Letters to the Editor
bstimaeus
Published Letters: 8 Editor's Choice: 2
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The real war on Christmas
[Read the article: The real war on Christmas]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In my case, it was the real war on Labor Day, 2004, when my staunchly Republican Dad went all medieval on my liberal ass. It's always been a joke in my family, how a right-wing, conservative Dad managed to raise a bleeding-heart liberal daughter. But we have always had a great deal of respect for each other's point of view, and talking politics was never an issue.
In 2004, my new fiancé and I had made the drive from Texas to Florida to visit my parents; I wanted them to get acquainted in a low-key setting. At dinnertime, the conversation got around to the president. I declined to comment, as I never like to discuss politics or religion over food. With no warning, my usually logical, calm Dad was transformed into a crimson-faced, foaming-at-the-fangs Rush O'Reilly, screaming at me at the top of his lungs about how at least this president wasn't Clinton, how he was bringing honor back to the nation...yadda yadda yadda. If it had been anyone except my Dad, I would have called 911 for involuntary commitment to the nearest mental institution. The transformation was stunning and quite frightening; not only in front of me and my Mom, but also in front of his guest, my fiancé.
Sure, I knew he listened to talk radio, and watched Fox News...what I hadn't realized, until that time, is that these outlets have tapped into time-honored brain-washing techniques (repetition, repetition, repetition; us and them; 9/11! 9/11! 9/11!) to transform normal, sane Republicans into talking point monsters.
What springs to mind is, "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles..." - to another time and place when a reasonable, politically thoughtful population was deliberately put under the sway of emotion rather than reason. I never thought it could happen here...I was wrong. When is this insanity going to end?
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I'm with ABear on this one
[Read the article: Topless bodies found in brainless magazine]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I subscribed to Vanity Fair for several years because many of its articles on national events, politics, and crime are thoughtful and well-written.
However, I had to enjoy these articles around the photos of whomever was deemed "hot" at the moment. I came to notice in these photos that women were usually posed in as few clothes as possible, draped in passive positions, whereas the men were generally fully clothed and either standing or sitting upright.
I'm not going to grind down into the sexual politics of it all, but it was quite blatant and, eventually, led me to cancel my subscription. It seems that this month's issue is an exaggeration of what they've been doing for some time...Mr. Ford has just taken it a little more over the top.
Several Salon readers have suggested that the men be unclothed as well. Frankly, as stunning as, say, George Clooney is naked (one assumes), I think I would prefer to see him in a finely tailored tuxedo. A tuxedo enhances Mr. Clooney, whereas naked in a publication, he would be reduced to beefcake. As are the poor women of Vanity Fair...light and fluffy, nothing of substance, a consumable product.
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I laughed myself into a coughing fit...
[Read the article: Unhappily ever after]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]when I read the original Forbes article. And I laughed even harder at the "Economics of Prostitution." I'm just surprised that Forbes would print this tripe, unless they're doing it to be deliberately provocative.
Like so many opinion pieces, they speak far more about the mental state of the authors than anything approaching "truth" as the rest of us recognize it. You, too, can have a big old axe and grind it in public!! Just gin up some dubious facts 'n' figures to support your half-baked ideas, and you're well on your way to fame and fortune.
I feel sorry for Mr. Noer; he's got years of therapy ahead of him to get rid of his terror of all womankind. He's gonna make some shrink rich, that's for sure.
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*shaking my head slowly, in despair*
[Read the article: My best girlfriend and I are competing for men]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Shallow? Ma petite, your soul makes a birdbath look like the Mariana Trench. Your heart is a hollow place that no amount of money or possessions will ever fill. "The Man Game"; a disgusting term that makes me cringe for women everywhere, not to mention the men who are only around to finance your avaristic existence; you do not appear to recognize that they are actual, real humans, who may even have thoughts and feelings not related to you and your never-ending need for MORE. Money is fine, money is fun, but it ain't real, honey; you can't take it with you.
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A lovely story
[Read the article: Of Valentine's jinxes and packaged gnocchi ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Rebecca, thank you for a lovely story that brought tears to my eyes. I hope you have your first wonderful Valentine's Day with this sweet cook; his patience in the kitchen with you and with your gnocchi tells me that you have a good man with whom to celebrate life and love.
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Great response, Cary...
[Read the article: I'm a college student with no natural social skills]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It only took me until I was 45 to realize I'm an "overcompensating introvert"...unfortunately, I had (rather, still have) a tendency to help things out with alcohol...try not to go there. My other big "no no" was marrying an extravert, and to let him do the heavy lifting for both of us, socially...not a great idea, made me even more introverted (why should I try?) and then we divorced...whoops.
Good luck to you, dear letter writer, and Rauch's book is awesome, I hope you read it!!
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Ditch him.
[Read the article: My husband of 12 years suddenly says he never loved me]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Been there. Ditch his ass; he won't change, you'll just be tortured with months and months of therapy as he vacillates wildly and lies and lies and lies and lies. DITCH HIM, GIRL!!!! And it's terrible, to have kids involved, but better than dragging them through the mud, too. Sorry your husband's turned into a monster...oh, god, my heart goes out to you.