The Courier’s week begins by looking at the future of North Inch Golf Course, the accuracy of the Met Office, the remuneration of toilet attendants and Britain’s power supply.
Footbridge will shortchange Perth’s golfers Sir,-I agree with Jack McLeish of North Inch Users’ Group regarding the handling of the Connect2 pedestrian bridge project in Perth.
A councillor said the changes would only require the moving of a wee flag.
This is going to be the costliest since Margaret Thatcher moved the Argentine flag from the Falklands.
The North Inch is a short course and, with modern technology, is shorter in real terms than 30 to 40 years ago. Changes will only make it even shorter.
Tom Fisken.18 Wilson Street,Perth.
Met forecast was accurate
Sir,-Dr. G. M. Lindsay (December 16) rehashes the fallacy that the Meteorological Office was wrong over the notorious “barbecue summer” forecast.
What the Met Office actually predicted was that there was a 67% probability the summer would be warmer than average, with normal, or below normal, rainfall.
In other words, odds of two to one in favour. Their media release of April 30, 2009, said that while “the forecast is for a drier and warmer summer than average it does not rule out the chances of seeing some heavy downpours at times.”
In the event, that summer was slightly warmer than average but rainfall was 40% above average.
The fundamental point is that even if that summer had been cold and wet, that on its own would not invalidate the prediction.
An illustration take a cubic die, paint four faces red and two blue. As you hold it in your hand before rolling it, you can easily forecast odds of two to one that it will come up red.
If you then roll it and it comes up blue, that does not mean your prediction was wrong but only that the less probable event occurred.
As for the current cold spell, Dr Lindsay may have missed those forecasts but that doesn’t mean they weren’t made. The Met Office warned that cold weather was on the way on Thursday, November 18.
(Dr) Richard A’Brook.82 Thomas Street,Carnoustie.
Braced for utilities failure
Sir,-I realise that, with the recent cold snap, Scottish Power and Scottish Water will have been very busy but I was wondering if they possibly could give the KY postcode district some warning when our annual, four-day loss of power and water will take place?
Even 24 hours’ notice would give us time to store water, candles, food and ensure the elderly and infirm in the Cupar, Dunbog, Lindores area are better prepared.
Callum Campbell.22 The Paddocks,Grange of Lindores.
Convenient savings spin?
Sir,-I’d like to apply for the post of toilet attendant in Broughty Ferry before the facility becomes automated. If the council can save £110,000 a year by getting rid of the attendants, they must be extremely well paid.
Does Councillor Ken Guild really think the people of Dundee are so daft as to believe the drivel he and his SNP colleagues are talking about savings?
Kate Phinn.30 Banknowe Drive,Tayport.
Give voters say on energy policy
Sir,-Your correspondent Michael Gallagher stated that incineration doesn’t have a sustainable future.
He may or may not be correct, however, had he looked at Alyth wind farm last week, he would have seen it at a standstill, so he can add wind farms to his non-sustainable green alternatives, together with the fact that they are costing the taxpayer million of pounds in subsidies.
I can remember well, the day my sister, brother and I came home from school and found that electricity and a cooker had been installed in the cotter house where we lived in Perthshire.
This was in 1954 and I was 10 years old.
Just imagine what it was like for us, especially my mother, who, like all women in the farming communities, cooked and baked on a little fire with a side oven.
This fire was also used for the heating of water, drying clothes in winter, as well as being our only source of heating in the house.
To us, electricity was a Godsend. Reekie tatties and the hiss of the Tilley lamp vanished forever.
Electricity worked for everyone in those days and nationalisation kept the price down.
But it wasn’t long before the Thatcher mob sold off our electricity companies, mostly to foreigners, which to me, was monstrous.
However, we have another monster to deal with a big greedy green one and we have to get rid of it now.
Green subsidies are costing us billions of pounds, multinational companies flock to us like bees to the heather and all we get are higher bills and, of course, the payment of more subsidies.
I think that we should have a referendum in Scotland on the future of our power sources.
Everything should be debated openly the types of fuels, subsides, and whether or not to renationalise all of our fuel providers.
Jock Nicoll.Hamewith,The Saucher,Kinrossie.
A winter work of art
Sir,- It was a pleasure to observe all the excellent photographs you included in The Courier supplement Winter Collection last week.
They clearly showed the natural beauty of Scotland, and not one wind turbine in sight.
Thanks to all the photographers.
Harry Lawrie.35 Abbots Mill,Kirkcaldy.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.