Thicker bread and thicker waistlines
I was charmed to see the first three birthdays in your list in the paper on 1 July, Canada Day: Pamela Anderson, Dan Aykroyd and Geneviève Bujold, all Canadian. Then I realised that it was alphabetical. How very amusing of the birthday fates. And happy 158th birthday to Canada too.Judith Margaret SteinerLondon
As a fellow pedant (Letters, 29 June), I'm bemused by prolix, redundant phrases like 'at this moment in time'. As opposed to this moment in space? And 'in any way, shape or form'. 'Way' will do. Otherwise, why not add 'manner, means, mode, style…'?Akiva SolemaniSt Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex
I thought 'blare' was quite reasonable to describe the sound of bagpipes (Letters, 30 June), but would have preferred 'screech'.Alec MurdochEdinburgh
I've always believed the awful cacophony of the bagpipes was designed to scare enemies in battle, but at least the pipes preceding Rod Stewart's Glastonbury show were more in tune than his voice.Jim HatleyBrighton
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