Letters to the Editor

And a defense of Saha:Your reviewer must've picked up some crack on her way over to review Saha ["The Bland Leading the Bland," Eat, Jan. 5], because her use of the word "bland" in any way as a reference to the food shows a completely impaired and distorted perception. The food as I've experienced it at Saha is some of the most creative and delectable available in the Bay Area. The strength of flavors and confident use of spices is something exceedingly rare.

At the end of the article the reviewer compares Saha's Arabic food with a Turkish/Armenian restaurant. That implies a myopic view that food from Yemen is the same as Turkish/Armenian food. It is akin to comparing Southern cuisine to Mexican. Yes, they both use pork and beans, but they are not the same cuisine at all.

Jennifer Alexander
Lower Haight

And the first ever to substitute "Weakly" for "Weekly" in a snarky letter to the editor:This Weak-ly's cover story ["2004: A Year of Mayoral Triumph," Dec. 29] is just plain stupid. I hope Matt Gonzalez sues you.

Tony Mueller
Mission

Central Valley Zen:Your article on the drive down the 5 to Los Angeles ["The 5 and Whine," The Apologist, Dec. 29] was obviously written by someone who needs to be amused by video games and other noncreative forms of noise and spectacle. I spent many years driving up and down the 5 to play music in L.A., and I actually looked forward to the drive. Once you hit the straight stretch after Pleasanton, you crank the music, open the windows, and just drive. It's very Zen-like and relaxing. There is also the adventure of stopping off at the truck stops to buy a classic country CD or cassette and grab a Slurpee. I guess today's kids just have no imagination or creativity and need outer resources for their entertainment. Next time you drive down the 5, Matt, maybe someone can drive while you sit in back and watch a movie on the video screen because there is nothing out there on the road for you to appreciate.

Catherine Butler
Los Angeles

A glansing blow:Normally I enjoy Matt Smith's columns, even though I often disagree with his views. However, lately I simply find him to be a dickhead. It started with his attack on those selfish, privileged Tenderloin residents who are solely responsible for Muni's problems with their demand for a stop on every corner ["Bus Stopped," Nov. 24]. And now Smith has decided to use the tragic and unnecessary death of Eric Bass to take yet another slap at local politicians ["Ghost of Politics Past," Dec. 29].

Had Smith bothered to ask around, he might have learned that it is hardly news that Bass was a convicted embezzler. I knew it, and I'm barely plugged in. Instead, Smith lays out all of Bass' dirty laundry, including words from his psychologist, for all the world to see.

Bass' crime occurred over 10 years ago, and since he was not in jail when he died, it appears that he adhered to the judge's demands. So why on Earth is it newsworthy to dredge all of it up, especially when a dead guy is unable to defend himself? What a class act.

Had Smith not been so busy stroking himself off to his own words, he might have realized that the important story in all of this is how on Earth did a well-connected, HIV-positive person die of pneumonia in 2004, and what can we learn so that something like that doesn't happen again?

Ryan Clary
Nob Hill

The only letter without a sex-organ analogy left in our mailbox:Thanks for bringing Joefire to life ["Ghost of Politics Past," Dec. 29]. Many others missed the opportunity. I really enjoyed reading about him.

Jim Corrigan
Forest Hills