often be found </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/11/07/letters_tuesday_7th_november~1304629/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-11-07:/2006/11/07/sttp_tuesday_7th_november~1304593/Cultureslut2006-11-07T11:06:37+01:002006-11-07T11:06:37+01:00 <p>It's been a while since I've separated the letters and STTP. I'm feeling very much more...kind of like enthusiastic, but with less of the "I care now" sentiment. I always cared <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0">.</p> <p>Anyway, before I go on too much, here's today's STTP!<br> Les Perrins (his parents should have named him Lea-and):</p> <blockquote><p>It creates 650 millionaires every 5 years. Go on, have a go - it could be you! Stand for election to the House of Commons!</p></blockquote> <p>Ah yes, MPs, those well known millionaires. Who get a salary of about £70 000. Which is a lot, but not quite a million.</p> <p>Jim Kiley now:</p> <blockquote><p>Further to the young woman who hopes to pay off her credit card bill by selling her eggs. I don't want her eggs, but I wouldn't mind some of her bacon</p></blockquote> <p><img src="/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif" alt="8|" class="middle" border="0"> Dear me.....</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/11/07/sttp_tuesday_7th_november~1304593/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-10-30:/2006/10/30/letters_monday_30th_october~1277047/Cultureslut2006-10-30T11:39:24+01:002006-10-30T11:39:24+01:00 <p>Liz Payne of Preston gets things going:</p> <blockquote><p>I am reeling from the accusation that Preston is the race hate capital of Britain (Mail - unsurprisingly). It's simply <strong>not true</strong>.<br> To suggest that areas such as Deepdale are exclusively Asian is <strong>factually wrong</strong> - there might be a higher proportion of Asians than in other areas but there are plenty of white people living there too.<br> The references to 'Coronation Street-style houses' were <strong>condescending</strong>.</p></blockquote> <p>And you can apply all the emboldened phrases to any Mail story.</p> <p>A faintly amusing story, though I can imagine certain people falling over themselves with laughter and gathering the family round to tell them. It's from Ewen Brenchley:</p> <blockquote><p>The plans for council tax snoopers reminded me of my cunning neighbour in the Midlands years ago. He wrote to the local council asking by how much his home's rateable value would be increased by if he erected a 6ftx4ft shed in his back garden. They told him this would warrant a £7 increase.<br> 'Good,' he wrote back, 'So as I have just taken down a shed of those dimensions, would you please reduce my rateable value by that amount?'</p></blockquote> <p>Amazingly, they did. So heh to that man.</p> <p>Anyone reading this bemoaning the lack of any moaning need look no further. It's about the BBC, as well, so extra moanability. And it comes all the way from T. Cleal's house:</p> <blockquote><p>I'm not surprised that the BBC has had to admit to bias and political correctness. Just watch a few episodes of Casualty.<br> A young man is brought to A&E and his 'father' comes to visit him. Pregnant pauses and double takes by the nursing staff, the man is not his father but his older gay lover</p></blockquote> <p>OMG!!!!!1111eleventy!!! GAYS!!! ON TV!!!!!!</p> <blockquote><p>Casualty is not really about disease and accidents. It's about force-feeding an ideology - something the BBC is very good at.</p></blockquote> <p>Yeah, whatever.</p> <p>I bid you goodbye. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/10/30/letters_monday_30th_october~1277047/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-10-24:/2006/10/24/letters_tuesday_24th_october~1255640/Cultureslut2006-10-24T11:13:20+02:002006-10-24T11:13:20+02:00 <p>We have been graced with THREE whole pages of letters. That's a lot of shite. M Rose starts us off this <del>fine</del> day:</p> <blockquote><p>If there are 1.7million unemployed people and a further 2.7million on incapacity benefit, why is our local JobCentre open only two days a week 'due to staff shortages'?</p></blockquote> <p>Answer: A little thing called labour immobility.<br> Also, points to you for mentioning those well-known work-shirkers, the 2.7million people physically or mentally incapable of doing work <img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>The letters special today regards Carol Sarler's "article" about doctors. And not the afternoon BBC1 programme. Keera Rowland from Woodlea House surgery in Bournemouth (which I have seen many a time but I can't for the life of me think where it is!) says:</p> <blockquote><p>I'd like to invite the opiniated Carol Sarler to spend a week at our surgery and experience the day to day life of a busy, dedicated GP before being killed with a lethal dose of anything we can get our hands on.</p></blockquote> <p>OK, so my mind wondered a bit reading that. But despite my wishful thinking, the letter goes on to mention that Carol Sarler is wrong and GPs are actually hard-working and dedicated. Which they are, so up yours Carol Sarler. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/10/24/letters_tuesday_24th_october~1255640/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-10-19:/2006/10/19/letters_thursday_19th_october~1238069/Cultureslut2006-10-19T11:05:56+02:002006-10-19T11:05:56+02:00 <p>Carole Tucker:</p> <blockquote><p>Watching England play Croatia, I suspected that they would lose on the basis of their behaviour during the National Anthem. Only two bothered to sing, and even they were half hearted.<br> I got the impression that they couldn't care less about the honour of representing their country.</p></blockquote> <p>I just got the impression that they disliked the monarchy.</p> <p>Still on the football theme, David Kenny has a 'solution':</p> <blockquote><p>One way to put England's footballing woes to rights is glaringly obvious - a five-year sabbatical away from international matches. We are in no fit state to play football at this level</p></blockquote> <p>Now I really must have a rant here. England did what? Drew with Macedonia and lost to Croatia. We also beat a couple of teams and got to the final stages of the World Cup. It really annoys me when people moan about England being crap. England is not a crap football team - there are many skilled players and we've had loads of success, reaching quarter finals and semi finals of major tournaments. So we didn't win? Well, guess what? Neither did 170 other countries!! And now there are people saying we should have a five-year break from international football because we didn't win for two matches! So what? Northern Ireland didn't score a goal for nearly three years (or something like that), but they didn't take a break...they kept playing and working for what they wanted. All a break would do would be to make the players inexperienced on a national level. We'd come back worse than when we left. And I don't even care about the England football team all that much! But I do feel much better now.</p> <p>Paul Rose advertises now:</p> <blockquote><p>I wish to employ an assistant. They must be indolent, workshy, a slow learner, between 10 and 120 years old, non-vibrant, unqualified, inexperienced, a non-graduate, somnolent, shiftless, immature..and not fit for purpose. Can I publish this?</p></blockquote> <p>No! For you are discriminating against the following:under 10s, over 120s, graduates, experienced people, etc. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/10/19/letters_thursday_19th_october~1238069/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-10-12:/2006/10/12/letters_thursday_12th_octobers~1212564/Cultureslut2006-10-12T10:21:48+02:002006-10-12T10:21:48+02:00 <p>Dr Michael Karger is our first writer today:</p> <blockquote><p>David Blunkett compares the endurance he showed during his travails to that exhibited by our troops in the World War 1 trenches.<br> Let me get this right: he has the arrogance to compare a degree of Press [yes, that really is capitalised] and public criticism brought on entirely by his immoral and distasteful affair with a married woman with children and subsequent abuse of his position as Home Secretary, to the hell of the trenches.<br> How could he compare death and mutiliation on a daily basis, living with no food, no sleep, food, mud, cold, disease, for months on end, with adverse publicity?</p></blockquote> <p>Maybe in the same way the Mail compares anything they think is a wee bit too 'nanny state' as 'Nazi'. Can you really compare a rule that stops people from getting hurt to genocide, persecution and gassing and starvation on a daily basis?</p> <p>Jason Robertson, who's high on conspiracy:</p> <blockquote><p>I doubt Peter McKay is right to suggest that Dave Cameron is refashioning the Conservative Party just to win the next election by fooling the Guardian-BBC media. Dave may be ready to replace Gordon, but the liberal Establishment will still run the show.</p></blockquote> <p>The "Guardian-BBC" media? WTF? What does the Mail count as then?</p> <p>Odd letter of the week, now. It's from The Venerable Victoria. Yes, really:</p> <blockquote><p>I've [invented a new religion]: the Plum Tree Faith... I'm sick of all religions and the violence they engender... I'm no theologian, I'm a pensioner with rheumatoid arthritis. </p></blockquote> <p>This guy is so cool, although he loses it a bit with this:</p> <blockquote><p>I mean to set up my Plum Tree Faith website and give all established religions a much deserved British kick in the backside</p></blockquote> <p>And I thought he was sick of violent religion? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/10/12/letters_thursday_12th_octobers~1212564/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-10-10:/2006/10/10/letters_tuesday_10th_october~1205689/Cultureslut2006-10-10T11:15:03+02:002006-10-10T11:15:03+02:00 <p>Some stuff today. At bloody last.</p> <p>Mrs Eileen Bliss:</p> <blockquote><p>The other week I said to my husband: 'Keep an eye on the trees because the Daily Mail will soon be looking for autumn colours'</p></blockquote> <p>Get a fucking life!</p> <p>Mike Pepper on rubbish charging:</p> <blockquote><p>In this case [the government] cries: 'the polluter must pay' - but the householder is not the polluter</p></blockquote> <p>Why yes they are.....throwing stuff away for landfill = polluting; recycling stuff = far less polluting.</p> <blockquote><p>There's little we can do about the way manufacturers pack their goods</p></blockquote> <p>Erm...recycle the packaging???</p> <p>I'm annoyed already! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/10/10/letters_tuesday_10th_october~1205689/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-10-04:/2006/10/04/hi~1186493/Cultureslut2006-10-04T10:37:26+02:002006-10-04T10:37:26+02:00 <p>Just want to let you all know that I'm not dead, just a bit busy. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/10/04/hi~1186493/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-09-14:/2006/09/14/letters_thursday_14th_september~1125894/Cultureslut2006-09-14T17:12:13+02:002006-09-14T17:12:13+02:00 <p>Wow, not long before I'm off to uni and will have (fanfare) SUPER-FAST BROADBAND IN MY ROOM. At least, that's the idea. Anyway, to some letters. John Cullen starts:</p> <blockquote><p>We all understand the necessity for [increased airport] security in the face of recent terror threats but this situation is a sure indication that our lives are now all subject to the diktat of our hidden enemies. This is only the tip of an immense iceberg which has been fostered by the PC and Human Rights brigades who have lectured us all for years on being considerate to our 'brothers' of lesser means and differing beliefs.</p></blockquote> <p>Yes. The terror threat is a result of being forced to be nice to poor people and foreigners.</p> <p>Today's missing the point award is going to Sandra Garcia:</p> <blockquote><p>As a grandmother of an intelligent 18-year-old (who happens to have Down's syndrome) I'm appalled by the negative way the storyline in Eastenders is being handled. To hear their lives being written off in such a way is an insult to them and is totally untrue.</p></blockquote> <p>The point is that Eastenders shows what may really happen to a young couple who find out their baby has Down's and then struggle to deal with it. Yes, there's a lot of prejudice around and that is factored into the programme. Anyway, the story is not over yet - just wait and you may be surprised at the outcome.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/09/14/letters_thursday_14th_september~1125894/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-09-13:/2006/09/13/sttp_wednesday_13th_september~1122806/Cultureslut2006-09-13T16:49:30+02:002006-09-13T16:49:30+02:00 <p>I really cannot type 'September'. It's impossible.</p> <p>Lorraine Turner gets to her point:</p> <blockquote><p>Why was shooting victime Jessie James,15, out on his own at 2.15am?</p></blockquote> <p>Oh...I see. He was out in the early hours, so it's kind of his fault he got killed. I get you.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/09/13/sttp_wednesday_13th_september~1122806/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-09-13:/2006/09/13/letters_wednesday_13th_september~1122786/Cultureslut2006-09-13T16:45:12+02:002006-09-13T16:45:12+02:00 <p>Letters! Let's go...<br> Today's way off the mark award goes to Roger Lancaster:</p> <blockquote><p>Congratulations to the makers of Camp coffee for correcting a myth that has prevailed for decades - that there was a servant/master relationship between Indians and British [British what?] in the days of the British Raj. Now we and all young people know that they lived in total equality</p></blockquote> <p>What's with the "we and all young people"? Are young people no longer part of the collective "we" of society? Or are young people so ignorant of recent(ish) history that you think that the new label will make us think that the British Raj was a totally equal period. All those young people who drink vile coffee.....</p> <p>And a letter from Emily Minett. WHO IS SEVENTEEN. (all people under 20 must have their ages printed. It's a Daily Mail rule, or something):</p> <blockquote><p>I was horrified to that Martin Newland thinks he has to sacrifice his family's middle-class lifestyle to provide his children with 'the best possible chance' through private education</p></blockquote> <p>So was I. I think he wrote about how deprived he was, mentioning "our cars are old bangers". Yes. Car<strong>s</strong> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/09/13/letters_wednesday_13th_september~1122786/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-09-08:/2006/09/08/sttp_friday_7th_september~1108350/Cultureslut2006-09-08T15:43:06+02:002006-09-08T15:43:06+02:00 <p>M. Williams. He lives in Cheshire:</p> <blockquote><p>Will Muslim women giving birth in an NHS 'burka' be treated by remote control</p></blockquote> <p>No, doctors can touch Muslim women. Something tells me there are people who couldn't bear to touch a Muslim. No idea who....</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/09/08/sttp_friday_7th_september~1108350/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-09-08:/2006/09/08/letters_friday_8th_september~1108343/Cultureslut2006-09-08T15:40:32+02:002006-09-08T15:40:32+02:00 <p>Some foreigners-related guff from Sharon Aitken:</p> <blockquote><p>A man who retires to Tenerife after having paid his tax and NI in the UK now needs a carer as he has early signs of Alzheimer's. Is he entitled to any benefit? No<br> Why then, can a man from Poland come to the UK and, despite leaving his family in Poland, receive Child Benefit?</p></blockquote> <p>Probably because he is still supporting his children and lives in the UK where he can receive it. Or is it because he's foreign that he's not allowed to have anything?</p> <p>And now, Home Economics with Dr Nelson:</p> <blockquote><p>In 1988, I was working in a large comprehensive school as a Home Economics teacher. The teachers that year knew that the curriculum was about to change because it was thought more important that they knew why an egg cooked than how to cook it. I now read that Education Secretary Alan Johnson says he wants schoolchildren to acquire basic cooking skills. If only the government had listened and accepted advice from professionals that the change was short-sighted</p></blockquote> <p>Bloody tories. They probably did it so that poor people wouldn't be able to feed themselves and would die.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/09/08/letters_friday_8th_september~1108343/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-08-31:/2006/08/31/letters_thursday_31st_august~1085614/Cultureslut2006-08-31T14:35:39+02:002006-08-31T14:35:39+02:00 <p>Kudos to whoever created the editor bar above where I'm typing, and started it with F U K D. Genius.</p> <p>A name and address supplied here:</p> <blockquote><p>Going to see [bands like My Chemical Romance] is a source of excitement and happiness for many teenagers</p></blockquote> <p>Yeah...not me. </p> <p>Amoosing mistake in a letter from Kenneth Brown, now:</p> <blockquote><p>We have what is probably the smallest commercial diary herd in the country. We know all our cows</p></blockquote> <p>David Andrews now, in a STTP:</p> <blockquote><p>The majority of EU migrants come from states where socialism has failed. The irony is they come to Britain where socialism is on its way to failure</p></blockquote> <p>Socialism? Where? And do all EU migrants come to Britain ? I think not...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/08/31/letters_thursday_31st_august~1085614/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-08-29:/2006/08/29/letters_tuesday_29th_august~1079638/Cultureslut2006-08-29T15:16:35+02:002006-08-29T15:16:35+02:00 <p>Wow, I go away for a few weeks and I come back and see that this site is now over-run with a large number of extremely irritating ads. I'll have to do something about that.</p> <p>Meanwhile, there's not a lot today....sorry. How about postal japery from Mrs Davies:</p> <blockquote><p>I had my usual batch of letters to post, but had no idea which stamps to put on the envelopes because of recent changes</blockquote> Yeah, blame someone else for your unpreparedness<br> <blockquote>Trying to cut down on size, I folded the inserts twice, bu the air inside puffed them up. At my daughters office, they now sit on their mail before posting it</p></blockquote> <p>How...weird.</p> <p>Incidentally, now I've logged in, the ads have gone. Do any of you non-members get bombarded like that when visiting? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/08/29/letters_tuesday_29th_august~1079638/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-08-11:/2006/08/11/letters_friday_11th_august~1031595/Cultureslut2006-08-11T13:53:25+02:002006-08-11T13:53:25+02:00 <p>I'll try and do a big one to keep you all going, but I can only work with what's in the paper!</p> <p>Some moaning from Brendan O'Kane:</p> <blockquote><p>[Devon Fire and Rescue service] says that the banning of a pole on health and safety grounds could cause a delay of up to 20 seconds in responding to an emergency call.<br> Here's an idea to help fire crew increase response times - don't go to be for eight hours' kip! Naturally this would cause havoc among communities with a sudden deficit in plumbers, plasterers and strippagrams. How could firefighters do their second jobs without a good nights' kip paid for by the taxpayer?</p></blockquote> <p>Oi! The fire service does a good job which is tiring. I hope your house burns down while you're sleeping - maybe you shouldn't sleep then!</p> <p>And finally, what we all wanted to say, by Mirza F. Ahmad (yes, the Mail printed a letter from a real-life Muslim!):</p> <blockquote><p>If Richard Littlejohn hates me so much, why does he not leave the country instead?</p></blockquote> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/08/11/letters_friday_11th_august~1031595/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-08-11:/2006/08/11/sttp_friday_11th_august~1031580/Cultureslut2006-08-11T13:45:40+02:002006-08-11T13:45:40+02:00 <p>Today's entries come courtesy of my Grandma's computer. Huzzah! (Incidentally, it has been a modem problem. Only Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange have never heard of something called 'customer service')</p> <p>Anymahoo, here we go with Patrice Mulholland:</p> <blockquote><p>There will be no more playing with scissors for Cruz Beckham after he cut his mum's hair while she was asleep</p></blockquote> <p>What? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/08/11/sttp_friday_11th_august~1031580/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-07-20:/2006/07/20/waves~974737/Cultureslut2006-07-20T15:44:32+02:002006-07-20T15:44:32+02:00 <p>Hi, still no sign of computer being well again. But I am still alive! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/07/20/waves~974737/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-07-04:/2006/07/04/letters_tuesday_4th_july~932601/Cultureslut2006-07-04T16:49:15+02:002006-07-04T16:49:15+02:00 <p>Hello all! My computer is  broken, so I've been rather silent recently. And only a few minutes here and there on other people's computers are able to give me Mail goodness. So here we are.</p> <p> Anne Staples gives us some foreigner fun:<br> <br> <blockquote> How is it possible for illegal immigrants convicted of horrific crimes to be allowed to stay in this country while my 87-year-old South African mother-in-law is refused a three-month extension to her visitor's visa, despite having a daughter, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren resident in this country?<br> </blockquote>  Is your mother-in-law an illegal immigrant? No? Then you're comparing two different systems! In any case, those "illegal immigrant convicted of horrific crimes" have largely been either deported or are resident in prisons in this country. You've been reading too much Daily Mail!</p> <p> Anyway, such a pity that in the one chance I get to do this that there are so few letters. Until we meet again, BYE!<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/07/04/letters_tuesday_4th_july~932601/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-23:/2006/06/23/letters_friday_23rd_june~905140/Cultureslut2006-06-23T14:14:41+02:002006-06-23T14:14:41+02:00 <p>Today's main letter carries the headline: WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THE FAILURE TO PROTECT PENSIONS? to which we all reply "The government that got rid of the earnings link".</p> <p>In other news, today's debate is a Littlejohn pleasing "Should gay partnerships be equal to marriage?" Tom and Edna Hamblin manage to get in some Nazis:</p> <blockquote><p>After World War II, the Nazis' defence was; 'We were only following orders'. The verdict, however, was that they had a moral obligation to defy orders that were clearly evil. Melanie Phillips warns all religious people that the Equality act will discriminate against faiths which teach that same-sex relationships are unholy.</p></blockquote> <p>I'm really not sure what the point is here. Are they saying that giving homosexual couples equal rights is akin to the orders Hitler gave during WW2?</p> <p>Mike Klokkou also bats for the no side:</p> <blockquote><p>If men and women wish to enter same-sex relationships, that's no affair of mine</blockquote> Really?<br> <blockquote>But I draw the line at their being treated on a par with heterosexual couples</p></blockquote> <p>Why? Is there such a major difference that gay people should be treated as inferior? Anyway, as you said, it's no affair of yours. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/23/letters_friday_23rd_june~905140/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-20:/2006/06/20/letters_tuesday_20th_june~897174/Cultureslut2006-06-20T17:02:05+02:002006-06-20T17:02:05+02:00 <p>Are you sitting uncomfortably? Then Peter Harper shall begin:</p> <blockquote><p>I endorse Dr Tony Sewell's assertion that boys are failing at school because schools and their lessons have become feminised. For three and a half decades feminism has corroded and destabilised Western societies. This movement has encouraged feminist teachers to abuse their positions of responsibilty by nurturing feelings of superiority in girls and inferiority in boys.<br> A whole sea change in attitude throughout education is overdue. And that goes for politics, too. We do not need women or ethnic minorities.</p></blockquote> <p>Ladies? I think he's single... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/20/letters_tuesday_20th_june~897174/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-16:/2006/06/16/letters_friday_16th_june~886784/Cultureslut2006-06-16T18:32:30+02:002006-06-16T18:32:30+02:00 <p>Conspiracy ahoy from A. Kipps:</p> <blockquote><p>'Why have our police force lost all common sense?' (Mail). The new thinking comes from the top, not just from within the police service but the Home Office.<br> In the mid-eighties, the Home Office imposed a requirement on police authorities that all candidates for senior appointments had to have its approval.<br> It became an open secret that this was about an enthusiasm for speaking and acting 'PC'. From then on, every officer knew this criterion was paramount and careers were made or broken on it</blockquote> "But Mr. Kipps, the 1980s had a Conservative government. How do you get round that?" I hear you ask<br> <blockquote>Ever since the war, the upper ranks of the Home Office have been heavily infiltrated by Left-wingers whose strategies, as in the case of the immigration programme which it has masterminded, are now bearing fruit</p></blockquote> <p>Right. The Home Office is run by left-wingers. And nice dig at immigration slipped in there at the end. Well done you. Not.</p> <p>Now, todays DEBATE! is "Are the police being criticised unfairly?" Which means one side lays into the police, the other lays into Muslims. As so, from Kenneth Baldwin:</p> <blockquote><p>All Muslims in our community should accept that when the Muslim terrorists stop the killing of innocent men, women and children of all races and cultures then our police will have no cause whatsoever to raid any Muslims in their homes</blockquote> Surely it is the home that's raided, not the person?<br> <blockquote>The family who were raided are demanding an apology. My response is: when will the Islamic authorities apologise to the British victims of Muslim terrorists?</p></blockquote> <p>Let me put you straight.<br> British police force = responsibility of British government<br> Muslim terrorists = NOT responsibility of 'Islamic authorities'</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/16/letters_friday_16th_june~886784/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-16:/2006/06/16/sttp_friday_16th_june~886750/Cultureslut2006-06-16T18:20:23+02:002006-06-16T18:20:23+02:00 <p>And to round off the week, we have Mike Wilson:</p> <blockquote><p>When Charlotte Church sings now, is it all over?</p></blockquote> <p>She's size f'ing 12!!!! If that's fat, then the majority of people are morbidly obese. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/16/sttp_friday_16th_june~886750/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-12:/2006/06/12/letters_monday_12th_june~873317/Cultureslut2006-06-12T18:07:46+02:002006-06-12T18:07:46+02:00 <p>Into the first Letters blog of the world cup. And to B. Warner, from Christchurch:</p> <blockquote><p>Yesterday I was sitting in my car when a beautiful young woman walked by. She wore tight jeans and a fitted blouse over a lovely figure. She had long legs, a shapely behind, a slim waist and was altogether a beautifu; sight. She was also wearing an Islamic black headscarf.<br> What kind of hypocritcal nonsense have these people introduced to our country?</p></blockquote> <p>BAN SEXY MUSLIM GIRLS NOW!!! Seriously... "these people", "Our country" - is it just me or is this guy a bit of a racist? I actually know someone who fits the girl's description and, quite frankly, any nonsense she has would have been picked up in the country her family have lived in for 50-odd years.</p> <p>PS- What's Islamic black? I've not seen it on any B&Q colour charts.</p> <p>More slightly pervy ramblings from P. Strong:</p> <blockquote><p>As soon as the sun comes out, young women proudly display more bosom than used to be allowed in the 'girly' mags when I was a lad. I'm not complaining. I just wonder what they wear to go out in the evening, or to get a bloke' interest in the bedroom</p></blockquote> <p>Nothing, I'd imagine.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/12/letters_monday_12th_june~873317/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-08:/2006/06/08/letters_thursday_8th_june~863028/Cultureslut2006-06-08T14:45:51+02:002006-06-08T14:45:51+02:00 <p>I know, I know, I haven't been posting as much as I should. But it's exam season, and getting into Uni is further up my list than getting in a dig at the Mail (which is second). But here we go for today's <del>Countdown Conumdrum</del> letters.</p> <p>David Reeve:</p> <blockquote><p>The knife problem was once solved 50 years ago. As a young lad in Glasgow, I and my friends were set to buy cut-throat razors because all the big boys and hard men had them. Fortunately a new circuit judge came along and, instead of the usual six months, he handed out five and seven year sentences. The streets were full of discarded razors</p></blockquote> <p>Yeah, I think that causes more problems than it solves.</p> <p>The fantastically named Gordon Lawson Hedley (I kid you not):</p> <blockquote><p>I know nowt about art- but I do know about carts (I still use them) and Constable's Hay Wain is all wrong</p></blockquote> <p>Ban art now!</p> <p>Some vagina-ing on about football now, courtesy of P. Riding:</p> <blockquote><p>[David Beckham] being given 15 minutes behind locked doors simply to browse in a department store is just sick. Thousands of people are tired of the whole 'aren't I wonderful' performance</p></blockquote> <p>I'm sure that if you got mobbed whenever you went to the shop, you'd want them to close the store while you shopped too.<br> Besides, how much can you look at in a department store in 15 minutes?</p> <p>William Hammond, whom I have decided to call Willy because, well...I just <em>do</em> is now ready for a rant about...I dunno, I haven't even read it:</p> <blockquote><p>The blame for 'killing off marriage' lies firmly with the growing non-judgemental, politically correct attitude pervading our society.</blockquote> Excellent..a PC rant. Now taking bets about how long before he mentions 'insanity' or 'madness'.<br> <blockquote>Today, we have a society fragemented by various ideas of what is right and wrong, and a government that proclaims all lifestyles equaly valid</blockquote> Uh-oh.. I sense an anti-something spewing coming on<br> <blockquote>That can only be described as communal insanity</blockquote> YAY! Anyone who bet that we'd get insanity in 10 lines' time wins!<br> <blockquote>In our politically correct society, we aren't allowed to say why [knife crime is out of control and CCTV cameras record obnoxious behaviour late in the evening]. To state the real reason is to risk prosecution or to be accused of various forms of phobia</p></blockquote> <p>Debate today is about terror raids. Says Sheila Harris:</p> <blockquote><p>If sections of the Muslim community stopped trying to kill us, there would be no problem. It's high time that people realised that if they live in this country, they should accept the status quo, or go and live in a much more restrictive Muslim society.</p></blockquote> <p>I'm gonna remember that one! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/08/letters_thursday_8th_june~863028/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-05:/2006/06/05/letters_monday_5th_june~855270/Cultureslut2006-06-05T14:54:39+02:002006-06-05T14:54:39+02:00 <p>Letters today are courtesy of Della Petch:</p> <blockquote><p>Why are the Welsh, Scots and English treated differently when they go to their GP? The English patient will have to pay almost £7/item on their proescription, but the Welsh patient pays only £3</p></blockquote> <p>Presumably something to do with Health spending being decided by Wales and Scotland's regional assemblies. But unusually for the Mail, a good point is (maybe unwittingly) raised here about Scottish and Welsh MPs voting on English issues. It's a tricky situation. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/05/letters_monday_5th_june~855270/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-05:/2006/06/05/sttp_monday_5th_june~855256/Cultureslut2006-06-05T14:49:28+02:002006-06-05T14:49:28+02:00 <p>Thanks to J. Evans for changing all the ads on here to Luton Airport. Still, he may no longer have trouble parking. Anyway, the Mail today, and J.G. Riseley:</p> <blockquote><p>I don't want foreign criminals deported: they and their home grown equivalents should be permanently locked up</p></blockquote> <p>What? Permanent life sentences as soon as foreigners commit any crime? Even in their own country? I think we all know what to say here...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/05/sttp_monday_5th_june~855256/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:dmletters.blog.co.uk,2006-06-01:/2006/06/01/letters_thursday_1st_june~846678/Cultureslut2006-06-01T16:48:31+02:002006-06-01T16:48:31+02:00 <p>Once again, we return to the idiocy that makes up the Daily Mail letters page. Our old friend parking returns in a letter from David Britton:</p> <blockquote><p>Using a Midlands city car park recently, I had to enter my registration number into the machine. The only reason for this is to stop anyone giving unexpired time to someone else - one of the few small acts of decency associated with modern life.<br> These councils have forced us into their over-priced car parks by painting yellow lines everywhere. What right has some petty council jobsworth to tell us we can't give away something for which we've paid?</p></blockquote> <p>I'm sure I've said this before, so for the benefit of Mail readers:</p> <p>If you don't like this: <img src="http://safetyweb.uoregon.edu/images/photos/meter.jpg" alt="parking meter" title="d"></p> <p>Use this:<img src="http://www.yellowbuses.co.uk/gfx/realbuslivery.jpg" alt="a bus" title="yb"></p> <p>Colin Nicol is the next...well, I'll let you decide what he is:</p> <blockquote><p>As a blue-chip customer of Barclays for 41, I was staggered to pick up a ball-point pen from my local branch and find it imprinted with 'Borrowed from Barclays bank'. I couldn't believe that in this age of throwaway promotional tat, a ball-point, costing pennies could not be given away with compliments.</p></blockquote> <p>The bank is not obliged by any means to give you a pen. In any case as a 'promotional' item, it should have the bank name on it! I can't believe that people could be this ungrateful. In future, Mr Nicol, if you want pens without things written on them, I suggest you buy them.</p> <p>Grrr...not happy now. Some German guy called Dr Friese, now:</p> <blockquote><p>When it comes to football, you'll always be losers. You should stick to cricket or other funny sports where the competition is less fierce.</p></blockquote> <p>And you should stick to your own borders <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"> (I apologise wholeheartedly for that - of course, past politics are no indicator of how the future will be. Oh! Just like past performance in sports is no indicator of future performance. Of course, having said that, we are quite crap)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://dmletters.blog.co.uk/2006/06/01/letters_thursday_1st_june~846678/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>