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Re: the Dec. 7 guest opinion "MADD uses bogus stats to chip away our rights."

I am offended at the audacity of James Nesci to offer an opinion advocating the right to drink and drive in the same week a bicyclist was killed by a drunken driver. What constitutional "freedoms" are threatened by attempts to make our streets safer? The driver in this case had pleaded guilty to DUI just a few months ago. The poor girl, her right to drive intoxicated again is in jeopardy.

Paul L'Ecuyer's right to ride his bicycle, arrive home safely, raise his family and grow older were terminated abruptly and unjustly. Defending our "right" to drink and drive is irrational, inappropriate and inhumane.

Re: the Dec. 7 guest opinion "MADD uses bogus stats to chip away our rights."

It appears that Mothers Against Drunk Driving has made an impact, when a six-figure-earning defense attorney is attacking a nonprofit organization.

Re: the Dec. 8 article "A dozen javelinas attack woman walking dogs."

It is unfortunate that more people living in and around Tucson don't bother to become familiar with protecting themselves and the wonderful wildlife in our area. That is the first thing I did when we moved to the Tucson foothills. I do not walk dogs in areas where there are javelinas. I also carry a water-ammonia spray in case any kind of wildlife becomes aggressive or gets too close during my walks.

Most people want to take the lazy, mindless approach: let's just shoot all the wildlife and rid them from "our" habitat. We so conveniently forget that we invaded wildlife habitat.

The bipartisan panel offers no real way to win in Iraq. It essentially recommends faster training of Iraqi forces and talking to Iran and addressing the Palestinian question. Let's get serious.

Iran's extremist rulers want to defeat us and destroy Israel. They will take asking them to be more helpful as a sign of weakness, and another in a long line of examples of U.S. reluctance to negotiate from a position of strength. It is time to stop pussy-footing with these crazies.

There is only winning way forward. The only way to negotiate with your enemy is with your knee on his chest and your knife at his throat.

Re: the Dec. 8 article "The Browns will pull out all the stops — as usual."

One very important piece of information was left out of the feature on the Browns of Winterhaven. Sometimes the elaborate decorations and festivities overshadow the reason for this season.

Each year, the Festival of Lights significantly helps the Tucson Community Food Bank with contributions of nonperishable items brought to Winterhaven by visitors during the two-week event. Unfortunately, the "IF YOU GO" sidebar neglected to remind folks of the option to bring cans of food that volunteers will collect at the entrances.

Re: the Dec. 7 article "Weil is weighing role with Rio Nuevo."

I see nothing in Dr. Andrew Weil's wellness center that will benefit Rio Nuevo, just publicity for Weil at the taxpayers' expense.

His integrated medicine has produced no melding of mainstream cutting-edge science with ancient traditional alternative remedies. It's all hype.

Re: the Dec. 6 article "State board asked to OK calculators for AIMS test."

Our schools flunk when judged by objective yardsticks. The solution is easy, according to the education establishment led by the teachers' unions. All that is required is to dumb down the requirements. The latest brainstorm: allow the use of calculators at AIMS tests.

It is not a coincidence that when my fax machine malfunctions and I need technical advice, Hewlett-Packard connects me with someone in India.

Re: the Dec. 8 letter to the editor "Ban dangerous dog breeds in Tucson."

I was almost bitten by a friend's golden retriever. I witnessed a golden retriever also being relinquished at a shelter because she bit someone. My point is, it is not the breed, but the deed.

Dogs need to be socialized and cared for, instead of being left outside day and night and ignored. It is our responsibility to ensure dogs are properly cared for, spayed and neutered, licensed and not be allowed to roam loosely on the streets. I have met so many sweet, loving pit bulls and Rottweilers who have been wonderful, loyal companions. The dogs who are not are usually victims of horrific abuse and neglect.

Let's not ban dogs, but educate people about living in harmony with animals, both domesticated and wild, instead of being quick to judge and quick to kill.

I attended the Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge with great anticipation of an enjoyable game between Illinois and the Wildcats. However, my enjoyment of the game was severely marred by a group of eight young men, apparently UA students, seated two rows in front of mine who stood shoulder-to-shoulder during a major part of the game and refused to sit down when asked to do so. Others in my group also asked that they sit down so that those of us behind them might enjoy the game, too, but they ignored our requests. We had to keep track of the action via the television screen mounted on the ceiling.

If these persons are measures of the average behavior of UA students, I would recommend the university initiate a course in normal civil behavior as a requirement for graduation.

I wept in my car on the way to work today. A radio program was interviewing volunteers from The Giving Tree. This organization provides food and shelter for homeless children. I had just dropped my daughter off at school and after 43 years those two words together — homeless children — finally appalled me. We have truly lost our way. Our government borrows money from children not even born, while today's children go to bed hungry in cars and tents. Mission accomplished, Mr. President, no child left behind.