Dear Congress: Take a vacation when you finish the job

With all the pressing problems this country is facing, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have gone on another vacation. The GOP leaders have failed to resolve any pressing issue concerning American families. Health care, energy problems, high gas prices and the tragic Mideast and Iraq situation seem to be of no interest to them.

How can Congress go on vacation leaving this nation and all these critical issues unaddressed? Perhaps on Election Day we should award them with a much longer vacation of the more permanent type.

NINO M. ESPOSITO
Harmar

---

Cyber-bumbling

Post-Gazette reporter Bill Schackner has revealed that the Department of Defense spent $2 million to certify 30 people in cyber-security in a program that sputtered out of existence for lack of interest ("$2 Million But Little to Show For It," July 30).

I disagree. I participated in the pilot class. There was great interest in the class. It sputtered out due to incompetence and lack of management support at both Carnegie Mellon University and the Community College of Allegheny County.

GREG SIMKINS
Baldwin Township

---

Agenda at work

Bryce C. McMinn's Aug. 7 letter, "A Wise Choice," takes letter writer Patrick Ponticel ("Self-righteous Vote," July 29) to task for knowing "very little about stem-cell research," in particular adult stem-cell research.

It is Mr. McMinn, however, who is promoting the falsehood that adult stem cells are already in use to cure or treat 70 different diseases and disorders. Mr. McMinn's data appears to be derived from a list compiled by David A. Prentice, a fellow at the Family Research Council, known opponents of embryonic stem-cell research.

While adult stem-cell research has shown some promise, the FDA has approved the use of adult stem cells in only nine of the conditions listed by Dr. Prentice. A very detailed analysis of this list was presented in the July issue of Science magazine.

The fact that nine diseases or illnesses can be treated by adult stem cells is definitely not a bad thing, but it has taken almost 40 years of research to achieve this level of success. And whatever the cost in dollars has been, it has been worth the investment. I only mention the time frame because research involving embryonic stems cells has not been conducted for as long as alluded to by Mr. McMinn.

In short: Yes, the use of adult stem cells has shown some limited success. But the research of embryonic stem cells indicates a greater potential for success.

Research on the use of both adult and embryonic stems cells needs to continue. Bryce McMinn is only familiar with the subject of stem-cell research as presented by an organization with a political agenda that opposes the use of embryonic stem cells.

ERNIE STRICSEK
Harrison City

---

Free from smoke

In response to the Aug. 4 letter "Attack on Smokers": I would like to inform John Fleischman that I, too, call Pittsburgh my home. I am neither a cigarette Nazi, nor a KKK member, as Mr. Fleischman implies, just because I would like to see a ban on smoking in public places. I just like to go to a restaurant and eat without the dangers of breathing second-hand smoke, or going home with the stench of smoke on my clothes.

I've been battling leukemia for a year and a half. I am now in remission and can't be around cigarette smoke. There are thousands of people with health problems who want places to go that are smoke free. Who's discriminating now, Mr. Fleischman?

Smokers are free to go outside and pollute their own lungs if they wish, but why mine or those of children and others? I urge lawmakers to pass this ban statewide. It works in other states. I, too, was a smoker once, and I apologize to all who were offended by my inconsiderate and selfish acts.

JIM SHAFER
Plum

---

A worthy diversion

Robert Biller's clever, amusing and impressively literate -- though prodigal -- rant ("The Idiocy of Steelermania," Aug. 5 Weekend Perspectives) deplores Pittsburgh's infatuation with Steelers' triumphs and bacchanalia.

However, Steelermania is, I believe, more accurately understood and explained when viewed through the lens of Henry David Thoreau, who famously proclaimed that "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."

Thus, the flip side of Mr. Biller's impatience with and condemnation of Steelermania is that the likes of Big Ben, the Bus, Hines Ward and their stalwart teammates offer an uplifting and salubrious escape for the multitude of Pittsburghers who would otherwise squirm in the anguished throes of "quiet desperation."

While not all Steeler fans lead lives of "quiet desperation," Steelermania is nevertheless an effective Rx for removing from hordes of fans ("the mass of men") the agonizing malady of Thoreau's "quiet desperation."

Viewed in this light, then, Mr. Biller's vitrioloic designation of enthusiasm for the Steelers as Steelermania is a bum rap. Since unbridled elation over the Steelers serves the useful purpose of escape from "quiet desperation," let us hope that Terrible Towels will be waving now and forever.

Go, Steelers!

ROBERT PERLOFF
Shadyside

The writer is distinguished service professor emeritus of business administration and of psychology at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh.

---

Hope lives

Fyodor Dostoyevsky once wrote that "the world will be saved by beauty." After reading Boaz Munro's Aug. 9 First Person essay, "Ice and Sympathy": Across a Cold Custard Counter, the Mideast Peace Process Warms Up," I felt that I had a better understanding of what Dostoyevsky meant.

Mr. Munro's account of an everyday, ordinary conversation between a Jewish boy and a Palestinian woman shows that there is hope and beauty in a world that seems increasingly divided by fear, violence and hate.

Thank you, Boaz.

TROY HEAGY
Oakland

---

Campaign comment

As a young voter in Pittsburgh, I have several objections to your Aug. 8 article "Santorum Campaign Perseveres Despite a Couple of Breakdowns."

The article suggests that Sen. Rick Santorum is gaining in the polls and that his negative ad campaign is having the desired effect. As someone who is discouraged by the senator's use of negative attack ads to hide his own poor positions on important issues, I object to the Post-Gazette relying exclusively on telephone-based polls to gauge the public opinion surrounding this race.

First of all, it is possible that such a poll would undercount young people and other demographic groups that are less likely to be reachable by a traditional landline telephone.

Secondly, I question the Post-Gazette's focus on the "horse-race" aspect of the election and the bickering that occurs between the two campaigns. I would like to hear more about the positions of both candidates. It is not enough to tell us who is "winning" the election (according to a not necessarily accurate poll); I want to know why I should or shouldn't vote for either candidate.

And to my fellow young voters, I say this about Sen. Santorum: I will not be voting for him, because of his votes in Congress against increasing the minimum wage, against increasing funding for Pell Grants (which provide federal financial aid to college students), against expanding Head Start, against expanding federal after school programs, against the EPA's Clean Air Mercury Rule, to say nothing of his continued support for the war in Iraq and his blatant homophobia.

LIZ CARRIER
Squirrel Hill

---

Bubble economy

That was a very nice picture by John Heller in the Aug. 6 issue of kids playing in the free shower at Mellon Park. It's a great park -- free basketball, free slides, free swings, free merry-go-round.

But what happened to free tennis in the summer? Do you know how many kids can't afford to pay-to-play in the elitist bubble that was only meant to be there for the winter? I guess not.

ROSEMARY FREEMAN
Point Breeze

---

Pets need to beat the heat, too

It never ceases to amaze me how some people who own pets have no common sense or responsibility toward owning them.

Earlier this month, when we experienced extremely hot weather, many pets were left outdoors with no shelter or water.

If these people can't take care of their animals, or don't want to bother taking care of them, take them to an animal shelter, where they can get the proper care. Maybe some good person will adopt them and give them the care and love they deserve.

PATRICIA RODZAY
McCandless