The UK porn block and the concept of obscenity

I made a passing reference the to the UK’s new plan to block all porn but I decided that it, and obscenity in general, required a more thorough examination. In short, David Cameron feels that UK internet service providers need to block all porn by default to protect children. In short, again, that idea is stupid. It’s stupid partially because it will not work and partially because the mindset behind it is one that should not be accepted.

Remember when we talked about violence?

It wasn’t that long ago. I complained about the violence in the country, particularly in strikes, and now I’m seeing something even worse. I’m not talking about when the striking miners later threatened to kill the management, although that’s still unacceptable. Maybe we can at least hope in the future we will be a more peaceful and reasonable people. I kinda hoped that until I heard about six Grade 1 pupils (between six and eight years old) who beat a boy so badly that he had to go to hospital.

Children to be taught fact or faith?

The story of a South African science teacher getting reprimanded for teaching science, specifically evolution, has cause quite a stir. Apart from the many comments and related posts on News24 it was even noticed over in America. Naturally, it wound up in a local community paper, giving the views of various locals, where they asked whether schools should teach fact or faith. If you’re ever asking whether you should or shouldn’t teach facts then you’re probably in a lot of trouble.