Foxy and alternative

In response to Jennifer Macdonald's complaint about American Apparel and Samantha Fox ["Mirror going Maxim?" Letters, Aug. 5], when was the last time Samantha Fox graced the cover of any paper in Montreal - or North America, for that matter? It was pertinent, as she headlined the Gay Pride show on Sunday, so it was not just there so people would pick up the paper. And, as far as I see it, the older photo of her was used as a reference point, as that is how most remember the woman.

I loved seeing her make the cover! I didn't expect that in the least. By putting a woman who hasn't been in the spotlight in over 10 years on the cover, I think the Mirror definitely did something a mainstream magazine wouldn't do. And not only did she look good there, she rocked the stage Sunday night, thank you very much.

As for American Apparel, their ads have been appearing on the Mirror's back cover for months, so why would last week be any different? Does Jennifer suddenly think you should stop selling them ad space? Or start editing the artistry and vision of their advertising campaign to suit her defensive, narrow-minded view? Somehow, I don't think either is an option - you are going to sell ad space, and that is what it is: just an ad.

Some people really have to stop over-analyzing things from misguided points of view and then openly complaining about them.

» Damion J. Rowan

Valuing art

I would like to respond to Meg Walker's letter to the editor regarding the theft of my work at Concordia this summer ["Art and security," Aug 5]. In my view, an academic institution should have some idea of what the value of my education is. After all, the institution is selling the product of education to me at a very precise rate, so should they not also be able to tell me what my education is worth, once I have acquired it from them?

I was educated as a painter, partly by Concordia University, and so far that university has told me that my work is worth nothing. They have implied that my work is worthless in two clear ways: by not protecting it while it was held within their classrooms, and by stating that compensation for my loss could not be obtained by them because many other students have had work stolen and they would also seek compensation.

The fine arts building is a safer place for all students, including Meg, in large part because of the steps that I took to hold the institution responsible. Just imagine, Concordia's initial response to my paintings being stolen right out of their classroom was that it was my fault for not taking precautions.

Clearly, if students knew that that was how the administration felt about academic art work, then students would surely feel less safe in that learning environment. I know that most of my class, including Meg, support me in my goal of improving the security for fine arts students. I also know that just about every artist in this country probably wants to know how much financial value Concordia would place on the work of its own students.

» Tom Shortliffe

Comic grief

While I share your dismay at the cancellation of the Doonesbury comic strip from Continental Features, the American Sunday comics consortium, you left out some key information [The Front, Angel, July 29].

Presumably quoting the same Anniston Star article you refer to: "Continental decided to drop Doonesbury after the company received complaints about a strip published in May. In the strip, one of the characters fantasizes about bringing in a university president's head on a platter. The strip appeared just days after the beheading of Nicholas Berg in Iraq."

Was the bad timing creator G.B. Trudeau's fault? Not at all. The comics are routinely printed 10–14 days in advance. Even though Continental's president, Van Wilkerson, said the particular strip in question was the last straw in a longstanding string of complaint-inducing strips, the fact remains that the vote to get rid of Doonesbury was based on work that had nothing to do with the Berg tragedy, and everything to do with the demanding publishing schedule of the industry; i.e., the fault really lies with Continental and its clients.

What's sad is that this is most likely an example of a political rather than a marketing manoeuvre. What is perhaps sadder is that Sunday readers will still get to look at crap like Family Circus and Peanuts every week.

» Eric Ginestier

Righting Van Ronk

According to Johnson Cummins, the new Dave Van Ronk CD "was taken from his final concert in 1991" [Discs, July 29]. If that were true, he couldn't have played in Montreal, at the Jazz Festival, in 1998. The final concert, recorded for the CD, was in October 2001. Dave died in February 2002.

» Helen Shapiro

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