George Rafael gives the impression that the Republic of Ireland's impartiality during WW2 was compromised by Sinn Fein's favouratism to the Axis. I would just like to point out that the position of the Government of the Irish Free State during World War 2 was one of neutrality. However much discreet help was given to the Allies in the background (weather reports, their soldiers not detained while Axis ones were etc). Large numbers of Irish men fought in the British Army, and there was virtually nobody in the island apart from a few die-hard anti-British elements (ie the remnants of Sinn Fen and the IRA which were a shadow of their former strength) who ever took the view that the Axis powers should be engaged with or negotiated with. George would need to go back to WW1 when Ireland was still occupied to find more solid evidence and even then the picture was far more complex. It may be a minor point in the article but it's not pleasant to have your country tarred with that kind of careless historical slander at 9.ooam in the morning

Unusually, most of the new shows from the States this year have yet to make it over here - we are still waiting for Studio 60 (though I am not holding my breath), 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, Heroes etc. Despite this, I still avidly read Heather every week, just because she is one of the few guarantees of genuine laughs on Salon (not necessarily a criticism, but the last truly funny article from another writer was Andrew's description of Fox News on election night). I laughed loud enough at this article to wake my roomate and her girlfriend - one of your funniest pieces in ages!

By the way, you guys should give the Tsunami mini-series a go - its got some absolutely superb acting in it (Toni Collette, Gina McKeee, Chiwetel Eljiofar and Sophe Okenedo are brilliant) and despite some corney dialogue, especially in the second half, its largely well paced, complex and sensitive.

Whatever about Perfume's chances of success in the States, it has already earned about $100 million in Europe alone, so on those terms, it is already an astounding and noteworthy success. It opens in here in London on St Stephen's Day and I can't wait - I saw Whitlaw do Hamlet and he was incredible. I have full faith in this ability to pull off an impossible role