A'jad in the Big Apple

Reading Nancy Gibbs' article about First Lady Laura Bush's snubbing of Ahmadinejad made me queasy [Oct. 8]. It is that holier-than-thou attitude that gives America's enemies more ammunition. I don't wish to condone Ahmadinejad's policies, only to say that we will get nowhere by childishly ignoring him. Eventually, no matter how much it deflates our self-esteem, we will have to begin an open dialogue with our enemies. There are too many to simply dismiss them as tyrants and ostracize them from the global community. Currently, our only policies for dealing with hostile nations consist of sanctions and military action, and America's troops are already overextended.
Mitchell Kinnen, CINCINNATI, OHIO, U.S.

Gibbs' assertion that Laura Bush snubbed President Ahmadinejad was an attempt to smear her. From the first picture you published, it seems to me that she was acknowledging the President of Iran, and it was he who ignored her. Did Ms. Gibbs expect Mrs. Bush to give Ahmadinejad a hug? If the President of Iran were a gentleman, he would have stood in the presence of the lady.
Maria Fernandez, BOCA RATON, FLA., U.S.

Change for a Fiver
I was interested in your account of the redesign of the $5 bill [Oct. 8]. But with all the good ideas that went into the makeover, nothing was done to aid the blind. Many countries print different-size notes or have a bit of Braille on each so that the blind can truly know what they are using. As more and more disabled move into the mainstream, it is up to us to make ordinary activities like bill recognition a reality for them.
Eleanor Carter, GLENDORA, CALIF., U.S.

As a sadly increasingly myopic (only in the ophthalmological sense) European, I had often asked myself how long it would be before the land of the free realized that having all its banknotes the same color and size was perhaps not the savviest concept. I know that change is not necessarily in the best interests of the inherently protective U.S. green-ink industry, but we all face sacrifices these days, especially when it comes to green issues. So, as you can imagine, a spring came into my step on this autumnal day when I read the news that your $5 bill will be taking on a different hue.
John Fowler, LONDON

Wooed by a Worm
Lev Grossman wrote that the Storm Worm "may be the most sophisticated" computer virus, called it "a marvel of social engineering" and further admired it for its longevity and mutability [Oct. 8]. He needs to rub the dazzle from his eyes. What if the authors of the virus are functionaries for China, Russia or a Middle Eastern country testing the efficacy of new software? Rather than praising the prowess of the worm's creators, Grossman should be admonishing the security industry to shut down the Storm Worm before it shuts down the Internet.
Peter Sims, NEW YORK CITY

Race for Resources
That big piece of melting sea ice on the cover was identified as being on the shore of Nunavut, Canada [Oct. 1]. So what prompted you to take such artistic license and use the combination of flags you inserted into the image? Why isn't Canada's flag more clearly represented on your cover? You seem to have shown disrespect for the best neighbor the U.S. has.
George Walsh, VICTORIA, CANADA

It's madness! we've been destroying our planet's environment by overusing fossil fuels, and the resulting melting ice has made even more fossil fuels accessible. Universal greed for profits regardless of further consequences will be our doom. At this juncture, I'm ashamed to be part of the human race.
Leah Epstein, GOLAN HEIGHTS, ISRAEL

The Arctic will be owned by the new species that will evolve after the speedy extinction of the greedy human race. The dinosaurs did not have a choice, as a celestial accident put them to rest. But the human species is accelerating its own demise, and for what? Sheer greed. Instead of worrying about the perils of global warming, nations and corporations are eyeing the benefits that arise out of it. The new and more intelligent species that should evolve after our extinction will have the impossible task of figuring out why humans were lost to corporate bottom lines.
Jagmohan Rathi, GHAZIABAD, INDIA