US network faces $1m nudity fine

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Jan 2008, 15:21

OMG, someone needs to remind America what century we live in:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7210826.stm

A 10pm watershed it just absurd too.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 26 Jan 2008, 15:29

Doesn't even surprise me. It's America after all.

Hah, my marketing mix elements teacher just told us a story a few weeks ago about how he found a sauna from an american spa, and there was security guard making sure no one will throw any water to the bathhouse stove (just checked that word from the dictionary, hopefully picked the right one

). I mean wtf? That's how sauna works. First it's cold, then you throw some water and it will get warm...

yeah, that was almost off topic

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Jan 2008, 16:28

HungFist wrote:Doesn't even surprise me. It's America after all.

It doesn't surprise me either but I do find it shocking. The UK is pretty damn conservative by European standards but America is in another league.

When I was in St. Louis (which they literally pronounce Saint Louis) there was a massive sign on the Highway damning all porn to hell, and literally only a few hundred metres further down the road was a sign pointing you to the nearest porn shop

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 26 Jan 2008, 17:40

Brad wrote:When I was in St. Louis (which they literally pronounce Saint Louis) there was a massive sign on the Highway damning all porn to hell, and literally only a few hundred metres further down the road was a sign pointing you to the nearest porn shop

The US Network ABC has defended the offending scenes, saying "the buttocks are not a sexual organ",
A 10pm watershed seems very draconian to me.
"Oh think of the children! Won't somebody please think of the children!"

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 26 Jan 2008, 17:58

grim_tales wrote: "Oh think of the children! Won't somebody please think of the children!"

"My god, we can't let them to see a human body. Let's show them beheadings instead!"

This whole news is rediculous, but the fact that the show in question is NYPD Blue makes it almost unreal. It's been almost 10 years since I last watched that show, but according to my memories if there's one thing that show that is appropriate for children it's the harmless nudity. From what I recall the show is pretty dark in terms of themes and plots (crimes).

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 26 Jan 2008, 18:17

Pathetic. Still thank God you can go into a bank and get a free shotgun.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Jan 2008, 18:18

It illustrates well the "American hypocrisy". America is founded on Violence and as such it's almost accepted.

I could understand if it was nudity during sex but it was shot a butt shot. That would never happen here. Some ultra conservatives (cue Mark) may complain though.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 26 Jan 2008, 18:23

Where is this "ultra-conservative" bullshit coming from?

Did you even read by last post, you donkey?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Jan 2008, 18:36

Take note of the time you and I posted Mr. Gway

p.s - It's good to hear you're only partly a ultra conservative then

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 26 Jan 2008, 20:51

Markgway wrote:Pathetic. Still thank God you can go into a bank and get a free shotgun.

Someone needs to go watch Manufacturing Dissent.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 26 Jan 2008, 21:24

Explain please.

the68monkey · Post by **the68monkey** » 26 Jan 2008, 22:28

Watch out sister, watch out brother,
Watch our children while they kill each other
With a gun they bought at Wal-mart discount stores
Welcome to the hallway, metal detectors just been installed
Hey isn't cops and robbers gettin' to be a big bore

-Sheryl Crowe

Not sure I should even get involved in a discussion like this, tbh. Seems like a favorite hobby of the rest of the world to condemn America and Americans as one entity in their Puritanical, ignorant ways, when in reality, we're one of the most diverse countries in the world. But yes, our gov't and its policies are very prudish.

Case in point: When I taught the Illiad and the Odyssey, I had to be extremely careful of what materials I brought in as supplements. None of my replica Greek vases and most of my Greek art books depicting scenes from these epics would have been considered appropriate by my administration.

At least I live in a country where I'm free to show art, as well as whatever movies and TV shows I deem appropriate to my own children. For that, I am thankful to be an American.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Jan 2008, 23:08

the68monkey wrote:Seems like a favorite hobby of the rest of the world to condemn America and Americans as one entity in their Puritanical, ignorant ways, when in reality, we're one of the most diverse countries in the world.

Fair point. Isn't it exactly the same as many Americans thinking everyone in Europe is identical and thinking Europe is one big country with lots of States, just because America is?

I do take your point though, it is very easy to bash the country that rules the world. Maybe not literally but to a great extent. It's part of human nature to get annoyed when outsiders get involved in their countries business. America is the worlds only Empire, which contrary to the American government's public opinion it very much is.

Bush wants to put a Nuclear weapons installation in Poland. What right does he have to put a foreign weapon into Poland? But of course the Polish government will fold and let it happen. There is an American base just down the road from me. I bet there aren't too many British bases in America. The American base is even literally run as a Mini-America with the American education system being taught. I think they even drive on the right hand side of the road while in it.

That to me seems wrong in so many ways. The British government imposed it's ideals and law upon three quarters of the worlds population and it today is considered a negative.

Of course people are also incredibly hypocritical. The UK government is no better than the American government at going into countries it's not welcome in. American movies dominate the world and are seen by the very people who only earlier in the day said something generalised about that very country.

Most people living outside of America have a very much love/hate relationship with it. Would I prefer a world where American was the Empire it is? No definitely not. It stands to reason only another Empire will replace it. I hope I'm long dead by the time China (a communist country at that) becomes the Empire it's likely to become.

As it happens I do know America is very diverse (I was surprised quite how diverse) but it's people (granted in my limited experience) do share similar values and opinions. I commented to my friend in California I was surprised how many Black people live in America because based on Hollywood movies you'd think virtually everyone was White. She took exception to what I thought was just a general comment saying they're just movies. I said true but to be fair movies should represent the country they're being based around. Clearly it doesn't work that way.

Obviously I'm generalising but it's nigh on impossible not to in such discussions.

In the case of the article that started the thread it stands to reason when a country does something that is considered so anal and out of touch with the rest of the world people are bound to pick up on it. I'd have posted it just as much if the British, Dutch or any other country had done it.

It such surprise me how quite how conservative many parts of America are. This I suspect is because of it's closed nature, whereby most Americans never leave their countries own borders. I suspect Britain would be just the same if not for being part of the EU and it's many laws we have to abide by. It has had an opening affect on our culture in my opinion.

It's also worth realising (in the UK anyway) American news is about 60/40 to local UK news. It gets so much attention (and always has) it's just absurd. Sure it's important to show American news in the UK but the ratio can just be crazy at times. The American primaries are all over the TV every day. Sure I have an interest in it but I'm not American so why would I care as much as Americans would?

Why? Because it's considered that as America is so big and powerful what America does the rest of the world follows. This can annoy some people. I seriously doubt they show even half as much UK news in America as we get.

Millions of people get killed in Sudan it's barely mentioned, 10 people die in America due to some car accident it's all over the news. I'm not trying to come across as all negative as there are clearly as many great things about America as there aren't. Like all countries but how often do you hear about them?

America being the biggest does tend to stand out though I suppose. It's not always nice to hear but then like I said it does work both ways.

None of this is the Americans fault but I just wanted to put it in context to maybe why it seems as if America gets the brunt of all jokes.

the68monkey wrote:At least I live in a country where I'm free to show art, as well as whatever movies and TV shows I deem appropriate to my own children. For that, I am thankful to be an American.

No offence but such comments really do annoy me. The amount of times I've heard Americans say it's great to live in a free country as if they're the only ones to have freedom of speech. Not wanting to sound like a dickhead but freedom of speech was around long before America even existed. Many Americans seem to think it's unique to their country. The UK has just as much freedom of speech but we don't feel the need to harp on about it.

Anyway like I said it's hard to have such discussions without sounding small minded and like a dickhead which is something I don't want to do.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 26 Jan 2008, 23:18

People, don't take this too seriously. This topic is all about bashing America, but it doesn't mean we think America should burn in hell

the68monkey wrote: country where I'm free to show art, as well as whatever movies and TV shows I deem appropriate to my own children.

No offence but that really isn't much of an achievement (EDIT: as Brad more or less explained already)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Jan 2008, 23:32

HungFist wrote:This topic is all about bashing America, but it doesn't mean we think America should burn in hell

I only intended the thread to bash the stupid ruling that it's seriously offensive to show the Butt in a non-sexual way.

the68monkey · Post by **the68monkey** » 27 Jan 2008, 00:35

HungFist wrote:No offence but that really isn't much of an achievement (EDIT: as Brad more or less explained already)

No offense taken. Is it really much of an achievement? Hell, I think it's a freedom that most of us in the westernized world take for granted! When I made that statement, I wasn't referring to the uniqueness of being an American. As a woman, I am especially grateful for the freedom experienced by most western citizens. If I lived in Mainland China, do you think I'd even have access to the wide range of scholarship available on the Greek nude in art? If I lived in India, should I even expect to see a couple kissing on my TV screen? And in Saudia Arabia, do you think I'd have the freedom to allow my daughter to do homework with a male friend behind closed doors?

These are freedoms that I will never take for granted, so yes, I am grateful to be an American citizen, which is part of the larger western world to which most of us on this forum belong.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 27 Jan 2008, 01:01

Wasnt America the place where a teacher was almost put in jail (or put in jail), for showing her students 'pornographic material' on her computer, when it was just a pop-up, caused by spyware or something, and it wasnt her fault!?

Wasnt America the place where young black men are sent to jail for 'constitutional rape, when they were 17 year olds having sex with a 16 or 15 year old white girl, and the white parents didnt 'agree'...

Wasnt America the place where there is a national outrage of the president getting a blowjob, while the current president is sending thousands of poor kids into an illegal war to kill or get killed, just so the weapon- and oil-industry can make more billions of dollars!?

Wasnt America the country that's shouting it's the best country in the world, God's country, and in the same time is borrowing 1,5 BILLION dollars a DAY to keep it that 'great'!?

Wasnt America the country that goes on and on about freedom of speech, yet at the same time wanted to bomb Al-Jazeera for broadcasting an objective view in the wars in the Middle-east!?

Ofcourse, the USA is a nice country to live in, it's a gorgeous country, most people seem very nice and mean well, prices are OK, etc etc...

...but wouldnt we all rather live in Canada instead!?

I cant stand the hypocrisy in the USA. All the bullshit by the media making the whole new election all about gender and race, while pretty much all voters say that is of little concern and they vote for the PERSON and his/her ideas, not for the color or gender of that person...
All the bullshit about videogames and the occasional nudity. All the bullshit about being 'christian' etc, while ridiculing other on the other side of the world for their believe in Islam and Allah.

The USA is just arrogant and out of touch with reality. That doesnt mean the people arent nice, or they are evil or bad...
They're just brainwashed and nuts. That's all.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 27 Jan 2008, 01:17

To be fair Yi America is no better or worse than any other country. The points raised may change but the problems exist in most countries.

the68monkey wrote:These are freedoms that I will never take for granted, so yes, I am grateful to be an American citizen, which is part of the larger western world to which most of us on this forum belong.

Fair enough. I'm glad you expanded upon your answer.

Personally I don't think it's wrong to take the Freedoms Westerners enjoy for granted. It's our born right. We should disagree when others are denied it though. Obviously I'm being very simplistic but I don't think it's wrong to take what we have for granted.

Yi-Long wrote:...but wouldnt we all rather live in Canada instead!?

Michael Moore would but does anyone else really want to?

Yi-Long wrote:All the bullshit about videogames and the occasional nudity. All the bullshit about being 'christian' etc, while ridiculing other on the other side of the world for their believe in Islam and Allah.

That is an interesting one.

From my perspective their are millions of Christian fundamentalists in America which is considered okay but Muslim fundamentalists are considered evil. Granted the Christian fundamentalists don't go around killing people (I'm not even going to go there over whether the government does it for them) but their narrow minded religious believes are very much the same.

I don't "think" any European country as Christian fundamentalists to the same degree America does.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 27 Jan 2008, 01:30

To be fair Yi America is no better or worse than any other country. The points raised may change but the problems exist in most countries.

I know, but that's why I'm not pretending MY country is the greatest, and people from other countries arent pretending THEIRS is the greatest. Each and every country has good and bad points.
I just feel America are being a bunch of hypocrites on a whole lot of issues.
Pretending to be 'good' while they're pretty much the biggest terrorist nation in the world, while also providing other rebels, groups, countries etc with weapons to do even more killing.
Just their attitude alone towards Israel's continuing oppression of the Palestines, is scandalous.

Michael Moore would but does anyone else really want to?

I would definately prefer a city like Vancouver over pretty much any USA city

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 27 Jan 2008, 01:38

Yi-Long wrote:I would definately prefer a city like Vancouver over pretty much any USA city

Have you been to Canada?

Personally I wouldn't want to live in either country. Not that I've visited Canada but I suspect I wouldn't want to live there.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 27 Jan 2008, 02:36

I've just finished watching Obama's South Carolina victory speech. My god that man is charismatic. I saw a young JFK and Martin Luther King in him. If I could vote I know who'd I'd vote for.

The idea of a black man being the most powerful person in the world is so powerful.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 27 Jan 2008, 09:10

bradavon wrote:I've just finished watching Obama's South Carolina victory speech. My god that man is charismatic. I saw a young JFK and Martin Luther King in him. If I could vote I know who'd I'd vote for.

The idea of a black man being the most powerful person in the world is so powerful.

Probably best to have that discussion in 'DEBATE', in a new thread about the 2008 prs. election or something.

But yeah, Obama is great. Personally couldnt give a shit about if he's black or white or yellow or green, tbh, but it seems everybody else thinks it's a big deal what someone's skin color or gender or religion is... (!)

I think the whole discussion that this election is about gender and.or race is a bit degrading, both to the candidates as well as those who wanna vote for them...

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Jan 2008, 10:46

Isn't Manufacturing Dissent the docu about Michael Moore that basically rips his arguments to shreds?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 27 Jan 2008, 11:03

It's a shame that everyone has got caught up in the WOW factor of having the two most popular democratic opponents be (half) black or female. That should not be a deciding factor on casting a vote for primary or presidency anymore than it should if the candidates were (all) white and male. It seems John Edwards is the third wheel precisely because he's a white male and from what my Dad reckons he's actually the most radical (in terms of change and goals) of the three. But voting for a woman or black man is - on the surface at least - more radical than anything else. I would listen to the speeches and cast vote based on whom I think is the best person for the job. Charisma is fine but it's not a replacement for experience or capability (see Tony Blair).

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Jan 2008, 11:17

Huh?
Whats that got to do with the thread?
I didnt know Obama was mixed race but I agree with you, if either is voted in they should be so because the American people consider them the best person to President, not only on colour/sex, but who knows exactly why a person votes.
They shouldnt be voted in a positive discrimination way (thats what you mean right?).
I understand now, you started talking about something else...