From You
Oct 2, 2002
Letters
OIL IN THE FAMILY
Talk about stating the obvious! [My Government Went To Afghanistan... September 18 & 25] Yeah, Afghans and others would like to see an oil pipeline running through Afghanistan. Yes, Bush Administration officials and others have surely drawn up plans to help make this happen. Investors and speculators have no doubt made there presence known, hopeful to make a bit a money in the unlikely event the country is ever stable enough for such investments to pay off. Er, where is the crime? Is Afghanistan not allowed to pursue ventures that might generate a bit of cash for the treasury? Which economic ventures does Mr. Rall approve of for the nation? The Afghan government is no doubt anxiously awaiting his judgment.
Ah, now I remember why I don't turn to a free small-town weekly for enlightenment on matters of state and global economics.
Tim White
Virginia
This is for the people who continue to water their lawns at noon (and other prohibited hours). Athens has a defined BAN ON OUTDOOR WATERING. The blatant watering of lawns is ridiculous, but the "secret watering" is amazingly ridiculous. Is a green lawn really that important? An outdoor watering ban means no outdoor watering. It is a ban that applies to everyone. Just because you spent a fortune on your constructed "natural" environment, doesn't mean you are above the watering ban. If you have valid reasons for outdoor watering (valuable trees for example), then do so at the noted times [Ed. Note: there is no outdoor watering allowed]. Or take the time to reuse dish/shower water. We all have the same thing at stake - accessibility to clean water.
We may not think our small part can impact our water resources, but it all makes a difference. What is more important, a green lawn (as an accessory to your newly washed car) or clean drinking water? When in doubt, think of the sandstorms raging over the Sahara in Africa. But, not to worry - it's not in our back yard. Yet.
P. Robertson
Athens
First, thank you, Pete, Brad & Co. What an awesome job you did with the primary elections & runoffs. Sure, Ponsoldt lost, but, per Berra, "two out of three ain't bad." Viva Flagpole!
Second, I take issue with Emerson Dameron's critique of The Jam Band Tribute to Frank Zappa. I have not heard the album. I would loved to have read a review of it, which you ostensibly tried to publish. However, all that was printed was Dameron's opinion of Frank Zappa. (Query: how exactly does one "[spew] ill-adjusted offspring"? Just curious.) We now know exactly how Emerson feels about FZ, which I have zero problem with, but we have no idea how he feels about the album which he is reviewing. And by the way, Emerson, thanks for all of the quality work you have done at WUOG; what a landmark college radio station, surpassing all others (pause for vomit... and, now!).
But seriously, I like WUOG and think Emerson has actually done a great job. I just wish his ashtrays were not made of old FZ CD's, and that he could differentiate between originals and covers.
Josh Payne
Athens
The President Speaks to America's Children
I want to kill someone.
He is a bad guy, and he needs killing.
To kill him, I will have to kill a lot of other people, too.
I might need help from your Daddy or Mommy to kill him.
Maybe your Daddy or Mommy will die doing this.
Maybe your older brothers and sisters will die, too.
I might kill other kids,
kids just like you who happen to live near the bad guy,
if they get in my way.
I might kill their Mommies and Daddies, too.
Also their Grandmothers and Grandfathers.
No one can stop me.
I'm the most powerful person on Earth.
I don't have to listen to other people.
The bad guy has killed a lot of people.
Even his own friends.
He tried to kill my Daddy.
It's bad when he kills people.
It's good when I kill people.
He is making weapons that can kill many people at once.
I already have weapons like that.
He might want to kill you or me with them, so I will kill him first.
I'm doing this for you.
Also, the bad guy has a lot of gasoline.
I want that gasoline for our cars.
You want cars that work, don't you?
Of course you do.
Without cars we couldn't go to work or to school.
We couldn't go to the mall.
Some people say I should not kill the bad guy.
They say I should get all my friends together and scare him away.
Maybe your Mommy and Daddy say that.
They should watch what they say.
David Noah
Winterville
I'm from Athens and I miss the Flagpole!
Brandy Hayes
Manteo, NC
Talk about stating the obvious! [My Government Went To Afghanistan... September 18 & 25] Yeah, Afghans and others would like to see an oil pipeline running through Afghanistan. Yes, Bush Administration officials and others have surely drawn up plans to help make this happen. Investors and speculators have no doubt made there presence known, hopeful to make a bit a money in the unlikely event the country is ever stable enough for such investments to pay off. Er, where is the crime? Is Afghanistan not allowed to pursue ventures that might generate a bit of cash for the treasury? Which economic ventures does Mr. Rall approve of for the nation? The Afghan government is no doubt anxiously awaiting his judgment.
Ah, now I remember why I don't turn to a free small-town weekly for enlightenment on matters of state and global economics.
Tim White
Virginia
This is for the people who continue to water their lawns at noon (and other prohibited hours). Athens has a defined BAN ON OUTDOOR WATERING. The blatant watering of lawns is ridiculous, but the "secret watering" is amazingly ridiculous. Is a green lawn really that important? An outdoor watering ban means no outdoor watering. It is a ban that applies to everyone. Just because you spent a fortune on your constructed "natural" environment, doesn't mean you are above the watering ban. If you have valid reasons for outdoor watering (valuable trees for example), then do so at the noted times [Ed. Note: there is no outdoor watering allowed]. Or take the time to reuse dish/shower water. We all have the same thing at stake - accessibility to clean water.
We may not think our small part can impact our water resources, but it all makes a difference. What is more important, a green lawn (as an accessory to your newly washed car) or clean drinking water? When in doubt, think of the sandstorms raging over the Sahara in Africa. But, not to worry - it's not in our back yard. Yet.
P. Robertson
Athens
First, thank you, Pete, Brad & Co. What an awesome job you did with the primary elections & runoffs. Sure, Ponsoldt lost, but, per Berra, "two out of three ain't bad." Viva Flagpole!
Second, I take issue with Emerson Dameron's critique of The Jam Band Tribute to Frank Zappa. I have not heard the album. I would loved to have read a review of it, which you ostensibly tried to publish. However, all that was printed was Dameron's opinion of Frank Zappa. (Query: how exactly does one "[spew] ill-adjusted offspring"? Just curious.) We now know exactly how Emerson feels about FZ, which I have zero problem with, but we have no idea how he feels about the album which he is reviewing. And by the way, Emerson, thanks for all of the quality work you have done at WUOG; what a landmark college radio station, surpassing all others (pause for vomit... and, now!).
But seriously, I like WUOG and think Emerson has actually done a great job. I just wish his ashtrays were not made of old FZ CD's, and that he could differentiate between originals and covers.
Josh Payne
Athens
The President Speaks to America's Children
I want to kill someone.
He is a bad guy, and he needs killing.
To kill him, I will have to kill a lot of other people, too.
I might need help from your Daddy or Mommy to kill him.
Maybe your Daddy or Mommy will die doing this.
Maybe your older brothers and sisters will die, too.
I might kill other kids,
kids just like you who happen to live near the bad guy,
if they get in my way.
I might kill their Mommies and Daddies, too.
Also their Grandmothers and Grandfathers.
No one can stop me.
I'm the most powerful person on Earth.
I don't have to listen to other people.
The bad guy has killed a lot of people.
Even his own friends.
He tried to kill my Daddy.
It's bad when he kills people.
It's good when I kill people.
He is making weapons that can kill many people at once.
I already have weapons like that.
He might want to kill you or me with them, so I will kill him first.
I'm doing this for you.
Also, the bad guy has a lot of gasoline.
I want that gasoline for our cars.
You want cars that work, don't you?
Of course you do.
Without cars we couldn't go to work or to school.
We couldn't go to the mall.
Some people say I should not kill the bad guy.
They say I should get all my friends together and scare him away.
Maybe your Mommy and Daddy say that.
They should watch what they say.
David Noah
Winterville
I'm from Athens and I miss the Flagpole!
Brandy Hayes
Manteo, NC
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