Body modification.

I think that body modification has become much more acceptable in our society in recent years. I am quite glad of this, as I love tattooes and I think that some amounts of body piercing can look very attractive. After watching some of the images in class, I was, however quite appalled at some of the extreme forms. The ladies who had the neck supports, was horrible and really very sexist. It is a different culture, I know, but I don't see why these poor women should have these neck supports removed if they cheat or are suspected of cheating. Why don't the men in that society have to have the same treatment, I wonder. I don't like to see people hurting themselves either, some of the religious ceremonies were apalling, or where people were hooked up in some sort of religious frenzy. I couldn't watch the second half of the images, as I was already feeling very sick. I think that some things that people do, they only do it because it is fashion at the time. I think people should be very careful about some of the things that they do to their bodies, as they might later regret something and if it is permanent, they are buggered.

http://www.ccs.mq.edu.au/bodmod/

The wierd world of 'Lucygenic'. Drugs.

When 'The Verve' sang that the 'Drugs don't work', they were obviously going to the wrong dealer. They do work, and only too well. They can be so addictive that they can wreck lives, pull families apart, create crime and even worse they can kill. Have you noticed that the typical drug addict is spotty, pale, anorexic looking, like a version of the living dead? Saying that though, I think that they have in general, been getting a really bad press in the last few years. Many a brilliant poet worked very well on opium and many a fab rock band created great music on speed, cocaine, spliffs and even heroin; the band Nirvana, to name one. In moderation drugs can be fun and enjoyable. I have had many a good acid trip in my days. I have also seen a great many drug 'casualties' however. It is something that can turn a person's mind into something that resembles vegetable matter. It can though, also enhance creativity and the way a person thinks. Good examples of this are the writer and philosopher, Laing and Huxley, who both used the drug LSD to enable them to'think outside of the box' as it were; in fact I do believe that Huxley wrote 'The Doors of Perception', while under the influence, one of his best books, in my opinion. Good old drugs, I would so many more braincells had I forsaken to partake, but hell, it was bloody good fun at the time, and I have seen many beautiful spaceships etc!

http://www.streetdrugs.org/

Religion. Frank Zappa stylie.

I've spent the whole day listening to Zappa, when I should have been doing my assignments. I am posting some lyrics which concern religion, because they just about sum up my own views on the subject. I love Frank Zappa, he is mad, zany and his political intellect astounds me. If he was still alive, I would want his babies!
I won't do the whole song, as it is very long, but I'm sure that you will get the jist.. The song is called 'Dumb All Over', from the album'You are what you is'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/

"Whoever we are
Wherever we're from
We shoulda noticed by now
Our behaviour is dumb
And if our chances
Expect to improve
It's gonna take a lot more
Than tryin to remove
The other race
Or the other whatever
From the face
Of the planet altogether".

"Nurds on the left
Nurds on the right
Religious fanatics
On the air every night
Sayin' the bible
Tells the story
Makes the details
Sound real gory
'Bout what to do
If the geeks over there
Don't believe in the book
We got over there"

"You can't run a country
By a book of religion
Not by a heap
Or a lump or a smidgeon
Of foolish rules
Of ancient date
Designed to make
You all feel great
While you fold, spindle
And mutilate
Those unbelievers
From a neighbouring state".

Religion as the root of all evil

I'm an athiest. I do not believe in God. I do not believe that I need any book, such as The Koran or The Bible, or The Bagavad Gita to tell me how to live my life. This dosen't mean that I have no personal morals that I live by, it simply means that I will trust my own judgment to decide how to live my own life. I have no problems with other people being religious, if they choose. Sometimes though, I feel that they can be indoctrinated into it, when they are young and vulnerable. This is something which I struggle with, in my own concsience, but can do nothing about. I think that often religion helps people have more purpose in life, it is also a social thing, where like- minded people can meet up. I have known several people who have been saved by religion. I can testify that I have known several people that may well have committed suicide if they had not found God. The down side is the extremist element of religion, which can lead to war, terrorism, abuse etc. An example of this is the members of the cult in America, led by David Koresh. They were all convinced to suicide en-mass, just because he told them to. I think though, religion probably helps more people than it hurts; so I don't think that it is such a bad thing.

Bandits and outlaws

Bandits and outlaws are certainly given a good name by the media, but in reality they are not so nice. One of my favourite films is 'Resevoir Dogs', which portrays gangsters. It is so funny because, in the end the gangsters all end up killing each other, it is such a spoof film and only one of them manages to get away. I used to live with a gangster, I won't dare mention his name, but this is a true story. He was nice enough, but put it this way, you didn't want to know too much about anything. He must have been one of the old East end crew, as I know that he knew the Cray twins. He once asked me if I wanted to go and visit one of them in prison, can't remember which one, Ronnie or Reggie. They were so evil. I refused to go; saying no thanks very much. I did not actually say it, but I thought why would I want to go and visit these evil gits. Anyway, 'the gangster' tried to get me to smuggle cocaine from Amsterdam, again I said no thanks. He then tried to get me to marry some rich American, who remained nameless. Pretty obvious to me that 'rich American' just needed a visa. Anyway, this is how nice gangsters are , they would probably sell their own mother, if there was a quid in it for them. I didn't marry the 'rich American'; I had a feeling that he would probably soon tire of me when I got older, ( I was 18 at the time). What happens when a gangster tires of someone, I thought, I would end up off the back of his yacht, with concrete boots on, that's what. I am so lucky that I had a little bit of 'noddle' in my youth, because I was often a complete prat.

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-Outlaws.html

Infidelity

This is such a contentious subject. Does the name derive from infidel. Anyway, I don't really care. I believe that it fine to do it. If you have a partner who is selfish in bed or boring, or a complete idiot, they deserve it. If you have someone decent, kind and caring, I am not so sure. If a person finds out about the infidelity they would be very hurt if they cared or were in love with you. I wish that I could say that I was some sort of 'Mother Teresa' who had never done it, but I have, and several times. I have also had it done to me and I know how hurtful it can be and how it can damage a relationship. Nevertheless, I think that a lot of long term relationships and marriages, would not survive for so long, without the odd 'ego- boost' of an affair.

http://www.lhj.com/home/Infidelity.html