skny

"It's basically down to bad parenting, but does that mean we shouldn't mention it?" Of course not, but it leaves parents an easy and media friendly out when something goes wrong. When games like grand theft auto or postal or whatever get mentioned, "ban this sick filth" is the more usual media-led response, rather than "exercise a little sensible precaution, as you would regarding anything your child does for several hours a week" I would say access to the internet is probably more worthy of intensive monitoring, rather than high-profile video games. "the actual screens, motion etc have an effect on a childs developing brain and there is lots of evidence to prove this." This is the point i'm having difficulty with. So essentially the visual stimulus involved with television/video games is likely to result in "cable-guy"-like emotional disturbance in later life? That seems a highly speculative theory. Given the absolute saturation of video games (as an example) wouldnt we be seeing an epidemic of unhinged young adults? I dont think that we are, despite the older generations usual, "in my day kids didnt answer back, the air tasted better, the grass was greener etc" I dont doubt -individual- children can be influenced by a number of things and circumstances but what did parents blame before tv came along? I think if a child over indulged in any individual pastime which possible precluded them from more social-based activities then their "development" could be affected. That includes grand theft auto, super mario brothers and harry potter books.

"Apart from the images involved in these things that have an effect, the actual screens, motion etc have an effect on a childs developing brain and there is lots of evidence to prove this." Children are still developing up to the age of around 21. The first 7 years are particularly crucial. I dont doubt the second part of that, but the first? Are people getting more stupid? I am at least as intelligent as my parents and I think most people on this board would say the same, despite the fact that we may have spent our youth playing on our comodore 64s and watching violent videos, as opposed to playing with trainsets and blowing up frogs with straws. Every generation throws up its fair share of idiots. That generations daily mail readers pick something to hang the blame on. "One aspect of that is a complete lack of control or interest in the activities of the child, and so young children watching inappropriate films and playing inappopriate games is a symptom of that." I would agree that a 10 year old playing GTA may be a symptom of a possible parental deficiency. But I cant see how its a problem in and of itself. We cant crack down on something until we are -sure- its causing a problem. I dont doubt that there are hundreds of "violent entertainment is bad, m'kay" think-tank rentaquote social-studies types out there, but until they have a definite link that proves playing a violent computer game/engage in "adult-themed"media escapism categorically effects your behaviour and/or development, I will see games as no more likely to trigger anti-social behaviour than Catcher in the Rye or the three stooges.

did lots of life drawing in college...even if the model is amazingly good looking (rare), after 5 mins all you see are shapes and lines, nowt pervy there. Wouldnt do it myself though, unless i could listen to my ipod or read a book...get too bored. I actually asked ages ago if anyone knew of life drawing classes in sheffield, its an excellent way to improve your skills.

"I know someone who allows her son aged 7 to watch anything, stay up all hours and he has a copy of GTA. He isn't a very nice little boy these days and the change has been since he has been allowed all the above. He has a poor attitude towards people, bad manners, he swears a little in front of people and like a trooper when he thinks no one can hear." to be honest, he just sounds like a spoilt little turd and thats not down to GTA. He's be as bad if he was out all the time playing footy down the park, like all those "well-adjusted" premiership footballers out there. (or was roy keane playing excessive amounts of double dragon and wizard of wor as a kid? We should be told!) Plenty of well-adjusted kids playing gta. Its not the fact that theyre playing specific games/watching violent movies, its the parents just abdicating all responsibility in -all- areas. There were as many little brats 30-40 years ago, only difference was there was no playstations for rubbish parents to deflect blame onto.

Oi SK, I moved from St Neots a year ago (eaton ford) and Sheffield is a -vast- improvement. There are iffy areas about but Ive seen more aggro in and about the priory in St Neots than I have in Sheffield! Its a good place, nice people, safe. But do take on board advice on dodgy areas and ignore the usual "theres good and bad people anywhere" rubbish, there are definitely areas you dont want to live in. I live in carterknowle and its very nice. Renting, though. Around 400 a month, which is similar to what i paid in St Neots.

"If you were faced with that situation im sure you'd get frustrated and need to convey those feelings." thats getting dangerously close to elevating a reason for these acts to an excuse for them. The acts ARE by antisocial scum. Gangs of charvers that are - and this is a quote from a friend of mine in lyon, so mods kindly exercise restraint - "always arabs or africans, never other minorities like asians or portuguese or eastern europe" France may have problems. Like anywhere else. But these acts... firebombing random cars, ambulances, fire engines, nurseries (!!!!!) are absolutely inexcusable. They totally invalidate their complaints when they take these actions. Why should anyone listen to people who the french right wing no doubt will now label as animals? Its just totally counter productive. Sarkozy might be an arse but if I was in france right now I'd probably be voicing the exact same opinions as him. PS And yes, i believe if you want to move to another country you should do your damnest to fit in. The country you've moved to doesnt owe you anything, YOU owe IT!

Your own prejudices are clear to anybody who reads even half of one of your posts wolfie. Half-formed declamatory posturing on the evils of israel and amerikkka and as I've mentioned before, continual use of the word "zionist" as the source of all the world's ills(hits all the right-on "go palestine" notes) And apparently zionists are now the same as neo-cons. Apparently. Anyway, keep informng us of "the way things are" wolfie, we've all been brainwashed by western media and we need faceless one note non-entities on internet forums to open our minds..... Actually now that i think about it your fragmented style, repeated question marks and monotonous conviction that the New World Order's Out to Get Me bring to my mind a slightly unhinged unabomber type. You don't actually live in Sheffield do you? That thought worries me more than Bush, Osama, Bird Flu or some mentally defective Iranian PM.....

Why are people seeing this as some kind of indication of the downfall of western civilisation? I dont get it at all. Its a nasty, ugly incident which really should not be getting national coverage. I just don't understand. And headup is spot on when he comments on... "Or they're on their computer games blowing each other up or throwing knives at each other (thanks to games no doubt designed in the US of A)." What a totally frivolous point. Just another dig at the states (everything bad comes from there doesnt it? easy to blame some faceless entity far away, god forbid we should look closer to home) Of course, some people think the world was a far less violent place before computer games and violent movies.....

"The Israelis took out an Iraqi reactor in the late 1970s (I think) with airstrikes, just before it went online to reduce radiation leaks. I can see a similar scenario here." It was the plant at osiriak, built by the french...Cant imagine the west signing up for another conventional war in the area, that said the iranian revolutionary guard probably wouldnt pose much more of a threat than the iraqis, in a straightforward military conflict they could probably hold out for 2 months, maybe less.

"It wasn't just Saddam who caused a Million deaths in the Iran/Iraq war, the US/UK were just as involved in the supply of weapons, so at the very minimum they were accessories to the attrocities and by vetoing the UN resolution they were apologists." Weak argument, as the french and the russians were the main suppliers of weapons......

On topic, i believe the political opinions of chav queen Ms Dynamite probably hold the same weight as the critical musical faculties of George bush or Tony "status quo" blair. Musicians should stay out of politics..they usually dont have half a clue. One stat I must address is Wolfie's "Far from it. the foreign 'insurgents' make up less than 10% of the overall insurgents. so even you can do the maths :-)" ...You seem to have neglected the other elements...iraqi elements....I mentioned. Those being baathist remnants, muhabbarat and special republican guard remnants, not to mention "saddam's martyrs" the fedayeen, est numbers being between 18,000 and 40,000. Heres an interesting article..you may note the similarities between this and the way the "freedom fighting" insurgents treat unarmed civilan prisoners.... "It is difficult to establish the exact date when the beheading of women campaign began in Iraq. Witness accounts report the public beheading of women from June 2000 through to May 2001. Saddam’s Fidayi conducted the beheading operations, which took place in two stages. Accompanied by the leaders of the Ba’th party, the Fidayi made a night raid on the district. The latter was gone through with a fine toothcomb to eliminate any hints of revolt and in order to discover any weapons. The population was summoned for the next day at prayer time. They arrived at the stated hour at the home of the victim, who was dragged out in the clothes she is wearing. She was then stretched out on an iron bench, her head hanging down, in front of her children, her family and the whole population of the district. The executioner and his assistants were dressed in brown bearing the logo ‘Saddam’s Fidayi’ and usually did not come from the district or the region. The Feddayi detailed to carry out the beheading took his sword held out by an assistant and cut’s the victim’s head off. According to the scenes described, the head was exhibited or the body and the head are thrown into black boxes and taken away. Women belonging to families suspected of being hostile to the regime or whose members are in prison as “opponents” (the term of course covers a considerable number of definitions) were particularly targeted."

Wolfie, your talking rubbish again. If you want to apply your argument to the insurgency in iraq...the simple fact is....for the most part the insurgents, or "terrorists", are not representative of the native population as a whole, as they consist of foreign jihadists, baathists, muhabbarat, SRG and other rogue elements. They dont "accidentally" kill iraqi citizens, their targets are out there...the ones wearing uniforms. They have no excuse for blowing up civilians, none whatsoever. If they decide to actually go head to head with coalition forces, they know they will get a kicking (re: fallujah) hence they hide behind the civilian population and probably rub their hands with glee when these cowardly tactics result in inocent civilians being killed, western pr getting damaged and of course more excuses for the likes of your good self to climb onto the soapbox.

Ah, wolfie and his second hand conspiracy theories....somehow our foreign policy is responsible for domestic terrorism in indonesia...riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Maggots. yeaaargh.

Dont do it timo! Take it from a recipient of the unkind cut in my early twenties..aesthetically more pleasing, but carnally less satisfying. (for me that is, not for the innumerable mrs sknys) Not happy with my feet.....hairy and gnarly looking.