Quotes of the Day

"House of Cards" paints a sad picture of two people who allegedly followed all the rules yet are still in jeopardy of losing their homes, but I'm short on sympathy [March 9]. My grandfather had a rule, and it was to never spend capital gains on disposables. In other words, don't cash out of real estate to buy junk you don't need. Paula Stevens refinanced three times so she could spend freely on "clothes and gear for her girls"? Are you kidding me? Sorry, but while there certainly are legitimate cases of distressed homeowners, many refinance-based dollars got spent on things people really didn't need and couldn't afford. There may not be a law against that, but they still broke the rules.
Will Pattison, DALLAS

My wife and I, both professionals with college degrees, are raising five children in a 2,400-sq.-ft. home. Most people we know live with less. Perhaps if Stevens had shot for the American dream instead of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, she'd be in better shape today.
Nick Kasoff, FERGUSON, MO., U.S.

TIME's article on foreclosure was heartbreaking. How is it that some people pay more to pamper their dogs than other people pay for their mortgage? Also, how does one pay $800 a month for health insurance yet still owe $15,000 in medical bills? I think this story uncovers another part of the financial industry that has contributed to the economic meltdown. Thank God we finally have a President who gets it.
Bonnie Huggins, CENTENNIAL, COLO., U.S.

Welcome to the SEC Circus
I was incensed after reading your article on the lack of accountability and oversight at the Securities and Exchange Commission [March 9]. Thousands of hardworking people lost their jobs and homes as a result of the incredible nonfeasance, misfeasance and probably malfeasance of Christopher Cox and friends. Those responsible, from government to local banks and mortgage brokers, need to pay for this bailout. If we don't get legal justice, we need to take it to the streets. I did not serve 20 years in the military for this.
James C. Byrk, PLATTSMOUTH, NEB., U.S.

U2? Me Too!
I have been a fan of u2 since the start [March 9]. I'm from Ireland, am the same age as Bono, have every one of their recordings on vinyl and CD, and have seen the band live, in Dublin and elsewhere many times. I wanted to thank Josh Tyrangiel for his incisive, honest and, above all, brave review of their new album, No Line on the Horizon. I've listened to an advance copy about 30 times, and it's a poor, disjointed, unmusical record with a few listenable songs. The only good ones sound like Brian Eno tunes with guest appearances by U2. The other publications to which I subscribe have written reviews that left me wondering if the critics were listening to a different record. (To Rolling Stone, the album is a "5-star masterpiece"; to ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, an "A-"; and to the New York Times, "head-spinning.") Thank you, TIME, for your objectivity.
Joe Martyn, BOSTON

I've never read a stronger recommendation for a new album. I am very glad one of the greatest bands on this planet "has clearly found itself stuck in a very strange moment of self-reckoning." For me it clearly says: yes, we are back on track, with rock music that thrills over and over again. Why should musicians not be allowed to echo the past? In other fields they are praised when they pay tribute to their roots. Thanks — I'm off to the shop.
Peter Terlouw, GOUDA, THE NETHERLANDS

Healthy Eating
In "Eat your greens" you classified milk and cheese as unhealthy foods [March 2]. It is dangerous to demonize dairy, which is absolutely essential for our health. You cannot replace it with vegetables or soya. The French board for nutrition and health advises the consumption of three helpings of dairy products a day, and four for children, adolescents and the elderly. Indeed, dairy contains the calcium, proteins and vitamin D our body needs, especially at certain times of life. It is dangerous to make people believe that they can do without them, for the specious reason that it could hurt the planet.
Anne-Sarah Bouglé, BAYEUX, FRANCE

• Welcome to the SEC Circus; U2? Me Too! Healthy Eating