MT readers sound off on Celine Dion, toxic algae, and more

In response to a blog post from way back in April, reader Reichelle Manuel chimed in about former MT music editor Brett Callwood's take on Celine Dion. Here is the response, lightly edited:

To begin with, I am a Celine fan, and I personally found this article offensive. That fact may not matter so much, but I believe this article has missed its meaning at all. I am not a writer, and may not even be the right person to address this, but I am a reader, who you cater to read your articles. One thing, though, about this blog is the writer's personal feelings are much addressed as a banter, and way too personal to even go against these artists quoting them as negatively as "poisonous."

To quote: "Celine Dion hasn't meant one single line of lyric that her career has spewed out. That song from Titanic was her shit-peak." This line, which I believe may have been through a lot of editorial reviews before posted in the site, is uncalled for. So I ask where this was referenced from. Was this from an interview from Celine? From what it looked like, the writer's disdain of the music was just linked to the person who sang the song. And yes, I have to question if he has the right to speak in behalf of the artist with this line.

Another quote: "People grow out of One Direction, but adults still fall into the Dion trap. While she's feigning emotion and integrity, playing the part of the deeply affected maiden and singing the most detestable tripe, people who should know better are parting with dollar after dollar."

We are free thinking people, so if he thinks it was ridiculous to put our money on our choice, I respect that, but he doesn't tell in a blog it was wrong or he "knows better" just because he may have the wrong impression that we adults were "trapped" and couldn't decide on our life.

The point I am making here is the writer's ironic lack of respect for people's choices, while I believe that was the point of the article for the teen fans. I understand his stand to respect the other artist (One Direction and Justin Bieber as mentioned in the article) and their fan's choices, but I think there is no need for him to speak negatively of other artists, such as Mariah and Celine, to prove this point. This article may have not been intended, but was too biased or even too personal to be an article without any references made. Please see to it that your writers post facts and not just judgmental words. I know there was supposedly a disclaimer that a single post does not reflect your company's beliefs, but this article is still in your site. I have nothing against the writer personally or your company, but as I have said, found this blog offensive. So with that may I respectfully ask for you to see these "blogs" are reviewed before being posted in your site?

IN BLOOM

The list of water problems you began with is only a tip of the iceberg about fresh water. You probably know that. We can remember the Kalamazoo River oil pipeline spill in 2010. Enbridge, the spill company, is now running pat-themselves-on-the-back promo ads on TV for the cleanup of their own mess.

Now that we here in Detroit area got a good look at our sewer water, it would have been interesting if we had done some extensive sampling during those tough hours.

People flush their medications into the system, and pretty much every known liquid. I had to yell at several people wading into the rising water near my home, "That's your own poo you're wading in!" But they had to get a good selfie pic, geez. I dodged a flood bullet; I don't know if they dodged nausea.

A guy two doors down got fast food delivered not a half-hour before his house flooded. The driver had to park down the street and wade knee high to their door. Unbelievable! The homeowner selfishly can't call and cancel the order with water rising in his yard, and the driver felt so impelled by capitalism to make the delivery in sewage water.

Then, 15 minutes later, a different fast food (same brand) driver decided to plow into the muck water and had to abandon his vehicle in front of the same house. I don't know where he was planning to go, but the "fast food brand," in his case, made a pick-up, not a delivery. Someone came and got him and the car was towed the next day.

We see the flood hero stories on the TV news and that's good, but I saw something that I can only explain as consumerism gone amok in sewer muck. I bet I wasn't the only one to see weird stuff like that.