Letters to the Editor
Yo, Philly, it's time to dress up
Walking down Chestnut Street recently, I was struck by how shabbily the pedestrians were dressed.
What an image we present to visitors and to each other. Apparently, we are nearly all slobs who care nothing about how we dress. From dirty T-shirts and wrinkled shorts, to teens with all manner of hardware stabbing their bodies, to ugly tattoos marring limbs and even necks - it was no wonder I began to feel ill.
When you come downtown, put on a clean, pressed shirt or blouse. Color coordinate what you are wearing. Wear pants that fit over your hips, with a belt, and hem or cuff the legs. You might try wearing a hat or shirt that doesn't say anything on it or advertise some so-called designer.
We may not be New York, but that's no reason to look as though we live in a dump. And while you're at it, stop cursing in public, yelling on your cell phone, and riding bicycles through pedestrians, and show some brotherly love.
Saul Davis
Philadelphia
Furthermore...
Start reporting and stop spreading rumors
I think that The Inquirer should be embarrassed for its role in the Raul Ibanez performance-enhancing-drug scandal ("A cheap shot at Ibanez," Tuesday).
I am confident that it is not news to report, without any apparent corroboration of the underlying facts, that some blogger reported that a Philadelphia athlete is taking PEDs. Yet it would appear that is exactly what The Inquirer did relative to this story.
If The Inquirer has any credible evidence that PEDs are involved in Ibanez's great start to this season, you should cite that evidence and report it on the front of the sports pages. On the other hand, as it appears that in this situation you have no evidence, it seems to me that you owe both Ibanez and your reading public an apology and a promise to not report such nonstories in the future.
Chuck DeLone
Downingtown
Amorous grandparents grumble: The kids barge in
Dear Abby: After my wife had our sixth child, our love life fizzled out. But at age 80, we have suddenly discovered that we aren’t THAT old!
How do we tactfully deflect kids and grandkids who enter without ringing the bell? I realize that lots of people would love to have this problem, but it’s a problem all the same. – Back in the Saddle Again
Dear Back in the Saddle Again: Your letter made me smile. I’m pleased to hear there’s still plenty of “hi-ho” in the old Silver.
If you haven’t told your children and grandchildren that you would prefer they not enter your home without ringing the bell, my first suggestion is to speak up now. If you have, and your request is being ignored, then I have two more suggestions.
The first is to put a chain or double lock on the doors to your house; the second is to hang a “Please Do Not Disturb, the Old Folks Are Napping” sign on your doors when you’re feeling amorous. I’ll bet you $20 that because of entrenched misconceptions about sexuality in the over-70 generation, none of your children or grandchildren will question it.
Footnotes:
Letters to the Editor published Saturday, June 13, 2009
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Letter to Dear Abby
published by The Philadelphia Daily News
Post entry is "verbatim" cut & paste.