The Last Laugh

Death. It's one of those topics that few people like to think about, or to discuss. It makes people uncomfortable. Most people don't like to be faced with their own mortality. Unfortunately, it's something we're surrounded by, day in, day out.

So, we do what we always do when faced with something that makes us uneasy, or uncomfortable. We make a joke about it, try to lighten to mood. Share the laughter. Anything is material if it's funny, right?

Hmmm.

When does the joke go too far though? When do people pause, and think, remember that the subject of that joke that they're texting / emailing / tweeting etc is a person? A real person, who has just died. Died. When do they stop, and spare a second to think about that person's family, their friends?

I would love to know why it's acceptable to send crude, vulgar and generally unfunny jokes about a person recently deceased. I know that generally, the people at the heart of these 'jokes' are people in the public eye (most recent examples, of course, being Michael Jackson, and our own Stephen Gately). Sure ordinary people just aren't as interesting, are they?
But, regardless, it's NOT ok. Life in the spotlight or not, death is something that should be respected. Mourned, not joked about.

I shared this opinion recently, and was told that it was 'laughter in the face of tragedy'. I just think laughing in the 'face of tragedy' and making crude jokes at the expense of someone who has just died are entirely different things.

Am I the only one who finds it disgusting, and disrespectful in the extreme? How would the people sending these jokes feel if it was THEIR loved one who had just died? Would it be ok then? I highly doubt it. I think a little compassion, and some empathy could go a long way.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm not some boring old prude who can't see the funny side of things, and my sense of humour can be as warped as the next person's. I just think that maybe, the next time you're about to hit that send button, send that 'hilariously original' joke about someone not even buried yet, you'll stop. Think. Remember that at the end of the day, a fellow human has just passed away. Maybe then, you'll change your mind?

Maybe.

Twinkle, twinkle...

You'll have heard about the girl with the stars tattooed on her face. It's all over the interweb by now. Twitter was buzzing with it today, it's being posted about on forums, blogs, it's on the radio. So, it's safe to say, unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about it, right?

In case you haven't though, in a nutshell, 18 year old Kimberley Vlaeminck from Belgium is pressing charges of assault and battery against tattoo artist Rouslan Tounamiantza. She claims to have asked him to tattoo 3 small stars by her left eye. Apparently though, she fell asleep while being tattooed, and when she woke up, he had done 56 stars down the side of her face instead. (The full story is here.)

Now, I generally dont have strong reactions to stories on the news, especially when they don't affect me, but this one makes my blood boil. As far as I'm concerned, this girl is nothing but a liar. And a bad one at that. Her claims are flimsy, and she hasn't thought them through at all.

This is obvious for a few reasons.

Firstly...I have tattoos. They hurt. If you have them yourself, you'll know. If you don't, I'm sure you know someone who does. Ask anyone, they will tell you the same thing. They're not overly painful, but they are too painful to sleep through. It'd be like trying to sleep while someone is sticking a pin into your face, repeatedly, in quick succession. Even if she was drunk, I highly doubt she'd have slept through it. I'm not even going to address the claim that she was drugged before the tattoo was done, it's just too laughable to even consider taking seriously.

Secondly...before a tattoo artist begins the actual tattoo, he or she will create a stencil of the design, and transfer it onto your skin. It's a required guideline. So, for Tounamiantza to have accurately drawn those stars, he would have had to make a transfer for them. Which Vlaeminck would have been able to see. In fact, she would have had to approve it before the actual tattoo was done. This again completely undermines her argument that she didn't know about them.

Thirdly...I don't know much about facial tattoos, nor do I particularly want to, but I do know that as a rule, tattoo artists are at least, extremely reluctant to do them. I know of many places and artists who refuse point blank to do them, for reasons such as this. It is possible that Tounamiantza had no such qualms, but still...I just don't believe he would have tattood freestyle over someone's face like that.

None of it makes sense. Why would someone tattoo all over someone's face like that without permission? The repercussions are almost immediate, you have almost no chance of getting away with it, and you're reputation would be in tatters. Which is why I honestly believe her claims are false.

I would imagine the tattoo didn't turn out as fantastic or original as she had pictured it. Or the reactions she got to it were far from what she had hoped. And so she decided to cry foul, and risk bringing someone else's career and reputation down at the same time.

Grow.The.Fuck.Up.

I have to say 'fair play' to the artist for agreeing to pay half of the laser surgery costs to get the stars removed. If it was me, I'd be leaving her to suffer with her mistake. She wouldn't get a penny.

Maybe the pain of the removal surgery, and the constant reminder when she looks in the mirror everyday will make her think twice before she makes such a childish, irresponsible, and downright hateful decision again. I hope she gets everything she deserves.

Rock-a-bye-baby...

Having children when you're younger is becoming increasingly popular. So many people in their late teens and early twenties are popping 'em out left right and centre (if the amount of squalling brats running around my job are anything to go by anyway...) I see it everyday in work, people my own age, a few years older, and scarily, a few years younger with one and two children trailing behind them. But it's not shocking anymore, it's the norm.

But where do we draw the line? How young really is too young? Sixteen? Fifteen? How about thirteen?

Because that's the age of one of England's newest fathers, Alfie Patten. His fifteen year old girlfriend gave birth to their daughter Maisie four days ago. Let that sink in.

Now...he was twelve when this child was conceived. She was fourteen. What are children this age doing even thinking about sex, let alone having it, and in the process, spawning a child??? Shouldn't he be too interested in his Playstation, or Xbox or whatever it is twelve year olds are interested in?

He claims to want to be a good father, and I quote: "I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it." but he also doesn't really know how to afford it, saying, and I think this is the most telling of all : "I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10,"

I think it's safe to say that this child will be raised by the grandparents, who, sadly, are still trying to raise her parents at the same time. Not very successfully if this is anything to go by...

Read the article here...