Letters for May 18, 2006

See you at the races!

Re “Motopyscho!” (SN&R Feature Story, May 11)

Quite possibly the best article published to date about motocross and the Hangtown Nationals race. You captured the feel and the excitement of the race and the sport. James Stewart is a legend in the making, thanks for recognizing his importance in the sport and for writing such a well-researched and complete article — something the MX industry mags struggle with from time to time.

You nailed it, see you at the races!

Michael Ladinig
Sacramento

Drive-bys …

Re “An open letter …” (SN&R Nothing Ever Happens, May 4)

Dear Becca. Even though we have never met and probably never will, I read your article about the person (notice I didn’t say lady) who yelled at you out of her car window to give you her opinion about your outfit and legs. I can only say that anyone who would do this and not have the class to stop and hear your reaction is a No Class Stupid Piece of ____. People like that are gutless and rude and have no reason to be alive. I have seen people do crap like this to others and I can only wonder why they were allowed to live at birth. They do not make the world a better place. Then again, I guess everyone is put on this earth to set an example, even if it is a bad one. I am sure that these two also toss their cigarette butts out of the car window and their food wrapping. I mean, they seem pretty good about throwing crap out the window not caring if its paper products or words. Too bad that you were not able to get their license-plate number. Then instead of an Amber Alert, we could have had a Dipshit Alert. Well, I just wanted to say that I am sorry that this happened and I agree with you: The black stockings would not have matched the dress and brown shoes. Trust me, my wife does ask for my advice on some of her outfits and she will tell you that I have good taste. And as for big legs: Hey, give me big legs over being a big asshole any day. Now you have a fantastic day.

Kenny Duran
Sacramento

… dimwits …

Re “An open letter …” (SN&R Nothing Ever Happens, May 4)

Hi Becca. I just finished reading your piece. I loved it! I’ve lived in a lot of cities and I have to say that people in Sacramento seem to have an unusually strong predilection for yelling strange sentences out of their cars. A few weeks ago I was walking around the Tower district holding hands with my boyfriend and a group of boys drove by and yelled, “He’s not getting his d___ sucked!”

People are weird. I just wanted you to know your article made me laugh and you’re not alone.

Jen
via e-mail

… a diss …

Re “An open letter …” (SN&R Nothing Ever Happens, May 4)

Becca Costello clearly needs a blog. I read her open letter wondering: Is this news? Review? This is what we shot a half-page worth of the world’s dwindling resources for?

O. Johnny Lawless
via e-mail

… dogs …

Re “An open letter …” (SN&R Nothing Ever Happens, May 4)

I just had to send you a quick e-mail after reading the article you wrote. I am just shocked and appalled by what the woman in the car said to you as you were walking down the street and minding your own business.

I too have been yelled at by passing motorists on several occasions and I just hate it. I have had my feelings hurt many times. (I am one of those that takes things to heart.) I have been barked at (“bark” as in dog), which I interpreted as whomever it was thought I looked like a dog. I have had a person drive by me and yell, “Are you a girl or a boy?” and laugh while driving away. I have had guys in cars come up from behind and, as soon as they pass and look at me, start laughing and speed away. It is a terrible feeling. After such incidents, I have been left feeling hurt, feeling depressed that I am ugly and in tears. I just can’t fathom why some people can be so cruel. Do they know or even consider what their words and actions can do to a person? How it makes them feel? That it could be something that sends a person over the edge? Obviously not.

We can only hope that maybe at least one of these people who partake in this type of behavior will read your article and think twice before doing it again. I certainly hope so.

Thanks for the article. It was a good one and one I bet many can relate to.

Susan K.
Sacramento

… or just plain heartless?

Re “An open letter …” (SN&R Nothing Ever Happens, May 4)

You said it best girl! Many times I have wanted to ask the same question to the countless cruel and insensitive people I have encountered. My 16-year-old daughter is an individualist who enjoys a healthy appetite for life. The things people to say to her because of her hair, weight, clothes … pick a subject, floors me. I have been stunned into silence at times, and I am rarely silent when it comes to injustice toward my child or against anyone. Enough of my rambling. Your article was fabulous. Thanks for asking the question that needed to be asked. I am going to share your article with my daughter. I look forward to seeing her piercings sparkle in the sun when she smiles, comforted by the knowledge that someone shares her heart.

Millicent Ozdaglar
Sacramento

In other news

Re “Crying Kelo” by R.V. Scheide (SN&R News, May 4):

I was surprised your “Crying Kelo” article focused primarily on the negative aspects of eminent-domain use. After reading the article, many of your readers may see eminent domain as a negative power and ignorantly vote it out of existence without realizing the positive impact it has in their lives. If Chico had not used eminent-domain law in the ’90s, Bidwell Park would be half the size it is now and surrounded by suburban sprawl. If the city of Sacramento loses its eminent-domain powers, the redevelopment of the contaminated property on the riverfront will be delayed and may never happen, as private-property owners could not be forced to sell their land to the city.

City use of eminent-domain law is a necessary tool for the protection of the quality of life that its citizens enjoy. It is the power they use to create the park where your children play by preventing the box-retailer and parking lot that corporate interest would build in its place. It is the power used to force corporations to relinquish contaminated land so it may be cleaned up and returned to the community. Relocation represents a very small fraction of eminent-domain use, yet the preference seems to be focusing on this as a reason to eliminate the power rather than presenting an accurate representation of the true impact that eminent domain has in a community. It should be noted that in a relocation situation, compensation to affected parties is far from “pennies on the dollar.” The reality is relocation costs are often in excess of market values. I believe that your article will serve only to feed the fear that will pass shortsighted legislation and ultimately damage the quality of life in many cities.

I wonder if your article would have included the positive effects of eminent-domain use if the bills being introduced were sponsored by corporate interests so they could eliminate city interference with developments. Years from now, SN&R may be publishing articles about how unrestrained corporate sprawl is destroying the community. Will you realize then that your “Crying Kelo” article may have helped champion the bill(s) that took away the city’s only weapon to prevent this from happening?

Paul Raab
via e-mail

For the record

Re “[Stop] Hating Barry Bonds” by Donnell Alexander (SN&R Feature Story, April 27)

As you wrote in an editor’s note your April 27 issue: “First off, of course, we have Bonds’ rush to break Babe Ruth’s career home-run record.”

Now, if memory serves me correctly, Babe Ruth’s home-run record of 714 was broken 32 years ago in Atlanta by Hank Aaron. Even Bud Selig knows that. That’s why there will be no celebration by Major League Baseball if and when Barry Bonds hits number 715.

It never ceases to amaze me that people still think that Babe Ruth holds the career home-run record or the undying adulation they hold for a player most have never seen play. Seeing that he hasn’t played for 71 years and has been dead for 58.

By the way, he no longer holds the single-season home-run record either. That was first broken 45 years ago by Roger Maris.

M. Stoyle
via email

Venders rule

Re “Move it or lose it” by Amanda Dyer (SN&R News, April 27)

I liked the article about shutting down the Rasta food vender.

The city should be concerned about health and not just financial aspects. Making the vendor move its cart every 15 minutes does nothing to protect the health of persons buying food from the vender.

I have traveled the world and most of the world except Sacto has these portable food vendors. Some places, the food is actually safer to eat from a street-food vendor than a restaurant. In places like India, Vietnam and Thailand, restaurants can have dirty kitchens but the street food can be cleaner. Since more locals eat food from the street, often the food is fresher and nicer.

What I wonder as I go to Friday concerts and other venues with food vendors is how safe is this food. How come the bathrooms are shut down and one can see these vendors in line to use the portable toilets without washing their hands? How is this allowed? They should be required to wash their hands.

The city has shown they care little about health and more about money. Instead of shutting them down, the health concerns should be addressed. Think about this food you buy at a Friday concert as you see the same food worker in line for the porta potty. Even Denios in Roseville has a hand-washing station next to the porta potties.

Carl Mandabach
Sacramento