DINAH MANOFF'S OFFENSIVE REMARK
Editor: When you have an unending choice of people to interview, why choose to publish an interview with Dinah Manoff [Up Front, Nov. 10]? My husband and I found her remark about Jews and gays loving her especially offensive. . . .
Mr. and Mrs. E. Zelen
Pikesville
INTERESTING 'BEGINNING'
Editor: Thank you very much for a most interesting magazine yesterday (Nov. 10), especially Arlene Ehrlich's "In the Beginning." There are many stories even in today's world of ideas stolen and the wrong person gets the credit and money.
I worked at Baltimore County's Fire Dept. back in the '60s for a good example: A Captain Evans of the ambulance detail invented a wonderful splint for broken bones to help relieve the pain for accident victims. A doctor took the idea, had it patented, and gave nothing to Captain Evans, not credit, nor money. It probably happens more than we know. . . .
Jacquelyn E. Bader
Baltimore
Editor: Arlene Ehrlich is only partially right when she states that "the brilliant reds, golds, and browns are always present in the leaves." Yes, the reds and golds, carotene and xanthophyll are always present in the leaves, but they also increase in the fall. . . . If there is any brown in the leaves during the growing season, it is probably due to disease, insect damage or leaf scorch in most cases.
Ms. Ehrlich's comments on tulips are even more misleading. The contemporary word tulip does indeed come from Turkey. . . . Tulips did reach Europe in the 1500s courtesy of Charles L'Escluse. . . . There are, though, over 100 wild species of tulips still extant today. . . .
Russell J. Balge
Extension Agent
Agriculture Science/Horticulture
Baltimore County
REVIEWER, IF YOU LIKE IT, SAY SO
Editor: One of the few things I read each week in the Sun Magazine is "Dining Out." I just read the article on Gypsy's Cafe [Nov. 17]. . . . I think Janice Baker should go back to journalism class because she can't "sling words for a living." As far as I'm concerned, the first paragraph sounds like a frustrated poet. Since the area is important to this cafe the last paragraph should be two or three, but as it is it's out of place -- what's that about coffee? My wife and I both have a B.S. from the University of Maryland and could not agree on some of Ms. Baker's meanings. If you like it, say so; if you don't, say so.
Larry Dougherty Sr.