CORRECTION

The October 9 story "GDOT Looking For A Few Good (Old?) Men" was incorrectly attributed to Jason Pugh. The author's name is Jeff Pugh.

HIP HOP IGNORED

I want to first thank the Flagpole for their current issue dealing with the Hip-Hop culture. It was well researched and I honestly enjoyed it overall. But what I do not understand is how an article can be written (in Athens) on the Hip-Hop culture and not one person from the Dreaded Mindz Family be quoted, interviewed or addressed. I mean Ishues did get some credit and a picture. But I'm sorry that is not enough. We have been building the Athens Area Underground for almost three years now, so for an article to finally be written and the Dreaded Mindz Family to not be anywhere is disrespectful. I give the Flagpole and Emerson Dameron credit for finally doing a full story on the Hip-Hop culture (not rap), but I do not understand the angle. The Dreaded Mindz Family has been sending the Flagpole press-releases for two and a half years now.

Hip-Hop on the Yard (Herty Field), Battle Lounge every Friday (all around Athens), Many Faces of Hip-Hop (Memorial Ballroom), Nubian Expressions (Seney-Stovall Chapel), Ishues shows (all over Athens), Tate Plaza shows, Lyrical Warfare I, II, III (Tasty World), King of the Ring (Georgia Hall), Showing Wildstyle, BeatStreet, Breaking (Adinkra Hall), Cyphers at the DMZ Lounge, Battle Lounge on Athens Unleashed and many other shows that are too numerous to name...

Please give the credit to the proper people. That article although good, gave no credit to the Dreaded Mindz Family. I mean, Josh Moore of Jomo (who has rarely - if at all touched Hip-Hop) got quoted before someone from DMZ. We have been hard at work for almost three years now, so when the Athens Area Underground does blow up, which it is bound to do, do not say you saw it all along because you gave Hip-Hop a little ink once. I mean no disrespect, but you have to understand where we are coming from. If you the music publication for Athens won't give us props who will? Just like all the venues downtown we are going to have to show you guys we are here to stay and we are going to keep it pure. We all grew up living Hip-Hop, so we know how it should and can be done. It is just the city officials, venues and publications like the Flagpole that give us no credit. So I guess we have to rely on Murphy at Tasty World, UGA venues, the Red and Black (they have given us plenty of articles), or Athens Banner-Herald for a platform to express ourselves. Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you really soon...

WE are Athens Hip-Hop. Athens Area Underground (AAU) is coming so look out!!!

With UnIverSoul Love,
The Dreaded Mindz Family
Athens

HIP HOP ANSWER

I am an avid action force on the hip hop scene in Athens titled underground music.

I am also a reader of the Flagpole, so when I saw there was an article [October 9] I immediately called some of my friends and told them about the article. I had not read it yet, of course. Once I read it and read it, my emotion stirred and my objections were declared. Underground is a musical style and the expansion of mental knowledge, originality. This is hip hop. This article would have gone over better if actual hip hop heads were asked, but we were not. The assumption and misrepresentation leads to anger of this article. The editor should proofread the article before it hit the stand because, if his job was being done, then he should have suggested Dreaded Mindz, a organization of self expression (hip hop falls into this expression). The media is a powerful tool and it is being misused. The media can control the minds of the walking dead and that is a lot of people. So the correct thing to do is fix the article and you can call me Justice.

Justice
Athens

FIX IT

It is appalling to find out that reporters and editors who back them are not doing their research. I am a hip hop radical for this culture and was totally disturbed by the article and its not complete information written. You as the editor know that there are hip hop acts and it is a strong backing of the performances here in Athens. How? Because press releases have been sent to you. What do you have to say about doing another article on the hip hop in Athens? I pick up the Flagpole weekly and was not seriously disappointed until now. It needs to be fixed.

gio rich
Athens

GREEKS BASHED

Flagpole is a great addition to Athens. I find the articles interesting and insightful. The coverage of local politics, music and events around town keep me in tune. Thank you.

I must say, however, that I find it distressing that for two prints running, (Inside/Out, Oct 2 and 9) the local Greek community has been bashed. I am a graduate of Virginia Tech and am very proud to say I am a member of Theta Chi Fraternity. I spent many a night partying the night away in Blacksburg, VA, more than likely clogging the sidewalks and being a general nuisance within the limits of the law. The next morning I could also more than likely be found participating in a sorority fund-raiser to benefit local charities or picking up garbage along the road that was adopted by my fraternity.

Not all members of fraternities and sororities fall into the stereotypes outlined by your writers. As a matter of fact, in my experience venturing downtown, I rarely see people wearing Greek letters when they are out on the streets, so to assume someone is a member of a Greek organization by their choice in clothing is unfounded. For the record, I would have to say while I was pursuing my undergraduate degree, I was a no car having, bus riding, two part time job having, Wal-Mart shirt wearing, financially independent, full time student, frat boy.

Ms. Kuegeman (Inside/Out, Oct. 9) may want to check her gas mileage. Eighteen-year old Swedish sedans are probably as environmentally friendly as a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe.

James Bristow
Winterville

METER FEEDER

I am wondering how many others suffer the mechanical mishaps I do when trying to use the downtown parking meters. Maybe it is just me... or maybe not! The number of malfunctioning meters seems to be on the rise. Within a week's time I can count on at least three meters not working correctly. I was quite frustrated two days ago after circling downtown six times, trying to find a space. Finally, I found a space on Clayton across from the Globe only to discover the meter was jammed with coins in every slot. I was willing to leave the car parked there anyway until a space opened directly next to me - so I did move. Will other drivers move or risk the ticket? Between jammed coins and parking tickets parking revenue will increase no doubt.

Today I parked on Clayton (meter #360, I think) , and dropped my two dimes and one nickel in the meter. Each dime gave me the expected 24 minutes. The nickel gave me nothing! Where were my expected 12 minutes? This has happened multiple times. The first time it happened I dropped in more money (quarters that time) to no avail. So, I have thrown away a few cents. Big deal. But, I propose that this adds up quite nicely for the city's parking revenue.

What is going on here?

Reena Lederman Gerard
Athens

FIX BARNETT SHOALS

Mr. Saunders' tedious critique of the Barnett Shoals widening project is riddled with misunderstanding of the issues at hand. Sadly, the current Barnett Shoals proposition is horribly inadequate and destined for failure, but last Wednesday's "Comment" offered us no alternatives.

Even though something as straightforward and sensible as planning for future growth is obviously beyond the Athens-Clarke County government, Barnett Shoals could become a pleasant, humane boulevard. This involves several cardinal sins of city planning, including but not limited to:

1. The installation of many Fixed Hazardous Objects - FHO's in engineer parlance - but better known to normal people as "street trees."

2. The elimination of curb cuts. The constant bisection of sidewalk - not traffic volume - makes bicycle use impossible on Barnett Shoals. As an advocate of alternative transportation, Mr. Saunders should agree.

3. The widening of the College Station bridge to allow crossing by cyclists. This crucial improvement will make bicycle facilities investment worthwhile for the Eastside, as students will be able to ride their bikes with some degree of increased safety.

4. Exercising self-restraint with residential development on the Eastside, thus preventing Barnett Shoals from further exceeding its carrying capacity.

Give my regards to City Dope.

Jacob Lindsey
Athens

NAME WITHHELD

I was reading the letters from your section last week and there was one letter signed name withheld. What kind of chicken shit fish rag are you running where nobody is held accountable for what they write? I think it's horse shit.

Name Withheld
Email

LEFT COAST POLES

Do you have any local reps in so. calif that I could contact for concord ind. flagpoles?

Mike Wong
Pasadena, CA