How sweet it is to have an abortion performed under the nose of the Catholic Charities agency. Although four employees were fired, it's still God's way of reminding the Roman Catholic Church that common sense trumps dogma. -- Ernest Irby, Henrico

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Why is Israel the only country in the Middle East to have nuclear weapons? --Mike Giletto, Henrico

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I was wondering how much better Tiger Woods would have been if his left knee had not been sore for the past 10 to 12 years. That is a real desire to be the best you can be -- and should be an inspiration to all of us. -- Steve Burton, Glen Allen

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I read where a French soldier accidentally loaded his weapon with live ammo instead of blanks. Wasn't that the plot of a "Pink Panther" movie? -- Jim Seay, Henrico

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Why is it that the Senate pushed so hard for a comprehensive immigration solution, but the idea . . . which would include alternative-energy research and development and drilling offshore and in ANWR, is totally ignored? It was the voice of the people that helped kill the misguided immigration solution. It will take a similar effort to push through an energy solution that will protect our economy and preserve our liberty. -- Rick Mandarino, Powhatan

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How refreshing to read the Declaration of Independence after, I must confess, many years of not having done so. Judging from his behavior during the past eight years, I feel President Bush has probably never read it, or if he has, it has been to pick every other paragraph in that beautiful document to ignore and blemish with his deranged actions. -- Frederick Chiriboga, Richmond

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The American people must begin to think about these companies selling out to foreign countries. Good for the stockholders, but bad for the loss of jobs. The companies that stay in the U.S. are giving out pink slips so they can stay afloat. What's happening to Social Security when all these taxes are lost? The economy is getting worse with the price of food and other essentials. . . . We are in trouble. -- Al Grieser, Midlothian

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Only Democrats would think that now with gas at $4 per gallon that it's a good time to raise the gas tax as 100 percent of the Virginia Senate Democrats voted to do. Only Gov. Timothy M. Kaine could think that in the housing crisis, now is a good time to raise the grantor's tax on selling your home. -- Dave Martin, Midlothian

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On the highly coated new milk container, which is green friendly: The NBC correspondents were worried that they sometimes spilled the hefty carton. My idea -- using technology available in beer, wine, water and lemonade -- is to put a tap on the bottom and then you can get the milk out easily and leave it in the fridge, too. -- Phil Wallace, Chesterfield

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If, as he claims, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine really needs another billion dollars or so for transportation, all he needs to do is take the $80 billion budget and revise his priorities, just as all normal people must do when our wants exceed our income. -- Edward G. Martin, Williamsburg

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Recently I saw former State Sen. John H. Chichester doing a political commercial for former Gov. Mark R. Warner. Both Chichester and Warner campaigned saying they wouldn't raise taxes. Then they got together and pushed through the largest tax increase in Virginia history. As the lady in "Fiddler on the Roof" said, "It's a perfect match." -- Gary Pelfrey, Colonial Heights

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I see where the people who are the cause of our gas, groceries, etc., being so high are planning more demonstrations against Dominion over a new coal power plant being built in Southwest Virginia. These people would like to see all of us riding bicycles and living in stucco huts. They should be locked them up and the key thrown away. It's amazing that just a handful of these people can control Congress, and the rest of us pay for it. -- Joe Schooff, Richmond