Wildcat needs to reconsider Buff pick
Your July 25th article, the "Best of Tucson" lists The Buffet Bar as the best dive bar in town. Any dive bar aficionado knows The Meet Rack is far superior. I have composed a short list of important points to support my claim.
1 - The Beast is the only beer on tap ($4 pitchers). Heineken is the only bottled beer.
2 - Free cigarettes. Formerly 'Class A' brand, they have recently switched to 'Legit's'.
3 - Ping Pong.
4 - Receiving a brand of the owner's face gets you 50 cents off beer and food for life. At the last check, they were up to 485 brands.
5 - The owner had his name legally changed to "God" Anderson.
6 - The women are far more likely to go home with you (though they're far less attractive).
7 - Ice in the urinals.
8 - The hamburgers may be the greatest thing since sliced bread.
9 - The back room.
Though it's not an all-inclusive list of The Meet Rack's high points, these alone eclipse the perks of The Buffet.
Aaron Williams
Physics junior
Dale off base with cell phone column
To Shane Dale (author of "Regulating Common Sense," July 18): the point is that cars are bad, bikes are good. Cell phones are bad, hollering is good. It's simple - the more you cushion yourself with luxuries, the weaker a person you become and the more strain you become on the world.
Break away from that car payment that mommy pays and live a true life. The world has been turning to shit sure as time goes by and it's because cowards like college students are too wrapped up in making a buck and creating a little controversy and getting to the Circle K in under 60 seconds. Horse shit! The only thing I own as a luxury is my guitar and the world is a better place because of it.
The world needs all kinds and it needs more of my kind and less of (Dale's).
And (New York governor George Pataki) ... his family owns a deli in Peekskill, N.Y., about 10 minutes from where I grew up. He's the lesser of the evils that are politicians.
Shane, get your facts straight about the country and about the world. Because all you did was take one small bullshit thing and blow it up. It's the curse of journalists and a strain on good people like me and my friends. You should just go get fat on McDonald's instead of bullshitting about nonsense like cell phones. Spoiled brat.
Paul Laska
Tucson
Tragedies with parents, children can be prevented
I was shocked, appalled and in tears after hearing of the senseless deaths of five children by their mother in Houston. As head of an agency whose mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect by reaching out to parents to strengthen and help their family, I keep saying, "Why wasn't this horrible tragedy prevented?" Why weren't the people treating her, her family (husband) and neighbors keeping a closer watch? Why didn't someone offer to give her a break and take the children off her hands for a few hours? Why wasn't someone calling to check up on the family's welfare? Was the mother too afraid to ask for the help she needed? Why didn't someone INTERVENE?
There have been similar tragedies in Arizona that have left our local communities in shock and asking the same questions. My plea today is for parents to call when they need help, when they're having the worst day of their life, when they're depressed and tired and when they feel they can't go on. Don't be afraid. There is hope; even in that darkest hour. Call Parents Anonymous of Arizona at 1-800-352-0528 day or night. We'll be there for you to listen, help work through any crisis you may be having and refer you to local resources. Tragedies can be prevented. We're here for you at Parents Anonymous.
Michele R. Keal
President/CEO
Parents Anonymous of Arizona
