Inbox

California on the Cutting Edge
Your cover story on California highlighted the amazing power of free enterprise [Nov. 2]. If the government would get out of the way, the private sector would pull the state from the abyss and toward a real recovery. Tragically, however, state and federal officials, beginning with taxer in chief Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, will continue to tax companies out of business and delay recovery in the Golden State.
Dale Williams,
Willow Park, Texas, U.S.

Thank you for stating the unpopular view that California has enduring strengths. One other point: we have learned from our earthquakes and fires and have become world leaders in life-safety procedures. Our willingness to prepare for and face disasters — and to kick partisan politics to the curb for the duration — is probably the best testimony to the California spirit.
Linda Mele,
Torrance, Calif., U.S.

Congratulations to the author for his brilliant articulation of what California really is. Despite the famed smog and legendary congestion, innovators find it easier to breathe and flourish in that state than anywhere else on earth. I was delighted that the article noted California's unique attitude to those who try and fail. A pat on the back for trying and having someone tell you to chalk it up to experience is much more likely to promote another, perhaps better, attempt than the scorn that failure usually attracts elsewhere.
Robert James-Herbert,
Ruse, Australia

Fear-Mongering in Asia
Recent tensions between India and China have been inflamed in India by media hype and the exaggerations of the opposition in Parliament [Nov. 2]. Neither country can afford a war. Cooperation between the two countries is essential for the progress and prosperity of the world too. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Thailand and reaffirmed the need to keep the border peaceful. There will be discussions on the proposed construction of a dam on the Chinese side of the Brahmaputra River to resolve water-resource issues amicably, and a trilateral summit between India, China and Russia will be held in Bangalore. All the moves are intended to promote harmony, cooperation and better understanding between the two countries.
Jacob Sahayam,
Trivandrum, India

Tunnel Vision
Re "Underworld" [nov. 2]: on a visit to Gaza, I was struck by the sense of gruesome satisfaction Israeli soldiers seemed to derive from controlling their neighbors' quality of living. Allowing Palestinians to revive their economy would create an atmosphere conducive to peace. Yet Israel has turned this tiny stretch of land into the world's biggest open-air prison.
Annette Thomas,
Clarkston, Mich., U.S.

TIME's report on the Gaza strip tunnels placed the onus solely on Israel's "suffocating blockade on Gaza's land and sea borders" — completely ignoring Egypt's blockade on its Gaza border, probably instated because of the same realistic security concerns Israel has. Without Egypt's blockade, there would be no need for the tunnels.
Harry Gartzman,
Philadelphia

Your intimate portrayals of tunnels in the Gaza Strip did not come as a surprise. With little prospect for economic growth or securing stability or a decent livelihood, what choice do Gazans have? Tunnels are simply their passage for advancement. I just hope that they can endure all the difficulties and that the leaderships on both sides learn a crucial lesson from situations like this. Nothing good can come out of warfare. Mired in conflict and ceaseless political tensions, hope for a normal life for Gazans is far from reality.
Sirinthra Malhotra,
Bangkok

The Gazans aren't digging for fun: it is a matter directly related to their lives. What does Israel earn from trying to prevent a hungry person from eating? I really hope that these meaningless hostilities will fade.
Jiwon Kwak,
Seoul