I think that Australia is going to be a difficult place in the near future.  The adolescents here appear to be out of control.  Perhaps they are equally out of control in the states but that seems to be a broader part of our history - and as such our entire country feels out of control some times. We can not pass legislation to control gun violence even after small children are killed by gun violence. Here it seems to be a more recent phenomenon.  People we have spoken with on the tram have shared concerns about how much disrespect they see these days.  Of course this is the kind of comments one hears anywhere regarding the "youth today."  Parents and young children in public places here are something to watch.  The children go their own way and the parents don't pay much mind.  Is it our being over protective that makes it seem that they are disconnected here by contrast?

On my ride to Bouverie last Friday I sat next to a young women on the bus.  She had a little girl in a stroller - maybe a year old?  The mother had a familiar "Bohemian" Melbourne look about her (dreadlocks, piercings, plenty of ink).  I wouldn't think she was more than 20 years old.  Her interaction with the baby was as more of a frustrated teenager than a "loving mother."  Don't get me wrong, she wasn't abusive, but she was curt and abrupt saying things like "now you've made me..."  In the end, nearing her stop, she answered her mobile, and was trying to wrestle the stroller and little girl toward the exit.  In the process she stumbled on the wheel of a woman's trolley (the cart many people use here for shopping).  The kicker was that the young woman said rather loudly "I'm trying to get off and some old lady's tripped me."  I could only think how insensitive and rude, what must the woman be thinking or feeling?

What I see in the media here of teen behavior - alcohol abuse, mob scenes, bashings and "hoons" makes me wonder what will things be like in the future?  What kind of parents will these people be?  The education system here is poorly funded.  Higher Education in particular.  Australia ranks very low among industrialized countries or it's investment in education.  Talking with people who work as counselors and in other educational roles here all tell a similar story.  It is difficulty to convince secondary students of the importance or value of continuing on to the university.  There is a stop point built in at year 10 where students can leave school and seek work.  Which many do.  Looking at the materials that come home from Graham's school there are regular messages about why it is important that you actually make your children go to school and that it's not OK for them to just stay home or come in late. I never though you had to tell parents that?

On a cheerier note, these photo's are from up the street a little in a neighborhood called Uni Hill.  The kangaroos were out behind someone's house.  There was a "mob" of them there and we stood on the sidewalk watching and taking pictures. Something to see.