I was outraged by your cover of Dr. Eugene Turner asking if his is the face of a baby killer ("Angel of Death," 1/28). The man was acquitted and his actions vindicated as humane. Instead of putting this episode behind him your paper has plastered his picture on the cover and raised the question again. What has happened to your paper in the last few months? Instead of more "with it" your paper is turning toward the shallow, sensationalism of other "news" sources. I'm sorry to see the integrity of your paper go.
Devon Vose Rickabaugh
via e-mail
The Editor responds: For the record, the story appeared the week before prosecutors dropped the charges, not after.
Angel of mercy
For the past year my one wish was for reporters to get their damn stories straight before they publish them. "Angel of Death" (1/28) is a prime example. Nowhere in this story did I read where Dr. Rowan was taking medication for depression, nor did it mention the insurance policy that he had taken out on his wife just before her murder.
The article also said the local paper was picketed. I'm sorry, but that is just a flatout lie. I headed that support rally, and there was not one picket sign. But once again you had to elaborate to sell the all-mighty story.
I have known Dr. Eugene Turner for 23 years, and he would sell his soul to the devil to save the life of a child. He was the main caregiver for our son Jason for the 11 short years of his life. Never have I seen a more dedicated physician, friend, and human being. The compassion he showed for our son is something I can't express in this letter.
For the life of me I don't understand what we expect of our physicans. We beg them to show more human compassion, and when they do, they find an attorney waiting at the door. To all of you doctors out there, please have a heart and go out of your way to give all you have as a doctor, according to the oath you took. Though in the end it may cost you dearly. If nothing else, you could end up sitting in front of a reporter's camera as well.
Patti Filion
via e-mail
Mike Romano responds: As far as Dr. Rowan's medication, I apologize for the omission, but many people do take mild antidepressants without killing their spouses. As far as Mrs. Rowan's life insurance, I wish my readers would be more careful before lambasting me, as her $500,000 insurance policy, which came into effect the day of her murder, is very much part of my story.
Raising cane
Many people were offended by Geov Parrish's recent columns. Perhaps if they had read more attentively, they might have noticed that Parrish breathed not a word of anything but compassion for John Stanford and his family; his barbs were only for Stanford's absurdly overblown media canonization (Impolitics, "The Death of St. John," 12/3/98). Parrish's point is that such hagiographic coverage drowns any real discussion of school issues in saccharine platitudes. Is it really not possible to question a messianic approach to public schools without being branded a philistine? Parrish's follow-up column on proposed illnesses for other politicians needing good PR (At Large, "Local Leaders Get Sick," 1/21) was everything satire should be: biting, insightful, and very funny. Hang in there, Geov, I'm sure Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal was not considered to be in good taste in its day either. If you want truly pointless mean-spiritedness, try The Stranger, for which Parrish was far too good. Please don't prove him too good also for the clueless readers of the Weekly. Or go ahead and cane Parrish. Just make sure you do it For the Kids.
David Stoesz
Seattle
Hoppin' mad
As the author of seven business books, including one best seller, The Nordstrom Way, I was offended by Eric Scigliano's indirect characterization of my role in The Ale Master as Bert Grant's "amanuensis" ("Sighing in Their Beer," 1/21). My dictionary defines "amanuensis" as "an assistant who takes dictation or copies something written." I have known Eric casually over the years, but I am unaware of any book that he has authored. Consequently, I must assume he lacks firsthand knowledge of the process. Suffice it to say, Bert didn't dictate anything to me, nor did I copy anything. (I believe they call that plagiarism.) In addition to doing a considerable amount of research, I conducted many hours of taped interviews with Bert—sharing great beer and great beer stories—and several other beer experts, including Michael Jackson, Peter Stroh, and Charles Finkel. That, Eric, is how you write a book.
Robert Spector
Seattle
Eric Scigliano replies: I've always associated the term "amanuensis" with Johnson's great chronicler/recorder Boswell; I thought Robert Spector might find the association flattering. Since The Ale Master is presented as Bert Grant's first-person memoir (written "with Robert Spector"), one might have thought Bert had more to do with it. But I'm glad Robert takes such satisfaction in it.
All worked up
In Jackie McCarthy's review of Peter Guralnick's Elvis Presley bio, Careless Love ("All Shook Up," 1/21), McCarthy manages to misrepresent Guralnick, Chuck D., and Presley—all in the opening paragraph.
