You Bear the Blame

YOUR April Fool's column by Curtis Cartier "Meow Fix" (News&Views, April 1) was not only cruel but was, for lack of a better word, stupid! When we start hearing of teens killing animal with BB guns--and you know that we will--we'll remember where the idea came from (we've got it in writing): the Metro Santa Cruz, April 1-8, 2009, page 11, by Curtis Cartier.

 Stephanie Staley,
Santa Cruz

 

Terrible Dreams

YOUR article titled "Meow Fix" on your April 1 issue was not funny. It started out as cute and adorable until I read the finished ending. If this was meant to be "funny," nobody was laughing. I love cats and I own two of my own. I had terrible dreams after reading this article. Please, in the future, don't write up articles involving cats, dogs and any creature created by God. It's just terrible! Thank you for hearing me out on this issue!

Anna Avila,
Aromas

Shocked and Sickened

I WAS shocked and sickened by the "Meow Fix" article written by Curtis Cartier in your April Fool's issue. Anyone who would find the ending of the article at all humorous should have his or her head examined.

Julie O'Rielly,
Aptos

Delighted and Amused

REGARDING "Local Kids Hit Hard by Wave of Layoffs" (Cover Story, April 1), I just wanted to say that this was hilarious. I shared it with several family members, some with and others without kids, and they all had a good chuckle. Even our three-quarters-of-a-century mother said "it was a real hoot." Good job!

Joseph C. Dilellio,
Santa Cruz

Arts Still Breathing

AS A RESIDENT of Santa Cruz who enjoys the cultural vibrancy of our fairly small town, I am saddened by the demise of UCSC's Art & Lectures series ("Math Killed the Arts," Nu_z, March 25). The program's 35 years of attracting musicians, artists, writers and lectures have been grand and their staff and supporters should be praised for their impressive vision and efforts.

However, as the event manager of the 30-year-old independent bookstore Capitola Book Café, I would like to correct one of Nu_z's conclusions. Capitola Book Café has a national reputation for our Author Event Series. We brought Garrison Keillor to town (possibly even before A&L was able to), plus we have David Sedaris on our calendar for June 2009--as well as Andrew Bacevich, Lisa See, Mike Farrell, Luis Alberto Urrea, Tamin Ansary and other leading voices of our times. We may not replace the loss of international musicians that A&L provided, but Capitola Book Café still provides the community with one of the region's most lively lecture circuits. Because I share the sorrow of my like-minded friends at A&L, I will close with this: If you love the unique, cultural activity of your town, support it now--go to an event!

Janet Leimeister,
Event Manager of Capitola Book Café

Good Idea, Bad Law

A RAINY DAY FUND is a good idea, but Prop. 1A won't do what it promises. Read the fine print.

Prop. 1A was hastily drafted behind closed doors without public hearings or an independent analysis of how it will actually work. Prop. 1A requires Rainy Day Fund deposits, even during an economic crisis. How can the state come up with billions of dollars for a "rainy day" when we are drowning right now? The Rainy Day Fund will become a "slush fund" for politicians--the same people who got us into this mess--because Prop. 1A allows them to spend the money on their own pet projects. Prop. 1A is full of complex formulas and convoluted language that is too risky to lock into the constitution without really knowing how it works. The fine print encourages unlimited tax hikes. Prop. 1A caps spending, but it doesn't cap tax increases, which will be needed to meet the Rainy Day Fund requirement.

The law is so poorly written that politicians can raise taxes and then claim Prop. 1A prevents them from spending it on critical services.

Carol Long,
Santa Cruz

Corrections
In our Gold Awards issue (Cover Story, March 25) we misspelled the name of one of the award winners. The third-place winner for Best Poet is Patrice Vecchione. We regret the error.

Last week we listed the wrong date for the Ratatat concert. It was Friday, April 3. We knew that. Really. And we seriously regret any inconvenience.

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