Article by Cameron Spink

The Punch is a great website to dialogue on many different issues. You get journalists on the opposite sides of the fence to each other heatedly debating so many different topics. One such topic is abortion which always brings a lot of controversy. Tory Shepherd, staunch atheist and editor of The Punch fired the first shot writing an article in March last year declaring herself as a "pro-abortionist" and blaming "pro-lifers" as the reason why so many women feel guilty about aborting their babies. You can read her article here.

It took some time but eventually, yesterday, there was a response from Tim Cannon, the media spokesman for the Australian Family Association. Thankfully, it is worth the wait. Cannon fires back with strong scientific opinion that "human life commences at the time of conception". He also compares the plight of the unborn babies as similar to the fight for freedom for slaves. Apples and oranges, one might say, but the resemblances are worth considering. Click here to read his full article.

Some Red Bull advertisements have been deemed inappropriate by the Advertising Standards Board and have been banned from airing.

Watchdog deems Red Bull strip-club ad unfit
Herald Sun, April 14th 2010

"Red Bull's wings have been clipped by the advertising standards watchdog after it aired an animated TV commercial depicting a child at a strip club.

The energy drink manufacturer pulled the ad after leaving viewers fizzing over concerns it sexualised children, undermined parental authority and could even upset the RSPCA.

After last year's legalisation of abortion there has been great unrest in the community. In today's Herald Sun some very worrisome news was reported.

Thousands of young women had abortions in Victoria last year
Herald Sun, November 21, 2009

"More than 3350 young women had abortions in Victoria last year - at the alarming rate of nine each day.
The shocking number of unwanted pregnancies included 209 abortions performed on girls under 16, several without their parents' knowledge.
At least two 12-year-olds had terminations. The number of young teens seeking abortions has left staff at some clinics deeply concerned.
Some blame poor sex education at schools and anticipate a rush of "schoolies" seeking advice about unplanned pregnancies in coming months.
Croydon Day Surgery's Carol Richards said the biggest increase was among those aged 14.
"(They) are experimenting with sex and copying what they see on television," she said.
"Most of them have only had sex two or three times. They don't understand what can happen."
Health Department figures seen by the Herald Sun reveal more than 3350 females aged 20 or under sought terminations last year..."

Click here to read the full article.

How do we curb this trend? What do you find most worrying about this news? Have your say on our forum.

Article by Cameron Spink

Peter Costello has created a huge storm with his comments that:

"Footballers are not chosen for their moral principles. They do not go into a national draft for budding philanthropists.... What are the clubs thinking when they send them to schools to give guidance on life skills? Any right-thinking parent would quake with fear to hear that footballers were coming to their daughter's school to give a little bit of inspiration."

In a recent development participating in oral sex has been found to increase the likelihood of head and neck cancer. The Age reports on this health advancement.

Oral sex link to head cancer
The Age, 26th March 2010

"The number of serious head and neck cancers linked to a virus spread by oral sex is rising rapidly and suggests boys as well as girls should be offered protection through vaccination, doctors said on Friday.

Despite an overall slight decline in most head and neck cancers in recent years, cases of a particular form called oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have increased sharply, particularly in the developed world.

This growth seems to be linked to cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), the scientists said in a report in the British Medical Journal....

More than 500,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed annually in women and it kills around 200,000 a year. Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer among men and women, with about 640,000 new cases each year worldwide.

A recent study found the risk of developing oropharyngeal carcinoma was linked to a history of six or more lifetime sexual partners, four or more lifetime oral sex partners, and, for men, an earlier age at first sexual intercourse...."

Click here to read the full article.

Directed by Kevin Tancharoen

So you want to be famous. Talented? Check. Confident? Maybe. Intelligent? Potentially. Able to withstand the expectations, workload and finding the balance between working harder than any other high school student and not taking yourself too seriously? Um…

In summary, that’s what ‘Fame’ appears to be attempting to be about. As a film on its own, it’s entertaining but plotless. An hour into the movie, and one is still unable to determine the overall arch. It is filled with intriguing subplots – but due to the nature of the medium, it is too restricted to tell them with any real detail.

We follow a group of friends through their four years at the School of Performing Arts, referred to as P.A. They’re one of

the lucky 200 selected out of the 10,000 hopefuls who auditioned to attend for the chance to have their gifts nurtured and prepare them to be professional dancers, musicians, singers, actors, directors and so on.

As we do learn, however, the pursuit of fame isn’t an easy road. Some will make it. Plenty won’t. One boy is ripped off by a fake film producer in hopes to have his short film produced. Another girl risks her integrity for a role on a television show. Two students give up their education when their careers launch.

It’s a world where relationships aren’t as important as pursuing your dream, getting that job, getting into one of the most prestigious dance companies in New York.

But someone seems to get it, after enduring a few mistakes. “Success is love,” Jenny points out in a monologue to her drama class as she tries to define success. The P.A. isn’t there as a stepping stone to being featured in tabloids. It’s about nurturing the students’ craft. It’s about giving them the grounding to make it out there in the real world. And the teachers at the P.A. are realistic, gruff but kind. Malik’s drama teacher wants him to be honest about who he is, to accept what he cannot change and to accept that is all part of his story – imploring him to tell it. Four years later,

and the message finally sinks in. Presenting his story in rap, Malik finally embraces himself.

If there’s anything worth taking out of Fame, it’s that. Be yourself. Don’t work to please someone else. Don’t risk what you value in pursuit of being famous – because that isn’t success.

I give this movie 3 out of 5.