Entries for December 2007

I found the November 26-December 3 special issue on "Sacred Places" interesting and moving in its presentation of the diversity of spiritual beliefs, from the evolution of architecture in the United States ["The Changing House of Worship"] to the Bodhi Tree in India ["Seeking Nirvana Under a Tree"].

"War: the Box Office Bomb" [November 26-December 3] asked why America hasn't shown more interest in the spate of antiwar movies.

While "A Driving Sense of Direction" [November 26-December 3] presented a primer on GPS navigation devices, the accompanying photo makes it seem ok for a driver to plot a destination while his or her car is in motion.

In "The Revolt of the Lawyers" [November 26-December 3], Prof. Walter Andersen of Johns Hopkins University makes the assertion that "It is somewhat unique in the world where you have the legal profession become the cutting edge. They are often not the most revolutionary types."

In "Some Bacteria for Brunch?" [December 10], a patent on the probiotic bacterium known as LGG expired in 2006.

By supporting circumcision ["Don't Be Scared to Circumcise Your Baby Boy," usnews.com], Bernadine Healy M.D. has let cultural bias cloud her scientific judgment.

After reading the November 19 issue, "America's Best Leaders 2007," I was very inspired!

It was the arrogance and smug self-satisfaction of the "greatest generation" against which my generation of the '60s rebelled ["Looking Back on a Long, Strange Trip," November 19].

In "The Dems' Immigration Dilemma" [November 19] Gloria Borger stated that Democrats are debating how to handle "benefits for illegal immigrants."

In "Oprah Lends Her Magic to Obama's Run" [December 10], one of the cities where Oprah's television show has its highest ratings is Columbia, S.C.

Because of a calculation error, "America's Best High Schools" [December 10] mistakenly lists Montpelier High School in Vermont as the fifth-best public high school in the nation. Newly available data place the International School of Bellevue, Wash., as the No. 5 school. The error occurred in the calculation of Montpelier's Advanced Placement test participation and pass rate. Our partners at School Evaluation Services have rerun the numbers and found that the correct score places Montpelier High on the list of silver medal winners. In the case of Bellevue, data that were not available at the time of publication enabled us to recalculate the school's standing. In both cases, the information has been corrected on our website, usnews.com. —The Editors

Remember when new math, phonics, and rote learning were in vogue? These flawed systems fell by the wayside, just as the No Child Left Behind program will also fade away ["Room to Improve," November 12].

"The Mormon Way" [November 12] interview with Mormon Church Elder M. Russell Ballard about matters of general interest and controversial aspects of the faith was enlightening.

"Taking Care of Your Parents" [November 12] was excellent.

"When Hallowed Ground Is at Risk" [November 26-December 3] should have said that volunteers light 23,000 luminarias, one for each casualty (killed, wounded, or missing) on the bloodiest single day of the Civil War.

The photo caption on Page 68 accompanying "The Changing House of Worship" [November 26-December 3] should have identified the church as Southeast Christian Church.