Why would the Guardian, a company that depends on copyright for its existence, publish "The World's most popular illegal TV downloads" (G2, 22 December)? Not only are many illegal websites operated by criminals, making huge profits by selling advertising on their sites, but users of such websites are making themselves and their families particularly vulnerable to viruses and other malware which often come with illicit content. It is not responsible to point people to these murky areas of the web without being clear about the dangers and harm these sites cause.
Lavinia Carey
Director general, British Video Association
• Your headline (Now US troops have gone, sectarian strife looms in Iraq, 21 December) implies that sectarian strife in Iraq is to be dated to the exit of the US occupation forces. In view of the – long-predicted – sectarian strife that has prevailed since March 2003, would it not be more honest to headline: "Now Saddam has gone, sectarian strife prevails."
Thomas Cartwright
London
• I wonder in what sense Bach's Christmas Oratorio is "much more demanding" than Handel's Messiah (In praise of…, 22 December). Perhaps because it's in German? In fact, Bach's Lutheran fundamentalism is simple to the point of naivety; Handel's vision is complex, questioning and epic. Bach may have written for God; Handel was writing for humanity.
Robert Smith
York
• Amazing scenes of hysteria in North Korea (Comment, 21 December). We've not seen the like since 31 August 1997.
Alan Watts
London
• These puns about islands (Letters, 22 December) do not amuse me atoll.
Archie Pelago (aka Kevin Holland)
Aberyswyth, Ceredigion