Letters to the Editor
BeatnikBob
Published Letters: 95 Editor's Choice: 3
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Bush has succeeded in making the use of the word "lie" taboo
[Read the article: The NYT's Michael Cooper demonstrates what real reporting is]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]NPR's "Morning Edition" had a story on its business news slot about deceptive practices by manufacturers' labelling their products as 'green' or 'organic' or 'eco-friendly'.
The host, interviewing the author of a study that found that out of 1,018 products and their labels, only ONE was found to be un-deceptive. All the rest had misleading, non-factual or wrong information on their labels in an attempt to get a consumre to choose it over the competition.
Not once did the author or the host use the word "lie".
Because of George W. Bush's non-stop lying to the faces of the American people, aided and abetted by the 25% of Americans who PREFER those lies to any sort of painful truth, the word "lie" is taboo. Irony lives and thrives.
These are what I call goddamned fucking lies. Harry S, where are you when we need your honesty AND your mouth? And your willingness to call horseshit what it is...?
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I want to express my admiration
[Read the article: WayLay]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I simply love to read your comics, Carol. I was worried myself that your strip had been removed from salon.com, and am very glad it was only MOVED.
I decided a while ago that I couldn't worry any more. I decided that it's against my 'religion'. Here's another instant insight technique I witnessed in a group therapy session that helped confirm this:
The therapist asked a woman what she was worried about; I forget what her answer was, whether she was worried about a dangerous potential situation or just something shameful and embarrassing.
The therapist said: "What's the worst thing that could happen if that comes true?"
The worried woman answered her, and after her answer, the therapist again asked: "What's the worst thing that could happen if that comes true?"
Eventually, after an extended exchange, the last answer the worried woman came up with was "I'll die, and I'll go to hell."
And the final question from the therapist erased any appetite for future worry in MY mind, at least: "And what are the odds that will actually happen...?"
Worry and shame--the two most wasteful emotions in the human experience.
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See?
[Read the article: The NYT's Michael Cooper demonstrates what real reporting is]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html?name=Toles&date=11302007
Toles gets it.
Goddamned fucking liars tell goddamned fucking lies. Say it, and say it loud.
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All I know is this:
[Read the article: Anatomy and significance of Monday's FISA victory]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We've lived to fight another day.
And my vote in the Democratic primary will be for Chris Dodd.
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Mr. Humidty is right
[Read the article: Movies that mattered]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You're the first person to address in print ANYWHERE the basic flaws of this movie, which I have yet to even see, and I plan to.
I only hope that thinking about the blowback from the action in this 'comedy' won't be a craw stuck in my throat as I watch it.
My personal opinion is that this movie was created as a tool to insist that there are such things as liberal hawks, and that they have a sense of humor--or some such crap. People paying attention already know that, and they also know what kind of trouble the liberal hawks got themselves into in 2003, and ever since. Fuck 'em!
As for your list, Stephanie: What--no Beowulf?
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I loved "Beowulf"
[Read the article: Movies that mattered]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I could write a mini-review explaining why I would love such a 3-D IMAX adolescent car crash of a movie...and so could Stephanie. So could anyone, depending on their writing skills.
I saw it three times--and wished I'd seen it more. I have already determined that I'll never see it again, because what's the point of watching it WITHOUT IMAX and 3-D? I saw it under the influence each time, and planned to see it more, but the end of the run came. I'm not sure why I liked it so much, but like any movie that MOVES someone, an actual explanation doesn't matter much.
Maybe I just like shouting, earthily, "I AM BEOWULF!" every once in a while.
Because I loved Beowulf so much, I can easily forgive Stephanie for including Ratatouille in her list. The movie MOVED her. And a lot of other decent, intelligent film lovers. There may be, as one letter writer here insisted, some ulterior motive to include an animated 'kids' film to 'balance' out the list. So be it, whether it's true or not. But Stephanie wouldn't lie to us, and she doesn't deserve to be called names by nincompoops with too much time on their hands.
One more thing everyone here has missed: The Lives Of Others was the best film I've seen in years, maybe decades, but it was a film from LAST YEAR, not 2007! It won the Best Foreign Film of 2006, dearies, even though it didn't hit your local indie screens until THIS year. So it can't be included no matter what; same for Pan's Labyrinth.
Hey, defcahn...this IS an electronic medium, and letters DO disappear on their own, without Stalinist influence...why do you think they let the letter that's sitting in here right now pollute our eyeballs with its truth and glory, telling the horrible story of your persecution and censored words? Gimme a break.
Before The Devil Knows You're Dead, After The Wedding, 3:10 To Yuma, Lars And The Real Girl...yeah, it was a pretty bad year for movies. Shit, how could she forget Fistful Of Quarters?
Oh, well.
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Keef! You RULE!
[Read the article: The K Chronicles]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]May the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless you, your lovely wife and child now and forever!
May that child turn out to be JUST AS TALENTED AND HARDWORKING as you, dude! And that includes a twisted sense of humor, modernity and liveliness that you will hopefully nourish him/her with!
Amen, bruthah, a-MEN!