Patrick Smith's Mailbag

As we give the second millennium a big fat kiss goodbye, Time's Letters Department is happy to report on the robust health of the written word as a form of personal communication, despite dire warnings a decade ago of its imminent demise. For evidence, we point to the 1,300 letters a week, on average, that we continue to receive from our loyal readers, three-quarters of whom now post their insights, bitter complaints, bad puns, outrageous theories and effusive compliments by the miracle of e-mail.

Holiday Treats

Within the storm of strong opinion and hapless befuddlement blowing through the hundreds of letters...

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