From the sound of Wahlberg and his rationalizations for future lawsuits, the families will be unable to begin the healing process until every adult and institution even remotely involved with the tragedy has coughed up a settlement. Will further years of drawn-out lawsuits and related media attention really help the parents with their grief? Perhaps, but if so, it is nothing more than another sad statement about the emotional climate of America today, where tragedies cannot be put behind us until a check is cut.There was a time when grieving and personal loss were held as private matters and the healing that followed came from and helped foster an individual's character. Today, with lawyers and the media magnifying and feeding off every catastrophe, is it any wonder that the victims need an external indicator -- a settlement or TV segment -- to help indicate some type of closure?

My only hope is that the families and their attorneys will allow themselves to heal before the Columbine tragedy becomes known as the Columbine cash cow.

Dale Albrecht
Denver

The root of the problem: I love truffles. I enjoy reading Westword. But, come on: Juliet Wittman's "Snout on the Town," in the May 3 issue, was an incredibly lame attempt by a seemingly novice writer to manipulate this delicious delicacy to her own benefit. Please, exploit a lesser root, fungus or even legume next time.

Jud Maddox
via the Internet