The PG hit a new low in Georgia editorial

I am appalled by the Aug. 15 editorial "Right Moves: The United States Must Use Caution in the Caucasus." To imply, actually assert, that the Republicans forced Mikhail Saakashvili, president of Georgia, to invade South Ossetia so as to prompt a responsive attack by Russia that would destroy his military, much of his country, kill hundreds of his citizens and possibly lead to his removal from office is not only ludicrous, but it characterizes your editorial board as purely politically motivated.

I have known for years that the Post-Gazette is extremely biased in its reporting but have hopefully believed that even with that bias, the newspaper would attempt to be somewhat balanced in its writings and certainly not intensely inflammatory in its ridiculous speculation about issues that are of grave concern to all of us.

At a time when an international crisis might be brewing, to indicate that all this was a Republican gambit to gain support for the upcoming election is undeserving and way beneath even your low editorial standards.

WILLIAM N. GILLELAND
Upper St. Clair

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Scrap the trap

With reference to the controversy over the animal control facility in the Strip District ("Police Unit Complains of Animal Killings," Aug. 16), readers should understand why wildlife (the majority healthy, young animals) are being killed there.

According to a Pennsylvania Game Commission mandate, any "rabies vector" (raccoon, groundhog or skunk) picked up in a trap by an animal control agent must be killed. The city of Pittsburgh has been using this system for decades, based on a belief that it was unavoidable. It is a thoroughly antiquated approach, which moreover runs counter to efficient rabies control (including Allegheny County's oral rabies vaccination program), through removing the "buffer" population of healthy animals (lack of appetite means a rabid animal could rarely be baited into a trap).

There is a way around this problem, however. For the most part, human/wildlife conflict can be avoided through a few fairly simple, nonlethal measures. This "exclusion" approach is now being successfully employed by other cities. It does not counter ongoing rabies control measures and is ultimately more effective in managing urban wildlife issues by tackling the core problem, rather than continually creating a "vacuum" for more animals to fill.

We hope that the current city administration will recognize the inhumane, inefficient nature of this system and that it will "scrap the trap," transferring its animal control officers from the dreadful task of killing healthy wildlife to a gratifying role of public education and assistance.

CANDICE ZAWOISKI
Wildlife Campaigns Coordinator
Voices for Animals of Western Pennsylvania
Oakland

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Hard-working teens

Regarding "Summer Work by Teenagers Benefits Their Wallets -- and City" (Aug. 18): I was so gratified to see the article praising the summer youth corps that supplements city work crews. As a citizen of Pittsburgh and as an executive director of a nonprofit that serves teens at risk and their families, I commend the city for arranging this opportunity for youth who might otherwise have nothing to do all summer, especially nothing that will bring them dollars to spend on life's essentials!

I cannot emphasize enough the value of youth learning the skills necessary to work as a team and take direction. Just as important is the physical exercise for adolescents and having some place to go each day.

We all need more positive stories like this about the youth in our city. We have been especially pleased with a group of pregnant teens whom we've been serving through a grant from the Heinz Endowments: Out of 16 births, all have been full term and all the mothers have followed through with prenatal visits, stopped any use of drugs and alcohol and are continuing their education. We congratulate these teens (fathers included) and all the teens served through the city program.

SUSAN DAVIS
Executive Director
Every Child Inc.
East Liberty

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Kristof ill-informed

In his July 29 column, Nicholas D. Kristof of The New York Times displays his lack of knowledge concerning Israel and its neighbors ("Tough Love for Israel"). He says Israel's security measures have reduced terrorism but they bolster Hamas and undermine Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He says Abbas is Israel's "most reasonable partner ever."

This is the same Abbas who sent a letter of congratulations to the family of the recently released Samir Kuntar, the Arab terrorist who bashed the head of a 4-year-old Israeli girl. The same Abbas allows vicious anti-Israel incitement in his government-run newspapers, including allegations that Israelis are conducting Nazi-like experiments on Palestinian prisoners and that Israelis are bringing huge rats into East Jerusalem that mysteriously attack Arabs but not Jews.

Mr. Kristof suggests that Israel negotiate with Syria and give away the Golan Heights. Israel has done just that in the past, but with disastrous results to the many Israelis who were murdered by Syrian terrorists firing into Israel from the Golan Heights.

Israel foolishly gave up the Gaza Strip to the Arab terrorists. Almost every day Arab terrorists fire bombs into Israel from Gaza.

Mr. Kristof does not encourage tough policies toward extremist Muslims. He hardly recognizes that there is such a thing as Arab-Muslim terrorists.

RICHARD MOTTSMAN
Mt. Lebanon

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Unhelpful harping

Maureen Dowd has often asked why Hillary Clinton devotees just can't let go. I want to know why she just can't let go. I've had to read months of Hillary bashing, as she pushed Sen. Barack Obama into the White House.

Now that he's poised to take the nomination, Ms. Dowd still cannot give it a rest ("Yes, She Can: Hillary and Bill Are Up to Mischief," Aug. 14 column). Why?

"Quid pro quo," Maureen. You give it a rest and maybe you'll win over the voters that the Democratic Party needs to put the next president in the White House.

KEITH KOLL
Marshall-Shadeland

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'Burgh hospitality

This past weekend, my brother and I flew to Pittsburgh from Long Island to see the Mets vs. Pirates (we hope to visit a different city every year). We were not so surprised by the number of Mets fans we encountered. What was even better was the reception we received at PNC Park from those sitting around us during the game as well as from vendors and security. We had a great time!

The stadium is beautiful! The fireworks were spectacular! The food was great! Many people on the flight home were singing the praises of the people and the city! Thanks, Pittsburgh, for a great time. We hope that you will visit us next year in the Mets' new stadium so that we might return the hospitality.

BILL MORAN
Huntington, N.Y.

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The ivory tower gets it wrong again

When I was in college I learned many, many things, but two stood out. I learned how to think and I learned that college professors for the most part were not remotely in touch with Main Street America. In the George McGovern-Richard Nixon election of 1972, 85 percent of profs voted for McGovern. (As Casey Stengel used to say, "You could look it up.") Nixon crushed McGovern by what at that time was the biggest popular vote landslide in presidential election history. I'm not a Nixon apologist, but you see the point.

Now these ivory tower habitues have sagely (in their own minds) opined that one of the answers to the underage-drinking catastrophe on their campuses is to lower the drinking age ("Lowering of Drinking Age Debated," Aug. 19). Somehow, magically, if wrecking yourself by getting continually hammered were not illegal, most kids would stop doing it. This is parallel thinking to the "legalize drugs" crowd.

Universities used to function in loco parentis. Now, I assume because of threat of lawsuit, "privacy issues," parents who haven't adequately raised their children and their own fecklessness and intellectual flaccidity, many college administrators are just plain loco.

When I was in school in Washington, D.C., the drinking age for wine and beer was 18. That worked so well that when I took my daughter there in 1999, the drinking age was ... 21.

Some wise person once said (I wish I had) that "some people are educated beyond their intelligence." Here's Exhibit A.

JAMES F. CATALDI
Moon

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