Bluey's Dad

Thanks Wrecker. In this case, yes it didn't go the way I would have liked, however it's not the only example of how I feel democracy isn't working as it should. I probably wasn't clear enough on my media point. I was in London last month (before the vote) and all I heard in the media was negative commentary on immigration. It was constant, and it was clear that it was influencing voters when I discussed it with British colleagues. Similar to what happened here with the Tampa, although again I'd say you'd disagree. The media love a bloodbath. It sells papers and subscriptions or whatever. When I say 'manipulation', I mean that their actions (what they cover and the manner in which they cover it) has a significant effect on voters. The media's role in educating the public on important issues is compromised by their imperative to run a business. And with the size that these conglomerates have reached, their power to influence voters (consciously or not) has reached a level that I think is actually hampering our political system. And often it is conscious. I know you won't like this example, but it's pretty clear how the Murdoch run media outlets blatantly barrack for one side. I was disappoined to see that The Age (Fairfax I think) also fell into this trap at the last election, openly publishing stories on how the public should vote. As I've been overseas recently I can't say if they've done so again this time around, although it wouldn't surprise me. The vote did 'go my way' when Rudd was elected. It was the first (and so far only) time I have voted for that party. The years following his election were the first time I felt the political system wasn't working properly, especially after the minor parties holding such power during the Gillard years. Political disenfranchisement breeds protest votes, which further dilutes the major parties' ability to do things when those votes go to protest parties with no experience and no proper policies. I think Turnbull actually made that point last week, and it's a good one. I feel like democracy as a political system, despite being the best model we currently have, could be working much much better. But to do so we need 2 things: 1 - Better education of voters on issues, and how issues will effect them * 2 - Better regulation of media coverage on those issues. I have no idea how to achieve either of those, but those 2 I think are the big impediments to getting our political system working properly. * I'm a financial adviser and you would be staggered if I told you how many people don't understand the implications of the last federal budget. They are all voters, and they have no idea what's going on. They vote for the party they have all their lives, with no mind to how that party's actual policies effect them. I find this is true of clients on both sides of the political divide. You should see the look on the faces on some of the Labor voters when I explain Shorten's super tax plan is mathematically similar to Turnbull's. They think it goes further, and it does, just nowhere near the extent to which they think. Then you explain the issues with Industry super funds to them and their jaw drops. They've been on a side of politics all their lives that has lead them to believe one thing, when in fact another is true. TL:DR; People are idiots and will vote against their best interests if the media tells them a scary story to sell more papers.

I feel like this is an example of how democracy just isn't working like it should. As in the US with Trump, people will vote against their best interests if sufficiently frightened. Uncertain economic times breed fear, and who better to blame than immigrants? Democracy feels like it's broken right now. Whether it's political manipulation of the media, or indeed media-owned manipulation of politics, or micro parties wielding unlikely amounts of power, it just doesn't feel like it's working as intended.

Disappointed. I'll just cancel the hookers then. Was gonna be one hell of a party.

He's worth $800k p/a when fit. I'm thinking his injuries are worse than we, the general public, know. Otherwise it'd be a no brainer, he's one of the best players in the comp.

Hugh Mcluggage. Brilliant name.

Although this is a good point and I agree, I really would have preferred you didn't post it. It's basically a massive red flashing light to picket fence. His spider senses will be tingling right now.

I don't like the idea of mid-season trading, but am fine with a mid-season recruiting from the lower leagues. So you can top up one or two players from the WAFL or whatever for your needs due to injuries without impinging upon another AFL team's season.

Yep! I really liked that system. I remember going to a game in the 90's against North where we won the reserves, coin toss, seniors and half time auskick (back in the days when they both kept and showed the score on the big screen). My brother is a north supporter. It was a good day.

Despite BB's blunder, I'd say you come off the loser in this exchange, just based on your [censored] poor attitude to other posters. Honestly I'm sick of trawling through your abusive posts to find the occasional footy-related nugget. I'm going to make use of the ignore filter for the first time and make my Demonland experience a much happier one. Cheerio!

exactly

Again, Heppell said several months ago that he knows what it was and he's fine with it.

You'll have to reconcile that with our recruitment of Melksham. I'm not really comfortable with it either, but I guess they'll take their punishment and then play on afterwards. We just live with it.

Heppell knows what he took and he's comfortable with it though!

and I totally trust them to adhere to this limitation...

If we weren't forced to wear our clash jumper so much, often unnecessarily, then I'd be all for it. But as it is we don't see the classic red and blue enough. It's easily the best guernsey in the comp, and we're always being forced into something else

Brilliant connection ManDee. Lets see if any so-called journalists see this as well. Should be major news, Hurley and Woosha violating the terms of WADA's suspension. I suspect we will hear nothing though. Even if someone published it, I'm sure the two of them would just say "yeah but we didn't discuss training and preparation so it's ok", and the general football public would believe them.

I've watched 2 of the Dees v Bulldogs women's games and that's enough for me to say that I can't wait to watch the season proper. There is one massive thing they have to fix though - the commentary. It was woeful in both games I watched, with the announcers struggling to name the players. The audience will rely on them even more than in the men's game because we are unfamiliar with the vast majority of them. The commentators better do their homework and bring their A-game and not treat it as a sideshow. Having said that, given the quality of some of the commentary on the men's games, there might be little hope of that. If BT gets the gig we're all doomed. I shudder to think about the garbage he'll come out with commentating on women's sport given his banality with the men.

We're all Homo Sapiens. I propose "Homo Up!" Or, I guess since there were about 6 or 7 species within the Homo genus at one point, "Sapiens Up!". That'll show those Erectuses, Habilises and Neanderthaluses! We out evolutioned them all! Apologies if I got any of that wrong, it has been many years since I have scienced in any meaningful way.

I honestly struggle with the loyalty thing. If my employer did to me what was done to these guys, it would inspire very little loyalty in me.

Me too. Turned to my brother and said "Collingwood are done if Howe is doing kick outs". It's was a good day.

Ah ok, that makes sense then, so Victorian based members still get into the same amount of games with their memberships. I was worried for a minute. The AFL's track record on 'compensation' isn't great.

At the risk of discovering a new convoluted AFL bureaucracy, what is a 'compensation game'?

Huge difference right here, plus with Tippet out, could be a big day for Maxy :D

Well, that was not what I expected when I opened this thread. Lucky my boss wasn't walking past.