The punk is not alone!

To the "Punk alone" [Letters, Nov. 2], you're not the only one thinking that music in bars has turned to real crap! I'm more in the metal scene than in the punk or alternative ones, but I believe it's the same for all of us. I've talked about this with some people who are active in different scenes, most of them say the same thing: that we have good artists, even if there are only a few people who hear the music, we go to the shows... but something is missing.

Yeah, there's still not enough "active metal-heads'' to actually manage something more than just shows, like making a real metal scene like the goths have. (Have you ever counted how many gothic nights there are in bars?) As for the people who say that there's nowhere to hear good music: when there is a place, you don't even go!

I've heard about a lot metal nights that failed. Myself and a friend started one maybe three months ago, believe it or not. We haven't made a penny from it. Well, we didn't start it for the money and, being a business woman I should've let it go, but I'm a metal fan so I continue.

My metal night is at the Absolute (415 de Maisonneuve) every Thursday, $4 cover. I hope you'll all come to hear bands from everywhere and from Quebec in particular!

--The metal helper, Maria (alias DJ InZeSaNE)

Getting a grip on democracy

As election time approaches, I couldn't help but notice the types of political movements that are getting attention from the so-called "alternative" press. After reading your paper's coverage of all these grassroots parties like the Popular Party of Prostitutes and the Marijuana Party [coverage in Nov. 2], I have to wonder if Canadians have been paying any attention to the neck-in-neck elections taking place south of the border.

I respect the fact that we live in a supposed democracy and anyone should be able to enter the political arena to raise awareness about often-ignored social issues, but I have to ask myself if these people understand the effect they could potentially have in our very flawed plurality/majority electoral system.

Maybe in another type of democracy, namely the proportional representation systems like those used in Western Europe, these types of parties could help affect change.

But the fact is that, in the end, there are only two major choices for our future in Canada. With the Bloc Québécois complicating the situation in a province that holds a significant number of seats, voters in Quebec especially are going to have to put idealism aside and look at the big picture: strategic voting will determine the course of this country.

-- R. Hamilton

Cancer sells

Given your critic's commentary on the overwhelming product placement in Pay It Forward ["Movie on a mission," Oct. 19], I find it interesting that Matt Hays made no mention of the Charlie's Angels fiasco in last week's review ["Angels in purgatory," Nov.2].

The fact that the filmmakers were forced to re-shoot a scene to make a Nokia cellular phone more prominent to satisfy their sponsors seems to me to be a far more telling tale. Product placement has taken over the big screen and has not helped to lower the burden on moviegoers' pocketbooks.

Given the new studies which suggest that cell phones are replacing cigarettes for teenage consumers in the Western world, maybe we should see it as a good sign that Nokia and her sisters can afford to take over the slack left by tobacco companies in supporting "the arts." What will supplant this latest technology craze when the rise in incidents of brain cancer makes cell-phone ads taboo?

-- Jean Flannerie