our story "If You Build It …" (News & Views, Dec. 5) touched on many areas of concern for readers interested in the role that the news media play in our lives. With respect to marketing at WDSU and their new slogan, "We’re Building WDSU Around You," I would like to comment.

  While cynics may insist that this "new attitude" is merely sloganeering in service of modern day marketing, I beg to differ. When WDSU became a major sponsor of our annual school facility improvement project, RALLY for New Orleans Public Schools, and WDSU president Mason Granger signed on as Rally chairman, the association and our efforts got a lift that no amount of money could buy.

  Here’s how it happened: WDSU education reporter Ro Brown, in his capacity as a board member of the New Orleans Public Schools Alumni Association, recruited Mr. Granger. WDSU became partners with us and they immediately demonstrated their level of commitment to the local community to the fullest extent. They ran public service announcements (many in prime time, I might add), set up a volunteer recruitment hotline, and sent a team of employees, including Mr. Granger himself, to volunteer on Rally Day.

  But more importantly, Mr. Granger used his many contacts to assist us in our efforts. His clout helped us convince the other media sponsors, Gambit Weekly included, to up the ante, and he personally contacted numerous other potential sponsors and underwriters.

  Some might argue that WDSU is simply paying lip service to the idea of community involvement. Just trying telling that to the 7,000 children whose learning environments have been raised from substandard to acceptable, to the 2,300 volunteers who came out last year alone, or to the principals at the 14 schools that have been targeted so far.

Carlos Hornbrook
President, New Orleans
Public Schools Alumni Association

In his Dec. 12 letter, Robert Ellis asks of presidential politics, "Am I wrong, or can anyone else see a double standard?" (Vox Populi, "Examining the Unexamined").

  You’re not wrong; the double standard has been kept firmly in the forefront by Republicans. I’m continually amazed that the same dittoheads who whined for eight years about living under a president they describe as a pot-smoking, womanizing draft dodger are now adamantly supporting a pot-smoking, cocaine-sniffing, womanizing draft-dodging drunk, according to accounts and a book, Fortunate Son, that was recalled under pressure and burned (burned!) in 20th century USA. The book also makes the case that George W. was busted for coke and had the record expunged by his father. According to the Gambit Weekly article "The Unexamined Man" (for which, thanks, by the way), we can now add AWOL to that list. The article was absolutely right: George W. Bush got a big break from the national press.

  I don’t know where he gets the number that "the press corps" voted 85 percent Democrat, but, whatever the number is, the press is by definition the best-informed group of people in the country, so maybe it’s worth looking at. If 85 percent of doctors tell me not to smoke, I don’t take that as an incentive to fly to Havana to pick up cigars.

Rodger Collins

another shot at health

To the Editor:

here is good news regarding the flu vaccine: the delay is almost over! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200 million doses were shipped in the last weeks of November and another 20 million doses will be shipped in December.

  But while many seniors continue to wait for their flu shot, there is a life-saving step they can take. Get a pneumonia shot!

  With the continued delay in flu vaccine across the country, it is especially important that seniors are up to date on their pneumonia vaccine. Although a pneumonia vaccine won’t prevent the flu, it will guard against pneumonia – a major and often deadly complication from flu.

  More than 2,000 Louisiana seniors have died in the last two years from pneumonia, a leading cause of preventable death among those age 65 and older. According to the Health Care Financing Administration, the federal agency that administers Medicare, pneumonia is the principal reason for more than 500,000 emergency department visits by Medicare patients each year.

  But many seniors are not aware that a vaccine exists for pneumonia or that it is safe, effective and available at any time of the year. A pneumonia vaccine protects against several of the most dangerous strains of bacteria that cause pneumonia. For those on Medicare Part B, the pneumonia is free.

  It is not too late to get a flu shot and seniors and others at high risk need to continue to seek out the flu vaccine during the months of January and February. But in the meantime, check with your doctor to make sure you are up to date on your pneumonia vaccine. It’s worth a shot.

Tony Sun
Chief Medical Director
Louisiana Health Care Review