(no subject)

Nothing much has been going to plan recently. And I've already broken the main thing that would have been a New Year's Resolution had I been foolishly optimistic enough to declare it as such. So, apologies if this Livejournal has been a bit, well, Livejournally recently.

Until I can think of something less emo to say, here's some pseudo-intellectual comments on news from the last month or so.

(Link) - At least five people were killed when a coalition F-16 bombed the wrong target south of Mosul, Iraq, the U.S. military said Saturday. "(The) Multi-National Force-Iraq deeply regrets the loss of possibly innocent lives," the statement said.

That's right; bystanders in Iraq are considered guilty until proven innocent.

(Link) - CLEVELAND, Ohio - A viewer is suing NBC for $2.5 million, contending that he threw up because of a "Fear Factor" episode in which contestants ate rats mixed in a blender. Austin Aitken told The Associated Press he watches "Fear Factor" often and had no problem with past installments where the reality show's participants ate worms and insects in pursuit of a $50,000 prize -- but eating rats went "too far."

As if throwing away elections and shooting rock stars on stage wasn't good enough, Ohio churns out yet more to be 'proud' of, a man who thinks eating worms and insects is ok but will draw the line at larger animals (like cows, perhaps?)

Don't worry my good American friends, we'll bash some Brits now instead...

(Link) - A play which led to violent protests among the Sikh community in Birmingham has had its run cancelled by the city's Repertory Theatre. Protesters said Behzti, which depicts sex abuse and murder in a temple, portrayed the Sikh faith negatively.

Nice to see tolerance is foremost in our society. By 'tolerance', of course I mean real tolerance, not the PC version of it which is to prevent anybody saying anything which might possibly cause offence to anybody else. As Rowan Atkinson said here, "The freedom to criticise ideas, any ideas - even if they are sincerely held beliefs - is one of the fundamental freedoms of society."

(Link) - Parents are often unaware when their children are overweight or obese, a study says. Where children were obese, a third of mothers and 57% of fathers thought they were "about right", the team at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth found.

This scares me. I understand the odd overweight child being mistaken for being at the 'top end of normal', but to think an obese child is 'about right'? Wtf are these people thinking? As an adult, do what you like with your own body, but at least educate yourself enough to make an attempt at keeping your kids healthy.

(Link) - A 13-year-old boy has been given four months youth custody for drink-driving. Jon Smee has been banned from driving twice before and is thought to be the youngest person to be convicted of the offence in the UK.

Apparently Jon was 'shocked and shaken' at being given this sentence. Personally, the only things I'm shocked at are

• the fact that it was seen necessary to ban someone from driving - twice - who is 4 years too young to even have a license;
• that his sentence was 4 months and not 4 years, after 'a number of previous convictions';
• and that British law doesn't allow for us to simply take a baseball bat to this kid's face in lieu of imposing a custodial sentence.

Law enforcement needs a deterrent. 2 months in jail after committing over 5 crimes against people and property is just not enough.