Hinterfragen: asking questions.

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 21st August 2024 ### Dear Editor, I scanned your international pages and US pages looking for news of Antony Blinken’s visit to the Middle East … but couldn’t find anything. The news everywhere seems to be full of information about the Democrats’ conference in Chicago. When I googled “Antony…

### Reader’s Letter to The Observer, 17th August 2024 ### Dear Editor, I strongly agree with John Naughton’s skepticism regarding AI and delivery drones (The Observer, 11th August 2024, page 25) and, indeed yes, we should strongly resist blind acceptance of “technology for technology’s sake”. The moral questioning of this attitude of inevitability and acquiescence…

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 20th August 2024 ### Dear Editor, I read Oliver Wainwright’s article on river-swimming (The Guardian, 19th August 2024, link below) and, indeed yes, it is a joy to be able to come out of work and have a dip in a local lake or river: I do this in…

Closing the “Großmarkt” Dreamy accounts of cute markets discovered by travel-reporters in remote corners of (for example) Perigord often appear in magazines and newspapers. I count myself lucky that here in Cologne (which is not quite Perigord) we also have one of those markets: Every Saturday I can wander down, just 50 metres from my…

### Reader’s Letter to The Economist, 5th Aug 2024 ### Dear Editor, I read your report on “The AI revolution leaving Africa behind” (The Economist, July 27th 2024, page 29) and asked myself whether we really are drawing the right conclusions? Access to mobile phones (and now smartphones) has dramatically changed both economies and lives…

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 4th August 2024 ### Dear Editor, I read John Crace’s piece on Nigel Farage’s “conspiracy-laden ego trip” (The Guardian, 31st. July 2024, link below) and although, yes, Mr Farage’s questions were somewhat intrusive, I don’t see anything fundamentally wrong with requesting that clarification. And, in the end, exactly that…

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 23rd July 2024 ### Dear Editor, I read the responses to Simon Jenkins’ article on “Ignoring Russia’s fears about Nato expansion” (The Guardian, 22nd July 2024, link below) with some readers agreeing and some not. As for me, I happen to agree with Mr Jenkins, but feel that there…

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 15th July 2024 ### Dear Editor, Bravo to Simon Jenkins: The assessment that he makes of the NATO summit (The Guardian, 15th July 2024, link below) and of the attitude of political leaders (e.g. Keir Starmer) corresponds exactly to my view. So why can’t I express this view amongst…

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 15th July 2024 ###Dear Editor, I read Kate Connolly’s piece on the state of Germany’s railways (The Guardian, 15th July 2024, link below) and strongly agree. Years of under-investment (partly caused by botched and patchy attempts to privatise the network in the early 2000s) have left the service in…

### Reader’s Letter to The Observer, 14 July 2024 ### Dear Editor, I read Robin McKie’s piece on the seed-collection of the plant-scientist Arthur Watkins and was fascinated (The Observer, 14th July 2024, link below). Indeed, yes, it is excellent that Mr Watkins took the initiative and stored those strains of wheat. But when it…