The headline “Rivalry is now part of higher education’s DNA” (5 August) is an oxymoron. DNA and the features encoded in it are inherited, not added during the lifetime of the organism. So a characteristic that is “now” part of higher education does not come from its DNA, but from the present circumstances. What does the Guardian’s style guide say on this topic?
Jan Spencer
Bookham, Surrey
• In your article concerning the allegations against Edward Heath you refer to “Wiltshire police in western England”. This is a really helpful development for the geographically challenged or for those living inside the M25. In future, for the benefit of we yokels, please refer to the Metropolitan police as being in “that there London”.
Rev David Gray
Chippenham, Wiltshire
• There’s no need for complicated formulas to identify the killers when watching TV adaptations of Poirot and Miss Marple. (Whodunnit? Academics claim to have cracked Christie’s Mysteries, 3 August). Just spot the character played by the most famous actor in each episode and there’s the culprit. Works every time.
Mick Beeby
Bristol
• Your campaign against Labour MPs called Steve continues. Having cruelly omitted me from your 3 July birthdays list, you now compound this, in your 4 August birthdays list, by referring to Steve McCabe as “former MP”. I can assure you that Steve was re-elected on 7 May with a very healthy majority.
Steve Pound
Labour MP for Ealing North
• “Campaigners hail Obama’s sweeping carbon curbs” (4 August). Might this be a good time to suggest that our myopic government slavishly follow America’s lead?
David Cragg-James
Stonegrave, North Yorkshire
