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POPS'Social contract' with Britian (Guardian) Do you agree with this proposal? (I can almost predict who will and who won't.) It seems to be a attampt by the Government to force every single meber of society to abide by its rules.
0
POPS'Queer, gay, homosexual ... ' (Guardian) Like every other expression of human culture, homosexual and heterosexual identities are historically transient. They haven't always existed, and they won't last forever. Indeed, the weakening, blurring and eventual dissolution of the labels queer and straight will be final proof of the demise of homophobia. Um. It's a take on this that may be more about semantics than anything else, but from the social constructionist and post-modernity points of view, what Tatchell claims here could make sense.
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POPSEgos on the web (Guardian) This piece struck me, not least because of the many altercations which take place here on Clipmarks. When you write for the web, you open yourself up to breathtakingly vicious vitriol. People wish things on your mother, simply for bearing you, that you wouldn't wish on Hitler. Humorous but with a hint of truth?
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POPS'Michael Richards' on-stage meltdown exposed a racist subconscious.' (Guardian) This lady really doesn't like Richards - and it seems with good reason! The best part was about halfway through, when Richards knew how deep in he was but wasn't man enough to stop and apologise right then. No, homie just had to keep going, desperate to find a punchline that doesn't exist when you're not actually trying to be funny. I'd thought the incident made its own gravy, so to speak, and needed little commentary. I found this amazing too; Richards knew that he'd gone completely overboard bbut he still didn't stop. He wasn't as vocal, but he still didn't shut up. I can see why this writer gave him the name Michael Richards, King of Unearned Ego. Indeed!
2
POPS'A Call to Arms' (Guardian) Why, during a period of transformative social change, is sociology not back at the forefront of intellectual life and public debate?
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POPS"All Muslimed Out" (Guardian) This clip follows on from something I was suggesting to Godfrey recently, but is interesting in its own right. I'm glad that Muslims are finally standing up (somewhere) and saying, 'Right, enough already. We never asked for this scrutiny and examination.'
1
POPS[Saddam's] 'Death won't bring repentance' (Guardian) I completely agree with this. Hanging someone is easy for us and easy for them. There's no need for him to show remorse or to face years of punishment because he's dead. For Saddam, that's the easy way out. Lock him up for the rest of his life - that's punishing him.
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POPSAnd this is what we call 'celebrity'! What happened to being famous and 'celebrated' for having talent and for wanting to change things? Now, it's about punching people in the face, it seems. What a damning indictment on our society.
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POPSWhy I [commentator] hate men (Guardian) I don't agree with this commentator's conclusion that 'men hate women' but there has been an enormous amount of stories in the British press this week about violence against women (and children) and I wonder if there is cause to question the growing trend in this form of violence. Violent crime is increasing anyway in the UK, but this sort of sinister offending is frightening.
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POPSFresh Sorrows at Ground Zero How utterly horrible for families this could be for families who still don't know what happened to their loved ones on 9.11. I wonder if they'd accepted their 'unknown' by now or if this is welcome news for them. I don't know how I would feel.
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POPSFootballers' wives I think this is one of the reasons that I'm 'so over' football - those incipid women! This is a funny piece though. :D
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POPSCrazy cyclists! I have to admit, I'm one of those crazy cyclists sometimes. But no one is more dangerous on the streets/ roads than cars. And you wouldn't believe how many times pedestrians walk straight out in front of your bike! I use all mode of transport, and I do think that cyclists are pretty safe.
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POPSOpus Dei's Box-Office Triumph I thought this too: the very fact that the film is getting such bad press, can only be good for Opus Dei. More's the pity, really, although I'm certainly not Da Vinci/ Brown fan myself.
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POPSFree to offend? I don't want this to turn into another slanging match, but I wanted to clip it because it's interesting and some folk might want to read more. :)
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POPSIrish stereotypes I don't entirely agree with this chap, but this piece and another clip got me thinking. It is true that Irish stereotypes seem to be used a lot more than others (perhaps you disagree), and they also seem to be considered less offensive than others. I was born in Ireland and lived there until I was 25 when I moved to England. I have a very strong Irish accent, obviously, and I've had to put up with a lot of stereotyping since I've got here - being a drunk, having a funny accent, coming from a family of 20 children (which I don't), being a terrorist etc. etc. I find it offensive, but moreso I find it just really tedious. And I sometimes feel like I'm a bit of a freak show; that the rest of the world thinks that Irish people are just somehow here for their entertainment. Does this make sense to anyone? Anyway, just thought I would put it out there.