Not only are they completely ridiculous, but are boring and a complete insult to one's intelligence, those of us that have it, that is which I very much doubt most times, as it appears in very short supply.

How can one stand to watch so many participants make such utter fools of themselves and call it entertainment?

One must be desperate.

Has one become so bored and cynical that we lower our values to view such degrading rubbish.

I do not watch these programs as I have not reached the desperation cycle that I need to laugh at someone making themselves a laughing stock.

If I had to choose the worst of the worst of these programs, it would have to be Gogglebox.

Where did they find these people to take part, but worst still, who were the brain dead idiots who thought it up?

THE decision of the American online social media and social networking service to block Australians from viewing or sharing news content has taken the smile off Facebook users.

I REFER to " Green Light" (The Examiner, February 12).

Gee, who would have known this may have not gone through or passed by this mall, sport, playground council.

As a paid in full ratepayer, I would like to commend both Paul Spencer, who suggested the LGH and the Tamar should be a priority, and Tim Walker for suggesting because of the size and cost of this ridiculous (my words not his) project, others will miss out. I agree.

The Tamar would surely attract more tourists if it were cleaned up. Not with a bigger deck (which will hide the problem and do nothing) but spend some of the millions the state and federal governments have given to clean up the river.

Could I get a reply on how much state and federal money has been allocated to the Tamar and not malls, playgrounds and football fields, please?

IN RESPONSE to Wendy Finch's support for the Northern Prison, (The Examiner, February 13).

The majority of Westbury do not want a prison here or near here at all, and you can blame the government for endangering our eagles and wildlife, not the residents of Westbury.

IT seems our government intends to introduce a $20 a tonne levy to prevent waste from going to landfill.

While it may be a good plan on paper, why not start at the source of tonnes of material that is dumped. Where?

Demolition sites are a major source of waste, brick, windows, doors, weatherboards, roofing all end up at our Launceston tip and is bulldozed in and flattened.

City of Launceston council is most likely the main offender in the North as they haven't been able to get their act together for 10 years. I've tried to chivvy them along a few times to no avail.

IT'S wrong that the pensioners are living off so little.

I also think it's wrong that they think taking away the supplement for everyone is going to be better, people just can't afford it.

We're supposed to get jobs, houses and stuff like that but I don't see how we are supposed to do that if we can't afford the little things that we need.

WHY are we being swamped with so many reality programs on TV?

Not only are they completely ridiculous, but are boring and a complete insult to one's intelligence, those of us that have it, that is which I very much doubt most times, as it appears in very short supply.

How can one stand to watch so many participants make such utter fools of themselves and call it entertainment?

One must be desperate.

Has one become so bored and cynical that we lower our values to view such degrading rubbish.

I do not watch these programs as I have not reached the desperation cycle that I need to laugh at someone making themselves a laughing stock.

If I had to choose the worst of the worst of these programs, it would have to be Gogglebox.

Where did they find these people to take part, but worst still, who were the brain dead idiots who thought it up?

A PROPOSAL for a new hotel on Boland Street has been lodged with the City of Launceston council and will come to a meeting for approval or rejection soon.

One part of the application that is surely going to give the council grief is traffic.

At the same height as the new Verge hotel up the road, it sits in the gap (left by the demolition of the two heritage cottages) between Centrelink and the Bridge Hotel on the corner.

In that gap is the entrance to a car park for 17 cars; there are 135 rooms and these 17 spaces are expected to be adequate.

But there's more to consider.

That entrance is for everything, entry and exit, drop off, suppliers and emergency access. But it does include planter boxes at the entrance to screen the car park.

IT is getting frustrating seeing interest groups supporting their message with statistics that gambling, alcohol/drug use have all increased over the last 6-12 months.

This shouldn't be surprising, with the increase in government benefits due to the COVID pandemic.

Provide anyone with additional money (employed or otherwise), and they are likely to spend it.

These statistics should not be used to promote an anti-smoking, anti-gambling narrative based on skewed data, taking advantage of a pandemic.