Your Letters
16:01 UK time, Monday, 19 February 2007
In response to Rob's question about a hypothetical baby's nationality if born mid-flight, it really depends on the countries involved. Most countries allow you to take the nationality of your parents so your hypothetical (as opposed to real) child could be British or Japanese. Being born on a US plane is the equivalent of being born in the US but again countries have their own rules as to whether a plane gets you nationality (something about the US thinking expectant mothers want to give birth on a plane comes to mind!!) Indian air space is a bit of a RED herring.
Peter, Aberdeen
Rob of London's hypothetical baby will certainly be able to claim British or Japanese citizenship. Depends where it lands next will determine what other nationality it will be able to claim. But there's one thing for sure the baby's nationality won't be English.
Gordon Blazer, Bristol, UK
To Rob, London - the baby will end up playing football for Ireland because his great-great-granny once had a Guinness.
TG, Belfast
Leaving aside the fact that the seems most promising as a new and creative way to cause injury to yourself and others, I must take issue with one thing: "The seat is shaped like an upside-down crescent." Maybe I've forgotten some of my 'basic shapes' education (it was a long time ago), but since when did a crescent have a right way up? Is it some kind of EU directive relating to French breakfast products?
Ian Rutt, Bristol, UK
Re today's Quote of the Day by Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt - "There are some excellent downhill skiing areas there". Whilst cross country skiing on the moon may be beneficial to future moonwalkers, the reduced gravity would cause Alpine (downhill) skiing to occur at much slower speeds than on earth, ideal for beginners or older astronauts, perhaps.
Sed, Hull
Re your 10 thing that Antony and Cleopatra were ugly, you don't actually believe that a small hunk of metal, worn and aged, is a fair determinant of how a particular historical figure looked, do you? Why has the entire globe pounced on the "news" that "this coin reveals that Cleopatra was ugly?" Most modern sculptors today can't make a decent likeness if they tried, yet we consider ourselves convinced by one old crudely minted coin. Was JFK handsome? The photos say yes, the busts say "not at all."
Maria Amadei Ashot, Berkeley, California
Re Friday's Daily Mini-Quiz, it's unsurprising that of all the household chores the one most hated is the one that serves no real purpose other than vanity. How much carbon would be saved if everyone stopped ironing altogether? For some reason the quest for flatter clothes is somehow worth wasting energy on.
Rob Goforth, Teesside, UK
With reference to , one has to wonder why it was that Fox's biscuits commissioned it.
Basil Long, Newark Notts
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