I just finished reading your "Best of Burque Restaurants" edition [Oct. 6-12]. Judging from the "winners," I believe it’s now time for you to change the title to: "Best of Burque Restaurants—Closest to UNM"It’s apparent that the majority of readers, understandably, reside in the UNM area and therefore do the majority of voting. It’s also apparent that the majority of their dining dollars are spent along Central Avenue and, with only a few exceptions, within a small radius of the campus.The establishments listed are certainly all credible and noteworthy. Yet, to call this edition the "Best of Burque Restaurants" is not only false, but is misleading, and it relegates many eating establishments outside the UNM area to anonymity.When the majority of "winners" are all within walking distance of the campus, it’s time to reevaluate either the title of the survey or the methods you use to entice voters throughout the entire city. Here’s hoping the next "Best of Burque Restaurants" edition truly is.
Letters:
Editor’s note: The Alibi’s largest distribution numbers are actually in the Northeast Heights. But there is indeed a concentration of locally owned restaurants along Central—and not as many chains. The prevalence of mom and pops in the International District, Nob Hill, UNM and Downtown areas probably has more to do with Central’s prominence in the poll than the university students who pick us up during the school year. —Laura Marrich
Letters: Team Mentality Team Mentality
The New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are all winning NFL teams, having won a Super Bowl at least once in last decade. During that time, the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns have all been NFL cellar dwellers. Say that players on those losing teams point out what the Patriots, Packers and Saints do to be winning teams. The coaching staff and management tells those players who simply are illustrating what winners do to "go play for those teams if they are so great." That means the coaches and management, rather than try to bring their teams up and into the winner’s circle, want to knock somebody else because their egos are so fragile they cannot tolerate someone pointing out a fact. This is EXACTLY what people do when confronted with the fact that the U.S. in no longer No. 1. They say "go live in Norway or Germany if they are so great." Or they mention the ageless canard about saving Europe in WWII. They cannot accept that evolution has passed the U.S. by, and that in terms of prosperity, education and science, European and Asian nations have surpassed the U.S. Rather than ask what can be done to bring the nation up to par, they deny the truth. They accuse anyone who dares to point out cold facts of being communist or socialist traitors who should exit the country pronto. This is like the coaches telling a player—rather than working to make their team as good as the Patriots or Packers—he should just leave and go play for the winning teams. So, do these people who always preach “Love it or leave it” think the U.S. should just remain mired in mediocrity? Should the U.S. be like the Browns or Bengals on a global scale; cellar dwellers? Or, should the nation aspire to be the geopolitical equivalent of the Saints? It is always easier for those of mediocre intelligence to parrot what some spokesperson said and call names. It’s less painful than thinking.
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