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Letters - 26 November 2009
Incident left us scared to walk in city
While walking home from a Dundee city centre pub at closing time, heading to Stobswell, my friend was verbally abused by two men.

She replied to the abuse with some verbal back. Quite rightly so, I would say, as the abuse was derogatory.

The men were walking a little behind my friend when suddenly she heard one of them run up behind her. She was terrified as she was alone, so she turned around and hit out in defence.

Unfortunately for the assailant she had keys in her hand. Therefore he was badly cut and got more than he bargained for.

This is not what my friend had intended, but she was defending herself and reacted in her state of sheer panic and blind fear. This attack has left my friend feeling like she has done something wrong. She was very badly shaken as she ran home.

Needless to say, neither she nor myself will ever feel safe to walk around Dundee again. — Upset.

Bethany makes her mark

Bethany is pictured with Sara Lamb of NHS Tayside highlighting the need to be ready for the winter months ahead

After seeing my gorgeous daughter Bethany Cooney pose with a giant medicine cabinet and tissues to highlight NHS Tayside’s winter campaign, our family definitely got the message and made sure our medicine cupboard is well stocked “ready for winter”.

I hope lots of other people got the message too. — Proud Mum.

Smokers don’t always wash hands
As a staff member at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, (not nursing) I am not surprised about all the negative publicity regarding C.Diff and hygiene standards.

Every day I pass nursing staff in their uniforms smoking on the hospital grounds, before returning to wards in the same uniform and attending patients.

Some do and some do not wash their hands and when you pass them the smell of stale smoke coming from them is disgusting.

I have witnessed some patients also smoking in their nightwear and coming back to wards and bays amongst sick people, not washing hands and keeping the same clothes on for days.

I’m sure if any of my relatives or myself were to be cared for by anyone in this environment I would expect them to be totally sterile and not smelling of a stale ashtray. — Puffed Out.

Theatre parking
My wife and I took our granddaughter to The Singing Kettle at The Whitehall Theatre in Dundee on Sunday.

As always, there is nowhere to park near the theatre.

Many parked on yellow lines and some, like us, parked on a grass verge.

When I left the theatre, sure enough I had been given a ticket.

Where is it possible to park when taking a child to the theatre?

We are supposed to do purposeful things with our children, so the council tell us, but, when we do, they spoil it in this way. — Irate Grandparent.

Book captures murderous history
The re-released The Law Killers makes fascinating reading and congratulations to the author, former Evening Telegraph chief reporter Alexander McGregor.

Dundee has a long history of violent crime and this book perfectly captures this.

In 1980, the year of the second Templeton Woods murder, it was a particularly violent year in the city, with nine other cases of murder or culpable homicide. — Dryburgh Reader, Dundee.

Rent rise anger
Dundee City Council’s housing convenor Jimmy Black claims that the need to raise rents is to improve services.

Councillor Black refers to dirty houses being offered for let and suggests that more income will enable these properties to be decorated and made more attractive to potential tenants.

A few years ago Dundee had over 40,000 council houses.

Now there is about one-third of that total. During this period, the number of staff has multiplied several times and the service has not improved.

When the new SNP administration took power, it was hoped that they would bring a more business-like approach to the running of the city. This does not appear to be happening. — Housing Observer.

Seal protection
In early December, the Scottish Parliament’s Environment and Rural Affairs Committee will have a crucial discussion about the protection of seals.

I fully support Advocates for Animals’ Look Out For Seals campaign that is calling for a ban on shooting seals during their breeding seasons. I urge everyone to write to their MSPs and seek their assurance that they will back an amendment to the Marine (Scotland) Bill which will protect heavily pregnant seals and their newborn pups during their breeding seasons. — Stuart and Maggie Cameron.

Christmas fayre
A Christmas fayre is to be held at Menzieshill House, 201 Earn Crescent, Dundee, on Sunday from 2 pm – 4 pm, in aid of residents’ comfort funds. £1 entry includes refreshments. — Angela Kerr, Comfort Funds Committee.

THE ADDRESS for readers’ letters is - Readers’ Page, Evening Telegraph, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. They can also be placed in our post box at our offices in Albert Square, Dundee, emailed to us on letters@eveningtelegraph.co.uk or faxed on 01382 454590. We ask correspondents using a nom-de-plume or sending by e-mail to provide a name and address for reference purposes. The editor reserves the right to reject or edit any letter. Please keep letters as short as possible.*
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