Enjoy Lists? Disagree with TIME's picks?

I love your choices, but am disappointed with the layout in The List pages of the magazine. It looks as if it was hastily put together with a bunch of text boxes and 9-point font size. I had a hard time reading several lists. White space is important in information design, but I felt the pages were barren and "cheap" looking. I've always been a huge fan of Time's graphics, but lately am noticing a lack of colorful in-depth designs of the past.

The photos, usually a stand-out feature of TIME, are grey-toned,grainy,and elfin-sized. The lay-out resembles a treasure map missing that all-important "X." A new low in graphic design.

It looks like your criteria for most fuel efficient vehicles included some other criteria. Even according to Edmunds - your cited source - the Volkswagon Jetta TDI at 34mpg and the Smart ForTwo at 36mpg should have been on your list. I'm a little disapointed that it appears that whoever put this list together thinks that fuel efficiency = hybrid and/or asian and completely ignored an excellent diesel vehicle and an interesting micro alternative.

To Richard Corliss:

WHERE WAS THE DARK KNIGHT? I felt deeply insulted at the loss of an honoring to classic superhero movie THE DARK KNIGHT in the top movie list. You put the Werner Herzog filmahead if of the Dark
Knight! You put Speed Racer?! That was a deep blow to my respect for you Richard Corliss. I only hope that you can understand and identify with my opinions. I'm deeply soory if I sound too angry and I hope it is known that I respect ypur descicion though I feel utter confusion.

I find it very disheartening to see that Time's music list rewarded very little inginuity and instead chose to make a list which resembles a 16 year old's Ipod.

Overall - great lists. However, I do disagree with your list, Top 10 Bank Slogans (printed on page 51 in your December 22, 2008 issue - Volume 172 Number 25). My issue is that several of the companies inlcuded in this list are actually not banks. Lehman Brothers, World Financial Group and T Rowe Price are all securities brokers/dealers; and AIG and Nationwide are insurance companies. While this may a technicality, I am surprised that is passed your editorial team.

"Wall-E"? The scream of disbelief was enough to get my mother's attention, who was sorrowful that this film, which she had recieved an earful about after I lived through it, had been named number one movie of the year. Even more so, she was sorry that I had been reminded that it existed. Seeing "Wall-E" was like sitting through the first half of "Cast Away" twice, without an interesting inanimate object to relate to. However, the question of when I am finally relagated to a deserted wasteplanet whether I would prefer the company of a volleyball or a generic appliance in love with a gadget torn between love and her work, I will know to pack a net and Misty Mae Trainer's autobiography.

Even though the magazine mentioned a few "not-so-serious" Top 10 lists were included, I didn't expect Richard Corliss' "contribution" to be THAT over-the-top. Seriously, to only mention "The Dark Knight" in passing while including "SPEED RACER" in the list is evidence of either Corliss' ingenuity or complete lack of artistic taste. Other disappointments: the top 10 songs, the top ten most fuel-efficient vehicles, the top ten "bank" slogans, and, as another reader pointed out earlier, the layout of the entire article.

Love your top ten lists but you forgot to have the top ten readers who can read that tiny print without hauling out a magnifying glass!

Surely Randy Paush's The Last Lecture should be in the top ten. The Last Lecture is a testament to the indomitable spirit in all of us, facing the reckless abandon of an uncertain economic future, let alone frankly exploring our own mortality. Paush's legacy can be found in the many good-faith missions that abound this holiday season; his message of living each moment and caring for each other rather than our stuff goes a long way to more humanely managing our priorities.
And if nothing else, his book constructs a bridge spanning the literacy gap from Eclipse to Outliers, giving us all something to read and discuss as a family – certainly that deserves a nod from the Top Ten.

3 of the most egregious RIP OFFS of the American public:

1. Red Light Cameras

2. Converter boxes on televsion sets

3. Price of gasoline almost all of 2008

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU

There are more and more of the cameras being installed at intersections ostensibly to catch speeders and red light violators. I have a feeling this is a money maker and not entirely an attempt to thwart speeders or red light violators. There are two in Grand Terrace and several in Loma Linda, San Bernardino, Riverside and Redlands. Five are planned for Ontario. I do not know of any human being that drives that does not make an occasional mistake. I know of no driver who is a perfect driver. I am certainly not one. I may be exhibiting sour grapes. I was driving south on Mt. Vernon Ave. in Grand Terrace and came to Barton Rd. , to the intersection planning to turn right but the light was yellow and as I punched the accelerator the light turned red and the cameras caught me.

Was it really worth a $390 fine? Not to mention the time lost going to court to try for a reduction. Did the judge ask me to explain? Not a word. His only statement was whether or not I wanted to go to traffic school ($50). I said “Yes”
Thinking perhaps I could learn how to avoid this violation in the future. Another two hours trying to decipher the lessons. The reduction was $100 but with the $50 charge for school the amount of the fine was $340. What would they have done to me if I had been broke, put me in jail?

Loma Linda in its infinite wisdom has also decided that it is okay to fine anyone smoking in Loma Linda. Is Loma Linda offering free help for people who want to stop smoking? They want to make Loma Linda smoke free, even on public roads. I don't know if this will make the money for Loma Linda that the cameras do but it might . I have not smoked in 25 years. It was the most difficult thing I ever did but the best for my lungs. But can we be judge and jury on the poor smoker? Isn't his nicotine addiction enough of a burden for him?

Someone somewhere decided without my permission or yours that we will need a converter box for our television sets that do not have digital or high definition capabilities. I am told by the experts that our reception will be so much better that we will be delighted. What about those who cannot really afford the cost of the box? You can apply for a reduction but the box will probably cost about $20.00 even with the reduced rate.

We are having to give up more and more freedoms. Are these deficits justified? I love my country. I happen to know from experience that it is the best country in the world to live in. But Folks, what is wrong with this picture? Big Brother lurks, doesn't he? I am reminded of an essay written about responsibility and it went something like this: Generally speaking we are responsible for the consequences of our actions. I knew when I hit the intersection that the yellow light did not mean to speed up. It actually means caution.

I would just like to know how you expect my 40+ eyes to read some of the lists in your magazine. There was no way for me to read Top 10 List of Lists, Top 10 strange baby names, Top 10 fastest growing jobs, or Top 10 Financial Meltdowns with out a magnifying glass. You really should look at your reading demographic when setting your type so small. I think you have more older readers than the 20 somethings that can read that small type. Other than that, I loved the lists! Sue Temple

I'm really disappointed that Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight was not on the Top 10 Movies. I'm not saying it should have been first, but it should have at least been on the list. Raking in $155.34 million in its first weekend, The Dark Knight has delivered the best weekend box office opening ever, beating Spider-Man 3, with $151 million. Speed Racer, for example, brought in an estimated $20.2 million its opening weekend, a disastrous sum for a movie that cost well in excess of $100 million. The Dark Knight also beat Time's number one: Wall-E's $63.088 million opening weekend gross. Even if you disregard money, Dark Knight's plot was much more exciting than sitting through an hour of a robot cleaning up a dead city. Wall-E was cute, but pails in comparison to Batman.

I had my prostrate removed through my rectum in 1996 at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, NC. This left no scars. How can you say this is one of the top ten discoveries of 2008?

I really enjoyed your Top Ten olympic moments but was surprised to find that Dara Torres did not make the top ten. Considering that she is the first person in the United States to compete in 5 Olympics, is 41 and still managed to win two silver medals, without using performance-enhancing drugs, is an astounding accomplishment.

Your list of 10 things lost forever:

Polaroid instant film:
Still available at Walgreen's

One needs to read the top ten earmarks carefully.

First it is definitely slanted to be anti Republican

Second it misses the top ear marker ever. Eg the Democratid Congressman from Pennsylvania.

Last session he had over 100 Million $ in EAR MARKS

They may have been spread out but I bet there were some that would lead the list.

Let us know who the listers voted for last election?

Not sure if I can disagree with your Top 10 of everything!

I can only just about read the Top 10 Fastest Growing Jobs and Top 10 Strange Baby Names. As for the Top 10 List of Lists... it's not worth getting out the magnifying glass to read it!

What point size is that... 6 or maybe even 5!

I disagree with the list of top ten music tracks. the genres i saw were limited to the common songs that "normal" people listen to. I on the other hand listen to what some call unenjoyable noise. the Rock/Metal genres in my opinion were ignored in your lists. Take for example the band Disturbed, from there newly realesed album the song Indestructuble was nominated for an emmy. I would like people to understand that when you say that this music is "unworthy" of a simple list without even listening to it, is of a condesending nature.

(I would like to let the people who read this to know that i listen to all types of music and have looked at the subject matter intensely, and that im under 18 not out of high school, dont judge people by their age, we are all equal.)

I was saddened that nowhere in your top ten list, could we read anything about the beloved late Tim Russert. I believe we owe him this much. Thanks for allowing us to comment your Top 10.

No Dark Knight in the top 10 movie list? C'mon, man! I can agree with most of the titles (why in the heck is Speed Racer on this list!?), but the exclusion of Dark Knight is criminal. The movie transcended the superhero genre. The escalating war between Batman and The Joker for the soul of a city said something that you don't see in these types of films. Iron Man, while highly entertaining, was a popcorn movie. Dark Knight had some heft to it.

As a loyal TIME reader for many, many moons (which makes me 61!), why in the world were so many of your lists in such small point size? To test our eyes? To appeal to a younger crowd? Just to be clever? I don't get it.

Rie Wilson, Shepherdstown, WV

If you honestly think that Romanian abortions are more entertaining than classic superhero movies, then I don't know what to say.

Perhaps you forgot that Amy Poheler broke up with SNL?