ALL APOLOGIES

Last week's article by Donald E. Wilkes, Jr., "We Will Not ’Move On'," referred to conservative commentator Bill Kristol as "the doyenne of right-wing and Republican militants." This is incorrect. When referring to a man, the word is "doyen." Mr. Wilkes' story as submitted employed the correct form, but the Flagpole editorial board changed it, making it wrong - assuming that Kristol is, in fact, male.

Also, Emerson Dameron's Dec. 11 story about the Butler Building erroneously attributed its management to Gloria and Lanier "Skeet" Cobb. The building is managed by Drew Cobb.

Letters



VOICES FROM BUTLER.1

Now why do you have to run down the Butler Building like that ["Office Space: The Mysterious Butler Building," Dec. 11]? Yeah, the Butler Building is ugly. That's how I describe it to folks who need directions here. But to write a hit piece like that making fun of the people who work hard here every day is just mean. I thought the Flagpole was supposed to be all lovey dovey, "Let Iraq Live," Power to the Common Man and all that, and here you go spitting venom on hard working people by calling them low level bean counters and cockroaches and scared hamsters. If we painted a funky cosmic mural on the building, would that transform the people here into agents of the Great Cause, would we all the sudden be fighting the good fight, no longer cogs in the machine? It's one thing to write a funny piece about this mysterious building (it's a good premise, I admit), to ponder its presence, and to get all Zen on it, but to chop off the heads of the people who work here doesn't make you look any taller, it just leaves a lot of blood.

Thanks for making us all a little more wiser and a little less happy.

Anthony Barkdoll, Athens Video Services
Email



VOICES FROM BUTLER.2

In response to the article published about the Butler Building, I'd like to take a moment to clear up a few misconceptions. I am a business owner residing in this so-called mysterious building.

I've been here for going on three years now running a small but profitable data integration company for student-living apartment communities. After reading the article on the building, I now feel like a member of the Addams family. Yes, the building is old and at times sticks out, but there is an entrance sign at the opposite end of the building from the exit. You pass it just as you do the exit on the way to the bus- stop. The halls are often busy with salespeople, visitors, and our friendly mailman (AKA "Shorty"), doing whatever it is they do on a daily basis. The doors to the office are often kept open as a sign to visitors and clients that they are welcome anytime. It also provides distraction from the glare of a monitor or the paperwork we spend our day looking at.

My office is on the North end of the building, providing me with three window views of the frat house and sorority house next to us as well as a view of the parking lot behind the building. For me, entertainment comes from looking up to see frat boys showering girls with shaving cream, watching Top Gun on a projection screen, or, on occasion, one will yell at my window just to get my attention.

There is an overly friendly demeanor between the tenants of the Butler Building. Our landlord, Drew Cobb, is certainly one of the nicest businessmen in this town. I've not once run in to him that he wasn't wearing a smile on his face. I'm guessing the well dressed man attacked by his necktie is another business owner by the name of Nazz Paloni. He owns a company by the name of SouthLand Graphics, which is where you go if you are looking for t-shirts for that semi-formal or drunken Halloween bash. He is also an overly nice Italian gentlemen that will greet you with a genuine, "How you doin'?".

I hope this description will help to shed some light on our mysterious building. I'm certain that everyone here enjoys their surroundings and has no desire to relocate. Improvements are constantly being made upon the building and free high-speed Internet access was added as well over the summer. If anyone has any questions about the building or its tenants, email myself or visit www.thebutlerbuilding.com.

Jason Smith, SysRoute, Inc.
Email



DEM SNAKES

Here's yet another letter in response to the "thanks a lot" complaint published on Dec. 4 [Letters]. Stop blaming the voters (or lack thereof) because you didn't get your way. Stop complaining about how votes didn't get counted in Florida and how everything would be better if Al Gore had been elected. Maybe people didn't show up at the polls because they're tired of choosing the lesser of two evils. Sure, Republicans can be snakes, but didn't your precious Al Gore (who apparently could have saved the planet by now), along with his wife Tipper, succeed in censoring artists and musicians alike back in the mid-eighties with the P.M.R.C (if you were born in the mid-'80s, do your research)? Just imagine, electing a president who had a hand in limiting your right to free speech! So do we elect the evil Republican snakes who want to drag us into war? Or do we elect the kind, environment-saving snakes who want to control what we can and cannot say?

Democrats aren't making this world a better place any more than the Republicans are ruining it. I think it's you who has been fooled into believing that one party is better than another. They both have their faults and merits. You just have to decide which side you're on and stop blaming everyone else when it doesn't work out the way you wanted.

Keep voting and hope for the best! In the meantime, hit the streets and start drumming up votes for the next election. You just might get your way.

F.B.
Athens