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Last updated on August 4th, 2017 at 01:24 pm
In the spirit of full transparency, here’s an email chat between myself and Crikey editor (and ex-Age content provider) Jonathan Green:
Tim: If Irfan Yusuf or anyone at Crikey had bothered to contact me prior to publishing Irfan’s ridiculous complaint about running a press release without the author’s permission (!), I’d have been happy to forward a copy of the press release as sent to the Telegraph(contrary to Irfan’s claims). You people are hopeless.
Green: I think his point was rather that your commitment to sourcing the best in original written opinion goes no further than the re-publishing of press releases. You people are hacks.
Tim: If that was Irfans’s point, mate, why didn’t he say it more directly? I suppose because it’s completely untrue; our “commitment to sourcing the best in original written opinion” obviously goes further than simply publishing press releases.
Green: Dunno. Guess it’s some sort of ESL [English as a second language – ed] thing.
Irfan arrived in Australia about 38 years and 120 kilograms ago; he was just five months old at the time, and has since acquainted himself well enough with English to become a practicing lawyer. Whatever his faults, they can’t be excused by any struggle to overcome a language barrier.
Crikey obviously assumes that correspondents with non-Anglo names – like our pal Irfan – are a baffled breed of recent arrivals, bravely composing their missives with the help of “Say it in English” guidebooks and any native speakers nearby in the ‘Net cafe. Use this to your advantage; if you seek an audience for inaccurate, ill-researched theories, simply send them to Crikey using the name “Jurgen”, “Shalooba”, “Tløt”, or “Oonki”. They won’t check your claims, and they’ll believe any subsequent dispute arises from a misinterpretation of your barely-intelligible semi-English patois.
Whatever. At least Crikey has since run this correction:
In an item published Friday, Crikey claimed that Sydney’s Daily Telegraph had published an opinion article it had lifted from a website. In fact, the article – in the form of a press release – had been sent to the paper. Crikey also used the phrase “almost plagiarism”, which was inaccurate. The piece ran under the author’s name.
UPDATE. Confused and angry English-learner Paco writes:
Estimado Señor Blair:
Maldito sea! I am sending many comments to your – how you say?, -“blog”, and I doan believe I ever give you the permiso, no? Yet you publish. Why is this? I write and send comments – ay! So many, many comments – but I never say, “Hey, Tim Blair, you want show this to the world, is ok with me, compadre.” You maybe take advantage of my bad English, yes? You know, this doan happen in Cuba. The peoples write comments there, they doan have to worry about them being published.
Anyways, I got my eyes on you, Tim Blair, so ten cuidado!
You friend,
Paco
I think his point is rather that my commitment to sourcing the best in original written opinion goes no further than the re-publishing of excellent blog comments. Although it may be some sort of ESL thing.
- My hover-craft is full of eels!Posted by andycanuck on 2007 07 16 at 11:28 AM • permalink
- “I will not buy this tobacconist, it is scratched.”Posted by Major John on 2007 07 16 at 11:47 AM • permalink
- ‘Tim: If that was Irfans’s point, mate, why didn’t he say it more directly?’
‘…Green: Dunno. Guess it’s some sort of ESL [English as a second language – ed] thing.’
So…you’re admitting that you print articles by people who haven’t mastered the English language enough to get their points across?
You should hire my one year old grandson to write op/ed pieces then. He’s at least as incoherent as your boy, Irfan.
Posted by Dave Surls on 2007 07 16 at 11:54 AM • permalink
- Estimado Señor Blair:
Maldito sea! I am sending many comments to your – how you say?, -“blog”, and I doan believe I ever give you the permiso, no? Yet you publish. Why is this? I write and send comments – ay! So many, many comments – but I never say, “Hey, Tim Blair, you want show this to the world, is ok with me, compadre.” You maybe take advantage of my bad English, yes? You know, this doan happen in Cuba. The peoples write comments there, they doan have to worry about them being published.
Anyways, I got my eyes on you, Tim Blair, so ten cuidado!
You friend,
Paco
- All your satire are belong to us.Posted by joe bagadonuts on 2007 07 16 at 11:58 AM • permalink
- “In an item published Friday, Crikey claimed that Sydney’s Daily Telegraph had published an opinion article it had lifted from a website. In fact, the article – in the form of a press release – had been sent to the paper. Crikey also used the phrase “almost plagiarism”, which was inaccurate. The piece ran under the author’s name.”
Looks like Crikey also has an ESL issue…
Translation (from Leftoidese to English):
We lied. We got caught.
Posted by Dave Surls on 2007 07 16 at 12:03 PM • permalink
- How boorish of Crikey to assume someone who doesn’t have an anglo name cant speak English. Just boorish. Typical of the leftoid arrogance. Could one even call it xenophobic? No, the left have no phobias. To call them xenophobic would be paramount to calling them hypocrites. (i could go on but i will restrain myself – for now 😀 )
- #21 A lefty?Posted by ThinAndBritish on 2007 07 16 at 12:39 PM • permalink
- All right, I’m fighting the good conservative fight in Occupied Northern Virginia, and what happens? Karl Marx makes a daring raid into Richmond.
- I wish to know perfectly where lives the station of pissing?Posted by Harry Bergeron on 2007 07 16 at 12:47 PM • permalink
- Okay, perhaps my statement that the writers at Crikey are obese pederasts in sorry need of personal hygene is inaccurate.Posted by wronwright on 2007 07 16 at 12:56 PM • permalink
- Paco,
I’ve been glad the kids survived their nutty teachers. The son arrived home tonight from a boat delivery frozen to the bone after six days at sea, ran into his fourth-form master at the marina pub. Teacher asked why he hadn’t pursued university. Son said: Because you’re a teacher and I’m a sailor. Spot the difference.
- Tên tối lá Jack. Tối lá người Ca na da nhủng tối cũng người Úc.Posted by Jack from Montreal on 2007 07 16 at 01:19 PM • permalink
- For the few of you who don’t speak Vietnamese, Úc means Australia. It’s pronounced loke a very startled Oops, without the “s”.Posted by Jack from Montreal on 2007 07 16 at 01:23 PM • permalink
- Make that ..” like…”
Perview is my fiend
Posted by Jack from Montreal on 2007 07 16 at 01:25 PM • permalink
- Assuming a person has an ESL issue based on their nationality…..isn’t that, I dunno, racist? Nationalist?
Naw……leftist! Which, these days, is semantically equal to “stupid”.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 01:28 PM • permalink
- “Even the lie is weaselish. Why “almost” plagiarism?”
Because lawyer-boy is just smart enough not to give Mr. Blair grounds for a libel suit.
Posted by Dave Surls on 2007 07 16 at 01:30 PM • permalink
- Italics offPosted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 01:39 PM • permalink
- </i> make them stop!Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2007 07 16 at 01:39 PM • permalink
- Oopsie!!Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 01:40 PM • permalink
- JeffS, it must be one of those Italicans in the throes of ESL who is causing the problem…Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2007 07 16 at 01:40 PM • permalink
- I guess those italics have an ESL issue as well, eh? Damn Italicans!Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 01:40 PM • permalink
- #30, Jack, Aussie boys who were in Vietnam remember “Uc da loi cheap charlie” and the little song that went with it that the girls used to sing (ask my husband and the boys). “He cheap charlie, he no pay…”
Also di di mau. Which they did quick smart. Those words saved lots of lives.
Cheers, maree
Also, “Two arms, two hands, Two steely bands, Under the Southern Cross we stand”
The rest is unrepeatable in polite company.
- you scare mePosted by Mr. Bingley on 2007 07 16 at 01:41 PM • permalink
- We think alike, Mr. Bingley. That should scare anyone.Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 01:44 PM • permalink
- The Italicans took ‘em out to an early lunch. Probably to a Mexican resturant, the Italican cusine consisting primarily of Chilean sea bass.Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 01:50 PM • permalink
- Eye-talians have an excellent cuisine, paco. The ItaliCANs do not. As a culture, their only redeeming feature is that they all lean right.Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 02:11 PM • permalink
- Puce wept.Posted by Jim Treacher on 2007 07 16 at 02:30 PM • permalink
- #23: Now you know why I live south of the “Rivah” in Chesterfield. All my kin do as well, except for the brother who lives in Henrico. Well out of Richmond’s purview.
Elizabeth
Imperial KeeperPosted by Elizabeth Imperial Keeper on 2007 07 16 at 03:16 PM • permalink
Mixing nationalities is always effective.
Nquir Crabbe-Jones
Rhardin—hell, we get that in the States all the time, when Eufula Washington drops her ‘slave name’ for ‘Chlamydia Shabazz X’…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 07 16 at 03:20 PM • permalink
- #53 The_Real_JeffS –
Eye-talians have an excellent cuisine, paco. The ItaliCANs do not.
Although I am not a member of the noble race of people called ItaliCANS, I take it upon myself to claim RACISM by you. You and your jack booted cohorts in the VRWC must make amends by contributing vast sums of cash to my fund of racial reconciliation called the “Jesse Sharpton King Jr. Stomp Out Racism Against ItaliCANS NOW! Fund”. If you should make a blatantly racist decision to not contribute to my worthy fund, we will make paper mache puppets and protest you from an empty lot of land half a mile away.
You will be sorry.
Posted by wronwright on 2007 07 16 at 03:50 PM • permalink
- #68 Rebecca: that’s right. And do you know, if you type Arabic into Word, choosing letters from the Insert Symbols function, and want to cut and paste, you have to highlight from right to left.
#62: Yeah, south of the rivah is the place to be, I suppose, although I like Henrico. At one time (may still be true) the police chief for Henrico County was an ex-highway patrol officer. It was said that you could kill, rob or rape but you damned well better not break the speed limit.
- Hahahaha, apart from me thinking Irf was Australian born based on hearing his constant refrain:
Some say we need to do more. So we will condemn and condemn and condemn terrorists again and again. Some say our mosques need to be closed down and we need to go back to where we came from. No problem. I will go back to East Ryde. My Muslim friends mentioned earlier will leave Concord and go back to Marrickville.
He himself can’t claim ESL status, unless one speaks Pacolese in East Ryde.
- Oh, my! We have a lot of racists on this blog! Anti-Italicans, the lot of us.
<waves at Media Watch>
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 05:05 PM • permalink
- PS: wronwright, perhaps you should contact Media Watch, and gain their support in your most noble of noble causes.
I for one welcome our new Italican overlords.
/pro-Italican dhimmification mode
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 07 16 at 05:07 PM • permalink
- Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, is defending himself Monday after comparing President Bush to Adolf Hitler and leaving
In Meeting With Atheists, Rep. Ellison Compares President Bush to Hitler
the impression the administration may have rigged the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.Pot calling the kettle, black.
OH wait, HE is. Great job Minnesota.
Anyone else want a Margarita?
- Steady on Blair – no matter how aggrieved you may feel, you can’t just go around calling people names like “Age content provider”.Posted by Margos Maid on 2007 07 16 at 05:54 PM • permalink
- #76 El Cid:
The irony, well she just keeps giving, no? Nation of Islam member speaking to Atheists compares Christian guy to Hitler. Really, I think my irony meter hit 11 and broke.Atheists for Human Rights. Not quite Nihilsts for Moral Progress, or Militant Atheists for Non-Violent Change, but kinda funny.
I think his point was rather that your commitment to sourcing the best in original written opinion goes no further than the re-publishing of press releases. You [The Daily Telegraph] people are hacks.
This from a publication (Crikey) which is largely built on anonymous and “Off the record” tips?
- I believe Irfan Yusuf’s points, writings (of which i have made it my duty to read a few) and those of Crikey’s could also be referred to as a TSL* thing.
*Thinking as a Second Language.
Humble regards to Paco.
Posted by carpefraise on 2007 07 16 at 08:20 PM • permalink
- Ash, I fixed the italics problem. (Comment #35.) Watch those buttons, people!Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2007 07 16 at 08:29 PM • permalink
- My guess is that Blair doesn’t want to be upstaged, 1.6.Posted by Margos Maid on 2007 07 16 at 08:52 PM • permalink
- Never new it was an ESL problem. I just assumed Irf’s fingers were too fat for the keyboard.Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2007 07 16 at 09:44 PM • permalink
- #103. MareeS, did’ya ever hear the one for a piano? Bikpela kais, yu kilim tis bilong im na i kraiaut. (A big box, and when you hit it’s teeth it shouts). Many of the phrases, particularly from decades ago, are pure gems.
The PNGers tend to be much more worldly these days, so less incredulous at new technology.Bless ‘em.
- #78 #84 #88 That would be the Perfectly Accurate Contempt-Ometer®. PACO® let’s you know when someone else misses the point—even when it’s cranked up to 11.Posted by andycanuck on 2007 07 16 at 11:19 PM • permalink
- Room Service
Room Service: “Morny. ruin sorbees.”
Green: “Sorry, I thoughtI dialed room-service.”
Room Service: “Rye. Ruin sorbees.. morny! Djewish to odor sunteen?”
Green: “Uh.. yes.. I’d like some bacon and eggs.”
Room Service: “Ow July den?”
Green: “What??”
Room Service: “Ow July den – fry, boy, pooch?”
Green: “Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry, scrambled, please.”
Room Service: “Ow July dee bayhkem – crease?”
Green: “Crisp will be fine.”
Room Service: “Hokay. An San tos?”
Green: “What?”
Room Service: “San tos. July San tos?”
Green: “I don’t think so.”
Room Service: “No? Judo one toes?”
Green: “I really feel bad about this, but I don’t know what ‘judo one toes’ means.”
Room Service: “Toes! Toes!.. Why djew Don Juan toes? Ow bow singlish mopping we bother?”
Green: “English muffin!! I’ve got it! You were saying ‘Toast.’ Fine. Yes, an English muffin will be fine.”
Room Service: “We bother?”
Green: “No, just put the bother on the side.”
Room Service: “Wad?”
Green: “I mean butter – just put it on the side.”
Room Service: “Copy?”
Green: “Sorry?”
Room Service: “Copy…tea…mill?”
Green: “Yes. Coffee please, and that’s all.”
Room Service: “One Minnie. Ass ruin torino fee, strangle ache, crease bayhkem, tossy singlish mopping we bother honey sigh, and copy… rye?”
Green: “Whatever you say.”
Room Service: “Tendjewberrymud.”
Green: “You’re welcome.”
- #106. I just laughed so hard, I formed a snot bubble.Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2007 07 17 at 04:17 AM • permalink
- #106, that is a masterpiece.Posted by mr creosote on 2007 07 17 at 06:27 AM • permalink
- Hmmmm.
@ Andrea Harris, Administrator
“Watch those buttons, people!”
May I suggest that the buttons put both the start tag and end tag into the textarea at the same time? Particularly since the tags appear at the end of any text already in the textarea.
That would probably prevent many of the problems we run into with missing end tags.
Posted by memomachine on 2007 07 17 at 11:59 AM • permalink
- Dear Opinion Editor of the Terror, that’s not a “correction” they published, that’s your letter to the editor. Stick that in your press release and print it, you waning, diminishing, pamphleteer.Posted by Miranda Divide on 2007 07 17 at 09:22 PM • permalink
- From the wikipedia page on Irfan:
Irfan Yusuf (born 1969) is an Australian lawyer of Pakistani descent, born in Karachi, Pakistan. He arrived in Australia 5 months later. His parents are from Delhi.
No problem there – except that in public forums Irfan has represented himself somehwat differently…. (from J.F. Beck’s post about Steyn’s visit to Australia and his lecture at the C.I.S.)
G’day. Um, I’m Australian and I also happen to be Muslim, and I’m second and third generation Muslim, and I just wanted to ask Mark Steyn this….
There’s wiggle room there in the semantics, but its pretty obvious what the average listener would assume he meant.
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