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Kids Today

Boy, 4, uses Siri to help save mum's life
8 hours ago

A four-year-old boy saved his mother's life by using her thumb to unlock her iPhone and then asking it to call 999.
Roman, who lives in Kenley, Croydon, south London, used the phone's voice control - Siri - to call emergency services.
Police and paramedics were sent to the home and were able to give live-saving first aid to his mother.

During the 999 call Roman told the operator he thought his mum was dead because "she's closing her eyes and she's not breathing".
Roman, his twin brother and a younger brother were all in the house at the time.

Met Police Ch Supt Ade Adelekan said: "Hearing this call brings home the importance of teaching your young child their home address and how to call police or emergency services in an emergency situation."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39352286
 
Russian police in the Omsk region of Siberia have come across an improvised bar that some teenagers built to escape the cares of the school day.

They crafted a five-metre-square (54 sq ft) den in an out-of-the-way corner of rural Znamensky District, using materials they'd scavenged, Komsomolskaya Pravdanewspaper reports. "They installed a stove and wallpapered the walls," it reports with some admiration for the truants' "spirit of initiative".

The police were less impressed with how the youngsters spent their spare time in the snowbound shack. "They drank hard liquor, smoked tobacco, and indulged in gambling," regional prosecutors complained on their official site. As if that weren't enough, just two of the underage regulars at the unlicensed bar racked up 100 hours of bunking off lessons between them. ...

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-39432983?ocid=socialflow_twitter
 
Thousands of weapons seized from schools

Samurai swords, axes and air guns are among thousands of weapons seized from schools in England and Wales, Freedom of Information requests have shown.
Press Association analysis of data from 32 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales showed 2,579 weapons had been found in two years to March 2017.
Police chiefs said there had been a "worrying" increase in young people carrying knives.

There are about 25,850 schools in England and Wales.
Heads said children's safety was their top priority and that schools worked closely with police to protect pupils.
In 2016-17 alone, 1,369 weapons were found - a rise of almost 20% on the previous year.

According to the 24 forces - including Manchester and the Metropolitan Police - that gave details of the type of weapons seized, nearly 20% were knives or swords.
Other weapons confiscated included at least 26 guns, including air guns and an imitation firearm.
More unusual seizures included a police baton, a rolling pin, a can of beer and a 15in (38cm) metal rod.

At least 47 children below the age of 10 - the age at which someone can be prosecuted - were found with weapons.
This included three five-year-olds, one of whom was caught with a knife, while another was found with a "missile" - typically a brick or a rock.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-39883764
 
It sounds like an increasing spiral of paranoia feeding fear. Everyone scared of everyone else, upping the ante and the stakes all the time. When I was at school someone was 'well 'ard' if he beat someone up, there was no such silliness as knifes. We have to be careful we don't have a generation who think that carrying a knife is cool or earns them respect.
 
Pass through any working-class shopping area in Manchester and nearly every little kid you see will be armed: usually just with a poundshop light-stick, sabre or suchlike. It will, however, be brandished as a weapon at other kids or used to create a space around themselves. It is not at all unusual to see a young mother with three or four tots, all variously armed, all running amok, as she attends to the more urgent business of texting. Outside the busier areas, the lightsticks will be replaced by branches, garden canes or anything else. It's a jungle out there! :eek:
 
It sounds like an increasing spiral of paranoia feeding fear. Everyone scared of everyone else, upping the ante and the stakes all the time. When I was at school someone was 'well 'ard' if he beat someone up, there was no such silliness as knifes. We have to be careful we don't have a generation who think that carrying a knife is cool or earns them respect.

Entirely too late, I'm afraid.
 
Little hero finds stolen bag and returns it to its grateful owner
By CGOSLING | Posted: May 23, 2017

A woman has spoken of her utter relief after a little boy found her bag in a bush after her car had been broken into.

Four-year-old William Whiting, from Plympton, came across the bag when playing in Victoria Park in Stoke during a family outing.
The family called the police who reunited the bag with owner Samantha Townshend - much to the delight of William, who says he wants to be a policeman when he grows up.

Mum Victoria Whiting, a part time dance teacher at Italia Conti in Plymouth, said: "William was just running around the park and suddenly said 'mummy I've found a bag'.
"I immediately rang my brother who is a policeman in Newton Abbott and he sent someone out to us so we could verify whose bag it was.
"It looked as if it had sentimental things in there and she looked to be a uni student so I thought even if it doesn't help find who did this, it would be helpful to her to have it back."

The mum-of-two, aged 31, stayed with the bag until police arrived.
"I thought if I left and nobody came and someone else saw the make up in there and thought I like that - it might be taken again," she said.
"But William was chuffed - I just keep telling him 'you've really helped today.'"

Owner of the bag Samantha, who is currently on a nursing placement for university in Exeter and uses her car to commute, told The Herald she is very grateful to William.
"He is an absolute star. The little boy deserves some recognition, as does his mum," she said.
"They have relieved a lot of stress and anxiety for me knowing I haven't got my personal ID and belongings dotted all over Plymouth."
She added: "He will make a very good policeman when he is older."

The 25-year-old's car was broken into on Wake Street in Pennycomequick between Sunday evening and the early hours of Monday morning.
Samantha, who is training to become a nurse specialising in children's health, said she was "mortified" after her boyfriend discovered her window smashed.
"My boyfriend left for work and went to drop his son to school when he noticed my car had been broken into," she said.

"I then remembered my uni bag was in there with my purse inside - but I have tinted windows and had tucked the bag in behind the passenger seat so they must have really been looking to see it.
"Thanks to the bag being found, hopefully now they will be able to find some fingerprints. There's also a cafe nearby to where the bag was found which has CCTV so hopefully they'll find who did this.
"My uni card was in there which I need to hand in my work and I only have ten weeks left. It has really saved me the extra hassle."
...

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/lit...rns-to-owner/story-30349440-detail/story.html
 
Little hero finds stolen bag and returns it to its grateful owner
By CGOSLING | Posted: May 23, 2017

A woman has spoken of her utter relief after a little boy found her bag in a bush after her car had been broken into.

Four-year-old William Whiting, from Plympton, came across the bag when playing in Victoria Park in Stoke during a family outing.
The family called the police who reunited the bag with owner Samantha Townshend - much to the delight of William, who says he wants to be a policeman when he grows up.

Mum Victoria Whiting, a part time dance teacher at Italia Conti in Plymouth, said: "William was just running around the park and suddenly said 'mummy I've found a bag'.
"I immediately rang my brother who is a policeman in Newton Abbott and he sent someone out to us so we could verify whose bag it was.
"It looked as if it had sentimental things in there and she looked to be a uni student so I thought even if it doesn't help find who did this, it would be helpful to her to have it back."

The mum-of-two, aged 31, stayed with the bag until police arrived.
"I thought if I left and nobody came and someone else saw the make up in there and thought I like that - it might be taken again," she said.
"But William was chuffed - I just keep telling him 'you've really helped today.'"

Owner of the bag Samantha, who is currently on a nursing placement for university in Exeter and uses her car to commute, told The Herald she is very grateful to William.
"He is an absolute star. The little boy deserves some recognition, as does his mum," she said.
"They have relieved a lot of stress and anxiety for me knowing I haven't got my personal ID and belongings dotted all over Plymouth."
She added: "He will make a very good policeman when he is older."

The 25-year-old's car was broken into on Wake Street in Pennycomequick between Sunday evening and the early hours of Monday morning.
Samantha, who is training to become a nurse specialising in children's health, said she was "mortified" after her boyfriend discovered her window smashed.
"My boyfriend left for work and went to drop his son to school when he noticed my car had been broken into," she said.

"I then remembered my uni bag was in there with my purse inside - but I have tinted windows and had tucked the bag in behind the passenger seat so they must have really been looking to see it.
"Thanks to the bag being found, hopefully now they will be able to find some fingerprints. There's also a cafe nearby to where the bag was found which has CCTV so hopefully they'll find who did this.
"My uni card was in there which I need to hand in my work and I only have ten weeks left. It has really saved me the extra hassle."
...

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/lit...rns-to-owner/story-30349440-detail/story.html

That made me smile, much needed good news in these gloomy days.
 
The Great Self-Esteem Hoax Laid Bare.

A timely history of how the narcissist generation was nurtured in a bubble.

The notion is now so deeply-ingrained that it will be impervious to any academic criticism, along with kinaesthetic-learners and the rest of the blame-free drivel peddled for a generation! :rolleyes:
 
You see this bigging up the self-esteem everywhere now, the internet practically runs on it. If every little achievement is worthy of praise, then it cheapens even the biggest achievements. But this article doesn't take into account that to ensure one's esteem is at optimum levels, it is necessary to belittle those regarded as having made awful mistakes, on the suspicion they were purposeful evils.

I don't mean actual evil acts like murder or rape, I mean saying the wrong thing by using the language clumsily, it can be as simple as making an off colour joke in the wrong company. Irony doesn't cut it anymore, everyone's looking for the next victim to pile on as long as it's not themselves. Everyone needs a clear enemy to contrast themselves against. Is that narcissism? There doesn't seem to be much middle ground.
 
Here's a 17 year old challenging an English teacher to a rap battle .. most of you will be pleased to know the teacher wins .. the young lad was an excellent sport about it though :D (worth watching even if you don't like rap battles ... and NSFW

 
Girl, 5, fined £150 for lemonade stand :eek:

A five-year-old girl was fined £150 by a council for selling 50p cups of lemonade to festival goers.
The girl's father Andre Spicer said his daughter had set up the stall in Mile End, east London, while thousands of music fans were on their way to the Lovebox Festival at the weekend.

Professor Spicer said his daughter burst into tears and told him "I've done a bad thing."

Tower Hamlets Council has since cancelled the fine and apologised.

Professor Spicer said his daughter loved the idea of setting up a stall near their home.
"She just wanted to put a smile on people's faces. She was really proud of herself," he said.
"But after a small time trading, four enforcement officers walked over from the other side of the road.
"I was quite shocked. I thought that they would just tell us to pack up and go home.

"But they turned on their mobile camera and began reading from a big script explaining that she did not have a trading licence.
"My daughter clung to me screaming 'daddy, daddy, I've done a bad thing.' She's five.
"We were then issued a fine of £150. We packed up and walked home."

A council spokesman said: "We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly.
"This clearly did not happen.
"The fine will be cancelled immediately and we have contacted Professor Spicer and his daughter to apologise."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679075
 
A council spokesman said: "We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly.
 
A council spokesman said: "We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly.

But they probably won't, which is why they perhaps shouldn't have such powers to begin with...
 
But they probably won't, which is why they perhaps shouldn't have such powers to begin with...

Yup, the next sentence admits that they didn't on that occasion. I reckon these enforcement officers are probably minimum-waged, undertrained agency workers.
 
I remember being quite young and setting up a lemonade stand on the pavement with my sister. We didn't get many customers, but we had fun. Oh yes, and back then there were fewer petty spoilsport officials.
Aren't these twits given training? Don't they have kids of their own? Unbelievable. :omr:
 
Girl, 5, fined £150 for lemonade stand :eek:

... Professor Spicer said his daughter burst into tears and told him "I've done a bad thing."

... And the resultant family humiliation was so unbearable their American cousin Sean Spicer resigned his White House post the very next day!
 
I hope the girl had not been spiking the Lemonade with J.S.Spicer's rum (a bottle of which is on my desk right now!)
 
Girl, 5, fined £150 for lemonade stand :eek:

A five-year-old girl was fined £150 by a council for selling 50p cups of lemonade to festival goers.
The girl's father Andre Spicer said his daughter had set up the stall in Mile End, east London, while thousands of music fans were on their way to the Lovebox Festival at the weekend.

Professor Spicer said his daughter burst into tears and told him "I've done a bad thing."

Tower Hamlets Council has since cancelled the fine and apologised.

Professor Spicer said his daughter loved the idea of setting up a stall near their home.
"She just wanted to put a smile on people's faces. She was really proud of herself," he said.
"But after a small time trading, four enforcement officers walked over from the other side of the road.
"I was quite shocked. I thought that they would just tell us to pack up and go home.

"But they turned on their mobile camera and began reading from a big script explaining that she did not have a trading licence.
"My daughter clung to me screaming 'daddy, daddy, I've done a bad thing.' She's five.
"We were then issued a fine of £150. We packed up and walked home."

A council spokesman said: "We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly.
"This clearly did not happen.
"The fine will be cancelled immediately and we have contacted Professor Spicer and his daughter to apologise."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679075

It's not clear to whom the fine was issued: Professor Spicer says 'we'. A fine against a five-year-old would be laughed out of court.
 
Psychopath watch-list for those 5, then.
 

I saw the story on Reddit and stopped the video as soon as I realised what I was about to see. I also read a number of explanations for the youths' actions, but few rang true: this is barbarism with the stench of something rotten in society; in our hearts we all know where it has come from, but we lack the collective will to take the actions to end it.
 
I disagree. Most people would find the video and the teenagers' actions unacceptable.
 
I disagree. Most people would find the video and the teenagers' actions unacceptable.

I'm a bit confused, 'Scarge ... :Conf2:

What exactly is it with which you're disagreeing? It strikes me that both you and Yithian find the teens' actions unacceptable. Or were you responding to someone else or some other aspect / angle?
 
I'm a bit confused, 'Scarge ... :Conf2:

What exactly is it with which you're disagreeing? It strikes me that both you and Yithian find the teens' actions unacceptable. Or were you responding to someone else or some other aspect / angle?
Without being Skargy's spokesman or anything, I think she's talking about the last line in Yith's post on this matter, that "we lack the collective will to take the actions to end it" .. I'd have to agree if that's what she means that this isn't true of everyone, there's still loads of good Samaritans about, I'm not going to watch a film of five girls giggling at a man drowning either though.
 
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