Letters

Southern cuisine

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

My first gig for this paper, starting way back in the halcyon days of 2002, when I was a freshfaced, rosy-cheeked fifth-year senior at the University of Nevada, Reno, was writing restaurant reviews.

I knew nothing about food, but was more than happy to gleefully criticize any and every aspect of small businesses, and crack jokes at the expense of local families who poured their hearts and souls into their restaurants. I was entitled, drunk on power, and generally disrespectful. I made some enemies in those days that I’ll never forget. It was a wonderful time.

Still, I got better at it over the course of the years, and actually ended up learning a lot about food in the process. I also slowly learned how to write a negative review without being totally rude. I wrote some things I’m still proud of, and it always brings a smile to my face when I notice restaurants, like Michael’s Deli, India Kabab and Mi Ranchito, which still have framed copies of articles I wrote a decade ago up on their walls.

I gave up writing restaurant reviews when I took over the Arts & Culture Editor desk in 2008, but I still miss it sometimes—especially when I’m having a bad meal somewhere and want to take vengeance on some poor, unsuspecting server who just accidentally slighted me in some way I’d like to blow way out of proportion. I can be petty like that.

Anyway, all of that is to build up to me giving a shout-out to our current reviewer, Todd South, who’s been doing a great job. He’s been writing reviews for us for a couple of years, but he’s been really hitting his stride lately. His negative reviews are nuanced and respectful, and his positive reviews can be downright mouth-watering. Go back and take a look at his recent reviews of M&M’s Southern Cafe or Shawarmageddon, and just try to resist the temptation to run out to either of those restaurants and immediately commence face-stuffing.

—Brad Bynum bradb@newsreview.com

Power up

We, the citizens of Reno, need our utilities supplier to allow a great deal more of solar systems. Commercial properties as well as residential should allow cap restrictions to be thrown out. Why is it we scream against the top 1 percent of wealthy people but not against those business that hold the same distinction? The amount of money that flowed thru the halls of our Legislature would make the governor’s budget recommendations much more obtainable!

I myself would love to see our great city have the entire downtown be on solar power.

BJ Salinger Reno

Elaboration

Re “Would you run for public office?” (Street Talk, Oct. 9):

I thought I knew better and to just walk on by when I saw Dennis Myers with a tape recorder, but no, I fell for it and gave my first impression to his question about whether I would ever run for public office. “Who would be stupid enough to do that,” I declared. On further reflection, and out of respect to those in public office, I must elaborate.

In the current political climate, created largely after the Cheney/ Kristol neo-conservatives and their “either you are with us or against us” mentality that followed, and the Congressional leadership that made it a priority to vote against anything the Obama administration proposed, elected officials today endure incredible frustration in public office. Who would want to stick their necks out 10 miles to try to accomplish something worthwhile in that atmosphere? It is unfortunate that many of the published responses to the question were as cynical as mine. How do we change this mentality in politics and attract decent people to run for office?

Legislating or administrating in public office does not mean getting your way or having your agenda. It involves building consensus and that means being able to live with compromise.

Tom Gallagher Reno

Erik Holland

So far

RN&R has become so far left in it’s journalistic content I don’t even want to read it anymore. Where is your objectivity? I would like to see a little more bi-partisan attitude. Portray Reno with fair journalism— an open minded community—not strictly liberal.

Deborah Charles Reno

An invention

I thought church and state were supposed to be separate.

There is no such thing as religion. It’s an organization that man made up, groups of people claiming their believes in a god that doesn’t exist. Fools. Your beliefs are your conscience. Most people have one.

If you’re not satisfied or disillusioned with the way things are, change them or do something else. But don’t put your “religion” into it. That’s nonsense.

If your conscience says you can’t issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, move on. …

If you don’t want to serve alcohol on an airplane flight? Move on. The airline makes the rules, not you or your religion.

And pharmacists that won’t issue birth control pills to single unmarried women—get real. Move on.

Rules are rules. If you don’t like them, move on to something else. Helen Howe Lemmon Valley

Our Mission To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages people to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor/Publisher D. Brian Burghart News Editor Dennis Myers Arts Editor Brad Bynum Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Contributors Amy Alkon, Bob Grimm, Ashley Hennefer, Sheila Leslie, Eric Marks, Jessica Santina, Todd South, Brendan Trainor, Kris Vagner, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Creative Director Priscilla Garcia Art Director Hayley Doshay Associate Art Director Brian Breneman Ad Design Manager Serene Lusano Production Coordinator Skyler Smith Design Kyle Shine Advertising Consultants Joseph “Joey” Davis, Gina Odegard, Bev Savage Senior Classified Advertising Consultant Olla Ubay Operations Coordinator Kelly Miller Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager Anthony Clarke Distribution Drivers Tracy Breeden, Alex Barskyy, Denise Cairns, Steve Finlayson, Debbi Frenzi, Vicky Jewell, Angela Littlefield, Marty Troye, Warren Tucker, Gary White, Joseph White, Margaret Underwood General Manager/Publisher John D. Murphy President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Chief Operations Officer Deborah Redmond Human Resource Manager Tanja Poley Business Manager Nicole Jackson Accounts Receivable Specialist Kortnee Angel Sweetdeals Coordinator Courtney deShields Nuts & Bolts Ninja Christina Wukmir Senior Support Tech Joe Kakacek Developer John Bisignano System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins 405 Marsh Ave., Third Floor Reno, NV 89509 Phone (775) 324-4440 Fax (775) 324-4572 Classified Fax (916) 498-7940 Mail Classifieds to classifieds@newsreview.com Website www.newsreview.com Printed by Sierra Nevada Media The RN&R is printed using recycled newsprint whenever available. Editorial Policies Opinions expressed in the RN&R are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint articles, cartoons or other portions of the paper. The RN&R is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form.

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