"Your story of the boy in the English class asking when 'the world became colour' [Column 8, Wednesday] reminded me of a case in a New York family court in the '70s," writes Ray Sharp, of Redfern. "The mother of two small children was asked to explain why she had spent her welfare cheque on a colour television instead of food and clothing for her children. Her defence was that she did not want her children 'to grow up not knowing what colour was'."

"Whilst checking my daughter's homework," writes responsible and caring parent Greg Lyden, of parts unknown, "I read, 'Christopher Columbus sat down to write his captain's blog …' "

Wednesday's question about protocol matters involving governors-general being military commander-in-chief while being outranked by subordinates is "easy", according to Dan Meijer, of Willoughby. "Commander-in-chief is an appointment, not a rank. You can be appointed to a position regardless of rank, which is why the appointment of, say, sergeant-major can be held by a warrant officer 1 or a warrant officer 2, a sergeant might be platoon commander while a lieutenant is on leave, etc. Of course, I point out that there's a point at which an appointment will rankle with the rank and file, who think the appointment of a certain rank to an appointment ranks as one of the more rank decisions, to a point."

Still on rank, this from Graham Leech, of Bundanoon. "On meeting a new batch of officer-cadets, our very imposing regimental sergeant-major addressed us thus: 'Gentlemen, I call you sir, you call me sir. The only difference is that you mean it.' As ever, he was right (or so we said)."

"Are there any left-handed conductors?" we were asked on Wednesday (orchestra, not bus). "Yes, I am one," writes Simon Bartlett, of Croydon. "I learnt very early on not to warn the orchestra of my southpaw symphonies, as that put them off. Conductors are all so idiosyncratic in their beatings that the hand of choice is a minor matter." Another cack-hander chimes in: "I am the music director of Billy Elliot The Musical," writes Stephen Amos, of Lilyfield. "I happen to be left-handed, but do in fact conduct with my right hand. However, I once worked with an American conductor who conducted with his left hand and it did look very odd. He told me that he had tried it both ways (conducting, that is), but most musicians in America agreed that he conducted better with his left hand. We got used to it."

An ominous coincidence? Lyn White, of Balmain, reports: "My daughter's calendar informs her that this Sunday is not only Father's Day but also National Threatened Species Day." Oh, and by the way, we are not entering into any debate about the correct deployment or otherwise of apostrophes in Father's/Fathers'/Fathers Day. It is a long-standing Column 8 convention that we only wrestle with that one on, er … the Day of Mothers.

Column8@smh.com.au(no attachments please).Phone 9282 2207 fax 9282 2772. (include name, suburb, daytime phone)