Lollipipe: Introducing kids to drugs

Of the many products I have seen over the years, I have run into few that are as exploitative and potentially dangerous as the Lollipipe. And when I say dangerous, I mean promoting drug use in minors. When I say exploitative, well just read on.



The Lollipipe is the invention of Kzee Novelty Products LLC. It is marketed as a tobacco pipe, but the shape of the product makes it clear that it is intended for marijuana. Add to that the fact that it is sold exclusively, to my knowledge, in “head shops” – places that sell drug paraphernalia under innocuous names.

The Lollipipe is designed in bright playful colors that will attract the youth. It is also designed with flavors like Watermelon, Green Apple, Grape, Strawberry, Peach, and Blueberry. Again this is a marketing trick that targets the youth. It has a claim that the Lollipipe will not melt from flame being applied to it. It is completely edible.



Thus in effect we have a product that targets young teens or even smaller children. It is designed to make them feel like drug-adled adults and/or cool. It will give them the sugar buzz that all kids love. And while hard to purchase, in some places, it is not illegal. Add to that the ability for the product to be consumed, so as to hide its use from even the most attentive parent.

I am disturbed by this product. I am reminded that the Tobacco companies were sued for tens of billions of dollars to advertising and marketing programs that never dared to go this far. Yet I have not heard one word about this product.

IF colorful packaging is enough to cause the Tobacco companies to lose in courts, this product should be at the top of DEA and consumer boycotts. Yet I doubt most parents even know of its existence. In fact, I bet there are more than a few liberals, and/or those in the hip hop community, that think it’s a great idea.

This must be a huge hit with those that want to legalize drugs. I guarantee that your local drug dealer likely has dozens of these Lollipipes that they are giving out to kids in playgrounds across the country. Yes, even your kids in the suburbs and small towns where you might not think there is a drug problem. Yet. But the Lollipipe is a great introduction into a life of drug addiction.

I can only imagine what will be next from this company. Maybe a Peppermint flavored crack pipe? How about an edible syringe? Heck, why not a kid-sized mini meth lab.

Obviously there is a market for this product. Irresponsible parents and family of infants/children that are given hits of drugs as seen on Youtube and the major media will flock to these products in droves. Word of mouth will likely fill elementary schools. Hey, do you think pedophiles will stock up on this stuff too?

What a way to make a buck.

This is disgusting. It is my fond desire to learn one day that Kzee Novelty Products LLC has failed and become bankrupt. If there is anything I might be able to do to help this company fold, I will surely do it. Because there is nothing that is positive about their existence in my opinion.

By the way, their website is not yet done. They currently have a static image of their product – tastefully packaged to provide as little direct knowledge of the contents as possible. And just to make sure they are capturing as wide an audience as possible, the company promotes the product on their joke of a webpage as “Eco-Friendly”. I am sure that global warming fanatics will be happy to add this company among the roster of those touting change.

I cannot think of a better warning right now than what I have already mentioned. But I would love to hear from anyone that would defend this product. And I will be sending a copy of this post to Kzee. I wonder if they will have the balls to respond?

PSA: Fake Part Time Job offer circulating net

Beware the latest trend in fake emails meant to steal your money. As always criminals are taking advantage of economic events and trying to use them to get your money. The latest of these is an email supposedly from Global Shipping Agency Ltd.

The email goes along like the following, with my notations added:

Dear Sir/Madam,


My name is Melisa Cunningham [This is a fake person], I am a Personnel Department manager in Global Shipping Agency Ltd [Fake use of corporate name] and I would like to offer you a job of Customer Service Financial Assistant in our company [Fake Job].

First of all, I would like to make a brief review on our company. Global Shipping Agency Ltd.– is a world famous full service transportation company with the head office based in Hong-Kong. Our company is a leader and one of the most famous freight services providers. We work both with companies and private individuals. We specialize both in transportations by air, sea and road as well as in household removal services. GSA Ltd. has more than 10 affiliated branches around Europe and Asia and constantly develops. For more information, please visit our web-site http://hurec.eu [Fake site].

Today we would like to offer you a position of our Customer Service Financial Assistant with a prospect of a career growtsh [Note the poor spelling and bad grammar in this document - a corporation will not send an email like this. Plus a corporation would never give a job randomly to anyone].

In January, 2009 our Marketing Department started a research in the USA to determine the states with the highest customer activity [Actually the criminals behind this are seeking out areas that respond the most to random unsolicited emails]. By the time research finishes, there will be 5 states chosen, with the highest level of clients’ activity. We will be happy to offer you a position of a full-time manager at one of our newly opened US offices, once you perform well at a part-time position.

As for now, let me tell more about a part-time position of a Customer Service Financial Assistant.
At this position, you would be responsible to deal with the payments form our American customers; these can be companies or private individuals. You will be a middleman between our customers based in the US and the regional branches of the company based in Europe and Asia. Your mission will be to fasten the process of payment delivery, so that to help us get the payments in regional branches efficiently, deal with each of the customer orders in shortest possible dates, attract extra customers and improve company’s total profit [This is illegal. It is money laundering, a violation of 9/11 finance laws, and international law].

Moreover, it is important to notice, that we work on special program under patronage of U.S. Government for reducing cheap-contracts taxes [The U.S. Government is not involved with this at all. Note that no specific Agency of the Government is stated]. The reason we join that program is the European Union economic restrictions that affect us. If the payment is forwarded directly to one of our European accounts, our customers would have to pay another 25%-27% as a fee to the European government [There is no single European Government], which would make their expenses much higher. This 27%-Law was made by European Bank Association to protect the interests of European banks, but it affects us as well.

This is a step-by-step description of your responsibilities on a position during the approbation period:

You will have to deal with the customer payments, arranged by the Company Head Office for you. Our Head office will arrange every new coming payment with you in advance over the phone (so that to make sure you are available) and then send you an e-mail with all the details that you might need, a step-by-step instruction, exact amount transferred, the name of the customer who made the payment and the details of the regional branch the money is supposed to be sent to [This is an attempt to launder money, and gain your banking information].
We try to arrange all the customer payments to be made like wire transfers – we consider this way of sending money to be the safest and the fastest one – transaction is checked by a Federal Wire System and is normally released for the beneficiary in 1 hour after the money has been sent.
So, after the customer makes a payment to your bank account, we will send you an e-mail with all the details of the payment. Once the payment is shown at your available balance, you are supposed to deduct your 10% commission first. Out of the 90% left you are supposed to deduct the related charges for the Western Union fee. The amount left after all the deductions are made is supposed to be transferred by Western Union to one of our regional branches (depending from and to what destination the transportation is required) [No corporation of worth handles its banking with random people, or outside of a bank. Western Union is not a banking service. This is an attempt to circumvent detection by the Government].

We use Western Union service to fasten the process of payment delivery – this I an instant money transfer service, and the money you sent is available for the receiver immediately.

As this is a part-time job position – you will get 2 payments a week to deal with during the approbation period and then up to 3-4 payments a week once we sign up a working agreement with you. Once you get some experience, you will probably need less than 1,5 hours to finish the whole task [By the end of the "approbation" you will likely have frozen accounts and/or the criminals will have stolen your money].

We offer that for the approbation period for the incoming customer payments you either use the existing bank account of yours [Never give this information to anyone! If you would not give the information to a stranger on the street why would you give it to a strange company?] or open a separate bank account for the company needs (the amount of each payment on the trial period will not exceed 10000 usd). Once we sign up a long-term working agreement with you [Will never happen], we will assist you in opening a business account for the company payments as we will expect more payments of larger amounts to be arranged for you to deal with. The business account takes some time and effort to be opened, and so that not to lose time (as we are just going to test each other) we advice to start with some private account first [Again, never give your private information to anyone!].

The approbation period lasts for 2 weeks, which allows both of us make sure we are comfortable to deal with each other [Just long enough to get your information, steal your identity and money, and disappear before the Government gets involved]. We will sign up a pre-contract agreement with you, which will be valid through the approbation period only. Once the approbation period has gone through successfully, we will be happy to sign up a long-term working agreement for part-time employment on a regular basis with you. Some of our lawyers come to the US every 1-2 months, so once a lawyer comes to the USA, we will arrange a meeting for you, for all the papers to be signed up.


This position offers excellent benefits and basic salary of $2000 a month, along with long term career progression opportunity. Apart from a basic salary, we also offer you a 10% commission out of each project you are dealing with, so that to encourage you to deal with more payments and keep your interest in finishing any new coming task in shortest possible dates. [Sounds nice, but all lies sound good. But this is illegal and false from start to finish]

Once you get more experienced and are able to come with your duties easily, you will be offered to take more responsibility on a position. Experienced managers normally do all the arrangements regarding new coming customer orders themselves – communicating with the customers and regional branches, making lists of transportations, authorizing each new customer order with the company Head Office, dealing with the payments and sending them to the final destination. These responsibilities involve more time to be spent, but as well higher earnings. For all the business calls to go through successfully, you will be equipped with an iPhone. As well we will cover your international call expenses.


If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to e-mail us.
We are looking forward to hearing from you ASAP.

The Company this proposes to be is a fake. The website is a fake. The actions it is asking people to be involved with are illegal, and meant to steal your money.

The goal of this is to get you to use your bank account to launder money. In addition the hope of these criminals is to get your bank information and take any funds you have as well. Either way they gain cash, and you receive extreme trouble.

This is the 3rd iteration of this specific scam. The first 2 versions have been identified at http://www.bobbear.co.uk/global-shipping-agency-ltd.html and http://www.bobbear.co.uk/global-shipping-agency.html.

In each case the same website and virtually the same email has been used. Who knows where the next version will appear at.

Facts

No company of worth will randomly select you, via email, for a position.

No company of worth will ask you to evade international laws and taxes

No company will provide you money to move money, something they should easily be able to do themselves.

By definition, this "job" violates several laws enacted in the U.S. after 9/11 to prevent funding of terrorists, and will result in frozen accounts with a chance of being arrested under those laws.

This is not a real corporate website, nor company. The contact information is false. The Website currently in use is the worst cut and paste job I have seen in years.

As presented in the links above, this is an on-going attempt to capitalize on the fears some have of a bad economy. Do not respond to this email, nor ever give anyone presenting similar "jobs" your private information.

I am glad to know that www.bobbear.co.uk and other sites are identifying spam and phishing emails and sites as I am. People that commit these kinds of acts are scum of the earth. Be aware and don't be fooled.

Have ice? Have a blowtorch? Get the chestnuts ready.

Ok, here is a bit of a news flash. Burning your home to remove ice is a bad idea. Even melting ice on your home with a blowtorch is dumb.

You would think that this was an obvious thing. That such a public safety announcement was unnecessary. Ah, but you would be wrong.

On Tuesday, in Massachusetts a man set his home on fire - by accident - as he was removing ice from the recent storm. His mode of removal, you guessed it - a blowtorch. Not only did he set his porch on fire, the 2 upper apartments of the 3-story building were set ablaze as well. And the ultimate cost was $30,000 of damage.

Now there is one positive in this story for this dumbass action. The owner who caused the fire is not being charged with arson, or anything else. That makes him doubly lucky (triple if you include the fact no one was hurt). The first is for not getting arrested. The second is for the fact that there are no laws that would get you arrested for being stupid.

So if you happen to be at home and have a blowtorch, flamethrower, Maltov cocktail, a high incendiary grenade, a phosphorous grenade, tons of magnesium strips, a hoard of gasoline/kerosene, or moonshine of quality and you notice the ice on the house - DON'T decide to burn or melt the ice off.

But if you are the neighbor of an individual that does not read my blog, and has such items in their home, and proceeds to burn it down, please do send me a video for the blog. And roast some chestnuts too.

Further thoughts on the Black Entertainment Television PSA Part 3 - 8.13.2007.4

Submitted from Further thoughts on the Black Entertainment Television PSA Part 2...

I want to mention something for Mr. Williams, it’s an old saying. A mind that must use a vulgarity to express something where words are common and available is a small mind. Words are merely the vocalization of thought, and those small words reflect a small closed mind.

I would also like to remind Mr. Williams something else. Being a bit older than I think he is I actually remember what rap music was when it first started, when it first got placed on albums (vinyl not a CD or cassette tape), and when MTV created the concept of a music video. I can say based on growing up and watching the phases rap music has gone through, that Mr. Williams seems to have no idea what rap music intended or was capable of.

If you want to know what rap music was about, listen to Grand Master Flash and the Furious 5. If you want to know what rap music is capable of being, listen to Public Enemy or KRS-One. To say that the mindless, money-grubbing, record company driven, commoditized, lateral sales targeted, repetitive, lyrical vomit that is gansta rap (originally a mere sub-genre of rap pre-1992) today is all that rap can attain is both narrow-minded and insulting.

But staying focused on my original point, this Public Service Announcement that Black Entertainment Television has on its cable network airwaves sickens me.

Now I know some may read this and say, ‘well you just don’t get it. You aren’t Black enough. You are too busy trying to be White.’

Time to wake up and stop hiding from the truth. I was born in the Bronx with a tan that never fades, summer or winter, in the sun or not. My color of skin is dark enough to have gotten me lynched in the 1600’s, the 1800’s, and in 1965. I have been called N-word too many times to count, and as recently as 2 weeks ago. That wasn’t the rose colored glasses view of a salutation some hope it is, but meant as the word is defined.

I’m Black enough to have been denied jobs, and have women held their purses tight in an elevator. I’m Black enough to have police draw guns on me for a simple traffic stop. I’m Black enough to watch some people smirk and deny that I own a business, just because they don’t.

If the fact that I earned my education instead of buying the latest overpriced sneaker offends, be offended. If the fact that I have never been to jail and prefer to wear suits as opposed to platinum teeth intimidates weaker minds, be intimidated. If I use a vocabulary that doesn’t include words found on a rap album, don’t feel bad because they are the same words that the executives that own the record company you are funding use everyday.

So perhaps someone who has been around long enough to know what things were like before the internet, and gangsta rap, can be Black. And that same person can see when a television network is using the people it claims to serve. It’s not a unique vision. But as long as some cow-tow and praise actions that degrade the people it supposedly represents, things won’t get better.

Here is perhaps the most obvious point on how “classic” or “ironically positive” this PSA may be. Every other network, especially the national broadcast television networks, will not play this PSA. Viacom, which owns BET, won’t play this PSA on any of its other channels. This isn’t quiet because it won’t be played; it isn’t being played because of the embarrassment and insult it is.

If that isn’t an example of exploitation and insult, I can’t wait to hear what is.

This is what I think; I want to hear what you think.

Further thoughts on the Black Entertainment Television PSA Part 2 - 8.13.2007.3

Continued from Further thoughts on the Black Entertainment Television PSA Part 1...

I’m surprised it’s a PSA; it looked like a viral video people look up on the internet when they are bored. I’m not surprised it’s on BET, but it wouldn’t get on regular television. No network would clear it.

41 year old White male-

I’m outraged. It’s an insult to the Black culture. At first it starts and looks like it’s for kids and then BOOM! Holy cow.

You know if I said that… someone would shoot me.

They are taking the wrong direction. Saying all that vulgarity for kids is setting a bad example. This should be protested and BET should be banned.

It looks like it’s targeted to 11-14 year old mentality, but I’d never let my kids see it. There needs to be a broader reach, a wider span. I mean it can be done with more class.

I think those responses say a lot about this PSA that BET has place on its cable network channel. Many see no upside. No one I know thinks there is a positive to this. But there are those that do think this is great.

CDBaby states –

An instant crunk classic available exclusively on itunes. You’ve seen the video, make sure you request it on the radio. Taking southern hip-hop places you never thought it would go.

A commenter states –
Reviewer: Eugene Williams, Jr.

Mr. Armah has cleverly given black American youth the positive message they need without sounding corny or preachy. He is telling our young people what they need to hear. Quiet as it’s kept, Mr. Armah is simply telling us to do all the things that Bill Cosby is trying to tell us to do, only in a different more "hood-palatable" format. If our church and community leaders can get past the explicit language and take time to listen to the timely and ironically positive message, this song will do for the black community what rap was originally intended to do!!!!

I’m just too old to know, or want to know, what exactly ‘crunk’ is. I get the general impression though. So CDBaby seems to feel BET has made a classic. Yes that’s great, 50 years from now people will remember the day when the illiterate, dirty, alcoholic Black masses where shown the light to a better life when Viacom stepped in and helped them out of their miserable lives.

If you are wondering, that was exactly what was said by European explorers, and slavers, that went to Africa some 400 years ago. I’m so happy we have moved so far forward that some can quote those words today ands would like to have them said in the future.

As for Mr. Williams, I must presume that speaking to the youth of this nation – directly at only the African American youth – without using expletives is being “corny or preachy”. How time has changed, because I remember back when speaking to a person was about giving respect to get it. Maybe that is why there has been so much angst about the words of Dr. Bill Cosby, he just needs to curse out the youth and they will all get it.

Continued in Part 3...

Further thoughts on the Black Entertainment Television PSA - 8.13.2007.2

‘You are an ignorant, smelly, toothless, drunk, Black person that is incapable of caring for your children. Thank you. – This has been a Public Service Announcement from Black Entertainment Television, because we care.’

That is not an actual PSA, and I will remind readers I have nothing to do with BET. Yet that is the feeling I think BET is trying to convey with its recent PSA Read A Book. I have already commented on the initial reactions I had from viewing the PSA, and time for reflection has not improved my outlook.

But I decided that perhaps I was too old to understand the PSA. I wondered if my friend who saw the PSA when I did was perhaps viewing the video with eyes of nearly my same age and also a mother of 3 children. So I have sought out a couple of different individuals of different ages and sex. I even made sure to ask non-Black people to see their thoughts. In each case I got the first thoughts right after viewing the supposed PSA.

In order of age:

16 year old Black male –

I was very insulted, and it sucks. I think that most regular people already do these things, and it was towards the negative. I don’t like rap anyway, it’s useless and annoying. It’s all about drugs or having sex.

19 year old Black male –

Before I knew it was a PSA I thought it was unique, but I thought it sucks. For anyone that’s ghettofabulous and not intelligent – it may mean something to them. You just can’t tell them [a person into ghettofabulous lifestyle] something. If you said ‘read a book’, they would say ‘Stop being so White’.

The PSA is targeting inner city Black people it looks like. I wouldn’t let my kid watch that, the language. But I know people with kids that have grown up listening to [gangsta] rap all the time, all day. I can see them letting their kid hear it.

19 year old White female –

I want to kill someone. It’s ridiculous and racist. It’s horrible. The swearing is the worst part, all the N-word. I would never let my son see this.

Continued in part 2...

The Black Entertainment Television PSA, insult or slap in the face - 8.13.2007.1

Some wondered why BET (Black Entertainment Television) caused so much animosity with the latest round of ‘original’ programming. Obviously the title of its headline program, Hot Ghetto Mess, was pretty bad. The content while less troubling than originally thought is no walk in sunshine either. But most expect nothing better from the executives, including Reginald Hudlin and Viacom head Philippe Dauman, as there is a consensus that they provide a program line-up that is less than positive towards African Americans.

Possibly proving this point is the recent addition to BET. It’s called a Public Service Announcement (PSA) though who it is serving, and how it’s a positive influence is beyond me. I will not say that this is a positive satire as I do not suffer from dementia. The concept is good on its surface, sadly the execution fails miserably. [I will not place this video on my site, but you can see it on YouTube.]

Of thee many things I could say about how insulting and wrong this supposed PSA is I will instead submit a conversation that I had with a friend on this subject. [Note that the conversation does include language that some will deem offensive. Curses are used occasionally, so children should not listen to this without a parent having first approved it. I am placing it here on the site because I feel that the language is not nearly as bad as most television programs or movies.]



I should also note that the video has one obvious omission. Did you notice that it says nothing about drugs? Was there no time left to say something about this? Was it more important to discuss hygiene (which I am unaware as being an issue) or to keep one more rousing chorus rendition?

I will add this. BET seems bent on providing programs that are as anti-African American as possible. The programs S.O.B. and We Got To Do Better are marginal in the quality and message they present. The caliber of movies found on this channel (such as Soul Plane – a bomb in the movie theaters and DVD markets) represent the best in bargain bin shopping, and virtually every other cable television network (not owned by Viacom) has numerous better quality films. The introduction of this PSA is not surprising, though it is sad.

We are not a mindless consumer that will accept anything thrown at us. Black culture is not a commodity up for sale to the highest bidder; no matter how sneaker, clothing, and who ever it is that creates the stupid money-wasting platinum teeth, companies try to make us believe we are for sale.

I don’t understand why any executive that has a concern about African Americans, beyond our available cashflow, would condone what this channel provides. Viacom does not understand its target audience, obviously. The degree to which it does not is amazing to me. I can’t wait until they pop up a PSA featuring a burning cross while a guy in a white hood raps about Blacks going to church and having a family with a mother and father.

BET, anything but black entertainment. And people say I’m a sellout because of the way I speak.

Oh, here are the lyrics (provided by Warner Todd Huston who also hated the PSA)

Read a book, read a book, read a motherf**kin’ book (pronounced mah f**kin' book in street fashion)

r-e-a-d-a-b-o–o-k

Not a sports page, not a magazine, but a book n*****, a f**kin’ book n*****

Read a book, read a book, read a motherf**kin’ book

r-e-a-d-a-b-o-o-k

Raise yo kids, raise yo kids, raise yo goddamn kids

Yo body needs water, so drink that shit

Buy some land, buy some land, what, f**k spinning rims

Brush yo teeth, brush yo teeth, brush yo goddamn teeth

Wear deodorant n*****, wear deodorant n*****

It’s called Speedstick, it’s not expensive

Read a book, read a book, read a motherf**kin’ book

r-e-a-d-a-b-o–o-k

This is what I think, what do you think?

Possible connection from oral sex to cancer - 5.22.2007.2

As I promised something far more serious is an item I mentioned I’d speak about. Oral sex can possibly give you throat cancer. Seriously. This isn’t some story that parents tell their kids, like you can go blind or grow hair on your palms.

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that human papillomavirus or HPV can be transmitted and cause a rare form of cancer. HPV is believed to be responsible for some types of cervical cancer, and vaccines are being worked on currently. Another study, from Johns Hopkins University, found around 72% of those with this rare form of throat cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, also had a type of HPV. They also found that prior HPV infection or more than 6 oral sex partners increased the chance of contracting the cancer.

I’d love to crack jokes about this. I have no doubt that some guy reading this will be pissed. Guaranteed this post will spoil the fun of a few people, but this is serious. I’m not advocating pre-marital sex, nor am I saying abstinence is the only other choice. I’m just highlighting a health concern that everyone should be aware of. Maybe researchers will find that this is incorrect, then again maybe not.

I recall reading a report about 2 years ago stating that oral sex among teens was up dramatically. That same report stated that young girls did not consider this sex. It is of course, and while pregnancy may not be a consequence there are other factors to be aware of. This is just one concern, and it is a recent finding that is getting more attention. Various STD’s [Sexually Transmitted Diseases] can be caught, carried, and passed on via oral sex. If you aren’t careful and chose to have sex, be aware there could be a negative outcome.

Call this post a PSA (Public Service Announcement). Just something I saw and wanted to pass on. Take it as you will. But if you are upset because I just ruined an evening of fun, save me the email. I already have an idea how that feels.

This is what I think, what do you think?

David Hasselhoff tape can inspire - 5.14.2007.2

Well now on to some serious thoughts. Last week there was a lot of noise made about the video tape of Mr. David Hasselhoff during a drunken binge. Many criticized him about his actions and the supposed potential danger he posed to his children.

Who are these people to make such statements? I sometimes have to wonder what the motivations of the various pundits and cable news networks are when items like this are released. The point being that while Mr. Hasselhoff was drunk, the tape was made for a purpose. It’s no secret that Mr. Hasselhoff is an alcoholic, and has tried to stay sober on and off for years. Like any other addict he has moments of relapse. Like any other addict he cannot see fully how he is behaving, or it’s affect on his family, while he is under the influence.

Knowing this and understanding that he is no less human and prone to weakness, than anyone else Mr. Hasselhoff asked his kids to make the video tape if he ever fell of the wagon. Unlike the laughable Public Service Announcements that often fill the airwaves, this tape provides a real look at what alcoholism can be. It’s a personal motivation for Mr. Hasselhoff, helping him see the effect he has on those most close to him. One more reason to stay sober for one more day.

The reaction by the media at large was not filled with intent to educate the public or to motivate others about the demons alcoholism can pose. The media just showcased a story of the moment, highlighting a low point in the life of a public figure. It was a cheap grab at ratings, and it could have been far more.

I’m sure that some where helped by seeing the tape. Mr. Hasselhoff has said it was eye-opening for him to see how he was acting. Presented in the light of inspiration, this personal moment could have helped millions. I feel that it was maybe one of the best PSA’s in years, perhaps decades. It’s rare when we get to see the honest downside of alcohol abuse especially in the form of entertainers and celebrities. Far too often the various news media instead present us stories of drunken celebrities and entertainers as fun ‘who saw who’ soundbite clips. How many times have you seen a news clip talking about this famous person seen in a nightclub drunken, or an actress/singer/public figure seen kissing a woman or without underwear on?

The media showers these moments of loss of self-control at us like they were eye candy, and mostly it’s framed as a joke. Yet the fact is there is a significant dark tunnel that many, famous or not, travel through often. Yes we all have had a bit much to drink on an occasion or 2. Yes it can be funny when a star is caught acting like our friends on a rare Saturday night. But beating up on someone using the means available to them to inspire their sobriety is not beneficial to anyone.

News media have a responsibility to present us facts, not to interpret them for us. They have a responsibility that when an item of news is found that can help or hinder millions, they should err towards the greatest good. Picking on the self-admitted failures of a man with a problem may get ratings for a night or 2, but how does that help the greater good?

I’m no fan of Mr. Hasselhoff; Baywatch was only good because of how the women’s bikinis were being filled. Still I feel he deserved a fair shake on the videotape. It had a purpose, which reportedly has helped him get perspective and strength. I just can’t forget that it probably could have done the same for so many more.

I feel Mr. Hasselhoff’s words apply equally as well to the various media that used this tape for their own profit, as to the person that released it to the public.

“The tape was never meant to become public, but got into the hands of individuals who are not worthy of mentioning, who maliciously released the tape for their own self purpose. I hope that someone else will learn from the tape, as I have.”

This is what I think, what do you think?