Letters: Jun. 29, 1998

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Among writers, you forgot Doris Lessing, Nadine Gordimer and the two great Marguerites, Duras and Yourcenar. FRANCOISE HRADSKY Bethesda, Md.

You barely mentioned W.C. Fields and had nothing on Laurel and Hardy. These men were without equal in bringing art into comedy! ROLAND LAYTON Lewisburg, W.Va.

RUSSIA'S SHAKY ECONOMY

Before the U.S. grants any substantial economic relief to Russia [WORLD, June 8], that country should be compelled to make political and economic peace with its neighbors. Its financial woes are due in large part to its refusal to cooperate with former satellites and republics as equal partners. Instead of trading with the satellites and republics on even terms, Russia is forever trying to force its will on them. It recklessly boycotts all those that don't comply, and the result is greater damage to the Russian economy than to the intended victims. A good example is the recent propaganda attack on Latvia and the accompanying boycott of Latvian goods. The real reason for the action was Russia's desire to control the oil pipeline passing through Latvia. ANDREJS BAIDINS Wilmington, Del.

CONFUSION OVER NUKES

It is surprising that India and Pakistan are not being severely punished for exploding their nuclear devices [WORLD, June 8]. The gravest threat of nuclear war is shaping up in South Asia without the international community's working together to try to prevent it. India's government is even winning applause at home from those who confuse military might with self-esteem. MOHAMMED ABDULLAH Lawrenceville, N.J.

The nuclear tests set off by India and Pakistan are like violent acts by children. Most of the time, immature youngsters cannot reason, and when told no, they respond, "No one is going to tell me I can't!" or "I'll show them!" So we have little boys and juvenile adults playing with real weapons and with the very existence of life. MARY S. BAHR Pikesville, Md.

THAT CHAT WITH KOKO

Your item about the America Online chat with Koko, the gorilla who communicates through sign language, purported to be a "partial transcript" of Koko's chat, in which I helped to relay her signed responses [NOTEBOOK, May 11]. First of all, the headline LOVE DRINK NIPPLE FAKE was made up by TIME and was not a quote from Koko. Your piece, which impugned my veracity, included a supposed "transcript" that contained deceptive inaccuracies. You lifted selected phrases from the transcript, rearranged them and presented them as if they were verbatim conversation. Operating on "gorilla time" rather than Internet chat time, Koko was often still responding to earlier topics when the fast-paced chat had already moved on to new ones. If you want to express an opinion about our work in interspecies communication, that is your right, but your so-called transcript, with selected quotes and the omission of many lines of dialogue that provided context, deceived readers and was just plain bad journalism. Your readers can find a full transcript of the AOL chat with Koko at www.gorilla.org FRANCINE PATTERSON, Ph.D. President and Director of Research Gorilla Foundation Woodside, Calif.

TIME did not intend to attack Dr. Patterson's veracity and regrets any misunderstanding that may have arisen from the publication of this item.

MICROSOFT'S WOES