04 July 2008

Is sport outside the law?

I've had this argument with various folk (some of whom I'm related to) on and off over the years: Why is it that we are more willing to forgive breaches in the law when they occur in relation to some sporting activity?

Take this guy: He was playing football, he hit someone, and is surprised that he's been found of assault and given a jail sentence. Why? Is the football ground part of a Neverland where one does not have to answer to the law? Does that chalk line along the field boundary mark the end of the State's reach? I don't think so.

Oh, but it's part of the game; football has a rich tradition of violence; it's not his fault.

Bullshit.

Regardless of what other players may or may not have done in the past, the rules state that hitting someone (other than several approved methods that wouldn't necessarily constitute assault anyway, like the venerable Hip And Shoulder). So he broke both the rules of the game and the laws of the state.

Oh, but the other team shouldn't have dobbed him in; there was bad blood between him and the opposing club; they would have let any other player get away with it.

Again, bullshit. Regardless of the other club's actions and motivations HE was found guilty because HE assaulted the other player. Why is it we seek to divert personal responsibility for someone's actions by using irrelevant arguments like "no one else got caught"?!? It's just like those fools that keep saying "speed cameras" (or red-light cameras, or parking inspectors, or whatever) "are there to raise revenues for the government." So what? If you don't want to provide them with that revenue, DON'T SPEED!

Argh, I'm too angry. I'm going for a walk.

15 June 2008

OCLC's non-profit status

Tim from Librarything posted this one about OCLC's dubious status as a not-for-profit: Now, OCLC does many wonderful things within the library and information field(s), but if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck . . .

08 May 2008

I'm still around

Well, it's been 5 months (and 2 days) since my last confession blog entry. Long enough. Sure, I seem to have gained in certain other areas, but my writing has REALLY suffered, so I'd better start making time to look after this here blog.

Anyway, there's not a great deal to tell at the mo: I'm in the process of downloading CentOS 5.1 so I can build a new server at work (I'd much prefer to use Fedora, but with the demise of the Fedora Legacy project it's been decided that we'd be better off with a more stable distro).

I'm reading (if you can call it reading) Perl for web site management by John Callender (and yes, I know it's ancient (2002), but then all IT-related books are obsolete before they make it onto bookshop shelves! Anyway, I find it a good idea to look through these sort of books to pick up tools and ideas I can use later on). I'm also rereading Koko by Peter Straub and TAZ by Hakim Bey. Just for fun.

I've noticed recently (well, some time ago) that my reading habits have changed since I moved (just on a year and a half ago): When I had to commute for a good 3-or-so hours every day, I was getting through books at a rate of 2 to 3 per week. Now I read a book every 2 or 3 weeks. I don't think this was a good thing.

Anyway, more soon (I hope!).
 
Add to Technorati Favorites View carlos lopez's profile on LinkedIn