SPINNING HIS WHEELS
How far behind the times are you? The cool, chrome rims (Cover Story, "Reinventing the Wheel," by Eric Snider, July 5-11) have been around for years and you are just getting to them! How many years will it take before you notice the rims on custom bikes? I only read part of the article but noticed nothing on spinners that are becoming so common that even SUVs have them. The custom bike builders have started spinners on their rides. WAKE UP and get back to the cutting edge of cool!
John Perry
Via e-mail
GRANDMA LIKES IT
Your publication is to be applauded for the story on Al Gore's movie (Cover Story, "Al's World," by Sam Adams, June 28-July 4). I found it a fascinating read and want to thank your paper for printing it. I continue to be amazed that your "racy" publication can so often include stories/columns that appeal to the "thinking grandma" type of reader!
Sylvia Knight
Sarasota
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
I read your column (Political Whore, "Does Your Vote Count?" by Wayne Garcia, June 28-July 8) and wonder about your dismissal of an alleged "massive conspiracy" to steal this country's last three elections. It seems you are among the shrinking majority who believe the extreme right wing in this country is somehow too noble, honest or dignified to perform a coup.
There are many indications that a coup may well have been attempted, and completed. Republicans have ensured that some 80 percent of the vote in this country is now counted on computers built and programmed by Republicans. The Republican president of Diebold (his brother is a veep at Sequoia) is quoted saying something like "I will do anything to get Bush elected."
The Miami-Dade recount of the 2000 vote was stopped by a small mob, including several Republican congressional aides, who were yelling and screaming out in the hallway. Bev Harris, who was later viciously attacked, and Howard Dean demonstrate how easy it is to change the totals in the tabulation laptop. Not even a password is needed.
In Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004, the States that gave the elections to Bush both had secretaries of state who were in charge of the statewide election while being the chairpersons of the Bush campaign. What an amazing coincidence.
I myself, back in the late '90s, voted on a punch card "machine" which was crammed packed, early in the morning, with waste chads. When I removed the waste chad collection bin to dump it out I was berated by a poll worker I knew to be Republican. He was overruled by the clerk, and the waste bin was emptied and put back in the voting "machine".
I was a poll watcher on Treasure Island during the 2004 election. I recorded the numbers from the back of all the machines, before and after the polls closed. One machine was a hundred votes off at the end of the day. The Republican clerk would not let me count the number of signatures in the sign-in books. The Republican Sheriff's deputy ignored the law and let the clerk take the books away.
Thank you for at least considering that we are all being shanghaied. Save the republic by banning the machines and voting on paper, like they do in Uganda.
Christopher S. Brudy
Treasure Island
BIG, SCARY JOURNALIST
The research of investigative journalist Greg Palast convinces me that the elections of 2000 and 2004 were both stolen. Not just the presidential, but the majority of the ones that elected Republicans, especially to national office.
His research was used in early 2000 for a lawsuit filed by the NAACP, which they "won" (although no results have occurred to date), and a document he showed someone in the Florida Supervisor of Elections office caused that state official to panic and run. I'd say his info is good.
Frank Starr
Via e-mail
WARM AT HEART
This is coming late, but I have relocated out of the TB area and only just saw this online. I read Wayne Garcia's article (Summer Guide, "Cold-Hearted Snakes," May 10-16) and am appalled at his inclusion of Jennifer Porter in this listing and his characterizations of her.
I had been a regular subscriber to the Planet; I shall now never read this magazine again! Jennifer is a friend of mine, and your journalist had no idea what he was talking about or about the pain Jen has endured as a result of her involvement in this terrible accident. I can assure you that there is nothing "cold" about Jennifer Porter. Her apparent lack of emotion is an INTERPRETATION (and a bad one!) on the part of Mr. Garcia. She was in fact terrified and tired during/after this 16-hour judicial ordeal. The media (both mainstream and alternative) has misrepresented the facts of this case!
Wayne Garcia can go to hell!
John Feeney
Orlando
This article appears in Jul 12-18, 2006.
