IN the year 2012 the whole of the UK goes to digital television reception. How on earth did Rupert Murdoch's organisation persuade our Government to hand over control of our TV screens?

In 2012 we will be entirely dependent on Sky satellites for our viewing so why do it? We are told that on Freeview there are many more channels to pick from.

This is true but what content do they have? Repeats of repeats and obsolete or failed rejects from US television on two or three monthly cycle. What of reception? The weather has a great deal to do with the quality of signal received because it has to travel such a long way to reach our screens, about 20000 miles each way from the satellites.

Given this, why bother is there some reason we are not being told?

The Government said it was to improve telly-viewing for the general public, but sadly the actions of politicians in the past show that they only do anything to benefit the electorate, is if it benefits them or to help win an election and I can't see an election looming.
J Jones,
Hendon,
Sunderland

Happy with Spam
WITH reference to the regular gourmet of the city who professes to know all, I would like to put him right on a few facts.
First of all Spam of the forties was a commodity we were happy to receive from the USA. It was enjoyed by all, even in a different guise by way of a change and it was far superior to that of today.
With the good boiled and baked ham sold in shops, I simply cannot imagine the average person attempting to offer sugar coated spam as baked ham.
As for his comment on coming home from school to a meal costing two pence, let me enlighten him to those school days in wartime as I was one of those schoolchildren.
Not only did the pungent smell of the food attract us, the meal itself was enjoyed simply because it was cooked, in spite of the lack of some ingredients through war and it cost a lot more than two pence.
The majority of people in this city do their utmost with the food on offer, to keep it wholesome and attractive regardless of cost.
A Bisto Kid

It was insulting
ON Friday October 25, my son and grandson paid a visit to Sainsbury's in Sea Road. When they reached the check-out the lady there said to my son, regarding my grandson, "Is he drunk or is he on drugs".
Let me tell you, my grandson is 19 years old, bright and very polite and obliging, but he has a medical problem which makes him sensitive.
But the insults didn't stop there. The only reprimand the lady received was extra staff training. You and I know that it doesn't take extra training to teach an adult to be polite. Perhaps Sainsbury's training staff have not come across the initials, TCF, Treating Customers Fairly and it doesn't mean treating everyone the same. It means treating customers according to their needs.
Where's the apology?
My son and his wife ran a business in Sea Road for over 30 years (Howards) and if one of their staff insulted a customer they would have collected their P45 the same day.
Ron Bonallie,
Lee Street,
Fulwell,
Sunderland

Classy stores
WHAT an interesting letter you published from Old Argylian (what has become of the place I knew?).
I, too, remember the Sunderland of the 30s and 40s. Holmeside, Fawcett Street, High Street and Crowtree Road. Each with it's own character.
There were large classy department stores, Binn's, Blackett's, Joping's etc and dozens of smaller independent locally-owned shops, specialising in every type of merchandise.
I often wonder, where are the families who owned and ran these shops for generations? I think a study of this subject would be very rewarding for one of our local history societies.
In my opinion the demise of shipbuilding and local mining contributed to the decline of the town centre. Perhaps some of your readers might have opinions on this subject.
Doxfordian

No place for BNP in our schools
IT is disturbing that any member of the British National Party is allowed to be a teacher and for the sake of equality and the future of our children's education, it is to be hoped that Adam Walker will be struck off by the General Teaching Council (GTC) disciplinary committee, where he is accused of "unacceptable professional conduct" ("BNP supporters back teacher at tribunal", Echo, Nov 18).
The BNP is a racist and fascist organisation which stands for an all-white Britain. These views should be untenable for a teacher.
Teachers know only too well how those who preach hatred, racism or fascism can damage children's lives.
The guiding tenet of the National Union of Teachers has always been to champion equality. Racism needs to be challenged effectively – especially when those on the far right seek to clothe themselves in the suits of respectability.
The late NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott said: "I believe that our union has a moral responsibility to argue against the ideas of racism and fascism that are diametrically opposed to our approach to education, which values every child, irrespective of race, colour or creed."
There should be no place for members of the BNP in our education system and we should all do whatever we can to rid our schools of its members who peddle their poisonous and divisive prejudices.
Tony Dowling,
Membership Secretary,
Gateshead NUT
membsec@gateshead.nut.org.uk

Only half the story
YOUR article "Youth crime sees fall on Wearside" told only half the story about the number of young people entering the criminal justice system in the city.
At 908, the number of first-time offenders between 2007-2008 is significantly higher than in Newcastle and Gateshead and more than twice the number of (more deprived) Middlesborough.
In fact, the Government's own alternative measure, which calculates the percentage rate of first time entrants aged 10-17 to the criminal justice system, reveals that Sunderland has a figure of 3.2%, the highest of any local authority in its recently published table.
Councillor Robert Oliver,
Conservative Children's Services Spokesman

Feed the birds
WITH the weather getting colder we should not forget to put out some food for our feathered friends the wild birds, like the sparrow that is now on the endangered list by feeding them you can see sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, thrushes, blue-tits, coal-tits, great-tits, robins and wrens are very common garden birds you may see other species of bird if your lucky and could attract some of our winter visitors they rely on our help it will not cost much to buy some food. You can also make your own. Old bread, biscuits, cake, nuts, bacon fat mixed with some hot marge or butter and left to cool makes great bird food but make sure to cut up the bacon fat into small bits.
So come on and do your bit for our birds put our city on the map for being the best place to see wild birds in the country and we can have our own autumn watch!
The Bird Man of Sunderland

Pictures of Hendon
I HAVE a photograph of the Gospel Hall Sunday School that was on Noble's Bank Road in Sunderland.
The photo was taken in Hendon Boys' School yard about 60 years ago. There are about 80 children including Billy Green, Jean Allan, Marjorie Andrews, Vera Chalk and her sisters, Margaret Wheeler, Nan Cranmer, Maureen Yardley, Elizabeth Kenny, Jean Hutton and the Dolman sisters – to name but a few.
If anyone would like a copy and you are on the Internet, I would be happy to scan a copy to you.
Ann Pike now Hansen,
I/24 Casuarina Drive, Banora PointNSW 2486
Email: annmackem@optusnet.com.au
Tel: 0755248489

A rabbit away
I UNDERSTAND that Sunderland City Council has squirrelled away £82million in foreign banks.
A sizeable sum by any stretch but why so big and how much has been deposited with the banks of Fawcett and Union Streets?
I'm guessing the authority must keep at least 10 per cent of its budget as a contingency but I reckon the £82m is a mere bagatelle when it comes to the city reserves.
Why then, is there such reluctance from the council to adopt the unadopted roads of Hetton like the horrendous Fairy Street?
Why is there no money put towards attractions at the seafront – a "wet and wild" or a "metroland" or a decent sports facility to attract, exercise and entertain our youth?
Why issue scaremongering statements that if the city goes with the iconic bridge, the disputed £35m will result in fewer services or increased council tax?
There's a rabbit away in my humble opinion – mind, never thought our elected representatives knew what they were doing, problem is there is little alternative with the Tories who would rather move us south!
Perhaps that's where the rabbit went too!
Pete Bogg,
East Boldon

Great guy Gordon meets Pete Zulu
I WAS recently invited to meet TV chef Gordon Ramsay on his visit to the North East to promote his new book Cooking For Friends.
I was delighted to meet chef Ramsay, as I have been a big fan of his for many years and have watched his phenomenal rise to international popularity. Over the years I have appeared in the media on many occasions plying my trade as a chef.
I looked on as he arrived in the Metrocentre for the book signing and was staggered to see nearly a thousand fans (many from the Sunderland area), bring the place to a near standstill.
Extra security staff and police were brought in to help with the near-hysteria. I also watched as Gordon Ramsay made every person in the many long queues, feel very special ... it's a gift he has.
He gave everything to the signing session and in the brief moments he shared with his fans he made them all feel a million dollars.
Gordon Ramsay is right at the top of his game and the people who waited for hours to meet him will verify that fact.
In these days of celebrities being in the news for the wrong reasons and showing disrespect, it was refreshing to see a major star who is clearly thankful for the support his public have given him.
On a personal note, it was great to share some time with him after the signing and to hear him heap praise on his many North East fans.
Nice one Gordon!
Pete Zulu,
Owner/Chef, The Black Horse Inn,
Rectory Bank,
West Boldon

Taxis will suffer
I AM a hackney carriage owner and driver who strongly disagrees with the tariff increase.
I do not know what the Sunderland and Washington Hackney Carriage Operators Associations (of which I am not a member either just like half the taxi drivers in Sunderland) and the council are thinking of.
They asked for an increase in March due to to the rise in fuel costs but never went back to the tariffs that were set in December 07, when the fuel costs came down. This time they say its down to business cost. What business will we have if these increases go ahead – none.
Our business is hard enough due to the lack of money that the public have to spend thanks to the way the country is at the moment. Have these associations not realised yet that when they ask for tariff increases the council always puts up their charges for licence and badges etc so at the end of the day we are no better off.
I for one will not be getting my meter altered.
Glenn Kirby,
Sunderland

Stop taxi fare rises
IN the Echo (Nov 11), I read about taxi fare increases again!
How can Hackney carriage associations justify these increases, don't they know about the credit crunch, the falling prices of fuel, and the cut in interest rates, these are designed to get the economy moving again and the last thing people of Sunderland and Washington need is another price increase in their taxi fares.
As for this "super tariff", come off it hackney drivers. Give the public a break!
I suggest a price reduction or at least a price freeze not many councils in England give tariff increases once a year never mind 3 times a year, come on Sunderland council stand up to these hackney carriage associations and give the public something back, as its us who pay your wages anyway.
After a meeting I attended, the private hire association is totally against these price increases and if my maths is correct they represent the majority of taxis in Sunderland and Washington.
Come on Sunderland Council and the Echo. Let's get a campaign to stop these astronomical price increases.
Name and address supplied

WITH the recent rehabilitation of Baron Mandelson, Margaret Beckett and whispers that David Blunkett may well be another ex-Minister to be forgiven past mistakes and welcomed back into the fold, I wonder if Gordon Brown might be considering trying to find a place for Denis, later Baron Healey.
Brown has said that he has no time for novices like Miliband, so Healey at 91 years old certainly fits the bill. And he did go off to the IMF in the 1970's and ask for money when we had the last financial crisis under Labour.
Coun Michael Dixon (Conservative)
St Chad's Ward

A SPECIAL thank you to two ladies in their 20s who called me back to Barclays cashpoint on Southwick Green where I absentmindedly left £100 in the cash slot on Friday, November 7. I am obviously grateful but more importantly it reassures me that there are more decent people around than rogues.
Jim Smith,
Clockwell Street,
Southwick

CAN someone at the Council Tax Office please tell the people of Sunderland what they are doing with 82 million pounds in foreign banks, when our council tax is increased every year.
Joan,
Ryhope