“With all the disgruntled people in this country, I’m holding my breath for New Year’s Eve” and “Aviation doesn’t cause massive damage to the environment” are some of the responses to news topics that have readers’ attention. Below are the letters that appeared in the newspaper of Tuesday 28 December. You can send in a response yourself via [email protected].
Police post in front of the door | I’m putting a card in Hugo de Jonge’s mailbox
‘Police post keeps an eye on the home of outgoing minister Hugo de Jonge’ (AD.nl 24-2). In Capelle aan den IJssel, for years, such a police post was set up in front of the house of then Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. I’m going to put a card in Hugo de Jonge’s letterbox to encourage him. I think more people should do that. Get it, this job. You never do well. With 17 million virologists, opposition on all fronts, even from the House of Representatives. A hell of a job, but someone has to do it. Suppose it becomes hospital boss Ernst Kuipers as Minister of Health, Hugo has now taken the chestnuts out of the fire for him. With all the disgruntled people in this country, I’m holding my breath for New Year’s Eve. If I was one of Hugo van Jonge’s residents, I would pack my bags in the direction of one of our Wadden Islands.
Dick van Dijk, Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel.
Interview with Louis van Gaal | We are going to have a lot of fun with him at the World Cup
‘We can become the best team at the World Cup’ (Sports World 24-12). I enjoyed Sjoerd Mossou’s interview with Louis van Gaal last Friday. This was nice to read. I think he is a top coach and a fantastic person, as a person and sportsman. He is direct and he never turns around, which is why he has made enemies. I think Louis van Gaal is the right trainer and coach for the Orange squad at the moment. I am convinced that we will have a lot of fun during the World Cup in Qatar.
G. Petalas, Spijkenisse.
Aviation | I only fly if there really is no other way
‘So KLM missed the environmental summit in Glasgow?’ (Opinion 24-12). The opinion piece caught my eye. Pieter Elbers still seems to have a very distorted world view, in which flying is the ultimate pleasure for the majority of the population. Not for me anyway. Just the continuous heavy roar of the engines has made me decide to fly alone if there is no other option. More importantly, the competition between modes of transport is still decided in favor of the biggest polluter: aviation. When I read the earlier interview with Elbers I already felt irritation about downplaying the problems of flying. But yes, of course he has to sell his ‘baby’ KLM and then you probably won’t see reality clearly anymore.
Jaap Barendregt, Rhoon.
Aviation II | Good piece, but consequences turn out to be minimal
In their opinion piece of last Friday, Rob van Tilburg and Koenraad Backers make a perfectly legitimate argument, as far as I am concerned, to try to replace short flights as much as possible with other means of transport such as the (high-speed) train. What surprises me, however, is their comment that ‘aviation causes enormous damage to the environment’. Information on various scientifically sound sites, for example from the national government, www.rijksoverheid.nl, gives a different picture. According to information on various sites, (civil) aviation worldwide is responsible for at most 2 to 3 percent of CO2 emissions.
Ab Woutersen, Utrecht.
Newspaper deliverer | Don’t put the heroes of the newspaper off with a euro
When I get out of bed around 6 in the morning to pee, I can just hear the letterbox clattering. The paperboy, again exactly around this time with the AD on the mat. The weather is drizzly and cold. But he’s been on the road for a while. Soon he or she will be at your door again with the best wishes for the new year. Don’t put them off with a euro, but reward them generously, these buffaloes who wake up so early. I crawl back under my cozy warm duvet, they still have a while!
Joop de Keijzer, Amersfoort.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
#Reactions #extra #security #Hugo #chestnuts #fire