VOLVOS.1

Mr. McCommons: After having read your recent addition to the world of trivial news editorials ("Good News For Volvos" 11/6/02), I find myself in a position where I am unable to hold my tongue.

I am completely disgusted by your lack of professionalism and disregard for the policies of the magazine where you work, not to mention your apparent lack of information concerning other mechanics in Athens and the surrounding areas. I find it fascinating that you were completely unaware of Import Diagnostics, which is located very near your offices at 945 College Ave, 543-7982. (Did I forget to mention that they have been advertising with your magazine for quite some time now?) They have a well-established reputation and the expertise to back it up. They also specialize in Volvos and other imports. They are an excellent solution for those Volvo owners out there that were wondering where their next fix would come from. Some may even say they are the best solution for those same Volvo owners.

Jennifer Yeast
Athens

VOLVOS.2

May I ask why you chose to highlight Garry's and Doster's garages as the only places in the area to have Volvos serviced ("...leaving many Volvo and other foreign car owners wondering where their next fix was coming from."), when Import Diagnostics on College Ave is a great place for service on Volvos and other imports? By the way, Import Diagnostics advertises in the Flagpole. Do you accept ad money from businesses you don't endorse? Or did you just owe Garry and the Dosters a favor?

Larry Johnson
Athens

VOLVOS.3

I look forward to reading your weekly editorial and wish I could get it more often. This week, however, I wish you would have stopped a couple of inches sooner.

I can appreciate that Garry and Don are your friends and you are comfortable taking your business to them. I too have friends that are, IMHO, outstanding mechanics. In the spirit of the election season, I would like to offer a counter endorsement.

I have known Mike Scholl at Import Diagnostics since I moved to Athens (about seven years ago). Mike and the others in his shop (Chris & John) have always been honest and square with me. Mike provides excellent automotive service and he is the only person I turn to to have my car maintained and repaired. I have privately referred many of my friends to him and now issue this public endorsement.

Perhaps you should consider expanding "Y'et Yet" to include other establishments. If so, I hope you would make Import Diagnostics one of your first reviews. You won't be disappointed.

p.
Athens

VOLVOS.4

Your blurb on "Good news for Volvos" was of ethically very questionable. Was this an advertisement, a car repair review, or just a big fat chunk of free advertising for a couple of Bubbas? My in-town mechanic is a good guy, knowledgeable, and honest person (who has also struggled for business in the post-9/11 economy) that BUYS advertising from your newspaper WEEKLY (and has done so for years). When are you going to feature HIM with a nice picture, the phone number of his shop, a history of his quality repairs AND the fact that HE SPECIALIZES IN VOLVO REPAIRS??

P.S. Have you ever thought of running for public office (you've got potential)?

Johnathan Walker
Athens

VOLVOS.5

Mr. McCommons, I am a newly exiled former Athenian, and a fond follower of your generally fine publication.

I write to point out what I see as a rather obvious omission from your most recent "Pub Notes."

Mike Scholl and his business, Import Diagnostics, was not mentioned along with the other Volvo mechanics whose praises you sang. Mr. Scholl is an excellent, thorough and conscientious mechanic, but more importantly, a fine and honest man. He has rendered top notch service to numerous Flagpole staffers over the years, along with many other hard working Athenians, including myself.

Your omission is unexplainable. I will more fully articulate my thoughts in a letter to follow. Thank you.

Darren E. Gaynor
Atlanta

VOLVOS.6

Hi, I was reading the Flagpole yesterday and saw your plug for Garry's Imports. I was curious, what do you know that we don't about Import Diagnostics? I have always gotten honest and dependable service from Import Diagnostics. Why waste precious fuel dollars driving all the way to Jackson County? You can just drop your car off at Import Diagnostics and maybe even bike back to your offices! Volvos are notorious for needing a lot of maintenance anyway. Why not keep a local small business going with your car? Not to mention (but I will) you would save fuel, keep the air clean, prove that you are really all about what you say you stand for in your magazine, etc. I mean, hey, does it make a business less dependable or honest if they actually have to pay you to be in your paper?

P.S. I really love Flagpole.

Carmen
Athens

STAY INVOLVED

Athens has much to be proud of after Tuesday's elections. Thank you to everyone who came out to vote on a rainy and chilly November day. Congratulations to the new members of the ACC Commission. This body should serve its community well along with our new mayor. Congratulations also to our Senator Doug Haines for running a positive and clean campaign focused on the issues that matter. I'm not so sure the same can be said of his opponent. Although the result was not the desired outcome for many, Senator Haines and his volunteers should be proud of the message they conveyed throughout the process. With that said, I urge the people of Athens to not become complacent now that elections are over. We've got a new State Senator coming in who promised to do a better job than Doug and we need to hold him to his word. Stay informed and involved. And if you don't like what you see: speak out! This goes for every official elected who made promises to our faces and a pledge to better our town. Government works to the community's advantage if we all stay involved.

Adam Causey
Athens

TOTAL CONTROL

Just think, not only will they control the Presidency, the Senate and the House, but Bush will recruit the worst of the religious right for Supreme Court. They will be confirmed. And don't even consider holding onto Roe vs. Wade, that's gone. Ashcroft has been busy for months scribbling over the Fourth Amendment on every copy of the Constitution ever made. And these judges will be there for life. It's only a matter of time before they call marshal law, suspend elections and continue with their never-ending war.

That last sentence is an exaggeration but who knows. I know I DON'T TRUST any officials who were hand-picked by Bush. Look at Harvey Pitt.

Matt Woodruff
Athens

DISLIKES INTERVIEW

I've been an appreciative Flagpole reader for eight years and have no beefs with your publication, except for this one: can you PLEASE be a bit more selective with who gets to interview bands? Interviews are too precious as opportunities for real fascination to entrust them to just anybody with a list of insipid questions scrawled on a Starbucks napkin. Many of the interviews in the Flagpole have impressed me as quite interesting and provocative (particularly those by Emerson Dameron), and I look forward to them. However, over the years a few interviews by some others have made my jaw drop to the floor with their appalling lack of depth, originality, musical understanding, tact and/or language skills.

The recent example compelling me to write this letter is Elizabeth Zeeuw's chat with Alan Sparhawk of Low (10/9/02). From the very first exchange, I'm wondering where I can score an eightball this early in the morning. For Zeeuw. Here it is: "[FP] Is your daughter coming on tour with you this time?" "[AS]: Yeah." Wow, is THAT ever incisive. And then, of course, the follow-up probe: "How does having your kid along affect your touring?" Well, what do you think, Lizzie? It's probably a big fucking pain in the ass. Next question, please.

Or maybe we don't want to read the next question ("How do you feel about your new album?"), or the rest of the interview for that matter. The only thing sparing this interview from me hurling it into the sewer in total and complete bored disgust was its entertainment value as a circus of idiocy. Sprinkled with moronic, Tiger-Beat-esque catch phrases like "rockin'" and "droney," it really made me want to puke up my Lucky Charms and made me flee in terror from the specter of favorite-color and what-kind-of-tree-would-you be questions surely lurking around the corner, but this was the least of the atrocities.

Forcing Sparhawk (renowned as an interesting interviewee) into unavoidably uninspired "uh huh"s, tour itineraries and awkward left-handed compliments of Athens audiences was a shameful waste of his time, brain and creative energy. Low is an intriguing band; they deserve better treatment, and we readers do, as well.

The gift of being a good interviewer is not freely meted out by The Lord, and the perfection of the art requires more than a wish upon a star to see one's name in print. A fine magazine such as the Flagpole should uphold high standards of authorship without exception. Or at least ensure that decent drugs are available for those who require them well before the "record" button is pressed.

Name Withheld
Athens