Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this
postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to
mail@austinchronicle.com. Thanks for your patience.
RECEIVED Wed., Sept. 13, 2006
Dear people,
Attempting to sort out the nuances between nations in the Middle East and its neighbors sure must be akin to playing footsie with a jellyfish.
I admire writers who venture forth to dangerous beaches, absent of rubber boots. To name a few, for me: Ernest, James B., my friend M.V., Ayn – and of note, a recent instance of stirring work by Ben C. Cohen ["Postmarks," Aug. 25].
George Will Howard
Clarendon
RECEIVED Wed., Sept. 13, 2006
Dear Editor,
Re: Elections 2006: The first time I saw the campaign ad for Rick Perry, I thought it was a real-estate commercial. You noticed there wasn't a house nearby or a human, and he certainly wasn't going to tape anywhere in Laredo.
For all I know, this could be an outtake from a Western. Perry would have to play the baddie.
Clyde L. Harris
Hillsboro
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Dear Editor,
The first time I was shoved out of a seat by someone's belongings, I was made to sit on the floor next to the bathroom on a coach bus. The second time happened on Sunday, when I went to Barton Creek Cinema to see Little Miss Sunshine, and someone thought purses were more important than my friends and me. One time, I was driving to see my parents in Barton Hills and saw a 4 year old playing with a dog, and both of them nearly ran out in front of me. I had to pull over because I was in shock: I had almost hit someone. I was almost going to keep going, but then I figured that the little girl should know better, and I went back to talk to her and tell her that she shouldn't play near the street. Instead of the little girl, her mother was standing there. While I was concerned about the little girl, she gave me a lecture about the dog.
Austin, that's disgusting. Growth does not give us the right to start treating belongings and animals as if they are more important than people. I understand that we worked hard to get the money to buy our things, and that pets provide a great deal of stress relief and companionship, but in no way are they humans. Let's have a bit of human decency. If someone needs to sit next to you in the theatre, remember that you didn't pay for a ticket for your things. People aren't saying to keep Austin weird because they don't recognize the growth: they're saying it because there are basic standards of sociality in this city.
Stephanie Webb
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Dear Editor,
Thank you for covering John [Aielli] on KUT ["Media Watch," News, Sept. 8]. I love his show, as do a lot of people. I am glad you realize how important this is to Austin. They are really stupid for doing this. Thanks again.
Matt Jackson
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Dear Editor,
I was confused by Margaret Moser's description of U2's show at the Austin Opera House during their October tour ["An Austin Chronicle," Sept. 8]. Unless I'm reading it wrong, it seems like she's saying this show was U2's first performance in Austin.
I saw the band at Club Foot on the Boy tour, which would have been a year or two prior to the October tour. Two things I remember about the show: 1) The band played "I Will Follow" twice, because it was the only song the audience was familiar with; 2) the Police were playing the Erwin Center that week, and Sting was at Club Foot to see U2. My friend Kliff Kiehl spoke with him very briefly.
Yours truly,
Paul K. Smith
[Margaret Moser responds: The U2 caption was in reference to their second show in Austin. Their first was in March 1981.]
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Hey Chronicle,
I loved your 25th anniversary supplement, especially David Sprague's U2 photograph ["An Austin Chronicle," Sept. 8]. It brought back a couple of great memories – one of a more recent vintage!
I was at the Austin stop of U2's first tour – on March 31, 1981 at Club Foot. As I recall, Brad First booked it, F-Systems opened, and I did the poster. They showed up in a van with one roadie, and I took them over to Ray Hennig's for strings and drum heads. The Edge wanted to play every vintage guitar in the place and had to be bodily dragged back into the van to make sound check on time.
Incidentally, Brad and I were their guests at the Frank Erwin Center on Nov. 5, 2001. As anybody present on that unforgettable night can tell you, just six weeks after 9/11, it was the rock & roll megachurch of healing that we all needed badly.
As the Edge started "I Will Follow," Bono announced, "We'd like to do this next one just like we did it 20 years ago for our friends at Club Foot."
Brad and I looked at each other and grinned. Now that was a shout-out.
Richard Luckett
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Dear Editor,
Re: 25th anniversary photos ["An Austin Chronicle," Sept. 8]: When Martha [Grenon] asked to photograph Lizbeth and me, I couldn't understand why. She said she specialized in photographing famous people before they became famous.
Naturally I thought of that when I lobbied my publisher to put one of those photos on the dust jacket of Travels With Lizbeth. Also, it was only one of three or four photos made of me contemporary with the events in the book, and the only one whose photographer I could still locate. I must admit, however, it was not my favorite shot. My favorite was the tongue shot, which Martha took in the same session.
No one, save our companion, ever seemed to appreciate the tongue shot. But it was the best picture ever made of Lizbeth, at least to me.
Lars Eighner
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Dear Editor,
Hey, Louis Black, and everyone involved over the years: thanks.
Chris Vreeland
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Dear Editor,
Can we please put an end to this talk about Condoleezza Rice running for president? Rice's only calling card is her résumé, which admittedly is chock-full of plum gigs. But governance and electioneering are result-oriented businesses, and in Rice's case, the results ain't pretty. No one's blaming her for 9/11, but, hey, it happened on her watch. Afghanistan? It becomes increasingly clear with each passing day that the Bush administration's greatest victory was a Pyrrhic one, if a victory at all. Iraq? Disaster. Israel? Disaster.
Look, Dave Campo, the hapless former coach of the Cowboys, also has a résumé that includes the top job in his profession, but after three successive 5-11 seasons, I didn't hear anyone clamoring for him to be given the keys to Texas Stadium. Meanwhile, Condi's guided U.S. foreign policy through the geopolitical equivalent of six winless seasons, and she's being mentioned for bigger and better things. Am I missing something?
Not only is Ms. Rice not deserving of the presidency, she's also ill-equipped for the rigors of such a campaign. Seriously, have you ever seen Rice on Meet the Press? Her filibustering responses call to mind the efforts of previous politicians from her home state of Alabama. And this isn't to say those responses aren't intelligent, but they're pedantic in a forum that requires pithy. This quality ties into her underlying problem – she's an academic, not a politician. She hasn't mastered the game, and it isn't one that's mastered overnight. Now, don't get me wrong, Rice's lack of political experience doesn't disqualify her from being president – just from running for president.
My advice to Condi: If you're serious about someday being president, go back to your home in California and run for governor. Those people will elect anyone.
Gibbs Henderson
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
"Postmarks,"
Twenty-five years of The Austin Chronicle and what do you have to show for it ["An Austin Chronicle," Sept. 8]? No more Coach Cotton, no more "Straight Dope," and too much "Page Two." Oh you're progressive all right; progressive like the speed of falling whale shit before it hits rock bottom and comes to a cold, dead stop. Your little island of blue (Gilligan's Island) in a sea of red has been sold down the river and is the laughing stock of the state. Tell me again, just what is it you're celebrating? Gridlock? Redistricting due to overcrowding? (Boy, that little plan to pack Austin full of people via Smart Growth sure backfired, huh?) City of ideas?! (See laughing stock reference.) Austin, where men may be men and the sheep sleep with one eye open. I wasn't here for the first issue of the Chronicle, the one that the ink-stained wretch Louis Black recalls as a disaster, but it'd be hard-pressed to be worse than any other weekly/weakly fish wrap.
Kurt Standiford
RECEIVED Tue., Sept. 12, 2006
Dear Editor,
Just about anyone in Austin who reads the Chronicle already knows what I'm about to lay on you here – Darcie Stevens is a self-righteous know-it-all with shite taste in music who seems to have her head fairly firmly planted in her posterior. However, it has seldom been as blatantly obvious as the fawning fan-girl pablum she posited regarding Spoon in your 25th anniversary issue ["An Austin Chronicle," Sept. 8]. First of all, Dame Darcie hasn't lived in my fair city long enough to presume to tell me what is or is not a requirement for Austin residency. I'm sorry, but four years doesn't qualify you for jack aside from a "Keep Austin Weird" bumper sticker (which really just makes you look like a douche if you weren't here when Austin really was weird). Secondly, a good portion of Austin musicians and music fans would take offense at the mere idea that someone who looks like Beaker from The Muppet Show and sounds like the act of defecation given moderate pronunciation skills should be crowned as their "mouthpiece."
So yeah, I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore. I'm sick and tired of my friends in Dallas having a good laugh at Austin's expense because they pawned off Darcie Stevens on us. Just because she can string a sentence together doesn't mean she should be given a public forum to do so. So with that in mind, I'm pitching in $10 for a "Send Darcie Home" fund. Really, I don't care if we send her home, just as long as we send her away from here. Any matching contributions would be greatly appreciated.
No matter how hard you try to shove them down our throats, Spoon is still not freakin' cool.
Semper sarcastic and spiteful,
Jon Cohorn
[Editor's note: Darcie Stevens celebrated a decade in Austin last June. She's from Conroe, Texas. Any donations in her name should be made to the SIMS Foundation: www.simsfoundation.org.]
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
Re: Jerry Lynn Williams article ["The Lone Ranger," Music, Jan. 27]: This was an excellent article about a guy who deserves a book of his own. Jerry Lynn Williams was a genius. He was the epitome of funkiness. I have owned his Spindizzy LP for years and still blow the minds of great musicians by playing it. I used to own Gone, but someone stole it. And I've just ordered Peacemaker. I would love to have a CD copy of Gone and the cassette mentioned in the article. There will never be anyone as good as Jerry Lynn Williams again. I'm a 55-year-old guy, and I cried when I heard he had died. Thanks Jerry, wherever you are. You were the very best.
Bob Hamilton
Reno, Nev.
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
I really enjoyed your last issue, as it brought back so many memories for me ["An Austin Chronicle," Sept. 8]. My dad was the original director for ACL, so I was one of those kids running around at the Armadillo, and even Hippy Hollow (it was much cooler in the Seventies). The one piece that hit me the most was the one about Grey Ghost. I was one of the Continental Club calender girls in the late Eighties, and Steve offered me a job there. The Ghost was doing his happy-hour show, just him and his piano, and I was there with my friend Ron. We noticed that these people weren't putting a dime in the tip jar, as these 9-to-5ers were more interested in talking about their bosses, or whatever, but they weren't paying attention to the soulful music that surrounded us. Ron took off his hat, and I walked from table to table, and got every single person in that place to put some money in the hat. After all, I was a model, and even worked for Louis Black's Renegade Modeling in the early Nineties, so I sweet-talked them out of their cash!
After Grey Ghost was finished, I walked up to him, with this hat full of cash. I said that my friend Ron, pointing to him, had thought that his music was very touching, so we passed around the hat for him. He looked at us both with a smile, and said, "Boy, you sure are funny white folks!"
I loved the one with Biscuit and Doug Sahm, but the Grey Ghost was a very special piece for me. Thank you again for bringing back so many wonderful memories.
Sincerely yours,
Sara Scafe Toole
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
I suppose radio managers feel they have to tinker with things to earn their pay, but why do the KUT brass have to cut back John Aielli and fire Teresa Ferguson ["Media Watch," News, Sept. 8]?
I like Paul Ray's Twine Time, but two hours of Sixties R&B on Saturday evening is plenty, while Ferguson's Femme FM attracted me not only for her excellent sampling of female vocalists but also to listen to the silkiest voice on Austin radio.
Honestly, I kept expecting KUT to give her more hours on the air. To run her off is, to put it plainly, a dumb move.
Jim Cullen
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
WTC Building 7 was demolished. I'm not wondering; rather I know this for a fact. How do I know this, you ask? I'm a former U.S. Naval EOD demolitions expert. Are you? Probably not, so you may want to stop and think before spreading your uneducated guess. Why was it pulled? I don't know, but demolished it was!
When a building drops on all four corners at the same time (as WTC Building 7 did), it's for one reason and one reason only ... it was controlled by det cord (which blows at 20,000 feet per second to ensure "four corner drop"). Buildings would fall sideways or all ways hurting the other buildings around them, so controlled demolition is the only answer. To say that any building fell on all sides at the same time because of a fire ... now that's the real conspiracy theory by definition. Remember the half-collapsed federal building in Oklahoma City? That's what happens when you don't control the blast on all sides at once.
WTC buildings 1 and 2? You don't want my opinion. Plus, I'm too scared to print it.
Tigger Banks
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill banning the commercial slaughter of horses and mules. It seems that 90,000 horses and mules are slaughtered every year, and the meat is sold in Europe and Asia as food. There are only three slaughterhouses that do this work, and two are right here in Texas. Believe it or not, 146 representatives voted against the bill. Many opponents of the bill claimed the horses in question were slaughtered as a humane act to lessen their suffering, and passage of the bill would lead to neglect of unwanted horses. I'm not making this up – do a Google or Yahoo search on "horse slaughter" and read the articles. Do they really think we are that stupid? Does this country produce 90,000 sick horses a year that need to be put out of their misery? Can't they just admit they were bribed by the horse-meat lobby to vote against the bill? I sent Texas Rep. Joe Barton and several others a scathing e-mail in which I referred to them as "scumbags," "worthless," and "degenerate." I hope others will join me in ridiculing these useless excuses for public officials, in language of your own choosing.
Blake Smith
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
George Bush has finally talked about something he should know about. He states that the Middle East and bin Laden are the new Nazis. Seeing as how grandpa Prescott Bush was a Nazi financier even after the USA entered the war against Germany and even after Pearl Harbor. Young George has definitely shown by his actions and deeds that Grandpa's lessons to him took root. Bush is not a Texan, he is a Yankee, born and bred, but every chance he gets he says he is a Texan. Just like all his lies and his administration's lies, they think that if they tell them over and over againl, they will magically become the truth. He only had to tell and conspire to tell one to me, the Congress, and the American people to lose me. That one was WMD and bin Laden in Iraq. All the rest should have lost any other sensible voter.
Robin Johns
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Mr. Black,
How unfortunate that Robb Walsh has been allowed to besmirch the outstanding reputation of The Austin Chronicle's Food section with his uninformed reporting and lack of journalistic ethics ["Sweet Heat," Food, Aug. 25].
Apparently lacking the ability to fact check or even the motivation to validate comments for his story on the Hot Sauce Festival, he exercised the utmost in lazy and unethical journalism by using a quote by me printed in another newspaper to validate his point of view. Unfortunately for him, he not only lifted my quote from a story in the Austin American-Statesman, published five months prior to his story, but used a partial quote completely out of context. As a career journalist, I can tell you this is unacceptable behavior from a professional journalist.
Walsh never tried to contact me for his story but simply stole a quote from a competing newspaper that had nothing to do with his article, claiming that my comments were reported as a way of explaining to the press the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival's return to "its snobby, Tex-Mex-bashing roots." After committing many years and many volunteer hours to the success of the wine and food festival as well as to promote Austin's dynamic culinary scene, I can assure you that in no instance would I be a part of any event or organization that bashes Tex-Mex, barbecue, or any other cuisine executed by our city's restaurants and chefs.
It may be that Walsh has felt slighted by the festival since he has not been heralded as a preeminent expert on these cuisines like he has so hoped. And it's my understanding that Walsh has not attended the festival for several years, so it's doubtful to me that he speaks from a position of authority.
Walsh's story is even further erroneous as he apparently didn't read the Chronicle story of July 14 ["Food-o-File," Food] five weeks prior to his article that I have moved from Austin and am no longer serving on the festival board as of July 1. So his portrayal to your readers offering current and authoritative information is wrong in every aspect.
I'm sorry that Walsh has given the Chronicle Food section a black eye when I know how other Chronicle Food writers have worked so diligently to not only present accurate stories but adhere to strong journalistic values.
Of all the capable journalists in our city, I'm not sure why the Chronicle would choose a Houston-based writer to tell Austin about what is and what isn't acceptable for our town's food celebrations. You may want to reconsider.
Sincerely,
Cathy Cochran-Lewis
Whole Foods Market community relations coordinator
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Sirs,
Why can't we see more humane and enlightening stories like Joe O'Connell's recent article on his dad, football memories, and his own fatherhood approaching ["Why the Longhorns Must Lose (Eventually)," Web Extra, Sept. 8]. It is so much better than the usual grind-house glut of narcissism that passes for journalism in the Chronicle. Please give O'Connell my compliments, and please, please, open the windows down there and let in more fresh air like this wonderful story.
Yours sincerely,
Gary Kent
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
The writer Kevin Brass has opened up a public secret; KUT has sold out to big-business advertising ["KUT by the Numbers," News, Jan. 20]. Hawk Mendenhall is trying to turn KUT into something no one wants, and he is killing the station with advertisements in the process.
If Austin has any claim to a basic personality, it would be exemplified by its PBS station and, in our own special circumstances, KMFA.
Over the past 15 years, KMFA has been assaulted by too many advertisements. If we don't pay, then trim the station back until it fits the needs of its listeners.
Advertising: It seems reasonable that any public carrier should provide a strict accounting of advertising time, self advertising, and personality enhancement. Hawk in cooperation with the business suits responsible for PBS has exceeded any reasonable limit of promotional advertising.
If this is the case, then as a civic-funded station, it should make the statistics public, routinely.
Why hasn't this been done? Well, salesmen are wont to play down their promotions. I suspect that the business managers are reluctant to discuss their double-billing routines, advertisers, and the public.
This problem of overadvertising extends to KMFA and KLRU.
The local boards of directors are responsible for this glut of advertising and commercialization of public stations. Someone had to hire Hawk and his tribe. We need a new board of directors. They shouldn't be allowed to hide in the shadows.
The Chronicle should be praised for taking on this task. Congratulations, and I hope you keep up and enlarge your attack on those who want to use our PBS facilities for mind-numbing advertising.
If Austin wants to be different, send a message, don't send money to KUT or KLRU until their managements have been sent someplace else.
Thanks for the piece by Kevin Brass.
When you get down to it, why doesn't our country have the best public educational TV and radio in the world? Well, why not? Certainly we could afford it.
Bill Adorno, a polar bear and tree hugger
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
Having recently moved to Austin, I have had a hell of a time trying to find a doctor who accepts Medicaid. I called Seton hospital for a list, and there are two doctors on it who still accept it. Then I get a letter from Medicaid saying I will have to join the "star program" and how great it is. Unlimited R/X, and transplants are even covered. I challenge you to find out how many transplants they have paid for. Every single doctor I called from their list of providers will not accept their coverage - there are two separate programs, I called doctors from both - and all I'm looking for is a G.P.
Carl Whatley
RECEIVED Mon., Sept. 11, 2006
Dear Editor,
Re: "Weed Watch": It's election season again [News, Sept. 8, 2006]: The goal of every bureaucracy is its continuation and expansion. The legalization of marijuana threatens many bureaucracies, so in the name of protecting the precious children, the heads of several bureaucracies will fight against the legalization of marijuana.
Kirk Muse
Mesa, Ariz.
RECEIVED Fri., Sept. 8, 2006
Dear Editor,
The No. 1 threat to our country is not any of the paper tigers people often rant about on these pages. The most dangerous threat is the tendency for some people to advocate totalitarianism, while fools stand idly by as our freedoms slip into oblivion. Certainly, few people actually realize they are even doing this. Only members of the power elite actually want this to occur. Everyone who has ever said "there ought to be a law" either prohibiting or requiring something of America's erstwhile free citizens is guilty of destroying freedom in America. Adults should be free to do whatever they think is best for them and their families, as long as they do not deprive others of the liberties guaranteed by our U.S. Constitution. Americans have that right, whether supported by the fools and demagogues in our governments or not. Anyone who wants to wear a helmet should be allowed to do so, but never required to do so. Anyone who tries to restrict or eliminate freedom for others is simply un-American. If we all do not actively work against the abuses of government, we will soon find that there is no freedom left to defend.
Sincerely,
Max Minor
RECEIVED Fri., Sept. 8, 2006
Dear Editor,
Rocket launchers have proven to be the perfect terror weapon. You don't know where or when it will come, and for anyone nearby when it strikes, the result will probably be fatal.
Hezbollah's attacks were sowing fear, disrupting business, and razing the social infrastructure. They launched more than 2,000 rockets in the early days with the goal of terrorizing the Israeli population and killing civilians. The Katyusha rockets carry a deadly payload of thousands of large ball bearings, which put holes in house fronts more than 150 feet from the point of impact and rip through cars and buildings like machine-gun fire. As Haifa's police chief said, "These attacks are meant to kill civilians."
Yet when Israel tries to take out the rocket launchers, intentionally placed among civilians, the world media and the useless UN blame Israel for the violence! The Muslim terrorists have made it clear through the years they want to destroy Israel plus Christian America for helping them, or anyone not Muslim, for that matter. There must be a lot more anti-Jewish prejudice in the world than I ever dreamed of, or a lot of ignorance, or both. I don't get it, not even a little bit.
Gerard Kern
RECEIVED Fri., Sept. 8, 2006
Dear Editor,
I understand why people would be upset over an atheist in church ["Church Fight," News, June 23]. Personally I think they should assign several different lay pastors to convert him [Robert Jensen]. His soul is in terrible danger. It sounds like the pastor [Jim Rigby] might be in danger himself. I hope the church makes a sincere effort to convert this man. Your pastor should be concerned with newly converted Christians not courting favor with an atheist!
Thanks,
Marilyn King
Houston
RECEIVED Fri., Sept. 8, 2006
Dear Editor,
The Drug Enforcement Agency is doing a disservice to America's election process ("Weed Watch," News, Sept. 8), making a mockery out of the law enforcement rant: If you don't like the laws, change them.
While DEA agent Michael Moore was quoted (in Boulder, Colo.), "We're in favor of ... working based on all the facts," it's worth noting, the term DEA facts is an oxymoron. The Drug Enforcement Agency is the last place to get "facts" about cannabis. They're experts on prohibition, not cannabis. Their justification behind cannabis prohibition is and always has been based on lies; everything the DEA says about cannabis is suspect and should be researched by voters.
Fact is, relegalizing cannabis is past due, and the DEA should step aside while Colorado and Nevada leads the nation back on track to obey Christ God Our Father in relegalizing cannabis, bringing peace on Earth and utilizing one of the great creations God has to offer.
Truthfully,
Stan White
Dillon, Colo.
RECEIVED Fri., Sept. 8, 2006
Dear Editor,
Re: Jamie Lee Curtis: I resent your opinion concerning her movie Mother's Boys [Film Listings, April 22, 1994]. Thank God we are not all made alike or even see the same films. To me, it would be hard to find such a natural actress as Jamie Lee to make movies today even watchable. You did a disservice with your critical review of her acting in this movie. I was on the edge of my seat concerning her next move. She is believable in everything she does. You go girl. You'll still be great after all these other so-called actresses are long gone!
Sandie Medlin
Anderson, S.C.
RECEIVED Thu., Sept. 7, 2006
Dear Editor,
Ethan Love ("Postmarks," Sept. 1) asserts that "the structural engineering community is in agreement on what happened on 9/11, and controlled demolition was not part of the picture." Jeff King from MIT disagrees. Google "Jeff King + MIT + 9-11" for a 15 minute presentation that contradicts Mr. Love's assertion.
John Young
RECEIVED Thu., Sept. 7, 2006
Dear Editor,
In his letter defending the 9/11 myth, in the Sept. 1 edition, Ethan Love refers to the collapse of WTC 7. He said that "the fires burned all day without being fought," then, "The idea that controlled demolition was involved is ridiculous."
Well apparently Love must have missed the PBS documentary Rebuilding America where proprietor Larry Silverstein described the demolition of WTC like this, "I remember getting a call from the fire department commander telling me they were not sure they were going to be able to contain the fire ... and I said, 'Well, you know, we've had such terrible loss of life ... maybe the smartest thing to do is, is "pull" it' ... and they made that decision to 'pull' ... uh, and we watched the building collapse."
The term "pull the building" is demolition-industry speak for initiating the demolition of the building. The most revealing part of this is that there had not been time for the proper placement of demolition charges to insure an engineered demolition between the time the building was evacuated and it came down. This means that the demolition charges had been placed in the building with their control devices well before September 11, 2001. So if WTC 7 had been wired for demolition prior to 9/11, it is logical that the towers were similarly equipped; which is evidenced by the way the towers came straight down.
Ron Hepler