Letters to the Editor
reality based thinking
Published Letters: 14 Editor's Choice: 2
-
Penance? No way!
[Read the article: Trial by fryer]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]No, I don't think the author has any intention of making amends with her chef, whom she condescendingly describes as a dog from the overly cautious Midwest, on all fours with a wet nose, raised hackles and bared teeth. It must be a nightmare to work for this self righteous author. I wouldn't consider dining at her restaurant. I can't see the point of allowing her to flaunt her New York City superiority complex before me, a well traveled, educated, food loving rube from somewhere that's not New York City.
-
M Allen "don't get ti"
[Read the article: 40 states is plenty]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Garrison Keillor is not a rich Republican fuck. That is why he is proposing to gerrymander the US to ensure a permanent Democratic majority, just as Tom DeLay illegally redistricted Texas to ensure that Democrats will never dominate there.
Now do you get it?
-
Debt is the opposite of wealth
[Read the article: Does less of a paycheck make him less of a man?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]One issue Cary didn't address is the fact that the husband has accumulated debt while he has been underemployed. Was that necessary? It seems that this couple is living beyond their means if they thought paying down bills was a good use of severance pay, instead of using it for its intended purpose of keeping them afloat until the husband is on his feet.
I was in a his money/my money marriage. When my husband was unemployed, I didn't mind paying our bills UNTIL he decided that he needed an expensive new stereo while he was unemployed. Then I felt taken advantage of. I told him if he could afford a stereo, then he could afford the rent. His insincere response was an offer to sell a valuable and unique guitar of his, something he knew I would never want him to do. It's much more clear to me now than it was then that he was a manipulator and he didn't think of us as a team.
I think this couple and any couple that lives pay check to pay check and allows themselves to be consumed by money concerns needs to re-evaluate their priorities. Staying together as a family is much more important to the individuals and the whole than the accumulation of a lot of material stuff.
-
Get the facts, don't assume
[Read the article: I love my house but hate the payments and upkeep!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree that not only should you look for a new job before deciding that you can't make more money, but you should also look at condos before you decide they are cheaper than your house. If you have had your house more than 2 years, and you are in an appreciating market, condos may not be the bargain you assume.
You need the facts before you can make a decision. Assuming your next job will pay less and a condo will cost less are not facts. At least not yet.
This is no help to you, but as a real estate agent, I see this all the time. A cash-strapped buyer tells me he wants to buy a fixer upper and build some sweat equity. What they don't realize 100% of the time is that a fixer upper will cost money to fix. They only factored the sweat into the equation, and they are happy and eager to contribute that, but a fixer upper needs more (much more!) than landscaping, paint and tile, and that is the limit of most first time home buyer's home remodeling skills. Air conditioning, furnace, cabinets, wiring, plumbing, roofing, structural repairs, windows, etc etc etc require money and skilled contractors. The buyer had to scrape together every penny he had and borrow from the relatives to buy the house. His mortgage payment is way more than his rent payment was. He has no money for the serious repairs a fixer upper requires. The result is a home equity loan, and often, a homeowner who owes more on the house than it's worth.
I urge buyers to realistically assess their skills, time and available funds before getting in over their heads. Most buyers heed me, but some have to learn the hard way. A former client of mine is now trying to sell his house without a real estate agent because he owes more than the house is worth and has no equity to pay for an agent. In this declining market, it's hard enough to sell with an agent. He is having a really tough time. This is complicated by the amateur remodeling he did without really knowing what he was doing. He is oblivious to the fact that other people will not consider his work to be improvements. Rather, they are things to be torn out and done right.
-
Diamonds are unimaginative
[Read the article: A hard rock]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]He can't think of a married woman he knows who doesn't have a diamond engagement ring? That strikes me as very bizarre. Although I also run with a lucky, middle class crowd, most of the married men and women I know have beautiful, original rings with lots of thought and artistry put into their designs. The rings may or may not have precious gems in them. The point of the rings was to symbolize the marriage, not the wealth or insanity of the groom. Maybe my friends are just more creative, self-confident and sensible than the writer's friends.
I have always thought diamonds were vulgar, even before I knew their sordid origins. When a newly engaged woman is flashing her new diamond for her pals, they are all thinking one of two things. "Wow, this ring is a monster! He must be insanely rich or a fool with a long term debt. More likely, the latter". Or they're thinking, "This ring is a joke! Either he's a cheapskate, or he's not sure he wants to get married. More likely, the latter". I can't imagine why any of these sentiments fills the bride with glee, but they do.
By the way, aside from the human exploitation involved in mineral extraction, the environmental damage is horrendous.