Open letters are the hissy fits of our times, petulant and tedious expressions of collective outrage. It is also by some considerable measure the laziest form of protest.
In other words, the terminally aggrieved could take to the barricades but that would mean having to walk all the way to the barricades, standing around, feeling uncomfortable and what if it rained? It’s much easier to simply put names to a letter someone else had written in strident agreement with its contents.
There is one particularly egregious example of the open letter that caught my eye last night. It comes from the Columbia Journalism Review and is allegedly an open letter from the American press corps to President-elect Donald Trump.
As if journalists weren’t despised enough by the community, along comes this haughty expression of well … a journalist’s basic job description albeit dripping in sanctimony and self-importance. It even includes the grammatical venal sin of writing ‘you’re’ as ‘your’. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Full column here.
Razor says: January 24, 2017 at 9:48 pm. Are you going to make more threats you know you will never have to follow through on and be embarrassed on because we know in person, you would shake, run out of breath and go to water? You are an internet troll. I have no doubt you have tried to be a bully your whole life and the internet has given you the platform. Every time you have to personally attack attack attack because you just do not have the emotional intelligence or basic level of intelligence to accept information presented highlights you are wrong. You continue to make ridiculous attacks on me and claim it is what “everyone” thinks. That IS what small people do. You continue to project your inferiority complex onto this blog in your cowardly attempts to attack me. Before you got here the blog was never like it is now. Again I have let myself down by allowing myself to be dragged down your gutter level. It may be the only thing you can achieve in life, dragging others down. It is lowlife creature like you that keeps me truly Dismayed.
Sweetie you really need to look at your own posts………..I understand you are big on hypocrisy, climate change and private education being two obvious examples, and the pain of knowing you are a hypocrite must be immense but just relax. By the way do we go for number 3 on your usual suspects list? Ok let’s have a go shall we……..Do you have private health insurance?
Razor. You need to feel relevant so you attack people regardless of facts and without reason. Lowlifes like you will always exist and will always be shown to the scum you are.
What’s the answer to the health insurance question?
Shaun Marsh a chanceless 56 to guide the Scorchers into yet another T20 final, which sadly due to international duties he won’t play in.
It sort of dampens Dismayed’s long held, biased, cons, whatever expertise on cricket eh?
A better comment would be Ian Fleming, saying Marsh is as good as any going around. Now he knows what he’s talking about.
Damien Fleming of course, not James Bond.
The good judges like Ponting, Gilchrist et cetera regard him as one of the best bats in Australia not in the Test team and that’s good enough for me.
hope he doesn’t stub his toe getting on the plane….poor bugger would break his ankle
Marsh averages less than 40. He has now 2 scores of 50 or more in 10 innings. which is about his usual conversion rate. Show me the list of the “best bats” for Australia. None of them average below 40 in any from of cricket.
You’ll cop it from the village idiot for that post Lou.
Is that all you have? No matter the subject and without reason all you have is Piss weak name calling. I continually show you up to be dishonest and a beacon of hypocrisy and all you have is name calling and threats from behind your keyboard. Move along troll.
Do you read your posts? Just think the name calling thing might be a bit hypocritical.
The first or second IPL Shaun Marsh looked very good and I was one of those calling for him to be picked in the Australian XI. Since then he has not been able to stay fit and has not made runs consistently. He averages under 40. Not good enough. You seem to have some issue with me having an opinion. I hope he makes runs for the teams sake but he will be injured again soon. 1 or 2 performances after a string of failures is not enough.
Bullshit as usual. You did not (here) call for his selection, and to blame an accidental injury on form is garbage. ” he will be injured again soon”, what are you some sort of clairvoyant? Forget the crab walking too. His last two innings justify the faith the selectors have displayed.
If you don’t get it by now, when you grow up you’ll realise it is not people having an issue with you having an opinion, it is the opinion itself ! You must be a great role model for your kids.
Back on cricket, Nathon Lyon 4 for 24 in the T20 Semi. Another one of your failures.
You obviously don’t know the IPL started in 2008. Some time ago now. You do not have a good memory. You were not around here then and choose not to accept facts presented now. What “accidental injury” are you referring too? I made NO mention of accidental injury. I said he has been not been able to stay fit since then, He has had repeated hamstring, groin and back injuries, may have even had a shoulder niggle, way before his minor hand injuries of late. 2 out of 10 is not good enough at the highest level. Any cricket given opportunity after opportunity will eventually score a run. I said some time ago on this blog, when Lyon first started in the BBL for the Strikers after coming from the Adelaide Oval ground staff he tossed the ball up and allowed it to spin as he did the other night. I have continually said when he bowls over the wicket and flights the ball outside off he looks a much better bowler but he too often goes back around the wicket and bowls darts and becomes expensive and relieves pressure instead of creating it. Too often he has failed to deliver on day 4 and 5 pitches. You have again proven it is not the content it is the fact I dare have an opinion which more often than not is correct and shows you to be a fair weather supporter.
DISMAYED: 23 Jan. 6.04pm
You have overstepped the mark, you little twerp. How dare you infer that I am a racist South African. You know nothing about me you idiot. You show your lack of breeding.
I will repeat – Melania Trump looked exquisite. Her nationality or, for that matter, who she is married to has nothing to do with it.
Michele Obama likewise has looked gorgeous at various functions.
You wouldn’t know what an elegant woman is,
quite obviously. Nor good breeding.
You’re a waste of space on this blog and that totally uncalled for comment displays astonishing ignorance. The only way you can discuss anything it seems is by throwing insults. You disgust me.
Yvonne : Breeding? Breeding? Are you again saying you are better bred than some other type of person?? You have shown yourself again to be as shallow as suspected. You made the comment that trumps wife is “real” first lady material inferring Michelle Obama was somehow less so. You have again proven the type of person you are. You and razor are 2 peas in a hypocritical pod.
Michele Obama, Mrs Carter, Jackie Kennedy, and every other wife or partner in history of a president/head of state is a ”first lady”Dismayed. I appreciate your ignorance on that subject or the use of the English language. I was merely complimenting her on her elegance as truly living up to the benchmark. They are/were all beautifully dressed.
Unlike you, who were quick to benchmark me as a ”selth efrican”(sic) intolerant – (you really need to learn how to spell as well) – I did not choose to refer to Melania Trump as a ”Slovenian immigrant”. Now tell me, who is the intolerant racist? Hey?
You seem to take a perverse delight in thinking that you are able to make the subjects of your abusive posts feel like victims.
Nothing could be further from the truth when you are dealing with intelligent people Dismayed. Now run away and get your jollies elsewhere.
Happy to be compared with Razor. I like him. Another intelligent person who posts here. Even those who do not agree with others’ posts here do not feel the need to hurl stupid insults. You bring it on yourself. Cheers. Don’t bother me again.
Listen damnit! Thet woman is a Russian spy! Stop saying she is beautiful! In her beg she is cerrying Walther PPK loaded with exploding cyanide bullets. Poor Donald his goose is cooking.
Rezzor too, he is well bred also. I agree with thet. Could be a little too well bred sometimes I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSqkdcT25ss
He maybe win big prize!
Makes for the next series of West Wing perhaps, JB? She’s a good-looking woman for sure.
Yvonne.
Of course she is good looking. They all are. That’s the point of being a femme fatale seductress, spy and saboteur.
Oh my you continue to prove me correct every step of the way. Breeding, Breeding. apparently your breeding has led you to believe you are somehow superior to others and you want me to know it? You like razor are incapable of being honest. you said “REAL” first lady. You were called on it and as usual have to act the victim. You carry your victim placard each and every time you are called out for your ridiculous comments. You had a go at me straight off the bat on this blog and just about every other. I continue to highlight how ridiculous you are and you go looking for sympathy from all and sundry by misrepresenting comments. the “Slovenian Immigrant” reference was in response to comments and queries from CotC who apparently was unaware your hero trump has blamed the problems the US faces on immigrants. Is the first lady an Immigrant from Slovenia or not? You continue to try and misrepresent my comments every step of the way. You have again proven you are just another shallow con who thinks she is entitled to some sort of advantages due to your breeding is it? I see again you are trying to convince someone you have some level of intelligence yet your comments continue to disprove this. You ignorance astounds. You attack me I respond in kind and you claim I hurl insults? It is people like you that has helped set in motion the massive dangerous changes that are occurring around the planet. Ignorant self entitled, dishonest people who think their “breeding” should allow them advantages over others. You are the epitome of what you seem to rail against on this blog and are too ignorant to even recognise it. Move along you are just another old ill informed conservative who thinks their opinion is worth more than anyone else.
ROLFLMAO – piss off
It was a fair way back and I didn’t want to alert you to it as I knew it would cause genuine hurt Yvonne. Just try and forget about him mate. The blokes a grub and ain’t worth it.
Yes they do say the truth hurts. Yvonne has again proven me correct with her “breeding” comments. You two are welcome to each time. Leave me out of it.
Ta Razor. No drama. Not hurt at all. Just pissed off/irritated. We made a lot of personal sacrifices to extract ourselves, and particularly our children, from the apartheid regime in SA and start again. Takes courage. I do not take kindly to being told I am a racist. Particularly by someone who hides behind anonymity and clearly doesn’t have a clue what they are talking about.
Well, interesting development on Brexit – supreme court rules that May cannot go ahead without an act of parliament passing it. I wonder where that will end up?
Minor bump Yvonne but the usual crew will grasp at straws.
what referendum??
True Smoke. Why have one if it is not binding. Could have saved themselves a whole heap of drama, and money. Except they would not have Brexited. I think the general opinion these days, now they have got over the enormity of it all, is that is for the best. Am I right on that?
It will go through, Labour is in such a mess it can’t afford a snap general election if they fail to back the leglslation.
As for the harpy from north of the border Sturgeon, she would be better off trying to sort out the mess she’s made of the Scottish economy than trying to dictate to the rest of the U.K. interesting the ruling said that the devolved parliaments should have no say.
The language from the EU has been more conciliatory of late, they should have thought of that in their dealings with Cameron 12 months ago.
Looks a right royal mess doesn’t it Yvonne. One thing for sure bet ex PM David Cameron is so glad its not his problem anymore!
Non event Yvonne, a Pyrrhic victory by the irrelevant.
The governement already has the enabling legislation ready to go to a vote, and will be a simple vote for Brexit. It will be done in a couple of days, Labour has already confirmed it will vote for it.
RE:Dismayed says:
January 24, 2017 at 6:32 pm
“…. He does NOT represent middle America and his “policy” rhetoric ( there is NO detail) so far will make life harder for them. ..”.
Dismayed,
Please define ‘middle America’ and you might care to refer to the attached graphic.
New England, Illinois, and California (plus a couple of others) are Blue, as the Electoral College outcome shows the rest is Red!!
No matter how hysterical you portray, Trump carried the Election in a substantive fashion, under the ‘Rules of the Game’. Where is ‘Middle America’ on the electoral spectrum if not in the red bits?
https://ig.ft.com/us-elections/results
Sigh. I am the first to use this term am I ?? I was responding to comments made. But that’s ok I know you don’t have the intestinal fortitude to stand on your own 2 feet. It is a “colloquial” term used to describe people from small towns and suburbs mostly “middle class”. Those people that your new false prophet trump purports to want to help. By the way who decided you had the authority to Tell people to “define” things. You pass yourself off as one who offers “charity” ? you continue to belie that. It took you longer than usual to come in sniping with some ridiculously irrelevant point.
Of course your opinion is the only one that counts plmo poor Dismayed cant voice his or her opinion. Very in your face you are chum not good.
Ah, poor little possum…..
Kathy a.k.a. ?
Middle America? *holds up his hand*
Onya Dwight!
Yeah well, mystery explained, there’s your Trump vote right there.
plmo, you are an intelligent person and I’m sure you do understand the point being made. There is only one answer to the question of who is the POTUS, that is the winner of the most electoral college votes. We all get that.
However, the question of whether Trump’s election indicates a genuine sea change in the sentiment of the US electorate is much harder to gauge, and the popular vote is one measure of that. The fact that he is the least popular president in modern history suggests the answer is no.
For a bloke like him to get that far suggests something to me.
I agree. His nomination certainly suggests a good chunk of Republican Party primary voters have gone way off-script, but that still doesn’t prove a wholesale rightward drift in the entire electorate. In fact, Bernie Sanders strong grassroots showing took the Dems by surprise as well, and suggests that rank-and-file Democrat support has moved to the left. Maybe its just becoming more polarised around the edges.
Are you serious! Many of the states Trump won were democrat heartland! The industrial ones for example, where the centre left resides, moved to Trump. The edges my arse! The whole middle moved right. The left went with Bernie. That was the only fringe. I see British Labour under Corbyn and the Dems under Bernie in a very similar situation. They’ve been hijacked by leftist activists and now the others don’t know what to do. How you people continue to try and whitewash what happenned amazes me.
The overall Republican vote went backward. There was no overall move to the Right. Certain key areas moved to the right and that was enough to give Trump the presidency but the overall trend in raw percentages was slightly the other way. That’s just basic arithmetic.
Certain key areas! Did you see the electoral colledge map! Do you know where many of those states up until November usually place their vote? There was a mass movement of the centre left to the right.
Dismayed 09:10am
“Delusional”,…is that the best you can come up with, Dismayed ?
After intense pressure on you over time from many bloggers here trying to clear head, I would take in what they saying, Dismayed!
China maid it clear from that Obama visit last year to China that one new coal fire power station will be built every ten days with new technology coal and stations coming along up till 2030. India also in mass building both saying they are in “non binding agreements “after that Paris talkfest. All the same they are engaged in renewables also but saying they will not cut their growth futures just to appease the UN , they will engage in technology changes to reduce their emissions .
As for your Labor government under Rudd ,not only run up the highest debts and deficits on record , but highest power charges up 78% under Labor ignoring much clean energy projects like hydro dams , gas clean coal , oil. Nuclear cleanest energy and most efficient that will also create greater base load powerand CSG . What is wrong with your Labor Dismayed barking at coal when all these great advances are there to explore and use? SA and Victoria , banned GAS use and drilling but now failed on wind farms being high maintaince cost and less efficient with greater costs.
China has focussed on Australia as with other Asian countries on greater coal imports coming up being cheap and efficient. Lets face it ,renewables are only supplying less then 10% around the world while coal well over 70% energy , Nuclear is the best option then the lot of them , being clean and high in efficiency with new power plants now 10 times smaller then old ones and greater producing in power terms .
What you don’t understand and pointed out by Graham Lloyd and Dennis Shanahan in the Australian , is the efficiency scales and costs with new technology coming along in cheap affordable energy . Much is needed by poorer people , and that is coal until renewables later will play some small part. Nuclear is far the best option .
You can read Graham Lloyd having greater scientific experts in articles over time calls a well balance view on all this .
I would read up dismayed before visiting this topic again by many who are in the business. Read how China shunted Obama saying he will not tell us what to do having nations cutting their growth which is not on. Obama looked like a real goose on return . The other explaination from China was ,2030 { I have the article} they will level off building more power stations and try and cut pollution in their cities being a problem of over population.
Must remember Dismayed , China in history listens to no one , just look at the South China Sea construction. China now putting lines in to export power to Germany and other European nations and that is why they demanding more coal . India also constrcting more also and more demands for coal as renewables have failed in that country lacking investment . All this means greater coal energy till breakthroughs later . Renewables in Australia only serve around 5% accross the nation. SA has failed dismally in wind power and very expensive now effecting families shutting down back up power closing coal power station. These blackouts only occued since flimsy tower went up having storms knock them down . They never had blackouts like this before until this messy wind power come in . Soon as storms come , the whole system shuts down and crueled themselves not having coal power station base load power available on standby. This fiasco now sees business closures and business leaving while ignorant premier will not take on gas as energy saver .
Rodent do you even know what year it is? I have posted some facts further down. Have someone explain them to you. Your ranting’s which at time can be very difficult to decipher are quite delusional in that they are removed from reality and devoid of fact.
Jack the Insider05:20pm.
Yes I gave up after the first paragraph him not learning the lessons of the expensive failed government Rudd who crippled families and business especially power prices near doubling .
He needs to go talk to people in SA where blackouts occuring plus read wide the Australian Dennis Shanahan article on power prices and bad government managements at state levels on power .
All these Labor initiatives and failure in emissions policies was a bonus for 35 seat majority for T Abbott .Technology has moved along now and Bassman needs to read up on it .
Idealogy can lock you in while locking you out from the outside world especially comes to cheap power coal and gas that will be on demand much longer then he thinks and renewable power is far away yet asChina and India says.
I give him credit as a real Labor man , but the public and scientists have different views to him.
Great news and our parliament will be the richer for it!
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/ludlam-returns-after-depression-battle/news-story/50b6778359210f667422027d35256c04
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/fairfax-set-to-outline-monday-to-friday-print-closure-timetable/news-story/7bdc1294ba12e7cb35f51c821b6f2a2e
Fauxfacts is dropping its reason for existence. How soon must it drop its digital existence as well.
Message for Bassman: This blog is a Larry Pickering free zone. Anyone who knows what that clown has been up to will understand why.
Thang God for that JTI, the man is loathesome….
OK:-first time I have head about that but somebody asked about him with a ? So I thought I would oblige.
I actually thought he had died. I just googled his site and it’s just the usual far right crap. No more harmful than far left crap. Unless there is something else he has been up to I am unaware of.
I think the Queensland CJC is having a look at the moment.
Oh…….
Did a bit of googling……..double oh!
I can say it is fairly unknown in the circles I mix but I suspect having read some of the names allegedly involved there may be a good reason the CMC are doing the job. There may be nothing in that side of things but let’s just say perception is everything……….
I enjoy the cryptic crossword in The Age. Bummer
Works well on an Ipad
Nope, a crossword has to be done on hardcopy JS!!!! I don’t subscribe to the Age digitally or otherwise I’m afraid. If the café doesn’t have one available to read I will buy one, but not on a daily basis.
I know it’s old world Yvonne, but why don’t you prepare to print out the crossword on an old world printer.
I think there was never a better description than a “cross word”. They mostly leave me pissed off, especially the day after when it all looks obvious when revealed.
POTUS Donald Trump very busy we see Mr Insider signing important looking documents in the Oval Office surrounded by flunkies and selected Media. The TPP end for instance is one and he quickly held that up for the cameras but for all we know it could have been his next mornings breakfast order! The world is watching, many still incredulous that a person of his background ever made it to the White House, a career politician he sure isn’t and in some ways that’s refreshing but in others quite concerning.
http://tinyurl.com/hlzwtx2