That’s not the first time “Jeopardy!” was wrong
Garwood, N.J.: Voicer William Sarnataro noted that a contestant’s incorrect response was taken as correct by “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings. Well-spotted, Bill.
This has happened before. Some years back, the Final Jeopardy question featured a correct answer that was wrong: “What was the only part of Great Britain to be occupied by the Germans in World War 2?”
“Jeopardy!” maintained that the right answer was the Channel Islands, but they’d be wrong. The Channel Islands have never been part of the United Kingdom.
The islands are the remnant of the Dukedom of Normandy, from whose shores Duke William the Bastard sailed in 1066 to conquer England, which was a bargain for him because he got to trade in his “Bastard” moniker for “William the Conqueror.” While the British Crown has passed down from monarch to monarch since then, the Channel Islands have remained a separate entity.
When King Charles visits the islands, such as the largest, Jersey, he is recognized as their overlord, the Duke of Normandy — the same title his late mother Queen Elizabeth held.
If King Charles or Duke Charles, or just plain Chuck, ever wants to visit the Ilse of Jersey’s namesake, New Jersey, the first Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwich at the Westfield Diner is on me. Mike Gordeuk
Royal flush
Tamarac, Fla.: Some journalists should start looking for new careers! They might actually believe there’s a public interest in the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton’s sister’s new hairstyle and must write about it. They should be reminded how ridiculous and inconsequential the subject is. Many people have lost interest in the monarchy as a whole and look upon it as an anachronism that no longer fits in the world we live in today. Its relevance is being questioned more every day. Royalty and what it represents is a matter of opinion, of course, but journalism is lowering its standards when someone with a connection to royalty and to whom we care nothing about gets a haircut writeup. Roberta Chaleff
A healthy fear
Sunnyside: I was sorry to read that another teenager has lost his life to subway surfing. I hope the NYPD will be given the authority to use drones to look for teenagers who are subway surfing. I don’t think the public announcements they use on the subway PA system are all that effective because these teens are unlikely to pay attention to them. However, I think the fear of getting in trouble with the police will deter them. John Francis Fox
Too much time
Troy, N.Y.: Gov. Hochul’s promotion of new nuclear development in New York ignores the cautionary tale of Georgia’s Vogtle Plant. That project, the first new nuclear plant built in the United States in decades, experienced a seven-year delay and exceeded its budget by $17 billion. Georgia electric customers are stuck with the bill. New York can not afford to replicate this scenario. Years-long nuclear projects with ballooning budgets divert funds from proven renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and battery storage, and the one Hochul is pitching doesn’t even have a technology, business model or location determined yet. Every dollar allocated to nuclear reactors is a dollar not invested in existing energy sources that effectively reduce emissions and lower costs today. Isaac Silberman-Gorn
Tried & convicted
Brooklyn: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi now claims there is no Jeffrey Epstein client list. If that’s the case, and they have no idea who was involved, how do they know who Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked girls to? If there were no clients, why is Maxwell doing 20 years in federal prison? I absolutely believe the victims and believe Maxwell’s incarceration was justified, but I also believe that if the truth was told, she’d have a lot of company. Ilsa Ruthen
Looming questions
Paramus, N.J.: Where are the Epstein files? What are they hiding? What’s in there? The public has a right to know. Tom Greff
Foreign aid
Freeport, L.I.: So, with fatalities still increasing from the horrific flooding in Texas, the only federal relief teams helping locals cope with this disaster are from Mexico? Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, would you please consider stepping in as our president? There seems to be a vacancy in Washington. Bob Sterner
Rapid deterioration
Brooklyn: My compliments to Voicers Nicholas S. Molinari, Vic Presutti, and Kimball Shinkoskey for their letters explaining how we are living in a depleted democracy with an authoritarian president, with no real checks and balances from the other two branches and ICE agents wearing masks while arresting people. If that weren’t bad enough, we have a federal government that eschews science, climate change, vaccines, meteorology, crucial government agencies, books, the national debt and even our historical past, which is replete with all sorts of injustices that Americans should know about. It is about to get even worse when the “One Big Beautiful Bill” kicks in and takes away Medicaid and SNAP from millions of Americans, and reduces Affordable Care Act subsidies while scores of hospitals close throughout the country. How does any of this make America great? Rather, we are becoming an American version of a Third World country. Irwin Cantos
Reminiscent of the Reich
Manhattan: Re “Feds using court as an immig ‘trap,’ ” (July 6): As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, I have been horrified to witness the cruel, callous actions perpetrated by ICE agents against immigrants and public officials. After World War II, my father was given an opportunity to learn a new trade, study a new language and raise American children. But now, far from welcoming newcomers, the government has abandoned due process to detain and deport anyone alleged to be here illegally — before they can demonstrate whether they meet the criteria for asylum. As I read about parents violently separated from their children and public officials handcuffed and arrested, I’m reminded of my father’s harrowing story of how his family met their fate in Nazi-occupied Poland. The Gestapo came for the men, then they came for adolescent boys, then the mothers, sisters and small children. Are any of us really safe under this administration? Lenore Neier
Jurisdictional issue
Manhattan: To Voicer Neil J. Pollicino: Sorry that it was difficult for you to celebrate our nation’s birthday as “ICE agents randomly remove Americans from immigration courts.” My question to you is what are Americans doing in immigration courts? I’m an American and I never had to appear in an immigration court. Perhaps you are confusing it with criminal court, where I have been summoned to appear for jury duty. Karene Copeland
Persecution platform
Manhattan: Your report that New York City’s teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), has endorsed Zohran Mamdani for mayor raises several concerns. Mamdani, a founder of a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, has thus embraced the Hamas doctrine that the Jewish state of Israel must be destroyed. Mamdani also embraces the concept of “globalizing the intifada,” a call to violence against Jewish people and democratic voices everywhere. The UFT’s endorsement also reflects the widespread ignorance of the historic bigotry of radical Islam. Many of our teachers may need increased education about the sometimes challenging but important centuries-deep history of the Jewish people in Israel and the Middle East. Andrew M. Upton
Opinions out of place
Manhattan: Has the Daily News noticed that the N.Y. Post has been including editorial content that is not related to sports but to trashing the Democrats in its sports pages since Mamdani’s victory? What does The News think about that? “Weird and pathetic” crossed my mind, as well as insulting to sports fans. Luckily, newer browsers let you hide the distracting items, so you can hide the stupid. James Lello
Point stands
Hicksville, L.I.: To Voicer Steven J. Bevacqua: You’re right. I was wrong about the combined populations of Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and The Netherlands, my mistake was inexcusable and embarrassing. However, my main argument still stands: Those countries succeed because everyone pays into it. And still, 28 million is way less than 350 million people, 40% of whom pay no federal taxes, which would mean higher taxes on the rest of us — something most Americans will not tolerate. John Gelormino
