Has anyone wondered how well the anti-terrorist agencies are protecting our country in light of the protesters being able to scale the Golden Gate Bridge ("San Francisco Goes All Out to Guard Torch," April 9)? I was under the impression that national landmarks are prime targets for a terrorist attack.

It makes one think how vulnerable we really are to an attack. President Bush is bound and determined to funnel billions of dollars into the Iraq black hole while leaving us susceptible to a terrorist attack here at home.

DAVID MARTINCEK
Aspinwall

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Thank you for including Jonathan Fantazier's "3 Better Bets for Pittsburgh" (March 30, "The Next Page") on how we can improve our region through recycling, green technology and green micro-lending initiatives. His suggestions provide a realistic strategy for achieving local stability as well as national and international prominence in the green economy.

I would simply add that some of these initiatives are already under way and would benefit from more coordinated development. In Braddock, for example, infrastructure is being developed for urban farming and biofuels production. In addition, there are commercial enterprises that recycle tires and metals and a concrete recycling venture in the planning stages. Connecting the dots between these enterprises and new manufacturing facilities that produce green building products will shorten supply chains (thereby saving fuel costs) and spur workforce development.

The Enterprise Zone Corp. of Braddock administers a state-sponsored business improvement program in Braddock, North Braddock, Rankin and Swissvale. For 20 years we have assisted new business development and job creation. We are committed to green development and welcome the opportunity to work with businesses and investors who are interested in sustainable development.

The green economy does not exist in the future. It is here now. We just need to take stock, locate the gaps and provide the technical assistance necessary for economic growth.

WILLIAM J. PFOFF
President
Enterprise Zone Corp. of
Braddock

Regarding "Clinton Tries to Maintain Hold on Big Religious Bloc" (April 5): This article on the efforts of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to capture the "Catholic vote" was interesting but misleading. Father James Wehner is quoted as saying that the church doesn't tell people how to vote. But in Catholic teaching, the taking of innocent life is always wrong. So the bishop doesn't have to tell me how to vote; church teaching already informs my conscience regarding how not to vote.

As a committed Catholic and former Democrat, I am appalled by Sen. Bob Casey's endorsement of Barack Obama and dismayed by the support given to Hillary Clinton by many local Catholic politicians. Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton support abortion without restriction, even partial-birth abortion. Their espousal of the unrestricted right to terminate any pregnancy for any reason is not a position of peace, but an acceptance of war against the unborn. Rather than an expression of "hope" for the future, it is a harbinger of a coming "demographic winter," when there will not be enough young people to support an aging population.

I am dismayed that powerful Catholic Democrats have not worked to move the party away from its commitment to legalized abortion. Why cannot so-called pro-life Democrats like Mr. Casey stand their ground and insist that the party respect all human life, from conception to natural death? I cannot see how any Catholic in good conscience can support the Democratic candidates for president. I am tired of watching politicians who are Catholic fawn over the Democratic party's pro-abortion presidential candidates every four years.

DIANA SAUNDERS
Edgewood

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I would like to write to complain of the double standard given the remarks of supporters of Sen. John McCain as opposed to the remarks of supporters of Sen. Barack Obama. The comments of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a supporter of Mr. Obama, have been done to death, as well they should have.

But when televangelists John Hagee and Rod Parsley, supporters of Mr. McCain, made equally controversial comments recently the media was strangely silent. This should not be surprising to any casual observer of today's political scene, as Mr. McCain still carries with him the moniker of being captain of the "Straight Talk Express," when his comments have been anything but honest and uncompromised. He has been a notable flip-flopper and has changed his mind many times on such highly relevant issues as the war in Iraq, President Bush's tax cuts for the upper 1 percent in income and Mr. McCain's views of the religious right.

John McCain's positions on the issues have changed so much and so often that calling him a straight talker requires an enormous and studied ignorance of reality. If voters are to receive an accurate picture of the candidates involved in an election, the coverage must be balanced and evenhanded. We have seen nothing of the sort in our media's depiction of Mr. McCain. Apparently the free pass Mr. McCain receives in the media extends to his supporters, even when his supporters make comments that can only be described as stupid and ignorant.

ALAN GLASSER
Oakland

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The federal government should be commended for its efforts to put hospital ratings online. As the March 29 article, "Patient's Hospital Ratings Available Online," expresses, the government undertook surveys of patients from more than 2,500 hospitals and is now publishing those results online. This service will allow health-care consumers to make much more informed choices about the health-care services they receive.

Purchasing health care in this country is unlike buying any other type of service or product. Normally, consumers can research the product or service they wish to buy beforehand. They can compare prices, read reviews and make an informed decision as to where they want to purchase the product or service.

With health care, it is much more difficult to determine the price of services and the quality of services. It would take an enormous amount of time and effort to compare different doctors, specialists, and insurance company rates. Word of mouth is the main way to compare quality and satisfaction of physician services received.

The availability of the patients' hospital ratings is a step in the right direction to having a more informed health-care consumer.

ELLIOT M. GELFAND
Bloomfield

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