Zwickel was in the moment: Great article on Humbert ("Song of South Florida," Jonathan Zwickel, April 13). Thanks for being there, writing about it, and reminding me of some really funny moments that made me laugh out loud while reading it.
Franco Parente
Miami
Those empanadas really know how to swing: Congratulations to Jonathan Zwickel on a well-written article. Humbert certainly deserves all of the praise and accolades currently being lavished on them — and more. There were a couple of minor, but no less important, errors in your observation in the article that "the members of Rhett y Los Borrachos Empanadas, a 12-piece salsa band from Miami, are trickling in for a rehearsal":
The name of the band is actually Rhett y Los Borrachos Empeñados — not like the food item.
They were a tenpiece that night — as they have been for the past year.
They can more accurately be described as a "retro-Latino" band — to say they are a salsa band ignores their rock, blues, and alternative foundation.
I would know, as I am the bass player in the band.
Michael Mut
Hialeah
Book 'Em All
How about arresting the cops? Abolish Internet stings ("Jailbait," Sam Eifling, April 6)! Cops who lurk around on the Internet, lying in wait while posing as children, are lower than the so-called (predators) they seek to entrap. It also violates every ethical standard of law enforcement when cops succumb to such debauchery; they, in effect, are lying.
Don't get me wrong — I'm all for protecting the children. These stings have nothing to do with "protecting children." They're all about playing into the hands of "riffraff" organizations like the Center for Missing and "so-called" Exploited Children and flame-throwing child crusaders like Fox TV's Bill O'Reilly, who is on a never-ending crusade to scare parents. "There's a pedophile on every block!" he screams.
Law enforcement knows there are kids all over the Internet seeking to have sex with adults, which is illegal. Why not just arrest the kids? It doesn't make sense to allow these thugs to go breaking the law at the expense of unassuming, otherwise innocent adult males. Who do you take your marching orders from anyway? Bill O'Reilly?
Barbara Bump
Boynton Beach
The Hollywood Masters
It takes talent to hoodwink the public: Thank you for your well-written and researched article, "You Scratch My Back, I Write You a Bill" (Trevor Aaronson, April 6). This shouldn't come as a surprise, since the City of Hollywood has mastered cronyism at its best. The former city attorney is now lobbying the city almost weekly on new developmental projects. Alan Koslow is in all the papers, buddy-buddy with the mayor. He worked for a very prestigious law firm after he left and then went on his own. Hmmm... I wonder what happened there? Meanwhile, Mara [Giulianti], our wonderful mayor, just can't keep her hands out of the builders' till. It's amazing how many of the commissioners' inner circle of friends or immediate relatives are laughing all the way to the bank. Look forward to more skullduggery. Thanks for the good work — keep it up, dig, dig, dig, dig! You'll be amazed at what you will find.
Paul Puskadi
Hollywood
Don't Forget Miss Janie
The once and future revered playwright: As Ed Bullins' literary representative, I thought it might seem inappropriate for me to be writing to New Times about Joanne Green's excellent review, "Devil Inside" (April 6). The play, The Taking of Miss Janie, which is being done at the African American Performing Arts Community Theatre, was written by Bullins. But here I am.
Just the fact that in our dumbed-down world, a new company would choose to do a work this demanding and dangerous shows how lucky South Florida is. The cast and management have created something both great and thought-provoking.
Bullins is ecstatic that this work, once so revered yet now so unjustly neglected, has been offered an opportunity to speak to a new generation. And when people see the work, they might be startled. Though it is nearly 40 years later, nothing much has changed except for our fashion sense and slang.
Thank you to director Teddy Harrell Jr. for such a rare opportunity. And thank you, Joanne Green, for encouraging theater lovers to take a chance on something that will not leave them comfortable.
Jeff Haller
Miami
Respect From the Troops
Evans is a cut above Jenne on the likability scale: This is a thank-you letter for having the decency to publish letters contributed by J.M. Evans (Letters, Match 23), former and future candidate for Broward County sheriff.
As a former deputy with BSO, I have known Evans and actually processed arrests based on his investigations for about a decade. This thin, unassuming, true cowboy brought Powertrac to the media's attention two years before the first article was ever written, but he was completely blown off.
Your articles on BSO have been incredible. If you want to see passion for the residents and deputies of Broward and want to meet a man of character, interview Evans. Jenne will never see the kind of respect that Evans has from the men and women of BSO, even if he spends another decade there at BSO.
Name withheld by request
Pembroke Pines
