C’MON, MEAT HEADS

After reading “Perfect Pairing” (“The Highlands’ Paul Fried and Matt Bolton combine talents to deliver an impressive wine dinner series,” Sept. 16-22), an account of fancy multi-course meals offered at the Highlands Inn, I could only wonder at the prospect of eating a meal in which every single course, save the cheese and dessert courses, included animal protein.

An upcoming menu mentioned in the article, for instance, includes sea bass, king salmon, halibut, red albacore, pork belly, and lamb. That is one dinner for one person.

The point of this letter is not to scold or even encourage anyone to change their eating habits. Eating is a personal matter and no one likes to be told what to do. But as someone who also likes to eat at restaurants but chooses not to eat food derived from animals, I hope our local restaurants will offer more plant-based dishes.

I was recently in Los Angeles and was astonished at the grace, variety and sheer deliciousness of the city’s many vegetarian and vegan offerings. Will that kind of culinary creativity ever flourish in Monterey County? --C. Kevin Smith | Big Sur

PARANOIA IS HEALTHY

Who made the decision to sneakily reach into our homes and snatch information off our appliances for reasons described as “green” (“Smart Meters coming to Monterey County despite health and financial concerns,” Sept. 2-8)? Was it the Obama Administration, with their failing new ideas of governing? It just makes it harder for the Republicans because they just have to add it to the removal list of Obama Green Follies, come 2012. Is this letter printable by the Weekly? It leans to the right and you don’t print those evil letters do you? Unfair! --Gary Black | Marina

BELIEVE IN BURNETT

Jason Burnett is bringing a breath of fresh air to Carmel city government (“It’s time to face the facts – and for Guillen to go,” Sept. 2-8).Unlike the mayor or any of the other council members, Jason meets monthly with residents to discuss important city matters and to get their inputs.He does not avoid controversial issues. His discussion shows an impressive mastery of complex municipal issues.He is showing gratifying imagination in proposing new approaches to some difficult problems that have defied solution in the past. Despite often only limited support from his council colleagues, Jason is gradually nudging the city in the direction of greater openness and willingness to tackle the growing problems.If the mayor and other council members behaved as responsibly, Carmel would not be in its current deplorable condition. --James Emery | Carmel