Precision in language adds to clarity of meaning

today

Chris Parton's letter (July 1) appears to contain the following argument: since those who try to write clearly sometimes fail to achieve clarity, and since perfect clarity may not be achievable anyway, then we should give up on attempting to instil precision in the use of language. That's like arguing that, since perfect and permanent health isn't achievable, we needn't trouble about smoking 80 cigarettes a day.

Getting to the point

12:13am today

PAUL Browning emphasises the importance of precision in language (Letters, July 2). However, I would suggest that the degree of precision depends on the type of literature.

Michael Jackson not on a par with Mozart

12:11am today

Thank you, Ruth Wishart, for being the voice of perspective and proportion. ("A sad death, yes but not a global tragedy", The Herald, July 1.) I thought I was the only one who looked on the Michael Jackson hype as beyond belief. How refreshing to know I was not the only person out of step with the world. There are at least two of us.

Listening to the crofters

12:11am today

On March 19, 1883, Sir William Harcourt, Liberal Home Secretary, announced the setting up of a Royal Commission on crofting. Its remit? "Go listen to the crofters." It duly did, and the result was the Fixture of Tenure Act, which put an end to the crofter and his family being thrown out of home and livelihood at the landlord's whim.

We salute you

12:11am today

I have to commend you for putting Angus Young on the front page ("AC/DC are just rockin'", The Herald, July 1).

My right to retire at 60

12:10am today

It was only a matter of time before public-sector workers faced scrutiny over their pension arrangements ("UK public sector debt could quadruple", The Herald, June 29). I say only a matter of time, but that time would only come when the private sector proved unable to honour the promises of wealth everlasting it had been making for the past 20 years or so. So here we are.

Worst of both worlds

12:09am today

There are at least three ways the UK government could protect existing jobs, create new ones, help end the recession and reduce unfair taxes and costs for ordinary people, none of which would do its electoral chances any harm.

A minimum price will have little effect on cost of whisky

12:08am today

I would like to challenge the claim of Sir Ian Good, chairman of the Edrington Group ("Whisky boss hits out at alcohol proposal", The Herald, July 2), that the introduction of a minimum pricing scheme for alcohol "could increase the price of a bottle of whisky by more than the two UK duty increases in 2008".

If Queen could come to Holyrood with a cold, MSPs could have tried harder

12:04am today

I am appalled at the number of MSPs who did not attend the Queen's speech to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Scottish Parliament ("MSPs of most parties snub Queen's visit to Holyrood", The Herald, July 2).

Cuts to shipyards following budget deficit come as little surprise

12:01am Thursday 2nd July 2009

Not many days go by without an announcement or a leak concerning UK defence spending ("Jobs fear in secret MoD plan to close shipyard" and "Trident costs questioned after £9bn defence budget hole claim", The Herald, July 1). Also, more than a week ago proposed cuts at the Uist rocket range were announced.

Climate change is real

Thursday 2nd July 2009

M Wood (Letters, July 1) mistakenly asserts that the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC) is coming under criticism. It is not. He seeks to create the impression that the IPCC publishes biased, politically-driven scare stories. In fact, its fourth assessment report is the most comprehensive summary of climate research published.

Subsea cables provide the ideal solution to avoid erecting the giant Beauly to Denny pylons

Thursday 2nd July 2009

David Ross highlights the anger of campaigners at the short-sighted support of the Scottish Parliament's economy, energy and tourism committee for the Beauly to Denny high-voltage pylon line ("MSPs under fire after speed-up call for Beauly power line", The Herald, July 1) but his report raises several questions.

Hysteria over pop star

Thursday 2nd July 2009

Well done, Ruth Wishart, for putting into words what I imagine a lot of people have been thinking ("A sad death, yes but not a global tragedy", The Herald, July 1). Michael Jackson was a very talented young man and a fantastic dancer before he persuaded his cosmetic surgeon to try to turn his face (and colour) into a facsimile of his adopted mother and confidante Liz Taylor. What a hullabaloo is all this grief. Since the death of Princess Diana it seems we are forced to have huge public displays of weeping. I await a ponderous statement from our Prime Minister.

Disenfranchised voters

Thursday 2nd July 2009

The Westminster Parliament has now seen fit to "honour" the former Speaker Michael Martin "for his eminent services during the important period in which he presided with such distinguished ability and dignity in the Chair of this House" ("Row erupts over peerage for disgraced ex-Speaker", The Herald, July 1).

ID database will still be compulsory

12:35am Wednesday 1st July 2009

In the face of resolute opposition from airline pilots, the Home Office had little option but to back down on its plans to target airport workers with the first compulsory ID cards.

Reconsidering the Queen’s cash

12:34am Wednesday 1st July 2009

From the Civil List, grants-in-aid and so on, the monarchy may have cost the Treasury and therefore UK taxpayers £41.5m in 2008-2009 (£40 million in 2007-2008), but this compares with the Crown Estate's surplus of £211.4m in 2007-2008 ("Queen set to issue cash plea as she dips into reserve funds", The Herald, June 30).

Language and precision

12:32am Wednesday 1st July 2009

I would caution Christopher Frew (Letters, June 29) not to read more into my lines than is actually there.

Platform for dialogue

12:31am Wednesday 1st July 2009

What I take from the columns by both Iain Macwhirter and Ron Ferguson (The Herald, June 29) is that, as the Scottish Parliament has come of age, it behoves the rest of us to begin to take on more responsibility for ourselves in our own communities.

Foul-ups of the MoD

12:27am Wednesday 1st July 2009

What is it about this country and, specifically, the Ministry of Defence that continually produces procurement foul-ups where our wonderful men and women of the armed forces are concerned? ("Clyde carrier costs put jobs in jeopardy", The Herald, June 30.) Nearly everything procured is massively over-budget, late and, when it does arrive, faulty.

Edinburgh should not receive all the benefits of devolution simply because it is the capital

12:25am Wednesday 1st July 2009

Here we are again, back to the perennial east versus west argument (Letters, June 28 and 30). I don't know when it started but it is all about the selfishness and lack of broad vision of the community and its political leaders.

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