THE MEANING OF OZ - All you need to know!

That's not being reported here, the explosives I mean.

Looks like one lone wolf with mental health issues. Fingers crossed it's resolved while I sleep with no casualties.

Thanks Izz. No drama here though, really. I heard the news, both cashpoints.......sorry, parents sent texts, made toast, got reply that he's making pasta.

Our family tends to make food when there's something like this going on.
My Dad would have put on about five stone during the war if it wasn't for the fact that he was up and down ladders all the time.

My lad had obviously just passed on the bit about the nutter stating that there were four bombs placed around the City. I just took it that this had been confirmed and found....obviously not.

Hopefully they'll negotiate it to a peaceful end once nutter starts craving a good sleep.

Fingers still crossed, Oz.

I hope the situation is resolved quickly and without injury. I can't imagine the stress the hostages are feeling, I hope they can return to normal rapidly.

CNN reports that Police storm Sydney cafe. Reporter in Sydney reports 7 people being treated and transported to hospital. Hopefully injuries are non life treating. Unclear regarding condition of gunman.

2.30am and it's still going on.

Gunman identified as a religious nutter with a string of violence and sexual assault charges pending.

Police have stormed the cafe. Outcome not yet clear. Have been 2 deaths. Others rushed to hospital

following along

Interesting. Deaths only reported on one TV channel. Whole story still not clear.

Looking at a replay, it appears there were about six or so stun grenades being chucked in. Hopefully it's only the nut who died in all of the kerfuffle.

BBC say that only hostages have come out so far, and no clear detail as to how many people killed.

Leonie Ryan from 2UE radio Sydney is talking to the Beeb and saying that it would appear that the gunman actually started the action by opening fire first.
It's her reckoning that the negotiators would have played the waiting game, but gunman forced their hand by shooting.
Sort of confirmed that one hostage killed, plus gunman.

2 hostages and gunman killed.

Some seriously injured.

It's over!

Lets hope the national response is as measured as what we presented to the world yesterday through our police, pollies and media.

So far the #illridewithyou campaign is holding off the dark forces.

What a wonderful heart-warming thing to do.

Hopefully all Australians will get the message that all not all Muslims are to blame for the actions of one fuckhead.

Here's another perspective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQR3c7oKTzU

I think that perspective is the generally held one of Australian (thank gosh)

The #illridewithyou stuff is the perfect sane response to the crap that some media and pollies have tried to associate with the Martin Place siege.

Abbott's obligatory 'ISIS Death Cult' mention at the height of the siege fell completely flat - we're not as stupid as he wants us to be.

https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/sydney-siege-tragedy-what-should-be-talked-about,7193

Here's some more:



I particularly liked this that some posted on Facebook in response to Murdoch's alarmist crud.

Bless you Hinge, you accentuated the positive and eliminated the negative, and latched on to the affirmative, didn't mess with Mr. In-between

A typical Oz, that is.


That's why the buggers are so hard to beat at cricket.

Good on 'em.

And here's some incisive comment from the old Dart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ8ZYAvWTxo#t=214

Interesting atmosphere here.

I was walking through Pitt Street Mall around 6pm last night. This is the peak shopping area of Sydney - big department stores, Westfield shopping tower, high end shops, and also about 2 blocks from Martin Place where the siege was. (and 3 days after)

It's just before Christmas and it's packed. Happy. You almost have to fight your way through. There's a giant Lego Christmas tree, some buskers, assorted spruikers. Crowd of shoppers, tourists, kids, gawkers, and people just like me, trying to get through on the way home from work.

And then you hear some sirens.

The whole place quietens. Heads turn to watch an ambulance and a police car attempt to get through the mid-city peak hour congestion. They finally get through - but the buzz is different now. Quieter.

The siege was an act so unexpected. It's really shaken our city.