IoS letters, emails & online postings (05/04/2009)

But he fails to mention that the reason people have incurred such debt as a way of financing consumption is because there has been a huge rise in inequality and a stagnation in real wages over the past 30 years. He cannot admit this, because it would blow apart his entire political belief system. If we do recover from this recession, debt will no longer provide such a convenient way of fuelling more economic growth. What, then, will the rich and powerful turn to in order to find profitable outlets for the ever-increasing concentration of wealth and power in their hands?

Phil Levy

Hextable, Kent

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Alistair Darling writes: "The emerging economies with whom we trade ... are critical to global recovery." I, for one, would be prepared to suffer a longer, slower recession if at the end of it we can have turned around more of the poorest countries in the world. It's not just a humanitarian idea; it's enlightened self-interest. Until now the world's poorest countries have been our financial slaves, via debt and unfair trading systems. That model isn't doing us much good either. Let's help them become genuine partners in trade. Surely that makes good long-term economic as well as ethical sense.

Ricci Downard

Macclesfield, Cheshire

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As with climate change, the same with architecture ("Warped values, ugly buildings", 29 March). What of worth will our children inherit? Answer: whatever their great-great-grandparents built. I am shocked at the number of new buildings in London that are steel, monolithic structures covered in glass. Soon there won't be any difference between the world's cities. Supporters usually cite the Gherkin or Lloyd's but forget the legions of faceless housing estates and retail parks. When these champions of modernity take a weekend break with their partners, I wonder if it'll be to Bruges, Bath or Milton Keynes? I'm sure we can guess.

Adam White

sutton coldfield, birmingham

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Harry Mount is right to lament London's vandalism by hi-tech architecture led by corporate hubris and money, but wrong to say that only "occasionally" beauty results from "functionality". It all depends on the definition of "function". The utilitarianism of art serving commerce may be today's ruling definition, but it is not the Aristotelian view – that art's role is to find, via reason, the vision and values for our shared good.

David Rodway

Woldingham, Surrey

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The dome of St Paul's is not one of Wren's finest achievements. His other City churches – which fall in roughly two categories, "Wren the reworker of Classical-plan types in Dutch red brick" and "Wren the stone Baroque architect" – are. A wiser generation will demolish every building in the City that is taller than Wren's spires.

tominlondon

posted online

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In 1971, at the age of eight months, our daughter was diagnosed with a type of epilepsy ("The return of scarlet fever", 29 March). The paediatrician blamed the whooping cough vaccine which she had two months earlier. Thanks to a perceptive locum GP and a six-month course of injections, she grew up to be a highly intelligent young woman, but untreated, or wrongly treated, she would probably have been a physical and mental vegetable. I fervently hope that Professor Pennington can reassure parents of young children that the new vaccine will not cause the terrible damage we were forced to witness nearly 38 years ago.

Alison Thompson

Thursby, Cumbria

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At 61, I'm delighted it no longer bothers me that I'm a size 16-18, having gone through torments over my shape and size until my late forties (Letters, 29 March). I wish so much space wasn't devoted to this aspect of women's lives. There is so much more of interest to women.

Paula Middleton

via email

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Madonna should look at the example set by Mia Farrow ("Children's charity urges Madonna not to adopt", 29 March). She has dedicated much of her life and wealth to caring for unwanted children, in relative privacy and with touching dignity.

veryshypoet

posted online

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While I wait for my anorak to dry, I would like to address the claim that Burton was the only town, as opposed to a city, to have had two teams in the Football League from 1894 to 1897 ("Gone from Burton, with familiar legacy", 29 March). Sheffield claimed this distinction two years earlier in 1892, when Sheffield United joined neighbours Wednesday as league representatives. Sheffield received its city charter the following year. And now I'm going to iron my socks.

Martin Reppion

Halifax, west yorkshire