IT'S US OR THEM
TO THE MERCURY: Jesus. You don't even need to read the story on auto-death. The illustration and title say it all ["Getting Away with It," News, Nov 12]. Good job. But I don't know why the writer bothers with quotes such as "roads that are dangerous by design," or "little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs, or on a bicycle." It's obvious what's really going on. These common drivers in their death machines are gabbing away on phones while speeding through bikers and pedestrians with impunity. Then they send in their tickets and drive off to their next "accident." There is really no need for improved lighting or "pedestrian refuge islands" when only strict punishments like this proposed "vehicular homicide law" will cause drivers to think twice before they kill again. Car deaths aren't met with indifferent prosecution simply because they are "accidents." The bike lawyer is right. Vehicular murder is considered the "cost of doing business in our society." And articles like this expose the aggressive recklessness of the driving class. We need to continue to feed those flames. Period. There are drivers and there are those who have chosen alternative modes of transportation. It is us or them. And they're winning.
Jeremy
EZRA CARAEFF FOR LIFE?
Okay man, first off, your [Art Alexakis] interview sucked major cock ["The Most Hated Musician in Portland," Music, Nov 19]! Everclear is still very relevant in the world of music, and Art, who I have met like 20 times, is the nicest guy in the world. He doesn't bullshit, and he is a true professional when it comes to music and business! I saw them about 14 times last year (I follow them around on tour), and some shows were pulling 1,000-plus fans in. One in particular was Aquapalooza in Lake of the Ozarks, and it had about 4,000 people there. It was intense! Portland Mercury, I think you need to find some new, un-biased interviewers who actually have some sense of what the hell they are talking about, because obviously this guy [Ezra Ace Caraeff] was a fucking moron and is sad because he can't afford to feed his three crack babies and slut of a transvestite girlfriend. EC for life!
posted by Twistinside on portlandmercury.com
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
TO MATT DAVIS: Well said ["Leaving Randyland," Hall Monitor, Nov 19]. I've been feigning interest in WW for the last five or six years now, but have recently read it more often. I read the Leonard story without much knowledge of his personal life, so I ate it all up. I hadn't considered the story from your perspective, and I applaud you for it.
Andres Dominguez
DAMN YOUR FOOTNOTES, SIR!
MR. HENRIKSEN: Sir! Are you aware that many of these cage liners are read in dimly lit taverns between cans of Old German and trips to the pisser? That being said, what sort of vicious dickhead puts footnotes in his otherwise highly enlightening article ["Welcome to the Apocalypse!" Feature, Nov 19]? I submit that dickhead is none other than you, Mr. Henriksen! You! Sadistic cryptofascists such as yourself have no regard for the thousands of semi-literate Americans who have lost their bifocals to random violence and must strain with constipated aggression in order to decipher your itty bitty subtext. How do you sleep? I trust the answer is "Not very well, thank you." Good evening to you and your many illegitimate offspring, Mr. Henriksen.
A. Slashermonkey, Ph.D.
CONGRATULATIONS TO A. SLASHERMONKEY for winning our letter of the week and correctly identifying Mr. Henriksen as a "sadistic cryptofascist"—a title we've unsuccessfully tried to attach to him for years. A.S. wins two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater and lunch at No Fish! Go Fish!, where one never needs bifocals to read the menu.
