Civility
It’s a strategy that President Obama’s spin team employed when he was neck-deep in political hot water over an incredibly unpopular health care policy – demonise the critics.

Instead of addressing valid criticisms, damn the people making them.
Witness the way the groundswell “Tea Party” movement was wrongly characterised by most of the mainstream media in the US and here as well. There’s a derisory edge, almost a snigger, whenever the media discuss this significant political movement.
Continue reading "Don’t address the concern, shoot the critic" »
A radio personality returned to the air this week after time out to recover from an unfortunate incident arising from a social disability before now not previously categorised – he is, I have concluded from the incident and his lack of remorse, ‘civically challenged’.

The ‘civically challenged’ person is so self-absorbed or insensitive as to be oblivious to the social and cultural impact of his or others’ egotistical or crass behaviour.
He or she behaves in a way that weakens civic virtue and sensibility. A pattern of such behaviour can desensitise others to the harm being done, normalising what in a moment of shared reflection would obviously be deemed unedifying at best.
Continue reading "What Kyle says about the death of our civility" »
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JA says:
Kristy, there’s little denying that FCUK is using shock value to promote itself. I agree with Chris about this, it’s the sort of marketing dreamed up by 15 year old boys with still-developing brains and little understanding of the world or their actions. Unfortunately there are too many twits like… Read more »
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Kristy says:
Just FYI, FCUK is actually an abbreviation of the clothing company French Connection UK. Therefore, while it may look offensive to some (and no doubt that’s the reason they use it on their clothing) it’s actually just the same as someone wearing a t-shirt with Nike or Billabong across the… Read more »
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marley says:
I'm one of the older ones, so I've certainly seen a few changes in my time. When I started school I learned to write with a nib pen, dipped in an inkwell (no, I'm not kidding). My mother became a dab hand at getting inkstains out of my clothes. Flicking ink at one another in the classroom was an essential… [read more]From: I’d rather have a piece of toast than listen to crap lyrics
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Led Zeppelin are responsible for my all-time favourite mixed metaphor: "There you sit, sit and stare, like a book on a shelf rusting." (Misty Mountain Hop) I laugh every time I hear it. Hmmm, I believe I've decided what to play on the way to work today. [read more]Gentle jabs to the ribs
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