Credit's Due
To the Editor,We were honored to have our project included in the "Best of Tucson" (Tucson Weekly, October 5) as an architectural Cat's Meow. However, there was mistake in the article which we would like to correct: Rick Hoffman and I are partners in Hoffman Perkins Design and are the architects of the 15th Street Studios. Philip Rosenberg of PGR Construction, who is not a partner in our firm, was the contractor for the project.
--Arthur Perkins
Hoffman Perkins Design
Angry Artist
To the Editor,Snails as the Best New Art Material ("Best of Tucson," Tucson Weekly, October 5)? Sorry, but I don't think so. Live snails were used more than 50 years ago in an art installation entitled Rainy Day Taxi by the Surrealist artist, Salvador Dali. Obviously you folks didn't do your research on this before proclaiming someone as a "pioneer."
On another subject, I find it somewhat ironic that Dr. Chris Tanz Ph.D. (Psychiatry), a.k.a. Chris Tanz, public artist, would write in defense of the panel that has selected her and her design accomplice's projects here in the city ("Art Gang," Mailbag, Tucson Weekly, October 5).
Yes, thank goodness "final selection isn't made on the basis of the artist's reputation" or else Tanz would never have been in the running. I have served on a variety of panels--regionally, locally and on the NEA's Public Art Panel--and I am in dismay of why this "artist" is consistently being selected for public art projects. We recently viewed the Ajo and Mission "piece" and at first I thought it was a styrofoam set for some movie project that would soon be removed, but, alas, this thing resembling an enlarged elephant dropping is in place permanently, with a Tohono O'odham title no less (gives the piece its Southwestern flair). We thought it was a Celtic remake of the Wailing Wall. It does a nice job of hiding the library, though.
You know, you can hire architects to make public art, but you cannot hire artists to design and build a public building! A good example is the "lizards" on the Irvington road bridge which were built by an architect who later claimed to be a sculptor--or at least that was what the Citizen newspaper proclaimed him to be.
In these days one does not need to be educated in the arts; you
simply proclaim yourself "artist" and click your heels
and, "presto," you are an artist. I'm ready to open
up a new psychotherapy office by simply proclaiming myself a psychiatrist,
and next week I'm applying for a job as neurosurgeon. Boy, thank
goodness those public art panels don't look at résumés.
--Alfred J. Quiroz
Leftovers
To the Editor,Regarding your choice of the failed minimum-wage increase as Best Economic News ("Best of Tucson," Tucson Weekly, October 5): You are weak because you are meek--my God, acting like you are some kind of oasis in the Republican quagmire. First of all, Republicans may be jerks, but they haven't lately made such snide, red-baiting type comments as you just did, and at least they seem to be aware of the fact that those "naive, starry-eyed" socialists are indeed "real" workers. What planet are you on? No, wait a minute, stars are too lofty; to what depths have you sunk? What do you mean the $7 per hour minimum wage initiative should have been done by "real workers" and not socialists? Are you that dumb? Have you no clue about labor history? Must I be required to explain to you that socialism is for and from the working class?
You have once again proven you are trying to be a magazine for the snobby elite "gluts" who only fashionably slide a smidge over to the left from time to time.
A paper that claims socialists are not real workers does not have the knowledge to write a " Best Leftist" category. Pete Goudinoff? Come on! Obviously, you don't know your leftists. He's a good guy and all, and maybe if he retires he can get out into the community and do some real work with some real workers and be a real leftist and not just a "liberal's liberal" that you seem to think makes a good leftist.
And maybe you, Tucson Weekly staff, could at least read the last issue of the People's Weekly World, a real working- class paper
and see how your "Best Place to Shop for Kids," Gapkids, is contracting labor out to sweatshops, where little hungry kids sew those cute little clothes you love to buy for your well-fed kids, for 54 cents an hour, round-the-clock labor--little kids sewing away their childhood for your Gap-clothed kids--and then tell me what a "real worker" is--obviously you don't know.
Also, insulting "dead" bums in front of the "Best" post office was truly low. Writer of that blurb: have you ever talked to any of those "dead" people out there on the street? Have you even fathomed how hard it is? They aren't dead yet, you ignorant fool, and they are increasing in numbers, despite heartless people like you, and they might just live another 10 years, long enough to see a drop-in center for the homeless realized...because out-of-work people have been "real" workers too, and have the power to organize despite you, and despite how hard their lives have been.
Maybe its about time the Tucson Weekly staff takes a little
field trip out into the "real" world, into the real
neighborhoods with the real working and out-of-work people, and
see what real workers do, and get your sorry, naive, starry-eyed
heads out of your butts and see what socialism is really about.
--Nancy Pontius
Thanks!
To the Editor,Real happiness is a feeling that not only seems to be elusive and hard to define, but also usually doesn't stick around too long. Sure, there are those who say they're happy "most all the time," that they're rarely sad or blue. But I would wager they're only putting on a "happy mask" and they're not really in touch with the deeper levels of their mind, body, and spirit.
On the other hand, maybe they are "happy all the time." Who knows?
I do know this: Right now, this very moment, I, David "Kidd Squid" Squires, am feeling a deep and delicious inner happiness. It is real, authentic, down home, warm, soulful, twangin', rockin' happiness.
This is the seventh year in a row that I've won the Best DJ in Tucson award ("Best of Tucson," Tucson Weekly, October 5). Winning this year is the sweetest yet! I'm having more fun than ever playing the "Koolestoonz in the Universe" for you good people. My friends, I may not have a lot of money in my wallet, but I feel rich beyond belief.
Thanks for the votes, kids. This is not a "competition" type of victory for me. This is a victory for the adventurous, rich, colorful, exciting, imperfect, passionate history of American Music.
Solid, pops!
--Kidd Squidd
Run, Jim, Run
To the Editor,Regarding Jim McNulty's letter about being a good local politician: I can't believe you let him get away with that unscathed! ("Best Offense," Mailbag, Tucson Weekly, October 12). I have an old poster of McNulty and the cutline is "He serves because he cares." Well, if he's such a good politician and he cares so much, why is he sitting on his lazy butt? If he's so damn good, he ought to run for something.
--H. Clinton
