"Mistakes are the portals of discovery."
-James Joyce
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Melbourne; The Most Livable City?
Not to give away my age, but not too long ago, I was heading into the city most Thursday and if I had recovered, most Saturday nights too. Now the majority of the time we managed to miss any fights picked within our group, but we did see some fights over the years. Most of the time we didn't hang around and got out of their pretty quick but I dont ever remember their being so much violence.
The fights we witnessed were usaully one guy on another. Not a whole group of guys verse one and the minute someone hit the ground, or drew blood, fight over. No one got kicked while on the ground. No one was so badly hurt that they were put in a coma or brain damaged. No one used to pick a fight with the guys trying to break up the fight.
Recenty, Sly of the Underworld told 3AW listeners that at a recent police convention, past and present members of the force agreed that their had been a considerable rise in violence in the city.
Why is it we are hearing (what seems) everyday that someone has been bashed? Abused? Parents losing their cool at junior football games? Road rage? What has changed in our society over the last 10 or so years?
Can drugs and alcohol be solely to blame or does it go further then that? Their are new drugs on the streets compared to 10 years ago and perhaps that is to blame, but why are sober people snapping? What happened to the attitude: do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Is their some sort of pack mentality?
Try and remember the last time a stranger did something nice for you. Maybe a stranger smiled at you. Let you into the next lane? Let you cut in front of them at the shops becasue you had less items? Said excuse me? Please? THANK YOU?
If you can't remember the last time someone did this for you, this is my point. If you can remember, please share it and restore our faith in the human spirit and your thoughts on why Melbourne has become so violent.
Do you feel safe going out in Melbourne? Do you think twice?
The fights we witnessed were usaully one guy on another. Not a whole group of guys verse one and the minute someone hit the ground, or drew blood, fight over. No one got kicked while on the ground. No one was so badly hurt that they were put in a coma or brain damaged. No one used to pick a fight with the guys trying to break up the fight.
Recenty, Sly of the Underworld told 3AW listeners that at a recent police convention, past and present members of the force agreed that their had been a considerable rise in violence in the city.
Why is it we are hearing (what seems) everyday that someone has been bashed? Abused? Parents losing their cool at junior football games? Road rage? What has changed in our society over the last 10 or so years?
Can drugs and alcohol be solely to blame or does it go further then that? Their are new drugs on the streets compared to 10 years ago and perhaps that is to blame, but why are sober people snapping? What happened to the attitude: do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Is their some sort of pack mentality?
Try and remember the last time a stranger did something nice for you. Maybe a stranger smiled at you. Let you into the next lane? Let you cut in front of them at the shops becasue you had less items? Said excuse me? Please? THANK YOU?
If you can't remember the last time someone did this for you, this is my point. If you can remember, please share it and restore our faith in the human spirit and your thoughts on why Melbourne has become so violent.
Do you feel safe going out in Melbourne? Do you think twice?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Chris Brown Gets A Slap On The Wrist
Like many women, I was shocked and disturbed by the pictures leaked of a beaten Rihanna by until recently, "allegedly" by Chris Brown. Until Monday, Brown denied that he belt Rihanna after a pre-Grammy party last year, but on Monday took a plea deal and pleaded gulity to assult.
This plea deal has now found Brown escaping possible jail time and being slapped on the wrist with 180 hours of community service. What message is this sending? It's ok to smack around your girlfriend/wife/mother/sister, all you will have to do is plead guilty and your punishment will be the same as if you were caught talking in class at school: pick up rubbish.
Even though this happened in the States what do you guys think? Is it an adequate form of punishment? What message, if any, do you think this is sending out?
This plea deal has now found Brown escaping possible jail time and being slapped on the wrist with 180 hours of community service. What message is this sending? It's ok to smack around your girlfriend/wife/mother/sister, all you will have to do is plead guilty and your punishment will be the same as if you were caught talking in class at school: pick up rubbish.
Even though this happened in the States what do you guys think? Is it an adequate form of punishment? What message, if any, do you think this is sending out?
Sports Stars V HECS
Some of you may have read several articles in The Age last week highlighing the argument of whether athletes who go to the AIS should be exempt from paying back their scholarships or should they have to pay later with a HECS-style scheme.
Some of the many arguments being put forward (mainly from former athletes) is that most athletes will never achieve the professional benifts of a successful career as an elite athlete and therefore will never be able to pay back the government.
Another argument is that HECS paying university students will have a career spanning over many years where upon they will have a secure job and have the time and the money too pay back their often mammoth debt. Elite athletes apparently don't have this option.
But is this fair? Should the Australian people have to pay for our athletes? Should athletes be made to pay it all back regardless of their success?
A recent online poll found that 93% of people believe that athletes should be forced to re-pay their training debts.
Kimberly Crow, a rower and sporting commentator believes that by forcing athletes to pay back their scholarships athletes will retire younger for fear of a growing debt and that Australia's great sporting culture will dissolve due to this. Current university students and those who are in the process of paying back their debts feel un-easy, why should athletes be exempt? And as for Australia's sporting culture declining due to athletes retiring early, perhaps they wern't that serious about being an elite athlete in the first place?
I love sport, anything to do with sport, but this debate got me fired up. If a reason for aththletes not being able to pay back thier debt is due to being "a dumb athlete" with no bright future ahead of them, then maybe look to the AFL.
The AFL have their footballers enrolled in part time TAFE and university courses so that by the end of their career, they have something to fall back on. Now an arguement their could be that AFL footballers get paid rather well, better then say a tennis player or runner but it's the concept that is my point.
Another suggestion that has been put forawrd, is from HECS creator, Professor Bruce Chapman. Professor Chapman suggests instead of a HECS scheme the government implements a "human capital contract" where the Government "owned" a stake of the athletes earnings. The word "owned" seems a bit ominous to me.
What do you all think?
Some of the many arguments being put forward (mainly from former athletes) is that most athletes will never achieve the professional benifts of a successful career as an elite athlete and therefore will never be able to pay back the government.
Another argument is that HECS paying university students will have a career spanning over many years where upon they will have a secure job and have the time and the money too pay back their often mammoth debt. Elite athletes apparently don't have this option.
But is this fair? Should the Australian people have to pay for our athletes? Should athletes be made to pay it all back regardless of their success?
A recent online poll found that 93% of people believe that athletes should be forced to re-pay their training debts.
Kimberly Crow, a rower and sporting commentator believes that by forcing athletes to pay back their scholarships athletes will retire younger for fear of a growing debt and that Australia's great sporting culture will dissolve due to this. Current university students and those who are in the process of paying back their debts feel un-easy, why should athletes be exempt? And as for Australia's sporting culture declining due to athletes retiring early, perhaps they wern't that serious about being an elite athlete in the first place?
I love sport, anything to do with sport, but this debate got me fired up. If a reason for aththletes not being able to pay back thier debt is due to being "a dumb athlete" with no bright future ahead of them, then maybe look to the AFL.
The AFL have their footballers enrolled in part time TAFE and university courses so that by the end of their career, they have something to fall back on. Now an arguement their could be that AFL footballers get paid rather well, better then say a tennis player or runner but it's the concept that is my point.
Another suggestion that has been put forawrd, is from HECS creator, Professor Bruce Chapman. Professor Chapman suggests instead of a HECS scheme the government implements a "human capital contract" where the Government "owned" a stake of the athletes earnings. The word "owned" seems a bit ominous to me.
What do you all think?
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