Gambling

In the last lecture the question was raised of whether gambling is actually a form of being bad or not. I think it goes both ways. For some, gambling is a pastime, a way to enjoy oneself and have a little fun. For others, gambling is a troublesome addiction that only seems to make life worse. For the person who like to play the slots every once and a while, or even a little poker, there is nothing wrong with gambling. But I do believe that if gambling is having any kind of negative impact on your life, or the lives of others, then it is definitely bad. It is was you make of it. Money can be a huge strain on a relationship, which is why for some, it should be handled so foolishly. As said in the lecture, we gamble everyday, whether it is by having car insurance or betting on a football match,it's hard to say to gamble is being bad because it is a huge part of living.

Links:
gambling info
gambling help
gambling act 2005

Little White Lies

I personally don't think there is much wrong with telling white lies to people. There are many instances when even if you tell a white lie, the itself is what the person wanted to hear in the first place. Women are often guilty of this act, not all, but some. The infamous question of, "Do I look good in this?" is prime example. Some people are actually seeking the truth when they ask, but some are just looking for you to say, "Yes, you look very nice in that." I just think that most white lies are harmless, they can sometimes make someones day. I'm not saying lying is always a good thing, because it often does cause many problems, and can escalate into worse situations, but there is nothing wrong with a little white lie that makes someone smile.

I Love Lying to Kids!

As we discussed in lecture today, lying has its pros and cons. I, as many do, lie when need be. I was kind of shocked when people suggested that it is wrong to lie to your kids, whether it be Santa or the Tooth Fairy. I can't imagine Christmas as a child with out the bewilderment of Santa and his reindeer. I know there is more to Christmas than Santa and presents, but you are a small child, it is a huge part of the excitement! Kids love to hear lies, it makes life more fun, I feel like kids do a lot of lying themselves, but we call it creativity. Imaginary friends, playing games with fictional characters, even the idea of a plastic doll taking on a life of its own. These are lies kids tell themselves everyday. There is a huge difference between lies that cause emotional pain, and a lie that enhances the life of a child. To say that kids should never be told lies is completely crazy!

I Just Don't Understand...

If I not mentioned it my previous blogs, I am a exchange student from the United States, which is why the News from the past few days is completely shocking to say the least. Over 30 students were killed at Virginia Tech on Monday, and why, it seems no one really knows. The shooter was a 23 year old student, said to be a loner, but again, no one knows why. I just can't understand what could have been going through the mind of this student that would make him act in such a way. There is never a reason to take the lives of others, and its horrid to think of how many innocent people were killed at his expense. It makes you think about what could happen at your own university, because anyone has the power to do what this man did, I just don't understand why...

Links:
cnn.com

Hold your Liquor!

Living on campus has definitely had its perks since I first arrived here. I live in walking distance of campus, as well as Asda ;), and I have little space to call my own. There is just one thing that I detest, and that is people being gross! Theres nothing I love more than to wake up and my hall smelling like vomit, or better yet, it completely coating the toilets. This seems to be the regular occurrence Randall Lines. I myself don't live there, but I have to hear about it almost everyday from my friend who does. I have had my run in with the puke factor a few times in my building, mostly the stairwell reeks, but my friends, whose name I will not dispense, goes through this almost everyday. First of all, I don't understand the appeal of drinking to the point of vomiting it all back up, I love to drink, but I know when to stop. Secondly, why can't you get it in the toilet and flush?! It's really not that hard, they should give a small lecture on how to drink without puking, followed by a, in case the fist lecture didn't work, how to puke properly. Anyway, some people just need to learn how to hold their liquor!

Prostitution...

So I was sitting in the hairdressers the other day waiting for my friend to get her hair cut, and I started to read glamor magazine. I came across an article titled "I May Have Slept With the Ipswich Strangler." There really wasn't anything else that struck my eye, so I started to read it. I couldn't believe what I had read. I especially couldn't believe the lives these women of the article were leading. The girl who had survived the series of murders, all targeted at prostitutes, had been on the streets since she was 14! She is a heroin addict, which consumes all her money, time and energy. I do sympathize with these women, for it must be hard to live like that, and even more hard to get out of a life like that. I also don't understand why they don't make more of an effort to seek help. Go to rehab, get a real job. It did state in the article that the surviver of the story really wanted to live a normal live, with a normal job, settle down and have a family, the she said she be surprised if she survived another 20 years of her life. I just feel like there are a few options to get away from a life like this, so why no take them

Kids..

I can't write an essay on Kids for the final assessment because I did an essay for the first one, but I was thinking about the 3rd question, "What is so ‘good’ about films like Kids (1995)?" When I first saw Kids I couldn't believe what I had just seen, I was so disturbed, on so many levels. I mean the kids were literally just kids! The idea that 14-year-old kids were contracting HIV was just unreal for me. Not only were these kids having sex, they were drinking and doing drugs as well. Obviously, that would draw some controversy, but the reality is, it happens. People, especially kids, think nothing bad will ever happen to them, we are too young to worry about dying. It makes you think, you aren't untouchable, this stuff does happen, and you better be careful or it will happen to you. Its a harsh reality, but movies like Kids open eyes, and make you think twice.

Links:
aids awareness
underage drinking

Mugger Muggers Everywhere!!

For Easter break, a couple of friends and myself traveled to Italy. We were so excited to be getting out of England for a change and seeing somewhere new. Little did we know that Italy has a lot of people that like to steal your shit! One of my close friends from grade school is actually living in Rome for the semester, so we ended up meeting up with her for a few days. I had never heard so many stories about being robbed in my life. She had personally been mugged her second week in Rome, her roommate had a guy open her purse and rummage trough it on the subway, and her friends apartment had a hole chopped into the door. Her friend with the hole in the door had it worse, they stole all their computers, ipods, and even their clothing! I started to pay much more attention to my stuff, and noticed how "bad" so many people are. I can't say its strictly Italians, because that would inaccurate. People steal all over the world, it just more noticeable in Rome. It also made me think of this course, and the idea of Robin Hood, I don't think I would support him any longer, because I may be considered rich to someone who has very little, and I definitely don't want to be robbed!

Travel Tip Links:
Travel Tips 1
Travel Tips 2