Gravenor's grave errors

In his article on Montreal's metro system ["Bring back metro madness," The Kristian Perspective, June 25], Kristian Gravenor writes, "...with the restraint of a glam rocker improvising a guitar solo," meaning that metro planners showed little restraint in the mid-'70s. The problem with his reversed metaphor is that glam rock was most definitely not noted for its unrestrained guitar solos. Two all-time glam rock classics, T-Rex's "Get it On" and Wizzard's "See My Baby Jive" have very good saxophone solos, whereas another glam classic, Queen's "Killer Queen," has as melodic and restrained a guitar solo as you could imagine.

I grew up in the mid-'70s in Britain when glam was at its height, and unrestrained guitar solos have nothing to do with the genre. I can't even think of one example. Maybe Gravenor was thinking about heavy metal or hard rock. Maybe he was just trying to turn a cute phrase. Still, this is an example of pretty shoddy writing. Don't try to be all clever with your metaphors if you don't know what you're talking about. Maybe Gravenor learned his writing style from Gazette scribes like Mark Lepage and Jack Todd, who love to show off their intelligence and penmanship by sacrificing communication for style.

The goal of a journalist should be to communicate facts and sometimes give opinion. Judging by the responses of industry professionals to his article about VideoFACT, and by June 25's article, Gravenor doesn't seem to be a very competent journalist. It would be nice to be able to say that he's just inexperienced and has an attractive writing style, but it seems he's a wannabe show-off who tries to cover up a lack of journalistic ability with a layer of metaphorical glitz and... glam.

Sorry to be so critical, but stuff like this really bugs me and it should bug the editors of the Mirror too if they take themselves seriously.

--John Bourassa-Dutton

Don't dump on dopeheads

I just read Juliet Waters' article on the High Times book ["A drunk in druggie clothing," Books, June 25] and I disagree that all potheads must know about Bob Marley or care about Jerry Garcia. While there is often a link between various forms of music and drug use, not all potheads are created equal.

--Herbal E.

Toxic job market

Regarding Philip Preville's article on ecotoxicology ["All that toxic waste and no one to clean it up," The Front, June 25]: As a 1997 graduate of Concordia University's Graduate Diploma in Ecotoxicology, I am compelled to take exception with the statement that "90 per cent of graduates find work immediately upon graduation." This is patently false.

In 1996 I was lured into this program in large part by its brochure, which states that "the vast majority of our graduates obtain jobs related to their Ecotoxicology training. Starting salaries range from $30,000 to $50,000 per annum." Although there may have been some truth in this statement 10 years ago, today it boils down to slick marketing and false hope--a cynical attempt by a cash-strapped program to attract tuition money and a "critical mass" of students. Of the 12 students who graduated in 1997, seven or eight did not have work within four months of graduation, three returned to positions they held prior to enroling in the program, and one student started a new job shortly after graduating. The situation the year before was much the same.

Believe me, there is a glut of PhDs, MScs, BScs, PEngs, and yes, even Grad. Dip. Ecotox.s, to clean up our environment. The problem is a lack of will on behalf of governments, businesses and society at large.

--Andrew Beyak

National days of timidity

These days, I feel uncomfortable with both federalists and separatists. They're both looking more and more hypocritical.

Officially, on June 24, the Péquistes invite all Quebecers to celebrate--except William Johnson! But we all know that, even if federalists are invited, the star of the day is--independence! Why not just rename it "Independence Day"?

On July 1, it's Canada Day. But this year, the promotional posters were very different from the ones before. They looked less--Canadian! Big maple leaves on the posters, but only half the leaf was visible. And the background wasn't white, but gold. It's as though the federal government doesn't want to look too Canadian. And the provincial government doesn't want to look too Péquiste. So they try to disguise themselves as if it were Hallowe'en.

--Martine Lacroix