4 December 2007

In reply to Jessica Wright

| johnboy
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We here at RiotACT don’t read Jessica Wright’s stuff in the Canberra Times as regularly as she seems to read ours.

And after I promised Jack Waterford I wouldn’t make her burst into tears in the newsroom any more I thought we’d have written the last about her.

Even her mother hunting down the author of a piece mocking her writing (which we removed at the author’s request such was mumsy’s fury) didn’t tempt us to write more.

So we were a little surprised to learn, a few days after the event, that she’d devoted a column to slagging RiotACT and its readers. You can see the article here [PDF].

Some might think it odd for Jessica to devote a whole column to slagging a website without informing her readers of the website’s address. Others might wonder what on earth a “blogsite” is.

It was in response to last week’s story by Pandy which, with some trepidation, I had left with his headline on (I had been passing over the site and dropped in to clear the queue).

I could have gone either way with it, but the context made it clear that there was a jocular element to the headline which was going for shock value. On balance, coming from an established contributor, I let it pass. I have to say that given the past strong defences of the Gay and Lesbian communities on this site a contra view possibly deserved some air.

To some extent I let the language through not because I agreed with it, but because I didn’t. We’re great believers around here of letting bad ideas destroy themselves.

But let’s look more at the text of Jess’s story which I’d like to examine in detail.

“Poofta marriages back on the table”
I’ll allow a few moments for the incredulity of such a bigoted statement to sink in

Is her problem with one word? Or with the statement??

“Gay marriages back on the table” seems to hardly be incredulously bigoted does it? So really Jessica meant to write “word”, and ended up writing “statement”. Some readers have expressed a hope that a future in journalism might beckon for them too on the basis of these standards, but it’s not what you know, it’s who you know kids.

Moving on…

Bear in mind, this is a site that purports to moderate both readers’ comments and article matter and reaches a considerable audience.

Actually we moderate as a last resort and with some sorrow, but it’s nice to have Jessica confirm the considerable nature of our audience (tip for new players, a phrase like “considerable audience” is journalist for “I’m too lazy to do any research”)

It beggars belief to think that anyone in sound state of mind could possibly entertain the necessity of such words

Jessica’s belief is obviously easily beggared. I certainly wouldn’t argue that the words were necessary, in fact it’s hard to find anywhere where we claim that only the necessary will be found on this website.

But there you have it. Predictably bloggers’ comments veer from the inappropriate to the sleazy in tone, no doubt spurned on by the title entry

For someone incensed at the use of a single word she’s certainly plenty lax in her own language. I’m not sure how one can be “spurned on”, perhaps she meant “spurred”?

Anyway the comments had a varied number of views as you’d expect for an issue where there is far from a consensus in the wider community.

Jess is extremely selective in her quoting as she finds only the ones that suit her argument before accusing we moderators of neglect in failing to expunge all thought she does not find acceptable. Now there are words to describe selective quoting from an unattributed source aren’t there??

Should she ever compile a book of her wit and wisdom we shall, in future, be sure to consult it for a listing of which ideas of the little people must be eliminated.

Moving on…

… it is all too easy to be a bigot and remain safe behind a computer screen. Once it was pointed white canvas masks

I don’t know about you but my Klan outfit is made from linen and not canvas. (Note to witless opinion writers: this is a joke, I have never been a member of the Klan and do not own such a costume). But now we’re on the same moral plateau as a lynch mob? My belief also, is becoming beggared. I’m also disturbed that real life murder is now being made equivalent to a tiff about one word on a website.

Would such dialogue be condoned if, say, racial slurs were used in the headline… ?

Probably not. But it would, once again, depend on a number of factors.

“Yet gay bashing, by the consent of one public forum, is deemed acceptable”

I had no idea RiotACT wielded such awesome power. I assume Jess means metaphorical gay bashing given that real physical gay bashing is still a real menace to society. But why stop with the inflammatory language there?

Oddly enough a number of Gay and Lesbian readers participated in the comments on that story, seemingly unabashed. But Jess left them out as they’d have ruined the direction of her piece.

That same-sex unions remain an ongoing argument is damning enough of our society’s level of tolerance, but to openly encourage and take part in this sort of prejudice is appalling

What, you mean by splashing it over a page of the Sunday Paper while removing all the balance?? Yes, you may have guessed that I am appalled.

Leaving that aside Jessica again seems to think that anyone who disagrees with her should be silenced. A wildly totalitarian view, she should run for parliament on that.

[For the record I think the legal aspects of marriage should be totally removed from the churches, the law should recognise civil unions of any adults for the purposes of spouse’s rights and if people want to have some sort of party they can call it whatever the hell they want to. But just because it’s my opinion doesn’t make everyone who thinks anything different unworthy of being heard.]

Jess then launches a stirring defence of same sex civil unions, issues already well covered on this forum, before once more ascribing RiotACT with astonishing powers.

In this instance, by this website’s example, the issue has been cheapened on the whole, and not a bit of it has to do with homosexuality

This website with its 24,000 visitors a month cheapened the debate about same sex unions on the whole???

We find that to be about as believable as anything else of Jessica Wright’s we’ve ever read.

If Jess had bothered to check she might have discovered that allowing the language used was a line ball decision by one editor.

But hey, much more fun to slag away the whole community with poorly thought out and badly written drivel.

Now, having made it this far dear reader, an exercise for you.

I think we can only take three quotes out of here to go in the taglines at the top of the page, please nominate your best selective quotes and discuss their merits.

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The Canberra times seem so scared of not being the only ones able to express an opinion. AND CONTROL OUR MEDIA LAPPING HUNGRY MINDS.

At least the Riot act allows other people to have a say…

Ingeegoodbee10:36 am 17 Jan 08

“So much vitriol,so much jealousy. How could a restauranteur get someone a job at a newspaper?”

Ever heard of a chap by the name of Tony Wright?

No, the riotact does (only for Unix admins though!). Or so I’m led to believe.

What, the Canberra Times has a casting couch?

I’m led to believe that some elements of the media industry recruitment process are more focused on your personal appearance and lack of inhibitions than actual skill.

So much vitriol,so much jealousy. How could a restauranteur get someone a job at a newspaper?

Her article gave me a headache. Someone send that woman a “idiots guide to journalism”

And hair dye

“Spurned on”: is that something to do with the Pearl necklace comment that Pandy mentioned earlier?

My suggestion for the tagling quote: simply “Spurned on”. It’s classic CT editorial quality!

hingo_VRCalaisV64:51 pm 05 Dec 07

LOL! Like any newspaper that has a yourguide.com page as their official site is worth reading. They might as well just make a MySpace page.

Not infrequently it occurs that a person who has paid to get in pays twice as much to get out – sounds dirtier

Ingeegoodbee1:55 pm 05 Dec 07

You’re welcome to it

I like this one for a tag line:

sometimes I cry just looking back at some of the crap I’ve posted here!

Comment by Ingeegoodbee — 4 December, 2007 @ 7:10 pm

I was not asked for my permission to be quoted by the Canberra Times.

Where do I send the bill ?

Oooh Ooh, put this bit as a tag line “There are men called journalists who have established ink baths which some persons pay money to get into, others to get out of.”, sounds kind of dirty.

interesting quote you’ve dug up there sallyann60, shame its too long for a tag line. i might selectively paraphrase if you dont mind.

“INK, n. A villainous compound of tannogallate of iron, gum-arabic and water, chiefly used to facilitate the infection of idiocy and promote intellectual crime. The properties of ink are peculiar and contradictory: it may be used to make reputations and unmake them; to blacken them and to make them white; but it is most generally and acceptably employed as a mortar to bind together the stones of an edifice of fame, and as a whitewash to conceal afterward the rascal quality of the material. There are men called journalists who have established ink baths which some persons pay money to get into, others to get out of. Not infrequently it occurs that a person who has paid to get in pays twice as much to get out.”Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914)

If even a few of writers here wrote letters to the editor, not one of them would get published, the “Editor at Lunch” would ensure that for fear of having young Jessy back weeping in his office yet one more time… but fear not the electronic ink of the internet is far more parmanent a record than that of the Times will ever be.

The problem is, goofy half-arsed opinion pieces like these are all the rage in newspapers at the moment. Doesn’t need to comply with any kind of journalistic standards because, after all, it’s not journalism, it’s just opinion.

But if a newspaper stops being reliable for, well, news, then what on earth is the use of it?

Elvis Las Canberras11:01 pm 04 Dec 07

Pooftas, Canberra Times, pissing, rednecks, turtles.

Q. What is the common link?

A. Jess and half a glass of chardonnay… No… A Riot Act blog – this is great!!!

If she was a half decent gossip columnist (she’ll never be a journo but most aren’t these days) she would have the brains to realise that sites like these are great leads on useful stories.

erm. Maybe that’s why she didn’t link to the site, come to think of it.

eww 😛

I was in support of not pissing in jess’s ear should I find her head to be on fire.

Not everyone who is on RA is a dullard redneck homophobe….. Maybe she should look beyond her nose next time…..I have got better stories out of dodgy viagra spam emails.

el ......VNBerlinaV810:28 pm 04 Dec 07

ROFLMAO!

el: Kidney stones LOL!

el ......VNBerlinaV810:16 pm 04 Dec 07

Oh, and I think the title of the ‘offensive’ (yeah fcking right you PC whingers) article should have been changed as well – I believe the traditional spelling is ‘poofter’, not ‘poofta’.

el ......VNBerlinaV810:13 pm 04 Dec 07

Pandy: *Diamond* necklace????

Oh come on people. This is all too ridiculous. She is NOT a journalist so we shouldn’t critique her as one – that’s just too funny (You just have to look at all the completely random SHIFT F7’s in her writing) It’s not interesting nor is it thoughtful writing – and it’s nonsensical! Begs other ‘non-thinkers’ to go “YEAH, right on!”. But not actually have a clue what they’re talking about or the intelligence to read the thread to interpret the content themselves. Time for mummy to get her a new job…

Elvis Las Canberras9:42 pm 04 Dec 07

Not sure if eh steve has seen her in a while, my grandma was kind of hot many years ago – one thing that hasn’t changed is that she still wont shake the turtle nickname!

“She’s not as hot as she looks in the pic either”

Yes she is.

DMD if I ever had a twat I would sell tickets.

Elvis Las Canberras9:15 pm 04 Dec 07

Yeh the restaurant only had a few cars in the car park when the Stegbar 500 was on

Elvis Las Canberras9:12 pm 04 Dec 07

I thought Johnboy was a twat but actually he’s (or she) has come up a thousand percent…nice work in breaking down this drivel by Jess… sorry should I say “the Turtle”.

Looks like the CT has really lost the plot allowing her to write…sorry get her mum to write this article.

Again nice work Johnboy!!!

Deadmandrinking9:12 pm 04 Dec 07

Do we write for the Canberra times Sepi? I for one am pleased a twat like Pandy got to write the title, gave me opportunity to dive straight in.

I was surprised to see the article in the CT on Sunday, and even more surprised to read that all the discussion was sleazy and abusive. When quite a lot of people expressed sentiments of which she surely approved. Very tabloid-style “journalism”, and poorly written.

But tell me, is this the Ms Wright who presided over Canberra’s top restaurant going broke and closing down? (Now thankfully open again, I even did a review of it).

Besides needing to learn how to recognise what’s tongue-in-cheek or a joke, and distinguish a witty post from the inevitable dullard troll posts that can’t be avoided in an open forum on the web, Jessica needs grammar lessons, lessons in how to write, and a lesson in how to avoid the passive voice. What a little turd she is.

Who’s Jessica Wright?!
lol
She’s not as hot as she looks in the pic either.

Clearly there is censorship on this site, as not all articles are published. I think this one should have had it’s title edited. Otherwise why have a moderator at all. The word wouldn’t have bugged me so much in a comment, but in the title it is just wrong.

And as for commenters on this site criticising someone’s language skills. Most of you need to get your own house in order first.

Not even worth a pearl or diamond necklace.

(Snigger. Chew on that Jess)

You’ve gotta admit, Jess is rather hot though.

She wins by default.

Yes VN. If you look at the content of my message I was not argueing one way or another, just navel gazing at what Pinky Rudd would do. Also I was having a go that lesbians are left out for copy headline purposes. And of course some lesbians like to ride motorbikes and call themselves dykes.

I have many gay friends and am accussed at times of being gay (maybe I just don’t know it? heh heh). Yes the title was a stir (yep Kramer) to get the debate going and I was completly surprised it went pass the keeper. But hey, that is also a reflection on the keeper.

As for my personal belief, I don’t give a rats arse. Just look and listen to J. Kirby whom I admire as a role model.

And as the GLADD Media Reference Guide 7th Edition says:
Problematic: “gay marriage”
Use “marriage” or “marriage for gay and lesbian couples” whenever possible.

How many times have we offended that like rule then?

BTW: Jessica Wrong is not Baltic so she does not appeal to me (just for you sallyann60)

Vic Bitterman7:46 pm 04 Dec 07

Hahaha. Well, this little article of the alleged journalist sure failed big time.

Wonder if she knows how to Google the word “Owned”?

el ......VNBerlinaV87:40 pm 04 Dec 07

Weren’t the majority of comments either:

in favour of gay marriage, or

non-plussed about the whole issue anyway?

sepi – actually I don’t take much joy in making her cry.

If she hadn’t had this pop at us I would have hapilly left her alone.

Like you said it wasn’t the sort of thing we run on a regular basis.

There’s a big difference between what we’re willing to do once and what we’ll run on a regular basis.

I’m just saying something in case Jessica quotes me in the paper.

Deadmandrinking7:26 pm 04 Dec 07

Sepi, yes the terminology and the attitudes against homosexuals by some was offensive. But people argued against it ON THE FORUM (including myself). They didn’t have a whine and a cry in some ridiculous column their mummy got them.

The reason I’m pissed at Jess is because she wrote a useless, one-sided diatribe, called it an ‘opinion piece’, which turned out to be nothing more than a lame attempt at revenge against this site and got paid for it. Do I get paid for bitching about people? If so, someone owes me a lot of cash.

To censor the offending remarks (including Pandy’s title) would not lead to a fair and balanced debate. On a site like this, censorship should only be employed in legal circumstances, i.e. someone’s private information being exposed. If you want censored debate, Sepi, write wanky letters to the Canberra times, but on here, I want to hear the opinions of armchair fascists so I can slam them down.

As some famous guy said, “I don’t like what you stand for, but I will die for your right to say it.”

She’s a wine snob too!

Cautionary tale Ms. Wright. Take on the internet, and the internet wins.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/good-living/reds-under-the-bed/2005/06/27/1119724564205.html

Ingeegoodbee7:10 pm 04 Dec 07

sometimes I cry just looking back at some of the crap I’ve posted here!

Personally I find if I don’t make at least one person cry each day, I feel incomplete as a human being. 😉

Ingeegoodbee6:39 pm 04 Dec 07

harden up sunshine.

I disagreed with the headline. If content like that was commonly run, you could forget about the serious content like responses from Senate candidates.

Terminology like that shouldn’t be endorsed, which it was tacitly, by being let through and then not moderated out.

I’m with Jess- you wouldn’t have run something as crude about Indigenous people, so why is it ok about homosexual people. Ah – because it was ‘humourous’. Riiiight.

And I don’t understand why you would revel in having made her cry.

Ingeegoodbee6:14 pm 04 Dec 07

I would have imagined that the real news story on same-sex relationships over the weekend might have been the fact that the new Liberal seat warmer (sorry) opposition leader had indicated that the coalition would be shifting its stance on the whole issue of equality before the law for same-sex couples. Jessica must of missed it because it was in the in-tray marked “grown ups news”, much easier to stick with her view from the ivory tower and heap it on what normal people think.

I was one of those who felt some of the language in the thread went a distance too far. I have worked with enough male and female homosexuals to know that they often receive a hard time from stupid people.

I’m not surprised that Ms Wright reads RiotACT. I’m surprised that anyone reads the Canberra Times.

DMD – they might be instigating it, but what I meant by engaging us is actually participating in a debate rather that writing that article full of utter nonsense.

Plebs? Really WonTon, such elitism is appropriate….well, only for CT columnists it would seem.

“So that’s where my taxes are going! Bitchy plebs and pubes who have found an alternative source of time wasting since they can’t access facebook during work hours. Good job guys.

Such consistent reference to jessica’s good looks can only lead one to assume a pit of envy sinking as far as your fat arses into your chairs and as low as your sagging breasts below the desk. Get over it already.

Comment by WonTon — 4 December, 2007 @ 4:16 pm”

Yay, the Jessica Wright cheer squad has arrived!

Deadmandrinking4:28 pm 04 Dec 07

They are engaging us in debate. Jess Wright is just charging us $1.20 for her comments.

I would find it incredibly surprising if anyone from the Canberra Times actually engaged the community – particularly this community. Their loss.

must say caf, i also baulked at the headline…

still, this is the internet and there should be no onus on every single person wants to exercise free speech to have a go – we just needn’t endorse it. and clearly the comments in that thread didn’t.

this jess person, do you read these posts? do you have the gumption to announce yourself and debate this sanely with these posters here on RA?

we dare ya!

Ruby Wednesday4:18 pm 04 Dec 07

RiotACT ‘puports’ to do something. Is that anything like ‘purports’?

So that’s where my taxes are going! Bitchy plebs and pubes who have found an alternative source of time wasting since they can’t access facebook during work hours. Good job guys.

Such consistent reference to jessica’s good looks can only lead one to assume a pit of envy sinking as far as your fat arses into your chairs and as low as your sagging breasts below the desk. Get over it already.

avidmxreader3:49 pm 04 Dec 07

Wonder if she has sharp knees?

That’s a good point Caf, and certainly one I considered at the time.

Personally I disagree with the decision to run with the headline. The articles themselves do, for better or worse, carry an implicit endorsement. The general priciple of allowing bad ideas to condemn themselves is sound, but I think name-calling crosses the line to propaganda.

The comments, however, are a different kettle of fish. I kind of relate the them to a raucous debate in a crowded pub, and just like any public place someone who makes a comment that is deemed to cross the line of what’s socially acceptable will be either swiftly told to pull their head in by their peers, or pointedly ignored.

“Ok, best to leave off the remarks about her appearance, she does deserve some credit for putting her face on the column.”
TAG LINE!!!

V twin venom3:22 pm 04 Dec 07

Does this make the subject of our jest just some watery tart

And not in fact, the messiah?

As for those of you making light of this I can only say you’re very naughty boys.

She forgot to cite sources, check facts, support allegations, or generally do research.
She remembered to put her face on the column.
As johnboy says, we should give her credit for that.

Ingeegoodbee2:47 pm 04 Dec 07

The mind boggles at what wrath would await the hapless purveyors of wood-fired pizza should they ask a few bucks more than their posted prices on some poorly maintained website!

Another failed graduate from the Margo Kingston school of journalism.

Ok, best to leave off the remarks about her appearance, she does deserve some credit for putting her face on the column.

Well we all know how hot blond women get their jobs….(this will surely get Riot another mention in the CT) 🙂

I wonder if she might make a better career move by becoming one of those infomercial spruikers, selling canvas hoods or the like?

barking toad2:00 pm 04 Dec 07

Well that’s a fair old fisking johnboy with a nice little kick from ingee too.

The page from the sunday crimes with Jess’s dribble currently lines my budgie cage and the poor lass’s pic is now covered in a pile of droppings. As is appropriate.

No doubt there’ll be tears. She should seek advice from the other perpetually offended poster, margo.

Put her on CT page 3, or make her the evening weathercleavage on TV?

I have to say, she does look hot. Even if she can’t write, doesn’t make sense or mummy got her a job. Maybe the CT should just put a picture of her in the paper without any story. We all might appreciate her more.

v_man_returns1:39 pm 04 Dec 07

She’s obviously using her position as a journalist to seek revenge on ra, unfortunately it’s just opens herself up for more scrunity. I wonder what the ct vs ra readership stands at, it’s hard to say with repeat visitors to the site. As annoymous bloggers, you have to expect people to go over the top, and there’s nothing on here that would really offend those with an open mind. I think the sunday times is a tabloid for good reason, it might as well go that way daily.

SHE’S HOT!!!

“I actually don’t think that Jessica’s bog-paper missive has anything to do with same-sex relationships. It seems to be more about putting the boot into RA for whatever paranoid reason she may harbor.”

“Speaking of which, Impassive, she’s ripped this straight out of a bit Media Watch did on one of the major newspaper’s comments section. Except, what with the ABC actually being able to associate journalism with what they publish, Media watch did have a point, as the comments on those sites are screened beforehand and there was alot more crazy right-wing comments than moderate or left-wing.”

My thoughts too.

V twin venom1:28 pm 04 Dec 07

I read part of the CT every morning as the bride and I step out of the shower together. It’s the bit that sticks out from under the cat box and is usually soaked in urine. A great resource that paper is.

But back to the original thread. Yes the bride and I are married. It was a civil ceremony and had nothing to do with the church or any religion. We did it as a commitment to each other and to tidy up any legal problems should anything happen to one of us. Everyone should have the right to do the same…….even pooftas.

Nice work Pandy – another hungry carp hooked, reeled into the boat, beheaded, and thrown back into the water.

Deadmandrinking1:19 pm 04 Dec 07

Well you know the NAZI’S only ever told one side of the story!

Sorry, I just had to.

Seriously though, do you know if they publish these Sunday sillies on the CT website? That would be a good way to overcome the author’s request thing wouldn’t it?

Ingeegoodbee1:14 pm 04 Dec 07

As a rule, when one finds oneself at the bottom of a deep hole, it’s best to stop digging. Something poor Jessica has not yet grasped. Seriously out of her depth, she has tried to (puff) pump prime her light weight slot on Canberra’s Sunday edition of the cat tray liner into something more serious than she has the wit, nor wisdom to handle.

Her possibly legitimate views on same-sex relationships – likely formed during her cloistered youth in the bohemian leafy inner north of O’Connor and later inner south reflect a maturity that belies her conservative Girls Grammar School education – nevertheless, with a little more intellectual ‘mileage’ sweet Jessica might have been aware that there really are a diverse range of strongly held opinions on this subject. I would have assumed that anyone wishing to put the case for change would need to articulate the arguments in favour of that change and address the arguments against change. Simply berating those who oppose your view with pompous name-calling and derision just singles Jessica out as another annoying bleating element of the back-ground noise on same-sex relationships – she’s simply no better than the rest of us biased, opinionated, bigoted and poorly informed would-be hacks with the one exception: our daddy’s didn’t swing us job writing for a newspaper.

I actually don’t think that Jessica’s bog-paper missive has anything to do with same-sex relationships. It seems to be more about putting the boot into RA for whatever paranoid reason she may harbor. Perhaps she’s a ventriloquists dummy mouthing the death throws of an outdated rag with plummeting circulation (apologies to ventriloquists dummy’s for the analogy).

In my opinion homosexuality is completely wrong, but you should never deny the right of two consenting adults to join in a civil ceremony!

oh wait… wrong forum…

*Puts on ‘Klan’ outfit and joins the RA mob* >.>

Wouldn’t worry about it. When you’ve Cayla Dengate after you – that’s when you KNOW you’re in trouble.

Sadly I don’t think Godwin runs to the Klan.

I was tempted to invoke 1984 or possibly Nazi’s in response though, so it was certainly something I was mindful of.

RG it started with this and then a reader send in something quite brilliant but very brutal which he subsequently asked us to remove in the face of parental pressure (and some astonishing language if he is to be believed).

DMD, it came down at the author’s request, not much we can do in those situations.

There was no question of legal proceedings, rather retribution in other ways and places as far as I could tell.

I hope I’m not the only one who muttered “who the f- is Jessica Wright?”.

Dear Jess (is it ok if I call you Jess?),

Welcome to The Internet. It’s Serious Business.

Love,

The Internet

Seriously though, I chuckled at the “Poofta marriages back on the table” line, as traditional boganese should be hilarious to anyone who holds themselves above that lot. And while I’d love to get my name published in the paper- for nefarious reasons or not- I’ll have to mention I attended the first gay Quaker marriage in the country, and it still annoys me no end that it wasn’t considered “legal”.

Oh, and does mentioning the KKK count as invoking Goodwin’s Law? You lose, Jess…

Deadmandrinking12:57 pm 04 Dec 07

Speaking of which, Impassive, she’s ripped this straight out of a bit Media Watch did on one of the major newspaper’s comments section. Except, what with the ABC actually being able to associate journalism with what they publish, Media watch did have a point, as the comments on those sites are screened beforehand and there was alot more crazy right-wing comments than moderate or left-wing.

Johnboy, in future, don’t yield to her silly connections if you can (I don’t know what the legal bullshit surrounding that was though). Let her have a cry. Maybe then she’ll realize that ‘journalism’ is not for her.

Can someone reference for me, the original fracas with this person?

Sing along with me…

Valley Girl, she’s a valley girl
Valley Girl, she’s a valley girl

Strangely, this article showed up in our “National News Pressclippings” resource at work. Once I knew the headline twas easy to find.
Pity she can’t attribute quotes, spell, check her grammar, or write like she’s graduated high school.

If she can mention her sources and build the hitcount, I propose we treat Jess as a troll worth feeding. Who knows, johnboy may even score a lunch to explain himself.

I think Jessica’s piece is in keeping with the standard of the Sunday Times journalism – there is definitely a clear trend to be seen..

Can we expect the ABC to do a similar piece?

I can’t wait for Jess’ next spray about the horrid way some people on here treat cyclists! 🙂

That’s the charm of this site.

Deadmandrinking12:39 pm 04 Dec 07

What a f-king idiot that woman is. No mention of those of us who were pushing FOR the legislation (though I’m sure I made a sleazy reference somewhere). She made it sound as if everyone was entirely anti-gay.
No don’t get me wrong. I think some of the people on this site are stupid. But I want them to post. There’s nothing worse than a debate with only one side. You need the extremists, you need the centre-wings and you need the crazies. It balances the whole thing out.

Jessica Wright is the new breed of ‘wet behind the ears’ journalist at the Canberra Times.

No life experience, a cheap journalist course and they think they are in line for a Walkley.

It’s the reason the once-proud Canberra Times is now just a rag.

She didn’t even have the media-awareness to name the source of the story – the RiotACT.

Good work, Jess, did you write all that yourself?

Before you know it the job offers will be rolling in from The Daily Telegraph, New Idea and Women’s Day.

Either the ‘spurned on’ line, attributed to Jessica Wright (Canberra Times writer, December 2007), or “I don’t know about you but my Klan outfit is made from linen and not canvas. – johnboy, in response to Jessica Wright, December 2007”

id say ra is read by more people than the ct.

wright is stuck in an old media mindset.

a close read of the thread would have made it clear the issues was ‘debated’ by holders of many views. she chooses to focus on making ra look amateurish.

slanted lazy journalism.

the views in a post on ra reflect the community. the views in a column in the ct reflect ONLY the CT.

which media is more representative of its community ?

Nice riposte, johnboy.

My vote is for Predictably bloggers’ comments veer from the inappropriate to the sleazy in tone, no doubt spurned on by the title entry.

This statement quite nicely summarizes Jess’ ignorance on a number of levels, and it would be pleasing to have a tacit reminder of that every so often.

Daily Digest

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