"The Hard Lie," by Richie Whitt, July 10
Canceled Ticket
I just finished reading "The Hard Lie," and I have to pay compliments to Richie Whitt for a comprehensive and insightful telling of the back-story.
Greggo's last day on The Ticket was the last day I cared to listen. I stuck around for a couple weeks, but once they started the chicken-shit tactics of making fun of someone they previously touted as a friend, I decided they'd get no more of my time. Answering Greggo's "betrayals" with on-air betrayal speaks volumes about their characters, and they don't have addiction as an excuse for such childish behavior. Part of the allure of The Hardline was the feeling that I was hanging out in my side room shooting the shit with my buddies about sports, boobs, etc. But no buddy of mine would so callously stab another buddy in the back because he got hooked on coke.
I've permanently ditched The Ticket and subscribed to Sirius, and I've never been happier with my drive-time radio. I miss Greggo, but I don't miss those ridiculously long commercial breaks followed by Corby douche-isms.
If Greggo came back to local radio I'd give him another chance, which is a lot more than those jerks ever did for him.
Bruce Lamphier, Addison
"Pack a Trunk," by Spencer Campbell, July 3
Elephant Hell
The story of Jenny the elephant is making me lose a lot of sleep. I am not an animal activist, nor am I a member of an organization, nor am I a vegetarian. However, eight years ago I experienced a week in Mexico that I just can't forget. I was working in a medical clinic in a small town in Mexico. I was there to train a group of surgeons on LASIK techniques. It was a terribly hot week. Across from the clinic in an open field was a traveling circus. Every day I watched as I passed and noted that two elephants were staked to the ground and were not in a cage. I watched in horror as the circus employee pulled each chained leg out and hammered the large metal stake in the ground. The reason was to keep the animal off balance and unable to steady himself enough to move. It would be a difficult pose for me to hold, much less for the period of time I witnessed. The sad creatures were kept in the horrible position in the extreme hot sun, with no shade and no water. They were tortured this way every day for the duration of the entire day until showtime. I imagine they were made to sleep in the terrible position. I asked the owner of the clinic if authorities could be called. His simple reply was that "animals do not have rights in Mexico."
So why would the Dallas Zoo send an animal to Mexico? Thank you, Dallas Zoo, for making my Mexico elephant nightmares return.
B. Perry, Dallas
