Letters to the Editor

By The Readers

DOWN ON HEAD HOUSE

I was appalled when I read about the proposed "Cafe at Head House" ("Giving Good Head House," City Beat, Nov. 29). What can the city be thinking of? The idea of blocking off a residential street to benefit a few greedy restaurant owners is totally shocking. The noise and trash generated by this bizarre plan will deteriorate the value of the property in the vicinity.

For the 16 summers that I have lived in Philadelphia, one of the many pleasures has been a walk to the craft show at Head House Square followed by dinner in a nearby restaurant. Do these restaurants realize the craft show is the "draw" that brings them patrons? Hundreds of other Philadelphians and suburban residents will miss the show which has been part of the Society Hill landscape for 28 years.

If I find this highly objectionable, what must the residents of the immediate area feel? Please leave Head House Square as a site for the exhibit and sale of area crafts rather than a center for noise, traffic and the trash, which will no doubt soon echo the plight of New Market Mall.

Catherine F. Malloy

Philadelphia

BOY OH BOYCOTT II

I did not read the original article ("Boycott City Paper," City Beat, Nov. 29) concerning Mary Anne Layden's views of sex ads. As someone who believes in both free speech and the rights of women to sell their bodies, I find most arguments on this issue pretty boring. However, if one of Ms. Layden's conclusions is the popular belief that men on the other end of these business transactions develop hostility toward women, then Chaz Zimmerman's misogynist rantings (Letters, Dec. 6) would certainly seem to prove her point. Buy all the sex you want, Chaz, but it's not really necessary to despise all women just because it's the only kind you get.

Ginger Osborne

Philadelphia

Because the top personnel at the weeklies, which are carrying sex ads in spite of a boycott called by one person, "have their reproduction organs on the outside of their bodies," Linda Reed concludes that only such people's opinions count. This strikes me as a non sequitur.

Reed seems oblivious of the fact that large numbers of men (including many of the most sexist) share her feelings about porn, while many women (including some of the most feminist) do not, and even make their own. Her knee-jerk impulse to see gender inequality behind whatever makes her uncomfortable is nonetheless noteworthy.

I would humbly suggest that focusing on sexism only where it's really a factor, rather than trying to blame it for every conceivable problem (in this case, Reed's and some others' adverse reactions to porn) would be more serviceable to women's liberation and to human well-being all around.

Eric Hammell

West Philadelphia

AN AMWAY MAN

Re "Revenge of the Amdroids," Nov. 29: The title should read "The Revenge of the Misinformed" because that's exactly what YOUR readers have been subjected to!!! Brainwashed? Read Webster's definition. Compare it to Amway. If you have control of information going in and out, that's not "brainwashing." You have blatantly left out many details about Amway. First and foremost, Amway is strictly voluntary. There are no contracts, obligations or quotas, just goals and dreams, period. And the support system, including the tapes, is the same.

Read the Amway Code of Ethics: "to train and motivate," period. It's not "sign you up, here's the phone, you're on your own." Amway rewards those who put forth effort. How many times did those distributors in the article "spin the circles" or "show the plan"? It's a learning curve. Learning a business takes time. Information equals knowledge, knowledge gives one confidence. Confidence permits one to act. These actions become habits. These habits will give you results. The results will determine one's long-term success.

How can one be a victim of fraud and racketeering if Amway is voluntary? Where's the common sense of all of the distributors? Look, discretion and adult judgment would help. If something was not legal, moral and ethical, why didn't the Hanrahans go further upline to resolve the situation? YOUR pathetic piece of publication does not mention that. Talk about fraud and promises. Your paper is irresponsible! What exactly were the psychological, emotional and financial devastations? Again, no quoted facts.

Amdroid, pathetic name. Ever hear of the "suits"?

Well, I guess that those who choose to believe what they read and not think for themselves will always be that way, and those who choose to read, study, analyze and think for themselves will always be that way.

Peter W. Bennett

Amway Distributor

CANON BALK

Founder and Editor Emeritus Bruce Schimmel's "Loose Canon" column of Dec. 5, 1996, "On the Record," was another instance of the City Paper, that paragon of righteousness, kicking the Inquirer when it is down. You do this simply because the Inquirer is a big, easy target, your competition to some extent, and the standard for newspapers in this area. Even though most dailies in the United States are having problems because habits are changing and people aren't reading newspapers as much as they did in the past, you are regularly blasting the Inquirer because you want to paint them as having failed in their mission, which will make you look better. The simple fact is that if the Inquirer ceases to be, the quality of life in the Delaware Valley will be greatly diminished.

Instead of continually taking your cheap shots, why don't you grow up and try to improve your own product, specifically in the areas of writers Altman, amorosi, Rapa and any other writers who try to build up their names by attacking those who have one. And leave Jim Quinn alone, please.

Eric Pedersen

Haddonfield, NJ

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT CROW

Patrick Rapa's statement regarding the band Cake (Six-pick, Dec. 5) and their "doubtlessly upstaging the Counting Crows on a nightly basis," was bordering on pathetic. I have owned the Cake CD for a few weeks. It is currently in "light rotation" in my CD changer along with SonVolt, Counting Crows, Paul Westerberg and the Lemonheads. However, it is only a matter of days before it becomes a permanent drink coaster along with countless other "pet rock" and roll CDs.

Since I do value most of your music staff opinions, I went into the Tower Theater with an open mind about the show. Cake came out blazing?, tearing into a boring cut off their first drink coaster. The band, dressed in the exact same clothing from their video so maybe someone would notice them in line for the bathroom, then began their downward spiral in what was their last night touring with the Counting Crows. Somewhere between songs six and eight he did say something funny. I forgot what it was, though. And then it was over.

During the intermission I began to make the noose I would use to kill myself, because if Cake "upstages the Counting Crows on a nightly basis" I knew I could sink no lower.

Needless to say, Cake did not upstage the Counting Crows. Adam Duritz could have come out on stage, played one song, lit his hair extensions on fire, farted into the microphone and walked off stage and they still would not have been "upstaged" by the opening band.

A music critic, unlike most people in the music business, should have a heart. Pat, it's OK to like the Counting Crows even if people think it's not cool. Maybe you secretly do like them but are just afraid to admit it. I think once you let it out you will feel like a great weight has been lifted off your chest. You can now feel comfortable around others just like you. It's OK to be different, Pat. There are a lot of us out there to give you the support you need.

Bruce Reinfeld

Philadelphia

RESPECTFULLY YOURS

Re: Catherine S. Courtney's letter to the editor (Mailbag, Dec. 5), in which she chides Howard Altman's grammar.

She incorrectly uses the word "respectively," as she will know when she checks her dictionary.

I respectfully tell her that the correct meaning of the word is "in the order designated or mentioned."

You never look so stupid as when you're trying to look smart.

Robert A. Buie

Philadelphia

CORRECTION:

Last week's Voices for Children discquick included incorrect information about a VFC concert. The correct date, place and time for VFC's Third Annual Gala Concert is Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Philadelphia Youth Orch. Center, 15th and Chestnut Sts.