Well, judging by the letters I just read in Monday and Tuesday’s editions of this paper and the numerous email messages I’ve gotten this week, it seems I’ve opened up another large can of worms. Oh well, I can’t please all of the people all of the time, but what else is new?

So far I’ve been accused of bringing my own personal objectives into the Daily with the creation of Hardcore Happy Hour (which, incidentally, was Arts and Entertainment editor Corey Moss’ idea and not mine, but I will gladly take the credit for it). I have been accused of being a Satan-worshipper, a member of the Grateful Dead (by the way, those “sunglasses” are actually photo-grey prescription glasses) and a crappy journalist.

I’ve received negative feedback due to my use of profanity (may I remind you of my right to freedom of speech?) and my negative portrayals of such religious figures as the Pope and Mother Theresa (I believe this falls under the category of freedom of religion). To top it all off, I have also been accused of trying to further the career of 35″ Mudder because I work with bassist Chad Calek at this newspaper.

Well, the last thing is partially true. But I can honestly tell you that Calek had nothing to do with it. In fact, the story almost didn’t run just because he is a staff writer at this paper. Why did we focus on 35″ Mudder instead of some other local group? The answer to that question is simple: because no other local group was booked on one of the hottest concerts to hit Iowa this year (but rest assured that the group represented Ames well.)

If Floodplane, the Nadas, Medulla Oblongata or your mother had been on the bill, then they would have had the feature story. But they weren’t (at least I hope that wasn’t your mother’s ass we ran in the paper on Tuesday — and if it was, I’d really like to meet her), and so they weren’t featured.

But this brings on a completely new problem, one which has been bothering me for the last year or so. Where is the local group coverage in the Daily? I’m not really sure, but it is definitely something that has been lacking. I talked to Vanilla Ice (I mean Moss) about it, and he said it would be overwhelming to cover local and national acts with only two music reporters.

I think this is a load of crap, myself. But what do I know? I’m just the lowly reporter. Contrary to popular belief, I do not have the influence to introduce sweeping change into any section of the Daily. I simply choose the stories I want to cover and then hopefully get them done. So no, don’t look to me for any changes in the Arts and Entertainment section. Look at yourselves.

After all, this is a student-run newspaper that is devoted entirely to providing news for the students. You have a voice in this paper, whether you believe you do or not. If you don’t believe me, call up Kevin Hosbond.

He’s the guy who wrote a letter to the editor concerning my lack of a Veruca Salt concert review (which was a mess-up on the part of the venue or the publicist, depending on who lost my tickets.) Now Kevin is working here, simply because he raised his voice and we listened.

The same could be said of your opinions and ideas. If there is a way we can improve Arts and Entertainment, let us know. Send me email concerning what changes you think need to be made and why. Or send them to Moss, Arts and Entertainment assistant editor Heather McClure or to the op-ed section. But let us know what is working, what is not working and why.

I care very much about this paper, and I care about what goes into it. That doesn’t always mean that what goes in is good. (Remember my Cassini column?) I often kick myself very hard for something I didn’t quite get right, something that could have been better or some question I should have asked.

I have also been thinking about how we can make the Arts and Entertainment section a better place. Here’s a few of my ideas, just to bounce them off of you and see what you think, and then I’ll let you wander off to other places (hopefully psychedelic places — but classes will work, I suppose).

I propose that we make the CD reviews a lot shorter and do more of them (this is purely for my own gain because I hate writing them and I hate reading them even more — right now, I don’t think the CD review section crackles as much as it should).

I propose that we start a weekly series regarding comic books (interviews with publishers, artists and writers), provide more coverage of local bands and possibly some reviews of the latest video games.

Do you have any suggestions? Let me know. But while I’m waiting, I’m going to go crank that new 35″ Mudder CD. Damn, it kicks ass, check ’em out.

Ben Jones is a sophomore in English from Des Moines.