An American signal crayfish. Photograph: Adrian Sherratt/Alamy
The word “earn” has become meaningless in today’s society, the word “get” being far more appropriate. In the same spirit, please could I urge you to refrain from repeating the misleading use of “worth” when referring to individuals and their personal wealth (Front page, 4 July). Mike Ashley is apparently “worth” £2.2bn – not to me he’s not.
Deirdre Burrell
Mortimer, Berkshire
• Carey Davies’s Country Diary (3 July) about the American signal crayfish in our rivers was interesting, but omitted to include one way of reducing their population: eating them. Fortunately George Monbiot has already provided information on how to do this (Monbiot cooks up revenge on invasive signal crayfish, 30 September 2009). Just make sure it’s not our (now very rare) native species.
Copland Smith
Manchester
I have read the article on string theory (Gravitational waves could offer proof of other dimensions, 5 July) three times and am still no nearer to understanding a word of it, but at least I finished Rufus’s crossword on Monday (Letters passim) so all is not lost.
Ruth Eversley
Paulton, Somerset
• Hadley Freeman’s piece on 3 July made me wonder if there is an iron law among Guardian subeditors that an article about Ed Miliband cannot be passed for publication unless the words “bacon” and “sandwich” each appear at least four times. And quite rightly, as no serious appraisal of the man can be carried out without scrutiny of this massively important aspect of his career.
Robert Hammond
Billericay, Essex
On the subject of coloured undergarments at Wimbledon (Report, 4 July), I seem to remember that in the glory days of BOAC there was a cabin crew dress code notice which stated: “Underwear, if worn, shall be white”. Covered all tastes.
Mike Lodge (ex-BA)
Hailsham, East Sussex
• A colleague in the West End orchestra pit where I work was playing “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn” on his violin the other day – in octaves too, most impressive (Letters, 5 July).
Bill Hawkes
Canterbury, Kent
[“Source-theguardian”]
