Australia - The Land Down Under

[Condobloke]

The recent shootings at Bondi Beach.

A murky depressing subject. Yet, one that deserves comment, because this is not a usual occurrence in Australia.

30 years ago a guy went berserk down in Tasmania. 35 people died. The deadliest massacre in Australian history.

Fast forward to 14th December 2025....and the unthinkable happened at Bondi beach. 15 dead. Extremely strong religious overtones mixed with true terrorism/radicalisation etc

Discussing the ins and outs and why etc etc is not for this forum. Our rules ban talk re religion, politics etc
The rules are enforced strongly.

This is not the Australia that I have lived in, for in excess of 70 years (see what I did there?...you still don't know how old I am ! lol )

Australia will once again rise to the top. We will not be put down or defeated by such actions.

Ahmed Al Ahmed has won a place in our hearts. I applaud him for his selfless bravery.

He came to Australia in 2006,
...father of two daughters — aged three and six — would have done anything to protect anyone, regardless of their background or faith.

"When he did what he did, he wasn't thinking about the background of the people he's saving, the people dying in the street," Mr Ahmed said.

"He doesn't discriminate between one nationality and another. Especially here in Australia, there's no difference between one citizen and another."

He is, in fact, Australian....in all the ways that count. Just an ordinary bloke who owns and runs a fruit and veggie shop.

 

[KGIII]

the unthinkable happened

That sh*t sucks. There's really no good way to say it.

My very rural state experienced a spree/mass shooting. It was traumatic for many people. Some folks are scarred for life, in physical and mental ways. In our case, it was known that the person was losing grip with reality. There were points when basic protocols were ignored. He was a reservist in the US Army, and they did nothing more than note his mental health issues on paper. This coward shot himself, meaning there will never be justice. It also means some folks may never find closure.

But, I think I have a semi-solution for many of these.

If you were pressed to answer, I bet you could name a half-dozen serial/spree killers. Probably most people can do that.

But, do you know what most people can't do? Most people can't even name a single one of the victims.

I say we stop giving them media attention. Instead, we focus our media attention on the victims and how their deaths have impacted other people. Don't publicize their names. Don't give them fancy nicknames. Give them a number and never speak their names.

Time and time again, we hear how they were motivated by, and fascinated by, others who did similar things. They crave this media attention. This pops up time and time again in their interviews.

Stop giving them that attention.

We shouldn't know their names. We should know the names of their victims.

That's not going to stop all of it, but it might reduce some of it.

Also, I wonder what would happen if we treated extremism as a mental health problem? Often, friends and family witnessed these people moving toward extreme ideas and ideologies. Maybe we could get them some mental health treatment?

I would at least want to try that. I'm not sure if it'll help, but that seems like a rational thing to try.

As for Australia, like I said, that sucks. That really sucks.

 

[Condobloke]

I wonder what would happen if we treated extremism as a mental health problem?

It IS a mental health problem. People disassociating from reality. Whether they are under the influence of other similar minded people or whether it be drug related (my money is on drugs somewhere in the mix) ....at the first sign of losing grip with reality.....there has to be a procedure that swings into action. If there is no such procedure, then the rest of society suffers.
I do realise that this would kick start another 'industry' of sorts. The rorts to come from such an industry would be horrendous.


Drugs. Their acceptance, normalisation, will be the death of many, many more innocents.

As a society, we have made rods for our own backs.

The complexity of the whole thing is almost beyond comprehension.....but....the fight back has to start somewhere.

Not giving recognition/attention to the perpetrators is a good start.

Ahmed's name will be remembered for all the right reasons.

 

[KGIII]

It IS a mental health problem.

Yup. Sadly, so few of these people had any mental health interventions before they went on to do what they did.

I've heard that attributed to stigma and potential repercussions. But, it's outside of my wheelhouse. I am not a mental health provider, or anything like that.

 

[Condobloke]

High schools demand students prove they are not AI cheats

Pulled out of class, held back after school and forced to prove they're not AI cheats, students say NSW high schools are pitting them against faulty AI detectors.

www.abc.net.au

 

[KGIII]

High schools demand students prove they are not AI cheats

Pulled out of class, held back after school and forced to prove they're not AI cheats, students say NSW high schools are pitting them against faulty AI detectors.

www.abc.net.au

We're reasonably aware of my academic past. With that comes a loathing for plagiarism.

I'm not against using tools to help you understand the work. In the real world, you'll have access to those tools.

But... I also like the presumption of innocence. Unless there's reasonable evidence, your integrity should not be questioned.

If the tools they're using to detect academic cheating are not accurate, they should not be used. Then, well, imagine the morale. You've done the work honestly, and yet you're accused of scholastic malfeasance. That's not going to make you want to keep doing work at a high level. It's not inspiring you to keep working hard to learn more.

 

[Condobloke]

If the tools they're using to detect academic cheating are not accurate, they should not be used.

Amen

I thought that perhaps two or three well thought out questions from a teacher would soon show if the child involved actually had a knowledgeable grip on the topic in question. The answers he/she gave would be by mouth, not written.

eg. (acknowledging that i am just a few years older than any of these students).....if anyone with a reasonable knowledge of small engines were to ask me two or three pointed questions re that subject ....they would be left in no doubt as to my depth of knowledge in that area.
For anyone who truly 'knows their stuff' it is quite simple to establish the bona fides of another person in short order.

AI's advancement in this world is heralded by the exchange of enormous sums of money, both at corporate level and governmental level. Usually the sums of money involved, would not be expended without due diligence.

My point is.....are schools setting the best example for students by denigrating them in any way possible when it comes to the existence of AI?....Fairly obvious to say that AI is not going anywhere anytime soon.

From the article:
Professor Jason Lodge, University of Queensland teaching and technology expert, said that although AI cheating was a "really complex problem" that affected both students and teachers, the current "trial and error" approach was severely disadvantaging students.

"At the moment, a lot of institutions and education sectors are trying to figure this out on their own, and it's not working," he said.

"It's making students suffer."

Professor Lodge said, short term, all Australian educational institutions needed a paradigm shift — less looking for evidence of cheating and more seeking evidence of learning.

So, in summary: Ai is a part of the 'too and fro' of this world. It has become an ingrained part of every topic on earth.
The cry goes out that there are inaccuracies. There are inaccuracies in many books, in what many teachers teach.....in some of the advice posted here on linux.org etc etc etc......nothing new there. The human brain automatically sorts the wheat from the chaff. It has not been replaced. Everyone reading this post/thread is doing precisely that.

Nothing new about it really....it is just the world presenting already known knowledge, faster, more accessible, to all.

The teachers of our children need a wake up call.

 

[Condobloke]

This is a must read. Read ALL of it.

I will leave it you to research the Great Sandy Desert. One of the most inhospitable places on earth. Take a look at the images....just one look should educate you.

A Wikipedia article to whet your appetite:
The Great Sandy Desert is an interim Australian bioregion, located in the northeast of Western Australia straddling the Pilbara and southern Kimberley regions and extending east into the Northern Territory. It is the second largest desert in Australia after the Great Victoria Desert and encompasses an area of 284,993 km². The Gibson Desert lies to the south and the Tanami Desert lies to the east of the Great Sandy Desert Continued in Wikipedia

Decades after he disappeared into the desert, Robert Bogucki returns

In 1999 a young American dumped his bicycle and walked out into the Great Sandy Desert. Why was he willing to risk his life, and why do some people need to get lost in order to feel found?

www.abc.net.au

 

[Condobloke]

The Australian Workforce.

Again, the times, they are a' changing.....

As she delivers groceries by night, Deanna joins a 'hidden' workforce

While most of Australia is sleeping, more than 1 million workers are supporting the $174 billion night-time economy.

www.abc.net.au

 

[KGIII]

Read ALL of it.

I'm not sure if I've made it clear enough. I'm sort of just across a border into what's known as the North Maine Woods. It is millions of acres in size. Right now, hypothermia will set in within minutes (unless you're dressed for it).

For some reason, this attracts people who aren't properly equipped, mentally and physically, to survive. I used to be on the search and rescue squad. I'm too old now and would potentially be a liability. We often don't have the success your story has.

That's not really my point. My point is that sometimes, someone will just head off into the woods. They think there's something calling them there. We actually have some success stories, with hermits living mostly off the land. Heck, we had one hermit much closer to town, and they weren't really a hermit because they funded their hermit lifestyle by breaking into camps to steal stuff.

Don't do this, people. Doing this is how you become a statistic. If you think you're going to go into the wilderness to find yourself, at least get some training and take provisions.

I'm just getting back from a 'rescue'. One of my son's friends was up on the mountain and managed to get buried in snow, break their transfer case, and break a brake line. They were miles into the woods. We gave up trying to get his truck. It'll be safer to go get it tomorrow.

 

[theLegionWithin]

The Australian Workforce.

Again, the times, they are a' changing.....

As she delivers groceries by night, Deanna joins a 'hidden' workforce

While most of Australia is sleeping, more than 1 million workers are supporting the $174 billion night-time economy.

www.abc.net.au

I tried working the night shift once. didnt even last a full 40 hours before I quit. I dont mind not seeing the sun for weeks on end (pacific northwest) but I just cant work at night

 

[Condobloke]

if you are not sure where baby cows come from, here's a cows nest.

AS you can see the eggs in this nest are white.

White eggs generally mean that the cow being bornwill be a beef cow or a dairy cow, which will only produce white milk

But....if the eggs are brwin (very rare) you will end up with a cow that is used solely for the production of chocolate milk

 

[Condobloke]

Australian ?

You know you're Australian when:

1 You know how to abbreviate every bloody word, all of which usually end in -o :arvo,combo,garbo,metho,milko, rego, servo, smoko, speedo, righto, etc

2. You know there is a universal place called 'woop woop' , located in the middle of nowhere....no matter where you actually are.

3. You know that while we call our friends 'mates', we don't use terms like 'sheila' and 'shrimp on the barbie' , contrary to popular belief

4. You know that none of us actually drink Fosters beer, because it tastes like Fu****g crap.. But we let the world think we do. Because we can.

5. You have at some time in your life slept with Aeroguard on in the summer. Maybe even as perfume.

6. You have the ability to compress several words into one -ie, g'day and dyareckon?.....this allows more space for profanities.

7. You've used the words--tops, ripper, sick, mad, rad sweet--to mean good....and then you place 'bloody' in front of it when you Really mean it

8. You know the first verse to the National Anthem, but still don't know what 'girt' means. And, you're ok with that.

9. You know that backyard cricket is a nice way to bond with family and the rubbish bin. And the 'one bounce, one hand' rule always applies

10. You know Australia IS the best bloody place on earth. Bar none.

 

[Brickwizard]

I like the second one

 

[theLegionWithin]

6. You have the ability to compress several words into one -ie, g'day and dyareckon?.....this allows more space for profanities.

ah, reminds me of the cajun/creole folks down on the gulf coast - I spent some of my formative years down in new orleans (or as I always refer to it as, "the swamp"). an acquaintance of mine (same social circle), it took me about 4 months to figure out what he was saying half the time. sometimes we just nodded when he'd go off on a rant in that strange dialect.

 

[Condobloke]

Footnote
The old guy right at the end of the vid.....that is old Australia talking. Still present all over Australia, yet more likely to be found in the regions/country areas, not so much in the cities.

There are also different paces/speeds of talking, easily discernible ...again...slower in country areas. Country people do not live at the same pace as people from the cities, generally.

 

[Condobloke]

 

[theLegionWithin]

Ta!

part5 in the video

 

[Condobloke]

Ta for pointing that out !

There are quite a few Aussies on this site....myself and @wizardfromoz among them.

We are the only two (afaik) who utter the word: Ta : on a semi regular basis.

For the uninitiated it means, Thanks, or thank you

 

[Brickwizard]

r the word: Ta :

Very common in the UK especially the further north you go but then apart from the Kiwis Aussies have the closest related tong to UK English