Sharp statistics

Two hundred and thirty-six homicides due to sharp instruments is the headline number in your article on the "stabbing epidemic" (Report, June 3). Actually, the number of murders caused by sharp instruments in the years before were 261 (2001-02), 266 (2002-03) and 234 (2003-04) - indeed in 1995 there were 243. However reprehensible knife crime is, this hardly constitutes an epidemic; you could possibly talk of a slight decline. What is of greater interest is how such moral panics are constituted and their basis in flimsy facts and sensationalist journalism.
Prof Jock Young

Considering the remarkable rate of growth of the World Cup audience now predicted to be 5 billion, I am only surprised that it has not yet overtaken the entire world population of 6 billion (Report, June 5).
Dr M Tasab
Rochdale, Lancashire

My partner and I have indulged in a game of "spot the England flag on the Volvo" but to no avail. Perhaps other readers could enlighten us as to the ratio between car makes and flag display behaviour?
Heather Finch
Coventry

Broughs, our local butcher, is offering a World Cup BBQ special at a price "as lean as Gerrard". The cost? £19.66.
Jim Grindle
Formby, Merseyside

Instead of the wretched World Cup, might those of us who do not give a stuff about Rooney and Co have free post-cards of the astonishing Angoulême portrait (A face from the past, G2, June 6)?
Paul Wilson
Barnoldswick, Lancashire

For the slash problem (Letters, June 5), how about zig for forward slash and zag for backslash?
William Jones
Prescot, Merseyside

I was wondering: are Dr Jurgen Tittmar of Bowglass, Isle of Harris, and Susan Tittmar of Bogha Glas, Isle of Harris, by any chance, related (Letters, June 5)? And do they share the same location?
James Meadows
London

University of Kent