PDFs of the VOICES March 09 Issue:
Frontcover, Contents, Editorial
Politics and Economics
Community and Lifestyle
Environment
University
Arts and Entertainment
Opinions and Backcover
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HTML pages of the VOICES March 09 Issue:
Frontcover, Contents, Editorial
Politics and Economics
Community and Lifestyle
Environment
University
Arts and Entertainment
Opinions and Backcover
Comments
A humor piece
(originally posted by SCTAXPAYER - moved and reposted by site administrator)
When did Voices go humor? The hottest local issue in a recession with wage freezes at PSU and a President who is spending our children and their children into debt is apparently why some women decide to reduce their breasts - accompanying cover of a young woman, showing her assets without showing her face. Great T and A without the A!
Even more uproarious were quotes in the article about the State College high school from a over paid SCASD PR person saying that the process was the same as the last one (before she was hired) and that participation was low at the meetings. HMMM...what is the point of having Ms. Miller on the payroll if the end result is that the same number of people in the community attended the meetings (by her report) when she wasn't employed! Isn't it her job to get the message out and COMMUNICATE with the public? Wouldn't that be a failure on her part? I think I can see a place to save the district $75,000!
I was only brought to calm when I read that Elizabeth Goreham gets her news from Voices. Thank GOD we finally know the source of her information.
Thank you Voices. You gave me a laugh today. I look forward to your next hot off the presses expose'
Still, I bet more issues get picked up...
(Originally posted by Bill - moved and reposted by site administrator)
Not being female, I confess I didn't read the breast article. And while it might be quite interesting to some readers, I guess I have to agree it's not an earthshaking piece of journalism.
But, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that when the final numbers come in, the magazine racks empty out quicker on this issue than on a tax issue or a schoolboard issue or a health issue.
A little human interest isn't such a bad thing. Frankly I think Voices should have a regular sex column, but I'm funny that way, I think sex is an interesting subject.
I also know that breast reduction and breast issues have been a fairly popular topic in one of the alternate email journals I like to read, Alternet. So it's not necessarily the case that it's not a topical subject.
I think if I was a woman, especially a large breasted woman, I might be happy to see my issue discussed.
I didn't read the oxygen article in the last issue either - but I think if I was facing lung problems, I would think it was pretty important.
Cheap Breast Reduction Surgery Available In Mexico
SC Taxpayer,
I think you're onto something here. Could breast reduction surgery be linked to the upcoming attendance at the National School Board Association’s Annual Conference in San Diego? Could one of the out-going board membes being using this confernce as a cover to slip across the boarder to Tijuana and have her mammary load reduced?
And we thought our tax dollars were just being wasted on breakfast with Julie Andrews!
Cindy
Dark meat or white?
The cover's image is inappropriate to have around our young daughters. It sends the wrong message - not because of sex and old fashioned morals (although I'm sure that would be an issue for some) - but because it reduces women to a body part without a head.
I've never been fond of magazines that talk about - or otherwise portray -women as though they were chicken meat ("How firm are your breasts?" "get thinner thighs in 30 days" or "work your gluts"). How far off is this message from "crispy wings" and "succulant thighs" in a KFC commercial?
It is just offensive on so many levels. I was not offended by the story itself and I actually found it interesting. But, the cover was out of line and not consistent (to me) with a true feminist message. It looked like it was just trying to get attention in the same worn out way American corporations have been doing for a long time - by objectifying women and reducing us to our body "parts." It may make the rag fly off the free rack in record numbers - but it is not cool and was a real turn off for me.
T and A sells
Coming from the same source that has a writer blog about how resumes are sexist and how single parenting is...well, I could never figure out what she was trying to say, the picture still makes me laugh when I see it. Are the womyn over there getting so desperate for readers they permitted this?
Hilarious.
Not my interest, but maybe you should write an article?
"HMMM...what is the point of having Ms. Miller on the payroll if the end result is that the same number of people in the community attended the meetings (by her report) when she wasn't employed! Isn't it her job to get the message out and COMMUNICATE with the public? Wouldn't that be a failure on her part? I think I can see a place to save the district $75,000! "
I confess to not understanding the school board issues very well - you need a pretty complicated playbook to get any sense of what the heck is actually supposed to be happening, who's side whom is on, and what the fuss is all about.
But you do seem to raise an interesting point.
If you want this kind of news in the paper, you could always try to write an article about the topic. It is a volunteer paper, you could volunteer.
Or you could start a blog here, and not even have to volunteer and get your work edited. You could talk directly to the people.
If your editorial point is "Save money, screw education, kids don't need it and besides the SCtaxpayers don't want to pay for it!", well, I'll grant you, you might have some trouble with the editors. I don't want to write articles because I'm a techno-libertarian.
But they let me express my thoughts on the blog here with nary a complaint.
Appreciate the offer
My conservative rantings would likely send Ms. Erem and the editorial staff into an seizure. My comments are best left to my own brain, the occasional response and head nods at Fox News.
If you want to figure out the SCASD board, find Dr. Queeney and do the opposite of whatever she does. You'll find yourself firmly planted in COMMON SENSE. My editorial point would be spend money for education, not for stupid programs and social engineering. I will pay for quality education but not for shrines, educational experiments, naming opportunities or ellitism in any form.
never a break...
Of course these responses are what we expected - how we're pandering to sex, objectifying women etc. First of all, find a woman willing to pose for a picture that shows she had breast reduction surgery. I'm here to tell you that's not easy. Second, find someone willing to stand in as an example of a small-breasted woman. Still not easy. So we did what we could. And it's as tasteful as it gets! I have a 16-year-old daughter and it's exactly what she needs to see.
It happens to be Women's History Month...so we focused on a lot of stories about women. Don't you care that women are missing in most leadership positions (it looks like we'll now lose one of the few to a man for school superintendent) in this county? So making women visible strikes me as part of our mission.
The health concerns related to this trend are also important. First there's the emotional and physical pain these women - many of whom are NOT obese - suffer. Then there is ample evidence that the plastics you warm your food up in in the microwave, or drink your soda out of are suspect. Also the milk you drink (unless it's from Meyer) and the meat you eat. We thought you'd care to find out about that...for your daughter's sake or maybe for your son's (since 16,000 BOYS had breast reduction surgery last year.)
BTW, Voices will publish any letter of 250 words so long as it is not a personal attack. (If there's a "letter campaign" we may just run out of money to print enough pages, but that's an issue of economics, not freedom of speech.) Our opinion editor is often looking for longer opinion pieces too. The opinion page is for the entire community - so go ahead and write. BUT you have to have the courage to put your name (and in the case of the longer pieces, face) to it. Can you do that much? Then send your letters and opinions to [email protected]
SC Taxpayer Not Ready For Prime Time