Melanie Meyers Needs Lessons in Logic from Julius Malema

Sent to "The Star, Johannesburg", Wed 27/01/2010 20:34

Melanie Meyers in her letter (Star Letters of today, "I agree with Julius Malema on labour brokers") makes a breathtaking extrapolation on the basis of a single incident of which she doesn't even know the facts!  The sales assistant was, she says, "in all probability" placed by a labour broker.  Shouldn't she at least have made sure about this instead of assuming it?  From this assumption she draws a conclusion about a whole industry!  With such a vast generalisation based on such incomplete research, should she go to Mr Malema for lessons in logic?

Hydrogen From Seawater: Where Would the Energy Come From?

Sent to "The Star, Johannesburg", Wed 27/01/2010 20:19

I respond to some uncomplimentary letters about John Parker in "En Passant" of today.  I think the respondents have missed the point of Mr Parker's question.  Anyone who has done physics at school knows that hydrogen can be produced from water by electrolysis.  However, the point is: Electricity is required for this – where would this electricity come from?  This was never explained in the original letter to which Mr Parker responded.