Smokers can turn new law into boon
All the hand-wringing and whining about the new smoke-free indoor air law is sheer nonsense ("Limit on puffs not so rough?" Jan. 31).
Maryland is not breaking ground. Identical laws exist in 20 other states and in several foreign countries. In none of these places have such laws had a negative impact.
If a smoker has to go outside to smoke, I suggest that he or she should blame the tobacco industry executives who helped addict him or her to cigarettes.
I further suggest that the smokers take this opportunity to kick these executives in the butt (pardon the pun) by using the new law as an excuse to kick their addiction.
Their reward would be better health and a lot of money transferred from the executives' pocket to their own.
John O'Hara
Bowie
The writer is president of the Maryland Group Against Smoker's Pollution.
State needs to find new energy firms
So Constellation Energy Group wants to sue the state of Maryland, or rather its citizens, for $386 million in what it gallantly labels a constitutional matter ("Utility to sue Md. over credits," Jan. 31).
The lawsuit will cement CEG's reputation as a scrooge for generations to come. But only through real competition will obnoxious bullying by such a monopoly be stifled.
Let's give CEG a run for the money, but not the cash.
Gov. Martin O'Malley would do well to invite other energy producers to invest in highly efficient and environmentally sensible energy plants in our state.
Only then will the citizens have a real choice among energy producers instead of the current lineup of corporate providers who offer us savings of a penny or two.
Ted L. Pearson
Baltimore
Regulators' focus is public interest
The Sun's article "CEG might put N.Y. ahead on reactor" (Jan. 30) reveals how Constellation Energy Group is using Maryland's increasing need for energy development to its advantage by threatening to build a reactor somewhere else.
This action comes in response to the Public Service Commission's report on its inflated rates given to consumers ("Electricity deal costs customers, report says," Jan. 18).
But it is the interest of Maryland residents, not large corporations, that should be most important to Maryland regulators, and until Constellation Energy proves that this is where its interest lies too, Maryland may be better off without new investment by Constellation Energy.
Rachel Roscoe
Washington
The writer is an intern for Public Citizen.
Turbines' promise is way overblown
The destruction of Western Maryland mountaintop forests for wind turbines is obviously ludicrous and destructive to our natural resources ("Mixed views of wind farms," Jan. 31).
The wind turbines have become the politically correct darlings of energy conservation today despite the fact that they generate very little electricity and do not really solve the energy problem.
Very little attention is given to the real ultimate solution: fuel cells.
Fuel cells have been perfected to great efficiency and may ultimately negate the need for wind farms, overhead power lines and nuclear power plants.
The sooner we get moving on this, the sooner we will really save the environment.
Joseph Clisham
Baltimore
The writer is a former chairman of the Baltimore Forestry Board.
Setting an example on drug treatment
Congratulations to The Sun for its editorial "Stemming the tide" (Jan. 28) on new actions to reduce drug-overdose deaths in Baltimore.
The level of drug-overdose deaths, new HIV cases and drug-related crime in Baltimore is unacceptable. Rapidly improving drug-treatment services in Baltimore should bring major improvements to your city in these areas, just as it has in many other cities and countries around the world.
Methadone and buprenorphine both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Therefore, it is best to let patients and clinicians work out which treatment is best in which situations.
Part of the harbor development in my city of Sydney (Darling Harbour) was inspired by the beautiful harbor development in your city.
These days, we can and must all learn from each other. And there is now a rich international experience in reducing deaths, HIV and crime by improving drug treatment.
This experience has taught us how well we generally do when actions are based on science.
I hope that this editorial will help Baltimore to act in this way and inspire other U.S. cities to follow suit.
Dr. Alex Wodak
Sydney, Australia
The writer is director of alcohol and drug services for St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Australia.
U.S. aid abetted Suharto's brutality
The article "Indonesian ex-president Suharto dies" (Jan. 28) gives some facts about the brutality of President Suharto, who was a butcher responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people and imprisoning and torturing thousands more during his more than 30-year tenure.
After Indonesia under Suharto invaded the island of East Timor in 1975, the Indonesian military carried out one of the worst genocides of the 20th century.
Up to one-third of the population of East Timor was killed by the army or starved to death. Thousands were imprisoned and tortured.
And what The Sun's article did not state is that the Indonesian military was armed and trained by the United States and that the U.S. supported Suharto's regime financially throughout his reign.
This is a disgraceful record that the American people should be deeply ashamed of.
Kay Dellinger
Baltimore
Top choices gone before Md. votes?
How many American voters feel, as I do, that the current presidential primary-caucus system is shafting the nation?
Where does it say that Iowa and New Hampshire should be privileged every four years to call the opening shots for the rest of us?
How is it that the results from another state primary can have the impact of eliminating candidates before the rest of the country even has a chance to cast a primary vote?
The best two candidates in either party this year, in my opinion, were Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Sen. Christopher J. Dodd.
They were the most experienced, intelligent and articulate candidates, the ones most adept at statesmanship, best-versed in foreign relations and all-around the most qualified.
They would have made an incredible ticket for the country and such a welcome contrast to the past seven years.
But they won't even be on the ballot by the time the Maryland primary rolls around.
Instead, we allow the same states to ordain the eventual front-runners year after year.
Dale Swecker
Ellicott City