Hello, it's Peter here. Welcome to Wednesdays Levy Letter. I hope your day's going well and you'll be able to join me tonight as usual on BBC One at half past six. Paul will have the forecast, and on the programme tonight we'll have an exclusive report on the U-turn by NHS bosses that will give vital drugs to a Skegness man suffering from Kidney cancer.
Weve been bottom of the league for the last few years - so are academies the way forward for the region's schools? Its a subject thats caused quite a lot of controversy of course, and we'll have a special report tonight. Find out how you can help a four year old autistic boy after his pet dog was stolen. We'll also be taking a look at the new trail commemorating William Wilberforce's links with Hull. And if you're aged between 11 and 16, we'll tell you how you could become the next Natasha Kaplinsky or Huw Edwards as part of our search for a junior reporter for Look North. Weve also got the latest in our Spring Watch series as we take a look at another part of the region's wildlife. Emails Thanks for the emails on a variety of subjects, weve had a very busy start to the week, so thank you for all of them. Keep them coming in. Dont forget if youve got a story or a subject that you think we should know about, or a problem you think we can deal with on the programme then drop me a line and give me the details at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Driving I was talking about driving tests a few months back in the letter, I see from something just out at the moment that young motorists want the driving test to be toughened up because they think its too easy. Nearly 90% who have passed the test in the last two years say it should be overhauled. Half say its too easy and a further 31% feel ill equipped to drive after passing. Thats interesting isnt it? Survey results say millions of novices could be at risk on the road. 16% have an accident within a year, and 1 in 4 has a prang within two years. The results have put pressure on the government to raise the minimum driving age from 17 to 18, and toughen the test by including motorway and night time driving, something that I must admit I really struggled with when I passed my test, and it must have been about 76. Its interesting that young motorists, who youd think would be so happy, say its too easy. Nearly 90% whove passed in the last two years say it should be overhaule! d. You might like to drop me a line if you have any thoughts on that one. One of the subjects which has had a lot of emails, not a local story, but one that Ive had loads of emails on, is the logo for the 2012 Olympics. It was unveiled on Monday I think. Nobody can deny its eye catching, but opinions were bitterly divided on the logo. Its basically well youve probably seen it it changes colour, its a 20 on the top line, and 12 on the bottom. Jagged edges, with the Olympic rings in the zero, London in the two. Many people who are experts in brands, or even those who are not, think its a mess. The next Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, and theyve used the Olympic rings and it just says Beijing 2008. Its fairly straightforward. Lord Coe has heralded the design as the vision at the heart of our brand. He insists that doubters would be proved wrong. I think many other people are not quite so sure. A London assembly member, Bob Neill says Lord Coe has described this logo as ambitious, interactive, and youth friendly. I would describe it as hideous. Of course some people do like it, and it does change colour. It cost, by the way, about £400,000 to actually design and use. Anyway, thanks for all the emails on that so far. I have to say, out of all the emails Ive had, not one has been in favour. So some support please for the new logo for the 2012 Olympic games. Music A couple of sound stories here for you, some news that will strike a chord with the older generation, modern music really is getting louder. CDs and downloadable music files are being produced at much higher over all sound levels than ever before. And if you think you can escape by reaching for the volume control, think again, its not quite so simple. Studio engineers are using digital technology to compress sound waves so that the quieter sections of a piece can be increased in volume and everything sounds at the same level basically. Some artists are responsible for this, big name artists, chiefly Oasis, The Arctic Monkeys, and Lily Allen. They are amongst the leading exponents of the music being louder than ever before. Now this is a story that many people will either relate to or dread. Remember the veteran DJ who used to be on Radio One years ago, Simon Bates? Well hes not a happy bunny because at the weekend he dropped his mobile phone into his beer. He picked his phone up, it slipped out of his hand and went into his pint. It has drowned all his contacts and his appointments. He didnt have a backup, and he has lost the lot. Dont we all absolutely dread that? I actually bought one of those gadgets the Christmas before last that is able to backup your phones sim card. It never worked, it was a waste of a tenner. Ive never actually sat down and written the contacts out, so one day the mobile phone will be lost, or dropped in a pint of beer and that will teach me a lesson, especially now as Ive written about it. Well thats it from me today. Keep the pictures coming in as well, the more unusual the better, sun rises and sun sets we have plenty. If you have anything a little bit different, or if youre proud of something in the region that youve taken a picture of, send it to me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont forget, if you ever get home late and miss the show, you can watch it on the web at www.bbc.co.uk/looknorthhull. Join me tonight on BBC One at half past six, have a good afternoon. Peter And for the latest news and more where you live, go to: http://bbc.co.uk/humber and http://bbc.co.uk/lincolnshire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the BBC Look North newsletter, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/looknorthhull/newsletter/newsletter_index.shtml, enter your email address in the unsubscribe box. 1.94.4
