Thank you, Aditya Chakrabortty, for giving us hope (In an era of cuts, one city has the imagination to fight back, 6 March). You show that there are alternative ways to live other than the ruthless, cut-throat world which is all we have had for so long. What we need now is someone to turn these ideas into a new political position that we can all vote for.
Jim Howard
Canterbury, Kent
• Oh dear, I’m in trouble. My husband said I should have written a letter to the Guardian for Friday’s paper because it was sure to be printed due to my gender (International Women’s Day, Letters, 8 March).
Christine Hawkes
Cambridge
• A notable omission from Stuart Heritage’s piece (Hey buddy, please don’t call me chum, G2, 6 March) is the generic form of address I hate most, admittedly as one of a group. Please don’t call me “guys”. I’m not one! I first encountered it from a local (and hopeless) tour guide in Mongolia in 2011.
Margaret Logan
Helston, Cornwall
• Stuart Heritage could add the term “youth” to his list of terms for addressing colleagues. It is popular around Nottinghamshire when men of retirement age meet up.
Ian Clegg
Nottingham
• The Two Ronnies may have used the phrase “the doughnut in Granny’s greenhouse” (Letters, 7 March), but it had previously been the title of a 1968 LP by the Bonzo Dog Band (at the risk of inventing another euphemism, I would add that they had dropped the Doo-Dah by that time).
Jem Whiteley
Oxford
• Chez nous (Black Country council house), the lav was called la pomme.
John Banks
Ledbury, Herefordshire
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