Analysis by Oxfam and others (Report, 12 August) concludes that a 99% one-off tax on the increased wealth that billionaires have accumulated during the pandemic would still leave them with $55bn. Divided among the world’s 2,690 billionaires, that means each would have a gain of more than $20m. This is one way of imagining the sum of $5.5tn that they have gained in the past 18 months.
Jeanne Warren
Oxford
• A (scriptural) contender for “most misquoted well-known phrase” (Letters, 20 August) must surely be “money is the root of all evil”. The tenth verse of 1 Timothy 6 begins with “The [or ‘a’] love of money…”.
Fr Alec Mitchell
Holyhead, Anglesey
• When I retrained as a nurse at the age of 49, I was surprised to discover I’d be assessed on how well I answered the telephone (among other things). I’m delighted to report that I passed and would be more than happy to pass on a few pointers to the foreign secretary (Letters, 20 August).
Matthew Saxton
London
• My grandad says none of the weather forecasters know what they’re doing (Letters, 19 August). If his left knee is hurting he knows it’s going to rain, and if it swells up, it’s raining. This summer holiday he’s been 100% right.
Connor Harris (aged 9)
Gordon Bennett, Macclesfield canal
• Re film remakes (From The Fly to Casino Royale: the remakes that outshine the originals, 20 August), why no mention of the best version of A Star is Born with Judy Garland and James Mason?
Margaret Vandecasteele
Wick, Caithness
• The letter about A Star is Born was amended on 23 August 2021 to remove a reference to the Garland and Mason version being the original. The first version was released in 1937, starring Janet Gaynor and Frederic March.
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