Most Moronic comment of the Week

I think the Harry Hill-esque award was just begging to be created when I read the following, on the Daily Mail online:

The fact that he acts like any young lad of his age is one of the most endearing things about him

That was a comment relating to a the scene below.



Yes, that is a Prince of the United Kingdom falling over drunk, after brawling with a Paparazzo.

Now, let's get a couple of things straight. The third in line to the throne of this Kingdom, is certainly not an 'ordinary guy'. Obviously the Royals are human beings, and like all humans they err from time to time. Nonetheless, a position of such responsibility requires a certain level of decorum; a concept which seems alien to Prince Harry.

Secondly, is this really the way 'any' young lad would behave? Actually, it's the sort of behaviour which gets blamed by politicians for creating 'no-go areas', in our cities. The only difference is that one situation involves working-class youngsters, the other a Hooray Henry.

Finally, it's certainly plausible that Harry could be King one day, even if it is a little unlikely. And I, for one, do not wish this Kingdom to be ruled by someone who has regularly behaved like a drunken moron. Am I really asking for too much?

Blood Alcohol Level

The comments found on this story in the Daily Mail, show the uninformed nature of many 'pressure groups'. Despite the fact that the current level has only been in operation for a few years, and that for many years the level of drink driving has decreased, Labour's review of road safety proposes reducing the level from 80mg per 100, to 50mg per 100.

Clearly, the fact that the drink-driving levels were reducing for many years, shows that the current level does act as a deterrent. What must have changed in recent years is that the belief that the consequences of flouting the law are not severe, has grown. Thus, more people are taking risks. The solution, therefore, is simply to increase penalties, not to attempt to criminalise more law-abiding people.

What is more annoying than this government tinkering, however, is the comments from 'road safety' campaigners:

Road-safety campaigners welcomed the move but called for the ministers to reduce the limit to zero. [...]

Elizabeth Davidson, whose 26-year-old daughter Margaret, a doctor, was killed by a dangerous driver last year, said: "This is a step in the right direction but the limit should really be zero.

To all intents and purposes, 50mg is zero. To reduce it any further, especially to Zero mg per 100, is completely barmy. As this website says, the body naturally produces alcohol:

The human body produces its own supply of alcohol naturally on a continuous basis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s called endogenous ethanol production. Therefore, we always have alcohol in our bodies and in some cases people produce enough to become legally intoxicated and arrested for DUI.

You would have thought people who campaign in the area would have been aware of such an obvious flaw in their argument. Clearly not.