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Saturday, Nov 7, 2009
Jeanette D.
Published Letters: 465 Editor's Choice: 13
Mr. McCarthy,
I believe that the oversized ears are a visual pun related to this administration's wiretapping activities.
Mr. President and Mr. Vice President, what big ears you have!
The better to listen to those illegal wiretaps, my dear!
I'm not sure where the venom is coming from regarding the poop-scooping business. How much different is this than hiring someone to mow your lawn, to clean your house occasionally, to give you a massage, to wash your car, or to serve you food in a restaurant? I'm not living on the prairie - I don't have to do everything myself! Paying someone to perform a service is hardly a sign of moral decay. And besides, it allows all of those who provide the service to earn an honest living.
Someone like my mother, for example. She is recently widowed, and has three dogs who produce a lot of poop. I think this would be a great service for her. She's cleaned up enough crap in her life.
Thank you, David Schlaefer, for telling it like it is.
I'll never forget listening to some second-rate comedian on the radio one morning, gleefully recounting his sexual adventures in the brothels of Thailand. He was just so pleased with himself that these women would "do anything" for him. He didn't seem to realize that it was a job to these women and, in many cases, something that they were being forced to do. He had no awareness of his complicity in this abominable abuse of human rights.
I will watch Frontline tonight, even though I'm sure it will turn my stomach. I owe it to the victims to be a witness and to find out what I can do to help.
I'm wondering if some of you who are being so condescending toward those who are infertile, or so quick to offer up adoption as a cure-all have ever had to face this situation yourselves. (To all of you out there who have had one child and are considering having another, why don't you "just adopt"? What, I should mind my own business? Well, right back atcha. As someone wrote earlier, it isn't the sole responsibility of infertile people to take in the world's unwanted children. Bless those who do adopt, but it's a really personal decision.)
I can tell you that the whole thing is unbelievably complicated. Much more so than I ever thought it would be. It messes with everything you ever believed about yourself, and with everything you ever believed about the way the world is supposed to work.
That being said, I am not in favor of infertility treatment (other than the diagnostic part of it) being covered by insurance. I don't believe that infertility is an illness or a disability. It is an inability to do something that most other people can do with no effort. I believe that counseling and/or psychiatric services to allow people to work through this can and should be covered (and I believe they probably are), just as they would be covered for any other mental or emotional condition.
Infertile people are capable of making rational decisions about the pros and cons of treatments that are offered. But we need complete honesty from our physicians. When I was told that IVF would give me a 40% chance of having a child (approaching the age or 40, with two miscarriages behind me, and a diagnosis of unexplained infertility), I knew that this couldn't possibly be true. I did some research on my own, and found that it wasn't true. So, I decided to end my treatment. But, I wonder how many couples accepted that statistic and spent thousands of dollars on IVF that didn't work.
The drugs used in these cycles are extremely powerful, and I, for one, don't believe that the possible side-effects have been studied extensively enough.
If you will notice, there are links to five previous Oscar reviews by Cintra Wilson posted at the end of this article. And they all say basically the same thing. That's what I'd call "crushingly boring".
Although the description of Jennifer Lopez was spot on!
Since Don Knotts just passed away, he wasn't included in the "In Memoriam" montage. I believe that covers all film notables who passed away in the previous year. Knotts should be included in next year's montage.
P.S.
Dear Salon,
A good feature to include in "Letters" would be a way to reply to individual letter writers, without having to post another letter. Just a suggestion.
Letter-writer variable says that Coulter's comment simply means, "I hate him. I hate him. I hate him." While that much may be true, it goes a bit further than that. She is also saying, "His behavior is such that killing him would be understandable."
Is this advocating murder? Coulter certainly couldn't be charged in a court of law, but it is, nonetheless, a disgraceful comment.
I posted about this in an internet discussion group that I frequent, and not one Republican has come out and said that her comment was inappropriate. So, don't hold your breath waiting for the Republican party to denounce her.
I think you've earned it. Thanks for keeping us so well informed.
Please cite the passages that substantiate the allegation that this family demands to be "worshipped". And do you honestly think that the Oklahoma City families aren't still experiencing these same kinds of problems?
Maybe you should get back to us after you have suffered through that kind of trauma.
I think that the only "wallowing" going on today is on the part of those people who have no personal connection to 9/11 re-living the events of that day via television or the internet.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The Maine fight was supposed to be the dress rehearsal for repealing California's Prop. 8 -- but gay marriage lost
Once one obtains Seriousness credentials in the Washington media, they are irrevocable no matter one's conduct.
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