Being Bad Questionnaire - 0063069

Age? 64


Sex? Female


What is your degree subject (both if joint)? Modules in Humanities.


Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking? Yes.


If so, how? And if not, why not? Helped me to be objective when analysing.


Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level? Appropriate level.


Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate? Yes.


Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included? Euthanasia.


Do you think that the format for classes has worked well? Yes.


What did you think of the module team? Interesting, varied speakers.


Do you think it would have been better to have had more:


Small group discussions? No.


Discussion and debate among the class as a whole? Possibly.


Information and talk from lecturers? Yes.


The approach taken in the module is interdisciplinary (drawing on perspectives from English Literature, Film Studies, Creative Writing, Philosophy, Media Studies and Politics): do you think this a useful way of approaching the topics covered in the module? Yes.


Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea? Yes.


Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module? Yes.


Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter? No.


Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2? No.


Would you recommend ‘Being Bad’ to a friend? Yes.


Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea? Yes.


What did you think of the other assessments (e.g. would it be better to have one longer assessment rather than two shorter ones?)? No, I liked the variation.


What have you learned from the module? How to blog and how to be more objective.
Stretched my analysing skills and expanded my research methods.


What parts of the module have you found most useful and why? I found them all useful apart from the film “Kids”.


What parts do you think were a waste of time and why? The film “Kids” was upsetting and I gained nothing from it.


Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’? I found the module exciting and enjoyable. It was also very informative.

Response to Karen Owen's blog on sunbeds, dated 17 April, 2009

Karen, referring to your article on tanning, I am surprised that anyone still puts their health at risk to become a different colour than the one they were born with. Research has shown that skin cancer is usually a result of exposing our bodies to the sun too much. I really don’t understand the concept that a tan makes people feel good, and I find it downright uncomfortable sitting in hot sun. Give me a gentle breeze anytime. We could all learn a thing or two from Joan Collins, the film star, who has never been out in the sun without a large protective sun hat. Even in her seventies, she has a skin to be proud of. Unbelievably, we heard last week that a ten-year old girl ended up in hospital with burns, after spending her pocket-money on a tanning machine in an unsupervised tanning salon. When is this craziness going to stop?

http://karen-summersun.blogspot.com/

Response to Alexandre Denis on Drugs, dated 6 April, 2009

Alexandre, I found your article very enlightening. As you say, there is such a variety of reasons for drug-taking. There are some drugs that we need to combat illnesses and control pain and obviously these are acceptable. However, when it comes to taking drugs to deliberately alter your mind for the sake of art, I feel this to be unnatural and risky behaviour. I take your point that drugs have always been around and that young impressionable people might be tempted to experiment with them, especially if they experiencing an anxious period in their lives. However, they are taking a chance of becoming dependant on them. Once on this downward slope their quality of life diminishes and unless help is obtained to come off the drugs, they will be full of regret, and also at risk of becoming dangerously ill. There is also the worry inflicted on family and friends.


http://isalexbad.blogspot.com/

We need Bandits and Outlaws

The lecture on bandits proved to be very interesting. No wonder we still enjoy films, poems and stories about some of these exciting outlaws, such as our very own Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest with his band of merry men and the fascinating highwayman, Dick Turpin. Then there is Ned Kelly and Jesse James and many more. Even though their profiles may change with each new version created, these dashing heroes still retain the charisma that we find endearing. Furthermore, they inspire us with their outrageous acts of bravery in their fight for justice.

We appear to welcome these outlaws and bandits, with all their flaws, because they are from an ordinary and quite often poor society, displaying the courage that many of us do not have. Let’s face it, we all enjoy a bit of fantasy to lift our spirits, especially if the heroes who provide it are film stars we admire.

http://www.stand-and-deliver.org.uk/highwaymen/dick_turpin.htm

Height of Bad Manners

Most students have a yearning to learn all they can at University, and show respect whilst in the classroom, by listening to the lectures and contributing when they can. However, a small minority let us down. They talk away (not even whispering) and it appears to be unrelated to the subjects studied. They spoil the learning experience for the rest of us with their bad manners. On one occasion, I was astounded to see two students working on an assignment for a completely different module to the one under lecture. What was the point of attending this lecture with no intention of participating? It is discourteous to say the least.

http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2006/10/25/MailCall/Have-Some.Respect.For.Professors.In.Classroom-2400287.shtml

Downright Greed

The behaviour of some of our politicians is unbelievable. I am referring in this instance to our Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, who has shown her downright greed recently. Her already diminishing supporters will be thinking of giving their votes to someone else.

Her salary is now £141,866 having received a rise in each of the last five years. In 2004, her wages were £95,281, which means that her wages have risen by 49 per cent in five years. Now wait for it – can you believe that she has not given the cleaner for her second home any rise at all during this time. She has refused to identify who her cleaner is, which is very suspicious. However, someone close to her tried to assure the public that the cleaner was real and is a “very nice woman”. Indeed? Fortunately, for the Home Secretary, she did not have to provide receipts for her cleaner under the second-home allowances rule.

This revelation is not the first concerning Jacqui Smith. There was the previous incident when she put in a claim for two adult movies viewed at her family home. However, she claimed that her husband was responsible for this mistake. Really?

The last financial year saw her claim nearly the maximum extra costs allowed. Nevertheless, she has emphatically stated that she has no intention of commenting on any of this leaked information, so we shall have to form our own opinion about the behaviour of our present Home Secretary.

http://latestnews.virginmedia.com/news/infocus/2009/03/30/smith_blue_after_movie_revelations?vmsrc=pamread

Sex Revisited

Some people have a very funny (if not shocking) way of behaving. This evening's "Express & Star" informs us that two people were arrested for taking off their clothes and having sex in full view of tourists at Windsor Castle. They were oblivious to the fact that the Queen was in residence and did not seem to be bothered at all by the fact that people were watching them. It just goes to show that there's always some people prepared to go one step further to create a spectacle.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5248440/Sex-on-Queens-lawn-at-Windsor-Castle.html

Response to Sophie Kuzyk's blog on Alcohol, dated 27 April 2009

You are absolutely right in saying how easy it is to become an alcoholic and how a warning sign is when a person needs a drink to start the day. I, too, have witnessed this process in someone I knew in the past. He didn’t start drinking until he was married, with children, and blamed the pressure of his work for turning to drink. He worked too many hours in order to provide a big house for his family. The price was too high and his marriage broke down as he became dependant on alcohol. There was no happy ending here. Where there is lack of will-power, alcohol can easily destroy relationships.

http://moomin1.blogspot.com/

Another Inneffectual System

According to the Daily Express this week, Labour's official statistics illustrate a Government failure to collect over a million fines from hauliers registered abroad. These fines are for being caught smuggling illegal immigrants into Britain. What sort of border security do we have, that this behaviour cannot be controlled?

It is claimed that 9 out of 10 truckers responsible for smuggling human traffic into Britain are overseas operators with no scruples, who abuse the system. The reason is obvious - they can earn up to £1,500 for each person they bring across the Channel so they take risk of being caught. After dropping off their loads they simply depart to their own countries.

Shadow Immigration Minister, Damian Green, blames the Government and strongly feels that these truckers should be punished appropriately. He also informs us that no less than 28,000 migrants were caught trying to sneak into Britain on lorries. Such an important issue needs to be addressed and a solution sought urgently, else faith in our Government will reach zero point.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8010617.stm

Mortal or Venial Sin?

According to the Catholic faith, there are two kinds of sin, one of which blots out the goodness in your soul, destroys it, and denies you a place in heaven. This is classed as mortal sin and has to have three elements to qualify. It has to be of grievous nature, you have to be aware of its nature, and finally, you decide to go ahead with it, without any persuasion. If any of these elements are missing, it is classed as a venial sin, for which you can make amends by confessing your sin to the priest. You can then return to the straight and narrow path of righteousness. However, I believe genuine honest people use their conscience as a guide when faced with conflicts in their lives. In choosing right or wrong does not require any doctrine forced down our throats by a body of people who have illustrated many times that some of their members have proved to be evil.

Dare I say that there could be a humorous element in the attached article, about doing naughty things in a confessional box? I only suggest this because nobody in a sober mind would have entertained doing what this drunken couple did. They obviously did not know what they were doing, as they acquired forgiveness.
http://www.nowpublic.com/strange/sex-confession-box

Euthanasia - whose decision should it be?

According to Sarah Boseley, health editor of the Guardian (24 March 2009), “Doctors very rarely help anyone who is terminally ill to die and two-thirds are opposed to changing the law to allow them to do so, new research reveals today.” Whilst I understand that doctors take an oath to save lives, surely the patient’s best interests and wishes should take precedence in extreme cases of endless suffering and despair. I believe the law should be changed to accommodate these exceptions.

As a Christian, I have always believed it wrong to take your own life, no matter what its quality. The Catholic faith strongly believes it to be a mortal sin (the same as murder) to end your own life or to assist someone else to end theirs. However, having seen just how ill some people become, always in pain, living a joyless life, I feel differently now. I can only imagine how it must be; feeling a burden to those who take care of you, knowing there is no hope of recovery or of an ending to the constant pain. It must also be heart breaking for the family members, seeing a loved one suffering and be powerless to help. If you have a terminal illness and have done your utmost to tolerate incessant pain, without any hope of improvement, it is not surprising that you would wish fervently, to feel at peace and for the pain to be gone. Indeed, who can hold up their hand and say with honesty, they would not wish for an end to their suffering, and to be able to die with dignity if they were in such a desperate position? I know I would, without doubt and believe that God would understand.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/23/euthanasia.cancer

Body Modification or Disfigurement

I can understand why people who have a disfigurement that blights their lives would want to improve it. There are people who suffer miserably as a result of being scarred through injury or accident, or they may have been born with abnormalities that sometimes lead to ridicule. It is natural that any possible improvement would be welcomed. All these are perfectly understandable reactions and with the use of modern medicine and technology, many people have their lives transformed. However, what I cannot understand is the wilful disfigurement of their bodies by those who have nothing wrong with them, such as grotesque tattoos, piercing of noses, eyebrows and tongues with not one, but several rings. I have really tried to understand why they do it. It does not make them look attractive. It certainly makes them look different and if that is the intention then they have achieved their goal.

I was shocked to hear how some people have rings and metal objects inserted into their genitals and again, I wonder what for? If people can go through so much pain to have this done, they must kill off all sense of feelings. How can they ever again, experience the joy of sex which surely is all about sensitivity in our erogenous zones?

On the extreme side of things, I know that there are primitive tribes who indulge in body modifications of all kinds as part of their culture and it is the expected norm for them. However, they look so uncomfortable when they insert large discs into their lips that I wonder how they manage to eat their food.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=1612

Response to Susan Linford on Bad Hospitals, dated 3 April, 2009

Susan,

Thank you for sharing your views about bad hospitals. It seems to be the normal state of affairs for hospitals to fall short of good standards of cleanliness. Gone are the days when every matron and nurse were in crisp white linen uniforms and the cleaners scrubbed the floors, doors and walls with strong-smelling but effective cleaning agents. Everyone felt safe to enter hospitals and had every confidence of receiving excellent care. It was unheard of, for people to actually pick up infections from these spotless institutions.

http://smjl123.blogspot.com/

Response to Samantha Handley on- I've got the money so I'll have what I want!!!, dated 1 April 2009

I can see that you feel as outraged as I do about silly, spoilt, selfish, self-centred Madonna. She cannot see beyond her own obsession with herself and her image. Anyone who spends as much time as she reputedly does at the gym, trying to hold back the years, is incapable of spending enough time cherishing her family. Little David, whom she adopted, has now got to adjust to losing another father-figure as she has decided she wants to be single again. She just has to cause a storm in order to draw attention to herself.

Genuine people don’t look for glory or acknowledgement, when seeking to adopt a child; they go about it quietly, with a desire to care and love a child and ensure that child feels loved and wanted. There are so many orphaned children in the world who need someone to care for them and every child is important, so why, then, why does she cause controversy by overlooking children closer to home whose need is exactly the same. How do the other children at Malawi feel when they see little David equipped with all the things they can never have? I believe the chairman of the Human Rights Committee, Undule Mwakusungura, was justified in saying ‘We feel Madonna is behaving like a bully’.

http://itsthethoughtthatcounts-samyh.blogspot.com/

Lying with Integrity

To lie or not to lie, that is the question. It is wrong to tell lies. However, I believe there are exceptions to this. Although I am not a very convincing liar, I would not hesitate to tell a lie if it seems kinder than the truth. If I could prevent hurting someone by telling a little ‘fib’, I would not feel guilty about it. I would tell a lie rather than worry a child about something he or she would not understand, and explain when they are older, if they remember it and ask again. I have told lies about buying new clothes, in order to avoid confrontation with my husband. I consider this type of lying to be trivial and ‘what the eye doesn’t see the heart doesn’t grieve over’.

Now to the bad lies. People are wrong to lie about their health in order to take time off work. To say you are ill if you are not, is cheating your employers and in effect, stealing their money. Telling lies about your achievements in order to obtain employment is unfair to other applicants and bad behaviour. Perjury is very wrong, perverting the course of justice and so is bigamy, which is very, very, wrong. Lying to your partner about an affair is also one of the most serious types of lying.

To conclude, people who continually boast about what they have done when you know very well they are not telling the truth, is the most annoying type of behaviour, although few of us would challenge them, preferring instead to include it in the next round of gossip.

http://www.thesituation.co.uk/features/05/lying/lying.html

Response to Daryl Russell’s blog on masturbation, dated 1 March 2009.

Daryl’s comments about masturbation made me pause for thought. Firstly, I had no idea that such a topic could ever be discussed so openly and without embarrassment, and secondly, I am having difficulty believing that masturbation is an everyday occurrence. Consequently, I was relieved to find a blog that did not s-t-r-e–t-c-h the subject out (if you’ll pardon the expression). In the lecture, I found myself wishing I could find this topic funny so that I could be laughing with the others, but unfortunately, I did not and could not. It’s obviously a generation gap. Never mind, it is but a minute thing.

http://bom-bom12.blogspot.com/

Response to Katy Finch's remarks under Week 12, dated 15 February 2009

Katy, I have read your suggestion to discuss alcohol in week 12 and felt compelled to make a few comments in response. In your closing comment you raise the question “What would we do if alcohol was not around?” For a start, a lot of people would have more money in their pockets instead of throwing it down the toilet, which is what drinking literally means. Getting drunk is such a waste of time and money. I am not a sad person so don’t even think of saying it, just because I don’t drink. If I died tomorrow I could honestly say I have had a very enriched and meaningful life to date. I have travelled, read and enjoyed a wealth of books, and have hobbies that give me so much joy and pleasure. I can socialize quite happily with a drink of orange juice or water and it is satisfying to know that I shall not be squirming the day after by recalling embarrassing remarks I may have made. I am so grateful that I have never succumbed to drinking alcohol and that I have not done anything to risk killing off any brain cells.

http://take-off-your-colours.blogspot.com/

Response to Emma Johnson's blog about Tattoos, dated 9th March 2009

Hello Emma!

You seem to think that because tattoos are “in vogue” it cannot be bad to have them. This kind of reasoning is nonsense and considering the price you are paying now for having had tattoos in the past, I am surprised you are not giving out a warning to prevent other people having them. I can think of lots of alternative ways of paying tributes to loved ones, which do not involve damaging your body. There are ways of expressing your personality, too, such as the way you dress and the way you wear your hair. You can have lots of fun if you use your imagination. You do not have to resort to extreme methods that are risky to your heath and disfigure the lovely body you have. What happens when you meet someone who hates them? Do you yet again, have to undergo another ordeal to eradicate them?

http://missdemeanor69.blogspot.com/

Kids?

'Kids' is the most shocking and unpleasant film I have ever seen and cannot comprehend why it is part of the module. A collection of the most appalling scenes of children having sex, taking drugs and spreading sexual diseases to other people. One particular scene depicted a gang of children beating a young man until his face was nothing but a sea of blood and left us wondering if he was still alive after such a vicious and brutal attack. This happened just because he objected to being run into with a skateboard. I cannot believe this is a true representation of children anywhere. No wonder it caused so much controversy when it was made and must be the brainchild of someone whose sole intention is to shock. There was no moral to this film that I could detect, and I really cannot think of any logical reason at all for producing it. There must have been people in the audience who went home very disturbed and upset.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/plotsummary

Response to Karen Owen's article on Lying, submitted 9 March 2009

http://karen-summersun.blogspot.com/

Karen, you have stated your feelings about lying, very well and I share your views entirely. There are lies that serve us better than the truth at times. I would lie to spare children worrying about something they are not ready to understand and I would also lie to spare myself hurt, so long as it did no harm to anyone. It was good to read your comments.

Irresponsible Texting

Why do some people think it is safe to indulge in text messaging whilst driving? This irresponsibility was highlighted recently when Lord Ahmed, a Labour life peer, was jailed for indulging in such activities. The judge made a point of stating how serious an offence this sort of dangerous driving is. It did not, however, prevent the man from appealing against his measly 12-week sentence. Some people never learn to accept the punishment they deserve or responsibility for their careless behaviour.

http://roadsafety.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/collisions-caused-by-texting-whilst-driving-are-no-accidents/

I spy with my little eye ...

Some people have no sense of what is acceptable behaviour when it comes to getting rid of rubbish. They just take it all away in their car and dump it in the quiet country lanes. The countryside is for us all to enjoy, not for use as a tipping ground. There is no excuse when there are tipping sites available as well as the services of the binmen.

I was pleased to hear of the innovative campaign underway by Bridgnorth District Council and the Environment Agency, which consists of installing pen-sized cameras to catch fly-tippers. The culprits of this despicable behaviour had better watch out.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/waste/flytipping/37879.aspx

Unspeakable Behaviour

How can any normal person inflict cruelty on animals? People who do this cannot be capable of human feelings and they should have the same injuries inflicted on themselves. One married couple at least, has been prevented (I hope) from further abuse after coming before the magistrates last week. The Judge banned them for life from keeping pets. Their dog had multiple fractures, hip and rib injuries, a broken leg and burns on her little body. She had even lost the sight of one eye because of the bruises it had received at the hands of its brutal owners, Barry and Leanne Rock. Can you even contemplate such suffering? Animals give such joy and deserve to be looked after like all creatures for which we accept responsibility.

http://www.faace.co.uk/

A Bad Example

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney ...
nearly 75 per cent of Britons think
celebrity footballers encourage
bad manners.

Photo: Reuters


Not content with the obscene amounts of money they are being paid for doing something they love, some footballers never cease to amaze us by their disgusting behaviour. I am referring in particular to Ashley Cole, in the papers again this week for complaining about photographers taking his picture. Apart from swearing at them as usual, he began swearing at the policemen who were trying to calm him down.

In 2006 he had the audacity to complain about his club's proposed contract of £55,000 a week. Unbelievably, he decided they were "taking the p.......". Words fail me at such greed. How does his lovely wife Cheryl put up with him?

This sort of behaviour has gone on for decades as can be seen if you follow the link:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,583485,00.html

In the meantime, football followers are still paying extortionate entrance fees to watch their teams play. No wonder footballers become spoilt little brats.

Bullying is Bad

One of the most horrible ways to behave is bullying. It is unforgivable and can take many forms, such as persistently teasing a classmate because of his/her looks (I have known someone bullied because of her naturally red hair), or because he/she is of a different race. It can simply stem out of jealousy or illogical hatred. Whatever the reasons, no one has the right to destroy a person’s confidence or peace of mind by making him or her miserable. Bullying can even result in the victims taking their own lives out of fear. Bullies are cowards and usually hide behind someone else. Despite help being available out there, bullying is on the increase (see attached link for statistics) and it is a wide-spread problem for many families. I have witnessed the inability of schools to stop bullying going on, even when they were repeatedly informed of it, resulting in children having to change schools and interrupt their education. Some people are so affected by it that they hate going to school and are deprived of what should be a rewarding and enjoyable time of their lives.
http://www.coastkid.org/si-sob.html

Bad behaviour on buses and annoying mobile phone users

Those considerate users of buses know exactly how to relate to the following. Last week, on a crowded bus, the only seat unoccupied looked soaking wet and smelt of urine so I remained standing. Frequently the seats at the back have become detached from their base and you sit down at the peril of ending on the deck. Such vandalism is inexcusable. Now I am on my soap box, I cannot stop. Why, oh why, do some people think it is appropriate to put their feet on the seat in front of them? There’s no knowing what is on the bottoms of their shoes and if you happen to be wearing white you have no chance of keeping it that colour if you are unfortunate enough to sit down after some disgusting person has left deposits there. Maybe I am exaggerating a little, but I haven’t finished yet.

There are mobile maniacs, too, who tell us all what they are having for their tea, and enlighten us of the time they will be arriving home. Boring! Boring! Even worse, are those who use cringingly bad language, with every sentence interspersed with swearing. We don’t want to hear it so shut up! Whilst I am the first to agree that mobile phones have their place, such as in an emergency, breaking down in your car or when something unforeseen happens that you need to let someone know about, but people are excessive in their use and can be annoying to the extreme. I don’t suppose following the link below will deter them, either.

I’ve finished for now.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609071402.htm

Response to article on infidelity

http://nahshonx.blogspot.com/

Hello, Eli!

Your article on infidelity is very well put. It is uplifting to know morality and honest values still exist. You intimate that you have experienced heart-ache in your life but the outcome has obviously made you a better person for the future.

Shoplifting or a life-line?

I have heard it said that some people receive a rush of adrenaline when they steal from shops and consequently become addicted to shoplifting. Often, these people could afford to buy the items they steal so they are selfish, self-seeking individuals. I can only assume they are bored with their lives and too lazy to do something worthwhile instead of looking for ‘kicks’. Then there are the thieves who steal items they can sell, in order to obtain money to feed their addition to drugs. These are perhaps more to be pitied than anything. Finally, there are people who steal food when they are hungry and broke, and those who only steal because they are destitute. Stealing is a crime. However, in the latter two cases, I make an exception. They are understandable and forgivable actions, which I rate in the same way as Robin Hood did, when he robbed the rich to give to the poor.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4477596.stm

Broken Trust

Whether it is a promise before God, to keep faithful to our wives or husbands, or an unspoken trust between partners, at the time these commitments are made, we believe they will last for life. Unfortunately, human nature is less than perfect and relationships break down. If only we could all strive to do the right thing, we ought to be able to find solutions for these breakdowns, without hiding behind new relationships to feed our egos or pretending the problems do not exist. There are many unhappy marriages and partnerships struggling from day to day. Just embarking on different sexual relationships can cause untold misery, especially where children are involved. Infidelity is never the answer, whatever the temptation. It always ends with pain and damaged relationships, even when the new affair turns into a marriage. Someone always suffers the hurt. Some people seem to be able to do the right thing by acknowledging the end of the partnership and communicating with each other about the future. It may mean divorce or simply moving on from the relationship. It is all about making the right decision.


http://womensinfidelity.com/

Prostitution

Prostitution seems to me to be the lowest form of behaviour for a human being. I just cannot imagine why anyone would even consider letting strangers use his/her body for sexual gratification in exchange for money. Is it possible that they can disassociate themselves from their bodies and pretend to have no feelings? How distasteful!

Some prostitutes insist they are proud of their “profession” as they call it, but prostitution is nothing to be proud of; on the contrary, prostitutes should be ashamed of their antics. We only have one body, which we should respect, not debase. Finally, all who dabble in this activity are putting their own and other people’s health at risk. Who knows what diseases are transmitted as bodies are shared with all and sundry.

http://www.prostitutionreform.co.uk/

Stalking is a Bad Thing

Stalking brings back bad memories for me. A few years ago, as I was out shopping with my three small children in tow, my son asked me, "Mommy, why is that man following us?" That was the start of six months of frustration and fear for me. The man continued to follow me everywhere I went. He would be waiting outside my house, outside my friend's house, or a shop that I had gone into. When I confronted him he just looked at me and said nothing and I was afraid. Presents started arriving at my house, put under trees in the front garden, and finally I had a call from the "Express & Star" who had been asked to put an advert in the paper about me which concerned them. I guessed it was from the mystery man and knew I was dealing with someone who must be mentally ill. The Police could not help me because he had not actually touched me and they warned my husband not to approach him. However, he had already done so and thought the warning he had given him would be effective. Up until now, we didn't know where he lived but my husband followed him and knocked on the door. His parents explained that he had the mentality of a child and quite harmless. I had done absolutely nothing to deserve this harassment and I was so frustrated that no-one could help me. Nothing stopped him following me and even when I didn't go out, he would sit outside my front gate, watching my house. Finally, six months down the line, it stopped. I don't know why, only that while it lasted, I was a nervous wreck. Stalking of any kind is mental cruelty. Really bad behaviour.

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/ProjectSafe/stalking.html

Smoking

I have friends who are convinced that a cigarette now and again helps them to relax and combat stress, and as a non-smoker, I cannot argue with this. There are worse drugs on the market which are far more addictive. Furthermore, I would never insist that my friends go into the garden to partake of a cigarette whilst at my home. However, there are some people who really make me want to smash their faces in, despite being a very mild tempered person. This happens when I see a mother holding a baby in her arm and a ‘fag’ in her fingers. This is a dangerous and disgusting way to behave, yet surprisingly enough, I have witnessed it a few times and it is with enormous effort I restrain myself from attacking them. I still muster up the worst look of disgust to give them.

The other side, of course, is the widely accepted belief that passive smoking is harmful. Toxics in the air from cigarette smoke are just as dangerous for non-smokers who are breathing them in. Entertainer Roy Castle, died from lung cancer despite being a non- smoker. Ironically, he had been inhaling smoke whilst entertaining people in clubs for years. Consequently, banning it in public places is a huge step forward in preventing smoke-related illnesses.

http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/Passive-smoking-linked-to-dementia-409503130.html

http://smokefree.nhs.uk/why-go-smokefree/secondhand-smoke/?WT.mc_id=search

As for implying that film stars exude sex whilst holding a cigarette, this is rubbish! The thrills and passion experienced whilst watching the old movies are more to do with the imagination of a person’s mind, a good script and most importantly, the powerful music that complements the unfolding scenes. Instead of focusing on two cigarettes in an ash tray to imply intimacy, what’s wrong with the touching of two hands to imply the same meaning? It’s all in the mind.

Too Much Sex?

The first lecture on ‘Being Bad’ left me in a state of unease. As we focussed on the worst things we had ever done, sexual behaviour dominated the discussion. My head was buzzing with questions. Have I led a sheltered life? Am I out of touch with the younger generation? Surely, the values embedded in me as a child have not disappeared entirely. I wondered if my fellow students were simply exaggerating about their sexual experiences, just for effect. As a mature student, am I really so naive about the modern generation? I felt like an ostrich with its head in the sand in order to hold on to my own set of values, outdated as they may well be.

Some confessions were quite humorous, despite the moral implications. One person had the effrontery to claim that she had sex with her boyfriend’s dad! However, I could not help but think of the sad aspect of ‘tasting the fruits’ of sexual love with anybody who takes your fancy. How can these casual experiences compare with the all-encompassing, loving sex between two people committed to each other for life. Please don’t say I sound like Mary Whitehouse! I am doing my best not to moralise; indeed, ‘let he who is without sin cast the first stone’. We are equipped with a free will and a sense of right and wrong, however we interpret this in our uniqueness as individuals. Finally, variety is the spice of life, and sex, as wonderful as it can be, is only a very small ingredient.

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