WEBSTER

I can’t believe the flagrant misuse of the term ‘punk’ in you March 9-15, 2001 edition. As influential as they may have been the Talking Heads are in no way punk, and Bebe Buell, come on. If you so much as come in physical contact with Steven Tyler, you in no way can be considered punk. Even if you were to just bump into him on the street somewhere all punk would be instantly drained from you body. Ms. Buell has done far more than just bump into Mr. Tyler. All I can think is WWIS, What Would Ian Say (think Fugazi). Punk is much more than a guitar chord, beat, or rhythm. Punk is an attitude of uncompromising personal ideals. The Ramones, Operation Ivy, early Elvis Costello, The Clash, and more recently bands like Fugazi and Gorilla Biscuits are punk even though their individual sounds may seem very different. It is the attitude and power in what they do and their stubborn convictions. I thoroughly enjoy your weekly and this little oversight will not change my opinion or faithful consumption of you paper (the price is right, too) but please do not so loosely throw around such terms in the future.

Tomlong
Portland

SPOKEN WORD

Good job exposing Pyramid scams. But you forgot the biggest scam of all: the US stock market, NASDAQ, indexes. Boiler-rooms on the 12th floor, Mutual funds, firms, brokerages, advisers all saying don’t sell . . . let us get out first. Pyramid Plunder, (Mar. 16) and it’s just that. Like all good flimflams it needed time to develop 401ks, portfolios, margins, puts, calls, talk up a stock, chat rooms are free, so is the moon. High-speed internet access, day trading Frankenstein came calling in March.

So did George Bush, charming, innocent, and missing the point. We’re in an energy crisis. McCain-Feingold, Tax cuts, who cares? Lights out in California puts them in the mood for selling stock, confidence is shrinking, the world suffers. Washington debates old issues. The economy won’t recover until leaders present a plan. Senators, Congressmen wake up! The crisis is now. Chaney tries but his ideas are old. Honda developed energy cells for cars. Are houses next? Not if the power companies can help it. They’ve stopped research for years.

California’s prototype will spread eastward before we get a grip. Don’t waste time blaming but look to the future. The combustion engine will be a thing of the past, power cells are clean strong and safe. Be patient, Nuclear isn’t IT, jets get off the ground.

Go Phoenix!

Lucia Connelly
Falmouth

TALK-TALK

Dan Kennedy’s recent story about TV news is not only right on the money but, also, quite humorous. Assuming, of course, I’m not the only person who finds the talking heads to be quite humorous and, what makes it best, is it’s all unintentional. I always question the sanity of the weather-talking-heads when they look into the camera and tell us the weather is going to be pure crap for the next week and they are smiling while telling us how bad it will be. What in the hell are they so cheerful about? All of this class of drones can be replaced with a printout at the bottom of the screen.

My favorite comedy news is ch. 13’s evening news. Doug Talking Head reminds me of one of those pull-string toys that talk. Is that his real speaking voice? I hope not for his family’s sakes. Trite, bland, banality at its finest. I usually watch for the laughs.

Thanks again to Dan Kennedy. Maybe his next humorous column will address why all the women’s rights groups were apparently in hiding when Clinton had Monica on her knees. Millions of possible laughs on that one. The Phoenix is the best newspaper in this state! Keep it up!

Paul Clark
Newcastle

CRY FOUL

There’s no real shame in putting out a crappy, pretentious, reactionary, little arts paper (goodness knows Maine has its share and we need ’em). It’s another matter entirely to violate any and all journalistic, ethical, and humanistic standards in doing so. For what it’s worth, I believe all the folks at Casco Bay Weekly who failed to see any harm in publishing the recent “chick-on-a-spit” cartoon owe every woman and man in this community an abject and sincere apology for their unfathomable ignorance.

I’m routinely stunned by the number of people among us who are apparently too oblivious to the effects of violence against women to take responsibility for their personal contributions to this epidemic. Thanks to the Portland Phoenix for putting the issue where it belongs; on page one, not the comics.

Jill Kennedy
Portland

---

We welcome responses from our readers. Letters should be typed if possible, and must include the writer's name, address, and telephone number where he or she can be reached during business hours for verification. The writer's name and position or town will be published, but these may be withheld for good reason.

Letters may be mailed to the Portland Phoenix, 482 Congress Street, Suite 501, Portland, ME 04101; faxed to (207)773-8905; or e-mailed to portlandletters@phx.com or to a writer's e-mail address (e-mailed letters must include a telephone number for verification and a hometown). All letters are subject to editing for considerations of space, fairness, and clarity.

---