From You
Letters
From You
In Defense Of Rouge
originally published June 21, 2006
I do not make a habit of public response to specious claims. It is, however, troubling for me to have a personal axe ground on my behalf.
I don't know where Mr. Michael Darrow [Letters, June 7] experienced his multiple displays of patrimonial benevolence. In my 20 years in the industry, I have never known employers to give two weeks advanced notice of an impending close or sale. The reality is that such warning would cause no-shows to cripple operations and send pilferage, always present, to ridiculous levels. A brief review of the facts:
In the four weeks prior to the closing of Rouge, fully a third of the kitchen staff had left to take positions in Madison, New York and at Farm 255. The Head Chef had tendered his notice. No new hires were made as the plan was to run the expected slow summer on a skeleton crew. Several servers, including two of three floor managers, had left for the summer. To the best of my knowledge, all the bartenders were part-time and had other jobs. There were nothing like "over 30" full-time employees left.
What did happen? Payroll was met, with cheques issued at their regular interval. Purveyor accounts were settled. Creditors will continue to be paid in the absence of a revenue stream. Five of the most experienced remaining employees were folded into the schedule at the Last Resort Grill. Others are picking up shifts there while they look for other jobs.
The sudden loss of your sole income is a devastating occurrence. I will attest to the readers of Mr. Darrow's magniloquent invective that steps to mitigate the fallout of Rouge's quick demise were taken. While the details need not be public, those who made personal sacrifices on behalf of Rouge were compensated.
In the years that I have know Jaamy Zarnegar, he has gone beyond the call of station to assist his employees in times of difficulty more times than I can count. He is true to his friends and true to his word, and I would disassociate myself from Mr. Darrow's slander.
Robert M. Blackburn AthensLetters
From You
In Defense Of Rouge.2
originally published June 21, 2006
I am writing in response to Michael Darrow'ís knucklehead tirade against the owners of Rouge/ Mia Madonna, Melissa Clegg and Jaamy Zarnegar, in the last edition of the Flagpole [Letters, June 7]. Darrow paints a distorted and unfair picture of two of Athens' finest citizens. I have worked at one of their other eateries, The Last Resort Grill, for over a year, and I have never had employers that took such a caring interest in their employees. The employees of Rouge/ Mia Madonna were not just cast out into the street as Darrow proclaimed. They knew well ahead of time that the restaurant was not doing well and that it was only a matter of time before the establishment closed if business did not pick up dramatically. Furthermore, all of the Rouge/ Mia Madonna employees that wished to join the staffs of Clegg's and Zarnegar'ís other restaurants were accommodated. I worked with many of them at The Last Resort Grill just today. Melissa and Jaamy care about their employees, care about their patrons and care about their community. They donate to dozens of local charities and organizations. They have glorious 12-course appreciation dinners for their kitchen staff. They throw the best Christmas party in Athens. They pay their employees living wages, and they are quick to offer help when one of the ìextended familyî is in need. All of you that come to dine at The Last Resort know of the fine quality of the food, and I believe that you must sense how close we all are when you grace our establishment. What bone Darrow has to pick with my employers is a mystery to me, but I can assure you all that he is an outsider looking in and he has no idea what'ís going on at any of Clegg's and Zarnegar'ís establishments. Shame on you Darrow. Find something productive to do with your time and stop slandering the fine names of Clegg and Zarnegar.
William Matthew Powell AthensLetters
From You
Dogs Not Angels
originally published June 21, 2006
Considering all the threats and horrors facing mankind, the fuss over "Canine Angels Rescue" ["Canine Angels," June 14] is ignorant and inappropriate.
First, there is the deceptive name; An "Angel" is a spiritually pure being, fully devoted to God, enacting compassion. But Jesus stated, "Do not give what is holy unto dogs, for at first they will praise you, and then turn and tear you to pieces!" He was referring to dog-like humans, of course, but the metaphor is also appropriate here, as it means: "Don't waste compassion on beings who are not compassionate themselves, or God-interested." Though some are worse than others, dogs are, basically, vicious predators only interested in their physical appetites. They can be placated with food, displaying behaviors mistaken as "love" and "devotion" by their "owners," but that is only while they are being fed. Stop feeding them, and they quickly revert to their original state. Remember the packs of small dogs, left by students, attacking mothers with strollers on Milledge Avenue? I do. Given the chance, they would have eaten those babies, and the mothers, too! A child is hospitalized with a dog bite in the United States every 32 seconds. My extremely gentle and sweet baby sister was mauled by a neighbor's "friendly" dog, requiring reconstructive surgery on her face. I was there, and guarantee that she did absolutely nothing to taunt it.
So dogs certainly aren't "angels," and neither are those running this operation. An angel wouldn't, with all the threats and horrors facing mankind, devote themselves to rescuing vicious, not-God-interested predators. And also because, unless the dogs are fed vegan chow (it exists), they are being fed the remains of slaughtered cows, sheep and other, far more gentle, creatures. If you kill one creature to feed another, you rate a big fat "zero" on the compassion scale. That's not angelic! If you kill a gentle creature, like a cow, to feed a vicious predator, you rate even lower. And that's even less angelic!
It is reprehensible to re-define terms, and abuse important spiritual concepts, to serve one's personal agenda. This is what the operators of "Canine Angel Rescue" do: coaxing people to devote their valuable compassion, money and energy to this "cause" (their desire to be surrounded by dogs) which should be assigned to far more worthy issues like homeless children, environmental degradation, world peace, spiritual enlightenment.
When the Indian Guru, Srila Prabhupada, first visited this nation, he observed; "In America, they do not worship God. They worship dog!" The current calamities facing America are certainly not a result of too much devotion to our Creator! If Americans wish to survive them, I very strongly recommend that they do some serious self-examining, and re-setting of their priorities.
As God Himself put it, in the 10 Commandments, "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." People rescuing dogs, instead of starving children, do just that.
Gordon Lee Stelter AthensLetters
From You
Copy To Bush
originally published June 21, 2006
Now is the time for all good patriots to come to the aid of our government. I refer, of course, to the situation revolving around the so-called "NSA spying" on all American citizens without benefit of a "legal" warrant.
Obviously, if you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to fear. In order to prove that we are all innocent, I would like to suggest that everyone begin to forward copies of every email they write to the White House.
You ask, why does George Bush need to know my grocery list? Why does George Bush need to know what time to pick little Susie up from her piano lessons? Why does George Bush need to know that the printer in my office is not working?
Well, he needs to know because he's the president and he says so!
Imagine the intelligence boon when 45 billion emails flood into the White House on a daily basis. Why, they will know everything, and be able to react to the problems of the world that much faster.
Please, everyone join in helping me prove that we are all innocent; copy your emails to the White House: comments@whitehouse.gov.
They will appreciate your assistance.
Rick Lodewell ArnoldsvilleLetters
From You
Journalistic Brutality
originally published June 21, 2006
Don't know if you saw the lurid front page of the June 9 Banner Herald. It was patently offensive, with the bloated face of the "Iraq War Fresh Kill of the Week." I wonder if it was the result of a change of editorial policy, or just a lapse of judgement or an addled, lurching step into the media gutter?
The next time a murderer is executed in this state, will they show his post-electric chair dead face beside, perhaps, a photo from his grade school yearbook?
The demonized Jordanian, no matter how heinous his crimes, was also a human being, with a family somewhere. [The Banner Herald] jumped on the jingoist bandwagon with all the other panting media in a frenzy of vilification and insult.
Such journalism is another kind of brutality that sows seeds of hatred as much as the kicking down of a family’s door in search of “suspects."
Add to that an earlier Banner Herald story with its prurient account of the “bikini” killer’s victim being found “wearing nothing but her bikini top, around her neck”.
Too much information can disgust an audience. Decent readers expect better taste from every local paper.
Jim Baird ComerIf you are having problems with the site, or have questions or suggestions, please contact us here. Thanks!
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