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Letters
Whom Did That?
I want to make a comment on the October 6 Reader, Thomas Larson’s cover story, “Debt. Arson. Murder.” Okay, I’m just a poor old engineer — I’m not an English major — but I think you need a grammar policeman. Look at page 30, first column, third line there, the relative pronoun should be who and not whom, because who is the subject of the verb owed in the next line; it’s not the object of the word claimed in the next line. It’s “who he claimed owed him.”
Okay, second column, the third line from the end: “…at Stars and whom, he said, owed him $18,000.” It should be who and not whom. In this case, who is also the subject of the verb owed and not the object of the verb said in the next line.
Your proofreading’s pretty good. It’s probably nonexistent, but I don’t see too many whoppers there, but you need a grammar policeman.
Name Withheld
via voice mail
Mea Culpa, They-a Culpa
My letter last week (October 6) about “One Night El Cajon Felt Like Baghdad” (“City Lights,” September 29) incorrectly described the alleged crime and may have offended readers. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration did the raid, not Homeland Security; terrorism was not an issue, and I’m very sorry for adding to offense already suffered by the club’s patrons. Nonetheless, the actions of the agents were extremely disrespectful and wrong, and I truly believe if such activity was suspected at, say, a popular nightclub like Humphreys or restaurant like D.Z. Akin’s, patrons would not have been mistreated and belittled, if approached at all by law enforcement.
Shelly Schwartlander
via email
Unhappy Returns
In response to the article “One Night El Cajon Felt Like Baghdad” (“City Lights,” September 29), the raid on the social club doesn’t surprise me.
The Chaldean “victims” in your article should win an academy award for playing the victims. A lot of the other merchants in this area read this article, and their reaction is the same — not surprised. They always try to beat the system.
I am a department manager for a major department-store chain in the community and have to deal with numerous Chaldean customers, young and old, on a daily basis. We are constantly bombarded with merchandise being returned without receipts that has been worn and/or torn that has “only been worn to try on.” Since they are familiar with our store’s policy, they demand a full cash refund or new merchandise; otherwise, they will lodge a complaint. Of course, we have to cave in.
They usually like to scam the system by insisting on using expired coupons or trying to make a deal — “If I buy this shirt, can I get the other free?”
If it’s the younger generation that is getting into trouble, it’s certainly no surprise. Chaldean parenting skills in a store or restaurant are nonexistent. Their kids run rampant through the aisles throwing shirts, shoes, jackets off the racks while their parents are talking on their cell phones, oblivious to what is happening. Their kids play with shopping carts, ramming them into the heels of other shoppers. No discipline is administered, and it takes a long time to straighten up the aisles after they leave.
It’s too bad you didn’t interview enough non-Chaldean merchants. We all know each other and swap stories. A restaurant manager lost count how many times he had to comp free meals because of “food poisoning” or the supermarket manager who takes EBT [public assistance] and notices them driving off in a late-model luxury car.
Cheating and scamming seem to be the way of way, Mr. Kharat, and the role modeling for the younger generation has led to a black eye for your community.
Now I have to go to work and will probably sell some Halloween costumes today that I know, like every year, will be returned for a full refund the day after Halloween.
Name Withheld
Easy As 1, 2, 3
“On Sixth Avenue…” (Feature Story, September 22).
Myths versus realities. There were incredible errors in this article in reference to immigration. Among the biggest are (1) the implication that today’s migrants could simply get in line to enter the country (there is no line if of certain income level; thus, we need immigration reform), (2) San Diego Minutemen founder Jim Chase is not mentioned (as he is in hiding), and San Diego Minutemen, at most, has had 20 members, and (3) undocumented people do not qualify for most social services, and just like yesteryear, they do not come for benefits but to work or reunite with family members.
Enrique Morones
via email
Whiner, Loser
Michael McCrerey retired from the California Highway Patrol at 33 due to a bad back (“Gift from the Grave,” Cover Story, September 8)? You have to be kidding me. Couldn’t the CHP find something for him to do instead of retiring him and getting nothing back for his salary?
“So he took to golf and scotch.” I think it is obvious that if someone can play golf, his back couldn’t be so bad that he couldn’t do administrative duty for a police force.
He drank himself into a failed liver because of boredom, and now the public has to spend more money to give him a transplant. His state pension and medical benefits are paid by the taxpayers to carry this welfare queen through life.
How much salary did this guy collect for his 11 years of service, and how much was spent to keep this loser alive?
Mario Pinedo is the victim of this story. His donation was given to a whiner and a loser who has been scamming the system for his adult life.
Name Withheld
via email
Crazy About Crawler
Love “Club Crawler”! I don’t know how he keeps up with so much music. Wish I could go to almost every show he recommends. Keep it up.
Dave Walters
via email
Here's something you might be interested in.
Letters
Letters
Whom Did That?
I want to make a comment on the October 6 Reader, Thomas Larson’s cover story, “Debt. Arson. Murder.” Okay, I’m just a poor old engineer — I’m not an English major — but I think you need a grammar policeman. Look at page 30, first column, third line there, the relative pronoun should be who and not whom, because who is the subject of the verb owed in the next line; it’s not the object of the word claimed in the next line. It’s “who he claimed owed him.”
Okay, second column, the third line from the end: “…at Stars and whom, he said, owed him $18,000.” It should be who and not whom. In this case, who is also the subject of the verb owed and not the object of the verb said in the next line.
Your proofreading’s pretty good. It’s probably nonexistent, but I don’t see too many whoppers there, but you need a grammar policeman.
Name Withheld
via voice mail
Mea Culpa, They-a Culpa
My letter last week (October 6) about “One Night El Cajon Felt Like Baghdad” (“City Lights,” September 29) incorrectly described the alleged crime and may have offended readers. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration did the raid, not Homeland Security; terrorism was not an issue, and I’m very sorry for adding to offense already suffered by the club’s patrons. Nonetheless, the actions of the agents were extremely disrespectful and wrong, and I truly believe if such activity was suspected at, say, a popular nightclub like Humphreys or restaurant like D.Z. Akin’s, patrons would not have been mistreated and belittled, if approached at all by law enforcement.
Shelly Schwartlander
via email
Unhappy Returns
In response to the article “One Night El Cajon Felt Like Baghdad” (“City Lights,” September 29), the raid on the social club doesn’t surprise me.
The Chaldean “victims” in your article should win an academy award for playing the victims. A lot of the other merchants in this area read this article, and their reaction is the same — not surprised. They always try to beat the system.
I am a department manager for a major department-store chain in the community and have to deal with numerous Chaldean customers, young and old, on a daily basis. We are constantly bombarded with merchandise being returned without receipts that has been worn and/or torn that has “only been worn to try on.” Since they are familiar with our store’s policy, they demand a full cash refund or new merchandise; otherwise, they will lodge a complaint. Of course, we have to cave in.
They usually like to scam the system by insisting on using expired coupons or trying to make a deal — “If I buy this shirt, can I get the other free?”
If it’s the younger generation that is getting into trouble, it’s certainly no surprise. Chaldean parenting skills in a store or restaurant are nonexistent. Their kids run rampant through the aisles throwing shirts, shoes, jackets off the racks while their parents are talking on their cell phones, oblivious to what is happening. Their kids play with shopping carts, ramming them into the heels of other shoppers. No discipline is administered, and it takes a long time to straighten up the aisles after they leave.
It’s too bad you didn’t interview enough non-Chaldean merchants. We all know each other and swap stories. A restaurant manager lost count how many times he had to comp free meals because of “food poisoning” or the supermarket manager who takes EBT [public assistance] and notices them driving off in a late-model luxury car.
Cheating and scamming seem to be the way of way, Mr. Kharat, and the role modeling for the younger generation has led to a black eye for your community.
Now I have to go to work and will probably sell some Halloween costumes today that I know, like every year, will be returned for a full refund the day after Halloween.
Name Withheld
Easy As 1, 2, 3
“On Sixth Avenue…” (Feature Story, September 22).
Myths versus realities. There were incredible errors in this article in reference to immigration. Among the biggest are (1) the implication that today’s migrants could simply get in line to enter the country (there is no line if of certain income level; thus, we need immigration reform), (2) San Diego Minutemen founder Jim Chase is not mentioned (as he is in hiding), and San Diego Minutemen, at most, has had 20 members, and (3) undocumented people do not qualify for most social services, and just like yesteryear, they do not come for benefits but to work or reunite with family members.
Enrique Morones
via email
Whiner, Loser
Michael McCrerey retired from the California Highway Patrol at 33 due to a bad back (“Gift from the Grave,” Cover Story, September 8)? You have to be kidding me. Couldn’t the CHP find something for him to do instead of retiring him and getting nothing back for his salary?
“So he took to golf and scotch.” I think it is obvious that if someone can play golf, his back couldn’t be so bad that he couldn’t do administrative duty for a police force.
He drank himself into a failed liver because of boredom, and now the public has to spend more money to give him a transplant. His state pension and medical benefits are paid by the taxpayers to carry this welfare queen through life.
How much salary did this guy collect for his 11 years of service, and how much was spent to keep this loser alive?
Mario Pinedo is the victim of this story. His donation was given to a whiner and a loser who has been scamming the system for his adult life.
Name Withheld
via email
Crazy About Crawler
Love “Club Crawler”! I don’t know how he keeps up with so much music. Wish I could go to almost every show he recommends. Keep it up.
Dave Walters
via email