Mauled by Two Sides Over O.C. Malls

It would appear that The Times is determined to report gloom and doom in the economy, regardless of the facts.

I ask you to examine the front page of your Orange County Edition of Nov. 30. The picture of holiday shoppers carries a caption that states: “Veteran mall retailers said it looked as busy, or busier, as the same day last year.” That is immediately followed by your headline “Holiday Season Shopping Starts Slowly, Stingily,” and the article that follows is a gloomy and negative message that is a direct contradiction of the message conveyed by the picture and its caption.

JACK D. GARDINER, Fullerton