HOBOS, QUACKS & FLOSS

Some comments regarding the last issues:

1) It is the very definition of irony that today's allopathic physicians would dare call naturopaths "quacks" (Joan Stroer's article, June 4 ), as the term was originally coined to describe the allopaths themselves!

In the 19th Century and before, allopaths used a bizarre array of "healing" techniques, including dousing practically everyone with the potent neurotoxin mercury! At the time mercury was often called "quicksilver" or "quacksilver," hence the term: "quack."

2) The term "hobo" (Joni Mabe's article, June 11) is a contraction of "homeward bound," the explanation given by soldiers after the end of the Civil War, as to why they were passing through your town and standing on your doorstep begging for food.

3) Am I the only one who has noticed the sudden disappearance of UNWAXED DENTAL FLOSS from retail stores all over Athens? True, this could merely be the result of demographic data collection as exposed by William Dylan Powell ("Where's My Reward?" June 11). Or... could it be an attempt by the petroleum industry to subtly influence us in its favor by lodging a petroleum product (paraffin) between our teeth, with insidious, undocumented effects upon our subconscious?

4) With the departure of Jason Henderson Athens loses one of its absolutely most valuable citizens! With half of the Athens population trying to pave over the county, and the other half "standing up" to it primarily by drinking themselves to death in Athens' profusion of bars, Jason was an excellent example of a thinking, feeling, DOING human being! I am glad that he is going to where the citizens actually care (SF) about the environment, alternate transportation, etc., and plan to look him up just as soon as I get there, too!

Gordon Lee Stelter
Athens

SNOOTY KNOW-IT-ALL

Is any one else tired of Patrick Franklin's repetitive, snooty movie reviews? He bashes every mainstream movie - they are trying too hard, trying to please the moviegoers (gasp!) or just following a formula. Personally, I like for movies to impress and please me: why else would I be there? Please find someone who isn't a condescending know-it-all to review the movies that come through Athens.

Carrie Coker
Athens

THIS JUST IN

If you haven't made plans to attend convention, perhaps this will be of interest: We have the great fortune to be able to welcome to the 2002 convention Alan D. Thompson, MIEx, Editor of Flag Industry Focus, of London, England.

Jim Eggleston
Email

COMPELLED TO WRITE

I have been reading about the new rental registration act for several weeks now and am finally compelled to write, specifically about comments by Editor Pete McCommons...

Not all people who rent are irresponsible, messy folks, but unless we're going to start putting all renters through some vigorous testing to figure that out (let's not even imagine that scenario!!), the better solution is to have some type of enforced ordinance that handles the BAD renters. Pete has implied several times that renters who happen to be artists or musicians are somehow above the normal renters - because they supposedly contribute so much to the culture in Athens. Well that may or may not be true, but it doesn't matter. A renter is renter is renter - whether that person is a student, an artist, a banker, an unemployed person, or whatever. The issue is not about whether or not a person who rents contributes in some way to our community nor is about what category they fit into. What it is about is how many people are living in a rental property and where that rental property is located. Now that I live in a single-family neighborhood and have a mortgage, I don't mind saying that I don't necessarily want renters in my neighborhood. It could affect my property value or make my house less desirable when I decide to move. I'm not a terrible person for saying that. I believe most homeowners feel the same way.

Finally, I don't think it's fair to insinuate that all students are bad renters, as Pete has implied several times. Further, we shouldn't be singling out any one group as being better than one another (the musicians and artists). The issue is whether or not they are following the ordinance, and that is in part the property owner's responsibility. I love the way we all rally around our new leaders but throw a fit when things don't go exactly the way we want them. That's typical. I would expect a little more admiration for those commissioners who are actually listening to their constituents! Isn't that what we all wanted a few months ago when we elected our new commissioners and mayor? Well, be careful what you wish for.

LTP
Athens

BEST COVER BAND?

Flagpole Music Awards... Best Cover Band? Are you guys for real? I must say that this addition to the ballot made me cringe and was an easy deterrent for me to not submit a ballot this year. So the DMCB, Pearl Jam Cover Band, or another tribute band will win an award for playing other people's music so well. Why don't we just make Dave Matthews the strongest supporter of the music scene? Don't get me wrong, I've listened to a DMB disc once or twice and have even seen one of the aforementioned cover bands on-stage. They do it well. However, it seems to me that the Flagpole Music Awards have always been an outreach to support and praise the struggling artists that try so damn hard in this town to draw five people to a show. So if you could just nix that award and get that on the end of my desk by the end of the day, that would be great. Love and kisses.

Double Taurus Rising Libra
Athens