Letters to the Editor

I absolutely agree with this viewpoint. San Francisco offers (arguably) the best quality of living in the country, if not the world, and there is no coincidence that this same city happens to be one of the least auto-friendly. People come here to ride our cable cars, streetcars, ferries, etc., because they have disappeared from their own cities and neighborhoods where once they were the norm and not the exception. I moved to the city so I wouldn't HAVE to drive. I lived in L.A. for a long time and know what it is like to have to drive miles and miles to eat in one area, pick up dry cleaning in another, go to a grocery store in yet another place, and live miles away from all of it again.

Our city, like New York, is unique, and it should stay that way.
Lance Walker
Noe Valley

A Parallel Universe
I know quite well that to expect a geographical faculty from the average Joe is an exacting requisite, but to see such mediocrity in SF Weekly, the paragon of ethnic and fiscal diversity, is disheartening.

Shalimar is not an Indian restaurant, even within your limited, out-of-context colloquial categorization ("Best Indian Restaurant," Best of San Francisco, May 17). It is not in any way reflective of Calcutta, a city in Bengal state, over 1,200 miles from Lahore, which incidentally is the location of the Mughal "Shalimar" garden. It is not only inhabited by "Pakistani cooks," its cuisine is Pakistani, as well as the ownership.

Cities and cultures over a thousand miles apart share very little in common. A parallel for the Eurocentrics among us would be the distance between London and Berlin: 720 miles.
Saqib Mausoof
Twin PeaksReleased
Spundae Productions requests an immediate retraction and correction be initiated with regards to the item printed on Page 147 of the May 17 issue of SF Weekly (Best of San Francisco) titled "Best Club to Scope Out Exotic British DJs" ("Release" at Ten 15 Folsom).

The content two-thirds of the way deep reading "Take DJ duo Sasha and Digweed, for example, who treat the club as a second home" is grossly incorrect. Sasha and Digweed have never played for the production company Release. Sasha and Digweed, who are world-renowned talents, play exclusively for Spundae Productions. These two talents have absolutely NO ASSOCIATION with Release Productions.

The following sentence in the Best Of article is also incorrect: "... and other bigwigs like Paul Oakenfold, Andrea Parker, and Grant Plant." Paul Oakenfold has never represented Release Productions. He plays exclusively for Spundae Productions.
Michael Anthony, PR Manager
Spundae Productions
San Francisco

SF Weekly responds: DJs Paul Oakenfold and Sasha and Digweed have only played for Spundae in San Francisco.SF Weekly regrets the errors.

Big Shoes
As a regular reader and occasional contributor to Michael Fox's Reel World, I was surprised at the reference to S.F. Film Commission Executive Director P.J. Johnston as virtual ("... as effective as phantom Film Commission Executive Director ...," May 24).

While the late Robin Eickman left some mighty big shoes to fill, it seems like P.J.'s unique history and combined political savvy, diplomatic skills, and motivation to further the local film community have already brought significant success to the scene.

Post P.J.'s campaign service to Da Mayor, his office's marketing efforts and neighborhood concern resolution have nurtured a robust spring of film production and post work, including shooting for Disney's Bedazzled and currently Bel Air Entertainment's Sweet November. Several other significant feature projects as well as commercial and industrial production have helped put bread on the table for many of us employed in the San Francisco film industry. We're thankful and supportive of P.J.'s efforts, which seem a bit more real than phantom.
Howie Stein
American Zoetrope
San Francisco

Both Sides Now
Interesting photo of Live Nude Bands ("Long Live Sport," Night Crawler, May 31). You have the rare distinction of publishing a photograph that is both over- and underexposed. And you call the Weekly an alternative newspaper.
Ronald Tierney
Via InternetJeff Riggenbach