You're Ribbin' Me

I would like to know who is smoking some wacky weed to say Sonny's is the best BBQ in town (Best of the Bay/Readers' Poll, Sept. 21). I guess you guys have not been to a place called Big Daddy's BBQ on Fourth Street in downtown St. Pete. They have the best ribs I've tasted in ages.

Ted Easterbrook

St. Petersburg

EDITOR'S REPLY: The voters in our Readers' Poll named Sonny's the best; we don't know what wacky weed they were smoking, but we're sure it was of the finest quality.

Not So Super

Who wrote this gaseous piffle? You Fourth Estate dilettantes have sat in your office on your keisters and made this up while throwing spitballs into the wastebasket. Alternate press indeed. Alternate dingdongs is more accurate.

Stop picking on the Pinellas Board. It's in disarray, but nobody's perfect. Leave that job of picking on the Board to me — somebody who knows what she's talking about.

Dr. Wilcox is not acquainted with commas and irregular verbs. He got a made-by-Mattel degree from NOVA. He is insecure and volatile. He is a publicity hound. He lacks enough self-control to avoid confrontations with his board of bosses. He's threatening to go into a terminal pout and to run away to Miami for a bigger salary. Good. Let the Miami Board deal with the Big Baby. It will need to lay in a supply of Pampers.

Lee Drury de Cesare

Madeira Beach

EDITOR'S REPLY: Besides being one of the most entertaining letters to the editor we've ever received, this is also a mother lode of potential band names: Gaseous Piffle, Alternate Dingdongs, Fourth Estate Dilettantes — coming soon to a music venue near you!

Pointed Questions

I am writing in response to Tom Voiland's letter (Letters, Sept. 14). I would love to know how many children he and his wife have adopted? How many have they taken in as foster children? Have they provided any assistance at all to these children who have been failed by their natural "straight" parents, and by the system? How much has Mr. Voiland contributed to help with the care of these forgotten children?

The men and women, gay or straight, who take in these children, love them and give them a loving home should be commended, not condemned. This is not about evolution, or God. Please provide the evidence, with references to back it up, that children who are adopted into gay homes are worse off than those in straight homes. Please make the references from credible sources, not the religious fundamentalist groups that only have the interest of spreading hate. Try the American Psychological Association. Then please turn on the news and listen to the stories of the children who have been beaten, burned, cut, locked in cages, fingernails pulled off, and psychologically damaged by the STRAIGHT couples, just like you and your wife. I have not heard anything about children in homosexual homes being tortured like this.

As far as the Weekly Planet being a "mullet wrapper," I don't believe anyone forced you to pick up the paper and read the articles. There are many hate papers that would be more suited for you, please stick to them.

I'm also glad that you brought up that you and your wife are practicing Catholics. I'm sure everyone knows about the pedophiles that are rampant in the Catholic church. Perhaps you should separate yourself from them; I'm sure that you are too good for them also.

James Brown

Plant City

Foo On You

Once again a review of a particular rock show is turned into a review about the concert venue and the concertgoers (Scene & Herd, "In The Big Room," Sept. 14). Who cares about a roadie named Dogface Dan, a man wearing a Krokus T-shirt or a couple trying to eat each other's faces? I read concert reviews to get an idea of the sound quality, some of the songs they played and an overall feel of enthusiasm of the performers. Thanks for nothing.

P.S. If you need a reviewer that can actually review a concert musically let me know. I've been to hundreds of concerts which should qualify me more than someone who's more interested in the freaks and the geeks.

P.S.S. Also, on page 56, you review The Rolling Stones' Sucking in the Seventies. Give me a break. No one cares about a 30-year-old collection of songs which aren't relevant anymore. Try reviewing their new CD, Bigger Bang, and see if it's actually true.

Keith Rentz

St. Petersburg

EDITOR'S REPLY: See the Spins section for a Bigger Bang review. As for Scott Harrell's story about the Foo Fighters show, that wasn't a concert review, nor was it meant to be.

CORRECTION

In last week's citation for Best Local Film Festival, the contact number for the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival was incorrect. The TIGLFF phone number is 813-879-4220. The website is www.tiglff.com. This year's festival runs Oct. 6-16.

This article appears in Sep 28 – Oct 4, 2005.