Numbers Game

The Zanotto's fresh produce section has always been well-maintained and has usually charged economical prices, so I have frequently made purchases there of tomatoes, apples, oranges and a few other produce items ("Store Wars," MetroNews, Sept. 2).

Today, I compared prices on these items:

Produce item—Zanotto's—Safeway:

Granny Smith apples—$1.49/lb.—$1.99/lb.

Tomatoes (Houweling)—$1.39/lb.—$1.99/lb.

Navel oranges—$1.49/lb.—$1.49/lb.

So my comparison reaffirms what I have come to believe: Safeway produce tends to be more expensive when the item is not on sale. And by the way, the Safeway prices are the "discounted" Club Card Prices.

So Zanotto's has a viable future as long as it maintains a price advantage. Plus I like the more low-key atmosphere.

Dave Noran

San Jose

We're Curly

Thank you for the great write-up of James Williamson ("Center Stooge," MetroMusic, Sept. 2) article.

Although your article on James was tremendous, I am rather perplexed as to why he was not the main story of your magazine or on the cover. His return to music after a 30-year absence has made national and international attention in nearly every major music magazine. Not to mention that his music has influenced countless rock/punk artists (Sex Pistols, the Damned, Chili peppers, Nirvana, just to name a few). His return to the stage truly was the show to see this year. People who came to see it came from as far as Europe, and the fact that the show was in San Jose should have been splashed across the magazine. You completely missed the mark by featuring Stardust Cowboy that week instead.

Angeline King

Mountain View

Surely, You Jest

Your recent article on the "Explosive" theories surrounding the collapse of the WTC after the 9/11/2001 attacks was an absolute joke ("9/11 Blowup," Cover Story, Sept. 9). It is just proof that perfectly intelligent people like engineers and architects and the editors of Metro can be wackos just like everyone else.

The so called "Science" that was used to show that the buildings were dropped using explosives is about as well laid out as "Intelligent Design." Yes, other large structures have not failed as the WTC did, but that is not proof that there was any explosives used. In fact, it just shows that for something like this to take place it only has to happen once.

Those buildings were taken out by a group of fanatical terrorists and not by any government intervention. To say anything else in the face of overwhelming evidence is to disrespect the memories of those who died. I think the best proof is that the engineer who designed the flooring systems and connections that most likely failed because of the intense heat generated by the fires has agreed with the findings of the government report. On top of that, the man who designed the WTC towers and who watched them collapse on TV from his office in Seattle also agrees with the government report.

I really have to wonder if Metro and its reporters have simply lost the desire to do any substantial reporting and would rather just spread more toxic manure instead of searching for the truth.

Frank Cava

San Jose