HE LIKES US...WE THINK

TO THE EDITOR: I gotta hand it to you! The Mercury gives new meaning to the word: RAG. I refer to the ramblings of Dan Savage [Savage Love]. We used to read his column out loud at work on break, but lately I can barely read it silently, lest I lose my lunch, thereby making your "rag" serve two purposes: entertainment and paper towel. Point being: "Way to go!"

P. D. Tait


WE STAND CORRECTED

DEAR MADAM OR SIR: I am responding to a couple of errors in your article appearing today about "superraves" [Music, "Massive Attack," April 12]. While the content is not nearly as inflammatory as some of the news coverage, I feel some corrections should be made. The Temple of Sound is not simply "a group of electronic music enthusiasts living in a NW Portland warehouse."

We are a group of artists, healers, musicians, and priests and priestesses who have created a sacred space by founding a church and providing traditional and nontraditional spiritual services to the community. I am a Reverend, meaning I provide guidance and counsel to the many troubled youth I encounter. I am an instrument for the music in many ways, and electronic music is not our limit.

Some of the things we do include giving training in Reiki and Tarot card reading, in order to help people function as healthy adults. We provide altars at various music events and 'raves' in Portland, in order to honor the source of the music which we feel is sacred, no matter what the tempo or the type. We are developing a system of training that will allow individuals with more serious dysfunctions (such as autism) to come out of their shells and experience themselves as unique individuals instead of anomalies. We are working to bring the 'rave' culture to a higher frequency of peaceful respectful truth.

A second error is that Alex Toevs is the correct spelling of his name, not Toews.

Rev. Jasmine Horn
Temple of Sound


FIVE BUCKS SAYS THIS GUY IS WHITE

TO THE MERCURY: What's up y'all? For the past couple of weeks, I've been readin this newspaper. What's up wit everybody actin all crazy and shit about some actor comin to this city? Readin all this shit about all these desperate hoes and twisted faggots sayin how they wanna marry and fuck some dude who looks like a broke-ass Al Pacino. What the fuck? Is everybody that desperate here in Portland that they have to have Benicio Del Toro sightings and shit? Damn y'all, if you want actors and actresses to come to this city, you gotta let them chill so they can have time to do whatever and not be bugged out about people tryin to find them for a cash reward. To everybody in Portland: Get a fucking life!

Ondine Hall


JOKES ABOUT NADER TRAITORS: NOT FUNNY!

TO THE MERCURY: You pathetic shits. How dare you blame people who voted for Nader for the bullshit that Bush is up to? [One Day at a Time, in which Ann Romano offered a gentle, humorous reminder about what fuck-ups Nader Traitors can be, April 12] You wanna bitch? Fine. But put the blame where it rests--with Bush and his handlers, and with Gore and his ineptitude. You are the type of useless cretins who carp about things being bad, and then sarcastically eviscerate anyone who tries to help fix things. Go to hell.

Vivien Lyon
For another joke about "Nader Traitors" see One Day at a Time, pg 5.--Ed.



YEAH...WE'RE A LOT LIKE THE VILLAGE VOICE

TO THE EDITOR: I'm a Benicio Del Toro fan in New York City and read your issue online [All Benicio Del Toro Spectacular, April 5]. I've never heard of your paper (obviously, I'm quite a few miles away) but I imagine you're something like our Village Voice. Anyway, just wanted to say I laughed my ass off over the BDT features, games, and sightings and thought I'd let you know!

Moira Keihm


WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations to Jason Litkie who won our "Count the Benicio Del Toros" contest! Jason correctly found 31 pictures of dreamy Benicio in our April 5th issue, and for his trouble wins 25 bucks, a box of light bulbs, and an autographed picture of someone who may or may not be Benicio Del Toro. Way to go, Jason!