Made in China (Aug. 22): I am an extremely concerned parent regarding the several recalls that have been issued for all of the various items made in China. I just found another recall about Thomas and Friends, that I don't seem to remember hearing about. My son loves Thomas the Tank Engine play sets, and the other various items that goes with it.

I went to the Disney store today to buy a few items for our second child, due to be born in a few months, when I noticed that everything there was made in China. Unfortunately, when we arrived home, I went through my son’s playroom, and all of his things were made from China. What is a parent to do? Throw away all of his things because they might contain lead that we haven't found out about yet? And what of his new baby brother that is on the way? I have no idea where we can buy things that are not made in China!

Instead of the newspapers letting us know every time there is a recall, how about giving the parents some resources to locate American made items, toys, clothes, and food. We should be proud of our country, and the items that are made within it, so now I wish to know, where can we find them? No one has said anything about where we can find toys or clothing made in our country. And why must the very few items that are made here have to be so expensive? This is our country; shouldn't we be able to afford our own merchandise? We want resources, can anyone provide that?

Krystal in Pasadena, Maryland

Accident photo (Aug. 21): On Sunday (The Capital, Aug. 19, 4-year-old dies after hit by Jeep), you reported the loss of a four-year-old who was killed in a car accident. I was horrified to see that the front page of The Capital showed a picture of the girl driving the jeep that hit the boy. This was in poor taste and absolutely unforgivable. Why didn't you show a picture of the parents who were too busy socializing to keep their precious child out of the street? This 18-year-old did not deserve to have the worst moment of her life plastered on your paper. Sure, you may have gotten some attention, but you have lost readers. I will never touch a piece of your paper again and several people I know have said the same thing.

Shame on you!!!

Kris Towers

From HTA: As a photojournalist of 25 years I never approached these kinds of situations lightly, nor do the editors who choose to run photos of grief.

The Mission & Bylaws of the National Press Photographers Association states:

• Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.

The public does have a right to see because this is the kind of tragedy that can happen on any public street in any neighborhood. Nothing brings out that point more than that photograph. It is the hope of every photographer and editor that by displaying one person’s grief it may cause one driver to slow down or parent to pay closer attention so that such an accident may be prevented in the future.

G. Nick Lundskow, Internet Publishing Director

School uniforms (Aug. 13). You are wrong in your uniform editorial. Didn't you read USA Today’s story about parents (not bratty kids) fighting mandatory uniforms all over the country. Mandatory uniforms are as stupid as the ban on long-haired boys that resulted in $100 million in litigation in U.S. schools between 1965-75. All schools do – and should – have dress codes that bar vulgar or indecent clothing. But it is no business of a public school to tell kids what they must wear or socialize clothing – as long as it’s appropriate.

Even Clinton in his famous 1996 State of the Union speech talked about uniforms to stop gangs from killing kids over expensive jackets and shoes. Most of the current disputes just involve cheap (even used) tops and bottoms. Schools are expelling kids merely for wearing traditional, conservative kid street-clothes like striped tee-shirts and properly-fitted jeans. These cases are not about kids wanting to put on a fashion show. Rather it is about control-freak educators (and some parents) who want to regiment all youth into polo shirts and khaki pants all 180 days of the school year, with limited or no color choice to boot. To paraphrase Dr. King -- "Judge a kid by the content of his character, not the color of his clothes."

Schools is not a beach (so no Speedos or tank tops) but neither is it a business office (so kids should be allowed to wear the same kind of casual clothes like tees & jeans that they have worn since the conservative Eisenhower 50's. Obviously your editorial board has been conned by the pro-uniform people; they are the radicals; we are the conservatives on this issue.

Gary Peter Klahr, Phoenix, Arizona,
retired attorney and high school governing board member

Dobbins Island (August 8): Recent articles and published remarks by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Magothy River Association would have us believe that one pier and one home on Dobbins Island will ruin the entire ecology of the Magothy River watershed, and perhaps even the Bay! One pier and home won't ruin the Magothy River or undo the work of the CBF in the Magothy watershed! No credible evidence has yet been presented showing that the Dobbins island construction will be any more damaging to the watershed than any other home or pier being built there. If the MRA and CBF are going to protect the Magothy by zealously opposing the Dobbins construction, then they should be as consistent in opposing ALL of the piers and constructions in the Magothy River watershed, and not just one! All piers block light and kill or prevent recovery of bay grasses and habitat equally. Has the MRA or CBF opposed the piers or home constructions of their own 100's of members living on the Magothy River, or have they singled out only one person for this new standard? The MRA and CBF have chosen to treat one landowner incredibly unfairly, as if they owned his land. It was on the market for years. If it was so important, they should have bought it, or at least made a credible offer when the owner recently asked for offers. They haven't done so, and instead resort to the press, and propaganda to advance a weak and unfounded position using fear, misinformation, and innuendo. Shame on the Capital, CBF and the MRA for behaving like schoolyard bullies!!

Edward Wilson
Annapolis

Remembering Heroes (August 2): In less than four months there have been three major tragedies - the Virginia Tech Shooting, the Charleston Warehouse Fire, and now the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims, their families, and their friends. I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize a heroic act that occurred during the shootings at Virginia Tech on April 16.

In the April 23 issue of The Catholic Virginian, Deacon Michael Ellerbrock of St. Mary Catholic Church in Blacksburg said "One officer told me an ROTC student grabbed (the gunman) from behind and got (shot)."

That student was New Jersey native Matthew La Porte, a 20-year-old freshman and member of the Air Force ROTC on campus. A Washington Post profile also reported that La Porte "was killed trying to help those around him" and "died a hero."

Like Dr. Liviu Librescu, who blocked the classroom doorway while students escaped through the windows, Cadet Matthew La Porte is also a hero of 4/16/07. Both of these brave men will forever be remembered for their sacrifice and valor on that tragic day.

Together with the nine firefighters who gave their lives during the fire in Charleston, Librescu and La Porte will join the ranks of all the fallen heroes we memorialize on that Day of Heroes, September 11.

Frank L. Jordan III
Newport News, Virginia

Illegal immigrants (July 28): I can’t believe as a taxpaying citizen of the city of Annapolis that illegal immigrants who are felons can sue the city which means they are suing the residents as well because after all we will pay for it. Why didn't the police just lock them up for the felony? Please help with this matter Capital you can get this started so we as taxpayers don't pay for this. Do illegal immigrants have constitutional rights?

Daniel Morgan

Bromwell (July 28): Did anyone notice that he was replaced by OMalley's father-in-law? Did anyone notice that Bromwell "moved over" for a $400k buyout for a public job he was going to lose anyway so that Curran could move in?

Keep it up. More people are beginning to notice and it's no accident that local Democratic clubs have continued to close.

Al Herb

Lines cut (July 26): Kudos to your online staff for creating a 'mirror' site for Hometownannapolis and keeping things running during the recent communications line cut.

Paul R. Flanagan
Shady Side

Riordan's (July 26): My wife and I started going to Riordan's in 1994. More recently our 3 children have been going there with us on a regular basis. Whether it’s by car or by boat we have loved this place. I fear we will not visit downtown Annapolis nearly as much and that will be sad for everyone. We for one are sad to see them go. My wife and I will be there this Saturday night to help say goodbye.

Charles Karnbach
Annapolis

Feedback & Letters (July 22): It seems evident that the "Feedback" page is intended for feedback on content of the newspaper and the letters posted on the Your Say web site, rather than feedback on the site itself. Here is some feedback on the site.

Are the letters on the web site, letters that The Capital decided not to publish, or are they letters that were explicitly submitted for the site? If the former, see my comments on dates just below. If the latter, where are the instructions for the writer to designate the intended location?

Why is the date of the letter or its receipt by the Capital not given on the web site? This would be helpful in evaluating the letter as it would help to relate it to the events that motivated it. It becomes even more important if the letters are culled by the Capital from those submitted for publication, as history indicates those decisions can take considerable time. (These arguments also apply to letters in the paper.) If the letters are those received between updates of the site, a date would be less important, but that also is not clear.

Does the Capital edit the letters before posting to the site as it does before publishing in the paper? Your editorial changes sometimes change substance as well as style.

Are all letters received by capletts, except those meeting your stated exclusion criteria, published either in the paper or on the site? If not, what additional criteria are used?

Frank Arsenault

From HTA: Feedback is primarily intended for comments about the site but we frequently get comments about content on the site which we feel is fair game.

The letters on our Letters to the Editor page were not published in the paper. The Capital doesn't have space to run all the letters received. We run the overflow. HTA does not run letters that ran in the paper. All letters that meet our criteria are published either in the paper or online.

We try to post letters as quickly as possible. However, your thought of listing when the letter was received is a good suggestion.

Letters on the Letters to the Editor page are edited much the same as they are for the newspaper. We edit for spelling, grammar, vulgarity and libel. Otherwise we do not change letters. We run them as close to verbatim as possible.

G. Nick Lundskow, Internet Publishing Director

Superfast bikers (July 17): You're driving down Route 50 in traffic, probably a bit faster than the speed limit, because you are going with the flow. You want to change lanes. You look in your rearview and side mirrors, see nothing, and start to make your move.

So the driver is startled because he or she failed to execute a cardinal rule of driving, not turning around and actually looking over his or her shoulder, thus missing a motorcycle or car in the drivers blind spot, and this becomes a motorcyclists fault? Because you're traveling at a higher rate of speed than posted, anyone traveling at an even greater speed needs government intervention? You're slanted and unfair view of motorcyclists is hurtful to the 95% of us you proclaim abide by the law.

Plenty of us are pulled over every day, and not just for speeding, and harassed by police whether we are riding cruisers, sportbikes, or other two-wheeled conveyances. Motorcycles are smaller, require more room than the average driver is willing to give up for safey, and generally require special attention from drivers for us to operate safely.

Instead of calling for a ban, perhaps you should call for a way to increase safety and awareness of ALL motorists on the road?

How many times have you been driving down Rt 50 in traffic, scanning traffic vigilantly, and observing numerous motorists impeding traffic by talking on phones, eating fast food, typing on their blackberry, reading a map, watching a moving on a portable DVD, or even more provacative actions that can't be published.

Motorcycles - dangerous in the wrong hands? No argument there, but so are many other things and those should be looked at before resorting to unneccessary government intervention.

Respectfully,
Mary McCauley
Proud Suzuki Owner

Frustrated reader (July 17): I'm so frustrated trying to read your online version of the paper. The individual sections of the paper are available to view but, it's impossible to find the actual articles! For example, in the July 17th edition, I was trying to find the article titled "Phillip's Seafood president dies at 50". Nowhere in your navigation, site map or search function am I able to locate the "Arundel Report" section of the paper - much less the one article that I'm looking for.

Another example: On the front page, the article entitled "Cat stomper released from prison": Is this found in Top Stories? No. Is it in the "News" section? No. Is it in the Annapolis section? No! If I go to the site map - where would I begin to search for an article that's on the front page of your paper? I typed in the headline in your "Search" box and still - nothing! It's on the front page of your paper - Where is the article?

Is there anyone at Hometownannpolis.com that knows how to navigate your website??? If so, could you please clue in your readers?

Valerie Dall'Acqua

From HTA: You didn't see the stories because the paper goes to press at about 11:30 a.m. while we don't post the content online until about 2 p.m. Until recently it was 3 p.m. At 2 p.m. all stories that are available can be seen on the Top Stories page.

The theory for publishing online after the paper — since we went online in the 1990s — was that we wanted people, first and foremost, to buy the newspaper. As we redevelop the site we will be spreading out our publishing of stories throughout the day.

Our intention is not, and will not, be to parrot exactly the way the newspaper organizes its stories. We are not a print product and we will organize stories the best way they work for an internet site.

G. Nick Lundskow, Internet Publishing Director

Bridge traffic (July 3): Your article about the causes of traffic jams on the Severn River bridge was excellent. It covered all the causes. I live a quarter mile from the bridge. My solution is avoid using the bridge during rush hours. I still get caught in the eastbound traffic from time to time. The traffic is usually moving even at the peek rush hour. It takes 5-10 minutes to go from Aris T Allen Blvd. to the bridge.

That's not so bad. Try entering Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel. Now that's traffic. Put on a good radio station and be thankful that you live in such a beautiful place.

Ron Trivane

(Name withheld by request)

Morgellons (July 2): (Internet helps spread delusion that Morgellons a disease, The Capital, July 1) The author is not a medical doctor. The author has never examined a patient with the lesions and threads. The author has not read preliminary studies revealing that the threads have been examined, and there is no known pathogen, nor no known man-made material, that matches them.

He also is unaware that neuropathies from myelin and other physical damage within the central and peripheral nervous system, may cause biting, stinging, and sensations of insects on the skin. Not knowing this, he attributes the sensation to mental problems.

He is unaware the threads and lesions are objective and physical evidence of something abnormal within the body. To attribute this to psychiatric behaviors, infers that the mind and body can physically manufacture an unknown exudate.

The author's type of reasoning is based in occult beliefs and ignorance,and not science nor scientific reasoning.

I am surprised that a newspaper within the Maryland state capitol would stoop to this type of journalism.

(A reader - name withheld by request)

From HTA : By reading Edward McSweegan's column and the above letter it's obvious there is a wide range of opinion on this subject. Newspaper columnists do just that, provide opinions. Mr. McSweegan uses legitimate sources to back up his opinion and that is what good columns are all about. Whether his conclusion is correct is up to the reader; and the above reader thinks otherwise.

G. Nick Lundskow, Internet Publishing Director

AHS Class of 1957 (June 30): Was there a good reason that The Capital ignored the reunion of the Annapolis High School Class of 1957 reunion last Saturday, June 23?

Even the most casual visitor to the city on that day could not have failed to noticed a three fire truck parade from Constitution Avenue via West Street, Duke of Gloucester and Green Streets to the City Dock taking place between from 9 and 10:30 a.m.; but The Capital never noticed. So much for the old town spirit!

If I missed something, please provide a link to the article about the reunion I seem to have missed so that I can add it to my collection and complete my memories of the event.

It was interesting to revisit the town of my birth even if the hospital where I was born is now a condo, the Parole Shopping Center and Johnson's Lumber is another condo, and the King of France Tavern where Ethel Ennis and Charley Byrd starred now houses a Starbucks.

John Carman
AHS Class of 1957

Mistake (June 27): You reported a house in the 8000 block of "West Baltimore and Annapolis Boulevard". There is no such address. The correct information is "WB&A Road".

Vaness Carter

Immigration (June 26): Capital staff was right, an immigration bill is difficult.

Early term, “bipartisan support” provides cover for our elected representatives (at least their jobs are being protected). This legislation is presented as a “last chance” solution. There have been six previous ”guest worker bills.” Citizens are understandably skeptical. The new improved seventh, up for a second time, has been modified/expanded with new provisions to get enough votes to consider bill.

Interestingly, last week, some of Maryland voters voiced their feelings to Congressman Sarbanes. His public appearance was not to discuss immigration, but his constituents adjusted the agenda. Citizens were very clear: secure borders, and enforce existing law.

If citizens know 10,000 illegal aliens were entering the country each week, they might question Homeland Security. We can only hope Capital staff is right and there will be a price paid in 2008, by Congress.

Brian Oates

KIPP (June 22): I find it absolutely incredible in this day and time when education is supposed to be a top priority that the city of Annapolis cannot or will not locate adequate space for the growing and successful KIPP charter school. Why can't the school relocate to Annapolis Middle school? Is keeping Annapolis Middle school vacant better than keeping KIPP open?

With on-going efforts to improve the education for the African American community in Annapolis, KIPP should be regarded as a solution and every effort should be made to keep this school open.

Where are the mayor and other politicians in the fight to ensure this school remains open? KIPP is much needed in Annapolis!! Do not let these children down!

Darline Marsh

School cheating (May 28): I'm a junior at Meade High School, and I know from experience about being pressured to cheat to achieve. When you're an above average student like I am, other students almost expect you to "share." There's a sense of “we're all in this together. We've got to help each other out.”

It's hard to look at your best friend when she asks to borrow your homework that she forgot to do and say "No, sorry." And parents and teachers will tell you, "Well, if your friend really cared about you, they wouldn't ask you to do something that's wrong or that could get you into trouble."

But the teachers and the parents are not the ones being asked to "lend" out answers or to "help" a friend. By saying "no" you aren't just saving yourself from getting into trouble, you're telling your friend you're not going to pull her out of the hole she has gotten herself into. Cheating is wrong.

What those students at Severna Park did was wrong. "Borrowing" homework is wrong. But the pressure to achieve is so great and time is so short when you're wrapped up in AP classes, sports, volunteer activities and after school clubs (all so you can get into college) that sometimes kids don't know what else to do. We get in such a panic that we stop asking ourselves, "What's the right thing to do?" and we ask, "What can I do most conveniently and painlessly that will get me ahead without getting caught?"

It's sad, depressing, and discouraging — but it's true.

Meagan Roper
Fort Meade

Letters (April 17): Why won’t you publish the Letters to the Editor online? I enjoy the Web site a great deal while traveling on business around the country, which I do about 50 percent of the year.

I miss reading that section while away on business and can’t get your print edition. Will you start posting them and if so when?

From The Capital : Not everything that appears in The Capital also appears in our online version. There is some material, including letters to the editor, that we reserve for subscribers who pay to get the newspaper. Of course, we’d like you to be one of them!

Those letters we are not able to use in the print version do appear on HometownAnnapolis.com.

Tom Marquardt
Executive Editor of Capital-Gazette Newspapers

Births (April 3): Is there a section of your paper’s online edition that announces recent births? Thanks!

From HTA: Births is one of a handful of items we do not carry from the paper. The others being: marriages, engagements, anniversaries and letters to the editor printed in the paper (We offer letters not printed in the paper). It’s a long-standing policy that we plan to revisit in the near future.

G. Nick Lundskow
Internet Publishing Director

Letters (March 31): Where are the letters to the editor? I have missed them. Who decided to no longer publish them on your Web site? I subscribe to the Maryland Gazette, but the letters to the Capital are not the same as the ones letters published in the Gazette. For instance, the situation at Annapolis High School.

From HTA: HometownAnnapolis offers Letters to the Editor (sent to The Capital) that are not published in the paper — the ones the paper didn’t have room for. HometownAnnapolis does not publish letters that appeared in the printed version of the paper. The letters we offer can be found at the “Your Say” link in our new left-side navigation.

G. Nick Lundskow
Internet Publishing Director