Letters to the Editor
MotherLodeBeth
Published Letters: 17 Editor's Choice: 4
-
Stephen Colbert
[Read the article: Why Colbert matters]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Having watched Stephen Colbert on CSPAN at the dinner I wasn't impressed. I like his show but found the routine he did to be choppy and when the camera scanned the audience and you saw how dead some of his routine went over one found themselves wincing. And the piece of him doing the white house press corps routine fell short when he was shown running thru the underground garage with Helen Thomas 'chasing' him. It was simply unfunny. Much prefer someone like Al Frankin. Heck, get Jon Stewart next time. ~MotherLodeBeth
-
Clotaire Rapaille is correct on many levels
[Read the article: "In America, seduction is dishonest"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why is it so hard for some or even most Americans to hear critical observations about ourselves? We are a nation who thinks our ways are the only ways, and we endeavor to foist these ways on others, rather than sit back and reflect upon what ways other nations may have that are better. We are the most obese nation in the developed world. We use more of the worlds natural resources than any other nation, developed or not. Our homes, cars and bodies are obese which to me are a sign of deep insecurity.
Clotaire Rapailles intake on religion here in the states is interesting. I note this as someone who has visited some of the mega churches here in California where they do have a Disneyland quality. Although I tend to think that these mega churches have in many ways replaced the country clubs our parents belonged to in decades past.
When it comes to sex I think Clotaire Rapaille is correct. To those who do not know what slow food is, its food that is cooked with care, and savored with joy. Not fast food fare that is wolfed down in less than five minutes. Sex is something the French, Italians etc seem to appreciate and whereas many Americans seem to see it as a chore, our counterparts in other countries see sex as something they deserve, need and get.
He is also correct in how as Americans we shoot first and ask questions last. Recent news stories show that we are so short sighted that we now have a society that saves less in bank accounts than at any other time in our history. Not to mention most Americans think they are keeping the country afloat via their taxes, when in fact it is China who has invested in government bonds which is keeping us afloat and heaven help us when they get fed up with us and rip this rug out from underneath us.
Americans as a rule are self centered, arrogant and poorly read and poorly traveled. Around 14% according the U S Government hold a passport and around 12% use them. That speaks volumes to me.
-
Love shooting skeet and have no penis envy
[Read the article: Female arms race]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As someone who loves shooting skeet it makes me laugh when I read where someone equates a womans love for firearms with penis envy.
Some of us simply like the physics aspect of shooting and the discipline it takes to hit a target. There is also something really interesting in how a firearm is designed and how it works.
And for the uninformed most firearm owners have gun safes since firearms are an investment money wise and we do not want them stolen.
Sad thing is, I think the majority of responsible firearm owners who have gun safes, strict rules for handling firearms and liability insurance etc, get lumped in with the few idiots who own a gun who do not use or store it responsibly.
-
Did these people even do a study to see how the name would go over with average Americans?
[Read the article: "Global warming kills"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This part of the article is right on 'Gene Case, the founder of Avenging Angels, a politically focused advertising firm, said a heavy-hitting climate outreach campaign is much needed but will require better branding. "Let's start with the title of the group -- the Alliance for Climate Protection. That's a branding flaw right there," he said. "What a snooze! It's hardly distinguishable from the Environmental Protection Agency. At least they could have picked an acronym that pops." The current board lacks representatives of youth groups, ethnic minorities, and other key segments of the American populace -- constituencies that would need to be on board to make any large uprising successful' !!!!!!!
Alliance for Climate Protection sounds to elitist and snobby not to mention for the Americans who are buying Hummers, huge homes, and other wasteful goods you need a catchy name that will grab peoples attention witin 30 seconds and then make them want to think global but act loaclly and in the end change the way they live. This is what the over educated, DC, Hollywood crowd totally misses.
They need a name that will become part of the internet and daily language like MoveOn.org has done. Or even old groups like the Moral Majority on the right. Alliance for Climate Protection will produce more late night talk show jokes.
Did these people even do a study to see how the name would go over with average Americans? Or was it an inside their small group thing?
Having said all that, I did pre order Gore's book from Amazon.com and do look forward to reading it and seeing the film.
~Beth