Further Moore
I'm puzzled by a recent letter from Ben Sidran ("Unfair to Lorrie Moore," 3/22/2013), which castigates Isthmus for publishing letters, some of them negative, about Lorrie Moore's departure. I'm not sure why a jazz pianist - or anyone else - would feel it was his place to tell journalists not to print the news, or cover a controversy - which Moore's departure certainly is. Also, the last time I checked, we live in a free country. Anyone can write a letter, whether brilliantly reasoned or so goofy it would put Homer Simpson to shame. I say, let the verbiage roll.
Those who are attacking Moore seem to resent the fact that she had an unusually high salary and a light teaching load. I'd like to point out that Moore did not harshly bargain for these benefits. She was offered them. It's a simple fact: Stars always have, and always will, get more goodies. She fulfilled her part of the bargain honestly. According to her students, she taught with warmth and generosity. As for comments that reveal she was not particularly thrilled and charmed by Wisconsin as such - well, it was never her duty to love the place. She occupied her time here with grace. We should wish her well.
Margaret Benbow
Kiosk Wars
Here's what I remember about the Kiosk Wars ("Kiosk Culture," 3/29/2013) from being in bands in 1980s-90s: spending time coming up with a good poster idea, creating the artwork, paying to print the posters, then spending a good day putting them up, only to come back a day later to find no sign of any of the posters I had just put up. I always went out of my way not to cover any current show posters, being respectful of other musicians. Some other people in the scene were not playing by the same rules.
C.A. Andersen, Verona
