Doron Taussig did an admirable job of shedding light on the neighborhood dispute over the Fairmount dog pen [News, "Dog Fight," June 1, 2006]. However, overlooked in the controversy are a few inconvenient truths:

1. The present dog pen was built four years ago as a "temporary" use; however, under the city zoning ordinance, there is no such thing as a temporary use. The zoning ordinance mentions "dog kennels" only once, as a prohibited use on commercial property; the site is zoned residential.

2. There is a right way to pursue building a dog pen; city officials say a zoning variance is required, as well as a public hearing; a special permit is also required from City Council. The city health department must also be consulted. None of these steps was taken.

3. The present dog pen is a completely lawless operation, with no limits on use or the number or the size of dogs that roam its grounds. Toddlers and children are often seen inside the kennel, playing with the animals. Last year, a neighbor's dog was mauled by a pit bull inside the pen. Neighbors had to hold a fundraiser to pay the vet bill. As the dog pen heads toward its peak season of use, the liability issue remains, and the taxpayers continue to be at risk.

Ralph and Rosemarie Cipriano
Fairmount

While the article was entertaining and fair, I must address the implication that hoses were sabotaged to keep dogs from getting water. The hoses had been leaking for some time, and repairs had failed. Because the city pays the water bills, and due to drought conditions, the leak, along with the constant running of leaking hoses, was wasting water and money. Only damaged hoses were removed and discarded. Water was and still is available to the users of the dog pen. ... A notice was posted at the pen to inform users of the leak situation, advising them water was still available; they just had to walk a few yards to access it.

Yes folks, I am the "hose destroyer." Shame on me for trying to conserve precious water in a time of drought and save some city money when crime is escalating and schools are failing.

Laurie Wallace
Via E-mail

Kudos to Councilman Jack Kelly for proposing a ban on foie gras [Food, "Stuck on Duck," Lindsay Hicks, June 1, 2006]. Foie gras is the cruelest item on any restaurant menu. Although factory farming is hideously abusive of chickens, pigs, cattle and fish as well, what happens to ducks for foie gras combines all the worst practices of factory farming from these other industries into one deplorable package. In fact, the abuses documented on foie gras farms would warrant felony cruelty to animals charges were dogs or cats the victims.

Bruce Friedrich

Vice President, International Grassroots Campaigns, PETA

It is illogical to argue that we should not combat one of society's problems because so many others exist. Those who defend abusive foie gras on the grounds that major cities grapple with crime or that most modern chicken production is also inhumane assume that addressing one problem precludes addressing all the rest.

Foie gras is produced by shoving a pipe down birds' throats and force-feeding them. Not only do they suffer bruising and lacerations, but their livers can enlarge more than 10 times their normal size. California banned the production and sale of foie gras by 2012, and Chicago has banned its sale.

Councilman Kelly's proposed ban on the sale of foie gras wouldn't take away from Philadelphia's ability to fight crime, and it certainly wouldn't increase the suffering of billions of chickens every year who are abused on factory farms. Rather, it is a reasonable refusal to participate in a particularly egregious form of animal cruelty, and Philadelphia residents should support it.

Katie Carrus
Coordinator, Factory Farming Campaign

The Humane Society of the United States

Some old traditions die hard. We hope to see such in the case of foie gras. As consumers realize the immense cruelty involved in the production of foie gras, it is quickly being seen as a disgraceful menu item. Caring restaurateurs across the U.S. are removing foie gras when they learn that it requires ducks and geese to be force-fed pounds of mash each day through long rigid pipes shoved down their beaks.

Experts concur that its production is immensely cruel. Ward Stone, a wildlife pathologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, who has performed postmortem examinations on birds from foie gras farms, stated in a letter to Chicago's City Council (which voted to ban this "delicacy"), "The short tortured lives of ducks raised for Foie Gras is well outside the norm of farm practice. Having seen the pathology that occurs from Foie Gras production, I strongly recommend that this practice be outlawed." More than 15 countries, the state of California and city of Chicago agree. Philadelphia would be wise to join these leaders in humane treatment of animals by banning foie gras.

Kristie Phelps
Program Coordinator, In Defense of Animals

I was please to read such an article. Although this is just one type of inhumane abuse, it can only be good that it is spotlighted.

It is true that other farm animals suffer even more horrific nightmares, minute by minute. However, that does not make this process less wrong. Torture is no less wrong [when] compared to even worse torture.

Anyone who can bring the treatment of farm animals to the attention of the public is doing a great service to mankind. Without knowledge, we cannot make informed decisions about the world in which we live.

Ann Sharkey
Texas

Thank you for [Naked City, "Training Wheels Off," Andy Greenberg, June 1, 2006]. Unfortunately, it seems to focus excessively on creating the appearance of crisis at Neighborhood Bike Works. NBW works with very diverse groups of youth reflecting the neighborhoods we serve and the broad appeal of bicycling. While we have worked with youth who have arrest records, or are at great risk of falling afoul of the law, we certainly don't expect that all of our students will be arrested. We work with all youth, all of them great kids, and apologize to any students or parents for any mistaken impressions that were given. The great feature of NBW is that we understand the difficulty faced by too many youth in our society who are growing up in one-parent or no-parent households—so we do try very hard to give all our kids chances to succeed.

NBW is no different from other small nonprofit agencies in that money is always tight. ... As word of our work gets out through stories such as yours, we also look forward to receiving more donations from individuals.

Leland Mayne

President, Board of Directors, Neighborhood Bike Works

OxyContin. A journey through hell and back for people that use it as a doctor prescribes it [Cover, "I Left One Pill…," Jeff Deeney, June 1, 2006]. A drug that causes all kinds of mental, physical, emotional and other problems too numerous to mention. The detox centers are full of OxyContin users. It is a moneymaker for the detox centers, a tax moneymaker for the government, a moneymaker for the pharmacies, doctors, etc., so there is nothing done about it.

My life was forever changed by this dangerous drug and it is sad that most people use it as prescribed only to find out the horrors of its use. I am off the drug now and have been for three years and still suffer from taking it as prescribed. The hospital stay lasted a month and the withdrawals lasted two years. I wanted off it as it was a drug from hell that made you so very ill. All I have to say is that I will not use medicines or go to doctors unless I absolutely have to. When I do have a check-up, it is amazing to watch the herds of sheep flocking to the doctors, pharmacies and hospitals. The patients have put their trust in medicines and doctors to the point that it is ridiculous. They follow like blind sheep and take a pill for this and a pill to take care of the side effects of the first pill, and on and on it goes until they have a bag of pills while the pharmacy companies, pharmacies and doctors get richer. To all you OxyContin users and past users, wake up! Smell the roses and enjoy life.

A former OxyContin user that is starting to get her life back
Missouri

What's all this bias by Mr. Deeney against Kensington? Those people from the Main Line and Center City will soon look exactly as those on Kensington street corners do. There's no difference between drug addicts. They are all abusing their bodies with that stuff and come to the same end. The ones from the more affluent areas have more education and money and so should not even be anywhere near these poisons.

Barbara Tarvydas
Kensington

I can't believe that the people in South Philly feel they can dictate to people about trees [News, "Blooming Friction," Jenna Portnoy, June 1, 2006]. These new people moving in are the ones bringing the home prices up and should be welcomed with open arms. Those neighbors act as if trees are detrimental to a neighborhood. Hey, if they chase you from there, come to Kensington. I personally would love to have you people as neighbors.

Barbara Tarvydas
Kensington

The article was at best biased and trite. The derogatory remark against Italians had no bearing on the article and a blatant disrespect was shown toward residents who had lived in the neighborhood for any length of time. The writer showed a very opinionated favoritism which inclined me to believe she would be much better suited to write for the I Love You/I Hate You section.

No Name Given
South Philadelphia

In response to John Jonik's recent letter regarding the French decision to name a street after Mumia Abu-Jamal [Feedback, "For Whom the Bell Offends," June 1, 2006], I respectfully demur and would offer a few reasons.

There is no question that there were extreme irregularities in Mumia's trial and this has led to the vacation of his death sentence and the pending decision on whether he will receive a new trial, new sentencing or his death sentence reaffirmed. However, where do the French exactly get off on condemning U.S. racism? This is a country that decided to name a street for Mumia while killing its own racial and religious minorities in the banlieux of Paris and elsewhere. Furthermore, this is a country with such a pronounced sense of anti-Semitism that the Dreyfuss trial still defines left and right in French politics. And the racial history of French colonialism is epic.

Mr. Jonik is correct: Locals have no standing to criticize the naming of streets in another country. But neither do the French in criticizing the handling of Mumia's case. That responsibility lies with Americans and, more importantly, Philadelphians, who should use their votes and other forms of political pressure to assure that justice is ultimately served in Mumia's case based on his guilt or innocence.

Andrew E. Mathis, Ph.D
Washington Square West

In regards to the death penalty [Philly Blunt, "Lethal Rejection," Brian Hickey, May 18, 2006]: What's the point of it when you have incompetent lawyers doubling as politicians ruining its effectiveness and value as a deterrant to murder? And why bother applying it when the person can appeal from here to the sky and back (and compose racist drivel along the way to keep from being executed)? I prefer to follow the law of my Albanian ancestors: Someone kills your loved one, you take care of business yourself. It's cheaper and saves taxpayers the expense of a lengthy trial full of arrogant, asshole lawyers, incompetent judges and juries who have one brain cell (if that!) amongst them fighting to get out.

P.S. Wesley Cook (aka "Mumia Abu Jamal") should be long dead.

Donna Di Giacomo
Germantown

How sad that even after seeing with your own eyes what wonderful beings rats are you still have such hatred for them, even though you could clearly see for yourself that your hatred is unfounded [Philly Blunt, "Of Rats and Men," Brian Hickey, June 1, 2006]. I too hope that Maria Pandolfi's classroom work with that rats teaches the children not to be prejudiced with people as well. It's just a shame it is too late for you.

Rachel Throm
Pittsburgh

Great article, and love the punch line. I'm going to post the link on my rat-care site.

Linda Chisholm
Vancouver

However correct he is with his observations, Bruce Schimmel is being naive if he thinks that there will be a comprehensive "master" plan, "zoning reform," or anything like it, for the present and future development of Philadelphia, especially Center City and the Delaware River waterfront [Loose Canon, "The Instant Slum," June 1, 2006]. The last thing that the nose-in-the-trough politicians and officials want is a plan that would prevent them from getting "a piece of the action" to feather their ever-growing nests.

What they will do is wait until every inch of Center City and the waterfront is developed, and then they will take beautiful color photographs and mount them in an attractive, and expensively designed document and thrust it onto the citizens and say, "Here is our master plan." And, of course, abusing them—in print or in public—doesn't bother them because they know that people have short memories, especially when election time comes around and they know that they will be still be around.

Good try, nonetheless.

Andrew Kevorkian
Northern Liberties