(Report comment)

onlineuniversalwork

(Report comment)

One of the drinks you can get at a restaurant is an oversized marguerita with…wait for it…THIRTEEN shots of alcohol in it!

(Report comment)

But you are right in that violence on TV and in sport (hello? ice hockey?), is the same here as it is anywhere else. I think the question is how it combines with other factors that might be unique in Australia that leads to the problems, such as the availability of booze (eg the number of licensed establishments, the opening hours) and how it’s being targeted to younger and younger people. I remember reading an article in the paper about some alcohol issue (can’t recall what it was exactly) but then there was an ad right beside it for a sale on booze. Mixed messages.

I completely hear what you’re saying about media sensationalism – I dislike it myself and am always skeptical of the mainstream media. I’ve also used it as arguments in other discussions (if you don’t believe me, see my comments in the piece on Abroad “Should People of Color go to Russia?”). At the same time though, it really does help to bring the issue to the forefront and really put pressure on the officials to actually do something about it, because it is an issue.

And I think it if it does affect tourism then that will put even more pressure on the gov’t to tackle the problem (because it really is a problem when it’s as regular an occurrence as it is here).

(Report comment)

Fucking hell.

While there is plenty of violence in American, much of it is gang-related, a sort of internecine warfare. We don’t see as much random attacks as happen in the UK, NZ, and Oz…. at least I was never aware. There is a real culture of booze violence in these places. I definitely felt it in NZ – a certain tension in some of the pubs, the feeling that I needed to watch what I said and watch my back. I’ve felt it in the UK as well. Maybe it’s because I’m a Yank and my accent automatically attracts attention, but I generally feel much safer drinking at a bar in America than one in the UK or New Zealand (and though I’ve never been, I’ll add Australia as well…).

Australia is such a masculine country, in image at least. Aussie men pride themselves in being “men’s men” – drinking fucking and fighting – so it’s no surprise that they’re running into problems. The amount of Aussie men I’ve met abroad who are homophobic and openly racist astounds me, and I know some real redneck motherfuckers back in the U.S. of A. No offense, but i think y’all got us beat.

(Report comment)

(Report comment)

(Report comment)

To clarify, Melbourne is a very safe city. I’ve never personally felt threatened, but then again, I’m not much into the late-night life anymore. If you’re going to party like it’s 1999 just be extra careful, keep your wits about you, and don’t stir yourself up any trouble. The worst part of it is sometimes they are random attacks, just a bunch of thugs out to hurt people, which would be hard to avoid if in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Just remember, we’re not invincible.

(Report comment)

My question is, why is this amount of intense violence seem to be happening just in Melbourne? It doesn’t seem like Sydney or other cities throughout AU are having quite as much of an issue.

Funny, when I was in Melbourne, I thought it was a pretty chill city, while Sydney was go go go. But I wasn’t out at 3 in the morning, so that might have had something to do with it…

(Report comment)

I live in the centre of the CBD and witness a vibrant shopping and dining district during the day and well into the night. Almost every time there’s a report of violence in the CBD, you’ll find the words “at 3am” somewhere in the report.

So you could say “It’s LESS safe to walk the streets of the CBD (Central Business District) VERY late at night.” But don’t make it sound like it’s a free for all once the sun sets.

(Report comment)