Letters 5/5/05

May 4, 2005

LETTERS
Running on empty
I made the mistake of reading Jim Kunstlers’ piece “The Long Emergency” (Express 4/14) and now I’ve got to cancel orders for my new Hummer, more Wal-mart and airline stock, and that electric baseboard heat that I’ve always wanted.
For the last two weeks I’ve been sending emails to friends and acquaintances advising them of the impending paradigm shift from Wall Street to Shantytown. A more cynical person might call it a kind of down shifting from “Mall of America” to “Grapes of Wrath” without model T’s (I didn’t know F.
A. Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom” really was about the Federal Interstate Highway system).
We need to get out of the parking lot of blind consumerism and into the public square of social responsibility (please excuse the blatant New Urbanist phrasing).
Running out of gas is always be a hassle. Running out of fossil fuel will be the biggest single fact of our short lives. What most Americans don’t realize, but soon will, is the magnitude of change at our doorstep. Once the bankers, politicians, stockmarket, and media see the inherent flaws of an economic system based on short term profits and cheap energy, you may want to step back from the fan.
Locally, we need to reassess everything from the Hartman-Hammond Bridge to continued public acceptance of existing pro-sprawl land use policy.
Those interested in more info on this can visit:
www.drydipstick.com/#community
www.kunstler.com/spch_hudson.htm
www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/7203633
I can hear myself singing,

Mark Nixon • TC

Keep growth downtown
Even though I am a frequent “conservative” contributor to your Letters section, I could not agree with you more on what‘s going on in Traverse City (re: Random Thoughts “Downtown Upswing,“ 4/28).
Anyone with common sense knows that you cannot stop this area from growing. Its HOW we grow is what counts. By concentrating all the residential and retail businesses in the downtown area, we conserve the precious forests and farmland that still sit just minutes outside of our city.
In my opinion, anything that keeps residents and tourists downtown as opposed to going to the mall is a good thing.
What I can’t understand are all the people who write in and complain about “another brick building” going up downtown. Don’t they understand that the more we develop downtown, the less we develop outside of town? I think the next thing for downtown would be to attract a large national clothing retailer such as a Banana Republic or a Gap. Anything that keeps people downtown and away from the mall, I think will be beneficial in the long run.

Steven Yenshaw • Williamsburg
Shadowfacts
There were historical inaccuracies in Rick Coates‘ April 21 article entitled “The seasoned pros of Leo Creek” covering the playing life of Drew Abbott and Tim Sparling.
Coates mistakenly credits Sparling with forming the Detroit Cass Corridor band Shadowfax and gives the impression that Abbott started to jam with the band after Sparling was with the group.
Detroit’s Shadowfax was formed in 1968 by George Korinek (bass guitar; formerly with Wilson Mower Pursuit), Bill Hodgson (lead guitarist), Dave Chambers (drums) and Bill Vreeland (vocals). In 1969, Vreeland was replaced by David Opatik (bass and rhythm guitar; formerly with the original Amboy Dukes). Those four members - Chambers, Hodgson, Korinek, and Opatik - remained the core of the group. Shadowfax played at Cobb’s Corner, the Miami Bar, Harpo’s, and the Grande Ballroom. Shadowfax opened often for Mitch Ryder, opened for Ike and Tina Turner at Crisler Arena in 1971, and played Dally in the Alley; they remain a corridor legend – their live recordings are still circulating on tape and the internet.
In 1978, when Sparling joined Shadowfax, Abbott had already been jamming regularly with the band. Sparling followed two great keyboard players, Bobby McDonald (Bobby played on Motown recordings) and Boot Hill (previously with Billy C. and the Sunshine & Mitch Ryder). Incidentally, George Korinek bought Alvin’s and turned it into the Cass Corridor’s premiere blues club, giving Shadowfax a home base. Bobby died in 1981. Bill died in 1983. George died in 1987.
Mary Preston • via email


Thank a teacher
Teacher appreciation week is May 1-7. Public schools and teacher unions are widely criticized today. People simply see teachers as having “the summers off’ and are envious. Teacher’s contracts are to work 180 days, after which time, they do not get paid. Also, because teachers have good benefits, there is more envy.
I have this point of view. Businesses and schools share a common need to ensure success. Both require a solid infrastructure with key assets. The priority asset obviously is the employee. If school boards want excellent professional educators for the communities’ children, the school boards need to compensate them. Teachers need to be compensated for their professional skills and years of accumulated expertise.
I personally know many career business people that earn over $100,000 per year. Many have benefits including one or more of the following: access to a company vacation condo, company cell phone, car allowance, accrued frequent flier miles transferable to personal use, flex-time work schedules, stock options, profit sharing, bonuses, sufficient support staff and expense accounts. Public school teachers do not have access to any of these perks and receive a smaller salary. But teachers have the “summer off’ -- just in time to take State of Michigan‘s required continuing education classes and work a summer job.
So what if teachers have good benefits (for now), they earn them every single day. I hear “Everyone else is having their benefits cut; why shouldn’t the teachers?” “Everyone else” is a hasty generalization. “Everyone else” is a one size fits all stretch sock. “Everyone else” is a convenient and sanitized way of not appreciating that in real terms, teachers are a bargain.

Tim Mountz • Honor