CLARIFICATION

Last week Video Library informed the public that they can save money by doing business with us. We ran an ad in Flagpole comparing our better prices/benefits to other video stores. We called our competition, and we printed all the information provided verbally by each store's employee. Unfortunately, two Vision Video stores did not inform us of two specials they offer: five movies/five days/five dollars and free coupon specials. Our impression was that their 5/5/5 was available only with their dotted line coupon in their once a month ads, and not all the time. After we asked for the usual rates, we asked for any specials/benefits/freebies and were told "no freebies." However, in the interest of fair play, truth in advertising and fighting the corporate fight, we provide the above information that they didn't, and Video Library will continue to recommend Vision Video for titles that we don't have.

Link

Manager of Video Library

Athens

DON'T BE SO NAÏVE

Since when is selling crack a "job?" [A Crack Dealer Tells His Side Of The Story, Sept. 10] Where are the tax dollars collected from his income? (This is all the more reason to support tax reform and the consumer tax.) And why is this pimple on the ass of society telling me that my tax dollars killed innocent people? I'd have to say that "John Doe" is contributing to slow death just a weeee bit more than I and other working taxpayers are. The dealer is right about the potential of treatment over incarceration and the absolute failure, expense and corruption of the drug war. But man you're not helping the situation by selling.

Yeah, I can hear the predictable rhetoric now - we all gotta make a living, right? Now that the job description has been laid out for us, you and your kids can start slinging rock! You just have to be a "people person." Why not take your selling "skills" up to the mall or to a car lot. Maybe "Doe" should become a philosopher, at least David Bruce Smith seems to think so. So the blood is on MY doorstep? Don't be so naïve, Athens. There's no one offering safety pins or body parts on my doorstep, how 'bout you?

A tax paying citizen, accepting personal responsibility for my decisions, and contributing to society in a positive way...

John

Atlanta

SPOT ON

Your interview with the crack dealer was spot-ON. Good stuff.

Scott

Halifax

OFFENSIVE & TRASHY

Was the September 10th article "Interview with a Crack Dealer" meant to prove that the guys and gals of the Flagpole are just "keepin' it real?" Or was this your way of giving nervous UGA seniors hope that, indeed, there are viable careers out there despite the lagging economy?

I found this interview offensive and trashy and completely out of the usual Flagpole caliber. You took an interview with a crack dealer and portrayed him as just an average Joe just tryin' to make a living. Unfortunately, his line of work is by no means benign. This is a man who spends his life preying on the deadly addiction of others - aiding in the birth of hundreds of crack babies every year in Athens - which in turn the taxpayers of Athens have to pay the bill.

Your article shows a lack of judgment and integrity. You took a serious topic - a serious problem affecting hundreds of Athenians - and wrote it up as a tongue-in-cheek farce. Shame on you and your staff for glamorizing the ghetto fabulous life of a crack dealer. I'd rather wipe my ass with your article than read it again.

Maude Merleaux

UGA Dept. of Genetics

Athens

HATEFUL & WRONG

The recent column by Donald E. Wilkes, Jr. was certainly one of the most inaccurate, revisionist writings about history that I have seen in some time. He wrote about Dr. Lawrence Patton McDonald, a Georgia Congressman from 1975 until his death at the hands of the Soviet Union on August 31, 1983. He was murdered along with 268 other innocent people on [Korean Airlines Flight] KAL 007.

What he wrote was hateful and wrong. He didn't know Larry. The Larry McDonald I knew for about 16 years was honorable and knowledgeable about the country he served from 1975 until 1983. I was his campaign manager and the first person on his staff, serving as press and district assistant. I spent hundreds of hours in intimate, one-on-one conversations about his beliefs and his desire to serve his country. As a scholar of the U.S. Constitution he held a unique position among the many who have served in the Congress. He was always at the top of the ratings in voting "with" the laws he swore to uphold. He never voted for an unbalanced budget and voters in his district returned him again and again to Washington to represent them.

McDonald was the leading anti-terrorist intelligence gathering source in Congress and provided law enforcement agencies with valuable information long before the media ever thought about the threat we all know so much about today.

Now, on the 20th anniversary of his wrongful death your professor writes using words like "demented, repulsive, loathsome, reactionary" to describe the Congressman. What a brave person, this professor, to write so much about what he knows so little. But it only takes a small person to lie so grandiosely and falsely. That's my opinion and the opinion of many others who worked with McDonald to retain the goals set forth by our founding fathers.

Donald C. Vice

Mt. Airy

HATE PIECE

What, exactly was the point of Professor Donald E. Wilkes' article on the downing of KAL flight 007 (Flagpole, Sept. 3, 2003)?

It appears to simply be a lengthy "hate piece" written about someone who has been dead for over 20 years.

I personally do not care for the Clintons' political policies, but I do not wish them dead. I particularly would not take pleasure in anyone enduring a "horrific" and drawn-out death, as Professor Wilkes clearly does, as evidenced by three long, graphic paragraphs in his story.

How can one harbor such hatred for an individual holding opposing political views that - 20 years after the fact - one is still thrilled by the violent manner of that person's death?

Lesa Campbell

Jefferson

GET IT RIGHT

I have long been a Flagpole reader, and generally admired, applauded even, your clever and intelligent articles and reviews - especially in music. I've attended a few damn good shows because of "A is playing at B on C" and the like - shows I may never have gone to otherwise.

It disappoints me, then, that last week I saw perhaps the most feeble write-up of a band - ANY band - ever. Your one-liner on Perpetual Groove was not only half-hearted and lame, but WRONG. The band is from Savannah, Georgia, have been together two years - Brock Butler (guitar/mandolin), Adam Perry (bass/synth), Matt McDonald (keys) and Albert Suttle (drums) - and has experienced a FANTASTIC growth both in musical ability, performance quality, and fanbase this year. They in fact SOLD OUT the show last Friday at Last Call [the one you misprinted the date of - it was Sept. 5, not 6] with 850 people in attendance and many more turned away at the door. Their debut album, Sweet Oblivious Antidote, has done immensely well and is one of the best albums I have ever heard - as many others can attest to. Their live shows blow away any band I've seen (I cannot speak directly for the other 849 kids but I've heard rumors) and make other music dim in comparison.

So my view is slightly biased - they're my friends, I'm an addict - but nonetheless the band is much bigger than you make them out to be, and more deserving of a positive, ACCURATE description [or article, even] than many will ever be. Well, leaving the comparisons behind - they're worth a listen. And a review.

Hint: There's another Perpetual Groove show at Last Call on OCTOBER 3 - can you get it right this time?

Molly

Email

Music Editor Chris Hassiotis responds: Perpetual Groove is entirely from Savannah, and we entirely were wrong about that. Also this: A Flagpole freelancer attended the show on assignment - she was so blown away that I decided to, instead of running a regular live show review in this week's paper, hold the larger piece she's already written for the October show. Eyes peeled, all of you. And I encourage everyone - even if you're not just pimping your friends' band - to drop a line to music@flagpole.com or call me at 549-9523 with feedback.

LOVE THE DOGS

Scrap the Dogs My Ass [City Dope, Aug. 20]! Tons of thought, time and money as well as Love went into this Classic City fund-raiser! In WAM's "list of solutions" (Sept. 3rd) he/she forgot the best solution of all... #4- Move to a better town - one with talented artists - WAM you will be missed. And Pete where is the Love? Painting until it is good enough for WAM...

Peter L.

Hull

MARVELOUS MALLONEE

Just wanted to drop you folks a line and say thanks for the great cover story on Bill Mallonee. He's my favorite songwriter/musician and continues to amaze me with his lyrics and prolific song output.

Mark Feldbush

Columbus, Ohio

MORE MALLONEE

Thanks for the article on Bill Mallonee and the gang. Well done and well deserved for a hard working and talented artist!

Jonathan

Email

STILL MORE MALLONEE

Thanks for the great Bill Mallonee article. I'm a big fan and it's good to see him on the front of something... whenever possible. Rolling Stone, next I hope.

Thanks and God bless you,

Yazz

Email

MURDERER!

To the mean, lousy, son-of-a-bitch that ran over that raccoon in front of my house Friday night: I sure hope it was worth splattering some poor critter's brains all over the sidewalk just to shave a few minutes off of that long drive down to the bar. I guarantee you were speeding, and I'm willing to bet that you were drunk.

I took a flat shovel out there to scoop the poor guy out of the street, and there were two little raccoons sniffing around the carcass. I hope that makes you feel like shit.

Pinecrest is a residential street, pal - that means lots of pets and kids - and I don't take kindly to assholes flying down it like it was some kind of bush-league, frat-boy speedway. If I had been there to see you do it, and if you'd been man enough to stop, you'd be taking your meals through a straw right now. And, Christ Almighty, if that had been my dog, there wouldn't have been enough left of you to shovel into the bushes.

Rusk

Athens