Good Watchdog!

Re: "Jihad Journalist Scooped" by John F. Sugg (June 7-13)

I admired your straightforward and to-the-point analysis of this witch hunt by a trash journalist. It's the constant vigil of these hate mongers by people like you that gives the society some sanity.

Muhammad Malik
Via e-mail

… … …

Too often underrepresented minorities, like Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians are maligned by the media to a misunderstanding majority, and not given an opportunity to respond. It is important to recognize that all life is sacred and all views should be respected and considered. Please continue to print unbiased articles and editorials that include all points of view, about this grossly underrepresented subject. Thank you again for printing the truth rather than what is politically expedient, in a great article on this timely topic.

Maxwell Stryker
Via e-mail

Who Needs Service?

Re: "A Raw Deal" by Bonnie Boots (May 10-16)

I first wondered if she had gone into the wrong place reading what was printed. I have been going to No. 9 Bangkok Thai's sushi bar since three days after it opened. I have never had any experiences even close to what was described in her scathing commentary. She wrote, "My first concern was being the only customer at 7 p.m. on a Thursday evening. Did the locals know something I didn't? … This night, with only four diners in the Thai restaurant, and myself in the sushi bar thought the staff would jump to attention to impress a new customer." St. Pete is just like any other city of bustling businesspersons. They roll up the sidewalks at 6 p.m. unless it's First Friday. You might also try being less of a bitch and stop looking for your ass to be kissed the moment you walk into the door. "… Chatting with each other and making personal phone calls before getting down to the business of getting me dinner." WELL! Let me just jump right up and smooch your butt a bit before your complementary champagne, my Queen!

Be that as it may I am very aware, as are several others, that service is not up to anyone's standards. You don't get the warm washcloth; you don't take off your shoes and have all that ambiance that comes with so many overpriced, hyped places. You have to chase someone down on occasion to get a refill on drinks, and you may have to wait a bit for your food. This alone is not a reason to blast out what was printed last week.

Don Snoke
St. Petersburg

More Changes at the 'Planet'

Bill Boyd, a group senior vice president for Creative Loafing Inc., has been named publisher of the Weekly Planet in Tampa and Sarasota. Creative Loafing owns the Planet newspapers, as well as alternative newsweeklies in Atlanta; Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.; and Greenville, S.C.

Prior to joining the Creative Loafing group, Boyd had been a scholar from 1991 to 2000 at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, a nationally acclaimed instructional and research facility in St. Petersburg. He also worked as a consultant for many newspapers and media associations while at Poynter.

When the Weekly Planet acquired the Atlanta-based Creative Loafing group last October, Boyd became the corporate officer overseeing recruitment and personnel development. He also supervised all of the newspapers except for Atlanta's Creative Loafing, and he will continue in that role.

Boyd had served on the advisory Friends of the Planet since its inception in the early 1990s. Long active in the American Civil Liberties Union, Boyd is that group's Florida chairman this year.

Born in Atlanta, Boyd received his bachelor's degree from Williams College in Massachusetts and his master's and doctorate degrees from the University of California at Berkeley.

Boyd replaces Susan Dix, who had been the Planet's managing editor for six years until becoming publisher in 1998. Dix, who presided over many changes at the Planet, has left the company. "Her creativity and spirit of adventure will be sorely missed," said Ben Eason, President of the Creative Loafing group.

This article appears in Jun 14-20, 2001.