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FRATULENCE
Jeanne Carmen's comment (“Jeanne Carmen's Rules” by Rebecca Schoenkopf, Aug. 24) regarding men—”You are the woman! Do not ever pay!”—reminds me of a line scribbled on my fraternity-house bathroom wall: “The difference between paying for sex and sex for free is that sex for free usually costs more.”
Mark Murphy
via e-mail
IRVINE CO.'S 'GREAT PORK'?
Don't be misled by Larry Agran's reply (Letters, Aug. 17) to Anthony Pignataro's article “No Guarantees” (Aug. 10). Agran admitted to many possibilities for commercializing the Great Park, even the possibility of “special interests teaming up with craven politicians to dismember or privatize large chunks of the Great Park,” but said it was “unlikely” that would happen. Really? The plans are already there in the initiative language Agran wants to get on the ballot. Pignataro is right, but the 4,700-acre base is just icing on the cake; the big money stake is in the 14,500-acre buffer zone surrounding the airport, which is owned by—you guessed it—the Irvine Co. If El Toro remains an airport, the Irvine Co. is limited to constructing commercial and industrial buildings on that land, with no homes or schools allowed. But if there is no airport at El Toro, the Irvine Co. hits the jackpot. In announcing its plan to build houses on its remaining property, the company also claimed “Orange County has a housing shortage.” With many commercial/industrial buildings standing vacant because of the current economic slowdown, who wouldn't prefer to build houses?
Take a look at the rabbit warrens being built by the Irvine Co. on Bison and MacArthur just off the 73 toll road if you want a peek at the future of the Great Park and the airport buffer zone.
Margaret Morgan
via e-mail
If Irvine Mayor Agran is so concerned about beautiful open spaces and parks, why did he vote for massive industrial, commercial and residential developments on some of the best farmland in the state? And why did he vote for the San Joaquin Hills Toll Toad, which has opened up those foothills for development? These huge developments put great pressure on the infrastructure of Orange County, leading to calls for new airports.
Mike Mang
former chairman, OC Green Party
PRIMING THE PUNK
Apparently, punk fans like Buddy Seigal are not free of the grand old capitalist strategy of selling their product by dissing others' (Buddy Seigal's “Nix!” Aug. 17). For me, punk needed no further requirement for legitimacy after the White Album's “Helter Skelter.” Snide remarks are always easier to write than sensitive reviews, especially for adolescent brains. Grow up.
Rex Styzens
Long Beach
Buddy Seigal responds: I'm 43 years old, I'm selling nothing, and I hate about 95 percent of all the punk rock that's ever been produced. That said, I hope I never become so grown-up and sensitive that I start enjoying Stevie Nicks' records—and I don't want her sitting on my face, either.
Gotta disagree with Buddy Seigal about what happened to former Lone Justice vocalist Maria McKee (“Nix!” Aug. 17). She neither faded to obscurity nor had an abortive solo career. She unfortunately handed her early solo career to that artist-eating monster of the 1980s and '90s, Geffen Records. But, jeez, she was only 21. Sometimes we gotta learn the hard way. But McKee did learn to make her own music, her way. She has subsequently built a cult following here and in Europe. She recently performed on Letterman (doing a song off the Songcatcher soundtrack), and she has a new album coming soon. It's good to know real talent never dies, even though it doesn't always pay very well.
Sky
Newport Beach
YADDA YADDA GADDI
Just wanted to let you know a New York Times editorial stated former Orange County Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez is not qualified to be director of the Peace Corps. The Times gave the same reasons the Weekly gave (R. Scott Moxley's “What the [Third] World Needs Now,” Aug. 3) for rejecting his nomination. Again, you are ahead of the mainstream media. Keep up the good work.
Sal Abeyta
La Mirada
C'MON, LADIES!
I almost puked up my Viracept when I read N.L. Halbert's and Leonard Owens' letters of “support” for Dr. [G. Steven] Kooshian (Letters, Aug. 24). They care more about a reporter's interests and writing style than whether Dr. K is guilty of deliberate wrongdoing at the possible cost of the health and lives of patients who trusted him? C'mon, ladies, this is serious business. If you want kid gloves and butterflies-and-daisies language for a doctor who already has a conviction for illegal drug sales, read Hallmark cards.
Robert Hammer
via e-mail
HURTS SO GOOD
Excuse me for saying so, but the tone of much of the Weekly's writing oozes schadenfreude.
Paul Morton
via e-mail
A writer responds: You're excused, Paul, but I can't help taking delight in your discomfort.
