One wonders if they themselves would swim there or allow their children to do so.

It’s obvious by the many recent attacks Australia-wide that sharks are in ever increasing numbers as are crocs.

READING Sue Saunders letter, regarding phones in schools (The Examiner, September 21) got me thinking to why computers, calculators are also allowed.

I have a mobile phone, only use it when I go out incase I get a problem with my car or ring friend’s if they don’t have a home phone, sometimes if I need to check  the spelling of a word, I use a item called a dictionary.

It’s about time schools brought the times table, spelling tests, writing essays without a computer, laptop or phone.  

It seems many students (not all) can not think with their brain and need to get on a computer to find the missing information.  

Yes it is new technology, but as we have seen, sometimes that technology shuts down.

There is a real world out there and its not looking at a screen while you walk along bumping into people and poles.

At this rate parliament in the future won’t debate, unless its through an iPhone or iPad.

What a sad world we are becoming , thank goodness for the many people who still enjoy a good book.

I WONDER what method Treasury use for predicting the outcome of the annual budget.

As late as May this year a much larger budget deficit was predicted but within a few months due to “unexpected” income $13.4 million was added to the coffers.  

How much credence, then, can we attach to predictions regarding future budgets and returns to a surplus which are years away?

Might be time for a new crystal ball or a new set of darts.

GREAT Australian dramas such as Blue Heelers, All Saints and Fire have been replaced by series of real highway patrols, real emergency workers, portraying real boarder security as front line commandos protecting us from the threat of immigration.

In a way this honours what they do but it also glorifies to an extent tragedy, and now we have a series focused on the pulse pounding reality of triple zero calls.

What's next, live funerals?

The drama of the mother trying to say goodbye to her son, the sister who doesn't want to go but is pressured to as a matter of fact that is probably Seven, or Nine or Ten's planned summer blockbuster smash hit.

I recently spent three days as a patient in the George Town Hospital.

All staff were amazing and went out of their way to make me comfortable.

Special mention to Dr T Mooney, whose dedication is ten out of ten.

One very contented patient.

ONE must wonder just where Launceston’s values lie when we are being led by a council that has little idea of when and how much apparent blind decisions should be made.

For example poor Brisbane Street being turned into the likes of a seafront walkway instead of an accessible shopping centre free to the public.

Launceston has become too expensive for the average family to enjoy and businesses are very aware of this fact.

Having a few trees and baubles outside your business certainly doesn’t alter that fact.

In the pursuing years it will be interesting to see the value of the millions spent.

Civic Square too is copious money spent for what is a bland concrete no man’s land. 

If that’s our in-house architectural/engineering skills, then at best it indicates our universities are not working very well.

To consider placing a university, supposedly being driven by learned people, at the old railway yard throws a lot of doubt on the perpetrators’ ambitions to simply throw a banger such as this without thought or feeling for the consequences this titanic blunder will bring about for the Launceston we know today.

It will bring with it many tears for the memories of our city of old before it completely lost its way.

Some 20 years ago the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania fought very hard for the site it now holds.

Should this well respected icon be forced by council to be thrown on the swamp, a most hideous site for one of today’s leading Australian motor museums, it gives a good indication of present council values for Launceston.

A worse site for one of the city’s prize icons could not be found.

Other than perhaps Carr Villa where it could die gracefully.

On this item alone public views are being ignored.

There is a state of wonder as to who is steering the boat to Launceston’s unknown future.