Well, thanks for nothing

Paul Brownfield writes about “all the apologizing” in his article (“And This Is the Thanks We Get?” Feb. 12) and, well, I don’t think there was any.

There are those who understand that “I’m sorry if I offended anyone ...” is no apology at all. “I’m sorry, period” is. “I’m sorry for what I did” is even better. The apologies of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake were of the first type, using the “if” disclaimer, which is no apology at all. It really says “I’m sorry you’re pathetic/prudish/humorless ...”

Timberlake’s Grammy apology was even worse, as it compounded the “if” with perpetuating the lie that the stunt was unintentional. Like we’re all a bunch of morons.

The only apology I want is for the oversight in not rating the Super Bowl. If I want adult-oriented entertainment, trust me, I won’t sit down with my 7-year-old to view it.

It’ll be a long time before I stick around again long enough to get to the grateful sign-off.

Anna Zetchus Raetz

Los Angeles

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Re: Brownfield’s story: I noticed the “... thanks for choosing KCAL 9” (you are now free to move around the dial) usage he reported, but even more clumsy, in terms of not having learned that repetition is not good writing, is their news announcers use of the term “top of the hour,” meaning forthcoming.

It is not a clear concept. The “top of the hour,” as used by KCAL 9, means when the big hand is on the 12. This is already confusing, since the top of the hour is then the bottom of the next hour.

Then there is a whole nother school of writing, like KPCC, where “traffic is brought to you by ...” various sponsors. If they don’t mean “traffic report,” then I wish they would stop bringing so much traffic. It makes the daily commute difficult.

Robert L. Sharp

South Pasadena