Watch out, Steve, that’s not safe driving...

Watch out, Steve, that’s not safe driving

I always enjoy Steve Smith’s columns on Saturdays. He always has

something interesting to say. But I was rather disturbed this last

Saturday when he was talking about driving. He was driving listening

to messages on his cell phone, eating a bagel, listening to CDs and

scrambling to find a paper in the front seat and he doesn’t have too

much problem, he just kind of throws it in there like there is

nothing wrong with that. And that is the big, big problem in our

society today. And have you noticed that the biggest problem with

people using cell phones is that none of them ever use correctional

signals. Come on, Steve, make it home safe, get your life together,

stop using that cell phone. Get a headset or something.

GEORGE LAMPINEN

Newport Beach

Bond memories of the Port Theatre

We love council member Dick Nichols and no doubt his position on

Port Theatre regarding parking certainly deserves some study. The

problem is that observations of Luvena Hayton are right as always.

Those of us who have lived in Newport Beach for more than 50 years

have lots of Port Theatre memories that, like the music of the time,

stays with us forever.

In 1964, the first James Bond film, “Dr. No,” caused us to view

the same movie three times at the Port Theatre. Obviously, we saw all

the Sean Connery Bond films at the Port after that. Add that to the

variety of surf movies, which included “Endless Summer,” then the

Beatles movies, “Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!” and Bob Dylan’s “Don’t

Look Back!”

When one of Warren Beatty’s first movies, “Lilith,” followed by

numerous other art-type films previewed at the Port, we are beginning

to talk some real philosophy. “2001: A Space Odyssey” -- that one,

too. All at the Port Theatre. The history is here.

At the Port, you could go up to the loges and smoke cigarettes,

make important cultural comments to other theatergoers and possibly

meet someone you might want to get to know better -- later. The Port

had great popcorn, and the tough management was always well

controlled and in control. As Newport Beach thinks about its 100-year

celebration, maybe they should consider a building with well over 50

years of city history -- as they are working out 2004 parking

problems.

RON WINSHIP

Newport Beach