A CARING, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY FOR SENIORS A Caring, Supportive ...

Muggerfugger

MUGGER: I normally read your column eagerly, if for no other reason than the fact that it's entertaining, although not necessarily in a good way.

Your latest column, discussing Timothy Noah's commentary in Slate about the chances of the Democrats in the South, was an abomination ("MUGGER," 2/4). Fortunately for you, it had one good point: Simply ignoring the South would give the Republicans a greater chance to keep control of the Senate. Other than that, it was simply filled with stupid jokes, convoluted logic and baseless, senseless smears. Why, for instance, are the Republicans going to get a considerable amount of the Jewish vote? According to the data I've seen, that group still doesn't support Bush, even when a lot of other factions of society do. And don't even get me started on your pathetic attempt to blame the Democrats for trying to "steal" the elections in major cities.

A more tired, idiotic conservative complaint is hard to find. I could go on and on about your column. It's no wonder you've been confined to writing in free papers for most of your career.

Brian Jaklitsch, Binghamton, NY

Forty More Years

MUGGER: Have you considered resigning yet? "[John] Kerry's freefall is so pronounced...that even Dana Milbank, the Washington Post nudnik who specializes in needling President Bush on the most picayune details, has tossed Kerry overboard." ("MUGGER," 12/10)

Bob Spoer, Palo Alto, CA

Russ Smith replies: Sure, I'll consider resigning when editors, reporters and columnists at the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Weekly Standard, New Republic and Boston Globe, all of whom wrote Kerry off in December, do the same.

Dategirl's Diagnosis

I am a clinical psychologist and was appalled at the foul language and aggressive tone used in this article ("Dategirl," 2/4). Such trash language reinforces hostile attitudes and denigration of others as a way to handle difficulties with infidelities and affairs. Insight into the motivations that drive such behaviors and choices in both the married and unmarried persons would be more helpful to the reader. Hostility doesn't accomplish the courage to resist an unhealthy liaison.

Dr. Sharon L. Donovan, San Ramon, CA

J.R., Cautious?

Dear J.R. Taylor:

I was eating a slice of pizza and thumbing through New York Press when I read the words:

"'I've got a real problem,' I say, 'with Jews who drive Mercedes'" ("B-listers," 2/11)

I was sort of shocked, so I read on and came to: "'See, it's a German car,' I called out after him. 'She's a Jew, but it's a car that's always been made by Germans, right?'" I looked at the photo and saw it was an article about Lizzie Grubman.

Okay. I thought, "Wow, this would be funny if it were funny, and smart if it were smart"-but it was neither funny nor smart, it was just offensive and stupid. I didn't think of the article or of Lizzie Grubman. I thought, "Who is this person who wrote this offensive shit?"

I understood the played-out concept you were getting at, but your words fell flat. They appeared crass and dull-and yeah, even racist. Writers use words sparingly, they choose them cautiously, they think before they write. Writers know what they are doing with words.

Your words stuck with me, so I just had to write you. I wonder where you're from. I wonder what you're thinking. I wonder what sort of audience you think you have, reading these words you write. I wonder why the hell I'm spending time writing this letter. I'm writing this letter because you offended me. See, tonight, I was your audience, and here I am to tell you what I think of your words.

They say New York is an impersonal city, but it's not as impersonal as one might think. I challenge you to a public debate. I'll find the theater, all you have to do is show up. The subject: "The Responsibility of Artists in Dealing with Racism in the Press."

Do you accept?

Michael Marisi Ornstein, Manhattan

J.R. Taylor replies: Sure, genius, and then I'll proudly take on Stephen Hawking in the 50-yard dash. You can debate my Jewish infant son, though. You seem to share his level of reading comprehension.

Geography Lessons

Jennifer Blowdryer's article is full of errors ("Up All Night," 2/4). She writes that she lived at the International House, a building that is usually only available to foreign students.

She then writes that it was on Claremont Ave. and 125th St. First, Claremont Ave. only runs from Tiemann Pl. to 116th St., as anybody with a map can see. Second, the International House's main entrance wasn't on Claremont Ave. but on Riverside Dr. and 122nd St. With a number of intervening streets, it was five blocks from 125th St. As far as being "in the boondocks," the IRT runs about 15 to 20 minutes to midtown and 30 to 40 minutes to downtown from there. We're talking Manhattan-no bridges to cross. Not exactly a hardship, nor in the boondocks.

As someone who lived there (a block from 125th St.) for more than 20 years, I can only hope Blowdryer's memory is better in subsequent articles. As a present resident of Brooklyn, I'd appreciate it if it didn't look as if we were the flatulence of some balloon-like character, as depicted in the drawing for the article.

The story on the Domino Sugar plant was right on the money, though ("Page Two," 2/4).

J.R. Fontaine, Brooklyn

Sillified

Taibbi: I just read your piece "Let's Get silly" ("Cage Match," 2/4). Absolutely on! It is press like the New York Times that defines and determines the ephemeral "electibility" to start with and then judges candidates on that standard, resolving to the command, "Elect only that candidate which we, the Times, want elected." I thought Kucinich's response to this on "Democracy Now" was delightful, as he sympathized with the difficulty and grave responsibility of the New York Times having to decide who must be the president. I suppose we should ask them if they also plan to attack Syria.

Robert Steel, Dixon, IL

Dennis the Menace

I was delightfully surprised to see your publication shed light on the silliness of this election ("Cage Match," 2/4), since all of the candidates except for Dennis Kucinich are puppets of the major corporate paradigm. As Dennis said of himself at a meeting in Seattle's Town Hall: "No strings!" Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate who can be candid because he is not taking any funds from the corporate world. He is a friend to the people, and certainly we need to be heard.

Issues such as the war in Iraq are being exposed for what they are. We are in Iraq simply due to the corporate greed for oil. The White House is being subpoenaed for evidence of weapons of mass destruction. There weren't any. Even Bush is beating around the bush about these proclaimed weapons. Yesterday, a poison, ricin, was found at the Wallingford postal sorting center just after the Department of Homeland Security received increased funding of $300 million-a very convenient justification for such an allocation.

Dennis Kucinich says we need to take another path, one away from the warring, poisoning, threatening, fear-mongering world that the Republicans are selling us. We are recognizing the present paradigm as toxic for all of us. It's time to clean up our act.

Robin Sharan, Port Townsend, WA

Craig's List

I can't believe MUGGER actually wrote the phrase "...barring an economic collapse or international disaster..." in assessing Bush's chances in previously Democratic states ("MUGGER," 2/4).

What exactly do you call three million evaporated jobs if not an economic collapse? And, so far, 500-plus families (not counting those of the wounded thousands) just might consider that their personal disasters have an international basis.

Real men admit their mistakes. Fools insist that their self-described righteousness makes them always right. Fortunately, another single-term Bush presidency is nearing its end.

Wendell Craig, Manhattan

Feeling the Noize

Mark Ames' article "Black Metal Nation" was great ("Books," 2/4). I believe he hit the nail on the head. By far this is the best, and most informative, review of An End to Evil I have seen. Thanks.

Daniel Garth Hestand, Huntsville, AL

Hornbuckling Under the Pressure

Judy McGuire is a horse's ass. Her response to the senior citizen (who is plying an uninterested younger lass with furs and vacations) was way off the mark in many, many ways ("Dategirl," 2/4). She may be right that the old guy is wasting his time, but perseverance often pays off.

Case in point: I've been turned down by female acquaintances for years, only to find them change their minds completely after a long enough wait. (One girl turned me down for 15 years before giving me head, without my prodding, at a crowded party and then tried to have sex with me every time we hung out after that.)

Lots of gals turned me down repeatedly only to beg me for sex years later. The main reason, I'm guessing, is that with age their standards lowered. Also, a lot of females are uptight and cowardly until they reach their 30s.

When Grandpa's prey dates enough other guys who turn out to be flakes or boring, good-looking jocks, it is quite possible she will realize she wants a faithful man who worships her. Especially if he turns out to be old enough to be her daddy! (And he's wealthy.) Trust me, she'll get tired of poor musicians soon enough.

Dategirl also wrote that love at first sight is a myth, which is foolish. (McGuire seems very immature in general. Tell her that having sex with lots of guys doesn't make her automatically wise.) Lust has nothing to do with it. I've watched females from across the room and a lady's body language, smile and behavior can tell volumes about a total stranger's intelligence, sense of humor and personality. I've even fallen in love with girls I had absolutely no sexual attraction to. (A few librarians come to mind.)

Don't listen to a word these immature gals tell you, Gramps!

Noah Hornbuckle, Manhattan

Legend of the Black Perle

Congratulations! I laughed out loud after each sentence I read ("Books," 2/4). Unfortunately, Richard Perle isn't exactly what you'd call a "Republican author." He has been a member of the Democratic Party for almost 40 years now.

Believe it or not, one of the world's best rock bands ever arose from one of the most unlikely places: the Scandinavian death metal scene. The band's name is Opeth and their records have created a buzz not only in metal circles, but also in the global progressive rock community. They sound as if graduates from the London academy of Music decided to record a death metal album.

Stefan Hernold, Goettingen, Germany

L. Ron Churilov

From Mark Ames' movie review ("Film," 2/11): "?the other white chick, the valedictorian, is played by Erika Christensen, the butt-faced, midget-skulled Scientologist who played Michael Douglas' crack ho daughter in Traffic."

I have not seen the movie in question-and doubtless will not see it, as I do not fall into the teenage demographic for which it is clearly intended. Therefore I will not comment on the movie's merits or lack of them. What I do want to comment on is the writer's blatantly bigoted mention of a young actor's religion, which is entirely irrelevant to his article and mentioned here in the same vein as you'd find in Nazi Germany's Der Spiegel in the 1930s-as in "the innkeeper, a dirty jew?"

I can understand that your publication sees fit to accept the snide tone of the writer. I cannot understand, nor should you tolerate, patently offensive personal attacks directed at an entertainer or their faith.

Greg Churilov, San Diego

Southern Man Don't Need Him Around, Anyhow

What a crock of shit. Fuck the South ("MUGGER," 2/4). Bush will be lucky if he doesn't wind up dangling from a rope. Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Maryland-for Bush? Yeah, right! Russ Smith must be getting the good dope only rich white people like Rush Limbaugh can get.

Chris Coyle, Louisville

Milwaukee: Beer Capital

I just came across this article by Mark Ames on the web, in which he ponders the similarities between "Norwegian dirtheads and Richard Perle" ("Books," 2/4). A literate and charming title, I thought.

Not being particularly fond of the Perle crowd myself, I started reading the Ames piece but quickly came to the realization that the editors of New York Press had made a terrible mistake: They failed to warn us beforehand of the extremely high level of writing offered by Ames, so full of sparkling wit, subtlety and exquisite taste. I had to stop reading because Ames is just too high-class for rustics like myself.

Seriously, however, if the New York Press wishes to discuss important issues it might at least take the trouble to hire a writer who has graduated from junior high school.

Dan Guenzel, Milwaukee

A Gray from Jupiter

Thanks for Michelangelo Signorile's excellent article ("The Gist," 2/4), but I have to differ on one point. Yes, the media is somewhat lazy, but the corporate cable/broadcast tv news is controlled/owned by those most firmly in the Bush camp and explains the rush to censorship versus mere laziness.

There is no other explanation for the inflammation of nationalism post-9/11-with no serious look into the credible questions being raised by millions around the world, including us "conspiracy theorists" (who are actually just good patriots).

I agree there is laziness in the media (as well as there is incredible talent), but I also know that the censorship is purposeful, historical and most definitely avoidable.

Carolyn Gray, Jupiter, FL

Taking the Red Pill

There are no terrorists. There is no al Qaeda. The whole thing is a story conspired at lengthy "script meetings" by the Bush Cabalists and then promulgated to the public, "made to seem real" by the government propaganda machine (Fox News, CBS, Clear Channel, Murdoch, the New York Times, etc.). That's all there is to it. It is not real. Step behind the curtain and you will find not the Wizard of Oz, but a group of crafty old men plundering the world, enabled by your belief.

Are there no actual local struggles going on in the world today? Of course not. The Israelis and the Palestinians are (unfortunately and tragically) in a war over land, and suicide bombers are a real feature of this Palestinian intifada. But these are not "terrorist bombings"; they are local acts of war with civilian targets.

The Taliban (but not al Qaeda) exists as a real autonomous organization fighting to regain rule of Afghanistan. They operate in that region. And so on. These are not "terrorists." They are not "al Qaeda." They are local power struggles. Their participants have no intention, no interest whatsoever (and no resources) to carry their struggle to distant lands. It's irrelevant to them.

When did the world not have such local struggles? It's not "terrorism." It's just people fighting with each other. Terrorism is a concept made up by the Bush Cabalists for your consumption, just as "Zionist conspiracy" was made up by the Nazi war planners and usurpers.

There are no terrorists. There is no such thing. There were no "anthraxers." It is a lie. There are just local struggles in the world and there are occasional demented individuals ("shoe bombers" or whatever). There always have been and always will be demented individuals, and there have always been and always will be local power struggles; it's nothing new.

You have been made to believe an absurdity. Clear your head of these lies, this whole cloth propaganda, and try to see it clearly. The only global terrorist organization in the world is Bush-Cheney-Perle-Wolfowitz-Rumsfeld-Ashcroft (and you can include Colin Powell and Condi Rice). Osama is a full-fledged member of BushGov, not "al Qaeda."

There is nothing complicated about this operation, except in the details. It's a brilliant, bold operation done openly and in full sight of the world. People don't see what is happening in front of them because they bury their heads in the newspaper and turn on the tv to find out "the truth." How ridiculous. See what is there to see. It is right in front of you. You don't need a newspaper to find out if it's raining. Just step outside and you will find out. If raindrops are falling on you and the newspaper says it is not raining, which one do you believe? Do you believe the rain or do you believe the newspaper?

Michael Marantz, Jamaica, VT