Letters

FLOR SHOW

Re Robert Sietsema's "100 Best & Cheapest Latin Restaurants" [May 7-13]:

I totally agree with your selections, but you forgot one of the best ones! A tiny Venezuelan bistro named Flor's Kitchen. I hope that this was some kind of mistake! If you haven't been there, it's located at 149 First Avenue in the East Village. Try the arepas, and the traditional Venezuelan drink, chicha.

I can guarantee to you that it is one of the only authentic Venezuelan restaurants in New York.

Martin Segredo
Woodhaven

SLURP?

How could you miss La Ceiba, at the corner of Avenue A and 11th Street? Slurp!

Morris Ardoin
Gramercy Park

LEBLON AMBITION

Sorry to see that one of our favorite Latin restaurants was overlooked—Rice and Beans on Ninth Avenue between 50th and 51st. Having lived in Puerto Rico and traveled the Caribbean and Central and South America, I can honestly say that this is the best food we've had from here to Rio. The chicken leblon is four-star delicious without the four-star price, the flan is as tasty as any from the kitchens of Old San Juan, and the hot sauce as fresh and spicy as any from Belize.

I hope I am doing a small favor to my fellow New Yorkers by sharing this bit of info, but I hope it will not in any way influence the charm and flavor of this culinary gem.

Anonymous
Greenwich Village

THE RALL WORLD

Just wanted to write to congratulate you on the quality of the cartoonists in the Voice, particularly Ted Rall. Rall's work is some of the sharpest satire I have read in years. He has a keen eye for the absurdity of war, politics, and people in general, all the while keeping his figures human and sympathetic even as they jump to all the wrong conclusions. Having just finished Rall's book To Afghanistan and Back, I would love to see more feature-length graphic journalism. These cartoons (and Mark Fiore's brilliant Web animations) are a large part of why I make sure I pick up (or surf) the Voice every week.

Isaac Wilkins
Park Slope

CONTRACT WITH AMERICA

Re Ted Rall's "The Contract Killer" [April 2-8]:

I don't envy soldiers. They risk their lives so that the likes of Ted Rall can compare them to hit men. If Ted lived in Iraq, and rightfully pointed out that Saddam gives thousands of dollars to suicide bombers, he would be killed. Thankfully, Ted resides in America, and can make a decent living making heinous and false observations against the people protecting him.

God bless America.

Matt Leinwohl
Midtown

MY WAY OR ZIMBABWE

Re Nat Hentoff's "Any Anti-Mugabe Protesters Here?" [May 14-20]:

America is not the only country to seemingly ignore the plight of the Zimbabweans.

I am a British subject, writing from the U.K., and we have the same attitude in this country. We have a few individuals protesting now and again, but no newspaper has shown any interest, and Zimbabwe used to be part of our commonwealth—shame on the British government.

I am a lone figure on the Internet contacting all the people I know (including your president and figures in our government) and keeping them informed of what is going on, with very little or no response at all. But that will not deter me. I will keep on until that madman is out of that country, however long it takes. I believe it will not be long now.

Keep up the good work. We must not let them forget Zimbabwe.

Joyce Banes
Hereford, United Kingdom

LONE STAR

Re "Any Anti-Mugabe Protesters Here?":

I have been receiving alerts on the postings of Nat Hentoff for a few months now, and I must tell you that they are the best part of my week. As a college student in a mostly conservative, Republican state, it is extremely refreshing to be able to hear some dissenting views.

The social conscience of this publication is evident. I find myself recommending your Web site to most of the people that I encounter. In an age where dissent is becoming unpopular, and even dangerous, my hope and prayer is that publications like the Voice remain strong.

I look forward to next week's posting.

Michael Woywood
Caldwell, Texas

NOBODY BEATS THE SWIZZ

Re Christian Hoard's "New Thugs on the Block" [May 14-20]:

Hoard states that no rapper has stepped up to Jay-Z's challenge of battling Freeway one-on-one. Actually Cassidy, one of Swizz Beat's rappers, battled him in person. The audio of that battle has been circulating on the net for some time now.

Nestor Nuñez
Gainesville, Florida

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

Re Bryan Zimmerman's "Public Notice" [May 7-13]:

The quote "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography" should be credited to Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914), an American writer also famous for his Devil's Dictionary, not, as your article suggests, to a war protester.

Michael Robkin
Altadena, California

HORMONE DISPLACEMENT

Re Richard Goldstein's "War Horny" [April 16-22]:

Although I am a feminist, I'd like to clear something up. Estrogen is the hormone that carries aggression. It is testosterone that leads to a sense of fulfillment and calm. This is a fact. I would like to see this old belief washed from the boards, for many reasons too numerous for my short response.