Letters to the Editor
davidsmith
Published Letters: 8 Editor's Choice: 2
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There's a lot wrong with Trump, but he's not a gay basher
[Read the article: Jimmy Kimmel's TV highlights]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The last segment on the clip is misleading. It creates the appearance that Donald Trump fired one of the Apprentice candidates shortly after learning he was gay.
In reality, Trump used a ridiculous metaphor about how some people liked steak and some people liked lobster, but it was a-okay with him if people had different tastes. But he liked steaks.
This exchange took place during Episode 7, Back to School. Markus was fired in this episode.
Clay was actually fired two weeks later in Episode 9, One Hit Blunder, for being abrasive and difficult to work with.
(Documentation : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apprentice_4)
There is a lot of valid criticism that can be made about Trump's attempt to bring "business education" to the television viewing public, but gay bashing as portrayed in the clip is not one of them.
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Polonius ended up on the wrong end of the sword
[Read the article: The virtual moneylender]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have been a member since March, both as a borrower, and a lender.
I checked my credit union, and the rates for unsecured loans for their best customers started at 10.9%. Secured loans (autos, mortgages, cds) will always get lower rates than unsecured loans.
I stuck my toe in the water, and was able to get $1K for a face rate of 6.95%, however with fees it ended up being 8.66%. Had I borrowed more capital, it would have been closer to the 6.95%.
As a lender, my "portfolio" is currently earning an average rate of return of 13.05 percent, primarily in AA to C range. You can earn higher rates by lending to riskier borrowers, but I tend to be more conservative than others. None of my loans have defaulted, but if they do I took prosper.com's advice of making many small loans rather than one large one, to mitigate the risk.
That, in a nutshell, is prosper's business model. I was able to borrow money at lower rates than my credit union / bank. I am able to earn interest rates that are above the historical average for the stock market.
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Poetry makes war come alive?
[Read the article: Where's the outrage?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree the lack of a draft makes the war remote, distant, and disconnected from the day to day lives of most Americans.
But to suggest that poetry is the best way to address this situation ... is that really the only idea that you can come up with?
Stop wasting our time.
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It's no "Ham on Rye"
[Read the article: The bunny vs. the blue box]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We're now going to get cooking recipes from Salon?
Well that's exciting news.
If only we could add a dash of poetry as a flourish during preparation time.
Home made mac and cheese? I'd suggest e.e. cummings, mostly for the kids benefit rather than yours.
If they have left the room, some charles bukowski will capture the tone that the author of this piece has created.
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False advertising : This is a film about God
[Read the article: "We're bound to each other"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Everyone wants to talk about the provocative imagery of the poster (she's in chains!) or the first hour (she's semi-nekkid!) but I have yet to read a review or commentary about the conservative political core of the movie.
The major story arc is about the power of God to change lives.
The scene involving her chained up? Carries the emotional weight and feel of a substance abuse intervention. He doesn't touch her at all, or as he confesses to the preacher, "my wick is dry on this one.".
Yes, there's a preacher in the film (John Cothran). He provides counseling in several scenes.
The God in this film isn't a creedal one -- Christine Ricci's character doesn't do anything like accept Jesus as a personal Lord and Savior -- but rather one of influence and inspiration.
It's the God of people who say that they are spiritual, not religious, and a God who is intervening in Samuel L. Jackson's life as much as Christine Ricci's.
The core target segment is South Park Republicans. Traditional social conservatives are not going to be able to tolerate the scenes in the first act involving substance abuse, promiscuous sex, sexual assault, and violence to reach the second and third acts involving redemption.
If the film has a message, it's not "Things Are Hotter in the South" but more like "Love Conquers All Obstacles".
Why no one else is talking about the true message of the movie just escapes me.
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We Still Need A People's Choice Award
[Read the article: Salon's new letters registration policy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Salon still needs to implement a rating system voted upon by the users.
I'd be willing to read twenty or thirty letters in this thread, but not 300.
So in addition to the editor's choice, we should have the people's choice.
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All Ages Means All Ages Over 10
[Read the article: Comic relief]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why is there not an age appropriate range of comic book materials for children?
Television. Books. Music. All have a full continuum and range of offerings for all ages from birth to adulthood.
Yet every time I wander into a book store for Free Comic Book Day, the selection is not even close to being equivalent.
I remember one year saying to my five-year-old, look, it's Mickey Mouse, let's read it together. Oh look, now this character is holding a gun to Mickey Mouse's head and engaging in violent threats. Quick, turn the page.
If the free market can support 30 to 50 books for every show on Noggin or PBS (Backyardigans, Go Diego Go, Dora the Explorer, Sesame Street, etc), why won't it support a single comic book?
I don't understand what the industry is thinking here.
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The rest of the article is missing
[Read the article: You are not your bookcase]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Isn't this one of the fundamental questions of being human?
If you are not your identity, then who are you?
This article could be a template:
I am not my job.
I am not my gender.
I am not my race.
I am not my citizenship status.
I am not my dating status.
I am not my familial status.
I am not my religious beliefs.
I am not the products that I purchase.
I am not the bottom line number displayed on my net worth statement.
I am neither my genetic DNA profile nor my sociobiological foundation.
I am not my past choices.
Okay, so you are not your list of favorite movies, books, and television shows.
So who are you, Megan Hustad?