Professor Gary Martin urges us to spend less time on laptops, tablets, iPads and mobile phones.
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They can degrade interpersonal relationships, reduce attention spans and leave committed "screen-starers" helplessly overwhelmed by floods of information ("Digital detox: Boom time for the business of unplugging" December 26, p24).
![We need to end the smartphone obsession. Picture: Getty Images We need to end the smartphone obsession. Picture: Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc78fq27l4to91ms8g7s4.jpg/r0_0_2306_1296_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It is disturbingly common for young people, in particular, to be mentally and visually absorbed by computer games, many of which are worryingly violent.
Young people can be fixated on texting, instead of talking, with their friends; even, so I'm told, if seated at a (noisy) restaurant table.
It is no wonder some are losing - or never learning - the arts of conversation and writing clearly and concisely.
Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Dr Dolittle writes in
Golly, these escalating fire and water crises are having funny effects on my local environment. The marsupials have been coming up more onto the nature reserve at Bruce Ridge. And this morning, I met a fine furry fox. First time that's happened.
He ventured, "Say, fella, where can a hungry fox get a juicy wabbit?" "You're new round here, aren't you?" I replied. "Up here is sclerophyll forest at the best of times. Does it look like Lagomorph Lodge? The wabbits are in their designated nurseries, downhill at Old Weetangera Farm and in the swamp."
"Gee, thanks," he said, and bounded off. Gave me an idea, though. If the Prime Minister's answer to the bushfires is business as usual, let's just reclassify pesky placentals like foxes and rabbits as native species. Solves a tiresome invasive species problem, with zero effect on the "Sainted Surplus".
Stephen Saunders, O'Connor
Foxes! Call the SAS
Feral cats, foxes and pigs are sweeping the Tallaganda forest, destroying the wildlife survivors of the fires. There is no cover and no escape for our traumatised native creatures.
Prime Minister, please task the Army with predator eradication.
Prime Minister, please task the Army with predator eradication. There could be no better use for skilled snipers with thermal sights than defending the animals which make our country unique.
- P Marshall, Braidwood, NSW
There could be no better use for skilled snipers with thermal sights than defending the animals which make our country unique.
P Marshall, Braidwood, NSW
Has ScoMo got it?
Nicholas Stuart, (December 24, p.16) describes the "Post-holiday blues" that could haunt the Prime Minister. Yes, Morrison made a serious blunder in being seen to be on holidays while his nation was burning and homes and lives destroyed.
But Stuart is a little over the top to totally write off the Prime Minister because of one stupid decision and his reluctance to face the massive issue of climate change. If he is seeking a Prime Minister who will never make a blunder then he will have to search long and hard.
At least Scott Morrison did apologise to the Australian people. I recall that when US President Trump went to France for ceremonies marking the centenary of the end of WWI he decided to stay in his hotel room watching TV because it was raining outside. Faced with the outrage of the American people did Trump apologise? No. Rather he blamed his staff for failing to warn him about the issues. It was all their fault.
Scott Morrison apologised but we all hope he has learned his lesson.
Robert Willson, Deakin
Bilious trolls abound
The bile in letters against the Prime Minister continues unabated in this fair city full of anti-Liberal trolls. On December 24 The Canberra Times published 22 letters: 12 railing against the PM's lack of leadership, four crying about Government's climate policy, but one supporting the policy; one giving the gears to a decorated soldier in Senator Molan; and four on other matters.
That is 55 per cent directly against the PM and 82 per cent against the PM and his policies.
By comparison, of the 16 letters appearing in The Daily Telegraph: Three only were against the PM or his climate policies, but five were supportive; and eight letters on other matters.
Of course, the obvious difference in bias in Canberra and Sydney could also be due to the editing by the respective dailies. I believe the truth lies somewhere between. On the question of leadership, most, if not all of you trolling sheep would not know leadership if it bit you on the derriere.
M. Silex, Erindale
What a pessimist
What a pessimist Doug Hurst is (Letters, December 24). There has been significant progress in knowledge since our ancestors mocked rain dances.
If you are sick you consult medical professionals. These same medical professionals, scientists and ex-fire commissioners have a wealth of knowledge. They have offered their support to help improve the current situation and should be consulted.
Unfortunately the government have not yet seen that we have come a long way regarding information, technology and solutions since our ancestors mocked rain dancers.
Janet Reynolds, Greenleigh
Are you happy now?
Hands up all those swinging voters who decided to vote for the Coalition in this year's election. Keep your hand up if you still think you voted for the right lot given the Prime Minister's management of the bushfire crisis.
Of course he sorta, kinda, with the gift of hindsight, and, from a certain point of view, thinks he might have handled things differently about his decision to fly off on holidays while others were fighting fires and dying to protect people they have never met.
I mean to say, what marvellous willingness by the PM to publicly apolo..., err explain, how, umm, some people might have, err, been sort of, in a way, a little bit anxious while he was overseas.
Now how would you vote tomorrow, given the chance?
Rod Olsen, Watson
What say you Richard?
The Canberra Times has recently published many letters from concerned citizens about our missing Prime Minister who chose to take a family holiday rather than show leadership during Australia's catastrophic bushfires.
Another prominent politician who has been conspicuous by his absence from public debate is the Greens leader, Dr Richard Di Natale.
I imagine many Australians would be interested to hear his rationale behind a number of Greens policies that may have exacerbated bushfires over the years.
These range from preventing the effective maintenance of firebreaks, barring the construction of fire trails, and not allowing residents to remove potentially very dangerous trees from the area around their residences.
The Greens have put up a very effective smokescreen by blaming these current bushfires on climate change and inaction by the federal government.
Jim Coats, Fadden
Bring in the troops
Thank you, Acacia Rose, for your well-reasoned letter ("Call the experts", December 21) on how we could better defend our country in times of extreme natural disasters.
It's been rumbling around my head for some time that the "defence forces", so often called upon to fight other people's wars, could possibly be better used to defend Australia by working with our over-burdened volunteer firefighters, using military assets, to battle these raging infernos.
You have so logically put up a plan which just makes so much sense. I hope somehow our elected leaders will get over their smugness at having won the unwinnable election, and get on with the job of leading the country, and defending our countryside.
Margaret Lee, Hawker
Step up, PM
The PM has been copping a lot of flack for taking a holiday overseas at this critical time. I don't begrudge him the holiday, what irks me is his lack of public leadership at this time.
I don't want him running to the fire ground where he can be photographed gripping a hose, I just want a public appearance setting out what the Government is doing and what more it can and will do. His predecessors would have done this well before now.
Graeme Rankin, Holder
No surprises here
As someone who spent the worst part of two decades in Defence procurement, reports Defence projects are 57 years behind schedule don't surprise me.
During my career I developed absolute trust and faith in the Defence contracting organisation. I had, and still have, total faith they will screw it up.
John Coochey, Chisholm
Small miracles
I took my wife to the Emergency Department at Calvary Bruce on Christmas morning.
All ended up well and we were able to travel for a Christmas get-together with family.
However a special thank you to the staff at the hospital, especially the attending doctor, Dr Fatima, for their care.
Paul Maggs, Lyneham
To the point
THANKS? NO THANKS
Paul Wayper of Cook thinks Kambah residents should be singing songs of praise for some recently delivered ACT government services. Did Kambah's closed public schools re-open? Did the bus services get reinstated? Did the suburban shops re-open? Did the developers return their land for kids playgrounds and rebuild the basketball courts? No. He says we need to stop complaining because we got our grass verges mowed. My verges are dead, not actually mowed.
J Smith, Kambah
BLAME MAGNET
Let us hope that wildfires do not break out in Hawaii soon or ScoMo will get the blame for those as well.
Paul O'Connor, Hawker
SHOW US YOU CARE
No, Norman Lee (Letters, December 20) we don't want the PM "out there telling the experts how to do their job". We want him "out there" looking like he gives a damn.
Sue Collins, Latham
DO SOMETHING USEFUL
Young people can slam leaders all they want for their inaction on climate change. But they would be far better off fighting those fires themselves. If they don't budge then just get the RFS to conscript 18-to-25-year-olds (like myself) to fight fires every summer.
N Nasir, Sydney, NSW
THE CYCLE OF LIFE
Thank you Mr Hurst (Letters, December 24). Australia is in a severe drought. We have to wait till it is over.
If any human thinks they can control earth's cycles then they have not been reading any historical records.
We don't appear to be brave enough to face the real problem: overpopulation.
Jan Hutka, Ngunnawal
WAIKIKI IS THE WORD
There had been some confusion over the fire warnings issued by authorities. The Prime Minister has proposed a clearer three-level warning system. The new warnings are "Advice", "Watch and act" and "Waikiki".
Rob Ey, Weston
AN EASY CHOICE
Would you rather pay our volunteer firies or our politicians? The member for Hawaii seems to have made his decision. So have I.
Bob Searle, Campbell
PAPER ICE?
Can someone please tell me how the anti-plastic zealots are buying their ice for their plastic eskies this holiday season? Does it come in cardboard boxes?
Jevon Kinder, Murrumbateman, NSW
LAY OFF THE POETS
I love a sunburnt country but can its politicians please refrain from using the words of its revered poets to push their own climate change denying ideologies. There is every chance that these poets may object.
Robyn Vincent, McKellar
WE WANT JACINDA
A New Year's Eve wish that we are invaded by New Zealand. We will then have a person who can lead, not a king of spin. We might even start winning at rugby again.
Gail McAlpine, Griffith
POOR BARNABY
Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. Poor fella.
N Ellis, Belconnen
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