23 December 2013

Hats off to the Canberra Times. You Win.

| johnboy
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Some people have a go at me periodically for the lightweight nature of some stories we let other people post.

But we have to dip our lids at the Canberra Times latest bold venture into superficiality which apparently required two journalist’s efforts to inform Canberra that a blogger of no renown is going to go to some swimming pools.

I’ve got nothing to top this. May as well give up now.

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poetix said :

I have searched the pages of the Crimes carefully, and have yet to find a hard-hitting article about automatic vacuum cleaners.

Disgraceful (-:

Perhaps not, but you can bet they’ll have an ad for some at an obscenely low price from some dubious interstate merchant.

HiddenDragon1:01 pm 31 Dec 13

Aside from the fact that it’s a slooow time of year, I take stories like this as an encouraging sign that Canberrans are, stereotypes aside, reassuringly down to earth (or carpet, as the case may be) – so much better than getting worked up into a lather (one way or another) about Tim Wilson’s appointment.

I have searched the pages of the Crimes carefully, and have yet to find a hard-hitting article about automatic vacuum cleaners.

Disgraceful (-:

The Crimes now has an article about scientists producing glow-in-the-dark pigs. Now if they can get them to fly, I’ll be really impressed.

Blen_Carmichael said :

c_c™ said :

Given the quality of writing on the blog, I’m not surprised it took two journos to turn it into something publishable. Just consider this gem:

“I guess the thing that distinguishes me from other travel-ailment-sufferers is that I don’t really want to just, like, have one big trip every 5 years which is, like, completely mind-blowing, but also puts my bank account into cardiac arrest. I don’t know if I’m just suffering from ‘boo hoo, I’m in my 20s, life is so hard’-itis, or a general sense of annoyance at the thought of still being buckled down to Canberra until I finish my degree, but these days I just feel like I want to travel all the time, every week, to ALL the places.”

Profound.

No, no, no. It’s “like, profound”, which is, like, completely mind-blowing.

It’s only arts/law.

Blen_Carmichael2:15 pm 24 Dec 13

c_c™ said :

Given the quality of writing on the blog, I’m not surprised it took two journos to turn it into something publishable. Just consider this gem:

“I guess the thing that distinguishes me from other travel-ailment-sufferers is that I don’t really want to just, like, have one big trip every 5 years which is, like, completely mind-blowing, but also puts my bank account into cardiac arrest. I don’t know if I’m just suffering from ‘boo hoo, I’m in my 20s, life is so hard’-itis, or a general sense of annoyance at the thought of still being buckled down to Canberra until I finish my degree, but these days I just feel like I want to travel all the time, every week, to ALL the places.”

Profound.

No, no, no. It’s “like, profound”, which is, like, completely mind-blowing.

Ben_Dover said :

Henry82 said :

2 Journalists AND a photographer to make that piece? Impressive!

Which one is knobbing her do you think?

Exactly my thought. Well, a different vernacular term popped into my head, but the concept was the same. 🙂

Ben_Dover said :

Henry82 said :

2 Journalists AND a photographer to make that piece? Impressive!

Which one is knobbing her do you think?

And are they using a fluffer?

Henry82 said :

2 Journalists AND a photographer to make that piece? Impressive!

Which one is knobbing her do you think?

bigfeet said :

poetix said :

I saw a pigeon yesterday.

Just for old-times sake….

I saw a duck once.

Pics or it didn’t happen…

2 Journalists AND a photographer to make that piece? Impressive!

Given the quality of writing on the blog, I’m not surprised it took two journos to turn it into something publishable. Just consider this gem:

“I guess the thing that distinguishes me from other travel-ailment-sufferers is that I don’t really want to just, like, have one big trip every 5 years which is, like, completely mind-blowing, but also puts my bank account into cardiac arrest. I don’t know if I’m just suffering from ‘boo hoo, I’m in my 20s, life is so hard’-itis, or a general sense of annoyance at the thought of still being buckled down to Canberra until I finish my degree, but these days I just feel like I want to travel all the time, every week, to ALL the places.”

Profound.

As for The Canberra Times, I’ve got a fair idea of how things are working over there these days and despite some folks who have some competence and strive to do decent work, there’s a competence deficit for sure and recent cuts have probably made things even harder for those who do know what they’re doing. There’s also a definite proclivity on the staff for jumping the gun on stories.

poetix said :

I saw a pigeon yesterday.

Just for old-times sake….

I saw a duck once.

HiddenDragon said :

“I’ve got nothing to top this. May as well give up now.” – you’re being far too modest.

Looking forward to an article about a blog which rates the coffee rating blogs.

Touch-ay

HiddenDragon1:33 pm 23 Dec 13

“I’ve got nothing to top this. May as well give up now.” – you’re being far too modest.

Looking forward to an article about a blog which rates the coffee rating blogs.

Pork Hunt said :

KB1971 said :

I could make a blog about every time I pick my nose? Dedicate it to the posters of RA?

Pics or it didn’t happen.

Hahahahaa, it would have pics and descriptions of the size, consistency and which memeber of RA it most reminds me of.

johnboy said :

Does the photo have a girl in a bikini? Because that’s what the cynic might think is driving this.

You never know JohnBoy , Farder Xmas may be on his way now with a nice pair of pink extra elastic budgie smugglers for you; to do similar stories.

Well if you don’t have the beach…………..

In seriousness, it sounds like a good idea for a blog…..but writing an article about a blog series seems a bit of a stretch.

I used to swim at CISAC because they had multi-pass casual entry ($90 for 20 visits and 4 month expiry). I only had time to go to the pool once a week (usually Fri night) so I would waste an unlimited entry pass…I just liked it cos it had a 50 m indoor pool and that pass….but it was pretty dirty and people didn’t understand the lanes divided according to speed system.

johnboy said :

Does the photo have a girl in a bikini? Because that’s what the cynic might think is driving this.

Hardly a bikini photo. Basically a head shot.

Well she’s wrong about Phillip Pool opening in 1980. I used to attend there regularly as a high school kid in 1974 and 1975 to do my laps. I think she means that the ice skating part opened in 1980.

johnboy said :

Does the photo have a girl in a bikini? Because that’s what the cynic might think is driving this.

If the Crimes are progressing to Page Three Girls, they should adopt the tabloid format (for ease of use in the toilet).

This is up there with the “Hello / OK / Celeb” type magazines and their “woman goes shopping, buys hat” type stories.

Mind you she’s welcome a dip in my pool any time she wants, and “Dunja Cvjeticanin” is a killer name for Scrabble.

KB1971 said :

I could make a blog about every time I pick my nose? Dedicate it to the posters of RA?

Pics or it didn’t happen.

So, is this meta-silliness? Or does criticism of silliness make for a legitimate article?

Incidentally, I saw a pigeon yesterday. It was grey. I can provide 500 words and a bad photo.

Does the photo have a girl in a bikini? Because that’s what the cynic might think is driving this.

Blen_Carmichael9:36 am 23 Dec 13

Felix the Cat said :

Describing local swimming pools as ”sanctuaries of awesomeness and temples of purity”

Well, she is (or shortly will be) a lawyer.

JB I don’t understand your ongoing angstiness about the poor old Crimes. Did Fairfax once sack you or sumfink?

Someone sharing their personal opinion on the internet? She’s right; almost nobody else is doing that…

I could make a blog about every time I pick my nose? Dedicate it to the posters of RA?

Perhaps “glacial” should replace “slow” in “slow news day”.

I can imagine for Canberra families with young kids and staying in town over the holidays, that blog series could actually be pretty useful. Though perhaps the paper should have done this themselves.

In the spirit of being positive, perhaps RA could do a series on good things for Canberrans to get up to over the summer (other than leave the place)?

i understand that this is what all the kids are doing on teh interwebz nowadays

Felix the Cat6:14 am 23 Dec 13

Describing local swimming pools as ”sanctuaries of awesomeness and temples of purity”

Purity? Really? More like oversized outdoor toilets.

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