http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/ Read great articles from our North East news columnists. Interesting comment and opinion on current local and national news. en-gb Sunday Sun http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/08/24/a-whiff-of-panic-in-the-air-79310-21592292/ Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/08/24/a-whiff-of-panic-in-the-air-79310-21592292/ IT’S another one of our relatively few bank holiday weekends and, if all goes to plan, while you’re reading this I’ll be returning from the USA and be back on the breakfast show tomorrow on Magic 1170. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/08/17/tips-for-when-it-comes-to-the-crunch-79310-21545599/ Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/08/17/tips-for-when-it-comes-to-the-crunch-79310-21545599/ THE credit crunch has well and truly crunched. It’s about a year ago that we started hearing about sub-prime mortgages, and now look at us . . . can’t afford petrol, can’t afford electricity, can’t afford shopping, can’t afford anything. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/08/10/the-car-ain-t-the-star-on-top-gear-79310-21504174/ Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/08/10/the-car-ain-t-the-star-on-top-gear-79310-21504174/ LAST week’s column was all about the electric car. Perhaps the BBC2 motoring show Top Gear may have featured some of these around their test track . . . but if they did, I missed it. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/07/27/baa-d-time-for-royals-in-quebec-79310-21411248/ Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/07/27/baa-d-time-for-royals-in-quebec-79310-21411248/ WHAT with the credit crunch, Terminal Five, petrol prices, food prices, and everything else, it’s almost impossible to admit that you are going on holiday this year. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/07/20/me-madge-and-amy-79310-21370535/ Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/07/20/me-madge-and-amy-79310-21370535/ LIFE’S brilliant, isn’t it? There you are bumping along the bottom, running on empty, just getting by, or however you want to phrase it, and suddenly . . . THWACK! http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/07/06/failure-not-an-option-79310-21270618/ Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:50:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/07/06/failure-not-an-option-79310-21270618/ THERE was a new book published this week. Written by Dr Martin Stephen — or maybe we should more accurately say compiled by him — it is The Eleven-Plus Book: Genuine Exam Questions from Yesteryear. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/29/happy-now-mr-harris-79310-21167165/ Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/29/happy-now-mr-harris-79310-21167165/ TOM HARRIS has received an almost unanimous hail of abuse for claiming that we should all cheer up and stop being so miserable. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/22/tidy-up-and-make-it-snappy-79310-21130578/ Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/22/tidy-up-and-make-it-snappy-79310-21130578/ ONE of the things I like to do when I have a moment, and inspiration strikes, is have a good old rummage at home. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/15/fate-of-the-fete-is-safe-79310-21078310/ Sat, 14 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/15/fate-of-the-fete-is-safe-79310-21078310/ WHEREVER you are in the North, there’ll be a fete near you. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/08/heat-is-on-for-drivers-79310-21039172/ Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/08/heat-is-on-for-drivers-79310-21039172/ SUMMER seems to have arrived at last. What could be nicer than to invite everyone round for a garden party or barbecue? http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/01/future-fortune-is-just-for-fun-79310-21004185/ Sat, 31 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/06/01/future-fortune-is-just-for-fun-79310-21004185/ OUR good friends at Trading Standards will have thought they’ve died and gone to heaven this week if the reports on the television news are to be believed. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/25/make-most-of-our-coast-79310-20969778/ Sat, 24 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/25/make-most-of-our-coast-79310-20969778/ A “FACTOID” came my way last week, which is that huge numbers of us only ever travel a matter of mere miles from our birthplaces during our entire lifetime. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/18/i-m-no-bright-spark-79310-20926574/ Sat, 17 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/18/i-m-no-bright-spark-79310-20926574/ THERE are quite a few occasions when I wished I’d paid more attention at school. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/11/football-crazy-all-through-summer-79310-20893075/ Sat, 10 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/11/football-crazy-all-through-summer-79310-20893075/ BACK in the long-ago days when I didn’t support a football team, I couldn’t understand what on earth was going on when they instituted the “playoffs”. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/04/comfort-found-in-christie-79310-20858519/ Sat, 03 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/05/04/comfort-found-in-christie-79310-20858519/ SORRY to strike a slightly sombre note this week, but I’ve been away from the radio station for a few days, mourning the loss of my brave and lovely sister, Sheila. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/27/c-art-oon-takes-the-biscuit-79310-20825942/ Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/27/c-art-oon-takes-the-biscuit-79310-20825942/ I DON’T know much about art. But I do, as they say, know what I like. I think I probably drive my art-loving friends to despair. “It’s a Canneletto”, they’ll exclaim in delight. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/20/guess-who-will-pay-for-credit-crisis-79310-20791581/ Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/20/guess-who-will-pay-for-credit-crisis-79310-20791581/ BACK in late summer — around August Bank Holiday — I wrote one of these pieces about what is now being called the credit crunch. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/13/web-of-lies-and-deceipt-79310-20758443/ Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:43:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/13/web-of-lies-and-deceipt-79310-20758443/ IT was Mark Twain, in the last century but one, who said “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes”. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/06/time-to-beat-the-taxman-79310-20725387/ Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/04/06/time-to-beat-the-taxman-79310-20725387/ HAPPY new ISA year! If you are allergic to acronyms, or financial matters, turn to Ken Oxley’s or Eddie Eats’ column immediately . . . this is not for the squeamish. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/03/30/a-stitch-up-a-fry-up-and-a-tidy-up-79310-20692021/ Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/columnists/alan-ross/2008/03/30/a-stitch-up-a-fry-up-and-a-tidy-up-79310-20692021/ A FEW bits and pieces this week. Depressingly, the first is to do with a similar trick to last week’s lotto scam.