Insightful Analysis

Congratulations to Carole L. Spivey for her insightful analysis of a college graduation ceremony ("Graduations Aren't Ball Games," Voices, June 27). The contemporary college graduation ceremony appears to be a microcosm of "the coarsening of American society." Thank you, Ms. Spivey, for summing up my exact feelings. RONALD GURNEY Walnut

Re "Meet Islam's Ann Coulter," Current, June 25 Rabbi Stephen Julius Stein was right on the mark with his insightful analysis of Wafa Sultan. People like Sultan turn extolling the virtues of Christians and Jews not into an exercise in educating fellow Muslims but into an exercise in self-promotion. They take the praise to the point where it's exposed as cheap ingratiation meant to advance their personal careers. The rabbi noted: "Progress in the Muslim world was not her interest."

Kudos to reporter Reed Johnson for his great piece about a new book written by Mexican women ["In a Voice Rarely Heard, 38 Women Speak for Mexico's Silent Generation," Dec. 12]. Johnson's piece is more than a book review. He provides a very right-on, insightful analysis about the state of women in Mexico. The only scary part about this story is the fact that some adaptation of the book has been produced by Televisa and will be broadcast in the U.S. on Univision. I just hope it's not watered-down or sensationalized like Univision usually treats serious topics.

Kudos to reporter Reed Johnson for his great piece about a new book written by Mexican women ["In a Voice Rarely Heard, 38 Women Speak for Mexico's Silent Generation," Dec. 12]. Johnson's piece is more than a book review. He provides a very right-on, insightful analysis about the state of women in Mexico. The only scary part about this story is the fact that some adaptation of the book has been produced by Televisa and will be broadcast in the U.S. on Univision. I just hope it's not watered-down or sensationalized like Univision usually treats serious topics.

I commend Walter Russell Mead (Opinion, Oct. 24) for his insightful analysis of the boom and bust cycles of economic growth and their implications for developing nations. He does, however, make one error. The Amazon rubber boom of the late 19th century was not associated with plantation agriculture, but rather was based on the exploitation of natural or "wild" rubber. It was the removal (or theft) of hevea brasilense seedlings and the setting up of rubber plantations in Southeast Asia that dimmed the lights of the Manaus opera house.

Kenneth Turan's "I, the Jury" (Sept. 22) wonderfully places the experience of serving on a film festival jury within the sociopolitical context of the English-French dynamic that is the essence of Montreal. His brief yet insightful analysis of the realities (and absurdities) of life in Montreal added substantially to the description of the jury experience. Having spent the majority of my life living in and coming to grips with the political situation in Quebec, I would encourage Turan to expand his political analysis into a feature-length article.

Barbara Ehrenreich (Opinion, May 11) points out the irony of the Bush administration pushing forward with a welfare state in Iraq while simultaneously opting for an entirely different and regressive agenda here at home. She asks whether something has melted the administration's "hard little hearts." The answer is no. But sheer terror on the part of the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld triad has become a driving force in the evolution of its strategy for occupation. Commenting on the looting in Baghdad, Ehrenreich reminds us of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's insightful analysis: "It's untidy.

Re "Meet Islam's Ann Coulter," Current, June 25 Rabbi Stephen Julius Stein was right on the mark with his insightful analysis of Wafa Sultan. People like Sultan turn extolling the virtues of Christians and Jews not into an exercise in educating fellow Muslims but into an exercise in self-promotion. They take the praise to the point where it's exposed as cheap ingratiation meant to advance their personal careers. The rabbi noted: "Progress in the Muslim world was not her interest."

On a clear day you can hear forever. If you've caught some of the O.J. Simpson trial on television, you know that--according to hundreds, perhaps thousands of attorneys providing reasoned, objective analysis--Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. hasn't a prayer. Marcia Clark's goose is cooked. The defense has its back against the wall. The prosecution has its back against the wall. Judge Lance A. Ito's rulings have been measured, appropriate, impeccable.

Applause to you on the editorial side for timely, thoughtful and insightful analysis and commentary. Your special editorial, "And Now, What Will Be the Verdict on Los Angeles Itself?" (April 18), together with Monday's editorial ("A Weekend to Remember"),set a calming tone. Yet, the words capture the message of our Angst and our hopes. Tough love is what you've achieved. Kudos to all at The Times, especially on the editorial page, for being so resolute, balanced and professional.

Barbara Ehrenreich (Opinion, May 11) points out the irony of the Bush administration pushing forward with a welfare state in Iraq while simultaneously opting for an entirely different and regressive agenda here at home. She asks whether something has melted the administration's "hard little hearts." The answer is no. But sheer terror on the part of the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld triad has become a driving force in the evolution of its strategy for occupation. Commenting on the looting in Baghdad, Ehrenreich reminds us of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's insightful analysis: "It's untidy.

I commend Walter Russell Mead (Opinion, Oct. 24) for his insightful analysis of the boom and bust cycles of economic growth and their implications for developing nations. He does, however, make one error. The Amazon rubber boom of the late 19th century was not associated with plantation agriculture, but rather was based on the exploitation of natural or "wild" rubber. It was the removal (or theft) of hevea brasilense seedlings and the setting up of rubber plantations in Southeast Asia that dimmed the lights of the Manaus opera house.

Congratulations to Carole L. Spivey for her insightful analysis of a college graduation ceremony ("Graduations Aren't Ball Games," Voices, June 27). The contemporary college graduation ceremony appears to be a microcosm of "the coarsening of American society." Thank you, Ms. Spivey, for summing up my exact feelings. RONALD GURNEY Walnut

Kenneth Turan's "I, the Jury" (Sept. 22) wonderfully places the experience of serving on a film festival jury within the sociopolitical context of the English-French dynamic that is the essence of Montreal. His brief yet insightful analysis of the realities (and absurdities) of life in Montreal added substantially to the description of the jury experience. Having spent the majority of my life living in and coming to grips with the political situation in Quebec, I would encourage Turan to expand his political analysis into a feature-length article.

On a clear day you can hear forever. If you've caught some of the O.J. Simpson trial on television, you know that--according to hundreds, perhaps thousands of attorneys providing reasoned, objective analysis--Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. hasn't a prayer. Marcia Clark's goose is cooked. The defense has its back against the wall. The prosecution has its back against the wall. Judge Lance A. Ito's rulings have been measured, appropriate, impeccable.

Three cheers (or is it two?) for Pat H. Broeske and John Voland for their achingly insightful analysis of the "Cobra" opening ("The Enthusiasm at Mann's Winds Down with the Movie Marathon," May 24). In between repeatedly writing themselves into the story, the two came up with such artfully original phrases as "Hollywood Boulevard is as moist and as sensible as Main Street, USA" and "Stallone/Cobra mops up the ersatz Night Stalker's army like jelly-filled nine pins." Ouch. And twice--or was it three times?

THE Carina Chocano article ["Borat, a Truth Serum in Our Midst," Oct. 15] is the most insightful analysis of the humor and psychology of the upcoming film, its "real people" and Borat's overall appeal. Chocano was the only journalist that seemed to grasp the "politeness" phenomenon that appears to afflict most of Borat's unwitting "costars." While their reactions to Borat's boorishness might be labeled naive, I feel this response has a certain sweetness and tolerance to it that makes you feel sympathetic even to the most insensitive, politically incorrect "victims" of [Sacha Baron]