Letters to the Editor
marcparis
Published Letters: 94 Editor's Choice: 4
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To Robert Merkel
[Read the article: Ask the Pilot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why not auction off landing rights?
Economics isn't the be-all and end-all, but they have devoted their discipline to the management of a scarce resource. Clearly, runways at the busiest airports are a scarce resource. So why not do the standard economist's trick and auction off the right (in advance - not while aircraft are flying, obviously) to take off and land at airports at a particular time?
Indeed, I was going to post the same comment. Certainly more effective than the penalties mentioned by Patrick. Better for airports, and better for air traffic in general.
Likewise, air corridor slots could be auctioned.
And jet fuel could be subject to tax, which should encourage (I imagine... is this true Patrick?) higher capacity (and thus more efficient) jets.
Or is there some other reason why this isn't done?
The other reason is probably the dominance of certain airlines at certain airports. They have a lot of leverage and are perfectly happy dominating the slot allocations at these airports.
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I hope this is a mistake...
[Read the article: It's not just Khadr]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sen. Sam Brownback?
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Spot on review
[Read the article: "La Vie en Rose"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I heartily agree with Stephanie, and thank her for a clear-eyed view of this flawed film. Here in France, critics ignored the biggest problem, Dahan's self-conscious non-story-telling. In most reviews, the immense popularity of Piaf and the power of her life overwhelmed any serious consideration of this movie as a work of art.
It's still worth seeing, but Cotillard's performance with a different director and a different screenplay could have made a very great movie.
One comment: not sure that it was filmed in Paris... certainly the Belleville scenes were not filmed here (live there, would have noticed).
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Wishful thinking
[Read the article: Waiting for Sarkozy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Mr Levey is greatly exaggerating Sarkozy's positions for the sake of his argument.
"it is important to recognize that in the U.S. he would fit squarely in the Democratic Party, perhaps even toward its left flank."
This of course assumes that politics in either country fits neatly on a left-right continuum, AND that these continuums match up perfectly. They don't.
"His policies, relative to American politics, are strongly supportive of social welfare"
No.
"labor-friendly"
Hah!
"and pro-environmental"
Wait and see. Alain Juppé, the new "sustainable development minister" has never shown any interest in environmentalism.
"France is a country where even illegal immigrants automatically get free healthcare"
Made more difficult under Sarkozy when interior minister.
"where there is a statutory 35-hour work week"
For a minority of workers, and a measure whose elimination was a major campaign promise by Sarkozy.
"and where personal tax rates can run as high as 60 percent."
Not sure which one he's talking about. In any case, he has promised a cap on all direct taxation.
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What can one do with a week's vacation?
[Read the article: A fine time to go on vacation]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Come up with Salon's "revamped cultural offering"? Nah...
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My BSs
[Read the article: War Room contest: Pick the Democrats' bumper sticker]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Dem:
Vote Dem, buy KY shares low, get rich!
We've got several rights left to eviscerate
We might actually get out of Iraq. Maybe.
Cuz Cheney may still want to break ties
GOP:
Vote GOP or the terrorists win
George Who?
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@ myblog
[Read the article: Finding the Britney Spears VMA video online]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Indeed, very frustrating getting that "you are not in America so go F yourself" message.
I did just find it (won't tell where for fear that Viacom will pull it). Boy was that crappy!
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Don't vote? Shut up.
[Read the article: The GOP gets gaudy in Michigan]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]She said she had no plans to vote in the coming election, nor did most of the people she knew. She couldn't stand President Bush, and she was convinced the whole political game was crooked.
It certainly is crooked. By some mysterious means, it manages to force this woman and her friends not to vote. That's much more subtle than hacking the Diebolds.
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Another sorry piece of advice
[Read the article: My Christian daughter says I'm going to hell]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Football? You can experimentally test the existence of football. If football doesn't exist, when I stand here in front of the imaginary running back, I will not be plowed into the field as he rushes. Ooops. Guess football exists.
Would Cary have told a vegetarian LW that he should eat meat just to reassure his carnivorous daughter that he's not going to die from anemia? Doubt it. Cary would say, either I accept that my daughter eats meat while she's with me (>she can go to the church of my choice on her own) or she can enjoy lovely vegetarian cuisine with me (>she does what her parent decides is best). Not that complicated.
13yo girls also believe that they themselves will die if they wear the wrong kind of shoe to school. They get over it.
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They pay in... but not enough
[Read the article: Fighting for your right to care ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"This is such a no-brainer. As workers in California, these people are already paying into the paid-family-leave program through a payroll deduction. Why shouldn't they be able to use the benefit to help them afford to care for a grandparent or sibling?"
There may be cause for this extension, but your logic doesn't hold up. Just because you pay into a social program doesn't mean you get dibs on getting some cash back. Yes, they are already paying in... enough to fund a program that covers a certain number of people. If you expand the number of beneficiaries, their contributions won't suffice and the rates will have to be raised. Are payroll taxes the best way to fund social solidarity?
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And when the next Tom Cruise bombs...?
[Read the article: Quote of the day: Take that, Jodie Foster, Nicole Kidman!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So when a couple of movies with male leads bomb, I guess they're gonna stop producing films with men. I guess that would leave bunnies to save the day. Except for the fact that Salon has (alas) the corner on talented rabbits.
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Cary boring?
[Read the article: Lonely single guy tired of being lonely and single seeks person ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"That's all. I mean, I wrote a ton more but it was mostly boring."
Since when has that stopped Cary?
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IRS?
[Read the article: Huckabee's new humor offensive]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Huckabee is in favor of eliminating the IRS?
Eliminating personal income tax and corporate income tax...
23% consumption tax...
A lovely nail in the coffin of progressive taxation.
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Silly post above
[Read the article: Huckabee's new humor offensive]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Ignore it please.
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"We are just protecting women's rights to take their clothes off."
[Read the article: Girlies for a good cause]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I didn't know that right existed. I think I'll invoke it the next time I fly Ryan Air.
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Yes, I'm antisex
[Read the article: Girlies for a good cause]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sure, an airline stewardess cheesecake calendar (or a fireman beefcake calendar for that matter) just represents a healthy attitude to sexuality (oops... heterosexuality... except maybe for the firemen). That's why I'm looking forward to a cheesecake calendar of cardio-thoracic surgeons.