Their hours may be different, but Miami’s leading political figures are looking an awful lot like nightclub owners these days. In the looming August race to succeed Alex Penelas as Miami-Dade mayor, no less than in the competitive world of clubland, lining up a steady stream of VIP appearances is…
Bash Us, Lash Us, Trash Us Just don’t bore us: One more time, hats off to Ronald Mangravite — a tough, uncompromising, insightful, passionate, unfailingly decent, and even-handed example of that most dreaded profession: theater criticism (“Aural Sex,” January 15). Even when he “reams” us theater folks, he does it…
“There are five different art fairs in South Florida now!” laughed Manhattan gallery owner Claire Oliver as a well-heeled crowd streamed past her exhibition space at last week’s Art Miami show. “That’s a lot of art for anyone to stay on top of.” Actually there are only three sprawling art…
In the Beginning Was the Word And the word was “awesome”: I just finished reading Rebecca Wakefield’s cover story “The Sociology of Suds” (January 8) and had to write to say that it was awesome. I wish there were more journalism being done like this. I thought it was brilliant…
I Know a Thing or Two about Beauty Pageants And this one is anything but beautiful: Thanks to Forrest Norman for his article about Mario Princigalli and his Miss Cuban-American pageant (“Tiara Squirm-a!” December 25). I competed in this year’s pageant and I had a terrible experience. My parents were…
To Shoot or Not To Shoot That isn’t a question unless you’re packing heat: Mario Barcia may or may not have known he was shooting at a police officer (based on the witnesses and circumstances, he probably didn’t), but what Steven Dudley’s article “A Shot in the Dark” (December 18)…
For progressives the jury is still out on Miami-Dade mayoral hopeful José Cancela. Is the Radio Unica president poised to take a much-needed, businesslike approach to overhauling county hall, à la Manny Diaz? Or is he simply Alex Penelas with a firmer handshake and a more convincing smile? Is Cancela…
FTAA: Thug That would be Chief John Timoney: There was so much righteous, justified, and articulate indignation over Miami’s handling of the FTAA ministerial meetings that I was hesitant to comment. But I want to congratulate New Times and reporters like Celeste Fraser Delgado for your coverage and dedication. If…
For the kinder, the Eighties are one long Cyndi Lauper video, all asymmetrical haircuts, striped leg warmers, and fun, fun, fun ’til daddy takes the DeLorean away. For those of us who actually lived through the decade, however, that imaginary nostalgia is leavened with a bit more ambivalence — a…
Mission Accomplished We cops prevented chaos and we’re proud of it: After reading New Times’s coverage of the FTAA protests, I wanted to add my view of the events. I was on the other side of the line — the side getting bottles of urine, golf balls, and rocks thrown…
At Long Last Art Believe it or not, Miami is more than crime and corruption: It is refreshing to see a New Times cover story that doesn’t involve corruption, murder, or local political nastiness. And so I enjoyed Rebecca Wakefield’s coverage of the belly-dance culture here in Miami (“In the…
Memo to Miuccia Prada: Your fall line is just as well suited to a downtown Miami riot scene as a night out in clubland. That was the lesson Kulchur drew after borrowing one of the designer’s military-style black sweaters and heading out to cover the recent Free Trade Area of…
Cops Gone Wild: Definitely Money Well Spent Let us praise the wisdom and vision of our leaders: Thanks to the foresight of our noble leaders, a terrible disaster was averted two weeks ago in downtown Miami. It is my understanding that extremely boisterous gangs of environmentalist tree-huggers, anti-trade rogues, and…
“Oh, you poor deluded leftists,” sighs author Neal Pollack while gazing out at the audience gathered before him at the recent Miami Book Fair International. The crowd, heavy on grad students, self-styled bohemians, and early arrivals for the FTAA protests, is in on the joke and laughs in knowing appreciation…
Quick Results, No Waiting Thanks to the county for our rapid HIV test: On behalf of the board, staff, and most important, the clients of the South Beach AIDS Project, I would like to commend Rebecca Wakefield for her insightful and informative article about the new “rapid” HIV test now…
Who knew that the floor seats at the James L. Knight Center could be removed? All these years I thought we had no choice but to evade the ushers and squeeze into the aisles to dance salsa with La India or toss flowers at Alejandro Sanz. Then again, from the…
If South Beach’s fashionistas have a bit less spring in their high-heeled step of late, show some sympathy. After all, Camelot just ended. For the sartorially obsessed, the recent departure of Tom Ford from Gucci is akin to losing both John F. Kennedy and Jackie Onassis in one fell swoop…
FTAA: The Apocalypse Approaches Meanwhile, free weekly frolics in frivolity: As I scanned through New Times’s tongue-in-cheek delineation of the upcoming FTAA ministerial meeting (“Free Trade Miami: Your Essential Guide to the FTAA,” November 13), the frightening question on the minds of many thoughtful people occurred to me: Does anyone…
Hidden Agendas? Bias? How else to explain the attacks on Bob Dugger? My name is Kenneth Karger and I am treasurer for the board of directors of the Spanish Trace Condominium Association. I’ve been on the board off and on for more than 22 years. During the past nine years,…
About You’re Toy Story It was swell, but why the mispellings? We got word from Miami toymakers Friends with You that Celeste Fraser Delgado’s story was published, and so we checked it out on the New Times Website (“Revenge of the Misfit Toys,” October 23). It was a really nice…
Utopia in Three Easy Steps Here’s how I would fix Miami: In response to Rebecca Wakefield’s October 16 report on Miami’s poverty rating (“We’re Still Number One!”): An all-inclusive national healthcare policy, plus work programs similar to FDR’s New Deal, would get the homeless off our streets. And real documentation…
The Oracle Dude We called him the Fat One, and we listened closely to his words: Let me tell you something about Abel Folgar that maybe every other letter-writer has already said. The guy was the Blue Table Philosopher, the Kamel Red-Toking Oracle, the Space Cowboy, if you will, of…
