Last week, BabyPowdr wrote a good, straight-to-the-point article about a seemingly endless argument here in Whyville: long shirts. You all know the rule at Akbar's: shirts that show the area below the "solar plexus" are not to be accepted, along with shirts that have straight sides and shirts that are intended to be used as lower body extensions. I personally think that the rules are absolutely ridiculous, and I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way.
A few months ago at a MTM meeting, Akbar made a rare appearance, and I had a chance to talk to him. We started talking about Face Factory reforms that could be made, and ended up on the unavoidable subjects of long shirts. So I asked him the bottom line, "Why don't you accept long shirts, anyway?" This was his reply, "Too many people started putting inappropriate things on the lower parts of the torso."
Wow. That's really weird . . . because I thought we had a program where he looks at every face part and throws out the inappropriate ones, right? I mean, isn't that what the whole sorting process is for? The way I see it, if you're going to dig through every single part anyway, it won't be that much more work to throw out the "inappropriate" ones. I'm willing to venture that 80-plus percent of long shirts, if he were to accept them, would be appropriate anyway.
But again, that's just my voice. To see what you all have to think, I ventured out into the scary depths of somewhat average Whyvillians like you and I. I interviewed 3 people on the subject, and here's what they had to say.
LowOnSoap: Do you think that not accepting long shirts is helpful and necessary for the Face Factory? Why or why not?
GeTeEfOh: No, because (if long shirts would be accepted) people will stop complaining, no one will abuse it really, and less extensions will be made, making it easier on Akbar.
Alayna11: Well I think long shirts should be accepted at Akbar's for lots of different reasons.
StArViNg: I don't think it's helpful because Akbar doesn't accept guy shirts that I make anyway. He thinks they're extensions which doesn't make sense.
LowOnSoap: What problems do you think may occur if the Face Factory started accepting long shirts again?
GeTeEfOh: Bellies or waists showing maybe.
Alayna11: Well . . . I don't know of many problems that may occur, but there are some people that could find a way to make things crude or wrong.
StArViNg: I think that people would remake long shirts and remake short shirts with extensions.
LowOnSoap: What would you say to persuade Akbar to start reaccepting long shirts, if you want him to?
GeTeEfOh: That it would make Whyville a lot better place in my point of view, allowing more variety, more designs and less complaining.
Alayna11: I'd probably say, "Everyone wants long shirts now. We don't understand what's so wrong with them. Plus, we elongate them anyway with shirt extensions. So please bring long shirts back!"
StArViNg: I wouldn't tell him to reaccept long shirts. I would just tell him to accept more shirts and be a little bit more lenient
Wow! I really didn't expect some of those answers. While it seems GeTeEfOh and Alayna11 are on the same page as me, some such as StArViNg and others I talked to were worried about rare long shirts getting remade. But honestly, I haven't talked to a whole lot of people about this. I want to know what you think about it - and I'm sure the CWs would just love to hear our opinions as well (*wink wink*). So you fantabulous little kiddies, post your voice in the BBS and tell us what you have to say. Maybe your opinion will finally be considered . . . by someone. Anyone??
