GOOD JOURNALISM

DEAR JEN GRAVES: Great article ["Critical Mess," March 8]. I think you did an excellent job of responding to the uproar from your Slog posting. I'm not associated with the art scene in any way, but found this absolutely fascinating. You could have very easily portrayed [Matthew] Kangas as a total predatory villain, but instead you collected facts and set them out for your audience to decide whether or not he acted inappropriately. Although there is slight leaning that he did, I commend you for presenting an objective, fairly balanced piece and allowing others in your field to weigh in on both sides as well.

Darren E. Focareta

DEFENDING PESO'S

DEAR EDITOR: I take exception to Bethany Clement's recent article about Peso's [Bar Exam, Feb 27]. First, although the establishment caters to young singles, it is not just a mating ground for urban heterosexuals as stated by Ms. Clement. As a 60-plus gay man, I take offense. Many of my gay and lesbian friends of all ages also find the place to be a comfortable neighborhood watering hole. Had Ms. Clement taken a look beyond her own drink she would have noticed that the dining room also contained families of all types including those with children, as well as many others who do not fit her "heterosexual young urban professional" stereotype. She also indicates criticism of a lady with an engagement ring (for flirting with the bartender) and then proceeds to denigrate the makeup, attire, and general attitude of the clientele. One could only hope she was just having a bad hair day and does not regularly indulge in this kind of bitchy bitterness. She then proceeds to attack the service.

As a longtime patron of Peso's I must assure the public (along with Ms. Clement) that the service is always courteous and efficient. In fact, as a former bar and restaurant owner, I am always amazed at the volume of food they serve on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

I have one last issue with the column: Ms. Clement refers to a "gentleman clearly under the influence—weaving his way around the environs slack-faced, clutching a drink." Unless the author is moonlighting as an inspector for the liquor board, this was a very stupid thing for a bar critic to put into print.

I can only hope that this is not the kind of diatribe The Stranger will encourage in the future. One can do a criticism without being an embittered misanthrope.

Ray Hoekstra

STAPLES AND LAWS

DEAR EDITOR: Doug Cox of Poster Giant is being disingenuous when he says that poster advertising is "an unregulated free-for-all, just as it should be" ["Gun Battle," Angela Valdez, March 8]. I am quite certain that he knows there are postering regulations, which were instituted four years ago soon after the poster ban was overturned, but he conveniently ignores them, as does just about everyone else who posters in Seattle. They take advantage of the reality that the Seattle Department of Transportation is doing almost nothing to enforce its own regulations. The result is the pretty extreme visual blight on the streets of Capitol Hill, and especially Pike/Pine.

Included in the regulations are that no glue be used, that a poster not be put on top of another, and that they be removed after the event has passed, or a maximum of 30 days, whichever is sooner. These are very reasonable requirements, and if respected, would go a long way toward minimizing the shabby appearance of our streets, not to mention preventing the kind of violence described in the article. But Doug Cox and his competition, Matt Moroni of Poster Midget, among others, continue to put their own selfish business interests over the common good of our community.

Robert Knudson

THE HOST HAS E-MAIL

GREETINGS: I never guessed that those were Koreans I was "munching" on, as reported by Andrew Wright ["Rubber Soul," March 8]—I could have sworn I was eating Chinese. I was also surprised to see that [The Host] was presented as a work of fiction, rather than a documentary.

Although I agree with many of the opinions offered by Mr. Wright, I would like to point out that I don't "regurgitate" at inopportune moments, or any others, for that matter. I keep what I like and spit out the rest. Call this what you will. I also don't think of myself as any more "slimy" than you all are parched, pointy, and toothless. Anyway, I digress.

I have some ideas for a reality show. You must admit, it would be a bit of a first, following around a genetically challenged fellow like myself. I don't have bad breath and have learned better than to treat humans as food (I was really, really hungry). Now is the time to capture all my priceless early moments as I integrate with the human world. I expect to be dating soon and, in fact, have placed an ad in The Stranger personals.

You all better move on this fast. The rise of the Republican Party will soon render me mainstream. What I really want to do is direct.

Larry

"...[the] giant, toothy tadpole..."