EVEN CYCLISTS GET OLD

TO THE EDITOR—In your November 8 issue, you published a letter
from a cyclist who says he breaks traffic laws partly to keep car
drivers “twitchy” [“Nervous Navigation”]. My father rode his bike to
work for many years, a roundtrip of about eight miles. Note: He did all
this in his 40s and 50s. Now, at 73, he drives his car. You may be a
self-righteous cyclist today, but will you always be healthy enough to
ride? Neither bikes nor cars well serve the needs of seniors. Stop this
stupid “us/them” bike/car stuff. You use cars. I mean “you” plural,
“you” and your family, you and your girlfriend/boyfriend/children/best
buddies. Last time I looked, not even local organic vegan food gets to
the city by horse cart. 

Alice Cascorbi

UNLICENSED

DEAR MERCURY—”Called a ‘citizen-initiated citation,’
anyone who has the name and address of a driver can file a citation
alleging a traffic infraction. The driver can either pay the fine, or
contest the citation” [“Citizens’ Patrol,” News, Nov 29]. They do
realize that by doing that they will give everyone a much, much better
and more logical reason for bike riders to be licensed and insured? The
auto drivers will allow a one-sided ticket giving campaign for about 10
minutes, and then they will come out in force and either demand the law
be rewritten, or a similar law be enacted against bike riders.

Ilsa

YOU WEREN’T THERE

DEAR MERCURY—Okay, here’s the deal, Neil [“Bob Dylan:
Ehhhhh…,” Letters, Nov 29]. You were not there (1960s), so you don’t
know. No one’s calling Dylan patently genius. Have you listened to his
music and lyrics? And no, we are not all about ourselves. Again, you
were not there and have not a clue. Yes, we are now defined by soccer
moms, Bill Clinton, and a bunch of clueless CEOs, but many of us are
NOT that, at all. What is the legacy of this generation? Dylan and the
rest of the music of the ’60s and ’70s (much of which you will never
hear on classic rock stations) was revolutionary for its time. Dylan
was and continues to be a remarkable and enigmatic person.

Tony

TRY A TRIAL

PORTLAND MERCURY—Thank you for your recent article
regarding the price increases to contraception at local colleges [“A
Bitter Pill,” News, Nov 29]. I wanted to address one point in the
article: Without citation, Ms. Furniss refers to clinical trials as
“controversial.” I would like to confront this, and state that the
history of research has resulted in very stringent guidelines for the
conduct of research. Our Women’s Health Research Unit enjoys a very
high level of retention, and, frankly, our patients love
us. Additionally, in many cases, women are receiving an
FDA-approved medication, and compensation for their time. Research and
clinical trials are not for everyone. However, for proactive
individuals interested in furthering the progress of women’s
healthcare, and health policy, we may be a good match for the provision
of healthcare outside of a more traditional setting.

Heidi Printz, Ph.D., Women’s Health Research Unit at OHSU

LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS

DEAR MERCURY HATERS—I think you’re all being a little
too hard on a free newspaper published as entertainment and as an
informant. I know it’s fun to see your witty comments in print,
but stop expecting the paper to be more than it is. Pay your 50 cents
and buy the boring, over-hysterical piece of newsprint, the
Oregonian. Maybe if you do that, then I’d be willing to
waste my day of pretending to do work defending your honor as
well. 

Jen K

CONGRATULATIONS TO JEN for sticking up for us against all the
meanies out there and winning the Mercury letter of the week!
Jen gets two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater and lunch at No Fish!
Go Fish!, where we once had our heads flushed in the toilet by
bullies… not really. Okay… really.

NOT INVITED BACK TO 2008!

HEY READERS! Don’t forget to send in your nominations for
2007’s most annoying local annoyances. The top five responses will get
a Mercury “Tiger” T-shirt, and the best ideas will wind up in
our year-end “Things Not Invited Back to 2008” issue! Send your
nominations (and a brief 100-word explanation) to notinvitedback@portlandmercury.com by Wednesday, December 12!