Sierra Club on Moroun's plan
Whoa, Jack! Before you do the whack job on the Canadian Sierra Club ("Unstoppable Matty," Jan. 20), you should know that the Sierra Club on this side of the border also doesn't support the new bridge. Along with other eco-whackos — such as Michigan Environmental Council, Transportation Riders United and several other environmental and transportation groups on both sides of the border — we don't support the new bridge project for good reasons. But this doesn't mean that we support the twinning of the Ambassador Bridge either. In our view, the traffic figures are just not there. Even before the current economic meltdown traffic had been declining. The new bridge study group admits that up to 40 percent of truck traffic could be put on rail between Toronto and east to this country.
True, that the Ambassador Bridge is aging, but the latest inspection report shows that it is repairable. Remember, the Brooklyn Bridge is more than 100 years old. The best thing for now is to save the billions required for a new bridge with its ramps and new roads for more needed public transit connecting Detroit with other cities including Windsor.
If Lessenberry were a serious journalist, he would research his topic instead of resorting to name-calling. He also shows his ignorance of what the Sierra Club along with other environmental, religious and community groups are doing to help Detroit — for instance trying to get the city to shut down the world's largest trash incinerator and institute citywide recycling. See our website to learn some of the things we are doing: michigan.sierraclub.org/semg/activist. —Ed McArdle, Melvindale, Conservation Chair for the Southeast Michigan Group, Sierra Club
Thanks and a tweak
Thanks for the relatively positive review of Carolyn Striho's new album (Spun, Jan. 13), which was recorded, mixed, mastered and co-produced by me at Rockdigi. You refer to the song "Sitara" and its lyrics, but it is a 40-second instrumental. The lyrics you quoted are from "Promised Land." I'm glad you thought the best song on the CD is "Sing It to Me" (it's my favorite), but there seems to be a little confusion there as well. Everyone I played it for thought it had a Southwest, old Mexico feel, from the Spanish-flavored guitar intro to the lone trumpeteer, so I don't get the "Eastern vibe." —Kenny Crimewave, Keego Harbor
Treason!
Where are the cries about "Activist Judges" now? Our so-called "Supreme" Court last week handed over the electoral power of our nation to corporations and special interests (like unions) in their recent 5-4 partisan ruling. This should be opposed by conservatives and liberals alike. Their so-called justification is based on free speech. I believe wholeheartedly in free speech for people, but corporations and other special interests are not people! The five judges who ruled in favor of this decision have committed treason, in my humble opinion. —Jason Dumas, Rochester Hills
American loser
Bravo to Brian Smith for revisiting Kid Rock's Cocky piece of shit. Now, I don't feel like I'm that only KR critic around these parts.
Many fans and corporate interests, including General Motors, The Detroit Media Partnership and Wayne State University imprudently think and feel KR represents the best of Detroit, I'd argue that's exactly what's wrong with our psychological state of mind. We must be nuts if all we have is KR to look up to. What a rapacious loser! —Ken Hreha, Dryden
Total teardown
RE: "Stop the madness!" (Jan. 13), I laughed my ass off. Gawd, you hit the nail on the head! Since the days when I was tortured weekly (as a club DJ) with never-ending requests for "Cowboy" by Kid Rock, I've been puzzled with the public's fascination over this guy: an absolute enigma. One common thread that I see with your list of … ahem … "musicians" is this: they're all posers. I completely agree with your opinion of Puff P. Do Wah Diddy Diddy. I've heard too many lame-ass rap tunes passed off as original works — sampled, edited, reassembled and regurgitated from other real musician's efforts. Eight-bar samples looped over and over and over — with an aimless vocal track. No bridge, no chorus. Just five minutes of fucking boredom. My Maytag washer is just as musical during the "wash" and "rinse" cycles. Thanks for venting your irritation about these clowns. You're the real "American Bad Ass." —Bob Koski, Harper Woods
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