Letters to the Editor
ac_in_dc
Published Letters: 64 Editor's Choice: 12
-
some good points in the article, not coherent enough to share with those that don't agree, though
[Read the article: When war goes corporate]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Some of Chalmers Johnson's stuff has been spot on in the past (I still remember an article in Harper's several years ago entitled "The Oil We Eat" which fundamentally changed the way I think about food and fuel).
Johnson makes a couple of good points:
- Intelligence work should stay in the government and not farmed out so much to the private sector because of the importance of civil liberties, etc.
- Private contracting of military work is scary because there's not the same level of accountability as in the military, plus there's some sketchy cost accounting going on (Peter Singer at Brookings has done some great work on this, which I recommend).
- Private contracting is also scary because it gives the private sector more incentive to influence the government through unsavory channels, such as lobbying or bribery.
The problem with the article, though, is that it dances around these ideas, and uses terms like "shocking expose" when it talks about Shorrock's investigative reporting. The other problem is that it pulls in some incendiary references to fascism and mercernary activities without defining either of these things carefully enough.
There's definitely some good stuff in here, but I'm not going to be able to share this one with my republicans friends...bummer.
-
they *are* making a movie about julia child...
[Read the article: Girl crush: Julia Child]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I read about it on her wikipedia page the other day when this first hit the news. Filming started in March & I think Meryl Streep is the lead.
Wow, I always thought I was the only one who was completely smitten with Julia...who knew?
-
You have the right to pursue your dreams, but you still have a responsibility to others
[Read the article: I escaped death -- and now I want to live!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This experience, luckily, has made you realize the some important things about yourself and how you want to live your life. Now comes the part that in some ways is more difficult than staring down death: figuring out how to live.
If you were strong enough to survive cancer, I'm confident that you're strong enough to pursue your dreams and withstand the disapproval of your family and friends. Try to look beyond their attempts to control you--are they saying these things because they have their own needs that they're afraid to admit?
About your husband: he has the right to expect things from you. He doesn't get to dictate your career or decide whether you go skydiving, but he is allowed to expect a degree of love and support from you (and you from him). This has been difficult for him, too, I'd imagine, and he may feel, in some ways, like he's at risk of losing you all over again. A little bit of support and reassurance would go a long way.
Good luck out there pursuing your new-found ambitions...I think you have every right to them, just be sure to balance it with the responsibility to the people you want to keep in your life.
-
I think asehpe had a good point about BDSM in his first post...
[Read the article: "Ugh" of the day]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Remember that this book was published by Zane, a well-known African-American erotica author that has branched out with her own line of books.
Was I the only person that found the cover of this book and the idea of a man "re-educating" me kind of hot? (A woman "re-educating" a man sounds pretty hot to me too.) Not in a realistic sort of way, but in a sexy, role-playing way.
I wonder if Dante Moore believes a lot of what he said in his Post interview--he may have just been perpetuating a persona. His book represents the playing out of a dominant male fantasy that both genders could find erotic.
Of course it goes without saying...anyone looking for *emotional* guidance rather than a quick turn-on from this clown is in big trouble.
-
yep, I'm looking for some Palin coverage here too....
[Read the article: Dress code: Head-scratchingly casual]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In particular, I've been trying to read up on Palin and have been pretty disgusted with the misogynistic comments I've read on line.
Some samples:
"dan quayle with tits"
"token ovaries"
"rejected beauty queen"
"milf"
people have been exorciating her for choosing to be a working mom and have said things like "her husband would be more qualified."
This is really over the top. I'd like to hear a feminist critique on this reaction--I'm personally disappointed, I thought that the Dems has more class and less misogyny than this.
-
Nice comments, Joan
[Read the article: What Sarah Palin means]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree that Sarah Palin is someone that can be admired and respected by women for what she's accomplished without being someone a liberal would vote for.
I'm a little bit freaked out, though, by the rampant misogyny posted on a lot of liberal comment board in the last couple of hours. Some beauties I've seen:
"dan quayle with tits"
"MILF"
"token ovaries"
along with folks exorciating her for working with young kids at home and saying things like "her husband is more qualified than she is." Misogyny from the Clinton-hating republicans was something I grudgingly accepted, but I find it disheartening to see this attacks now being used by democrats.
-
This actually makes sense to me...
[Read the article: Nature vs. nurture, like you've never seen them before]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If you're a woman in a traditional society, you're spending a lot of time doing "woman" things and your role is a lot clearer (I'd suspect) than it is in a place like the USA.
Wouldn't it make sense then that women would be able to express their more masculine characteristics in this setting? Because they're doing different stuff from men--the same way I can be more aggressive playing a girl's only sport than a co-ed one where the guys are always just throwing the ball to each other.