octave

Historically low overall homicide rate The AIC released two reports on statistics emerging from its National Homicide Monitoring Program, a database that has been in operation since July 1989. The institute reports 232 overall homicide incidents were recorded by Australian state and territory police between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023, which resulted in 247 homicide victims. The Australian homicide rate (0.87 deaths per year per 100,000 population) remains historically low. There has been a 52 per cent reduction in homicide incidents since 1989‒90, indicative of a long-term downward trend in unlawful killings. The report reveals police, prosecutors and courts are doing a good job, with 90 per cent of cases being resolved through the justice system. That is, only 10 per cent of homicide incidents in 2022‒23 were not “cleared,” meaning cases where an offender has yet to be identified, a suspect has not yet been charged, or a person is declared missing and police believe it’s linked to foul play.

Nope whether crime has gone up or down is something that can be measured. The fact that homicides have been declining for many years does not have any bearing on the seriousness of each individual crime. Your logic seems to be that if I state that homicides have been falling, then I believe that people should not be punished harshly, which makes no sense at all. Although murders have decreased since the 90s there was a slight uptick recently. This seems to be from Intimate Partner murders. The difference between you and me GON is that you judge these things purely on your gut feeling where as I want the data.

AI Overview No, public perception of crime often differs from actual crime rates. While crime rates have generally been decreasing in many areas, public perception tends to be that crime is increasing or at high levels. This discrepancy can be influenced by various factors, including media coverage, personal experiences, and individual biases. Here's a more detailed look at the factors contributing to this gap: 1. Media Influence: Sensationalism: News media often focuses on dramatic and violent crimes, which can create a perception that these events are more common than they actually are. Repetitive Coverage: Even if crime rates are stable or decreasing, continuous media reports can lead to the perception that crime is on the rise. 2. Personal Experiences and Biases: Fear of Crime: Individuals may develop a heightened fear of crime, even if they haven't been victims, based on personal experiences, stories from others, or general anxieties about their surroundings. Social and Economic Factors: People with higher socioeconomic status may perceive crime as more prevalent or a greater threat, potentially due to concerns about property values or personal safety. Implicit Biases: Racial and class biases can also influence perceptions of crime, leading to inaccurate assessments of crime levels in certain neighborhoods. 3. Lack of Accurate Information: Official Crime Statistics: Public awareness of official crime statistics is often limited, and people may not be aware of trends in crime rates, particularly if they are decreasing. Underreporting: Crimes may not be reported to the police, leading to an underestimation of the true extent of crime in a community. 4. The Role of "Perceived Crime": Impact on Policy: Despite the discrepancy between perceived and actual crime, public perception can still influence policy decisions and resource allocation related to law enforcement. Community Safety: Perceptions of safety can affect people's behavior, such as their willingness to go out at night or participate in community activities. In conclusion, while crime rates may be declining in many areas, public perception of crime can be significantly higher due to factors like media coverage, personal experiences, and biases. This gap between perceived and actual crime has important implications for public safety and policy decisions.

I do not form my opinions on the basis of what a lot of people say; I want hard facts.

I have actually been involved with a legal situation for the last 18 months regarding drug dealers next door in a housing department property. Instead of getting hysterical, we organised our neighbours, made allies in the police and housing department educated ourselves and appeared to give evidence. We won, and these people are going to be evicted by the police and the property is going on the private market. The moral of this is that whinging and whining gets you nowhere. We educated ourselves and kept positive. I am sorry that you seem to be so unhappy with life.

Of course, but rationally, I understand the odds of that happening, and I can avoid hysteria.

Statistics matter more than emotional irrationality.

Many people did resist. During the Vietnam War, over 1,000 men in Australia applied for conscientious objector status under the National Service Act. Of these, 733 were granted total exemption from military service, 142 were exempted from combat duties, and 137 had their applications rejected. Many more Australians resisted conscription through other means, such as burning draft cards or leaving the country, although these actions are not classified as conscientious objection under the Act. Here's a more detailed breakdown: Conscientious Objection: The National Service Act defined conscientious objectors as those who sincerely believed that any form of military service was wrong. Applications: Over 1,000 men applied for conscientious objector status between 1965 and 1971. Outcomes: Total Exemption: 733 applicants were granted complete exemption from any military service. Partial Exemption: 142 applicants were exempted from combat duties only. Rejections: 137 applications were rejected. Other Forms of Resistance: Many Australians who opposed the war also resisted conscription by burning their draft cards, refusing to register for the draft, serving jail time, or leaving the country.

There is a movement in California to succeed. This would be good for California but bad for the US Here's why the state wants to become an independent country Of the $4.67 trillion in revenue from the states in 2023, over 35% came from the nation's four most populous states: California (12.2% of the total), Texas (8.9%), New York (8.0%), and Florida (6.7%) g I think it would be good for California to cut loose the anti-intellectual red states, who educationally and financially are not pulling their weight. The situation 8in California is not a state of emergency. This is political theatre from the man (and a dress rehearsal for the rest of the country) who pardoned the Jan 6 mob, where people actually died. The reason people are kicking up against the ICE raids is that "we are only going after criminals" has proved to be bulshit. Using the military against their population is crossing a dangerous line usually reserved for dictatorships.

I don't doubt that, you can see moisture from exhaust pipes on cold mornings, and even feel it if you put your hand near the exhaust. Water in the oil, however, is not normal and is usually a sign of serious problems.

How are we using facial recognition technology to confirm your identity? It is to confirm your identity if they believe your account has been compromised. There is an option if you do not wish to submit a video. If our automated system can't confirm a match or if you choose not to use facial recognition technology, your selfie may go through manual review or you may be asked to confirm your identity another way.

I would suggest that water in the sump indicates a serious problem, such as a blown head gasket or cracked engine block.

This video makes a good case against Henry's farm running only on electricity. I have no problem with that proposition. This is of course with today's technology. Just to be clear a lot of people think that net zero means not burning fossil fuels at all. This is not true. Net zero means a balance between greenhouse gases added and those removed. The anti EV folks love to present the worst-case scenarios as if that proves something. People have often said to me EVs are useless because I need to tow a caravan through central Australia. Yes this would be difficult at this stage, and I would suggest that such a person should not buy an EV at this time. My petrol-driven car would also be unsuitable for these kinds of drives. It will probably be some time before Henry's farm can operate on only electricity and perhaps in the future it will use some other fuel such as hydrogen. The massive imports of diesel are not really sustainable forever. Enormous farms will take a long time to be in a position to adopt cleaner technologies however, smaller farms are modernising. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhnU2wlBnFs&t

There has not been a trial. The court case was for defamation, and the recent court case was an unsuccessful attempt by BRS to overturn the previous case. My understanding is that as yet, no one has been charged with murder. Ben Roberts-Smith loses appeal bid to overturn defamation case loss, signals High Court challenge

I imagine that the infrastructure that we enjoy and rely upon today was a substantial cost to the tax payers if the day. There is a wise old saying " a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit"

https://www.facilitiesdive.com/news/rogue-communication-devices-found-on-chinese-made-solar-power-inverters/748237/

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8140203/we-are-so-sorry-pm-apologises-to-vietnam-veterans/

It is often a case of not knowing what you don't know. I spent most of my working life teaching music, and I have had more than one of these students, four lessons in, and they believe they are close to knowing it all, whereas those who have been learning longer tend to appreciate how much they have yet to learn.

There was a belated welcome home parade in Sydney in 1987. I know this because I took part in it as a musician in the RAAF band. From memory Hawke gave a speech. I believe there were about 2000 vets marching. I am not saying this is enough but times have changed somewhat.

GON inflation is not an ever worsening problem that we did not have on the "good old days". For some years before COVID inflation and interest rates were low. Inflation is now starting to go down. Whilst this is difficult for many the situation is improving. Housing prices seem to be a problem around the world to varying degrees. I am not sure what the answers are. Governments can tinker around the edges but I don't think they can wave a magic wand and lowe prices. GON, do you have any suggestions?

Oh dear, that prediction did not age well. I seen to remember you also assuring us that Trump would not impose tariffs on Australia because, blah blah blah fentynol. It is hard to see the outcome of this election as anything but a repudiation of those things that you and the Trumpsters hold dear.

Dutton looks like he could lose his seat

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-2 Catalina on Lord Howe Island: 7 killed

I have fond memories of Lord Howe Island. When I was a musician in the RAAF, we made many visits there. The landings and takeoffs in a C-130 were always exciting. These trips were in the 80s, and from memory, we used to perform at "Founders Day" events. Back then it was a big deal, and we seemed to have some celebrity status. We would be put up by the locals and shown a good time with boat trips, etc. On one occasion, I was able to get my wife on the RAAF flight. On another occasion, after takeoff, the crew put a cargo strap across the rear of the aircraft, and they opened the back ramp as we flew past Balls Pyramid.

Nah, not offered but I am not particularly a "sausage man" In and out as quickly as possible. Another observation is that it seems to me that most people don't take "how to vote" material from the party people outside the booth. I haven't done this for many, many years. I used to take a brochure from the party or candidate I wanted to vote for and then one from all the others so as not to signal my vote. We did our research before we went, and I suspect this is what many people are doing.