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LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR STYLE, CLARITY AND SOACE CONSIDERATIONS
WHO NEEDS REVIEW*
I thought your review of the Masters of the
Hemisphere's latest album I am Not a Freemdoom
[Reviews. Aug. >Ef]was a bit harsh. I am not "one
of the 50 or so in town who know the Masters
personally," but I think the album is quite good.
My main complaint is however not that you
didn't like the album (everyone is entitled to
their opinion), rather I take issue with the way
you reviewed it. You didn't talk much about
what the album sounded like but rather you
obsessed on the fact that you were being left out
of some inside joke. Album reviews like yours
accomplish nothing. The object of a review is so
that people who have never heard the album can
get a basic idea of whetner or net they might
like the album. Comparisons to other bands
(although 1 am sure bands hate this) and albums
are helpful. You simply panned the entire album
simply because you didn't like the lyrics. Of what
help is that? Of course in these modem times
with the success of Napster and other MP3
sharing programs record reviews are slowly
becoming outdated. I mean I wouldn't trust most
of my friends' opinions about an album, so why
should I trust some guy who 1 have never met. I
simply downloaded a few tracks from the album
and found that I liked it and then I bought it.
Robi Ragan
Athens
SLAMMING MONKEY
I appreciate the support Flagpole has shown
the Athens Poetry Slam, particularly in "Out
There" by Margaret Mooie. However, in a recent
column filled with inaccuracies about the Slam
and snide remarks, Emerson Dameron mentioned
that he's mad about not hearing from us about
stories he sent to Monkey: Athens Humor and
Slam Poetry Magazine. Perhaps that's why he was
careless with the facts about the Slam, which I
also run. Perhaps he's more careful when he's
not writing from the viewpoint of a frustrated
author. ANYONE who hasn't heard from a maga
zine after a while should check back. In his case,
he would have found that we didn't receive his
manuscripts. We try to reply to everyone who
gives us an SASE or an e-mail address, regardless
of whether or not their work is right for us.
As to the Slam, the facts are that winners are
ALL eligible to compete for slots on the Athens
Slam Team, which will compete in the South
EAST reaionals NEXT summer (capital letters for
corrections). This year's team made a gallant
showing at a terrifically competitive regional
competition in Americus. This was Athens' first
team in years, and the first ever selected
through our slam. Michael Wukela, Chloe
Tewksbury, Kodac Harrison and Brent Adams
worked hard and showed a lot of guts and talent.
By the way, we have a suggested donation
instead of an inflexible cover charge because the
Slam and Blue Sky Coffee, our greatly supportive
venue, don't want anyone to miss a show
because they're broke. However, we want
everyone to pay who can because we pay touring
feature performers (including some of the top
people in the country) most of the door money
to help them survive on tour. Why do some
people think artists shouldn't get paid and that
every parasitic suit ought to get rich? Weird.
We also pay a small cash prize to each
month's slam winner. Any further money goes to
help pay for the team to go to regionals. Blue
Sky doesn't ask for a cut, and none of the orga
nizers make a penny from the slam, which runs
slightly in the red.
The next slam is Thursday, August 17 at 7
p.m., with the Athens Slam team as featured
performers. There's also an open mike. Sign-up
staits around quarter 'til.
And Mr. Dameron, of course, is welcome to
submit his work to Monkey. Next time he has a
question about a manuscript, perhaps he'll e-
mail or write.
David Oates
Athens
TO COMMISSIONERS
This is an exact copy of a letter I sent to the
Commissioners in Athens. I hope you can print it
in your letter section.
To the members of the Commission: I am
writing to you as a property owner in "rural"
Athens-Clarke County. In the debate over the
land use plan, I find it troubling that all "rural
property owners" have been charactenzed as
like-minded regarding the development density'
in the proposed greenbelt: let me register her®
my firm contention that this county will be best
served by the preservation ol open spaces and
limitations on sprawling growth. It is precisely
the open spaces we have that provide a buffer
from a "geography of nowhere"-style landscape,
give our water (and lungs) a fighting chance,
and offer respite from perpetual hurriedness. We
are grounded to the past in our countryside and
have now the opportunity to insure its survival
in our future. It seems, however, the short-term
financial interests of a few privileged individuals
will supersede what is best fer the community-
at-large. I am dismayed at the prospect of one
unit per acre countywide. Individual property
owners must be the priority; as property values
rise, and density restrictions are enacted, we
must pursue fair taxation practices and promote
conservation easements whenever possible.
The argument that businesses will not locate
here unless we have a building density rivaling
northeastern New Jersey is used, I suspect, as a
scare tactic primarily to encourage sympathy for
unwise development. As Atlanta becomes
increasingly stressful for the traffic, pollution,
noise, etc., city refugees will (ano already do)
place a premium on the easy pace of life we still
enjoy in Athens. Yes, businesses will still locate
here with strong protections intact, taking
advantage of a population firmly committed to
making Athens a great, sustainable place for
now and years to come. Bike lanes, rails-to-trails,
the greenway, our parks and cultural opportuni
ties must be seen as strengths of this commu
nity. Businesses, workers, students and families
thrive in beautiful and healthy surroundings.
Development, I believe, need not be opposite
environmental protection.
We should encourage reclaimed and renew
able materials, aesthetic standards and commu
nity integration when development does take
place, l urge dialogue amongst the Commission,
not "ideologue" as has appeared in the past. It is
an affront to the years of hard work towards the
land use plan to consider nothing but the
bottom line of those who already have plenty.
Erik Hinds
Athens
LETTERS POLICY
Flagpole welcomes letters and prints them
without tampering with the author's intent.
The editors correct grammar and spelling
and occasionally have to cut long letters.
TH9S MfllRH WOBLO
HEY, READERS.' DID YOU EVER STOP TO THINK ABOUT
HOW MANY Of YOUR FAVORITE SOCIETAL TRENDS
ORIGINATED IN THIS VERY CARTOON? WE DIDN'T
THINK So/
I —I FEEL
LIKE SUCH
AN IH6RATE!
X THINK WE SHOULD ALL RUSH
OUT AND PRE-ORDER TOM'S FORTH
COMING NEW Book. “WHEN PEN
GUINS ATTACK!"'AN INADE
QUATE IF HEARTFELT GESTURE Of
CONTRITION.'
by TOM TOMORROW
FOR INSTANCE, THE ONLINE WORLD IS ABUZZ with
talk OF THE LAfEST EXCITING BUSINESS MODEL,
"P-TO-P" (PEER-TO‘-P£ER)--Bur HOW MANY VENTURE
CAPITALISTS ARE EVEN AWARE of THE C-To-R
(.CARTOON 1ST-TO-READER) model this cartoon
HAS UTILIZED FOR YEARS?
WHY--IT'S LIKE A ONE-WAY |
WIRELESS DATA STREAM.'
HE HAS REPURPOSED A
SECOND WAVE PARADIGM
FOR THE NEW NEW N£W|
ECONOMY.'
FIRE Up the LEAR JET,
BOYS--AND BRING A
BLANK CHECK! WE'v£
GOT TO TRACK THIS
HUMBLE GENIUS DOWN--
BEFORE SOMEONE BEATS
TO IT!
AND THINK ABOUT HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN PLACING
REAL PEOPLE--JN OUR CASE, POLITICIANS--INTO CON
TRIVED, unrealistic settings for-your VIEWING
pleasure! its just like survivor - -except
IN A CARTOON!
I DON'T GET IT.' WHY ARE WE ON THIS DESERT
ISLAND? TO SYMBOLIZE OUR ISOLATION FROM
AVERAGE AMERICANS? the relative dis
connect of our political philosophies?
I HAVF. MANY THOUGHTS on the SUBJECT
WHICH 1 WILL BE HAPPY TO SHARE--AS
SOON AS I CAN GET AHOLD Of KARL ROVE!
FOP MY NEXT TRICK, I WILL TURN THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES INTO A HOBBLED WATERFOWL!
VERY FUNNY. DON'T YOU HAVE
ANYTHING BETTER TO DO?
And Finally, did you ever wonder how SPARKY
IS A8LE .TO ELUDE THE SECRET SERVICE AND POP
INTO THE OVAL OFFICE at will? WELL, ITS due
TO HIS MAGICAL POWERS! THAT* RIGHT—HE'S
MAGIC! HARRY POTTER S GOT NOTHING ON THIS
PENGUIN/
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B FLAGPOLE AUGUST 16, 2000
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