High IQ

I'm writing in response to Patricia Gasant's ignorant rant about the IQ of marijuana users ("Joint Responsibility," Letters, March 4). I am a professional with a master's degree. I am a marijuana smoker. My smoke cypher includes lawyers and Ph.D.s. We are all over 30. We usually get together for an organic/vegetarian dinner with good wine and good cannabis. We discuss the economy, politics, family, who's finishing or defending a dissertation, and who's studying for the bar. I have found that marijuana smokers, whether for medical reasons or pleasure, are more intelligent and responsible than users of other substances.

It's ignorant people like Ms. Gasant who stereotype smokers from Hollywood movies and bad anti-drug campaigns. Maybe Ms. Gasant should join our cypher and become educated. Who knows, maybe she'll get a contact high IQ.

Nicole, San Jose

A Hoot

I don't read Metro on a regular basis but this article ("Kings of Karaoke," Cover Story, March 4) was a hoot. I'll definitely be back on a more regular basis.

Peter Polito, Clayton, Calif.

Decline and Fall

This article ("Bankruptcy Chic," Cover, March 11) truly explains our society's decline. "The plastic camp shoved a bill through the 2005 Congress, gifting the credit card companies by screwing the consumer. George Bush, no doubt, took enormous delight in inking this class war declaration."

How is a Ph.D.-educated, San Francisco–living editor part of the lower class? How many doctorates do you need to be middle class? If simply walking away from his debt was easier, perhaps he could declare every year. It's disturbing to know he actually qualifies for bankruptcy.

"Fortunately, we decided to cut costs, move out of the city and do the conventional work thing. But even with steady work, the bills kept mounting."

Tragic. Forced into the suburbs to live with the unenlightened folks of Marin or Burlingame. Deprived of five-star restaurants on every street corner, who wouldn't consider suicide? And bills kept mounting because ... ?

You are doing a great disservice printing this rubbish.

Trent Miller, Santa Clara

For Shame

Your lazy, one sided editorial about Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman ("Still Questing," Film Lead, March 4) and your conclusions based on speculous [sic] statements from angry filmmaker DiSabbatino [sic; actually, it's Di Sabatino] were pure trash!

Almost everyone in Christian music who has been following this feud knows the real motive for this movie was not honesty—it was made after DiSabbatino used Larry's music and credited Larry as musical director for Frisbee without permission, and Larry rightfully demanded that his music be pulled from the project. 

This movie is nothing more than a petty revenge planned to slant and twist and fabricate damaging stories against a good man of God.

Who wrote the article? DiSabbatino himself????

Shame on you—write a retraction!

Keith Schwartz, St. Paul, Minn.

Diehard Fan

As an old-time diehard Giants fan I grew accustomed to making fun of the way the laid-back, lackadaisical Dodger fans would begin pouring out of Chavez Ravine in the top of the seventh. ("San Jose A's?" Mashup!, March 19.) "L.A. Wimps," we'd mutter as we recalled the last frigid Candlestick twi-night doubleheader we'd survived by stuffing discarded wadded up newspapers under our clothing to keep from freezing to death. As a longtime San Jose resident, knowing the nature of today's typical San Josean, it would be pretty hard to stomach my hometown's humiliation as NBC's cameras panned around the yawning, latte sipping, bluetooth clad, distracted bunch of yuppies in our sparsely filled, multimillion dollar, whoever-the-most-expensive-architect-in-the-world-is–designed stadium.

Separation of Church and State? Maybe. Separation of Sports and State? Definitely. No more using tax dollars to subsidize millionaires. Not AIG executives. Not sports franchise owners.

John Galt, San Jose