Letters to the Editor
emmalanna
Published Letters: 8 Editor's Choice: 4
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Behind-the-Scenes
[Read the article: I Like to Watch]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]A few points of clarification, based on what I've been reading here:
1. All the actors in the main credits (except maybe McDonnell and Olmos) have the TV industry's standard 5-6 year contracts. Katee Sackhoff couldn't voluntarily leave the show without serious repercussions - remember Sherry Stringfield and ER? To be fair, the contracts are with NBC/Universal, not BSG itself, which means she could still do another NBC series, as she hinted in a recent interview. But this couldn't have been a case of her "quitting" the show to move on to bigger and better things.
2. According to the gossip and interviews, Katee is/was very well-liked by all her colleagues and bosses, so I doubt she was fired for personal reasons.
3. In this week's podcast, Ron Moore says that Kara's "death" was an impulsive decision based on finding ways to make a problematic script work, and for the shock value. He says that the original plan was for her to disappear as she finds a new clue to Earth. That, plus Kara's overall importance to both the mytharc and the show's personality dynamic, makes me think that this is a (foolish) bit of misdirection, and she'll somehow return. If you're going to permanently kill off one of your leads, you do so with a great deal of planning -- not just for the "gotcha" factor.
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... at least, that's what they tell us.
[Read the article: I love L.A.]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Judged solely on its own merits, Los Angeles is a lovely city. I prefer my East Coast metropolis, but I've quite enjoyed my handful of visits out there.
I'll admit I've grown rather resentful of it, though, based on the way the entertainment media hypes it as the world's "ideal". Interesting that Keillor's essay begins by talking about self-deprecating Angelenos, because I keep seeing quite the opposite. According to movies and TV, we all want to live there and experience the "California Dream" for ourselves. I find myself thrilled to see a movie or series shot on location elsewhere, instead of the set designers attempting to make LA look like, say, Philadelphia. And my kneejerk reaction to the California boosterism in the media has been to grumble, "C'mon, there are other wonderful cities in America, or have you forgotten?" Yes, I know it's irrational, and much of the LA-centrism in entertainment is based on production economics. I'm just weary of being (unintentionally?) told that Los Angeles is the center of the universe.
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IKEA bags
[Read the article: Bush: Plastic bags are "evil" ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]IKEA also has some great reusable bags beyond simply the flimsy plastic. I bought one of their huge blue shopping bags for $.59 (like the in-store yellow ones, but blue.) It's large enough to hold an entire cart's worth of groceries, and the long straps make it easy to carry from the car to the kitchen. They also often have slightly smaller tote bags (around $2-5) that are still huge -- look for them closer to beach-going season. Check my signature for a link to one example.
Before I bought these, I was skeptical about the convenience of reusing bags for grocery shopping. Now I can't shop without them. The only problem? Convincing reluctant cashiers to let me use my own bags instead of six or seven plastic bags for just a few items.
Environmental activists say that even the smallest changes to our daily habits can make a difference. I'll admit that I'm often too lazy and/or cheap to take some of the suggestions -- but now that I'm on the plastic bag bandwagon, I'm astonished by how EASY it is.
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Some clarification
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]King isn't arguing whether or not Fielder deserves a raise -- if anything, he's implying that Fielder does, based on market value.
His point is that Fielder complaining about it in public is crass and rude. King specifically says that the dispute should be handled by the Union, the team, and their respective lawyers/agents, instead of him whining to the press.
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Apples and oranges.
[Read the article: Everything you were afraid to ask about "Battlestar Galactica" ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Firefly lasted 14 episodes. It might have continued to produce excellent seasons, or it might've grown stale and disappointed us all. In that respect, comparing it to BSG simply doesn't work.
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Times have changed.
[Read the article: Can you hear me now? Obama's missing 2 percent]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]For those who cite the 2004 election:
The percentage of people using cellphones has increased significantly since the last election, especially those (like me) who are cellular-only. While I'm reluctant to wholly agree with the writers' assumption, I don't think that comparing 2004 and 2008 is entirely valid in this case.
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@Dana Runs
[Read the article: "She was just in diapers"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree that the best should compete against each other; however, children under 16 have no business in the Olympics, especially with a country's hopes on their shoulders. I teach middle school, and while I have some very mature students, they're simply too young to handle that pressure -- or to be exploited by medals-hungry adults. If these Chinese gymnasts are that good (and underage), then they can wait a few years and compete once they meet the age requirements.