Letters

PICTURES FROM THE YEAR EMOTIONS RULED

"It is distressing that violence, beauty and celebrity rank higher than Mother Teresa, who dedicated her entire life to a noble cause." AARTI SWAMINARAYAN Mount Prospect, Ill.

It would be naive to think that the emotions of 1997 were not influenced by the press and photographers [IMAGES '97, Dec. 22]. I fear the amount of influence the media have in shaping the perception of events, a misgiving that was reinforced by your theme, "Pictures from a Year the News Turned Emotional." That fear is, unfortunately, justified when good judgment is not exercised. The close-up photograph of Evander Holyfield's ear not only turned my stomach (again) but also made me ashamed of our culture. Perhaps you should try harder to ensure that the method you use to invoke emotion in your readers is not sensationalistic. SARA PILAR BRYANT Melrose, Mass.

I was disturbed by the cynicism reflected in Roger Rosenblatt's piece "The Year Emotions Ruled," particularly the reasons cited for the overwhelming public reaction to Princess Diana's death. It was not just "one loss and absence too many" or the mourning of a "lovely presence." Diana tried to make a real difference in the world through her numerous causes. She had the ability to affect people's lives in a positive way. DIANE CARDLIN DONOGHUE Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Once again Diana on your cover. Enough! You have earned yourselves a place in your own "Di-Ploitation Watch." LEEOR KRONIK Tel Aviv

The striking two-page photo of Princess Diana deserves Shakespeare's complete quotation, not just a portion of it: "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale/Her infinite variety..." YOLANDA LOPEZ-HEAD Glendale, Calif.

Rosenblatt's article was good, but I hardly believe that in 1997 people were driven by "apocalyptic, fin-de-siecle anxieties about the approaching millennium." It is true that people get touchy when encountering the finale of a century, and even more so at the end of a millennium, but violence, insane mass hysteria, suicides, murders and a highly emotional society are not produced by the end of a period of time; they lie in human nature. JANET M. BOLLERO Rosario, Argentina

I fail to understand the importance you give to Diana. She certainly was a beautiful woman, with an excellent sense of style, but for the press to print stories about her constantly and inflate her image is silly. A.M. RIYAAZ USMAN Kerala, India

LYING ON YOUR RESUME

If not for a peripheral imbroglio, the fact that the late Ambassador M. Larry Lawrence fabricated information about his past would never have been revealed [PUBLIC EYE, Dec. 22]. People can get away with telling stories because the recipients of these tales deceive themselves as much as the liars do. As head of an executive search firm, I find it necessary to warn candidates pointedly in my first meeting with them that I will verify all the claims they make about their credentials. Without this warning, some people would brazenly continue the interview process with little concern for accuracy. STANLEY HERZ Somers, N.Y.

Margaret Carlson said, "We all lie, according to experts." But unnamed experts are not much of a source for that statement. I, for one, am sorry that you gave space to her view that falsifying a resume falls "within the acceptable range of victimless embellishment." BOB MARSHALL Deephaven, Minn.

NO NEED TO DISCOURAGE

In his commentary on race relations and presidential politics, Charles Krauthammer said, "Psychoanalysis is as dead a science as alchemy" [VIEWPOINT, Dec. 22]. It is unfortunate that he felt it necessary to drag psychoanalysis through the mud. As a person who practiced psychiatry, Krauthammer seems to have an ax to grind. He has the power to influence many people with his columns. In this case, he may well have done harm. A public figure disparaging any form of talking therapy can discourage people with emotional problems from seeking treatment. More discouragement they can do without. ROBERT N. BRITCHER Gaithersburg, Md.

Krauthammer gave us the prescription for survival in an overpopulated and divided world: civility and right behavior. Thank you for a fresh breath of reason in this foul fog of censored soul searching promoted by our Psychiatrist in Chief. ROBERT CLARK Spokane, Wash.

FIDDLING WHILE THE EARTH BURNS

I was impressed by your excellent coverage of the Kyoto Climate Change Summit [ENVIRONMENT, Dec. 22]. It was another noble effort by TIME, adding to its long list of environmentally concerned articles, including coverage of the destruction of rain forests and the threatened extinction of sharks. It was only in 1987 that TIME said "The Heat Is On" the planet earth. I was shocked that the Kyoto Protocol merely discusses reducing the emission of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels. It is a sobering reminder of how much destruction can ensue in so little time. I wish more people had taken your 1987 article seriously. VIPUL MODI Maumee, Ohio

My concern is not so much about global warming as about global pollution. When I hear smog alerts, see signs cautioning people about eating fish caught in San Francisco Bay, read about people leaving their homes because they were built on polluted soil or watch forests dying because of fouled air, I know that global pollution is no myth. Let's reduce it for the sake of our health. DAVID J. ALPERT San Francisco

You are unnecessarily pessimistic about the challenge of a strong climate-change policy when you say, "It would take a 60% reduction to make much of a dent in the greenhouse gases." Sixty percent is approximately the level of current emissions that are not being absorbed by natural processes. It is not safe to assume that all changes from preindustrial levels would reverse if we made cuts of that magnitude. But it is a good working target for a full solution, rather than a "dent." Also, industry is not uniformly opposed to pollution reduction. Several energy companies have agreed there is a need for a meaningful response. NED FORD, Vice Chairman National Energy Committee Sierra Club Cincinnati, Ohio

A message to narrow-minded, short-sighted, vested-interest fools: Don't play politics with my planet. In the face of vast amounts of evidence about global warming, these Neros would fiddle while the earth literally burns. There may come a time when common citizens seek justice for the suffering wrought by environmental criminals. In the current atmosphere of rampant greed, it may be difficult to imagine such a scenario. But unless some form of enlightenment quickly spurs the leaders of all nations to adopt measures even stricter than those agreed to in Kyoto, the tribunals are inevitable, and there will be nowhere for the guilty to hide. The earth is our mother and our child. What greater joy could there be than seeing her smile again? KEN BARNES Kanazawa, Japan

I have been living alone in a small, one-room apartment for a year and a half. By Japanese standards, my life-style is regarded as quite poor because I have no TV, air conditioner, stereo or vacuum cleaner. I even do my laundry by hand. Nevertheless, I kind of enjoy it. If you do everything yourself, you can derive great pleasure from feeling independent of machines. What's more, my electricity bill is incredibly low. And, of course, I contribute to conserving the environment. People who live in developed countries should stop and think about whether being surrounded by machines makes them happy. SACHIKO HIMENO Fujisawa, Japan

Statements from U.S. corporations implying that they cannot possibly comply with the Kyoto agreement are laughable given the response of foreign industrial giants such as Honda and Toyota, already worlds ahead in clean, energy-efficient technology. The Kyoto accord represents recognition by forward-thinking people that the economics of environmental sustainability are, in the long run, the best ones: best for the environment and, yes, best for the people. But let the political misinformation machine roll on! NICK PORCH Boulder, Colo.

Scientists say the worst-case scenarios resulting from global warming are more violent storms and increased flooding. In the past two years in Canada alone there have been two major floods that may have been the result of global-warming patterns. Governments should take steps to address the global-warming issue to avoid more floods and storms. In the U.S., Florida lowlands could end up underwater because of rising sea levels. I hope Mickey Mouse can swim. SHAMEER RAVJI Kanata, Ont.

CAN BUDDYGATE BE FAR BEHIND?

So President Clinton accepted the gift of a dog, Buddy [PEOPLE, Dec. 22]. Eventually the media will begin to talk about racism, since Socks is mostly black. So far, no Republican Senator has demanded an investigation, but someone could file a conflict-of-interest suit on behalf of Socks (who will probably be represented by Johnnie Cochran). Then if Janet Reno refuses to appoint a special prosecutor, we'll be hearing about Buddygate all through 1998. Why would anyone want to be President? CAROL L. KING Sunnyvale, Calif.