... about why I'm such a Europhile -- from the NY Times:

As an Italian living in the United States, I see that Americans have more or less embraced the idea that food is an industrial product, while Europeans, especially the Italians and the French, see it as part of their culture (news article, Feb. 11).

The idea that food should have a shelf life of 30 days to be economically viable is anathema to the Italians and the French. Modifying foods to satisfy the needs of industrial distribution is preposterous.

It is unfair for the United States to try to force the Europeans to accept genetically modified food, casting in economic terms what is a matter of culture.

SIMONE SANTINI
San Diego, Feb. 11, 2003