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1
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: The New Joke Thread
Last post by DJC -
Karl Marx was a world famous philospher, but nobody ever mentions his sister, Onya, the inventor of the starting pistol  ::)
2
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by RiverRat -
Quote from: deepbluesee – on
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Mate I was sitting there in the rain in row G on level 1 for 75% of the game, and when we fell 50 points behind, that was my signal to go because me and the Mrs were getting wet, and whilst we all support the club, every single club has fans that leave early once the game is gone. 
Again, there are lots of good reasons for people to leave (weather being one)

Another couple of good reasons are trying to avoid the public transport crush and trying to avoid being out in public any later than necessary in crime-riddled Melbourne.
4
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Last post by RiverRat -
Quote from: Thryleon – on

Quote
The fact the government thought a buy back system of machettes was needed says it all.


Surely that's no evidence of anything but Governments responding to a perceived crisis?


That's not evidence of anything but a state government wasting more money in a scheme that was intended to suggest that it was doing something useful.
6
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Last post by DJC -
Coincidentally, I have just finished a long phone call with an author who is researching a book on violence in Coburg and surrounding suburbs during the 1960s-80s.  It's surprising when you realise how many schoolmates (and I use "mates" advisedly) came to violent ends.  The number of thugs who joined VicPol is also surprising.

We were genuinely scared of the cops back then; they'd beat the crap out of you just because they felt like it  ::)
7
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Last post by Baggers -
Quote from: DJC – on
A couple of months before my 15th birthday, my 23 year policeman brother and I were stabbed multiple times by a random 28 year old about 30 metres from our home in Coburg.

That was around the time of the Vic Market murders and the Ustaše terror attacks but before the likes of the Crevally Street Boys had us scared crapless.

But yeah, there was no violence back in the day.

Glad you and your brother got out of that situation with your lives, David.

Violence in Victoria today is just more reported on, and then pounced upon by opportunistic pollies and journalists with an agenda. And their answer: more punishment and incarceration. Sheesh, hasn't that worked well over the centuries.

One easy example of Victorian crime on the streets of Melbourne from the past... Razor gangs, and that was the 1920s! Numerous examples through the decades... and that's just the last century in Oz.

Disaffected and disenfranchised individuals have been around since time immemorial... and they congregate in gangs, then movements and so on.

Just a simple dive into human history and you'll find horrors on the streets and cities and towns over the centuries. And that's not to mention the prolific violence occurring in the family home, with so much not reported. The most dangerous creature in the animal kingdom is, humans.

8
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by deepbluesee -
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Quote from: deepbluesee – on

I understand everyone has their own reason/justification for leaving early and not wanting to judge anyone but I was very disappointed with the number of Carlton supporters that left early on Fri.
Sometimes miracles do happen and don't forget Jezza (the real one) once kicked 6 goals in 10 minutes.
Plus I wanted to be there to cheer our team off.
Go Blues in 2027 and beyond.
Mate I was sitting there in the rain in row G on level 1 for 75% of the game, and when we fell 50 points behind, that was my signal to go because me and the Mrs were getting wet, and whilst we all support the club, every single club has fans that leave early once the game is gone. 
Again, there are lots of good reasons for people to leave (weather being one) and I don't want to sound too critical (but I am I know). I was top level, under cover and lots were leaving from that section.
Just thought, being the last game as well as the great season finish, that the team deserved to be cheered off. More than anything, I was disappointed.
10
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Last post by Thryleon -
I almost got stabbed on a Tram in Hawthorn by two drunk guys as a 14 year old.  Wrong place, wrong time, wrong people. 
Standing on a train platform at 10pm in Box hill is also something I dont recommend thanks to the drug and alcohol places around there.
Ive seen kids get in knife fights at the beach.
Ive seen people get beaten to a pulp.  No phone cameras, none of it reported to cops as it was all argy bargy.

Still, like I said, I have no data to back up anything is better, worse same. 

Now, its clips on Facebook, Youtube, instagram, tiktok.  It's in your pocket waiting to be shown to you the second you go doom scrolling. 

Quote
The fact the government thought a buy back system of machettes was needed says it all.
Surely thats no evidence of anything but Governments responding to a perceived crisis?

Im a pretty well travelled individual.  Worked in one of the night clubs in the early 2000's, was going out clubbing during the 2000's when the underbelly stuff was all landing.

Most people were oblivious to the world.  I worked in Broadmeadows and Brooklyn.  Had mates that went to VU and lived in St. Albans.  Another mate grew up in Doveton. 

The less I write about those areas the better.

The world is the same place it used to be, but most of Melbourne had no idea.  I maintain that we are more aware of things today than we used to be, as you watched the news and saw it, or you didn't back then. Cars stolen 3 times from out the front of the family home in Burwood.  Ditto dads panel van in east Burwood. 

I remember leaving Princes Park after a game vs Geelong and coming across a fan who had way too much to drink and not quite feeling safe at 6pm on a sunday.

You either had a false sense of security or you didnt.

My anecdotal evidence is not evidence, but it suggests that whilst a lot of the people around me were blind to the world, my eyes were open to the reality that we are all just walking along feeling a lot safer than we think we are.