Dean’s List
See Dick run: Regarding “Dick Joke” (June 12): I always find C.J. Janovy’s column interesting; she covers a variety of stories and events that need attention.
Since Missouri voters have such a lame-ass Democratic presidential candidate in “Missouri’s favorite son,” Dick Gephardt, a great alternative lies in Howard Dean. Thanks to Dean’s Web site, www.deanforamerica.com, and meetup.com, Dean supporters all over the United States and here in KC are coming together for a great candidate with some great ideas. I think Pitch readers who are not already aware of this candidate would be very interested to hear about his advocacy for civil rights, including recognizing homosexual partnerships, bringing health care to all Americans and improving our environment.
The Pitch is in a good and powerful position to reach tons of Democratic voters in Kansas City. I hope you will pay attention to events coming up soon! Thanks!
Karen Diaz
Kansas City, Kansas
Hot and Bothered
Getting shafted: Regarding Gina Kaufmann’s Kansas City Strip (July 17): All I have to say is shame on you for printing such a nasty article about the dedication for World War II vets who served the United States in order to protect our freedom. For Kaufmann to degrade such services is un-American, and I think it’s completely disrespectful to the people who lost their lives for the United States and those who were wounded, including Bob Dole.
Mixing such a monumental event with words like erectile dysfunction, erection, Viagra, cocktease and getting action is completely disgusting. It’s harsh, and it’s uncalled for, and like I said, shame on you.
Michael Franklin
Lawrence
Match Game
Singles seen: I just read Jen Chen’s “L-U-V Hangover” (July 31). I am going to be honest — I don’t read the Pitch a lot, but I’ve been down and out about being single, and this really helped. I saw that cover in a Planet Sub where I’d gone for lunch and thought, I’ve got to read that!
I’m a single, 27-year-old female who likes to go out to the bars, mingle, whatever, and it’s just downright depressing sometimes, because I don’t have a date! I’m not ugly; I take care of myself, and it’s like, what is wrong with me?! But I’ve come to the conclusion that something is wrong with the men who pass me up. Dating is hard in KC. I’ve lived here my whole life, and it is like a big small town.
I would like to know about that wine Jen had in the airplane glass — that sounds interesting! Thanks for cheering me up. I enjoyed the story; I was glued all the way through it. FOF sounds like the way to go, too. Oh, and I loved all of her quotes.
Name Withheld Upon Request
Search party: I had the pleasure of reading Jen Chen’s article. I am a single, 32-year-old male who was born and raised in Atlanta. Opportunity abounds in the ATL, but life is slow here, and I find it increasingly difficult to find that “someone.”
Granted, working in bars at night (formerly Have a Nice Day Café and currently Fuzzy’s South) puts me in touch with the single crowd. Hooking up for physical pleasure comes with relative ease, but I want more than that. I’m waiting for lightning to strike. I feel that I will end up settling for someone I like a lot versus someone I love unconditionally.
I just don’t think there’s enough for singles to do in this town. So, Theory No. 2 on Chen’s list is correct. Going to the same places over and over gets boring and routine. You tire of seeing the same people everywhere you go. I think I may have to import a woman to help me in my single situation. Maybe my expectations are too high.
I will persevere and continue my journey to happily ever after. Wish me luck.
Durante M. Davis
Lee’s Summit
Being single, drinking doubles: I’ve always enjoyed Jen Chen’s Night Ranger column, and the result was no different with “L-U-V Hangover.”
I read this article with particular interest, since I am a thirty-year-old, single, white male. I’ve never thought Kansas City was that bad of a place to be single. Granted, I’ve never lived anywhere else for more than a year, so what the hell do I know? Unlike some single friends my age, I don’t mind being single at all. Except for the inconvenience of not having a standby sex partner, it’s not so bad.
Our society in this country (and especially in the Midwest) puts undue pressure on people (especially women) to pair up. I only have to look at my own friends, some of whom are already divorced at age thirty, to realize that people don’t put too much thought into who they “pair up” with. There’s nothing wrong with being single … despite what my mom keeps telling me. I guess the worst part is having aunts and my grandmother trying to play matchmaker. I think it is one of the immutable laws of physics that I will never like any girl my grandmother thinks is right for me.
Anyway, enough about me. Jen, keep drinking and writing, and I’ll keep drinking and reading.
Name Withheld Upon Request
Sex and the city: Just read Jen Chen’s “L-U-V Hangover” and greatly enjoyed it. It was interesting, well-written — even vaguely titillating. Good work! And the cover graphic was great. Hey, I know that woman! Her name is False Advertising, aka Legion.
I’m a fortysomething DWPM balding-fat-guy-with-two-right-eyes who has sold his soul to The Ordered Fatuity of Normal Adult Life (to quote Henry Miller) for the greater glory of dial tone; much reduced by a recent run-in with Type II diabetes; thoroughly “metrosexual,” as they say, who lives in Westport. I occasionally do Fun Fresh at the Sun Fresh my damned self. I don’t seem to have a problem finding dates at all, single or otherwise. Of course, I’m not twentysomething, vapid or usually drunk, one or more of which conditions may have compromised some of the members of Chen’s sample set. Conversely, I don’t have nearly as much luck with mutual funds and the stock market as Forbes says I ought to have. So what do they know?
Jim Cooley
Kansas City, Missouri
Troy Story
Yawn care: I have been an avid reader of the Pitch for the past year, and I generally enjoy all the stories, but lately they seem to be long-winded and uninteresting. When I saw Troy Nash on the cover last week, I was excited (Joe Miller’s “Troy Wonder,” July 24). I thought to myself, Now, there is no way to mess this story up. That could have been an excellent story, but by the time I got to about the seventh page, I was bored and I hadn’t learned a thing that would make me care about him. Good thing — I really do think that Troy Nash IS rockin’.
I feel for those who attempted to read the article. And this isn’t the first time it’s happened; the article about the guy on Troost (Ben Paynter’s “He’s the Scrap Man,” July 10) would have been good, too, but wasn’t. Boring, boring, boring.
I usually love the articles in the Pitch, but I could lose interest if the stories don’t get better.
Lisa Keller
Kansas City, Missouri
Nash bridges: Regarding “Troy Wonder: At City Hall, Troy Nash is the one to watch”: The title itself is appropriate. Based upon the information provided by Joe Miller, Mr. Nash is already a threat to many in City Hall, being an African-American city councilman — not only because he is an African-American but also because he is young and energetic and ready to make changes.
The changes in City Hall policies will definitely take place because his fellow council member, Dr. Saundra McFadden-Weaver, is working by his side. I met McFadden-Weaver at the Black and White Ball (coordinated by House of Refuge Church) in December 2002. She was the guest speaker, and she demonstrated a dominant personality with a willingness to make changes for the needs of the people in Kansas City.
Mr. Troy Nash and Dr. Saundra McFadden-Weaver will be a double threat for those people who are not ready for a change in Kansas City. Those who are ready for a change should be feeling jovial even before the process begins. I firmly believe that whatever changes are necessary within City Hall policies will take place.
Mac Gilbert
Raytown
Smellin’ of Troy: I met Troy Nash in 1999 while working as a volunteer on the Charlie Parker statue project at 18th and Vine. I was totally knocked out by his heart, intelligence, his sincerity and ability to communicate. We need more people like Troy Nash.
Verne Christensen
Olathe
Hear and Now
Solid and Stryper: Regarding Andrew Miller’s “Around Hear” (July 24): Hey, brutha! Paraphrasing Stryper and mentioning Split Lip Rayfield all in the same article won him so many cool points with me! He’s the real deal!
David Coonce
Kansas City, Missouri
