Letters: Briefly

AS ubiquitous as Harvey Keitel is, he was not in Red Rock West (New Releases, Review, 17 April). That honour went to Dennis Hopper.

Frank Reihill, Sheffield

PROFESSOR David Marsland (Letters, 17 April) says that Demos is as politically aligned as the Adam Smith Institute, whose independence he tells us (somewhat contradictorily) is 'unchallengeable'. Whereas the ASI has always concentrated on influencing Conservatives, Demos has included among its contributors people from the radical right to the green left. Our main criteria are insight and originality and not ideology or the propagation of a guru's ideas.

Geoff Mulgan, Director, Demos, London EC4

EATING cheese can contribute to a migraine in some people: are we now to disbelieve this on the grounds that most cheese-eaters do not suffer an adverse reaction?

This is, in effect, what the Policy Studies Institute's research into children's video viewing habits is asking us to believe, namely, if a video nasty does not have a detrimental effect on some children, then

it cannot have such an effect

on any.

David L Seymour, London SE4

THIS week's award for low- level syntax goes to the United States government spokesman who said that the US believed 'some progress' had been made on ending the siege of Gorazde ('Serbs shoot down British jet as all-out conflict looms', 17 April). He was, of course, absolutely right. After all, total capitulation to the aggressor has always been the quickest way to end a siege.

Philip Best, New Malden, Surrey