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Your best comments and letters on the Guardian today Your best comments and letters on the Guardian today
(about 3 hours later)
News of Zimbabwe’s new leader Emmerson Mnangagwa, 75 years of the comedian Billy Connolly and how the sandwich has consumed Britain have provoked some of the most interesting reader discussion on our Letters page and around the Guardian today. Experiences of sexual fear, the disappearance of insects and birds and news of Zimbabwe’s new leader Emmerson Mnangagwa have provoked some of the most interesting reader discussion on our Letters page and around the Guardian today.
To get involved in discussions online you can click on the links in the comments below to expand the conversation and add your thoughts. We’ll continue to highlight more comments and letters worth reading as the day goes on.To get involved in discussions online you can click on the links in the comments below to expand the conversation and add your thoughts. We’ll continue to highlight more comments and letters worth reading as the day goes on.
‘I never dated at school. I feared being ridiculed for the size of my penis’
For this week’s life in sex column, a Guardian reader shares the story of the fear he had growing up with a “short but functional penis”. Readers were moved by the read and shared their own experiences.
‘You make use of what you have, with practice and exploration the sex gets better and better’
I had the same problem, smaller than average penis and low self esteem. I was in a relationship with a beautiful woman, I was 19 (and a virgin), she was in her early 30’s. She made me feel comfortable and I overcame my fears. You make use of what you have, with practice and exploration the sex gets better and better.redbuttons
‘Good sex is very often connection of the minds as well as the bodies’
It’s amazing what nonsense we get taught as a child, carry on believing through our teen and early adulthood years, that even once discarded, it is never really gone.
For what it’s worth, in my experience with men, they guys who suck (metaphorically) are far more often the guys with the bigger penises. This of course is not a hard and fast rule. The hard and fast rule is that the experience tends to be far more enjoyable when both (or all) parties wish to make the experience mutually enjoyable.
Perhaps those who have a greater understanding of vulnerability and weakness, are more likely to take greater care in bed to nurture their partner’s needs.
Good sex is very often connection of the minds as well as the bodies.JosephMcD84
Where have all our insects and birds gone?
According to Guardian reader David Marjot, the last 15 years have seen the almost total disappearance of insects and the birds that rely on them for food. Rosemary Mason noticed a similar decline where she lives and wrote to us in response. You can see more letters from Guardian readers here.
‘Have any other readers had similar experiences?’
With regard to David Marjot’s letter about lost insects in Surrey (18 November), we too have noticed a sharp decline in insects over the last 10 years in south Wales, but there are no neonicotinoids used in the area. In fact, as he noted in Surrey, spiders were the first to disappear. However, Dakar Pro, a commercial preparation of RoundUp, is sprayed on city pavements to eradicate weeds. Have any other readers had similar experiences?Rosemary MasonSwansea
Billy Connolly at 75: Eddie Izzard, Armando Iannucci and more salute ‘Beatles of comedy’Billy Connolly at 75: Eddie Izzard, Armando Iannucci and more salute ‘Beatles of comedy’
To celebrate the Scottish comedian turning 75 today you’ve been sharing your memories and experiences of his comic genius. You can click on the links below to join the conversation. To celebrate the Scottish comedian turning 75 today you’ve been sharing your memories and experiences of his comic genius.
‘Connolly had us rolling on the floor and mopping up the tears of laughter’‘Connolly had us rolling on the floor and mopping up the tears of laughter’
Mr Delfini and I had emigrated to foreign parts and were regretting it. Stuck in a cold, dismal little flat, inadequately equipped with the new language, rain bucketing down for days, we were barely speaking to each other. All we had in our advance luggage was a tape recorder/player (I’m very old) and a few audio tapes from a charity shop, previously unplayed. I put on a Billy Connolly one and, honestly, it was a Camp Granada moment. (I am VERY old) When we’d finished rolling on the floor and mopping up the tears of laughter, we hugged each other tightly and I swear the sun came out. Still living in foreign parts, I’ve not followed the Big Yin’s later career, but that glorious early work is in enough in my book to justify his place in the comedy hall of fame.delfiniMr Delfini and I had emigrated to foreign parts and were regretting it. Stuck in a cold, dismal little flat, inadequately equipped with the new language, rain bucketing down for days, we were barely speaking to each other. All we had in our advance luggage was a tape recorder/player (I’m very old) and a few audio tapes from a charity shop, previously unplayed. I put on a Billy Connolly one and, honestly, it was a Camp Granada moment. (I am VERY old) When we’d finished rolling on the floor and mopping up the tears of laughter, we hugged each other tightly and I swear the sun came out. Still living in foreign parts, I’ve not followed the Big Yin’s later career, but that glorious early work is in enough in my book to justify his place in the comedy hall of fame.delfini
‘What I loved about him most was how much he outraged my granny, a very prim Scot’ ‘Connolly had us rolling on the floor and mopping up the tears of laughter’
First Connelly memory would be his banana feet, I was tiny and found it hilarious but didn’t get any of his jokes., but fell in love with his childlike exuberance. What I loved about him most was how much he outraged my granny, a very prim scot. But I’m sure he would have charmed her if they’d ever actually met. The skit he did about a group of elderly Scots women fighting over paying the bill, had her uncannily down to a tea, and loved how endearing he found it. I played it for her once and she couldn’t help but laugh.clarejasmine Mr Delfini and I had emigrated to foreign parts and were regretting it. Stuck in a cold, dismal little flat, inadequately equipped with the new language, rain bucketing down for days, we were barely speaking to each other. All we had in our advance luggage was a tape recorder/player (I’m very old) and a few audio tapes from a charity shop, previously unplayed. I put on a Billy Connolly one and, honestly, it was a Camp Granada moment. (I am VERY old) When we’d finished rolling on the floor and mopping up the tears of laughter, we hugged each other tightly and I swear the sun came out. Still living in foreign parts, I’ve not followed the Big Yin’s later career, but that glorious early work is in enough in my book to justify his place in the comedy hall of fame.delfini
Zimbabwe’s friends should be wary of getting too close to the CrocodileZimbabwe’s friends should be wary of getting too close to the Crocodile
Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sworn in as president of Zimbabwe after Robert Mugabe resigned on Tuesday. Louise Mellor wrote a letter to us saying we should pay attention to what Mnangagwa said in Shona. You can see more letters from Guardian readers here. Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sworn in as president of Zimbabwe after Robert Mugabe resigned on Tuesday. Louise Mellor wrote a letter to us saying we should pay attention to what Mnangagwa said in Shona.
‘You were right to put the various claims of new and unfolding democracy in quotation marks’‘You were right to put the various claims of new and unfolding democracy in quotation marks’
Your report “Emmerson Mnangagwa hails ‘new democracy’ in Zimbabwe” (22 November) was a good article and indeed you were right to put the various claims of new and unfolding democracy in quotation marks. Even better would have been to report on parts of the speech that were in Shona. These include Mnangagwa stating that “those who impose us can bark like dogs, but Zanu-PF will keep ruling and ruling”. Louise MellorLondonYour report “Emmerson Mnangagwa hails ‘new democracy’ in Zimbabwe” (22 November) was a good article and indeed you were right to put the various claims of new and unfolding democracy in quotation marks. Even better would have been to report on parts of the speech that were in Shona. These include Mnangagwa stating that “those who impose us can bark like dogs, but Zanu-PF will keep ruling and ruling”. Louise MellorLondon
How the sandwich consumed Britain
The long read today is on how the British sandwich industry has developed since the 80s and is now worth £8bn a year. Looking back at how the humble packaged sandwich first started out you’ve been sharing your thoughts on how it has changed over the years.
‘The only advantage of the pre-made sandwich is speed’
I beg to differ with the alleged quality of sandwiches in the early 80s. I was working in Covent Garden at the time, and often went to a cafe on Long Acre who made exquisite bespoke sandwiches from a range of fresh breads and rolls, with quality meats and fillings. The models for the poor copies by the mass producers. Such places were relatively common, although this one was well above average.
This article is allowing the victors to re-write history, to gild their products. The only advantage of the pre-made sandwich is speed - shorter queues to get one.karmarama
‘So long as you change the fillings from time to time they make fine meals in themselves’
I pretty much lived off of sandwiches for 3 years of University and it didn’t do me any harm. Self-made of course with the occasional gourmet as a treat.
So long as you change the fillings from time to time they make fine meals in themselves. My kids will happily eat them whenever served, although my wife would tell you she hates the things!RadioHedgeFund
Budget decisions that are urgent matters of life and death
Some of you have sent us letters expressing your concerns about the budget, with Rev Paul Nicolson writing about inadequate benefits, poverty and ill health.
‘The UK is heading for a depth of poverty and debt-related ill health’
The claimants of universal credit (UC) will not be falling over backwards with gratitude to the chancellor for his reduction from six weeks to five of the time they have to wait for their first payment. Some of them will have recently been without income during a three-month benefit sanction under the old jobseeker’s allowance. Rent and council tax arrears will have piled up to be paid off over further punishing months with the cost of living rising. After the first payment of UC it can leave them without income for a further month at a time due to a zero-hours contract; that creates further debt problems. Low income and debt impact on mental and physical health; no income and debt is so much worse. The UK is heading for a depth of poverty and debt-related ill health not seen for a century.Rev Paul NicolsonTaxpayers Against Poverty
This article will be updated throughout the day with some of the most interesting ways readers have been participating across the site.This article will be updated throughout the day with some of the most interesting ways readers have been participating across the site.