10:56 a.m., Friday, March 8, 2002
I've decided to post some of the links I've had bookmarked for months that I originally wanted to post in other places.

This article discusses the cases of children who have been suspended from school for such insane reasons as their haircuts or piercings. I especially like the way it points out the double standards involved - if jewellery contravenes health and safety requirements, then staff should be required not to wear it either.

And the UK government is not going to follow the lead of Scotland and outlaw smacking small children. It's rather old now but still interesting.
[by Beth] comments?

05:36 p.m., Thursday, March 7, 2002
Do the Americans out there mind that their leader is going round telling people that 95% of Americans believe in God? Because I'm damned sure that he wasn't including Muslims, Hindus etc in that. or that John Ashcroft has been heard to say that "civilised people - Muslims, Christians and Jews - all understand that the source of freedom and human dignity is the creator." So my atheist housemate is uncivilised? So the wiccans out there are uncivilised? WTF? As the article states, 'Since the current war is being fought on behalf of "civilisation", this would seem to indicate that those 5% who do not believe in God should now also be classified as the enemy.'
[by Beth] comments?

05:32 p.m., Thursday, March 7, 2002
I just don't know what to think about this story - watch out; the photo at the top of the article is a police photo of a girl who'd died three days earlier of a heroin overdose. Her parents have given permission for the police photos to be used as part of a drugs-education film to be shown to school children.

Personally, I'd rather my 15 year old sister wasn't forced to watch that kind of thing. As it happened, it was shown on TV the other night and she chose to watch it - but that was her choice. I would be very disturbed if someone made me watch. I was disturbed enoigh, and I chose to look, and I'm in my mid 20s.
[by Beth] comments?

05:21 p.m., Thursday, March 7, 2002
Do you believe in voluntary euthanasia?

If not, go and read this article about a woman paralysed from the neck down who wants to be allowed to die. It's obvious that she doesn't want to be made to suffer and more and I hope that the legal system doesn't prolong her suffering longer than they need to. She's totally conscious and self-aware, sounds like an intelligent woman, and is obviously capable of making her own decisions.

I wish her well.
[by Beth] comments?

12:48 p.m., Tuesday, March 5, 2002
I'm glad to see that the US authorities have dropped their ban on turbans being worn at Camp X-Ray, but I wish it hadn't taken a hunger strike to convince them. If they are so serious about being seen not to violate people's human rights, what would the problem be? What on earth was the reasoning behind this?
[by Beth] comments?