Apparently tomorrow starts what may be the biggest protest in over twenty years. I’ve only heard about it at work. Anyone have resources or anything? I’ve been told to expect PT to be a mess even starting from like 7am.
Edit: turns out my head is in the sand. Protest against defense/arms exhibition at convention centre. Many different groups saying they’ll be there and expecting like 25k people, starting from 6am
Indeed. More info here, and here
The event guide says the opening ceremony starts at 7, so PT is probably just going to be fucked
Personal opinion: I really don’t like the fact they’re hosting a weapons expo here. I don’t even really understand why anyone would host something like that in Australia at all. We are exactly the most linked in country in the world. The cynical part of me reckons that they chose us because we have a smaller population than other countries, and we are besties with America. So I think it’s good that so many people are protesting
I’m thinking about going primarily because I find chaos funny, and they’ve pulled almost 2,000 cops who’ll probably all be head to toe in riot gear from both rural areas around the state, and according to the guardian, even cops from interstate have been called down
Please don’t go Baku. This has the potential to get out of control. I think the organisers have seriously misread Australia’s reputation as being laid back anti-protest people for the most part. Granted that the post-Port Arthur buyback means that nearly all the gun-toting people here are licensed, identifiable and mostly live up the country, but there’s a huge groundswell of people who really really REALLY don’t like guns and gun culture.
Never underestimate the destructive power of the so-called non-violent people. They usually don’t have many stop triggers - have you read Konrad Lorenz’s research back before WWII about what happened when he confined two nice gentle pigeons in a cage? Its brutal.
Lorenz was making the point that wolves and other social ‘aggressive’ species have stop triggers for aggression - if two individuals are in conflict they have ways of defusing violence and avoiding personal harm.
The pigeons do not - their usual species specific reaction to aggression is to fly away, so when confined in the cage one pecks the other to death and keeps on pecking until the dead pigeon is a bloody splat on the cage floor. Because the pigeons don’t have any practiced or instinctual way to stop being violent. So the violence continues long past any possible definition of ‘winning’.
Lorenz’s work and books have been questioned a lot since he did it, but in this specific area, I think he was dead on the money. My gut instinct for this event to avoid it at all costs. Protests are not a spectator sport.
I should clarify that I’m not going to join the protest, I’m not really a protester and I definitely envisage police violence (whether or not “justified”), and I don’t want to end up with 10 broken ribs, but what do guns have to do with anything? Are the gun nuts coming to counter protest or something? Also, you can group me in with the people who despise guns and gun culture.
Also, I don’t really agree with your assessment that non-violent people do not have many “stop triggers”. I don’t think violence will come from the vast majority of people. There’s always a few idiots, but in my experience, peaceful protests usually turn violent only after people from both sides heighten each other up, until it turns physical. Then that causes a Domino effect where other people see unjustified violence and try to jump in to defend their people. But it’s certainly not the majority of people. I don’t see it as much different from other large gatherings or events.
I probably won’t go, because I’ve been super tired recently, am not feeling well and somebody will probably Livestream it on YouTube anyways. But truthfully your comment doesn’t make me want to go less, it makes me want to go and observe a lot more.
Nothing wrong with observing from a safe place. Disagree about the majority of people, though. I think we all have the potential.
I accidently walked thru a protest last year.
A bloke near me yelled out “Kill Them”. And I believe he meant it. I was chilled and got out of there as fast as I could.
Yep. Fully understand. I did protest publicly during the Franklin campaign way back when, but some of what I saw then chilled me too. And I’m fairly OK with my own personal triggers - I know when I have to back off and keep my cool. I fear those people who get whipped up into a frenzy and lose what little brains they once possessed. Because then there are NO limits to what they will do.
I’m glad I don’t work near protest sites. Most of them seem unruly and even worse if two opposing sides clash.
I can really see that happening tomorrow when the pro gun people turn up.
Who is organising it?
Glad I’m working from home tomorrow.
Did my usual thing if falling asleep earlier, getting woken up by a loud banging noise or something and now I’m struggling to call asleep 😭
you know you’re getting old when you truly love waking up stupidly early.
Mornings are nice at this tune of year. I’d like to get up early but have never been able to manage the habit
The stars are still out, the sky is dark blue, the birds are chirping, the air smells delicious, what’s not to love?
The hangover :(
The little pudding is hungry lately! She was sick a day or two ago but I’m hoping it improves.
There’s these fancy little cat broth sachets I’ve been tempting her with to eat wet food, and she’s always perked up at the treat bag rustling.
We’re cuddling and staying warm.
Had a bunch of stuff I needed to do today but low mood, procrastinating, fumbling, decision paralysis, all defeated me. Tomorrow is a new day.
Hopefully same. I’ve been stuck like this for a few days now. Today I got to throw in exhaustion and feeling crook, too though. I did manage to master up the energy to water the garden though, so that’s good
Mood. I would be the same if not for good ol LAST MINUTE PANIC forcing me into action.
From within the bowels
The buzz of the bee whirring
I am hungover
Me - I’m not sure what day it is 2024
That’s full tilt. Will be gone in under a week.
Been grappling with food poisoning since Saturday night. I’m almost 100% but not quite there yet.
Meanwhile I come home today and think ooh it’s a bit chilly and now it feels warm even though.the temperature is technically lower? Melbourne is so chaotic.
Good night everyone. Sweet Dreams. 🥱
Beep Beep 🚚
🍏🍎🍐🍊🍋🍈🫐🍓🍇🍉🍌🍒🍑🥭🍍🥥🥦🥑🫛🍆🍅🥝🥬🥒🌽🥕🥐🍠🫚🥔🧅🥯🍞🥖🥨🧀🧇🥞🧈🍳🥚🥓🥩🍗🍖🫓🍕🍟🍔🌭🥙🧆🌮🌯🥗🍲🍜🍝🥘🍛🍣🍱🥟🦪🍥🍘🍚🍙🐠🍤🪼🦀🐙 🍗🥮🍢🍡🍧🍰🧁🥧🍦🍨🎂🍮🍭🍬🍫🥜🌰🍪🍿🍯🥛☕️🍵🍺🍶🥤🧋🧃🥂🍷🥃🍸🍹🧉🔋Could I pls have a 10l bucket full of thai fish cakes and half a bucket of sweet chilli sauce thank you chef you’re a gem.
🪣🐟🟠
🪣🌶️🍬
All the chocolate cake please chef. 💎💎💎💎
🍫🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂
A hotdog, wrapped in melted cheese, topped with hot honey, please Chef!
🔥🍯
🧀🧀🧀
🧀🌭🧀
🧀🧀🧀
I think I’m either sick, or going to get sick in the next few days. I can feel it. The sore throatening has started, the nose is getting stuffy, and I’m super tired
I used to only get sick once or twice a year, but now it’s feeling like I get sick month or two. Really need to figure out how to make that stop happening, because it’s getting annoying. Especially the lack of energy part
oh no, take care
Hit list from today:
- Old mate at Bailey Nelson that fixed my askew glasses perfectly in one try
- Old mate at Coles that couldn’t figure out why a “2 for” purchase wasn’t discounting, so he just gave me one for free
- Old mate barber that just knows what to do when I walk in and I think undercharges me
Not to kill the vibe on number 2, but I think that might actually be store policy at colesworth. I remember a few years ago I went in and bought 2 chomps for a dollar, but they didn’t discount and each one scanned at 80 cents. I called the lady over (self serve), she called someone for a price check, and when they confirmed I was right, she gave me one for free and the other at the 50 cent discounted rate
I remember reading somewhere a few months later that if your items scan at a higher price, they’ll give one to you for free. Although obviously that is contingent on you noticing before you press no receipt and walk out
Still a good run though
Pretty decent list!
Maaan, I slept like shit last night and then didn’t connect my phone to the charger properly so no alarms, was late to work, plus I had to stay on late to clear my workload anyway, and then for some reason decided to make dinner from scratch despite having NO TIME (at least it’s chock full of veggies. I guess I was craving veggies).
Just sat down to eat it. And oh god there is a MOUNTAIN I need to do before I leave at 4 pm on the dot tomorrow because I hate coming back to a messy house, and I am so sleepy, and it’s so late…
Well. No use beating myself up for my past priorities. I will do the absolutely crucial stuff: pack using last night’s list, run the dishwasher, and clear/clean the kitchen surfaces. Tomorrow will be a VERY tightly run schedule. Up at 7am, go go go until 10pm when dinner is over and we get to our accom. Maybe I can have an hour to catch my breath on the flight. Off we go… 🛸
New food rules are doing well. I’m already planning in my head what I would like to wear when I is thinner.
Nicer brighter more fashionable younger stuff. :) Do they sell Odd Molly and the like in Australia?
I’ve been failing at that lately.
Been eating fruit after dinner or a couple of spoons of yogurt.
Just 8 more work days and I’m on leave for a month.
Wear it anyway. Life’s too short to wait for a specific physique. Glad the food plan is going well though!
What rules have you implemented?
no snacks, no dessert
👍
Oh… hissing and puffy tails. Another kitty came up to the (locked) screen door and there was a standoff.
It’s always surprising to see as Melbcat is such a placid people oriented cat, a real teddy bear. I guess she’s just protecting herself and her home.
A few neighbourhood cats do seem keen on coming here. Maybe they heard about the good food and are trying to book a stay
Well someone promised to help me with something and once again I’ve been let down.
Saw it coming from a mile away.
Lucky I ended up asking my next door neighbour to help me out instead.
