DR FRANK LUNTZ's recent programmes with groups of undecided voters made for great viewing.

In his last programme he made an interesting point regarding Enda Kenny's Contract with the People. I had presumed that this was just a re-working of Newt Gingrich's 1994 Contract with America, which Luntz had helped to develop. I was therefore amazed to hear Luntz say that Enda Kenny's contract was not a reworking of the American one, but a copy of Silvio Berlusconi's 2001 Contract with Italy with which Luntz was also involved.

Of all the ways this country should go, Italy is not the one.

Just look at Berlusconi's record as Italian premier and the state he left his country in when he was turfed out of office last year.

Is copying Berlusconi's election manifesto and getting an endorsement from the German Chancellor really the best Fine Gael has to offer?

Niamh Muldoon, Tullyallen, Drogheda, Co Louth.

To call Imus a rightwinger is bunkum

HOW appropriate that it was Andrew Buncombe who labelled Don Imus a "right-wing US broadcaster" (International, 15 April). You see, Buncombe is an American slang word for nonsense. To consider Imus a right-winger is just that . . . pure buncombe. Imus endorsed John Kerry in 2004 and has numerous friends on the left. He contributed very little to the public discourse and deserved to be off the air many years ago.

If you need any further proof that he is a left-wing shock jock look no further than the initial two week suspension handed down by the network. Were he a right-wing personality he would have received the punishment he deserved on the first try.

Jeff Koch, Brentwood, Tennessee, USA.

Northwest shabbily treated by press again

WAS this for spite or is it a reflection on the typical shabby treatment we in the northwest of Ireland receive from the Dublin press?

I refer of course to the disgraceful omission on the Laurie Sanchez CV profile of the time spent as Sligo Rovers manager. Had it been a Dublin side would it have been left out?

Were the facts checked and if so why was it omitted? If Suzanne had read my piece in The Scene newspaper she would have read our hope that Laurie be as successful with Fulham FC as he is with 'Norn Irn'.

Reisin 'Eddie Panda' Cawley, Rathanna, Cornageeha, Sligo.

Global warming is not just some hot air

I WAS intrigued to read in Constantin Gurdgiev's article "Global warming, so much hot air" (Business, 15 April) that "More accurate environmental models predict nothing more than a gradual and relatively modest climate throughout the century."

Perhaps you would be so kind as to send me references to these "more accurate models" as I'm preparing a course on climate change and modelling and I haven't come across these super models in my research.

Perhaps these are only available to eminent economists? Which meteorological centres are involved in these models?

I was further amused to read about "daft renewable energy schemes and CO2 reduction technologies" yet in the same paragraph he refers to "rain seeding" (perhaps he meant "cloud seeding") and "hurricane diversion". He suggests these technologies (all these ideas are very, very far away from being described as technologies as they are completely unproven . . .again I defer to his title "Dr" . . .please inform if I am mistaken on this) offer far more promise to compensate for global warming. Again I'd appreciate any references to these suggestions.

Perhaps I could respectfully suggest that economists write about subjects in which they are knowledgeable, and in return I will promise not to write any articles about economics.

David Doyle, School of Science, IT Sligo, Ballinode, Sligo.

Farmers need a more 'enlightened' attitude

NUALA O'FAOLAIN (Comment, 15 April) aptly criticised the farming lobby for its negative attitude towards access to the countryside for hillwalkers. Isabel Hayes (News, 15 April) reported on the trend for Irish farmers to buy land in Britain. There Irish farmers will have to respect the enlightened laws which facilitate access to the British countryside for recreational use.

Tony Quinn, Saval Park Road, Dalkey, Co Dublin.

Blogorrah people should get a real life

WHAT a pity that the Sunday Tribune stooped to the level of VIPmagazine by providing the narcissistic, infantile celebrity sycophants of 'Blogorrah' the oxygen of publicity. Perhaps there is something smug and offensive in this latest Irish 'fame-by-association' effort.

Perhaps it's the lack of privacy policy on the blogorrah. com website or the missing declaration about what the blogorrah people do with the IP numbers and e-mail addresses of users. Or perhaps it's their penchant for continually bouncing back the e-mail transmissions of users they don't like.

But what's most offensive is the jaded, tiresome nature of the web site; so reminiscent of the lame, sneaky, undergraduate student magazines as the spotty writers 'hob-nob' with the fellow student offspring of the rich and famous, and the good-looking, as they try to ingratiate themselves into an invitation to the Trinity Ball or some girl's knickers. Sad people, really. Get a life boys. Or a real job.

Eibhir Mac An Ultaigh, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Irish people are now the oppressor

THE expolitation of nonnational workers is a continuing stain on our national character, the latest example being exposed last Sunday (News, 15 April). This immoral and indeed illegal behaviour by many Irish people does not seem to cost them a thought. It seems that morality for these people has nothing to do with justice and laws are there to be ignored.

The pursuit of naked greed is their religion and their god is money.

The government to date has turned a blind eye to this illegal exploitation of vulnerable nonnational workers and its commitment to increase its inspectorate to bring these exploiters to justice has had little effect. It is a shame that Irish people, having suffered exploitation in the past, should now become the oppressor and extract the greatest possible profit from people who have come here to improve the lives of their families at home. They want justice not charity.

Brendan Butler, 45 The Moorings, Malahide, Co Dublin.

Stamp duty reform won't get FG elected

FINE GAEL has put reform of stamp duty at the heart of its election campaign. However, in suggesting to phase in stamp duty reforms over a three year period, it is blowing a hole in its ambitions.

By implementing stamp duty reform on a rolling basis over three years, the Fine Gael proposals would bring the housing market to a halt as prospective buyers deferred purchasing until the tax burden was reduced. This would have catastrophic impacts on employment across the country.

In devising such a poorlythought out policy, Fine Gael is clearly demonstrating that they are not yet fit to govern.

Eilis Smyth, easmyth@gmail. com Appalled by cyclists with no helmets BEING an avid cyclist it was with much anticipation that I read Sarah McInerney describe her experience of cycling around the capital (News, 15 April). While she makes some good points with regard to motorists' negative attitude to cyclists, I was appalled by the accompanying photograph where neither her, nor her supposedly experienced guide Damien O Tuama, are wearing cycling helmets. I find it irresponsible of her to behave in such a cavalier way with disregard to her own safety at a time when safe cycling should be encouraged.

While it may involve a sacrifice of style over function, a good cycling helmet, and a sam brown belt, should be as important to any conscientious cyclist as a bicycle itself.

Rob Quigley, 37 Pine Court, Newtownpark Ave. , Blackrock, Co. Dublin.