Whats funnier than two tramps fighting?

Bumfights. Those DVD's are legendary. I rememeber looking on in amazment when I watched the firstb one. It was hilarious two homeless people enticed to fight for money, hang on a minute - it suddenly does n't seem so funny. Well that is n't actually true as i was laughing as I wrote that. The fact is that once you consider the moral issues connected with what you are watching for entertainment you create a problem. I dont have that problem. Though I can understand that some people have issues with nasty comedians, bumfights and jackass I am willing to be subjected to the scorn in my quest for laughter.

A cheap laugh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKh2RG0NaG0

Ooooh Aaaah Cantona!

Eric Cantona is a man who has never been far from controversy. He punched a team mate in the face early in his career in his native France. On another occasion he was informed by a French FA disciplinary board that he would be banned for one month he response was to walk up to each member of the board and call him an idiot. His ban was subsequently increased to three months. Of course the most high profile event of Eric Cantona's distinguished career was the infamous Kung Fu kick at Selhurst Park. It was a moment of sheer beauty. The moment that a nine year old boy found his footballling icon. That boy was me! This all relates back to the discussion on the appeal of bandits and outlaws. Cantona's arrogance and disregard or authority made him a compelling figure. It's a prime example of when being bad just seems good!

The Kung Fu kick (aka the birth of a legend)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-WmfTIRUWY

Meow, Meow (and no that was not me pretending to be a cat)

Mephadrone has been the topic of much discussion recently. It has been linked to numerous deaths and has recently been made a class B substance. It's amazing how quickly a new legal high has been found as a replacement. It's called MDAI. It's reported that on the very same day that mephadrone was criminalized online legal high retailers annnounced, and i quote, ' we are proud to introduce a new compund to our product range.' It strikes me as slightly ridiculous that people are actually willing to digest things that are entitled 'scientific research' products in the hope of experiencing an altered state. It makes me ponder the question why do they find their lives so boring that they continuously seek to escape?

Response toEloheem: Rasta me?

Eloheem: Rasta me?

The legalization of marijuana is cause that has many supporters. It does seem that cannabis use has become increasingly widespread in recent years. It begs the question will cannabis ever be de-classified. People are free to buy cigarettes and alcohol without the need to engage in a criminal transaction will weed smokers ever be granted the same right? It seems unlikely that it will happen anytime soon. The government has spent millions of pounds on trying to prove how harmful weed is it would be a major suprise if they were to decide to abandon that cause and suddenly decide to legalize it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8334774.stm

A debate on, masturbation.

Masturbation, the butt of so many jokes (I tried to find a word to replace butt, but, I failed). The subject of torrents of Master Bates jokes. The rumours of the threat of blindness and pieces dropping off. What is it that caused the stigma that surrounds masturbation. The obvious answer is embarrasment. The negative stories we are told with regards to masturbation when we are young leave us conditioned to hold such beliefs thus leading to embarrssment when the subject is brought up. Some of the treatments we were shown in the lecture that were commonly used to 'cure' people of masturbation were truley hilarious. Judging the survey results many people would be left very frustrated if they were to be locked in one those contraption.

Further reading

http://searchwarp.com/swa141223.htm

Fair Play?

Flirting is a contentious subject. What one person sees as flirting another person sees as nothing. With the advent of social networking sites such as Myspace, Facebook and Twitter came the ability to connect with more people than ever before. It is a fact that humans are social creatures and the ability to interact with others is wonderful thing. The difficulty is that there are no rules written down on this subject. What should be regarded as flirting? While we're asking questions let's ask what should be regarded as cheating? Is a pre-arranged meeting of two attached individuals in place such as a bar or the cinema cheating? Or is does it only become cheating when the intimate actions begin?

For more on this topic

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2010/mar/07/polly-vernon-infidelity-betrayal-help-relationships

Perfect Perpetual Passion: Kids Will Be Kids....

Perfect Perpetual Passion: Kids Will Be Kids....

It's very true that many of the events depicted in the movie are not as shocking to some people as they may be to others. As an individual who has witnessed many people 'fall in with the wrong crowd' many of the goings on in 'Kids' are not all that shocking. Drug use, sex and violence seem some what to be the norm at times. The theme of sexual disease is one facet of the movie that does actually shock me. Telly's idea to only have sex with virgins in order to avoid the risk of STI's and the theme of HIV really struck a chord with me when I first watched this movie as a thirteen year old. I believe they served as a warning and left me more aware of dangers such as HIV. I also agree with your point that this film may make shocking viewing for many parents. I also believe that it could also impact positively on many of the youngsters of today if they were to watch it and then take the time to really consider some of the issues raised.

Would you risk it?

Gambling is often viewed as a vice. This seems quite strange especially in the face of the old adage 'you have to speculate to accumulate' Surely we owe the advancement of the human race as a whole to a gamble. The first human to leave Africa and set sail accross the sea to seek 'pastures new' took a huge gamble. Winston Churchill gambled when he refused to surrender to the forces of Nazi Germany led by that champion of equality Adolf Hitler. I myself took a huge gamble this morning when I left the house without a jacket. Nobody sees gambling as a problem when my granny heads off to the 'bookies' during the first week in April every year to stake a few pounds on what i can only describe as a brown unicorn without a horn running in the Grand National. Obviously there is risk involved in gambling, I feel more than a bit silly stating the obvious, but surely within reason gambling is not being bad, well, not unless your really bad at it!

For more info on gambling

http://www.gambleaware.co.uk/

Response to Perfect Perpetual Passion: The Trouble of Alcohol...

Perfect Perpetual Passion: The Trouble of Alcohol...

It is interesting to know the facts behind the history of alcohol use and amazing to see how far it has deviated from what it originated from! From being used to worship the heavens to helping binge drinkers to raise hell. Alcohol is a major issue and it does cause problems when it is consumed in excess. Binge drinkers amaze me. Not amazement in the sense of the way that I would feel if i saw an alien. Amazed in the sense of how they just drank ten pints of lager and five shots of smabuca and still been capable of starting a fight?

Bandits!!

Pablo Escobar was a prime example of a 'wrong doer' who was loved by the people. He murdered hundreds of people, police officers, judges, and politicians. He blackmailed government officials with his policy of 'plata o plomo' ( literally translated as silver or lead but when uttered by Mr Escobar meant take my money or face my bullets) yet this did not stop him from being revered by the inhabitants of his native city of Medellin. He built a school, founded a football team (and also built them a stadium to play in!) he was a regular, Colombian, cocaine trafficcing Robin Hood, although I doubt whether they would draft in Kevin Costner to assume the role of Pablo in the Hollywood epic charting the rise and fall of the drug kingpin! Pablo gives rise to debate on another subject covered in being bad, the source of his once $25 billion fortune that in 1989 placed him seventh on the Forbes list of the richest men alive. It's not suprising that people seem to have a soft spot for people such as Pablo, Al Capone or Jesse James. Many people have a qualm or two with the government and authorities from the criminal who hates the police because of the 18 months he's just served in Winson Green to the the brain surgeon who is infuriated by the tax rate. When all of this is considered it obvious why many people are happy when someone 'gets one over on them'

For more info on Pablo:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Escobar

Documentary about the life of Pablo Escobar

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=364_1197935585

Are you on drugs sir??

Drugs. the bain of society. Druggies. The scum of the earth!! Lets pause for a moment to think about that. How many times have during the break in a lecture has your lecturer 'nipped off' to have a quick ciggerette? He then returns to continue the lecture 'intoxicated' with nicotine. How many of us have struggled through 'all-nighters' writing an essay to meet the next mornings deadline aided only by the continued ingestion of a liquid stimulant? Obviously drugs have many negative side effects but surely we should not concern ourselves with condemning drug users. Maybe we should take a glance over at John Stuart Mill's harm principle before deciding to condemn someone because of what some may view as a vice?

For more on John Stuart Mill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill

For more on the effects of caffeine
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/healthy_caff.shtml

Me? I always tell the truth even when i lie!!

Lies, lies and more lies. If I asked you whether you have told a lie (no matter how small) during the last week could you honestly say no? Me neither! The act of lying has a funny old existence. As a child my family, school teachers and every other responsible adult that I came in to contact with was only too happy to tell me how 'bad' lying was. It seems kind of strange, and also hypocritical, looking back on it now. Picture the scene, its Christams Eve 1991 and I have just been apprehended in possession of a toy that belonged to my younger brother. A toy that only two hours earlier had been reported missing. A toy that I had previously denied having any knowledge about. Caught red- handed at the scene of the crime, in possession of the toy, I had to endure the usual lecture on the immoral, society destroying, disgraceful properties of lying. Once the lecture had finished and the commotion had died down, my mother informed us that it was time for us to head off to bed if we 'wanted Father Christmas to come'! See? it's obvious children have to be taught that lying can sometimes be a bad thing but the fact is that it can also sometimes be a good thing. A social 'tool' that any well rounded individual is skilled in the use of. The world would be in dissaray if everyone started telling the truth all of the time. There would be a sharp increase in the rate of husbands getting murdered by their wives, as a result of their reply to the age old question 'does my bum look big in this?' There would be no more room in our vocabulary for the ever useful observation 'it was a good try'. Lying, when used to make someone feel good should surely be judged more as 'being good' rather than 'being bad'.My conclusion is that lies are only 'bad' when they are misused and that they are often very useful. There's some truth in that, trust me, would I lie to you?

For more on the the complex topic of lying have a look at this page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/lying/lying_1.shtml

Smokers (cough!)

Smoking is a subject that will forever be controversial. I for one choose not to smoke. I say that not to say that I disagree with smoking but to emphasise a point, that people should be free to choose. People are educated and equipped with the knowledge to make an informed decision on whether or not to smoke. Everyone is aware of the many health risks that are associated with smoking. We are exposed to the horrific images of the ravages of smoking and constantly reminded of how addictive nicotione actually is. The information is available and the decision is there to be made. Everyone knows someone who smokes. Someone who has consumed all the information about the effects of smoking and decided that smoking was the thing for them. Good for them I say! To all the people confronting the British weather on the pavements outside of drinking establishments across the nation I salute you! I salute you for making a choice. For having the conviction to 'do you' in the face of adversity. Perhaps it may be regarded by some as 'being bad'. But is it not good to have the choice to be bad??

Read more opinions on the choice to smoke here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/1334272.stm