Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to [email protected]. Thanks for your patience.

Dear Editor,
    Re: "The Hightower Report," News, Nov. 24: Yes, go get 'em Jim. I'm behind, beside, or in front of you all the way on this one. Good job. I hope we can get the word out to the people before we are subjected to yet another of the Bushites underhanded, under-the-table, behind-closed-door deals and presidential sign statements that screw the American people. Keep it up, pal.

Dear Editor,
    Stephen Moser's oversized ego may actually surpass his overblown girth. I wonder if he is so full of hot air that he would pop like a balloon if stuck with a pin.

   [Senior Editor Kate X Messer responds: Ms. Richardson is a regular vendor at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, which was recently compared to the Stitch Craft Bazaar in "After a Fashion," Arts, Nov. 17, perhaps inspiring such a personal response.]

Dear Editor,
    Thank you for the hep C reports ["C Sick," Music, Nov. 24; "The Growing Chorus," Music, Aug. 21, 1998]. The word needs to get out truthfully. We think my HCV was contracted in a job-site accident where there was blood, and I CPR'd as first responder. In those days they trained CPR but did not give blood-born pathogen training or have Ambu Bags on-site. But the Sixties were the Sixties, and drugs, tattoos, and transfusions as a source cannot be ruled out in my case. It really doesn't matter how you get it, it's how to stop it that does matter! Maybe if we can get our leaders to stop warring for fun and profit, the medical community will have time and money for treatments besides hard-on pills and butt-bulging drugs. Getting tested and treatment is a must! I know of two others that responded well and got clear though treatment but in my case by the time it was detected, because of an artery from the liver to my heart blowing out creating internal bleeding and necessitating surgery, it may be too late. I have battled now four-plus years and did Peg-Intron treatments for two years with many side car pills and knocked it down but not out, then with continuing sidecars and finally another three months of daily Infergen shots (not FDA approved yet) and sidecars has not given it the boot. The side effects and depression are living hell, and I couldn't take it anymore for awhile and have stopped the shots but continue the pills, eating right, and taking herbs and vitamins. No drugs or alcohol. The viral infection has also attacked my heart now giving me an irregular heartbeat that we also are treating. So it definitely is the dragon, and it is hard to slay, and it is definitely taking lives, not only by itself but also with affordability and the lack of a real program and push effort on behalf of our powers that be. Thank you again for your help in bringing this terrible disease to the public's attention. The battle rages on!

Dear Editor,
    I was going to let pass the notice in the last Chronicle's letters section ["Postmarks," Nov. 17] that "'Page Two' is taking a break this week" when I read Thomas B. Edsall's column in Saturday's New York Times.
    He recalled a late 1950s incident when Sen. Nancy Pelosi's father and old-school political boss, Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. of Baltimore, was asked by a cub reporter about spending a large amount of taxpayer money to renovate his office. The reporter said to the mayor, "My desk wants me to ask you why you are spending so much money on your office." D'Alesandro put his ear close to his desk, then responded: "My desk tells your desk to [expletive]."
    Anthropomorphizing nouns is common in English. Although chairs can talk, D'Alesandro perhaps thought that desks could not or at least should speak for themselves. And before now editorials haven’t taken vacations.

Dear Editor,
    It is time to call North Korea's hand. It's time to deal with them. It would be smart policy to inform North Korea that the Clinton administration gave them two nuclear reactors for peaceful use. Making nuclear bombs and threatening Japan, South Korea, the U.S., etc., is in violation of the intention of these reactors. Therefore, we want them back. Either North Korea can return them to us voluntarily – or we'll take them back – or we will destroy them where they are, should North Korea give us any problems. Then, let Bill Clinton go and mediate their return, and let him take Jimmy Carter along to bore them into agreement.

Dear Editor,
    I am a student at Northwest Vista, and I am doing a class project in my government class. I recently read an article about Dan Morales and the tobacco lawsuit entitled "Dumb and Dapper: Dan Morales Spends His Way Behind Bars" [News, July 4, 2003] and was very intrigued by it. It really caught my attention. I just wanted to thank you for writing this and putting it in the Chronicle for everyone to read and be informed about. I wanted to know what you thought about this issue and other issues similar to it. Do you think that there is a lot of corruption and fraud in our government? Why do you think that these government officials cause such problems and break the trust that they have instilled in our society? As you can see by reading about Dan Morales, this has caused me to want to find out more about what goes on in the government that is being hidden. I believe that these problems of corruption and fraud in our government could be solved if there was more effective communication occurring. There have to be several ways that these problems can be improved and eliminated. This has got to stop. Once again thank you for writing this article, and thank you for your time.

Dear Editor,
    The article on Primarily Primates Inc., "Primal Troubles" [News, Web extra, Oct. 27], clarifies the obvious: that there are two sides to every story or sometimes more sides than one could imagine. It does not, however, adequately address why an attorney general's office – which is inundated with concerns and possible actions – feels that in this case there was reason to step in. It does give us a bit of good news: that the situation for the animals at PPI is finally being investigated by an objective and duly responsible third party – the attorney general's office, the oversight for not-for-profit organizations. Now, important questions are not only being asked, but answered: Has money donated by the public to this "charity" been responsibly and legally managed? Is PPI fulfilling its mission in the rescue and care of animals? Do PPI's standards of care meet those of other comparable and reputable sanctuaries? Or, for each question, has/does it not? What we can be assured of is that because of intervention on behalf of all the animals housed at PPI, soon, the truth shall be known. We can also be assured that in the meanwhile, the animals will see improved conditions in their day-to-day lives at the hands of dozens of trained and expert volunteers from all over the country and Canada. What we can be sure of is that despite newspaper articles that give us too little information, the PPI story is a story about nearly 800 animals who have no voice other than that of caring people willing to go to bat for them. We are. We did. And, we look forward to a final story with a happy ending.

Hello Louis,
    My name is Jabari Warfield, formerly of News 8 Austin. I am pleased to see your latest issue profiling the 2-3 ZIP code ["Life Is a Rhythm," Music, Nov. 17]; however, there is one aspect missing; that aspect is me.
    You see, I grew up in the 2-3. Not only that, my parents – Dr. John Warfield, a UT professor, and Jan Warfield – were the driving force behind the creation of KAZI FM. In addition, I was the on-air personality that kids who were coming home from school were checking out back in 1984. I graduated from LBJ High in 1983 and was on KAZI for all of six years. Back then, I was known as DJ Beare and would do my show from 3 to 6pm. I spun the latest cuts from various rap groups that were out at that time and was the first deejay in Texas to play 2 Live Crew (the clean version, of course). I was also the one who interviewed Run-D.M.C., Roger Troutman, and the S.O.S. Band. I also was the DJ for many parties at Dottie Jordan Recreation Center and Rosewood Recreation Center, as well as the nightclubs on East Riverside, where many rappers mentioned in the article, like Candy Fresh, Papa Chuck, and the Project Crew would attend.
    Lately, I have been a traffic reporter for News 8 Austin and was a 2002 Chronicle "Best of" award winner, as well as a Villager Newspaper award winner, and garnered No. 1 ratings for my smooth jazz show on Majic 95.5.
    While I appreciate Robert Gabriel's article, I just wanted you to know that there are some of us from the 2-3 who are still out there doin' our thing.

Dear Editor,
    The city needs to place a long, concrete curb down the length of Shoal Creek Boulevard to separate the bike lanes from the car lanes. Every day I marvel at the double-wide bike lanes and wonder why the bikers don't appreciate their dedicated riding space. Instead, they ride directly on the white line, forcing all drivers into oncoming traffic just to avoid them. When I'm not driving 10 mph, stuck behind them, I'm trying my best to avoid not squishing them with my car. Time to choose between the bikers and the cars, because it's not working having both.

Dear Editor,
    I live in the neighborhood in which this event [East Austin Studio Tour] took place. I found it particularly offensive when my neighborhood was characterized as "crack-infested" ["EAST, at Ease," Arts, Nov. 17]. I find my neighbors and my family to be law-abiding and tax-paying citizens who look to create homes and honest atmospheres to raise our families in. "Crack" neighborhoods are not only manifested on East Austin. This drug issue is a problem that can be set in any neighborhood.
    This type of article is not only stereotypical, but also an irresponsible statement of an individual who has never actually lived in this neighborhood. I ask that you carefully consider the impact of this type of journalism in the future.
    Thank you.

Dear Editor,
    Having been associated with the Kinky Friedman campaign through the series of Web cartoons I created for him, my friends keep approaching me and saying, "Gee, I heard Kinky was a sore loser on election night." Many had apparently read Jordan Smith's Chronicle article in the Nov. 10 edition ["The Kinkster's Farewell: Leave Me Alone!" News], in which Kinky is portrayed as being snarky, rude, and unapproachable after his loss to Gov. Perry.
    Since I was at the same event, I must disagree with Smith's portrayal of the evening. I was not witness to Kinky's comments toward Smith, but I witnessed a kind, gracious, and giving side to the Kinkster. After the press conference, Kinky signed memorabilia and chatted with his supporters for more than an hour, thanking every person who approached him. Could the same be said of the other candidates? I'm sorry to hear that Smith didn't get an exclusive interview at the event, but I didn't see any exclusive interviews of other candidates at their concession speeches. Was Kinky the only candidate hounded by a Chronicle writer that night? How dare he not give five minutes of his time to a reporter when hundreds of his friends and supporters want a word with him!
    In summary, I expect better political reporting from The Austin Chronicle. This article read more like a personal blog by a first-year journalism student than professional election coverage. It seems there was more than one sore loser that night.

Dear Editor,
    I would think that on the morning of Nov. 8, while sipping his first cup of coffee and reviewing the detailed election returns, state Senator-elect Kirk Watson might have felt a twinge of regret at the race he chose a couple of years back. It occurred to me, so it might have occurred to him, that he could be congressman-elect Watson today. After the 2002 statewide debacle, perhaps he set his sights too low.
    Travis County clearly voted Democrat in all but the most country-club precincts and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The Travis County portion of District 10 is bigger than the Harris County portion. After the sweep of all Travis County state representative seats proved that Tom DeLay overstepped reality, perhaps Watson or Barrientos or Strama or even Mayor Wynn just might be drooling over this 10th Congressional District. Looks to me like it's there for the taking.

Dear Editor,
    'Bout time you gave Austin hip-hop some cover(age) ["Life Is a Rhythm," Music, Nov. 17].

Dear Editor,
    Re: "Reefer Madness" [News, Nov. 17] by Jordan Smith: Of course drug czar John Walters has never rolled a joint! Federal drug warriors typically know very little about the subject of their alleged expertise. The emphasis on "drug-free" pasts ensures that those least knowledgeable about the effects of illegal drugs are in charge of enforcing laws against them. The primary hiring criterion for drug warriors is ignorance.
    There is a good reason millions of Americans prefer marijuana to martinis. Anyone who has experimented with both drugs knows that alcohol is far more dangerous. Alcohol drinkers who overindulge risk painful hangovers, loss of basic bodily functions, and even death. Marijuana smokers who overindulge risk wanting to take a nap. Like any drug, marijuana can be harmful if abused, but criminal records are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents.