Letters: Apr. 24, 2000

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It may be comical to think of smuggling a high-flow toilet, but your article failed to address the critically important issue of water conservation. Did TIME make light of fuel-efficiency standards when customers were unhappy with their Yugos? Why repeal water-efficiency standards? My low-flush toilet works just fine. I suggest that these unhappy customers simply need to buy a toilet that works. There are plenty of them right here in the U.S. MARY ANN DICKINSON Sacramento, Calif.

THE RIGHT TIME

Even after fulfilling his personal mission of achieving near zero inflation, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan seems to want to be the world's best micromanager [BUSINESS, April 3]. As your article noted, despite rising stock-market wealth, U.S. consumers are saving more and the Consumer Price Index would almost flat-line if not for high oil prices (which have risen as a result of supply shortages, not an irrational demand). We are living out Paul Simon's prophetic song that celebrates the joy of being Born at the Right Time. We can continue to do so, absent a rogue Fed chairman bent on creating a "visible" hand in free markets--his own. It is time for the Fed to allow an economic expansion that could do wonders to eliminate poverty and level the playing field for all participants. JOHN STUBBS Washington

Greenspan is doing a great job for the American public. I would like to tell him to please believe that the majority of us wish our Congress and other public officials had the same moral character he has. How greedy can people be? Everyone knows the stock market is overinflated, but these whatchamacallits hate for anyone to rain on their parade. A. ANTHONY RETT Green Valley, Ariz.