Letters to the Editor

Hunter drops Dobson:I have never paid a lot of attention to The City, by Derf, before, but the March 3 comic about how Hunter S. Thompson really died was perfect. If only it were true!

RIP, HST.

Brian Moriarty
Aurora

Frat pack:This letter is in response to Kenny Be's "ChristiAnimal House"Worst-Case Scenario in the February 24 issue. I'm a Sigma Pi from Colorado State University and also a Christian. While the comic was satirically clever, it seems that Kenny has the wrong idea about the "Spirit of Sigma Pi." I realize that after Samantha Spady's death, the majority of people regard us as another example of excess in college and equate us with the Animal House image. I'm so sorry that we as a house contributed to that national "frat-boy" stereotype.

However, it seems as though it doesn't matter that we have organized an alcohol-awareness group called "Ace of Spades" to educate incoming college students about the dangers of binge drinking. It doesn't matter that Samantha Spady's parents, Rick and Patty, have traveled around the nation organizing and speaking about the loss of their only daughter so that no other parents have to experience what they have. And now I know it doesn't matter how we strive to help Timberline Church create a neutral environment for college students.

To people like Kenny, it doesn't matter that we have been beaten down as a fraternity by the university, the media and our guilt; apparently we deserved one more kick while we're on the ground.

Bryce Ballew
via the Internet

Editor's note: For another look at the former Sigma Pi house, read this week's cover story by Jared Jacang Maher.

Shoot to bill:Regarding Michael Roberts's "Target: Tom," the March 3 Message:

Your article on Tom Martino was long overdue. I think the referral list is a total joke. I tried using it several times, and usually the vendors never even bothered calling back. I contacted troubleshooter.com and they did nothing about it. In my opinion, all they care about is collecting the money. I still use the referral list, but for a different reason: I avoid doing business with companies on the list!

Bob Morgan
Denver

Dogging his tracks:Bravo! Tom Martino does some great things for consumers here in Denver, but it is high time he was exposed for exactly what it is he does. His eye is on profits first and consumer satisfaction second. I was a troubleshooter referral-list provider at one time. I was selling a very high-quality dog food. I signed a number of papers detailing how disputes would be handled (never had any), papers stating the Troubleshooter credo that I was expected to live up to, and more papers explaining how much it would cost me to be a referral-list provider. Every bag of dog food I sold through his site would be subject to a "Tom tax."

I never met Tom or any of his minions. Anybody can sign up if they just sign the papers and pay Tom. Something just doesn't seem right about that. It is my opinion that he has garnered so much power over the years that he is "untouchable." I am glad to see you report this side of the story. I, too, have heard him say on many occasions on the show that he wasn't there and can't say what happened. He gets nebulous about things when they don't look good for him.

Keep up the excellent work you do.

Jeff Noble
via the Internet

Target practice: Three words regarding Michael Roberts's takedown of the Troubleshooter: 'bout friggin' time. Couple more: You're just getting warmed up, right? This is, like, part one of a series, or what?

JM Schell
Arvada

The tiles that bind:Normally, it is not in my nature to comment on such a well-written article, but I have known Tony Marquette and his family for approximately twenty years and can speak highly of his credibility. In the time I have known him, nothing like this has ever happened, and he is very fair when it comes to people working on his place -- he has even recommended some of them to his friends, so the situation here is in no way indicative of an issue on Tony's end. Tony is a businessman and simply wants the job done right. For the contractor to offer a half-price settlement is ludicrous. Obviously, the floors need to be completely torn up and redone correctly, which may cost even more the second time around, now that all the existing tiles need to be demolished!

I would also like to point out, in defense of Tom Martino's network, that the fees they are charging contractors are very reasonable and probably don't begin to cover the costs associated with the diligence they do with their contractors and all the people required to manage such a site and keep their entity as lock-tight and reputable as possible. No one should construe their fees as a hidden agenda, and anyone who thinks that Martino does his job for free needs to revisit their junior high school economics teacher for a "rethink."