Jackie Gleason would be proud: If Mark Lamping and friends aren't happy with Busch Stadium, I say, "Go Cards!" Go to St. Peters, go to East St. Louis, go to the fucking moon. Just go! [Jim Nesbitt, "Seven Card Stud," June 5].
Albert G. Stanger
University City
Three Strikes
Cement sauce is a chewy thing: As a bingeing, tattooed, hobo-urbanite twentysomething living within blocks of the Mangia Italiano slum neighborhood, I can appreciate Ms. Posey-Smith's wit, but I deeply resent her review's attitude toward South Grand's culinary scene and its faithful patrons [Jill Posey-Smith, "Bohemian Rhapsody," May 29]. While certainly still not refined, South City's dining experience is as diverse as its residents. Where else can you find Italian, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, barbecue, Mediterranean, kosher and greasy spoon in the same block? The backhanded nod to Mangia's bad-to-somewhat-better graduation was a disservice to one of my all-time favorites. Frankly, I miss the heavy-as-concrete white sauce! Congratulations to Mangia for making a good thing better. Keep the Band-Aids flowing, guys!
Thomas Maher
via the Internet
Jill's out: I have now attempted to read three restaurant reviews by Jill Posey-Smith and can say that I have not been able to finish a single one. I am giving up. Fundamentally, style is not defined by the overuse of a thesaurus. A writer's credibility goes south if the reader doesn't get it. Do us a favor and publish reviews that are well written and to the point. It can still be clever. Posey-Smith's efforts at being clever seem to be for her own amusement, uninteresting and over-the-top.
Ralph Pfremmer
Ballwin
Hey, Dumbass!
Extract head from rectum: D.J. Wilson needs to get a grip on the reality of press coverage of school-board candidates and the lives of working parents and St. Louis voters in general ["Cloned Drones," June 12]. Working parents can't make it to school-board candidate forums as easily as reporters who get paid to do it. As a voter, I have never found the local press coverage (combining the Post-Dispatch, RFT and American) to be sufficient to feel confident when voting on school-board candidates. If he thinks "... the public doesn't need some group to rate its candidates," he's ignoring the fact that it sure would help a lot of voters. If D.J. Wilson thinks the group won't be fair, he can go to its meetings and speak out. How the schools function affects both the students and the property values of all St. Louis City residents.
Carol Prombo
St. Louis
Dreamy Dead!
Fond memories of floaters: I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your article [Geri L. Dreiling, "Still Lips Still Whisper," June 5]. Years ago, while I was in college at St. Louis U., I had a part-time job at St. Louis County Hospital, Department of Pathology/Morgue. My boss was Raymond Harris (a lawyer) who was the coroner of St. Louis County. My duties were mostly secretarial -- transcribing the autopsy reports not only of homicides and suicides in the county but also of hospital deaths. Autopsies were done by the forensic pathologists Dr. George Gantner and Dr. Eugene Tucker, who worked for the coroner. Sometimes, when we got busy, I helped in getting the bodies ready for the doctor or helped families who came to identify someone. (Even your description of working with "floaters" brought back many memories.) It was quite a job for a young college girl! But I loved the job and the people I worked with. Even after I got my degree in education and went to work as a teacher, I came back to the hospital and worked there for three summers.
Mary Alice Schmidt
via the Internet
Final assurance: Just finished your article and wanted to thank you for its tone. You provided details, some graphic, but without sensationalism or patronization. Nice flow between the individuals profiled. I did not have an opinion on the people who perform these duties in St Louis, but if it should in the future fall to me to interact with them, I will feel more comfortable doing so.
Pam Gladney
St. Louis
Job Opening
The Riverfront Times is looking for a freelance restaurant critic. We want someone who is passionate about food and knowledgeable about the restaurant industry and is able to produce stylish, opinionated columns. Qualified applicants should send a cover letter, résumé and clips (plus a sample review, if you haven't reviewed before) to:
Jim Nesbitt
Editor, Riverfront Times
6358 Delmar Boulevard, Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63130
