How many overseas artists have been so disappointing? They probably don't even follow the sport nor know anything about it or who's playing.

We don't really care if they have sold millions of albums around the world. It's all to do with getting the many supporters either watching at homes and clubs, and those who paid big money to watch at the stadiums, fired up and in the mood for the game that follows their opening act.

We have so much talent in our Australian music industry for the NRL and other codes to consider. Meatloaf and One Republic can play at their sporting venues like the NFL. We need to rock before a game, not be disappointed or put to sleep. Give me a band that inspires the spectators and players.

I LOVE rugby league, the most honest of physical battle ball sports. But, sadly, frustratingly, infuriatingly, five minutes in to the NRL grand final it became obvious there was none of that to be had. And as was the case in the recent past for a Newcastle-Melbourne A-League grand final, I believe mainstream televised professional sport has become gambling-corrupted rubbish, camouflaged in our ever-sickening culture's sheer bloody-minded cognitive dissonance.

PEOPLE been saying refs will decide a big game - well, they just did. Throw in the water boy stopping what could of been try, and I believe it reveals NRL as a minnow sport.

I DID hope that Jodi McKay would not come out with a glowing tribute to the late Bryce Gaudry ('Cancer claims Bryce Gaudry: MP, activist', Herald 7/10). I believe the contrast between the two politicians could not be starker.

Bryce won the seat of Newcastle from the incumbent independent; held it for 16 years and, for his reward, was rolled at the ALP pre-selection by the ambitious Jodi, who won that election but lost the next to Liberal candidate Tim Owen. In my opinion it indicates the level of support for each of them from the electors of Newcastle. It appears to me that Bryce was a representative of the people of Newcastle and Jodi was an ambitious politician.

By way of explanation, I am a member of the Greens. Like most people in Newcastle, I have met both Bryce and Barbara on several occasions and had a positive relationship with them. However, I could not be classed as a personal friend nor partisan.

RECENTLY you had a front page picture of the climate strikers in Civic Park ('Signs of the times', Herald 21/9). I note the report twice cites estimates the crowd was roughly 10,000 strong. I counted the persons in the photo and found about 346, although I had to count quite a few toddlers in prams. I wondered where the other 9700 were.

A second photo days later had a picture of the people on Stockton beach, estimating 500 attended ('A line in the sand', Herald 23/9). and indeed a scan of that photo had about 500 persons. What is the difference? In my opinion it's that the problem at Stockton is a real one and the one in Civic Park is confected outrage at something that does not exist despite the hysterical ranting of a 16-year old-Swede to the UN.

I believe they need to boost their numbers by exaggerating the crowd numbers, which in my view aligns with all their exaggerated claims. I note the constant reference to climate deniers in these opinion pages. I believe they have no option but to say that because they cannot argue the facts. I believe climate change as currently proposed is a fabrication and counter-intuitive. I invite intelligent comment on two things.

If the sea level is and has risen dramatically, then where are the photos of abandoned seaside residences? I am sure if there were any these believers would have it splashed over their sympathetic press.

Two degrees of warming (albeit in a hundred years time) will apparently obliterate the world as we know it. But I see people spending a fortune to go on holiday in Queensland, which is at least two degrees warmer, but apparently not full of extinct species and wildlife nor baked to a desert. I believe these people need to wake up to themselves because the rest of us clearly are not buying this rubbish.

WHEN we go on holidays, we should leave our hotel or motel room, unit or house the same as it was when we moved in. It's irresponsible to trash accommodation, or leave it dirty and untidy for others to clean.

We should think of life on earth like it's a working holiday. There is so much beauty, so much to enjoy here, including forests, oceans, mountains, animal and plant life. While we are here, however, it is our responsibility to care for it all.

We can stick our heads in the sand or face reality and admit that we have made a bad job of it. In fact we are destroying our beautiful world and life itself.

We must, for the sake of our children and our children's children and their children, stop, think and work out what we can do to stop the destruction.

This is Greta Thunberg's message, and it is only offensive to those who won't be told and don't care about what they are leaving behind. Forget "she'll be right" because all is not right and we need to wake up and take responsibility right now.

WHILE we're on the subject of a spin doctor within the ranks of councils ('Vote of no confidence at council stop-work', Herald 4/10), many residents and small businesses in Newcastle East and the CBD would like to know who decided, along with Telstra, to pick a wet and wild weekend in May to compare with the glorious beach going weather of the November Supercars weekend to calculate the number of visitors in town ('Professor questions Supercars research', Herald, 2/9)?

As the council's own commissioned evaluation of the event by the Hunter Research Foundation Centre reported, "These dates were determined by City of Newcastle in negotiation with Telstra prior to Hunter Research Foundation Centre's involvement in the impact assessment".

In my opinion, this is surely another example of council spin.

IT'S time the people demanded a new election. Our current government doesn't seem to care about our future. The $150 million our PM gave to Trump would have paid for a lot of water trucks to our farmers. Neither the Libs nor Labor seem to care about our farmers. It's time our state and fed pollies did something for the people and not just themselves.

I DISAGREE, Namejs Jaunalksnis (Short Takes, 2/10); dinosaurs are alive and well. There exists a particular group that are scientifically listed under the name 'australojibberus'. They can be found in media growling loudly, angrily and frequently, most often about the 'lie' of climate change and seemingly astonished by the temerity of 16-year-old Greta Thundberg to express her opinions at the UN. Most are easily recognisable - male, middle aged to elderly; white and thin skinned.

WE take an hour out of the morning, the best time of the day. It's generally cool, the air is clean and it is the best time for exercise. Adding that hour to an already hot afternoon, is not daylight saving; it's daylight robbery.

Ride like a Girl is an Aussie movie you must see. When the film finished, people clapped in the cinema. Michelle Payne was the first female jockey to win a Melbourne Cup in its 155-year history. It is the standout movie for me for 2019. Sam Neil was great in his role as was Stevie Payne, who played himself, and his loving bond with his sister Michelle Payne. Go and see the movie. You will not regret it. Bring some tissues, though. You may need them.

WITH the Swansea Channel dredging about to commence and the discussion of where the sand will be going, would it not be feasible to dump it at Stockton Beach?

REGARDING Matt Harris' comments about continuing to have the league GF at Hunter Stadium ('Next grand final deal under negotiation', Herald 24/9). After attending both AFL and Rugby Union grand finals at No 1 & No 2 Sports Ground the atmosphere was far better. I suggest Matt should have a rethink as 5000 at Hunter Stadium had no atmosphere.

I NOMINATE Joan's Lambert's piece regarding lockout laws (Short Takes, 3/10) for letter of the year.

FOR readers who are discovering that banks are not always the pillars of society they've been led to believe, I encourage them to familiarise themselves with Docherty and MacGregor's Hidden History: The Secret Origins of the First World War and Guido Preparata's Conjuring Hitler (Godwin's Law doesn't count in this case), or what Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum thought about prankster banksters. No laughing matter then, now or in between.