Letters

We Eat Too

Just got today’s copy and noticed that the article “Eat” (Cover Story, October 20) does not mention any restaurants in inland North County (Rancho Bernardo to Escondido). Did I get a City edition and not a North County edition?

Barry Nally
via email

Although “Eat” did not feature restaurants in Escondido or Rancho Bernardo, the Yellow Deli in Vista and Churchill’s Pub & Grille in San Marcos were included. — Editor

Clear Ideas About Fat

Starve. Thin. Skinny. Skinny Fries. Thin Crust Pizza. Lean Meat. Frozen Yogurt. With. A. Snickers Candy Bar. For. Dessert. I Hate Snickers. I Love Twix! Let’s face it, everybody wants to lose 20 pounds. I am already there, so sue me!!! Why does “Eat,” in bold, in red on the cover of the Reader (October 20) feel like one anorexic personal attack? … Hhhmm, anorexic, lying drug-seeker, drug addict, dying of frailty, withering away, something is wrong with me, I am going to die, I have flabby legs, too? and need to eat a cheeseburger or ten, like five years ago.

My weight has been the topic of some people’s conversation for years. It gets old. The most I have ever weighed was hardly 120, when I ate three burritos a day and didn’t work out. That’s just disgusting. I’m sorry, or not. It’s the same as calling someone fat — it’s rude!!! A cheeseburger? Real friends would say veggie burger, anyway. I know I am deathly, shockingly thin!!!!!!!!! That is as clear to me as the sky is blue and the grass is green. I’m not anorexic, I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs, and I sure as hell don’t lie. I actually enjoy cooking for other people and eating pizza, quesadillas, grilled cheese, and coffee or chocolate ice cream… My bad!!!!! Try walking by a homeless person with a fresh and hot box of pizza; tell them how good it is going to be.

Bystanders of “Eat,” I have never had a cheeseburger in my life. Just to let you know, I was born a vegetarian. Is there a pizza at the end of the tunnel? I am partially kidding; it does strike me as a bitter passive-aggressive sign. The copious articles and photos about cheeseburgers, steaks, mouthwatering beef patties with a crunchy piece of lettuce smack in the middle. Cruuuunch, my vegetarian mouth is salivating. Damn, I can taste it, mmmmmmmmmmm. For all the vegetarians out there, eat a veggie burger!! ???? Okay, moving on.

Betty Bites Back
via email

Cops, Keyboards, And A Boat

Regarding the Occupy Wall Street movement (“Pepper Sprayed,” “News Ticker,” October 20), from the view of social psychology, these national manifestations are a result of the piano man–versus–cop syndrome, or creativity and obedience. More simply, the protest can be described as inherent to society’s pressure valve of conflict and order. So, what’s new? We have been down this road for the past 10,000-plus years. But, here’s the twist. As members of the human species, we are genetically programmed to resist. It remains a false notion to feign control since everyone squirms while led to the gallows. Just ask Lieutenant Calley and Commander Lloyd Bucher. The protesters have morally legitimate concerns, just as those before them, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Bobby Kennedy, and César Chávez. Only the fools among us believe in order and control. When the tables are turned, we all are in the same boat.

Daniel J. Smiechowski
Clairemont

A Family That Tats Together

This is in response to Name Withheld regarding tattoos (Letters, October 20). I am ten years older than this fellow, and I’m a woman. I am neither a jailbird nor a freak. He seems to be basing his opinion of tattoos on something he saw about 60 years ago. I have a lot of tattoos. They all mean something to me. Two of my children have tattoos, and two of my grandchildren do. I suggest that he broaden his outlook a little bit and look into other cultures and other levels of society, including some that are quite well educated and would appear to him to be freaks.

Dale
via voice mail

Welcome, Y’all

Elizabeth Salaam’s article “I Started From Empty” (Cover Story, October 13) was great. Whenever I see her byline, I know I’m in for a great read. More power to Said Dubed, Osman, and Luchia, too. Fine additions to America.

Anne Schraff
Spring Valley

Immigration Option

Re Mr. Enrique Morones’s letter (October 13) in response to the Reader’s article “On Sixth Avenue…” (Feature Story, September 22). Mr. Morones says there is no line for illegal immigrants to gain legal resident status. Not true. It’s called petitioning the immigration court. Not all will qualify for legal status, unlike an amnesty that Mr. Morones and his fellow travelers want.

Gerald Dobbs
El Cajon

They Shouldn’t

Thanks a million, Matt (or whatever your real name is!), for publishing my letter about newscasters saying “should” and starting most of their segments with “And” (“Straight From the Hip,” October 13). I really appreciate that and was excited to see it in print. I don’t expect you to publish anything more about this issue, but I just had a few comments about your response, in case you’re interested.

First, regarding “should,” I wouldn’t mind them abbreviating their input, as you noted they must, but “should” means there’s some sort of obligation on the part of the weather to be a certain way, and that simply does not make sense, and certainly that’s not what they mean to say. So, although I realize I must live with it, just like your dislike for “when something went terribly wrong,” I dislike them using “should” when talking about weather because I simply feel the word does not and cannot apply to weather!

As for starting many sentences and introducing most segments with “And,” my complaint is not that it occurs randomly and willy-nilly but rather I’m curious why it happens sooooo frequently! There must be some reason that newscasters in particular consistently do this, and I wonder whether they’ve been instructed to do it or it just caught on and has become a habit among them — I do not recall it in the past. It doesn’t seem like it’s for the sake of continuity, as it is used most when introducing a completely new subject!

Name Withheld
Imperial Beach

Ai-yai! Idaho!

I’m from Idaho Falls, Idaho, maybe 40 minutes from Pocatello, depending on how fast you’re going on an open country highway that is sometimes two lanes (“Travel and Getaways,” October 13). Anyway, I could tell you every step of the way starting from San Diego. I have been a San Diego reader for almost one year. My point is that the way you are talking about getting to Pocatello is so hard that you have to jump out of a train. It’s not that bad. Idaho has so many nice places to see that you can get to in any four-cylinder or V-6 from the 15 going north and maybe waste $80 on gas and drive 16 hours and probably have the best west-side road trip you can experience, starting with Las Vegas, then the grand view of Arizona, Salt Lake City, and passing Pocatello, stopping at my sweet home, Idaho Falls, where the heart of the Snake River runs, which I was born 50 feet from.

Next time you write about the great state of Idaho, make sure it isn’t like getting a train from the ’40s and jumping out just to get to a town that doesn’t even know you wrote about it.

Rosario Martinez
via email

Too Little, Too Late

Thank you for the in-depth article by Thomas Larson regarding the criminal episodes in the life of James Kurtenbach (“Debt. Arson. Murder,” Cover Story, October 6).

It’s hard to believe that this deceitful person received a sentence of only 15 years and 8 months. In my view, he should have been given either the death penalty or, at least, life in prison.

Name Withheld

That Smell In El Cajon

Re “Debt, Arson, Murder” (Cover Story, October 6).

I was watching the news one night, and one TV station (where were the other news dogs?) had a reporter covering the trail, so I was captivated by the story. I was going to El Cajon the next day and made it a point to stop by the courthouse and check it out. What impressed me was Kurtenbach was decked out like a Philadelphia lawyer, and he had Paul Pfingst defending him (maybe he did it pro bono, fat chance). I thought this guy was on the skids, and here’s an ex–city attorney, and this was his fourth defender. Then the jury gives him 15 years and 8 months. He should be facing life in prison. Something’s rotten in El Cajon. Another excellent story by the Reader. Well done.

Steve Kelly
Allied Gardens