Letters to the Editor
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Art Teachers
Thanks for Mary Cashiola's excellent cover story ("The Art of Teaching," March 12th issue). We always hear about the problems in Memphis' public schools. It was great to read a positive story, especially one that highlighted an area of study — art — that for so long has gotten the short end of the stick.
Louise Atkinson
Memphis
We're Excellent
I wanted to let you know that I thought this week's Flyer (March 12th issue) was just absolutely excellent. I very much enjoyed reading Mary Cashiola's cover story and was happy to see Chris Herrington's "What's New and Worthwhile on DVD."
Having read the "Hotties Issue," I share Charlie Boydstun's feelings (The Rant) about the answers that were given. What the heck, why is everybody's favorite color blue? I actually also thought what if I were asked to answer these questions? Well, at least I could have named pink as my favorite color.
Thanks for making my weekend.
Simone Wilson
Memphis
Insurance: Not for Sissies
J.D. Reager's profile of Nancy Apple ("Troubador's Haven," March 5th issue) would have been a lot easier to read if Reager had skipped over Apple's comment "... insurance is for sissies, anyway."
As a registered nurse and longtime advocate for many Memphis musicians struggling with health-care issues, I am dismayed by such a careless statement. Right now, in this city, some of our most revered musicians are struggling with very serious medical conditions and have limited access to health care, their conditions made far worse by having to wait for charity or free care.
Health insurance is not for sissies. It is for those fortunate enough to have not been laid off and have a job with benefits. It is for those brave enough and with the means to make exorbitant payments to the insurance industry every month for very little in return.
The Memphis musicians who left us with such an incredible legacy of music should not be punished for having followed their dreams and given Memphis so much to be proud of. We are all grateful for the Church Health Center, Christ Community Clinic, and the Med for the care they so generously give our musicians without health insurance. It is not enough. We need a guaranteed single-payer system where everyone is in and no one is out — including musicians and sissies.
Kathy McGregor, RN
Memphis
The Commercial Appeal
Bruce VanWyngarden, in his editor's column (March 5th issue), blamed the recent layoffs at The Commercial Appeal and the decline of the newspaper business in general on "untrammeled corporatization." Whatever that is. Perhaps, VanWyngarden will, in a future column, explain "untrammeled corporatization" and who is responsible for it. I look forward to being so enlightened.
However, in the real world, businesses (and a newspaper is just another business) fail because they do not create a product that enough people value more than the price charged, so that the total revenue generated exceeds the total cost of producing that product, including satisfactory compensation to its owners who could have productively invested their money elsewhere. Consequently, the burden is on the owners, managers, editors, and staff to out-compete the newspaper's rivals for customers. And, at least for now, The Commercial Appeal has simply not been effective in competing for the scarce dollars of consumers of news services in the Memphis area.
The Commercial Appeal has made certain fundamental errors. First, they have adopted a leftist bias, when a majority of potential paying customers in and around Memphis are conservative. Second, the CA's editorial staff insults paying customers who disagree with them politically (e.g., posting information about those with a permit to carry a concealed gun in Tennessee will cause them to cancel subscriptions).
I am not sure if The Commercial Appeal will survive. I hope it does, but, to do so, its owners and editors will need to start checking their egos and emotions at the door and develop and implement a plan to effectively rebuild its subscription base.
Greg Webb
Memphis
Comcast
Comcast's big-time screw-up — putting the wrong game feed on during the Tigers' last home game, Seniors Day — gave Memphians another good reason to change to a satellite dish system. Or, in other words, "Comcastaway."
Joe Mercer
Memphis
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You mean to tell me a leftist bias won't pay the bills? I can't fathom that happening! I think it's funny when you read "media outlets" whom claim, "Democrats raised more money than the GOP this month." Then, why is it businesses with a liberal theme aren't making anything these days? Because it's just "cool" to be a liberal. And, it's easy and it's okay to be immature which comes with liberalism. Why is it there are so many cancelled subscriptions from newspapers, but they are "catering" to the masses? I guess the money thing with the democrats is like the way Bill Clinton used to do it. Yeah, ole Billy just added a few zeroes to the paper, and all was well for the time. But, in the end the suffering gets distributed to the little liberals. Does anyone know what the ENRON and WorldCom people are doing these days? Ask Bill Clinton he'd know for sure their location. And, to think ignorant Republicans are to blame for the economy. Who's money is it? It's GOP money, mother......
Regarding the article, 'Insurance: Not for Sissies', I think the nurse hasn't thought about the consequences of universal health care that she is inferring here. First of all, health care is flawed in European countries, and Canadians come here for medical care. The government must tax the rich, which means the doctors and surgeons included to allow universal health care. The results are low incentive to earn money as a care provider, low incentive to increase in medical/pharmaceutical research, etc. Upon what basis must I be required to pay money for the health care of the irresponsible, drug addict, alcoholic? Most musicians are in the environment that offers the temptation of heavy drinking, direct or second-hand smoke, and drug availability. I was a former musician and do feel empathy for musicians, but most I know have part time or full time jobs and/or their wives that have health coverage at their jobs. Using coersive means of universal health care takes away the element of charity, free choice of providers, and the available funds to support private charities that sponser the truly needy. Statistics have shown that if health care is 'free', it is usually abused. This causes restrictions and creates waiting lines for the truly needy.
CH, I agree with your comments. I didn't have health insurance seven years ago, and I needed an arthroscopic knee surgery. I got the surgery, no problem. I was treated with courtesy by all the medical staff, and when I tried to bring up no insurance, they either ignored me or told me it didn't matter. I think it's all about people "freaking out" about getting a bill. They don't want to "think" they owe anyone for their "free" services. I was happy to receive care at a time I didn't have insurance and the people were wonderful. To me, all that "socialized medicine" would benefit would be people who don't want to think they owe anyone anything. If the entire population worked, then they wouldn't owe anyone. I know Canadians whom haven't been able to get health care in a timely manner. It didn't work out very well. When I had my surgery it was within 3 months of "begging". And, I was "begging". Funny thing, I asked nicely, and people helped me. Maybe, asking nicely instead of demanding things works out better? Socialism and communism (demanding) are okay I'm guessing, but capitalism requires some thinking and some manners. I guess we will see long term. Sorry, I forget, we've already seen it long term.
Cruiser, if liberals are immature, your comments suggest you need to come out of the closet.
Cruiser, I'd take it a step further; liberals have a worldview that is incoherent. Their tenets of reality do not comport with one another, i.e. ethics, epistemology, and science.
Thanks, CHG. I always like to know some other people out their who are tired of their smart mouths in the liberal "real world". CHG, tell me this, please. Are there any liberals out there that have any maturity about them? One or two even? Barney Frank owned a house of prostitution. That's pretty mature! A house of gay prostitution is something we've always wanted in Memphis. And, to think Frank did something wrong. He's a liberal! He's not responsible for his actions! He's the "victim"! It's not his fault his "partner" was running a house of prostitution. Frank had no idea about it. What a crock!
Cruiser, you surgery story might be a fairy tale. For the last three years, I've been getting phone calls from collection services trying to collect hospital bills on some guy whose name sort of sounds like mine but not exactly. If you don't pay your medical bills, they will hunt you down and get a settlement on you that will garnish your wages until your debt is paid.
Conservatives aren't incoherent. They're perfectly coherent in their dream world, where is up is down, Bill Clinton was president when Enron collapsed, and old discredited tales of the horrors of socialized medicine are repeated with all the wonder and spanky newness of a replay of a Lone Ranger radio program. Hi Ho Silver!
Jeff, the key word in your comment is MIGHT. You are saying that someone who has a name like yours ran up bills, and you are worried about that type of thing? Are you serious? If you didn't do it, why are you so worried. A good little liberal you are, son. You can't even take pressure that isn't even meant for you. How could you ever take it when it's for you? Just like Obama you'll probably blame Bush. He's the problem in the world. And, he's not even our president anymore, but little liberals continue to blame him. When will this stop? It's really gettin' ridiculous, little liberals. Grow up for cryin' out loud. You were probably one of those protesters up in Conn. who stood in front of the AIG execs. houses. It's called a contract. That's why banks pay bonuses. It's not because they want to do it. It doesn't matter whether or not the business is doing well, if there's a contract, it must be honored. Money makin' time you little liberals waste as you all try to down someone. You only down yourselves in the end.
re Jeff: hmm....I'm very curious....what name ...er..sort of sounds like Jeff?? Sounds like BS to me.
I take that back. You are incoherent.
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