Letters to the Editor
Yehlaina
Published Letters: 49 Editor's Choice: 3
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Sandwich in the microwave? Oh, ew.
[Read the article: Men, turn off your Cuisinarts!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Once again I am reminded how lucky I am to have grown up in the Northeast with an Italian father, instead of someplace where they put flour in all the main courses and live on individually wrapped cheesefood slices (which I never liked, even at age four). I am thinking now that I was also lucky that neither I nor my parents experienced the 80's as an identity-forging decade.
Look, Garrison. Olive oil and crushed garlic are not status symbols for me. They are food. Cooking is not a competition, it is a means to an end (enjoyable eating), and a celebration of tradition.
Thanksgiving is coming up. My father is in charge of the stuffed artichokes. For Christmas he makes the cannoli shells and the twist cookies. He does not do this to make himself feel like the best gourmet out there. He does it because he and his family like to eat this stuff and expect to have it every year.
So, you cook what you like to eat. And then eat it, but don't eat it AT me. And don't accuse me of status-mongering when I start a stew by frying the onions in oil at the bottom of the pot.
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Why only fundamentalism or atheism?
[Read the article: A student has approached me about his crisis of faith]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think the LW is the wrong person for the student to have come to, and for him/her to take this on will only lead to grief and failure. This isn't the LW's fault, though. Young (and not-so-young) people who are struggling to overcome emotional repression usually start out by choosing paths or influences that look easy and safe, but are really in the wrong direction.
It's possible that the student, rather than wanting to face the emotional pain and energy drain that a real examination of his religious beliefs and upbringing would lead to, is hoping to chuck the whole deal without having to look too closely at it. Hence, he chose this completely non-religious person, and rather than looking for true guidance will be sucking the LW dry of any perceived "rules" s/he has in his/her life so that he can blindly follow them instead. Of course, if that's true, there's not a lot the LW can do about it. The student will reject any suggestions or nudgings toward a better path or direction.
People embrace the hard path when they have to, or when they see something at the end of it that they really want. Or they don't embrace the hard path. Ever.
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The name of that skipped generation is "The Silent Generation"
[Read the article: Talkin' bout my generation]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Toine99, here's a link that defines the age group born between 1925 and 1942: http://www.univcon.com/SGen/index.htm. It includes MLK, Malcom X and most of the civil rights workers of the late 50's and early 60's. Plus the bobby-soxers depicted in the tv show "Happy Days", Erma Bombeck, the folks who got married right out of high school, had eight million kids, and then discovered women's lib, key parties and divorce in the 60's and the 70's. Oh, and my parents.
The author has no business attributing the civil rights fight to the boomers. If this article and the book don't even mention that generation by name, how can it claim any sort of cogent historical analysis? Then again, being an Xer that is the child of Silents, maybe the experience and opinions of our respective age groups are just too fucking marginal for media attention as compared to the boomers.
Aargh. I thought I got over this resentment in my post-college years. But it won't be over till they're all dead, will it?
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Can't wait for the "Sopranos" discussion...
[Read the article: I Like to Watch]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Heather's discussion of last season's "Sopranos" finale blew me away.
When I'm tired of Television Without Pity, it's nice to have such a knowledgeable, articulate, thoughtful and passionate critic on my computer. Keep up the good work, Heather!
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Geez, anon, at least *wait* for the venom...
[Read the article: Should I marry an alien for money so he can gain citizenship?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...before you start passing judgment on the writing. I run my eyes over all the posts, and if they're moronic or moronically venomous I skip them. Even so there's still plenty of thoughtful discussion posted as a result of Cary's columns. Mellow out and read.
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The changes in Chester County
[Read the article: Pennsylvania's extreme makeover]
[Read more letters about this article: Here](I tried to post this once and it's not showing up. Sorry if this is a duplicate.)
I grew up in Chester County (right next to Montgomery County) and came back to live there after college. Until a few years ago (2002? 2004?) Chester County had *never* elected a single Democrat to any office *ever*.
Yesterday, my dad was the Dem rep handing out voter guides outside his polling place. He got to talking with the Republican rep, whom he knew from the 2004 election. The Republican rep declared that he wanted a Democratic sweep, so that Bush would get the message. He hated the war, hated what Bush had done to the country. He only wore a button for the local state assembly rep. Nothing for Santorum, nothing for Gerlach (House candidate), and nothing for Swann (governor candidate).
Until today, I was convinced that the tidal change in Chester County was due to Democrats moving in over the last 10 years (the "Trader Joe's effect"). So, wow.
Up to 600K Iraqis aren't around to wish y'all had changed your minds earlier, though. *sigh*
Yehlaina
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I'd consider Abington "northeast"...
[Read the article: Pennsylvania's extreme makeover]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...and most of the article was about Abington. Plus, Abington is near the Great Northeast. "Northeast suburbs" brought to mind all of those Montco suburbs that are along 611 and 309, like Jenkintown, Glenside, Elkins Park.
'Course, it's all east from my perspective...