Letters to the Editor
MarieA
Published Letters: 264 Editor's Choice: 19
-
Deal with the pain
[Read the article: Mom's a pothead]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Let's address the Mom's issue of back pain. Yeah, yeah, maybe there's back pain, maybe there isn't. But let's assume for a moment that there is.
Knowing something of what I speak, pain can profoundly affect how you parent. Trying to ease the pain can have its own consequences, of course.
The Mom should see an honest-to-goodness, reputable pain specialist immediately. She may have to travel to a major medical center to this. Pain is tricky, but there are many ways to alleviate pain without daily medication and it's worth a serious try.
If she still can't give up the pot, or at least reduce its use, then you at least know what the real bottom line is.
Do not underestimate or belittle how much pain and fear of pain affects a person.
-
Don't Do It
[Read the article: A 19-year-old wants my husband]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Are we voting here? If so, put mine in the No column.
Having anything to do with this girl is a mistake. No wait, not just a mistake -- a Huge Mistake.
Yes, this girl is probably headed toward disaster, but that's not your problem. I speak from experience here.
Your main job is to keep your husband from getting involved with her. You are in a good position to do this because you know about her.
But don't let your alternasex lifestyle make you blind. You are very likely to damage your marriage by any involvement with this girl whatsoever. That goes double for your husband.
And, as a further point, people at work need to shut up about themselves and just work. Talking about what you did on the weekend is one thing (going to a concert, mowing the lawn) is one thing. BDSM is another. The atmosphere is too sexually charged there.
It's like parents talking about the intimacies of their sex life in front of the kids.
-
Getting rid of Audiofile is a mistake
[Read the article: Goodbye to Audiofile]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]All reasons for keeping Audiofile are valid, but let's go one step further and look at it from a business perspective, which I'm sure is the major factor in this decision.
We are inundated with choice in music. Top 40 has splintered; hundreds of new indie artists enter the fray every year. Unless one has a professional interest in the music scene, it is practically impossible to sort the wheat from the chaff. This leaves most people to flounder about in one genre or simply stick with the music of their youth.
Audiofile provides valuable exposure to a wide variety of music. The role of tastemaker is only going to become important.
So it appears that Salon is shooting itself in the foot.
-
Language Matters
[Read the article: I hate buzzwords! It's not "carbon," it's "carbon dioxide"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We can argue all day about the accuracy of "carbon" (and I'm sure we shall), but the greater point is that words have meaning. Correct and precise use is important. Ignorance and imprecision leads to unnecessary brou-ha-has such as that over the word "niggardly," dangerous feel-good legislation, even violence.
Cary does a pretty good job addressing the letter-writer's concern.
For an excellent discussion of the importance of language on thought, please read George Orwell's, "Politics and the English Language," which can be found here:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm
Unfortunately, Cary was a little indulgent when he veered off into his oblique rant about the Gawker.
Remember, the high road is always best.
-
Which do they hate more -- our values or our invasion?
[Read the article: A "safe haven" for al-Qaida in Pakistan]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sure, radical Islamists hate our culture and free-ish society, but we turned the heat up with years of interference and invasion into the Middle East.
Now we're making enemies hand over fist, people who wouldn't have been motivated to take up arms until we tried to do a smackdown in Iraq.
Until we get straight what the motivations really are, we're going to continue to make horrible mistakes that only make the situation worse.
-
Thank goodness Heather's back--how I enjoy her misery!
[Read the article: I Like to Watch]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I hate it when Heather takes a vacation. Whether I agree with her or not, I find her writing brilliant and never fail to get at least one laugh, sometimes more, out of her columns.
And, believe me, I need those laughs.
I have become a tiresome bore (OK, maybe I was one already), quoting her endlessly to my friends.
Long live Heather and may she never get a moment's rest!
-
Nice try -- no cigar
[Read the article: My boyfriend is checking out chicks while I'm standing right there!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]While Cary's advice sounds so cool, so counter-intuitive, in my experience, it doesn't work a bit.
I've tried doing exactly what Cary suggests in previous relationships and turns out, it was terribly exciting for the guy to be able to openly discuss female attributes. Whoo hoo! But that didn't prove of any advantage to me. It just was icky and irritating, replacing real conversation with locker room talk.
Plus, engaging a man in assessing women only encourages the objectification of women. Are women nothing but their looks? Double plus, it's super manipulative.
Be direct. You don't like it, tell him. Not petulantly, but explain. It's rude. It makes you feel bad.
If he's really a great guy, he'll learn to stop (it won't kill him).
There's a good chance he'll just continue, either by belittling your feelings or trying to appease you while conducting business as usual.
You may discover he isn't as perfect as you think. If so, do what I did--find a man who keeps his eyes on you.
-
Will CNN cancel?
[Read the article: No populism, please]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]CNN is going to be sorely tempted to cancel if they don't get more Republican candidates (although Romney is going to come around, I'm sure).
If they do, they're hypocrites who don't really believe in what they're doing. CNN should go forth with whoever shows up.
But, truly, none of these debates are debates, are they?