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Messages - dodge

1
The Sports Desk / Re: Formula 1
Earlier in the season, there seemed to be a narrative that Piastri was a calmer driver than Norris, and Norris didn't handle the pressure well.  The last few weeks it does seem to have reversed a bit...
3
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Obviously, a 76 year old is vulnerable, but shouldn't be the driver for outrage.  Yes, she will be affected in several different ways which may make her life difficult (eg fear of going out, recurring flashbacks, general feeling of being unsafe in her own home etc). 

We have gone through several times on the site about solutions - prevention and rehab programs, stronger initial penalties and stronger consequences for broken penalties eg bail.

Then it is about funding and real effectiveness of these solutions - jail can be school to become a less worse crook.

The new Chief seems to be strong on prevention - more police presence on the streets and education.  Be interesting to see the effect of the new bail laws that have just come into operation - I don't know what they are.

This all takes time.  It won't be solved tomorrow. 

Will it make a difference?  Dunno.  Youth crime seems to be much more brazen now - offenders don't care if there are alarms or cameras, whether it is 3am or 3pm, who sees them, whether there is anyone home etc.  It will take time to turn this around.

The Liberal policy seems to be Jack's law (greater search powers on the street), rehab (school, post offending programs, mentoring), and if bail is broken, a holiday courtesy of the King is awaiting.  Cynical me thinks that this won't make much difference and is a long way in the future.

Curious as to what it actually was or is that lead to the current situation - knowing what it is can help lead to the solution.
5
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Quote from: shawny – on

We don't know what the opposition would do as the current mob have been in power for the last 12 years and its hard to find an area of the state they have improved under their leadership.

Any half decent opposition should have been a shoe in the last few elections and its a blight on the sad state of local government that despite doing such a poor job the same party keeps getting re-elected.  The libs do little to instill confidence amongst the people but the current mob has had 12 years and look at where we are at - time is well and truly up and someone else should be given the chance to improve right the wrongs.

Isn't that the problem Shawny - that we don't know what the opposition will do, because they won't tell us?  Great at highlighting issues, not so great at offering solutions.

Don't know if they want to fix anything - that would require them to be in in government and to actually do something.  Much easier complaining from opposition.  There have been three terms of Liberal/LNP government in Vic since 1982 - they have no idea how to win an election.  When Bolte won in 1955, Libs were in power until 1982 - 27 years.
6
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Why are we all of a sudden turning everything into 'Left' or 'Right' issues.  They aren't.  They are societal ones.  Until language and actions return to reasonableness, this division will continue.  It is well and truly time to stop.  A rally to 'Unite to fight the right'? (as one banner said). Burning police effigy's? Throwing rocks at police? Deliberately organising counter protests? Protest to improve society, not to divide it further.

While the State Government has a lot of work to do on crime, what is the opposition's response?  Their federal leader comes and visits and suggests how unsafe Victoria is (from the Dutton playbook)  What is the Vic opposition's solution?  Until we get some ideas from the opposition, we are stuck with what we have.  Tough on crime isn't a solution - it's a slogan.

In the meantime, whenever a crime is now committed, it is mentioned if the offender was on bail.  Yes, it is an issue, but is it an increasing or decreasing one?  We have to have bail laws - Government writes them, courts apply them.  Police are frustrated particularly at how they are being applied and a reluctance (?) to lock up the repeat offenders.  I have no idea where the solution is.
7
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Who will win the Brownlow?
Congratulations to Matt Rowell - fine season.

As the Brownlow is subjective, the 'anomalies' will always be there.

There are 32 umpires per round.  Voting is going to inconsistent.  It doesn't matter if there are other 'independents' that vote, there will still be at least 8 other ones.

It is hard enough in the U13's doing 5-4-3-2-1 after a game!  I think we all look at the votes on this site after a game and see a few 'strange' ones.

Imagine if in the olympics after a gymnast's performace, all judges were swapped out for the next athlete and so on.

Never going to get a perfect system for this.  Like many things!
8
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Trumpled (Alternative Leading)
I've been grappling with Kirk's shooting over the last bit.  It is abhorrent that anyone thinks it is OK to kill someone like that - I don't think many disagree on that.

I have seen a few You-tube videos of Kirk debating uni students.  They are on Kirk's channel, so (cynically) probably edited, but show Kirk respectably listening to the opposite point of view, while the uni students interupt and shout more.  While I think he probably was respectful, he was never there to really understand an opposite point of view or sympathise with it - he was there to try to change their mind - shown by his views on the 'big' topics - guns, abortion, sexuality.

Personally I am about 180 degrees from his views that I have heard.  But how did this come to this sort of violence, which is not new, but the scale is relatively recent?

US Republican v Democrat arguments are much stronger and heated than our politics.  It really matters in a lot of circles who you vote for.  It matters who can convince the most to vote.  The lack of wanting to be in the middle, making the country better for everyone (yes, very hard to do, but a worthwhile goal) means that the rhetoric and vitriol increases.  There is a lot that comes from Trump, however, I recall Biden made derogatory remarks about Republican voters in the last election.  Trump has zero interest in making the US a better place - shown by his appointments and pulling apart of many institutions and departments, total disrespect of the political protections that have traditionally been in place.  It is ramped up compared to previous administrations (they all make political appointments that are questionable).

This allows division to fester and grow, which brings the extremes more into play as they are emboldened.  It breaks society down.  I struggle to see how this can be brought back.

The odd thing personally for me, is that I haven't taken any notice about US politics except when Trump has been president or running for it.  Partly through coverage, but mainly there was more statemanship (as someone mentioned) but for the most part, there wasn't anything too radical and the political systems saw the process/laws through. It was a lot more stable and not nearly as many were threatened by 'politics' or decisions made and implemented.  US Politics was just news, and not really affecting our day to day life.  (There are obviously things that did for many - including WMD - but for me, what the US did was pretty irrelevant to my life).

I hope that there is a strong middle ground candidate that will be able to mend bridges, however, there doesn't appear to be.



11
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 24 2025 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Essendon
We went thanks to free tickets.

There were lots of players slipping.  Essendon's marking was ordinary - dropped a lot they should have taken.

The only time that there was a little concern about the result was in the last when they got within 20 points.  But Weiters decided we didn't want to lose and made a couple of really good spoils, then we kicked a goal to put it beyond doubt.

I think I saw in the in-game thread that Essendon's pressure was off the scale.  They need to review how they measure that, as it didn't seem to be a very intense match.

Like others have said, good that a few of the youngsters/less experienced have had exposure over a few weeks, which will help them into pre-season plans and next year.  Evans' purple patch in the 3rd was great and others are getting accustomed to the level.

Glad the season is over!  Tennis finals coming up and cricket pre-season is starting, so plenty of other things to do.

12
Ladies Lounge / Re: AFLW 2025 Rd 1: Carlton vs Collingwood
"btw. AFLW Executives, that is stuff people happily pay to watch"

I agree, LP - while I only watched some of the game, it was a much higher standard from when I last watched AFLW - some good marking, good kicking and general play.
14
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: The Climate, Environment and Energy Thread
Who really cares about the moon and energy for it - but if energy solutions can be developed for it and used on earth, then that can be beneficial (trickle down technology works!).  Nuclear can explode, don't need to worry about waste disposal, because no one is there and it doesn't matter.

Can't find anything that suggests night on the moon isn't ~340 hours.







15
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: The Climate, Environment and Energy Thread
340 hours of night probably does it, LP.  The below is from a NASA 'Watts on the moon' challenge/competition...

'Solar energy is abundant on the surface of the Moon, but extended night hours (350 consecutive hours) and the extreme environmental temperature change from daylight to nighttime, create problems for solar power use. Earth also addresses similar issues, where demand for additional renewable energy generation, including solar, is rising, but additional power management, distribution, and energy storage solutions are needed to address issues such as intermittency and resiliency.'