Green man getting a huff over pink bikes for girls!

[Don Quixote]

I despise that party.

 

[Sussex]

I despise that party.

So do I

 

[The Large One]

No,

Point is, the Argus has been quite selective in its reporting - Rufus wasn't on about blue and pink bikes (though his tone was a bit snotty - though no more snotty than people grizzling on here about Ashley Barnes); there was no need for Dawn Barnett to be asked for a comment on a personal, non-party political matter, and Halfords' response acknowledged Sven Rufus had made some valid points, and would act upon them.

It was the Argus who chose to report it as a party political matter, when it was actually a personal matter.

That's not making a defence of Sven Rufus - I'm ambivalent to the points he's making, and you can make what you want of his opinion, assuming you've read his email - it's a criticism of the Argus' pisspoor level of reporting.

 

[ozzygull]

Not sure what he is moaning about. I have a little girl and I get her things that she likes. She plays with things she thinks is fun, maybe dolls maybe toy cars and trucks. As for bikes I always avoided anything that was pink and had tassels as they were normally heavy and rubbish. Good quality childrens bike do not come in pink or have tassels.

So there is a choice if your little girl likes pink and wants a crap bike, buy a pink one from halfords. If not buy one from somewhere else, it's not difficult. If they don't sell any they will stop stocking them.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Point is, the Argus has been quite selective in its reporting - Rufus wasn't on about blue and pink bikes (though his tone was a bit snotty - though no more snotty than people grizzling on here about Ashley Barnes); there was no need for Dawn Barnett to be asked for a comment on a personal, non-party political matter, and Halfords' response acknowledged Sven Rufus had made some valid points, and would act upon them.

It was the Argus who chose to report it as a party political matter, when it was actually a personal matter.

That's not making a defence of Sven Rufus - I'm ambivalent to the points he's making, and you can make what you want of his opinion, assuming you've read his email - it's a criticism of the Argus' pisspoor level of reporting.

My question would be how the story got to the Argus in the first place ( persumably Halfords didn't send the Argus his letter ) ? He's certainly making a prat of himself though !

 

[The Large One]

My question would be how the story got to the Argus in the first place ( persumably Halfords didn't send the Argus his letter ) ?

He tweeted that he'd complained to Halfords about stereotyping (something some on here are happily indulging in, incidentally).

He's certainly making a prat of himself though !

By being misreported?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

He tweeted that he'd complained to Halfords about stereotyping (something some on here are happily indulging in, incidentally).

Surely more information was given to the Argus that a 140 character tweet ? Given he's a councillor and used a public information system he ( nor his party ) can hardly be surprised people are going to consider it a political thing. If it was personal then he should have kept it just that - personal. The cynic in suggests he just wanted to get his name in the press.

 

[The Large One]

Surely more information was given to the Argus that a 140 character tweet ? Given he's a councillor and used a public information system he ( nor his party ) can hardly be surprised people are going to consider it a political thing. If it was personal then he should have kept it just that - personal. The cynic in suggests he just wanted to get his name in the press.

I don't know if it was 'given' to the Argus, or whether the Argus scans the tweets of various individuals across many aspects of the city (football, politics, showbiz, business etc). If they're doing their jobs right, they ought to be.

It was political (with a small 'p') - no-one is doubting that - in as much as it was a personal note to Halfords regarding social politics (i.e. gender stereotyping). The tweet included a link to his blog, written using a nom-de-plume, (since updated to include the Argus' poor reporting of it - he really doesn't mention pink or blue bikes).

Maybe he's been a bit naive to think someone somewhere wouldn't pick up on it - and I'm sure he would have been happy for that to be the case, if nothing else to open a debate, but my point is (and I've been consistent here) is that the Argus' twisting of it is pretty shoddy. They're making out that this is a party political issue - and it clearly isn't. If it was, where was the Labour view?

I know you're not a councillor, but what if your views on a given topic on here were held up by the Argus as representative of NSC (and the Argus has pulled that stunt before). Would that same cynic in you suggest you wanted your name in the press?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I don't know if it was 'given' to the Argus, or whether the Argus scans the tweets of various individuals across many aspects of the city (football, politics, showbiz, business etc). If they're doing their jobs right, they ought to be.

It was political (with a small 'p') - no-one is doubting that - in as much as it was a personal note to Halfords regarding social politics (i.e. gender stereotyping). The tweet included a link to his blog, written using a nom-de-plume, (since updated to include the Argus' poor reporting of it - he really doesn't mention pink or blue bikes).

Maybe he's been a bit naive to think someone somewhere wouldn't pick up on it - and I'm sure he would have been happy for that to be the case, if nothing else to open a debate, but my point is (and I've been consistent here) is that the Argus' twisting of it is pretty shoddy. They're making out that this is a party political issue - and it clearly isn't. If it was, where was the Labour view?

I know you're not a councillor, but what if your views on a given topic on here were held up by the Argus as representative of NSC (and the Argus has pulled that stunt before). Would that same cynic in you suggest you wanted your name in the press?

Fair point but I wouldn't be surprised if that was how it was conveyed by the press - in much the same way Liz Costa is continually held up by the Argus as representing all Albion fans. My cynical side doesn't think Liz just wants to get her name in the paper but politicians are a different breed entirely. When something like this comes along that could be avoided I really struggle to believe it has been planned or manipulated in someway to ensure his name gets public attention.

 

[Chicken Run]

The Argus Comments Section is a sight - and a site - to behold.

The R-A-G-E emanating from there is something quite spectacular. I've got images of salivating, angry do-gooders going round actively looking for... something - anything - to get angry about, and the Argus usually obliges them with non-stories like this. Pick a topic - any topic - and you've got miserable people deliberately jumping into the path of a Misery juggernaut, waiting for it to plough them over.

Talk about a toilet paper playing to its own gallery...

The naivety of it all TLO is that the guy being an elected cllr should keep is his "non story" opinions to himself, who alerted the Argus to this odious cretins letter anyway? edit just read the above couple of posts........

 

[The Large One]

The naivety of it all TLO is that the guy being an elected cllr should keep is his "non story" opinions to himself, who alerted the Argus to this odious cretins letter anyway? edit just read the above couple of posts........

Yeah, damn those elected councillors - take away their free right to express an opinion...

 

[Easy 10]

Whether it was anything to do with being political or not, the fact that this particular individual gets his kecks in such an almighty twist over what is, to any normal member of the human race, a complete NON ISSUE, is sadly indicative of some of the woolly-minded crackpot tarquins the Greens seem to have lurking within their corridors.

Its quite frightening that these people are currently in positions of responsibility.

 

[Hillian1]

Yeah, damn those elected councillors - take away their free right to express an opinion...

People in positions of responsibility have a responsibility to themselves regarding using social media, and expressing an opinion such as this is only inviting scorn.

That said, I couldn't give a toss, I live in Burgess Hill where we have normal councillors.

 

[The Large One]

People in positions of responsibility have a responsibility to themselves regarding using social media, and expressing an opinion such as this is only inviting scorn.

It looks to me like he didn't use it irresponsibly. If he wanted to keep it to himself, he wouldn't have tweeted it. Therefore, I'm sure he could cope with scorn - that's a by-product of debating.

Mis-representing the story - and that's what this is about - is a different issue.

That said, I couldn't give a toss, I live in Burgess Hill where we have normal councillors.

And you're welcome to them.

 

[Garage_Doors]

It looks to me like he didn't use it irresponsibly. If he wanted to keep it to himself, he wouldn't have tweeted it. Therefore, I'm sure he could cope with scorn - that's a by-product of debating.

Mis-representing the story - and that's what this is about - is a different issue.




And you're welcome to them.

It appears to me that your using the the Argus's mis-representing the story as a distraction, the fact that he is a Green councillor anything he says or does does reflect on the Green party.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Whether it was anything to do with being political or not, the fact that this particular individual gets his kecks in such an almighty twist over what is, to any normal member of the human race, a complete NON ISSUE, is sadly indicative of some of the woolly-minded crackpot tarquins the Greens seem to have lurking within their corridors.

Its quite frightening that these people are currently in positions of responsibility.

This

 

[Guinness Boy]

Also I have now taken my daughter's pink bike off her. Sod it, from now on I'll drive her everywhere in my 4 litre Chelsea Tractor.

 

[The Large One]

It appears to me that your using the the Argus's mis-representing the story as a distraction, the fact that he is a Green councillor anything he says or does does reflect on the Green party.

The mis-representation is the central point here - not a distraction. The Argus (and you) have used the distraction of his membership of the Green Party to party-politicise a non-political story.

If you want me to use the same yardstick, every Brighton-supporting Sex Pistols fan hates the indignity of travelling with other people on buses.

 

[The Large One]

Also I have now taken my daughter's pink bike off her. Sod it, from now on I'll drive her everywhere in my 4 litre Chelsea Tractor.

Where do pink bikes come into this?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Where do pink bikes come into this?

I see you have already ninja edited your claim he doesn't refer to their colour because he does doesn't he. "appalling predilection for pink and purple"