Peace out, man
Regarding Geov Parrish’s favorite anarchists (“The new anarchists,” 9/2), I will let John Lennon speak for me:
“When you’re talkin’ about destruction,
Don’t you know that you can count me out.”
Greg Clark
Seattle
Maybe we like blowing things up
Last week when a friend emailed me about a “new, cool feature” at Amazon that allowed you to see what people from, say, Bloomington, IN, were most ordering, I was initially skeptical. Like many others, I felt that it was an invasion of privacy. Just because I order from Amazon, I didn’t feel that I was obligated to let them publish what I ordered. Still, my main problem with it was that nowhere on the site was I asked if it was all right for them to include me in their purchase circles. Once Amazon announced that they’d provide a way for users to say yes or no to the purchase circles, I was satisfied. No harm, no foul. It seems that once again you folks at the Weekly have taken this small issue and blown it up (“Outing the Amazonians,” 9/2). I don’t quite understand why youhave such an axe to grind with Amazon.
This latest article has gone even further and even lower than the usual jealous stab the Weekly editors take at Amazon. I’m sure you feel that publishing how Amazonians browse your site is a serious coup. But Amazon created their purchase circles based on user feedback, to provide some interesting stats to their users. The Weekly is using this information to be spiteful. I’m sure investors will be unshaken by the fact that Amazonians use the Weekly to find out what restaurants are good and who’s playing at the OK Hotel. But the fact that you are trying to create problems is terribly petty. Amazon is not Jeff Bezos, it’s nearly 4,000 people, many of whom are trying to make a living as hourly employees. It’s not a cult that’s out to control the world and publish what CDs you are buying. It’s a company, a business, and that business is made up of all types of people. So when you attack Amazon and try to create problems, you create problems for regular people. People who, obviously, make up your readership. So if you have a vendetta with Amazon, take it to the source, take it to Bezos, but quit printing these petty, holier-than-thou articles. You are wasting all of our time.
Jason Davidson
Via Email
Spank us again!
Didn’t your mother ever teach you that “they did it first” is not an excuse for doing the same thing? You just “exposed” some of your most faithful readers (“Outing the Amazonians,” 9/2) because of a decision made far above their heads. I don’t put up with this hypocritical idiocy from my nine-year-old, much less from a weekly that is supposed to do responsible journalism.
And no, I don’t work for Amazon.
Vincent J. Abella
Via Email
Another perspective
I work there and couldn’t agree with the sentiment of “Outing the Amazonians” (9/2) more. Amazon is nothing but a corporate sweatshop and it needs this kind of outing. The majority of the workers here make in the $10-$12 range, pretty slim considering most have degrees and many have advanced degrees. They do also offer us hourly joes the option to buy stock, but at these wages it’s not really an issue.
I’d love to say more, but they also foster a climate of intimidation and reprisals of those that say too much about wonderful Amazonia, apart from the rah-rah party line.
Do all you can to expose this place. Jeff better start sharing the wealth or it’s all going to bite him on his fat ass.
P.S. I can’t afford to lose even this crappy job right now. Please don’t mention my name.
Anonymous
Via Email
Internet fan-geeks
I just read the article by Angela Gunn about the Lord of the Rings production (“The war of the Rings,” 9/2) and their relationship with the internet fan-geeks (a group into which I include myself) [Indeed! —Eds.]. Let me just say that this is the very first article by a large, legitimate news organization in which the author actually knew what she was talking about. Ms. Gunn hit every nail squarely on the head; she really knows her stuff on this subject. I just knew that there were more of us Tolkien fans in the real world! I have never felt compelled to write a letter to the editor before, but I just HAD to give full kudos to Angela Gunn & her terrific article!
Mark Lareau
Federal Way
100% Bullsh**t!
I am sick and tired of all the whining from people who say that the Seattle Impound Law is unfair and discriminates against people of color and the poor (Impolitics, “Bound to impound,” 9/9). That is 100% Bulls**t!! This law is to protect ALL Seattle residents from anyone who chooses not to follow the laws concerning operating a motor vehicle, which includes carrying liability insurance. When are people going to realize that driving a car is NOT a guaranteed right under the Constitution of the United States, but a privilege granted by each state, and with that privilege comes responsibilities, and laws that MUST be followed. Yes, it’s true that owning a car has gotten very expensive, and a lot of people can’t afford to pay all the costs necessary; but that doesn’t give anyone the right to break the law and then scream discrimination. WAKE UP!!!!!!! Ignorance, poverty, and skin color are not valid defenses for flagrantly violating the law. If you can’t afford to pay your tickets, carry insurance, or operate within the law, then your privilege to drive should be suspended. PERIOD! Just for the record, I am a 38-year-old, single white male, who makes less than $30,000/year. I am also Gay; so can we talk about discrimination.
Steven Edmonds
Via Email
Thou shalt not belly up
In his recent article “Belly Up” (9/2), Michael Stusser encourages people to crash private functions at the Four Seasons Hotel and help themselves to food and drink for free. I feel that this is sleazy and dishonest behavior, and it amazes me that a Weekly writer would be allowed to publish such trashy advice. The ironic thing is that the article will make hotel staff aware of the problem and more likely to catch scofflaws like Mr. Stusser, who can probably well afford to pay for his own drinks.
It’s obvious that the Weekly is trying to appeal these days to the “hip” and the “cool.” I guess this includes suggestions to behave selfishly and dishonestly. In so doing, you are contributing, one small step at a time, to making Seattle a less civil place to live.
Robert Knudson
Seattle
Pretty lame ain’t no fun
Nice to see you guys paying attention to sports again (The Lesser of Two Evils, 9/9).
My problem is: Why Luke Esser? Back in the days, when I knew less about his politics and more about his writing, I dug him. But now, reading a humorous sports column from conservative Republican state Representative Luke Esser is pretty lame. I mean, the guy has to watch what he says—something reflected in his Seahawks column. That ain’t no fun.
There’s gotta be a fresh face out there who can liven this up—like the guys in the same issue who created that hilarious all-century football team, or the guy a few weeks back who wrote about Edgar Martinez’s nipples. At the very least, someone less concerned with squashing gun control and private subsidies than Representative Esser.
James Dack
Seattle
Next year—Jesus
It is with great concern and disbelief that I write regarding the blatant distortion of a Hindu icon, Kali, on the cover of this year’s Bumbershoot guides developed by One Reel (SW, 9/2).
If the icon’s true meaning and an understanding of its significance in the Hindu religion were being transmitted, this discussion would be a moot point. However, this reeks of the continued eroticisation of Eastern thought for Western entertainment.
It is ironic that they are exploiting a religious icon for commercial purposes. My thoughts of Bumbershoot were of a festival promoting the diversity and rich fabric of the Northwest. This goes against that thesis and serves to undermine that purpose completely.
This is not to say that freedom of expression should in any way be suppressed. In fact, I would have no problem with a Hindu God or Jesus Christ on the cover as long as the image was contextualized and pertinent to the event. However, this seems to be a case of exploitation disguised as multiculturalism.
Images such as this imply it is acceptable to defame something from an “exotic” country, such as India, and perpetuates a neo-colonial mentality.
Pamela Lata Arora
Seattle
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