Everyone should have such problems: I was surprised and excited to see a review of the upcoming album by one of my favorite bands, Kittie [Playback, July 21]. However, once I started reading, I became annoyed with the same crap that people can't seem to get past. Wow, Kittie is a female band? Girls can play rock music? Yes. Get over it. Stop making references to "ette" this and "all-female" that. Kittie makes music so heavy that any "all-male" band will take notice.
When asked, "Any advice for females who want to play drums?" drummer Mercedes replied: "I think I'd rather give advice to everybody, because I don't really care for the whole 'female' thing, if you know what I mean." After four years on the scene, doesn't Kittie finally deserve some respect as a band and not just as a novelty act?
Cara DeCarlo
Cleveland
Get the Word Out
Freedom's not another word for nothing left to lose: I wanted to say how much I enjoyed your article about the lawyer who fled Colombia ["Activist Interrupted," July 7]. It would be good if The Plain Dealer ran stories like this. Keep up the good work! I hope to see future articles as informative and important as this is.
William Golden
Fairview Park
Follow the Money
Big business as usual: You make Paxson and Gund out to be altruistic victims. Come on! By letting him out of his contract, the Cavs are just as guilty of running the rat race as Boozer is.
You're right, Boozer made a huge mistake, and his reputation will take a hit. My contention lies with your assessment of the Cavs' front office. While you believe that their only guilt is naïveté, they are equally guilty of conducting big business.
The Cavs got burned while trying to sign a player for nearly 50 percent of his value. I don't feel sorry for them. While you may believe they fully discussed the ramifications with Carlos before letting him out of his contract, I just don't buy it.
While I don't agree with this particular article, I like and appreciate your work. Thanks for allowing us to make unsubstantiated comments such as mine.
Eric Maloof
San Antonio, Texas
Greed spoken here: Carlos got everyone to love him and trust him, and then -- bam! -- he broke the trusting hearts of sweet old Gordon and stand-up-guy Jim. Please! The Cavs were delighted to pay Boozer chump change (relatively speaking), to string him along, knowing that with the first injury, he's history. Weren't they shamelessly toying with the life of a young man? And then, when Carlos learned how the game is really played, he played the Cavs at their own game. What did he get? "Oh, he has no character, no loyalty, no integrity!"
Mark Durrett
Columbia, South Carolina
Public-Image Alert
These few don't reprazent: If portraying the Pagan community ["Forces of Nature," July 7] as squabbling, petty, whiny, and just plain silly was the goal of these groups, success! "She Who Will Not Be Named"? Self-appointed international director? Oh, please. How can anyone be expected to take this seriously?
Don't. Because this does not accurately represent what modern Paganism is about. This article was no more than the shameless airing of dirty laundry by a small and vocal part of the community. The irony is that these particular groups receive an inflated amount of press.
Elizabeth Gabrosek
Willoughby
Eat Those Words
Experience leaves a bad taste in the mouth: I am shocked by your award to Agostino's restaurant [Best Italian Food, Best of Cleveland, September 17, 2003]. Our experience was not anywhere near what you described. We received spoiled veal, the pasta was not fully cooked, and the clam sauce was chicken broth! The manager's only response was that he was insulted that we did not like his food and that it did not matter what we thought, because Scene ranks his as the No. 1 restaurant on the West Side.
Barbara Mercurio
Brooklyn
Dancing Girl
Krystal follows the dream: I am Krystal Nameth's mother, and I wanted to send this thank you for the wonderful article on her Cavs Girls audition ["Bring It On," July 14]. Family and friends have been calling to tell us how cool it is. Krystal will be leaving to join the San Diego Gulls dance team in California.
Terri Nameth
North Royalton
Singer Dude
Here's one muso who's up to scratch: I went to see Edwin McCain and thought he was pretty good [Nightwatch, June 30]. In this age of DJ-scratch, trip-hop, computer-generated music, it is nice to see there is a dude who can still write a song, play a guitar, and sing. The reviewer is probably a Korn fan.
Tim Redmond
Cleveland
One Bad Bike
And a noise for the news: Thanks for glorifying all the annoying punks with subwoofers ["Slow and Low," July 21]. What King Loser needs to do is lose the stereo, stop flipping off his neighbors and scaring everyone away from the park, and get a life. What the cops need to do is issue him a ticket or two and confiscate his stereo, as is the law. What Scene needs to do is find some real news.
Me? Maybe I should become the city's coolest litterbug or something, so I can get a good writeup in Scene, right?
Ted Marson
Cleveland
