THE LETTERS
BLOWING HOT AND COLD Re: film review (issue 414)
I must congratulate Jason Best for his review of the movie Blow. It will no doubt assist him to get that job on the Daily Record he so obviously deserves.
Since when did the quality of art (eg a movie) depend upon the morality of the status quo (in this case, the current drug laws)? In attempting to hide his desire for such censorship, Mr Best cites the movie Traffic as providing a more ‘panoramic view' by showing the ‘social costs' of drugs. Unlike Blow, Traffic is. of course. a work of fiction, which portrays the drugs world with a succession of fear-arousing stereotypes. In short. a Reefer Madness for the present.
But beyond this moralising and censorship. Mr Best is also guilty of hypocrisy. One needs only to look on the back page of that very issue of The List to be confronted with a full-page. coloured. glossy advertisement for Absolut vodka. Then, on turning over to the inside back page. one sees a Beck's beer sponsorship and so it goes on throughout the whole magazine. One is left with the impression that the alcohol (a drug) industry is a major provider of revenue from the very platform from which Mr Best spouts his views.
According to the Registrar General for Scotland's mortality statistics. at most around six people per year die after using the drugs in Blow (three after using cannabis and another three after using cocaine, nearly all are heroin addicts). Contrast this with the absolute minimum of 1.600 fatalities each year in Scotland as a direct consequence of alcohol consumption to provide a truly ‘panoramic view' of the “social costs' of drug use. Jock MacGregor Grovepark Street Glasgow
CELEBRATE FIT NOT FAT Re: Rembrandt’s Women (issue 415) Usually I enjoy reading The List's features as I find they offer an alternative view, rather than plodding the same old roads. However, I was disappointed to find that in her Rembrandt's Women article. Hannah McGill decided to jump on the ‘media are evil, they make us poor repressed women loathe our bodies' bandwagon. Is this cliche really so interesting that every outlet of cultural criticism in Scotland has to jump upon it?
Rembrandt painted a lot of fat women; what's so liberating about that? Haven't
Write to:
you seen the health education board's adverts telling us to take care of our bodies? Yes. excessive thinness is unattractive and unhealthy, but so is excesswe fat. Celebrating peOple With Rubenesque figures is like celebrating heart attacks.
Glossy mags and the tabIOids crucify stars because that's what sells magaZines. At the same time. Hollywood stars male and female are obsessed With body image because that's their commodity to sell. Would you pay to see a 20-stone Julia Roberts in a movie? I doubt it, because stars deal in fantasy. not reality.
Aspiring to look fit and healthy isn't a Crime. especially when you live in the heart-attack capital of Europe. So if you look like one of Rembrandt's women, don't be proud. get down the gym.
Samantha Moore via e-mail
CITY SLICKERS
Re: letters (issue 415)
‘It is not our policy to cover events beyond the central belt.’ To paraphrase MacDiarmid: metropolitan scum.
Ainslie Park
Merchant Street
Edinburgh
Where else do you suggest Glasgow and Edinburgh '3 Events Guide' should cover? Ed.
React, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE or React, The List, McLellan Galleries, 270 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow 62 36H or e-mail react@list.co.uk
CHAMBER OF HORRORS Re: Hold On (letters issue 415) Not only is the 'put on hold' music at The List too IOud. it's also some kind of daft 17th centun, French chamber ntusw. Not exactly cutting edge. unless it‘s some Crazy new ODSCure muSic trend no one's heard of.
Quick. alert your ObSCure Stuff CorrespOndent. Paul Dale. Doug Johnstone Via e-mai/
THE LIST SALES ABOVE 20,000
The latest circulation figures for The List show record sales of 20,632 copies. This represents 7% growth on last year and is the first time the sales have broken through the 20,000 level.
The last year has seen dramatic improvements in the magazine with the move to full colour printing throughout, a comprehensive redesign and the introduction of new sections. We have plans to expand and grow further over the coming months, including our best ever coverage of the Edinburgh Festival, so make sure of your copy by placing an order with your newsagent or taking out a subscription (see page 94).
If you look like one of Rembrandt’s women, ‘get down the gym’.
THE j
LIST
GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH
EVENTS GUIDE
catamarans
Publisher & General Editor It»: w n (1.. Editor 2‘.“ F
EDITORIAL Deputy Editor Ei' .x" f‘ "\l Assistant Editors til-12"»: It",tt‘.i\.il)t‘.l"~" ".tmn ‘t‘t‘v'fxfl‘ Research lltnt‘l' L" ".ll".:" ‘3". "v' . 51".?" nl. I ti". - ' “‘t‘tll't' ,t xix: Wall“.
‘. k Ilia/m"? .. .‘lvl'w‘at. 4". R IN liw' No'tni'xww i -‘. i-‘ r,
SALES AND MARKETING
Sales 8- Sponsorship Director Mir ll ~ Sales & Marketing Manager /\VY‘.il‘.i L: M ."aml Snr Sales 8. Sponsorship Executive listint- ‘.‘..i'.'. Sales & Sponsorship Executive E """.'i l Sales & Promotions Executive [hr in H. m Circulation Sifltlt,‘ [tutu
PRODUCTION
Art Director
Krista Kixjm [)txxi: Production Manager SII'IO". Armin Production Assistants talc, Reeves.
Leanne Houlstii"
DTP Nikki lti‘fl‘fr'
ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Gemgette Rtffl‘,‘.ll(,r-. Accounts Assistant Manager D’J'Il‘a Ta, TN Operations Director Jacqueline Gan, Reception Aitita l/‘lilia' Edinburgh Office Pippa Wright
Glasgow Office
Jane Haiiiiltort,
Elaine Graiiai't
New Projects Director Mitairi lilacken/w: Patina/m SECTION EDITORS Art Helel‘ l‘ll’,"{l.’}llii.'f Books Bvai: [J’i'léli’lS’W MAL/Mn. t::l;‘,_ Jane Hairliltort
Clubs Cattlerlnr; Brawn-1,, Jack Mottrafn
Comedy l/‘latirnev E. v. Comics Mela-f. F our.” Dance Strm; Cra'iiur Film Miles, Fielder
Food Barry Shelby Games lair Déi‘.’i’l‘//‘ Gay Jenn Binnie
Jane Hamilton r? Internet Stem: Blitl' I N K , Belle And Sebastian, Barrowland. Glasgow Kids Maureen Em
Music Mark RCt/JTS’H‘ ‘.‘.’II.": Anne" Vic Janet Mandy Norman Chalmers, Carr; WeDSite DJ TaXiderrnist Radio Main, Kenn, Matilicscr: 9, designer That was the I'd seen them Woduce, Fma SWNM’ Fucking best school all play With I thought that Shopping Luge Warm, brilliant. band Other bands was Television Bflai'l Doraldgcr Didn t think concert I've befOre but exceiigm. I Theatre Ste/e 0am"! much of ever been to. never together was yer], ‘ A n that enCOre There was a and it was .mpressed Travel Lowsa Pear. , though. we nice bit of great to finally indeed. Wdeo/DVD Miles F (/20 want some tartan on get them all in prmw D] SCOT, gr ,1“, 3!
lm. oldies. show too. the one place. press, BTW/99 ,1, a, a? IT
10 THE LIST 21 Jun-5 Jul 2001