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From our Mailbag 03/30/01 - 04/11/01

Survey Says!...

From "Von Helsing," Sebastopol, CA, USA:

SUBJECT: Crustacion, Crustacean

Hey Man -

I don't remember saying to you that you were an actual crustacion, What I probably meant, if I did infer that you had hard-shelled mollusk like traits is that you were uptight about being an old middle aged doofus or somethin' I don't know. I don't remember saying that. It is probably a lie to make you seem important to your readers, if you still have any. But I will go on the record as saying that you DO have a beard like a mussel!

I remain your most Obedient and Humble servant.
Von Helsing


ROD RESPONDS: Van Helsing, you homunculi from the wretched depths, of course you wouldn't remember that particular aspersion, so drenched are you in your own Russian River ways! But I am tallying your insults and affronteries for our final reckoning, be advised. The day of your evisceration on the field of honor known to mere mortals as a chess board is at hand!

I cannot say when or where, toadie, but it is coming; mark my words.

Your Most Respectful Colleague,
Von Braunschweiger


From Ed C., Pontiac, MI, USA:

SUBJECT: Another IPO That Will Be Delayed

Pubman:

I'm feeling bad. ÝI feel to blame. ÝI have been worst than a cheating a---hole on this. ÝMonths of writing, months of e-mails, months of occasional surprise "care packages", and it all dried up. ÝI can't explain it myself. ÝCynical, maniacal, paranoid and delusional - yeah, I've definitely been all of the above.

And very busy. ÝAnd the ADD. Ý

Now my erstwhile editor, Rod Amis, is talking about throwing in the towel.

You can't do it Rod. Well, actually you can if you really must, but I hope you reconsider.

See, all of us do-gooderers-who-really-don't- have-the-time-to-fix-the-world types need to have a point of reference to some noble cause that WE, but not YOU, were not able to "stay the course" on.

Go on, get a "day job", get a girlfriend, write articles for Reader's Digest, whatever... but keep up the "G" at some level.

If there isn't a strong or apparent "business model" for the "G", than concentrate on work that will make you some money, and maintain "G21" on a slightly more casual basis.

Hey, sorry I missed your b-day buddy.

Keep in touch. ÝThanks for giving me the chance to express some of MY thoughts and feelings.

Love,
Uncle Eddy

P.S. Chevy Monza - mother f--ka! P.S.S. Charlie the Tuna: My turtles can out-f--k you any day - 7 hours straight! HAH!


From Jennifer B., Glendale, CA, USA:

Subject: No Mas?

eek!

i just read your intent to cease publishing g21. i understand what you are saying but it would be so weird not to view the g21 process each week. it's all really developed quite nicely over time; i'm proud to say i was in it for a long while. what will you do if you don't do this? or do you need to stop to know? and do you only know you need to stop?

ultra encouragement to you during this time of titanic transition,

miss b.

ps: i liked the piece by the woman in oakland very much.


From Terry T., Santa Rosa, CA, USA:

Subject: Oh-oh!

I just opened this today.

Yes it is a little bit of a rant, and I am sure it makes a lot of people uncomfortable.

Seems like the G21 is something that you have to do though and you have built it into a gem really. Maybe you should save a wee bit of energy, and cash for yourself. I cant figure out why you ship cash off to everyone when th G isn't making cash, is not paying for itself.

Brings back the old days of Millenium, when I remember you did the right thing in a way by supplying good benifits to all the staff, but, the company wasn't really ready for it yet and consequently the largesse contibuted to the fall and ....

At least that is my take on the situation viewed from the outside and from our conversations remembered. You are much needed and loved my brother.


From Derek P., West Sussex, UK:

Dear Generator Editor

In 1953, aged 17, I formed and became president of the British Rosemary Clooney Fan Club. I have only recently connected to the web and was delighted to find so many sites on Rosie. I was particularly delighted to read Robert Powers' piece on Rosie's wedding to Dante De Paolo in 1997 as I didn't know about this.

I've met Rosie many times, particularly when she was regularly in this country in the mid-50s to early-60s. The first time was when she made her original visit here in January 1954. She was on a slightly delayed honeymoon with her first husband, Jose Ferrer. I also met her when she was in London accompanied by Dante in 1976, 1977, 1982 and 1983. Sadly I've not seen her since '83.

Besides writing to say how much I appreciated the article, I wanted to advise you of what I think are a couple of mistakes. I know you say that you'll ignore any comments, and mine are definitely not snide, but you may want to check and, if I'm right, correct the following:

1) I think that Gabriel Ferrer, married to Debby Boone, is Rosie's middle son, and not her youngest who is Rafael.

2) The name of Rosie's eldest son is Miguel, not Miquel.

Please check this out and let me know.

Very best regards
Derek P.


ROD RESPONDS: Derek, thanks for writing. Actually, we very much enjoy hearing from our readers, as this page demonstrates. I've passed your comments on to Bob Powers for a possible response and/or correction. Cheers!


From Wilson J-S., (No City or Country Provided):

Dear Rod,

Forgive me for indulging the temptation to do a bit of armchair psychology, but having read the G21 off and on, but faithfully, for a few years now, I believe I see a pattern setting in. It seems to me during the last couple of years when your anniversary approached (which is coincidentally close to your personal birthday) you have gone into a type of frenzy of production, recruiting new writers, doing a redesign and some special features. It's been truly amazing to watch, knowing that only one person was behind it all --- but it's also led to your collapses. (I don't mean literally, but your desire to stop altogether.) You push and push for this vision of you have of the next "best" product you can produce and then, exhausted, even as you achieve your goal, you get disgusted and want to walk away.

As another reader pointed out, you've assembled an exceptional group of writers for the G21 right now. It would be a pity, and a disservice to them, for you to simply quit now. I hope that you'll reconsider, as you did last year.

I started reading G21 in 1999, which I still feel was one of your best years. I can see the influences of that early "draft" of this Web site in everything you've done since. I do think your use of graphic elements was much better then. I especially liked the photographs from Kosovo and Serbia you ran that year. You asked in your "Glass House" if we readers thought you should use more pictures and graphics. I say, emphatically, "YES!" The words are important but the pictures do speak a thousand words.

I hope I'll be reading this on your "Vox Populi" page sometime soon and that you'll continue to do your Good Works with your website. Though this may not be all you might wish it be, you have no idea how many people all over the world you affect.

Sincerely,
Wilson J-S.


From Darhl S., Tampa Bay, FL, USA:

SUBJECT: Ah, Hershey,

The place whose smell drives women crazy! Just driving through town and they automatically add five pounds. To the hips, naturally.

Haven't been there since the early 60's, so I imagine, like nearly all places in the US, it has changed.

When I worked at Goddard Space Center for a year (cira 1961), I joined a sailplane club up in northern Maryland. Never soloed, but had a lot of fun hitching rides in the club's two-place glider. There was a sail meet in Hershey that the club went too. I got a ride there too. We were up over the Hershey plant just keeping our altitude thanks to the lift from the plant, when POOF! the thermal disappeared. We headed straight back to the airfield. Which meant flying over a football stadium -- we cleared the lights around the field by maybe 50 ft. That was enough, but not enough for my comfort zone.

We had to land on the last 1/4 of the airfield. And the other guys made us walk the wing alllll the way back to our operations area. Said it was punishment for almost having to land in the wheat field instead of the air field.

Funny thing. I visited Hershey. But not the plant and I didn't eat any chocolate the entire weekend.

Hope you enjoyed your time off. You deserve it. Be good to yourself. You deserve it. Just keep us posted about what you're going to be when you grow up. :)

dc

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