Weird or What? (An Interesting Documentary Suggestion)

We want to believe there is a reason for everything. That everything that happens in our world, no matter how bizarre, no matter how baffling, can be explained. But sometimes things happen that seem to defy logic. This documentary series tries to use science to explain weird events that happened around the world.

To watch this documentary follow the link - go to the bottom of the page where there is an embedded YouTube video playlist. Once you start the video it will run through numerous different episodes. They are all very interesting.

Click Here to be Redirected - courtesy of The Discovery Channel

Hamilton's Pharmacopeia: Nzambi (An Interesting Documentary Suggestion)

"In Nzambi, intrepid VBS correspondent Hamilton Morris enters the world of Haitian voodoo, seeking to uncover the truth behind tales of human reanimation in Port-Au-Prince. Along the way, Hamilton meets experts in ethnobotany and Haitian history who corroborate these seemingly fantastic stories of real zombies."

A really interesting documentary that I thought I would share.  This is quite strange.

To watch Click on the Links Below:

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

- Curtousy of VBS.tv

Hamilton's Pharmacopeia: The Sapo Diaries (An Interesting Documentary Suggestion)

Watched this documentary last night and found it interesting. If your bored, take a look.  Courtesy of VBS.tv

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Justice? Excessive sentence for fire extinguisher thrower.

Edward Woollard, the 18 year old who threw a fire extinguisher from the top the Millbank complex during a student protest in November was sentenced today to 2 years and 8 months in prison.

Although there can be no doubt that what Woollard did was both extremely foolish and dangerous, the punishment he has received strikes me as disproportionate.  Criminals found guilty of far greater crimes repeatedly receive lesser sentences than Woollard.  Thugs can violently attack, beat, rob and even stab people and receive lesser punishments than nearly 3 years in prison.  Woollard is an 18 year old boy, still in full time education, with no previous convictions of any kind. He handed himself in to the police and pleaded guilty to throwing the fire extinguisher.  It appears that none of these factors were taken into account by the judge responsible for convicting Woollard.

Had the fire extinguisher actually hit someone, and someone was seriously injured or killed, this case would be looked at in a very different light; this was not the case however and so we must take into consideration that although the act was extremely dangerous no one was actually hurt.  Woollard does deserve some form of punishment for his actions but such a long stint in prison is completely disproportionate.  At most he should have received a suspended jail sentence for his actions.  Despite the fact that there is no real justification or defense for this young mans actions, it is more than likely that Woollard bought into the 'mob mentality' and acted impulsively.  Luckily, as no one was injured, the court should have taken this into account when thinking of a suitable punishment.

On a final note, regardless of the excessive sentence in itself, imprisoning a young boy for this mindless act is simply counter productive.  Woollard is no hardened criminal or real threat to society and so to place him with those that are will do nothing more than take away any chance of Woollard becoming a contributing member of society.  Woollard will now face the rest of his life as an ex-con, who will probably leave prison with a 3 year degree in crime.  Imprisoning people is extremely expensive to the tax payer and only really effective if inmates leave rehabilitated or are kept locked away from society inorder to protect it.  As Woollard does not threaten society or need rehabilitating then would it not make more sense to sentence him differently?  How about a long term community service order?  This punishment would suffice as he would still 'pay' for his actions whilst coming to terms with the severity of them himself.  He would also be contributing to society and the community and saving the government and thus the tax payers £31,106 a year. (http://www.sps.gov.uk/)  Isn't this a time of austerity and government spending cuts?

Petition to Government to reduce fuel tax!

Do you along with millions of others in the UK think that the cost of fuel is just too high?  Petrol has hit prices of around £1.30 a liter now and two thirds of this price is going to the government as tax! Petrol is not so expensive because of supply, its because the government has decided that driving is a luxury not a necessity. Sign this petition if you wish to make a point that enough is enough - its time to reduce the fuel tax! Also - even if you are not a driver and you use public transport, the tax affects you too! Why do you think the cost of public transport keeps rising? (apart from the fact that all of our public transport is privatised and thus all the companies charge the earth in order to maximise profit - a rant for another time...).

Sign The Petition Here

California: Pot Possession No Longer a Crime.

California, the pioneer in forward thinking marijuana policy, brought into law Senate Bill 1499 on January 1st 2011.  The bill signed by now former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger during his last days in office brings an end to the criminalisation of californians in possession of the drug.  It is now no longer a criminal offence in california to be in possession of up to an ounce of non-medicinal marijuana.  Possession has been reclassified from a criminal misdemeanor to an infraction, punishable by no more than a $100 fine — meaning an end to court appearances, court costs, and most importantly criminal records.  Whilst the drug remains illegal, recreational users no longer have to fear being criminalised for using it.  The enactment of the law will spare tens of thousands of Californians from criminal prosecution, and will save the state tens of millions in court costs.  Whilst California's new law is similar to existing laws in Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and New York as well as a select few countries across the world it is still surprising to see how few nations are willing to adopt such laws.  It clearly makes more sense to move towards a system of decriminalisation, if not legalisation.  Too many peoples lives are ruined daily by the criminal records slapped upon them for being in possession of narcotics.  The illegality of drugs is justified as necessary to help protect the people, in more cases than not lives are ruined by being caught in possession of a substance than actually using the substance itself.  If drugs are to remain illegal, then shouldn't police attention be focused on the providers and dealers rather than the user?  A criminal record can significantly affect peoples lives, making it harder to find employment especially in certain professions such as those working with children or in a medical environment and can even go so far as to limiting travel.  If our laws are in place to save people from themselves then we should help them rather than branding them a criminals for life.

Although california is on the right path with marijuana it still adopts draconian measures against the possession of all other narcotics.  Portugal provides the world with the perfect example of how decriminalisation of all narcotics can work.  In Portugal NO ONE is criminalised for the possession of small amounts of ANY DRUG.  Portugal's liberal drugs policy has seen the country tackle many of the problems caused by and associated with drug use/abuse, has effectively reduced use of 'harder' drugs and has seen reduced appeal among the youth.  All his has been achieved while avoiding the criminalisation of thousands upon thousands of citizens.

Whilst the world continues to believe in the effectiveness of the policy of prohibition and the war on drugs, decriminalisation seems like an obvious path to walk.  Authorities should focus their attention on the providers of drugs whilst protecting the occasional user rather than punishing them.

See also:

Drugs in Portugal: Did Decriminalization Work? (Time.com)

A hypocritical frenzy over the Camilla 'attack'

• • 
    Laurie Penny - A hypocritical frenzy over the Camilla 'attack'
  • guardian.co.uk, Thursday 6 January 2011 12.00 GMT
  • CLICK HERE TO READ.

Rest In Peace Prince Alireza Pahlavi

Prince Alireza Pahlavi

April 28 1966 - January 4 2010

I would just like to pay my respects to Prince Alireza Pahlavi who passed away late last night.  Alireza, the youngest son of the former Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, had battled with depression throughout his life and eventually ended his own life.  I can only imagine how hard it must have been for the young prince, who went into exile at age thirteen in 1979, to have lived a life in which he had lost everything including his own sense of identity.  This is the second such tragedy faced by the Pahlavi family, following the suicide of Leila Pahlavi (daughter of the former shah) back in 2001.  My thoughts are with the surviving members of the Pahlavi family.

St Moritz holiday ... the royal family in 1969, from left, Crown Prince Reza, Prince Alireza, the empress Farah, Princess Farahnaz and the shah