Brother Jesse
Jesse Fox Mayshark's "Last Call for Vitriol" was the best Editor's Corner [July 25] I have read. That's saying a lot since Editor's Corner is consistently a forum for some of the most well-pointed, well-grounded, witty, smart-ass writing I have encountered.
Since Mayshark is leaving in a few weeks he thought he'd take one last opportunity for "one last round of fish-in-a-barrel shooting, one last jabbing of our local political pincushions, one final venting of the ol' editorial spleen."
The article's subtitle—"Once more into the windmills"—is a brilliant reference to the Man of LaMancha's insane, windmill fighting antihero Don Quixote. It is an interesting parallel to his personal vendetta against the regressive, and sometimes outright stupid, thinking—or lack thereof—of Knoxville's leadership. However, I see Mayshark not as an insane, mule-riding Spaniard, but as Knoxville's big brother.
As I read the article I reflected on Mayshark and what a great service he has provided the greater Knoxville area over the years. Sure, his words are pointed and sometimes stinging. But it occurred to me, Mayshark's criticism is not unlike that of an older, wiser brother. He pinpoints where his inexperienced younger brother is screwing up, not out of self righteousness or spite, but because he has seen him grow up, he knows him, loves him and most of all he sees what he could be, his potential.
Thus is the relationship between Mayshark and Knoxville. Sure, he criticizes, pokes fun at and employs a heavy dose of cynicism on our fair city. But not because he's too good for Knoxville, not because he hates Knoxville. No, Mayshark loves Knoxville, he demonstrates that week after cynical week. He sees what our fair adolescent city could be.
Seeing Jesse go is like seeing that older brother leave for college; you know he has to go—just like summer eventually gives way to fall—but you wish he could stay just a little while longer. One more week. One more issue.
As for me, I will miss him.
Kyle Westaway
Knoxville
High School Memories
Reading the first paragraph of your "Cliff-Noting" article in this week's Metro Pulse [Aug. 15] immediately caused me to flash back to my 11th grade economics class taught by Mr. Blackman at Brooklyn Technical High School in 1948.
His approach to the economics text was exactly the same as Mr. Dravecky's. His only other requirement was that we purchase the New York Times every day, since he taught the class using the Times. Not only did he make economics interesting, he also made Times readers out of all of us!
Thanks for giving a 70-year-old a pleasant memory!
Frank T. Smith
Maryville
Critical Indeed
In response to your article entitled: "Critical Care: Are we spared the worst of the nationwide nurse shortage, or is it rolling downhill at us?" [Cover story, Aug. 8], I want to thank you for presenting such a broad and accurate perspective of the nursing shortage.
It is not often that someone presents information from several different perspectives that capture the professional essence of the nursing shortage. Your realism will certainly give the public a true picture of what they are facing when hospitalized and what new nurses have to look forward to.
As a nurse who has been in hospital nursing since 1973 and in higher education since 1984, I can attest to the truth in your article from a nurse's perspective. Answers to such crucial questions as those related to the quality of patient care and safety issues vary based on who you ask and how long they have been in the profession.
It is not often that articles capture the true nature of a situation from the people who know the problems firsthand. You have truly done this for nurses. Thank you.
Maria A. Smith, DSN, RN, CCRN
School of Nursing
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro
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