GREETINGS—On October 20 you published a letter from Rick Staggenborg, MD, in which he expressed frustration with the dismissive attitude and lack of understanding that he felt he received from people at the Occupy Portland site while collecting signatures on a petition ["Occupy My Petition!" Letters]. The Portland chapter of Alliance for Democracy [AfD] wants to clarify that Rick's feelings and opinions are strictly his own personal perspective of his experience. While we appreciate Rick's activism, he does not speak for AfD at either the local or national level.
-Joan Horton, co-founder, Alliance for Democracy, Portland
HEY—Thanks for setting up a homeless camp right across from the Justice Center—makes the cops' job that much easier. Also, thanks for destroying two green-space blocks historically used by the real 99 percent for their lunch break, pretty sure it's the only such green space specifically designed to help the workers—ever wonder why there's a men's room in the north block and a women's room in the south block? 'Cuz back in the day the men ate their lunch in the north block, women in the south block, and that kinda separation was considered socially appropriate. [It would] be really nice if you could occupy someplace paved, let those blocks recover and be green again.
-Jason
TO THE EDITOR—I would like to request, please, that the next time Portland is lucky enough to have Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game roll through a local movie theater, you print something other than the review by Alison Hallett that you published this last time—and the time before that, and the time before that [Film Shorts, Oct 27]. Of course Ms. Hallett is entitled to her opinion, but in the section of your paper dedicated to cinema, her examination of one of the medium's most monumental artistic achievements is so jaded as to be off-putting, while on the opposite page we're told we should all check out Paranormal Activity 3 and—good Christ—Footloose. So let's give that appraisal a polish next time, shall we?
-Dave Jaworski
DEAR EDITOR—Your recent section on Troutdale conveys well the atmosphere of the East County ["Here's Your Troutdale Trout!" Feature, Oct 27, in which the Mercury dons its annual Halloween costume, this time as the small-town paper serving Troutdale, Oregon]. However, it perpetuates a misconception about Troutdale in particular, this being the very idea that Troutdale exists. Yes, Troutdale is on the map, but there is no actual Troutdale. At the local chess club there is some discussion about enrolling my dog, who is quite intelligent, as a member in the US Chess Federation. Then we would fake games and build his rating over time up to a respectable 1600, and then enter him in the annual US Open. At that point it would be revealed as a big joke. Maybe Troutdale is something like that, a big joke started decades ago over a few beers.
-Jerrold Richards
TO THE MERCURY VIA VOICEMAIL—Yes, I'm calling about your most recent issue and, um, I'm just really kind of flabbergasted by what a cock-up this is ["Here's Your Troutdale Trout!" Feature, Oct 27]. It—it—it's just incredibly lame and retarded, and it seems like, you know, I don't know what the point of it is? Whoever came up with this idea... Man, oh man. You wanna lose readers, that's a great way to do it.
SORRY ABOUT THE cock-up, ma'am. As you can see, we have returned to the style of cocking shit up that you have grown accustomed to every other week of the year. As some small compensation for your flabbergastion, please call us back so we can send you two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater, where you can watch a variety of cock-ups on the big screen.
