SEMI-RANDOM INQUIRY INTO CULTURAL ENIGMAS

DEAR STRANGER: There are a couple things I don't understand. [Regarding Kurt Cobain: About a Son at SIFF:] I know that Kurt Cobain had some physical problems, and I'm sympathetic to that. I am so sorry he suffered. But why do some people treat him as a musical genius? As a guitarist, he knew a few chords. He just wrote one line, in my book, that was memorable, and that was for its nausea-inducing capabilities: "I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black." The line should get a Guinness World Record for making listeners barf.

My other question is this: Why does anyone care about La Bohème ["Enduring Death," Christopher Frizzelle, May 17]? I've been to France twice, and it's a filthy place. It shouldn't be surprising to anyone that a filthy place in the 1980s was also filthy and disease-ridden in the 1800s or 1700s. I don't understand why people get so emotionally involved in that show.

Jody Harnish

NOT FUCKING AWFUL AT ALL

EDITOR: With regard to Brendan Kiley's review of the movie Once in the SIFF Notes section of your May 24 issue [see also On Screen, current issue, page 75], I must heartily disagree with his assessment of this movie and its music. I found the movie to be utterly charming and very enjoyable. From the crowd reaction at the screening I attended, I believe that this film will be one of the surprise hits of 2007.

Mike Pete

WONDER IF HE READ PAST THE SILLY HEADLINE

EDITOR: [Regarding Sean Nelson's May 24 review of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End:] "Slightly Better than Polanski's Pirates"! I don't think so. And I haven't even seen Verbinski's latest version of Disneyesque pirate trash. Time to send Mr. Nelson packing.

Ron Schiffman

MIND THE GOD TANGENT

DEAR EDITOR OF THE STRANGER: It is commendable and encouraging to read that students are working to end cannabis persecution, prohibition, and extermination ["High Minded," Dominic Holden, May 17]. Government is the Nazi of cannabis and someone needs to stop the holocaust. One reason to end the anti-Christian persecution of cannabis that doesn't get mentioned is because it's Biblically correct since Christ God Our Father (the Ecologician) indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page. The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it is to be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1–5).

Stan White

BUDDY SYSTEM DOESN'T CUT IT

DEAR JONAH SPANGENTHAL-LEE: Thank you for your excellent article about the terrible lack of security at the UW ["Protection Disorder," May 17]. The arrogant lack of concern for the welfare of these students is appalling. I have been contacting different people on campus since September 2006 after my daughter enrolled there and was informed during orientation in June 2006 that the safety-escort program was discontinued due to cost (please be assured that my attorney husband said that the $75,000 per year cost for this program is nothing compared to the litigation costs of the continued disregard for student safety should the university be sued). Telling young kids who are away from home for the first time to "buddy up" is absurd. If you are the one who feels threatened, "buddying up" doesn't seem quite sufficient. Walking across the Ave in the dark in the winter has been another terrible situation for a lot of students. I have walked on the Ave with my daughter, and we have never successfully been able to avoid being approached. I'm more than disgusted. Thank you again for the public airing of this terrible situation. Every word you wrote was poetry to this mom's grateful soul.

Sara Goodstein

MIXED EXPERIENCE

The following is a review of Crémant in Madrona: I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but we had heard great things about this place. Group of nine on a Saturday night. Delicious cocktails to start, scrumptious appetizers (the goat cheese salad is honestly enough for dinner, it is so huge and wonderful). Our main dishes were a disappointment, though. The steak frites were only half-bad or half-good (pessimiste vs. optimiste)—the steak was a miserable slice of gristle, but the fries were heavenly. The monkfish was bland at best. Stick with the cassoulet—divine, but enough for two (at least). The space is warm and inviting, and on this night filled with happy people, including a fair number of friends by coincidence. We'll try again, bien sûr, but hope our next dinner rises to the occasion.

SB

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