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Electing folks like Ron and Rand Paul to Congress is like electing an atheist to be the Pope [June 7]. When will Americans get over this "government is the problem" nonsense and stop electing saboteurs? We need efficient government, not big or limited government.

Andrew DiFiore, WINDSOR, CONN.

So Rand Paul opposes abortion, gay marriage and decriminalizing drugs? And civil rights? And sympathizes with BP? That makes him a typical conservative Republican: government can have the power to enact his agenda, nobody else's. "Freedom" is only for corporations and the politicians who pander to them.

Scott Parsons, ALAMOGORDO, N.M.

Really, Rand, keep your libertarian hands off my body!

Melissa Marsh, ATLANTA

The U.S. and Israel 2.0

Re "Bibi and Barack" [June 7]: At times Israel reminds me of a spoiled child. When that child is told no, it throws a temper tantrum. I agree with President Obama when he said, "Both sides will be held to account for doing things that are antithetical to the peace process." This is not anti-Semitic but a realistic approach.

Saima Mumtaz, HUMMELSTOWN, PA.

Hmm, What Will I Like Today?

"If You Liked This ..." was incisive and thought provoking [June 7]. I never realized how ubiquitous recommendation engines were and how they were able to limit the "long tail" of the Web. However, isn't Pandora's model almost in a different category from the rest? Since you can create channels based on one song or artist, Pandora limits the confining effects of these systems. For example, I can hear a song I liked on the radio, plug it into Pandora and have a channel with a whole genre I had never explored, whereas other engines would try to connect the song to my old favorites. In any case, thanks for an interesting article.

Kent Blake, MINNEAPOLIS

Double Down Blues

KFC's Double Down may make Joel Stein feel as if his testosterone is flowing, but high-fat foods actually raise the risk of impotence [June 7]. As a dietitian, I want to call Stein's attention to a University of South Carolina study in which men with high cholesterol levels were more likely to report erectile dysfunction. Turns out saturated fat and cholesterol clog arteries and slow the flow of blood to all organs.

Susan Levin, WASHINGTON

Girls' Guide to Hollywood

TIME's review of Sex and the City 2 was more balanced than most--yet TIME has clearly missed the point, like almost everyone else [June 7]. Sex and the City 2 knows what it is supposed to be: a hen night, or bachelorette party, on a work night. The story was entirely secondary to its emotional triggers--and for a modern woman, these triggers obviously encompass jobs, relationships, shoes and Australian rugby players' washboard stomachs. Despite what is a pretty dire movie based on traditional standards, Michael Patrick King has once again tapped into the female psyche in a way most cannot. There is much more than a movie to be covered here.

Ron Kopas, LONDON

Two Sides to the Story In Bangkok