Defending Marilyn

Hey Mirror, if you have the balls, then print this! Hmm, I could have sworn that Lateef "Don't-Quit-Your-Day-Job" Martin gave Marilyn Manson's Holy Wood CD a 5/10 in last week's Mirror [Compact Discs]. Is that so? After reading numerous online sources (i.e. NME.com, Wallofsound.com, etc.) and major music magazines (i.e. RollingStone et al) gush over Holy Wood's versatility, relentlessness, intelligence and general kick-ass approach, I was forced to reread Martin's review in hopes of finding the, "ha, ha, gotcha--of course it rocks!" line.

Of course, I had no such luck. Lateef Martin, you're an absolute fool. Why do news sources allow louts like Lateef Martin (who obviously had an opinion on Manson, and Holy Wood before listening) to review albums at all? With weak and inaccurate reviews like this, it's no wonder rap-crap-rock infiltrates the air waves. Thank Lateef Martin.

--Eric Shaw

[Music Ed's note: Mr. Martin did have an opinion on Manson previous to this review, that of a diehard fan. Now he's a disappointed fan.]

No contest

Thank you for printing Kristian Gravenor's column ["Quebec steals prizes," Nov. 16] about why we Quebecers cannot enter online contests because we live in Quebec. I've always wondered about why Quebec residents are excluded from these contests. I used to think, "Hey, maybe they just don't like Quebec." Now I know the truth: it's just our greedy government working overtime, regulating and stealing from every conceivable source.

This law, the Article 58 of the Loi sur les loteries, concours publicitaires et les appareils d'amusements, is so stupid that I could hardly believe it when I first read the article. I support any political party that will make this one of their platforms. I find it very nasty when I'm online and I see a cool prize offered and know that I'm excluded because of our provincial government. I don't even bother looking at the rules of the contest anymore.

--Garret

Landlady's lament

Last week's letter-writer Dean Dunbridge ["Bullying the bullies"] is obviously not a graduate of a course on landlords and wealth, since the vast majority of us landlords are small investors who usually reside in our humble investments which took years of hard work and saving (banks aren't kind to us), only to have one bad tenant create serious cash-flow problems.

And when it happens, there's nowhere to turn. Unlike other businesses, we're expected to gracefully take care of the situation that the bad tenants have created because they're bolstered by a system which does all for them and little for owners who don't have access to a deep pocket!

Think about it, Mr. Dunbridge: a lease is about the only contract signed where all stands in favour of the lessee. Government money is being squandered to protect those who don't respect their contract by way of unpaid rents, damaged rental units, or creating chaos through noisy lifestyles and even threats. Yet I still love it all, even though every day my waitressing income is what pays for most of my repairs, upgrades and unexpected expenses. I also do most of my repairs, since I can't afford beer otherwise.

-- Christine Haesler

Clarification

Further to our recent reports on the situation of the tenants at 1195-1201 Mackay ["Tenants get the boot," Nov. 9 and "Bye-bye Mackay," Nov. 16], the Mirror was informed by Services Immobiliers Inter Commercial that this firm was not involved in the management of these buildings after their sale to Les Cours du Roi Investment Company.

The principal of Services Immobiliers Inter Commercial, Robert Bayat, said that his firm was involved only in the real estate transaction through Jean-Michel Casimir and that this firm has nothing to do with the subsequent involvement of Jean-Michel Casimir and Leonardo Arrieta in the management of the buildings, as reported by the Mirror.

Correction

Regarding Amy Barratt's article "The best is yet to .com" [Nov. 16], the play Cyber Jack, at La Licorne until Dec. 9, actually runs Tuesday-Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m., not the other way around.