The Last Word

In an effort to enhance the surfing pleasure of BBC News Online readers, we welcome your comments and observations about the news. Submission guidelines at the bottom of the page.

SECRET SQURRELS
Regarding the news item on red squirrels - I walk my dogs in woods near Hayton, Brampton where there is still a healthy red squirrel population. Also near Armathwaite there are quite a few.
Jean Lawrence
Brampton, Cumbria

RE-PROGRAM ME
I have just wasted the first half-hour of Super Bowl XXXVIII trying to ask a simple, @!#$ing question!!! My brother thinks the Super Bowl has more viewers than the wimpy-assed World Cup. Even though I despise professional kick-ball, I say the Super Bowl does not have even half the viewers. Who is right? And are you going to actually going let people contact you, rather than have them spend an hour or two searching for the e-mail? And why do you people insist on spelling 'program' program-me?
Love,
James A Crawford
Southern California

HUTTON I
The BBC was known for generations throughout the world as a source of reliable unbiased news. This has not changed much in the last few years with the growth of other international & regional news providers. Hope you keep standing unaffected by the current difficulties. Just keep on being the BBC. Good luck.
Hossam Shurafa
Cairo, Egypt

HUTTON II
It seems clear to me. If the BBC wishes to feel free to have a pop at anybody - in true tabloid fashion - it needs to surrender the licence fee monies. If the government wants an official channel, it should start its own TV channel. Gosh, I bet that would be popular.
Chris Everest
Sheffield

HUTTON III
The Hutton Report deserved about five minutes of coverage on the evening news on 28 January, not the 20+ minutes that you gave it.
Alan Kohn
Orlando, US

NO COMMENT
The Caption Competition is always fun! No matter if I have or haven't made an entry. Now, I consider myself to be a person who has an adequate education and sense of humour and irony, but there are always a significant number of winners that I simply don't get! And I just sit here with a funny look on my face! Could you run an online survey to see just what percentage of your readers are in a similar situation to me... I do not believe that I'm unusual in this "problem"! Thanks.
Alan Hall,
UK

JOKE
re:Sharon orders Gaza pullout plan, 2 February. I hadn't realised Mr & Mrs Paul Gascoigne were back together.
Andy Nicholson
Milton Keynes, UK

SONS OF THE FATHERS
I couldn't believe US father names his son 'Version 2', 2 February. He should have used the Microsoft Active directory naming convention - "son.jonblakecusak". (His grandson would be "son.son.jonblakecusak".)
Neil Webber
Bristol

WORD PERFECT
In your report Intel chips get power boost, 2 February, it says: "The Prescott series of Pentium 4 chips are tuned to do a better job of handling multimedia". Sorry, but there are just too many jokes.
Mike Eagling
UK

COMPETENCE
According to a survey of employers (One in 10 British workers is incompetent, 2 February). In my experience, if you really want to know about the problems with UK industry, you should ask the workers about the bosses.
Alex Swanson
Milton Keynes, UK

ON AIR
Re: Few signs of fear on BA223, 30 January, I've noticed that the BBC always has a member of staff on board these grounded flights. Pure coincidence? Never mind disguised air marshals, next time I fly I'll be looking out for the incognito BBC reporter.
Edward Green
Oxford, UK

HE HAS CEASED TO BE
Your headline reads: Ex-French PM guilty of corruption, 30 January. What nationality is he now, if no longer French? Polish? Latvian?
Ann Cooper
Orpington, UK

VIRUS UPDATE
As a service to your readers, here is a handy guide on how to avoid the latest e-mail worm.
1. Don't use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express for e-mail
2. Buy, use and keep up to date, a good quality virus checker
3. Er...
4. That's it.
The more astute may notice that this is the same as the advice for avoiding the last e-mail worm. And the one before that. And in fact pretty much all of them, going right back to Melissa and beyond.
Guy Chapman
Reading, UK

X-RATED
Re: Diagnostic X-rays may cause cancer deaths, 30 January. I have had few X-rays, but the treatment I received varied greatly. In two cases, while the technician/radiographer went behind their shielding I was left with the rest of my body unshielded. I asked if I could have shielding (shall we say I was a lot younger then and planning a family). I was told: "There's only a tiny risk, it's nothing to worry about." I pointed out if they gave me the shielded apron that was hanging on the wall the risk would be further reduced and cost nothing. It was clear that they didn't like the patient being assertive. I was offered more platitudes, these stopped abruptly, and the apron was provided, when I told them I had a PhD in Oncology. I'm sure the majority of radiographers do take great care but clearly some become complacent with other people's health. Some patients will not be as well equipped or knowledgeable enough to deal with this- at what cost? X-rays are valuable diagnostic tools, but if you are having one always ask for protection for the other areas of your body, it costs nothing and should be offered routinely.
Robin Dover
Herts UK

PAPER STAND
Regarding the WH Smith boss's pay ( WH Smith boss wins investor vote, 29 January), let me be the first to say that her wages should remain stationery.
Kenneth Henry
London, England

PUT OUT
In Arson group supports early rubbish fines, 29 January, you say: "Devon and Cornwall's Arson Task Force is supporting a scheme in Plymouth aimed at stopping people putting out their rubbish too early." I'd hope they'd put it out as soon as they discover a fire.
Dougie Lawson
Basingstoke, UK

SUM MISTAKE
Dave Williams writes: "Surely the average 18-year-old will look at a £1,000 per annum bribe, and decide that £5 a week is no incentive." (The Last Word, 28 January.) Yes indeed, unless they are to study mathematics when they will be hoping to receive £19.23.
David Flynn
UK

DON'T HIT SEND
So Bill Clinton only sent two e-mails, 27 January. Phew! As far as I'm concerned, the fewer buttons an American President pushes, the better.
Alan Jackson
Liverpool, UK

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Last Word submission notes

We welcome your comments and observations on the news.

The Last Word is updated on Tuesday each week.

When submitting something to The Last Word, please include the web address of any story you are referring to. Please also include your full name (i.e. first name and surname), city/town and country. Submissions should be brief. Long e-mails will rarely stand the best chance of being published.

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