RE: My, What a Busy Week! [June 26], in which we mistakenly ran the wrong band photo next to a plug for Drunk Dad's show. Oopsy, sorry about that.
DEAR MERCURY—While I do appreciate the attention the Mercury has been giving us this past month I could not help but notice that the picture you used was not of us. It was, in fact, of AntikYtherA, a band that is great in its own right. We all got a real good laugh out of this because, this being such a small music community, our bass player totally boned their old drummer's girlfriend.
Dane H.
___________________________________________________________
RE: "It's a Start" [News, June 26], reporting on new access to racial impact statements available to legislators regarding racial disparities among Oregon's prison population.
It would be better if we looked into why there is a disparity. We need to understand the root cause and deal with the problem there, not adjust laws so the prison population gets adjusted.
posted by Jim Kennedy
_________________________________________________________________________________________
RE: The Mercury's cover photo [June 26] by Daniel Cronin to accompany "True 'Que," a food feature about BBQ. It shows a heaping plate of smoking hot meat and veggies.
What is that, an overcooked Butterball run over by a Dodge Dakota, then dumped in Heinz ketchup? And the smoke hovering above—somebody chain-smoking Marlboros under the table, or is it mosquito coils?
posted by i'mrightyourwrong
_________________________________________________________________________________________
RE: "Street Harassment" [Feature, June 19], about men who yell things at women on the street and some ideas of what you might do when put in that position.
When I opened the Mercury last week to find that an article was written about street harassment, I have to admit that I was surprised. I haven't seen an article written on the subject, and was happy and grateful to see that the Mercury has made an attempt to address street harassment/sexual bullying. I don't agree with all the counter tactics, but I think that you are on the right path and mean well.
posted by Dawn
_________________________________________________________________________________________
RE: "The Last Last Thursday?" [News, June 26], regarding the struggle between Mayor Charlie Hales and Friends of Last Thursday, the volunteer group who has, until recently, taken responsibility for the un-permitted but longstanding monthly NE Alberta event.
The concept of having an event virtually without rules scares the city. A short list of "demands" from the city we rejected [were] corporate sponsorship, charging the art vendors, screening the art vendors, registering the vendors, closing the event earlier, and the list goes on. Once again the city is trying to wrestle control away from the neighborhood group and have their cronies take the event over. I keep telling city hall that thousands of us will fight for this event. We're about to see if I've told the truth.
posted by Magnus Johannesson
_________________________________________________________________________________________
RE: "Portland's Dismal Dating Scene," [Letters, June 19], in which a woman of a certain age pleaded with us to ask our readers where she could find single guys in the same demographic. The address below is for the Hawthorne Strip, BTW.
DEAR MERCURY—I know where you can find decent guys over age 60. Strip clubs. We care about the local economy (our tips constitute a redistribution of wealth). We appreciate graceful inspired performance and enjoy a wide variety of music. Strip clubs are like Venn diagrams where dance, theater, and performance intersect and interact in 20-minute sets, all somewhat different. Fascinating. In small clubs, the dancers often have time and are willing to talk. Not surprisingly, they are real people from a variety of backgrounds and with various aspirations. Just like you and me, Madame of 60, except "we" share more in common. Similar age. Similar historical/cultural influences and perspectives. You and I could meet in a club and discover even more about each other outside the club. Come on down! 1008 SE Hawthorne.
David Turner
SINCE YOU LIKE hanging out in dark, windowless places, David, how about two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater for winning the Mercury letter of the week? Maybe you could even bring your date, 'cuz the strip club seems like more of a second date kind of thing.
