Your Letters
As a consultant gynaecologist I can honestly say that the current boondoggle involving the claim about the late Princess Margaret is the first claim of disputed maternity I have ever encountered. The claimant may be unaware, being single and childless, that the efforts put into reproduction by women are far more complicated, time consuming and noticeable than that of the male. Nonetheless he (and, alas, today's Paper Monitor) are mistaken in one important detail. Even if his bizarre claim succeeds, he will not be 12th in line to the throne - illegitimacy is an insurmountable barrier to ascent up the Royal ladder, and he has no greater claim than you or I.
Dr Reece Walker, London UK
Re the about him making adverts promoting stem cell research. Please could the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ stop using the word "suffers" and "sufferers" when referring to people with illnesses/diseases - it annoys me as a health professional (and many others I'm sure!) as most people don't suffer with their illnesses, they deal with them and get on with life (as is, incidentally, very well demonstrated by Michael J Fox).
Kay, Wiltshire
How ironic that one of the world's biggest arms manufacturers, has a .
Tom, CI
I'm not surprised that . Private companies always put profit before the public service. For example, in Reading, bus fares have just gone up 20p to £1.50. How is that supposed to persuade people to stop using their cars?
Andrea, UK
In , we are told that "oil cannot be used for cooking". So are my lovely meals from my oil-fired Aga figments of imagination? Baggsy leaning against the front of the Aga, say I.
Carol, Elgin
Just a minor comment on your article. When you pull the left stick, it is the left track which is braked to turn you left?
Simon, Cambs
Your article on tank driving was a tad incorrect on the likely cost of filling it up with fuel. I believe it is legal to run roadworthy AFVs on Red Diesel which is considerably less expensive than DERV!
Steve, Widnes
Bravo to the Paper Monitor today for its rather elegant use of the word "unduffed". Surely a late entry for next year's OED?
Tony Doyle, Holmes Chapel, UK
Regarding Sarah's letter about Punorama, in which she asks for a word for people confounded by Punorama: the world is divided into Pundits and Pundidn'ts, the latter often to be found looking to rescue their wounded self-esteem on the "Your Letters" page.
Nick Rikker, Barcelona, Spain
Sarah of Edinburgh, the word is 'post-cognizance' and we all suffer from it... unfortunately.
Mal Walker, Adelaide, Australia
Sarah, you are dispuntional - the inability to think of a suitable pun. There is also punture - the deflated feeling which occurs when your pun doesn't make the grade. And finally the rare punultimate.
Bryan Poor, Oxford