Letters to the Editor
TinyBubbles
Published Letters: 102 Editor's Choice: 15
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Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
[Read the article: Who is guilty of killing downtown?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have felt for years the the real problem with the vanishing downtown are the consumers, burning expensive gas to drive to the nearest Wal-Mart for bargains. I live in Boston, there are no Wal-Marts to be reached without getting in the car (usually an SUV) and driving. We pollute the air and waste money on gas give money to a company that cannot, with out the direction of a court, treat its employees properly and has little concern for anything but its own bottom line.
I saw a news story about how a local Wal-Mart (somewhere in the Midwest -forgive me, I can't remember the town or the state, I saw this a couple of years ago- was causing all the senior citizens in the area to take to the streets with their riding carts, making traveling dangerous for the riders and car drivers. What stunned me the most was that Wal-Mart said it was considering making a small contribution to the town so it could afford to build a sidewalk or bridge to the store, thus keeping the seniors safe and they rode their scooters to Wal-Mart. Excuse me? Considering making a small contribution? There was no public safety issue before Wal-Mart opened up. The seniors are ON THEIR WAY TO WAL-MART TO SHOP AT WAL-MART AND GIVE WAL-MART THEIR MONEY. Any business which gets that much revenue from a specific group of people should be willing, no it should demand, to pay for the safest route possible to their stores.
The disconnect betweem Wal-Mart and its neighbors is equal to that of ourselves as consumers and our human neighbors all over the world.
I don't shop at Wal-Mart (I won't.) While I find that many local stores don't have the selection I am looking for, that is what ecommerce is for. I support the local independent stores as much as possible. I am, however, one drop in a vast sea of mindless consumers, who only look only at their own bottom line that stretches as far as next week.
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Give me a break
[Read the article: Boston-area high schooler jumps on the "boy crisis" bandwagon]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So decorating a notebook is for girls? Well, my grown up male graphic designers will be quite surprised to hear about that! Boys can't follow the rules because they are boys? What? Didn't most of the rules get made by boys (think laws, policies, etc.)? I chaffed at the jackboot of authority too when I was in school (I am female) and was disciplined for it, and was rewarded for following the rules. I find the whole thing bogus. Would it be great for kids to go to school and do what they want, when they want, and how they want? Sure, but no learning would be accomplished.
I think the whole thing comes down to the final paragraph in the orginal Globe story. After finding out the son wants to go to an ivy league school, we later find out he may not have the grades. Then, in comes Dad with the solution -- because of descrimination, he son and other boys should be given grade increases. I wonder if the increase will be just enough to get into that Ivy!
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JDS right on about That 70's Show
[Read the article: I Like to Watch]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have to agree with JDS about That 70's Show. I was just a little younger than the kids protrayed on the show in the 70's, and in the beginning I found it to be so excrutiatingly acurate, the laugher was ususally punctuated with the real pain of memory. However, as of late, modern slang has been sneaking into the script, and I find it jarring. I will be sorry to see the show go, as I will be sorry to see Malcome in the Middle go, because GOOD TV comedy is rare (I include Everyone Hates Chris, My Name is Earl, and Two and a Half Men as examples of GOOD TV comedy.)
I have tried to get into "The Office", but not successfully. I had trouble getting into the BBC version. As an office worker myself, I think I have the same feeling about The Office that HH has about Earl and Rednecks. Correll, however, is a riot, I look forward to his OTHER projects.
Finally, Tivo has completely changed my TV life. I have very little care about what the networks and cable stations are playing when, I watch what I want, when I want. Horray! I can avoid the State of the Union tonight (the man, our president, makes me sick. I can read the speech in the paper the next day without throwing up.)