Your Letters

Bridge over travel worry

Sir,

I was very interested to read in the Henley Standard dated January 17 a report of a debate in Parliament where Reading MP Matt Rodda was reported to say that there was a serious problem with a lack of cooperation between Oxfordshire County Council and Reading Borough Council.

The planning for this bridge needs to be started now, not in 2040. Oxfordshire County Council always says that another bridge would bring more traffic to South Oxfordshire but, as I have said before, a new bridge would work both ways.

Not only would it benefit traffic trying to cross the Thames to travel to London and the east but also to the west and the south coast. This would help the bridges in Reading and Henley and of course Sonning. I know there was discussion about another bridge over the Thames many years ago and I think the county council was in favour of it then, but now it is quite happy to take community tax from South Oxfordshire residents and spend most of this in Oxford and the north of the county.

Yours faithfully, Peter Giles, Earley

Good look at civic offices

Sir,

I was reading through the list of first day Executive Orders signed into immediate effect by Donald (I’m Back) Trump. There is a lot that will impact many spheres of life, not just in America but around the world and provide many with renewed hope.

I was pleased to see one that not many outlets took interest in, promoting beautiful federal civic architecture. So Trump and King Charles III see eye to eye that beauty is truth and truth is beauty and is needed in the construction of civic buildings, which promotes inspired solutions that are not only novel but pleasing to the eye.

Hello South Oxfordshire, there’s a big finger pointing at your proposed new office shed in Didcot. At the same time, an angry fist is shaking at all the councillors and planners that have abandoned Henley, withholding funding and any improvements for the last half century.

I’m certain Henley residents are fed up of being the teat suckled by the rest of the region, only to be ignored when needs arise. Personally, I would suggest a five-year suspension of council tax and business rates as an apology for the disgraceful neglect of our town, environment and our citizens. But then that’s me, your view may differ but you have a right to be wrong, just don’t abuse the privilege.

Yours faithfully, Edward Sierpowski, Henley

Reflecting US society

Sir,

Matthew Parris’s article in the London Times on Saturday, January 20, consisted of the longest list of insults describing Trump I have seen so far. I don’t have any real problem with these comments as such. I certainly do not believe the Parris article will damage the “UK-USA special relationship” or anything like that.

But it can lead readers to believe that Trump himself is a problem, which I think is a misunderstanding of the situation. The 47th president of the USA is a perfect representation of the problems in American society. The characteristics he portrays, which do of course contain elements of narcissism, racism, avarice, misogyny, etc., are from the same building blocks on which societies are built. |

Trump did not create his society himself, having had about 44 predecessor-presidents with whom any responsibility needs to be shared. Trump ’s exceptionalism is his complete lack of concern for trying to make any of these unfortunate characteristics more palatable. He just doesn’t seem to care at all. He seems to have absolutely no sense of guilt or shame. In fact one gets the impression that he takes pride in what many might be ashamed of. And we have to be careful in pointing a finger, as we need to remember that this country has recently had a leader who was not all that far behind in his portrayal of similar sorts of characteristics.

Yours faithfully, Dan Remenyi Kidmore End

Question of weather war

Editor,

Sadly, the reply to my letter from David Hughes (Standard, January 24) was a somewhat predictable response, using the phrase “conspiracy theorist”, seemingly in an attempt to cancel out critically pertinent questions regarding the weather and climate, and what is actually affecting it.

Stating the phrase “conspiracy theorist” does not cancel out or invalidate critical questions or declassified information on known weather warfare operations mentioned in my previous letter. If people are being harmed by storms, floods, heatwaves or freezing, it is critical to establish this isn’t being engineered artificially to do just that.

The public are being increasingly controlled via an evolving UN climate agenda that wishes to impose ways of life that in many ways seem to be antihuman. Weather warfare would go hand in hand with a rogue agenda, providing convincing effects. And, no, the onus is on those claiming we are in a climate crisis to prove it’s not an engineered Crisis on any level.

Many of course now know engineered crises are not theories, but are indeed conspiracies when they happen, and they should never be allowed to happen again. Unfortunately, when people ask difficult questions that reach outside what is thought to be possible by most people, it seems to be a default setting for some to label those people as “conspiracy theorists”. Even when historic facts have been presented and knowing history repeats and also advances.

What could be more important than getting to the absolute truth? Unfortunately, Mr Hughes also failed to present any evidence to demonstrate how the atmosphere was being observed scientifically to rule out geoengineering or weather warfare operations. Echo chamber language repeating the same old claims about the causes of climate change that most people have already heard before is not proving anything but good at blinding people with “science”.

It should be well known by now that cloud layers trap in heat and what is dispersed from planes, which many refer to as “contrails”, is creating artificial cloud layers over Earth. Even if most people think they’re just contrails, this remains a fact and is most definitely affecting the weather and climate in this increasingly overcast, by design, world we live in. I would advise everyone to seek out and watch a very informative documentary available to watch on YouTube now, titled The Dimming on the Dane Wigington Channel, with more than 23 million views. This will be a surefire way of educating the public and explaining why so called “contrails” are creating vast amounts of artificial cloud layers over Earth and the effects they are having on all life on Earth, by design, together with the use of known technologies.

I would like to ask how did Mr Hughes writing as “we” establish, of any “super villains” or “rogue states” potentially “manipulating our weather”, that “nothing they have done so far has had any significant effect?” How does he know this? You allege CO2, plant food, the gas of life has had a “significant effect” without factoring in other known causes affecting weather and climate to include what else is trapping in heat.

I allege weather warfare and geoengineering would have far more effect than CO2. That would also include geo-engineered weather/climate cooling effects that include “chemical ice nucleation” techniques. Asking pertinent questions does not make someone a “conspiracy theorist”.

Encouraging blind belief without question is the worrying distraction in my view. Everyone should question the finer details of an alleged truth that will affect their entire lives. That is what humanity needs now. It certainly doesn’t need weather warfare or 5G radiation.

Yours faithfully, N D Myer, Wallingford

Call for new inquiry now

Sir,

The distressing activities of grooming gangs over the past 20 years, and possibly concurrently, have understandably caused widespread concern, distress, and angry frustration, with recent surveys suggesting that 75 per cent of the public supports a national public inquiry into these gangs, and to fully investigate as to why so many victims were continually failed by those in authority who should have been protecting them.

It was therefore disappointing to note that our MP, Freddie van Mierlo, failed to support this cause, with a “no vote” recorded for the division for the amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that could have facilitated such an inquiry.

I encourage all constituents to express their support for a national inquiry. It is crucial that our elected representative understands and acts upon the interests of his constituents in Parliament, rather than merely following his party’s line, so let’s ensure our voices are heard — if you agree then write to Mr van Mierlo to support a national inquiry now.

Yours faithfully, Andrew Ball Highmoor

Blessed with lovely walks

Editor,

It was our first long walk of this year. After parking at Mill Lane, we walked into Henley, crossed the bridge, passed Leander Club, and walked towards Hambleden Lock. It was misty and calm with not a breath of wind and only the occasional jogger.

We stopped at the lock for a coffee and a snack before crossing over the weir with its thundering waters, to reach the north bank of the Thames. Crossing the Henley to Marlow road we headed for Hambleden village. Our path took us through a field of sheep which had a notice that read, “Any dogs worrying sheep will be shot”.

Just short of Hambleden village, we crossed the Turville road and climbed up the hill through woods until from a high vantage point we were able to look down over fields of sheep, to the Thames and across the valley to the hills on the far side. Our walk then took us down through very muddy fields to the Thames and a lovely walk with flotillas of ducks on the water. As we neared Henley again with the sun gone and the temperature dropping, it was across the Henley to Marlow road to a very welcome all-day, “classic English” breakfast at Henley Rugby Club.

We had walked nine miles, and we still had to walk back to our cars in Mill Lane car park. It was justone of the wonderful walks that this area is blessed with.

Yours faithfully, Douglas Wright Caversham

Town history over a cuppa

Editor,

I am in possession of a A History of Henley-onThames by John Southerden Burn, dated 1861. It is signed by Captain Eric Noble, who I understand was the donor of books to Henley library. I must have inherited it but not from my family.

All those years ago I lent it to the River & Rowing Museum and it has now been returned to me now. I hope I am not being presumptive when I say if any body would like to look at it, they are welcome to knock on my door to view with a nice cup of tea.

Yours faithfully, Peter Warrick Churchill Crescent, Sonning Common

Wonderful pant-omime

Sir,

I felt that I just had to write to tell you what a wonderful performance of Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates I went to at the Woodclyffe hall, Wargrave.

It was excellent in every way and the humour was tremendously funny. Everyone knew and remembered their words — all very professional.

Shortly after it started, a member of the chorus’s trousers fell down. I am not sure whether or not it was meant to happen but another man stood in front of him while he pulled them up. The Dame was completely outstanding (and even matched the professionalism of the Dame at the Theatre Royal Windsor!). Everything went swimmingly — definitely worth the price of my ticket. Well done to all the cast.

Yours faithfully, Kathleen Cosnett Chaseside Avenue, Twyford

Grateful for finding ring

Thank you to the person who handed in my engagement ring (diamond and sapphire) lost last Saturday in Tesco.

Also thank you to the staff who enthusiastically helped. It was heart-warming to see the kindness and honesty of all.

Yours faithfully, Joyce Day Thorne Close, Henley