High gas prices will spur necessary changes

With all due respect to Jay Griffin of Murrysville ("Outlandish Theory," July 20 letters): I am neither disgusted with $4 gasoline nor overwhelmingly in favor of drilling all over the continent and its shores for more oil. Frankly, it's been too long in coming and is still way too cheap at that.

With a technologically ignorant and timidly leaderless political establishment, Americans have been led by socially irresponsible corporate America into littering the landscape with gas-guzzling, air-fouling behemoths for transport -- just one of many shortsighted ills.

Whining about moderately more expensive fuel is a cry for a dismal status quo and a myopic ignorance of the directions this country must start moving in.

More expensive fuel will automatically achieve what our spineless politicians cannot. It will tell OPEC to keep its oil, get us out of the Middle East and automatically shift our power resources to wind, water and atoms and our transport to small, light, fuel-efficient vehicles. We'll see increases in the use of mass transit and less congestion on the concrete acres of our highway system, and we'll reallocate our material resources and create new industries and jobs throughout the economy.

We need more expensive, not cheaper, gasoline.

DICK SPIRAWK
Upper St. Clair

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Oil on its way out

I read the July 22 letter "Reasons to Resist" and was enjoying it until the end, at which point I realized that nowhere listed was the main, and I thought obvious, reason to resist drilling for oil in Alaska.

I believe the writer does a good job stating some important environmental reasons not to disturb this pristine habitat. I agree with them all. My gripe as an environmental attorney for about 20 years is that the main reason to resist is not purely environmental.

To halt something as big as this, there must be an economic/political reason not to drill that appeals to the masses. How about our national economy and our personal savings? I am surprised that, after a century to learn the lesson, it is not obvious that the main reason to resist drilling in Alaska is because it steers in the same wrong direction as before -- petroleum.

I had hoped that we all could see the simple message behind the rude awakenings from the Middle East. The world is being held hostage to oil. I also had hoped that everyone understood oil as limited, and now that peak oil has been reached, oil is a natural resource on its way out.

The United States must build its infrastructure on something that will be available plentifully for more than 100 years. What we must do is accept that we need to change direction away from oil and toward alternative energies.

The PG just ran an article highlighting how T. Boone Pickens, the Texas oil tycoon and billionaire, is investing in wind farms in Texas ("Oilman Makes Case for Wind Power," July 23). He sees the writing on the wall; shouldn't we all?

PAUL S. KLINE
Upper St. Clair

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Indelible vandalism

The true vandals of Pittsburgh are not the graffiti artists but the city of Pittsburgh and former Mayor Tom Murphy. They vandalized and destroyed the unique architectural interior of the old Mellon Bank building on Smithfield Street, which is still standing but deserted and empty, a testimony to the city's ignorance.

Daniel Montano, a "creative" artist should be fined and punished ("Graffiti Vandal Draws Stiff Sentence," July 25), but his vandalism can be cleaned or repainted. What the mayor; May Co., the parent company of Lord & Taylor; and Mellon Bank did is a blight on our cultural history and can never be replaced. This was on the level of the true Vandals (the term "vandal" originates from the horde that destroyed the buildings and grandeur of Rome).

"Wrecking Ball" Murphy did not get punished or fined. Save the full vengeance of the law, and then some, for the lowly citizen, Daniel Montano.

FRANK SPAGNOLO
Beechview

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Adults responsible

I agree wholeheartedly with Rhonda Moore that an adult should be held responsible for the death of her sweet baby, Marcia (" 'Too Many Holes' in Girl's Death at Day Care, Mom Says," July 23).

A 7-year-old was the actual killer of the baby, but this was a day-care center licensed to adults and to be run by adults. There was one person to watch those children, and she left the room for an unspecified amount of time. A disturbed child was left alone with the other children. If that isn't negligence, then I don't know what is. According to police, the 7-year-old had anger-management issues. If you know a child has "anger issues," why would you leave the child alone with a baby?

As a mom, my heart goes out to Ms. Moore -- and also as a mom of children who have been in or are in day care. I am disgusted by the carelessness of the owners of the day care. And to the district attorney's office: I hope you make sure the adults who were in the position of responsibility have to face up to their grievous lack of thought and care that led to the death of Marcia.

SUSAN KAMPPI
Whitehall

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Fine lady

Cindy McCain's accomplishments in the Third World took my breath away ("She Knows the Smell of Death," July 25 column by Michael Gerson). Thanks for publishing this column.

I have been a registered independent my entire voting life, and I will remain so. We, of course, don't vote for the first lady, but she does become part of the picture. Cindy McCain's contribution to the picture of John McCain for president is enormous.

And, as I recall, Cindy McCain said she has always been proud of being an American.

ANNE GABLE
Bethel Park

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What I've witnessed

Regarding the July 24 letter "Principled Israel," Chana Brody compares the reactions of Israelis and Lebanese to the recent prisoner exchange and speaks of Israel's devotion to "ethic [sic] and moral principles." As a physician who has worked in Lebanon and the occupied territories, I didn't see those principles put into practice very often.

I believe that Ms. Brody has an obstructed view of the stage. To widen her perspective she might consider visiting Israel's neighbors in the West Bank with one of the volunteers from the Israeli women's group Machsom Watch. She also could consult the Web sites of B'Tselem and other international and Israeli human rights groups, which have informative reports and video footage documenting episodes of nasty behavior on the part of Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied territories. I have witnessed such behavior quite often.

Ms. Brody is entitled to her views about Israel, but she should be aware of what the rest of the world can see on the Internet and on their TV screens.

LEILA J. RICHARDS, M.D.
Regent Square

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Invisible disabilities

On a recent outing to the Waterworks Mall with my son, we returned to the car to find a note stuck to my windshield. It said, "You two look awfully healthy to me ... how dare you abuse the handicap parking." I was shocked that someone could be so bold and rude.

Not all disabilities are visible to the naked eye, so people should be very careful before they judge others. For the note's author, I am a brain surgery survivor who had a very intricate operation and a rare condition. Although I may appear fine to some, I am left with residual effects of a physical type.

I want all disabled people to be prepared for this type of ignorance and discrimination from hateful individuals. I wish the author and others like him or her would rejoice in my progress and know that I thank God every day to be alive. I never forget how lucky I am.

Perhaps I should post a sign in my car the next time I feel the need to use the handicap placard given to me by a qualified physician. I can explain the nature of my disability for all who are concerned -- not that it's any of their business.

REBECCA MATTHEWS
Lawrenceville

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We can protest China's tactics by tuning out the Olympics

When news came several years ago that the city of Beijing was running a campaign to teach people not to spit in the streets, it seemed rather charming and, perhaps, something we Pittsburghers could learn from. Further news of Chinese government actions relating to the Olympics has become progressively more appalling, as summed up in "Bringing Pressure on Beijing" (Aug. 1 "As Others See It" editorial by The New York Times).

In a bid for international prestige, a government may choose to trample its own citizens underfoot and force its favored brand of domestic political oppression on foreign reporters. The rest of us may choose, too. My television set will remain firmly "off" during the broadcasting of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

JONA HAMMER
Point Breeze

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