Letters

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The New Science of Sleep
We live in a shortsighted society that sees sleep as an obstacle to productivity [Jan. 24]. But the truth is quite the opposite. A nightly investment in eight hours of rest may lead to even greater accomplishments. The greatest and most imaginative members of society, our children, sleep 10 to 12 hours a night. We should follow their lead. And we certainly shouldn't buy into romanticized notions of how much work we can do without sleep.
Lewis J. Kass, M.D.
Director
Pediatric Sleep Laboratory
The Children's Hospital at Montefiore
New York City

Going without rest is a disturbing universal trend, like overachieving. But sleep deprivation will catch up with us in the end. Falling asleep at the wheel because of lack of sleep has killed innocent drivers. Why do we feel the need to be constantly doing something? To pump up our self-esteem? I'm with William Shakespeare, who referred to "sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care."
Robin Francis
Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, U.S.

The new research on the benefits of sleep was fascinating, but I wish there had been some information for the benefit of millions of insomniacs like me, whose only desire is to drop off.
Jim Holik
Denver, Colorado, U.S.

You reported that scientists have found that going for more than 20 hours without sleep significantly impairs a person's cognitive abilities and reaction times, producing a functional level as bad as if one had a blood-alcohol level of 0.08. Perhaps those scientists should talk to their colleagues who run medical-residency programs that require 24- to 36-hour shifts. Sleep deprivation might contribute to medical mistakes, leading to malpractice lawsuits and higher malpractice-insurance costs, which drive some doctors to stop practicing.
Jong-on Hahm
Potomac, Maryland, U.S.

Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams.
Richard Greene
San Rafael, California, U.S.

Rising from the Rubble
My sincere thanks to all the world's people for their generosity toward Sri Lankan tsunami victims [Jan. 24]. We are especially grateful to Americans. Sri Lankans stuck by the U.S. during the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979 and after the 9/11 attacks. For their part, Americans have always aided us, with little fanfare, in bleak times during the '60s floods and now after the tsunami devastation. We'll always be a friend to the U.S.
Bandula Sri Amarasekara
Colombo, Sri Lanka

I was deeply disturbed to read that no warnings about an impending tsunami reached the countries in peril. Humankind needs to work together to combat the unforeseen destructive forces of nature and safeguard the lives of millions. The damage and loss of life could have been minimized to a great extent if governments had been quicker to realize what was coming and issued warnings. We have to get past the political boundaries that we have built. Nature will always teach us that.
Savi Mull
Lucknow, India

Setting up tsunami-detection buoys in the Indian Ocean is the right idea. But such a warning system cannot guarantee safety unless it is supported by roads that link coastal resorts to large centers that could house evacuees and by emergency public transportation that could be mobilized when an alert is sounded. There must also be a change in the architectural design of buildings in tsunami-prone areas. New construction should be able to withstand severe flooding and earthquakes. When all these measures have been taken, casualties and fatalities will be minimal in the event of another tsunami.
Augustine C. Ohanwe
Vantaa, Finland

With the exception of drought, Africa has not experienced many of the natural disasters that affect other areas. We are, however, plagued by man-made disasters resulting from our corrupt leaders' mismanagement and plunder of our natural resources. The result is that masses of our people wallow in penury.
Stella Ahumibe
Owerri, Nigeria

Glory and Grief
I was dismayed by the title of Charles Krauthammer's essay "Shock and Awe" [Jan. 24]. That was the name used by the U.S. military for massive bombings and missile attacks on Iraq at the start of the invasion. Krauthammer referred to the shock of the tsunami and marveled at humanity's overwhelming generosity in response to the disaster, but using a phrase associated with the Iraq war was unfortunate. His commentary ignored the misery and destruction of war. The tsunami was a natural disaster; the Iraqi tragedy was man-made.
Renee Arazie
Aventura, Florida, U.S.

Krauthammer said, "the tsunami that destroyed thousands of lives from Sumatra to Somalia engendered an instant, near universal outpouring of concern, shared grief and charitable giving." In the case of the U.S., however, it was hardly instant. President George W. Bush took three days to personally acknowledge the disaster, and when he did, the amount he initially pledged—$15 million—was less than half what his supporters paid for his Inaugural festivities.
Gail Miller
Leslie, Michigan, U.S.

Wake of the Flood
The spontaneity and abundance of tsunami-relief aid from the world over are beyond my wildest dreams [Jan. 10]. That generosity reinforces the faith I've always had in the essential goodness of mankind. The media seem to emphasize only the evil and crookedness of people, as if good and kind gestures are not newsworthy. Evil acts are what get prominent coverage by the press.
Chandy John
Bangalore, India

Nature has proved once more that it is an unstoppable force. Human beings are helpless in the face of its destructive power. But we will rise to the challenge of that catastrophe and face the future with hope.
Alfredo Carballo Jr.
Silay City, the Philippines

I was glad to see the outpouring of support from people and nations around the globe for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami. It demonstrates that there are still some very compassionate philanthropists in the world. Yet as the badly needed support arrives, the news is all about which countries are pledging the most assistance—and the U.S. is criticized for not giving more. Don't we in the U.S. contribute enough to the world? We are engaged in a war on terrorism that is draining our bank accounts, and we already send money to countries in need. I am sure we are doing the best we can to help tsunami victims. If the same sort of disaster were to strike the U.S., would other nations give as much as we have?
Bryan Young
Niantic, Connecticut, U.S.

I've had enough of the media's second-guessing the U.S.'s contributions to tsunami-disaster relief. Such criticism only cheapens the aid and compassion we are offering. Instead of expending energy on useless questioning of our generosity and motives, all efforts should be directed toward helping the victims.
Tom Nesbitt
Keatchie, Louisiana, U.S.

The Ongoing Iraq Disaster
The public outpouring of support for tsunami victims is impressive and admirable [Jan. 10]. But why are the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians met with silence or head-in-the-sand denial? While the media are preoccupied with feel-good, human-interest stories stemming from the tsunami catastrophe, the killing in Iraq continues. And unlike the tsunami, the death and destruction in Iraq were completely avoidable, as no defensible justification for the invasion has yet emerged. How can the compassion and empathy of the American people be so selective? Bush stated that the scale of the death and destruction in South Asia is "beyond comprehension." I suggest the President study more carefully the situation in Iraq, where thousands have also died.
Paul Murtaugh
Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.

It's time President Bush and congress take their cue from the American people and examine their priorities in spending our tax dollars. We've spent $130 billion on the war in Iraq and only $350 million for tsunami-disaster relief. That's shameful.
Roger Goode
Hillsborough, New Hampshire, U.S.

After the tsunami, humankind truly united with universal grief. But at what point did we become complacent about the killing and suffering of the tens of thousands in Iraq?
Robert F. Rosenberg
Brighton, Michigan, U.S.

Undue Respect
All too often, TIME chooses the U.S. President as Person of the Year [Dec. 27-Jan. 3]. Bush won re-election by a very slim margin. No great performance there. And the President is by no means a revolutionary. He is responsible for invading a country under false pretenses, clamping down on personal freedoms at home, conducting a reckless fiscal policy and letting the dollar slide. It's an insult to the word revolutionary to apply it to Bush.
Frank M. Wiesebron
Paris