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.
Here’s one just for you, JB….
Given your conviction that the moon landings were all shot in a studio here on planet earth, how can we be sure that the pics of the inaugural crowd are genuine and not a photoshop marvel? Hehehe
How can we be sure Bin Laden is dead? Jesus rose from the dead? Mary gave birth as a virgin…did they have Cesareans before Caesar? Don’t get me wrong. I would truly like to believe it.
A very good question Yvonne.
Here’s another one for JB Yvonne. If the Apollo missions didn’t go to the moon, why didn’t the Russians blow the whistle on NASA all those years ago. As the space race was a competition between Communism and Western capitalist dogs, the Russians would have had all the flights on their radar while orbiting the earth for a few days pretending to go to the moon and back. Too many holes like a Swiss cheese for mine.
Well Yvonne, I don’t give a rats, but if you care (I cant imagine why ) and want to know how they could be faked you could look for front screen projection and clues to tampering with original prints. The moon landing photographs are such crude and obvious fakes they wont be much help to you I’m afraid. Modern digital fakery might be hard to spot but you might glean something from this link.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/05/01/faking-moon-landings-the-parallax-experiments/
PS I have plenty of other links, some of them very amusing if you wish to pursue the matter further.
Off topic a bit.
Was listening to an Associate Prof of education today who reckons that administering education across the board. as we do here with NAPLAN, actually lowers the standard rather than raise it – the latter one assumes was the motive behind NAPLAN
Given the apparent decline in Australia’s education standards it seems that may be correct. Another of Julia’s signature plans comes to naught.
The degeneration of educational standards started long before NAPLAN came in .
All NAPLAN does is highlight just how bad their methods are and the academics do not like it..
You’ll cop abuse from the usual suspect for that post Yvonne.
Water off a duck’s back Razor
Those with a victim mentality like you always see abuse when evidence is presented.
Here’s another one for JB Yvonne. If the Apollo missions didn’t go to the moon, why didn’t the Russians blow the whistle on NASA all those years ago. As the space race was a competition between Communism and Western capitalist dogs, the Russians would have had all the flights on their radar while orbiting the earth for a few days pretending to go to the moon and back. Too many holes like a Swiss cheese for mine.
Ha, a ghost in the machine Jack.
NAPLAN really means NOPLAN Avon https://treehornexpress.wordpress.com/
Interesting link, thank you…….
Interesting link Bassy – thanks.
Why Avon?
Still haven’t got an explanation. I have asked. Must be some joke a la the sort Dismayed likes to pull from the archives somewhere.?
Because you know youre worth it. No, wait…
Yvonne. Do you realise there has been a big improvement is year 12 results in the last 5 years. Year 9’s have held steady. Talk about continually being negative and about the youth of the Nation no less, not to mention wrong. Sounds like you are jealous of young people. Should I post an article highlighting how Minister Birmingham selectively uses data to mislead and push the conservative ideology. The only thing we need to know is that Federal funding for Private schools has increased at a much greater rate than for Public schools. The biggest problem is that overall funding has only increased $53 per student per year since your coalition came to government. Innovation, agility, Smart Nation. Not under you cons. You cons just have to put ideology into everything. It is your sickness.
No doubt the private school your daughter attends will benefit and good luck to her and her school.
Where does this apparent education decline come from? My niece and nephew have had a great public education in Perth as has my 10 year old in Sydney. Could it be better? Probably. But it is still pretty damned good.
jack 04:49pm.
You saying I am not quite sure what the protesting was all about. Coming out of America, it seems they the protesters are not sure themselves . While I am a protester of the past , never indulge in destruction ,no probs with me as long as it don’t end up like Nauru where 75 million dollars up in flames ,our tax payers dollars by those criminals there.
The point coming out of America is , they are protesting against “internal jobs , a strong America, prosperity , changes in health that let them down, middle class wants change with low wage growth , security ,they think tightening up on that is a crime by Trump, cities get all the attention with elites running the government ,was all PC, ignorant on the jobs front of industry closures , imports flooding the country ,the protesters seem outraged that changes back into American hands to grow the country , seems they object to local manufacturing these marchers .
The loud-mouth Madonna on stage seems more appealing to those protesting then their new government who are striving for a strong prosperity America . While Trump is yet to be tested and no one knows yet if he succeeds or fails , lets face it ,the bulk of America want change . To hell with these fake miming Madonna who failed to attract in the Hillary campaign .she is against advancing the country into success . Can someone out there tell me what Madonna has done right in womens movement apart from tear it apart?????. Swearing on stages ,is this what your protest are all about? Forget all the lies of Trump revving up prositutes to perform for him bullshit , the real dirt file unproven stuff, lies he visited Russian prositutes , are now found as false . Lets not deviate away from this Madonna protest of using F word used on Trump .Lets hear from anyone who supports and explains what Madonna has done for you apart from corrupt your kids into bad language please?
Like said peace protest are ok but need proper skillful management getting their message accross .
I agree jack what you saying , seems much confusion on what it was all about , seems more a vindictive excuses Trump crueling women they believe in . Don’t take notice of his aggressive looks ,this is not policies .If he improves family life and jobs plus securing women after earliy period , they will love him.These women like some media outlets that crueled him ,will turn. If he fails , I will be there saying this . It seems the falsified dirt politics has found its way into the Madonna crowd . Like Jack TI often says , “he is innocent to proven guilty and we must not prejudge”.
Madonna represents everything the so-called Trump haters despise. What a hoot.
Yvonne 07:37am.
Valid point you saying on this grubby fowl mouth women Madonna after media usually call her a “piece of rubbish on stage breeding fowl mouth rubbish into the celebrity world'”.
I have nothing against protests been part of them myself in earlier years in Canberra over the dick-heads we had running the country those times. What I go ballistic over is rubbish celebities entering the stage when our kids are now on the edge in struggle times in a complicated batch of celebrities spruiking bad language like Madonna using the “f..k you Trump”on the platform of this protest. We have educational teachers in class having difficulties now with kids advancing in this world , many complex ,many out of control ,yet this ‘slease piece ‘ out on the stage time after time directing all this bad language is now reported and seen on Youtube. Protest in an orderly manner OK by me , no probs , but this “sour fowl mouth women” who can’t even sing, get up and mime instead , has no place in this world . This individual is nothing but a miming fake on stage . As Bassman quick picking all this up knowing advanced electronics , he often says “when is she going to sing herself”. Every time she opens her mouth means more votes for trump after failing in the Clinton campaign .
Just as a point of interest US correspondant Harley Carnes said today , Trump inauguration broke the Youtube record for the most viewers over that speech. We don’t need venomous ferals like Madonna breeding hate into our generations of kids ,we need blokes like Roger Federer tennis player as an example to guide this generations to come. We have too many undignified virulent creatures stuttin the stages these days poisonous as they are damaging our kids like ‘mad rap singers using language when one time you got the number 10 up the backside and thrown in the slammer .
So ,.. lets keep democracy clean , don’t take aim at Trumps wife , leave her out of it. Cleaning up these stage performers like the infamous Madonna detached selfish individual having a negative image ,can’t even sing having collaborating with the enemies most times not ever having a trace of brilliance . She has been helped along to make millions using publicity stunts by cheap means removing her cloths on stage or rags media that don’t even rate . Thats where the millions come from , having the mentality of engaging in cheap porn photo opportunities to drive her career forward . Is this the women the ladies in the march want in representation against Trump? Using F,..word in public then giggle about it , go back and think about it you lot out there who says trying to kill off America jobs ,prosperity and dignity ,is the way to go.
Madonna, ever the opportunist, her getting involved is a good way to give a declining career a shot in the arm. She is the ultimate capitalist Rodent.
Those Piano Guys though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G333Is7VPOg
Nice to see all the lefties accepting the will of the people – I think not.
If Hilliary had won and the “deplorables” carried on like this, the papers would be full of erudite articles about democracy.
I suggest they wake up to themselves because all they are doing is setting up a role model for the opposition if they ever win power again.
The people have spoken folks. Their are enough checks and balances in the system to make sure that he does not go too far off track.
Exactly JS.
Good point from Mr kohler. It has been clear from the start when trump and his posse are called out they claim media bias and lies. It is not gong to change and shows the danger to free press for starters.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/alan-kohler/the-threat-to-economic-journalism/news-story/de8b64db6733895b20dff1b3e2fe429b
No there is a contradiction in terms – economic journalism.
Pretty well every article is an opinion piece.
Learned that from the likes of JW Howard I would suggest.
Bit bizarre to see Madonna mouthing off at the demo.
She probably represents everything that people perceive as the problem they have with Trump.
Does she pay fair taxes ? She is mega rich. Did she vote?
Yep, Madonna and Trump, I always get those two mixed up.
Trump can probably sing better, JOH
Yeah, but trump aint a virgin…
There is another way of looking at it Yvonne. Even someone as fabulously rich and successful as Madonna hates The Donald’s guts.
Her exemplary attitude may contain a hint that she is preparing to run for President. She would be do a better job than Hilary Clinton I reckon. What a debate, Madonna versus Trump! She would moider de bum!
WARNING. Though not nearly as offensive as some of Donald Trump’s remarks the link may contain the “F” word. Which I believe a lot of young people are using these days.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-on-donald-trumps-election-win-were-f–ked-w453873
Not surprising really to read that she still regards herself as relevant.
The speech was probably following the maxim ”any publicity is good publicity” – she needs it.
Obviously “Rolling Stone” considers her relevant. Maybe you could test your relevance by submitting an essay for publication to the editors of RS?
I’ll never be a Madonna, JB. Obviously RS does consider her relevant – which is irrelevant to me
Someone thinks Madonna is relevant because her earnings last year were $76 million.
Has Bill Leak finally lost his marbles? Since that blow on the head he has become more shrill, more right wing more hysterical. Today’s cartoon shows him portraying the women who marched against Trump as being pro islamic terrorism, pro drugs and crime gangs, anti democracy, anti wealth, etc etc.
Time the men in the white coats came for Bill, a bit overdue I know, but better late than never.
I believe what he is saying is that there are many other issues in the world that that never get an airing.
They are being highly selective and are just pissed off because Hilliary did not win
I agree with Trump….it is no good whingeing now….they should have come out and voted.
I havent seen the cartoon but what right does anyone have to tell other people what they should protest about? And – heres the beauty of my point – when you ask me what right I have to tell Leak not to tell other people what not to protest about Im going to reply by saying what right do you have to tell me not to tell Leak not to tell other people what to protest about.
Got it?
It’s a cartoon UQ. I thought it was funny, with a bit of irony thrown in.
Bill lost it a long long time ago. Used to be the doyen of toonists. He is just not FUNNY anymore. If you want a REAL laugh you can’t go past David Rowe, Pope (these 2 the best), Kudelka, Moir, Mark Knight, Tanberg, Pickering. There is one bloke even less funnier than Leak though and that is Leunig. I guess his stuff is too far advanced for my small brain.
In other words Bassy, you agree with the cartoons theme.
Bassy – Your take on Leunig is quite understandable.
I think he’s a genius with an array of talents; been following him for two decades or more. One of his “special” messages in my own scrapbook is a gem from May 1999:
“He searched upon the internet
And found a little hole
And out of it some poison pictures
Drifted to his soul
Where delicate and special plants
From some sweet childhood place
Were all defoliated by
The spray from cyber space”
How about them apples Bassy, and what do you think they mean?
I wrote to Mike Bowers once on Insiders to question why Leunig was not so funny. Bowers said he suffered(ed) from depression. Bowers doesn’t find him funny either in his email to me. Maybe because he won’t come on his show. Oh and by the way, leak was quite brilliant today. MORE of THIS BILL. Stay away from the dark broody moody stuff.
Pickering…..??
Yes that one kind of stood out for me too. Frankly, IMO Leak’s going down the same path, both men increasingly desperate to offend people they personally hate, but never the sacred cows of their AWM target audience. It’s more and more self-referential to the point of being incomprehensible to people outside that bubble.
Just stating the obvious truth
I own up to not being the cleverest on the blog.
Where’s Darren?
No need to. It has been assumed for some years.
Time for PM Malcolm Turnbull to tell us his agenda, if he actually has one, says Adam Gartrell of the SMH, Mr Insider. Lets not hold our breath there Adam, he’s been PM for nearly 2 years on a “policy” of doing nothing. At least Trump has an ” agenda” even if much of it looks a bit “loony”. Cmon Turnbull “balls to the wind” buddy get in and achieve something for the hard working Australian people whilst you are PM instead of pandering to the right wing of your party!
http://tinyurl.com/hc4gd6j
You want Malcolm to commit himself?
Dewam on!
Dream on!
Malcolm’s agenda is set out in the agreement he signed with the Hard Right and The Un Nationals that he will not let us see. We SHOULD be allowed to see it. It is the Abbott agenda. Abbott and his mates still run the show. Different face-same policy vacuum.
Do you really think there would be some document that MT signed up to with the people that hate him. You should be doing the conspiracy stuff with JB.
Jean Baptiste
January 22, 2017 at 5:07 pm
says: “What a sleazy mealy mouthed mouthed con artist was Reagan. A fraud and a stooge. As thick as two bricks but as cunning as a sh*t house rat. A classic dumb military industrial installation in the White House, just capable of learning his lines. And he didn’t dye his hair either. Pay up suckers.”
Ahhh … come, come JB, admit it; you’re still pissed because Ronald got pally with Mikhail, the cold war ended and the wall came tumbling down quicker than one could say ‘Jack Robinson’.
You’re only having another lash with a heavy feather me old mate.
Obviously you didn’t take on anything from the previous links. The idiot Reagan may have gone to his grave believing he undid the Soviet Union, which is of course is a load of old bollocks fed to the masses.
The Russians were obliged under WW2 treaty to let go of the states under their dominion 50 years after the end of the war. And they did so , allowing a free vote.
Forward thinking Russians were pragmatic enough to understand that they could never maximise the bounty of their vast resources while they were denied access to Western markets and I suspect they were happy to see the Union states go.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/ronald-reagan-middle-class_n_6578130
Try and get that into your hygienic (brainwashed) head.
Surely you don’t believe that piffle! That’s right up there with the faked moon landings JB.