MAN OF THE YEAR
“To many, Newt Gingrich may appear harsh and direct. But he has challenged the government to stop spending more than it takes in.” PAUL D. MCKNIGHT Kansas City, Missouri
MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, TIME HAS TAKEN a bold step against the lopsided media tide in selecting Newt Gingrich for the coveted title Man of the Year [Dec. 25-Jan. 1]. Your acknowledgment of his solid leadership and concentrated efforts to rebuild America, despite media backlash and potential damage to his political career, is admirable. Congratulations to Gingrich, who deserves the recognition. ANKA J. BULAICH Watsonville, California
YOUR CHOICE OF GINGRICH IS A SLAP IN the face to many Americans. It is a disgrace to name this social wimp and babbling salesman instead of one of the many who made real and significant contributions that benefited America and the world during 1995. ED TOWERS Mission Viejo, California
AS THE PERSON WHO HAS DONE MORE than any other to shape the political landscape during the past year, Gingrich was the appropriate choice for Man of the Year. Events this year will reinforce your choice. FRANK GRIFFIN Georgetown, South Carolina Via E-mail
THANKS FOR MY NEW DART BOARD–YOUR cover of Newt Gingrich. THOMAS A. MUTTERS Steubenville, Ohio
GINGRICH MAY BE A THRILLING PERSONality for journalists, but he doesn’t deserve the honor. The world views the current budget debate in Congress with disgust. Priorities and personal ambitions are clashing in a troublesome turmoil, and the losers will be the elderly, the sick and the poor. The leaders of Congress–specifically Gingrich–should remember their responsibilities and set a good example. CHRISTOPH BUXTORF Basel, Switzerland
YOU SAY GINGRICH HAS A BANANA AND an unbuttered bagel for breakfast, and his lunch typically reflects his fortunes–on a good day he sticks with vegetables, and when he needs a lift, he eats cheeseburgers, Fritos and frozen yogurt. Such an eating program could create a certain chemical imbalance in the brain. Newtie, get your eating habits cleaned up, and who knows? Your brilliance might find an unaccustomed companion, some honest-to-goodness common sense. BARBARA POTTS New York City
THE BRISTLE-JAWED COVER PICTURE OF Gingrich reminded me of an advertising jingle that adorned the country’s roadsides about 50 years ago: Does your husband misbehave Grunt and grumble, rant and rave Shoot the brute some Burma Shave It’s worth a try. JOHN C. HARRIS Fulton, Missouri
INVESTCORP RESPONDS
INVESTCORP IS PROUD OF ITS HARD-earned reputation for business and financial success and, more important, for its unquestioned integrity. That is why we were shocked by the report “All That Glitters” [BUSINESS, Nov. 6] unfairly attacking us. Two examples: the article referred to a lawsuit involving the Circle K Corp., noting that the case “received almost no public attention.” In fact, the case was covered in the press and fully disclosed to investors in the Circle K prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the article failed to note that the plaintiff had made a competing bid for Circle K and later withdrawn it because of an admitted inability to raise the necessary financing. A second example is TIME’s allegation that the purchase of slow-moving inventory from Chaumet, one of our operating companies, by another company, Lausanne Investments, was somehow improper. In fact, such bulk sales of stale merchandise for subsequent liquidation, the intention of which is to avoid disrupting the core business, are a standard practice in the jewelry industry. Both companies are owned by the same shareholders, who were all fully informed of the inventory-liquidation program. By publishing this ill-conceived article, TIME has done both itself and its readers a gross disservice. LAWRENCE B. KESSLER, General Counsel Investcorp London
NOT A PRODUCT
I OBJECT STRONGLY TO YOUR LISTING THE African pygmy hedgehog as one of the best products of last year [THE BEST OF 1995, Dec. 25-Jan. 1]. Labeling an animal a product makes the animal seem dispensable. The African pygmy hedgehog is a companion animal that requires care and commitment from its owner. JILL BAGUCHINSKY Marco Island, Florida
KEEP THAT SPIRIT ALIVE
THE OUTCOME OF THE BOSNIAN SITUAtion has wider implications than even the noble humanitarian and peacekeeping operations now under way [BOSNIA, Dec. 25-Jan. 1]. nato seems to be pulling together and strengthening, with more than 30 countries joining in. Can the spirit of international cooperation toward peace be so alive? ROBERT GRIFFIN Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
MEMORIES OF RABIN
I WISH YOUR SELECTION OF THE PICTURES covering 1995 [IMAGES ’95, Dec. 25-Jan. 1], involving the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, had included the photo of Rabin’s granddaughter delivering her moving eulogy at his funeral. DEBORAH KADIN Melrose Park, Illinois
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