Your Letters
16:12 UK time, Wednesday, 4 April 2007
Regarding Ian Paisley and Bertie Ahern in public for the first time. There's something about this handshake, historic as it is, that makes me think Paisley's heart is completely behind it.
James Hayward, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
(If you haven't already guessed Paisley's hand is on the left.)
I'd beg to differ that is the best conversation killer. I find "have you welcomed the Lord Jesus Christ into your life" works a lot better.
Sue, London
I don't know what y'all have been listening too, but down here, 'whatever' is pronounced more like "what-evAH", and seeing it written just sounds horribly, horribly wrong. Mind you, doesn't sound so great any way y'say it...
Comrade Ian, Cardiff
I was puzzled by the article about the of the Chinese family who defied property developers. The house was referred to as "the nail house" because it "refused to be hammered down". So a nail is something that refuses to be hammered down? Wouldn't a more appropriate nickname have been "the anything-other-than-a-nail house"?
Bob Peters, Leeds, UK
RE: "Edu-babble" under attack. Apparently, acronyms shouldn't be used as much, according to the "ATL" Conference. Words are meaningless, or "blended to total vacuity". Thankfully, the laughable irony is not lost on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ at the end of the report.
Dan Abrey, Oxford
Re: 'Talking' scheme, John Reid is quoted as saying "the vast majority of people [in Middlesbrough] are right behind it". Doesn't that mean they wont be seen by the cameras?
Lee Pike, Cardiff, UK
Apparently this orphaned is "a right little monkey".Now, I'm not a trained zoologist but...
MJ Simpson, Leicester, UK
Thanks to the physicists at for yet another standard of measurement. It seems their experiments are "each about the size of a mansion". Not clear, though, if the mansions boast Olympic-sized swimming pools?
David Dee, Matola Mozambique
The story includes the phrase: "These experiments, each about the size of a mansion [...]". Given the Government's attitude to research funding (namely to chop lumps out of it to balance out the failed Rover prop-up), does the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ really think that readers interested in science will know how big a mansion is?
Brian Ritchie, Oxford, UK
With regards to David Cameron's positon on the UK catwalk, although he may be second best, the top spot could be tied by millions, so you can still pop to the local without inducing nightmares...
Chris, Oxford, England
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