I no longer live in Dundee but close family do. My sister works in a shop in Lochee High Street and told me on the phone of a potentially violent incident that happened to her earlier this week.
She approached a man acting suspiciously in her shop and asked him if she could help.
He turned around, said yes and then proceeded to clear a shelf load of items into a bag he was carrying. When she tried to block him he pushed her out of the way and walked out of the shop.
Two things shock me — that my sister nearly got hurt and that these types seem to wander round without worrying about being caught.
Apparently he had been in a few other shops in Lochee thieving as he went along.
I’ve witnessed for myself the steep decline every time I’ve visited over the last year.
I don’t blame the police directly as they seem to be doing everything they can and, in this case, they were very supportive. I blame the justice system more in that this low-life didn’t seem to care about being seen or being caught. When are these people going to be taken off the streets to be properly punished?
Only then can the good, decent people go about their business without fear. — Former Resident.
Appearance was disaster
The protests outside the BBC in London were indicative of the strength of feeling against the BNP.
However, a far more scathing indictment was the performance of the leader Nick Griffin on Question Time. It was a disaster.
He struggled to answer questions, looked ill at ease in the face of some admittedly strong attacks from the panel and audience, and generally showed himself up to be something short of a force to be reckoned with.
He said afterwards he thought his appearance would lead to many more people joining the BNP.
I think he has surely driven people away. — Mr Fair.
Out of touch?
With the revelation that Dundee West MP Jim McGovern spent over £100 on a toaster, one can only marvel at how much better this toast must be compared to the “regular” toast enjoyed by the majority of his hardworking constituents.
But how would one grace such toast? Butter made from unicorn milk? Scrambled dodo eggs? Or maybe just humble old caviar.
However, when full-time salaries in Dundee can still be as low as £11,000 per annum, it shows again how out of touch Mr McGovern is when he will haggle over a £5000 overpayment. — Veritas.
Opposing expenses payback a coincidence?
Just recently, Jim McGovern was telling us that he felt MPs had the right to challenge the ruling on how much they should pay back to the taxpayer for their expenses claims.
He hadn’t yet received his letter, but he was sure there wouldn’t be any issue. Imagine my surprise to see that on receipt of his letter he was told to pay back over £5000.
What a coincidence that he was so opposed to these decisions before he got his letter.
I wonder if he really would have been so opposed if he had been told he didn’t have to pay back anything? — Political Connoisseur
Benefits allow more time with kids . . .
As a mother I cannot even begin to imagine what the parents of the so-called fat family must be feeling having their children taken from them.
However, what I cannot understand is why this family has been given a four-bedroom house on a private housing estate.
My husband and I work hard to pay our mortgage and council tax for a house in the same area.
It seems it is more beneficial to be on benefits than to have a job.
Maybe then I could be with my children more, rather than having to work. — Hard Working Taxpayer.
Pension power
I read Mr J. Stewart’s letter regarding pensions. I agree with all he said regarding these being too low, but a lot of this problem lies with pensioners themselves.
They do have a vote and carry a lot of power if they use it correctly.
There is a perception the Labour Party has done very little for them, yet a majority still give this party their vote.
We have had Labour for 12 years now at Westminster so maybe by now those in Scotland who keep voting Labour will have woken up and will give their vote to some party other than Labour. — Woken Up.
Swine flu vaccine worry
I will not be getting the swine flu vaccination after information I got from a relative who works for the NHS.
A rep who visits doctors’ surgeries and hospitals for the vaccination could not answer important questions brought to him regarding what actually was in the vaccination and what the side effects are.
If people are having these vaccinations, two very important key questions cannot be answered, will the vaccine be beneficial or will the effects cause more deaths.
I do not think these vaccinations should go ahead unless these two factors are properly examined. — Anon.
Enough sun for beach fun
Kim’s sand car.
The weather may not have been that good, but last weekend there was enough sun to let me go to Carnoustie Beach and I was able to make this sand car — Kim Collier (aged 12).
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