Emma Brockes’ article threw open the door to landline memories (Worried about your child’s screentime? Get a landline, 31 July). When it rang, the enthusiasm that came with the conviction “it’s for me” v the reluctance when seemingly knowing “it’s not for me”. This was undoubtedly because the phone in a cold hallway meant no one wanted to leave the warmth and TV in the sitting room.
Virginia Ranscombe
Derbyhaven, Isle of Man
• I can’t believe it has taken 40 years and a thinktank to realise the bleeding obvious about the sale of council housing (Right to buy in England ‘fuelled housing crisis and cost taxpayers £200bn’, 3 August). Wrong policy from the very beginning – and the fact it continued for so long is nothing short of scandalous.
Margaret Vandecasteele
Cupar, Fife
• Moving away from cremation and biodegradable burial (, why aren’t more people donating their bodies to medical research? There is a national shortage at present. No miserable funeral, but if your nearest and dearest want to have a get together to recognise your life, they can. And that’s free.
Dr Derek Middlemiss
Collingham, Nottinghamshire
• RIP Tom Lehrer (Obituary, 29 July). Still crazily prophetic after all these years: “When the air becomes uraneous / We will all go simultaneous” (We Will All Go Together When We Go, 1958).
Noel Hess
London
• Songs by actors ranked (31 July) and no Lee Marvin with Wand’rin’ Star. Shame!
Andrew Bailey
Gresford, Wrexham
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