United's Bulbs Brighter
I am the manager of United Artists Metro Theater on Union Street in Cow Hollow. I want to answer the criticism regarding my operation in "SF Weekly's Ultimate Guide to Bay Area Filmgoing" (Nov. 6).
Your report stated, "[The Metro's] staff is so intent on following corporate dictates -- like mouthing the words, 'Welcome to United Artist Theaters' Stepford-style to everyone who walks in the door -- that everything else becomes a joke." Our greeting can grate the nerves of more sensitive folk, but we still make the effort for two reasons. First, the customer is acknowledged upon entering the theater. Second, we make an obvious attempt to instill name recognition in the audience.
Your article defined specific problems with our film presentation: "The projection is probably the worst of any major theater in San Francisco." You commented that our screen is too dark, and our sound "muffled." Thank you for the observations. You are the first to bring them up. I will double-check the cleanliness of the projector lenses as well as the plate-glass window in the projection booth. Your final comment on focusing problems and the off-screen picture projection are both recognizable. The off-screen projection you experienced has been fixed, and focus can be adjusted. I apologize for the inconvenience.
As manager of the Metro, I am always looking to improve the moviegoing experience. Your comments have helped; however, I regret that your reporter did not identify himself to me or my staff. Although United Artists gets a bad rap from this issue of SF Weekly, you will find that many managers are actually nice people.
Josh Perkey
Richmond District
Rainbow Warrior
Tim Sanchez and all of his neo-con "brothers" of color ("Quota Quandary," Bay View, Oct. 30) are traitors buckdancing upon the graves of their kinfolk nationwide. Their delusion, Eurocentrism, and denial betray us all in countless ways, from their white votes to their white spouses.
Racist peers will always see these apologists as "wetbacks/niggers/spics" no matter how they vote! Sexist employers who prefer to hire women will continue to do so. White women have benefited most from affirmative action, but wimps find it easier to bash their sisters than their white wives.
War looms. In combat, traitors are the first to perish because they have proven they cannot be trusted. Sanchez and his fellow colored boys have shown their true colors.
Alicia Banks
Oakland
A Vote of Preference
I would like to commend SF Weekly on a generally excellent article about preference voting ("What's Your Preference?" Bay View, Oct. 23), one of the best I have read in recent memory. We all have to adjust with the times. Preference voting will lead to a more dynamic city politic, and certainly a livelier and more representative Board of Supervisors that is less prone to rubber-stamp machine politics.
Margaret Garcia
Richmond District
Corrections
Due to a production error, the San Francisco International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival was left off our list of local film fests last week ("SF Weekly's Ultimate Guide to Bay Area Filmgoing"). Next year's festival will run June 20-29; the contact number is 703-8650.
In "Trivia Matters" ("Unspun," Nov. 6), KPFA's listenership was reported to be 30,000. In fact, it has 22,000 subscribers and 150,000 listeners.
