Entries for March 2008

"Nightmare on Main Street" [March 10] missed the point about the skyrocketing increase of home prices since the beginning of this decade, which was caused more by the Fed's continuous rate cuts than by the rampant and reckless release of subprime loans.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Picture Power" [March 10] on political cartoons.

If you knew the words to "Arirang," the Korean folk song played by the New York Philharmonic in North Korea recently, you would immediately recognize that there is an English song with the same motif ["A Performance to Remember," March 10].

I found "The Prescription for Nature Deficit Disorder" [March 10] quite interesting.

Regarding the article "Saving Symbols of Shame" [March 10] concerning the wartime internment of Japanese-Americans: Tragically, during wartime, many innocents are caught up in the struggle.

In "White House Moving Day Tab: $8.9 Million" [March 17], the date of the next inauguration is Jan. 20, 2009.

"The Burden of Duty" [February 25-March3] was right on regarding the strain the war on terror has had on our fighting men and women.

Money manager and PIMCO founder Bill Gross is right to be worried about this nation's financial system ["Looking to Washington to Save Housing," February 25-March 3].

I am a middle-aged, middle-class white guy who must also be a racist because the main reason I voted for Barack Obama in my state primary is his race ["The Obama Effect," February 25-March 3].

It is understandable that charcoal is a valuable commodity in Congo ["The Story Behind the Deaths in the Jungle," February 18].

The adherents of the Prosperity Gospel, and especially their extremely rich leaders, should beware ["Preaching a Gospel of Excess?," February 25-March 3].

The commitment to academic achievement of Chinese and Indian students, as portrayed in "All Eyes on the Competition" [February 25-March 3], is not a result of their schools.

"Olympic Crackdown" [February 25-March 3] was a welcome assessment of the political lay of the land in China as the 2008 Summer Olympics draw near.

In "Not So Super Tuesday" [February 18], Mortimer Zuckerman asks, "Is it not worth giving more superdelegates, who possess a closer view of and insights into the leadership skills of the candidates, a larger role in both parties' selection process?"

"Why Kids Need a Big Dose of Nature" [usnews.com] obviously hit the right chord, as 95 percent of those who took your online poll agreed that children need to play outdoors to have a healthy childhood.

I read with incredulity Michael Barone's article "Puerto Rican Poll Power" [usnews.com].

Thank you for Mortimer Zuckerman's excellent editorial "The Elusive Mideast Peace" [January 28-February 4].

"Cleaner Hands, Fewer Infections? Maybe Not," [usnews.com] makes a critical point that even the single most effective intervention (in this instance, hand hygiene) alone can't solve the problem of healthcare-associated infections.

"Mac is Back" fails to make a full presentation of John McCain's stand on important issues ["The Leader of the Pack," February 18].

I have been working in the mental health field for many years as a case manager and advocate for the incarcerated mentally ill.  I know full well the extent to which jails and prisons in America have become the new de facto asylums. "A Court of Compassion" [February 18], on alternative special courts for the mentally ill, will hopefully bring some greater public attention to this important issue.

In "Stopping Oral Cancer" [February 25], oral cancers associated with the virus HPV have been rising, but oral cancers associated with other causes, including tobacco and alcohol use, have fallen since 1983.