Taste Tested

Taste tested
I realize that film reviews are mostly just a matter of opinion -- one person's perspective of a subject. However, I (and a few of my friends) have noticed lately that quite a large number of the movies that are reviewed in PitchWeekly have received moderate to poor reviews. A movie I saw and thought was outstanding had earned only a 4 in the ratings scale. When I did take the reviewer's advice and saw a movie that was lucky enough to be rated a 7 (a number that most of the movies reviewed fail to climb to), I was horribly disappointed.

My point is this: Difference of opinion is a good thing. However, I will no longer take the advice of any of the Pitch's reviewers to heart because I realize that they really have no taste when it comes to cinema. And that is just another opinion. -- Sharrol Garland

Kansas City, Mo.

Dangerous liaisons
I would like to commend PitchWeekly for publishing Allie Johnson's article, "On Dangerous Grounds" (May 4-10). The lack of concern by the state of Kansas in the Dr. Cynthia Turnbull incident is inconceivable. The state should have to answer for its negligence.

When recommendations and requests for additional employee security and safety training from a dedicated professional like Dr. Turnbull are ignored, an explanation should be demanded from responsible persons and remedies implemented immediately.

What a blessing it is that Dr. Turnbull and others have dedicated their lives to helping others. Hopefully, as a result of Dr. Turnbull's assault and subsequent lawsuit, the state of Kansas is now aware that there are employees who will come forward to reveal negligence and the "don't care" attitude of employers.

Dr. Turnbull is to be applauded for facing the humiliation and taking the steps she did. I wish her the utmost success in her endeavors to make the medical field in the state of Kansas a better and safer place to work.-- B. Elliott

Kansas City, Mo.

Sex and the city
In regard to the sexual harassment story ("Server Abuse," May 18-24):

Men and women alike have been doing that very thing for many years and have been getting away with it. It just seems that recently, they're speaking up about it. I have been there, and I know how people who have been sexually harassed feel. They feel as if it's their fault that it happened and that they did something to bring it on. Well, men who treat women like they are the scum of the earth and those who act like they are God's gift to women should be treated like that for one month straight and see if it doesn't change their tune. It probably wouldn't, but it would feel good to give them a dose of their own medicine.

As far as that goes, women could have that done to them too. I know that men are not the only ones who can act as if their shit don't stink.

But we can't blame that all on the people who are like that. The people who cry wolf just to start trouble are bad too. The workplace has changed so much now you can't even have a good time anymore. You have to go in, do your job, watch who you talk to, and go home. It used to be that you could go into work, make jokes, make friends, and not have to worry too much about what you said or did. But now you can't do this and you can't say that. People are too uptight nowadays. I know even I am at times.

Sometimes you just have to let your hair down and be yourself. If you can't do that at work, then it makes the work environment stressful, and then people wonder why blood pressure is going up and people are having more heart attacks.

I say: CHILL OUT! CALM DOWN! And stop and smell the roses. Jeez, people, get a life, get a boyfriend/girlfriend who can keep your life interesting, and keep sex at home. Don't bring it to work. Bring yourself, your REAL self, to work and try to have a good time.-- Name Withheld on Request

Merriam, Kan.

Heart of darkness
My son and I had just returned from his BMX race in Blue Springs, Mo., when I saw the Pitch article about a proposed BMX track in Louisburg, Kan. ("A Question of Darkness," April 13-19). The article shed fresh light on the controversy, differing from what we had heard at the track.

One aspect not mentioned in the Pitch article is the substantial crowd that these BMX races draw into the park area. Our direct observation/guesstimate is between 300 and 450 riders and observers on a good weeknight race night (and some very "colorful" and very loud young men). Most of the BMX racers are great boys, but frankly, as a concerned father, on race nights I would keep my kids inside the house if we lived anywhere near the BMX track.

Although we travel from our Independence home to the Blue Springs BMX track three days a week for either practice or races, we have not spent a cent in Blue Springs. (Who's got the time?!)