Altered Spaces: Debatable

Pay As You Throw

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:50:25 GMT

So it appears that the government has put pay as you throw back on the agenda as a means to encourage people to be more green, recycle more etc etc. What I'm talking about, is the general principle that the more you throw away, the more you should pay. Which is great in principle, but certainly in my case, there is a major flaw in this argument.

The majority of material I throw away, apart from nappies (and yes we tried reusable, even spending £200 on a set) is packaging from food products, cleaning products and toiletries. The majority of these cannot be bought with less packaging, there is simply no alternative and where there is, like with fruit and veg, we still can't do it. We buy organic and you just can't buy organic fruit and veg loose. Even my local farm shop doesn't sell organic.

Basically, it means I'm screwed, because I can't cut down my refuse output. I recycle every bit of paper and plastic I can, but if my output is going to see me getting charged extra, I'm going to be seriously p*ssed, because it's not my fault, it's the bloody supermarkets fault and why the hell aren't they being punished? I'll happily do my bit, but what about them?

Got an opinion on pay as you throw? Leave a comment.

To Wii or not to Wii...

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:35:38 GMT

As regular readers and friends will know, I own a Wii, I love my Wii and I'm glad I camped out in the small Wii hours (sorry couldn't resist) to get my Wii on launch day. Anyway, it's one year on and the Wii drought continues. Supplies are still very limited, demand is still very high and all this is leading me to ponder whether I should join the darkside and try and snap one up in order to resell it on eBay for a profit.

I know, it's bad, everybody hates those people who buy products that are in high demand and resell them on eBay. Hell, I hate those people too, but the temptation to join their ranks is great. At the bare minimum, I reckon I could make £50 out of it and if I'm very lucky I might make double that. All of which could then be used to help finance an XBOX 360 purchase, and I do so crave a 360 (even with it's red rings of doom).

So what do you think, should I join the darkside?

The State Of The Union?

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:32:41 GMT

Did you know that Scottish MPs can vote on issues that effect Scotland and England, but English MPs can only vote on issues that effect England. Now I don't know about you, but that seems wrong doesn't it? Quite honestly there is no valid argument to support this current status quo, so what does the Labour party do when the Conservatives propose fixing this issue, they accuse them of endangering the Union (that would be the union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Link

This is pure unadulterated scare-mongering on behalf of the Labour party and they should be damn well ashamed of themselves. The people of England deserve equal treatment to our Scottish cousins and what the Conservative party is proposing is just pure common sense. Just so happens the majority of the voting public in England (and probably Scotland) agree, so it's a vote winning announcement. I guess it's also one that's put Gordon Brown in an awkward position. He's already been panned for stealing Conservative tax policies, so I guess he can't steal this policy too, otherwise it will undermine his position even further. So instead of that he makes himself look like a dick by coming out with stupid statements about damaging the union.

All I can say is, whoever is advising our Prime Minister is a muppet and that's quite scary with the possibility of war with Iran on the horizon.

Smoking at the wheel is now a criminal offence

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:27:36 GMT

Motorists who smoke at the wheel could be prosecuted under a new rule in the latest edition of the Highway Code. Smoking drivers would be charged if it is thought they were driving without due care and attention. Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said drivers should not be distracted by other activities behind the wheel. The first update of the Highway Code for eight years, which is 42 pages longer and has 29 more rules, includes a new safety code for novice drivers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7017543.stm

Wes says, "It's definitely not a good year to be a smoker. Still, considering the amount of lives death sticks claim each year, I guess it's never been a good time to be a smoker. Now if only they'd make smoking while pregnant illegal."

The Sun's Latest OMG Moment

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:40:52 GMT

Before I start, I should make it clear that as a Liverpool supporter I despise The Sun. However, it's my wife's rag of choice seeing as she doesn't give two hoots about football. Anyway, I came home yesterday to find it lying on the sofa as usual, but when I ran my eyes over it, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. In case you didn't see it, The Sun had a full page version of the image below adorning their front page.

Now I don't know about the rest of you, but there's at least one racist slur in that image that really shouldn't appear on the front page of the most popular "newspaper" in Britain. To say I was gobsmacked is an understatement. Yes, The Sun followed up this image with one where all the kids are holding up cards saying "British", so I get the sentiment, but really, I think they stepped over the line with this one.

I wonder how many young kids have just learned a new racist vocabulary because of The Sun.

YNWA - Justice For The 96

The Big Gay Catholic Adoption Agency Debate

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:44:09 GMT

Catholic adoption agencies in the UK have recently been attempting to get permission to opt out of new laws that will allow gay couples to adopt. Some, if not all, Catholic agencies currently allow gay individuals to adopt, but are unhappy at being forced to allow gay couples to adopt. The question is, what do you think these agencies should do and what should the government do?

Wes says, "I'm a firm believer in removing "gay" from any and every equation. There shouldn't be laws that restrict what people can do based on their sexuality, just like their shouldn't be laws that restrict what people can do based on their, sex, colour, race or religion. I may be an agnostic, but I firmly believe that religions should stand by their tenets, irrespective of whether those tenets don't jive with modern society. "

"If for example Religion X has believed for hundreds of years, that all men should have their genitalia lopped off at birth, but suddenly society says that's cruel, it shouldn't stop them from doing it (even if it's against the law). It's your religion for crying out loud, it's more important than mortal laws. Obeying mortal laws that go against your religion is giving in to sin!"

"So in this particular case, I believe all Catholic adoption agencies should refuse to provide children for adoption by gay individuals or couples and UK law should make such action illegal. In turn, Catholic adoption agencies should shutdown and/or go underground. How is that a workable solution? Well it's not really, but at least the Catholics are being true to their religion and our government is doing what it believes the majority of it's population desires."

Do you find un-PC jokes funny?

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:23:14 GMT

Apparently Jonathon Ross courted controversy this week with a gag about Heather Mills at the Q Awards. The BBC presenter called Lady Mucca a “f****** liar” before announcing to the Q Awards: “I wouldn’t be surprised if we found out she’s actually got two legs.

This gag, once again sparked discussion about how far you can go with humour. Is it ok to make jokes about anything or should their be limits? Personally, although I find some things distasteful, I can't help but laugh and I don't have problem with jokes in bad taste, how about you?

Here are some very un-PC examples from The Sun newspaper:

WHAT Iran needs now is a more modern leader — a Mullah Lite.

– SHAPPI KHORSANDI

A blind bloke walks into a shop with a guide dog.

He picks the dog up and starts swinging it around his head.

Alarmed, a shop assistant calls out: “Can I help, sir?”

“No thanks,” says the blind bloke.

“Just looking.”

– TOMMY COOPER

The male gypsy moth can smell the female gypsy moth up to seven miles away — and that fact also works if you remove the word “moth”.

– JIMMY CARR

The dodo died. Then Dodi died, Di died and Dando died . . . Dido must be sh****** herself.

– COLIN & FERGUS

Thirty years ago homosexuality was frowned upon, 20 years ago it became accepted, five years ago they said you could do it if you were 16 . . . I’m getting out before it’s compulsory.”

– TED ROGERS

I was surprised how British Muslims reacted to the Danish cartoons.
I thought: “How can you get this worked up about a cartoon?”
Then I remembered how angry I was when they gave Scooby Doo a cousin.
– PAUL SINHA

I went out with an Irish Catholic. Very frustrating. You can take the girl out of Cork ...
– MARKUS BIRDMAN

I think we should take Iraq and Iran and combine them into one country and call it Irate. All the p****d off people live in one place and get it over with.

– DENIS LEARY

My dad is Irish and my mum is Iranian, which meant that we spent most of our family holidays in customs.

– PATRICK MONAHAN

In U.S. and A. they treat horses like we in Kazakhstan treat our women. They feed them two times a day. They have them sleep on straw in a small box. And for entertainment, they make them jump over fences while being whipped.

– SACHA BARON COHEN as Borat

Mandela has been out of prison for 14 years and hasn’t reoffended — which just goes to show that prison works.”

– RICKY GERVAIS

Two guys came knocking at my door once and said: “We want to talk to you about Jesus.” I said: “Oh, no, what’s he done now?”

– KEVIN McALEER

I was raised in the Jewish tradition, taught never to marry a gentile woman, shave on a Saturday night and, most especially, never to shave a gentile woman on a Saturday night.

– WOODY ALLEN

Nobody thought Mel Gibson could play a Scot but look at him now!

Alcoholic and a racist!

– FRANKIE BOYLE

I’ve got no problem buying tampons. I’m a modern man. But apparently, they’re not a “proper present”.

– JIMMY CARR

Have you noticed the way that burns victims stick together?

– CAREY MARX

As of last month we have gay bishops, official. I wonder if this will filter down into the game of chess?

Those bishops can make all the same moves but can only be taken from behind.

– JASON WOOD

No wonder Bob Geldof is such an expert on famine. He’s been feeding off I Don’t Like Mondays for 30 years.

– RUSSELL BRAND

MOBO? FUBO!

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 08:02:18 GMT

It's about this time of year I get really p*ssed off. Not because autumn is here, the leaves are falling and the sun is fast departing. Not because the kids have gone back to school and there are more stupid parents driving their stupid kids to school in stupidly large SUVs. Not because Liverpool notoriously have a bad start to every football season and the hacks all crawl out of the woodwork to criticise a manager who continues to win silverware for the club.

While all of the above might annoy me to varying degrees, the one thing that happens at this time of year that really get's my goat, is the f*cking MOBO awards! For those who've never heard of it, the MOBO awards are the Music Of Black Origin awards, which are held in the UK to celebrate artists primarily in the R&B, Rap and Hip Hop genres.

The reason the awards p*ss me off so much, is mainly due to it's name. The awards themselves aren't a racist event and certainly non-black artists can win MOBO awards if they're performing music of black origin, but why do they have to use that name? Can you imagine the outcry from minority groups if there was a Music Of White Origin awards ceremony?

I guess it's not even the name itself that p*sses me off, but the fact that society still segregates based on colour and even worse, that the black community is aiding that segregation. Society still has a long way to go before we stop pigeon holing people based on their colour and start treating people equally.

Shut the f**k up and start helping!

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 17:29:44 GMT

Yesterday I read an article written by Lord Stevens, former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, about the current terrorism crisis in the UK. In his article he calls for "Passenger Profiling" for airline passengers and states that airport chaos could be cut by more rigorous checks for "young Muslim men".

Then today, I read an article in the Independent stating that Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, had responded to Lord Stevens by stating: "This is an extreme form of stereotyping."

Whether Muhammad Abdul Bari was complaining about Lord Stevens suggestion or not, his statement about stereotyping is correct. However, it's not stereotyping we need to worry about, because that's a secondary concern. Planes falling out of the sky and innocent people dying needs to be our priority!

I can understand the concerns of the Muslim community, really I can, but they need to acknowledge one simple fact. These "terrorists" who continue to attempt to commit mass murder of innocent people, and who are willing to die in order to achieve that goal, are claiming to do so in the name of Allah. Not only that, but the majority just so happen to be young Muslim men.

So how do we police this threat? Should the police be bugging the local Catholic Church? Should the airport staff be performing detailed rectal examination of Mormons? No, don't be bloody silly, they should be paying special attention to the Muslim community (and specifically young Muslim men), this is where the threat exists and that is where the police will find their "terrorists".

So rather than moaning to the world about how your community is being unfairly stereotyped and attempting to shift blame onto the government for all your woes, how about the Muslim community get's off it's a** and starts doing something to root out this evil?

The Middle East

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 16:36:26 GMT

Due to the conflict between The State Of Irsael and Lebanon, I decided to do a little light Wikipedia reading on the Middle East and why it's so prone to conflict. In doing so I've come to the following conclusions.

There will never be peace in the Middle East because of a variety of religions vying for control of the same areas.
Maintaining any kind of stability in the region is critical to the security of many countries outside and within the Middle East.
The UK and the USA (amongst other countries) are partly responsible for everything that occurs in the Middle East, both good and bad.
Ignoring the problems in the Middle East would result in more bloodshed.
Fixing the problems in the Middle East is impossible, but must be attempted because the alternative would be worse.

I honestly do believe that the UK and USA have to stay involved in the Middle East because their involvement prevents the problems in the area from getting worse, even if that doesn't appear to be the case. Both governments must realise that leaving the Middle East to it's own devices could possibly result in the start of World War 3, so they must do the best job they can, even if their best isn't good enough and even if the people of the Middle East don't want them to interfere.

Some people think the internet is a bad thing

Tue, 02 May 2006 15:05:12 GMT

Some time ago I wrote a blog entry about an upcoming TV adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Hogfather, after which I recieved a comment from a lady called Jennifer regarding the news...

As it turned out, her husband was quite the Pratchett fan and so she was happy to be able to pass on the news to him. Her comment also indicated to me that she may not be aware that this wouldn't be the first time that a Pratchett novel had been adapted for TV. So with a quick search of IMDB, I generated a list of all the Pratchett novels that had made the leap from book to film and sent her a quick e-mail with the information.

It turned out that she wasn't aware of the other TV/film adaptations and was very grateful for the information. With her husband's birthday fast approaching, she would now have more ideas for presents and might be able to suprise him at last. Our brief conversation ended there and we went our seperate ways, both better off for having come across one another.

However, while I had forgotten all about our brief conversation, it seems Jennifer had not, because today I recieved a wonderful e-mail from her. She had written to let me know that her husband had recently had his 40th birthday and that because of what I had done, he'd recieved his first real birthday suprise in ten years of marriage. Not only that, but the movies are now being enjoyed by the whole family.

I was really chuffed that Jennifer had taken the time to mail me and let me know how the birthday had gone, it put a massive smile on my face! So I guess if anyone ever tells you that the internet is a bad thing, they should read what I've written above. The internet is what people make it and I hope it stays that way!

Discuss...

America's Army?

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 14:12:09 GMT

I was once taught that a picture tells a thousand words. If that's true, I wonder what this picture, and the video it links to, is telling us. Take a look for yourselves and leave a comment to let me know what you think.

In case it's not clear, the little girl in the picture is pointing to a fully automatic weapon. It's also worth mentioning that I don't personally hold the view that all American's condone the behaviour exhibited in the video.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5854686068870249151

Google Gives Popeye A Bad Name

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 10:58:05 GMT

Although I knew that pornographic reimaginings of famous cartoon characters existed, I was suprised to find Google "promoting" them. I use the term promoting very loosely because we're talking about a search engine here, but if you do a simple web search for Popeye on Google.com you'll see what I mean.

The search will give you get a large number of results, but three of those results will be images. They're right at the top of the results page so they're not hard to miss. The third of those images is the one that caught my eye. I'm sure you can see why, but for those of you not wanting to sully themselves by taking a look, let's just say that Olive is having a real good time.

Now admittedly I did not have Google's safe search functionality enabled and when it is enabled the images aren't displayed. However, I'm pretty sure that feature is disabled by default. Whether it is or isn't it's pretty damn funny (and little disturbing) that such an image of Popeye should be so prominently displayed by the world's biggest search engine.

Click here to do the search for yourselves

Tha's all I can stands, and I can't stands no more!

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 10:29:05 GMT

Ok, I've avoided commenting on this whole Prophet Muhammad hoohah, but things have gone too far now!

Let me state for the record. I totally agree that the press should do their best to respect religion and in this instance they would have been wise not to have printed the cartoons in question. I haven't seen the cartoons and I'm sure I'd be upset if the press printed a derogitory cartoon about my mother (as I don't have a faith it's the closest I can get), but it isn't something that should cause anyone to resort to violence, especially when there's innocent KFC Tower Burgers (tm) getting hurt!

Read news: KFC torched in cartoon protest

On a more serious note, peaceful protests are the best way to persuade people to respect your point of view, violence is not. However, if the Quran tells people they should attack those who blaspheme against the Prophet Muhammad, I can understand the actions being taken by Muslims across the world (even if I don't agree with or respect them).

Gay Marriage, an Intelligent Design

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 10:45:15 GMT

Two great things have happened in the last week that all of you should be aware of. Both are decisions that will shape the future of nations and for the first time in a long time, I applaud the USA and the UK for making the right decisions.

In the USA, a federal judge has ruled that Intelligent Design (ID) cannot be taught in science lessons in schools. The main reason simply being that ID is pseudo-science at best and as such, most definitely has no place in a science curriculum. There are rules by which ideas becomes scientific fact and in IDs case, it simply cannot be proven no matter how suggestive the idea might be. Don't get me wrong, ID seems a very viable idea to me and I would have no problem with it being discussed and debated in a religious or theological classroom, but I'm glad steps have been taken to stop it from replacing or competing with evolution in the science classroom.

In the UK, gay marriage is now legal and while I would prefer to follow the Irish route of calling gay marriages civil partnerships, no matter what they're called, it should be permitted. From my perspective, two (or more people) should be able to be legally united by the state no matter what their sex, sexual preference or any other preference of difference. The reason I mention that I would prefer the terminology to be a civil partnership, is simply because I view marriage as religious terminology for a religious union and religions should always be able to set their own rules for those unions (no matter how politically correct individuals may consider them).

"Open minded? You've got a bloody gaping chasm where your brain should be."

Update: In actuality, the UK has also introduced civil partnerships. It seems the term 'gay marriage' is actually just something the media are using to describe same sex unions. Apparently, these civil partnerships are also only open to same sex couples and are not available to heterosexual couples.

Thanks to Geoff Coup for the update above.

To some this may seem like discrimination, but I can actually see some sense in this. The UK state is tied to the Christian Church Of England and as such, I doubt we can ever pass a law that will allow for 'real' gay marriages because as I've mentioned above, people view marriage as a very religious term and the Church doesn't support same sex marriage (and likely never will, as is their right).

The best solution to all this would be for the state and the church to be disconnected from one another so that no law can be influenced by any religion. Unfortunately that will likely never happen and so we get left with laws which appear discriminatory, but are in fact merely a result of the state and the church being so inorexably tied together.

Age Restrictions On Movies

Mon, 09 May 2005 10:51:35 GMT

Doesn't it seem a little messed up that parents aren't allowed to take their kids to see any movie at the cinema when they can watch any film they like on DVD at home?

Think about it for a moment. We have age restrictions on movies to stop kids seeing images that might disturb them or otherwise have a negative effect on their lives, but this really only applies at the cinema. The moment the movie is released on DVD it's basically free to be devoured by any child who has access to it. It pretty much makes the cinema restriction redundant.

Now I realise not all parents might not be considered as responsible as others, but surely it is every parents right to choose what their child views? Is it not better that the government simply gives guidance to parents about film content rather than blanket bans.

I would never go as far as allowing children to watch any movie on their own at the cinema and to be honest it disturbs me that they can do that in the comfort of their own home. The system we have today seems to be half-baked. It's one rule for the cinema and a different one for DVDs.

Given a choice I'd change two things:

I'd allow parents to take their kids to see any film at the cinema, but maintain the restriction on kids seeing films alone. Ideally, there'd be more information at the cinema regarding the specific content of movies (sex, violence etc.), so that parents could make more informed choices.
I'd get DVD manufacturers to be obligated to add an extra restriction on DVD players so that a password is needed to watch films above a certain age restriction. Individual DVDs would then carry an age restriction flag that the DVD player would read.

So what do you think? Are the current restrictions enough or too much? Do you share the same view as me?

I see dead people...

Fri, 08 Apr 2005 11:40:16 GMT

Let me be clear before I start this little rant, while I have respect for everything good the Pope has achieved in his lifetime, he is just a man. Even more than that, in my opinion, his greatness pales in comparison to the likes of Mother Theresa and Ghandi amongst others. Still, on this Earth, all men are equal, no matter what their achievements. Any man deserves a fond and respectful farewell and personally, I don't think he's getting it. I'm sure I can't be the only one who finds it shocking that hoards of sick individuals were permitted to take photos or record video of the Pope's body as it lay in state. It's nothing short of bloody disgusting to allow people to take snapshots of the Pope's body. What the hell do they plan on doing with them? Showing their friends? Dear god, would they also do the same to their own mother and father?

The only comparable event in recent history was the funeral of Princess Diana, when, as now, a number of sick individuals took photos of the hearse as it drove by bearing her coffin. What has happened with the Pope however this taking things even further.

Maybe I'm over reacting, maybe we should just put his body in a perspex box and mount it on a plinth in the centre of Rome so that everyone can watch his body decay. Even better, let's have a webcam permanently pointed at it! At least then people might not need to take their own photos, they could just point their browser at http://www.deadpopecam.com. Sick S.O.B.s!

[BBC News Story]

Update: I've just been informed (cheers Jase) that Lenin's body is preserved in a perspex box in Moscow.

[Read more]

Calling all young women!

Tue, 15 Mar 2005 09:33:50 GMT

Following on from my recent MSN Dollz blog entry I've noticed another trend in girls under 16. I get the impression that when the word paedophile is mentioned, they instantly imagine some minging 40+ balding fat guy, which in a lot of cases today, really isn't the case. A lot of the time the press don't help, because they tend to use the worst cases as the prime example. They want to print pictures of someone you'll hate, it sells papers. Think about any fit young movie star or singer you think is cute, they're just as capable of being a paedophile as Joe Bloggs the Builder. R Kelly is a prime example of this.

The law doesn't differentiate between good looking and ugly. If you're of legal age and you're messing around with a someone who is underage, you're a paedophile. Whether he's 16 or 40+ it doesn't matter as long as she's underage.

So do girls today care less about the age of the people they talk to as long as they're fit? Would a 14 year old girl report someone who looked as good as Orlando Bloom to the police if he made unwelcome advances? In your opinion, what requirements does a man have to meet in order to be a paedophile?

Update: To take this idea one step further. If two 15 year olds are having a sexual relationship (which would be illegal, but we all know it happens), one of them will eventually turn 16 before the other. When that happens, the 16 year old becomes a paedophile in the eyes of the law. How stupid is that?

Update 2: I have since been informed that in some cases (but not all) where one half of the relationship is between 16-18 years of age, the courts can use their personal judgement as to whether someone has broken the law and should be classed as a sex offender.

MSN Dollz

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 19:48:44 GMT

I'm quite disturbed by the number of girls under 16 who have taken to using sexually suggestive display pics on their spaces and no doubt on MSN Messenger as well. I've collected a few prime examples of what I'm talking about here:

As you can see, they're done in a style that is aimed at kids (they're even called MSN Dollz) and yet their content is most definitely adult in nature. With the news forever plagued by stories of the thousands of paedophiles that live amongst us, it's scary to think that a number of girls today are using images of this type to portray themselves.

I realise it's all a bit of fun and that most girls wants to grow up sooner rather than later, but by using images like those above, they are more likely to attract undue attention from the more deviant members of our society.

Anyway, I'm interested to know what you all think (especially if you're under 16). Am I being too conservative or do I have a good point? Do we need to educate young adults about how they portray themselves online and how it can have serious rammifications in the real world?