Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir,-Alan Ireland complains about the noise from the firing ranges at Barry Buddon, but these ranges have been in operation for at least 50 years.
They were in use regularly when I was a boy in the 1950s. The noise from gunfire in the surrounding area has been there for at least that long, and is part of the price we pay for the defence of our country.
One assumes that anyone buying a house in the area surrounding Barry Buddon would know about this at the time of purchase.
It seems a bit odd to be complaining about it afterwards.
(Captain) Ian McRae.17 Broomwell Gardens,Monikie.
Cameras notable by absence
Sir,-I would like to contribute to recent comments raised by Mike Cuthbert and Stephen Caldwell regarding the use of speed camera vans in Fife.
I wrote to you in June 2008 regarding the sighting of one of these vans at the crack of dawn on the Thornton bypass and Mr Andy Jones, of the safety camera partnership, defended the use of these devices “at any time of the day or night in the pursuit of safety.”
Can the partnership explain why, in all the years it has existed and I have commuted through one of Fife’s major routes very early in the morning I have never seen cameras within the boundaries of a 30mph restriction, such as the A914 through Kettlebridge, or the Halbeath Road or Greenshank Drive in Dunfermline?
Vehicles frequently travel well beyond the speed limit and frequently pass me at around 50mph, regardless of other commuters and pedestrians.
Gordon Dunsmuir.20 Bankton Park,Kingskettle.
Free food in the woods
Sir,-Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in the countryside can forage in season to supplement our food purchases.
I was recently alerted to the start of the chanterelle season; a kindly villager even hailed me to say, ‘Your orange mushrooms are in the woods’. So, basket in hand, into the woods I went.
The villager had also warned me of “professional” foragers, so I wasn’t totally surprised when I spied folk filling large carrier bags with chanterelles without bothering to use a knife as they tugged.
Scavenging the countryside for free food is a wonderful family pastime, if accompanied by an experienced forager.
Fi Bird.Littleton of Airlie,Kirriemuir.
More Fife turbines on the way
Sir,-Following recent announcement of plans to site wind turbines in several local forests, applications have now been received by Fife planners for erecting anemometry masts.
These masts are precursors to the turbines themselves. Their 70-80 metre heights indicate that the turbines would be of industrial scale (requiring extensive concrete foundations, control stations and access for construction and maintenance traffic.)
Affected forests Devilla, Blairadam and Dean Plantation attract many visitors with interests including walking, cycling, horse-riding and even those who just want to enjoy some peace and quiet.
This priceless amenity is now under serious threat as developers seek to profit from the outrageous subsidies on offer paid for by us, the public, via our energy bills. It is something the politicians are keen to keep very quiet.
Without these covert subsidies no one would ever bother to build turbines.
As well as noise and visual “disturbance of the peace”, the wind factories would pose considerable threat to local wildlife. Safety problems are also not uncommon.
Fire from a failed turbine gearbox could easily damage large areas of forest by burning out of control, as firefighters are unable to cope with blazes atop high turbine towers.
The Scottish Government’s absurd renewable energy targets will simply push many more Scots into fuel poverty.
At the same time our beautiful countryside and forests will be turned into places people will no longer wish to visit.
Trevor McKenzie.Highgate Cottage,Dunduff,Dunfermline.
Pump water to the desperate
Sir,-Once again the world is faced with all the horrors of drought and famine in the north-east corner of of Africa.
The more prosperous countries are pouring in food aid, but this is only an initial solution and more permanent answers are needed.
We have the technology to pump vast quantities of oil and gas from Russia to Britain; from Alaska to the central states of the US.
Technology exists to produce fresh water from the sea by means of large distillation plants or evaporators.
This could be developed by constructing distillation plants at coastal sites and pumping fresh water inland to reservoirs.
Much of the power required could be obtained from solar sources. Such plants are not too complicated to operate and local people could easily be trained to do so.
Henry Topping.Mount Melville Crescent,Strathkinness.
Disgraceful in Dundee?
Sir,-I write following the press coverage of the scenes of violence, malicious damage and breaches of the peace involving football fans on the streets of Dundee on Thursday evening.
I would have thought that there would have been sufficient evidence to arrest more of the culprits and have them appear at court to face charges on the following day.
Is this part of the political agenda to prove that the crime rate is down?
John McDonald.14 Rosebery Court,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.