End of blog questionaire!

Age 27, Female, English BA(Hons)

Being Bad has not really related to to my other modules. I felt it was a good module to study as I am going to be a secondary school teacher, I thought it would give me a good insight as to why people do certain things and why people deem some things as 'bad'.

I enjoyed this module, the topics were interesting and insightful. The teaching method was relaxed and I felt less pressure compared to my other modules. All of the tutors were friendly and approachable. I do not think it would have been beneficial to have smaller groups as there was ample opprtunity to engage in discussions and to put forward opinions.

I think the interdisciplinary approach was very useful as it covered a whole range of perspectives. I do not feel it would have been such an interesting module to study had it not been for this approach. It would be a great idea to use this on a wider range of modules. I will not be taking the follow - up module as it is more important for me to focus on English Lang/Lit modules.

I would recommend this module as I have enjoyed the teaching style and topics. The blog was a good idea as it gave a great opportunity to rant about things I deem as being bad as well as seeing others opinions. Although the only down side is that I found it quite time consuming. The 2 other assignments were a good idea because as I have other lengthier assignments having these shorter ones took the pressure off a little!

Signing off........Goodbye!

Spitting!

I cannot abide by anyone who has this disgusting vile habbit! When I see people do it in the street (mainly men) it angers me and makes me feel sick. These people are gobbing all their lovely germs in the street, not exactly very hygienic is it? Why is there no law aginst it? It can quite easily spread disease. It is an offence if you actually spit on someone, so why can't it be an offence to spit in public all together? People have to walk where those have spat, there are children who pick things up off the floor, it angers me more so when you see groups of hoodies sat in a park spitting where children play! In sport you have footballers spitting every few seconds when it has been scientifically proven that there is no physical reason for them to do so. I don't know if men think they look cool or atractive, I have no idea why they do it, if thy must bring something up then do it into a tissue. It is just down right nasty and there is no need for it so pack it in!

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/article735554.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2

Bad Parenting!

Not content with being the biggest woman to give birth to triplets (at 40 stone) This sad excuse for a mother seems set on blighting her triplets life with the same health problems she suffers! Surely being 30 stone would be enough to make her want things different for her children? She has brazenly admitted to feeding the triplets fish and chips and McDonalds from the tender age of 6 months! To quote her "They like fish and chips too, but I take the batter off the fish, so I guess that's healthy", what is this women thinking!

It took a team of 68 to deliver her babies at a cost of £200,000 to the NHS. She lives off benefits and claims she is too busy to cook a proper meal. Her idea of cooking is a microwave meal which she does not class as junk food. She claims her triplets are healthy, saying that kids are always hungry and that it is difficult to know what to feed them. She says that she does not want her kids to grow up watching what they eat and getting anorexia! She only dresses the kids once a week to go out and pick up her benefits. She wants a council house stating that "I know how to microwave a meal and make up instant mash, so I think we'd all manage". What a deluded, selfish, slobby disgrace to motherhood this women is. She should be ashamed of herself for being so blinded by a lack of basic intelligence. I feel so sorry for her kids already and can only imagine the quality of life they are going to have. People like this are not fit to be parents, yet she was blessed with 3 children. What she is doing is form of child neglect, so why -instead of handing out benefits and council homes- does the government not do anything about it?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1174210/30-stone-mother-feeds-baby-triplets-junk-food-diet--admits-McDonalds-just-months.html

PDA (Public Display of Affection) Shouldn't be allowed

I am making a comment on Kate's blog, 26 April.
http://katenicola89-kate.blogspot.com/

I have to agree with Kate on this one! Although I do like displays of affection, there is a time and a place! I'm no prude, I hold hands and kiss my fella when we're out, I don't feel the need to hold back on doing so. However, when you have to witness a couple literally in a battle of tonsil tennis then I have to put my foot down. Just the other day I was at lunch with friends. So, picture the scene. There I am having a good time and a chat and something to eat. A young couple on the table next to us decide they want to eat each other there and then! Like I said, I'm so not a prude, but when you are eating and all you can see in your eyeline, and all you can hear is a couple slobbering each other! There is just no need!

The dirty dogs!

I am fed up with walking down the street and dodging dog bloody poo! Taking my son to school this morning was like the Krypton Factor with the amount of dog mess that was carelessly left all over the path. It's not really a difficult concept to grasp, you get a dog, you feed it, you clean up after it. That is what you sign up for when you get a dog. It's not just because a person can't bring themselves to do it because they have to do it at home in the garden, no, it's just because they are being plain lazy! Signs threatening to impose fines on the culprits do not work, who even enforces this policy?

Mansfield District Council think they have something that will help this problem. They have got volunteers to go round with pink die to spray on poo that has been left on the streets. They hope it will shame the owners who are not cleaning up the poo. Failing that then at least they are highlighting it so people don't step in it! Really though why should we have to go to such measures? It would not take any longer than 20 seconds to pick up, there are designated bins for dog mess and you can even get free dog poop bags from your council!

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=187381&in_page_id=2

Bad behaviour on buses and annoying mobile phone users

Comment on Josephine's blog 11 March.

http://dantesinferno64.blogspot.com/

I have to agree with you Josephine. As I do not drive I have to use public transport, it grieves me to do so because of the state of the buses! The dodgy looking stains on seats, the smells, the chewing gum stuck to seats, the graffiti, the list could go on and on! But, probably the worst is mobile phone users! Now, I'm not saying I would ban the use of them on buses, no, I just wish people did not feel the need to tell everyone on the bus their private business, like Josephine said there is no need for the abusive language either. I use my phone on the bus all the time, but I am a respectful person, I talk in a low voice, not just for the other people on the bus but also because I don't want everyone knowing my business! A lot of the time it isn't simply teenagers who do this ( they just annoy me even further when they blast out songs on their phones!) I actually pity the people who do this though as they must think they sound cool when in fact they are just proving themselves to be unintelligent wastes of space.

Police brutality!

An investigation has commenced after the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests. Footage has been seen showing an officer shove him from behind resulting in him dying from internal bleeding. So, is it bad behaviour by these officers who have now been suspended? Rightly so, they should not exceed their authority, but imagine what it is like for these officers. They are in the midst of a rowdy load of protesters, shouting abuse and sometimes coming under fire of flying objects. Surely this must be a frightening experience. Why shouldn't officers be able to use force to try and keep the crowd under control? One must ask why Mr Tomlinson was even walking through the heart of the protest. If I was in that situation, where you can see cops in riot gear, and protesters pushing and shouting abuse I would most definitely think sod this I will go another direction to get home! Maybe the officers did abuse their power somewhat, they did not set out to kill the man, it was a tragic consequence. The problem now is that many more people are coming forward to say thet were also subjected to heavy-handed policing. Well great, they have seen an opportunity to try and sue for compensation! This will have a knock-on effect where we will get criminals claiming left right and centre that they have been treated with force by cops, and it will all spiral out of control.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/15/metropolitan-police-tomlinson-assault-g20

Hunting

Comment on Becky's blog 28 March.http://beckysblog16.blogspot.com/

I completely agree with Becky, hunting is wrong. It is a bunch of toffs trying to prove their masculinity by chasing down and killing a small defenceless animal - wow, so macho. The poor fox has to endure a terrifying chase trying its best to find somewhere to hide. When it is finally caught (it's not likely to get away) it is essentially mauled to death. Hunters will protest this and say that it is killed humanely by a simple nip to the neck. Come on, it is a pack of dogs doing the killing not a bloody experienced surgeon! The fox will sometimes get chased underground to a burrow, the dogs go after it and bite away at its backside till it finally dies an agonising death- how in hell is this humane? Hunting has been a natural thing for animals and humans since the beginning of time, but it is done out of necessity to survive not simply for fun. If foxes do cause such a problem then they can be killed quick and painlessly by a skilled marksman. I am glad they bought in the ban on hunting, and I hope that anyone who is caught breaking the ban is punished accordingly.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/418681.stm

Binge drinking Britain!

Binge drinking has been blamed for the rise in violent attacks leading to treatment at hospital. Last year the number of assults was 351,468 of which 15,376 were by women - a rise of 10%. The fear is that it is more of a laddette culture and that women are now pushing their limits to keep up with men. The law that allows 24 hour drinking has obviously not worked. It was hoped that it would stop a big flood a drunken people spilling out onto the streets at once, when all it has done is give the green light for people to drink themselves into a stuper all day every day if they want to! it's distressing as I enjoy going out, yet I feel the need to be careful in case some drunken idiot decides that I am looking at them in the wrong way! The strain on the NHS from assults due to binge drinking is a present problem, the long-term problem is the effect binge drinking has on the body. It can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, damage to the brain, high blood pressure, muscle disease and heart failure to name a few. The increase of binge drinkers - especially youngsters - will have a drastic effect on the NHS, resources are already being wasted when having to deal with people who have simply drank too much and have passed out,or, have had too much and punched someone out! Sadly the government seem to think that putting up the price of alcohol will help solve the problem (just like with ciggarettes) it does not matter because people who want to drink (smoke) to excess will do so regardless, when I was a teenager me and my mates would pool our dinner money to buy drink and fags! Unfortunately I think the only way to try and kerb it is through knowledge. More needs to be done to educate people from an early age as to the dangers of alcohol, teachers and parents need to drum the message home to kids, then all you can do is step back and hope they have took notice. There is nothing more you can do.

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/Mosby_factsheets/alcohol_abuse.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1172428/Binge-drinking-flooding-casualty-crime-victims.html

Drinking whilst pregnant

Comment on Claire's blog 1st April.

http://claire-cee.blogspot.com/

I have to disagree with Claire here. The bar man should not have refused to serve the woman. She was having a quiet night out with friends and was treating herself to a couple of drinks. This is her right, it is her body and her baby. It's not as if she was a young girl clearly intoxicated whilst pregnant! Do you think he would have refused to serve a regular who came in every day and downed 6 pints? Would you walk up to a pregnant woman in the streets and tell her to stop smoking? Although I would disapprove of it I wouldn't interfer as it's not my place to do so. There is plenty of information out there informing woman on the dangers of drinking and smoking whilst pregnant, they are old enough to make their own choices, it is no ones right or place to tell them what they can or can't do (ok well doctors and nurses are an exception).

Misconduct?

Margaret Haywood a nurse for more than 20 years was struck off this week for blowing the whistle on appalling conditions in the hospital she worked in. So, who is being bad here? Margaret admitted breeching patient confidentiality due to secretly filming the treatment of patients. Yet, she did get all of the patients permission for the footage to be shown. She felt this was the only way to highlight the conditions inside the Royal Sussex hospital as many previous complaints had no effect. Elderly people were shown to be left for hours when needing to go to the bathroom, one woman died painfully as she had not been given the morphine on time. Had Margaret not gone undercover for the BBC programme then would the conditions in the hospital have changed? I don't think they would of, she did a great thing by exposing this treatment and has no doubt saved a lot of patients from future mistreatment and unneccesary suffering. I feel sorry for here that she has been struck off from the job she obviously loved and took pride in. At least she could leave the hearing with her head held high, I say good on her, but one bad thing that will most definitely come out of this is that it will stop people 'whistle blowing' in the future in any profession as people will fear reprisal.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6106326.ece

Gambling!

Comment on Laura's blog 1st April, Is gambling really that bad? http://laurasbeingbadblogg.blogspot.com/

I agree with Laura that gambling in moderation is ok and not considered as being a problem. I love to have the odd flutter on the football, I play the lottery and I love scratch cards! But, I could quite easily go without. The same can't be said about others, some people do genuinely become addicted to gambling. As Laura said, it is like any other addiction such as drink or drugs, and not enough is done to prevent or help those with such an addiction. In most adverts on the telly or in the newspapers you will come accross advertisments for bingo, lottery and sports betting. The problem we have is that kids are now more aware of gambling and are more prone to becoming addicted. There are now 2 million under 18s (some as yound as 10) who are at risk of becoming addicted.It is the rise of online gambling that has made it so much easier for kids to do it. It is also said that it is the parents relaxed attitude to under-age gambling that is not helping the situation. Parents should be aware of exactly what their kids are doing online, and places where you are able to gamble should be stricter on producing I.D as you would if you were selling them alcohol.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1078940/One-million-children-addicted-gambling-New-Labours-lenient-gaming-laws-say-experts.html

Teenage pregnancy!

My blood was boiling last night whilst I watched a programme on Channel 4 called The Hospital. The episode was about the rising number of teenage pregnancies and the cost incurred by the NHS. Some of the girls planned to get pregnant, most no longer with the dad of their baby (what a surprise). Some said having a baby would mean they have someone love and the baby would love them back. What a sad reason. So these girls feel unloved? At the age of 14 most kids rebel against authority figures, they say they hate them and that they don't love them, boo bloody hoo! So not a reason to go and get pregnant! I was 18 when I had my son, I thought that was young enough. These girls standing there puffing away on a fag, getting excited because they are moving into their council house and are going to have a cute little baby- they are blinded to the reality. When they finally grow up and realise that having a baby means hard work for the rest of your life, it will be too late. Some of them will probably a mom of 4 or 5 kids by the time they reach 20. Living on benefits, expecting everything to be handed to them on a silver plate, no ambition and no self respect. In some ways I feel sorry for young girls like this, to be so naive and immature to think having a baby will solve any problems they think they might have. More so, I feel sorry for the babies that these girls are bringing into this world, I don't begrudge anyone who wants to have a child, but surely it would be better if you are in a loving relationship and earning money instead of relying on a fumble behind the bike shed at school, what a thing to tell your child when they grow up, wouldn't they be proud! There were 46,000 teenage pregnancies in the UK last year, these figures are rising. The cost to the NHS is emense, as long as the government keep dishing out benefits and council houses left right and centre, then these teens will continue to pop out sprogs because they think this is the key to an easy life.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-hospital/episode-guide/series-1/episode-2

Graffiti!

Comment on Karen's blog 6th April.

http://karen-summersun.blogspot.com/

I agree with Karen that some of the graffiti you see these days are amazing pieces of art. For a lot of youngsters doing the graffiti, this is their only way of showing their talent. Yet, to others they do it wherever they want just to get attention - they think they are being 'bad' and 'cool'. This is especially true of those who deface public property, they are not creating art, they are simply vandalising. In these cases you find that it is mostly mindless crap scrawled over bus shelters, buses, trains etc. It is these kind of so called 'artists' who give the term graffiti a bad name. It is a shame because their are people out there who truely do have talent, it would be good to maybe see the government do some kind of scheme to channel this talent into something useful. In some areas it would be nice to see some genuine art on walls instead of filth and dirt.

Bullying!

One thing I can not stand is bullying. I have been fortunate throughout my life not to come in to contact with a bully, but I have known people who have suffered at the hands of a bully. I worry that my son will at some point have to deal with a bully, more so because it is on the uprise. One thing I tell my son is that if anyone so much as attempts to pick on you - then make sure you stand up for yourself! I go against the schools policy of doing nothing but tell the teacher, I tell my son that if someone hits you then you hit them back! This way you are showing the bully that you will not stand for it. Bullies pick out those who appear weak, if you fight back this shocks them, they realise they can not get away with it. Although, bullying is not only physical, if anything it is more psychological. It is also seen as a childhood thing, when in fact a lot of bullying these days occurs in the workplace. People who got away with bullying at school may carry this into adulthood. They tend to bully to hide their own inadequacies, they bully those who are better than them at certain things - they are jealous. Some just bully because they think they are being funny or clever. The fact is, bullies are nothing but weak, pathetic, immature nobodies. The only way to stop a bully is to stand up to them, don't give in to their demands. If they don't have control of you, then this takes the fun away from them, they then have to deal with their own insecurities in a more productive way.

http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/bully.htm

http://www.successunlimited.co.uk/

The world is in mourning??

Comment on Claire's blog (5th April)

http://claire-cee.blogspot.com/

Claire you are not on your own, I have to completely agree with you. It really is tragic that she had passed away, it struck me because I am the same age and I would be devestated to go through what she did, I feel so sorry for her kids. With that said, I do not agree with how it has been plastered over the news and in newspapers. Yes, she said she wanted to earn the money to provide for her kids, fair enough. But, it felt somewhat macarbe to literally know step by step how she slowly died and now every detail of her funeral is being made public! Some have even compared her to Diana! Yes, she has raised awareness for regular smears but how come she has been turned into some kind of role model? Before she was diagnosed every paper took great pleasure in slagging her off at every opportunity, yet suddenly now they are all hypocrits worshipping the ground she walked on! I am really sorry if I sound cold hearted, but can't people just leave her family to greave in peace, especially her kids. Like Claire said, this happens to ordinary people everyday, but they are not lucky enough to have the money, help and support that Jade received, surely we should spare a thought for them.

Oops! link for post below!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/03/energy_prices.html

BAD BAD BAD Energy companies!!!!

Whilst watching Watchdog (23 March) my blood really began to boil! Last year along with everyone else I experienced my energy bills shooting through the roof. In fact they went up an average of 40%. How convenient that this happened at the time of year when we use the most! Now, finally the 6 biggest energy suppliers have kindly said they are going to cut their prices by, wait for it .......10%!

They told us the prices went up due to the rising cost of wholesale gas. But, last October it began to fall, it has now almost halved! So, how is it fair that when wholesale prices go up the energy companies bump our prices up quick as a flash. Yet, when wholesale prices come down dramatically they dither over whether to put their prices down and 6 months down the line they decide, oh go on then, but not too much though the wife wants a new Mercedes! Arrrgghhh it makes me so angry, I just don't know how they get away with such blatent robbery!

Bad computer games!

Comment on Laura's blog 22 March on the influence of bad video games.

http://laurasbeingbadblogg.blogspot.com/

This is quite a touchy subject in my household! I completely agree with Laura in that kid's should not be allowed to play 18 rated games. However, this has been somewhat difficult for me to do as I have a son of 9 and my partner has a son of 12 who is allowed to play whatever games he likes! He lives with my partners parents most of the time, because of this he kind of gets what he wants from his grandparents! As they have been the ones to do most of the upbringing (my partner works away a lot) my partner feels it is too late to interveen. Of course I disagree, but the problem is his son is at our house quite a lot, and in being so he plays his games with my son. So, what do I do? Do I ban my son playing the games? Tell him he can't be in the same room? Well, I feel that I am bringing my son up in the real world. He knows right from wrong, and I constantly remind him that these games are just that - games. Although this is difficult due to such realistic graphics. I vet any games that he plays, if I deem them too bad (which I have done, some of these games make me want to gag) I don't allow him to play them.

The thing is, if you ban your child from such things it will only make them want to do it all the more, and they will find a way round it. There will be parents who are more lenient who let their kids play whatever games they wish, so when your child goes round to play they will be exposed to them anyway. Although we would all like to wrap our kids in cotton wool, we can't. Yes, certain games will desensitise them to violence, but as long as you make them aware of what is real and not real, what is right and wrong I don't see how they can make a child grow up to be a murderer! It's down to the parent, if you sit a child in front of violent games and videos day in day out with no intervention, then it is the games and videos providing that child with its upbringing not the parents. It would then be no surprise if that child grows up to be violent because that is all thay have known.

Pornography and relationships!

So, I think I can rightly say this is a so called problem for the woman in a relationship/marriage. Some argue that it is completely normal for a healthy relationship, that it adds spice and variety. Others though, deem the use of porn in the bedroom as totally demeening and degrading. Personally I don't really see the problem. More so because after you have been with a partner for many years your relationship could do with a kick-start, it can give you ideas of things to try that you may never have thought about before!

I dare say that if a bloke found out his partner uses porn he would be ecstatic! Yet, when it comes to a woman finding out her bloke does then a lot of woman feel he has committed a cardinal sin!

In this article http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/article2350629.ece two women give their view of what they think about using porn with their partners. One is open about enjoying using it and has no problem with her fella using it without her, prefering to be honest and open with each other. The other who has been married to her husband for 13 years says she would divorce her hubby if she ever found out that he so much as looked at porn! The poor bloke! She says that knowing he is turned on or attracted to the women on the screen it would humiliate her, get a grip woman! If this is the case then she should lock him in the house with no telly or newspapers because believe it or not missis your bloke- like many others will look at woman anywhere and size them up! But, as long as he does not stray it's you that he wants, there is no harm in looking as long as they don't act on it. Porn is just a fantasy, if you don't allow it in your relationship your bloke will still make up his own fantasies in his head, because thats just what men do (not being sexist because women do it too) At the end of the day if you deny your bloke of porn they will be just like a naughty kid and do it secretly behind your back anyway! Why not just be honest and open about it? It could improve your sex life more than you may think!

Chain e-mails!!

Why in heavens name do friends send this crap to you? Most of the time they threaten bad luck unless you send it on to '10 people', some even warn of violence or death if you do not comply! Some people are more naive or superstitious than others and would seriously be worried about what these emails say. The people who start these emails are nothing but unintellectual nasty idiots. But, the people who forward them (especially to friends) can not be classed as being any better.
The same goes for people sending their get rich quick emails, these befall again on the naive, why the hell can't they be stopped from doing it? At the end of the day, if you receive such junk and simply hit the delete button, then surely it would put a stop to such rubbish?

Another problem caused by such emails is the damage it can do to your computer. Most of the time these emails have been forwarded to countless people, thus introducing a number of problems such as hazardous spam and countless infections to your computer. Not to mention the fact that your email address is on these emails being sent to god knows who! So, as before do not send them on and you can protect your s and your friends computers as well as keeping your personal email address just that, personal.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Dangers-Of-Chain-Letters-And-Petition-Lists&id=343704
http://www.brighthub.com/internet/security-privacy/articles/3112.aspx

Appropriate body art.

www.lolviral.com/.../2007/10/tattoo10grand.png

This woman was pain $10,000 to get this tattoo on her head! She said she did it to put her kids through school, would her kids be proud? What are the odds they never want to go back to school ever again due to all the ridicule?

She will no doubt regret this for the rest of her life because if it come to the time (which it most definitely will) she wants it removed, it will take a lot of the money she got paid and ten times the pain - and even then she will still be left scarred!

Tattoos have been around for hundreds of years, granted that the reasons for people having them have changed as have the designs. But, tattoos are art, especially nowadays. Since the 70s reputations of tattooists as serious artists has shot up, it's not a case of being scared of being poisoned, it is a much more hygienic practice. As long as you go to a reputable artist and then do what you need to look after it then you will be fine.
I have several tattoos myself (I must say they do hurt but it's true, it's kinda addictive!) My position on the subject is that it's far from being bad, it's a matter of personal choice - your not hurting anyone (except yourself). But, I have to admit if a police officer, lawyer, teacher, judge etc have tattoos or even piercings poking out all over the place I wouldn't be particulary approving! I'm studying to be a teacher, I therefore will not have a tattoo anywhere I cannot cover it up. If I went to my sons school and saw a teacher (male or female) covered in body art I wouldn't think it was the best example to set.

Tasteful, apprpriately placed art can look stunning. If your job is being a tattooist then your body would be the best advertising board. It's all about personal taste, but there is still a stigma attached to tattoos, that they are for thugs etc, and I don't think that will change some peoples opinions. Either way I don't care, I have tattoos because I want them, if I regret it when I'm old and grey then so be it, live for today because who knows what tomorrow will bring!!

Lying to children!

So, is right or wrong to lie to children? Well, according to a New York paper it is all the parents fault why children grow up with the great ability to lie, they have simply copied us!

http://nymag.com/news/features/43893/index2.html

But really come on, it is totally necessary to lie to our kids. Those who say you shouldn't are either not parents or if they are and say they have never done it - are lying! All parents lie to their kids, we do it to protect them, to save their feelings and to make this crappy world seem a better place. Small children in particular simply cannot process such things as financial problems, or the fact their parents are on the brink of divorce, so we sprinkle some sugar on so it is easier on them. Obviously we don't want to wrap them up in cotton wool and make them think they live in a fantasy land, but what's the hurt in softening the disappointment of the real world? God, if we never lied to them they would end up a gibbering reck before they even reach adulthood! As long as the motive for lying to your child is a loving one then you are doing what every loving parent would do for their child, looking out for them and protecting them as much as you possibly can, where is the harm in that?

Prescription charges!

An article in The Sun newspaper 6th March caught my eye. It is yet another example of our government being bad! It stated how doctors feel that ALL patients should get free prescriptions. With Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland having abolished the fee, it's about time England followed suit. Why is it that hard working people have to pay £7.10 a time for something that could potentially be keeping them alive! Yet, (although some through no fault of their own) sit on their backside and get yet another free handout from the state! Why is it only from next month that having cancer makes you exempt? Isn't having a life threatening illness such as cancer bad enough without the added stress of stuffing (more) money into the pocket of the government? Some people simply cannot do without cetain medication, and then there are people who cannot afford the fee and go without, surely this would add pressure on the NHS when these people get so bad they need emergency treatment-treatment that could have been prevented with medication.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4131675

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7488503.stm

Child Obesity

I heard a passing comment on the T.V this morning which made me think about child obesity. I think this definitely fits in to the category of being bad, not the children themselves but the parents. Childhood obesity has doubled in the last 10 years so now 1 in 4 children in England are obese! This obviously will lead to severe health problems for these children as they grow up, so why the hell won't their parents do something about it? As a mother myself, I would be disgusted with myself if I let my child become obese. This is the point, a child will eat anything that is bad for them if you let them. The job of being a parent is to guide and protect your child, not giving in to them when they beg you for more chips, cakes or sweets! There are parents out there with chilren who are severly obese but simply laugh it off as 'puppy fat' or say that they just want to make their child happy. Well, I'm sure that when that child reaches their 20's with a weight to match their age they will be running (hmmmm) to thank them!

Of course I'm not disputing the fact that there are conditions out there that can cause or make worse a child's weight gain such as Prader-willi syndrome, but this has just led to every

inadequate parent screaming 'oh my god, that's what my little one has!' simply as an excuse. At the end of the day how many obese children would you have found 100 or even 50 years ago? It all comes down to feeding them unhealthy food as and when they want it or when it is simply more 'convenient' to do so, and the basic understanding that a child also needs exercise- not just plonked in front of the telly! It angers me that parents can constitute this behaviour as nurturing, thinking they are making their child happy, when the fact of the matter is they are essentially killing them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/obesity2.shtml

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4930264.stm

Dangerous Driving!

http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/Speeding-biker-gets-six-months-370401739.html

A motorcyclist who was caught doing 122mph on his bike with his 14 year old son on the back was jailed this week for 6 months, 6 months!! What is going on with our justice system? Granted, this bloke was an idiot - more so because he had his son on the back - he was irresponsible. But, being sentenced he was lectured on how he COULD have caused an accident, HAD you of come off...... the POSSIBLE effects......... They are all maybes, I want to know why judges do not have the same frame of mind when it comes to the likes of the Portuguese lorry driver who was jailed for ACTUALLY causing death by dangerous driving, he got 3 years for killing a family of 6 whilst looking at his laptop!! Where is the justice in that!http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4640395/Portuguese-lorry-driver-who-killed-family-of-six-jailed-for-just-three-years.html

Then you have the peer who got a measly 12 WEEKS! He was texting on his mobile when he smashed into a stationary car killing the driver. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/25/texting_peer_prison/

The point is, if you are going to hand out such harsh sentences to teach people a lesson, then

surely you should hand them out to those who truely deserve it.

The cost of infidelity!!!

No point in beating round the bush, infidelity is wrong, plain and simple!

All you have to do is put yourself in the shoes of someone being cheated on, just imagine how that would feel. As far as I am aware I have been lucky not to ever have been in that position, and god knows, I never want to be.

The pain of losing the trust, the pain of your heart breaking. I suppose I'm not simply talking about a drunken kiss behind a boyfriend/girlfriends back (although I think I would be gutted about it) I'm talking about those who destroy a marriage, break apart families, those who go out of their way to deceive a partner. There is never an excuse. If you no longer love or want to be with someone then the kindest thing you could do is finish it, to save the humiliation of that person being deceived. Anyone capable of infidelity is not worth a second thought, they scheme, lie, and deceive, how could you forgive such behaviour?

In Boston, America this month investigators have found that infidelity is falling. Not however, due to peoples conscience getting to them, or because they realised they really do love their partner. No.......it's because they can no longer afford it because of the state of the economy!!! They can no longer afford the dinners and the hotels. People are staying together because they do not want expensive divorces. Oh how I love the compassion of the human race!!!!

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/money/18671624/detail.html

http://laurasbeingbadblogg.blogspot.com/

Who Loves Being Bad?
I suggest a field trip to a prison to see who loves to be bad and the consequences that are involved.

In response to Laura's suggestion asto what the class could do in week 12, I think it is a great idea! Of course not all criminals are incarcerated simply for 'being bad', such as murderers and rapists (this is far past the realms of being bad). However, there are those that are classed as petty crimes such as, shoplifting, burglary, assult, even tax evasion. Why do some people continue to commit crimes after spending time in prison? Is it that the punishment is not punishment enough, that it does nothing to discourage an individual? What makes a person commit a crime in the first place?

Wouldn't it be interesting to be able to hear the diversity of answers to these questions.

Kid's Smoking.

http://davefoxbeingbad.blogspot.com/ I am responding to a point that Dave raised about kid's smoking. He mentioned an episode of the reality programme Boy's and Girl's Alone where girl's aged 8-11 were smoking with pretend cigarettes. As a parent of a 9 year old boy I did find it quite harrowing to watch. I started at a young age and definitely do not want my lad to. This programme showed just what children think and do when adults are not around, it truely is worrying as a parent.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/rich-pupils-more-likely-to-copy-bad-behaviour-593653.html A study in America has found that 'rich pupil's' are more likely to copy their classmates than 'poorer pupil's'. The children of smokers were more immune due to being better informed, and the children with rich parents were more susceptable maybe because they are rebelling.

Phew.... so fingers crossed if I inform my son enough, don't become rich, and don't discipline him to the point that he rebels..... I should be fine, right??

What's the big deal???

Smoking. Always a classic for a great debate! Have been smoking since the age of 11 (27 now), I'm so not proud of it! Have quit 3 times only to be lured back to the wretched existance of being a smoker.

As everyone with an ounce of common sense is aware, smoking kills. It's been thrust in our faces often enough. But you know what? Who cares! Over the last decade - and most definitely the future -epidemeolgists are telling us the copious amounts of everyday things that apparently can cause cancer. From coffee and tea, to toothpaste and wallpaper! http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/cancer%20list.htm The point is, if we listen to the 'experts' on everything w would all be living in sterile bubbles!

I hate smoking (well something in me loves it actually!) I hate the smell of it, how it looks and the big hole it burns in my pocket (excuse th pun!). So why do I do it? Well...... because I want to and I can. Its a little thing called free choice. I agree with the ban in public, I don't wish to push my habit on anybody. I don't smoke in my house, it stinks plus I don't want to impose it on my child. I didn't smoke when I was pregnant and I respect all non-smokers views. But, bottom line is that I choose to do it. Yes I care about my health, yet I drink, smoke, don't exercise enough, I breathe in co2 emmissions (oh look, something that is pushed on everyone but no mention of banning it, strange.) I also love stuffing my face with chocolate, pizza, chips, takeaways, I drink coffee and I brush my teeth!! But hey I love my life, I don't intend on living by the rules and living a boring life, I'm going to enjoy as long as I can, as the old cliche goes.....I could get run over by a bus tomorrow!!!

Don't know!

Can't see what I will be doing next week let alone 12 weeks away, so will make a suggestion as to what we can do in week 12 once I have pondered over it a little!!!! It deserves plenty of thought!!