Experience is said to be the best teacher, but advice from experts can be quite helpful, too. Unfortunately, when it comes to selection of a new leader for Allegheny County's beleaguered public defender's office, Executive Rich Fitzgerald seems to be disregarding knowledgeable counsel. (Today)

All the trouble in the Middle East that has come in the wake of the Arab Spring should be a clear signal to the United States, which has its own problems, to resist becoming involved in further warfare there. The wave of change that arrived last spring, starting with the revolution in Tunisia that triggered the fall of a long-standing dictator, was bright and inspiring. (Today)

Pittsburgh has a formidable reputation in the arts that runs through music, dance, visual art and letters. With major home-grown talents like playwright August Wilson, jazz legend Billy Strayhorn and photographer Teenie Harris, among others, a key facet of that excellence emerged from African-American households. This rich history deserves to be not only understood but also appreciated. (Today)