Carper Diem » Government Issues

Panorama & Libya

grumbler — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:00:27 +0000

I know the point of Panorama is to anger the viewer but I am angry towards Panorama. They are taking a blinkered perspective, not accounting for culture or respect.

I remember travelling to Libya in the 90′s and as part of my warning, I was told that the punishment for stealing is to chop a hand off, if I steal a second time, I lose my other hand so that I cannot steal again. If I commited any crime, punishment was harsh. An eye for an eye pretty much sums up their policy based on their culture and beliefs.

Now along come Panorama and they are objecting to the way prisoners are treated. Come on. Imagine the Libyans started berating us for giving people who commit crime an easy time. We would not accept them interferring in our judicial systems, so why do we think we can and should interfer in their policies, methods and justice?

Earth Day

grumbler — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:00:49 +0000

Earth day started in 1970 by a senator from Wisconsin after he visited the site of a massive 1969 oil spill off the coast of California. Since then it has been celebrated globally in 175 countries and more than 500 million people celebrate Earth Day. Especially considering recent events such as the Earth Quakes in Japan, the fighting in Afghanistan, Libya and the Ivory Coast, and who knows what else, it is nice to for a change pull together. And today, virtually anyone with an internet connection can speak globally. Running today from 7AM EDT and running for 24 hours, the global chat will cover a range of topics, feature prominent expert panelists and hopefully oganize global action towards peace and environmental stewardship.

WikiPeace Earth Day 24 Hour Live Chat

Right to Vote

grumbler — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:58:12 +0000

Recently there has been a whole lot of commotion about the human rights of prisoners, and their right to vote. Obviously like everyone else I have my own perspective and it is based on these 3 points:-

A prisoner is a person who lost his rights by committing an injustice against society.
Punishment is their having their freedoms and rights removed from them.
If they do not give a toss about victimising people, then do you think care about society enough to vote? Also do you think they are responsible enough to take the RIGHT decision (based on their history)?

Besides which, are there not also the complications about getting their vote (safety, cost, security etc).

Obviously there are some exceptions but they are exceptions.

So in my opinion, if you don’t care for society.. then you deserve to lose your right to vote!

The Law

grumbler — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:40:14 +0000

I am glad I don’t live in Indonesia. If you masturbate, the penalty is decapitation. Not sure which head in the case of the man… but neither will really do!

Cost of Christmas

grumbler — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:21:55 +0000

“Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want – and their kids pay for it.” Richard Lamm

I guess it is only fair that we get our kids what they want for Christmas, after all, they will be paying for us heavily in the long run!

The Law

grumbler — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:30:20 +0000

In case you actually get frisky in an ambulance (strange I know…. but it must have happened as a law has been passed in Utah), bear in mind that it may be illegal like it is in Utah! Besides your charges, if you are a woman, you will also be named and shamed in the papers. The man gets away with the naming and shaming. How’s that for equality.

The Law

grumbler — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:28:16 +0000

Don’t forget your sword if you are going to Trinity College in Ireland. It is illegal to walk through without a sword! Hmmm. Talk about knife crime.

Capital Punishment

grumbler — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:04:49 +0000

Capital punishment is usually carried out by lethal injection. It comprises 3 parts. One to put them to sleep, one to paralyse them and the last potassium to stop the heart. A point to note is that death by lethal injection destroys organs. Death by hanging, on the other hand, leaves the organs in perfect condition as the person dies because they break their neck.

There are issues of cruelty on both counts, however, for the point of this post, I won’t go into the morality. I am taking the fact that people awarded capital punishment deserve it and all they get, as fact.

I feel that if someone has commit a crime so heinous as to deserve capital punishment, than the least that the person can do is automatically give back to the community by “donating” their organs.

The Law

grumbler — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:21:24 +0000

Liverpool has been recently known as the Capital of Culture. How is this for culture…

Well as you know in most places going topless is illegal. Except that to every rule there are exceptions! In Liverpool, you can go topless if you work in a tropical fish store or in a bank serving foreign currency!

Fun law for a change!!

Swine Flu

grumbler — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:10:38 +0000

I think the way the media keeps going on about Swine flu is ridiculous. It is a fact that regular flu could kill as many people as swine flu… so what is the big deal? Even its symptoms are no different to regular flu… so what is the big deal?

My doctor’s surgery has removed all the toys from the kids area, and all the reading material. Waiting has now become more fun! NOT!

Also if you have the flu… please remember to not visit your doctor! There are warning signs on most clinics advising this!

My church has deemed it more important to not contract the swine flu than to offer the sign of peace! And communion has been severely compromised too!

My government thinks it is ok to waste my tax payers money to print and send scary leaflets through the post!

And antibacterial lotion seems to be everywhere. Talk about trying to lower our immune systems. Doesn’t anyone realise this will make things worse?