Doctor Love
Re: "Calling Dr. Vegas," by Max Linsky (Apr. 6-12)
Thanks for your excellent work on the Vegas Brown story. What a compelling article. It was all that I aspired to during my years as a reporter – at times I was near tears and at others, I couldn't contain my chuckle. I saw the difficulties of his experience and the hopefulness of his future. Keep up the great work!
James D. Ross II
Executive Director, In Our Own Voices
Albany, NY
Bud: True
Re: "A Life In Pictures," by Eric Snider (Apr. 6-12)
Just wanted to say what a nice job Eric Snider did on the Bud Lee story and to thank you for doing it. Bud's one of those hidden local treasures that make Florida such a weirdly wonderful place. His collection of Florida photographs captures the state's special eccentric beauty over the last third of the 20th century. It's a shame more people don't know about him and his work. Here's hoping your article and the Tampa Museum exhibition will help to change that. Now wouldn't it be nice if the Tampa-Hillsborough County Library decided to get bold and archive his work and make it available to everyone, as they've done with the Burgert Brothers Collection? Maybe someday we'll even see an exhibition of his Florida work.
Susan Edwards
Tampa
Face Off
Re: Letters, "Voices Wanted," by Prince Campbell (Apr. 6-12)
As a long-time reader of your publication, I'd also noticed the under-representation of black faces. Many an evening I thought to zip off a lil' something to point out the discrepancy, then I realized that my sole voice probably wouldn't be heard because: I'm not white, nor of Cuban heritage; I'm not in your targeted demographic (45 & younger, according to your website); I'm not gay. Not that there's something wrong with being gay! Just not my choice. Besides, no one actually likes reading bitching readers' comments! But, lo and behold, someone finally got through to you! Luckily, you can point out your recent cover article to show that occasionally you do notice "us." Maybe it's because you're new to these parts! I just hope that your words will be followed up with lasting actions and we can all stop counting the numbers of black faces per issue.
Greg Cooper
St. Petersburg
(Editor's Note: I could also point out stories and images in this week's issue, in last week's Bud Lee photo essay, in March and February cover stories, and more. But hey, who's counting. I appreciate the feedback; keep pointing out the discrepancies whenever you see them.)
Sugg It Out
Re: SuggBlog, "Wal-Marketing," by John Sugg (Apr. 6-12)
Please note that it is a consumer's choice to shop at Wal-Mart. Nobody is forcing me to pick lower prices and larger selection instead of Mom and Pop old-school merchandise. I shop at Wal-Mart because I choose to. This isn't a "bad guy" situation forcing the little family business to close its doors. If local retailers can't compete, then they do not deserve to stay in business.
Nick Gray
Cumming, GA
Re: Suggblog, "Praying for Headlines," by John Sugg (Mar. 30-Apr. 5)
It makes no sense why the religious zealots get so emotional about the rights of human embryonic stem cells that could save us from debilitating diseases, yet they don't bat an eye when a chimp is tortured for cosmetics research. That is why the world needs "wacky" groups like P.E.T.A. Peter Singer is frightening to many people because, logically he is correct and that makes human beings feel vulnerable. Making society come to terms with how poorly it treats its animals was one of Singer's greatest achievements. If you are really as caring as you want everyone to believe, then you should recognize the virtue in helping the lives of innocent animals. I'm sure fellow animal-lover Terri Schiavo would have agreed.
Jeff Gordon
Via email
(Editor's Note: Senior Editor John Sugg wrote about Peter Singer, a Princeton University professor and advocate of "utilitarian ethics," in a column on Terri Schiavo in November 2003. The column won renewed attention in recent weeks and can be found at http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2003-11-13/fishwrapper.html. More of Sugg's writings on Schiavo and related subjects can be found on his blog, www.johnsugg.com.)
Surprise!
Re: "The Good, The Bad, The Local," Review of Four Star Riot's Tonight & Tomorrow by Scott Harrell (Mar. 30-Apr. 5)
That's probably the coolest CD review I ever got. I have to say that, when I sent the disc to you a few months ago, I didn't ask you to review it, and almost didn't want you to. For some reason I didn't think you would like it at all. So imagine my surprise today. Me and the band all thank you for the push. Your opinion means a LOT. So go to bed tonight, knowing you really made somone's day today!
Steve Alex
Four Star Riot
THROWDOWN
Re: "It's Not Easy Bein' Mean," by Doug Monroe (Mar. 16-22)
I read your article on New Jack and it makes me sick to see you talk about the guy like he is a hero. I have a passing interest in wrestling and I realize it can brutal at times, even though it is staged. But to cut and stab people like New Jack is doing goes beyond wrestling. I wish they would have thrown the piece of filth in jail for life. Wrestling has no place for scum like New Jack. He should be barred from wrestling, period.
Well, I won't make this too long, but you can rest assured that I will never read the Weekly Planet again or any other publication you are associated with. I can only imagine what is next… probably a piece on how Charles Manson is really a nice guy.
Jabari Davis
Atlanta, GA
"Flat Out The Best…"
Allyson Gonzalez, staff writer for the Sarasota Weekly Planet, can now add "Pulitzer finalist" to her resume. The staff at the Charlotte Sun-Herald, where Allyson worked before joining the Planet, was cited by the 2005 Pulitzer judges for "heroic coverage of Hurricane Charley after it destroyed the homes of employees and cut the paper's power supply and phone service." Allyson's story about the hurricane's aftermath was the lead story in the Sun's Pulitzer submission because, said the Sun-Herald's Paul Schmidt, it was "flat out the best."
Correction A caption in the cover story "Calling Dr. Vegas" (Mar. 30-Apr. 5) stated that one of the woman pictured was Lucy Johnson. Ms. Johnson was not in the photo.
This article appears in Apr 13-19, 2005.