Correct me if I'm wrong...

[Mehmsy]

... but isn't the government going a little overboard with 'controlling' society?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6582385.stm

This is patently ridiculous. Banning television sets in children's bedrooms? How is this any different than the Chinese government placing limits on how long kids can spend playing online games?

It should be more important to foment proper parenting, surely.

[hr]

http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37106593

[Gill]

they can't do that! Everyone knows that a tv is a substitute for a babysitter. Just plonk the kid in front of the tv, they vombie out and hey presto you can get on with the housework.

[[James]]

Oh, fantastic - they're following Dr Aric Sigman's advice. Anyone in the psychology department could tell you that man is full of shit.

[flossy]

Aric Sigman rocks - doesn't anyone else remember his Agony Uncle clumn in FastForward magazine?

[hr]

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the substrate.

[MacMan]

It is going a bit far. At the end of the day it should be up to the parents how much TV their child watches. I had a TV in my room when I was a kid, a big 1970's Panasonic colour set, which I used mainly to play Sonic the Hedgehog on my Sega. Still got that TV in the attic but the tube is failing as the colour is a bit dodgy.

[Frank]

Quoting Mehmsy from 11:33, 23rd Apr 2007
This is patently ridiculous. Banning television sets in children's bedrooms? How is this any different than the Chinese government placing limits on how long kids can spend playing online games?

I lost days of my life playing City of Heroes. I'd be quite keen on the Chinese Government placing limts on how long I spend online. In fact, I'd be even more keen on the Chinese Government enforcing this on me!

Similarly, I think it'd be a good thing for folks to actually implement this sort of thing: Actually restricting TV (and computer) hours, but also replacing them with something more productive/useful/formative/something.

Hell, I could do with it these days. But then I also don't think it's the place for the government.

[hr]

"There is only ever one truth. Things are always black or white, there's no such thing as a shade of grey. If you think that something is a shade of grey it simply means that you don't fully understand the situation. The truth is narrow and the path of the pursuit of truth is similarly narrow."

[Senethro]

Quoting Frank from 16:15, 23rd Apr 2007

Quoting Mehmsy from 11:33, 23rd Apr 2007
This is patently ridiculous. Banning television sets in children's bedrooms? How is this any different than the Chinese government placing limits on how long kids can spend playing online games?

I lost days of my life playing City of Heroes. I'd be quite keen on the Chinese Government placing limts on how long I spend online. In fact, I'd be even more keen on the Chinese Government enforcing this on me!

Similarly, I think it'd be a good thing for folks to actually implement this sort of thing: Actually restricting TV (and computer) hours, but also replacing them with something more productive/useful/formative/something.

Hell, I could do with it these days. But then I also don't think it's the place for the government.

[hr]

"There is only ever one truth. Things are always black or white, there's no such thing as a shade of grey. If you think that something is a shade of grey it simply means that you don't fully understand the situation. The truth is narrow and the path of the pursuit of truth is similarly narrow."

Surely people prone to addiction behaviour can always find something to do? Whats your poison now?

[Frank]

Quoting Senethro from 16:56, 23rd Apr 2007

Quoting Frank from 16:15, 23rd Apr 2007

Quoting Mehmsy from 11:33, 23rd Apr 2007
This is patently ridiculous. Banning television sets in children's bedrooms? How is this any different than the Chinese government placing limits on how long kids can spend playing online games?

I lost days of my life playing City of Heroes. I'd be quite keen on the Chinese Government placing limts on how long I spend online. In fact, I'd be even more keen on the Chinese Government enforcing this on me!

Similarly, I think it'd be a good thing for folks to actually implement this sort of thing: Actually restricting TV (and computer) hours, but also replacing them with something more productive/useful/formative/something.

Hell, I could do with it these days. But then I also don't think it's the place for the government.

[hr]

"There is only ever one truth. Things are always black or white, there's no such thing as a shade of grey. If you think that something is a shade of grey it simply means that you don't fully understand the situation. The truth is narrow and the path of the pursuit of truth is similarly narrow."

Surely people prone to addiction behaviour can always find something to do? Whats your poison now?

http://forum.specialist-games.com/topic ... hichpage=3

I'm Xisor.

[hr]

"There is only ever one truth. Things are always black or white, there's no such thing as a shade of grey. If you think that something is a shade of grey it simply means that you don't fully understand the situation. The truth is narrow and the path of the pursuit of truth is similarly narrow."

[Bonnie]

Correct me if I'm wrong

On here, we'll correct you even if you are not wrong.

[Cain]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6431063.stm

here's a chap who racked up huge bills because he was too stupid to realise how much the phone calls cost and is upset that he has to pay all of that money.

Sometimes words fail me.

The story is released on the same day as Cameron calls for people to take responsibility for their actions.

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[MacMan]

There's a big racket going on about GMTV's TV phone-ins at the moment. Take a look: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6585269.stm

[David Bean]

Well, all I'll say is that I'm sure the Labour government will be more than happy to jump on this bandwagon. This is, after all, a government that never met a civil liberties violation it didn't like. Fox hunting, stealth taxation, smoking bans, detention without trial, childhood obesity, identity cards - are there no limits to the lengths the Labour Party will go to extend their tentacles into the farthest corners of people's lives?

Each and every day I despair that the people of this country can't wake up and see what these bastards are doing to us. It doesn't matter one jot what any of us think about the areas this government is trying to regulate themselves into: the fact is, and shall ever remain, that every single one of them, and all of their attendant problems, are infinitely preferable to fascism.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

[Cain]

Is Stealth Taxation aimed at curbing Britain's out of control Ninja problem?

If so, there is a better solution.



[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[Mehmsy]

The whole situation reminds me of a currently popular trend in the USA: labelling everything as a 'disease' or a mental disorder; such as obesity or anger: If I recall correctly, you can be diagnosed as a person with irrational anger if you've had at least 3 outbursts of rage in your entire life.

All it does is take responsability away from the individual and makes them complacent. They don't feel bad about themselves for being obese, because they can simply label it as a disease... and so it isn't their fault any more.

It's just the same thing with this whole 'nanny state' malarkey. Instead making people responsible for their own actions or teaching them common sense, you clamp down on their liberties and choices. What next? Is the government going to choose my daily diet so I don't become obese?


[hr]

http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37106593

[Senethro]

Quoting David Bean from 20:27, 23rd Apr 2007
Each and every day I despair that the people of this country can't wake up and see what these bastards are doing to us. It doesn't matter one jot what any of us think about the areas this government is trying to regulate themselves into: the fact is, and shall ever remain, that every single one of them, and all of their attendant problems, are infinitely preferable to fascism.

[hr]

lol bible

Wait, what are you even tryign to say here?

[Senethro]

Quoting Mehmsy from 00:22, 24th Apr 2007
The whole situation reminds me of a currently popular trend in the USA: labelling everything as a 'disease'

Yes, and then you declare war on it. War on drugs, war on poverty, war on...

[Freaker]

Quoting Mehmsy from 00:22, 24th Apr 2007
It's just the same thing with this whole 'nanny state' malarkey. Instead making people responsible for their own actions or teaching them common sense, you clamp down on their liberties and choices. What next? Is the government going to choose my daily diet so I don't become obese?


[hr]

http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37106593

I could not possibly agree more! Something I have been complaining about a lot ever since coming here from abroad nearly two years ago.

Talking about them deciding on your diet? They do their very best . "Five a Day" and all the other campaigns targeted at consumers eating more healthily. Good in principle, but you'd kind of expect people would understand why it is important to eat enough fruit and veg. And if not, then maybe rather than telling them they should (but probably won't anyways), one should try to make them understand why they should, so they make the decision themselves, no?! Frustrating, this is.

[hr]

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

[LonelyPilgrim]

The fact is, despite their complaining, most people actually do prefer being told what to do rather than having to take responsibility for the potential consequences of *gasp* decisions.

Such is human nature. That's also one of the reasons that 99% of human history has been dominated by one type of authoritarianism or another.

[hr]

Arma virumque cano...

[Rufus]

There was an article in The Independent the other day about plans to include doses of septin in formula milk in order to tackle childhood obesity.

However, The Independent is also pushing the idea that Wi-fi is a radiation time bomb that will result in early middle-age senility and sickness.

If the latter story is true, we may as well get fat and senile together and enjoy life while we still can.

[exnihilo]

We were never healthier as a nation than during rationing. Perhaps the government should tell us what to eat? It seems a lot of people are too stupid, too lazy, too selfish or too stubborn to regulate their own excesses.