Jack’s wrong answer
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Rhonda Anderson for stating it so well in your letter to Metro Times (Jan. 22-28). The answer is definitely not having a whole lot of whites and their kids (I see and hear enough of these “kids” every fucking weekend) and dogs (well, maybe that’s OK) move into the city.
Many suburban “Detroit” people are so nasally provincial it’s sickening. These are people who are to be laughed at, perversely proud of their inability to deal with diversity of any sort. Most of these people haven’t had an original thought since Christ was a kitten. Thanks again, Rhonda, for telling Jack Lessenberry, but ever so politely, just what an asshole he is. But, hey, he likes it. —Jim Odell, [email protected], Windsor, Ontario
More to the story
Jeremy Voas, I liked your column about Mark Crispin Miller and the book The Bush Dyslexicon (“Screed,” Metro Times, Jan. 22-28). However, I must correct you on one thing.
You say, “Still, there are few invites for readings or signings.” That’s absolutely incorrect. Last year, I invited Professor Miller to speak at my synagogue in Southern California. He wrote back that he was interested in doing a West Coast book tour and put me in touch with his publisher. His publicist at Norton wrote back that they would consider funding a book tour for The Bush Dyslexicon if I could demonstrate enough interest among bookstores.
Within a week, I had written confirmation from independent bookstores and universities from San Diego to San Francisco. Every single bookstore I contacted wrote back that they’d be thrilled to have Miller. I excitedly wrote to Mark’s publisher with the good news. Her response, however, was crushing. She wrote back to tell me to forget about it. The publisher had decided not to fund a book promotion tour after all.
So, your column should read, “Despite considerable interest from independent bookstores, Professor Miller’s publisher refuses to spend a dime to promote this book.” —Megan Rosenberg, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Spreading the word
Jane Slaughter’s review of La Gorée is right on point (Metro Times, Jan. 15-21).
I’m the owner of the Michigan Building, and La Gorée’s landlord. Based on observations such as yours, and our tenants, Astou (pronounced “Ida”) has revised and expanded the menu, cut prices, and increased some portion sizes. The restaurant’s ventilation system has been tweaked and it’s now more comfortable as well. The noise level has been reduced significantly and TV selections are restricted to local and national news.
I think it’s important that our tenants and those of surrounding buildings have the opportunity to sample a different kind of ethnic cuisine and I bet that in a couple of months La Gorée is up to at least four stars.
Thanks for covering La Gorée and exposing it to many more people than would ordinarily know of its existence. —Tony Pieroni, Detroit
Wrong part of town
There is something fundamentally wrong with the way Detroit is attempting to lure new residents and businesses into the city; something that Casey Coston failed to notice in his recent column (“Rubble Rouser,” Metro Times, Jan. 22-28).
All of the projects that the city is pushing are downtown, where the interest among consumers is relatively small. In contrast, there is a growing interest for housing and related services just north of downtown near Wayne State. WSU recently built a new residence hall and is planning another one.
What’s missing is an upgrade in coffee houses, movie theaters and related destination for all of these new Detroit residents.
And what has the city done to stimulate investment in this area? Nothing. They’re too busy trying to build what they want consumers to want instead of simply capitalizing on what they actually want.
The whole affair makes me wonder if there is anyone in this city’s hierarchy with an IQ above room temperature. —Frank Nemecek, [email protected], Detroit
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