Choose your words wisely
Perhaps we can learn something from the negative aspects of the way that our politicians argue a case.
The Warragul Gazette graciously offers us precious space to express our ideas and opinions and there are ways and means for us to clearly best express those opinions.
Respecting another person’s right to have an opinion is essential. It may be contrary to your beliefs and be firmly entrenched, yet it should be acknowledged.
Only when that opinion is valued, can it be argued against.
Attacking the argument rather than the person allows others to rationally and logically see your viewpoint.
It is often said that personal attacks indicate that you are missing the point, have a poor argument yourself or a different agenda.
Cite only peer mediated studies and in full. If you merely pick certain parts of a study that will enhance your argument, you will be found out and your argument dismissed. It also demeans the work of the person who has done the study.
Anecdotal accounts that are extrapolated to appear the norm can easily be contradicted or countered by opposite anecdotal accounts.
Stick to the point or you will lose your audience. Your audience are the ones who may be swayed by your argument, not necessarily the person whose position you are challenging.
A cogent, coherent line of thought is important. By all means be emotive, but be clinical as well.
The Warragul Gazette exposes itself to potential libel suits simply by publishing a letter, therefore it can’t publish certain material. However, it does appear to do its best to publish many sides of topics, on local matters and some controversial ones such as climate change and even gender dysphoria.
Letter writers have been given a wonderful opportunity to express their ideas and opinions. Let’s maximise it while it lasts.
Greg Tuck, Warragul
Disappearing crime
The Gazette front page of December 29, reported “almost 50 per cent (of the crimes) resulted in arrests or offenders being charged by summons and 29 per cent were unsolved."
Seems that crime has not only decreased but also disappeared. What happened with the other 21 per cent?
Liz Jacobsen, Drouin
A weather lesson
Les Horsfield recently wrote the weather in Thorpdale seems to be getting wetter and colder rather than drier and warmer which appears to him to be at odds with “global warming”.
This apparent dilemma can be better understood by considering the factors that drive our weather systems and the major driver is heat.
The retention of more heat energy, particularly in the ocean, turbo charges the weather systems.
Consider the energy in a thunderstorm or cyclone, the original source of that energy is heat. More heat drives more evaporation creating more rain in some places.
It can also drive the water vapour higher where it turns to ice and falls as hail or snow making it colder, in other places.
A warming planet does not mean uniformly warmer weather or the weather we had before but one or two degrees warmer.
The rise in temperature is simply a reflection of the additional energy being pumped into the weather system.
More energy in the weather system causes more erratic and unpredictable weather, stronger winds, bigger thunderstorms, heavier rain events and more intense heat waves but it can also mean more frosts and colder winters, in some places.
Farming is a difficult business that relies for its success on reasonably predictable weather patterns.
The predicted consequences of a warming planet are, unfortunately, entirely consistent with Mr Horsefield’s weather observations.
John Boomsma Warragul.
Precious shade gone
Why was it necessary or favourable in any way to chop down the few trees that provide the only shade in the car park near the hockey and soccer ground at Bellbird Park?
Trees also have gone from all around the small carpark in the middle of Civic Park.
Most of the carparking would suit anyone who does not want shade but I for one sought those few precious spots out. No choice now.
Jill Harris, Drouin West
Why have a council
I respond to Danny Goss, the mayor's response to the comments about overdevelopment in Baw Baw.
I am surprised to hear it is all the state government's fault.
The mayor makes it sound like the council had little input to the Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) otherwise the extra shopping areas and transport access and other infrastructure would have been written in and space provided.
I know the people most affected by the PSPs had no say. No say at all on issues that affect our lives and living standards.
Drouin being made into an unliveable town is the state government's fault, we have neither the advantage of being a country town or of a Melbourne suburb, but the disadvantages of both.
If council is unable to effect any improvement, can't change anything, what use is the council.
Apparently council can't or won't represent ratepayers and residents, they give the appearance of supporting the developers.
Understandable if the council is only interested in the extra dollars from rates new residents bring in. Do we need regional government at all?
Jill Davey, Drouin