Why I should never read Newsweek stone cold sober and other msc msngs...
---- Portland Press Herald Letter of the Week:
From the August 30 Edition
JP of Portland writes:
"People of a liberal persuasion (I will inject various possibly humorous comments, beginning here. 'People of a liberal persuasion' is a dead giveaway that a. JP can't write too goodly b. JP hates liberals) often talk about diversity and openmindedness.
However, that is not what I sensed when I read the article on Hooters possibly coming to Portland (again, JP can't write all that good).
Jan Beitzer, executive director of the Portland Downtown District, is 'concerned about the image that Hooters has' and is 'disappointed' to see it coming to the Arts District.
Jennifer Halm-Perazone, coordinator of Portland NOW, the local chapter of the National Organization for Women, says the idea of Hooters coming to Maine is 'just icky.'
Such comments are illustrative of many in Portland who have no tolerance for ideas or institutions (Hooters is not an idea and big boobs in small tops are not instit...well, scratch that, maybe they are...) that do not fit their left-wing view of the world - think of the reactions to the proposed statues of a nuclear family at Hadlock (actually, I think it was the city government that was opposed to the statues for legal reasons, but I don't know the whole story.), development along a portion of the waterfront [or elsewhere] or any positive reference to our president (actually, if JP loves the president so much he would use a capital P when spelling President.).
Such reactions are all too often reinforced by this newspaper.
Nor would such a lack of tolerance (Allowing Hooters into the downtown equals the Freedom Riders these days to good ol' boys, apparently.) be accepted if the situation was reversed - imagine NOW's reaction if a gay bar opening in a particular neighborhood was described as 'just icky' (If that was the worst thing said by morons about Portland's gay culture, I would by okey dokey with that, JP.)
Not everyone in Portland is an artist or member of the Green Party. (This sentence is funny because I can't imagine anyone writing it with a straight face. There are a few hundred artists in a city of about 80,000 and I believe two elected members of city government belonging to the Green Party. Wow. Talk about being threatened by anything and everything, JP. You've got issues, dude.)
Some us like to drink cold barley pops (Did he mean "hops"? Or really mean to type "pops"?) And eat chicken wings and occasionally even vote for a Republican. (Ok...ok....JP remembered to capitalize Republican, but forgot to mention the ogling of big breasted women...but maybe it slipped his mind. He was on a roll there.)
The city of Portland should make room for us as well. (Like there aren't enough bars downtown already? No one is stopping you from drinking a few pops, and maybe even some beer. And actually, I think if Hooters is willing to pay their share of the property taxes and that type of stuff that they should be allowed to open up. So long as there is no legal restriction on a bar featuring big breasted, scantily clad young women, who, in all likelihood can't stand their job and hate mouth breathering customers, then go for it Hooters. But don't kid yourself. This is about business, property taxes, and big boobs. Not freedom of this or the Constitution or anything else. Big boobs and big bucks.)
====================================
----- Newsweek Letter of the Week
MG of Yaphank, NY writes:
"Billy Graham seems like a decent and dedicated man with the humility to examine and reassess his beliefs and actions. That doesn't change the fact that he and others like him have exerted inappropriate influence on politics and government specifically precluded by the Founding Fathers. Hobnobbing with politicians, they create the impression of heavenly approval of policy. As parts of the world again collapse into wars of righteous religious rivalry, I must wonder why some Americans don't see it is vital to avoid the disaster of government by religious sect."
Couldn't have said it any better, MG. Awesome job. Any person simpleminded enough to believe that God has blessed the USA to lead the world morally has no idea of our country's history, and, more importantly, if they had been born in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia would probably be telling their neighbors how THEIR religion (Islam) was the NUMERO UNO religion on the planet. It's just accident of birth that religious nuts were born over there and not over here. And vice versa.
Or I could just be plain wrong. I won't know for (hopefully) about 45 years or so.
===================================
Other stuff from this week's Newsweek ----
BIG story on "Hurricane Katrina: One Year Later". Most of the writing concerns Mayor Nagin, who won re-election in a landslide six months back. The funny part is that a few pages later there is a big advertising spread from, first Allstate, then a multipage insert from an insurance foundation that is supposed to "help consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families' financial futures." Why is this sidesplittingly funny? Because the insurance companies are trying to pay as little as possible to all the Katrina victims who bought either flood or hurricane insurance. This deceit is covered in Spike Lee's great HBO doc. One person is quoted as saying "there is a special place in hell" for those who work with and for catastrophic insurance providers. Is this advertising collage a coincidence? Or are the insurance companies trying to scare folks from other parts of the country into buying catastrophic coverage? I'll bet the latter.
But if I WERE a homeowner, I'd sooner spend my savings or earnings on gun turrents for the family SUV than on hurricane insurance. Ain't no way any self-respecting insurance company pays 20 cents on the dollar should a hurricane wipe out Maine or any other state.
(This post is already too long. Sorry feel free to curse me out or check out your MySpace page........N-O-W!)
---- An article on page 51 about whether John Mark Karr is guilty or not. That's the problem with a weekly versus a daily: the crappy, splashy stories can look silly upon getting to your readers.
---- The good stuff:
I'm looking forward to..
.....seeing "Borat"
.....seeing "All the King's Men"
.....reading "Justice for All: Earl Warren and the Nation He Made"
.....watching "Studio 60" and "30 Rock"
===================================
The promised msc msngs...
---- Barry Manilow won a darned Emmy? Talk about a meaningless award show....
---- Bob Dylan's new cd is very, very good. This guy has put out a greater volume of terrific music than just about any other person I can think of.
---- "The Daily Show" has become what"Saturday Night Live" once was, way back when: The proving ground for new and gifted comedians. Jon Stewart, of course, is great, but he can't act so his career is going to remain that of an awesome fake news host. Steve Carell is now a Star with a capital S, but let's hope he doesn't go all David Caruso on us and leaves the best comedy on tv, "The Office". Remember that line from "40YOV", Steve? DON'T be like David Caruso in "Jade". Stay where you are for a while. Nothing wrong with great tv. How many millions did Jerry Seinfeld, who IMO is just an very good but not great standup comedian, make from his show? And Stephen Colbert is just great on HIS show. I was a bit surprised that his schtick could carry 22 minutes, but it sure as heckfire can! The "Colbert Report" is great tv. Now, good luck to the Corrdry brothers. And I think it is supergreatfantastic that "TDS" is embracing ethnic diversity in its staff. Don't talk the talk if ya don't walk the walk.
------------------------------
edit - spelling issues...spelling issues.
From the August 30 Edition
JP of Portland writes:
"People of a liberal persuasion (I will inject various possibly humorous comments, beginning here. 'People of a liberal persuasion' is a dead giveaway that a. JP can't write too goodly b. JP hates liberals) often talk about diversity and openmindedness.
However, that is not what I sensed when I read the article on Hooters possibly coming to Portland (again, JP can't write all that good).
Jan Beitzer, executive director of the Portland Downtown District, is 'concerned about the image that Hooters has' and is 'disappointed' to see it coming to the Arts District.
Jennifer Halm-Perazone, coordinator of Portland NOW, the local chapter of the National Organization for Women, says the idea of Hooters coming to Maine is 'just icky.'
Such comments are illustrative of many in Portland who have no tolerance for ideas or institutions (Hooters is not an idea and big boobs in small tops are not instit...well, scratch that, maybe they are...) that do not fit their left-wing view of the world - think of the reactions to the proposed statues of a nuclear family at Hadlock (actually, I think it was the city government that was opposed to the statues for legal reasons, but I don't know the whole story.), development along a portion of the waterfront [or elsewhere] or any positive reference to our president (actually, if JP loves the president so much he would use a capital P when spelling President.).
Such reactions are all too often reinforced by this newspaper.
Nor would such a lack of tolerance (Allowing Hooters into the downtown equals the Freedom Riders these days to good ol' boys, apparently.) be accepted if the situation was reversed - imagine NOW's reaction if a gay bar opening in a particular neighborhood was described as 'just icky' (If that was the worst thing said by morons about Portland's gay culture, I would by okey dokey with that, JP.)
Not everyone in Portland is an artist or member of the Green Party. (This sentence is funny because I can't imagine anyone writing it with a straight face. There are a few hundred artists in a city of about 80,000 and I believe two elected members of city government belonging to the Green Party. Wow. Talk about being threatened by anything and everything, JP. You've got issues, dude.)
Some us like to drink cold barley pops (Did he mean "hops"? Or really mean to type "pops"?) And eat chicken wings and occasionally even vote for a Republican. (Ok...ok....JP remembered to capitalize Republican, but forgot to mention the ogling of big breasted women...but maybe it slipped his mind. He was on a roll there.)
The city of Portland should make room for us as well. (Like there aren't enough bars downtown already? No one is stopping you from drinking a few pops, and maybe even some beer. And actually, I think if Hooters is willing to pay their share of the property taxes and that type of stuff that they should be allowed to open up. So long as there is no legal restriction on a bar featuring big breasted, scantily clad young women, who, in all likelihood can't stand their job and hate mouth breathering customers, then go for it Hooters. But don't kid yourself. This is about business, property taxes, and big boobs. Not freedom of this or the Constitution or anything else. Big boobs and big bucks.)
====================================
----- Newsweek Letter of the Week
MG of Yaphank, NY writes:
"Billy Graham seems like a decent and dedicated man with the humility to examine and reassess his beliefs and actions. That doesn't change the fact that he and others like him have exerted inappropriate influence on politics and government specifically precluded by the Founding Fathers. Hobnobbing with politicians, they create the impression of heavenly approval of policy. As parts of the world again collapse into wars of righteous religious rivalry, I must wonder why some Americans don't see it is vital to avoid the disaster of government by religious sect."
Couldn't have said it any better, MG. Awesome job. Any person simpleminded enough to believe that God has blessed the USA to lead the world morally has no idea of our country's history, and, more importantly, if they had been born in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia would probably be telling their neighbors how THEIR religion (Islam) was the NUMERO UNO religion on the planet. It's just accident of birth that religious nuts were born over there and not over here. And vice versa.
Or I could just be plain wrong. I won't know for (hopefully) about 45 years or so.
===================================
Other stuff from this week's Newsweek ----
BIG story on "Hurricane Katrina: One Year Later". Most of the writing concerns Mayor Nagin, who won re-election in a landslide six months back. The funny part is that a few pages later there is a big advertising spread from, first Allstate, then a multipage insert from an insurance foundation that is supposed to "help consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families' financial futures." Why is this sidesplittingly funny? Because the insurance companies are trying to pay as little as possible to all the Katrina victims who bought either flood or hurricane insurance. This deceit is covered in Spike Lee's great HBO doc. One person is quoted as saying "there is a special place in hell" for those who work with and for catastrophic insurance providers. Is this advertising collage a coincidence? Or are the insurance companies trying to scare folks from other parts of the country into buying catastrophic coverage? I'll bet the latter.
But if I WERE a homeowner, I'd sooner spend my savings or earnings on gun turrents for the family SUV than on hurricane insurance. Ain't no way any self-respecting insurance company pays 20 cents on the dollar should a hurricane wipe out Maine or any other state.
(This post is already too long. Sorry feel free to curse me out or check out your MySpace page........N-O-W!)
---- An article on page 51 about whether John Mark Karr is guilty or not. That's the problem with a weekly versus a daily: the crappy, splashy stories can look silly upon getting to your readers.
---- The good stuff:
I'm looking forward to..
.....seeing "Borat"
.....seeing "All the King's Men"
.....reading "Justice for All: Earl Warren and the Nation He Made"
.....watching "Studio 60" and "30 Rock"
===================================
The promised msc msngs...
---- Barry Manilow won a darned Emmy? Talk about a meaningless award show....
---- Bob Dylan's new cd is very, very good. This guy has put out a greater volume of terrific music than just about any other person I can think of.
---- "The Daily Show" has become what"Saturday Night Live" once was, way back when: The proving ground for new and gifted comedians. Jon Stewart, of course, is great, but he can't act so his career is going to remain that of an awesome fake news host. Steve Carell is now a Star with a capital S, but let's hope he doesn't go all David Caruso on us and leaves the best comedy on tv, "The Office". Remember that line from "40YOV", Steve? DON'T be like David Caruso in "Jade". Stay where you are for a while. Nothing wrong with great tv. How many millions did Jerry Seinfeld, who IMO is just an very good but not great standup comedian, make from his show? And Stephen Colbert is just great on HIS show. I was a bit surprised that his schtick could carry 22 minutes, but it sure as heckfire can! The "Colbert Report" is great tv. Now, good luck to the Corrdry brothers. And I think it is supergreatfantastic that "TDS" is embracing ethnic diversity in its staff. Don't talk the talk if ya don't walk the walk.
------------------------------
edit - spelling issues...spelling issues.
posted by joe sweeney at 3:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home