OSTPOLITIK I cannot believe how right on the piece was "How ...

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I cannot believe how right on the piece was "How Much Do We Get for Putting Up with Them" (The News Hole, 11/17). As a downtown resident who choked for months on dust and smoke, and still puts up with the police closing our streets so they can have free parking, I am totally pissed at the greedy bastards who never feel they have gotten enough. It's not enough that they whine about the money, but they whine the memorial isn't large enough, they want to bury bodies there, etc. Nothing will satisfy them. The problem is our bullshit politicians and the mainstream media have encouraged this process. I personally hope everyone gets to see them for what they are-ungrateful whiners.

John Ost, Manhattan

ELECTION CYCLE

It's bad enough that most buyers of those 6000-pound behemoth SUVs that infest our streets can get a tax credit (thanks to the Bush administration), which practically pays for the things with our tax dollars. Now our Republican, born-again, bike-hating mayor has created a climate that produces a travesty like this proposed bill, which sticks it to bicyclists, of all people (The News Hole, "License This, Nice Lady," 11/24).

I voted for our incumbent City Council Representative in District 2, but if she votes for this thing (Int.# 497), I'm going to do my best to see that she's replaced. Remember, we vote for these people. A page at the official NYC City Council website has a convenient look-up feature to enable citizens to identify and contact their own City Council Representatives, and check their voting records on various bills.

Jim Wilson, Manhattan

THE SULLIVAN SCRATCH

In response to Russ Smith's column in which he discussed the Andrew Sullivan appearance on Bill Maher's talk show, I too witnessed that bizarre spectacle ("Pulitzer Time for the Marlboro Man" 11/17). From the onset, the "balanced" panel went in to post-election attack-mode meltdown. First up, the antagonistic Republican senator, then Sullivan's extended diatribe. Initially I thought we might hear cool-headed analysis, or even some divisive vitriol. Directed mostly at Maher and his ilk, the host showed diplomatic, if confounded restraint. Lacking too were the usual laughs and all I could think was, well, this is therapeutic.

In apportioning blame for Bush, 2005-08, the pedantic Sullivan excoriated all of us fellow Kerry supporters for our attitude, presumption and where we went wrong. This again devalues the issues I voted for; reducing us to our gang-member colors-blue vs. red. The "new Republican" went on to vilify Noam Chomsky after his remote segment, as second only to Bin Laden in anti-Americanism. If anything came out of the rancorous debate and record voting this year, it's that citizens live in altered realities, demonstrate their love of country differently, as do they express perceived erosion of fundamentals-none of which should be impugned.

Of course, most perplexing was at show's end when Sullivan showed his flip side, and that rear-view adjustment. In hopes of getting to the bottom, I have a hindsight hypothesis; during his high-blood- pressure rant, Andrew blew out a butt plug. The autogrope was an attempt at reinsertion-too late, as by then it had said far too much.

Ron Zumpano, Riverdale, NY

SEE YOU IN 2008

"Wimblehack" rocked (Matt Taibbi, "Wimblehack: The Sad End," 11/17). I didn't read most of the contestants' work, though, as I tried to avoid most mainstream campaign coverage. Hope this becomes a regular feature; it isn't just campaign coverage the "majors" suck at, it's coverage of virtually everything else as well. Thanks for the insightful and hilarious look at just how bad these highly paid stenographers are.

Lisa Lavelle, Irving, TX

MCNICHOL OF OUR DISCONTENT

Matt Taibbi is right in his article "My DLC Problem, and Ours" (11/10). Success and happiness in life, whatever that means to each of us, starts with self-development and improvement. It seems both the right and left (most people anyway) suffer the lack of self-development as evidenced by the blind faith exhibited by most of Bush's supporters and the hatred and finger-pointing exhibited by the more liberal group.

Widespread inquisitiveness into improving our own selves will lead the Democrats to the presentation of a clear path and message needed to get where we want to go and have meaningful impact when we get there. It's in our hands because, let's face it, we will be more likely to adopt such a mentality than the right.

Kevin McNichol, via email

ME MYSELF AND I

Lucius Allred: You have one problem ("My Cheatin' Art," 11/10). It is not that your subject matter is empty, shallow, boorish, infantile and oh-so-covered; it is not that you are a walking, talking embarrassment of a human being, and a colossal waste of life; it is not that you-for sure-will receive your just desserts from an unhappy husband and/or boyfriend, and you will receive it with mustard (it is none of these things).

Rather, your problem, in the immortal words of Daffy Duck, is "?pronoun trouble." Using "I," "me," or "my" 127 times (and counting) may make you a narcissistic, self-absorbed jerk-off, but it doesn't make you a writer. That's your problem-all this time, you've considered yourself one, but you are not. Stop thinking that you are. A career change is in order: a gigolo, perhaps, or a bellhop at the Marriott. You'll meet all sorts of women in both lines of work. However, leave the writing to the writers.

Robert Liebowitz, Astoria

OK!

Bill 497 is meant to curb tourism in your fair city (The News Hole, "License This, Nice Lady," 11/24). Bicyclists, at least where I live, travel from state to state to ride their bicycles in many different events each year. With a bill like this one passed, I can guarantee I will not bring my bicycle to ride there in any ride. I would think this type of law would be unenforceable at best.

Dennis Clark, Oklahoma City

FRIST'S FIST FIRST

Russ Smith's political pick of Romney as opposed to Frist is nuts ("Pledging Their Time," 11/24). Tennessee is a great incubator for politicians. No pro-abortion nominee will win the Republican nomination, although as an enemy of judicial imperialism, Romney has the best chance. Also Romney is a Mormon from Massachusetts, come on!

I think McCain has a chance. The Republican party has a pro-military wing that likes McCain. That combined with the budget balancers, the good government types in the NE and the "it's his turn" folks. We nominated Ike, Reagan and Dole. All old men. That is the nominee in my view.

John Vecchione, via email

JUST BEING DESCRIPTIVE

Just read Matt Taibbi's "Wimblehack: The Sad End" (11/17). Why the comment that Bumiller "looked like a smug, barking cow"? In an otherwise persuasive piece, this bit of infantile sexism struck a jarring note.

Joseph L. Ruby, Silver Spring, MD

THE AID ESCAPE

One sentence in Alexander Zaitchik's column "Doctors with Some Borders" leapt out (11/17). It was the quote from Colin Powell, who in appropriating aid organizations for the U.S. government's purposes of conquest, called them a "force multiplier" and said their withdrawal from Iraq would mark a "victory for the terrorists." In effect, that was an invitation to said terrorists to score a victory by targeting aid workers. Like Bush's "Bring 'em on" remark, it dared the insurgents and jihadists to attack. Perhaps some aid workers didn't appreciate having a bulls-eye pinned on their backs by Powell.

The result for people like Margaret Hassan, the CARE director in Iraq who devoted her life to helping Iraq's poor (unlike the U.S., which first supported the dictator Hussein, then killed half a million poor Iraqi kids with sanctions, and now, having cut off their water and utilities, systematically bombs their neighborhoods) and has apparently been murdered by ruthless kidnappers, is to be ground between two merciless forces-the United States and its most fanatical opponents.

Jason Zenith, Manhattan

TRY BANANA PEEL

Damn you, Taibbi! No more Wimblehack?! What the hell do you expect me to put in this pipe now? I guess it's back to crack, right? Four more years-shit!

Douglas T. Cooper, East Elmhurst, NY

SEITZ'S HEIGHTS

Matt Zoller Seitz is one of the best writers in the country. You are lucky to have him. Has he written any books? Would love to swing from a longer vine...

Also, is he an on-camera personality there locally?

Ben Caswell, Los Angeles

FAT CHANCE

There is a factual inaccuracy in Gabriella Gershenson's piece on Per Se, in which she states it is "the most expensive restaurant at the new Time Warner Center" ("Five-Star Gluttony," 11/24). Masa Takayama's restaurant, Masa, is the most expensive with only one menu option, which costs a minimum of $300. As certain seasonal items become available, the per-person cost rises to $500 plus.

I look forward to her review of Masa.

Jaime Vazquez, Fort Lee, NJ

OUT, OUT AND AWAY

Keep it up, Michelangelo Signorile ("Out and About to Get Ugly," 11/24). Out them all! It's good for us gays and lesbians and the nation. Why, it's your patriotic duty!

Anthony Barthelemy, Miami

CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING

Two weeks ago, millions of Americans slept as the final nail was hammered into the casket of the remnants of democracy this country once possessed. Strolling out of work I saw the cover of New York Press and picked it up, thinking that the headline "My Cheatin' Art" would lead to an article about the cover artist's work. Instead, I found what has the dubious distinction of being the most juvenile, old-news, masturbatory piece of writing I've ever encountered as a New York paper's feature story (Lucius Allred, 11/10). Jeez, frat boys and old corporate wheezers are loaded with similar tales, but at least they have the sense to keep 'em to themselves or to locker-room buddies. The article read like a truncated version of some bunk self-help book about commitment-phobes, with all the painfully proverbial clichés: I'm scared to be alone, women like being treated like shit, blah-dee-blah.

Upon retrospect, there is a certain beauty to this article, not because of its hoary old content, but because of the context in which it was published. Two weeks ago, the Bush administration "won" the election. Millions didn't care, or didn't even vote, because they were too busy with the little worlds of their tender egos. This article is a perfect microcosm of the self-absorbed, plastic bubble that so many complacent Americans are wandering around in. On a continuum, while the author claims he doesn't have much money, he exhibits one of the possible symptoms of living in a rich, apathetic country-ennui. His funny ideas about women and desperate fuckfest are some of the telltale, crooked signs.

Only once in my life did I go out with someone who could have very well been a burgeoning pupil of this writer. He wasn't as bad-he started off being kind and he did spend money on me. But months into the relationship he revealed the funky ideas he harbored about women, i.e., getting me jealous would keep me interested. Someone that once appeared to be a strong, principled man, revealed himself as the insecure, confused person that he was.

On a closing note, the author says he doesn't make much money as a freelance author. He should consider how to make lots soon, because if he's well into his forties, the whispers of old age are already brushing at his heels. And while I like to steer clear of generalizations, it seems that women (and men) appreciate money a whole lot more than they do a crusty, untrustworthy, whorish man with a nasty disposition.

Arlette R. Velez, Manhattan

ASHTON KUTCHER IS A GENIUS

Lucius Allred's "My Cheatin' Art" was the worst piece of fiction ever written (11/10). I wouldn't have minded if the stories were good, but they were so clichéd and retarded it was fairly intolerable. I mean, a girlfriend narrowly escapes the fury of another girlfriend by running down the hall in her panties? Sounds like someone has seen one too many Ashton Kutcher movies.

And about the cock shots: Women don't get off on photos of random guys' cocks. Gay guys get off on photos of random guys' cocks.

This entire piece reeks of pure male fantasy-a woman isn't going to travel cross-country to stay in a hotel a block away from some scrammy-ass freelance writer so he can "fuck her" unless she's 50 and desperate or 200 pounds overweight. Nor is some bitch in the Bronx going to PayPal him $25 to see his cock. She can go to any bar at any time to see a random dude's cock. I don't doubt Lucius is eminently fuckable, but the piece was probably 75 percent lies.

The cover art was nice, though. Keep up the good work!

Adele Gardiner, via email

MORAL MINORITY

On every count, Russ Smith reveals himself to have an imperfect and biased grasp of the Democrats' complaints against the so-called "moral majority" ("Waiting for 2008," 11/10).

Not favoring gay marriage is one thing; curtailing the equality of a minority group is another entirely. Going to church every Sunday is one thing; imposing Christian values onto a secular state is another.

Israel has every right to defend herself against terrorists. America, however, must understand its role on a global rather than a national scale. Too many lawyers do indeed prey on gullible victims, but healthcare professionals, like any other group that provides a necessary service to the public, require watchdogs as surely as the many, many citizens who lack adequate healthcare require protection. As America loses touch with Europe and al Qaeda reforms and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to rage, it seems unlikely that the invasion of Iraq will help stabilize the world; but, if it does, it will be in spite of Bush's arrogant and reckless adventuring, not because of it.

How dare these Republicans claim moral superiority over fellow citizens who favor social and civil equality; who believe morals can be found outside the church door; who patronize businesses that do not so egregiously mistreat their employees and make a travesty of the values they claim to supports as Wal-Mart does; who believe that tax cuts should be distributed with a deft and fair hand rather than to a small group of wealthy individuals; who agree with most of the world that America ought to consider its slipping position in the global economy when deciding its foreign relations; who believe that the poor and disenfranchised ought to have equal and competent representation before the law; and who realize that, while Iraq's government may have made a mockery of the ideals of democracy that America believes it must enforce, the precipitous war into which, on false grounds, Bush propelled us has cost in its messy and lingering wake far more than the original toll of both American and Iraqi life.

Josephine S. Richstad, via email