Postbag

Sir/Madam [delete as preference dictates],

I must put fingers to keyboard and register my DISGUST at the butchery of the English language that a certain correspondent in your otherwise wonderful publication has created.

Mr F Kev wrote the following:
"So, if we look at the an electron when the probability of it having already jumped is only p=0.01, or 1%, then it will resolve to the lower energy level."

It is almost TOO shocking to read, but I must point you towards the end of that first line. "Having" is clearly a gerund, yet the pronoun before it is not in the genitive case. IS THIS Mr KEV A BARBARIAN?!? Does he walk upright? It should, of course, read "... of its having already..."

If this is the sort of education that passes for "acceptable" in today's society, then I am thoroughly saddened.

Despite this grammatical travesty, I remain

yours,

John F

SW responds:

I feel it smacks too much of censorship to edit the letters on this page more than the barest minimum. Whilst I will correct the more inflamatory remarks, I think the writers of letters should be allowed to express themselves on this page without my imposition of value judgements, even if they are ignoramuses.

I can neither confirm, nor refute Mr Kev's barbarian tendencies, however I can lay your mind at rest with regards to his walking upright. Of course he doesn't. Like all sensible people, he walks along.

Sir,

Me uh not dat barbarian ting. Me done never cut um nobody's hair.

SW responds:

No comment.