Open letter to retailers
You want me back? Stop charging high interest rates. I'm tired of being charged 18 percent interest even though I always pay my bill on time. I also don't understand why you raised my interest rate even though I pay my bill on time and always pay more than the minimum payment.
Do you think some people will be afraid in the future to shop at your store or to buy a big item via credit card for fear that you will raise their rate to a ridiculous level? I think so. I know I'm going to think twice about it in the future.
If I have discretionary money, I'm not spending it on things made in China (or some other country), especially in light of the recent scandals with regard to dog food, lead in products, etc. I wish the Chinese people (and others) well. I wish them a happy life. But if I can, I will purchase a product made in the U.S.A., even if it costs a little more and as long as it is of good or better quality. So, retailer, if you are stocking lots of products from China (and other countries), keep in mind that I will be one of the people not buying those products, if I can, unless the products are known or famous for being from that country.
Be respectful to your workers. My sister hasn't shopped at a particular store for years because the company received bad press about discriminating against older workers. She was in her 30s at the time. She didn't have time to write a letter or do a formal boycott. She still doesn't shop at that store and she turned 50 this year. There are a lot of people out there like her. I go out of my way to shop at stores where I know the store respects and pays their workers a decent wage.
In a way, your tactics are waking up the American people. Do we really need this stuff? I think we're tired of retailers expecting us to spend our money but not supporting us in return. —Sean Tacker, Dearborn Heights
Cineasty
I recently watched the Lars von Trier film Antichrist (reviewed by Jeff Meyers, Nov. 18) in the company of someone who (hitherto, anyway) had always considered me an astute and discriminating cineaste. I gave the film a passing grade (or reluctant kudos, if you will) in spite of — look, I thought it was good, OK? My friend, however, decided to forgo her usual awe at my critical fiats and decreed that (in her modest opinion) the work was simply a pretentious and muddled piece of garbage. I sniffed (I do that very well!) and may have remarked that there could be one or two individuals around who shared her jejune opinion.
And, lo and behold! There was Jeff Meyers' review with D+ written all over poor Lars and his ... interesting failure.
Thanks, Jeff! There's a gloating woman prancing around her office right now with a copy of Metro Times over her head — all the while shouting, "Thank you, baby Jesus! Thank you!"
I knew I should have taken her to see 2012. ... —Robert del Valle, Royal Oak
Erratum: Thanks to an eagle-eyed reader for pointing out an error in our News Hit "Split hairs & big pictures" (Nov. 18). That article said that attorney Mike Stefani faced professional misconduct charges brought by the Attorney Disciplinary Board. The charges were brought by the Attorney Grievance Commission. The Attorney Disciplinary Board is the body that adjudicates those charges.
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