I was both shocked, yet somewhat unsurprised given the current global climate to read of a 2 year-old American infant being physically assaulted by a senior citizen aged 61. Arrested and held on a count of child cruelty of first degree, the law has moved quickly however, to prevent the isolated incident escalating along with the worldwide media attention that has again embroiled America in controversy. By charging the male however, it may open a whole new can of worms regarding the physical boundaries that a person may reach before they can be said to be committing an act of ‘child cruelty.’
Reading more into the facts, the above statement may be somewhat exaggerated given the child was not in fact, the daughter of the accused, and also that the force used was described as a slap. The events unfolded as the small girl sobbed uncontrollably within the Atlanta megastore within Wal-Mart, Georgia. Upon notifying the child’s mother of his discomfort at the toddler’s misbehavior, 61 year-old Roger Stephens warned that if she failed to ‘shut her daughter up,’ he would proceed to do it for her. Following an exchange of words, Mr. Stephens then went on to fulfill his threat by hitting the child across the face several times. Although the tot was not seriously hurt, coming away with swollen cheeks, it is the principle of the matter that has enraged many worldwide. Disregarding the fact that the mother went on to offer her forgiveness to the felon, given his obvious defective mentality, there is feeling that a debate could erupt as a result.
By ensuring that the incident is broadcast as something that will not be tolerated to any extent by the US Government, on the other hand, it is quite possible that the issue of how far a person may go, be it a parent or guardian, a friend, a relative or even a child minder, in their efforts to calm a hysterical minor down. A similar debate hit Great Britain just a couple of years ago considering whether a parent smacking their child was wrong. Ministers later went on to provide their backing for the proposals, but with care to ensure that parents tapping their child playfully were not capable of criminal prosecution, although the dispute remains ongoing.
It will be very interesting to see where this headline goes, and whether it does in fact, have an effect on the American jurisdiction in any way. It could be that the storm just blows over, treated for what it was, an unstable event caused by an unstable minded individual. Conversely, there could be a long road ahead for the matter if certain high standing figures decide to openly offer their opinions on the incident.
Thursday, 3 September 2009
A Preview of the English Premiership - Four Games In...
===============First Associated Content Article Submission================
Perhaps a persons first article is the hardest one of them all to write. The niche? The quality? The content? I sat and wondered how to begin. 'Ahhh, forget it!' I exclaimed, it is a waste of time anyway... I have always looked upon my self as a decent writer possessing relevant thoughts but I sparsely have the time to record a hard copy of them, often losing a good idea in the sea of wonder that often immerses my head.
However, a quick look at this mornings paper has given me the confidence to slowly introduce my innermost thoughts and opinions to the world regarding something that I hold very dearly, with the game of football, or soccer as it is sometimes referred. In particular, the start to this years English Premiership has been something that has held me captivated from the off.
Despite calls for maximum wage caps, an embroilment of cheating claims, (ie SIMULATION!!!) and the unfortunate incidents of organised crime that threatened to overshadow a great evening of domestic cup competition games, the emergence of certain forces, as well as traditional 110% spirit every game clubs, the 2009/2010 season could turn out to be the greatest one of them all.
In particular, it is unusual for the so called 'top four' for which we may now perhaps add Everton, (Poor start but will pick up) Aston Villa, Tottenham and of course Manchester City into the fold, to have had such a great start to the campaign. With the absence of Everton from the equation but later at the expense of Stoke City I believe, the 'second tier' of the Premiership now seems to have locked horns with the top four, and this could be the very season that history is altered. In no uncertain terms can anybody ignore Manchester City. The sheer amount of capital that they have spent, the presence that manager Mark Hughes commands and the steel British heart that they now possess with the likes of Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott to name but two, will ensure that they are a force to be reckoned with. The size of the squad speaks for itself and with no European commitments, they can remain focused on the domestic front for which they will surely mount a fierce charge.
It has been said on many occassions, and by many professionals, that money alone cannot buy you success. What is a team of world class individuals without pride, without passion, and
without companionship? On the opposing side, one could suggest that Chelsea lacked a lot of this at the beginning of the 'Russian Revolution.' However, as previously noted, they share one thing in common. John Terry, Wayne Bridge, Frank Lampard... Need I go on... Shay Given, Joleon Lescott, Stephen Ireland, Gareth Barry, Wright-Phillips.... From this you can throw the Carlos Teves', the Emmanuel Adebayors and the Robinho's into the fold. It is this very British, almost bulldog streak that will ensure class is matched with heart and courage that is indeed set for success.
Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney... Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard.... Although not so much the recent Arsenal, but in their many of their successful years, much heavily relied upon that spark of Britain. It is at times such as on a cold, wet, winters night, when nothing seems to be going as planned, the ball won't move as it should, and every person both on the field and in the stands just wants the 90 minute whistle to be blown, that you require somebody to take the game by the scruff of the neck and create an opening. It may not be pretty, classy or even worthy of parting with your hard earned cash to spectate, but at the end of the day, it is the 3 points that matter.
Apologies for going off track a little here and sounding rather patriotic but integration will play a great part in the outlook of the season. Man for man, there are seven or even eight teams that could enter that top four this season, and in any order. It may even be Tottenham that break the trend, again glued together by a strong Briitish backbone. But Villa or Everton cannot be ruled out either, especially with evidence of the past couple of seasons coupled with my opinion that both teams, with the exception of Barry for Villa, have improved on their squads from the previous season. Everton have been very consistent in the past few years yet each new season, they remain overlooked by the majority. Distin is a perfect replacement for a man of whom everybody knows is not worth anything near £24 million pounds, a ludicrous figure that proves the madness of todays game. Without the injurys of the previous campaign, it may be the Merseysiders who breach the self proclaimed trend setters, who knows??!
On the other hand, there could even be a surprise package. Fulham for example, are building a great side under Roy Hodgson and may well be up there.
I cannot help myself becoming excited for what is to come and shall watch events unfold with great interest!!
Perhaps a persons first article is the hardest one of them all to write. The niche? The quality? The content? I sat and wondered how to begin. 'Ahhh, forget it!' I exclaimed, it is a waste of time anyway... I have always looked upon my self as a decent writer possessing relevant thoughts but I sparsely have the time to record a hard copy of them, often losing a good idea in the sea of wonder that often immerses my head.
However, a quick look at this mornings paper has given me the confidence to slowly introduce my innermost thoughts and opinions to the world regarding something that I hold very dearly, with the game of football, or soccer as it is sometimes referred. In particular, the start to this years English Premiership has been something that has held me captivated from the off.
Despite calls for maximum wage caps, an embroilment of cheating claims, (ie SIMULATION!!!) and the unfortunate incidents of organised crime that threatened to overshadow a great evening of domestic cup competition games, the emergence of certain forces, as well as traditional 110% spirit every game clubs, the 2009/2010 season could turn out to be the greatest one of them all.
In particular, it is unusual for the so called 'top four' for which we may now perhaps add Everton, (Poor start but will pick up) Aston Villa, Tottenham and of course Manchester City into the fold, to have had such a great start to the campaign. With the absence of Everton from the equation but later at the expense of Stoke City I believe, the 'second tier' of the Premiership now seems to have locked horns with the top four, and this could be the very season that history is altered. In no uncertain terms can anybody ignore Manchester City. The sheer amount of capital that they have spent, the presence that manager Mark Hughes commands and the steel British heart that they now possess with the likes of Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott to name but two, will ensure that they are a force to be reckoned with. The size of the squad speaks for itself and with no European commitments, they can remain focused on the domestic front for which they will surely mount a fierce charge.
It has been said on many occassions, and by many professionals, that money alone cannot buy you success. What is a team of world class individuals without pride, without passion, and
without companionship? On the opposing side, one could suggest that Chelsea lacked a lot of this at the beginning of the 'Russian Revolution.' However, as previously noted, they share one thing in common. John Terry, Wayne Bridge, Frank Lampard... Need I go on... Shay Given, Joleon Lescott, Stephen Ireland, Gareth Barry, Wright-Phillips.... From this you can throw the Carlos Teves', the Emmanuel Adebayors and the Robinho's into the fold. It is this very British, almost bulldog streak that will ensure class is matched with heart and courage that is indeed set for success.Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney... Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard.... Although not so much the recent Arsenal, but in their many of their successful years, much heavily relied upon that spark of Britain. It is at times such as on a cold, wet, winters night, when nothing seems to be going as planned, the ball won't move as it should, and every person both on the field and in the stands just wants the 90 minute whistle to be blown, that you require somebody to take the game by the scruff of the neck and create an opening. It may not be pretty, classy or even worthy of parting with your hard earned cash to spectate, but at the end of the day, it is the 3 points that matter.
Apologies for going off track a little here and sounding rather patriotic but integration will play a great part in the outlook of the season. Man for man, there are seven or even eight teams that could enter that top four this season, and in any order. It may even be Tottenham that break the trend, again glued together by a strong Briitish backbone. But Villa or Everton cannot be ruled out either, especially with evidence of the past couple of seasons coupled with my opinion that both teams, with the exception of Barry for Villa, have improved on their squads from the previous season. Everton have been very consistent in the past few years yet each new season, they remain overlooked by the majority. Distin is a perfect replacement for a man of whom everybody knows is not worth anything near £24 million pounds, a ludicrous figure that proves the madness of todays game. Without the injurys of the previous campaign, it may be the Merseysiders who breach the self proclaimed trend setters, who knows??!
On the other hand, there could even be a surprise package. Fulham for example, are building a great side under Roy Hodgson and may well be up there.
I cannot help myself becoming excited for what is to come and shall watch events unfold with great interest!!
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
My Venture Into Blogging
Hi, and welcome to my blog! :)
Please allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Paul and recording my thoughts into words is something that I have wanted to do for quite a long time. If I were to describe myself and in particular, my mind, to the extent that I understand myself, I am a person who originates good, solid ideas, but which tend to occur after they are required or carry significance.
I am that person who thinks of a great joke moments after the 'perfect' point in time for which it would have certainly made an impact has passed. I am the person who thinks of the 'perfect' thing to say to a person after they have turned their back and walked away. I suppose I am solid, yet could be shattered in seconds, a kind, yet selfish personality, with great ambitions, yet amused and completely immersed for hours in something very slight. I could go on for a while, but I won't... Possibly, you could say that I was like everybody else.... confused. There is something on the term of normality that I would like to get into some depth about but will leave to a future post.
One thing that does fascinate me however, is the human long for completeness, and its conflict with being content within yourself. As a youngster, we all have dreams.; ambitions; needs. The question that goes around my head and worries me to a great extent is whether these can possibly be sought in a single lifetime. Can we as human beings be 'complete', or will we simply reach a stature of contentness and settle for what its worth. There are so many things that I want, so many things that I would to be and do, and so little time for it all to be done. This is something that saddens me to a great degree.
Please allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Paul and recording my thoughts into words is something that I have wanted to do for quite a long time. If I were to describe myself and in particular, my mind, to the extent that I understand myself, I am a person who originates good, solid ideas, but which tend to occur after they are required or carry significance.
I am that person who thinks of a great joke moments after the 'perfect' point in time for which it would have certainly made an impact has passed. I am the person who thinks of the 'perfect' thing to say to a person after they have turned their back and walked away. I suppose I am solid, yet could be shattered in seconds, a kind, yet selfish personality, with great ambitions, yet amused and completely immersed for hours in something very slight. I could go on for a while, but I won't... Possibly, you could say that I was like everybody else.... confused. There is something on the term of normality that I would like to get into some depth about but will leave to a future post.
One thing that does fascinate me however, is the human long for completeness, and its conflict with being content within yourself. As a youngster, we all have dreams.; ambitions; needs. The question that goes around my head and worries me to a great extent is whether these can possibly be sought in a single lifetime. Can we as human beings be 'complete', or will we simply reach a stature of contentness and settle for what its worth. There are so many things that I want, so many things that I would to be and do, and so little time for it all to be done. This is something that saddens me to a great degree.
Another huge debate that I could go into is the core question regarding the meaning of life. What is our purpose? I have read endless articles and heard many thoughts on this, and many boil down to us in personal lengths. Happiness? Love? Wealth? Status? Life? In my opinion, the answer lies with none of these. We are placed on the earth for one single reason. We are beings, a race that has ultimately developed into what we are today. We are advanced and will continue to develop, yet remain primitive in our end goal; survival. Each and every one of us lives and then dies, leaving a footprint on the globe, some obviously larger than others, yet we remain the same in that we will live our lifetime before passing the world onto a further generation. Therefore, like any creature, although much different in logic, we remain no different in that we are mere speckles of dust in time, surviving to continue the human race.
It is now 01:41 and after writing for 20 minutes, all sorts of doors have opened within my mind, which means there will be a lot of blabbering going on in future blog posts for which I must apologise for in advance. I believe this will be good for me however, releasing these thoughts that I have had locked up for some time. Whether they are useful or make you think, I do not know, but if you have an opinion on anything I say, I really do encourage you to comment or send me an email to paul.smith1988@yahoo.co.uk and I will get back to you promptly. Even if it is just to let me know what you think of the blog, I would appreciate your feedback.
At the end of the day, I am doing this for personal reasons more than anything, rather more as a diary of thoughts than to cause debate or even for mass amounts of people to read but I do enjoy knowing what others think. The above text is basically me getting carried away, and I will expand on many of the points, (probably creating a lot of confusion along the way) in the future. For now however, I think it's time to get some sleep!
Good night all!!
It is now 01:41 and after writing for 20 minutes, all sorts of doors have opened within my mind, which means there will be a lot of blabbering going on in future blog posts for which I must apologise for in advance. I believe this will be good for me however, releasing these thoughts that I have had locked up for some time. Whether they are useful or make you think, I do not know, but if you have an opinion on anything I say, I really do encourage you to comment or send me an email to paul.smith1988@yahoo.co.uk and I will get back to you promptly. Even if it is just to let me know what you think of the blog, I would appreciate your feedback.
At the end of the day, I am doing this for personal reasons more than anything, rather more as a diary of thoughts than to cause debate or even for mass amounts of people to read but I do enjoy knowing what others think. The above text is basically me getting carried away, and I will expand on many of the points, (probably creating a lot of confusion along the way) in the future. For now however, I think it's time to get some sleep!
Good night all!!
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