Last week's paper was a hotbed of controversy — everyone was pissed off about something!

For starters, readers had lots to say about our take on the battle between Betsy Butler and Torie Osborn in the new Assembly District 50 in Sacramento (“Democratic War for L.A.'s Richest,” by Patrick Range McDonald, May 25).

Jeremy writes, “Torie Osborn is Assembly District 50. She's the ideal person to represent our beliefs and interests in Sacramento. Betsy Butler jumped in the race late and underestimated the free thinking of District 50's residents. We have a track record of electing leaders to the Assembly — Julia Brownley, Sheila Kuehl, Tom Hayden, etc. — and we're not going to budge just because John Pérez thought Betsy would have a safer election here. AD 50 just isn't that into Betsy.

“Regarding Richard Bloom: His Santa Monica support in this race is overestimated. The fact that he has won reelection to the council is a nonissue. Incumbent City Council members in Santa Monica are virtually guaranteed reelection. …

“Most importantly, Bloom failed to capture even a respectable percentage of votes at the Santa Monica Democratic Club endorsement meeting. Bloom, the audience's mayor, garnered only 9 percent of the 65-odd voting members. I, along with 77 percent of the membership, voted for Torie, who won the endorsement on the first vote. Keep in mind, this club has been endorsing Richard for the better part of two decades, and it dumped him because Torie's performance in the prior discussion was stellar and Richard tentatively supported the death penalty in certain circumstances.”

Ed Buck responds. “It is interesting how you write about Assembly District 50 as though it has existed since time began. It is brand new, just months old. So all of your crap about 'we' in the 50th Assembly District is bunk. Brownley, Sheila, Tom Hayden, etc., never represented the 50th Assembly District. That said, I live in the new AD 50. I am a gay progressive Democrat with a long history of activism and involvement. I'm voting for Betsy Butler.”

Maggy Alquijay is not impressed by the intra-party squabble. “This is the saddest state of affairs,” she writes. “But honestly, can Torie Osborn stop sending me so much mail? I feel so sorry for the trees.”

“Could be worse,” Westside snipes back. “Your mailbox could be full of baby bottles.”

Dave Qus says our story got it wrong on top-two primaries. This innovation, he writes, “is not an 'an experimental election reform.' It's in the California Constitution and it's not scheduled to expire.”

Finally, Pontificus Maximus Jr. dislikes the illustrations accompanying McDonald's article. “Can someone explain to me those odd photos? WTF? And don't give me that art-school-confidential jive: Because it's art, you don't necessarily have to get it.”

Beauty Bloggers

Readers also were divided on Gendy Alimurung's report from the front-line trenches of the beauty blogger movement (“Beauty and the Blog,” May 25).

Kelsi Smith writes, “This seems unnecessarily catty and overwhelmingly inaccurate — there's a pretty decisive difference between a beauty and a fashion blogger. They're two different industries, for starters.

“Of all the things to take away from Lucky Fashion and Beauty Blogger Conference, this is what you have to offer? Nothing about all the insightful and empowering speakers? Nothing about how unusual it was to see a whole host of entrepreneurial women in one setting, united?

“Nope, just your standard bitchiness. We get it: You're a journalist, we're bloggers. Oh, the disdain. Well, congratulations for perpetuating the female stereotype in your professional piece of journalism. We're all so grateful for your insight.”

Others enjoyed the piece. “I am so thrilled to see attention paid to these hard-working gals,” MadDogFishPants writes. “In addition to having wicked fashion sense and great taste for all things wonderful, it's inspiring to see these women working so hard and giving us all a look at how strong and powerful they are. They are a true inspiration.”

The Great White Rapper

If we managed to ignite a bit of controversy on (of all innocuous topics!) beauty bloggers, you can only imagine what was wrought by our story about Riff Raff — a white rapper who, in the words of columnist Jeff Weiss, achieves “the obliteration of the line between irony and inanity” (“Is Riff Raff Serious?” May 25).

“Best Southern rapper in the game right now,” claims $ Millionaire Deathray $. Teejones1766 sniffs, “Ha! This is like watching some white 50-year-old playing the blues on the corner.“

Lukeperlin91 is just enjoying the show. “I think it's hilarious how sooo many people don't know him for who he truly is. He is an entertainer, a comedic genius and a great businessman. Thanks for letting this man know wut's up!!”

Big Riggs isn't laughing. “This guy might be the biggest looking douche ever,” he writes.

At least one reader, though, knows what's up (or is that “wut's up”?). Writes Westcoast411, “I love Jeff Weiss' writing.” Finally, something we all can agree on.

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