The New York Yankees enjoy revenue double that of the average Major League Baseball team, and a payroll a quantum leap ahead of the rest of baseball, including one player with a quarter-billion dollar contract.

Please don't insult the intelligence of this baseball fan by insinuating that this dramatic win came as the result of teamwork, strategy and heart, rather than simply running out and buying the best players available.

I believe there are enough bandwagon Yankees fans around to spread the word about Yankee "magic."

John Phillips
Monfort Heights

Miami deserves to lose federal funds

While I applaud the editors of the Enquirer for chastising officials at Miami University for their failure to comply with the Campaign Security Act ("Miami's failure to notify disgraceful," Oct 9), I do disagree with the Enquirer's stance on possible punishment facing Miami. How else can the university collectively be effectively punished beyond monetary sanctions? If students cannot be assured that convicted sex offenders will not be welcomed back with open arms to a campus, then what good is federal funding unless it is used to issues firearms to sexual assault victims?

Paula Charles
Mount Washington

Bunning ads mislead about opponent

I am writing to publicly express my outrage at Jim Bunning's ads being aired in our local media in recent weeks. The misleading evidence presented against Dan Mongiardo implies that this man collected $3 million for his own personal gain.

The $3 million was a bill that had been owed not only Mongiardo, but his employees as well. I am concerned that Kentuckians would be tempted to believe these half-truths and place in office again a man who is used to twisting the truth. What does this imply about his conduct in the Senate?

The federal elections board should investigate Bunning's unscrupulous tactics because the electorate deserves to be informed, not misguided. We should use Bunning's ad as an indictment against him instead of Mongiardo.

Renata H. Kennison
Taylor Mill

Gasoline tax overly simplistic solution

Regarding the syndicated column by Thomas L. Friedman "Cutting our oil dependence would force Arab reforms" (Oct. 9): Friedman actually links Islamic terrorism to the reluctance of the Bush administration to impose a new gasoline tax. He implies, in a remarkably fatuous column, that if only we diminish our use of oil, terrorism will also diminish. Never mind that an economy emerging from recession requires oil or that the roots of Islamofascism are nourished not in oil-soaked sand but in profoundly different views of humanity, morality and the proper role of religion in our lives. Just reach for the easy although misleading explanation. Just blame it all on us. It makes column production so simple.

Paul Bloustein
Sycamore Township

Detail on stem cell research left out

Regarding "Stem-cell politics insults faithful" (Oct. 9): Both President Bush and syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker display an appalling lack of intellectual integrity in discussing the issue of embryonic stem cell research. In a statement that almost precisely mirrors one by Bush in the debate of Oct. 8, Parker refers to this as "research that destroys human life."

Nowhere does she or the president bother to mention that the research uses only embryos that are destined to be destroyed. It attempts to make good use of cells that otherwise would be disposed of without any possible benefit.

William Jacobs
Anderson Township

Would Heimlich go to nursing home?

Regarding the article "Drake might shut, Steger says" (Oct. 6): I find it interesting that just below the article addressing Drake Center's levy concerns is an article ("Recovery, forgiveness: 'He was ... a sick man'") about Pat Daly, who was critically wounded but was able to return home after receiving inpatient treatment at Drake.

If Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich found himself in a similar situation, I wonder if he would go to a nursing home for treatment or would opt for a facility like Drake.

Craig Kohls
Mason