HEY! I LOVE DIS FEESH!

TO THE EDITOR: Portland is a beautiful city, except for all those fucking elitist-prick-asshole indie rockers who think the world revolves around them. Every week I pick up the Mercury and enjoy quality entertainment, and every week some asshole writes in to bitch about something like, "You spelled the name of my favorite obscure experimental pop/rock band wrong, and in case you weren't sure if I was cool or not, this is how down I am with the scene and I know the CORRECT spelling." But the real reason I finally felt compelled to write in is the "Look at Dis Feesh" column [April 19]. Way to make a bored girl's night. That fucking cracked me up--it's so goddamn refreshing to see a paper with decent content AND a sense of humor. Fuck elitist Portland scenesters, fuck assholes with something to prove, and rock the fuck on.

Signed some girl with short black hair and cool shoes that may or may not be cool enough to have all the Feelings' albums.

The Mercury Responds: If you liked Look at Dis Feesh!, you'll love Look at Dis Cheekin! See pg 5 of the print version or go to our homepage and click on "A Gigantic Nude Ass."

MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD VS. AC/DC

TO THE EDITOR: I found it a shame that you failed to recommend Medeski Martin & Wood's show at the Schnitz. You recommend an all-girl AC/DC tribute band [Up & Coming, April 12], but wouldn't recommend Medeski, Martin & Wood? That makes no sense, if you actually consider yourself to be providing a service for the Portland community. Yes the show was $30, but that's no excuse. Did you ever think that people that read your paper (because it IS pretty damn funny!) might want a little more out of their music than something comical or consisting of more than a chord? The show was great, I don't mind adding, and was sold out.

Joe Wallace

THANKS, PADRE!

TO JAMIE HOOK: I just read your article, "The Big Question" [Feature, April 12] because a friend recommended it. I found it to be both well written and thought-provoking, and to some degree a reflection of my own experience. I happen to be a Christian pastor who is transitioning into a doctoral program in economics. What keeps my faith in God and the afterlife burning within me is (1) the sense of wonder I get when I look at the world, and (2) the feeling I get, deep in my soul, that this is not all that there is.

True, the Bible says that this isn't all there is, but it's something I FEEL as well. This natural world offers something to quench every thirst that nature has--for hunger there is food. For sex, there is a partner. I find it very difficult to believe that for the universal, instinctual hunger of the soul for meaning, nature has no solution.

For me, the answer lies in the statement, "God has set eternity in their hearts." Thanks for sharing part of your journey with us.

Stephen Black

AND NOW A WORD FROM CARSON DALY

TO WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY: Apparently you're experiencing some confusion about the new Rachael Leigh Cook movie [Josie and the Pussycats, April 12]. I don't know what sort of addlepated formula you used to grade this film, but you pointy-headed niggling nabobs better straighten up and fly right.

Now, I'm too lazy to go back and quote you directly, but I remember you comparing Rachael Leigh Cook's acting talents to those of a lightly broiled trout [The exact quote was "exhibits a vast array of emotions as effectively as a clubbed trout."-Wm.]. You should get down on your KNEES and beg for FORGIVENESS before the awesome LIGHT that is Rachael Leigh Cook.

The bottom line is that you need movie critics that like movies. Almost all the reviews in your paper this week are negative--and almost all the positive ones are for obscure little films that will not attract a large audience. Hello!? Doesn't it seem obvious that your critics are looking for something that's not there? It's not that Hollywood is constantly sending out regurgitated pap, as your critics claim--it's that your critics are too high-falootin' to identify with the people they're reviewing FOR!

Barry Hawkey

••OBITUARY••

Kal Tanner of The Webbers died in his sleep this past weekend. He started the long-running open mike night every Wednesday at O'Connors Yamhill in January 1999 and had booked all their live music events since June of the same year. Kal was much loved, a great asset to the Portland music community and will be deeply missed.