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40 reasons why we need an R rating
August 15, 2008
Starting tonight, I'll be going without food and video games for 40 hours to raise money for some of the world's most disadvantaged children.
As previously mentioned on this blog, I was prompted into action after reading many of the negative comments from critics of my push for the introduction of an R18+ games rating in Australia.
I believe an R18+ rating would help protect vulnerable children from inappropriate content, but many opponents suggested gamers are selfish to put their desires to play adult games ahead of the need to protect children. Hopefully we can convince them otherwise.
Just in case my token gesture and the strong social conscience that Australia's gaming community have demonstrated is not enough to convince detractors that gamers are serious about protecting children, today I've also presented 40 reasons why we need an R18+ rating.
Click below for the list, and feel free to add your own reasons, or dispute any of the inclusions.
1. Australia's current classification regime needs an overhaul. It has a reputation for being strict because of the very small number of games that get refused classification each year, but it is not. Despite the fact that games in Australia are classified more stringently than films, dozens of games designed for adults are every year shoehorned into an inappropriate category. Many games rated MA15+ in Australia (a rating many Australians do not understand) are rated R18+ in countries like Britain. High-profile examples include God of War, Army of Two, Dead Rising, BioShock, Gears of War and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
2. Parents would be far more vigilant about keeping inappropriate games away from minors if they were labeled with the highly recognised R18+ rating - a "restricted" category.
3. The lack of an adults-only classification sends the wrong message to the non-game playing community, perpetuating the dangerous myth that games are only played by children and all games are suitable for minors, which can result in parents not monitoring what their children play.
4. The absence of an R18+ classification is only encouraging youngsters to delve beyond the safety of our classification system and download games illegally.
5. The British Board of Film Classification has found that press coverage about controversial games (the type of attention typically generated by Classification Board bans) significantly increases children's interest in those games.
6. Over 70 per cent of Australian game players are over 18 and the average age of game players in Australia is now at least 28.
7. A key tenet of the classification code is that "adults should be able to read, hear and see what they want".
8. An R18+ category would enable game developers to more freely explore the full gamut of human experiences using the interactive medium.
9. The change would bring consistency to Australia's classification system.
10. An R18+ rating would make it easier for the public to understand Australia's classification system and make informed choices about the products they purchase.
11. An R18+ rating would recognise the legitimacy of the interactive entertainment industry as one of the most popular forms of digital entertainment today.
12. All three next-generation consoles have built-in parental systems to help ensure that minors cannot access inappropriate material.
13. The introduction of an R18+ category would not trigger an avalanche of games containing extreme violence or explicit sex to be released in Australia.
14. Games are very expensive to create and manufactured for a worldwide audience - games developers would not create more graphic games because of a change in Australia's classification system.
15. Only a handful of games have been refused classification in Australia over the last decade.
16. Console manufacturers already have their own strict limits on what is permissible on their platforms.
17. Games exceeding the Classification Board's limitations for an R18+ category would continue to be refused classification.
19. The games industry is unnecessarily spending resources on creating edited versions of games for Australian release so they fit within the MA15+ category.
20. It is questionable whether making minor modifications to a game designed for adults can adequately protect minors.
21. The lack of an R18+ classification costs Australian jobs in retail and distribution because avid gamers simply import banned games or download them illegally.
22. Australian game developers complain that the absence of an R18+ classification sends the message to overseas publishers that the Australian development industry is not progressive and worth investing in.
23. As with other media, R18+ classified games would not be able to be purchased legally by minors.
24. Convergence is blurring the boundaries between the film and gaming industries, making different classification systems for the two media increasingly incongruous.
25. One of the most comprehensive studies into the effect of computer games - Computer Games and Australians Today, a four-year review published in 1999 by the Office of Film and Literature Classification - found little evidence to support fears that playing games was addictive or contributed to aggression.
26. Few members of the Australian community perceive games as a social problem according to the Computer Games and Australians Today study.
27. An independent report commissioned by the OFLC in 2002 found strong community support for an R18+ games classification and recommended its introduction.
28. Bond University's GamePlay Australia 2005 survey found 88 per cent of Australians support the introduction of an R18+ games rating.
29. There is no evidence that viewing material found in R18+ games causes anti-social behaviour in adults.
30. Keeping inappropriate games out of the hands of children is a matter of enforcement, not just classification.
31. Education for parents and stricter enforcement of the game classification scheme at retail will protect children much more effectively than bans.
32. An R18+ rating is already part of a robust classification system for other media.
33. The introduction of an R18+ rating for games would highlight that the Australian
community is serious about doing everything it can to keep inappropriate content out of the hands of minors.
34. The introduction of an R18+ rating would make it an offense for a parent or guardian to let their child view an R18+ rated game.
35. Games currently rated MA15+ with strong impact could be re-classified as R18+ to protect minors.
36. With the ever-increasing adoption of international digital download systems, Australia should have a ratings system that is consistent with the rest of the Western world.
37. Over the past decade there has been a decrease in violent crime in Australia and the US despite significant growth in the game-playing audience.
38. An OFLC Review of Consumer Advice for Films and Computer Games published in June 2005 found consumers "seek consistency of consumer advice across all media".
39. The Interactive Australia 2007 study by Bond University found Australians are very confused about the current games classification system, particularly the MA15+ rating, and it was logical that a common system for games and film would help parents make more informed entertainment choices.
40. Australian gamers have demonstrated that they have a strong social conscience and want to protect the world's children by donating over $1500 to this year's World Vision 40 Hour Famine.
Screen Play readers can click here to donate to the World Vision appeal via credit card, and please remember to use the donor number 670982388 so it adds to our official tally.
Many thanks to all the generous readers who have donated already, including the folks at Activision Asia Pacific and Mindscape Software Australia.
Photo credit: World Vision.
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Recent comments
- Sean Riley
- August 15, 2008
As much as I love the last idea, I think it's too tokenistic, and easily dismissed.
A stronger argument would be finding out how much Australian gamers donated to Child's Play in the one year it ran out here. I'd contact the Penny Arcade boys and find out.
- toodles
- August 15, 2008
i love you jason
- zebba
- August 15, 2008
Good work :)
Two items I'd like to note:
Firstly, one of the big "cons" from the anti-R camp is that many kids are more tech savvy then their parents. I believe a perfect solution to this would be to legislate that R18+ games that are sold should also come with a brochure advising how they can use the parental lockout systems on their console, or password protect and restrict user access to PC's. This way we empower parents even further - they are advised of the content by an R classification, and they are advised how to protect their children while enjoying it themselves by the brochure. This, I believe, would nullify the "tech savvy" argument.
Secondly, any chance of writing a full op-ed piece for the main news page? After being corrected a couple of days ago when I thought there hadn't been enough analysis by Screenplay on the issue, I am still dismayed to see that whilst the analysis in here is good, there is never anything in the news sections where the average non-gaming Joe/Jo reads. I should emphasise that I'm NOT blaming screenplay this time (lesson learnt!), but with your relationship with the publisher you are in a reasonable position to get some analysis from the other side into the mainstream. I've read plenty of op-ed pieces on the main page of this and the other major Oz news-sites from the anti-R camp, but none from our side. How is the average person to see both sides of the issue and form an informed opinion when the only people they hear from are Family First, the AFA, or the ill-informed comments on shows like QandA?
- Regent
- August 15, 2008
Hi Jason,
This is a great list but many of the points you have made are doubled up. I don't believe MORE points necessarily indicate a stronger argument. This whole list could have been summed up in about 15.
10. An R18+ rating would make it easier for the public to understand Australia's classification system and make informed choices about the products they purchase.
11. An R18+ rating would recognise the legitimacy of the interactive entertainment industry as one of the most popular forms of digital entertainment today.
13. The introduction of an R18+ category would not trigger an avalanche of games containing extreme violence or explicit sex to be released in Australia.
14. Games are very expensive to create and manufactured for a worldwide audience - games developers would not create more graphic games because of a change in Australia's classification system.
30. Keeping inappropriate games out of the hands of children is a matter of enforcement, not just classification. Same as point 23 and 31
32. An R18+ rating is already part of a robust classification system for other media. Same as point 9.
35. Games currently rated MA15+ with strong impact could be re-classified as R18+ to protect minors. Same as point 1.
36. With the ever-increasing adoption of international digital download systems, Australia should have a ratings system that is consistent with the rest of the Western world. Same as point 9.
But on the whole, I agree with the introduction of an R18+ rating system.
Jason says: But it wouldn't be very hard to go without games and food for 15 hours now would it...
- forthechildren
- August 15, 2008
How about one oldies can understand...
Introduce a R18 rating to protect our children from the violence, sex, and drug use already in games rated MA15.
Please for the sake of all the little children out there murdering, stealing, raping, pillaging, homogenising their way through games like GTA IV, there needs to be a rating for adults only.
Michael Atkinson for your inaction, the responsiblity for every 15 year old who is playing these games is on you. For every innocent they shoot, every prostitute they stab, for every drop of blood spilt. Protect our children Mr Atkinson and make sure we have a R18 rating by the end of the year.
- Gabe
- August 15, 2008
Great list Jason, and good luck for the weekend!
I feel you made 10 points in particular that people should use in the weeks/months ahead,
as they'll "better survive the tabloid media test".
(ie "SEX!! VIOLENCE!!! SHOCK!! HORROR!!!")
*These ones, about 'protecting kiddies'. (1, 5, 17, 23, 34, 35)
*These ones, about 'helping parents'. (2, 12, 39)
*And this one, showing that a 'flood of smut' won't occur due to economics/publisher rules. (14)
I haven't included any of the points about 'games are for adults too'
or 'we look silly to other countries' as those things
DO NOT MATTER to conservative and/or misinformed politicians, journalists & parents.
If the debate becomes "protecting kiddies" versus "yeah but adults play games",
then we have LOST already.
The 'other side' has chosen to argue "protecting kiddies".
Our only hope, is to argue "protecting kiddies BETTER".
Good luck Screenplayers..... :-)
- rup31
- August 15, 2008
Personally I think part of the issue is branding / semantics - when most people hear games they think scrabble / monopoly / twister etc. Thus they struggle with mature content in them (mainly sex / drugs)
If computer games were presented to the public as digital entertainment (or some other term) it might be easier for them to accept mature content being included
Just my 2 cents worth.
- diamondjoe
- August 15, 2008
Your better off paying an official off to get what you want. Thats the way things work in AUS.
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
> R18+ games . . . should also come with a brochure advising how they can use the parental lockout
Now that is a good idea. Legislation may be going too far, but perhaps a policy based around the advertising campaign when the R18+ rating is introduced.
Damned good idea.
Oh, Jason, I'm very impressed! I read that you were going to list forty, and I expected a bit of waffle and filler, but you did it admirably. Good points, every one.
- Christian
- August 15, 2008
So we can see "heads being blown apart" for the sake of "entertainment" and "immersion".
Nothing selfish about that.
After all, Australian gamers have demonstrated that they have a strong social conscience and want to protect the world's children by donating over $1500 to this year's World Vision 40 Hour Famine.
As a rational gamer, I can see no logical reason to introduce an R18+ rating. The above are based on tendentious reasoning and motivated out of selfishness.
Doesn't the NRA argue that the more guns people have, the safer they are? The kiddies too. They're motivated out of sheer benevolence and concern for the welfare of all U.S citizens.
See any similarities?
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
> See any similarities?
Between advocating the distribution of weapons designed and built for the sole purpose of killing human beings, and advocating the standardisation of the classification of video games?
Frankly, no, and I think anyone who sees a similarity there bears a strong similarity to an idiot.
Care to address all forty of those reasons individually? Want to engage in an actual debate, instead of just parroting right-wing talking points?
- zebba
- August 15, 2008
So Christian, at the same time you are arguing against an R18+ classification for games, are you petitioning to remove it from movies, magazines, etc?
We live in a capitalist society, in which selfish motivations rule. People go to movies be they R or G rated for the "selfish" reasons of entertainment and immersion. People go to work every day for the "selfish" reason of putting food on the table and a roof over their heads. If you want to use that argument against an R18+ classification for games, then extend it to every other part of our society that is governed by individual needs and wants.
Basically, you are either
a) advocating a "1984" style of society, in which everything is done for the good of the state;
b)you aren't the "rational" person you claim to be and haven't given your argument any proper thought and extrapolated beyond this single issue, or;
c) you're being a troll.
- Metallic Cloud
- August 15, 2008
Frankly, no, and I think anyone who sees a similarity there bears a strong similarity to an idiot.
Posted by: DexX on August 15, 2008 10:29 AM
You beat me to it. Well put.
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
Second point that occurred to me after I hit "send"...
You do seem to love going on about those exploding heads, don't you? Don't you find it somewhat ironic, though, that the Classification Board has now rubber-stamped those exploding heads of yours as just fine and dandy for fifteen year olds? Fallout 3 was banned for its drug content. The drugs were scaled back, but the extreme bloody violence was left untouched, and the whole thing is stamped "appropriate for fifteen year olds". Don't you find this even remotely stupid?
Don't you think it would have been better if the game had been left unedited and simply released under an R18+ rating?
You seem to think it's a GOOD thing that fifteen years olds can purchase a game full of exploding heads, and legally a child of any age can play it. I think the exploding heads should be kept ina game that only adults can legally buy and play.
...and yet YOU'RE the one claiming to be protecting the children, and I'M selfish?
If you cannot see the blatant hypocrisy in this then there really is no point arguing with you.
- Falooza
- August 15, 2008
Posted by: DexX on August 15, 2008 10:49 AM
I was going to have a go at Christian, but I think I'll just leave it to DexX. He's better at it.
- Mr Waffle
- August 15, 2008
Good points. The "R18+ means no more shoehorning inappropriate content into MA15+" one is so blindingly obvious that it's hard to believe people won't support R18+...
Regarding the pamphlet explaining the parental lockout system, maybe get the three console companies to knock up a single pamplet that gets distributed to all game shops? Have all instructions on one brochure for all three systems, and every time a parent buys a console, it's handed to them by the staff member. They'll read it if they're handed it- the same way that people read the advertising junk that falls out of your magazine (that's why they do it, it's on purpose!).
- Gabe
- August 15, 2008
Zebba wrote:
>I believe a perfect solution to this would be to legislate that R18+ games
>should also come with a brochure advising how they can use the parental lockout systems >on their console, or password protect and restrict user access to PC's
Awesome suggestion.
>Secondly, any chance of writing a full op-ed piece for the main news page?
My response, 'yes' but 'no'.
Yes - this absolutely needs to be done, but my question is.. (with massive respect)
...is Jason the man for the job?
If Joe Bloggs reads a headline "Games deserve Adult rating",
and sees it's written by "Jason Hill, Fairfax Game Journalist",
he's likely to think "Yeah, well he WOULD say that!" & stop reading any further.
I think any Op-Ed on the pro-R18+ side would need to be written by someone
who is a "well known trusted parent" rather than a "well known game expert".
It's all about the spokesperson. :-)
- Christian
- August 15, 2008
You seem to think it's a GOOD thing that fifteen years olds can purchase a game full of exploding heads, and legally a child of any age can play it. I think the exploding heads should be kept in a game that only adults can legally buy and play.
No, I just don't think it is a BETTER idea that 18 year olds can purchase a game full of exploding heads, drug use, and/or sexual content, and legally a child of any age can play it.
BTW, whatever happened to Shellshock II?
- edmonde
- August 15, 2008
@ Christian
I agree with you all the way. I'm glad there is someone else out there who isn't a goul and get their jolies over wanting to see foul images.
Jason says: If we had an R classification, more developers would be encouraged to explore the full gamut of human experiences in a mature fashion. So far "mature" content is usually not really mature, just violent, but it doesn't have to be that way.
- Smoolander
- August 15, 2008
"Onwards Christian soldiers....."
Now has even more meaning after the last few posts.
- thejoeescapeplan
- August 15, 2008
i know its from a rival paper, but...
Madworld looks sweet but cant say im surprised tho...
- Falooza
- August 15, 2008
"No, I just don't think it is a BETTER idea that 18 year olds can purchase a game full of exploding heads, drug use, and/or sexual content, and legally a child of any age can play it."
Posted by: Christian on August 15, 2008 11:16 AM
I refer you to point 34: "The introduction of an R18+ rating would make it an offense for a parent or guardian to let their child view an R18+ rated game."
That's what 'restricted' means. It's an offense, and therefore illegal. End of story.
- zebba
- August 15, 2008
To christian, edmonde, etc referring to us as "gouls" [sic] and "selfish".
At the same time you are arguing against an R18+ classification, are you also arguing to remove it from movies, magazines, etc? If not, why not?
To gabe & dexx - thanks for the kind words. Gabe, I also agree Jason isn't the ideal spokesperson to appeal to the other side for your same reasons, but in the absence of anyone else, anyone is better then no-one. At the very least, he's legible and articulate if not a posterboy for conservatism :)
And why wasn't my original response to christian published? :(
- Infinitum
- August 15, 2008
Great list Jason - tough job wringing 40 reasons when one should be enough.
While I don't agree with Christian, I respect his right to his opinion. I know we can get passionate about infringments on civil liberties, but Christian's viewpoint is valid. His point seems to be that it is worth losing some of our freedoms to prevent the worst material being sold in Australia. But I just can't begin to accept this rationally unless I forget all about the film classification system.
On the other hand, this edmonde is nothing but a snivelling troll - I'll wager it's the alter ego of a more regular contributor not willing to stir the pot under their own anonymous handle. Now that's REAL cowardice.
- fnord
- August 15, 2008
"No, I just don't think it is a BETTER idea that 18 year olds can purchase a game full of exploding heads, drug use, and/or sexual content, and legally a child of any age can play it."
Posted by: Christian on August 15, 2008 11:16 AM
I see your point. R18 games would be just like porn, cigarettes and alcohol. Although obviously more of a social concern with the exploding heads and sexual content.
- Smoolander
- August 15, 2008
No, I just don't think it is a BETTER idea that 18 year olds can purchase a game full of exploding heads, drug use, and/or sexual content, and legally a child of any age can play it.
Posted by: Christian on August 15, 2008 11:16 AM
Riiiiight. It's so much better for a 15 year old to purchase a game full of 'exploding heads, drug use, and/or sexual content' than a legal adult and 'legally a child of any age can play it'.
Glad we cleared that one up.
- Mr Ak
- August 15, 2008
Christian - did your head explode in childhood? I ask, because you seem to have deep-seated personal issues with exploding heads, suggesting some kind of personal trauma. Do you need a hug? It's going to be okay.
Just don't watch:
Alien Resurrection
Starship Troopers
You know, I'm sure there's more, but I just can't think of them. Any more exploding head movies, anyone?
- Falooza
- August 15, 2008
Posted by: Mr Ak on August 15, 2008 12:13 PM
...or Rambo 4.
- Infinitum
- August 15, 2008
@ Mr Ak - Mars Attacks
- Misty
- August 15, 2008
Anyone else find it funny how you don't see the AFA up in arms about the poor kids dying in the Iraq war? Self-righteous moral conservatives tend to only care about select issues that support their agenda. Their politics involve scapegoating to boot, just to distract everyone from the real issues and the real solutions.
I fail to see how Christian is being any less selfish than the rest of us. Bad argument there.
- Regent
- August 15, 2008
@ Mr Ak - Braindead? Even the Nightmare on Elm Street movies (bad SFX as they were?
@ Christian: I think you must have lived a sheltered life if you dont think children can already access such content.
Much better for us all to sit in our living rooms enjoying the ignorant bliss of KNOWING that our children, unsupervised on the net in their rooms, are only looking up their maths homework...
- Lith
- August 15, 2008
I agree completely with Christian. If there are facets of the human existence that cannot be adequately explored through Barbie Pony Adventures, then surely they are not worth exploring.
I can't grasp what you're looking for, C. The most beautiful elucidation of existence comes when we explore the extremes of human relationships, be they violent, sexual or any parts of the spectrum in between. As much as I would love to play a game based on an office worker sitting at a desk and staring out the window, I don't know that I would take anything away from it.
Have you seen The Godfather? The films of Scorsese, Tarantino? Read King Lear, Hamlet? 1984? Heard any Nick Cave? Mature themes are healthy stimulus for an adult mind.
There are bounds to taste and pushing the envelope, but you've drawn the line about a mile from where it should be. Do I particularly care about exploding heads? No. Do I care about death? Yes, absolutely, it is a critical aspect of an overwhelming number of amazing texts.
I don't think gaming has reached the same level of achievement as any of the mediums I've listed as examples, but cutting its legs from beneath it with unnecessary cencorship isn't going to help any. If the violence bothers you, don't play it - it's that simple.
Pity the world where we can no longer develop a sense of empathy through our art, because then we have nothing left.
- luverly_5pam
- August 15, 2008
@ Mr Ak - Not quite a head exploding, but Raiders of the Lost Ark had heads melting etc. Last time I checked, that one was rated M - Moderate Violence...
- Regent
- August 15, 2008
Maybe it would be better to:
A)go 40 hours only playing PG rated games;
B) play 40 PG rated games, in a row, to completion; or
C) Dedicate the next 40 articles to right-wing subservients who believe they know better than I do what will influence my behaviour.
- Chris
- August 15, 2008
Christian, apologise for having an independant opinion before the wolves come back for the kill.
Jason, while I enjoyed reading your list can I ask a question? Your first and main reason doesn't add up to me.
If the Australian classification board are shoehorning games into an inappropriate category why try to make a concession for that rather than tackling the real problem which is that they are classifying games incorrectly. What is to say that if there was an R18+ they would even use it?
Isn't this the same as introducing cane toads into Queensland?
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
Lith, that was brilliant. The first line especially is a corker. I think I might have to put that on a t-shirt.
- Blahzy
- August 15, 2008
You do have a semi valid point but at best that leaves you with 1 reason down and 39 to go.
- Anthony
- August 15, 2008
I dunno... so of those 40 was just why those opposing it are wrong, instead of actually supporting why it should exist ;)
- Daniel
- August 15, 2008
I think Christian should perhaps look at moving to China after the Olympics hype dies off (oops, sorry - I mean "passes away"). Their restricted and regimented society is likely far more appealing to him than the freedom we seek to enjoy in Australia.
If mature human beings are not allowed to enjoy the odd moment of FICTIONAL adult behaviour by engaging in R18+ video games then we may as well round up a lynchmob and attack every music store, DVD store and book store in sight due to the unethical content contained within.
Go on Christian - head to your closest religious paraphernalia shop and ask them to stop selling the Bible due to excessive quantities of death and violence from start to finish.
Oh no, wait a minute, that wouldn't be justified because isn't the Bible also teaching people important life lessons?
In my opinion, risk and self-sacrifice in your mission to destroy the bad guys and save the innocent princess from harm is noble and teaches a good lesson. It is one of the most cliched and commonly used storylines in video games, but that's only because it's damn good.
- InstinctSage
- August 15, 2008
Games are being classified by a rating system which is outdated for the purpose; the OFLC is working with what they have been given.
Publishers will still likely try to fly under the MA15+ rating even if there is an R18+ rating available, since the bigger the market, the more sales. But that's precisely why the rating's system needs an overhaul. It's not as simple as just tacking on an R Rating to cover what's been RC in the past and potentially would be in the future.
- Mr Ak
- August 15, 2008
The freedom to hold and express an opinion is contingent on the freedom to disagree vehemently with another's opinion. And in my opinion, Christian's arguments are bad.
Now, people have expressed counter-arguments about this on previous blogs, but Christian just tends to ignore them, expressing the same tired old ideas time and time again.
Regardless of any assessment of the ideas involved, repeating the same argument almost word-for-word is the definition of pointless. If it didn't convince anyone the first time, it's not going to now.
The horse is not only dead, it's been turned into glue and eaten by a five-year-old.
As rational debate has proved pointless, I make fun of him (without crossing the line into the genuinely personal, I hope). If he or you want to make fun of me back, that's fine.
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
Anthony, once again: adults should be able to watch, listen to, read, and play whatever they want, regardless of how stupidf, pointless, or distasteful anyone may find it, unless there is a very good reason for interfering with their freedom.
I don't know why I have to keep saying this, because it's such a fundamental part of what we call for want of a better word "democracy", but it is the job of the censors to prove why something should be banned; it is NOT the job of the a citizen to prove they deserve to have something.
I am supposed to be a free citizen in a democracy, and that means I do what I like unless the government can give me a damned good reason why I can't.
"Prudes find it distasteful" doesn't cut it.
- Starr
- August 15, 2008
@ Mr Ak:
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
The Fly 2
Day of the Dead
Big Trouble in little China
Wild at Heart
The Running Man
Several Itchy and Scratchy episodes
The Untouchables
Sin City
That's it for now
- Daniel
- August 15, 2008
Chris said: the real problem which is that they are classifying games incorrectly.
I thought one of Jason's main arguments was that games are being incorrectly classified because the review board do not have a full range of rating classifications to work with. Was that incorrect? If there is an Adults Only rating then the adult material can be classified as it should be and kept away from minds that are too young to deal with the imagery and concepts displayed.
- August 15, 2008
Chris wrote:
-If the Australian classification board are shoehorning games into an inappropriate category why try to make a concession for that rather than tackling the real problem which is that they are classifying games incorrectly. What is to say that if there was an R18+ they would even use it?
You make a very good point that there is a problem in the Classification system, its criteria and how its applied.
Yes, it should be fixed. However, its incredibly shortsighted to make that argument and then propose they don't add to the tools to fix it with!
An R Rating is an understandable mechanism of communication that they are not using for games. Whether YOU want to play games with this content or feel that games should not be aimed at such a market, the reality is they are and will continue to do so.
So its time for us to look at this from a reality perspective and treat the medium with full respect for its diversity and POSSIBLE diversity by including an R rating.
Seriously I don't see why you'd argue against it - how can it hurt, and how can it do anything but help, with valid concerns for inappopriate content reaching the wrong audience?
I also agree with the pamphleting idea, but I wouldn't include it in R18+ games only. I would include it in ALL games and after the change for a time in ALL MEDIA (on DVDs it would be menu content) to communicate the change, the responsibility of consumers and parents, and the other tools available such as built on parental controls.
Besides all of this, the rest of the world is the market for films and games and they aren't going to change their content just for backwards Australia.
At this point I'm importing Fallout 3 from the UK, or USA if region free - so that hurts Australia more as my local game store does not get my money, much as I'd like them to have it.
- dude
- August 15, 2008
"So we can see "heads being blown apart" for the sake of "entertainment" and "immersion"."
Obviously someone doesn't watch network TV at 8:30PM...
- Anthony
- August 15, 2008
@Chris on August 15, 2008 2:49 PM
Nah, it's more fun if he doesn't apologise.
Although that would require him to actually have an opinion that could be found under the hyperbole to apologise for.
As far as the point about whether an R18+ would get used, depends entirely on how it's structured. In my mind at least, the 15+ rating would get tightened up a bit so Christians precious head busters wouldn't actually be available under a rebalanced setup. Of course, what happens once the pollies get at is another thing entirely.
- Chris
- August 15, 2008
Daniel that's conjecture at best.
"If we do this then that will happen" doesn't hold up in court.
The only thing that can actually be proven is that an R18 classification will mean that Manhunt and BMX XXX will find themselves in Australian lounge rooms. Can't wait.
Sorry but someone has to play Devil's Advocate.
- Mr Ak
- August 15, 2008
"The only thing that can actually be proven is that an R18 classification will mean that Manhunt and BMX XXX will find themselves in Australian lounge rooms. Can't wait."
Bzzzt. Thank you for playing "can I talk about the issues knowledgably". You've not won any prizes, but you do take home this lovely complimentary bag of 'wrong. You're wrong!! so very, very wrong!!!'.
On reflection, the above might be a bit harsh. You're still completely wrong though. Britain, which does have an R rating, still refused classification to Manhunt. As did NZ. An R rating does not mean 'anything goes'.
BMX XXX will probably be allowed, however.
- Blurry
- August 15, 2008
I'm really sick of this issue so how about this:
41. So Screenplayers will stop whinging about the issue and we don't have to read the same posts over and over again.
This alone would make it worthwhile!
For the record (and no massive disrespect) the fella that brought it up on Q and A a few weeks back articulated himself very very poorly.
- Chris
- August 15, 2008
Mr Ak
Be fair. I was only half wrong.
PS: I agree with Blurry's point 41.
- Jason Hill
- August 15, 2008
Late PS3 news just in....
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.) today confirmed the 28th August 2008 as the Australian release date for its new PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) 80GB model, replacing the current 40GB version. The new model, announced at E3 in July, offers all of the features and functionality of the 40GB model, but with double the storage to accommodate more games, movies, graphics, music, photos and other entertainment content all at the same recommended retail price of $699.
Not only does the new PS3 model offer increased storage, but it also ships with a DUALSHOCK3 Wireless Controller. Utilising Bluetooth technology for wireless game play, the DUALSHOCK 3 provides the most intuitive and involved game play experience thanks to the inclusion of SIXAXIS motion sensing technology and in-built rumble, ensuring each hit, crash and explosion is more realistic than ever.
"Having achieved an install base of over 350,000 consoles to date, the PS3 has already found its place in many Australian homes," said Michael Ephraim, Managing Director SCE Aust. and New Zealand. "With more compelling content being made available to PS3 owners every week through the PLAYSTATION Network, the extra storage offered in this new model will prove invaluable."
"In addition, the 80GB memory allows you consolidate all of your digital music, photos and movies in one central place within the home and experience them on a high definition TV. Add to this the ability to enjoy Blu-ray movies and games and it's clear why the PS3 has earned its place as the leading entertainment hub in today's home."
Thanks to a constantly expanding and diverse software line-up, the PS3 continues to grow in its appeal to a broad range of consumers; from hard-core gamers through to general entertainment enthusiasts. While upcoming exclusive blockbuster PS3 titles, such as Resistance 2 and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, appeal to gaming enthusiasts, other titles like MotorStorm Pacific Rift and LittleBIGPlanet can be enjoyed by anyone who's looking for pure entertainment. Add to this the arrival of PlayStation's leading social gaming titles like SingStar and Buzz! to the PS3 platform and there is something on offer for every type of entertainment seeker.
- Mr Ak
- August 15, 2008
Depends on how you measure it. Only one game would still be refused classification, but your implied point that everything will be published is still absolutley wrong.
And I too back point 41. Let's get back to proper game-related dialogue, like evil trams and the dubious neccessity of an Australian army.
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
Wait on, the worst thing you can imagine happening is that a silly racing game with very mild nudity (that would get an M rating in a film) might be unbanned?
The funny thing is that BMX XXX might even get an MA15+ these days - God of War 1 and 2 both have gratuitous nudity and were rated MA15+. (I reiterate that the GoW series should all be rated R18+, not MA15+.)
Like Mr Ak says, Manhunt is likely to remain banned, though it could sneak through on an R rating. It's so old now, though, that I doubt T2 would bother resubmitting it.
I did some research today at the Classification Board (formerly OFLC) website. Here are some stats for you:
52 games have been refused classification in Australia.
29 were not submitted by the publisher, but were illegal sexually explicit game seized by police or customs, leaving only 23 games properly submitted and refused classification.
11 were awarded MA (or lower) on appeal or after being edited and resubmitted, leaving only 12 games remaining refused classification.
Knock that down to 11, because one of those games (The Roberta Williams Anthology) was RCed for containing Phantasmagoria, a previously RCed game).
That's eleven games in fifteen years that might (mind you might) have been released in Australia if we had an R rating. Compare that to the 443 games awarded MA15+ or lower in the past six months alone.
The "flood" of inappropriate content that would follow an rating is a myth.
- Anthony
- August 15, 2008
@DexX on August 15, 2008 3:35 PM
Steady on mate! I'm not sure what I did to deserve that serve. I was only joking around that Jason said that it as "40 reasons for". IE I was just being pedantic about the wording, nothing more.
But as far as your points go, running around calling people 'prudes' is delving into the emotive. The people you label as such may not have rational roots for why the do it, but it makes them feel uncomfortable. So based on the gut feeling of threat, they want to protect others and themselves. So going around name calling isn't particularly productive, despite how daft their reasoning may or may not be.
Also "I am supposed to be a free citizen in a democracy....", doesn't give you an open tab. You'd be looking at Anarchy (and I'm not talking about the stereotype of smashing windows) for that one that allows you unbridled access (and allow everyone unbridled access to any sacred cows you may have as well) where then any censorship would come from the common good decision of shunning things beyond the pale at an individual to individual level. Why you have to keep repeating it is that I do believe that at this point you leave rational discourse and let your passion on the topic get the better of you.
Democracy is as much about responsibilities as well as rights. Its also about the good of the society above that of the individual, while still giving reasonable chance for the individual to have some say. Also there is nowhere that says that democracy gives rise and/or right to free speech, thats just a particularly virulent piece of US propaganda. Sure, when your political reps are largely answerable to those that vote them in, it means they are more exposed to the whims of those that elect them. If that whim is free speech, it can occur. But if that whim is say detention camps due to paranoia about immigrants dropping in without paperwork, well you know what happens.
I'm getting the urge to cite Pandora's box on this one as well, but given I haven't read the whole myth, I might be putting on unintentional connotations. There are some topics I believe even the poor censors shouldn't have to be subjected to.
- Joka
- August 15, 2008
Although not a reason, but a recommendation that R18 games are not displayed on the shelves in game stores but are only purchased behind the counter...if that makes sense.
- Ali
- August 15, 2008
I always get home and online WAY after everyone's made good points and discussion. :(
So, rather than repeating all the clever opinions and ideas from above I'll just say...
Good Luck Jason! Have a great weekend and don't get too bored. :D
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
Anthony, most of that wasn't directly specifically at you - it's just a general annoyance at a recurring line of reasoning that I thought was thoroughly disproved long ago. I don't think you personally are a prude; I was just venting at the political control exerted by the prude lobby.
Yes, we are supposed to be able to do what we want, as long as we're not hurting anyone. The OFLC/CB's own standards state this - don't recall the exact wording, but it's along the lines of "Adults should be able to see, read, and hear whatever they want..." and adds the caveat of this being over-ridden by the greater public good.
It is essentially the same concept as legal presumption of innocence - a suspect is innocent by default, and the prosecution must prove guilt. In this analogy, proponents of censorship are the prosecution. They must prove that there is a good reason to censor anything, and if no proof can be found then censorship should not occur.
Naturally, I'm talking about this stuff from an idealistic perspective. All of this is what should be the case, and it is one of the founding principles of free, democratic society, but as we know it doesn't always work that way.
Still, my request is simple: before anyone tries to restrict my personal freedom, I demand proof that the restriction has a reasonable justification. I just want someone to explain to me why Fallout 3 with slightly gimped drugs is acceptable, but the unedited version is unacceptably harmful to society.
Frankly, I don't think there is a reasonable explanation. It all comes down to emotional responses and gut feelings. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to tolerate government interference in my life based on some invisible minority's irrational idea of what is morally acceptable.
If they give me compelling evidence I will grudgingly accept their judgement. So far, no evidence is forthcoming, and censorship continues based on platitudes and gut feelings. Frankly, I'm sick of it.
- DexX
- August 15, 2008
P.S. I can't help finding it amusing that I'm being called out on my "emotive" responses after the R-rating proponents in one thread have been referred to as "wolves" and likened to the NRA.
- August 16, 2008
Come on guys!
You have gone on about exploding heads yet nobody brought up Scanners?!?!
- Hong Bit
- August 16, 2008
Heh, why bother with the game ratings?
You can slap what ever law or regulation you want on it....
Since kids are so tech saavy. (actually they always have been.)
*They'll just download it off bit torrent or somewhere else on the internet.
*Or get a copy from a freind at school.
*Or just plain rent the game if desperate enough.
If you think that ratings on video games keep the "nasty games" from kids...You've believed a lie.
This is not the 50's (when people were more sheep-like and would abide by the goverment's laws no questions asked) Today's kids doubt authority, no...they question everything. And they can find what they want via all forms of social networking in real life.
It needless to say, it's not 80's either: Where transmitting data was expensive and slow.
Unlike today where everything is fast in the world of computing.
So these rating laws, are rather useless. They MIGHT stop parents from allowing their kids from buying a video game if the child walks into the video game shop with their parents. But 30 minutes later the kid will walk back into the same shop and buy the game all on his own.
Because the guy behind the counter at the shop doesn't give a s**t. All we can do is educate kids on the possible impact that some violent video games may remotely affect have on them. In most cases when I kid emulates violences in video games in real life...Is due to their parents neglecting them...Oddly enough it is the rich kids that usually go nutty on video games.
- Kristy
- August 17, 2008
I've been thinking about this issue for a long time, and I'm pro R18+ ratings for games. I can't think why anyone claiming to want to protect children would find this a bad idea.
I know plenty of "hardcore christians" who quietly play M and MA rated games...now think about it...if the current (relatively unchanged) MA games became R18+ it would be much harder for them to play and have a clear conscience...
- Chris
- August 18, 2008
@ Kristy
If you saying that "hardcore christians" are lobbying under false pretenses then I think their consciences would have been corrupted a long time ago.
- DexX
- August 18, 2008
> "hardcore christians" are lobbying under false pretenses
Obviously "thou shalt not bear false witness" doesn't get the attention these days that it used to.
- peter bayliss
- August 18, 2008
@hong bit
actually I'm not actually sure a lot of kids really are that tech savy, judging by some of the comment threads i've seen on torrent tracker sites. Stuff like:
"what does unrar mean? do I use Winrar?" You'd think they could use google or something to work these things out?
I do wonder how many of them would have fared in the good ole' days of bootdisks and autoexec and config hacking.
- cdagamer
- August 18, 2008
@Hong Bit
Something is fundamentally wrong with the system if the reason for not introducing a perfectly sound law is that the law makers are afraid that the law might get broken. All laws are broken thats why laws have enforcement.
Some tech savvy kids *are* going to obtain the games illegally (and BTW, there's no reason why it would only be R rated games either), and they already are. The difference is that without an R rating, I myself as an 18+ gamer would have to break the law to get an RC'd game.
If anything, introducing an R rating would see a decrease in piracy.
- Anthony
- August 19, 2008
@DexX on August 15, 2008 10:41 PM
I just hold you to a higher standard of thought than most. ;) Consider it a complement to your articulation and discussion skills.
I'm not Billy Goat Gruff, hence I shall continue to ignore those trolls you were talking about (unless I'm bored, then I may indulge in a bit of mocking.)
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text:
I first rode D2R2 three-and-a-half years ago. I rode it on a Surly Crosscheck, because that's what I had that seemed even vaguely appropriate. The next two years I rode it on a custom road bike with 28s, not because that's the right thing to ride, but again, because that's what I had. I have seen people ride that event on full-suspension 29ers and full-carbon road bikes with 23s. As far as I could tell, they all had fun (though some may have fixed more flats than others).
This year I will ride it on a purpose-built Ti bike with disc brakes, an off-road adventure machine with an all-day geometry and alust for roads that aren't and never really were roads to begin with.
D2R2 has become, for me, a season defining ride, just as Dirty Kanza, Leadville, RAGBRAI, Battenkill, Levi's King Ridge Granfondo, etc., etc. have become anchor points for others. It seems that almost anytime I'm out on the bike during the year I have the dirt roads of Southern Vermont in my mind. If I am climbing a seemingly endless hill anywhere in the world, I immediately think of Pennel Hill Rd. Everything is hard or not-hard in comparison.
In this way, it reminds me of Paris-Roubaix or the Tour, which are reference point races for many of the pros.
D2R2 is special, but it's not the most or only special cycling event out there. Some season-defining rides aren't even events. They're just annual meet-ups with friends. Some are races. Some are just group rides, but they serve as our reference points all year long.
This week's Group Ride asks what YOUR reference point is? What is the Ur-ride in your calendar? And what is it about that ride that has captured your imagination? Is it the terrain? The company? The difficulty?
19 comments
I have two rides that define my season.
The first is the Heartbeat Hundred, put on by Planet Ultra. The course is challenging, with 8500 feet of climbing. The scenery is gorgeous, transitioning from mountainous pine forest, to high desert, and back again. Additionally, most of the ride is on secluded roads. For most of the ride,you don't see a car.
I've been doing this ride for the last 7 years. I always ride it as an individual time trial (no drafting) and I have records of all my previous times. I had a pretty decent time from 4 years ago, and have been chasing after it ever since. I was convinced that I would never equal it again….until this year. I beat it by 15 minutes, and I was so happy. I was crying at the end. Showing up to this event ready to rock is the high point of my year.
The second event is the Ride Around the Bear century hosted by the Orange County Wheelmen. Lots of climbing here too…9000 feet. The course takes us up to Big Bear Lake, and then on up to Onxy Summit at 8400 feet. Each year I try to ride the section from the lake to Onyx as hard as I can. Often I blow up big time, but sometimes I pull it off and continue on for a strong finish. Those are the times that I really savor and remember. This is what its like to be fit and strong on a bike. Yes!
My point of reference just changed. It was the Levi Leipheimer King Ridge ride which I look forward to doing again this fall. Now it is the BWR or the Belgian Waffle Ride. As it turned out I was not quite ready for it this year, but now that I know what it's like I will be back. Just doing part of that ride took my cycling to another level.
Can it be central if I've only attempted it once, and didn't make it then? It made an impression I've only ridden over 100 miles once, and that was my failed attempt to make the 140 from Champoeg state park to my folks' house in Eugene, OR on the Wilamette Valley Scenic Bikeway. 111 miles to Brownsville is still a real ride, but I look forward to another attempt this year, wherein I will *not* get bored with eating and drinking, and I'll get to roll up to my dad's burritos under my own power…
Peter Lin
For me, Greylock Century is the ride I look forward to. This year will be my forth year doing it and every year I love it. Near the end, every cat4 climb feels really long and every cat5 climb feels like a cat3. When the weather is nice, it's just a fantastic ride around some of the most scenic areas of western MA. Even when the weather isn't ideal, it's still a great ride. Some people hate the third big climb up East Hawley, but it's one of my favorites. Half way up, it feels like the pain will never end, but once you're at the top it feels so damn good. When I'm out there, East Hawley is my favorite hill for repeats.
Can I post two?
Gravel: the Almanzo 100. It's seriously hard, but just an amazing event. 1400 riders this year. Free. Twin six giving out beer at mile 75. Horses running with us this year.
Road: dairy land dare. I do the 200km version. 12000 ft climbing. Great roads. Wonderful local people bringing you cookies at the rest stops. Beer and brats at the end.
These are great rides.
"The first is the Heartbeat Hundred, "
You mean the HeartBREAK Hundred, right? In all other respects I totally agree with your assessment of that ride.
After you ascend Heartbreak and then you cross the beautifully sparse Lockwood Valley, then at the end of the valley is the last climb of the ride, a 500-foot grind over the ridge. From there on it's all downhill. So when I climb that last 500 feet I watch for the "ICY" sign. That is the top, at the apex of the climbing for the day. Legs celebrate! ICY.
I USED to do that. Arthritis in my left knee keeps me from those great rides any more. So why do I go on living??? Well, at least I still have PV.
And I agree with you too on RAtB. Where we diverge is that my ultimate favorite ride used to be the Mulholland Challenge.
did kanza 2 years ago. impressive. D2R2, vermont overland, and dirty 40 are this year. cant wait.
benchmark ride :http://dirtwire.tv/2013/06/hilly-billy-roubaix-the-epic-movie/
just a really hard day with a bunch of awesome people. a great time 4 years running
Jeremiah Bishop's favorite training route is his Grand Fondo.
Its the hardest ride I never finished. This year I'm finishing!
I guess it is when I fly out to CA with my travel bike in May after finishing teaching each year and ride with my friend Paul and, sometimes, my brother. It can be a bunch of great rides out of Santa Cruz, or it can be the Davis Double Century, or it can be a credit-card tour on road and dirt for a few days. In any case, it is the chance to ride with friends and notice how we don't even have to think about how we ride together – it just works. I am missing it this year. Paul is putting on a Meet-Your-Maker ride today but I am "stuck" on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, working. I brought my coupler bike though and have been having some incredible rides. Straight up and down – no hills shorter than 10 km or gentler than 10% average grade, and nothing seems to just contour around the volcanoes. Downhills on some are pretty scary, especially in a downpour. I can identify with the pros in the Giro, although I get to crawl if I need to.
The Snake Creek Gap TIme Trials are the focal point of my riding year. 34 mile MTB race in the mtns above Dalton, GA. 5400ish feet of climbing, several creek crossings (some over knee deep at times), and the last 5 miles is one big rock garden. And, the races are the first Saturday in Jan, Feb, and March – it's cold, and usually wet. The crappy weather, tough climbs, technical terrain, and the awesome folks who host and ride this event – it brings me back year after year after year. It's also great motivation to stay on the bike as Old Man Winter sets in, and to not over eat during the holidays. If you show up at the Snake ill prepared, it makes you pay. I'm getting excited just thinking about it!!
si little
the defining ride is and now was the boston-montreal-boston ride. middlebury gap at the end of 200 miles or so the first day, the wind across the flats in champlain islands either way up or back, andover hill on the way back in the baking sun, porcupine quills in the new macadam between chester and grafton, napping in town commons and old graveyards, moose at 2 am on vt 100 just barely made out in the lights, doing b-m-b both on d/f and 'bent.. cheers.
My annual reference ride is the Assault on Mt. Mitchell. 103 miles…11,000 feet of climbing.
David B
It use to be the Santa Cruz Mountains Challenge, but yesterday I did the first ever Lost and Found ride. 100 miles and 7000 feet, 80 miles of Sierra fire roads. Excellent course, and beer at 67 miles. I'll do my standard reference ride in a few weeks and see which stays more stuck in my head. Can I have two?
this year…to work and back…
Triple Bypass from Avon to Evergreen, Colorado. 122 miles and 10,000 ft of elevation gain over three major mountain passes. Riding through snowfields at nearly 12,000 ft ASL on Loveland Pass in July is unreal.
Tom in Albany
My morning commute ends with a short hill. It's about 1/2 mile. Big ring vs. small ring defines my daily condition. I'm about to try my first Gran Fondo at the end of September in Rensselaerville, NY. 84 miles 8000 climbing some dirt/gravel mixed in with black top. Any training advice? Tire/wheel selection advice?
Dan Murphy
D2R2 it is. Signed up back in Dec.
I've done the last two and they were absolutely the best rides ever. OK, I did the weenie routes (100k, 115K), but these are downright gorgeous rides with minimal or no traffic, and a great vibe.
CA Dave
AIDS LifeCycle (ALC), formerly known as California AIDS Ride.
550 miles over 7 days, SF to LA. Beautiful scenery, great community, nothing helps the fitness like 7 days in a row on a bike.
The best reason: saving lives by raising awareness and money ($15 Million in 2014)!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Where has Floraphile been? you ask.
She's been busy getting an education through the Master Gardener program offered by University of Georgia's Cooperative Extension. And she's been grieving the loss of her cousin/friend/inspiration Karen Hart (a.k.a. li'l hateful).
|Karen (on the right): You are daily missed.
But Floraphile is back with you, revived by a good friend who took her to see Pearl Fryar speak at the Georgia State Botanical Garden a week ago. Let me tell you, Pearl Fryar is exactly the person to shore up a soul forlorn and broken-down by grief.
So who is this Pearl Fryar? Well, he's an artist, humanitarian, and gardener who for nearly 30 years has been making abstract topiary in his yard in Bishopville, South Carolina.
Now, I don't want to say too much here because there is a very fine documentary called A Man Named Pearl that you really should see, especially if you are in need of spiritual uplift. What I will tell you is that nearly all the topiary in his garden started as plants Mr. Fryar retrieved from a local nursery's rubbish heap, where plants too sickly or misshapen or otherwise unprofitable were discarded. He took home these "throw-away plants," generally no larger than one gallon, grew them and trained them in to the fantastic shapes that now make up his three-acre garden. His only training in topiary was a brief demonstration at a nursery.
"Everything here I've done with my gas-powered hedge trimmer. I can do miracles with my hedge trimmer."
That might sound like boasting, except that it's true. Actually, this claim, made largely in jest, falls short of the miracles manifest in Mr. Fryar's garden. From a horticultural standpoint, a number of plant species thriving in the garden shouldn't be able to grow there at all, or at least not in the forms into which they've been trained. For example, because the family's Christmas trees were added to the garden, you'll find Frasier fir and Norway spruce, neither of which is supposed to grow down in South Carolina. You'll also find live oaks in the most improbable shapes: dense cubes and mushroom caps, graceful trunks and branches adorned with leafy tufts. And all of this is done without chemicals and with little watering beyond what it took for the plants to initially establish themselves.
"Sometimes you gotta substitute for what you don't have."
Mr. Fryar now has a cherry-picker to carry him to the tops of his larger creations, but that was not always the case. In his presentation, he showed us some slides of himself atop a ladder stretching obliquely from where it rested on the bumper of his truck or wedged between the truck's cab and camper shell. "If OSHA came by and saw what did, I'd probably be under the jail," he quipped.
|Despite some really heart-stopping acrobatics, Mr. Fryar has never fallen.
Mr. Fryar generally used what was to hand. For instance, to train plants into arches he uses PVC pipe. To create an espalier against his house, he used nails and pantyhose (although he recommends getting permission first, as his wife was none too pleased when it was time to dress for church and her hose had disappeared). He joked that he used to use string to train plants, but now that he wants to "look professional" he uses zip ties instead. "If you took away Yaupon holly, PVC pipe, and coat hangers," he reflected, "I wouldn't have a garden."
|Once the shrubs have grown together and the arch is complete, you can remove the PVC.
Art and repurposing aren't limited to topiary for Mr. Fryar. He's also a junk-metal artist. Like his plants, these pieces are whimsical, elegant studies in form. He showed us slides of his metal art and paused at one slide to remark, "I don't own this piece anymore. A woman caught me at the right moment. I think I needed a new tractor." But he wasn't bitter about it. In fact, shortly there after he advised, "If you want to be successful, create something the ladies like."
|Fountain: An example of Mr. Fryar's "junk art."
Mr. Fryar finished his talk with a demonstration. He applied his hedge trimmer to two Leyland cypresses, turning them into handsome spirals. He also gave advice to those of us who wanted to try our hands at topiary:
Start small. Fryar recommends starting with one-gallon plants, because you cannot adequately control the growth of larger plants.
Dig a trench. Once you have your plant in the ground, encircle it with a trench. According to Mr. Fryar, "Once the surface roots go in the trench, they don't come back up. That way I don't have to water." He also mulches around the plant with pine straw.
Don't skimp on hedge trimmers. With cheap hedge trimmers, you have to repeat your cuts: "If you have to go through 2 or 3 times, you are damaging the plant." Fryar realizes that "most people don't want to spend $400 dollars for a hedge trimmer" like his, but he urged the audience to spend no less than $100.
Cut new growth every 4-6 weeks. "If you have to rake clippings, you've waited too long." With a frequency of 4-6 weeks, you can control the plant's growth.
Choose a style. "My style is abstract free-form. I want to see the structure of the plant." This style has its benefits as you can "make a mistake into art." (Well, Mr. Fryar can, anyhow.)
Avoid disease-prone plants. Mr. Fryar no longer uses boxwood, a shrub traditionally used in topiary, because it is prone to spider mites and diseases that require the application of chemicals. If you want the boxwood look without the problems, he recommends Yaupon holly.
Make left-handed friends. If you, like most people, are right-handed and want spirals that mirror one another to place on either side of a pathway, you are going to have to find someone left-handed to make the opposing spiral. He recommends taking your left-handed friend out to lunch, and then teaching him or her to use your hedge trimmer.
|An artist at work.
Looking at Mr. Fryar's creations can be intimidating. That is always the case when regarding an extraordinary artistic achievement, and then setting about to make something of your own. Nevertheless, Mr. Fryar has inspired many of his neighbors in Bishopville to practice topiary, and the influence of his style is evident in their creations.
Apparently topiarius, Latin for "ornamental landscape gardener," means creator of places, topia being the Greek word for place. Into his lawn Mr. Fryar has carved in words and spelled out in flowers Love Peace + Goodwill. I have no doubt that a visit to his topia awakens those sentiments, as does being in the presence of the man for an evening.
|Pearl Fryar signing after his talk. That's his wife Metra.
Again, I highly recommend seeing A Man Named Pearl. But until you get your hands on a copy, watch this John Deer spot featuring Mr. Fryar. It's worth it to hear his remarkable voice and see more of the garden.
Floraphile extends a special thanks to Jenny Cruse-Sanders.


text:
A Capela - A Essência de Sintra
Renovated chapel set in the heart of Sintra, Portugal. This converted XVIII Century Chapel was originally built in 1789 and offers a unique experience for those wishing to visit and have a historical stay in one of the corner stones of Sintra. The chapel is wrapped in romantic gardens and offers a private outdoor lounge area to enjoy the mountain views of the Moorish Castle ruins. Boutique interior, designed with a modern touch for a luxurious and unforgettable experience. Breakfast is included each morning. Ideal for a honeymoon, special occasion or just a retreat away from city life. We are situated only 5 minutes walk from Sintra Station and excellently located to all the sights or for a stroll through the historical old town. We are also 5 minutes walk from the only beach tram and within walking distance to all the quaint cafes, shops and restaurants. Available for weddings, corporate or private events upon enquiry.


text:
This story has been updated.
The southbound lanes of the new Tappan Zee Bridge have reopened after a pre-dawn crash involving an overturned flatbed truck causes its closure for nearly four hours.
The pre-dawn crash occurred near Exit 11 near the span to the Westchester-bound bridge span. Traffic was at a standstill stretching back to Exit 14 (Spring Valley).
Motorists were advised to take the Bear Mountain Bridge or the George Washington Bridge until the crash scene was cleared just before 9 a.m.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


text:
He joined his partners to break away and do things on their own terms.
Welcome to our
resource library
Below, you will find infographics, slideshows, fact sheets and more to help guide you on your journey to independence.
Retaining Clients in Independence
Many Advisors delay making the switch to the RIA model out of fear that they'll lose clients. Learn how to communicate your transition to clients and continue your relationship in independence.
Key Decisions for Independence: Mapping Your Start in the RIA Model
Choosing to become an RIA involves a lot of decisions—but having a road map makes them easier to manage. Read this guide to learn about key milestones in independence.
Compliance in Independence
Keeping up with laws and regulations is something you'll need to be aware of as an independent RIA, but it's not unmanageable. Learn more from industry leader Blane Warrene in this article.
M&A on the Horizon: Ready to Grow Your Firm?
If it's time to start thinking big(ger), we can help. Learn about what you need to do to prepare for M&A at your firm.
Going Independent by the Numbers: Mapping Out the Costs of Starting Your RIA Firm
Ready to go out on your own? Let's do some math. Use this worksheet to keep track of what your startup costs may be.
Steps to Independence: Structuring and Setting Up Your RIA Firm
Starting your own RIA firm? Use this guide to walk through some critical steps you'll need to take as you get up and running.
Realize More Career Freedom: Discover the Benefits of the RIA Model
Transitioning to independence could be a win for you and your clients. Find out what other Advisors have to say about what it's like on the other side.
Make Your Move: Exploring Opportunities in the RIA Model
Could transitioning to the RIA model increase the value of your business? Learn more about some of your options.
Viewing 8 of 30
No Regrets: Advisors Who Moved to the RIA Model—And Never Looked Back
Deciding to become an independent RIA could seem like a leap of faith. Hear from Advisors whose only regret is that they didn't do it sooner.
Fiduciary Freedom: Be in Charge of How Your Business Is Run—100%
Independent RIAs can choose how they counsel their clients. Learn more about just how free you can really be.
Quick Guide
A Student's Guide to a Career in Financial Planning
Which advising model is right for you? Use this guide to find out—and learn more about the industry.
Finding the Right Fit: A Quick Guide to Joining the Right RIA Firm
Interested in leveraging an existing firm's infrastructure but not sure where to begin? This checklist can help.
Become Robo-Efficient in 3 Easy Steps
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Becoming an RIA means having us on your side—even on Capitol Hill. Find out how we practice industry advocacy.
The TD Ameritrade Institutional Technology Ecosystem
See our list of helpful tech tools and learn how they integrate with our Veo® platforms.
5 Promises Every Custodian Should Keep
Don't put up with lip service from your custodian. Your fellow RIAs will fill you in on why.
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The Truth About Transitions: The Grass Is Often Greener
More and more, the evidence is becoming clearer—those who go independent are a happy bunch.
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Ten Reasons RIAs Trust TD Ameritrade After They Go Independent
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Your Transition Checklist
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Starting Your Own RIA Firm: Your Transition Journey
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The Truth About Transitions: You Can Take It With You
A new study shows that parting ways with the wirehouse doesn't mean leaving clients behind.
The Truth About Transitions: With the Right Help, Independence Doesn't Have to Be Difficult for Brokers
With comprehensive support and preparation, becoming an RIA is simpler than you think.
Transition Tips From RIAs Who've Done It
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Business Transition Services
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Joining an Existing RIA Firm: Your Transition Journey
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Meet advisors like you who have
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Become an RIA in
From choosing the right business model to helping your firm thrive after transition, you may have a lot of questions about becoming an independent RIA. Get the answers you're looking for in our guidebook, Becoming an Independent RIA.


text:
Queen Bee Introduction
Everything in the garden is lovely with the Queen Bee pokie from Gameplay-Interactive. As we'd expect from their high quality output, this is a fun and easy to play pokie full of pretty flowers, buzzing bees and golden pots of honey. This game can be played for free right here - if you like it you might also enjoy the vast selection of other free online pokies we have!
Game Theme
Queen Bee has quite a unique and relaxing theme, set in a garden and focusing on all the activity around a busy beehive. The Queen Bee herself presides over the game at the side of the screen and you'll enjoy the tinkling theme tune and cute animations whenever you score a winning combination. Everything is rendered in a fresh and floral colour palette with cartoon-style graphics that are easy on the eye.
All the game symbols directly relate to the theme, too, so expect to see your reels packed with hives, honey and bees galore!
Game Format
This is a 9 payline pokie, with a range of flexible staking options so you can stake on every reel for a maximum stake of between $0.18 and $20.70 per spin. This will satisfy the casual gamers and medium rollers among you who are looking for a fun game that doesn't hit the pocket too hard. High rollers may prefer to get their pokie kicks with a game like Dragon Lines.
Pure Gold Payouts
Queen Bee pays out in multipliers and there are some tasty jackpots to be landed when you spin up a full house of the following symbols:
- Worker bee in glasses: 5,000x
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- Ace: 300x
- King, Queen: 200x
- Jack, 10: 100x
Queen Bee wild
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Who'll Enjoy this Game?
With its tinkling theme and fresh, bright graphics, this garden themed pokie is a very pleasant way to the pass time. You won't land a huge jackpot, but regular smaller payouts will keep casual to medium rollers engaged and with multipliers on a wide range of symbols you'll enjoy plenty of opportunities to add to the pot.
You won't find the range of bonus features that you would in a pokie like Drive: Multiple Mayhem, but if you like your pokies sweet and simple, you'll enjoy wiling away a few hours in Queen Bee's garden.
* The 'Play for Real' button that is visible on a mobile or tablet device on this page points to an Online Casino site. This site offers visitors the opportunity to play casino games for real money once they have registered. The Casino may not have this specific game available on their site. Please check the laws related to online gambling in your country/region before clicking this button.
|Game Name:
|Queen Bee
|Gameplay Interactive
|Medium Volatility
|Min Bet (all lines covered):
|Max Bet:
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text: For longer term storage, there are many self storage units around the metro area. Not cheap, but then neither is paying extra baggage fees and lugging around extra stuff not needed for another leg of your trip, as it sounds like Terry might be doing. For example, I found "Downtown Denver Self Storage" with units starting at $45 a month. http://www.downtowndenverstorage.com/ Lockers Denver Colorado


text:
I realised this morning that I knew at least four of these jokes, one of which is not very nice (sorry Celine Dion), so I thought I would share them:
Timmy the toothless termite walks into a bar and asked where is the bar tender?
Pause (This needs to be performed more than read)
A polar bear walks into a bar and asks the barman, "Please could I have a gin and … (pause for 5 seconds) … tonic."
The barman says, "Sure thing, but what's with the big pause?" and the Polar Bear says, "I dunno, I was born with them."
Celin Dion walks into a bar and the barman says, "Why the long face?"
The Duck (This also requires a little perfomance)
A duck walks into a bar as asks the barman for a bread roll.
The barman says, "Sorry mate, but we don't serve bread rolls here", to which the duck says, "Ok, well could I have a couple of slices of bread then?"
The barman says, "Afraid, not, we don't server any bread here either", and the duck, looking forlorn, says, "Not even an old crust?"
The barman, slightly agitated, says, "No, we don't serve any bread", but the duck insists, "What about a mouldy piece?"
To which the barman whispers firmly, "Listen, we don't serve bread here, and if you ask one more time, I am going to nail your fucking beak to the bar!"
Calmly, the ducks as the barman, "Do you have any nails?", and the barman says, "No."
So the duck says, "And bread?"


text:
A classic Victorian Park atmosphere at the centre of this busy capital city
Roath Park stands in a beautiful location at the centre of this busy capital city. The park still retains the classic Victorian Park atmosphere where local residents and visitors alike can enjoy their leisure time in many different pursuits. Roath Park is full of historic and horticultural interest, with widely diverse environments across the park.
The land for Roath Park was donated by the Marquess of Bute to the city in 1887. Work initially focused on creating the lake from an area of marshland. A lighthouse was constructed in the lake containing a scale model of the 'Terra Nova' ship as a memorial to Captain Scott who sailed to the Antarctic from Cardiff in 1910. The park's atmosphere today still retains the Victorian elegance and its status as a Conservation Area ensures these qualities will be protected.
There is a wide range of habitats in the park, which attracts a diverse variety of wildlife. The lake acts as an important habitat for over wintering and breeding birds, including mallard, cormorants and herons. Islands within the lake also act as safe nesting sites. There is a wildflower garden included in the park where the area is managed to encourage wildlife and native species. The park boasts exceptional floral displays. These include the flowerbeds along the promenade and the famous rose garden which include trial beds for the National Rose Society. A Victorian glass house is home to tropical plants, koi carp and terrapins.
Public transport
By train: The nearest train station is Heath High Level Station which is approximately 450m away. For details of train times contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 or visit www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk. By bus: There are numerous bus routes along the roads surrounding the park along with plenty of bus stops including Ninian Road, Tydfil Place, Wild Gardens, Roath Park and Promenade. Details of bus routes and services can be found at www.cardiffbus.co.uk.
+44 (0)29 2068 4000
Lake Road West
S Glam


text:
forgive the daytime-television-themed headline there … i'm unemployed this week, and, try as i might, i can't turn off the train-wreck that is daytime programming. don't worry, i start a new job monday (unless, that is, you want to make me a better offer :p). anywho, if you're looking for something that will add some functionality to the very basic interface of the palm os, or you're looking for something that will jazz up the look of it, you should take a look at facer. it does both, giving you a skinnable interface (like launcherx and the like) and adding a today screen like the one on pocket pcs. thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can check out a full review of facer 1.9 from pocketcraft at bargainpda! pocketcraft offers full support for palm os 4 and 5, high-res screens, and even the extra screenery on the tungsten t3!
user comments 7 comment(s)
|… (5:18pm est tue nov 25 2003)
boring – by topher
|isn't that nice… (5:28pm est tue nov 25 2003)
they want to make thier plam look like a ms pocketpc. maybe they should have got a ppc in the first place! i know i like mine a heck of a lot better than a palm. – by lovemyppc
|palm-job (9:15pm est tue nov 25 2003)
pocketcraft? pocketpc? is that a new version of pocketpool? yeah baby jazz up that palm!!!!!! – by squirt
|ppc (5:00pm est wed nov 26 2003)
god it will be great when palm is dead and i can give all of my tech money to bill!!! and the best is that we will finally only be able to get 400mhz xscale devices running an os that makes it feel like it 50mhz! no – seriously. i love microsofts understanding of the pda space and how they knew that users really wanted to have 6 clicks to shut down an app! thats right – we dont have intuitive mouse and keyboard with our pdas – so they should obviously make the interface even more complex than the bloated desktop code on which – for some reason – the handheld os is based! obviously ppc is more advanced and is for serious users – why look how much it acts like my big, serious, desktop at work!
|free themes for facer (7:20pm est sat dec 20 2003)
agree, palm looked a bit dull before facer came along. let's not get into that whole ppc vs palm argument again. some people do like palm.
if you have palm os and want to try facer, you can download heaps of skins for free and join a helpful community at
come and visit 1 – by sifu
|slot machines (12:35pm est tue dec 27 2005)
i also said that slot machines for a genuine pleasure. – by slot machines
|immobilien (5:50pm est mon apr 17 2006)
you're welcome to visit my
– by anja


text:
Submitted by admin on
- Pacific Northwest
Monday, September 3, 2018 to Tuesday, September 4, 2018
The Rendezvous is an annual event, held Monday through Wednesday in the first week of September in Deer Harbor, Orcas Island. There are rowing and sailing races, pot lucks, music and a BBQ for owners of and those interested in wooden boats from the region and San Juan Islands. It is sponsored by the Wooden Boat Society of the San Juan Islands, the Deer Harbor Boat Works, and Boundary Bay Brewery, with the assistance of Deer Harbor Inn and the Deer Harbor Marina. It takes place the week between the Victoria and Port Townsend festivals, so is a great place to chill between shows.
Contact Name:
Ken Meyer


text:
Thursday, December 24, 2009
NES Arduino PCB - v0.2
The new revision grabs the Arduino ground off the board which eliminates that extra wire. I also chained together 2 shift registers to make use of all of the Arduino digital outs. So now the board has 14-bits of control through a single NES port. I'm using some new 1/2 oz copper boards and they give a nice clean etch! I dig the clear board too.
Well I drilled the board (almost destroyed the last pad too), soldered everything together and popped in the two ICs. I crossed my fingers and turned on the NES, loaded up my test program and... no joy. I did notice a strange humming sound coming out of my TV, so I did the usual sanity checks. The first chip felt pretty warm, so I unplugged the board from the controller port, and I noticed that the humming went away. I had a hunch that there was a short somewhere, I could only hope that it wasn't in my design.
Let me just say that a continuity tester is key for diagnosing these issues, you can make a simple one with an LED or make sure that your multimeter has the option. Even budget ones have this feature, mine (<$15) has an audible one, which is really handy. I started poking around, and I noticed that two pins were conducting (none should in this design!). Bastard! It's the first time I've used a ground plane fill for a board, you'll notice in the board layout below that a lot of the areas are solid. This saves on etchant and gives a clean look to the board. I guess I got sloppy though, I traced the path and found a splash of solder between VCC and GND. Yikes, I shorted the power lines. I was able to clean up the trace without much of a problem. I wired everything back up and it worked perfectly. Whew!
Finished (working) board, I'll extend the test software to 14-bit tomorrow.
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text:
The Fuel gauge on my F30 (located on top of tank) is not working (it continuously shows a full tank). Can these be replaced or is there a fix to loosen it up? (The tank is currently filled for winter storage)
Return to Engines and Mechanical Systems
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text:
The dental carriers are:
Aetna Life Insurance Company;
Delta Dental;
Dominion Dental;
FEP BlueDenal;
Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (GEHA);
MetLife Inc.;
United Concordia Companies, Inc.;
Group Health, Inc.;
Humana.; and
Triple-S Salud, Inc.
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text:
My Secret to Total Health and Wellness
Learn my simple, yet powerful secret to achieve total health and wellness!
It has been over a year since I have felt physically ill. I am calm and confident on a daily basis and I have reached goals in the past year that I never thought were possible. Not too long ago I was a young mother struggling with anxiety, severe health challenges and trying to grow a business. Today, I am happy, healthy and successful. How did I do it?
I attribute my wellness to eating right, regular foot zone sessions and the use of natural products, like essential oils to help keep my body in balance, but there is an additional tool that is simple, yet very powerful. This miraculous tool will help magnify the benefits of all of those wonderful things I am already doing to take care of my body. And although it is miraculous, it is not an expensive miracle drug. This method requires no money or travel and only a small investment of time. In fact, you already posses everything you need. So, what is this powerful tool that helped me to achieve greater health and happiness?
Before I tell about this amazing secret, I want you to think of a toddler you know. We are going to dive into the 2-year old psyche. What would happen if you ignored this toddler for a long period of time? Or, what might happen if that small child really wanted something, but didn't get it? One word comes to mind. Tantrum! Why throw a fit? Because a tantrum demands attention. It is almost impossible to ignore a screaming two-year old. All you parents know what I mean!
Now, think of a picture of yourself when you were younger. You were probably cute, and if you are anywhere close to my age, you might be wearing a yarn bow in your hair or an old-school Lacoste sweater with a pair of plaid pants. It was so long ago, you might not even recognize yourself. Perhaps you feel disconnected from this little being and can't believe that was you at one time in your life.
Well, believe it or not, that little being is still a part of you. For example, when I was younger, I used to stamp my foot if things didn't go my way. Still, to this day, I feel like a good stomp when I don't get what I want.
So now that we have brushed up on our child psychology and reconnected with our past, what does all this have to do with health and happiness?
That younger version of yourself lives within you. Often times in yoga, we refer to that part of ourself as our inner child. Just like a two-year old, our inner child throws a fit when we ignore her, or she is not getting what she wants. What does that tantrum look like? It can be illness, depression, anxiety or a number of other unpleasantries. Just like a toddler throwing a fit, these "tantrums" serve a purpose. They are impossible to ignore and force us to start paying attention to ourselves. So, how do we avoid these "fits"?
That is my big secret, the powerful tool I mentioned. Learn to listen to your inner child. If you give her the attention she needs, she will not throw tantrums. You will find that you get ill less often and that you are more content and happy with your life.
How do we listen to this little girl or boy that lives inside us? I like to think of that picture of when I was younger and imagine having a conversation with that little girl. "Allison," I say, "how are you doing?" If I tune in, she will let me know. So often as adults, we get stuck in the trap of pretending everything is okay even when it is not. The thing I admire about toddlers and young children is their honesty, and my inner child is always honest with me.
Okay, at this point , if you are still reading and don't think I am a total nut, congratulations! This means that you really are ready for this amazing tool. Taking it to the next level, you can "ask" your inner child during this imaginary conversation what she needs and even what she wants. If you take the time to follow through on what you have heard, your inner child will be happy and content, no need to throw a fit.
If you struggle with visualizations, try writing a letter to your inner child. Pull up that picture of when you were younger and put your pen to paper. Ask her how she is doing and what she needs or wants. Then, reply! Tap into that little girl or boy and write a response. It is so fun to see what you have to say to yourself. Psalms 8:2 says "Out of the mouth of babes has thou ordained strength…" You will find that you are strengthened as you learn to listen to that inner child.
Allison Larsen
She is the founder and co-owner of Sole Source Reflexology, mother of 4 children, author and international speaker.
Leave a Reply.


text:
David.a.s.grant needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 221 designs submitted by 58 freelance designers.
Viewpoint Partners Limited
Provides business owners with the financial tools and advice they require to understand and grow their business
I am trying to convey that my team and I can help the business owner view the sum of the parts of the business. My business is young, progressive, energetic and interested in solving client problems.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Franco German alliance revived
Paris and Berlin haveannounced the creation of a Franco-German working group to frame reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013. The working group was established on 2 July, a day before newly-appointed French Farm Minister Bruno Le Maire met with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso to explain France's stance on the future reform.
Le Maire said Barroso had shared his views on the 'strategic importance' of agriculture to the EU and on guaranteeing European food security.' It is absolutely necessary to regulate production,' Le Maire told the press after the meeting, insisting that the agricultural sector is far too strategic to be left to market forces alone.
'More regulation' will be France's guiding line in negotiations on farm reform, he added. But regulation does not necessarily mean quotas, he added, a reference to ongoing protests over milk prices.
'Our main political objective must be to guarantee stable and decent revenue for farmers,' he went on, noting that French farmers had lost 20 pet cent of their income since 2008. Such price volatility and decreases are 'not economically viable' and 'farmers cannot live with such instability,' he stressed. In other words, they must be funded by European taxpayers.
Franco-German cooperation on CAP reform will be very tight, Le Maire said, indicating that he would add a German official to his cabinet to prepare the work. Similarly, a French official will be sent to Berlin, he said.
The working group is open for others to join, he added, announcing a charm offensive tour of EU capitals that will start in London before going to Madrid, Rome, Bucharest and Warsaw. Paris and Berlin expect to table their first guiding principles for CAP reform 'in the coming months,' he added.
The appointment of Marie, formerly junior minister for European affairs, as farm minister in the 23 June reshuffle was itself significant. An ENArque, he has no clear agricultural experience or background. He is, however, a fluent German speaker and made numerous visits to Berlin in the first half of the year.
Labels: France, future of the CAP, Germany


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Victoria Beckham Bashes on Britney Spears Perfume
Britney Spears reportedly refused to sit next to Victoria Beckham at a restaurant in Chateau Marmont last year – and this is how the feud between the two started.
Beckham, who has established her style sense with her line of men's denim called 'dVb', hopes to gain some respect through her label. She said, "I'm not doing a Britney Spears and just putting my name on something and saying, 'Sell this perfume.' This is a real passion of mine. People think all I do is go shopping like a miserable cow, but, in actual fact, I work bloody hard."
In addition, she indicated that she does not want to live like Spears, "I could never live a life like Britney Spears, who is under the spotlight everyday. I couldn't do that. I would go stir crazy."
I agree with Beckham to a certain extent. Britney Spears probably doesn't give much thought to her perfume line. In fact, if you recall, her newest fragrance logo, "believe", is an exact replica of the logo of a non profit organization. You'd think Spears' marketing agency would have done a better job than copying word for word, and color for color.
On the other hand, Spears does not make the best choices for her life – anyone can see that. I can see the connection when Beckham is comparing her work ethic to Spears, but I don't see the point of mentioning Spears' obviously disoriented lifestyle.