Resolved to ditch the technology

WELL, 2014 has come to an end, and what have we to look forward to in 2015? A General Election for one thing – lots more hot air and empty promises.

I, for one, would give my vote to any Party that could find a way to criminalise any telephone cold calling. I now view the telephone with the greatest suspicion and dread every time it rings, and some days it is relentless. Oh, we’ve tried all the nuisance call blockers, and none of them work.

Some offenders have even found a way of displaying a local code so you think it’s someone you know, and surprise, surprise it’s a call centre! I didn’t think we had any in Thirsk?

If all that wasn’t bad enough, it starts on your mobile phone as well, usually the service providers pestering (or should that be conning) you into taking on extra devices that you do not want or need, making out it’s an upgrade and you are “entitled”, then helping themselves to extra payments from your bank account because it’s all on direct debit to make it easier for you, isn’t it?

When you try and cancel, you can’t because of “The Contract” – what contract? I wasn’t aware I’d signed anything. Oh, and just be careful you hang up that smart phone properly because you don’t want to go getting charged £97 for a phone call that apparently lasted seven hours.

Do you swipe it, chuck it in to the road and hope it gets run over by a ten-ton truck? I’m in favour of the last option, personally. It could be worse, one poor chap got billed over £1,000 for a call which apparently lasted over 40 hours. I thought it was because we were old and stupid, but apparently the young and naive are getting caught out as well.

My New Year resolution is to have as little to do with technology as possible, so I am sending this letter by “snail mail”.

Population pressures

From: David Cook, Parkside Close, Cottingham.

THE controversy regarding whether we should remain in the EU seems never ending, with both sides of the argument certain they are right. What is not in dispute is the fact that we are, in world terms, a tiny island.

Also no one can deny we are already over-populated. Housing shortages exist in many parts of the country. Crowded roads are found nationwide. Train fares seem rigged to try to discourage their use.

Hospitals, often totally incapable of coping with patient numbers, testify to the fact that too many people already live here. With constantly rising numbers, the situation can only get worse. Of course business wants a never ending supply of cheap, efficient, hardworking labour. However there is more to life than creating wealth. It more important we have complete and total control over our borders.

David Cameron avoids the issue by suggesting a referendum in 2017 will give people the choice. By then, it might well be too late. We are supposed to live in a democracy but it seems more like a ruling elite that runs the country for its own benefit.

The fuel of 
the future?

From: JA Wilding, Hessle.

MUCH emphasis nowadays is placed on mankind’s contribution to climate change.

There is great concern in some quarters that the powers that be will in less than half a century forbid the use of petrol for cars, and there will be no gas or coal allowed for heating our homes.

So the answer to our problems is simple. Community ranches, herds of cows – and you get dung. Dung means natural gas to power your cars.

The Climate Change Act is not practical but making use of cow dung is. Or is it? Some would say it would be merely substituting one load of c**p for another.

Identified flying objects

From: RW Perkin, Bramhope.

I READ your report about magpies and crows taking golf balls (The Yorkshire Post, January 2) with interest.

About five years ago we started getting yellow golf range balls in our large garden. Our local course is a mile away as a bird flies, so I thought the birds must be bringing them.

This went on for quite a while until one day when our gardener was digging and a ball went past his ear, not vertically but horizontally. My wife mentioned it to the lady across the road, who said it is the person next door, he plays golf, goes to the 19th, brings some balls and friends home and they tee them up in the garden. They had a net, but could not always hit it – mystery over!

I collected the balls, some 50 or 60, my grandson and I took them to the driving range, and we practiced our driving until the balls were all back where they should be.

Celebrity news not OK

From: Brian Darvell, Beverley.

I MUST bring to your attention to the fact that page three of the Monday edition of The Yorkshire Post is starting to resemble something from the tabloid Press.

A story about motherhood becoming a turning point for Sienna Miller, another article about some record producer and something unbelievable about a baby shower. To cap it all was a bit of blurb about some TV presenter losing her cat!

If I want celebrity news I will buy OK! magazine.