YOUR VIEWS: Caithness wind farm saturation, music memories and an independence warning
Caithness at wind farm saturation point
Once again the objections of the local community and, for once, the Highland Council were ignored regarding the on-shore windfarm at Mey.
These objections are overruled by some faceless person within the Scottish Government who basically tells us we are going to get the wind farm whether we like it or not.
Caithness is already at wind farm saturation point but still more are getting approved despite objections from the local communities. Truly democracy is dead if this situation continues.
We are in the ridiculous situation of paying energy companies many tens of millions to turn off windmills but are still putting more up with no capability to take the power produced. All we are doing is making the energy companies rich at the expense of the taxpayers.
I am all for green energy but it is past time these on-shore wind farms were stationed closer to where the power is needed.
At present Caithness as a whole gets no recompense for producing all this power, in fact we still pay the highest standard charges in the UK in spite of exporting energy. What a crazy situation!
Billy Sinclair
Ormlie Drive
Thurso
My generation (baby)
Twenty years ago, I translated the book “Mind Over Matter – The Images of Pink Floyd” into German. The author, the late Storm Thorgerson, designed the LP covers and all promotional materials of the group, and also impressive works of art under the open sky.
Storm’s book contains many illustrations of his artwork and also inside information on Pink Floyd, as well as the contemporary music scene, but one chapter intrigued me the most – “The Sixties”, because that concerned me.
It all began – of course – with the Beatles. I was at secondary school then and the appearance of this English group stirred up the minds of the younger generation. We teenagers were in fact crazy about this new style of music, which was quite unlike the usual German heart-ache songs.
Wherever the Beatles or their likes made an appearance, masses of young teenage girls screamed their heads off and several actually fainted, so there were always ambulances on stand-by. At least for us teenage boys, the Beatles and their “She Loves You” soon became sort of mainstream; there was another group, the Rolling Stones, with a more direct approach to the matter: “Let’s Spend the Night Together”.
Well, that was more to our liking – not that anybody did it at our tender age. There were other great titles like their “Paint It Black” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, or “Gimme Some Lovin” by The Spencer Davis Group with its hammering beat.
As Storm Thorgerson implies in his book, we were apparently blessed having grown up at a time of a great musical revolution. Of course, there were still good songs in the following decades and even to this day which you can listen to and enjoy – but they don’t make you lift your feet, play the air guitar or swing the imaginary conductor’s baton.
And, if any proof is needed, to my knowledge, young teenage girls do not faint anymore at the sight of rock stars – those were the days.
In case some readers, particularly of the younger generation, are wondering what this old geezer is on about, a quote from said book may offer an explanation: “Maybe that during the teen years the synapses in the brain form connections that are never dissolved and so everybody looks back with excessive melancholy (or horror) at his time as a teenager.”
Apparently, I am not the only one with that affliction. Just recently, a new station called “Greatest Hits Radio 60s” came on air – at last, some decent music on the radio!
Peter Haase
Fairview House
Halkirk
Independence for all?
Nicola Sturgeon has recently been talking about the future. Scotland, Wales and a United Ireland will be enjoying a wonderful independent existence.
Like Southern Ireland today they will be enjoying a lifestyle supported by the EU. Like Southern Ireland they will not get involved in any military alliances that could involve them in international conflict. Leave that to the warmongers – England, France, Germany and Eastern European countries that have always been having wars. It’s their thing!
Well, recently there has been growing objection to Southern Ireland, living in assured peace. Freeloading on the countries that are contributing to the mutual protection of all, both in money and the willingness to forfeit the lives of their soldiers.
Southern Ireland has had a comfortable life in the EU until recently. All the evidence is that this is now coming to an end.
Talking of independence, I recommend a look at Wikipedia – “List of active separatist movements in Europe”. A short sample. “Faroe Islands from Denmark”. “Aland from Finland”. “Basque areas of France and Spain to unite as a separate state” .“Tiny Malta to split in two”. There is much, much more.
If the EU starts to extend membership to the resulting shrapnel it will eventually collapse. Success in a few cases will increase the fever of the rest of the mob.
John Campbell
Waitside
Castletown
Mental health in the workplace
World Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10 every year and is an opportunity for us all to come together and talk about mental health.
This year the theme for World Mental Health Day is: “It’s time to prioritise mental health in the workplace.” Many of us spend so much of our time at work, but how we manage and support our own mental health and wellbeing, and that of our colleagues, can vary greatly.
The Mental Health Foundation has published “How to support mental health at work” which offers top tips and guidance for both employees and employers and is free to download from our website.
We are also encouraging people to host a Tea & Talk in their workplace and have a conversation about mental health. It’s not always easy to start these conversations, but talking about our mental health can help us cope better with life’s ups and down, feel connected with others and less alone.
Tea & Talk helps raise awareness of mental health, as well as vital funds to help us continue to support people in our communities who are at most risk of developing poor mental health.
Remember, this is a day to remind people, and yourself, that it’s okay to ask for help, no matter what you’re going through.
For helpful tips and talking points visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk/wmhd
Julie Cameron,
Associate director
Mental Health Foundation in Scotland
Glasgow
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