Sadly saddling up to Rob Ford
This is how you support the bike riders of the city, with a shot of our mayor teetering off a bike? (NOW, March 20-26)? Is this supposed to be funny? Or is it just a cheap ploy to make people pick up your paper?
Well, whatever it is that’s made you portray the city’s cycling community as dorky Rob Fords who can’t see straight, it’s definitely not cool.
In fact, “Fuck NOW” isn’t even a strong enough sentiment for how I feel about your stupid asses right now.
Dan Lovranski
Toronto
Fun with Ford no more
Everyone wants an end to this Rob Ford shit, fun as it is. So if you’re serious about it, how about not putting him on the cover any more?
I’d rather see Olivia Chow photoshopped in some stupid insult. She’d get more press. I’m doubting your motives here, dudes.
Doug Lalonde
Toronto
Not everyone found our cover lame
Your recent Rob Ford cover shot is simply and humorously brilliant!
M. Rumig
Toronto
PETA protester speaks
Re Slippery Send-Up For PETA (NOW, March 20-26). I chose to stand in front of the Eaton Centre in the freezing cold wearing nothing but body paint, nipple pasties, a thong and stilettos because I wanted to call attention to cruelty to animals who are killed for their skins. Lizards, for example, are usually clubbed on their heads or have their spines severed with chisels when they reach “marketable” size.
I bared my skin in order to provoke discussion about cruelty to animals and prompt people to shed their skins. Like Lady Godiva, who rode naked on a horse to protest taxes on the poor in the 11th century, I know that eye-catching, seemingly outrageous actions are sometimes necessary to make people debate depressing things they would otherwise prefer not to think about.
When the media reports on PETA’s activities, people flock to order our free shopping guide to compassionate clothing and other information. I encourage anyone who wants to learn more about PETA’s campaigns or see our ads featuring men to visit PETA.org.
Emily Lavender
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Victoria, BC
Pride versus PETA: the naked truth
Letter-writer Malcolm Boura makes an excellent point (NOW March 20-26) that nudity is not out of place in a Pride parade. It is psychologically unhealthy to be ashamed of our bodies.
On the next page, however, Sabrina Maddeaux expresses her disgust at the women from PETA dressed in body paint protesting the use of animal skin in fashion.
It’s no more shameful to expose one’s body in the name of animal rights than to do so in the name of gay pride. I do agree with Maddeaux, though, that the protest would have been better had men also participated. What’s the matter, guys, don’t you support animal rights?
David Palter
Toronto
More indie fashion love please
I was amused to see two different letters in your March 20 issue on local fashion coverage (NOW, March 20-26).
The first disliked the fact that the garments in your fashion spread were too mainstream and expensive (they were), while the second pointed out that even local “indie” boutiques are not affordable (also true) and longed for the days of true indie art and fashion on Queen West.
I guess you guys missed the press release we sent about the Toronto Indie Arts Market Spring Fashion Extravaganza last week.
We packed the Gladstone with more than 50 local artisans who make clothing, jewellery and accessories, most of them working on too small a scale to take part in Fashion Week or even Fashion Arts Week (FAT) or run a bricks-and-mortar boutique full-time but all of whom are creating truly fantastic, affordable, wearable pieces of art.
Sheryl Kirby
Toronto Indie Arts Market
Fanfare for Yonge-Dundas?
I find it baffling that your music editor would declare Yonge-Dundas Square an excellent choice for St. Vincent’s upcoming gig (NOW, March 20-26).
I would expect that from someone unfamiliar with the city’s wealth of venues.
If it was the only venue in town, YDS would still be horrible. The sightlines are brutal, as is the sound, and it’s too open to people stumbling into the place who could care less.
This would be like your food critic, Steven Davey, saying McDonald’s is an excellent choice for fine dining.
Michael Gallagher
Toronto
The real deal on extra-virgin
I am writing regarding Cold-Pressed: The Olive Oil Guide (NOW, March 13-19).
While the article contains some good suggestions for consumers regarding reading and interpreting olive oil labels, there are a number of misleading statements.
At the North American Olive Oil Association, we closely monitor olive oil import data and find the article’s lead statement, “Last winter 80 per cent of Italian olive sold in the U.S. was detained at U.S. Customs because of residues of an outlawed pesticide,” is used to raise alarm.
The NAOOA is also familiar with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s olive oil monitoring program, a targeted program rather than a general monitoring of all olive oils for sale in Canada.
Since the program’s focus is on testing limited samples from suspicious oils, to suggest that 27 per cent of all extra-virgin olive oil is adulterated is highly misleading. In reality, the incidence of adulteration has declined since this helpful program was initiated, and legal actions have been taken against companies.
Finally, the California studies referenced have been discredited yet continue to receive extensive media promotion. The widely publicized statistics claiming that “about two-thirds do not meet standards” refer only to taste panel results.
Eryn Balch
Executive VP
North American Olive Oil Association
Neptune, New Jersey
NOW welcomes reader mail. Address letters to: NOW, Letters to the Editor, 189 Church, Toronto, ON M5B 1Y7. Send e-mail to letters@nowtoronto.com and faxes to 416-364-1166. All correspondence must include your name, address and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length.
